Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of adenylylsulfate reductase from Archaeoglobus fulgidus

A group of anaerobic microorganisms use sulfate as the terminal electron acceptor for energy conservation. The process of sulfate reduction involves several enzymatic steps. One of them is the conversion of adenylyl sulfate (adenosine-5′-phosphosulfate) to sulfite, catalyzed by adenylylsulfate reductase. This enzyme is composed of a FAD-containing α-subunit and a β-subunit harbouring two [4Fe–4S] clusters. Adenylylsulfate reductase was isolated from Archaeoglobus fulgidus under anaerobic conditions and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 4000 as precipitant. The crystals grew in space group P212121, with unit-cell parameters a = 72.4, b = 113.2, c = 194.0 Å. The asymmetric unit probably contains two αβ units. The crystals diffract beyond 2 Å resolution and are suitable for X-ray structure analysis

First-in-human phase i study of PRS-050 (Angiocal), an anticalin targeting and antagonizing VEGF-A, in patients with advanced solid tumors

10.1371/journal.pone.0083232PLoS ONE812e8323

Neurochemical alterations in women with borderline personality disorder and comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder

BACKGROUND: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is associated with structural and functional brain changes. Recent models and findings refer to alterations of glutamate and total N-acetylaspartate (tNAA) in this condition. METHODS: Absolute quantities of tNAA, creatine, glutamate, glutamine, myoinositol and total choline were measured using 3 Tesla magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the left anterior cingulate cortex and the left cerebellum in 14 unmedicated women with BPD and comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 18 healthy women. Both groups were matched with respect to age, education and premorbid intelligence. RESULTS: In the anterior cingulate, we found significantly higher tNAA and glutamate concentrations and a trend for lower glutamine levels in women with BPD and comorbid ADHD as compared to healthy women. There were no significant group differences in cerebellar metabolite concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: Glutamatergic changes in the anterior cingulate may be associated with BPD and comorbid ADHD. Increased anterior cingulate tNAA may indicate disturbed energy metabolism or impaired frontal maturation