Adhesive properties of water-washed cottonseed meal on four types of wood

The interest in natural product-based wood adhesives has been steadily increasing due to the environmental and sustainable concerns of petroleum-based adhesives. In this work, we reported our research on the utilization of water-washed cottonseed meal (WCM) as wood adhesives. The adhesive strength and water resistance of WCM adhesive preparations on poplar, Douglas fir, walnut, and white oak wood veneers were tested with press temperatures of 80, 100, and 130 °C. Our data indicated that raising the hot press temperature from 80 to 100–130 °C greatly increased the bonding strength and water resistance of the WCM adhesives. The general trend of the adhesive strength of WCM on the four wood species was Douglas fir > poplar ≈ white oak > walnut. The rough surface of Douglas fir with tipping features could enhance the mechanical interlocking between the wood fibers and adhesive slurry, contributing to the high adhesive strength. The dimensional swelling of the bonded wood pairs due to water soaking was in the order: thickness > width (i.e. perpendicular to the wood grain) > length (i.e. parallel to the wood grain). The greatest dimensional changes were observed in Douglas fir specimens. However, the highest decrease in adhesive strength by water soaking was with poplar wood specimens. These observations suggested that the wood dimensional changes were not dominant factors on water weakening the bonding strength of these wood pairs.     

A Multiple‐Labeling Strategy for Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetases Using Active‐Site‐Directed Proteomic Probes for Adenylation Domains

Genetic approaches have greatly contributed to our understanding of nonribosomal peptide biosynthetic machinery; however, proteomic investigations are limited. Here, we developed a highly sensitive detection strategy for multidomain nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) by using a multiple‐labeling technique with active‐site‐directed probes for adenylation domains. When applied to gramicidin S‐producing and ‐nonproducing strains of Aneurinibacillus migulanus (DSM 5759 and DSM 2895, respectively), the multiple technique sensitively detected an active multidomain NRPS (GrsB) in lysates obtained from the organisms. This functional proteomics method revealed an unknown inactive precursor (or other inactive form) of GrsB in the nonproducing strain. This method provides a new option for the direct detection, functional analysis, and high‐resolution identification of low‐abundance active NRPS enzymes in native proteomic environments.     

茚三酮比色法与甲醛滴定法测定棉籽粕蛋白水解度的比较

本文选用中性蛋白酶水解棉籽粕蛋白,对不同酶解时间的棉籽粕蛋白水解液的水解度分别用茚三酮比色法及甲醛滴定法进行测定。结果表明,与甲醛滴定法相比,茚三酮比色法更简便、更快速,且灵敏度高、可重复性强。是最适合测定低浓度棉籽蛋白水解液水解度的方法。     

Effect of Repetitive Lysine-Tryptophan Motifs on the Eukaryotic Membrane

In a previous study, we synthesized a series of peptides containing simple sequence repeats, (KW)_n–NH₂ (n = 2,3,4 and 5) and determined their antimicrobial and hemolytic activities, as well as their mechanism of antimicrobial action. However, (KW)₅ showed undesirable cytotoxicity against RBC cells. In order to identify the mechanisms behind the hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of (KW)₅, we measured the ability of these peptides to induce aggregation of liposomes. In addition, their binding and permeation activities were assessed by Trp fluorescence, calcein leakage and circular dichrorism using artificial phospholipids that mimic eukaryotic liposomes, including phosphatidylcholine (PC), PC/sphingomyelin (SM) (2:1, w/w) and PC/cholesterol (CH) (2:1, w/w). Experiments confirmed that only (KW)₅ induced aggregation of all liposomes; it formed much larger aggregates with PC:CH (2:1, w/w) than with PC or PC:SM (2:1, w/w). Longer peptide (KW)₅, but not (KW)₃ or (KW)₄, strongly bound and partially inserted into PC:CH compared to PC or PC:SM (2:1, w/w). Calcein release experiments showed that (KW)₅ induced calcein leakage from the eukaryotic membrane. Greater calcein leakage was induced by (KW)₅ from PC:CH than from PC:SM (2:1, w/w) or PC, whereas (KW)₄ did not induce calcein leakage from any of the liposomes. Circular dichroism measurements indicated that (KW)₅ showed higher conformational transition compared to (KW)₄ due to peptide-liposome interactions. Taken together, our results suggest that (KW)₅ reasonably mediates the aggregation and permeabilization of eukaryotic membranes, which could in turn explain why (KW)₅ displays efficient hemolytic activity.     

不同煮制时间对鸡汤中呈味物质的影响分析

以鸡胸肉为研究对象,在不同煮制时间下制备鸡汤样品,考察不同煮制时间对鸡汤中呈味物质的影响。采用高效液相色谱仪和氨基酸自动分析仪分析样品中有机酸、呈味核苷酸、游离氨基酸、呈味肽等的含量。感官评价结果表明,煮制4 h的鸡汤鲜味评分最高;随着煮制时间的延长,鸡汤的pH先降低后增加,煮制3 h时pH达到最低值(6.39);5'-胞苷酸(5'-CMP)、5'-鸟苷酸(5'-GMP)、乳酸和17种氨基酸的含量随煮制时间延长逐渐增加,在煮制5 h时达到最大值;5'-肌苷酸(5'-IMP)、和5'-腺苷酸(5'-AMP)的质量浓度分别在煮制2和3h达到最大值(14.22和48.72mg/L);琥珀酸的含量变化不大,谷氨酸的质量浓度在煮制5 h时达到最大值(291.39 mg/L),这些呈味物质对鸡汤鲜味具有重要的贡献。鸡汤的味精当量值(EUC)在5 h达到最高值(0.28 g MSG/100 g)。多肽含量在4 h时达到最大值(12.06 g/L)。     

质谱在多肽氨基酸序列分析中的应用

多肽氨基酸序列分析是蛋白质研究的重要内容;日臻完善的质谱技术在该项研究中起到了巨大的作用。     

茶袋法固相合成胸腺五肽肽库

利用组合化学技术,采用简便的茶袋法固相合成制备胸腺五肽D型氨基酸取代类似物肽库,共合成32条肽。粗肽得率平均在54%左右。通过高效液相色谱分离得到纯肽,经质谱及HPLC分析,所制类似物相对分子质量与胸腺五肽一致,精制后的肽得率平均在36%左右。     

LC-MS/MS分析结合优化提取工艺探究啤酒中麸质蛋白

大多数啤酒蛋白来自大麦和小麦,它们含有与乳糜泻疾病有关的富含脯氨酸的麸质蛋白成分.本研究选择0.1 mol/L醋酸铵甲醇和丙酮作为优化溶液,分别提取啤酒样品中醇不溶和醇溶的麸质蛋白组分,最大限度地获取麸质蛋白信息.采用优化的麸质蛋白提取工艺,结合液相色谱-质谱法(LC-MS/MS)分析8种市售啤酒的麸质蛋白.结果表明,...     

Novel Design of Neuropeptide-Based Drugs with β-Sheet Breaking Potential in Amyloid-Beta Cascade: Molecular and Structural Deciphers

Our work discusses the investigation of 75 peptide-based drugs with the potential ability to break the β-sheet structures of amyloid-beta peptides from senile plaques. Hence, this study offers a unique insight into the design of neuropeptide-based drugs with β-sheet breaker potential in the amyloid-beta cascade for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We started with five peptides (¹⁵QKLVFF²⁰, ¹⁶KLVFF²⁰, ¹⁷LVFF²⁰, ¹⁶KLVF¹⁹ and ¹⁵QKLV¹⁸), to which 14 different organic acids were attached at the N-terminal. It was necessary to evaluate the physiochemical features of these sequences due to the biological correlation with our proposal. Hence, the preliminary analysis of different pharmacological features provided the necessary data to select the peptides with the best biocompatibility for administration purposes. Our approaches demonstrated that the peptides ¹⁷LVFF²⁰, NA-¹⁷LVFF²⁰, ¹⁶KLVF¹⁹ and NA-¹⁶KLVF¹⁹ (NA-nicotinic acid) have the ability to interfere with fibril formation and hence improve the neuro and cognitive functions. Moreover, the peptide conjugate NA-¹⁶KLVF¹⁹ possesses attractive pharmacological properties, demonstrated by in silico and in vitro studies. Tandem mass spectrometry showed no fragmentation for the spectra of ¹⁶KLVF¹⁹. Such important results suggest that under the action of protease, the peptide cleavage does not occur at all. Additionally, circular dichroism confirmed docking simulations and showed that NA-¹⁶KLVF¹⁹ may improve the β-sheet breaker mechanism, and thus the entanglement process of amyloid-beta peptides can be more effective.     

Identification and Functional Analysis of a Defensin CcDef2 from Coridius chinensis

Coridius chinensis belongs to Dinidoridae, Hemiptera. Previous studies have indicated that C. chinensis contains abundant polypeptides with antibacterial and anticancer activities. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), as endogenous peptides with immune function, play an indispensable role in the process of biological development and immunity. AMPs have become one of the most potential substitutes for antibiotics due to their small molecular weight and broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. In this study, a defensin CcDef2 from C. chinensis was characterized based on bioinformatics and functional analyses. The mature peptide of CcDef2 is a typical cationic peptide composed of 43 amino acid residues with five cations, and contains three intramolecular disulfide bonds and a typical cysteine-stabilized αβ motif in defensins. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CcDef2 belongs to the insect defensin family. Analysis of gene expression patterns showed that CcDef2 was expressed throughout developmental stages of C. chinensis with high levels at the nymphal stage and in adult tissues tested with the highest level in the fat body. In addition, the CcDef2 expression was significantly upregulated in adults infected by bacteria. After expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) and renatured, the recombinant CcDef2 showed a significant antibacterial effect on three kinds of Gram-positive bacteria. These results indicate that CcDef2 is an excellent antibacterial peptide and a highly effective immune effector in the innate immunity of C. chinensis. This study provides a foundation for further understanding the function of CcDef2 and developing new antimicrobial drugs.