Insights into the Allosteric Effect of SENP1 Q597A Mutation on the Hydrolytic Reaction of SUMO1 via an Integrated Computational Study

Small ubiquitin-related modifier (SUMO)-specific protease 1 (SENP1) is a cysteine protease that catalyzes the cleavage of the C-terminus of SUMO1 for the processing of SUMO precursors and deSUMOylation of target proteins. SENP1 is considered to be a promising target for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and prostate cancer. SENP1 Gln597 is located at the unstructured loop connecting the helices α4 to α5. The Q597A mutation of SENP1 allosterically disrupts the hydrolytic reaction of SUMO1 through an unknown mechanism. Here, extensive multiple replicates of microsecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, coupled with principal component analysis, dynamic cross-correlation analysis, community network analysis, and binding free energy calculations, were performed to elucidate the detailed mechanism. Our MD simulations showed that the Q597A mutation induced marked dynamic conformational changes in SENP1, especially in the unstructured loop connecting the helices α4 to α5 which the mutation site occupies. Moreover, the Q597A mutation caused conformational changes to catalytic Cys603 and His533 at the active site, which might impair the catalytic activity of SENP1 in processing SUMO1. Moreover, binding free energy calculations revealed that the Q597A mutation had a minor effect on the binding affinity of SUMO1 to SENP1. Together, these results may broaden our understanding of the allosteric modulation of the SENP1−SUMO1 complex.     

利用光栅最小偏向角法测光波波长

本文导出斜入射时,光栅谱线存在最小偏向角的条件及最小偏向角与波长间的关系,据此精确测定了光波波长,并在实验中通过与垂直入射法的比较显出其优越性。     

Compositions and Biological Activities of Pomegranate Peel Polyphenols Extracted by Different Solvents

Pomegranate peel extract (PPE), which is abundant in polyphenols, holds immerse prospects for the treatment of airway infection. In this study, water and ethanol of 30%, 50%, and 80% were used to prepare PPE. A total of 18 phenols belonging to 8 categories of polyphenols were identified in PPE by HPLC-MS/MS. The PPE from the four extraction solvents possessed different antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities. Principal component analysis revealed that though total flavonoids (TFs), total polyphenols (TPs), and total tannins (TTs) were responsible for the reducing power of PPE, only TFs contributed to the effect of PPE in inhibiting lipid membrane peroxidation. TPs, TTs, and punicalagin were positively correlated with the antibacterial strength against S. aureus while TTs alone contributed to the inhibition of methicillin-resistant S. aureus, implying the crucial role of TT in suppressing bacteria. Meanwhile, TTs was associated with the prevention of IL-6 release. The PPE with higher contents of TPs, TTs, and punicalagin had a weaker capacity to decrease nitric oxide secretion. PPE of 30% ethanol gained the highest integrated score due to its stronger antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities. It is a suitable candidate for the therapy of respiratory tract infection.     

Analytical performance study of solar blind non-line-of-sight ultraviolet short-range communication links

Motivated by recent advances in solid-state incoherent ultraviolet sources and solar blind detectors, we study communication link performance over a range of less than 1 km with a bit error rate (BER) below 10(-3) in solar blind non-line-of-sight situation. The widely adopted yet complex single scattering channel model is significantly simplified by means of a closed-form expression for tractable analysis. Path loss is given as a function of transceiver geometry as well as atmospheric scattering and attenuation and is compared with experimental data for model validation. The BER performance of a shot-noise-limited receiver under this channel model is demonstrated.     

Adsorptive removal of nitrogen-containing compounds from fuel by metal-organic frameworks

The adsorptive denitrogenation from fuels over three metal-organic frameworks(MIL-96(Al),MIL-53(Al)and MIL-101(Cr))was studied by batch adsorption experiments.Four nitrogen-containing compounds(NCCs)pyridine,pyrrole,quinoline and indole were used as model NCCs in fuels to study the adsorption mechanism.The physicochemical properties of the adsorbents were characterized by XRD,N2physical adsorption,FT-IR spectrum and Hammett indicator method.The metal-organic frameworks(MOFs),especially the MIL-101(Cr)containing Lewis acid sites as well as high specific surface area,can adsorb large quantities of NCCs from fuels.In addition,the adsorptive capacity over MIL-101(Cr)will be different for NCCs with different basicity.The stronger basicity of the NCC is,the more it can be absorbed over MIL-101(Cr).Furthermore,pore size and shape also affect the adsorption capacity for a given adsorbate,which can be proved by the adsorption over MIL-53(Al)and MIL-96(Al).The pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir equation can be used to describe kinetics and thermodynamics of the adsorption process,respectively.Finally,the regeneration of the used adsorbent has been conducted successfully by just washing it with ethanol.     

Optical bistability based on surface plasmon coupled between two noble metal films involving Kerr materials

We successfully investigate an optical bistability phenomenon in a layered structure consisting of Kretschmann configuration involving the Kerr-type nonlinear and the silver film. Pure theoretical approaches are employed to investigate that the surface plasmon could easily be coupled and both the reflection and transmission curves versus the incident intensity forms optical bistability. The transmission curves are greatly influenced by the thickness of the second silver film. These results may be useful for designing novel surface plasmon-based optical devices and will be essential for future classical and quantum information processes.     

A comparison of master equation and Fokker-Planck equation in the thermodynamic limit

The master equation and the Fokker-Planck equation are compared thoroughly in both of the stationary and the time-dependent cases for a one-dimensional system. The comparison includes the master equation without detailed balance.     

翘嘴鳜铜锌超氧化物歧化酶基因的分子克隆与原核表达

运用RT-PCR和RACE-PCR技术克隆了翘嘴鳜(Siniperca chuatsi)铜锌超氧化物歧化酶(命名为ScCu/Zn-SOD)基因,该基因的cDNA序列全长为804bp,开放阅读框为465bp,编码154个氨基酸。氨基酸序列中含2个Cu/Zn-SOD标签序列、7个铜锌金属结合位点、2个半胱氨酸位点和1个N-糖基化位点;其与胞内Cu/Zn-SOD(icCu/Zn-SOD)和胞外Cu/Zn-SOD(ecCu/Zn-SOD)氨基酸序列的同源性分别为60.13%~92.21%和33.77%~42.21%。在系统进化树中,ScCu/Zn-SOD与其它物种的icCu/Zn-SOD聚成一支。ScCu/Zn-SOD的蛋白晶体结构主要由2个α螺旋和8个β折叠组成,呈β折叠构象,通过结合1个Cu2+和1个Zn2+构成其酶活性中心。ScCu/Zn-SOD的mRNA在翘嘴鳜肌肉、鳃、肝脏和肾脏等组织中均有表达,且鳃中的相对表达量最高。将该基因编码蛋白序列与pET-30a表达载体重组,热激转入大肠杆菌BL21(DE3)感受态细胞中诱导表达,SDS-PAGE检测发现诱导后菌液的超声上清中有可溶性重组蛋白表达。     

镧、镨及钐与氨基酸配合物的滴定量热研究

用滴定量热法测定了298.15K下稀土镧(Ⅲ)、镨(Ⅲ)及钐(Ⅲ)离子与8种氨基酸配合物的稳定常数及反应焓变,并由此推出反应的吉布斯自由能变化和熵变.实验结果表明焓变是配合反应的主要驱动力;氨基酸侧链R基极性的增加对配合反应有阻碍作用,而氨基酸中环参与配合反应则有助于提高配合物的稳定性.