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The development of precise and controlled CRISPR-Cas tools has been made possible by the discovery of protein inhibitors of CRISPR-Cas systems, called anti-CRISPRs (Acrs). The Acr protein has the ability to control off-targeted mutations and impede Cas protein–editing operations. Acr can help with selective breeding, which could help plants and animals improve their valuable features. In this review, the Acr protein–based inhibitory mechanisms that have been adopted by several Acrs, such as (a) the interruption of CRISPR-Cas complex assembly, (b) interference with target DNA binding, (c) blocking of target DNA/RNA cleavage, and (d) enzymatic modification or degradation of signalling molecules, were discussed. In addition, this review emphasizes the applications of Acr proteins in the plant research.

The development of drugs resistance in diabetes mellitus is a growing clinical problem, creates many challenges for patient. To overcome these problems, there is a serious deficiency of anti-diabetic agents, may be synthesized that inhibit alpha amylase and alpha glucosidase activity. Here, we have design and synthesized benzoxazole based sulphonamide derivatives and evaluated for their anti-diabetic activity. Twenty-two benzoxazole based sulphonamide derivatives were synthesized by reacting 2-aminophenol with carbon disulphide in the presence of base (Et3N) to obtained 2-marcapto benzoxazole which was further dissolved in ethanol by slow addition of different substituted phenacyl bromide in the presence of triethylamine, afforded varied S-substituted benzoxazole products. These products were dissolved in ethanol and hydrazine hydrate was added an excess in the presence of acetic acid to gives Schiff base. This Schiff base products were further dissolved in THF along with different substituted benzene sulphonyl chloride followed by addition of few drops of Et3N, yielded benzoxazole based sulphonamide derivatives (1–22). Moreover, SAR was established for the synthesized compounds and molecular docking studies were conducted for the potent moieties in order to explore the binding modalities of analogs. Among the tested series few analogues were found few folds better potential than standard drug but analog 1 (IC50 = 1.10 ± 0.20 µM, 1.20 ± 0.30 µM), showed promising anti-diabetic activity against α-amylase and α-glucosidase (11.12 ± 0.15 µM and 11.29 ± 0.07 µM respectively).

The present study is an attempt to improve thermal, mechanical and electrical properties of poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). For this purpose, vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) was grafted covalently on the surface of graphene oxide (GO). This VTES functionalized graphene oxide (VGO) was dispersed in the PMMA matrix using the solution casting method. The morphology of the resultant PMMA/VGO nanocomposites was analyzed by SEM indicating well-dispersed VGO in the PMMA matrix. Thermal stability, tensile strength and thermal conductivity increased by 90%, 91% and 75%, respectively, whereas volume electrical resistivity and surface electrical resistivity reduced to 9.45 × 105 Ω/cm and 5.45 × 107 Ω/cm2, respectively.

Twenty-one analogs were synthesized based on benzimidazole, incorporating a substituted benzaldehyde moiety (1–21). These were then screened for their acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibition profiles. All the derivatives except 13, 14, and 20 showed various inhibitory potentials, ranging from IC50 values of 0.050 ± 0.001 µM to 25.30 ± 0.40 µM against acetylcholinesterase, and 0.080 ± 0.001 µM to 25.80 ± 0.40 µM against butyrylcholinesterase, when compared with the standard drug donepezil (0.016 ± 0.12 µM and 0.30 ± 0.010 µM, against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, respectively). Compound 3 in both cases was found to be the most potent compound due to the presence of chloro groups at the 3 and 4 positions of the phenyl ring. A structure-activity relationship study was performed for all the analogs except 13, 14, and 20, further, molecular dynamics simulations were performed for the top two compounds as well as the reference compound in a complex with acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase. The molecular dynamics simulation analysis revealed that compound 3 formed the most stable complex with both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, followed by compound 10. As compared to the standard inhibitor donepezil both compounds revealed greater stabilities and higher binding affinities for both acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase.

A set of five gold complexes with the general formula Au(PR3)(C≡C-C6H4-4-R′) (R = PPh3, R′ = –CHO (1), R = PCy3, R′ = –CHO (2), R = PPh3, R′ = –N=CH-C6H4-2-OH (3), R = PPh3, R′ = –N=CH-C6H4-4-OH (4), R = PCy3, R′ = –N=CH-C6H4-2-OH (5)) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, 1H-NMR spectroscopy, 31P-NMR spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry. The structures of complexes 2 and 5 were determined by X-ray crystallography. The effects of the structural modifications on the protein binding affinities and anticancer activities of the five gold complexes were assessed. Fluorescence quenching experiments to assess binding to human serum albumin (HSA) revealed that the Schiff base complexes (3, 4, and 5) had binding constants that were superior to their parent aldehyde complexes and highlighted the position of the hydroxy group because complex 4 (4-hydroxy) had a binding constant 6400 times higher than complex 3 (2-hydroxy). The anticancer activities of the complexes against the OVCAR-3 (ovarian carcinoma) and HOP-62 (non-small-cell lung) cancer cell lines showed that the Schiff bases (3–5) were more cytotoxic than the aldehyde-containing complexes (1 and 2). Notably, compound 4 had cytotoxic activity comparable to that of cisplatin against OVCAR-3, demonstrating the significance of the para position for the hydroxy group. Molecular docking studies against the enzyme thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and human serum albumin were conducted, with docking scores in good agreement with the experimental data. The current study highlights how small structural modifications can alter physiochemical and anticancer properties. Moreover, this simple design strategy using the aldehyde group can generate extensive opportunities to explore new gold(I)-based anticancer drugs via condensation, cyclization, or nucleophilic addition reactions of the aldehyde.