6‐mercaptopurine (6‐MP) is used for treating various cancers and autoimmune disorders. A few examples of transition metal complexes of 6‐MP have been shown to enhance its anticancer activity, but ...many remain untested. We isolated five highly stable and colored metal complexes of 6‐MP and confirmed their structures by elemental analysis, spectral, and thermal techniques. Infrared (IR) spectra revealed that 6‐MP is a bidentate ligand that interacts through sulfur and pyrimidine nitrogen in a 1:2 (M:L) molar ratio. The magnetic susceptibility and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra for the Cu(II) complex revealed an octahedral arrangement around the metal ion with strong covalent bonding. The fully optimized geometries of the metal structures obtained using density function theory (DFT)/B3LYP calculations were used to verify the structural and biological features. DNA titration revealed that the octahedral Cu(II) complex has a critical binding constant value of Kb = 8 × 105. Docking studies using three different cancer protein receptors were used to predict the biological applications of the synthesized drug‐metal complexes. Finally, cytotoxicity assays against a myeloma cancer cell line (MM) and a colon cancer cell line (Caco‐2) revealed favorable anticancer activity for the copper complex, exceeding that of the gold‐standard chemotherapeutic cisplatin.
The bioactivity study involved DNA‐binding, molecular docking, and cytotoxicity analyses and revealed that the copper complex of 6‐mercaptopurine has a high binding affinity for DNA and higher anticancer activity against both colon cancer and multiple myeloma cells than the standard cisplatin chemotherapy drugs.
New covalent organic frameworks (COFs), encompassing redox‐functionalized moieties and an aza‐fused π‐conjugated system, are designed, synthesized, and deployed as negative electrodes in asymmetric ...supercapacitors (ASC), for the first time. The Hex‐Aza‐COFs are synthesized based on the solvothermal condensation reaction of cyclohexanehexone and redox‐functionalized aromatic tetramines with benzoquinone (Hex‐Aza‐COF‐2) or phenazine (Hex‐Aza‐COF‐3). The redox‐functionalized Hex‐Aza‐COFs show a specific capacitance of 585 F g−1 for Hex‐Aza‐COF‐2 and 663 F g−1 for Hex‐Aza‐COF‐3 in a three‐electrode configuration. These values are the highest among reported COF materials and are comparable with state‐of‐the‐art pseudocapacitive electrodes. The Hex‐Aza‐COFs exhibit a wide voltage window (0 to −1.0 V), which allow the construction of a two‐electrode ASC device by combining them with RuO2. The complementary potential windows of Hex‐Aza‐COF‐3 and RuO2 enable an asymmetric device with a high voltage window of 1.7 V. The RuO2//Hex‐Aza‐COF‐3 ASC device achieves an energy density value of 23.3 W h kg−1 at a power density of 661.2 W kg−1. The newly developed negative COF materials open new prospects for the development of high‐performance ASCs.
New redox‐functionalized Hex‐Aza covalent organic frameworks (Hex‐Aza‐COFs) are synthesized and applied as negative electrodes in asymmetric supercapacitors. These Hex‐Aza‐COFs show a specific capacitance of 585 F g−1 for Hex‐Aza‐COF‐2 and 663 F g−1 for Hex‐Aza‐COF‐3 in a three‐electrode configuration at 1 A g−1. The asymmetric device composed of Hex‐Aza‐COF and ruthenium oxide, displays a broad voltage window of 1.7 V.
The process of aggregation of proteins and peptides is dependent on the concentration of proteins, and the rate of aggregation can be altered by the presence of metal ions, but this dependence is not ...always a straightforward relationship. In general, aggregation does not occur under normal physiological conditions, yet it can be induced in the presence of certain metal ions. However, the extent of the influence of metal ion interactions on protein aggregation has not yet been fully comprehended. A consensus has thus been difficult to reach because the acceleration/inhibition of the aggregation of proteins in the presence of metal ions depends on several factors such as pH and the concentration of the aggregated proteins involved as well as metal concentration level of metal ions. Metal ions, like Cu
2+
, Zn
2+
, Pb
2+
etc.
may either accelerate or inhibit aggregation simply because the experimental conditions affect the behavior of biomolecules. It is clear that understanding the relationship between metal ion concentration and protein aggregation will prove useful for future scientific applications. This review focuses on the dependence of the aggregation of selected important biomolecules (peptides and proteins) on metal ion concentrations. We review proteins that are prone to aggregation, the result of which can cause serious neurodegenerative disorders. Furthering our understanding of the relationship between metal ion concentration and protein aggregation will prove useful for future scientific applications, such as finding therapies for neurodegenerative diseases.
The process of aggregation of proteins and peptides is dependent on the concentration of proteins, and the rate of aggregation can be altered by the presence of metal ions, but this dependence is not always a straightforward relationship.
The metabolic symbiosis with photosynthetic algae allows corals to thrive in the oligotrophic environments of tropical seas. Different aspects of this relationship have been investigated using the ...emerging model organism Aiptasia. However, many fundamental questions, such as the nature of the symbiotic relationship and the interactions of nutrients between the partners remain highly debated. Using a meta-analysis approach, we identified a core set of 731 high-confidence symbiosis-associated genes that revealed host-dependent recycling of waste ammonium and amino acid synthesis as central processes in this relationship. Subsequent validation via metabolomic analyses confirmed that symbiont-derived carbon enables host recycling of ammonium into nonessential amino acids. We propose that this provides a regulatory mechanism to control symbiont growth through a carbon-dependent negative feedback of nitrogen availability to the symbiont. The dependence of this mechanism on symbiont-derived carbon highlights the susceptibility of this symbiosis to changes in carbon translocation, as imposed by environmental stress.
The potential health benefits of probiotics have long been elucidated since Metchnikoff and his coworkers postulated the association of probiotic consumption on human’s health and longevity. Since ...then, many scientific findings and research have further established the correlation of probiotic and gut-associated diseases such as irritable bowel disease and chronic and antibiotic-associated diarrhea. However, the beneficial impact of probiotic is not limited to the gut-associated diseases alone, but also in different acute and chronic infectious diseases. This is due to the fact that probiotics are able to modify the intestinal microbial ecosystem, enhance the gut barrier function, provide competitive adherence to the mucosa and epithelium, produce antimicrobial substances, and modulate the immune activity by enhancing the innate and adaptive immune response. Nevertheless, the current literature with respect to the association of probiotic and cancer, high serum cholesterol, and allergic and HIV diseases are still scarce and controversial. Therefore, in the present work, we reviewed the potential preventive and therapeutic role of probiotics for cancer, high serum cholesterol, and allergic and HIV diseases as well as providing its possible mechanism of actions.
Effects of Abiotic Stress on Soil Microbiome Abdul Rahman, Nur Sabrina Natasha; Abdul Hamid, Nur Wahida; Nadarajah, Kalaivani
International journal of molecular sciences,
08/2021, Letnik:
22, Številka:
16
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
Rhizospheric organisms have a unique manner of existence since many factors can influence the shape of the microbiome. As we all know, harnessing the interaction between soil microbes and plants is ...critical for sustainable agriculture and ecosystems. We can achieve sustainable agricultural practice by incorporating plant-microbiome interaction as a positive technology. The contribution of this interaction has piqued the interest of experts, who plan to do more research using beneficial microorganism in order to accomplish this vision. Plants engage in a wide range of interrelationship with soil microorganism, spanning the entire spectrum of ecological potential which can be mutualistic, commensal, neutral, exploitative, or competitive. Mutualistic microorganism found in plant-associated microbial communities assist their host in a number of ways. Many studies have demonstrated that the soil microbiome may provide significant advantages to the host plant. However, various soil conditions (pH, temperature, oxygen, physics-chemistry and moisture), soil environments (drought, submergence, metal toxicity and salinity), plant types/genotype, and agricultural practices may result in distinct microbial composition and characteristics, as well as its mechanism to promote plant development and defence against all these stressors. In this paper, we provide an in-depth overview of how the above factors are able to affect the soil microbial structure and communities and change above and below ground interactions. Future prospects will also be discussed.
Molecular doping is often used in organic semiconductors to tune their (opto)electronic properties. Despite its versatility, however, its application in organic photovoltaics (OPVs) remains limited ...and restricted to p‐type dopants. In an effort to control the charge transport within the bulk‐heterojunction (BHJ) of OPVs, the n‐type dopant benzyl viologen (BV) is incorporated in a BHJ composed of the donor polymer PM6 and the small‐molecule acceptor IT‐4F. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the cells is found to increase from 13.2% to 14.4% upon addition of 0.004 wt% BV. Analysis of the photoactive materials and devices reveals that BV acts simultaneously as n‐type dopant and microstructure modifier for the BHJ. Under optimal BV concentrations, these synergistic effects result in balanced hole and electron mobilities, higher absorption coefficients and increased charge‐carrier density within the BHJ, while significantly extending the cells' shelf‐lifetime. The n‐type doping strategy is applied to five additional BHJ systems, for which similarly remarkable performance improvements are obtained. OPVs of particular interest are based on the ternary PM6:Y6:PC71BM:BV(0.004 wt%) blend for which a maximum PCE of 17.1%, is obtained. The effectiveness of the n‐doping strategy highlights electron transport in NFA‐based OPVs as being a key issue.
Addition of the n‐type dopant benzyl viologen (BV) into several best‐in‐class organic bulk‐heterojunctions (BHJ) is shown to consistently improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the resulting solar cells. The presence of BV inside the BHJs increases the absorption coefficient, balances charge transport, and enhances the charge‐carrier density. These synergistic effects result in organic photovoltaics with a maximum PCE of 17.1%.
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