Protein and Peptide Letters - Volume 21, Issue 12, 2014

Secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) molecules constitute a family of proteins that are involved functionally in many biological processes. In particular, they participate in diverse pathophysiological settings as enzymes that release free fatty acids and lysophospholipids from phospholipids in biological membranes, or as ligands for various cellular receptors. In this review the confirmed or expected functions of sPLA2s in the Read More

Proteases regulating inflammation are versatile enzymes, usually extracellular matrix degrading enzymes that are involved in wound healing, angiogenesis, coagulation, development, apoptosis and other physiological processes. Their dysregulation and increased expression during inflammation can have devastating consequences, promoting etiology of vascular diseases, inflammatory arthritis, cancer, and allograft Read More

Eliciting efficient broadly neutralizing antibodies (BnAbs) is an important goal that has yet to be achieved for human immunodeficiency type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine development, although they are rarely produced in virus-infected individuals. In particular, inducing specific neutralizing antibodies to the gp41 membrane proximal external region (MPER) has proven a difficult task. In this study, we introduce Norovirus P particles as a new pl Read More

A method of immobilizing genomic DNA on microcrystalline cellulose was described to isolate DNA-binding proteins. At first, DNA fragments were prepared by sonication and immobilized on cellulose phase. After the immobilization, DNA duplex formation was done. Using this microcrystalline cellulose affinity chromatography technique, DNA-binding proteins from kumquat (Fortunella margarita Swingle) leaf samples were isola Read More

The human cathelicidin-18 is an antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and tissue repair peptide. The LL-37 fragment of this peptide which is in fact the active domain of the cathelicidin-18 is critical for the human antibacterial defense and epithelial integrity. It's activity against resistant pathogens, the potential of epithelial healing after microbial injury and the neutralization of bacterial endotoxin underlie the most important benefits Read More

A proof-of-principle methodology is presented in which all commercially-available cysteine (Cys) and selenocysteine (Sec) solid phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) derivatives are synthesized in high yield from easily prepared protected dichalcogenide precursors. A Zn-mediated biphasic reduction process applied to a series of four bis-Nα-protected dichalcogenide compounds allows facile conversion to their corresponding Read More

We have identified intrinsically unstructured C-terminus of a Bacillus lipase. In an effort to understand the possible role of this C-terminus unstructured region, 10, 20 and 30 amino acids were serially deleted from C-terminal region of the lipase. The catalytic properties of wild type and resulted truncated enzymes were compared. Deletion of 10 amino acids from C-terminus region resulted in decrease in transcription of Read More

Inhibition of the activity of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has become the main strategy for treating inflammatory diseases. The orthopoxvirus TNF-binding proteins can bind and efficiently neutralize TNF. To analyze the mechanisms of the interaction between human (hTNF) or mouse (mTNF) TNF and the cowpox virus N-terminal binding domain (TNFBD-CPXV), also the variola virus N-terminal binding domain (TNFBD-VARV) and Read More

Enzymes from thermophilic organisms are believed to be strong candidates for industrial applications due to their ability to withstand temperature-induced enzyme inactivation. The present study demonstrated molecular cloning, over-expression, purification and characterization of β-glucosidase from Thermotoga maritima. The bglA gene with a capacity to encode a 51 kDa enzyme was heterologously expressed in E. Read More

Current advancements in biological protein discovery utilize bi-partite methods of fluorescence detection where chromophore and scaffold are uncoupled. One such technology, called fluorogen-activating proteins (FAPs), consists of single-chain-variable-fragments (scFvs) selected against small organic molecules (fluorogens) that are non-fluorescent in solution, but highly fluorescent when bound to the scFv. In unusual circ Read More

3-Isopropylmalate dehydrogenase (IPMDH) from Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) may be a target for specific drugs against this pathogenic bacterium. We have expressed and purified Mtb IPMDH and determined its physicalchemical and enzymological properties. Size-exclusion chromatography and dynamic light scattering measurements (DLS) suggest a tetrameric structure for Mtb IPMDH, in contrast to the dim Read More

Plant root systems form complex networks with the surrounding soil environment and are controlled by both internal and external factors. To better understand the function of root tips of soybean during germination, three proteomic techniques were used to analyze the protein profiles of root tip cells. Proteins were extracted from the root tips of 4-dayold soybean seedlings and analyzed using two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophor Read More