Search results for "cofactor"
showing 10 items of 74 documents
Global translational repression induced by iron deficiency in yeast depends on the Gcn2/eIF2α pathway
2020
Iron is an essential element for all eukaryotic organisms because it participates as a redox active cofactor in a wide range of biological processes, including protein synthesis. Translation is probably the most energy consuming process in cells. Therefore, one of the initial responses of eukaryotic cells to stress or nutrient limitation is the arrest of mRNA translation. In first instance, the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae responds to iron deficiency by activating iron acquisition and remodeling cellular metabolism in order to prioritize essential over non-essential iron-dependent processes. We have determined that, despite a global decrease in transcription, mRNA translation is a…
Glucose-induced loss of glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane regulators of complement activation (CD59, CD55) by in vitro cultured human u…
2000
Aims/hypothesis. This study examines whether increased glucose concentrations are responsible for a decreased expression of membrane regulators of complement activation molecules. The effect of high glucose in determining an increase in membrane attack complex deposition on endothelial cells was also investigated. Methods. Endothelial cells were isolated from umbilical cord tissue, cultured in the presence of increased concentrations of glucose, and the expression of CD46, CD55, and CD59 was detected by ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and by flow cytometry. Glucose-treated endothelial cells were also incubated with antiendothelial cell antibodies and fresh complement to assess the…
Tubulin-folding cofactor E deficiency is associated with vascular dysfunction and endoplasmatic reticulum stress of vascular smooth muscle cells
2021
Abstract Introduction Endothelial function assessed via flow mediated dilatation (FMD) has shown to predict risk in individuals with established cardiovascular diseases, whereas its predictive value is uncertain in the setting primary prevention. Purpose The aim of the current work was to discover and evaluate novel mediators of vascular dysfunction in the general population and in conditional knock-out transgenic animal models. Methods In order to identify novel targets that were negatively correlated with FMD and investigate their contribution in vascular function, a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) of 5,000 participants was performed and subsequently immune cell-, endothelial- and va…
Therapeutic effect of enhancing endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) expression and preventing eNOS uncoupling
2011
Nitric oxide (NO) produced by the endothelium is an important protective molecule in the vasculature. It is generated by the enzyme endothelial NO synthase (eNOS). Similar to all NOS isoforms, functional eNOS transfers electrons from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), via the flavins flavin adenine dinucleotide and flavin mononucleotide in the carboxy-terminal reductase domain, to the heme in the amino-terminal oxygenase domain. Here, the substrate L-arginine is oxidized to L-citrulline and NO. Cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia or cigarette smoking reduce bioactive NO. These risk factors lead to an enhanced productio…
Potent SARS-CoV-2 mRNA Cap Methyltransferase Inhibitors by Bioisosteric Replacement of Methionine in SAM Cosubstrate
2021
Viral mRNA cap methyltransferases (MTases) are emerging targets for the development of broad-spectrum antiviral agents. In this work, we designed potential SARS-CoV-2 MTase Nsp14 and Nsp16 inhibitors by using bioisosteric substitution of the sulfonium and amino acid substructures of the cosubstrate S-adenosylmethionine (SAM), which serves as the methyl donor in the enzymatic reaction. The synthetically accessible target structures were prioritized using molecular docking. Testing of the inhibitory activity of the synthesized compounds showed nanomolar to submicromolar IC50 values for five compounds. To evaluate selectivity, enzymatic inhibition of the human glycine N-methyltransferase invol…
Research on complement: old issues revisited and a novel sphere of influence
2003
Immunology in recent years has taken a somewhat surprising turn, expressed by a renewed interest in innate immunity. Especially intriguing is the regulatory role exerted by the innate components on the adaptive response, with Toll receptors and complement components being the most investigated. This function has been firmly established for complement protein CR2 (CD21) as part of the BCR co-receptor CD19/CD21/CD81. New findings are now providing a broader picture of complement and its tuning of the immune response; for example, complement proteins have been implicated in the control of T-cell-mediated responses. We will review some of these data here and summarize new discoveries in areas o…
Expression and Expressional Control of Nitric Oxide Synthases in Various Cell Types
1995
Publisher Summary Nitric oxide (NO) can produce posttranslational modifications of proteins (via ADP ribosylation) and is capable of destroying parasites and tumor cells by inhibiting iron-containing enzymes or directly interacting with the DNA of these cells. In view of this multitude of functions of NO, it is important to understand how cells accomplish and regulate their NO production. Three isozymes of NOS have been identified, and their protein, cDNA, and genomic DNA structures have been elucidated. In humans NOS I, II, and III are encoded by three different genes, located on chromosomes 12, 17, and 7 respectively. The cDNAs for these enzymes have been isolated. All NOS isozymes oxidiz…
High yielding one-pot enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of UDP-glucose in gram scales
2001
Abstract Uridine diphosphoglucose is an important cofactor of glucosylating enzymes. A simple and high yielding one-pot enzymatic synthesis of UDPG on a gram scale from glucose via hexokinase, phosphoglucomutase and UDPG pyrophosphorylase (UGPase) is described. Repetitive addition of substrate was used to avoid inhibition of UGPase. The approach allows recovery of active enzymes and their re-use. The synthesis of UDP-[4-13C]-glucose on a 0.5 g scale resulted in a final yield of 70% and a purity of >95% after chromatographic purification.
Purification and characterization of geranyl diphosphate synthase from Vitis vinifera L. cv Muscat de Frontignant cell cultures
1993
A geranyl diphosphate synthase (EC 2.5.1.1), which catalyzes the formation of geranyl diphosphate from dimethylallyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate, was isolated from Vitis vinifera L. cv Muscat de Frontignan cell cultures. Purification of the enzyme was achieved successively by ammonium sulfate precipitation and chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, hydroxylapatite, Mono Q, Phenyl Superose, Superose 12, and preparative nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels. The enzyme formed only geranyl diphosphate as a product. In all cases, neither neryl diphosphate, the cis isomer, nor farnesyl diphosphate was detected. The enzyme showed a native molecular mass of 68 [plus or minus] 5 kD as determined …
The primary structural photoresponse of phytochrome proteins captured by a femtosecond X-ray laser
2019
Phytochrome proteins control the growth, reproduction, and photosynthesis of plants, fungi, and bacteria. Light is detected by a bilin cofactor, but it remains elusive how this leads to activation of the protein through structural changes. We present serial femtosecond X-ray crystallographic data of the chromophore-binding domains of a bacterial phytochrome at delay times of 1 ps and 10 ps after photoexcitation. The data reveal a twist of the D-ring, which leads to partial detachment of the chromophore from the protein. Unexpectedly, the conserved so-called pyrrole water is photodissociated from the chromophore, concomitant with movement of the A-ring and a key signaling aspartate. The chan…