David Ascher

Oct 23, 2024 | nature.com | Adrianna M Turner |Ian R. Monk |Danielle Ingle |Stephanie Portelli |Torsten Seemann |Liam Sharkey | +7 more

AbstractMultidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens like vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VREfm) are a critical threat to human health1. Daptomycin is a last-resort antibiotic for VREfm infections with a novel mode of action2, but for which resistance has been widely reported but is unexplained. Here we show that rifaximin, an unrelated antibiotic used prophylactically to prevent hepatic encephalopathy in patients with liver disease3, causes cross-resistance to daptomycin in VREfm.

Jul 9, 2024 | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Xiaotong Gu |Molecular Biosciences |Yoochan Myung |David Ascher

1 INTRODUCTION Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy is the combined experimental science of solid-state NMR spectroscopy and x-ray diffraction. The advantages that make NMR outstanding compared with other spectroscopic techniques include its nondestructiveness and informativeness in explicating molecular structure.

Jun 18, 2024 | biorxiv.org | David Ascher |Molecular Biosciences

AbstractG protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) perform critical roles in numerous physiological processes and their mutations are, therefore, associated with various human diseases. Hence, understanding the molecular consequences of pathogenic mutations in GPCRs is essential for elucidating disease mechanisms and developing effective therapeutic strategies. In this study, we employed computational approaches to explore the impact of mutations on GPCRs using two distinct datasets: ClinVar and MutHTP.

May 15, 2024 | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Molecular Biosciences |David Ascher

1 INTRODUCTION G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are members of one of the most medicine-relevant human protein families (Hauser et al., 2017). They possess the ability to selectively bind to a diverse range of ligands, including light-sensitive compounds, pheromones, hormones, ions, and neurotransmitters. These receptors then transmit these signals from the external environment of the cell to its intracellular side.

Oct 23, 2023 | onlinelibrary.wiley.com | Clinical Informatics |Molecular Biosciences |David Ascher

1 INTRODUCTION Proteins mediate a range of critical biological functions in the cell, such as the transport of molecules in and out,1 identification of pathogens and recruitment of T-cells to kill them,2 and cell growth,3, 4 via tightly coordinated interactions with other molecules. Understanding of the molecular mechanisms of how the different molecules interact represents an attractive way of potentially utilize these interacting interface regions for the development of new drugs.