Alternative divalent cations (Zn 2+ , Co 2+ , and Mn 2+ ) are not mutagenic at conditions optimal for HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity
Conclusion:
This study shows that Zn
2+
, at optimal extension conditions, increases the fidelity of HIV-1 RT and challenges the notion that alternative cations capable of supporting polymerase catalysis are inherently mutagenic. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - May 3, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Vasudevan AchuthanJeffrey DeStefano Source Type: research
Sigma-1 receptor directly interacts with Rac1-GTPase in the brain mitochondria
Conclusion:
We suggest that Sig1R through Rac1 signaling induces mild oxidative stress that possibly is involved in the regulation of neuroplasticity, as well as in the prevention of apoptosis and autophagy. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - April 30, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Nino NatsvlishviliNino GoguadzeElene ZhuravliovaDavid Mikeladze Source Type: research
Nickel quercetinase, a “promiscuous” metalloenzyme: metal incorporation and metal ligand substitution studies
Conclusions:
Heterologous formation of catalytically active, native QueD holoenzyme requires Ni2+, Co2+ or Mn2+, i.e., metal ions that prefer an octahedral coordination geometry, and an intact 3His/1Glu motif or a 4His environment of the metal. The observed metal occupancies suggest that metal incorporation into QueD is governed by the relative stability of the resulting metal complexes, rather than by metal abundance. Ni2+ most likely is the physiologically relevant cofactor of QueD of Streptomyces sp. FLA. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - April 23, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Dimitrios NianiosSven ThierbachLenz SteimerPavel LulchevDagmar KlostermeierSusanne Fetzner Source Type: research
Comparative metabolic fingerprinting of Gentiana rhodantha from different geographical origins using LC-UV-MS/MS and multivariate statistical analysis
BackgroundsGentiana rhodantha, a rich source of iridoids and polyphenols, is a traditional ethnomedicine widely used in China. Metabolic fingerprinting based on a LC-UV-MS/MS method was applied to explore the chemical markers for discrimination of G. rhodantha from different geographical origins.
Results:
Targeted compounds were separated on a Shim-pack XR-ODS III (150 × 2.0 mm, 2.2 μm), with a mobile phase consisted of acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid in water, under gradient elution. In quantitative analysis, all of the calibration curves showed good linear regression (R2 (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - March 28, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Yu PanJi ZhangTao ShenYan-Li ZhaoYuan-Zhong WangWan-Yi Li Source Type: research
Solution structure and biophysical characterization of the multifaceted signalling effector protein growth arrest specific-1
Structural analysis reveals a conformational difference between the related Human Growth arrest specific-1 (GAS1) and the glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor receptor alphas (GFRalphas), potentially explaining why GAS1 can bind to the tyrosine kinase Ret in a ligand-independent manner. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - February 28, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Katja RostiAdrian GoldmanTommi Kajander Source Type: research
BMC Biochemistry reviewer acknowledgement, 2014
Contributing reviewersThe editors of BMC Biochemistry would like to thank all our reviewers who have contributed their time to the journal in Volume 15 (2014). (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - February 17, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Guangde Tu Source Type: research
The exchanged EF-hands in calmodulin and troponin C chimeras impair the Ca 2+ -induced hydrophobicity and alter the interaction with orai1: a spectroscopic, thermodynamic and kinetic study
Conclusions:
Using ANS dye to assess induced hydrophobicity showed that exchanging EFs for all Ca2+-bound chimeras impaired ANS fluorescence and/or binding affinity, consistent with general concepts about the inadequacy of hydrophobic exposure for chimeras. However, such ANS responses exhibited no correlation with the ability to interact with Orai-CMBD. Here, the model of 1:2 binding stoichiometry of CaM/Orai-CMBD established in solution supports the already published crystal structure. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - February 15, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Drake JensenNicole ReynoldsYa-Ping YangShubha ShakyaZhi-Qiang WangDennis StuehrChin-Chuan Wei Source Type: research
Identification of fragments from Autographa Californica polyhedrin protein essential for self-aggregation and exogenous protein incorporation
Conclusions:
These results demonstrate that 58?110 is the minimum fragment that contributes to the assembly of the recombinant polyhedra via self-aggregation. This is the minimum sequence that can be used to efficiently incorporate foreign proteins into polyhedra. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - February 4, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Alicia SampieriAgustín Luz-MadrigalJesus ZepedaLuis Vaca Source Type: research
Human DNA-binding peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase Par14 is cell cycle dependently expressed and associates with chromatin in vivo
Conclusion:
In the light of our results, Par14 can be described as an endogenous non-histone chromatin protein, which binds DNA in vivo. We propose that Par14 is involved in a DNA-dependent activity such as transcription. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - February 3, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Akuma SaningongPeter Bayer Source Type: research
Digested wheat gluten inhibits binding between leptin and its receptor
Conclusions:
Digested wheat gluten inhibits binding of leptin to the leptin receptor, with half-maximal inhibition at 10?ng/mL. The inhibition is significant at clinically relevant concentrations and could therefore serve as a novel pathway to investigate to understand the molecular basis of leptin resistance, obesity and associated disorders. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - January 20, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Tommy JönssonAshfaque MemonKristina SundquistJan SundquistStefan OlssonAmarnadh NallaMikael BauerSara Linse Source Type: research
Histone deacetylase inhibitor sodium butyrate suppresses DNA double strand break repair induced by etoposide more effectively in MCF-7 cells than in HEK293 cells
Conclusions:
These studies suggest that sodium butyrate treatment leads to a different degree of chromatin relaxation in HEK293 and cancerous MCF-7 cells, which results in differential sensitivity to the toxic effects of etoposide in controlling damaged DNA repair. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - January 16, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Liping LiYouxiang SunJiangqin LiuXiaodan WuLijun ChenLi MaPengfei Wu Source Type: research
Mechano-growth factor accelerates the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of rabbit mesenchymal stem cells through the PI3K/AKT pathway
Conclusion:
Our study suggests that MGF promotes the growth and osteogenic differentiation of rMSCs primarily through the PI3K/AKT pathway. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - January 15, 2015 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Yanxiang TongWei FengYimin WuHuicheng LvYanfei JiaDianming Jiang Source Type: research
Folding and self-association of atTic20 in lipid membranes: implications for understanding protein transport across the inner envelope membrane of chloroplasts
As a result of novel expression techniques, the recombinant Arabidopsis thaliana protein Tic20 is shown to exist in both monomeric and higher-order forms, with implications for its role as chloroplast membrane preprotein channel protein. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - December 31, 2014 Category: Biochemistry Authors: James CampbellTuan HoangMasoud Jelokhani-NiarakiMatthew Smith Source Type: research
DNA binding reduces the dissociation rate of STAT1 dimers and impairs the interdimeric exchange of protomers
Conclusions:
Our results demonstrate that DNA binding impairs the oscillation rate between STAT1 conformers. Furthermore, these data suggest that the rapid release from high-affinity GAS sites is not a rate-limiting step in IFN?-mediated signal transduction. Further investigations are needed to decipher the physiological significance of the observed dissociation/re-association process of STAT1 dimers. (Source: BMC Biochemistry)
Source: BMC Biochemistry - December 20, 2014 Category: Biochemistry Authors: Theresa RiebelingJulia StaabChristoph Herrmann-LingenThomas Meyer Source Type: research
