Designer ribozymes: programming the tRNA specificity into flexizyme

Fx3 is an artificial ribozyme with the ability to aminoacylate various tRNAs with phenylalanine and its nonnatural derivatives. Herein we report a simple strategy to build tRNA specificity into the generic Fx3, by appending to its 3'-end a tRNA-specific sequence (TSS), which is complementary to the acceptor stem of the cognate tRNA. This new designer ribozyme, referred to as Fx10, is able to recognize its cognate tRNA via a 10-base-pair interaction that is formed after the invasion of the tRNA acceptor stem by the TSS. We have demonstrated that Fx10 can aminoacylate its cognate tRNA with a high degree of specificity and also discriminate against the noncognate tRNAs. Because the tRNA specificity can be easily programmed into Fx10, it is a custom-made catalyst to generate nonnatural aminoacyl-tRNAs.     

Investigation of the reactions of fluorinated isatins and N-acetylisatins with thiocarbohydrazide: Synthesis of a novel spiro system: 2-oxo-1′,2′,4′,5′-tetrahydrospiro[3H-indole-3,3′-1,2,4,5-tetrazine]-6′-thione

A novel system 2-oxo-1′,2′,4′,5′-tetrahydrospiro[3H-indole-3,3′-1,2,4,5-tetrazine]-6′-thione has been synthesized by the treatment of fluorinated isatins with thiocarbohydrazide in aqueous ethanolic medium. Under exactly similar conditions, N-acetylisatin gave exclusively thiocarbohydrazone. The spiro product, on treatment with acetic acid, gave fluorinated isoindigo. Characterization of these products have been done by elemental analyses, ir, pmr and mass spectral studies.     

A study of 1O2 production by immobilized sensitizer outside the solution. Measurement of 1O2 generation

Abstract— Recently, a new technique of ¹O₂ generation has been described by Midden and Wang. The sensitizer is immobilized on silica gel particles which are attached on one surface of a glass plate which is placed, sensitizer-side down, above a solution leaving a small air space between the sensitizer and the solution. Applying the principle of the technique, i.e. generation of ¹O₂ in the gas phase above the solution, we first improved the long-term stability of the dye (rose bengal) by using double stock transparent tape instead of rubber cement. Under these conditions, although the initial rate of production was higher in rubber cement, the rate of production reached a plateau after 30 min, whereas with double stick transparent tape, the rate of generation was linear up to 100 min. This result was explained by the fact that silica glass beads are embedded in the cement which could lead to the bleaching reaction of the dye. Different reactions have been investigated, the bleaching of N,N-dimethyl-4-nitrosoaniline (RNO) in the presence of imidazole, destruction of anthracenedipropionic acid, formation of a stable nitroxide from a sterically hindered secondary amine and the influence of pH on the nitroxide yield. The yield was measured to be 5 × 10¹² molecules of singlet oxygen produced per second per cm² from the surface of the plate using the RNO bleaching reaction. This method of generating ¹O₂ also seems promising for studying the killing of mammalian cells by ¹O₂ as the sole damaging species.     

Design and Development of Zeolite-Based Catalytic Processes for Aromatics Production

Processes for the production of xylenes, which occur in an integrated aromatic complex, are discussed. A brief overview of the work carried out at Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited for the development of zeolite-based catalytic processes for the production of aromatics is presented. This includes xylene isomerization, transalkylation and disproportionation of C₇ and C₉ aromatics for maximization of xylenes, selective disproportionation of toluene and selective alkylation of mono-alkylaromatics to p-dialkylbenzene. Achievements in the commercialization of zeolite-based catalysts and processes for isomerization of m-xylene to p- and o-xylene along with dealkylation of ethylbenzene, and for selective ethylation of ethylbenzene to produce p-diethylbenzene are highlighted.     

Synthesis and DNA binding properties of pyrrole amino acid-containing peptides

Dimers of the pyrrole amino acid (Paa), 5-(aminomethyl)pyrrole-2-carboxylic acid, and its derivatives having Lys anchored on N- and C-termini bind in the minor groove of DNA with considerable apparent binding affinities. When the Lys unit is attached to the C-terminus, the resulting ligand binds to ds-DNA with twice the affinity, of the order of 10⁵, than the one carrying two positive charges at the same end.     

Phosphoramidite approach for the synthesis of cardiolipin

A phosphoramidite approach was utilized for the first time to synthesize cardiolipin. Optically active 1,2-di-O-acyl-sn-glycerol was coupled with 2-O-protected glycerols utilizing mono- and bifunctional phosphitylating agents to yield, after final removal of protecting groups, the title compound.     

Cellulose synthesis in maize: isolation and expression analysis of the cellulose synthase (CesA) gene family

Stalk lodging in maize results in significant yield losses. We have determined that cellulose per unit length of the stalk is the primary determinant of internodal strength. An increase in cellulose concentration in the wall might allow simultaneous improvements in stalk strength and harvest index. Cellulose formation in plants can be perturbed by mutations in the genes involved in cellulose synthesis, post-synthetic cellulose alteration or deposition, N-glycosylation, and some other genes with as yet unknown functions. We have isolated 12 members of the cellulose synthase (CesA) gene family from maize. The genes involved in primary wall formation appear to have duplicated relatively independently in dicots and monocots. The deduced amino acid sequences of three of the maize genes, ZmCesA10–12, cluster with the Arabidopsis CesA sequences that have been shown to be involved in secondary wall formation. Based on their expression patterns across multiple tissues, these three genes appear to be coordinately expressed. The remaining genes show overlapping expression to varying degrees with ZmCesA1, 7, and 8 forming one group, ZmCesA3 and 5 a second group, and ZmCesA2 and 6 exhibiting independent expression of any other gene. This suggests that the varying levels of coexpression may just be incidental except in the case of ZmCesA10–12, which may interact with each other to form a functional enzyme complex. Isolation of the expressed CesA genes from maize and their association with primary or secondary wall formation has made it possible to test their respective roles in cellulose synthesis through mutational genetics or transgenic approaches. This information would be useful in improving stalk strength.     

New sphingolipids and a sterol from a lobophytum species of the Indian ocean

Chemical investigation of a soft coral species of the genus Lobophytum has resulted in the isolation of three new sphingolipids--(2S,3S,4R)-2-nonadecanoylamino-octadecane-1,3,4-triol (1), (2S,3R,4E,8E)-[(2'R)-2'-hydroxyheptadecanoylamino]-4,8-octadecadiene-1,3-diol (2), 1-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-(2S,3R,4E,8E)-2-[(2'R)-2'-hydroxynonadecanoylamino]-9-methyl-4,8-octadecadiene-1,3-diol (3) and a sterol--(24S)-ergost-5-en-3beta,7beta-diol (4) along with the known sphingolipid--(2S,3R,4E,8E)-2-hexadecanoylamino-4,8-octadecadien-1,3-diol (5) which showed cytotoxicity against human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC).     

Spectrophotometric methods for the determination of labetalol hydrochloride in pure and dosage forms

Simple and sensitive Spectrophotometric methods for the determination of labetalol hydrochloride are described. The first two are based on the oxidative coupling reaction of labetalol hydrochloride withp-N,N-dimethyl-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride (method A, _max 685 nm) and 3-methyl-2-benzothiazolinone hydrazone hydrochloride (method B, _max 545 nm) in the presence of sodium hypochlorite and eerie ammonium sulphate as oxidants, respectively. The third depends on the formation of an ion-association complex of labetalol hydrochloride with suprachen violet 3B at pH 1.3, which is extracted into chloroform (method C, _max 565 nm). The methods obey Beer's law and the precision and accuracy of the methods were checked against the B.P. reference method and the relative standard deviations were in the range 0.35–0.52%. These methods are applied to the determination of labetalol in dosage forms.