The nucleoid-associated protein HU plays an important role in maintenance of chromosomal architecture and in global regulation of DNA transactions in bacteria. Although HU is essential for growth in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), there have been no reported attempts to perturb HU function with small molecules. Here we report the crystal structure of the N-terminal domain of HU from Mtb. We identify a core region within the HU-DNA interface that can be targeted using stilbene derivatives. These small molecules specifically inhibit HU-DNA binding, disrupt nucleoid architecture and reduce Mtb growth. The stilbene inhibitors induce gene expression changes in Mtb that resemble those induced by HU deficiency. Our results indicate that HU is a potential target for the development of therapies against tuberculosis.
The Long-Range Synthon Aufbau Module (LSAM) concept is utilized in the crystal engineering of 1:1 cocrystals of trichlorophenols and halogen-substituted anilines. NMR studies show the presence of LSAMs in solution and also the sequence of association of hydrogen bonding and π⋯π stacking interations that constitute the LSAMs.
Blood clots are a central feature of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) and can culminate in pulmonary embolism, stroke, and sudden death. However, it is not known how abnormal blood clots form in COVID-19 or why they occur even in asymptomatic and convalescent patients. Here we report that the Spike protein from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) binds to the blood coagulation factor fibrinogen and induces structurally abnormal blood clots with heightened proinflammatory activity. SARS-CoV-2 Spike virions enhanced fibrin-mediated microglia activation and induced fibrinogen-dependent lung pathology. COVID-19 patients had fibrin autoantibodies that persisted long after acute infection. Monoclonal antibody 5B8, targeting the cryptic inflammatory fibrin epitope, inhibited thromboinflammation. Our results reveal a procoagulant role for the SARS-CoV-2 Spike and propose fibrin-targeting interventions as a treatment for thromboinflammation in COVID-19.
A hallmark of the crystallin proteins is their exceptionally high solubility, which is vital for maintaining the high refractive index of the eye lens. Human γC-crystallin is a major γ-crystallin whose mutant forms are associated with congenital cataracts but whose three-dimensional structure is not known. An earlier study of a homology model concluded that human γC-crystallin has low intrinsic solubility, mainly because of the atypical magnitude and fluctuations of its dipole moment. On the contrary, the high-resolution tertiary structure of human γC-crystallin determined here shows unequivocally that it is a highly soluble, monomeric molecule in solution. Notable differences between the orientations and interactions of several side chains are observed upon comparison to those in the model. No evidence of the pivotal role ascribed to the effect of dipole moment on protein solubility was found. The nuclear magnetic resonance structure should facilitate a comprehensive understanding of the deleterious effects of cataract-associated mutations in human γC-crystallin.
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