| 1. |
- Golker, Kerstin, et al.
(författare)
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Hydrogen bond diversity in the pre-polymerization stage contributes to morphology and MIP-template recognition - MAA versus MMA
- 2015
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Ingår i: European Polymer Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0014-3057 .- 1873-1945. ; 66, s. 558-568
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This report demonstrates that the diversity of hydrogen bond interactions present in molecularly imprinted polymer pre-polymerization mixtures, typically associated with binding-site heterogeneity, can also contribute to morphological characteristics that may influence polymer-template recognition. Comparisons have been made between a series of bupivacaine molecularly imprinted methacrylic acid (MAA)-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) copolymers and a series of analogous methyl methacrylate (MMA)-EGDMA copolymers using comprehensive molecular dynamics studies of the respective pre-polymerization mixtures, template-polymer binding studies and detailed BET surface area and BJH porosity analyses. The role of the carboxylic acid functionality of MAA, and in particular the acidic proton, in generating morphological features conducive to analyte access (slit-like rather than ink bottle-like structures) and recognition is discussed.
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| 2. |
- Nicholls, Ian A., et al.
(författare)
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Theoretical and Computational Strategies for the Study of the Molecular Imprinting Process and Polymer Performance
- 2015
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Ingår i: Molecularly Imprinted Polymers In Biotechnology. - Cham, Switzerland : Springer. - 0724-6145 .- 1616-8542. - 9783319207292 - 9783319207285 ; , s. 25-50
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The development of in silico strategies for the study of the molecular imprinting process and the properties of molecularly imprinted materials has been driven by a growing awareness of the inherent complexity of these systems and even by an increased awareness of the potential of these materials for use in a range of application areas. Here we highlight the development of theoretical and computational strategies that are contributing to an improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying molecularly imprinted material synthesis and performance, and even their rational design.
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| 3. |
- Nicholls, Ian A., et al.
(författare)
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Theoretical and Computational Strategies in Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Development
- 2018
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Ingår i: Molecularly Imprinted Polymers for Analytical Chemistry Applications. - London : Royal Society of Chemistry. - 9781782626473 - 9781788010474 - 9781788014274 ; , s. 197-226
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Bokkapitel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Theoretical and computational studies of molecular imprinting have helped provide valuable insights concerning the nature of the molecular-level events underlying the recognition characteristics of molecularly imprinted materials. Here, we first present an overview of a thermodynamic treatment of factors governing the behaviour of these functional materials, and then a summary of the development and current status of the use of computational strategies for studying aspects of molecular imprinting and the resulting material properties.
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| 4. |
- Shoravi, Siamak, et al.
(författare)
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In silico screening of molecular imprinting prepolymerization systems : oseltamivir selective polymers through full-system molecular dynamics-based studies
- 2016
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Ingår i: Organic and biomolecular chemistry. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1477-0520 .- 1477-0539. ; 14:18, s. 4210-4219
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- All-component molecular dynamics studies were used to probe a library of oseltamivir molecularly imprinted polymer prepolymerization mixtures. Polymers included one of five functional monomers (acrylamide, hydroxyethylmethacrylate, methacrylic acid, 2-(triflouromethyl)acrylic acid, 4-vinylpyridine) and one of three porogens (acetonitrile, chloroform, methanol) combined with the crosslinking agent ethylene glycol dimethacrylate and initiator 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionitrile). Polymers were characterized by nitrogen gas sorption measurements and SEM, and affinity studies performed using radioligand binding in various media. In agreement with the predictions made from the simulations, polymers prepared in acetonitrile using either methacrylic or trifluoromethacrylic acid demonstrated the highest affinities for oseltamivir. Further, the ensemble of interactions observed in the methanol system provided an explanation for the morphology of polymers prepared in this solvent. The materials developed here offer potential for use in solid-phase extraction or for catalysis. The results illustrate the strength of this in silico strategy as a potential prognostic tool in molecularly imprinted polymer design.
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| 5. |
- Steinz, Maarten M, et al.
(författare)
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Oxidative hotspots on actin promote skeletal muscle weakness in rheumatoid arthritis
- 2019
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Ingår i: JCI Insight. - : American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI). - 2379-3708 .- 2324-7703 .- 2325-4556. ; 4:9
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Skeletal muscle weakness in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) adds to their impaired working abilities and reduced quality of life. However, little molecular insight is available on muscle weakness associated with RA. Oxidative stress has been implicated in the disease pathogenesis of RA. Here, we show that oxidative posttranslational modifications of the contractile machinery targeted to actin result in impaired actin polymerization and reduced force production. Using mass spectrometry, we identified the actin residues targeted by oxidative 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT) or malondialdehyde (MDA) adduct modifications in weakened skeletal muscle from mice with arthritis and patients afflicted by RA. The residues were primarily located in 3 distinct regions positioned at matching surface areas of the skeletal muscle actin molecule from arthritic mice and patients with RA. Moreover, molecular dynamics simulations revealed that these areas, here coined "hotspots," are important for the stability of the actin molecule and its capacity to generate filaments and interact with myosin. Together, these data demonstrate how oxidative modifications on actin promote muscle weakness in RA patients and may provide novel leads for targeted therapeutic treatment to improve muscle function.
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| 6. |
- Karlsson, Björn C. G., et al.
(författare)
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Dilution of whisky - the molecular perspective
- 2017
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 7:6489
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Whisky is distilled to around 70% alcohol by volume (vol-%) then diluted to about 40 vol-%, and often drunk after further slight dilution to enhance its taste. The taste of whisky is primarily associated with amphipathic molecules, such as guaiacol, but why and how dilution enhances the taste is not well understood. We carried out computer simulations of water-ethanol mixtures in the presence of guaiacol, providing atomistic details on the structure of the liquid mixture. We found that guaiacol is preferentially associated with ethanol, and, therefore, primarily found at the liquid-air interface in mixtures that contain up to 45 vol-% of ethanol. At ethanol concentrations of 59 vol-% or higher, guaiacol is increasingly surrounded by ethanol molecules and is driven to the bulk. This indicates that the taste of guaiacol in the whisky would be enhanced upon dilution prior to bottling. Our findings may apply to other flavour-giving amphipathic molecules and could contribute to optimising the production of spirits for desired tastes. Furthermore, it sheds light on the molecular structure of water-alcohol mixtures that contain small solutes, and reveals that interactions with the water may be negligible already at 89 vol-% of ethanol.
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| 7. |
- Näsström, Thomas, et al.
(författare)
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Amyloid fibrils prepared using an acetylated and methyl amidated peptide model of the alpha-Synuclein NAC 71-82 amino acid stretch contain an additional cross-beta structure also found in prion proteins
- 2019
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Ingår i: Scientific Reports. - : Nature Publishing Group. - 2045-2322. ; 9, s. 1-14
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The 71-82 fragment of the non-amyloid-beta component (NAC) region of the Parkinson's disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) related protein alpha-Synuclein, has been reported to be important during protein misfolding. Although reports have demonstrated the importance of this fragment for the aggregation properties of the full-length protein, its exact role in pre-fibrillar oligomerisation, fibrillar growth and morphology has not yet been fully elucidated. Here, we provide evidence that fibrils prepared from an acetylated and methyl amidated peptide of the NAC 71-82 amino acid stretch of alpha-Synuclein are amyloid and contain, in addition to the cross-beta structure detected in the full-length protein fibrils, a cross-beta structure previously observed in prion proteins. These results shed light on the aggregation propensity of the NAC 71-82 amino acid stretch of the full-length protein but also the roles of the N- and C-terminal domains of alpha-Synuclein in balancing this aggregation propensity. The results also suggest that early aggregated forms of the capped NAC 71-82 peptide generated structures were stabilised by an anti-parallel and twisted beta-sheet motif. Due to its expected toxicity, this beta-sheet motif may be a promising molecular target for the development of therapeutic strategies for PD and DLB.
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| 8. |
- Olsson, Gustaf D., et al.
(författare)
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Simulation of imprinted emulsion prepolymerization mixtures
- 2015
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Ingår i: Polymer journal. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0032-3896 .- 1349-0540. ; 47:12, s. 827-830
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The aim of this study was to develop protocols for and evaluate the use of all-atom full system molecular dynamic (MD) simulations of emulsion systems in the development of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs). Here, we report on the first, to the best of our knowledge, use of all-component MD studies to simulate and evaluate MIP miniemulsion prepolymerization mixtures; in this case, the mixtures used in the synthesis of a series of MIP-nanoparticles (MIP-NPs).
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| 9. |
- Samyn, Dieter R., 1978-, et al.
(författare)
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Key Residues and Phosphate Release Routes in the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Pho84 Transceptor : THE ROLE OF TYR179 IN FUNCTIONAL REGULATION
- 2016
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - : Springer. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 291:51, s. 26388-26388
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Pho84, a major facilitator superfamily (MFS) protein, is the main high-affinity Pi transceptor in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Although transport mechanisms have been suggested for other MFS members, the key residues and molecular events driving transport by Pi:H+ symporters are unclear. The current Pho84 transport model is based on the inward-facing occluded crystal structure of the Pho84 homologue PiPT in the fungus Piriformospora indica However, this model is limited by the lack of experimental data on the regulatory residues for each stage of the transport cycle. In this study, an open, inward-facing conformation of Pho84 was used to study the release of Pi A comparison of this conformation with the model for Pi release in PiPT revealed that Tyr179 in Pho84 (Tyr150 in PiPT) is not part of the Pi binding site. This difference may be due to a lack of detailed information on the Pi release step in PiPT. Molecular dynamics simulations of Pho84 in which a residue adjacent to Tyr179, Asp178, is protonated revealed a conformational change in Pho84 from an open, inward-facing state to an occluded state. Tyr179 then became part of the binding site as was observed in the PiPT crystal structure. The importance of Tyr179 in regulating Pi release was supported by site-directed mutagenesis and transport assays. Using trehalase activity measurements, we demonstrated that the release of Pi is a critical step for transceptor signaling. Our results add to previous studies on PiPT, creating a more complete picture of the proton-coupled Pi transport cycle of a transceptor.
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