Oligomeric Structure Research Articles

A novel three-TMH Na+/H+ antiporter and the functional role of its oligomerization

Na+/H+antiportersare a category of ubiquitous transmembrane proteins with various important physiological roles in almost all living organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. However, the knowledge of novel Na+/H+antiporters remains to be broadened, and the functional roles ofoligomerization in theseantiportershave not yet been thoroughly understood. Here, we reported functional analysis of an unknown transmembrane protein composed of 103 amino acid residues. This protein was found to function as a Na+(Li+, K+)/H+ antiporter. To the best of our knowledge, this antiporter is the minimal one of known Na+/H+antiporters and thus designated as NhaM to represent the minimal Na+/H+antiporter. NhaM and its homologs have not yet been classified into any protein family. Based on phylogenetic analysis and protein alignment, we propose NhaM and its homologs to constitute a novel transporter family designated as NhaM family. More importantly, we found that NhaM is assembled with parallel protomers into a homo-oligomer and oligomerization is vital for the function of this antiporter. This implies that NhaM may adopt and require an oligomer structure for its normal function to create a similar X-shaped structure to that of the NhaA fold. Taken together, current findings not only present the proposal of a novel transporter family but also positively contribute to the functional roles of oligomerization in Na+/H+antiporters.

Production Mechanisms of Black Tea Polyphenols.

Black tea accounts for 70-80% of world tea production, and the polyphenols therein are produced by enzymatic oxidation of four tea catechins during tea fermentation. However, only limited groups of dimeric oxidation products, such as theaflavins, theasinensins, and theacitrins, have been isolated from black tea and chemically characterized. This is largely because of the complexity and heterogeneity of the oxidation products. To determine structures and production mechanisms of uncharacterized black tea polyphenols, in vitro model fermentation experiments using pure catechins and polyphenol oxidase have been applied, and basic oxidation mechanisms have been established. Contemporary methods, such as LC-MS, are also effective to identify catechin oxidation products in black tea. Despite ongoing efforts, almost 60% of the solids in black tea infusion remain uncharacterized. These compounds include the so-called thearubigins, which are a heterogeneous mixture of uncharacterized catechin oxidation products with oligomeric structures. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the production mechanisms of representative black tea polyphenols and presents recent progress in characterization of thearubigins.

Phenylalanine Mutation to Cyclohexylalanine Facilitates Triangular Trimer Formation by β-Hairpins Derived from Aβ.

Oligomers of the β-amyloid peptide, Aβ, play a central role in the pathogenesis and progression of Alzheimer's disease. Trimers and higher-order oligomers composed of trimers are thought to be the most neurotoxic Aβ oligomers. To gain insights into the structure and assembly of Aβ oligomers, our laboratory has previously designed and synthesized macrocyclic peptides derived from Aβ17-23 and Aβ30-36 that fold to form β-hairpins and assemble to form trimers. In this study, we found that mutating Phe20 to cyclohexylalanine (Cha) in macrocyclic Aβ-derived peptides promotes crystallization of an Aβ-derived peptide containing the Aβ24-29 loop (peptide 3F20Cha) and permits elucidation of its structure and assembly by X-ray crystallography. X-ray crystallography shows that peptide 3F20Cha forms a hexamer. X-ray crystallography and SDS-PAGE further show that trimer 4F20Cha, a covalently stabilized trimer derived from peptide 3F20Cha, forms a dodecamer. Size exclusion chromatography shows that trimer 4F20Cha forms higher-order assemblies in solution. Trimer 4F20Cha exhibits cytotoxicity against the neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. These studies demonstrate the use of the F20Cha mutation to further stabilize oligomers of Aβ-derived peptides that contain more of the native sequence and thus better mimic the oligomers formed by full-length Aβ.

Mechanism Controlling High‐Temperature Degradation of Sunflower Oil Triacylglycerols in the Absence of Oxygen

AbstractThe aim of the present study is to describe the mechanism controlling heat‐induced formation of sunflower oil triacylglycerol and fatty acid methyl ester oligomers. The unique combination of high‐performance size‐exclusion chromatography with hyphenated electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS), atmospheric pressure chemical ionization‐MS, and high‐temperature gas chromatography‐MS techniques allows differentiating between radical coupling species and Diels–Alder cycloadducts. Targeted analysis of thermally degraded sunflower oils confirms the exact structures of various acyclic oligomers accompanied by less‐abundant products of pericyclic transformations. A series of model experiments simulate the impact of dienophile nature on the course of Diels–Alder reactions. Thus, α‐tocopherylquinone, δ‐tocopherylquinone, and methyl‐(E)‐11‐oxoundec‐9‐enoate are synthesized as naturally occurring dienophiles bearing electron‐withdrawing groups. The geometry of poor dienophiles does not affect concerted cyclization, while the structure of electron deficient dienophiles can overcome low reactivity.Practical Application: In the absence of oxygen, heat‐induced degradation of polyunsaturated triacylglycerols proceed predominantly via a radical pathway, whereas concerted reactions represent minor mechanisms. Sunflower oil triacylglycerol molecules in the system without propagation stage can be effectively protected by natural and/or synthetic antioxidants. Application of chelates is also recommended. However, antioxidant‐derived quinones, such as α‐tocopherylquinone, can enter the Diels–Alder reaction even more easily than dienophiles without electron‐withdrawing groups. Unsaturated core aldehydes possess the same reactivity. Examination of the mechanism controlling high‐temperature degradation of triacylglycerols is especially important for processing engineers in edible oil refineries and food technologists. New perspective may help them to minimize undesirable changes in polyunsaturated species.

The comparative analysis of the properties and structures of purine nucleoside phosphorylases from thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus HB27

Two recombinant purine nucleoside phosphorylases from thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus HB27 encoded by genes TT_C1070 (TthPNPI) and TT_C0194 (TthPNPII) were purified and characterized. The comparative analysis of their sequences, molecular weight, enzymes specificity and kinetics of the catalyzed reaction were realized. As a result, it was determined that the TthPNPI is specific to guanosine while the TthPNPII to adenosine. According to the results of the size exclusion chromatography and SAXS study both enzymes are hexameric molecules. Based on the sequence alignment with homologous purine nucleoside phosphorylases (PNPs), Asn was identified as a purine base recognizing residue in the active site of TthPNPI and Asp in TthPNPII. The three-dimensional structure of TthPNPII was solved at 2.5 Å resolution by molecular replacement method using crystals grown in microgravity. Position of phosphate in the active site cavity is located. The possible arrangement of adenosine and guanosine in TthPNPII active site cavity is considered using superposition with the structures of homologous trimeric and hexameric PNPs complexed with corresponding substrates. The peculiarities of oligomeric structure of TthPNPII in comparison with homologous PNPs are described. It is shown that two trimeric molecules of TthPNPII in the asymmetric part of the unit cell are connected by three two-fold axis into a hexamer with 32-point symmetry. This type of hexameric structure of PNP is found for the first time. The interface area between the subunits in trimeric molecule and between the trimers in TthPNPII hexamer is described. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

The Role of α-Synuclein Oligomers in Parkinson's Disease.

α-synuclein (α-syn) is a protein associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegeneration disease with no effective treatment. However, how α-syn drives the pathology of PD remains elusive. Recent studies suggest that α-syn oligomers are the primary cause of neurotoxicity and play a critical role in PD. In this review, we discuss the process of α-syn oligomers formation and the current understanding of the structures of oligomers. We also describe seed and propagation effects of oligomeric forms of α-syn. Then, we summarize the mechanism by which α-syn oligomers exert neurotoxicity and promote neurodegeneration, including mitochondrial dysfunction, endoplasmic reticulum stress, proteostasis dysregulation, synaptic impairment, cell apoptosis and neuroinflammation. Finally, we investigate treatment regimens targeting α-syn oligomers at present. Further research is needed to understand the structure and toxicity mechanism of different types of oligomers, so as to provide theoretical basis for the treatment of PD.

Ambient Temperature Self-Blowing Tannin-Humins Biofoams.

Ambient temperature self-blowing tannin–furanic foams have been prepared by substituting a great part—even a majority—of furfuryl alcohol with humins, a polyfuranic material derived from the acid treatment at high temperature of fructose. Closed-cell foams were prepared at room temperature and curing, while interconnected-cell foams were prepared at 80 °C and curing, this being due to the more vigorous evaporation of the solvent. These foams appear to present similar characteristics as other tannin–furanic foams based only on furfuryl alcohol. A series of tannin–humins–furfuryl alcohol oligomer structures have been defined indicating that all three reagents co-react. Humins appeared to react well with condensed tannins, even higher molecular weight humins species, and even at ambient temperature, but they react slower than furfuryl alcohol. This is due to their high average molecular weight and high viscosity, causing their reaction with other species to be diffusion controlled. Thus, small increases in solvent led to foams with less cracks and open structures. It showed that furfuryl alcohol appears to also have a role as a humins solvent, and not just as a co-reagent and self-polymerization heat generator for foam expansion and hardening. Stress-strain for the different foams showed a higher compressive strength for both the foam with the lowest and the highest proportion of humins, thus in the dominant proportions of either furfuryl alcohol or the humins. Thus, due to their slower reactivity as their proportion increases to a certain critical level, more of them do proportionally participate within the expansion/curing time of the foam to the reaction.

Tuning pyrrole oligomers for optoelectronic and anti-corrosion applications: a DFT/TDDFT study

The determination of optoelectronic properties for 15 pyrrole oligomers tagged with different donor and acceptor groups and their potential anti-corrosion properties were considered. Density functional theory and time-dependent density functional theory (DFT/TDDFT) calculations have been utilized to explore the structure, molecular properties and anti-corrosion abilities of pyrrole oligomers. Frontier molecular orbital analysis gives qualitative information about the band gap and details of orientation of HOMOs and LUMOs on π-bridge, donor and acceptor moiety. The hyperpolarizability (β°) values are in good agreement with the calculated band gap. TDDFT calculation reveals the absorption maxima of pyrrole oligomers are in the UV–Visible region. The fraction of electron (∆N) an essential factor for corrosion inhibition is calculated as per Lukovit study. On the whole, modelled pyrrole oligomers illustrate better inhibition property than the experimentally reported inhibitor and exhibit optoelectronic property.

Emergence of Barrel Motif in Amyloid-β Trimer: A Computational Study.

Amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides form assemblies that are pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease. Aβ oligomers are soluble, mobile, and toxic forms of the peptide that act in the extracellular space before assembling into protofibrils and fibrils. Therefore, oligomers play an important role in the mechanism of Alzheimer’s disease. Since it is difficult to determine by experiment the atomic structures of oligomers, which accumulate fast and are polymorphic, computer simulation is a useful tool to investigate elusive oligomers’ structures. In this work, we report extended all-atom molecular dynamics simulations, both canonical and replica exchange, of Aβ(1–42) trimer starting from two different initial conformations: (i) the pose produced by the best docking of a monomer aside of a dimer (simulation 1), representing oligomers freshly formed by assembling monomers, and (ii) a configuration extracted from an experimental mature fibril structure (simulation 2), representing settled oligomers in equilibrium with extended fibrils. We showed that in simulation 1, regions with small β-barrels are populated, indicating the chance of spontaneous formation of domains resembling channel-like structures. These structural domains are alternative to those more representative of mature fibrils (simulation 2), the latter showing a stable bundle of C-termini that is not sampled in simulation 1. Moreover, trimer of Aβ(1–42) can form internal pores that are large enough to be accessed by water molecules and Ca2+ ions.

Alzheimer's amyloid β heterogeneous species differentially affect brain endothelial cell viability, blood-brain barrier integrity, and angiogenesis.

Impaired clearance in the Alzheimer's Disease (AD) brain is key in the formation of Aβ parenchymal plaques and cerebrovascular deposits known as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), present in >80% of AD patients and ~50% of non‐AD elderly subjects. Aβ deposits are highly heterogeneous, containing multiple fragments mostly derived from catabolism of Aβ40/Aβ42, which exhibit dissimilar aggregation properties. Remarkably, the role of these physiologically relevant Aβ species in cerebrovascular injury and their impact in vascular pathology is unknown. We sought to understand how heterogeneous Aβ species affect cerebral endothelial health and assess whether their diverse effects are associated with the peptides aggregation propensities. We analyzed cerebral microvascular endothelial cell (CMEC) viability, blood‐brain barrier (BBB) permeability, and angiogenesis, all relevant aspects of brain microvascular dysfunction. We found that Aβ peptides and fragments exerted differential effects on cerebrovascular pathology. Peptides forming mostly oligomeric structures induced CMEC apoptosis, whereas fibrillar aggregates increased BBB permeability without apoptotic effects. Interestingly, all Aβ species tested inhibited angiogenesis in vitro. These data link the biological effects of the heterogeneous Aβ peptides to their primary structure and aggregation, strongly suggesting that the composition of amyloid deposits influences clinical aspects of the AD vascular pathology. As the presence of predominant oligomeric structures in proximity of the vessel walls may lead to CMEC death and induction of microhemorrhages, fibrillar amyloid is likely responsible for increased BBB permeability and associated neurovascular dysfunction. These results have the potential to unveil more specific therapeutic targets and clarify the multifactorial nature of AD.

In-Cell Detection of Conformational Substates of a G Protein-Coupled Receptor Quaternary Structure: Modulation of Substate Probability by Cognate Ligand Binding.

While the notion that G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) associate into homo- and hetero-oligomers has gained more recognition in recent years, a lack of consensus remains among researchers regarding the functional relevance of GPCR oligomerization. A technique, Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectrometry, allows for the determination of the oligomeric (or quaternary) structure of proteins in living cells via analysis of efficiency distributions of energy transferred from optically excited fluorescent tags acting as donors of energy to fluorescent tags acting as acceptors of energy and residing within the same oligomer. In this study, we significantly improved the resolution of FRET spectrometry to detect subtle differences in quaternary structures of GPCR oligomers within living cells. We then used this approach to study the conformational substates of oligomers of the sterile 2 α-factor receptor (Ste2), a class D GPCR found in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae of mating type a. Ste2 has previously been shown to form tetramers at relatively low expression levels (11 to 140 molecules/μm2) in the absence of its cognate ligand, the α-factor pheromone. The significantly improved FRET spectrometry technique allowed us to detect multiple distinct quaternary conformational substates of Ste2 oligomers, and to assess how the α-factor ligand altered the proportion of such substates. The ability to determine quaternary structure substates of GPCRs provides exquisite means to elucidate functional relevance of GPCR oligomerization.

Structural rearrangement of amyloid-β upon inhibitor binding suppresses formation of Alzheimer's disease related oligomers.

The formation of oligomers of the amyloid-β peptide plays a key role in the onset of Alzheimer's disease. We describe herein the investigation of disease-relevant small amyloid-β oligomers by mass spectrometry and ion mobility spectrometry, revealing functionally relevant structural attributes. In particular, we can show that amyloid-β oligomers develop in two distinct arrangements leading to either neurotoxic oligomers and fibrils or non-toxic amorphous aggregates. Comprehending the key-attributes responsible for those pathways on a molecular level is a pre-requisite to specifically target the peptide's tertiary structure with the aim to promote the emergence of non-toxic aggregates. Here, we show for two fibril inhibiting ligands, an ionic molecular tweezer and a hydrophobic peptide that despite their different interaction mechanisms, the suppression of the fibril pathway can be deduced from the disappearance of the corresponding structure of the first amyloid-β oligomers.

Dynamin-2 R465W mutation induces long range perturbation in highly ordered oligomeric structures

High order oligomers are crucial for normal cell physiology, and protein function perturbed by missense mutations underlies several autosomal dominant diseases. Dynamin-2 is one of such protein forming helical oligomers that catalyze membrane fission. Mutations in this protein, where R465W is the most frequent, cause dominant centronuclear myopathy, but the molecular mechanisms underpinning the functional modifications remain to be investigated. To unveil the structural impact of this mutation in dynamin-2, we used full-atom molecular dynamics simulations and coarse-grained models and built dimers and helices of wild-type (WT) monomers, mutant monomers, or both WT and mutant monomers combined. Our results show that the mutation R465W causes changes in the interactions with neighbor amino acids that propagate through the oligomer. These new interactions perturb the contact between monomers and favor an extended conformation of the bundle signaling element (BSE), a dynamin region that transmits the conformational changes from the GTPase domain to the rest of the protein. This extended configuration of the BSE that is only relevant in the helices illustrates how a small change in the microenvironment surrounding a single residue can propagate through the oligomer structures of dynamin explaining how dominance emerges in large protein complexes.

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane cage integrated soluble and fluorescent poly(3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) dye

A new analog of poly (3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) conjugated polymers called PProDOT-POSS, where polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) nanocage with alkyl substitutions was integrated on the bridge of 3,4-propylenedioxythiophene unit and its structure was confirmed by spectroscopic techniques, was reported. The polymers were synthesized via both chemical and electrochemical polymerization techniques. While chemical polymerization was carried out in the presence of anhydrous FeCl3 as an oxidant, a solution of 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium hexafluoride electrolyte dissolved in a mixture of dichloromethane and acetonitrile (1/3: v/v) was used as an electrolyte solution for electrochemical polymerization. Electro-optical properties of the corresponding polymers were characterized by using electroanalytical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry and square wave potentiometry, and spectrophotometric methods like ultraviolet–visible and fluorescent spectrophotometry. Corresponding polymers obtained both electrochemically and chemically are soluble completely in common organic solvents such as chloroform, toluene, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, etc. Polymer samples both in film and solution forms can be doped/dedoped reversibly by using a chemical oxidant or an external potential. The optical bandgap of the neutral polymer film with a maximum absorption band at 555 nm was calculated as 1.95 eV. Polymers have fluorescent property and excited polymers represented a red/orange light with an emission band centered at 605 nm in toluene. Also, PProDOT-POSS polymers have electrochromic properties under external potentials and they have an optical contrast of 55% at 555 nm between their neutral and oxidized states. Upon oxidation, they showed high transparency and they can switch between redox states in a short time (switching time = ~1.0 s) as well as high coloration efficiency (502 cm2/C for 95% switching). It can be concluded that POSS based PProDOT polymers can be good candidates for optoelectronic and bioelectronics applications.Short Abstract for Paper Submission: A new analog of poly (3,4-propylenedioxythiophene) conjugated polymers called PProDOT-POSS, was reported with the integrated of alkyl-substituted polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane nanocage structure. The polymers were synthesized via both chemical and electrochemical polymerization techniques. Corresponding polymers obtained both electrochemically and chemically are soluble completely in common organic solvents such as chloroform, toluene, dichloromethane, tetrahydrofuran, etc. Polymer samples both in film and solution forms can be doped/dedoped reversibly by using a chemical oxidant or an external potential. The optical bandgap of the neutral polymer film with a maximum absorption band at 555 nm was calculated as 1.95 eV. Polymers have fluorescent property and excited polymers represented a red/orange light with an emission band centered at 605 nm in toluene.

Constitutive inorganic pyrophosphatase as a reciprocal regulator of three inducible enzymes in Escherichia coli

BackgroundPrevious studies have demonstrated the formation of stable complexes between inorganic pyrophosphatase (PPase) and three other Escherichia coli enzymes – cupin-type phosphoglucose isomerase (cPGI), class I fructose-1,6-bisphosphate aldolase (FbaB) and l-glutamate decarboxylase (GadA). MethodsHere, we determined by activity measurements how complex formation between these enzymes affects their activities and oligomeric structure. ResultscPGI activity was modulated by all partner proteins, but none was reciprocally affected by cPGI. PPase activity was down-regulated upon complex formation, whereas all other enzymes were up-regulated. For cPGI, the activation was partially counteracted by a shift in dimer ⇆ hexamer equilibrium to inactive hexamer. Complex stoichiometry appeared to be 1:1 in most cases, but FbaB formed both 1:1 and 1:2 complexes with both GadA and PPase, FbaB activation was only observed in the 1:2 complexes. FbaB and GadA induced functional asymmetry (negative kinetic cooperativity) in hexameric PPase, presumably by favoring partial dissociation to trimers. ConclusionsThese four enzymes form all six possible binary complexes in vitro, resulting in modulated activity of at least one of the constituent enzymes. In five complexes, the effects on activity were unidirectional, and in one complex (FbaB⋅PPase), the effects were reciprocal. The effects of potential physiological significance include inhibition of PPase by FbaB and GadA and activation of FbaB and cPGI by PPase. Together, they provide a mechanism for feedback regulation of FbaB and GadA biosynthesis. General significanceThese findings indicate the complexity of functionally significant interactions between cellular enzymes, which classical enzymology treats as individual entities, and demonstrate their moonlighting activities as regulators.

Synthesis and study of oligobenzotriazolylimides

Three-dimensional heterocyclic polymers can be obtained by the migration copolymerization of bis-imides of unsaturated dicarboxylic acids and such nucleophiles as diamines, bisphenols and bismercaptans. As-obtained nitrogen-containing heat-resistant polymers are of practical interest due to their high performance and the availability of the feedstock. In this work, we propose to obtain heat-resistant polymeric materials through the synthesis of oligobenzotriazolylimides by interaction of bis-maleimides with benzotriazoles. One-stage melt synthesis producing no by-products and requiring no organic solvents seems to be the most suitable method from the technological and environmental standpoint. Optimal conditions for the synthesis of polymers were determined using the method of compositional orthogonal planning. Reduced viscosity was chosen as the optimization parameter; the initial concentration of monomers, as well the duration and temperature of synthesis, were the variable factors affecting the optimization parameter. The structure, properties and mechanical characteristics of the obtained polymers were studied. The structure of oligomers and polymers was confirmed by IR and NMR spectroscopy data. A series of experiments was carried out to investigate the potential of extrusion-rolling casting technology for obtaining composite materials based on oligobenzotriazolylimides. This technology maintains initial substances in a fluid state for an extended period of time. The slower curing rate of oligomers facilitates the dissipation of the heat released during structuring, thus causing no local overheating of the material and resulting mechanical stresses. This improves the technological and physical-mechanical characteristics of the composites based on these oligomers. Optimal conditions for the production of polymer composites were identified, and their physical and mechanical properties were studied. A technology was proposed for obtaining materials resistant to aggressive media and temperature drops.

Effect of branch structure of thermoresponsive oligomers on draw solution performance in forward osmosis process

A series of three types of oligomers—oligo(butylene oxide)n-block-oligo(ethylene oxide)m-block-oligo(butylene oxide)n oligomers (EBs), glycerol-oligo(ethylene oxide)m-block-(butylene oxide)n oligomers (GEBs), and pentaerythritol-oligo(ethylene oxide)m-block-(butylene oxide)n oligomers (PEBs)—having different branch structures were synthesized. EBs, GEBs, and PEBs had linear, three-branch, and four-branch structures, respectively. These oligomers were tested as draw solutes (DSs) for the forward osmosis (FO) process in order to reveal the effect of their branch structures on the FO performance and DS leakage from the FO membrane. The aqueous solutions of EBs, GEBs, and PEBs exhibited a typical lower critical solution temperature-type phase separation. The FO water fluxes in the case of EB, GEB, and PEB were 4.1–4.8 L m−2 h−1 (LMH) at an osmotic pressure of 28 bar, while the reverse solute fluxes (Js) were 0.79–1.83 gMH at DS concentrations corresponding to an osmotic pressure of 28 bar. Js decreased with an increase in the number of branches in the DS molecule, which improved the FO performance index. The results indicate the importance of introducing a branch structure into DS molecules to design useful DSs.

Solvent-Free Approaches in Carbohydrate Synthetic Chemistry: Role of Catalysis in Reactivity and Selectivity

Owing to their abundance in biomass and availability at a low cost, carbohydrates are very useful precursors for products of interest in a broad range of scientific applications. For example, they can be either converted into basic chemicals or used as chiral precursors for the synthesis of potentially bioactive molecules, even including nonsaccharide targets; in addition, there is also a broad interest toward the potential of synthetic sugar-containing structures in the field of functional materials. Synthetic elaboration of carbohydrates, in both the selective modification of functional groups and the assembly of oligomeric structures, is not trivial and often entails experimentally demanding approaches practiced by specialized groups. Over the last years, a large number of solvent-free synthetic methods have appeared in the literature, often being endowed with several advantages such as greenness, experimental simplicity, and a larger scope than analogous reactions in solution. Most of these methods are catalytically promoted, and the catalyst often plays a key role in the selectivity associated with the process. This review aims to describe the significant recent contributions in the solvent-free synthetic chemistry of carbohydrates, devoting a special critical focus on both the mechanistic role of the catalysts employed and the differences evidenced so far with corresponding methods in solution.

Vesicular ATP-binding cassette transporters in human disease: relevant aspects of their organization for future drug development

Vesicular ATP-binding cassette transporters in human disease: relevant aspects of their organization for future drug development

Targeting septins controls ovarian tumor growth

Objective: Septins are GTP-binding cytoskeletal proteins that participate in cytokinesis, cell migration, chromosomal dynamics, and protein secretion. Malignancies exhibit altered septin expression and mutations. Pharmacologic tools to curb septin-orchestrated malignancies are needed. However, the oligomeric structures of septins mount considerable challenges in designing targeted therapies, and thus the small molecule modulators of septins remain unavailable. As a part of an ongoing study, we have identified a small molecule, UR214-9, that causes septin catastrophe and controls tumor growth.