Study of the peak effect phenomenon in single crystals of 2H-NbSe2

The weakly pinned single crystals of the hexagonal 2H-NbSe₂ compound have emerged as prototypes for determining and characterizing the phase boundaries of the possible order-disorder transformations in the vortex matter. We present here a status report based on the ac and dc magnetization measurements of the peak effect phenomenon in three crystals of 2H-NbSe₂, in which the critical current densities vary over two orders of magnitude. We sketch the generic vortex phase diagram of a weakly pinned superconductor, which also utilizes theoretical proposals. We also establish the connection between the metastability effects and pinning.     

Shaping Solid-State Supramolecular Cavities: Chemically Induced Accordionlike Movement of gamma-Zirconium Phosphate Containing Polyethylenoxide Pillars

The hydrophilic oxygen atoms of polyethylenoxide chains inserted as pillars in gamma-zirconium phosphate form hydrogen bonds with the acid groups of the host. As a result the pillars are almost perpendicular to the gamma layers. Upon changing the pH level of the supernatant solution the hydrogen bonds are broken and the pillars become almost perpendicular to the layers (shown schematically). Thus there is a reversible enlargement-shortening of the interlayer space.     

7-Deazaadenosine: Oligoribonucleotide building block synthesis and autocatalytic hydrolysis of base-modified hammerhead ribozymes

A 7-deazaadenosine ( = tubercidin; c⁷A; 1 ) building block for solid-phase oligoribonucleotide synthesis was prepared. The amino group of 1 was protected with the (dimethylamino)methylidene residue (→ 3 ), and the monomethoxytrityl group was introduced at OH? C(5′) (→ 4 ). Protection of OH? C(2′) was carried out by silylation, showing that use of the (i-Pr)₃Si group resulted in high 2′-O-selectivity (→ 5b , 80%). Reaction of 5b with PCl₃ afforded the phosphonate 7 which was used in solid-phase oligoribonucleotide synthesis. The autocatalytic hydrolysis of hammerhead ribozymes using pG-G-G-A-G-U-C-A-G-U-C-C-C-U-U-C-G-G-G-G-A-C-U-C-U-G-A-A-G-A-G-G-C-G-C as substrate strand (S) and modified G-C-G-C-C-G-A-A-A-C-U-C-C-C as enzyme strand (E) was studied. When c⁷A replaced A¹³ or A¹⁴, a small decrease of catalytic activity was observed, while modification in position A¹⁵ enhanced the autocatalytic hydrolysis. The results demonstrate, that the atom N(7) of adenosine in any of these positions is not crucial for ribozyme action.     

Total stepwise solid-phase synthesis of oligonucleotide-(3'-->N)-peptide conjugates

[structure: see text] An efficient total stepwise solid-phase synthesis of oligonucleotide-(3'-->N)-peptide conjugates is described that makes use of either a controlled pore glass support or macroporous polystyrene beads. Extending our previous homoserine linker approach, we prepared a range of conjugates containing one of four different cell or nuclear penetration peptides together with oligonucleotides containing 2'-deoxynucleoside or 2'-O-methylribonucleoside phosphodiesters, or gapmers containing 2'-deoxyphosphorothioates. The route also allows incorporation of a fluorescent label within the conjugate for cell uptake studies.     

Efficient conjugation of peptides to oligonucleotides by "native ligation"

A new strategy has been developed for conjugation of peptides to oligonucleotides. The method is based on the "native ligation" of an N-terminal thioester-functionalized peptide to a 5'-cysteinyl oligonucleotide. Two new reagents were synthesized for use in solid-phase peptide and oligonucleotide synthesis, respectively. Pentafluorophenyl S-benzylthiosuccinate was used in the final coupling step in standard Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide assembly. Deprotection with trifluoracetic acid generated in solution peptides substituted with an N-terminal S-benzylthiosuccinyl moiety. O-trans-4-(N-alpha-Fmoc-S-tert-butylsulfenyl-L-cysteinyl)aminoc yclohe xyl O-2-cyanoethyl-N,N-diisopropylphosphoramidite was used in the final coupling step in standard phosphoramidite solid-phase oligonucleotide assembly. Deprotection with aqueous ammonia solution generated in solution 5'-S-tert-butylsulfenyl-L-cysteinyl functionalized oligonucleotides. Functionalized peptides and oligonucleotides were used without purification in native ligation conjugation reactions in aqueous/organic solution using tris-(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine to remove the tert-butylsulfenyl group in situ and thiophenol as a conjugation enhancer. A range of peptide-oligonucleotide conjugates were prepared by this route and purified by reversed-phase HPLC.     

Synthesis of oligo-2′-<Emphasis Type="Italic">O</Emphasis>-methylribonucleotides containing α-amino acid residues in 2′-position

Oligo-2′-O-methylribonucleotides containing residues of phenylalanine, histidine, and lysine amides were synthesized with the use of new phosphoramidites of 2′-aminoacid derivatives of uridine. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 775–783, April, 2007.