The cysteine-rich strongylocins were the first antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) discovered from the sea urchin species, Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis. Homologous putative proteins (called SpStrongylocin) were found in the sister species, S. purpuratus. To demonstrate that they exhibit the same antibacterial activity as strongylocins, cDNAs encoding the 'mature' peptides (SpStrongylocins 1 and ...

Human stem cell models have the potential to provide platforms for phenotypic screens to identify candidate treatments and cellular pathways involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and the accumulation of APP-derived amyloid β (Aβ) peptides are key processes in Alzheimer's disease (AD). We designed a phenotypic small-molecule scree...

Bacterial oligopeptide permeases are members of the large family of ATP binding cassette transporters and typically import peptides of 3 to 5 amino acids, apparently independently of sequence. Oligopeptide permeases are needed for bacteria to utilize peptides as nutrient sources and are sometimes involved in signal transduction pathways. The Bacillus subtilis oligopeptide permease stimulates co...

Coeliac disease is an inflammatory disease of the small intestine caused by ingestion of wheat gluten or related proteins from rye or barley. In the small intestine, ingested gluten is broken down into gliadin peptides which are deamidated by the enzyme tissue transglutaminase (tTg) resulting in the substitution of glutamine amino acid residues with glutamic acid. These modified gliadin peptide...

Cys2His2 zinc finger proteins are important for living organisms, as they—among other functions—specifically recognise DNA when Zn(II) is coordinated to the proteins, stabilising their ??? secondary structure. Therefore, competition with metal ions may alter original function. Toxic such Cd(II) or Hg(II) might be especially dangerous because of similar chemical properties Zn(II). Most studies c...

Synthetic materials designed for improved biomimicry of the extracellular matrix must contain fibrous, bioactive, and mechanical cues. Self-assembly low molecular weight gelator (LMWG) peptides Fmoc-DIKVAV (Fmoc-aspartic acid-isoleucine-lysine-valine-alanine-valine) Fmoc-FRGDF (Fmoc-phenylalanine-arginine-glycine-aspartic acid-phenylalanine) creates fibrous bioactive hydrogels. Polysaccharides ...

Understanding Alzheimer's disease is a central challenge of the 21st century, as affects tens millions people and kills million each year, with current drugs having modest effect. This article reviews how computational science integrating new cryo-electron microscopy structures biochemical clinical data has led to causative model familial (fAD). The model's basis open compact conformational sta...

Conjugation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) analogues GnRH-III, MI-1544, and MI-1892 through lysyl side chains and a tetrapeptide spacer, Gly-Phe-Leu-Gly (X) to a copolymer, poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone-co-maleic acid) (P) caused increased antiproliferative activity toward MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast, PC3 and LNCaP prostate, and Ishikawa endometrial cancer cell lines in culture and against ...