The Effect of Bee Venom Peptides Melittin, Tertiapin, and Apamin on the Human Erythrocytes Ghosts: A Preliminary Study

Red blood cells (RBCs) are the most abundant cells in the human blood that have been extensively studied under morphology, ultrastructure, biochemical and molecular functions. Therefore, RBCs are excellent cell models in the study of biologically active compounds like drugs and toxins on the structure and function of the cell membrane. The aim of the present study was to explore erythrocyte ghost’s proteome to identify changes occurring under the influence of three bee venom peptides-melittin, tertiapin, and apamin. We conducted preliminary experiments on the erythrocyte ghosts incubated with these peptides at their non-hemolytic concentrations. Such preparations were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. It was found that when higher concentrations of melittin and apamin were used, fewer proteins were identified. Moreover, the results clearly indicated that apamin demonstrates the greatest influence on the RBCs ghosts proteome. Interestingly, the data also suggest that tertiapin exerted a stabilizing effect on the erythrocyte membrane. The experiments carried out show the great potential of proteomic research in the projects focused on the toxin’s properties as membrane active agents. However, to determine the specificity of the effect of selected bee venom peptides on the erythrocyte ghosts, further proteomic research should be focused on the quantitative analysis.

Download Full-text

Depletion and Reconstitution of Active E. Coli Ribosomes

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s0424820100116826 ◽

1975 ◽

Vol 33 ◽

pp. 640-641

Author(s):

M. Boublik ◽

W. Hellmann ◽

F. Jenkins

Keyword(s):

Protein Biosynthesis ◽

Large Subunit ◽

High Resolution Electron Microscopy ◽

Small Subunit ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Biological Macromolecules ◽

E Coli ◽

Resolution Electron ◽

And Function

Correlations between structure and function of biological macromolecules have been studied intensively for many years, mostly by indirect methods. High resolution electron microscopy is a unique tool which can provide such information directly by comparing the conformation of biopolymers in their biologically active and inactive state. We have correlated the structure and function of ribosomes, ribonucleoprotein particles which are the site of protein biosynthesis. 70S E. coli ribosomes, used in this experiment, are composed of two subunits - large (50S) and small (30S). The large subunit consists of 34 proteins and two different ribonucleic acid molecules. The small subunit contains 21 proteins and one RNA molecule. All proteins (with the exception of L7 and L12) are present in one copy per ribosome.This study deals with the changes in the fine structure of E. coli ribosomes depleted of proteins L7 and L12. These proteins are unique in many aspects.

Download Full-text

Application of neural networks to the analysis of structure and function in biologically active macromolecules

Mathematics and Computers in Simulation ◽

10.1016/0378-4754(95)00015-2 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 40 (1-2) ◽

pp. 5-22 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michael N. Liebman

Keyword(s):

Neural Networks ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Biologically Active ◽

And Function

Download Full-text

AFFINITY LABELING STEROIDS AS BIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE PROBES OF GLUCOCORTICOID RECEPTOR STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

Molecular Mechanism of Steroid Hormone Action ◽

10.1515/9783110885026.111 ◽

1985 ◽

pp. 111-140 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Keyword(s):

Glucocorticoid Receptor ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Affinity Labeling ◽

Receptor Structure ◽

And Function

Download Full-text

Illuminating the Monuments: Observation and Speculation on the Structure and Function of the Cairns at Balnuaran of Clava

Cambridge Archaeological Journal ◽

10.1017/s0959774300000111 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 10 (2) ◽

pp. 295-315 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

David Trevarthen

Keyword(s):

Annual Cycle ◽

Wide Spectrum ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Psychological Factor ◽

Structural Relationship ◽

Consistent Pattern ◽

Shadow Casting ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

And Function ◽

Colour Classes

The cairns at Balnuaran of Clava show a structural relationship to the annual cycle, most clearly in their alignment on Midwinter sunset. The stones used in their construction fall into simple colour classes: ‘red’, ‘white’ and ‘black’. All three, but especially the black, appear to show selective arrangement in the cairns. A preliminary study of the relationships between the position of coloured stones and certain solar alignments, using both direct opposition and shadow casting, indicates that choice of colour may have been a significant factor in the positioning of stones within the monuments. Moreover the three colours seem to show a consistent pattern of meaning across a wide spectrum of cultures, which may imply a universal psychological factor in their symbolic use.

Download Full-text

The indexes of arterial structure and function in women with simple obesity: a preliminary study

Heart and Vessels ◽

10.1007/s00380-007-1030-9 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 224-229 ◽

Cited By ~ 22

Author(s):

Katarzyna Mizia-Stec ◽

Zbigniew Gąsior ◽

Barbara Zahorska-Markiewicz ◽

Michał Holecki ◽

Maciej Haberka ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Structure And Function ◽

Arterial Structure ◽

Simple Obesity ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

And Function

Download Full-text

Structure and function of red and white blood cells

Medicine ◽

10.1016/j.mpmed.2009.01.013 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 37 (3) ◽

pp. 119-124 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ted Gordon-Smith

Keyword(s):

Blood Cells ◽

White Blood Cells ◽

Structure And Function ◽

And Function

Download Full-text

MTHFR 677C>T effects on anterior cingulate structure and function during response monitoring in schizophrenia: a preliminary study

Brain Imaging and Behavior ◽

10.1007/s11682-010-9111-2 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

pp. 65-75 ◽

Cited By ~ 17

Author(s):

Joshua L. Roffman ◽

David G. Brohawn ◽

Jesse S. Friedman ◽

Kara A. Dyckman ◽

Katharine N. Thakkar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Structure And Function ◽

Anterior Cingulate ◽

Response Monitoring ◽

Preliminary Study ◽

And Function

Download Full-text

60 YEARS OF POMC: Lipotropin and beta-endorphin: a perspective

Journal of Molecular Endocrinology ◽

10.1530/jme-16-0033 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 56 (4) ◽

pp. T13-T25 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

D G Smyth

Keyword(s):

Amino Acids ◽

Amino Acid ◽

Amino Acid Analysis ◽

Structure And Function ◽

Biologically Active ◽

Molecular Endocrinology ◽

And Function ◽

The Brain ◽

Quantitative Amino Acid Analysis

Many important fields of research had a humble origin. In the distant past, A J P Martin’s discovery that amino acids could be separated by paper chromatography and Moore and Stein’s use of columns for quantitative amino acid analysis provided the first steps towards the determination of structure in complex biologically active molecules. They opened the door to reveal the essential relationship that exists between structure and function. In molecular endocrinology, for example, striking advances have been made by chemists with their expertise in the identification of structure working with biologists who contributed valuable knowledge and experience. Advantage was gained from the convergence of different background, and it is notable that the whole is greater than the sum. In the determination of structure, it may be recalled that four of the world’s great pioneers (Archibald Martin, Rodney Porter, Fred Sanger and Vincent du Vigneaud) were acknowledged for their fundamental contributions when individually they were awarded the Nobel Prize. They foresaw that the identification of structure would prove of outstanding importance in the future. Indeed, study of the structures of β-endorphin and enkephalin and the different forms of opiate activity they engender has led to a transformation in our understanding of chemical transmission in the brain.

Download Full-text