Category Archives: Biochemistry

Many roads lead to Rome there is no one right way to solve an evolutionary hurdle. Viruses encounter the same evolutionary problems, but have evolved lots and lots and lots of different solutions to the exact same problems. Random chance of mutations + the bumbling blindness of natural selection (good enough is selected, not BEST!) means all that bumbling mess leads to different solutions. Some might work better than others, but they all work, and thats good enough.

Its easy to comprehend an RNA virus doing something differently than a very distantly related DNA virus. But differences exist between closely related viruses as well. We all know no-new-genes-no-new-functions Michael Behe and his Creationist BFFs hate the evolutionary capacity of new-genes-new-functions HIV-1. They have to hate its cousin Bovine immunodeficiency virus too:

The bovine immunodeficiency virus Rev protein: identification of novel nuclear import pathway and nuclear export signal among retroviral Rev/Rev-like proteins

There are lots of different ways to get a protein. Retroviruses operate like a sheet cake it makes one bit mRNA that gets cuts up into lots of little mRNAs as it leaves the nucleus, which go one to be translated into all the proteins the retrovirus needs.

But then how to you get a retroviral genome into the babby viruses? The retroviral genome is a big uncut piece of mRNA. If it always gets cut up when it leaves the nucleus, how can you ever get that big uncut RNA genome into new viruses?

Lentiviruses have an answer to this dilemma Regulator of Virion Expression, Rev.

Rev escorts the mRNA out of the nucleus, so it can be chopped up in different ways to get different retroviral proteins, or, prevent the RNA from being cut entirely so full genomes can be packaged into babby viruses.

And of course, its not just about Rev getting out of the nucleus with its RNA companion. It must also be able to get itself into the nucleus. Proteins like Rev are made in the cytoplasm on ribosomes it needs to perform a few tricks to get itself into the nucleus to pick up its RNA buddy.

So Rev does two things gets into the nucleus, gets out of the nucleus with RNA. Gets into the nucleus, gets out of the nucleus with RNA. Over and over.

You would think that Rev from HIV and Rev from BIV would look and behave in the same manner. Theyre the same protein from the same family of retrovirus (lentivirus) that accomplish the same function.

Follow this link:
Novel biochemistry in Bovine immunodeficiency virus [erv]

DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Dublin - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/psxwcg/comprehensive_chir) has announced the addition of John Wiley and Sons Ltd's new book "Comprehensive Chiroptical Spectroscopy, 2 Volume Set" to their offering.

This two-volume set provides an introduction to the important methods of chiroptical spectroscopy in general, and circular dichroism (CD) in particular, which are increasingly important in all areas of chemistry, biochemistry, and structural biology.

The set can be used as a text for undergraduate and graduate students and as a reference for researchers in academia and industry, with or without the companion volume in this set.

Experimental methods and instrumentation are described with topics ranging from the most widely used methods (electronic and vibrational CD) to frontier areas such as nonlinear spectroscopy and photoelectron CD, as well as the theory of chiroptical methods and techniques for simulating chiroptical properties.

Each chapter is written by one or more leading authorities with extensive experience in the field.

Key Topics Covered:

PART I INTRODUCTION

1 ON THE INTERACTION OF LIGHT WITH MOLECULES: PATHWAYS TO THE THEORETICAL INTERPRETATION OF CHIROPTICAL PHENOMENA

2 MEASUREMENT OF THE CIRCULAR DICHROISM OF ELECTRONIC TRANSITIONS

More here:
Research and Markets: Comprehensive Chiroptical Spectroscopy, 2 Volume Set

Writer: Kathleen Phillips, 979-845-2872, ka-phillips@tamu.edu Contact: Dr. Dorothy Shippen, 979-862-2342, dshippen@tamu.edu

COLLEGE STATION Dr. Dorothy Shippen, professor of biochemistry and biophysics, has received the Texas AgriLife Research Senior Faculty Fellow Award.

The faculty fellows program, created in 1998, recognizes people who have contributed to the scholarly creation and dissemination of new knowledge through exceptional research leadership and grantsmanship.

Professors and associate professors in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University who hold a joint appointment with AgriLife Research are eligible for the senior faculty fellow honor and $5,000 award.

Shippen was honored with Dr. Del Gatlin, fisheries researcher, and Dr. Bruce McCarl, agricultural economist, both of whom also received Senior Faculty Fellow awards, and with Dr. Binayak Mohanty, who was named Faculty Fellow.

I am extremely proud of these scientists whose studies have brought great advances in their fields and to the benefit of the public and our agency, said Dr. Craig Nessler, AgriLife Research director. Their scientific endeavors are yielding results that positively impact people in our state, nation and world.

Shippens studies on telomerase an enzyme which has special significance to aging and cancer research, led to 16 scientific papers being published in the last five years, according to her nomination. Among the journals that have published her research are Nature, Science and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Dr. Shippen rapidly carved a unique scientific niche for herself, as she is now unquestionably the worlds expert in this subfield of telomerase research, said Dr. Greg Reinhart, Texas A&M department of biochemistry and biophysics chair. The excitement derives not just from the important implication of her work for plant science, but also because this model organism, despite being a plant, is in many ways a better model of mammalian telomerase behavior than the more commonly studied organisms.

The citation noted that Shippen is frequently invited to speak at major scientific conferences and is known for her rigorous but popular teaching ability in college courses such as molecular biology and for her involvement in numerous scientific associations.

Shippen earned her bachelors in biology in 1982 from Auburn University and her doctorate in biology in 1987 from the University of Alabama.

Continued here:
Shippen honored as Faculty Fellow by Texas AgriLife Research

KIEV, Ukraine--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Enamine Ltd, a leading provider of screening compounds, chemical building blocks and discovery services, today announced that it has signed a collaboration agreement with the Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology (MRC LMB), Cambridge, UK, and the Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic (IOCB), Prague, Czech Republic.The new alliance is aimed at discovering novel Rhomboid Protease inhibitors as potential drugs to treat infectious, parasitic, oncological, immune and cardiovascular diseases.

Under the terms of the agreement, Enamine will provide the MRC LMB and IOCB with access to its integrated drug discovery capabilities, including Molecular Modeling, Compound Library, Screening Assays, Hit Finding and Characterization, Hit to Lead Chemistry and ADMET. The three parties will jointly own the Intellectual Property resulting from this programme and will seek to partner the small molecule inhibitors generated with pharmaceutical companies for onward clinical development. The collaboration agreement was negotiated by MRC Technology on behalf of MRC LMB.

Dr. Sergey Zozulya, Vice President, Biology at Enamine, said: "We are delighted to launch this collaboration with high calibre partners, demonstrating the interest of prominent academics in realising the translational potential of their scientific discoveries through an alliance with Enamine. This alliance reflects our strategy to apply our integrated discovery platform, cost effective solutions and state-of-the-art technologies to create valuable IP for our partners and clients. With our recently introduced High Throughput Screening and bioanalytical service components, we have added capability to boost productivity."

Dr. Matthew Freeman, Head of Cell Biology Division at MRC LMB, commented: "We anticipate a very successful relationship with Enamine. This project provides evidence of the ability of our respective research centers to recognize valuable drug discovery models.

Dr. Kvido Strisovsky, Group Leader at IOCB, said: "We are delighted to be part of this collaboration and we hope that the project will realise its full potential for the benefit of patients.

ENDS

About Enamine http://www.enamine.net

Established in Kiev in 1991, Enamine is a medicinal chemistry driven company, provider of innovative screening libraries, comprehensive chemistry support in hit development, and integrated drug discovery services.

About the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology http://www2.mrc-lmb.cam.ac.uk/about-lmb

Here is the original post:
Enamine, MRC LMB and IOCB Announce Collaboration to Identify Novel Rhomboid Protease Inhibitors for Treatment of ...

June 5, 2012

Stover honored with MERIT award for folate research

For his long-running research on the molecular genetics and biochemistry of the vitamins folate and vitamin B-12, and their link to colon cancer, cardiovascular disease and human birth defects, Patrick Stover, professor of nutritional biochemistry and director of Cornell's Division of Nutritional Sciences, has received a prestigious MERIT (Method to Extend Research in Time) award from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK).

In the award letter from NIDDK, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Stover is cited for his "consistent and excellence contributions to scientific knowledge" on the subject. Among his breakthrough findings: the identification of a gene that increases the risk for colon cancer in laboratory mice when their diets lack folate; the genetic underpinnings of mitochondrial depletion syndrome in humans; and, in mice, the discovery of a gene that causes neural tube defects.

MERIT awards provide recipients with stable, long-term research funding, freeing them from the administrative burden of submitting their work for regular renewals and reviews. With the award, Stover will receive 10 years of uninterrupted support for his research on folate (vitamin B-9) and vitamin B-12.

"I am grateful to NIH-NIDDK for their continuous support of my research program since I arrived at Cornell as an assistant professor in 1994, and for giving me the security and opportunity to undertake high-risk/high-reward fundamental research through this MERIT award," Stover said. "I value my continuing relationship with this important NIH institute, which has played such a pivotal role in advancing our understanding of fundamental metabolism and nutrition and the molecular basis of human chronic disease."

Stover had previously received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers and the E.L.R. Stokstad Award in Nutritional Biochemistry from the American Society for Nutrition.

Ted Boscia is assistant director of communications for the College of Human Ecology.

##

View post:
Stover honored with MERIT award for folate research

It's a good thing that Jason Tarver mastered (as in degree) biochemistry and molecular biology. Because he is taking on much uglier, more complicated material now.

How are the Raiders going to stop the run?

And when he's done with that decade-old problem, Oakland's bright-eyed new defensive coordinator can tackle this brainteaser:

How are the Raiders going to stop the pass?

Oakland, which won eight games last season on the strength of its offense, became one of four teams to allow at least 30 TD passes and 5.0 yards per carry in a season. (Not to mention the entire squad's NFL-record 163 penalties for 1,358 yards.) The Raiders had a lot of high-priced players, but few, if any, playmakers on defense.

And then, in the offseason, Oakland cut leading pass-rusher Kamerion Wimbley for salary-cap reasons and also let go of its two starting cornerbacks, Stanford Routt and Chris Johnson.

The Raiders replaced them with several veterans signed to one-year contracts and rookies drafted after the second round, as they didn't have any early picks.

All of which explains why Tarver can't go into a lot of detail when asked what the Raiders' defense is going to look like. He doesn't know yet.

The team was back on the field for organized workouts Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and Tarver and new head coach Dennis Allen are still in discovery mode.

"Put all these guys out here and see who can play and who can learn and who can communicate and who can fit with your group," Tarver said.

Follow this link:
Raiders' professor of defense