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The article focuses on the effects of ferric and zinc ions on the structural and thermodynamic properties of a soybean abscisic acid-, stress-, and ripening-induced (ASR) protein. It states that soybean ASR proteins have three ferric ion and two zinc ion binding sites and the binding sites remain disorder in the presence of ferric ions. It informs that soybean ASR protein exhibits ferric ion-binding-dependent anti-oxidant activity in vitro that protects against the oxidation damage.

Objective: To observe the clinical efficacy of Chibixiao Recipe (…, CBX) in combination with minocycline and spironolactone in treating rosacea in females. Methods: Sixty-eight women with rosacea were randomly assigned to the treated group (48 cases) and the control group (20 cases), both of which were treated with minocycline and spironolactone taken orally, but to the treated group, the Chinese herbal recipe, CBX was given additionally. Besides, cryotherapy with liquid nitrogen was applied to those with apparent capillary dilatation. The therapeutic course for both groups was 8 weeks. The levels of serum testosterone before and after treatment were determined by radioimmunoassay (RIA), and a 4-month follow-up was conducted. Results: In the treated group the cure-markedly effective rate was 87.5% and the recurrent rate was 6.5%, while in the control group, they were 45.0% and 41.2% respectively. Comparisons in the indexes between the two groups all showed significant difference (both P<0.01), with the cure-markedly effective rate higher, and the recurrent rate lower in the treated group. The serum level of testosterone got lowered in both groups (P<0.05 and P<0.01), but the lowering in the treated group was more significant, showing significance when compared with that in the control group (P<0.01). Conclusion: CBX in combination with Western medicine has effect in treating rosacea superior to that of Western medicine alone, and could effectively reduce recurrent rate and the serum level of testosterone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscisic acid-, stress-, and ripening-induced (ASR) protein play important roles in protecting plants from abiotic stress. The functions of some ASR proteins are known to be modulated by binding to metal ions. In this study, we demonstrated that the non-tagged full-length soybean (Glycine max) ASR protein (GmASR) can bind Fe(3+), Ni(2+), Cu(2+), and Zn(2+). The direct binding properties of GmASR to Fe(3+) and Zn(2+) were further confirmed by intrinsic fluorescence assays. The GmASR protein was found to have three Fe(3+) binding sites but only two Zn(2+) binding sites. Natively disordered in aqueous solution, GmASR remained disordered in the presence of Fe(3+), but was found to aggregate in the presence of Zn(2+). The aggregated GmASR protein was partially resolubilized after Zn(2+) was chelated by EDTA. GmASR exhibited Fe(3+)-binding-dependent antioxidant activity in vitro. We speculate that GmASR thus protects against oxidation damage by buffering metal ions, thus alleviating metal toxicity in plant cells under stressed conditions.

Late embryogenesis abundant protein (LEA) can enhance the tolerance of organisms under drought, low-temperature and other stress conditions. However, their protection mechanisms are still unclear. In the present paper, the peptides consisting of multi-copies of 11-amino acid motif, such as PM2D and PM2E are proved to protect the activity of the lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from freeze-thaw by using ultroviolet spectrometry. Furthermore, the fluorescence spectroscopic results show that the peptide consisting of multi-copies of 11-amino acid can stabilize the structure of LDH through synergy and multi-sites binding. However, the peptides consisting of less copies of 11-amino acid, such as PM2F and PM2G bind to LDH through one site, and the binding is weak. They thus can not protect the activity of LDH. In addition, the peptides consisted of multi-copies of 11-amino acid protect LDH by acting with trehalose synergically, and the protection mechanisms of LEA and trehalose on LDH are different.