A nickel hydride complex in the active site of methyl-coenzyme m reductase: implications for the catalytic cycle

Methanogenic archaea utilize a specific pathway in their metabolism, converting C1 substrates (i.e., CO2) or acetate to methane and thereby providing energy for the cell. Methyl-coenzyme M reductase (MCR) catalyzes the key step in the process, namely methyl-coenzyme M (CH3-S-CoM) plus coenzyme B (HS-CoB) to methane and CoM-S-S-CoB. The active site of MCR contains the nickel porphinoid F430. We report here on the coordinated ligands of the two paramagnetic MCR red2 states, induced when HS-CoM (a reversible competitive inhibitor) and the second substrate HS-CoB or its analogue CH3-S-CoB are added to the enzyme in the active MCR red1 state (Ni(I)F430). Continuous wave and pulse EPR spectroscopy are used to show that the MCR red2a state exhibits a very large proton hyperfine interaction with principal values A((1)H) = [-43,-42,-5] MHz and thus represents formally a Ni(III)F430 hydride complex formed by oxidative addition to Ni(I). In view of the known ability of nickel hydrides to activate methane, and the growing body of evidence for the involvement of MCR in "reverse" methanogenesis (anaerobic oxidation of methane), we believe that the nickel hydride complex reported here could play a key role in helping to understand both the mechanism of "reverse" and "forward" methanogenesis.     

Exploring the Loading Capacity of Generation Six to Eight Dendronized Polymers in Aqueous Solution

Aspects of size, structural (im)perfection, inner density, and guest molecule loading capacity of dendronized polymers (DPs) of high generation (6≤g≤8) in aqueous solution are studied using electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy on amphiphilic, spin‐labeled guest molecules. The results show that the interior of the charged DPs is strongly polar, especially in comparison to their lower generation (1–4) analogues. This is a direct sign that large amounts of water penetrate the DP surface, reflecting the structural (im)perfections of these high‐generation DPs and much lower segmental densities than theoretically achievable. Images obtained with atomic force microscopy reveal that the high‐generation DPs do not aggregate and give further insights into the structural imperfections. Electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic data further show that despite their structural imperfections, these DPs can bind and release large numbers of amphiphilic molecules. It is concluded that attention should be paid to their synthesis, for which a protocol needs to be developed that avoids the relatively large amount of defects generated in the direct conversion of a generation g=4 DP to a generation g=6 DP, which had to be used here.     

The effect of electrospinning parameters on the compliance behavior of electrospun polyurethane tube for artificial common bile duct

The present research introduced a method to produce an artificial common bile duct using electrospinning technique. Also, the effect of electrospinning variables on the mechanical properties of produced prostheses is investigated. Using electrospinning of polyurethane nanofibres, cylindrical prostheses were produced on a rotating mandrel considering the different controllable factors such as the mandrel rotational speed, the applied voltage, and the flow rate of polymer solution. Taguchi method was used to investigate the effect of mentioned factors on the compliance of circular prostheses. MTT assay was performed to study the cytotoxicity of prostheses. The results of the signal-to-noise analysis showed that the mandrel rotational speed factor has the strongest effect on the compliance values. The flow rate was the second factor and it was followed by electrospinning voltage. In addition, the optimum conditions to reach the highest compliance value were determined. The results of MTT assay indicated no cytotoxic effects of prostheses on the cells. The compliance of optimum prosthesis was found close to the compliance value of a native common bile duct.     

Synthesis, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activity evaluation of some new bis-Schiff bases of isatin and their derivatives

Twelve new bis-Schiff bases of isatin, benzylisatin and 5-fluoroisatin 3a-3l were prepared by condensation of isatin, benzylisatin and 5-fluoroisatin with primary aromatic amines. The chemical structures of the products were confirmed by 1H- and 13CNMR, IR and mass spectral data. The compounds were screened for antiviral activity against a panel of DNA and RNA viruses. Minimum cytotoxic and minimum virus-inhibitory concentrations of these compounds were determined. Compounds 3c and 3i were the most cytotoxic in HEL cells. These newly synthesized bis-Schiff bases were also tested for their antibacterial and antifungal activities. They did not display activity against S. cerevisiae (ATCC 28383) or C. albicans (CIP 1180-79).     

((3-(3-硅胶丙基)硫基)丙基)硫酸酯作为可回收催化剂用于合成4,4'-芳亚甲基-双(1H-吡唑-5-醇)(英文)

Sulfuric acid ([3-(3-silicapropyl)sulfanyl]propyl)ester is employed as a recyclable catalyst for the condensation reaction between aromatic aldehydes and 3-methyl-l-phenyl-5-pyrazolone. This condensation reaction was performed in ethanol under refluxing conditions giving 4,4'-alkylmethylene-bis(3-methyl-5-pyrazolones) in 74-90% yields. The heterogeneous catalyst was recycled and used in eleven runs for the reaction between benzaldehyde and 3-methyl-l-phenyl-5-pyrazolone without losing catalytic activity.     

Parameterization of 241Am and 230Th alpha particle energy in dependence on distance traveled in air

A new method is introduced in this paper for calculating alpha particle energy versus traveled distance (APETD) in air as emitted from ²⁴¹Am and ²³⁰Th sources as well as the alpha range versus its energy and its energy versus distance. This method is to derive the stated relevant equations and in particular to speed up the calculation of E(x) by a Monte-Carlo simulation. By a fitting procedure, an analytical formula E(x) was determined in terms of a series of powers of distance x. Then a randomly sampled x can be quickly transformed into a corresponding energy E. The APETD calculations were run on a Microsoft Windows 7 32?bit operating system with a maximum usable memory of 3?GB. The results of calculations for alphas of the above two radionuclides in air compared to those of others using a different method are in good agreement. The above stated equations as derived in this paper are presented and the process time for applying the new method has been greatly improved.     

Effect of chelate ring expansion on Jahn-Teller distortion and Jahn-Teller dynamics in copper(II) complexes

The expanded ligand N,N'-dimethyl-N,N'-dipyridin-2-yl-pyridin-2,6-diamine (ddpd) coordinates to copper(II) ions in a meridional fashion giving the dicationic complex mer-[Cu(ddpd)(2)](BF(4))(2) (1). In the solid state at temperatures below 100 K the cations of 1 localize in Jahn-Teller elongated CuN(6) polyhedra with the longest Cu-N bond pointing in the molecular x or y directions while the z axis is constrained by the tridentate ddpd ligand. The elongated polyhedra are ordered in an antiferrodistortive way giving an idealized zincblende structure. At higher temperature dynamically averaged (fluxional) polyhedra in the molecular x/y directions are observed by multifrequency variable temperature electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and by variable temperature X-ray diffraction studies. Compared to [Cu(tpy)(2)](2+) (tpy = 2,2';6',2″-terpyridine) the Jahn-Teller splitting 4δ(1) of 1 is larger. This is very probably caused by the much more favorable orbital overlap in the Cu-N bonds in 1 which results from the larger bite angle of ddpd as compared to tpy. The "freezing-in" of the Jahn-Teller dynamics of 1 (T ≈ 100 K) occurs at higher temperature than observed for [Cu(tpy)(2)](2+) (T < 77 K) which is also probably due to the larger Jahn-Teller distortion of 1 resulting in a larger activation barrier.     

Alkane lengths determine encapsulation rates and equilibria

A cylindrical capsule provides an environment for straight-chain alkanes that can properly fill the space through extended or compressed conformations. The encapsulation rates of a series of alkanes were examined and found to be dependent on guest length: the rates of uptake are C(9) > C(10) > C(11), while complex stability is in the reverse order, C(11) > C(10) > C(9). Direct competition experiments, pairwise or between all 3 alkanes, maintain this order as the longer alkanes sequentially displace the shorter ones. The distribution of species with time provides a clock for this complex system, which combines elements of self-sorting phenomena and dynamic combinatorial chemistry. The clock can be stopped by replacing the alkanes with the superior guest 4,4'-dimethylazobenzene, then restarted by irradiation.