Search results for "binding sites"
showing 10 items of 636 documents
Bacillus thuringiensis crystal proteins CRY1Ab and CRY1Fa share a high affinity binding site in Plutella xylostella (L.).
1996
The future success of Bacillus thuringiensis based insecticides depends in part on our ability to prevent insects from developing resistance against their insecticidal crystal proteins. Two recent papers indicated cross-resistance between Cry1A proteins and Cry1Fa in two different insect species (Tabashnik et al., 1994, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 60, 4627-4629; Gould et al., 1995, J. Econ. Entomol. 88, 1545-1559). Brush border membrane vesicles were prepared from Plutella xylostella and used in binding assays with 125I-labeled trypsin-activated crystal proteins. Competition experiments showed that Cry1Fa competed with Cry1Ab for a same binding site, though the latter still bound to a differe…
In Vivo and In Vitro Binding of Vip3Aa to Spodoptera frugiperda Midgut and Characterization of Binding Sites by 125 I Radiolabeling
2014
ABSTRACT Bacillus thuringiensis vegetative insecticidal proteins (Vip3A) have been recently introduced in important crops as a strategy to delay the emerging resistance to the existing Cry toxins. The mode of action of Vip3A proteins has been studied in Spodoptera frugiperda with the aim of characterizing their binding to the insect midgut. Immunofluorescence histological localization of Vip3Aa in the midgut of intoxicated larvae showed that Vip3Aa bound to the brush border membrane along the entire apical surface. The presence of fluorescence in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells seems to suggest internalization of Vip3Aa or a fragment of it. Successful radiolabeling and optimization of the…
CTCF and BORIS Regulate Rb2/p130 Gene Transcription: A Novel Mechanism and a New Paradigm for Understanding the Biology of Lung Cancer
2011
Abstract Although innumerable investigations regarding the biology of lung cancer have been carried out, many aspects thereof remain to be addressed, including the role played by the retinoblastoma-related protein Rb2/p130 during the evolution of this disease. Here we report novel findings on the mechanisms that control Rb2/p130 gene expression in lung fibroblasts and characterize the effects of Rb2/p130 deregulation on the proliferative features of lung cancer cells. We revealed for the first time that in lung fibroblasts the expression of Rb2/p130 gene is directly controlled by the chromatin insulator CCCTC-binding factor, CTCF, which by binding to the Rb2/p130 gene promoter induces, and/…
Molecular Basis for the Interaction of the Hepatitis B Virus Core Antigen with the Surface Immunoglobulin Receptor on Naive B Cells
2001
ABSTRACTThe nucleocapsid of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is composed of 180 to 240 copies of the HBV core (HBc) protein. HBc antigen (HBcAg) capsids are extremely immunogenic and can activate naive B cells by cross-linking their surface receptors. The molecular basis for the interaction between HBcAg and naive B cells is not known. The functionality of this activation was evidenced in that low concentrations of HBcAg, but not the nonparticulate homologue HBV envelope antigen (HBeAg), could prime naive B cells to produce anti-HBc in vitro with splenocytes from HBcAg- and HBeAg-specific T-cell receptor transgenic mice. The frequency of these HBcAg-binding B cells was estimated by both hybridom…
A Definitive Pharmacophore Modelling Study on CDK2 ATP Pocket Binders: Tracing the Path of New Virtual High-Throughput Screenings
2020
Cyclin Dependent Kinases-2 (CDK2) are members of serine/threonine protein kinases family. They play an important role in the regulation events of the eukaryotic cell division cycle, especially during the G1 to S phase transition. Experimental evidence indicate that excessive expression of CDK2s should cause abnormal cell cycle regulation. Therefore, since a long time, CDK2s have been considered potential therapeutic targets for cancer therapy. In this work, onehundred and forty-nine complexes of inhibitors bound in the CDK2-ATP pocket were submitted to short MD simulations (10ns) and free energy calculation. Comparison with experimental data (K<sub>i</sub>, K<sub>d</su…
Menaquinone-dependent succinate dehydrogenase of bacteria catalyzes reversed electron transport driven by the proton potential.
1998
Succinate dehydrogenases from bacteria and archaea using menaquinone (MK) as an electron acceptor (succinate/menaquinone oxidoreductases) contain, or are predicted to contain, two heme-B groups in the membrane-anchoring protein(s), located close to opposite sides of the membrane. All succinate/ubiquinone oxidoreductases, however, contain only one heme-B molecule. In Bacillus subtilis and other bacteria that use MK as the respiratory quinone, the succinate oxidase activity (succinate-->O2), and the succinate/menaquinone oxidoreductase activity were specifically inhibited by uncoupler (CCCP, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone) or by agents dissipating the membrane potential (valinomycin…
Exceptional affinity of nanostructured organic-inorganic hybrid materials towards dioxygen: confinement effect of copper complexes
2007
We report the exceptional reactivity towards dioxygen of a nanostructured organic-inorganic hybrid material due to the confinement of copper cyclam within a silica matrix. The key step is the metalation reaction of the ligand, which can occur before or after xerogel formation through the sol-gel process. The incorporation of a Cu(II) center into the material after xerogel formation leads to a bridged Cu(I)/Cu(II) mixed-valence dinuclear species. This complex exhibits a very high affinity towards dioxygen, attributable to auto-organization of the active species in the solid. The remarkable properties of these copper complexes in the silica matrix demonstrate a high cooperative effect for O(2…
Kinetic and thermodynamic insights into interaction of erlotinib with epidermal growth factor receptor: Surface plasmon resonance and molecular docki…
2020
Abstract Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in cell proliferation at non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therefore, targeted therapy of cancer via this kind of receptor is highly interested. Small molecule drugs such as erlotinib and gefitinib inhibit EGFR tyrosine kinase and thus suppress cell proliferation. At this paper, erlotinib interaction with EGFR on the cell surface was studied via surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and molecular docking methods. Kinetic parameters indicated that erlotinib affinity toward EGFR was increased through increment of temperature. The thermodynamic analysis showed that van der Waals and hydrogen binding forces play a major role i…
Autocatalytic cleavage of Clostridium difficile toxin B.
2007
Clostridium difficile, the causative agent of nosocomial antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and pseudomembranous colitis, possesses two main virulence factors: the large clostridial cytotoxins A and B. It has been proposed that toxin B is cleaved by a cytosolic factor of the eukaryotic target cell during its cellular uptake. Here we report that cleavage of not only toxin B, but also all other large clostridial cytotoxins, is an autocatalytic process dependent on host cytosolic inositolphosphate cofactors. A covalent inhibitor of aspartate proteases, 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxy)propane, completely blocked toxin B function on cultured cells and was used to identify its catalytically active prote…
Nuclear receptors modulate the interaction of Sp1 and GC-rich DNA via ternary complex formation
2000
Binding sites for transcription factor Sp1have been implicated in the transcriptional regulation of several genes by hormones or vitamins, and here we show that a GC-rich element contributes to the retinoic acid response of the interleukin 1β promoter. To explain such observations, it has been proposed that nuclear receptors can interact with Sp1 bound to GC-rich DNA. However, evidence supporting this model has remained indirect. So far, nuclear receptors have not been detected in a complex with Sp1 and GC-rich DNA, and the expected ternary complexes in non-denaturing gels were not seen. In search for these missing links we found that nuclear receptors [retinoic acid receptor (RAR), thyroid…