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Full-Text Articles in Chemistry

Effective And Selective Dna Modification On Bacterial Membranes, Qian Tian, Yousef Bagheri, Puspam Keshri, Rigumula Wu, Kewei Ren, Qikun Yu, Mingxu You Jan 2021

Effective And Selective Dna Modification On Bacterial Membranes, Qian Tian, Yousef Bagheri, Puspam Keshri, Rigumula Wu, Kewei Ren, Qikun Yu, Mingxu You

Chemistry Department Faculty Publication Series

With highly precise self-assembly and programmability, DNA has been widely used as a versatile material in nanotechnology and synthetic biology. Recently, DNA-based nanostructures and devices have been engineered onto eukaryotic cell membranes for various exciting applications in the detection and regulation of cell functions. While in contrast, the potential of applying DNA nanotechnology for bacterial membrane studies is still largely underexplored, which is mainly due to the lack of tools to modify DNA on bacterial membranes. Herein, using lipid-DNA conjugates, we have developed a simple, fast, and highly efficient system to engineer bacterial membranes with designer DNA molecules. We have …


Polymeric Nanoparticles Active Against Dual-Species Bacterial Biofilms, Jessa Marie V. Makabenta, Jungmi Park, Cheng-Hsuan Li, Aritra Nath Chattopadhyay, Ahmed Nabawy, Ryan F. Landis, Akash Gupta, Suzannah Schmidt-Malan, Robin Patel, Vincent M. Rotello Jan 2021

Polymeric Nanoparticles Active Against Dual-Species Bacterial Biofilms, Jessa Marie V. Makabenta, Jungmi Park, Cheng-Hsuan Li, Aritra Nath Chattopadhyay, Ahmed Nabawy, Ryan F. Landis, Akash Gupta, Suzannah Schmidt-Malan, Robin Patel, Vincent M. Rotello

Chemistry Department Faculty Publication Series

Biofilm infections are a global public health threat, necessitating new treatment strategies. Biofilm formation also contributes to the development and spread of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial strains. Biofilm-associated chronic infections typically involve colonization by more than one bacterial species. The co-existence of multiple species of bacteria in biofilms exacerbates therapeutic challenges and can render traditional antibiotics ineffective. Polymeric nanoparticles offer alternative antimicrobial approaches to antibiotics, owing to their tunable physico-chemical properties. Here, we report the efficacy of poly(oxanorborneneimide) (PONI)-based antimicrobial polymeric nanoparticles (PNPs) against multi-species bacterial biofilms. PNPs showed good dual-species biofilm penetration profiles as confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. …


Exogenous Introduction Of Initiator And Executioner Caspases Results In Different Apoptotic Outcomes, Francesca Anson, S Thayumanavan, Jeanne A. Hardy Jan 2021

Exogenous Introduction Of Initiator And Executioner Caspases Results In Different Apoptotic Outcomes, Francesca Anson, S Thayumanavan, Jeanne A. Hardy

Chemistry Department Faculty Publication Series

The balance of pro-apoptotic and pro-survival proteins defines a cell's fate. These processes are controlled through an interdependent and finely tuned protein network that enables survival or leads to apoptotic cell death. The caspase family of proteases is central to this apoptotic network, with initiator and executioner caspases, and their interaction partners, regulating and executing apoptosis. In this work, we interrogate and modulate this network by exogenously introducing specific initiator or executioner caspase proteins. Each caspase is exogenously introduced using redox-responsive polymeric nanogels. Although caspase-3 might be expected to be the most effective due to the centrality of its role …