Lipopolysaccharide From E. coli Increases Glutamate-Induced Disturbances of Calcium Homeostasis, the Functional State of Mitochondria, and the Death of Cultured Cortical Neurons

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a fragment of the bacterial cell wall, specifically interacting with protein complexes on the cell surface, can induce the production of pro-inflammatory and apoptotic signaling molecules, leading to the damage and death of brain cells. Similar effects have been noted in stroke and traumatic brain injury, when the leading factor of death is glutamate (Glu) excitotoxicity too. But being an amphiphilic molecule with a significant hydrophobic moiety and a large hydrophilic region, LPS can also non-specifically bind to the plasma membrane, altering its properties. In the present work, we studied the effect of LPS from Escherichia coli alone and in combination with the hyperstimulation of Glu-receptors on the functional state of mitochondria and Ca2+ homeostasis, oxygen consumption and the cell survival in primary cultures from the rats brain cerebellum and cortex. In both types of cultures, LPS (0.1–10 μg/ml) did not change the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in resting neurons but slowed down the median of the decrease in [Ca2+]i on 14% and recovery of the mitochondrial potential (ΔΨm) after Glu removal. LPS did not affect the basal oxygen consumption rate (OCR) of cortical neurons; however, it did decrease the acute OCR during Glu and LPS coapplication. Evaluation of the cell culture survival using vital dyes and the MTT assay showed that LPS (10 μg/ml) and Glu (33 μM) reduced jointly and separately the proportion of live cortical neurons, but there was no synergism or additive action. LPS-effects was dependent on the type of culture, that may be related to both the properties of neurons and the different ratio between neurons and glial cells in cultures. The rapid manifestation of these effects may be the consequence of the direct effect of LPS on the rheological properties of the cell membrane.

Crystal structure of nafamostat dimesylate

Nafamostat dimesylate {systematic name: [amino({6-[(4-{[amino(iminiumyl)methyl]amino}phenyl)carbonyloxy]naphthalen-2-yl})methylidene]azanium bis(methanesulfonate)}, C19H19N5O22 +·2CH3O3S−, is a broad-spectrum serine protease inhibitor and has been applied clinically as an anticoagulant agent during hemodialysis and for treatment of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Since nafamostat contains flexible moieties, it is necessary to determine the conformation to understand the structure–activity relationships. The divalent cation has a screw-like motif. The guanidinium group is approximately perpendicular to the naphthyl ring system, subtending a dihedral angle of 84.30 (14)°. In the crystal, the nafamostat molecules form columnar structures surrounded by a hydrophilic region.

Hydrophobic-hydrophilic crown-like structure enables aquatic insects to reside effectively beneath the water surface

Various insects utilise hydrophobic biological surfaces to live on the surface of water, while other organisms possess hydrophilic properties that enable them to live within a water column. Dixidae larvae reside, without being submerged, just below the water surface. However, little is known about how these larvae live in such an ecological niche. Herein, we use larvae of Dixa longistyla (Diptera: Dixidae) as experimental specimens and reveal their characteristics. A complex crown-like structure on the abdomen consists of hydrophobic and hydrophilic elements. The combination of these contrasting features enables the larvae to maintain their position as well as to move unidirectionally. Their hydrophobic region leverages water surface tension to function as an adhesive disc. By using the resistance of water, the hydrophilic region serves as a rudder during locomotion.

Ygr125w/Vsb1-dependent accumulation of basic amino acids into vacuoles of Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The Ygr125w was previously identified as a vacuolar membrane protein by a proteomic analysis. We found that vacuolar levels of basic amino acids drastically decreased in ygr125wΔ cells. Since N- or C-terminally tagged Ygr125w was not functional, an expression plasmid of YGR125w with HA3-tag inserted in its N-terminal hydrophilic region was constructed. Introduction of this plasmid into ygr125w∆ cells restored the vacuolar levels of basic amino acids. We successfully detected the uptake activity of arginine by the vacuolar membrane vesicles depending on HA3-YGR125w expression. A conserved aspartate residue in the predicted first transmembrane helix (D223) was indispensable for the accumulation of basic amino acids. YGR125w has been recently reported as a gene involved in vacuolar storage of arginine; and it is designated as VSB1. Taken together, our findings indicate that Ygr125w/Vsb1 contributes to the uptake of arginine into vacuoles and vacuolar compartmentalization of basic amino acids.

Structural, in silico, and functional analysis of a Disabled-2-derived peptide for recognition of sulfatides

Disabled-2 (Dab2) is an adaptor protein that regulates numerous cellular processes. Among them, Dab2 modulates the extent of platelet aggregation by two mechanisms. In the first mechanism, Dab2 intracellularly downregulates the integrin αIIbβ3 receptor, converting it to a low affinity state for adhesion and aggregation processes. In the second mechanism, Dab2 is released extracellularly and interacts with both the integrin αIIbβ3 receptor and sulfatides, both of which are known to be pro-aggregatory mediators, blocking their association to fibrinogen and P-selectin, respectively. Our previous research indicated that a 35-amino acid region within Dab2, which we refer to as the sulfatide-binding peptide (SBP), contains two potential sulfatide-binding motifs represented by two consecutive polybasic regions. Using a combined methodology including molecular docking, nuclear magnetic resonance, lipid-binding assays, and surface plasmon resonance, this work identifies the critical Dab2 residues within SBP that are responsible for sulfatide binding. A hydrophilic region, primarily mediated by R42, is responsible for the interaction with the sulfatide headgroup, whereas the C-terminal polybasic region contributes to interactions with the acyl chains. Furthermore, we demonstrated that, in Dab2 SBP, R42 significantly contributes to the inhibition of platelet P-selectin surface expression. The interacting Dab2 SBP residues with sulfatide resemble those described for sphingolipid-binding in other proteins, suggesting that sulfatide-binding proteins share common binding mechanisms.

Spontaneous propulsion of a water nanodroplet induced by a wettability gradient: a molecular dynamics simulation study

A water nanodroplet spontaneously moving on a solid surface having a continuous wettability gradient from a hydrophobic to hydrophilic region.

Study of Microdroplet Growth on Homogeneous and Patterned Surfaces Using Lattice Boltzmann Modeling

We present droplet growth dynamics on homogeneous and patterned surfaces (surface with hydrophilic and hydrophobic region) using two-dimensional thermal lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). In the first part, we performed 2D simulations on homogeneous hydrophobic surfaces. The result shows that the droplet grows at higher rate on a surface with higher wettability which is attributed to low conduction resistance and high solid–liquid contact area. In the later part, we performed simulations on patterned surface and observed that droplet preferentially nucleates on the hydrophilic region due to lower energy barrier and grows in constant contact line (CCL) mode because of contact line pinning at the interface of hydrophilic–hydrophobic region. As the contact angle reaches the maximum value of hydrophobic surface, contact line depins and droplet shows constant contact angle (CCA) growth mode. We also discuss the effect of characteristic width of hydrophilic region on growth of droplet. We show that contact angle of the droplet increases rapidly and reaches the contact angle of hydrophobic region on a surface with a lower width of the hydrophilic surface.

Crystal engineering with short-chained amphiphiles: decasodium octa-n-butanesulfonate di-μ-chlorido-bis[dichloridopalladate(II)] tetrahydrate, a layered inorganic–organic hybrid material

In the course of crystal-engineering experiments, crystals of the hydrated title salt, Na10[Pd2Cl6](C4H9SO3)8·4H2O, were obtained from a water/2-propanol solution of sodium n-butanesulfonate and sodium tetrachloridopalladate(II). In the crystal, sodium n-butanesulfonate anions and water molecules are arranged in an amphiphilic inverse bilayered cationic array represented by the formula {[Na10(C4H9SO3)8(H2O)4]2+} n . Within this lamellar array: (i) a hydrophilic layer region parallel to the bc plane is established by the Na+ cations, the H2O molecules (as aqua ligands in κNa,κNa′-bridging coordination mode) and the O3S– groups of the sulfonate ions, and (ii) hydrophobic regions are present containing all the n-butyl groups in an almost parallel orientation, with the chain direction approximately perpendicular to the aforementioned hydrophilic layer. Unexpectedly, the flat centrosymmetric [Pd2Cl6]2− anion in the structure is placed between the butyl groups, within the hydrophobic regions, but due to its appropriate length primarily bonded to the hydrophilic `inorganic' layer regions above and below the hydrophobic area via Pd—Clt...Na- and Pd—Clt...H—O(H)—Na-type (Clt is terminal chloride) interactions. In addition to these hydrogen-bonding interactions, both aqua ligands are engaged in charge-supported S—O...H—O hydrogen bonds of a motif characterized by the D 4 3(9) graph-set descriptor within the hydrophilic region. The crystal structure of the title compound is the first reported for a metal n-butanesulfonate.