scholarly journals On Origin and Evolution of the Antibody Molecule

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Umberto Oreste ◽  
Alessia Ametrano ◽  
Maria Rosaria Coscia
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Literature Survey ◽  
Antibody Molecule ◽  
Origin And Evolution ◽  
Effector Functions ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Eukaryotic Organisms ◽  
Constant Domains ◽  
Infinite Range

The vertebrate immune system provides a powerful defense because of the ability to potentially recognize an unlimited number of pathogens. The antibody molecule, also termed immunoglobulin (Ig) is one of the major mediators of the immune response. It is built up from two types of Ig domains: the variable domain, which provides the capability to recognize and bind a potentially infinite range of foreign substances, and the constant domains, which exert the effector functions. In the last 20 years, advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and structural features of antibody in mammals and in a variety of other organisms have uncovered the underlying principles and complexity of this fundamental molecule. One notable evolutionary topic is the origin and evolution of antibody. Many aspects have been clearly stated, but some others remain limited or obscure. By considering a wide range of prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms through a literature survey about the topic, we have provided an integrated view of the emergence of antibodies in evolution and underlined the very ancient origins.

scholarly journals Editorial

2008 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Evan Simpson ◽  
Anna Spada
Keyword(s):  
Impact Factor ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Good Deal ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Official Journal ◽  
Endocrine Disorders ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Molecular Endocrinology ◽  
The Impact

Dear Readers, Having served as Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Molecular Endocrinology for seven years, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have contributed to the journal's success – the Editorial Board, authors and referees.Following a great increase in the journal's impact factor in the early part of my term of office, submissions to the journal began to increase significantly, approaching a remarkable 250% of what they had been previously. This gave us the opportunity to build upon the journal's established reputation by improving its high quality standards even further. One of the ways of achieving this was to increase the rejection rate. Prior to 2000, the acceptance rate of the journal had typically been around 60% for many years. In recent years, this percentage has often been in the thirties. Despite this, the number of papers published in a year has frequently been more than it was historically, and rapid growth from one year to the next has sometimes had the effect of temporarily decreasing the journal's impact factor compared with the heights we had previously achieved, because of the way it is calculated. We have also increased the journal's online frequency to monthly, ensuring that the journal is poised ready for the rapid publication of greater numbers of higher quality papers.With this legacy, I am pleased to hand over the reins of the journal to Professor Anna Spada, and I wish her well in taking the journal to new heights.As the incoming Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Molecular Endocrinology, I feel proud to be associated with a major international journal dedicated to publishing excellent science in the field of molecular endocrinology. Together with the new members of the Editorial Board, we are committed to continue the tradition of excellence established by our predecessors. We would like to take this opportunity to thank the outgoing Editor-in-Chief, Professor Evan Simpson, who contributed greatly to the development and prestige of the journal during his tenure. We would also like to acknowledge with gratitude the efforts of all the other members of the Editorial Board who are retiring.As we enter the year 2008, the journal begins its 20th year of serving the global endocrine community as a vital forum for research on molecular endocrinology. Moreover, the journal recently became an official journal of the European Society of Endocrinology, a fact that confirms its increasing significance and importance. The journal has an active Editorial Board who represent both the global reach of the journal and the breadth of expertise needed to build upon its current subject coverage.Journal of Molecular Endocrinology has undergone substantial developments recently, including full migration to an electronic manuscript handling system and monthly online publication, together with immediate publication of authors' accepted manuscripts. These changes, together with the hard work of the staff of the Society for Endocrinology, the journal's publisher, have had a major impact on the efficiency of manuscript handling, with rapid and careful decisions on submitted manuscripts. High-profile review articles are freely available to all on the web and the improved features of the new platform, including toll-free reference linking and ‘This article has been cited by…’ links to and from other major journals, have increased JME's online visibility.We are committed to publishing the best endocrine research at the molecular level, and we believe that the journal has a particular role in integrating basic molecular mechanisms towards understanding the physiological and pathological processes of the endocrine system. We want to encourage the submission of manuscripts that expand our knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying hormone action; examples of potential topics include proteomics, structural features of RNA and the impact on mRNA regulation and processing, DNA repair mechanisms underlying endocrine disorders and cancers, DNA–protein complexes and chromatin structures and the accessibility of promoter–regulatory regions, molecular chaperones, etc. Articles on molecular endocrinology with potential translational/clinical significance, methodology and bioinformatics tools are especially welcome. We also want to attract papers from leaders in other fields who are investigating endocrine-related aspects but do not traditionally publish in our journal. A series of mini-reviews will address a wide range of provocative and updated topics that we believe will extend our range of interest and will aim to anticipate the future direction of many specific research areas. As many of the mini-reviews will be invited, we welcome suggestions of topics and authors as well as outlines of potential mini-reviews from interested authors.It is with a good deal of humility that I take over the reins of the journal. It is my intention to ensure that it remains at the forefront of endocrine research and, along with the Editorial Board, we are hopeful that we can raise JME's standards even higher.

Antibody engineering

1989 ◽  
Vol 324 (1224) ◽  
pp. 537-547 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Binding Sites ◽  
Antibody Engineering ◽  
Past Century ◽  
Antibody Molecule ◽  
Effector Functions ◽  
The Past ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Genes Encoding ◽  
Complement Lysis

The antibody molecule is a therapeutic agent, designed by nature to bind to a wide range of antigen molecules and to trigger effector functions, such as complement lysis and cell-mediated killing. The genes encoding antibodies can be manipulated in vitro , allowing the binding sites for antigen and effector molecules to be dissected, and new properties to be engineered. The future for the application of engineered antibodies in medicine is reviewed in the context of the past century.

pH-Dependent Thermal Stability of Vibrio cholerae L-asparaginase

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (10) ◽  
pp. 743-750 ◽  
Author(s):  
Remya Radha ◽  
Sathyanarayana N. Gummadi
Keyword(s):  
Vibrio Cholerae ◽  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Kinetic Studies ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Structure Stability ◽  
Kcal Mole ◽  
Scanning Calorimetry ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Ph Dependent ◽  
Ph Range

Background:pH is one of the decisive macromolecular properties of proteins that significantly affects enzyme structure, stability and reaction rate. Change in pH may protonate or deprotonate the side group of aminoacid residues in the protein, thereby resulting in changes in chemical and structural features. Hence studies on the kinetics of enzyme deactivation by pH are important for assessing the bio-functionality of industrial enzymes. L-asparaginase is one such important enzyme that has potent applications in cancer therapy and food industry.Objective:The objective of the study is to understand and analyze the influence of pH on deactivation and stability of Vibrio cholerae L-asparaginase.Methods:Kinetic studies were conducted to analyze the effect of pH on stability and deactivation of Vibrio cholerae L-asparaginase. Circular Dichroism (CD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) studies have been carried out to understand the pH-dependent conformational changes in the secondary structure of V. cholerae L-asparaginase.Results:The enzyme was found to be least stable at extreme acidic conditions (pH< 4.5) and exhibited a gradual increase in melting temperature from 40 to 81 °C within pH range of 4.0 to 7.0. Thermodynamic properties of protein were estimated and at pH 7.0 the protein exhibited ΔG37of 26.31 kcal mole-1, ΔH of 204.27 kcal mole-1 and ΔS of 574.06 cal mole-1 K-1.Conclusion:The stability and thermodynamic analysis revealed that V. cholerae L-asparaginase was highly stable over a wide range of pH, with the highest stability in the pH range of 5.0–7.0.

Heterocycle Compounds with Antimicrobial Activity

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (8) ◽  
pp. 867-904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Fesatidou ◽  
Anthi Petrou ◽  
Geronikaki Athina
Keyword(s):  
Heterocyclic Compounds ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Scientific Community ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Fungal Infections ◽  
Biological Activities ◽  
Literature Survey ◽  
New Findings ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Number Of Microorganisms

Background: Bacterial infections are a growing problem worldwide causing morbidity and mortality mainly in developing countries. Moreover, the increased number of microorganisms, developing multiple resistances to known drugs, due to abuse of antibiotics, is another serious problem. This problem becomes more serious for immunocompromised patients and those who are often disposed to opportunistic fungal infections. Objective: The objective of this manuscript is to give an overview of new findings in the field of antimicrobial agents among five-membered heterocyclic compounds. These heterocyclic compounds especially five-membered attracted the interest of the scientific community not only for their occurrence in nature but also due to their wide range of biological activities. Method: To reach our goal, a literature survey that covers the last decade was performed. Results: As a result, recent data on the biological activity of thiazole, thiazolidinone, benzothiazole and thiadiazole derivatives are mentioned. Conclusion: It should be mentioned that despite the progress in the development of new antimicrobial agents, there is still room for new findings. Thus, research still continues.

Application of Nitrogen Heterocyclic Carbenes in Organocatalysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 09 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minita Ojha ◽  
R. K. Bansal
Keyword(s):  
Asymmetric Catalysis ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Heterocyclic Carbenes ◽  
Stetter Reaction ◽  
Metal Pollutants ◽  
Synthetic Strategy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Benzoin Condensation ◽  
Nitrogen Heterocyclic

Background: During the last two decades, horizon of research in the field of Nitrogen Heterocyclic Carbenes (NHC) has widened remarkably. NHCs have emerged as ubiquitous species having applications in a broad range of fields, including organocatalysis and organometallic chemistry. The NHC-induced non-asymmetric catalysis has turned out to be a really fruitful area of research in recent years. Methods: By manipulating structural features and selecting appropriate substituent groups, it has been possible to control the kinetic and thermodynamic stability of a wide range of NHCs, which can be tolerant to a variety of functional groups and can be used under mild conditions. NHCs are produced by different methods, such as deprotonation of Nalkylhetrocyclic salt, transmetallation, decarboxylation and electrochemical reduction. Results: The NHCs have been used successfully as catalysts for a wide range of reactions making a large number of building blocks and other useful compounds accessible. Some of these reactions are: benzoin condensation, Stetter reaction, Michael reaction, esterification, activation of esters, activation of isocyanides, polymerization, different cycloaddition reactions, isomerization, etc. The present review includes all these examples published during the last 10 years, i.e. from 2010 till date. Conclusion: The NHCs have emerged as versatile and powerful organocatalysts in synthetic organic chemistry. They provide the synthetic strategy which does not burden the environment with metal pollutants and thus fit in the Green Chemistry.

scholarly journals SARS-CoV-2 and the Nervous System: From Clinical Features to Molecular Mechanisms

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (15) ◽  
pp. 5475 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuela Pennisi ◽  
Giuseppe Lanza ◽  
Luca Falzone ◽  
Francesco Fisicaro ◽  
Raffaele Ferri ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Neuronal Damage ◽  
Neurological Complications ◽  
Neurological Manifestations ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Inflammatory State ◽  
Acute Polyneuropathy ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
The Impact

Increasing evidence suggests that Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) can also invade the central nervous system (CNS). However, findings available on its neurological manifestations and their pathogenic mechanisms have not yet been systematically addressed. A literature search on neurological complications reported in patients with COVID-19 until June 2020 produced a total of 23 studies. Overall, these papers report that patients may exhibit a wide range of neurological manifestations, including encephalopathy, encephalitis, seizures, cerebrovascular events, acute polyneuropathy, headache, hypogeusia, and hyposmia, as well as some non-specific symptoms. Whether these features can be an indirect and unspecific consequence of the pulmonary disease or a generalized inflammatory state on the CNS remains to be determined; also, they may rather reflect direct SARS-CoV-2-related neuronal damage. Hematogenous versus transsynaptic propagation, the role of the angiotensin II converting enzyme receptor-2, the spread across the blood-brain barrier, the impact of the hyperimmune response (the so-called “cytokine storm”), and the possibility of virus persistence within some CNS resident cells are still debated. The different levels and severity of neurotropism and neurovirulence in patients with COVID-19 might be explained by a combination of viral and host factors and by their interaction.

scholarly journals Jojoba Oil: An Updated Comprehensive Review on Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Uses, and Toxicity

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1711
Author(s):  
Heba A. Gad ◽  
Autumn Roberts ◽  
Samirah H. Hamzi ◽  
Haidy A. Gad ◽  
Ilham Touiss ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Applications ◽  
Literature Survey ◽  
Jojoba Oil ◽  
Pharmacological Activities ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Liver Functions ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Of Use ◽  
Pharmaceutical Uses ◽  
Obesity And Cancer

Jojoba is a widely used medicinal plant that is cultivated worldwide. Its seeds and oil have a long history of use in folklore to treat various ailments, such as skin and scalp disorders, superficial wounds, sore throat, obesity, and cancer; for improvement of liver functions, enhancement of immunity, and promotion of hair growth. Extensive studies on Jojoba oil showed a wide range of pharmacological applications, including antioxidant, anti-acne and antipsoriasis, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antipyretic, analgesic, antimicrobial, and anti-hyperglycemia activities. In addition, Jojoba oil is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, especially in cosmetics for topical, transdermal, and parenteral preparations. Jojoba oil also holds value in the industry as an anti-rodent, insecticides, lubricant, surfactant, and a source for the production of bioenergy. Jojoba oil is considered among the top-ranked oils due to its wax, which constitutes about 98% (mainly wax esters, few free fatty acids, alcohols, and hydrocarbons). In addition, sterols and vitamins with few triglyceride esters, flavonoids, phenolic and cyanogenic compounds are also present. The present review represents an updated literature survey about the chemical composition of jojoba oil, its physical properties, pharmacological activities, pharmaceutical and industrial applications, and toxicity.

scholarly journals Biophysical characterization of melanoma cell phenotype markers during metastatic progression

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Sobiepanek ◽  
Alessio Paone ◽  
Francesca Cutruzzolà ◽  
Tomasz Kobiela
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Cell Metabolism ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Protein Glycosylation ◽  
Cell Phenotype ◽  
Metastatic Progression ◽  
Label Free ◽  
Serine Threonine Kinase ◽  
Biophysical Characterization ◽  
Viscoelastic Parameters

AbstractMelanoma is the most fatal form of skin cancer, with increasing prevalence worldwide. The most common melanoma genetic driver is mutation of the proto-oncogene serine/threonine kinase BRAF; thus, the inhibition of its MAP kinase pathway by specific inhibitors is a commonly applied therapy. However, many patients are resistant, or develop resistance to this type of monotherapy, and therefore combined therapies which target other signaling pathways through various molecular mechanisms are required. A possible strategy may involve targeting cellular energy metabolism, which has been recognized as crucial for cancer development and progression and which connects through glycolysis to cell surface glycan biosynthetic pathways. Protein glycosylation is a hallmark of more than 50% of the human proteome and it has been recognized that altered glycosylation occurs during the metastatic progression of melanoma cells which, in turn facilitates their migration. This review provides a description of recent advances in the search for factors able to remodel cell metabolism between glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation, and of changes in specific markers and in the biophysical properties of cells during melanoma development from a nevus to metastasis. This development is accompanied by changes in the expression of surface glycans, with corresponding changes in ligand-receptor affinity, giving rise to structural features and viscoelastic parameters particularly well suited to study by label-free biophysical methods.

scholarly journals Targeting AURKA in Cancer: molecular mechanisms and opportunities for Cancer therapy

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ruijuan Du ◽  
Chuntian Huang ◽  
Kangdong Liu ◽  
Xiang Li ◽  
Zigang Dong
Keyword(s):  
Cancer Therapy ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Aurora Kinase ◽  
Interacting Proteins ◽  
Multiple Tumor ◽  
Oncogenic Pathways ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The Family ◽  
Tumor Types ◽  
Cancer Tissues

AbstractAurora kinase A (AURKA) belongs to the family of serine/threonine kinases, whose activation is necessary for cell division processes via regulation of mitosis. AURKA shows significantly higher expression in cancer tissues than in normal control tissues for multiple tumor types according to the TCGA database. Activation of AURKA has been demonstrated to play an important role in a wide range of cancers, and numerous AURKA substrates have been identified. AURKA-mediated phosphorylation can regulate the functions of AURKA substrates, some of which are mitosis regulators, tumor suppressors or oncogenes. In addition, enrichment of AURKA-interacting proteins with KEGG pathway and GO analysis have demonstrated that these proteins are involved in classic oncogenic pathways. All of this evidence favors the idea of AURKA as a target for cancer therapy, and some small molecules targeting AURKA have been discovered. These AURKA inhibitors (AKIs) have been tested in preclinical studies, and some of them have been subjected to clinical trials as monotherapies or in combination with classic chemotherapy or other targeted therapies.

scholarly journals Ring-Forming Polymerization toward Perfluorocyclobutyl and Ortho-Diynylarene-Derived Materials: From Synthesis to Practical Applications

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1486
Author(s):  
Eugene B. Caldona ◽  
Ernesto I. Borrego ◽  
Ketki E. Shelar ◽  
Karl M. Mukeba ◽  
Dennis W. Smith
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Resistance ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Review Article ◽  
Aryl Ether ◽  
Aromatic Rings ◽  
Practical Applications ◽  
Repeat Units ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Synthetic Routes ◽  
The Cost

Many desirable characteristics of polymers arise from the method of polymerization and structural features of their repeat units, which typically are responsible for the polymer’s performance at the cost of processability. While linear alternatives are popular, polymers composed of cyclic repeat units across their backbones have generally been shown to exhibit higher optical transparency, lower water absorption, and higher glass transition temperatures. These specifically include polymers built with either substituted alicyclic structures or aromatic rings, or both. In this review article, we highlight two useful ring-forming polymer groups, perfluorocyclobutyl (PFCB) aryl ether polymers and ortho-diynylarene- (ODA) based thermosets, both demonstrating outstanding thermal stability, chemical resistance, mechanical integrity, and improved processability. Different synthetic routes (with emphasis on ring-forming polymerization) and properties for these polymers are discussed, followed by their relevant applications in a wide range of aspects.

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