A Deep Dive into VDAC1 Conformational Diversity Using All-Atom Simulations Provides New Insights into the Structural Origin of the Closed States

The voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) is a crucial mitochondrial transporter that controls the flow of ions and respiratory metabolites entering or exiting mitochondria. As a voltage-gated channel, VDAC1 can switch between a high-conducting “open” state and a low-conducting “closed” state emerging at high transmembrane (TM) potentials. Although cell homeostasis depends on channel gating to regulate the transport of ions and metabolites, structural hallmarks characterizing the closed states remain unknown. Here, we performed microsecond accelerated molecular dynamics to highlight a vast region of VDAC1 conformational landscape accessible at typical voltages known to promote closure. Conformers exhibiting durable subconducting properties inherent to closed states were identified. In all cases, the low conductance was due to the particular positioning of an unfolded part of the N-terminus, which obstructed the channel pore. While the N-terminal tail was found to be sensitive to voltage orientation, our models suggest that stable low-conducting states of VDAC1 predominantly take place from disordered events and do not result from the displacement of a voltage sensor or a significant change in the pore. In addition, our results were consistent with conductance jumps observed experimentally and corroborated a recent study describing entropy as a key factor for VDAC gating.     

Physico-chemical characterization of protein fraction from stabilized wheat germ

Food Science and Biotechnology - Wheat germ shows the highest nutritional value of the kernel. It is highly susceptible to rancidity due to high content of unsaturated fat and presence of oxidative...     

Kinetics, acid sites and deactivation of H-mordenite during the SCR of NOx with CH4

H-mordenites are active for the SCR reaction but they suffer irreversible partial deactivation after being on stream for one hour at 650°C. The reaction orders and activation energies are not significantly affected by deactivation. This indicates that deactivation originates in a decrease in the number of active sites due to dealumination and possible pore blockage. The NO disappearance rate correlates with TPD NH₃ between 300 and 700°C; FTIR confirms these results. ¹²⁹Xe NMR of adsorbed xenon shows that pore blockage occurs and is due to the presence of aluminum species in the main zeolite channels. The overall deactivation process and the role of acid sites is discussed in terms of the current literature. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The electrochemical dissolution of cobalt in carbonate-bicarbonate solutions from EIS and steady polarization data

The cobalt electrodissolution process in carbonate-bicarbonate containing solutions 8.9 ? pH ? 10.5 covering relatively wide ranges of ionic strength, pH, and hydrodynamic conditions, has been investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and steady polarization data. To distinguish the competing stages of the metal electrodissolution mechanism a cobalt rotating disc electrode was utilized. The proposed mechanism model consists of the formation of adsorbed Co(I) intermediate species followed by mass-transport contributions of soluble Co(II) ions as final products. The coherence of the proposed mechanisms with EIS and steady polarization data is presented.     

Rheological and calorimetric properties of corn‐, wheat‐, and cassava‐ starches and soybean protein concentrate composites

The effect of soy protein concentrate (SPC) on the rheological and calorimetric properties of corn, wheat, and cassava starches was assessed. SPC increased T_o values and decreased the ΔH of all tested starches, which could be related to lower availability of water for starch gelatinization and/or to the interactions between SPC and amorphous regions of starch granules. SPC and sugar addition modified the viscosity parameters (obtained through a rapid visco‐analyser) of starch pastes, which was attributed to an increase in solid content and to the interaction of proteins with the starch dispersed phase. Frequency sweeps were carried out with a rheometer on gels containing starch, SPC, and sucrose. SPC raised storage and loss modulus, producing more consistent starch gels. Besides, penetration tests showed that SPC steadily increased starch gel firmness. Scanning electron micrographs showed that protein concentrate produced gels with closer structures. Summarizing, the starch and SPC in the gels obtained were expected to be arranged in a two‐phase system. Results showed that it is possible to achieve different textures for starch dessert formulations.     

Effect of Maize Resistant Starch and Transglutaminase: A Study of Fundamental and Empirical Rheology Properties of Pan Bread Dough

The effect of maize resistant starch (MRS) and transglutaminase (TG) on rheological and thermal properties of pan bread dough was studied. The MRS was added as an alternative to increase the fiber ingestion while TG supplies the gluten dilution, catalyzing protein bonds. A second order central composite design (2²) with three central and four star points was applied, and the results were compared to those of pan bread dough prepared without MRS and TG, as control. The presence of MRS and TG significantly (P?n index (degree of strain hardening). Only starch gelatinization enthalpy significantly changed (P?相似文献