University of Lorraine

About: University of Lorraine is a education organization based out in Nancy, France. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Context (language use). The organization has 11942 authors who have published 25010 publications receiving 425227 citations. The organization is also known as: Lorraine University.

Zooming across the Free-Energy Landscape: Shaving Barriers, and Flooding Valleys.

Abstract: A robust importance-sampling algorithm for mapping free-energy surfaces over geometrical variables, coined meta-eABF, is introduced. This algorithm shaves the free-energy barriers and floods valleys by incorporating a history-dependent potential term in the extended adaptive biasing force (eABF) framework. Numerical applications on both toy models and nontrivial examples indicate that meta-eABF explores the free-energy surface significantly faster than either eABF or metadynamics (MtD) alone, without the need to stratify the reaction pathway. In some favorable cases, meta-eABF can be as much as five times faster than other importance-sampling algorithms. Many of the shortcomings inherent to eABF and MtD, like kinetic trapping in regions of configurational space already adequately sampled, the requirement of prior knowledge of the free-energy landscape to set up the simulation, are readily eliminated in meta-eABF. Meta-eABF, therefore, represents an appealing solution for a broad range of applications, esp...

Development of roGFP2-derived redox probes for measurement of the glutathione redox potential in the cytosol of severely glutathione-deficient rml1 seedlings.

Abstract: Glutathione is important for detoxification, as a cofactor in biochemical reactions and as a thiol-redox buffer. The cytosolic glutathione buffer is normally highly reduced with glutathione redox potentials (EGSH) of more negative than -310 mV. Maintenance of such negative redox potential is achieved through continuous reduction of glutathione disulfide by glutathione reductase. Deviations from steady state glutathione redox homeostasis have been discussed as a possible mean to alter the activity of redox-sensitive proteins through switching of critical thiol residues. To better understand such signalling mechanisms it is essential to be able to measure EGSH over a wide range from highly negative redox potentials down to potentials found in mutants that show already severe phenotypes. With the advent of redox-sensitive GFPs (roGFPs), understanding the in vivo dynamics of the thiol-based redox buffer system became within reach. The original roGFP versions, roGFP1 and roGFP2, however, have midpoint potentials between -280 and -290 mV rendering them fully oxidized in the ER and almost fully reduced in the cytosol, plastids, mitochondria and peroxisomes. To extend the range of suitable probes we have engineered a roGFP2 derivative, roGFP2-iL, with a midpoint potential of about -238 mV. This value is within the range of redox potentials reported for homologous roGFP1-iX probes, albeit with different excitation properties. To allow rapid and specific equilibration with the glutathione pool, fusion constructs with human glutaredoxin 1 (GRX1) were generated and characterized in vitro. GRX1-roGFP2-iL proved to be suitable for in vivo redox potential measurements and extends the range of EGSH values that can be measured in vivo with roGFP2-based probes from about -320 mV for GRX1-roGFRP2 down to about -210 mV for GRX1-roGFP2-iL. Using both probes in the cytosol of severely glutathione-deficient rml1 seedlings revealed an EGSH of about -260 mV in this mutant.