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Abstract: Candida glabrata is the second leading cause of mortality in immunocompromised patients hospitalized for invasive candidiasis (IC). Several drugs have been available to treat this disease for decades, such as polyenes, azoles, echinocandins, flucytosine, and, in critical cases, amphotericin B. However, these antifungals’ constant and routine use have led to the development of resistance mechanisms, making the design and development of new drugs indispensable. The first step for the design and subsequent synthesis of a new chemical molecule as a potential antifungal is the identification of new therapeutic targets. In that pathway, our working group has identified moonlight-like cell wall proteins (CWPs) in different Candida species that can act as potential antifungal targets. One of these moonlight-like CWPs is phosphoglycerate kinase (Pgk) from C. glabrata. Once Pgk was identified as a potential therapeutic target in different human pathogens, the first step to perform drug design against this moonlight-like CWP was the elucidation of the three-dimensional (3D) structure since the 3D structure is key to understanding the interactions between a drug candidate and its target at the molecular level. In the present work, we aimed to elucidate the 3D structure of C. glabrata Pgk. To elucidate the 3D structure of this protein, the recombinant protein was expressed, purified, and structurally resolved by means of a structural analysis by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Additionally, in order to evaluate its potential as a therapeutic target, we have performed molecular docking studies and enzymatic activity assays with pure Pgk using known antifungals amphotericin B, nystatin, and fluconazole and with the new plausible drugs, such as nilotinib and netupitant. Our results showed some similarities and differences with orthologous Pgk proteins from other organisms, which was expected since Pgk has been observed to have evolved in the kingdoms of life. Molecular docking studies showed that Pgk interacts with all of the compounds tested. In enzyme activity assays, a change in the kinetic parameter Km on the enzyme Pgk was observed in response to its interaction with nilotinib, netupitant, and amphotericin B. Thus, our results allow us to propose Pgk from C. glabrata as a possible therapeutic target against candidiasis. We consider it essential to design and develop new molecules specifically targeting this enzyme, which will contribute to a decrease in mortality associated with IC and improve the patient’s quality of life.

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Abstract: We report that self-supporting mesoporous platinum 3D nanowires with a single diamond (SD) morphology and a high specific surface area of 40.4 m2 g–1 demonstrated enhanced stability toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). These were found to be superior to commercially available carbon-supported Pt nanoparticles (Pt/C). After 1000 potential cycles, there was a 21% loss in surface area for SD-Pt, as compared with a 40.3% loss for Pt/C with no reduction in their half-wave potential (measured at J = 3.0 mA cm–2), whereas the Pt/C catalyst showed a 11.9 mV decrease. Our findings revealed that our SD-Pt thin films also exhibited excellent ORR activity, which offers significant potential for their application as high-performance cathode materials in alkaline fuel cells.

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Abstract: The influence of surfactant, cross-linker, and initiator on the final structure and thermoresponse of poly(N-isopropylmethacrylamide) (pNIPMAM) microgels was evaluated. The goals were to control particle size (into the nanorange) and transition temperature (across the physiologically accessible range). The concentration of the reactants used in the synthesis was varied, except for the monomer, which was kept constant. The thermoresponsive suspensions formed were characterized by dynamic light scattering, small-angle X-ray scattering, atomic force microscopy, and rheology. Increasing surfactant, sodium dodecyl sulfate content, produced smaller microgels, as expected, into the nanorange and with greater internal entanglement, but with no change in phase transition temperature (LCST), which is contrary to previous reports. Increasing cross-linker, N,N-methylenebis acrylamide, content had no impact on particle size but reduced particle deformability and, again contrary to previous reports of decreases, progressively increased the LCST from 39 to 46 °C. The unusual LCST trends were confirmed using different rheological techniques. Initiator, potassium persulfate, content was found to weakly influence the outcomes. An optimized content was identified that provides functional nanogels in the 100 nm (swollen) size range with controlled LCST, just above physiological temperature. The study contributes chemistry-derived design rules for thermally responsive colloidal particles with physiologically accessible LCST for a variety of biomedical and soft robotics applications.

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Abstract: We present a new series of 2-aminobenzothiazole-based DNA gyrase B inhibitors with promising activity against ESKAPE bacterial pathogens. Based on the binding information extracted from the cocrystal structure of DNA gyrase B inhibitor A, in complex with Escherichia coli GyrB24, we expanded the chemical space of the benzothiazole-based series to the C5 position of the benzothiazole ring. In particular, compound E showed low nanomolar inhibition of DNA gyrase (IC50 < 10 nM) and broad-spectrum antibacterial activity against pathogens belonging to the ESKAPE group, with the minimum inhibitory concentration < 0.03 μg/mL for most Gram-positive strains and 4–16 μg/mL against Gram-negative E. coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. To understand the binding mode of the synthesized inhibitors, a combination of docking calculations, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and MD-derived structure-based pharmacophore modeling was performed. The computational analysis has revealed that the substitution at position C5 can be used to modify the physicochemical properties and antibacterial spectrum and enhance the inhibitory potency of the compounds. Additionally, a discussion of challenges associated with the synthesis of 5-substituted 2-aminobenzothiazoles is presented.

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Abstract: Industries transporting CO2 gas-saturated fluids have infrastructures made of carbon steel. This is a good material with great mechanical properties but prone to corrosion and potential failure. Corrosion in sweet environments involves the formation of FeCO3 as a corrosion film, which is recognized to play a protective role under certain conditions. This work on the dissolution of corrosion films in sweet environments, under acidic and undersaturated conditions, demonstrates that the effects on the integrity of steel are far more significant than the damage observed on the surface of the corrosion film. Our results prove that dissolution of FeCO3 involved the presence of an amorphous phase, the intermediate formation of FeCl2 or FeCl+, and the presence of a phase with short distance atom–atom correlations. The amorphous phase was identified as a mixture of retained γ-Fe and Fe3C. Partially broken α-Fe and Fe3C structures were identified to prove the damage on the material, confirming the interface zone without evident damage on the corrosion film. Dissolution affected both the α-Fe and FeCO3, with the lattice [102̅] from the FeCO3 crystalline structure being the fastest to dissolve. The damage of steel at the molecular scale was evident at the macroscale with pit depths of up to 250 μm. The impact on the integrity of steel can be, therefore, more drastic than frequently reported in industrial operations of CO2 transport industries that use cleaning procedures (e.g., acid treatment, pigging) as part of their operational activities.