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Avidity
In biochemistry, avidity refers to the accumulated strength of ''multiple'' affinities of individual non-covalent binding interactions, such as between a protein receptor and its ligand, and is commonly referred to as functional affinity. Avidity differs from affinity, which describes the strength of a ''single'' interaction. However, because individual binding events increase the likelihood of occurrence of other interactions (i.e., increase the local concentration of each binding partner in proximity to the binding site), avidity should not be thought of as the mere sum of its constituent affinities but as the combined effect of all affinities participating in the biomolecular interaction. A particular important aspect relates to the phenomenon of 'avidity entropy'. Biomolecules often form heterogenous complexes or homogeneous oligomers and multimers or polymers. If clustered proteins form an organized matrix, such as the clathrin-coat, the interaction is described as a matrici ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Antibody
An antibody (Ab) or immunoglobulin (Ig) is a large, Y-shaped protein belonging to the immunoglobulin superfamily which is used by the immune system to identify and neutralize antigens such as pathogenic bacteria, bacteria and viruses, including those that cause disease. Each individual antibody recognizes one or more specific antigens, and antigens of virtually any size and chemical composition can be recognized. Antigen literally means "antibody generator", as it is the presence of an antigen that drives the formation of an antigen-specific antibody. Each of the branching chains comprising the "Y" of an antibody contains a paratope that specifically binds to one particular epitope on an antigen, allowing the two molecules to bind together with precision. Using this mechanism, antibodies can effectively "tag" the antigen (or a microbe or an infected cell bearing such an antigen) for attack by cells of the immune system, or can neutralize it directly (for example, by blocking a p ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Matricity
Matricity is the interaction of a matrix with its environment. This word is used particularly of protein interactions, where a polymerised protein (a matrix) interacts with a membrane or another polymer. Protein interactions can normally be described by their affinities for each other. The interactions of clustered proteins for multivalent ligands are described by avidities (avidity), while matricity describes a semisolid state interaction of a matrix with its environment. As an example matricity has been used to describe the interaction of polymerised clathrin Clathrin is a protein that plays a role in the formation of coated vesicles. Clathrin was first isolated by Barbara Pearse in 1976. It forms a triskelion shape composed of three clathrin heavy chains and three light chains. When the triskel ... with adaptor complexes bound to the membrane. References {{reflist Matrices (biology) ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, or biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes within and relating to living organisms. A sub-discipline of both chemistry and biology, biochemistry may be divided into three fields: structural biology, enzymology, and metabolism. Over the last decades of the 20th century, biochemistry has become successful at explaining living processes through these three disciplines. Almost all List of life sciences, areas of the life sciences are being uncovered and developed through biochemical methodology and research.#Voet, Voet (2005), p. 3. Biochemistry focuses on understanding the chemical basis that allows biomolecule, biological molecules to give rise to the processes that occur within living Cell (biology), cells and between cells,#Karp, Karp (2009), p. 2. in turn relating greatly to the understanding of tissue (biology), tissues and organ (anatomy), organs as well as organism structure and function.#Miller, Miller (2012). p. 62. Biochemistry is closely ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
BindingDB
BindingDB is a public, web-accessible database of measured binding affinities, focusing chiefly on the interactions of proteins considered to be candidate drug-targets with ligands that are small, drug-like molecules. As of March, 2011, BindingDB contains about 650,000 binding data, for 5,700 protein targets and 280,000 small molecules. BindingDB also includes a small collection of host–guest binding data of interest to chemists studying supramolecular systems. The purpose of BindingDB is to support medicinal chemistry and drug discovery via literature awareness and development of structure-activity relations (SAR and QSAR); validation of computational chemistry and molecular modelling approaches such as docking, scoring and free energy methods; chemical biology and chemical genomics; and basic studies of the physical chemistry of molecular recognition. The data collection derives from a variety of measurement techniques, including enzyme inhibition and kinetics, isother ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Epstein–Barr Virus
The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), also known as human herpesvirus 4 (HHV-4), is one of the nine known Herpesviridae#Human herpesvirus types, human herpesvirus types in the Herpesviridae, herpes family, and is one of the most common viruses in humans. EBV is a DNA virus#Double-stranded DNA viruses, double-stranded DNA virus. EBV is the first identified oncogenic virus, a virus that can cause cancer. EBV establishes permanent infection in human B cells. It uncommonly causes infectious mononucleosis and is also tightly linked to many Malignancy, malignant diseases (cancers and autoimmune diseases). Various vaccine formulations have been tested in animals and humans; however, none of them were able to prevent EBV infection, thus, no vaccine has been approved to date. Infectious mononucleosis ("mono" or "glandular fever"), is characterized by extreme fatigue, fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph nodes. EBV is also associated with various non-malignant, premalignant, and malignant E ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Varicella Zoster Virus
Varicella zoster virus (VZV), also known as human herpesvirus 3 (HHV-3, HHV3), is one of nine known herpes viruses that can infect humans. It causes chickenpox (varicella) commonly affecting children and young adults, and shingles (herpes zoster) in adults but rarely in children. As a late complication of VZV infection, Ramsay Hunt syndrome type 2 may develop in rare cases. VZV infections are species-specific to humans. The virus can survive in external environments for a few hours. VZV multiplies in the tonsils, and causes a wide variety of symptoms. Similar to the herpes simplex viruses, after primary infection with VZV (chickenpox), the virus lies dormant in neurons, including the cranial nerve ganglia, dorsal root ganglia, and autonomic ganglia. Many years after the person has recovered from initial chickenpox infection, VZV can ''reactivate'' to cause shingles. Epidemiology Chickenpox Primary varicella zoster virus infection results in chickenpox (varicella), whic ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cytomegalovirus
''Cytomegalovirus'' (CMV) (from ''cyto-'' 'cell' via Greek - 'container' + 'big, megalo-' + -''virus'' via Latin 'poison') is a genus of viruses in the order '' Herpesvirales'', in the family '' Herpesviridae'', in the subfamily '' Betaherpesvirinae''. Humans and other primates serve as natural hosts. The 11 species in this genus include '' human betaherpesvirus 5'' (HCMV, human cytomegalovirus, HHV-5), which is the species that infects humans. Diseases associated with HHV-5 include mononucleosis and pneumonia, and congenital CMV in infants can lead to deafness and ambulatory problems. In the medical literature, most mentions of CMV without further specification refer implicitly to human CMV. Human CMV is the most studied of all cytomegaloviruses. MX2/MXB protein was identified as a restriction factor for herpesviruses, which acts at a very early stage of the replication cycle and MX2/MXB restriction of herpesvirus requires GTPase activity. Taxonomy Within the '' Her ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Toxoplasma Gondii
''Toxoplasma gondii'' () is a species of parasitic alveolate that causes toxoplasmosis. Found worldwide, ''T. gondii'' is capable of infecting virtually all warm-blooded animals, but members of the cat family (felidae) are the only known definitive host#Hosts to parasites, definitive hosts in which the parasite may undergo sexual reproduction. In rodents, ''T. gondii'' Behavior-altering parasites and parasitoids, alters behavior in ways that increase the rodents' chances of being Predation, preyed upon by felids. Support for this "manipulation hypothesis" stems from studies showing that ''T. gondii''-infected rats have a decreased aversion to cat urine while infection in mice lowers general anxiety, increases explorative behaviors and increases a loss of aversion to predators in general. Because cats are one of the only hosts within which ''T. gondii'' can sexually reproduce, such behavioral manipulations are thought to be Adaptation, evolutionary adaptation ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rubella Virus
Rubella virus (RuV) is the pathogenic agent of the disease rubella, transmitted only between humans via the respiratory route, and is the main cause of congenital rubella syndrome when infection occurs during the first weeks of pregnancy. Rubella virus, scientific name ''Rubivirus rubellae'', is a member of the genus '' Rubivirus'' and belongs to the family of ''Matonaviridae'', whose members commonly have a genome of single-stranded RNA of positive polarity which is enclosed by an icosahedral capsid. the molecular basis for the causation of congenital rubella syndrome was not yet completely clear, but ''in vitro'' studies with cell lines showed that rubella virus has an apoptotic effect on certain cell types. There is evidence for a p53-dependent mechanism. Taxonomy Rubella virus (''Rubivirus rubellae'') is assigned to the ''Rubivirus'' genus. ''Matonaviridae'' family Until 2018, Rubiviruses were classified as part of the family ''Togaviridae'', but have since been chan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Equilibrium Constant
The equilibrium constant of a chemical reaction is the value of its reaction quotient at chemical equilibrium, a state approached by a dynamic chemical system after sufficient time has elapsed at which its composition has no measurable tendency towards further change. For a given set of reaction conditions, the equilibrium constant is independent of the initial analytical concentrations of the reactant and product species in the mixture. Thus, given the initial composition of a system, known equilibrium constant values can be used to determine the Chemical equilibrium#Composition of a mixture, composition of the system at equilibrium. However, reaction parameters like temperature, solvent, and ionic strength may all influence the value of the equilibrium constant. A knowledge of equilibrium constants is essential for the understanding of many chemical systems, as well as the biochemical processes such as oxygen transport by hemoglobin in blood and acid–base homeostasis in the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hydrophobic Effect
The hydrophobic effect is the observed tendency of nonpolar substances to aggregate in an aqueous solution and to be excluded by water. The word hydrophobic literally means "water-fearing", and it describes the segregation of water and nonpolar substances, which maximizes the entropy of water and minimizes the area of contact between water and nonpolar molecules. In terms of thermodynamics, the hydrophobic effect is the free energy change of water surrounding a solute. A positive free energy change of the surrounding solvent indicates hydrophobicity, whereas a negative free energy change implies hydrophilicity. The hydrophobic effect is responsible for the separation of a mixture of oil and water into its two components. It is also responsible for effects related to biology, including: cell membrane and vesicle formation, protein folding, insertion of membrane proteins into the nonpolar lipid environment and protein-small molecule associations. Hence the hydrophobic effect i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
