A5028291613- Microbial Applications in Construction Materials
- Enzyme Structure and Function
- Photosynthetic Processes and Mechanisms
- Biochemical and Molecular Research
- Computational Drug Discovery Methods
- Enzyme function and inhibition
- Corrosion Behavior and Inhibition
- Protein Structure and Dynamics
- Helicobacter pylori-related gastroenterology studies
- Mitochondrial Function and Pathology
- Peptidase Inhibition and Analysis
- RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms
- Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology
- Enzyme Production and Characterization
- ATP Synthase and ATPases Research
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19 Research
- Metal-Catalyzed Oxygenation Mechanisms
- Lipid Membrane Structure and Behavior
- Synthesis and Characterization of Heterocyclic Compounds
- Trace Elements in Health
- Metalloenzymes and iron-sulfur proteins
- Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
- Advanced biosensing and bioanalysis techniques
- Metal Extraction and Bioleaching
University of Bologna
2015-2024
Scuola Internazionale Superiore di Studi Avanzati
2004-2015
Institute for Biomedicine
2015
Stadtwerke Jülich (Germany)
2015
Forschungszentrum Jülich
2014
German Research School for Simulation Sciences
2014
Interuniversity Consortium for Magnetic Resonance
2009-2010
University of Florence
2006-2010
Istituto Universitario di Studi Superiori di Pavia
2010
European Molecular Biology Laboratory
2007
Transition metals are both essential to enzymatic catalysis and limited in environmental availability. These two biological facts have together driven organisms evolve mechanisms for selective metal ion sensing utilization. Changes concentrations perceived by metal-dependent transcription factors transduced into appropriate cellular responses, which regulate the machineries of competitive homeostasis metallo-enzyme activation. The intrinsic toxicity majority ions further creates a need...
Compound repurposing is an important strategy for the identification of effective treatment options against SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 disease. In this regard, main protease (3CL-Pro), also termed M-Pro, attractive drug target as it plays a central role in viral replication by processing polyproteins pp1a pp1ab at multiple distinct cleavage sites. We here report results program involving 8.7 K compounds containing marketed drugs, clinical preclinical candidates, small molecules...
Human α-Synuclein (αSyn) is a natively unfolded protein whose aggregation into amyloid fibrils involved in the pathology of Parkinson disease. A full comprehension structure and dynamics early intermediates leading to aggregated states an unsolved problem essential importance researchers attempting decipher molecular mechanisms αSyn formation fibrils. Traditional bulk techniques used so far solve this point direct correlation between αSyn's unique conformational properties its propensity...
Among the several delivery materials available so far, polysaccharides represent very attractive molecules as they can undergo a wide range of chemical modifications, are biocompatible, biodegradable, and have low immunogenic properties. Thus, contribute to significantly overcome limitation in use many types drugs, including anti-cancer drugs. The conventional drugs is hampered by their high toxicity, mostly depending on indiscriminate targeting both cancer normal cells. Additionally, for...
The SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus outbreak continues to spread at a rapid rate worldwide. main protease (Mpro) is an attractive target for anti-COVID-19 agents. Unexpected difficulties have been encountered in the design of specific inhibitors. Here, by analyzing ensemble ∼30 000 Mpro conformations from crystallographic studies and molecular simulations, we show that small structural variations binding site dramatically impact ligand properties. Hence, traditional druggability indices fail...
Idebenone, the only approved treatment for Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON), promotes recovery of visual function in up to 50% patients, but we can neither predict nor understand non-responders. Idebenone is reduced by cytosolic NAD(P)H oxidoreductase I (NQO1) and directly shuttles electrons respiratory complex III, bypassing affected LHON. We show here that two polymorphic variants drastically reduce NQO1 protein levels when homozygous or compound heterozygous. This hampers...
Mitochondrial ATP synthase (Complex V) catalyzes the last step of oxidative phosphorylation and provides most energy (ATP) required by human cells. The mitochondrial genes MT-ATP6 MT-ATP8 encode two subunits multi-subunit Complex V. Since discovery first variant in year 1990 as cause Neuropathy, Ataxia, Retinitis Pigmentosa (NARP) syndrome, a large continuously increasing number inborn variants have been identified pathogenic. Variants these correlate with various clinical phenotypes, which...
The interaction with the host plasminogen/plasmin system represents a novel component in molecular cross-talk between bifidobacteria and human host. Here, we demonstrated that plasminogen-binding bifidobacterial species B. longum, bifidum, breve lactis share key glycolytic enzyme enolase as surface receptor for plasminogen. Enolase was visualized on cell of model strain BI07. His-tagged recombinant protein showed high affinity plasminogen, an equilibrium dissociation constant nanomolar...
G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a superfamily of cell signaling membrane proteins that include >750 members in the human genome alone. They largest family drug targets. The vast diversity and relevance GPCRs contrasts with paucity structures available: only 21 unique GPCR have been experimentally determined as beginning 2013. User-friendly modeling small molecule docking tools thus great demand. While both structural predictions servers exist separately, GOMoDo (GPCR Online Modeling...
Most human G protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) are activated by small molecules binding to their 7-transmembrane (7-TM) helix bundle. They belong basally diverging branches: the 25 bitter taste 2 and most members of very large rhodopsin-like/class A GPCRs subfamily. Some class branch have been suggested feature not only an orthosteric agonist-binding site but also a more extracellular or "vestibular" site, involved in process. Here we use hybrid molecular mechanics/coarse-grained (MM/CG)...
The high activity of urease, a Ni(<sc>ii</sc>) enzyme, has several adverse effects on human health and agriculture, its modulation needs the use inhibitors.
The nickel-dependent enzyme urease is a virulence factor for large number of pathogenic and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, as well negative the efficiency soil nitrogen fertilization crop production. use inhibitors to offset these effects requires knowledge, at molecular level, their mode action. 1.28 Å resolution structure enzyme-inhibitor complex obtained upon incubation Sporosarcina pasteurii with N-(n-butyl)thiophosphoric triamide (NBPT), molecule largely utilized in agriculture, reveals...
Bacillus pasteurii UreG, a chaperone involved in the urease active site assembly, was overexpressed Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) and purified to homogeneity. The identity of recombinant protein confirmed by SDS-PAGE, sequencing, mass spectrometry. A combination size exclusion chromatography multiangle dynamic laser light scattering established that BpUreG is present solution as dimer. Analysis circular dichroism spectra indicated contains large portions helices (15%) strands (29%), whereas NMR...
The persistence of Helicobacter pylori in the hostile environment human stomach is ensured by activity urease. essentiality Ni(2+) for this enzyme demands proper intracellular trafficking metal ion. metallo-chaperone UreE promotes insertion into apo-enzyme last step urease maturation while facilitating concomitant GTP hydrolysis. present study focuses on metal-binding properties HpUreE (Helicobacter UreE) and its interaction with related accessory protein HpUreG, a GTPase involved assembly...
Abstract The biosynthesis of the active metal‐bound form nickel‐dependent enzyme urease involves formation a lysine‐carbamate functional group concomitantly with delivery two Ni 2+ ions into precast site apoenzyme and GTP hydrolysis. In system, this role is performed by UreG, an accessory protein belonging to homologous P‐loop GTPases, often required complete nickel‐enzymes. This study focused on UreG from Helicobacter pylori (HpUreG), bacterium responsible for gastric ulcers cancer,...
PR-10 proteins are a family of pathogenesis-related (PR) allergenic playing multifunctional roles. The peach (Prunus persica) major allergen, Pru p 1.01, and its isoform, 1.06D, were found highly expressed in the fruit skin at pit hardening stage, when fruits transiently lose their susceptibility to fungal pathogen Monilinia spp. To investigate possible role two 1 isoforms plant defense, recombinant Escherichia coli purified. Light scattering experiments circular dichroism spectroscopy...
Abstract Ammonia monooxygenase is a copper-dependent membrane-bound enzyme that catalyzes the first step of nitrification in ammonia-oxidizing bacteria to convert ammonia hydroxylamine, through reductive insertion dioxygen-derived O atom an N–H bond. This reaction analogous carried out by particulate methane monooxygenase, which conversion methanol. The enzymatic activity must be modulated reduce release nitrogen-based soil nutrients for crop production into atmosphere or underground waters,...
Nickel is a fundamental micronutrient for cellular life, but it toxic in soluble form at nonphysiological concentrations. Such potentially contradictory features required living organisms to develop efficient systems nickel utilization and homeostasis. This the case incorporation of into active site urease, multistep, tightly regulated process, requiring interplay various accessory proteins. The understanding this activation mechanism may find medical applications against ureolytic bacteria,...