Release Model of Water-soluble Chitosan Nanoparticles for Protein Delivery

[Objective] The experiment aimed to explore release rule of water-soluble chitosan (WSC) in vitro. [Method]The bovine serum albumin(BSA) was taken as a model protein drug and some existing release models such as Kinetics model, Gompertz model, Weibull model, Higuchi model and Logistic model were used to fit the BSA release profile from WSC carriers. [Result] Except Higuchi model and Logistic model, other models could fit BSA release profile better. [Conclusion] Gompertz two-order kinetics model could fit the release of WSC nano-particles better and model parameters had practical physical meaning.

The mRNA Expression Profiles of Five Heat Shock Protein Genes from Frankliniella occidentalis at Different Stages and Their Responses to Temperatures and Insecticides

The westem flower thrips, Frankliniella occidental＆ （Pergande） is a highly invasive pest that is able to exploit many crops across a wide range of environmental conditions. Five full-length cDNAs of heat shock protein （HSP） genes （Fo-HSP90, Fo-HSP70, Fo-HSP60, Fo-HSP40 and Fo-HSP28.9） were cloned from F. occidentalis, and their expression profiles were investigated under conditions of thermal stress and insecticide exposure, and at different stages during development, using real-time quantitative PCR. All five gene sequences showed high similarity to homologs in other species, indicating the conserved fimction of this gene family. HSP60 represents an informative phylogenetic marker at the ordinal taxonomic level within Insecta, but HSP90, which has two homologous copies in Hymenoptera, was not informative. The expression of Fo-HSPs under thermal stress suggests that Fo-HSP90, Fo-HSP70, and Fo-HSP28.9 are inducible by both cold and heat stress, Fo-HSP40 is only heat-inducible, and Fo-HSP60 is thermally insensitive. There were two patterns of cold induction of Fo-HSPs： one is from 0 to 4℃ and the other is around -8℃. All five Fo-HSPs genes were induced by exposure to sublethal concentrations of the insecticide avermectin. The expression of the five Fo-HSPs during different developmental stages suggests that they all play a role in development of F. occidentalis.

Bacterial Protein Profiling——Comparison of Three Mass Spectrometry Methodologies

Profiling the protein composition of bacteria is essential for understanding their biology,physiology and interaction with environment.Mass spectrometry has become a pivotal tool for protein analysis,facilitating the examination of expression levels,molecular masses and structural modifications.In this study,we compared the performance of three widely-used mass spectrometry methods,i.e.,matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization(MALDI)protein fingerprinting,top-down proteomics and bottom-up proteomics,in the profiling of bacterial protein composition.It was revealed that bottom-up proteomics provided the highest protein coverage and exhibited the greatest protein profile overlap between bacterial species.In contrast,MALDI protein fingerprinting demonstrated superior detection reproducibility and effectiveness in distinguishing between bacterial species.Although top-down proteomics identified fewer proteins than bottom-up approach,it complemented MALDI fingerprinting in the discovery of bacterial protein markers,both favoring abundant,stable,and hydrophilic bacterial ribosomal proteins.This study represents the most systematic and comprehensive comparison of mass spectrometry-based protein profiling methodologies to date.It provides valuable guidelines for the selection of appropriate profiling strategies for specific analytical purposes.This will facilitate studies across various fields,including infection diagnosis,antimicrobial resistance detection and pharmaceutical target discovery.

Genomic characterization and expression profiles of stress-associated proteins(SAPs)in castor bean(Ricinus communis)

Stress-associated proteins(SAPs)are known as response factors to multiple abiotic and biotic stresses in plants.However,the potential physiological and molecular functions of SAPs remain largely unclear.Castor bean(Ricinus communis L.)is one of the most economically valuable non-edible woody oilseed crops,able to be widely cultivated in marginal lands worldwide because of its broad adaptive capacity to soil and climate conditions.Whether SAPs in castor bean plays a key role in adapting diverse soil conditions and stresses remains unknown.In this study,we used the castor bean genome to identify and characterize nine castor bean SAP genes(RcSAP).Structural analysis showed that castor bean SAP gene structures and functional domain types vary greatly,differing in intron number,protein sequence,and functional domain type.Notably,the AN1-C2H2eC2H2 zinc finger domain within RcSAP9 has not been often observed in other plant families.High throughput RNA-seq data showed that castor bean SAP gene profiles varied among different tissues.In addition,castor bean SAP gene expression varied in response to different stresses,including salt,drought,heat,cold and ABA and MeJA,suggesting that the transcriptional regulation of castor bean SAP genes might operate independently of each other,and at least partially independent from ABA and MeJA signal pathways.Cis-element analyses for each castor bean SAP gene showed that no common cis-elements are shared across the nine castor bean SAP genes.Castor bean SAPs were localized to different regions of cells,including the cytoplasm,nucleus,and cytomembrane.This study provides a comprehensive profile of castor bean SAP genes that advances our understanding of their potential physiological and molecular functions in regulating growth and development and their responses to different abiotic stresses.

Palatability of Water-Soluble Extracts of Protein Sources and Replacement of Fishmeal by a Selected Mixture of Protein Sources for Juvenile Turbot(Scophthalmus maximus)

Poor palatability is a limiting factor for replacing fishmeal with other protein sources in aquaculture. The water-soluble molecules with low molecular weights are the major determinants of the palatability of diets. The present study was conducted to investigate the palatability of water-soluble extracts from single protein source(single extract pellets) and the mixture of these extracts with different proportions(blended extract pellets) in juvenile turbot(Scophthalmus maximus). Then according to the palatability of blended extract pellets, an optimal mixture proportion was selected, and a new protein source made from raw protein materials with the selected proportion was formulated to replace fishmeal. Summarily, the palatability of single extract pellets for turbot was descendent from fishmeal to pet-food grade poultry by-product meal, wheat gluten meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, meat and bone meal, and corn gluten meal. Subsequently, according to the palatability of single extract pellets, 52 kinds of blended extract pellets were designed to test their palatability. The results showed that the pellets presented remarkably different palatability, and the optimal one was diet 52(wheat gluten meal: pet-food grade poultry by-product meal: meat and bone meal: corn gluten meal = 1:6:1:2). The highest ingestion ratio(the number of pellets ingested/the number of pellets fed) was 0.73 ± 0.03, which was observed in Diet 52. Then five isonitrogenous(52% crude protein) and isocaloric(20 k J g^(-1) gross energy) diets were formulated by replacing 0(control), 35%, 50%, 65% and 80% of fishmeal with No.52 blending proportion. After a 10-weeks feeding trial, a consistent feed intake was found among all replacement treatments. Replacement level of fishmeal up to 35% did not significantly influence final body weight, specific growth rate, feed efficiency ratio, and protein efficiency ratio of turbot. Therefore, the water-soluble extracts of protein sources play an important role in improving the palatability of non-fishmeal protein sources in aquafeed.

Analysis of the Electrophoretic Profiles of Prion Protein in Carcinous and Pericarcinous Lysates of Six Different Types of Cancers

Objective To find the different electrophoretic profiles of prion protein in carcinous and individual pericarcinous tissues in lysates of gastric,colon,liver,lung,thyroid,and laryngeal cancers.Methods Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE)and Western blot were used to test the amounts and electrophoretic patterns of total Pr P and the tolerance of PK(protease K)digestion among six various cancer tissue types.Results A mass of Pr P signals with a large molecular weight were identified in the homogenates of peripheral tissues.The amounts and electrophoretic patterns of total Pr P did not differ significantly between carcinous and pericarcinous tissues.Pr Ps in all types of the tested cancer samples were PK sensitive but showed diversity in the tolerance of PK digestion among various tissue types.Conclusions The study revealed that the included electrophoretic patterns of carcinous and pericarcinous tissues were almost similar.Unlike Pr P-specific immunohistochemical assay,evaluation of Pr P electrophoretic patterns in the peripheral organs and tissues by Western blot does not reflect tumor malignancy.

Favorable and unfavorable amino acid residues in water-soluble and transmembrane proteins

We analyzed the amino acid residues present in the water-soluble and transmembrane proteins of 6 thermophilic and 6 mesophilic species of the domains Archaea and Eubacteria, and characterized them as favorable or unfavorable. The characterization was performed by comparing the observed number of each amino acid residue to the expected number calculated from the percentage of nucleotides present in each gene. Amino acids that were more or less abundant than expected were considered as favorable or unfavorable, respectively. Comparisons of amino acid compositions indicated that the water-soluble proteins were rich in charged residues such as Glu, Asp, Lys, and His, whereas hydrophobic residues such as Trp, Phe, and Leu were abundant in transmembrane proteins. Interestingly, our results found that although the Trp residue was abundant in transmembrane proteins, it was not defined as favorable by our calculations, indicating that increased numbers of a particular amino acid does not necessary indicate it is a favorable residue. Amino acids with high G + C content such as Ala, Gly, and Pro were frequently observed as favorable in species with low G + C content. Comparatively, amino acids with low G + C content such as Phe, Tyr, Lys, Ile, and Met were frequently observed as favorable in species with high G + C content. These are the examples to increase the supply of amino acids than expected. Amino acids with neutral G + C content, i.e., Glu and Asp were favorable in water-soluble proteins from all species analyzed, and Cys was unfavorable both in water-soluble and transmembrane proteins. These results indicate that amino acid compositions are essentially determined by the nucleotide sequence of the genes, and the amino acid content is altered by a deviation from expectation.

Evaluation of Protein Concentration, Amino Acid Profile and Antinutritional Compounds in Hempseed Meal from Dioecious and Monoecious Varieties

Hempseed meal from three dioecious and three monoecious varieties has been evaluated for content and quality of the protein and for the concentration of antinutritional compounds. Hemp seeds were obtained from plants grown in two experimental fields for two consecutive years (2011-2012). For all the varieties, hempseed meal resulted in a rich source of protein (34% mean content) with an amino acid profile extremely rich in arginine and slightly poor in lysine. Differences between dioecious and monoecious varieties were observed in the content of antinutritional compounds. They were more concentrated in monoecious varieties in comparison with those dioecious. The concentration of phytic acid in hempseed meal deserves attention in both groups, being 63 and 75.4 g·kg-1 of dry matter in dioecious and monocieous varieties, respectively. The results show that, besides the recognized value of hemp oil, also the hempseed cake could find application in animal feed as a substitute of other cakes (soybean, rapeseed). From this point of view, the dioecious varieties showing lower contents of antinutritional compounds with respect to the monoecious varieties would be preferred.

Effect of Germination on the Nutritional and Protein Profile of Australian Sweet Lupin (<i>Lupinus angustifolius</i>L.)

Australian Sweet Lupin (ASL) has a nutritional profile ideally suited for human consumption with high protein and fibre, but low starch and fat content. The nutritional and protein profile of germinated ASL may be better than ungerminated ASL and these improvements would provide further benefits in its use as an ingredient in food applications. In this study the nutritional components such as protein, crude fibre, fat and protein profile of germinated ASL flour following germination at 25℃ and 90% - 95% relative humidity for 9 days were determined. The changes in the pattern of ASL protein during germination were analysed using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Germination significantly increased crude fibre contents by 450% (db), total protein contents by 38% (db) and decreased the fat content by 70% (db) at day 9 of germination. Electrophoretic analysis of the protein fractions revealed that during germination up to 9 days, some of the high molecular weight proteins disappeared. Germination represents a means to further improve the nutritional profile of the germinated ASL flour with an increased fibre and protein, but lower fat content.

Anthropometric indices, lipid profile, and lipopolysaccharide-binding protein levels in metabolic endotoxemia: A case-control study in Calabar Metropolis, Nigeria

Objectives: To determine the anthropometric indices, lipopolysaccharide-binding proteins (LBP), and lipid profile in patients with metabolic endotoxemia. Methods: The study comprised of 47 patients with metabolic endotoxemia (the metabolic endotoxemia group) and 43 controls (the control group). Patients in the metabolic endotoxemia group were categorized further into three subgroups including the normal weight group (n=8), the overweight group (n=12) and the obese group (n=27). Height, weight, waist, and hip circumference were measured, and waist-hip ratio (WHR) and body mass index (BMI) were calculated. LBP was determined by ELISA and total cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein by the respective enzymatic colorimetric methods. In addition, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein were determined by Friedewald's formula. Results: The mean waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), BMI, total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, and LBP of the metabolic endotoxemia group were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the control group. WHR, TG, high density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein of the metabolic endotoxemia group were not significantly different (P>0.05) from those of the control group. The mean WC, HC, WHR, and BMI of the obese group with metabolic endotoxemia were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those of the overweight group and the normal weight group with metabolic endotoxemia. Significant positive correlations were obtained between BMI and LBP (r=0.610, P=0.001), total cholesterol and LBP (r=0.385, P=0.007), TG and LBP (r=0.356, P=0.014) in patients with metabolic endotoxemia. Conclusions: Metabolic endotoxemia arising from increased circulating level of bacterial derive particles consequent to perturbation in the gut microbial community and the elevated ;serum level of LBP may precede the development of obesity, characterized by dyslipidemia, dysregulation of gut energy harvest, and metabolic energy imbalance.

Analysis of Nutrient Profile of Finger Millet(Eleusine coracana(L.)Gaertn.)for Baby Food Formulation Using Pigeon Pea(Cajanus cajan(L.)Millsp.)as Protein Source

Finger millet(Eleusine coracana(L.)Gaertn.)is a drought resistant crop with potentially tremendous but under-explored source of nutraceutical properties as compared to other regularly consumed cereals in the era of drawback of nutritional security,these characteristics must be harnessed to develop finger millet as a novel functional food.Under-nutrition caused by inadequate diets,and other factors that influence nutritional status,is the underlying factor in 45%child deaths.In Kenya only 25%of young children are fed adequately diverse diets.The main objective of this study was to prepare baby food formulas using finger millets with pigeon peas as protein source and to analyze their nutritional profiles.Two finger millets varieties(i)Snapping Green Early,low altitude and medium altitude varieties and(ii)U-15)were studied to determine effects of environment on nutrient profiles.This study showed that Snapping Green Early had better nutrient profiles(12.13%protein and is high in Ca,Mg,Fe,Zn and P)than U-15(11.69%protein and lower nutrients(Ca,Mg,Fe,Zn and P)),and hence was selected for use in the malting process as best variety.As expected,the pigeon peas had the highest protein value(21%).The samples malted for 72 h resulted in reduction of tannin concentration from 0.091%to 0.03%and the amount of nutrients(Ca,Mg,Fe and Zn)doubled and in fact the protein profile increased by 8.31%.The appropriate ratio for the formulation of the baby food was 70:30.The composting resulted in 18.5%increase in protein.

Functional characterization of sensory neuron membrane protein 1a involved in sex pheromone detection of Apolygus lucorum(Hemiptera:Miridae)

The mirid bug Apolygus lucorum(Hemiptera:Miridae)is a polyphagous pest that affects a wide range of host plants.Its control remains challenging mainly due to its rapid reproduction,necessitating an understanding of sex pheromone communication.The recognition of sex pheromones is vital for courtship and mating behaviors,and is mediated by various chemosensory-associated proteins.Among these,sensory neuron membrane protein(SNMP),a CD36-related protein,is suggested to play crucial roles in detecting sex pheromones.In this study,we employed transcriptomic and genomic data from A.lucorum and phylogenetic approaches,and identified four putative SNMP genes(AlucSNMP1a,AlucSNMP1b,AlucSNMP2a,and AlucSNMP2b)with full open reading frames.Expression analysis revealed the ubiquitous presence of AlucSNMP transcripts in multiple tissues,with only AlucSNMP1a exhibiting male-biased expression in the antennae,suggesting its potential role in male chemosensation.Functional analysis using the Xenopus oocyte expression system,coupled with two-electrode voltage clamp recording,demonstrated that the co-expression of AlucSNMP1a with specific pheromone receptors(PRs)and the Odorant receptor co-receptor(Orco)significantly enhanced electrophysiological responses to sex pheromones compared to the co-expression of PRs and Orco alone.Moreover,the results indicated that the presence of AlucSNMP1a not only affected the responsiveness to sex pheromones but also influenced the kinetics(activation and inactivation)of the induced signals.In contrast,the co-expression of AlucSNMP1b with AlucPR/Orco complexes had no impact on the inward currents induced by two pheromone compounds.An examination of the selective pressures on SNMP1 genes across 20 species indicated strong purifying selection,implying potential functional conservation in various insects.These findings highlight the crucial role of AlucSNMP1a in the response to sex pheromones.

Profile覆盖算法在蛋白质二级结构预测中的应用

介绍了构造性机器学习方法——覆盖算法在蛋白质二级结构预测中的应用。相比普通的神经网络,这种方法直观且运算简单,对训练样本可100%识别。同时,考虑到同源家族的结构应该比单条序列结构预测更准确,采用了基于概率的Profile编码方式,相比以往的预测方法,具有更好的稳定性和精确性。

Cloning and Characterization of a Pathogenesis-Related Protein Gene TaPR10 from Wheat Induced by Stripe Rust Pathogen

Pathogenesis-related proteins （PRs） play many important roles in plant defense response against pathogen attack. To better understand the molecular mechanism of PR genes involved in wheat adult plant resistance （APR） to stripe rust, based on a differentially expressed transcribed derived fragment （TDF）, a novel PR gene from wheat cv. Xingzi 9104 infected by the Puccinia striiformis Westend f. sp. tritici Erikss. pathotype CY32, which was highly similar to the maize ZmPRIO gene and designated as TaPRIO, was identified using in silico cloning and RT-PCR method. This novel TaPRIO gene was predicted to encode a 160-amino acid protein with a deduced molecular weight of 17.06 kDa and an isoelectronic point （pI） of 5.19. An amino acid sequence analysis of TaPR10 demonstrated the presence of a typical conserved domain of pathogenesis related protein Bet v I family. Multiple alignment analysis based on the amino acids encoded by 10 different PRIO genes from maize （Zea mays）, rice （Oryza sativa）, broomcorn （Sorghum bicolor）, and wheat （Triticum aestivum） indicated that PR proteins of class 10 was conserved among the 4 plant species with about 80% similarity. DNA sequence of TaPRIO suggested the presence of one 84-bp intron with the splicing sites of GT-AT bi-nucleotide sequence between 188 and 271 bp. Using a real-time quantitative RT-PCR （qRT-PCR）, expression profiles of TaPRIO revealed that at the adult-plant stage, TaPRIO transcript was up-regulated as early as 12 h post-inoculation （hpi）, with the occurrence of maximum induction at 24 hpi. At the seedling stage, TaPRIO was also slightly induced 18 hpi. However, the transcript amount was relatively lower than that of the adult-plant stage. Taken together, these results suggest that TaPRIO may participate in wheat defense response of APR to stripe rust.

Discovery and validation of prognostic markers in gastric cancer by genome-wide expression profiling

AIM: To develop a prognostic gene set that can predict patient overall survival status based on the whole genome expression analysis. METHODS: Using Illumina HumanWG-6 BeadChip followed by semi-supervised analysis, we analyzed the expression of 47 296 transcripts in two batches of gastric cancer patients who underwent surgical resection. Thirty-nine samples in the first batch were used as the training set to discover candidate markers correlated to overall survival, and thirty-three samples in the second batch were used for validation. RESULTS: A panel of ten genes were identified as prognostic marker in the first batch samples and classified patients into a lowand a high-risk group with significantly different survival times (P = 0.000047). This prognostic marker was then verified in an independent validation sample batch (P = 0.0009). By comparing with the traditional Tumor-node-metastasis (TNM) staging system, this ten-gene prognostic marker showed consistent prognosis results. It was the only independent prognostic value by multivariate Cox regression analysis (P = 0.007). Interestingly, six of these ten genes are ribosomal proteins, suggesting a possible association between the deregulation of ribosome related gene expression and the poor prognosis. CONCLUSION: A ten-gene marker correlated with overall prognosis, including 6 ribosomal proteins, was identified and verified, which may complement the predictive value of TNM staging system.

Analysis of Genetic Variation of Seed Proteins in the Genus Vigna and among Its Relatives Cultivated in China

The genetic variation of seed proteins was assayed by SDSPAGE for 24 cultivars belonging to 5 species in Vigna and 7 species in its 7 relative genera cultivated in China. There were 48 polymorphic subunit bands discriminated from electrophoretic profiles. Two dendrograms were constructed by UPGMA cluster analyses using PHYLIP3.6 respectively. Variation among genera or species was larger than that among lower taxonomic categories level. Little variation among cuhivars of yardlong bean （Vigna sesquipedalis ） and small variation of lablab （ Lablab purpureus）, pea （Pisum sativum）, or sword bean （Canavalia gladiata）, but large variation of soybean or rice bean in their origin of China were all revealed. The seed proteins profiles of traditionally regarded as typical species in Vigna such as yardlong bean, rice bean and small bean were more similar than mungbean （Vigna radiata） and black gram （Vigna mungo） were. Mungbean and black gram had distinct seed proteins pattern, they should be of two species.

Identification and tissue distribution of odorant binding protein genes in Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera:Coccinellidae)

The olfactory system of insects is crucial in modulating behaviors such as host seeking,mating,and oviposition.Odorantbinding proteins(OBPs)are involved in semiochemical recognition.OBPs recognize and bind odorants and transport them to odorant receptors located in olfactory neurons.Harmonia axyridis(Coleoptera:Coccinellidae)is a widely used predacious biological control agent for many agricultural and forestry pests.This study identified 19 OBPs in H.axyridis based on the antennal and whole-body transcriptomes of adults and obtained all the full-length open reading frames,including 11‘Classic’OBPs,7‘Minus-C’OBPs and 1‘Plus-C’OBP.They encoded 125 to 241 amino acid proteins with molecular weights ranging from 13.75 to 27.75 kDa and isoelectric points ranging from 4.15 to 8.80.Phylogenetic analyses were used to study the relationships between H.axyridis OBPs and OBPs from other species of Coleoptera.Quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR)analysis showed that HaxyOBP2,3,5,8,10,12,13,14,and 15 were highly expressed in antennae of both adult females and males.Moreover,HaxyOBP2,3,5,12,and 15 were more abundantly expressed in antennae than other body parts,while HaxyOBP13 and HaxyOBP14 were expressed predominantly,and at similar levels,in the head and antennae.The other OBP genes were highly expressed in non-olfactory tissues including the thorax,abdomen,legs,and wings.These results provide valuable information for further study of H.axyridis olfaction,which may ultimately enhance its use as a biocontrol agent.

Gluten-Free Flat Bread and Biscuits Production by Cassava, Extruded Soy Protein and Pumpkin Powder

In recent years, there has been an increase in demand of gluten free products that are suitable for people with celiac disease. The present study was carried out to produce gluten free flat bread and biscuits with good quality. The ingredients under this study were cassava flour, rice flour, extruded soy protein (ESP) and pumpkin powder. Four levels of ESP were used for production of flat bread and biscuits: 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10% for flat bread and 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% levels for biscuits. Results of flat bread samples showed that protein, fat, ash and fiber contents increased in all samples as increasing the level of ESP. Flat bread at level 10% ESP had the highest value of β-carotene. Alkaline water retention capacity (AWRC) at zero time and 24 h of flat bread storage had high values for levels 2.5% and 5% ESP. Water holding capacity (WHC) increased insignificantly by increasing the level of ESP. Color measurements revealed that the lightness decreased and the redness increased with increasing the level of ESP. Sensory evaluation of flat bread revealed that 2.5% followed by 5% ESP level had high score of overall acceptability. Physical properties of biscuits indicated that as the level of ESP increased the diameter, thickness, volume and specific volume decreased. Biscuits sample with 20% ESP had the highest values of protein, fat, ash and fiber but the lowest in total carbohydrates. Also β-carotene and vitamin A content increased in biscuit samples. Caloric values of biscuits in all treated samples were lower than control. Lightness decreased while redness increased with increasing the level of ESP. Data of texture profile analysis (TPA) showed that hardness and adhesiveness (g) increased as ESP level increased. Sensory evaluation of biscuits showed that addition of ESP at 20% level decreased significantly texture score from 9.51 to 6.61 (P < 0.05) but insignificantly affected the other sensory scores.

Editor Profiles: Guest Editors of Special Issue on Enhancement of Dissolution and Oral Bioavailability of Poorly Water-soluble Drugs

Dr. Wei Wu is a professor at the Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. His research interest is in the field of oral drug delivery systems and in vivo fate of drug nanocarriers. He and coworkers invented novel water-quenching ACQ fluorescent dyes to probe the in vivo fate of versatile nanoparticles administered via different routes.

Multiple Sequence Alignment of the M Protein in SARS-Associated and Other Known Coronaviruses

In this paper, we report a multiple sequence alignment result on the basis of 10 amino acid sequences of the M protein, which come from different coronaviruses (4 SARS associated and 6 others known). The alignment model was based on the profile HMM (Hidden Markov Model), and the model training was implemented through the SAHMM (Self Adapting Hidden Markov Model) software developed by the authors.