Search results for "Caps"

2-Methylresorcinarene: a very high packing coefficient in a mono-anion based dimeric capsule and the X-ray crystal structure of the tetra-anion

2016

Mono- and tetra-deprotonated 2-methylresorcinarene anions (1 and 2) as their trans-1,4-diammoniumcyclohexane (TDAC)2+ inclusion complexes are reported. The mono-anion forms a fully closed dimeric capsule [1·H2O·MeOH]22− with a cavity volume of 165 Å3 and (TDAC)2+ as the guest with an extremely high packing coefficient, PC = 84.2%, while the tetra-anion forms a close-packed structure with two structurally isomeric tetra-anions 2a and 2b with a 50 : 50 ratio in the crystal lattice. peerReviewed

Recombinant nanocapsid for targeted theranostic delivery

2017

Developments in diagnostic and therapeutic delivery are trending towards molecular level targeting with nano-platforms. Targeted delivery reduces generalized distribution by localizing diagnostic and/or therapeutic (theranostic) molecules to an intended target site. The first section of this thesis proposes Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) nanocapsids as a vector to stabilize and target theranostic delivery. Derived from the capsid protein of HEV, a feco-orally transmitted virus, HEV-like particles self-assemble in to non-infectious, nanocapsids that can withstand harsh protease and pH conditions in the mucosal system. The flexible nanocapsid surface protrusion domain is amenable to substantial modi…

Experimental Evolution Reveals a Genetic Basis for Membrane-Associated Virus Release

2021

Many animal viruses replicate and are released from cells in close association to membranes. However, whether this is a passive process or is controlled by the virus remains poorly understood. Importantly, the genetic basis and evolvability of membrane-associated viral shedding have not been investigated. To address this, we performed a directed evolution experiment using coxsackievirus B3, a model enterovirus, in which we repeatedly selected the free-virion or the fast-sedimenting membrane-associated viral subpopulations. The virus responded to this selection regime by reproducibly fixing a series of mutations that altered the extent of membrane-associated viral shedding, as revealed by fu…

Synthesis of nanostructured protein–mineral-microcapsules by sonication

2022

We propose a simple and eco-friendly method for the formation of composite protein–mineral-microcapsules induced by ultrasound treatment. Protein- and nanoparticle-stabilized oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions loaded with different oils are prepared using high-intensity ultrasound. The formation of thin composite mineral proteinaceous shells is realized with various types of nanoparticles, which are pre-modified with Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) and subsequently characterized by EDX, TGA, zeta potential measurements and Raman spectroscopy. Cryo-SEM and EDX mapping visualizations show the homogeneous distribution of the densely packed nanoparticles in the capsule shell. In contrast to the results re…

Can warning signals be honest? : wing colouration and the strength of chemical defence in the female wood tiger moth (Parasemia plataginis)

2016

The warning displays of aposematic organisms signal to predators that they possess a secondary defence and are unprofitable. Within species variation exists in the strength of the signal and defence. As natural selection is expected to favour higher levels of defence, variation in such traits requires explanation. One hypothesis is that the strength of primary and secondary defences are correlated as they reflect the condition of the signaller. This study explores if variation in individual conspicuousness is an honest signal of the level of defence in the wood tiger moth (Parasemia plantaginis). P. plantaginis has conspicuous hind wing warning colouration, which in females varies from yell…

Soft X-ray Tomography Reveals HSV-1-Induced Remodeling of Human B Cells.

2022

Upon infection, viruses hijack the cell machinery and remodel host cell structures to utilize them for viral proliferation. Since viruses are about a thousand times smaller than their host cells, imaging virus-host interactions at high spatial resolution is like looking for a needle in a haystack. Scouting gross cellular changes with fluorescent microscopy is only possible for well-established viruses, where fluorescent tagging is developed. Soft X-ray tomography (SXT) offers 3D imaging of entire cells without the need for chemical fixation or labeling. Here, we use full-rotation SXT to visualize entire human B cells infected by the herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1). We have mapped the temporo…

An ancient virus type from extreme environments

2014

Rab33B and its autophagic Atg5/12/16L1 effector assist in hepatitis B virus naked capsid formation and release

2015

Hepatitis B virus morphogenesis is accompanied by the production and release of non-enveloped capsids/nucleocapsids. Capsid particles are formed inside the cell cytosol by multimerization of core protein subunits and ultimately exported in an uncommon coatless state. Here, we investigated potential roles of Rab GTPases in capsid formation and trafficking by using RNA interference and overexpression studies. Naked capsid release does not require functions of the endosome-associated Rab5, Rab7 and Rab27 proteins, but depends on functional Rab33B, a GTPase participating in autophagosome formation via interaction with the Atg5-Atg12/Atg16L1 complex. During capsid formation, Rab33B acts in conju…

Peptide-mediated interference with baculovirus transduction

2007

Baculovirus represents a multifunctional platform with potential for biomedical applications including disease therapies. The importance of F3, a tumor-homing peptide, in baculovirus transduction was previously recognized by the ability of F3 to augment viral binding and gene delivery to human cancer cells following display on the viral envelope. Here, F3 was utilized as a molecular tool to expand understanding of the poorly characterized baculovirus-mammalian cell interactions. Baculovirus-mediated transduction of HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells was strongly inhibited by coincubating the virus with synthetic F3 or following incorporation of F3 into viral nucleocapsid by genetic engineering, th…

Generation and Applications of HPV Pseudovirions Using Vaccinia Virus

2005

This chapter outlines the generation and application of human papillomavirus type 33 (HPV 33) pseudovirions. These pseudovirions are structurally indistinguishable from native virions and are therefore valuable tools for the study of papillomavirus/cell interactions. The method describes (1) the construction of vaccinia viruses recombinant for the major and minor HPV capsid proteins, L1 and L2, respectively, (2) the transfection of Cos7 cells with a marker plasmid replicating to high copy numbers, (3) the expression of L1 and L2 using the vaccinia virus expression system, (4) the extraction, purification, and analysis of HPV-33 pseudovirions, (5) pseudoinfection assays, (6) pre- and post-at…