Rapid quantitative capillary zone electrophoresis method for monitoring the micro-heterogeneity of an intact recombinant glycoprotein

A simple high-resolution capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) method capable of rapidly assessing the micro-heterogeneity of a 24 kDa molecular weight glycoprotein, has been developed. Separation is carried out using a bare silica capillary at a pH of 2.5 in a commercially available electrophoresis buffer system composed of triethanolamine and phosphoric acid. Over 30 peaks were detected within a run time of 15 min using a 27 cm capillary and approximately 60 peaks were detected using a 77 cm capillary. Although most of the peaks arise from differences in the oligosaccharide structures present on the one glycosylation site on this molecule, other forms of micro-heterogeneity due to the presence of the nonglycosylated form of this glycoprotein and various types of chemical degradation, e.g., deamidation, are also responsible for the multitude of peaks observed. Although the exact chemical identity of each peak in the resulting electropherogram of this glycoprotein is not known, useful information can be obtained for assessing comparability, stability, and batch consistency. Factors impacting the resolution, precision, accuracy, and robustness of the assay are also discussed along with inherent advantages and limitations associated with measuring the micro-heterogeneity of intact glycoproteins.     

Synthesis of quaternary amino acids bearing a (2'Z)-fluorovinyl alpha-branch: potential PLP enzyme inactivators

Protected alpha-formyl amino acids, themselves available from the corresponding alpha-vinyl amino acids, are stereoselectively transformed into the (Z)-configured alpha-(2'-fluoro)vinyl amino acids via a three-step sequence. The route employs McCarthy's reagent, diethyl alpha-fluoro-alpha-(phenylsulfonyl)methyl phosphonate, and proceeds via the intermediate (E)-alpha-fluorovinyl sulfones and (E)-alpha-fluorovinylstannanes. The latter may either be exploited as novel cross-coupling partners for fluorovinyl branch extension or be globally deprotected, to provide the title compounds. [structure: see text]     

Ion solvation in water clusters

We describe here molecular dynamics computer simulations performed to study the solvation of ions (Cl^? and Na⁺) in water clusters. Our simulations show that the calculated structure and dynamics of the clusters is very sensitive to the potential model which is used to describe the interactions. From the comparison with thermodynamic data and data from the photoelectron spectra we conclude that in Cl^?(H₂O)_n (n≤20) clusters the ion is located on the surface of the cluster.     

Structure and dynamics of water at the interface with phospholipid bilayers

We have performed two molecular-dynamics simulations to study the structural and dynamical properties of water at the interface with phospholipid bilayers. In one of the simulations the bilayer contained neutral phospholipid molecules, dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC); in the second simulation the bilayer contained charged lipid molecules, dioleoylphosphatidylserine (DOPS). From the density profile of water we observe that water next to the DOPS bilayer is more perturbed as compared to water near the DOPC bilayer. Using an energetic criterion for the determination of hydrogen bonding we find that water molecules create strong hydrogen bonds with the headgroups of the phospholipid molecules. Due to the presence of these bonds and also due to the confinement of water, the translational and orientational dynamics of water at the interface are slowed down. The degree of slowing down of the dynamics depends upon the location of water molecules near a lipid headgroup.     

Molecular dynamics simulation of a reverse micelle self assembly in supercritical CO2

In this communication we report on molecular dynamics computer simulations of self-assembly of reverse micelles in supercritical carbon dioxide. The reverse micelles contain perfluoropolyether ammonium carboxylate surfactants and an aqueous core. We observed a quick self-assembly of these micelles over time periods of approximately 5 ns, irrespective of initial conditions. In most cases, the self-assembled perfluorinated reverse micelles have a nice spherical shape and properties consistent with experiments. When the fluorinated surfactant is replaced by its hydrogenated analogue, the assembled aggregate contains a region of direct contact between water and carbon dioxide, indicating that hydrogenated surfactant is not a good agent for creation of microemulsions in water/carbon dioxide mixtures.     

X-ray determination of the mean amplitudes of vibration and debye temperatures of some rare earth monochalcogenides

The x-ray diffraction intensities of Bragg reflections have been measured at room temperature for thulium selenide, samarium sulphide, samarium selenide and samarium telluride. On the basis of a common amplitude approximation, the Debye-Waller factor, the mean amplitude of vibration and the Debye temperature have been evaluated. The values of the Debye temperatures and mean amplitudes of vibration are 176±16°K, 0·185 ± 0·017 Å (TmSe), 155 ± 7°K, 0·244 ± 0·012 Å (SmS), 153 ± 14°K, 0·221 ± 0·020 Å (SmSe) and 151 ± 20°K, 0·204 ± 0·027 Å (SmTe).     

Novel "reverse Kahne-type glycosylation": access to O-, N-, and C-linked epipodophyllotoxin conjugates

[formula: see text] Exposure of epipodophyllotoxin C4-sulfoxides to triflic anhydride, followed by a silyl glycoside, provides a glycoconjugate of the etoposide variety via formal "reverse Kahne glycosylation." To our knowledge, this is the first example of this variant of the Kahne activation method wherein the activating functionality is positioned on the aglycon, rather than on the sugar. Phenols, anilines, or allyl silanes are also efficiently captured at C4, producing the corresponding O-, N-, and C-linked lignan conjugates.