Developing Antiviral Coatings In article number 2202161, Tan Hu, Michaela Kaganovich, Meital Reches, and colleagues describe the self-assembly of two extremely short peptides, DOPA-Phe DOPA-Phe(4F), into spherical nanoparticles with excellent antiviral activity. When applied on a surface by drop-casting, these peptide assemblies form transparent coating that deactivate both DNA- RNA-based virus...

Aim: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons resulting in deterioration motor activity patients. Currently, available therapies including Levodopa (L-DOPA) are more geared toward treatment symptoms. Therefore, developing effective neuroprotective needed. Valproic acid (VPA) has shown potent effects on dopamine (DA) various brain regions. The aim...

INCE the report of BRIDGES (1916), various hereditary strains of melanotic tumor of Drosophila have been studied genetically, physiologically and biochemically (BURDETTE 1959; RIZKI 1960). The tumor strains are characterized by the appearance of melanized masses in the abdomen largely during the later stages of larval life. The melanized masses have commonly been called “melanotic tumors”, thou...

Citation for published version: Alvarez, LA, Kovai, L, Rodríguez, J, Gosemann, J-H, Kubica, M, Pircalabioru, GG, Friedmacher, F, Cean, A, Ghie, A, Srndan, MB, Puri, P, Daff, S, Plettner, E, von Kriegsheim, A, Bourke, B & Knaus, UG 2016, 'NADPH oxidase-derived H2O2 subverts pathogen signaling by oxidative phosphotyrosine conversion to PB-DOPA' Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI...

The California mussel, Mytilus californianus, adheres in the highly oxidizing intertidal zone with a fibrous holdfast called the byssus using 3, 4-dihydroxyphenyl-l-alanine (DOPA)-containing adhesive proteins. DOPA is susceptible to oxidation in seawater and, upon oxidation, loses adhesion. Successful mussel adhesion thus depends critically on controlling oxidation and reduction. To explore how...

L-Dopa, an intermediate in the biosynthesis of catecholamines, is now widely used in the treatment of parkinsonism. A number of clinical observations suggested that L-dopa may induce changes in its own metabolism during the course of therapy. In the present study, it was found that when L-dopa was administered to rats, the activity of liver aromatic L-amino-acid decarboxylase, the enzyme which ...

An analysis of key genes and enzymes of the betacyanin biosynthetic pathway in Amaranthus hypochondriacus (Ah) was performed. Complete cDNA sequence of Ah genes coding for cyclo-DOPA 5-O glucosyltransferase (AhcDOPA5-GT), two 4, 5-DOPA-extradiol-dioxygenase isoforms (AhDODA-1 and AhDODA-2, respectively), and a betanidin 5-O-glucosyltransferase (AhB5-GT), plus the partial sequence of an ortholog...

To investigate the mechanisms underlying the hepatotoxicity induced by methyl dopa, we have examined sera from nine patients with liver damage following the use of the drug for evidence of sensitisation to drug altered liver cell membrane antigens using both immunofluorescence and antibody dependent cell mediated cytotoxicity. Five sera induced significant cytotoxicity to hepatocytes isolated f...

Human erythrocytes have been found to contain appreciable amounts of DOPA decarboxylase (EC 4.1.1.26) activity. The enzyme activity in erythrocytes from patients with Parkinson's disease who were treated with DOPA was significantly lower than that of untreated patients and of normal individuals. Administration of the drug to mice led to a marked decrease of DOPA decarboxylase in liver and kidne...

Striatal dopamine deficiency is the core feature of the pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD), and dopamine replacement with l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA) is the mainstay of PD treatment. Unfortunately, chronic l-DOPA administration is marred by the emergence of dyskinesia and wearing-off. Alternatives to l-DOPA for alleviation of parkinsonism are of interest, although none can match th...