Genetic characterization of Escherichia coli RecN protein as a member of SMC family of proteins

The proteins of SMC family are characterized by having Walker A and B sites. The Escherichia coli RecN protein is a prokaryotic member of SMC family that involved in the induced excision of Tn10 and the repair of the DNA double strand breaks. In this work, the Walker A nucleotide binding site of the E. coli RecN protein was mutated by changing the highly conserved lysine residue 35 to the aspartic acid (D), designated as recN_K35D. Reverse genetics was utilized to delete the entire recN gene (ΔrecN108) or introduce the recN_K35D gene into the E. coli chromosomal DNA. The recN_K35D cells showed decrease in the frequency of excision of Tn10 from gal76::Tn10 after treatment with mitomycin C compared to recN⁺ cells. The ΔrecN108 cells showed an un-induced increase in the frequency of Tn10 excision from gal76::Tn10 in rec⁺ background while, recBC sbcBC ΔrecN108 cells are completely deficient in Tn10 excision. The recombination proficiency is reduced in cells carrying recBC sbcBC cells in addition recN_K35D mutation. We observed that the Walker A nucleotide binding site is important for the RecN protein. Strains that deleted recN gene are recombination deficient and more sensitive to mitomycin C than strains carrying recN_K35D.     

Moderate generation of sulfenylnitrenes from novel N-sulfenylsulfodiimides

N-Sulfenylated sulfodiimides were first prepared by the reaction of S,S-diphenyl-N-tosylsulfodiimide with arenesulfenyl chlorides under the basic conditions. Thermolysis of S,S-diphenyl-N-(2-nitrophenylsulfenyl)- and S,S-diphenyl-N-(2,4-dinitrophenylsulfenyl)sulfodiimides in the presence of olefins proceeded at 50-80 °C to give the corresponding deiminated S,S-diphenyl-N-tosylsulfimide and N-sulfenylaziridines in very good yields. 2,4-Dinitrophenyl-sulfenylnitrene was trapped by trans- and cis-1-phenylpropenes stereospecifically. The thermolysis temperature of the N-sulfenylsulfodiimides was found to be lower than N-sulfenylsulfoximide and higher than N-sulfenyliminosulfonium salt and very effective to trap the sulfenylnitrene to give the N-sulfenylaziridines in very good yields.     

Novel tandem reactions of ethyl acetoacetate with aromatic aldehydes: product- and stereo-selective formation of highly functionalised cyclohexanones

The five-component tandem reaction of ethyl acetoacetate with aromatic aldehydes in the presence of pyrrolidine affords t(3),t(5)-diaryl-t(4)-[(E)-3-aryl-2-propenonyl]-r(2)-ethoxycarbonylcyclohexanones stereoselectively in good yields presumably via a tandem Knoevenagel condensation-Michael addition-condensation via enamine-deethoxycarbonylation-Michael addition sequence. The same reactants in the presence of DBU led to the formation of t(3)-aryl-r(2),c(4)-bisethoxycarbonyl-c(5)-hydroxy-t(5)-methylcyclohexanones in excellent yields via a tandem Knoevenagel condensation-Michael addition-aldol reaction sequence.     

Synthesis of oligomers including eight P-chiral centers and the construction of the 12-phosphacrown-4 skeleton

The stepwise oxidative coupling reaction from (S,S)-1 gave optically active oligomers, (S,R,R,S)-2 and (S,R,S,R,R,S,R,S)-3, having four and eight chiral phosphorus atoms, respectively. The behaviors of these oligomers in the solid state and in solution were investigated in detail. The first construction of a 12-phosphacrown-4 skeleton was also reported.     

Fuzzy Symmetry Characteristics of Propadine Molecule

The fuzzy symmetry characteristics for the internal-rotation of propadine were analyzed using the fuzzy symmetry theory for molecule and molecular orbital (MO). In the process of rotation, three different symmetry point groups D_2h, D_2d, and D₂ were considered. Using the D_4h point group, which is the minimal point group including all symmetry elements of D_2h, D_2d, and D₂, we can analyze the fuzzy symmetry for this process. The elements included in D_4h point group can be classified to four subsets: (i) G0—it includes all the elements in D₂ point group, also belongs to all the above three point groups of D_2h, D_2d, and D₂; (ii) G1—it includes the elements in D_2h point group, but not in D_2d point group; (iii) G2—it includes the elements in D_2d point group, but not in D_2h point group; (iv) G3—it includes the elements in D_4h point group, but not in D_2h or D_2d point group. On the basis of the above four subsets, we analyzed the membership functions and the regularity of variation in MOs for the internal-rotation of propadine.     

Identification of new lines in the beam-foil spectrum of B II–IV

Ten, six, and twenty-one new lines appearing in the beam-foil spectra of boron (30–200 nm) have been identified in B II, B III, and B IV, respectively. Energies have been determined with higher accuracy than obtained before for the 2p3s ¹ P ⁰, 2s6d ³ D, 2p3p ³ D, 2p3p ³ S, 2p3p ³ P, and 2p3p ¹ D terms in B II. First energy values are also reported for the 2s6d ¹ D and 2s7d ³ D terms in B II.     

Synthesis of the repeating trisaccharide unit of the cell wall lipopolysaccharide of Escherichia coli type 8

NIS/TfOH mediated glycosidation of methyl 3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-α-d-mannopyranoside with phenyl 2-O-acetyl-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-α-d-mannopyranoside furnished the corresponding disaccharide derivative in excellent yield and α-selectivity. Zémplen deacetylation of the same followed by reaction with BSP/Tf₂O-preactivated phenyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-2,3-di-O-benzyl-1-thio-α-d-mannopyranoside generated methyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-2,3-di-O-benzyl-β-d-mannopyranosyl-(1→2)-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-α-d-mannopyranosyl-(1→2)-3,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-α-d-mannopyranoside in very good yield and excellent β-selectivity. Pd/C catalyzed hydrogenation of the latter finally afforded the repeating trisaccharide of Escherichia coli 8 O-antigen as its methyl glycoside.     

Synthesis of enantiomeric pure lithium and potassium benzamidinate complexes

A new synthesis leading to the chiral amidines (S,S)- and (R,R)-N,N-bis-(1-phenylethyl)benzamidine ((S)- and (R)-HPEBA) in good yields is presented. Further reaction of (S)-HPEBA with n-BuLi gave the chiral lithium salt (S)-LiPEBA. Treatment of KH with (S)-HPEBA in boiling THF afforded the corresponding potassium salt (S)-KPEBA. In contrast by performing the reaction in boiling toluene a fast racemization was observed. In the solid state racemic KPEBA formed a dimer, in which all four nitrogen atoms are in a plane. To each potassium atom a toluene molecule is η⁶-coordinated.     

Synthesis of (+)-pechueloic acid and (+)-aciphyllene. Revision of the structure of (+)-aciphyllene

1αH,7αH,10αH-Guaia-4,11-dien-3-one and its 1βH,10βH diastereomer, easily obtained from (+)-dihydrocarvone, are good starting materials for the synthesis of natural guaiane derivatives. Allylic oxidation of the 1αH,10αH isomer gave as main product its 13-hydroxy derivative and a small amount of (+)-7β-hydroxy-1αH,10αH-guaia-4,11-dien-3-one, whereas the 1βH,10βH diastereomer afforded selectively the (−)-7α-hydroxy-1βH,10βH enantiomer in excellent yield. From the 13-hydroxy derivative (+)-pechueloic acid and (+)-methyl pechueloate were synthesized. Deoxygenation at C₃ of the 1βH,10βH guaiadienone afforded a guaiadiene with the reported structure for aciphyllene but its spectral data did not agree with those reported for the natural diene. The structure of natural (+)-aciphyllene has been corrected to 1αH,7αH,10αH-guaia-4,11-diene obtained by deoxygenation of the 1αH,10αH guaiadienone.     

Spirocyclisation of phytoalexin 1-methoxybrassinin in the presence of Grignard reagents

The anti-cancer properties of naturally occurring (2R, 3R)-(?)-1-methoxyspirobrassinol methyl ether (I) and their synthetic amino or piperidyl analogues II inspired us to study the synthesis of new target compounds III with a C—C bond in the 2-position of indole rather than a C—N or C—O bond (I or II respectively). The goal was achieved via electrophilic-nucleophilic 3,2-difunctionalisation of 1-methoxybrassinin (IV) in the presence of bromine and the Grignard reagent leading to the formation of cis- and trans-C—C analogues of I. Finally, the anti-cancer activities of the new compounds were measured and compared with I and II in order to show the importance of a heteroatom in the 2-substituted indole on the anti-cancer activity of spirobrassinols.     

Photoisomerization of octyl methoxycinnamate

The octyl-p-methoxy-trans-cinnamate (E-OMC) was exposed to sunlight to induce the E to Z transformation. Octyl-p-methoxy-cis-cinnamate (Z-OMC) was then purified from the mixture of the E- and the Z-OMC using C-18-semi-preparative HPLC. The UV absorption of the Z configuration at various concentrations in various solvents was measured. Molar absorption coefficient of the compound was then calculated. By using the obtained molar absorption coefficient of Z-OMC and of E-OMC, E to Z photoisomerization of octyl methoxycinnamate (OMC) in various solvents at various concentrations could be monitored by C-18 HPLC using UV detector. The result indicates that equilibrium of photoisomerization depends upon concentration and polarity of the solvent used.     

Effect of the solvent on the properties of solutions of polysulfone-polyethersulfone blends

The effect of the solvent on the properties of concentrated solutions of polysulfone-polyethersulfone blends, which can be used to produce film and fibrous materials, is studied. It is found that equiconcentrated solutions of polysulfone-polyethersulfone blends, at the same ratio of polymers in N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, significantly differ in structure and rheological and optical properties. Solutions in N,N-dimethylacetamide are polydisperse emulsions, while solutions in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone are systems composed of closely sized interpenetrating fields of polysulfone and polyethersulfone solutions, in which the dispersed phase and the dispersion medium cannot be detected. The turbidity-spectrum method is used to show that, after the introduction of the second (incompatible) polymer, the average size of supramolecular particles significantly increases in N,N-dimethylacetamide and hardly changes in N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone relative to the particle sizes in solutions of the individual polymers. It is determined that these differences results from the different thermodynamic qualities of N,N-dimethylacetamide and N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone with respect to polysulfone.     

Synthesis of novel optical isomers of α-methylpolyamines

Earlier unknown (R)- and (S)-α-methylspermidine, (R)- and (S)-α-methylspermine, (R,R)-, (S,S)-, and (R,S)-α,ω-dimethylspermine were synthesized in gram scale from readily available (R)- and (S)-2-aminopropanols in high overall yields.     

Application of recurrence relations to melting points of homologs

The previously established recurrence equations A(n + 1) = aA(n) + b characterizing variations in the majority of physicochemical constants of organic compounds in homologous series and relating the properties of adjacent homologs with n + 1 and n carbon atoms are applicable in the modified form [T _m(n + 2) = aT _m + b] to the melting points. This second-order recurrence is observed with a high accuracy, despite significant alternations in the melting points of even and odd homologs. The method for calculating melting points, based on this recurrence, has no analogs among the previously suggested methods and makes it possible, in particular, to reveal errors in reference data, originating in most cases from the low purity of the samples dealt with.     

The Beckmann fragmentation of quadricyclanone oxime

The attempted O-tosylation of tetracyclo[3.2.0.0^2,7.0^4,6]heptan-3-one (quadricyclanone) oxime with p-toluenesulfonyl chloride in dichloromethane in the presence of triethylamine/DMAP or pyridine resulted in the Beckmann fragmentation to give a mixture of 4-exo-/4-endo-tosyloxy- and 4-exo-/4-endo-chlorobicyclo[3.1.0]hex-2-ene-6-endo-carbonitriles in 90% overall yield. Solvolysis of all four products in 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol afforded the corresponding 4-exo-trifluoroethoxy derivative as the sole product. Quadricyclanone itself undergoes the fragmentation reaction with hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid, selectively affording the 4-exo-hydroxy-6-endo-nitrile in 90% isolated yield.     

A chemoenzymatic synthesis of both enantiomers of a cis-lignan lactone

The stereoselective acetylation of meso-2,3-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)butanediol by vinyl acetate in the presence of Candida antarctica lipase in benzene gave the corresponding (+)-(2S,3R) monoester (ee ≥98%). Transesterification of meso-2,3-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)butyl diacetate, in the presence of the same enzyme, by ethanol in benzene/isopropyl ether gave the corresponding (−)-(2R,3S) monoester (ee ≥98%). Both enantiomers of the known cis-2,3-bis(3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)butyrolactone were synthesized from these monoesters.     

Synthesis of dispirocyclohexadiene bisoxindole from Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonate of isatin

6π-Electrocyclization of conjugated trienes derived in-situ from the Morita-Baylis-Hillman carbonates of N-methylisatins afforded dispirocyclohexadiene bisoxindoles in good yields. Two stereoisomers (cis and trans) were formed in almost equal amounts.     

Evaluation of Seven Essential Oils as Seed Treatments against Seedborne Fungal Pathogens of Cucurbita maxima

Essential oils are gaining interest as environmentally friendly alternatives to synthetic fungicides for management of seedborne pathogens. Here, seven essential oils were initially tested in vivo for disinfection of squash seeds (Cucurbita maxima) naturally contaminated by Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum, Alternaria alternata, Fusarium fujikuro, Fusarium solani, Paramyrothecium roridum, Albifimbria verrucaria, Curvularia spicifera, and Rhizopus stolonifer. The seeds were treated with essential oils from Cymbopogon citratus, Lavandula dentata, Lavandula hybrida, Melaleuca alternifolia, Laurus nobilis, and Origanum majorana (#1 and #2). Incidence of S. cucurbitacearum was reduced, representing a range between 67.0% in L. nobilis to 84.4% in O. majorana #2. Treatments at 0.5 mg/mL essential oils did not affect seed germination, although radicles were shorter than controls, except with C. citratus and O. majorana #1 essential oils. Four days after seeding, seedling emergence was 20%, 30%, and 10% for control seeds and seeds treated with C. citratus essential oil (0.5 mg/mL) and fungicides (25 g/L difenoconazole plus 25 g/L fludioxonil). S. cucurbitacearum incidence was reduced by ~40% for plantlets from seeds treated with C. citratus essential oil. These data show the effectiveness of this essential oil to control the transmission of S. cucurbitacearum from seeds to plantlets, and thus define their potential use for seed decontamination in integrated pest management and organic agriculture.     

Thermal behaviour of organochlorine pesticides in the presence of alkaline substances

Selected organochlorine pesticides, namely lindane, PCNB,p,p′-DDT andp,p′-methoxychlor, and some related compounds (p,p′-DDE andp,p′-DMDE) were heated in the presence of powdered KOH, Na₂CO₃, CaO and CaCO₃ in order to check whether degradation of the compounds is feasible in moderate conditions and temperatures. Thermal analyses, as well as investigations concerning the search for the reaction products revealed that processes occurring at atmospheric pressure are either simple volatilization of organic molecules, observed upon heating of mixtures containing lindane, PCNB,p,p′-DDE andp,p′-DMDE, or volatilization accompanied with decomposition towards HCl andp,p′-DDE andp,p′-DMDE, noted when heating mixtures ofp,p′-DDT andp,p′-methoxychlor with alkaline substances, respectively. Complementary theoretical calculations enabled insight into the mechanism of HCl elimination fromp,p′-DDT andp,p′-methoxychlor.     

Oxidative degradation of eicosapentaenoic acid into polyunsaturated aldehydes

Eicosapentaenoic acid is converted in good overall yield to an α,β-ethylenic epoxide derivative. The oxidative cleavage of the epoxide ring with periodic acid in ether proceeded in part with acid-catalyzed rearrangement of the vinyl epoxide moiety prior to cleavage. Among the products were 2E- and 2Z, 5Z, 8Z, 11Z-tetradecatetraenal, 4-hydroxy-2E,6Z,9Z,12Z-pentadecatetraenal and (all-Z)-2-methoxy-3,6,9,12-pentadecatetraenal.