High-performance liquid affinity chromatography for the purification of immunoglobulin A from human serum using jacalin

A high-performance liquid affinity chromatographic method for the purification of serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) using a jacalin column is described. The automated procedure takes about 2 with minimal manipulation. The yields of the isolated IgA and of its IgG and IgM contamination were studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of 30 sera. Purity was assured by immunoelectrophoresis. The ratio of IgA1 to total IgA was unchanged after purification, as verified by ELISA. The results showed that greater than 90% IgA could be recovered with less than 0.5% total IgG and greater than 2.0% total IgM remaining in the fractions containing purified IgA.     

Induction of DNA strand breaks and DNA-protein cross-links in normal human skin fibroblasts following exposure to 254 nm UV radiation

Levels of DNA strand breaks and DNA-protein cross-links (DPCs) were measured using the alkaline elution assay in normal human skin fibroblasts irradiated with 0-200 J m-2 of 254 nm UV radiation and incubated for 0-24 h. On incubation, the yields of both single-strand breaks (SSBs) and DPCs increased with similar kinetics and remained elevated. In addition, when SSBs were measured under conditions in which DPCs were not eliminated by treatment with proteinase K, a measurable yield of SSBs could not be detected. Hence, the SSBs that form in the UV-irradiated cells following incubation appear to be associated with the DPCs.     

The Crystal Structure of Binuclear Metal Complexes of 7-Azaindole: Cu2 (CH3CO2)2 (C7H5N2)2(C7H6N2)2 AND Ni2(C7H5N2)4.2DMF

The crystal and molecular structures have been determined by single-crystal X-ray methods for the binuclear metal ions (II) complexes of 7-azaindole (1H-pyrrolo [2,3-b] pyridine, C₇H₆N₂ denoted by HL), Cu₂(CH₃CO₂)₂.·L₂(HL)₂ and Ni₂L₄.2DMF. The dark green crystal of Cu₂(CH₃CO₂)₂L₂(HL)₂ was found to crystallize in the monoclinic space group P 2₁/n with a = 9.566(2), b = 12.752(2), c = 12.852(4) Å, β = 99.23(3)⁰, V = 1547 Å, Z = 2, the final R = 0.062 and Rw = 0.053 for 1488 observations from 2722 unique reflections. The Cu-Cu distance is 2.747(2), Cu-N (L^?, bridge) is 1.966(7), Cu-N (HL, axial) is 2.229(8), and Cu-O is 2.031(6)Å. The red crystal of Ni₂L₄.2DMF was was found to crystallize in the triclinic space group \documentclass{article}\pagestyle{empty}\begin{document}$$ {\rm P \bar 1} $$\end{document} with a = 8.907(5), b = 9.462(2), c = 10.217(2) Å, α = 90.48(2), β = 91.09(3), γ = 110.69(3)⁰, V =805 ų, Z = 1, the final R = 0.063 and Rw = 0.069 for 1489 observations from 2834 unique reflections. The Ni-Ni distance is 2.594(2), Ni-N is 1.905(7) Å. These two molecules lie on crystllographic inversion centers and exhibit ligand disorder.     

Copper-catalyzed hydrostannation of activated alkynes

[reactions: see text] [(Ph3P)CuH]6 effectively catalyzes the hydrostannation of activated alkynes with exclusive regioselectivity for alpha-stannation. Syn hydrostannation is observed exclusively for alkynoates. Anti or syn hydrostannation adducts are obtained as products for alkynone substrates.     

Structure and Thermal Stability of a Novel 2‐D Layered Copper(II) Coordination Polymer with the Bidentate Ligand 1, 2, 4‐Triazol‐5‐one

Single crystals of {[Cu(TO)₂(H₂O)₂](NO₃)₂}_n (TO: 1, 2, 4‐triazol‐5‐one) were grown by slow evaporation from aqueous solution. It crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca, with a = 7.082(1), b = 10.285(1), c = 17.911(3)Å, V = 1304.6(3)ų, Z = 4. The Cu^II distorted octahedra are bridged by bidentate TO ligands into infinite 2‐D interlaced rhombic grid‐like network planes, {[Cu(TO)₂(H₂O)₂]²⁺}_n. Hydrogen bonds, electrostatic interactions, and weak van der Waals' forces assemble these planes and the NO₃^— anions to a layered structure. The title compound decomposes at 153.4 °C to the final products, Cu(CN)₂ and CuO.     

Influence of drying procedure on the mesoporosity and surface fractal dimensions of silica xerogels prepared with different agitation methods

Silica xerogels were prepared by thermal drying wet gels in an electric oven (70 degrees C) after certain duration of ambient drying, and the relevant effect is investigated on the mesopore structures and surface fractal dimensions of the resultant xerogels. The silica gels were derived from a hydrochloric acid-catalyzed TEOS (tetraethylorthaosilicate) system, and both magnetic stirring and ultrasonic vibration were adopted during sol preparation. The percentage mesoporosity and surface fractal dimensions are evaluated using image analysis methods, based on FE-SEM (field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy) images. The results show that the mesoporosity of the resultant xerogels decreases with the duration of ambient drying for samples prepared using magnetic stirring and low-intensity ultrasonic vibration, while samples subjected to high-intensity ultrasound show a somewhat reverse trend. Samples prepared with magnetic stirring have almost constant surface fractal dimensions (nearly 3), irrespective of the ambient drying before thermal drying. The surface fractal dimensions of samples prepared using ultrasound increase with the duration of ambient drying.     

Palladium catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions using N,O-bidentate ligands

Palladium-catalyzed Suzuki cross-coupling reactions employing Schiff-bases as ligands toward a series of substituted arylbromides and boronic acids were pursued. In the presence of a N,O-bidentate ligand, 2-[1-(2,4,6-trimethyl-phenylimino)-ethyl]-phenol 5, the catalytic reactions could be carried out efficiently at room temperature with a wide array of arylbromides, even with electronically deactivated arenes. A deprotonated 5, 5′, chelated palladium acetate complex, [5′Pd(II)(OAc)(solv)] 8, was proposed as a precursor of a genuine catalytically active species.     

Antibody-recruiting protein-catalyzed capture agents to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria

Antibiotic resistant infections are projected to cause over 10 million deaths by 2050, yet the development of new antibiotics has slowed. This points to an urgent need for methodologies for the rapid development of antibiotics against emerging drug resistant pathogens. We report on a generalizable combined computational and synthetic approach, called antibody-recruiting protein-catalyzed capture agents (AR-PCCs), to address this challenge. We applied the combinatorial protein catalyzed capture agent (PCC) technology to identify macrocyclic peptide ligands against highly conserved surface protein epitopes of carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae, an opportunistic Gram-negative pathogen with drug resistant strains. Multi-omic data combined with bioinformatic analyses identified epitopes of the highly expressed MrkA surface protein of K. pneumoniae for targeting in PCC screens. The top-performing ligand exhibited high-affinity (EC₅₀ ∼50 nM) to full-length MrkA, and selectively bound to MrkA-expressing K. pneumoniae, but not to other pathogenic bacterial species. AR-PCCs that bear a hapten moiety promoted antibody recruitment to K. pneumoniae, leading to enhanced phagocytosis and phagocytic killing by macrophages. The rapid development of this highly targeted antibiotic implies that the integrated computational and synthetic toolkit described here can be used for the accelerated production of antibiotics against drug resistant bacteria.

Antibody-recruiting protein-catalyzed capture agent (AR-PCCs) are a new class of all-synthetic and highly targeted antibiotics that recruit endogenous immune responses to eliminate drug-resistant microbes.     

The Constituents of the Leaves of Chamaecyparis Formosensis Matsum

Forty one terpenoidal compounds were isolated from the essential oil of Chamaecyparis formosensis Matsum. The dominant component is α-pinene. Other major components include β-pinene, 3-carene, α-terpineol, γ-muurolene, and kaurene.