Search results for "molecular conformation"
showing 10 items of 376 documents
Sensory domain contraction in histidine kinase CitA triggers transmembrane signaling in the membrane-bound sensor
2017
Bacteria use membrane-integral sensor histidine kinases (HK) to perceive stimuli and transduce signals from the environment to the cytosol. Information on how the signal is transmitted across the membrane by HKs is still scarce. Combining both liquid- and solid-state NMR, we demonstrate that structural rearrangements in the extracytoplasmic, citrate-sensing Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domain of HK CitA are identical for the isolated domain in solution and in a longer construct containing the membrane-embedded HK and lacking only the kinase core. We show that upon citrate binding, the PAS domain contracts, resulting in a shortening of the C-terminal β-strand. We demonstrate that this contraction of t…
Oncogenic Deregulation of EZH2 as an Opportunity for Targeted Therapy in Lung Cancer.
2016
Abstract As a master regulator of chromatin function, the lysine methyltransferase EZH2 orchestrates transcriptional silencing of developmental gene networks. Overexpression of EZH2 is commonly observed in human epithelial cancers, such as non–small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC), yet definitive demonstration of malignant transformation by deregulated EZH2 remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate the causal role of EZH2 overexpression in NSCLC with new genetically engineered mouse models of lung adenocarcinoma. Deregulated EZH2 silences normal developmental pathways, leading to epigenetic transformation independent of canonical growth factor pathway activation. As such, tumors feature a transcrip…
Identification of estrogen receptor α ligands with virtual screening techniques.
2016
Utilization of computer-aided molecular discovery methods in virtual screening (VS) is a cost-effective approach to identify novel bioactive small molecules. Unfortunately, no universal VS strategy can guarantee high hit rates for all biological targets, but each target requires distinct, fine-tuned solutions. Here, we have studied in retrospective manner the effectiveness and usefulness of common pharmacophore hypothesis, molecular docking and negative image-based screening as potential VS tools for a widely applied drug discovery target, estrogen receptor α (ERα). The comparison of the methods helps to demonstrate the differences in their ability to identify active molecules. For example,…
Exploring the readthrough of nonsense mutations by non-acidic Ataluren analogues selected by ligand-based virtual screening
2016
Abstract Ataluren, also known as PTC124, is a 5-(fluorophenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazolyl-benzoic acid suggested to suppress nonsense mutations by readthrough of premature stop codons in the mRNA. Potential interaction of PTC124 with mRNA has been recently studied by molecular dynamics simulations highlighting the importance of H-bonding and stacking π−π interactions. A series of non-acidic analogues of PTC124 were selected from a large database via a ligand-based virtual screening approach. Eight of them were synthesized and tested for their readthrough activity using the Fluc reporter harboring the UGA premature stop codon. The most active compound was further tested for suppression of the UGA non…
Intramolecular structural parameters are key modulators of the gel-liquid transition in coarse grained simulations of DPPC and DOPC lipid bilayers
2018
The capability of coarse-grained models based on the MARTINI mapping to reproduce the gel-liquid phase transition in saturated and unsaturated model lipids was investigated. We found that the model is able to reproduce a lower critical temperature for 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) with respect to 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC). Nonetheless, the appearance of a gel phase for DOPC is strictly dependent on the intramolecular parameters chosen to model its molecular structure. In particular, we show that the bending angle at the coarse-grained bead corresponding to the unsaturated carbon-carbon bond acts as an order parameter determining the temperature of …
Thiazole–amino acids: influence of thiazole ring on conformational properties of amino acid residues
2021
Abstract Post-translational modified thiazole–amino acid (Xaa–Tzl) residues have been found in macrocyclic peptides (e.g., thiopeptides and cyanobactins), which mostly inhibit protein synthesis in Gram + bacteria. Conformational study of the series of model compounds containing this structural motif with alanine, dehydroalanine, dehydrobutyrine and dehydrophenylalanine were performed using DFT method in various environments. The solid-state crystal structure conformations of thiazole–amino acid residues retrieved from the Cambridge Structural Database were also analysed. The studied structural units tend to adopt the unique semi-extended β2 conformation; which is stabilised mainly by N–H⋯N…
Synthesis, characterization, and cytotoxic activity of copper(II) and platinum(II) complexes of 2-benzoylpyrrole and X-ray structure of bis[2-benzoyl…
2004
Copper(II) and platinum(II) complexes of 2-benzoylpyrrole (2-BZPH) were synthesized and characterized with IR, 1 H and 1 3 C NMR spectroscopies and coordination geometry with ligands arranged in transoid fashion. The crystal structure of [Cu I I (2-BZP) 2 ] was determined by X-ray diffraction. Death of complex treated Jurkat cells was measured by flow cytometry. The bis-chelate complexes [Cu I I (2-BZP) 2 ] and [Pt I I (2-BZP) 2 ] adopt square-planar coordination geometry with ligands, arranged in transoid fashion. Concentrations of 1-10 μM Platinum(II) complexes reduced cell survival from 100% to 20%, in contrast to the copper(II) complex which caused no cell death at a concentration of 10…
New Fluorinated Peptidomimetics through Tandem Aza-Michael Addition to α-Trifluoromethyl Acrylamide Acceptors: Synthesis and Conformational Study in …
2009
A range of partially modified retro (PMR) psi[NHCH(2)] peptide mimetics containing a hydrolytically stable CH(2)CH(CF(3))CO unit have been synthesized. The first kind of peptidomimetics is obtained from the highly efficient aza-Michael addition of different amines to alpha-trifluoromethyl acrylamide acceptors. Subsequent deprotection of the amino group furnishes the key common intermediate for the synthesis of other families of peptidomimetics: dipeptides, tripeptides, peptidomimetics containing a urea moiety, and structures containing two units of alpha-trifluoromethyl-beta(2)-alanine. Finally, a conformational study of several of the newly synthesized peptidomimetics, performed with the a…
The identification of vicinally substituted cyclohexane isomers in their mixtures by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy.
2000
The radical addition reactions of organobromine compounds, XBr (X = CH2COOMe, PhCH2, CHBr2 and CCl3) with cyclohexene afforded mixtures of cis/trans isomer pairs of 1-X-2-Br-cyclohexanes. In addition to benzyl benzoyloxy derivatives are formed also, when benzoyl peroxide is used as an initiator. Owing to the great difficulties in separating these cis/trans isomer pairs, they are identified directly in their mixtures by NMR spectroscopy. In addition to one-dimensional (ID) 1H, proton decoupled 13C and DEPT-135, also two-dimensional (2D) 13C-13C INADEQUATE as well as 1H-13C HMQC experiments have been used in assigning the signals of each compound in their mixtures. The identification of each …
OASIS-HT: design of a pharmacogenomic dose-finding study.
2005
Experimental evidence and observations in humans strongly support an interactive role of mutated α-adducin, sodium (Na+)/potassium (K+)-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity and endogenous ouabain in Na+homeostasis and the pathogenesis of hypertension. The Ouabain and Adducin for Specific Intervention on Sodium in HyperTension (OASIS-HT) trial is an early Phase II dose-finding study, which will be conducted across 39 European centers. Following a run-in period of 4 weeks without treatment, eligible patients will be randomized to one of five oral doses of rostafuroxin consisting of 0.05, 0.15, 0.5, 1.5, or 5.0 mg/day. Each dose will be compared to a placebo in a double-blind crossover e…