| 1. |
- Cao, Jun, et al.
(author)
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Helicobacter pylori-antigen-binding fragments expressed on the filamentous M13 phage prevent bacterial growth
- 2000
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In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects. - 0304-4165 .- 1872-8006. ; 1474:1, s. 107-113
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Colonization of the human stomach by Helicobacter pylori is associated with the development of gastritis, duodenal ulcer, mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, and gastric cancer. H. pylori-antigen-binding single-chain variable fragments (ScFv) were derived from murine hybridomas producing monoclonal antibodies and expressed as a g3p-fusion protein on a filamentous M13 phage. The recombinant ScFv-phage reacted specifically with a 30-kDa monomeric protein of a H. pylori surface antigen preparation and by means of immunofluorescence microscopy the phage was shown to bind to both the spiral and coccoid forms of the bacterium. In vitro, the recombinant phage exhibited a bacteriocidal effect and inhibited specifically the growth of all the six strains of H. pylori tested. When H. pylori was pretreated with the phage 10 min before oral inoculation of mice, the colonization of the mouse stomachs by the bacterium was significantly reduced (P<0.01). The results suggest that genetic engineering may be used to generate therapy-effective phages.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Ramström, Olof, et al.
(author)
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Chemical biology of dynamic combinatorial libraries
- 2002
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In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects. - 0304-4165 .- 1872-8006. ; 1572:03-feb, s. 178-186
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Dynamic combinatorial chemistry (DCC) is a recently introduced supramolecular approach to generate libraries of chemical compounds based on reversible exchange processes. The building elements are spontaneously and reversibly assembled to virtually encompass all possible combinations, allowing for simple one-step generation of complex libraries. The method has been applied to a variety of combinatorial systems, ranging from synthetic models to materials science and drug discovery, and enables the establishment of adaptive processes due to the dynamic interchange of the library constituents and its evolution toward the best fit to the target. In particular, it has the potential to become a useful tool in the direct screening of ligands to a chosen receptor without extensive prior knowledge of the site structure, and several biological systems have been targeted. In the vast field of glycoscience, the concept may find special perspective in response to the highly complex nature of carbohydrate-protein interactions. This chapter summarises studies that have been performed using DCC in biological systems, with special emphasis on glycoscience.
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| 4. |
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| 5. |
- Blikstad, Cecilia, et al.
(author)
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Emergence of a novel highly specific and catalytically efficient enzyme from a naturally promiscuous glutathione transferase
- 2008
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In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3002 .- 1878-2434 .- 0304-4165. ; 1780:12, s. 1458-63
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Redesign of glutathione transferases (GSTs) has led to enzymes with remarkably enhanced catalytic properties. Exchange of substrate-binding residues in GST A1-1 created a GST A4-4 mimic, called GIMFhelix, with >300-fold improved activity with nonenal and suppressed activity with other substrates. In the present investigation GIMFhelix was compared with the naturally-evolved GSTs A1-1 and A4-4 by determining catalytic efficiencies with nine alternative substrates. The enzymes can be represented by vectors in multidimensional substrate-activity space, and the vectors of GIMFhelix and GST A1-1, expressed in kcat/Km values for the alternative substrates, are essentially orthogonal. By contrast, the vectors of GIMFhelix and GST A4-4 have approximately similar lengths and directions. The broad substrate acceptance of GST A1-1 contrasts with the high selectivity of GST A4-4 and GIMFhelix for alkenal substrates. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that among the diverse substrates used, nonenal, cumene hydroperoxide, and androstenedione are major determinants in the portrayal of the three enzyme variants. These GST substrates represent diverse chemistries of naturally occurring substrates undergoing Michael addition, hydroperoxide reduction, and steroid double-bond isomerization, respectively. In terms of function, GIMFhelix is a novel enzyme compared to its progenitor GST A1-1 in spite of 94% amino-acid sequence identity between the enzymes. The redesign of GST A1-1 into GIMFhelix therefore serves as an illustration of divergent evolution leading to novel enzymes by minor structural modifications in the active site. Notwithstanding low sequence identity (60%), GIMFhelix is functionally an isoenzyme of GST A4-4.
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| 6. |
- Eklund, Birgitta I., et al.
(author)
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Importance of a hypervariable active-site residue in human Mu class glutathione transferases catalyzing the bioactivation of chemotherapeutic thiopurine prodrugs
- 2007
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In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects. - : Elsevier BV. - 0304-4165 .- 1872-8006. ; 1770:8, s. 1098-1103
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Glutathione transferases (GSTs) catalyze the bioactivation of the thiopurine prodrugs azathioprine, cis-6-(2-acetylvinylthio)purine (cAVTP) and trans-6-(2-acetylvinylthio)guanine (tAVTG), thereby releasing the antimetabolites 6-mercaptopurine and 6-thioguanine. In the GST Mu class, GST M1-1 has the highest catalytic efficiency, whereas GST M2-2 and other enzymes are less active. In the evolution of Mu class GSTs, residue 210 appears hypervariable and has particular functional significance. We demonstrate that the catalytic activity of GST M1-1 with cAVTP or tAVTG is successively diminished when wild-type Ser-210 is mutated into Ala followed by Thr. Conversely, mutating wild-type Thr-210 in GST M2-2 into Ala and Ser enhanced the corresponding activities. Comparisons were also made with GST M2-2 distinguished by Gly or Pro in position 210, as well as wild-type GSTs M4-4 and M5-5. The results suggest that the hydroxyl group of Ser in position 210 stabilizes the transition state of the GST-catalyzed reaction. The low activity of GSTs containing Thr in position 210 is probably due to steric hindrance caused by the β-methyl group of the side chain. The ratios of the different catalytic efficiencies were translated into differences in the Gibbs free energies of transition state stabilization. The effects of the mutations were qualitatively parallel for the alternative substrates, but vary significantly in magnitude. From the evolutionary perspective the data show that a point mutation can alternatively enhance or attenuate the activity with a particular substrate and illustrate the functional plasticity of GSTs.
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| 7. |
- Ekstrom, TJ
(author)
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Epigenetic control of gene expression
- 2009
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In: Biochimica et biophysica acta. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3002 .- 0304-4165. ; 1790:9, s. 845-846
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Journal article (other academic/artistic)
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| 8. |
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| 9. |
- Grobe, K, et al.
(author)
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Heparan sulfate and development : differential roles of the N-acetylglucosamine N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferase isozymes.
- 2002
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In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects. - 0304-4165 .- 1872-8006. ; 1573:3, s. 209-215
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Heparan sulfates (HSs) are N- and O-sulfated polysaccharide components of proteoglycans, which are important constituents of the cell surface as well as the extracellular matrix. Heparin, with extensive clinical application as an anticoagulant, is a highly sulfated form of HS present within the granules of connective tissue type mast cells. The diverse functions of HS, which include the modulation of growth factor/cytokine activity, interaction with matrix proteins and binding of enzymes to cell surfaces, depend greatly on the presence of specific, high affinity regions on the chains. N-acetylglucosamine N-deacetylase/N-sulfotransferases, NDSTs, are an important group of enzymes in HS biosynthesis, initiating the sulfation of the polysaccharide chains and thus determining the generation of the high affinity sites. Here, we review the role of the four vertebrate NDSTs in HS biosynthesis as well as their regulated expression. The main emphasis is the phenotypes of mice lacking one or more of the NDSTs.
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| 10. |
- Hill, Tobias, et al.
(author)
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Genetic algorithm for large-scale maximum parsimony phylogenetic analysis of proteins
- 2005
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In: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - General Subjects. - : Elsevier BV. - 0304-4165 .- 1872-8006. ; 1725:1, s. 19-29
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Inferring phylogeny is a difficult computational problem. For example, for only 13 taxa, there are more then 13 billion possible unrooted phylogenetic trees. Heuristics are necessary to minimize the time spent evaluating non-optimal trees. We describe here an approach for heuristic searching, using a genetic algorithm, that can reduce the time required for weighted maximum parsimony phylogenetic inference, especially for data sets involving a large number of taxa. It is the first implementation of a weighted maximum parsimony criterion using amino acid sequences. To validate the weighted criterion, we used an artificial data set and compared it to a number of other phylogenetic methods. Genetic algorithms mimic the natural selection's ability to solve complex problems. We have identified several parameters affecting the genetic algorithm. Methods were developed to validate these parameters, ensuring optimal performance. This approach allows the construction of phylogenetic trees with over 200 taxa in practical time on a regular PC.
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