Biochemistry Commons^™

Identification Of Disufide Bond Formation Between Mitoneet And Glutamate Dehydrogenase 1, Morgan E. Roberts, Jacquelyn P. Crail, Megan M. Laffoon, William G. Fernandez, Michael A. Menze, Mary E. Konkle

Michael Menze

MitoNEET is a protein that was identified as a drug target for diabetes, but its cellular function as well as its role in diabetes remains elusive. Protein pull-down experiments identified glutamate dehydrogenase 1 (GDH1) as a potential binding partner. GDH1 is a key metabolic enzyme with emerging roles in insulin regulation. MitoNEET forms a covalent complex with GDH1 through disulfide bond formation and acts as an activator. Proteomic analysis identified the specific cysteine residues that participate in the disulfide bond. This is the first report that effectively links mitoNEET to activation of the insulin regulator GDH1.

Interplay Of Hydrogen Bonds And N→Π* Interactions In Proteins, Gail J. Bartlett, Robert W. Newberry, Brett Vanveller, Ronald T. Raines, Derek N. Woolfson

Brett VanVeller

Protein structures are stabilized by multiple weak interactions, including the hydrophobic effect, hydrogen bonds, electrostatic effects, and van der Waals interactions. Among these interactions, the hydrogen bond is distinct in having its origins in electron delocalization. Recently, another type of electron delocalization, the n→π* interaction between carbonyl groups, has been shown to play a role in stabilizing protein structure. Here we examine the interplay between hydrogen bonding and n→π* interactions. To address this issue, we used data available from high-resolution protein crystal structures to interrogate asparagine side-chain oxygen atoms that are both acceptors of a hydrogen bond and donors of …

Detection Of Boronic Acids Through Excited-State Intramolecular Proton-Transfer Fluorescence, Matthew R. Aronoff, Brett Vanveller, Ronald T. Raines

Brett VanVeller

Boronic acids are versatile reagents for the chemical synthesis of organic molecules. They and other boron-containing compounds can be detected readily by the interruption of the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) of 10-hydroxybenzo[h]quinolone. This method is highly sensitive and selective, and useful for monitoring synthetic reactions and detecting boron-containing compounds on a solid support.

A Divalent Protecting Group For Benzoxaboroles, Brett Vanveller, Matthew R. Aronoff, Ronald T. Raines

Brett VanVeller

1-Dimethylamino-8-methylaminonaphthalene is put forth as a protecting group for benzoxaboroles. The ensuing complex is fluorescent, charge-neutral, highly stable under basic conditions, stable to anhydrous acid, and readily cleavable in aqueous acid to return the free benzoxaborole.

Comparative Metabolism Of Phenanthro[3,4-B]Thiophene And Benzo[C]Phenanthrene, Jaquan M. Williams

Jaquan M Williams

ABSTRACT OF THESIS Comparative Metabolism of Phenanthro[3,4-b]Thiophene And Benzo[c]Phenanthrene Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and their sulfur-heterocyclic analogs (thia-PAHs) are commonly occurring persistent environmental contaminants formed by incomplete combustion of organic matter. A number of thia-PAHs have shown significant mutagenic and carcinogenic activities. As noted with PAHs, these chemical contaminants also require metabolic activation in order to exhibit their mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. In the present study, a comparison of the metabolism of highly mutagenic phenanthro[3,4-b]thiophene (P[3,4-b]T) and its weakly mutagenic carbon analogue, benzo[c]phenanthrene (B[c]P), was investigated. Metabolism studies were conducted using liver microsomes from induced rats, un-induced rats, as well …

N→Π* Interactions Of Amides And Thioamides: Implications For Protein Stability, Robert W. Newberry, Brett Vanveller, Ilia A. Guzei, Ronald T. Raines

Brett VanVeller

Carbonyl–carbonyl interactions between adjacent backbone amides have been implicated in the conformational stability of proteins. By combining experimental and computational approaches, we show that relevant amidic carbonyl groups associate through an n→π* donor–acceptor interaction with an energy of at least 0.27 kcal/mol. The n→π* interaction between two thioamides is 3-fold stronger than between two oxoamides due to increased overlap and reduced energy difference between the donor and acceptor orbitals. This result suggests that backbone thioamide incorporation could stabilize protein structures. Finally, we demonstrate that intimate carbonyl interactions are described more completely as donor–acceptor orbital interactions rather than dipole–dipole interactions.

Psychosine, The Cytotoxic Sphingolipid That Accumulates In Globoid Cell Leukodystrophy, Alters Membrane Architecture, Jacqueline A. Hawkins-Salsbury, Archana R. Parameswar, Xuntian Jiang, Paul H. Schlesinger, Ernesto Bongarzone, Daniel S. Ory, Alexei V. Demchenko, Mark S. Sands

Alexei Demchenko

Inhibition Of Bacillus Cereus Growth By Bacteriocin Producing Bacillus Subtilis Isolated From Fermented Baobab Seeds (Maari) Is Substrate Dependent, Donatien Kaboré, Dennis S. Nielsen, Hagrétoui Sawadogo-Lingan, Bréhima Diawara, Mamoudou H. Dicko Prof., Mogens Jakobsen, Line Thorsen

Pr. Mamoudou H. DICKO, PhD