Aharonov-Casher phase and persistent current in a polyacetylene ring

We investigate a polyacetylene ring in an axially symmetric, static electric field with a modified SSH Hamiltonian of a polyacetylene chain. An effective gauge potential of the single electron Hamiltonian due to spin-field interaction is obtained and it results in a Fr\"{o}hlich's type of superconductivity equivalent to the effect of travelling lattice wave. The total energy as well as the persistent current density are shown to be a periodic function of the flux of the gauge field embraced by the polyacetylene ring.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Radiative Seesaw Mechanism at Weak Scale

We investigate an alternative seesaw mechanism for neutrino mass generation. Neutrino mass is generated at loop level but the basic concept of usual seesaw mechanism is kept. One simple model is constructed to show how this mechanism is realized. The applications of this seesaw mechanism at weak scale to cosmology and neutrino physics are discussed.Comment: 12 Pages, latex, no figure

Charged Scalar Particles and τ\tau Leptonic Decay

Charged scalar particles introduced in some extensions of the standard model can induce $\tau$ leptonic decay at tree level. We find that with some charged SU(2)-singlet scalar particles, like ones introduced in Zee-type models, $\tau$ leptonic decay width is always smaller than what is predicted by the standard model, therefore they may offer a natural solution to $\tau$ decay puzzle. To be more specific, we examine some Zee-type models in detail to see if at the same time they are acceptable in particle physics, cosmology and astrophysics. It is shown that $\tau$ decay data do put some constrains on these models.Comment: ICTP Report No. IC/93/31, 12 pages, Latex, one figure is not included, it is available upon deman

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Docking Studies of Ring-Opened Analogues of Ipomoeassin F

The plant-derived macrocyclic resin glycoside ipomoeassin F (Ipom-F) binds to Sec61α and significantly disrupts multiple aspects of Sec61-mediated protein biogenesis at the endoplasmic reticulum, ultimately leading to cell death. However, extensive assessment of Ipom-F as a molecular tool and a therapeutic lead is hampered by its limited production scale, largely caused by intramolecular assembly of the macrocyclic ring. Here, using in vitro and/or in cellula biological assays to explore the first series of ring-opened analogues for the ipomoeassins, and indeed all resin glycosides, we provide clear evidence that macrocyclic integrity is not required for the cytotoxic inhibition of Sec61-dependent protein translocation by Ipom-F. Furthermore, our modeling suggests that open-chain analogues of Ipom-F can interact with multiple sites on the Sec61α subunit, most likely located at a previously identified binding site for mycolactone and/or the so-called lateral gate. Subsequent in silico-aided design led to the discovery of the stereochemically simplified analogue 3 as a potent, alternative lead compound that could be synthesized much more efficiently than Ipom-F and will accelerate future ipomoeassin research in chemical biology and drug discovery. Our work may also inspire further exploration of ring-opened analogues of other resin glycosides

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation and Docking Studies of Ring-Opened Analogues of Ipomoeassin F

The plant-derived macrocyclic resin glycoside ipomoeassin F (Ipom-F) binds to Sec61α and significantly disrupts multiple aspects of Sec61-mediated protein biogenesis at the endoplas mic reticulum, ultimately leading to cell death. However, extensive assessment of Ipom-F as a molecular tool and a therapeutic lead is hampered by its limited production scale, largely caused by intramolecular assembly of the macrocyclic ring. Here, using in vitro and/or in cellula biological assays to explore the first series of ring-opened analogues for the ipomoeassins, and indeed all resin glycosides, we provide clear evidence that macrocyclic integrity is not required for the cytotoxic inhibition of Sec61-dependent protein translocation by Ipom-F. Furthermore, our modeling suggests that open-chain analogues of Ipom-F can interact with multiple sites on the Sec61α subunit, most likely located at a previously identified binding site for mycolactone and/or the so-called lateral gate. Subsequent in silico-aided design led to the discovery of the stereochemically simplified analogue 3 as a potent, alternative lead compound that could be synthesized much more efficiently than Ipom-F and will accelerate future ipomoeassin research in chemical biology and drug discovery. Our work may also inspire further exploration of ring-opened analogues of other resin glycosides

Ipomoeassin F Binds Sec61α to Inhibit Protein Translocation

Funding Information: We thank the Arkansas Nano & Bio Materials Characterization Facility at the Institute for Nano Sciences & Engineering for our imaging studies, and Prof Yoshito Kishi (Harvard University) for the kind gift of synthetic mycolactone A/B used by S.H. and R.S. W.S. is supported by Grant No. R15GM116032 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and startup funds from the University of Arkansas. This work was also supported in part by Grant No. P30 GM103450 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the NIH and by seed money from the Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI). S.O’K. is the recipient of a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Doctoral Training Programme Award (BB/J014478/ 1), and S.H. holds a Welcome Trust Investigator Award in Science (204957/Z/16/Z). The alpha-1 antitrypsin work was supported by the Alpha-1 Foundation (J.I. and M.J.I.). J.I. and M.J.H. were supported by the intramural program of NCATS, National Institutes of Health, projects 1ZIATR000048-03 (J.I.) and ZIATR000063-04 (M.J.H.). R.S. holds a Welcome Trust Investigator Award in Science (202843/Z/16/Z). C.D. received funding from the Institut Pasteur, the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Med́ icale, and the Fondation Raoul Follereau. N.B.’s synthesis and chemical biology studies of mycolactone were supported by CNRS, Université de Strasbourg, Fondations Potier et Follereau, and the Investisse-ment d’Avenir (Idex Unistra). V.O.P. is supported by the Academy of Finland (Grants 289737 and 314672) and the Sigrid Juselius Foundation. Funding Information: We thank the Arkansas Nano & Bio Materials Characterization Facility at the Institute for Nano Sciences & Engineering for our imaging studies, and Prof Yoshito Kishi (Harvard University) for the kind gift of synthetic mycolactone A/B used by S.H. and R.S. W.S. is supported by Grant No. R15GM116032 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and startup funds from the University of Arkansas. This work was also supported in part by Grant No. P30 GM103450 from the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the NIH and by seed money from the Arkansas Biosciences Institute (ABI). S.O'K. is the recipient of a Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) Doctoral Training Programme Award (BB/J014478/1), and S.H. holds a Welcome Trust Investigator Award in Science (204957/Z/16/Z). The alpha-1 antitrypsin work was supported by the Alpha-1 Foundation (J.I. and M.J.I.). J.I. and M.J.H. were supported by the intramural program of NCATS, National Institutes of Health, projects 1ZIATR000048-03 (J.I.) and ZIATR000063-04 (M.J.H.). R.S. holds a Welcome Trust Investigator Award in Science (202843/Z/16/Z). C.D. received funding from the Institut Pasteur, the Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale, and the Fondation Raoul Follereau. N.B.'s synthesis and chemical biology studies of mycolactone were supported by CNRS, Universite de Strasbourg, Fondations Potier et Follereau and the Investissement d'Avenir (Idex Unistra). V.O.P. is supported by the Academy of Finland (Grants 289737 and 314672) and the Sigrid Juselius Foundation. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 American Chemical Society.Ipomoeassin F is a potent natural cytotoxin that inhibits growth of many tumor cell lines with single-digit nanomolar potency. However, its biological and pharmacological properties have remained largely unexplored. Building upon our earlier achievements in total synthesis and medicinal chemistry, we used chemical proteomics to identify Sec61 alpha (protein transport protein Sec61 subunit alpha isoform 1), the pore-forming subunit of the Sec61 protein translocon, as a direct binding partner of ipomoeassin F in living cells. The interaction is specific and strong enough to survive lysis conditions, enabling a biotin analogue of ipomoeassin F to pull down Sec61 alpha from live cells, yet it is also reversible, as judged by several experiments including fluorescent streptavidin staining, delayed competition in affinity pulldown, and inhibition of TNF biogenesis after washout. Sec61 alpha forms the central subunit of the ER protein translocation complex, and the binding of ipomoeassin F results in a substantial, yet selective, inhibition of protein translocation in vitro and a broad ranging inhibition of protein secretion in live cells. Lastly, the unique resistance profile demonstrated by specific amino acid single-point mutations in Sec61 alpha provides compelling evidence that Sec61 alpha is the primary molecular target of ipomoeassin F and strongly suggests that the binding of this natural product to Sec61 alpha is distinctive. Therefore, ipomoeassin F represents the first plant-derived, carbohydrate-based member of a novel structural class that offers new opportunities to explore Sec61 alpha function and to further investigate its potential as a therapeutic target for drug discovery.Peer reviewe

The Oncoprotein EVI1 and the DNA Methyltransferase Dnmt3 Co-Operate in Binding and De Novo Methylation of Target DNA

EVI1 has pleiotropic functions during murine embryogenesis and its targeted disruption leads to prenatal death by severely affecting the development of virtually all embryonic organs. However, its functions in adult tissues are still unclear. When inappropriately expressed, EVI1 becomes one of the most aggressive oncogenes associated with human hematopoietic and solid cancers. The mechanisms by which EVI1 transforms normal cells are unknown, but we showed recently that EVI1 indirectly upregulates self-renewal and cell-cycling genes by inappropriate methylation of CpG dinucleotides in the regulatory regions of microRNA-124-3 (miR-124-3), leading to the repression of this small gene that controls normal differentiation and cell cycling of somatic cells. We used the regulatory regions of miR-124-3 as a read-out system to investigate how EVI1 induces de novo methylation of DNA. Here we show that EVI1 physically interacts with DNA methyltransferases 3a and 3b (Dnmt3a/b), which are the only de novo DNA methyltransferases identified to date in mouse and man, and that it forms an enzymatically active protein complex that induces de novo DNA methylation in vitro. This protein complex targets and binds to a precise region of miR-124-3 that is necessary for repression of a reporter gene by EVI1. Based on our findings, we propose that in cooperation with Dnmt3a/b EVI1 regulates the methylation of DNA as a sequence-specific mediator of de novo DNA methylation and that inappropriate EVI1 expression contributes to carcinogenesis through improper DNA methylation

Anti-HIV-1 Activity of a New Scorpion Venom Peptide Derivative Kn2-7

For over 30 years, HIV/AIDS has wreaked havoc in the world. In the absence of an effective vaccine for HIV, development of new anti-HIV agents is urgently needed. We previously identified the antiviral activities of the scorpion-venom-peptide-derived mucroporin-M1 for three RNA viruses (measles viruses, SARS-CoV, and H5N1). In this investigation, a panel of scorpion venom peptides and their derivatives were designed and chosen for assessment of their anti-HIV activities. A new scorpion venom peptide derivative Kn2-7 was identified as the most potent anti-HIV-1 peptide by screening assays with an EC50 value of 2.76 µg/ml (1.65 µM) and showed low cytotoxicity to host cells with a selective index (SI) of 13.93. Kn2-7 could inhibit all members of a standard reference panel of HIV-1 subtype B pseudotyped virus (PV) with CCR5-tropic and CXCR4-tropic NL4-3 PV strain. Furthermore, it also inhibited a CXCR4-tropic replication-competent strain of HIV-1 subtype B virus. Binding assay of Kn2-7 to HIV-1 PV by Octet Red system suggested the anti-HIV-1 activity was correlated with a direct interaction between Kn2-7 and HIV-1 envelope. These results demonstrated that peptide Kn2-7 could inhibit HIV-1 by direct interaction with viral particle and may become a promising candidate compound for further development of microbicide against HIV-1

MAVS-Mediated Apoptosis and Its Inhibition by Viral Proteins

BACKGROUND: Host responses to viral infection include both immune activation and programmed cell death. The mitochondrial antiviral signaling adaptor, MAVS (IPS-1, VISA or Cardif) is critical for host defenses to viral infection by inducing type-1 interferons (IFN-I), however its role in virus-induced apoptotic responses has not been elucidated. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We show that MAVS causes apoptosis independent of its function in initiating IFN-I production. MAVS-induced cell death requires mitochondrial localization, is caspase dependent, and displays hallmarks of apoptosis. Furthermore, MAVS(-/-) fibroblasts are resistant to Sendai virus-induced apoptosis. A functional screen identifies the hepatitis C virus NS3/4A and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) nonstructural protein (NSP15) as inhibitors of MAVS-induced apoptosis, possibly as a method of immune evasion. SIGNIFICANCE: This study describes a novel role for MAVS in controlling viral infections through the induction of apoptosis, and identifies viral proteins which inhibit this host response