Essential to progress in plant biotechnology for deliverable applications, patent and patent application data must be transparent in order to determine where there is whitespace for innovation. Furthermore, mechanisms
We here present a detailed study of the ligand-receptor interactions between single and triple-helical strands of collagen and the α2A domain of integrin(α2A),providing valuable new insights into the mechanisms and ...We here present a detailed study of the ligand-receptor interactions between single and triple-helical strands of collagen and the α2A domain of integrin(α2A),providing valuable new insights into the mechanisms and dynamics of collagen-integrin binding at a sub-molecular level.The occurrence of single and triple-helical strands of the collagen fragments was scrutinized with atom force microscopy(AFM)techniques.Strong interactions of the triple-stranded fragments comparable to those of collagen can only be detected for the 42mer triple-helical collagen-like peptide under study(which contains 42 amino acid residues per strand)by solid phase assays as well as by surface plasmon resonance(SPR)measurements.However,changes in NMR signals during titration and characteristic saturation transfer difference(STD)NMR signals are also detectable whenα2A is added to a solution of the 21mer single-stranded collagen fragment.Molecular dynamics(MD)simulations employing different sets of force field parameters were applied to study the interaction between triple-helical or single-stranded collagen fragments withα2A.It is remarkable that even single-stranded collagen fragments can form various complexes withα2A showing significant differences in the complex stability with identical ligands.The results of MD simulations are in agreement with the signal alterations in our NMR experiments,which are indicative of the formation of weak complexes between single-stranded collagen andα2A in solution.These results provide useful information concerning possible interactions ofα2A with small collagen fragments that are of relevance to the design of novel therapeutic A-domain inhibitors.展开更多
The roles that top predators play in regulating the structure and function of ecosystems have long been controversial. This is particularly the case when predators pose adverse risks for human life and/or economic int...The roles that top predators play in regulating the structure and function of ecosystems have long been controversial. This is particularly the case when predators pose adverse risks for human life and/or economic interests. The critique of literature on dingoes and their ecological roles in Australia provided by Allen et al. （2011） shows that top predators remain a potentially polarising issue. In opposition to Allen et al. we argue that these widespread patterns of species＇ abundances, attributed to the ef- fects of dingoes and evident at scales ranging from the foraging behaviour of individuals through to continental scale patterns of species abundances, constitute strong support for the mesopredator release hypothesis and provide evidence that dingoes benefit biodiversity conservation by inducing community wide trophic cascades. Harnessing the positive ecological effects of dingoes while at the same time minimising their impacts on agriculture is a major socio-political challenge in Australia [Current Zoology 57 （5）： 668-670].展开更多
文摘Essential to progress in plant biotechnology for deliverable applications, patent and patent application data must be transparent in order to determine where there is whitespace for innovation. Furthermore, mechanisms
文摘We here present a detailed study of the ligand-receptor interactions between single and triple-helical strands of collagen and the α2A domain of integrin(α2A),providing valuable new insights into the mechanisms and dynamics of collagen-integrin binding at a sub-molecular level.The occurrence of single and triple-helical strands of the collagen fragments was scrutinized with atom force microscopy(AFM)techniques.Strong interactions of the triple-stranded fragments comparable to those of collagen can only be detected for the 42mer triple-helical collagen-like peptide under study(which contains 42 amino acid residues per strand)by solid phase assays as well as by surface plasmon resonance(SPR)measurements.However,changes in NMR signals during titration and characteristic saturation transfer difference(STD)NMR signals are also detectable whenα2A is added to a solution of the 21mer single-stranded collagen fragment.Molecular dynamics(MD)simulations employing different sets of force field parameters were applied to study the interaction between triple-helical or single-stranded collagen fragments withα2A.It is remarkable that even single-stranded collagen fragments can form various complexes withα2A showing significant differences in the complex stability with identical ligands.The results of MD simulations are in agreement with the signal alterations in our NMR experiments,which are indicative of the formation of weak complexes between single-stranded collagen andα2A in solution.These results provide useful information concerning possible interactions ofα2A with small collagen fragments that are of relevance to the design of novel therapeutic A-domain inhibitors.
文摘The roles that top predators play in regulating the structure and function of ecosystems have long been controversial. This is particularly the case when predators pose adverse risks for human life and/or economic interests. The critique of literature on dingoes and their ecological roles in Australia provided by Allen et al. （2011） shows that top predators remain a potentially polarising issue. In opposition to Allen et al. we argue that these widespread patterns of species＇ abundances, attributed to the ef- fects of dingoes and evident at scales ranging from the foraging behaviour of individuals through to continental scale patterns of species abundances, constitute strong support for the mesopredator release hypothesis and provide evidence that dingoes benefit biodiversity conservation by inducing community wide trophic cascades. Harnessing the positive ecological effects of dingoes while at the same time minimising their impacts on agriculture is a major socio-political challenge in Australia [Current Zoology 57 （5）： 668-670].
