Universal method for synthesis of artificial gel antibodies by the imprinting approach combined with a unique electrophoresis technique for detection of minute structural differences of proteins, viruses, and cells (bacteria): Ia. gel antibodies against proteins (transferrins)

Artificial antibodies in the form of gel granules were prepared by the molecular imprinting technique from the monomers acrylamide and N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide. Gel granules, freed from the selectively adsorbed protein (the antigen), are neutral and, accordingly, do not migrate in an electrical field. However, upon selective interaction with the antigen at a pH different from its pI, the granules become charged. The selectivity of the gel antibodies was studied by free zone electrophoresis in a tube with inside diameter larger than the size of the granules. Such electrophoretic analyses showed that gel antibodies against iron-free transferrin had a high selectivity for this protein, although some crossreaction took place with iron-saturated transferrin, indicating that these artificial antibodies can easily distinguish the minute differences in the 3-D structure of the transferrins. Analogously, gel antibodies against iron-saturated transferrin were highly selective for this protein with some crossreaction with iron-free transferrin. The mobilities of iron-free and iron-saturated transferrin are very similar, and, therefore, capillary free zone electrophoresis cannot distinguish between these structurally related proteins. However, significant differences in the mobilities of the selective gel granules can be observed depending on their interaction with iron-free or iron-saturated transferrin, i.e., the artificial gel antibodies may become powerful analytical tools.     

A new secoiridoid glycoside from the fruits of Cornus officinalis (Cornaceae)

A new secoiridoid glycoside, 7β-O-dimethyl butanedioate morroniside (1) was isolated from the fruits of Cornus officinalis (Cornaceae) along with the known compound, caffeoyltartaric acid dimethyl ester (2) which was isolated from the family Cornaceae for the first time. Their structures were elucidated by physical and spectroscopic data analysis, including 1D and 2D NMR, ESI-MS and CD experiments.     

Radiochemical determination of uranium and radium isotope in natural water using liquid scintillation counter

²³⁴U, ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra, and ²²⁸Ra were analyzed in 14 Korean hot spring waters. Uranium was extracted with mixture of extractive scintillation cocktail containing HDEHP and ²³⁴U, ²³⁸U were analyzed with LSC. Radium isotopes were separated using Ba coprecipitation method and counted with LSC and ²²⁸Ra was also analyzed its daughter ²²⁸Ac with HPGe γ-detector. Among them ²²⁶Ra was ranged <0.01–0.155 Bq/L and ²²⁸Ra is below detection limit <0.1 Bq/L. And also, uranium content was ranged <0.01–49.7 μg/L and ²³⁴U/²³⁸U ratio was ranged 0.69–1.17.     

Cell Surface Display of Cellulase Activity–Free Xylanase Enzyme on <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Saccharomyces Cerevisiae</Emphasis> EBY100

Cellulase-free xylanase has potential for its application in the selective removal of hemicellulose from kraft pulp to give good strength to paper. In this study, a gene (xyn) encoding cellulase activity–free xylanase enzyme (Xyn) was isolated from Paenibacillus polymyxa PPL-3. The xyn gene encoded a protein of 221 amino acids, and the purified Xyn was about 22.5 kDa measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate–polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Moreover, the cellulase activity–free xylanase enzyme (Xyn) was displayed on the cell surface of Saccharomyces cerevisiae EBY100 using Aga2p as an anchor protein. Cell surface display of xylanase enzyme (Xyn) on S. cerevisiae EBY100 was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy. Optimum cell surface display of xylanase enzyme (Xyn) was observed at pH 7 and 40 °C. Therefore, cell surface–displayed xylanase enzyme (Xyn) can be used in the paper industry.     

Facile aromatic radiofluorination of [18F]flumazenil from diaryliodonium salts with evaluation of their stability and selectivity

Aromatic radiofluorination of the diaryliodonium tosylate precursor with [(18)F]fluoride ions has been applied successfully to access [(18)F]flumazenil in high radiochemical yields of 67.2 ± 2.7% (decay corrected). The stability and reactivity of the diaryliodonium tosylate precursor plays a key role in increasing the production of (18)F-labelled molecules under the fluorine-18 labelling condition. Various conditions were explored for the preparation of [(18)F]flumazenil from different diaryliodonium tosylate precursors. Optimum incorporation of [(18)F]fluoride ions in the 4-methylphenyl-mazenil iodonium tosylate precursor (5f) was achieved at 150 °C for 5 min by utilizing 4 mg of the precursor, K(2.2.2)/K(2)CO(3) complex, and the radical scavenger in N,N-dimethylformamide. This approach was extended to a viable method for use in automated synthesis with a radiochemical yield of 63.5 ± 3.2% (decay corrected, n = 26) within 60.0 ± 1.1 min. [(18)F]Flumazenil was isolated by preparative HPLC after the reaction was conducted under improved conditions and exhibited sufficient specific activity of 370-450 GBq μmol(-1), with a radiochemical purity of >99%, which will be suitable for human PET studies.     

Accelerated ring-opening metathesis polymerization of a secondary amide of 1-cyclobutene by hydrogen-bonding interaction

A hydrogen-bond-assisted model is proposed for ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of a secondary amide of 1-cyclobutene, resulting in the fastest reaction rate in a nonpolar solvent, toluene. This new model was supported by the investigation on how the solvent effect affected the NMR spectra, ROMP kinetic studies, and the copolymerization of monomers 1 and 2.     

Charge transfer induced enhancement of near-IR two-photon absorption of 5,15-bis(azulenylethynyl) zinc(II) porphyrins

Intramolecular charge transfer in 5,15-bis(azulenylethynyl) substituted zinc(ii) porphyrin leads to a significant enhancement of two-photon absorption at near-IR region, which has been investigated by femtosecond Z-scan method.     

Room-temperature spin crossover observed for [(TPyA)FeII(DBQ(2-))Fe(II)(TPyA)](2+) [TPyA = Tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine; DBQ(2-) = 2,5-Di-tert-butyl-3,6-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoquinonate

Dinuclear [(TPyA)FeII(DBQ2-)FeII(TPyA)](BF4)2 possesses extensive pi-pi interactions between the FeII dimers that give rise to a two-dimensional supramolecular sheet structure. The magnetic susceptibility shows a room-temperature spin-crossover behavior; however, thermal hysteresis is not observed.