Search results for "Macromolecule"

Comparative investigation of the macromolecular composition of mycelia forms Thielavia terrestris by infrared spectroscopy

1999

Using analytical and infrared spectroscopic methods, the differences between the composition of diffuse and pellet forms of mycelium of the ascomycete Thielavia terrestris were described. Quantitative estimates of the amounts of protein, nucleic acids and carbohydrates in T. terrestris showed a predominance of catabolic processes in the metabolism of the pelleted form, in comparison to the diffused form.

Synthesis of calcium carbonate biological materials: how many proteins are needed?

2013

In Nature, calcium carbonate biomineralizations are the most abundant mineralized structures of biological origin. Because many exhibit remarkable characteristics, several attempts have been made to use them as substitution materials for bone reconstruction or as models for generating biomimetic composites that exhibit tailored properties. CaCO3biomineralizations contain small amounts of amalgamate of proteins and polysaccharides that are secreted during the calcification process. They contribute to control the morphology of the crystallites and to spatially organize them in well-defined microstructures. These macromolecules, collectively defined as the skeletal matrix, have been the focus …

The magnetic properties of ferrocene based macromolecules

1993

Abstract Magnetic susceptibility data for conjugatively linked biferrocenes and a methylene bridged ferrocene polymer are presented. In 9,10-di((2-ferrocenyl)vinyl)anthracene a rigid divinylanthracene bridge is connecting two ferrocene units, and the oxidation of both iron centers leads to an antiferromagnetic coupling. In contrast, ferromagnetic coupling between iron centers is indicated for 2,2'-cis,trans-di((2-ferrocenyl)vinyl)biphenyl, where a twist around the phenyl-phenyl bond in the divinylbiphenyl bridging molecule is likely to occur.

Tracking the structural dynamics of proteins in solution using time-resolved wide-angle X-ray scattering (vol 5, pg 881, 2008)

2008

Mechanochemical Access to Defect-Stabilized Amorphous Calcium Carbonate

2018

Amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) is an important precursor in the biomineralization of crystalline CaCO3. The lifetime of transient ACC in nature is regulated by an organic matrix, to use it as an intermediate storage buffer or as a permanent structural element. The relevance of ACC in material science is related to our understanding of CaCO3 crystallization pathways. ACC can be obtained by liquid–liquid phase separation, and it is typically stabilized with the help of macromolecules. We have prepared ACC by milling calcite in a planetary ball mill. The ball-milled amorphous calcium carbonate (BM-ACC) was stabilized with small amounts of Na2CO3. The addition of foreign ions in form of Na2C…

Nanoparticle Assembly of Surface-Modified Proteins

2016

Nature's biomaterials such as peptides and proteins represent a valuable source of highly defined macromolecules. Herein we developed a nanoparticle drug delivery system based on the assembly of surface-modified proteins that can be transferred into organic solvents and represent the structural material of the carrier system. The particles are prepared by an oil-in-water nanoemulsion technique without the need of additional denaturation or cross-linking steps for stabilization. We achieve the necessary lipophilic solubility switch of the protein material by high surface PEGylation under conservation of the native three-dimensional protein structure. This study focuses on lysozyme as model e…

Solid-State Electrochemical Assay of Heme-Binding Molecules for Screening of Drugs with Antimalarial Potential

2013

The interaction between heme and ligands is the basis for a variety of tests aimed at the discovery of antiplasmodial molecules. Two electrochemical methods for the screening of molecules with potential antimalarial activity through heme-binding mechanism are described. The first method is applicable to lipophilic environment, by using solution phase electrochemistry in DMSO solutions of Fe(III)-heme plus the tested compounds at carbon electrodes. This method provides well-defined voltammetric signals, characteristic of the heme-ligand (L) interaction. The second method involves aqueous media at biological pH and the use of voltammetry of immobilized particles, by means of microparticulate …

Gray Matter NG2 Cells Display Multiple Ca2+-Signaling Pathways and Highly Motile Processes

2011

NG2 cells, the fourth type of glia in the mammalian CNS, receive synaptic input from neurons. The function of this innervation is unknown yet. Postsynaptic changes in intracellular Ca(2+)-concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)) might be a possible consequence. We employed transgenic mice with fluorescently labeled NG2 cells to address this issue. To identify Ca(2+)-signaling pathways we combined patch-clamp recordings, Ca(2+)-imaging, mRNA-transcript analysis and focal pressure-application of various substances to identified NG2-cells in acute hippocampal slices. We show that activation of voltage-gated Ca(2+)-channels, Ca(2+)-permeable AMPA-receptors, and group I metabotropic glutamate-receptors provo…

Accessibility of Protein-Bound Chlorophylls Probed by Dynamic Electron Polarization

2018

The possibility to probe the accessibility of sites of proteins represents an important point to explore their interactions with specific substrates in solution. The dynamic electron polarization of nitroxide radicals induced by excited triplet states of organic molecules is a phenomenon that is known to occur in aqueous solutions. The interaction within the radical-triplet pair causes a net emissive dynamic electron polarization of the nitroxide radical, that can be detected by means of time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TR-EPR) spectroscopy. We have exploited this effect to prove the accessibility of chlorophylls bound to a protein, namely, the water-soluble chlorophyll protei…

The Bile Acid Receptor GPBAR-1 (TGR5) Modulates Integrity of Intestinal Barrier and Immune Response to Experimental Colitis

2011

Background GP-BAR1, a member G protein coupled receptor superfamily, is a cell surface bile acid-activated receptor highly expressed in the ileum and colon. In monocytes, ligation of GP-BAR1 by secondary bile acids results in a cAMP-dependent attenuation of cytokine generation. Aims To investigate the role GP-BAR1 in regulating intestinal homeostasis and inflammation-driven immune dysfunction in rodent models of colitis. Methods Colitis was induced in wild type and GP-BAR1−/− mice by DSS and TNBS administration. Potential GP-BAR1 agonists were identified by in silico screening and computational docking studies. Results GP-BAR1−/− mice develop an abnormal morphology of colonic mucous cells a…