Promoting Effect of Soluble Polysaccharides Extracted from Ulva spp. on Zea mays L. Growth

Seaweeds can play a vital role in plant growth promotion. Two concentrations (5 and 10 mg/mL) of soluble polysaccharides extracted from the green macroalgae Ulva fasciata and Ulva lactuca were tested on Zea mays L. The carbohydrate and protein contents, and antioxidant activities (phenols, ascorbic, peroxidase, and catalase) were measured, as well as the protein banding patterns. The soluble polysaccharides at 5 mg/mL had the greatest effect on the base of all of the parameters. The highest effects of soluble polysaccharides on the Zea mays were 38.453, 96.76, 4, 835, 1.658, 7.462, and 38615.19, mg/mL for carbohydrates, proteins, phenol, µg ascorbic/mL, mg peroxidase/g dry tissue, and units/g tissue of catalase, respectively. The total number of protein bands (as determined by SDS PAGE) was not changed, but the density of the bands was correlated to the treatments. The highest band density and promoting effect were correlated to 5 mg/mL soluble polysaccharide treatments extracted from Ulva fasciata in Zea mays, which can be used as a biofertilizer.     

Machine Learning Approaches for Metalloproteins

Metalloproteins are a family of proteins characterized by metal ion binding, whereby the presence of these ions confers key catalytic and ligand-binding properties. Due to their ubiquity among biological systems, researchers have made immense efforts to predict the structural and functional roles of metalloproteins. Ultimately, having a comprehensive understanding of metalloproteins will lead to tangible applications, such as designing potent inhibitors in drug discovery. Recently, there has been an acceleration in the number of studies applying machine learning to predict metalloprotein properties, primarily driven by the advent of more sophisticated machine learning algorithms. This review covers how machine learning tools have consolidated and expanded our comprehension of various aspects of metalloproteins (structure, function, stability, ligand-binding interactions, and inhibitors). Future avenues of exploration are also discussed.     

蛋白质空间结构预测的一种优化模型及算法

用理论方法预测蛋白质结构有两个难点,第一是要有一个合理的势函数,第二是要有一个有效的寻优方法找到势函数的全局极小点,本文采用联合残基力场建立了蛋白质空间结构预测模型,然后用我们给出的一种改进模拟退火算法搜索势函数的全局极小点,对脑啡肽的空间结构进行了预测和分析。     

Optimization of Biocompatibility for a Hydrophilic Biological Molecule Encapsulation System

Despite considerable advances in recent years, challenges in delivery and storage of biological drugs persist and may delay or prohibit their clinical application. Though nanoparticle-based approaches for small molecule drug encapsulation are mature, encapsulation of proteins remains problematic due to destabilization of the protein. Reverse micelles composed of decylmonoacyl glycerol (10MAG) and lauryldimethylamino-N-oxide (LDAO) in low-viscosity alkanes have been shown to preserve the structure and stability of a wide range of biological macromolecules. Here, we present a first step on developing this system as a future platform for storage and delivery of biological drugs by replacing the non-biocompatible alkane solvent with solvents currently used in small molecule delivery systems. Using a novel screening approach, we performed a comprehensive evaluation of the 10MAG/LDAO system using two preparation methods across seven biocompatible solvents with analysis of toxicity and encapsulation efficiency for each solvent. By using an inexpensive hydrophilic small molecule to test a wide range of conditions, we identify optimal solvent properties for further development. We validate the predictions from this screen with preliminary protein encapsulation tests. The insight provided lays the foundation for further development of this system toward long-term room-temperature storage of biologics or toward water-in-oil-in-water biologic delivery systems.     

Hes1调控 AKT-MDM2-p53-PTEN通路的一种物理机制

基于Hill动力学与Michaelis-Menten方程,建立理论模型研究发状分裂相关增强子1(hairy and enhancer of split 1,Hes1)调控蛋白激酶B (Protein Kinase B,AKT)-鼠双微体2 (Murine Double Minute2,MDM2)-抗癌基因p53(p53)-第10号染色体缺失的磷酸酶及张力蛋白同源的基因(Phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten,PTEN)通路的一种物理机制.研究发现,Hes1通过与PTEN结合抑制PTEN表达,并调控AKT信号.表明了Hes1蛋白的合成,以及Hes1与PTEN相互作用调控AKTMDM2-p53-PTEN通路信号,将会有效地控制细胞结果 . Hes1作为AKT-MDM2-p53-PTEN信号通路中上游调节的重要因素,还可以在一定程度上通过影响p53蛋白功能,改变p53对肿瘤的抑制性.理论结果可用于预测Notch通路信号异常诱导的致癌性,并进一步揭示了Notch信号通路影响细胞AKT-MDM2-p53-PTEN通路的激活...     

新的光散射体系测定蛋白质的研究

以1,6-己二胺二吖啶为荧光探针,建立了一种新的蛋白质共振散射检测体系。实验考察了该吖啶荧光探针的共振散射特征光谱、散射反应稳定性,研究了缓冲介质pH、探针浓度等参数对测定蛋白质的影响。结果表明,当pH 8.9时,1,6-己二胺二吖啶染料的散射波长为470 nm;加入BSA,反应约9 min后,体系光散射强度达到最大并维持稳定,2 h内无明显变化。当1,6-己二胺二吖啶探针(浓度1.00×10-4mol·L-1)用量为3.00 mL时,蛋白质与1,6-己二胺二吖啶的光散射增强作用显著,共振散射强度随着BSA的增加而明显增强,光散射强度与蛋白质浓度成良好线性关系,线性浓度范围为1.00～5.00 μg·mL-1,检测限(3σ/K)为0.085 μg·mL-1。测定了血清样品,浓度为2.00～4.00 μg·mL-1,回收率为98.0%～101.7%,测定偏差小于1.7％。     

tBid蛋白引发磷脂膜透化过程的研究

Bid蛋白是仅有BH3结构域的Bcl-2家族蛋白,在溶酶体膜透化以及线粒体外膜透化引发的细胞凋亡过程中起着非常重要的调控作用,但是Bid蛋白与生物膜之间的相互作用导致脂膜透化的确切机制尚不十分清楚.本文利用激光扫描共聚焦显微成像技术及基于氧化石墨烯表面诱导荧光衰逝的单分子荧光技术,分别从单囊泡及单分子水平对tBid蛋白与磷脂膜之间的相互作用进行了系统的研究.结果表明,tBid蛋白在膜上聚集后可引起脂膜的透化,且脂膜透化的发生源于聚集体中一些tBid蛋白更深入地插入了脂膜中.     

The characteristics of molten globule states and folding pathways strongly depend on the sequence of a protein

ABSTRACT

The majority of proteins perform their cellular function after folding into a specific and stable native structure. Additionally, for many proteins less compact ‘molten globule’ states have been observed. Current experimental observations show that the molten globule state can show varying degrees of compactness and solvent accessibility; the underlying molecular cause for this variation is not well understood. While the specificity of protein folding can be studied using protein lattice models, current design procedures for these models tend to generate sequences without molten globule-like behaviour. Here we alter the design process so the distance between the molten globule ensemble and the native structure can be steered; this allows us to design protein sequences with a wide range of folding pathways, and sequences with well-defined heat-induced molten globules. Simulating these sequences we find that (1) molten globule states are compact, but have less specific configurations compared to the folded state, (2) the nature of the molten globule state is highly sequence dependent, (3) both two-state and multi-state folding proteins may show heat-induced molten globule states, as observed in heat capacity curves. The varying nature of the molten globules and typical heat capacity curves associated with the transitions closely resemble experimental observations.     

Using light to bioactivate surfaces: A new way of creating oriented, active immunobiosensors

Ultraviolet light can be used to immobilize biomolecules onto thiol reactive surfaces in order to, e.g., make biosensors. The mechanism involves light-induced formation of free, reactive thiol groups in disulphide containing molecules. This technology allows for the creation of arrays of biomolecules with a high degree of reproducibility, circumventing the need for often expensive nano/micro-dispensing technologies. The ultimate size of the immobilized spots is defined by the focal area of the UV beam. Light-induced immobilization has the added benefit that the immobilized molecules will be spatially oriented and covalently bound to the surface. In this paper, we demonstrate the utility of a sensor array created with the new sensor technology when integrated into a microfluidic system. Protein arrays made using light-induced immobilization showed successful antigen/antibody binding in a flow cell allowing the visualisation of real time binding and enzyme activity. This new technology is ideal for the creation of protein/DNA microarrays, can replace present micro-dispensing arraying technologies and is ideal as a molecular imprinting technology.