Descripción: In this paper we propose a functional of the many-body cumulant of the second-order reduced density matrix within the spin-free formalism of quantum chemistry which quantifies the idea of electron correlation and allows one to detect spin entanglement. Its properties are rigorously stated and discussed for spin-adapted pure states. Numerical determinations are performed for both equilibrium conformations and dissociation processes in molecular systems. © 2010 American Institute of Physics.

Descripción: 1. 1. Evidence for dissociation, renaturation, re-association and re-hybridization of bovine liver aminolaevulinate dehydratase attached to Sepharose 4B is reported. 2. 2. When insolubilized enzyme was treated with 3 and 6 M urea, non covalently bound subunits were dissociated and detected in the eluate; these subunits can be re-associated into a soluble functioning enzyme with a specific activity close to that of the original pure soluble dehydratase preparation. 3. 3. After being washed with a renaturing buffer mixture, the matrix-bound subunits recovered a level of enzymatic activity equal to 50 and 20% of that of the immobilized native aminolaevulinate dehydratase. 4. 4. The reversibility of the dissociation process was investigated. Bound-subunits dehydratase can associate with nascent soluble bovine liver aminolaevulinate dehydratase subunits in situ. The product of such treatment, bound-re-associated enzyme, has the same activity as that of the original bound-dehydratase. The matrix-bound-dissociated bovine liver enzyme was also re-hybridized with soluble dehydratase subunits from E. gracilis. 5. 5. The apparent Km and optimum pH of the immobilized subunits were the same as those of the bound-octameric enzyme. 6. 6. A scheme is proposed, explaining the sequence of reactions leading from the bound-octameric dehydratase to the possible different derivatives, formed during the dissociation and re-association experiments. © 1978.

Descripción: Background: The glucocorticoid receptor (GR) is a transcription factor that regulates gene expression in a ligand-dependent fashion. This modular protein is one of the major pharmacological targets due to its involvement in both cause and treatment of many human diseases. Intense efforts have been made to get information about the molecular basis of GR activity. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, the behavior of four GR-ligand complexes with different glucocorticoid and antiglucocorticoid properties were evaluated. The ability of GR-ligand complexes to oligomerize in vivo was analyzed by performing the novel Number and Brightness assay. Results showed that most of GR molecules form homodimers inside the nucleus upon ligand binding. Additionally, in vitro GR-DNA binding analyses suggest that ligand structure modulates GRDNA interaction dynamics rather than the receptor's ability to bind DNA. On the other hand, by coimmunoprecipitation studies we evaluated the in vivo interaction between the transcriptional intermediary factor 2 (TIF2) coactivator and different GR-ligand complexes. No correlation was found between GR intranuclear distribution, cofactor recruitment and the homodimerization process. Finally, Molecular determinants that support the observed experimental GR LBD-ligand/TIF2 interaction were found by Molecular Dynamics simulation. Conclusions/Significance: The data presented here sustain the idea that in vivo GR homodimerization inside the nucleus can be achieved in a DNA-independent fashion, without ruling out a dependent pathway as well. Moreover, since at least one GR-ligand complex is able to induce homodimer formation while preventing TIF2 coactivator interaction, results suggest that these two events might be independent from each other. Finally, 21-hydroxy-6,19-epoxyprogesterone arises as a selective glucocorticoid with potential pharmacological interest. Taking into account that GR homodimerization and cofactor recruitment are considered essential steps in the receptor activation pathway, results presented here contribute to understand how specific ligands influence GR behavior. © 2010 Presman et al.