TRIPLET LIFETIMES OF SOME FLAVINS

Abstract— Using flash photolysis the rate constants of the triplet decay at pH 7.0 (26°C) of 10-hydroxyethyl-isoalloxazine (2700 s⁻¹), 2'-deoxyRF (2300 s⁻¹), 5'-deoxyRF (3200 s⁻¹), 8-hydroxyRF (18 000 s⁻¹) and 8-aminoRF (28 000 s⁻¹) have been measured. The results agree with other evidence that photochemical properties of flavins are influenced by the interaction of the sidechain with the isoalloxazine nucleus. In addition, our data on RF and FMN indicate that the triplet decay rates given in the literature for these compounds have to be corrected to 3200 s⁻¹ (RF) and 4900 s⁻¹ (FMN), respectively. The rate constants for the quenching of the triplet by ground state molecules for all above compounds are given.     

Effects of DNA topology, temperature and solvent viscosity on DNA retardation in slalom chromatography

Slalom chromatography is a unique size-fractionation method applicable to large DNA molecules [>5 kilobase pairs (kbp)]. The method was first developed by using columns packed with microbeads (diameter, <20 microm) used for high-performance liquid chromatography and by applying a relatively fast flow-rate (>0.3 ml/min). Previous studies suggested that the separation is attributed to a hydrodynamic rather than to an equilibrium phenomenon (J. Hirabayashi and K. Kasai, Anal. Biochem. 178 (1989) 336; J. Hirabayashi, N. Itoh, K. Noguchi and K. Kasai, Biochemistry, 29 (1990) 9515). In the present report, the results of a systematic study on the effects of DNA topology, temperature, and solvent viscosity on DNA retardation are described. Firstly, the behaviour of circular (super-coiled) and linearized forms of charomid DNAs (20-42 kbp) was studied. Circular-form DNA molecules were found to be fractionated size-dependently similarly to linear forms in a flow-rate dependent manner. However, the extent of retardation of the circular form DNA was apparently less than that of the corresponding linear forms. Circular DNAs showed almost the same retardation (e.g., 42 kbp) as DNA fragments (e.g., 20 kbp) having approximately half of the size of the former. This observation indicates that DNA retardation is basically related to physical length, not to mass. Secondly, to study the effect of temperature with special reference to solvent viscosity, we carried out chromatographic analysis at various temperatures ranging from 6 to 65 degrees C in both the absence and presence of sucrose (10 or 20%, w/v). The results showed that it is the solvent viscosity that determines the extent of retardation. Taken together, all of physicochemical parameters that define hydrodynamic properties, i.e., particle size, flow-rate and solvent viscosity, proved to be critical in slalom chromatography as well as the potential physical length of the DNA, thus supporting the concept that slalom chromatography is based on a hydrodynamic principle.     

Fabrication of honeycomb-patterned cellulose films

This paper reports for the first time on the fabrication of honeycomb-patterned cellulose films by casting water in oil emulsion of cellulose acetate onto a glass substrate and subsequent deacetylation treatment. The honeycomb pore size could be controlled from 1 to 100 microm under a saturated water vapor condition. Both cellulose and cellulose acetate films with honeycomb-pattern are expected to be a two-dimensional model of plant cell walls as well as of micro-wells for single cell cultivation. Surface topographic image of a honeycomb-patterned cellulose film (scalebar: 50 microm).     

Bioavailable acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase inhibitor with anti-peroxidative activity: synthesis and biological activity of novel indolinyl amide and urea derivatives

We synthesized a series of indoline derivatives with an amide or urea moiety and examined their inhibitory effects on acyl-CoA:cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) activity, lipid-peroxidation and serum cholesterol levels in experimental animals. Among the derivatives synthesized, a series of N-(1-alkyl-4,6-dimethylindolin-7-yl)-2,2-dimethylpropanamides++ + potently inhibited rabbit intestinal ACAT activity and lipid-peroxidation of rat brain homogenate. The effect on ACAT activity was related to the length of the alkyl chain at the 1-position of indoline. N-(4,6-Dimethyl-1-octylindolindolin-7-yl)-2,2-dimethylpropanami de hydrochloride (55) showed inhibitory effects on intestinal and hepatic ACAT activity slightly weaker than those of YM-750, and an inhibitory effect on low density lipoprotein (LDL)-peroxidation similar to that of probucol. Compound 55 also reduced serum cholesterol at 10 mg/kg/d in hyperlipidemic rats and 20 mg/kg/d in normolipidemic hamsters. The plasma concentration of 55 reached 716 ng/ml in dogs (10 mg/kg, p.o.), which is an effective concentration against hepatic ACAT activity and LDL-peroxidation. In conclusion, compound 55 is a novel bioavailable ACAT inhibitor with anti-peroxidative activity and is thus a promising anti-atherosclerotic and anti-hyperlipidemic drug. Indoline proved to be a useful pharmacophore for molecular design of new anti-peroxidative drugs.     

Substituent effect on the IR and PMR spectra of diphenylamines

PMR chemical shifts of various m- and p-substituted diphenylamines were correlated with σ-constants. However, the NH stretching frequencies of these amines were not linear with the σ- constants, and the irregularity in the ν_NHvs σ plot was interpreted by taking into accounts the following factors: the changes in hybridization of the imino N atoms, the normal electronic effect of the substituent and the steric effect on the planarity of the amine molecules. Results on the CN stretching absorptions were also presented.     

PHOTODYNAMIC INACTIVATION OF SARCOPLASMIC RETICULUM VESICLE MEMBRANES BY XANTHENE DYES

Abstract— Photosensitized oxidation of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) vesicle membranes by a series of xanthene dyes was investigated. With increasing dye concentration and illumination time, the calcium ion uptake, ATPase activity and UV fluorescence intensity of SR decreased, and the absorbance at 241 nm increased. In xanthene dyes, the order of inactivation of the calcium uptake and ATPase activity of SR was in accord with decreasing order, of fluorescence intensity and increasing order of absorbance at 241 nm. Some regular relationships exist between the molecular structures of xanthene dyes and the photodynamic inactivation of SR membranes.     

Interpenetrating Coordination Polymers from CuI or AgI and Flexible Ligands: 2D Polyrotaxanes and Interpenetrating Grids

The reaction of [Cu(CH₃CN)₄]NO₃ or AgNO₃ with flexible ligands 1,4‐bis(4‐pyridylmethyl)‐2,3,5,6‐tetrafluorobenzene (bpf) or 4,4′‐bis(4‐pyridylmethyl)‐2,2′,3,3′,5,5′,6,6′‐octafluorobiphenyl (bpfb) afforded two types of interpenetrating coordination polymers. The structures of [Cu₂(bpf)₃(NO₃)₂]_n and [Ag₂(bpf)₃‐(NO₃)₂]_n are 2D polyrotaxane networks in which 1D polymeric chains are aligned in a grid. The structure of {[Cu(bpfb)₂]NO₃}_n is a 2D grid polymer with two‐fold parallel interpenetration.