Pushing the limits of sulfur SAD phasing: de novo structure solution of the N-terminal domain of the ectodomain of HCV E1.

Single-wavelength anomalous dispersion of S atoms (S-SAD) is an elegant phasing method to determine crystal structures that does not require heavy-atom incorporation or selenomethionine derivatization. Nevertheless, this technique has been limited by the paucity of the signal at the usual X-ray wavelengths, requiring very accurate measurement of the anomalous differences. Here, the data collection and structure solution of the N-terminal domain of the ectodomain of HCV E1 from crystals that diffracted very weakly is reported. By combining the data from 32 crystals, it was possible to solve the sulfur substructure and calculate initial maps at 7 Šresolution, and after density modication and phase extension using a higher resolution native data set to 3.5 Šresolution model building was achievable.

Fast X-ray powder diffraction on I11 at Diamond.

The commissioning and performance characterization of a position-sensitive detector designed for fast X-ray powder diffraction experiments on beamline I11 at Diamond Light Source are described. The detecting elements comprise 18 detector-readout modules of MYTHEN-II silicon strip technology tiled to provide 90° coverage in 2θ. The modules are located in a rigid housing custom designed at Diamond with control of the device fully integrated into the beamline data acquisition environment. The detector is mounted on the I11 three-circle powder diffractometer to provide an intrinsic resolution of Δ2θ approximately equal to 0.004°. The results of commissioning and performance measurements using reference samples (Si and AgI) are presented, along with new results from scientific experiments selected to demonstrate the suitability of this facility for powder diffraction experiments where conventional angle scanning is too slow to capture rapid structural changes. The real-time dehydrogenation of MgH(2), a potential hydrogen storage compound, is investigated along with ultrafast high-throughput measurements to determine the crystallite quality of different samples of the metastable carbonate phase vaterite (CaCO(3)) precipitated and stabilized in the presence of amino acid molecules in a biomimetic synthesis process.

Predicting oral drug absorption and hepatobiliary clearance: Human intestinal and hepatic in vitro cell models.

Membrane transport proteins control the uptake and efflux of many drugs in tissues including the intestine, liver and kidneys and thus play important roles in drug absorption, distribution and excretion. With the development of high throughput screening in an industrial environment, the importance of having appropriate in vitro systems to study drug transporter function, regulation, and interactions are invaluable. Cell lines are efficient tools in screening individual transport processes. In this review, we focus on the processes involved in the absorption and hepatobiliary clearance of drugs and the potential of cell lines to model such process, paying particular attention to the use of Caco-2 and HepG2 cells.

Differential multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 through 6 isoform expression and function in human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells.

Multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) isoforms 1 through 6 mRNA are expressed in the human intestine and Caco-2 cells. In Caco-2 cells, the rank order for mRNA expression was MRP2 > or = MRP6 > MRP4 > or = MRP3 > MRP1 = MRP5. The functional expression of MRP-like activity was quantified as the efflux of the fluorescent probe calcein from confluent, polarized monolayers of Caco-2 cells. Calcein efflux was sensitive to temperature, energy depletion, and the MRP antagonist MK571 [3-[[3-[2-(7-chloroquinolin-2-yl)vinyl]phenyl]-(2-dimethylcarbamoylethylsulfanyl)methylsulfanyl] propionic acid]. Calcein efflux across the apical membrane of Caco-2 cells exceeded that across the basolateral by approximately 2-fold, correlating with the apical localization of MRP2 visualized by immunocytochemical staining. T84 cells do not express MRP2 and show a predominance of basolateral calcein efflux over apical efflux. MRP3 was localized by immunocytochemical staining to the basolateral membrane. MRP1 staining was not localized to either membrane domain and MRP5 staining was not detected. Thus, basolateral calcein efflux may reflect a function of MRP3 or MRP4 and 6 inferred by their basolateral localization in other tissues. Basolateral, but not apical, calcein efflux was sensitive to glutathione depletion with buthioninesulfoximine, indicating that whereas MRP2-mediated apical efflux is independent of glutathione, basolateral efflux is glutathione-dependent. Benzbromarone, probenecid, pravastatin, and diclofenac were able to inhibit both apical and basolateral calcein efflux. The apical calcein efflux in Caco-2 cells was selectively sensitive to indomethacin and propranolol, but not verapamil or erythromycin, whereas the converse was observed for basal efflux. The differential pharmacological sensitivity of apical (MRP2) and basolateral calcein efflux provides tools for dissecting MRP isoform functional roles.