Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by intraneuronal inclusions of aggregated α-synuclein protein (so-called Lewy bodies) in distinct brain regions. Multiple posttranslational modifications may affect the structure and function of α-synuclein. Mass spectrometry-based analysis may be useful for the characterization and quantitation of α-synuclein forms, but has proven challenging, mainly due to the insolubility of Lewy bodies in aqueous buffer. In the present study, we developed a novel method by combining differential solubilization with immunoprecipitation and targeted proteomics using liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Brain tissue homogenization and sample preparation were modified to facilitate analysis of soluble, detergent-soluble, and detergent-insoluble protein fractions (Lewy body-enriched). The method was used to compare α-synuclein forms from cingulate cortex (affected) and occipital cortex (unaffected) in two study sets of PD patients and controls. We identified ∼20 modified α-synuclein variants, including species with N-terminal acetylation and C-terminal truncations at amino acids 103 and 119. The levels of α-synuclein forms Ac-α-syn 1−6 , α-syn 13−21 , α-syn 35−43 , α-syn 46−58 , α-syn 61−80 , and α-syn 81−96 except αsyn 103−119 were significantly increased in PD cingulate region compared to controls in the Lewy body-enriched α-synuclein fraction. In the soluble fraction, only Ac-α-syn 1−6 was significantly increased in PD compared to controls. None of the detected α-synuclein variants were Lewy body-specific, but acetylated forms should be examined further as potential biomarkers for abnormal α-synuclein accumulation.

A putative anticancer plant alkaloid, Chelerythrine binds to G-quadruplexes at promoters of VEGFA, BCL2 and KRAS genes and down regulates their expression. The association of Chelerythrine to G-quadruplex at the promoters of these oncogenes were monitored using UV absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence anisotropy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, CD melting, isothermal titration calorimetry, molecular dynamics simulation and quantitative RT-PCR technique. The pronounced hypochromism accompanied by red shifts in UV absorption spectroscopy in conjunction with ethidium bromide displacement assay indicates end stacking mode of interaction of Chelerythrine with the corresponding G-quadruplex structures. An increase in fluorescence anisotropy and CD melting temperature of Chelerythrine-quadruplex complex revealed the formation of stable Chelerythrine-quadruplex complex. Isothermal titration calorimetry data confirmed that Chelerythrine-quadruplex complex formation is thermodynamically favourable. Results of quantative RT-PCR experiment in combination with luciferase assay showed that Chelerythrine treatment to MCF7 breast cancer cells effectively down regulated transcript level of all three genes, suggesting that Chelerythrine efficiently binds to in cellulo quadruplex motifs. MD simulation provides the molecular picture showing interaction between Chelerythrine and G-quadruplex. Binding of Chelerythrine with BCL2, VEGFA and KRAS genes involved in evasion, angiogenesis and self sufficiency of cancer cells provides a new insight for the development of future therapeutics against cancer.

Genome-wide analysis was carried out to identify and analyze differential expression pattern of tomato membrane bound NAC transcription factors (SlNACMTFs) during stresses. Two biotic-stress-related SlNACMTFs have been characterized to elucidate their regulatory function. NAC transcription factors are known regulators of stress-related gene expression. As Stresses are perceived and transmitted by membrane-bound proteins, functional characterization of membrane-associated NAC transcription factors in tomato can reveal valuable insight about membrane-mediated stress-signalling. Tomato genome encodes 13 NAC genes which have predicted transmembrane domain(s) (SlNACMTFs). mRNA of 12 SlNACMTFs were readily detected in multiple tissues, and also in polysome isolated from leaf, confirming active transcription and translation from these genes occur under normal physiological condition. Additionally, most of the SlNACMTFs were differentially regulated during stresses and stress-related transcription factor binding sites are prevalent in their promoters. SlNACMTF3 and 8 were majorly regulated in biotic and abiotic stresses. Like other MTFs, SlNACMTF3 was translocated to the plasma membrane, whereas the C-terminus truncated (ΔC) form localized in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Accordingly, the ΔC forms significantly influenced the activity of promoters harbouring NAC binding sites (NACbs). Furthermore, the NAC domain of these transcription factors could directly interact with an NACbs, and the proteins failed to regulate a promoter lacking a crucial NACbs. Interestingly, the type of influence to an NACbs containing promoter was dependent on the context of the NACbs, as the same SlNACMTF showed an alternative mode of regulation on different promoters, as well as the same promoter activity was oppositely regulated by two different SlNACMTF. Finally, both SlNACMTFs demonstrated the differential regulatory effect on the expression of several stress-related genes by interacting with the putative NACbs in their promoter region, suggesting their direct role in plant stress response.

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The composition of soluble toxic protein aggregates formed in vivo is currently unknown in neurodegenerative diseases, due to their ultra-low concentration in human biofluids and their high degree of heterogeneity. We introduce the structure-specific chemical antibody; a Y shaped, bioinspired small molecule with a dimeric region to mimic avidity, and an attachment region to mimic the Fc region. Our probe, capture molecule for amyloid precipitation (CAP-1), consists of a derivative of Pittsburgh compound B (dimer) to target the cross -sheets of amyloids and a biotin moiety for surface immobilization. By coupling CAP-1 to magnetic beads, we targeted the amyloid structure of protein aggregates in human cerebrospinal fluid, isolated them for analysis and then characterised them using single-molecule fluorescence imaging and mass spectrometry. AP allows unbiased determination of the molecular composition and structural features of the in vivo aggregates, formed in neurodegenerative diseases, that are present in biofluids.