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Crystal structure analysis of the tetragonal crystal form are preliminary molecular model of pig-heart citrate synthase.

The crystal structure of pig heart citrate synthase was analyzed at 0.35-nm resolution. Chain tracing was possible and an initial molecular model constructed. The dimensions of the dimer molecule (located on a crystallographic diad) are 7.5 x 6.0 x 9.0 nm. The chain folding is characterized by the predominance of helices and the absence of sheet structure. The electron density accounts for 355 residues per monomer, so that about 80 residues must be disordered in the crystal. The disordered segment in probably N-terminal. The ordered part consists of two closely associated domains, a large domain with 300 residues and a C-terminal domain of 55 residues consisting of 3(anti)parallel helices. The large domain is built from 12 helical segments, some of which are buried in the interior of the molecule. Inhibitor binding studies with citrate and CoA revealed citrate binding sites but showed no electron density for CoA. It is suggested that CoA binds to the disordered, flexible N-terminal domain. Experiments of limited proteolysis with trypsin showed that under conditions a segment of Mr 9000 is cleaved off selectively. The remaining 35 000-Mr part is dimeric.

Animals

QSAR, diagnostic statistics, and molecular modelling of antiallergic acrylamide derivatives.

Quantitative structure-activity relationships of antiallergic N-[4-[4-(diphenylmethyl)-1-piperazinyl]-butyl]-3-(3-pyridyl)acr yl-amide s were studied. It was shown that the biological action depends on lipophilic and steric substituent features; apolar but small groups improve activity. Diagnostic statistics indicated that the QSAR equation is relatively robust. It was hypothesized from molecular modelling that the substituents influence primarily the pharmacokinetic-toxokinetic behavior of the compounds.

Acrylamides

Exploring the hexokinase glucose binding site through correlation analysis and molecular modeling of glucosamine inhibitors.

A series of N-substituted glucosamines has been designed, synthesized, and tested as inhibitors of yeast hexokinase. All derivatives exhibited competitive inhibition kinetics with respect to glucose. Quantitative structure-activity relationships were derived from the resulting inhibition data. The most significant equation demonstrated the existence of highly specific steric effects for the seven meta-substituted benzoylglucosamines included in the relationship. Molecular modeling of potential complexes between the inhibitors and the hexokinase substrate binding site strongly suggests that the steric effects arise from potential contacts with two amino acid residues lying in the region occupied by the amide substituents.

Binding Sites

Mast cell tryptases: examination of unusual characteristics by multiple sequence alignment and molecular modeling.

Tryptases are trypsin-like serine proteinases found in the granules of mast cells. Although they show 40% sequence identity with trypsin and contain only 20 or 21 additional residues, tryptases display several unusual features. Unlike trypsin, the tryptases only make limited cleavages in a few proteins and are not inhibited by natural trypsin inhibitors, they form tetramers, bind heparin, and their activity on synthetic substrates is progressively inhibited as the concentration of salt increases above 0.2 M. Unique sequence features of seven tryptases were identified by comparison to other serine proteinases. The three-dimensional structures of the tryptases were then predicted by molecular modeling based on the crystal structure of bovine trypsin. The models show two large insertions to lie on either side of the active-site cleft, suggesting an explanation for the limited activity of tryptases on protein substrates and the lack of inhibition by natural inhibitors. A group of conserved Trp residues and a unique proline-rich region make two surface hydrophobic patches that may account for the formation of tetramers and/or inhibition with increasing salt. Although they contain no consensus heparin-binding sequence, the tryptases have 10-13 more His residues than trypsin, and these are positioned on the surface of the model. In addition, clustering of Arg and Lys residues may also contribute to heparin binding. Putative Asn-linked glycosylation sites are found on the opposite side of the model from the active site. The model provides structural explanations for some to the unusual characteristics of the tryptases and a rational basis for future experiments, such as site-directed mutagenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence

Complementary molecular models of learning and memory.

The functional capabilities of the brain are formally characterizable interms of a finite system along with a memory space which it can manipulate. Two types of learning are possible: (1) modification-based learning, associated with alternate realizations of the finite system; (2) memory-based learning, associated with the assimilation, manipulation, and retrieval of memories. Constructive models which fulfill these conditions and which at the same time operate on the basis of molecular information processing principles have certain general features. We describe these features in terms of two interfaced submodels, the first for the finite system and the second for the memory space. The finite system may be realized by networks of neurons in which the specificity of enzyme molecules controls the nerve impulse. Such a realization is amenable to modification-based learning mediated by processes analogous to those of natural evolution and selective theories of antibody synthesis. The memory space is realizable by networks of neurons in which the conformation of dendritic receptor molecules controls the nerve impulse. In this case certain neurons firing in response to an external input undergo sensitization at the dendrites and in such a way that they are loadable and later callable by reference neurons, thereby allowing for reconstruction of manipulation of the firing pattern associated with this input. The overall construction makes a large number of biochemical, anatomical, physiological, and psychological predictions which are either testable or in good agreement with fact.

Brain

Molecular model for sodium conductance and calcium transport in the squid axon.

A molecular and biochemically plausible model for the excitation process of the sodium pore is suggested. From basic arguments it is concluded that the sodium pore exists in at least three states: the resting state, the sodium conducting state, and the refractory state. They are connected to form a cyclic process. A specification of the different states is given. It is suggested that inactivation of the sodium pore results from a conformational change, which is caused by the transport of a calcium ion through the membrane. The transport carrier is the sodium pore. This assumption can explain the observed calcium influx during stimulation, and the effect of Ca on the rate of inactivation and on the rate, at which sodium conductance shuts off upon repolarization. It cannot give a quantitative explanation for the effect of Ca on the rate of rise, peak sodium conductance, and steady state inactivation. These asects are successfully described by the surface potential hypothesis, which has been published recently. It is concluded, that a combination of both theories gives a rather complete description of the sodium pore. The Ca transport model is discussed quantitatively and in great detail.

Animals

Inhibitory effect of aryl thienyl-ketones and -thioketones on arachidonic acid-induced malondialdehyde formation in human platelets: biological data and molecular modelling.

A series of anti-thrombotic aryl thienyl-ketones and -thioketones was assayed in vitro for their inhibitory effect on malondialdehyde (MDA) production induced by arachidonic acid in human platelets. For several compounds MDA formation was strongly inhibited indicating that the anti-platelet target was situated on the cyclooxygenase pathway. A comparison between the inhibition constant Ki and the IC50 values revealed competitive inhibition kinetics. The molecular structure of one active compound was analysed by X-ray diffraction and theoretical calculations to provide information on its electronic and lipophilic properties.

Arachidonic Acid

Molecular model for the transposition and replication of bacteriophage Mu and other transposable elements.

A series of molecular events will explain how genetic elements can transpose from one DNA site to another, generate a short oligonucleotide duplication at both ends of the new insertion site, and replicate in the transposition process. These events include the formation of recombinant molecules which have been postulated to be intermediates in the transposition process. The model explains how the replication of bacteriophage Mu is obligatorily associated with movement to new genetic sites. It postulates that all transposable elements replicate in the transposition process so that they remain at their original site while moving to new sites. According to this model, the mechanism of transposition is very different from the insertion and excision of bacteriophage lambda.

Coliphages

Construction and validation of a β-hydroxybutyrylation-related molecular model for predicting prognosis of papillary thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) usually has a favorable prognosis, yet a subset of patients develops persistent, recurrent, or biologically aggressive disease. The clinical relevance of lysine β-hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb)-related transcriptional programs in PTC remains unclear. Accordingly, this study aimed to characterize Kbhb-related molecular heterogeneity in PTC, construct a prognostic signature, and explore its association with the tumor microenvironment (TME). METHODS: Transcriptomic and clinical data from PTC samples within The Cancer Genome Atlas Thyroid Carcinoma (TCGA-THCA) cohort were analyzed to identify Kbhb-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs), define molecular subtypes, construct a prognostic signature, and characterize tumor microenvironmental features. Single-cell RNA-sequencing data from PTC were further used to explore the cellular distribution of representative genes. RESULTS: We identified 51 Kbhb-related DEGs in PTC and defined two Kbhb molecular subtypes. The Kbhb_C2 subtype showed shorter progression-free interval (PFI) and a more immune- and stroma-enriched microenvironment. A six-gene prognostic signature comprising TARID, CDSN, PIMREG, KLRC1, SYT13, and NPR3 was then established. High-risk patients had significantly worse PFI in the full, training, and testing cohorts, with 1-, 3-, and 5-year areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.715, 0.793, and 0.771, respectively, in the full cohort. High-risk tumors also exhibited higher stromal, immune, and ESTIMATE scores, altered immune infiltration, and increased expression of multiple immune checkpoint molecules. Single-cell analysis confirmed distinct cell-type-specific expression patterns of representative genes. CONCLUSIONS: Kbhb-related transcriptional programs define clinically relevant molecular heterogeneity in PTC and are closely associated with prognosis and TME remodeling. The identified six-gene signature provides a biologically interpretable framework for risk stratification in PTC.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC)

Plasmic degradation of human fibrinogen. III. Molecular model of the plasmin-resistant disulfide knot in monomeric fragment D.

A mixture of fragments D, derived from fibrinogen by plasmic degradation, was S-reduced and carboxymethylated. Individual chains were separated by gel filtration on Sephadex G-100 and characterized by peptide mapping, N-terminal amino acid analysis, polyacrylamide electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate, and amino acid composition. It was demonstrated that all D species contain the same alpha- and beta-chain remnants, having mol. wts of 10 000 and 45 000, respectively. Their heterogeneity was shown to be caused by the gradual degradation of the gamma-chain at its C-terminal end. Denatured fragment D was further degraded with plasmin in the presence of 2 M urea. One beta- (mol. wt 17 000) and two gamma-fragments (mol. wts 5000 and 6000) were split from fragment D, in addition to non-characterized small peptides, leaving behind a plasmin-resistant core, designated as fragment d. Fragment d was in turn reduced and carboxymethylated, and the resulting constituent chains were isolated by chromatography on carboxymethyl-cellulose and Sephadex G-100. The reduced alpha-, beta- and gamma-chain remnants of fragment d were found to have been derived from the N-terminal portion of fragment D and have estimated mol. wts of 9000, 24 000 and 13 000, respectively. A tentative scheme for the conversion of an early fragment D into the core fragment d is proposed. Our results conclusively support the model of asymmetric degradation of fibrinogen, according to which 2 mol of monomeric fragment D are produced from 1 mol of fibrinogen.

Amino Acid Sequence