Interphotoreceptor Retinoid‐Binding Protein Protects Retinoids from Photodegradation

Retinol degrades rapidly in light into a variety of photoproducts. It is remarkable that visual cycle retinoids can evade photodegradation as they are exchanged between the photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium and Müller glia. Within the interphotoreceptor matrix, all‐trans retinol, 11‐cis retinol and retinal are bound by interphotoreceptor retinoid‐binding protein (IRBP). Apart from its role in retinoid trafficking and targeting, could IRBP have a photoprotective function? HPLC was used to evaluate the ability of IRBP to protect all‐trans and 11‐cis retinols from photodegradation when exposed to incandescent light (0 to 8842 μW cm^?2); time periods of 0–60 min, and bIRBP: retinol molar ratios of 1:1 to 1:5. bIRBP afforded a significant prevention of both all‐trans and 11‐cis retinol to rapid photodegradation. The effect was significant over the entire light intensity range tested, and extended to the bIRBP: retinol ratio 1:5. In view of the continual exposure of the retina to light, and the high oxidative stress in the outer retina, our results suggest IRBP may have an important protective role in the visual cycle by reducing photodegradation of all‐trans and 11‐cis retinols. This role of IRBP is particularly relevant in the high flux conditions of the cone visual cycle.     

Origins of the Intermediate Spectral Form in M100 Mutants of Photoactive Yellow Protein

Numerous single‐site mutants of photoactive yellow protein (PYP) from Halorhodospira halophila and as well as PYP homologs from other species exhibit a shoulder on the short wavelength side of the absorbance maximum in their dark‐adapted states. The structural basis for the occurrence of this shoulder, called the “intermediate spectral form,” has only been investigated in detail for the Y42F mutation. Here we explore the structural basis for occurrence of the intermediate spectral form in a M121E derivative of a circularly permuted H. halophila PYP (M121E‐cPYP). The M121 site in M121E‐cPYP corresponds to the M100 site in wild‐type H. halophila PYP. High‐resolution NMR measurements with a salt‐tolerant cryoprobe enabled identification of those residues directly affected by increasing concentrations of ammonium chloride, a salt that greatly enhances the fraction of the intermediate spectra form. Residues in the surface loop containing the M121E (M100E) mutation were found to be affected by ammonium chloride as well as a discrete set of residues that link this surface loop to the buried hydroxyl group of the chromophore via a hydrogen bond network. Localized changes in the conformational dynamics of a surface loop can thereby produce structural rearrangements near the buried hydroxyl group chromophore while leaving the large majority of residues in the protein unaffected.     

Yttrium Complexes of Arsine,Arsenide, and Arsinidene Ligands

Deprotonation of the yttrium–arsine complex [Cp′₃Y{As(H)₂Mes}] ( 1 ) (Cp′=η⁵‐C₅H₄Me, Mes=mesityl) by nBuLi produces the μ‐arsenide complex [{Cp′₂Y[μ‐As(H)Mes]}₃] ( 2 ). Deprotonation of the As H bonds in 2 by nBuLi produces [Li(thf)₄]₂[{Cp′₂Y(μ₃‐AsMes)}₃Li], [Li(thf)₄]₂[ 3 ], in which the dianion 3 contains the first example of an arsinidene ligand in rare‐earth metal chemistry. The molecular structures of the arsine, arsenide, and arsinidene complexes are described, and the yttrium–arsenic bonding is analyzed by density functional theory.     

Qualitative and quantitative ATR-FTIR analysis and its application to coal char of different ranks

This paper analyzes the coal to char stages of char formation of six coals of different ranks by using Fourier transform infrared coupled w ith attenuated total reflectance(ATR-FTIR).The chars w ere obtained by coal pyrolysis carried out at temperature range of 450~700℃.The data obtained show s the pragmatic disappearance of the aliphatic hydrogen content w ith increasing char formation temperature.Numerical evaluation of the spectra enabled the determination of aromaticity,fa.The aromaticity w as found to be betw een 0.66~0.79 for lignite,0.75~0.90 for sub-bituminous,0.84~1.00 for low volatile bituminous,0.83~1.00 for high volatile bituminous,0.94~1.00 for semi-anthracite,and 0.97~1.00 for anthracite respectively.With increasing rank of coal samples,spectra exhibit rising aromaticity and enhanced condensation of aromatic rings,w hereas the aliphatic chain lengths decrease.     

Dual‐Modal Magnetic Resonance/Fluorescent Zinc Probes for Pancreatic β‐Cell Mass Imaging

Despite the contribution of changes in pancreatic β‐cell mass to the development of all forms of diabetes mellitus, few robust approaches currently exist to monitor these changes prospectively in vivo. Although magnetic‐resonance imaging (MRI) provides a potentially useful technique, targeting MRI‐active probes to the β cell has proved challenging. Zinc ions are highly concentrated in the secretory granule, but they are relatively less abundant in the exocrine pancreas and in other tissues. We have therefore developed functional dual‐modal probes based on transition‐metal chelates capable of binding zinc. The first of these, Gd ?1 , binds Zn^II directly by means of an amidoquinoline moiety (AQA), thus causing a large ratiometric Stokes shift in the fluorescence from λ_em=410 to 500 nm with an increase in relaxivity from r₁=4.2 up to 4.9 mM ^?1 s^?1. The probe is efficiently accumulated into secretory granules in β‐cell‐derived lines and isolated islets, but more poorly by non‐endocrine cells, and leads to a reduction in T₁ in human islets. In vivo murine studies of Gd ?1 have shown accumulation of the probe in the pancreas with increased signal intensity over 140 minutes.     

Synthesis,Characterisation and Reactivity of Copper(I) Amide Complexes and Studies on Their Role in the Modified Ullmann Amination Reaction

A series of copper(I) alkylamide complexes have been synthesised; copper(I) dicyclohexylamide ( 1 ), copper(I) 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidide ( 2 ), copper(I) pyrrolidide ( 3 ), copper(I) piperidide ( 4 ), and copper(I) benzylamide ( 5 ). Their solid‐state structures and structures in [D₆]benzene solution are characterised, with the aggregation state in solution determined by a combination of DOSY NMR spectroscopy and DFT calculations. Complexes 1 , 2 and 4 are shown to exist as tetramers in the solid state by X‐ray crystallography. In [D₆]benzene solution, complexes 1 , 2 and 5 were found by using ¹H DOSY NMR to exist in rapid equilibrium between aggregates with average aggregation numbers of 2.5, 2.4 and 3.3, respectively, at 0.05 M concentration. Conversely, distinct trimeric, tetrameric and pentameric forms of 3 and 4 were distinguishable by one‐dimensional ¹H and ¹H DOSY NMR spectroscopy. Complexes 3 – 5 are found to react stoichiometrically with iodobenzene, in the presence or absence of 1,10‐phenanthroline as an ancillary ligand, to give arylamine products indicative of their role as potential intermediates in the modified Ullmann reaction. The role of phenanthroline has also been explored both in the stoichiometric reaction and in the catalytic Ullmann protocol.     

Strong Direct Magnetic Coupling in a Dinuclear CoII Tetrazine Radical Single‐Molecule Magnet

The ligand‐centered radical complex [(CoTPMA)₂‐μ‐bmtz^.?](O₃SCF₃)₃ ? CH₃CN (bmtz=3,6‐bis(2′‐pyrimidyl)‐1,2,4,5‐tetrazine, TPMA=tris‐(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine) has been synthesized from the neutral bmtz precursor. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction studies have confirmed the presence of the ligand‐centered radical. The Co^II complex exhibits slow paramagnetic relaxation in an applied DC field with a barrier to spin reversal of 39 K. This behavior is a result of strong antiferromagnetic metal–radical coupling combined with positive axial and strong rhombic anisotropic contributions from the Co^II ions.