Search

In this study, we evaluated the cis/trans-lycopene content in commercial ketchup, and investigated the effect of cooking of fermented tomato sour soup added with one of seven oils including peanut oil (PO), sesame oil (SO), corn oil (CO), tung seed oil (TSO), olive oil (OO), Litsea cubeba oil (LCO), and mustard oil (MO) on lycopene isomerization. The results showed significant differences in the contents of total lycopene and cis-lycopene among six brands of ketchup (P < 0.05), with cis-lycopene accounting for only 20.84%-24.56% of the total lycopene. The contents of total lycopene and cis-lycopene were significantly different among the seven cooked fermented tomato sour soup samples (P < 0.05), and their proportions of cis-isomers (51.40%-78.23%) were 1.2-1.9 times higher than that of the blank group and 2.09-3.75 times higher than those of the six brands of ketchup. Specifically, the sample with added MO had the highest proportion of cis-lycopene (78.23%), followed by those with SO and PO (75.34% and 71.65%, respectively). The total lycopene and cis-lycopene contents of the sample with added PO were 6.6 and 11.4 times higher than those of the blank control group, respectively, indicating that the former has great market potential. Therefore, the results of this study could provide a scientific basis for the further processing of fermented tomato sour soup for high-value functional products.

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The cis/trans isomerization of peptidyl‐prolyl peptide bonds is often the bottleneck of the refolding reaction for proteins containing cis proline residues in the native state. Proline (Pro) analogues, especially C4‐substituted fluoroprolines, have been widely used in protein engineering to enhance the thermodynamic stability of peptides and proteins and to investigate folding kinetics. 4‐thiaproline (Thp) has been shown to bias the ring pucker of Pro, to increase the cis population percentage of model peptides in comparison to Pro, and to diminish the activation energy barrier for the cis/trans isomerization reaction. Despite its intriguing properties, Thp has been seldom incorporated into proteins. Moreover, the impact of Thp on the folding kinetics of globular proteins has never been reported. In this study, we show that upon incorporation of Thp at cisPro76 into the thioredoxin variant Trx1P the half‐life of the refolding reaction decreased from ~2 h to ~35 s. A dramatic acceleration of the refolding rate could be observed also for the protein pseudo wild‐type barstar upon replacement of cisPro48 with Thp. Quantum chemical calculations suggested that the replacement of the CγH2 group by a sulfur atom in the pyrrolidine ring, might lower the barrier for cis/trans rotation due to a weakened peptide bond. The protein variants retained their thermodynamic stability upon incorporation of Thp, while the catalytic and enzymatic activities of the modified Trx1P remained unchanged. Our results show that the Pro isostere Thp might accelerate the rate of the slow refolding reaction for proteins containing cis proline residues in the native state, independent from the local structural environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porphyrin compound-based photochemical molecules and biomaterials have been synthesized for photosensitivity and bioimaging experiments. However, most porphyrin photosensitizers have limited application in biological environments owing to severe aggregation in aqueous solutions. In the present study, we prepared amphipathic and photosensitive copolymers using zinc porphyrin via consecutive atom transfer-free radical polymerizations (ATRPs) comprising photoresponsive and thermosensitive chain segments. Furthermore, we evaluated the photocatalytic activity of the copolymer for methylene blue (MB) in water.Methods: First, we synthesized a photoresponsive ain segment of poly (6-[4-(4-methoxyphenylazo)phenoxy]hexyl methacrylate) (ZnPor-PAzo); then, ZnPor-PAzo was used as a macroinitiator and was polymerized with N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) via ATRPs to obtain a novel photochemical and thermoresponsive diblock biomaterial with end-functionalized zinc porphyrin [(ZnPor-PAzo)–PNIPAMs].Results: The polydispersity index (Mw/Mn) of (ZnPor-PAzo)–PNIPAMs was 1.19–1.32. Furthermore, its photoresponsive and thermosensitive characteristics were comprehensively studied.Discussion: The end-functionalized diblock copolymer (ZnPor-PAzo)–PNIPAM exhibits obvious fluorescence and efficient photocatalytic activity for aqueous MB under visible light.

Reactions of isocyanates/isothiocyanates with primary and secondary phosphines without solvent at room temperature afforded phosphinecarboxamide/phosphinecarbothioamide, respectively, in excellent yields. Furthermore, palladium complex Pd(COD)Cl2 was allowed to react with Ph2PC(O)NHPh (1a) to afford [Pd{Ph2PC(O)NHPh-κP}2Cl2] (3). On the other hand, the reaction of Pd(COD)Cl2 with 1 eq. of Ph2PC(S)NHPh (2a) afforded [PdCl2{Ph2PC(S)NHPh-κP,S}] (4). In the case of a 1:2 molar ratio, [PdCl{Ph2PC(S)NHPh-κP,S}{Ph2PC(S)NHPh-κP}]Cl (5) was formed. The newly obtained compounds were fully characterized using multielement NMR measurements and elemental analyses. In addition, the molecular structures of Ph2PC(O)NH(CH2)2Cl (1j), Ph2PC(S)NHPh(4-Cl) (2c), and 3–5 were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intrinsically disordered proteins and protein regions (IDPs/IDRs) are important in diverse biological processes. Lacking a stable secondary structure, they display an ensemble of conformations. One factor contributing to this conformational heterogeneity is the proline cis/trans isomerization. The knowledge and value of a given cis/trans proline ratio are paramount, as the different conformational states can be responsible for different biological functions. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is the only method to characterize the two co-existing isomers on an atomic level, and only a few works report on these data. Methods: After collecting the available experimental literature findings, we conducted a statistical analysis regarding the influence of the neighboring amino acid types (i ± 4 regions) on forming a cis-Pro isomer. Based on this, several regularities were formulated. NMR spectroscopy was then used to define the cis-Pro content on model peptides and desired point mutations. Results: Analysis of NMR spectra prove the dependence of the cis-Pro content on the type of the neighboring amino acid—with special attention on aromatic and positively charged sidechains. Conclusions: Our results may benefit the design of protein regions with a given cis-Pro content, and contribute to a better understanding of the roles and functions of IDPs.

Cytochrome c -type cis / trans fatty acid isomerase (CTI) has been proposed to control cis / trans isomerism of unsaturated fats in lipid-related food products. A gene encoding wildtype CTI from Pseudomonas putida KT2440 was introduced into the pET26b/pEC86 co-expression system, and the heme C cofactor was covalently bound into the expressed CTI protein through in vivo cytochrome c maturation. The recombinant CTI, purified from Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), catalyzed the cis / trans isomerization of three edible monounsaturated fatty acids. It exhibited strong substrate selectivity for palmitoleic acid (C 16:1 , cis -Δ9), reaching an 80.93 ± 1.78% conversion at reaction equilibrium. Notably, its promiscuity for other fatty acids (oleic acid: 29.21 ± 5.01% and cis -vaccenic acid: 51.21 ± 0.05%) was observed. Under the optimum reaction conditions (pH 7.5 and 15 °C), the kinetic parameters (V max , K m , and k cat) of CTI were derived as 0.035 mM min−1, 0.267 mM, and 0.141 sec−1, respectively, and the final catalytic efficiency (k cat /K m) was calculated as 5.26 × 102 M−1 s−1. Furthermore, structural properties of CTI were analyzed using deep learning-based protein structure prediction, suggesting the potential for specificity variability by altering loop dynamics and helix interactions surrounding the heme-binding motif. The following results would provide theoretical and practical information for CTI enzymes as novel promising industrial catalysts to control cis / trans isomerism of lipids in food products. [Display omitted] • Cis / trans fatty acid isomerase (CTI) is a bacterial cytochrome c -type hemoprotein. • The recombinant CTI was expressed in the pET26b/pEC86 co-expression system. • The recombinant CTI showed substrate promiscuity towards unsaturated fatty acids. • The recombinant CTI showed strong substrate selectivity against palmitoleic acid. • Deep learning-based structural prediction demonstrated the mode of action of CTI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reactions of isocyanates/isothiocyanates with primary and secondary phosphines without solvent at room temperature afforded phosphinecarboxamide/phosphinecarbothioamide, respectively, in excellent yields. Furthermore, palladium complex Pd(COD)Cl2 was allowed to react with Ph2PC(O)NHPh (1a) to afford [Pd{Ph2PC(O)NHPh-κP}2Cl2] (3). On the other hand, the reaction of Pd(COD)Cl2 with 1 eq. of Ph2PC(S)NHPh (2a) afforded [PdCl2{Ph2PC(S)NHPh-κP,S}] (4). In the case of a 1:2 molar ratio, [PdCl{Ph2PC(S)NHPh-κP,S}{Ph2PC(S)NHPh-κP}]Cl (5) was formed. The newly obtained compounds were fully characterized using multielement NMR measurements and elemental analyses. In addition, the molecular structures of Ph2PC(O)NH(CH2)2Cl (1j), Ph2PC(S)NHPh(4-Cl) (2c), and 3–5 were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction.

Strigolactones and abscisic acid (ABA) are apocarotenoid-derived plant hormones. Their biosynthesis starts with the conversion of trans-carotenes into cis forms, which serve as direct precursors. Iron-containing DWARF27 isomerases were shown to catalyse or contribute to the trans/cis conversions of these precursor molecules. D27 converts trans-β-carotene into 9-cis-β-carotene, which is the first committed step in strigolactone biosynthesis. Recent studies found that its paralogue, D27-LIKE1, also catalyses this conversion. A crucial step in ABA biosynthesis is the oxidative cleavage of 9-cis-violaxanthin and/or 9-cis-neoxanthin, which are formed from their trans isomers by unknown isomerases. Several lines of evidence point out that D27-like proteins directly or indirectly contribute to 9-cis-violaxanthin conversion, and eventually ABA biosynthesis. Apparently, the diversity of D27-like enzymatic activity is essential for the optimization of cis/trans ratios, and hence act to maintain apocarotenoid precursor pools. In this review, we discuss the functional divergence and redundancy of D27 paralogues and their potential direct contribution to ABA precursor biosynthesis. We provide updates on their gene expression regulation and alleged Fe-S cluster binding feature. Finally, we conclude that the functional divergence of these paralogues is not fully understood and we provide an outlook on potential directions in research., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The cis/trans isomerization of peptidyl-prolyl peptide bonds is often the bottleneck of the refolding reaction for proteins containing cis proline residues in the native state. Proline (Pro) analogues, especially C4-substituted fluoroprolines, have been widely used in protein engineering to enhance the thermodynamic stability of peptides and proteins and to investigate folding kinetics. 4-thiaproline (Thp) has been shown to bias the ring pucker of Pro, to increase the cis population percentage of model peptides in comparison to Pro, and to diminish the activation energy barrier for the cis/trans isomerization reaction. Despite its intriguing properties, Thp has been seldom incorporated into proteins. Moreover, the impact of Thp on the folding kinetics of globular proteins has never been reported. In this study, we show that upon incorporation of Thp at cisPro76 into the thioredoxin variant Trx1P the half-life of the refolding reaction decreased from ~2 h to ~35 s. A dramatic acceleration of the refolding rate could be observed also for the protein pseudo wild-type barstar upon replacement of cisPro48 with Thp. Quantum chemical calculations suggested that the replacement of the C γ H 2 group by a sulfur atom in the pyrrolidine ring, might lower the barrier for cis/trans rotation due to a weakened peptide bond. The protein variants retained their thermodynamic stability upon incorporation of Thp, while the catalytic and enzymatic activities of the modified Trx1P remained unchanged. Our results show that the Pro isostere Thp might accelerate the rate of the slow refolding reaction for proteins containing cis proline residues in the native state, independent from the local structural environment., (© 2023 The Authors. Protein Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of The Protein Society.)

Porphyrin compound-based photochemical molecules and biomaterials have been synthesized for photosensitivity and bioimaging experiments. However, most porphyrin photosensitizers have limited application in biological environments owing to severe aggregation in aqueous solutions. In the present study, we prepared amphipathic and photosensitive copolymers using zinc porphyrin via consecutive atom transfer-free radical polymerizations (ATRPs) comprising photoresponsive and thermosensitive chain segments. Furthermore, we evaluated the photocatalytic activity of the copolymer for methylene blue (MB) in water. Methods: First, we synthesized a photoresponsive ain segment of poly (6-[4-(4-methoxyphenylazo)phenoxy]hexyl methacrylate) (ZnPor-PAzo); then, ZnPor-PAzo was used as a macroinitiator and was polymerized with N -isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) via ATRPs to obtain a novel photochemical and thermoresponsive diblock biomaterial with end-functionalized zinc porphyrin [(ZnPor-PAzo)-PNIPAMs]. Results: The polydispersity index ( M w / M n ) of (ZnPor-PAzo)-PNIPAMs was 1.19-1.32. Furthermore, its photoresponsive and thermosensitive characteristics were comprehensively studied. Discussion: The end-functionalized diblock copolymer (ZnPor-PAzo)-PNIPAM exhibits obvious fluorescence and efficient photocatalytic activity for aqueous MB under visible light., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Qiu, Pan, Hu and Hui.)

Parvulins belong to the family of peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerases (PPIases) assisting in protein folding and in regulating the function of a broad variety of proteins in all branches of life. The human representatives Pin1 and Par14/17 are directly involved in processes influencing cellular maintenance and cell fate decisions such as cell-cycle progression, metabolic pathways and ribosome biogenesis. This review on human parvulins summarizes the current knowledge of these enzymes and intends to oppose the well-studied Pin1 to its less wellexamined homolog human Par14/17 with respect to structure, catalytic and cellular function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

trans-Resveratrol was evaluated in a stability study. Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with a diode array detector was used for the comparison of stressed and reference samples. Aqueous ethanolic solutions were examined under variable conditions. The following parameters were investigated: the time of storage, exposure to sunlight for up to 30 days, temperature from 5 to 80°C, pH from 2.9 to 10.2, trans-resveratrol concentrations from 0.5 to 100 mg L−1, and 3, 10, 20, and 50% ethanol. The cis/trans equilibrium position was significantly influenced by the resveratrol concentration. The trans-resveratrol isomer was stable only at solutions more concentrated than 25 mg L−1that were stable for 30 days in a refrigerator or at room temperature protected from light. Degradation of no more than 10% was observed at temperatures lower than 50°C and pH values lower 7.43. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Intrinsically disordered proteins and protein regions (IDPs/IDRs) are important in diverse biological processes. Lacking a stable secondary structure, they display an ensemble of conformations. One factor contributing to this conformational heterogeneity is the proline cis/trans isomerization. The knowledge and value of a given cis/trans proline ratio are paramount, as the different conformational states can be responsible for different biological functions. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is the only method to characterize the two co-existing isomers on an atomic level, and only a few works report on these data., Methods: After collecting the available experimental literature findings, we conducted a statistical analysis regarding the influence of the neighboring amino acid types ( i ± 4 regions) on forming a cis -Pro isomer. Based on this, several regularities were formulated. NMR spectroscopy was then used to define the cis- Pro content on model peptides and desired point mutations., Results: Analysis of NMR spectra prove the dependence of the cis- Pro content on the type of the neighboring amino acid-with special attention on aromatic and positively charged sidechains., Conclusions: Our results may benefit the design of protein regions with a given cis -Pro content, and contribute to a better understanding of the roles and functions of IDPs., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.)

Cis/trans isomerization of amide bonds is a key step in a wide range of biological and synthetic processes. Occurring through C-N amide bond rotation, it also coincides with the activation of amides in enzymatic hydrolysis. In recently described QM studies of cis/trans isomerization in secondary amides using density functional methods, we highlighted that a peptidic prototype, such as glycylglycine methyl ester, can suitably represent the isomerization and complexities arising out of a larger molecular backbone, and can serve as the primary scaffold for model structures with different substitution patterns in order to assess and compare the steric effect of the substitution patterns. Here, we describe our theoretical assessment of such steric effects using tert-butyl as a representative bulky substitution. We analyze the geometries and relative stabilities of both trans and cis isomers, and effects on the cis/trans isomerization barrier. We also use the additivity principle to calculate absolute steric effects with a gradual increase in bulk. The study establishes that bulky substitutions significantly destabilize cis isomers and also increases the isomerization barrier, thereby synergistically hindering the cis/trans isomerization of secondary amides. These results provide a basis for the rationalization of kinetic and thermodynamic properties of peptides with potential applications in synthetic and medicinal chemistry.

Urea derivatives are ubiquitously found in many chemical disciplines. N, N′-substituted ureas may show different conformational preferences depending on their substitution pattern. The high energetic barrier for isomerization of the cis and trans state poses additional challenges on computational simulation techniques aiming at a reproduction of the biological properties of urea derivatives. Herein, we investigate energetics of urea conformations and their interconversion using a broad spectrum of methodologies ranging from data mining, via quantum chemistry to molecular dynamics simulation and free energy calculations. We find that the inversion of urea conformations is inherently slow and beyond the time scale of typical simulation protocols. Therefore, extra care needs to be taken by computational chemists to work with appropriate model systems. We find that both knowledge-driven approaches as well as physics-based methods may guide molecular modelers towards accurate starting structures for expensive calculations to ensure that conformations of urea derivatives are modeled as adequately as possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Self-association of proteins can be triggered by a change in the distribution of the conformational ensemble. Posttranslational modification, such as phosphorylation, can induce a shift in the ensemble of conformations. In the brain of Alzheimer's disease patients, the formation of intra-cellular neurofibrillary tangles deposition is a result of self-aggregation of hyper-phosphorylated tau protein. Biochemical and NMR studies suggest that the cis peptidyl prolyl conformation of a phosphorylated threonine-proline motif in the tau protein renders tau more prone to aggregation than the trans isomer. However, little is known about the role of peptidyl prolyl cis/trans isomerization in tau aggregation. Here, we show that intra-molecular electrostatic interactions are better formed in the trans isomer. We explore the conformational landscape of the tau segment containing the phosphorylated-Thr231-Pro232 motif using accelerated molecular dynamics and show that intra-molecular electrostatic interactions are coupled to the isomeric state of the peptidyl prolyl bond. Our results suggest that the loss of intra-molecular interactions and the more restricted conformational ensemble of the cis isomer could favor self-aggregation. The results are consistent with experiments, providing valuable complementary atomistic insights and a hypothetical model for isomer specific aggregation of the tau protein. Proteins 2015; 83:436-444. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Contents of trans fatty acids in oils was determined by 1H NMR spectroscopy in association with multivariate calibration. • The 1H NMR spectra of edible and cis-trans isomerized oils are different in three chemical shift regions. • The difference of the 1H NMR spectra of cis and tans unsaturated fatty acids was analyzed. • The PLS method were successfully applied to predict the contents of unsaturated fatty acids in oils. In this work, cis and trans fatty acid (FA) contents in edible oils was determined using 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy. The comparison of 1H NMR spectra of edible oil and cis-trans isomerized oil showed that they were different in three regions: (1) 2.880 - 2.650 ppm caused by bis-allylic protons; (2) 2.140 - 1.900 ppm due to allylic protons; and (3) 1.030 - 0.930 ppm due to methyl protons of linolenic acyl groups. The 1H NMR signals in these regions were combined with partial least squares method to predict contents of cis/trans fatty acids in edible oils. The results showed that the predicted values were consistent with the gas chromatography-measured values and had a good linear relationship with a correlation coefficient (R2) of above 0.98. This work demonstrates that 1H NMR spectroscopy was successfully used to determine the composition of both cis and trans fatty acids in edible oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cis/trans isomerization of amide bonds is a key step in a wide range of biological and synthetic processes. Occurring through C-N amide bond rotation, it also coincides with the activation of amides in enzymatic hydrolysis. In recently described QM studies of cis/trans isomerization in secondary amides using density functional methods, we highlighted that a peptidic prototype, such as glycylglycine methyl ester, can suitably represent the isomerization and complexities arising out of a larger molecular backbone, and can serve as the primary scaffold for model structures with different substitution patterns in order to assess and compare the steric effect of the substitution patterns. Here, we describe our theoretical assessment of such steric effects using tert-butyl as a representative bulky substitution. We analyze the geometries and relative stabilities of both trans and cis isomers, and effects on the cis/trans isomerization barrier. We also use the additivity principle to calculate absolute steric effects with a gradual increase in bulk. The study establishes that bulky substitutions significantly destabilize cis isomers and also increases the isomerization barrier, thereby synergistically hindering the cis/trans isomerization of secondary amides. These results provide a basis for the rationalization of kinetic and thermodynamic properties of peptides with potential applications in synthetic and medicinal chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an effort to explore the residual complexity of naturally occurring chalcones from the roots of Glycyrrhiza inflata (Fabaceae), two new licochalcone A (LicA) derivatives were isolated as trace metabolites from enriched fractions. Both constituents contain a dihydrofuran moiety linked to carbons C-4 and C-5 of the retrochalcone core. Compound 1 (LicAF1) represents a new chemical entity, whereas compound 2 (LicAF2) has previously been reported as a Lewis acid catalyzed rearrangement of LicA. Evaluation of chirality revealed that both dihydrofuran derivatives existed as a mixture of R and S enantiomers. Interestingly, when solutions were exposed to sunlight, both dihydrofuran retrochalcones, initially isolated as trans isomers, were found to rapidly isomerize yielding trans and cis isomers. Analysis of the 1D 1 H NMR spectra of the photolysis products revealed the presence of two sets of proton resonances ascribed to each of the geometric isomers. An up-field shift of all proton resonances arising from the cis isomer was observed, suggesting that anisotropic shielding effects were introduced through an overall perturbation of the 3-dimensional structure upon photoisomerization. Similar up-field shifts were observed in the 13 C spectrum of the cis isomer, except for the CO, C-α, and C-6 carbons, which experienced downfield shifts. Analogous NMR results were observed for LicA. Hence, the results presented herein encompass the isolation and full characterization of LicAF analogs 1 and 2, and observations of their trans-to-cis photoisomerization through the systematic analysis of their NMR spectra., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Resolving the chemo-diversity of plant extract samples is an essential step for in-depth analyses of natural products which often exhibit promising biological activities. One of the challenges in this endeavor has been the confident differentiation of geometrical isomers. In this study, we investigated these aspects in chromatography (column chemistry and mobile phase composition) and mass spectrometry settings with regards to better differentiation of geometrical isomers. A standard of a hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA) derivative, L-chicoric acid (L-CA) - a di-acylated caffeoyltartaric acid ester found in a number of plant families - was used. Geometrical isomers of L-CA were formed by exposing the compound to ultraviolet (UV) radiation, to mimic the natural environment. The high performance liquid chromatography photo-diode array (HPLC-PDA) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS) platforms were used to analyze the trans and cis geometrical isomers of L-CA. The HPLC-PDA results confirmed the generation of two cis geometrical isomers following UV exposure of the authentic trans-L-CA standard. Furthermore, the HPLC-PDA analyses demonstrated that the changes in both column chemistry (reverse-phase: C 18 , biphenyl, phenyl-hexyl and pentafluorophenyl propyl) and mobile phase composition (aqueous acetonitrile and aqueous methanol) affect the chromatographic elution profiles of the L-CA isomers. The MS results, on the other hand, revealed undisputed fragmentation differences between the geometrical isomers of L-CA. Thus, this study demonstrates that the identification of the L-CA isomers can be achieved more efficiently and confidently with good chromatography coupled to well-optimized mass spectrometry conditions, a requirement which has been proven impossible with other types of HCA derivatives. Moreover, differences in the binding modes of L-CA geometrical isomers to the HIV type 1 integrase enzyme were observed, suggesting a synergistic anti-HIV-1 activity of these isomers., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The incorporation of the non-natural amino acids (4R)- and (4S)-fluoroproline (Flp) has been successfully used to improve protein stability, but little is known about their effect on protein folding kinetics. Here we analyzed the influence of (4R)- and (4S)-Flp on the rate-limiting trans-to-cis isomerization of the Ile75-Pro76 peptide bond in the folding of Escherichia coli thioredoxin (Trx). While (4R)-Flp at position 76 had essentially no effect on the isomerization rate in the context of the intact tertiary structure, (4S)-Flp accelerated the folding reaction ninefold. Similarly, tenfold faster trans-to-cis isomerization of Ile75-(4S)-Flp76 relative to Ile75-Pro76 was observed in the unfolded state of Trx. Our results show that the replacement of cis prolines by non-natural proline analogues can be used for modulating the folding rates of proteins with cis prolyl-peptide bonds in the native state., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)