A high-throughput microfluidic mechanoporation platform to enable intracellular delivery of cyclic peptides in cell-based assays.

Cyclic peptides are poised to target historically difficult to drug intracellular protein-protein interactions, however, their general cell impermeability poses a challenge for characterizing function. Recent advances in microfluidics have enabled permeabilization of the cytoplasmic membrane by physical cell deformation (i.e.

Colorectal cancer-associated anaerobic bacteria proliferate in tumor spheroids and alter the microenvironment.

Recent reports show that colorectal tumors contain microbiota that are distinct from those that reside in a 'normal' colon environment, and that these microbiota can contribute to cancer progression. Fusobacterium nucleatum is the most commonly observed species in the colorectal tumor microenvironment and reportedly influences disease progression through numerous mechanisms. However, a detailed understanding of the role of this organism in cancer progression is limited, in part due to challenges in maintaining F.

Chemical Inhibition of Kynureninase Reduces Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing and Virulence Factor Expression.

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa utilizes multiple quorum sensing (QS) pathways to coordinate an arsenal of virulence factors. We previously identified several cysteine-based compounds inspired by natural products from the plant Petiveria alliacea which are capable of antagonizing multiple QS circuits as well as reducing P. aeruginosa biofilm formation.

Inhibition of biofilm formation, quorum sensing and infection in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by natural products-inspired organosulfur compounds.

Using a microplate-based screening assay, the effects on Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 biofilm formation of several S-substituted cysteine sulfoxides and their corresponding disulfide derivatives were evaluated. From our library of compounds, S-phenyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide and its breakdown product, diphenyl disulfide, significantly reduced the amount of biofilm formation by P. aeruginosa at levels equivalent to the active concentration of 4-nitropyridine-N-oxide (NPO) (1 mM).