Crystallization of Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C N-(1-D-carboxyethyl)-L-norvaline dehydrogenase and its complex with NAD+

The novel NAD+-linked opine dehydrogenase from a soil isolate Arthrobacter sp. strain 1C belongs to an enzyme superfamily whose members exhibit quite diverse substrate specificites. Crystals of this opine dehydrogenase, obtained in the presence or absence of co-factor and substrates, have been shown to diffract to beyond 1.8 ? resolution. X-ray precession photographs have established that the crystals belong to space group P21212, with cell parameters a = 104.9, b = 80.0, c = 45.5 ? and a single subunit in the asymmetric unit. The elucidation of the three-dimensional structure of this enzyme will provide a structural framework for this novel class of dehydrogenases to enable a comparison to be made with other enzyme families and also as the basis for mutagenesis experiments directed towards the production of natural and synthetic opine-type compounds containing two chiral centres.     

Solvolysis of (Z)-5-trimethylstannyl 2-adamantyl p-bromobenzenesulfonate: mechanistic implications of a record-breaking secondary alpha-deuterium kinetic isotope effect for an SN1 substrate

The secondary alpha-deuterium kinetic isotope effect (alpha-kie) for the solvolysis of (Z)-5-trimethylstannyl 2-adamantyl p-bromobenzenesulfonate in 97% w/w aqueous 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (97T) at 25 degrees C has been measured (k(H)/k(D) = 1.33). The alpha-kie is abnormally high compared to the value of 1.23 for the corresponding limiting S(N)1 solvolysis of 2-adamantyl p-bromobenzenesulfonate, which proceeds via an extended ion-pair mechanism. A novel mechanism for the solvolysis of the tin compound is proposed that accommodates not only the high alpha-kie but also the absence of internal return.     

Strong covalent hydration of terephthalaldehyde

Spectrophotometric and electroanalytical studies indicate that one of the formyl groups of terephthalaldehyde in aqueous solution is present in about 23% as a geminal diol. Stronger covalent hydration of CHO in terephthalaldehyde than in p-nitrobenzaldehyde is attributed to a strong resonance interaction between the two formyl groups.     

Intercalation of Toluidines into α-Zirconium Hydrogenphosphate

Intercalates of o-, m-, and p-toluidine into α-Zr(HPO₄)₂ · H₂O were prepared and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and infrared spectroscopy. As follows from IR, toludine molecules are protonated in the interlayer space. Toluidine molecules are arranged in a bimolecular way in the intercalates containing more than 1.5 toluidine molecules per Zr atom. On the other hand, a monolayer of the toluidine molecules is supposed in the intercalates with less than one toluidine molecule per Zr atom.     

The free energy of a reaction coordinate at multiple constraints: a concise formulation

The free energy as a function of the reaction coordinate (rc) is the key quantity for the computation of equilibrium and kinetic quantities. When it is considered as the potential of mean force, the problem is the calculation of the mean force for given values of the rc. We reinvestigate the PMCF (potential of mean constraint force) method which applies a constraint to the rc to compute the mean force as the mean negative constraint force and a metric tensor correction. The latter allows for the constraint imposed to the rc and possible artefacts due to multiple constraints of other variables which for practical reasons are often used in numerical simulations. Two main results are obtained that are of theoretical and practical interest. First, the correction term is given a very concise and simple shape which facilitates its interpretation and evaluation. Secondly, a theorem describes various rcs and possible combinations with constraints that can be used without introducing any correction to the constraint force. The results facilitate the computation of free energy by molecular dynamics simulations.