A density functional theory study of the addition of phenylboronic acid to cyclohexenone catalyzed by chiral 1,4-diene-Rh(I) catalyst reveals that 1,4-addition is thermodynamically preferred. The enthalpy-driven enantioselection occurs during the carborhodation step and not the enone binding step, as previously proposed. The chiral ligand selectively destabilizes the disfavored transition state...

The thermodynamics of binding reactions is usually studied in the framework of the linear van't Hoff analysis of the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant. The logarithm of the equilibrium constant is plotted versus inverse temperature to discriminate between two terms: an enthalpic contribution that is linear in the inverse temperature, and a temperature-independent entropic contr...

Biological processes essentially all depend on the specific recognition between macromolecules and their interaction partners. Although many such interactions have been characterized both structurally and biophysically, the thermodynamic effects of small atomic changes remain poorly understood. Based on the crystal structure of the bacterial invasion protein internalin (InlA) of Listeria monocy...

The well-characterized anti-tubulin agent, podophyllotoxin (PTOX), with the 4'-position methoxyl group, targets the colchicines domain located between α- and β-tubulin. Two guanosine triphosphate (GTP) analogs of the tubulin-binding region were synthesized from PTOX, where a hydroxyl group was substituted with a carbon-sulfur bond. These compounds, 4-MP-PTOX and 4-TG-PTOX, reduce the dosage and...

Time and temperature dependence of the binding of 3H-dihydroalprenolol (3H-DHA) to beta-adrenergic receptors in rat cerebral cortex is described. The kinetic data obtained suggest that 3H-DHA binding proceeds through a two-step reaction scheme consisting of a bimolecular association step followed by an unimolecular internal conversion of the radioligand receptor complex (isomerisation). Equilib...

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is the most frequent modification in eukaryotic messenger RNA (mRNA) and its cellular processing functions are regulated by reader proteins YTHDCs YTHDFs. However, mechanism of m6A recognition still elusive. Here, we investigate this process combining atomistic simulations, site-directed mutagenesis, biophysical experiments using YTHDC1 as a model. We find that N6 methy...

The early work of Edsall illustrated the effect of nonpolar groups in raising the apparent heat capacities of solutes in aqueous solution. Subsequently, the hydrophobic effect has been well established as the result of the formation of structured water around such groups. While the nature of this structuring remains a topic of debate, it is universally accepted that these water molecules posses...

Thermodynamic and pH stability of recombinant human L- and H-ferritins were probed by differential scanning calorimetry and 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) binding in the pH range 2-7. At pH 2.0-2.8 they were dissociated into subunit monomers and in this pH interval the H-subunit displayed a single calorimetrically-revealed domain with properties of a molten globule-like state: low entha...