BACKGROUND The thermodynamics of the base pair specificity of the binding of the polyamines spermine, spermidine, putrescine, and cadaverine with three genomic DNAs Clostridium perfringens, 27% GC, Escherichia coli, 50% GC and Micrococcus lysodeikticus, 72% GC have been studied using titration calorimetry and the data supplemented with melting studies, ethidium displacement and circular dichroi...

The hydration of the lipid 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine (POPC) and of the cationic detergent dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) has been studied by means of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), gravimetry, and infrared (IR) spectroscopy. During the experiments films of the amphiphiles are perfused by an inert gas of variable relative humidity. The measurement of adsorption he...

Structure-energy relationships for a small group of pyranose and septanose mono-saccharide ligands are developed for binding to Concanavalin A (ConA). The affinity of ConA for methyl "manno"β-septanoside 7 was found to be higher than any of the previously reported mono-septanoside ligands. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) in conjunction with docking simulations and quantum mechanics/molec...

Rotaviruses, segmented double-stranded RNA viruses, co-opt the eukaryotic translation machinery with the aid of nonstructural protein 3 (NSP3), a rotaviral functional homolog of the cellular poly(A) binding protein (PABP). NSP3 binds to viral mRNA 3' consensus sequences and circularizes mRNA via interactions with eIF4G. Here, we present the X-ray structure of the C-terminal domain of NSP3 (NSP3...

Supramolecuar aggregations 1 and 2 were prepared by complexing cyclomaltohexaose with two azodipyridine isomers: 4,4'-azodipyridine and 2,2'-azodipyridine, and their binding abilities and assembly behaviors were investigated comprehensively by X-ray crystallography, 2D NMR spectroscopy, and isothermal titration calorimetry. In solution, 1:1 host-guest complexation is generally assumed, whereas ...

Zinc-induced aggregation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) is a hallmark molecular feature of Alzheimer's disease. Here we provide direct thermodynamic evidence that elucidates the role of the Aβ region 6-14 as the minimal Zn(2+) binding site wherein the ion is coordinated by His(6), Glu(11), His(13), and His(14). With the help of isothermal titration calorimetry and quantum mechanics/molecular mechani...

Structural biology now plays a prominent role in addressing questions central to understanding how excitable cells function. Although interest in the insights gained from the definition and dissection of macromolecular anatomy is high, many neurobiologists remain unfamiliar with the methods employed. This primer aims to help neurobiologists understand approaches for probing macromolecular struc...

Protein-protein interactions between domains within fatty acid and polyketide synthases are critical to catalysis, but their contributions remain incompletely characterized. A practical, quantitative system for establishing functional interactions between modifying enzymes and the acyl carrier protein that tethers the nascent polymer would offer a valuable tool for understanding and engineering...

Albumin transports both fatty acids and zinc in plasma. Competitive binding studied by isothermal titration calorimetry revealed that physiologically relevant levels of fatty acids modulate the Zn-binding capacity of albumin, with far-reaching implications for biological zinc speciation. The molecular mechanism for this effect is likely due to a large conformational change elicited by fatty aci...

The interaction of myelin basic protein (MBP) from the bovine central nervous system with Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions, named as M2+, was studied by isothermal titration calorimetry at 27 degrees C in aqueous solution. The extended solvation model was used to reproduce the enthalpies of MBP+M2+ interactions. The solvation parameters recovered from the extended solvation model were attributed to the struc...