Oxidation at a sol-gel composite electrode doped with a dirhodium-substituted polyoxometalate for amperometric detection of peptides separated by HPLC

Oxidation of a variety of compounds, including methionine (Met), using a complex formed between dirhodium(II) acetate and the lacunary form of phosphotungstic acid as the catalyst is effective over a wide range of conditions, including pH 2–10. Thus, amperometric detection at a composite in which this complex is immobilized in a sol–gel material does not place restrictions on selection of conditions for separations by reverse-phase HPLC. A demonstration of this point is shown by a study of Met, Met–Phe, Phe–Met, Met–Met, and Gly–Met–Gly (Phe, phenylalanine; Gly, glycine). Using a 0.05 M phosphate buffer at pH 6.7, a C18 column, and a flow rate of 1 ml min⁻¹, capacity factors for Met, Gly–Met–Gly, Met–Met, and Phe–Met were 1.4, 2.1, 5.6, and 34, respectively. Phe–Met and Met–Phe co-eluted.     

Enterococcal cytolysin: a novel two component peptide system that serves as a bacterial defense against eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells

The cytolysin is a novel, two-peptide lytic toxin produced by some strains of Enterococcus faecalis. It is toxic in animal models of enterococcal infection, and associated with acutely terminal outcome in human infection. The cytolysin exerts activity against a broad spectrum of cell types including a wide range of gram positive bacteria, eukaryotic cells such as human, bovine and horse erythrocytes, retinal cells, polymorphonuclear leukocytes, and human intestinal epithelial cells. The cytolysin likely originated as a bacteriocin involved with niche control in the complex microbial ecologies associated with eukaryotic hosts. However, additional anti-eukaryotic activities may have been selected for as enterococci adapted to eukaryotic cell predation in water or soil ecologies. Cytolytic activity requires two unique peptides that possess modifications characteristic of the lantibiotic bacteriocins, and these peptides are broadly similar in size to most cationic eukaryotic defensins. Expression of the cytolysin is tightly controlled by a novel mode of gene regulation in which the smaller peptide signals high-level expression of the cytolysin gene cluster. This complex regulation of cytolysin expression may have evolved to balance defense against eukaryotic predators with stealth.     

The microwave spectrum of thioformaldehyde,CD2S,and CH2S: Average structure,dipole moments,and 33S quadrupole coupling

Microwave transitions up to J = 53 in the ground vibrational state of deuterothioformaldehyde, CD₂S, were studied between 8 and 40 GHz. A detailed centrifugal distortion analysis yields accurate constants for comparison with force field values. The isotopic species ¹³CH₂S, CH₂³⁴S, CH₂³³S, ¹³CD₂S, CD₂³⁴S, and CD₂³³S were studied in natural abundance. Accurate average zero-point structures were determined for both CD₂S and CH₂S:

$\text{CH}{}_2\text{S}\text{CS}\text{=1.6138(4)}\text{CH}\text{= 1.0962(6)}\text{A}\text{?}\text{∠}\text{HCH}\text{=116° 16(6)′,}\text{CD}{}_2\text{S}\text{CS}\text{=1.6136(4)}\text{CD}\text{= 1.0931(4)}\text{A}\text{?}\text{∠}\text{DCD}\text{=116° 25(5)′}$

Changes in the zero-point geometry for deuterium substitution were established. Quadrupole fine structure arising from the ³³S nucleus has been measured in CH₂³³S and CD₂³³S. Analysis gives the following coupling constants (for both molecules) as χ_aa = ?11.7 and χ_bb - χ_cc = 88.1 MHz. The dipole moment of CD₂S was measured to be 1.6588(8)D and an accurate comparison with CH₂S was made; the ratio of dipole moments $\text{CD}{}_2\text{S}\text{CH}{}_2\text{S}$ was found to be 1.0062(4). The spectroscopic and bonding properties of CH₂S will be compared with formaldehyde and other molecules.     

First in vitro directed biosynthesis of new compounds by a minimal type II polyketide synthase: evidence for the mechanism of chain length determination

The minimal actinorhodin polyketide synthase bearing two point mutations (KSbeta Q161A, ACP C17S) was chemically modified to carry novel C4 to C8 starter units on the ACP: on incubation with an excess of malonyl CoA new 16-carbon polyketides are made, supporting a measuring mechanism.     

Conformation of Tax-response elements in the human T-cell leukemia virus type I promoter

Background: HTLV I Tax is believed to activate viral gene expression by binding bZIP proteins (such as CRIB) and increasing their affinities for proviral THE target sites. Each 21 by THE target site contains an imperfect copy of the intrinsically bent CRE target site (the TRE core) surrounded by highly conserved flanking sequences. These flanking sequences are essential for maximal increases in DNA affinity and transactivation, but they are not, apparently, contacted by protein. Here we employ non-denaturing gel electrophoresis to evaluate TRE conformation in the presence and absence of bZIP proteins, and to explore the role of DNA conformation in viral transactivation.Results: Our results show that the TRE-1 flanking sequences modulate the structure and modestly increase the affinity of a CREB bZIP peptide for the TRE-1 core recognition sequence. These flanking sequences are also essential for a maximal increase in stability of the CREB-DNA complex in the presence of Tax.Conclusions: The CRE-like TRE core and the TRE flanking sequences are both essential for formation of stable CRIB-TRE-1 and Tax-CREB-TRE-1 complexes. These two DNA segments may have co-evolved into a unique structure capable of recognizing Tax and a bZIP protein.