Altered expression of polyhydroxyalkanoate synthase gene and its effect on poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] synthesis in recombinant Escherichia coli

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase (PhaC) from Wautersia eutropha was expressed in a wide range of production level in Escherichia coli XL1-Blue cells and its effects on PhaC activity, poly[(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate] [P(3HB)] production and its molecular weights were investigated. The production level of PhaC was controlled both by the amount of chemical inducer (isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside, IPTG) added into the medium and the use of different copy number of plasmids. In a flask experiment, as PhaC production level in the cells increased, the PhaC activity also increased in the range of low PhaC concentration. However, PhaC activity did not further increase in the range of high PhaC concentration, probably due to the formation of inclusion body in the cells. The molecular weight of P(3HB) was found to decrease with increasing PhaC activity. This trend was also verified in high cell density cultivation using 10-l jar fermentor. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the use of low copy number plasmid and appropriate induction of PhaC expression were effective in achieving both high productivity and high molecular weight of P(3HB).     

Two‐stage copolycondensation of preformed oligomers with bisphenols by tosyl chloride/dimethylformamide/pyridine from distributions of resulting oligomers determined by a combination of gel permeation chromatography and NMR

A two‐stage co‐oligomerization of the oligomers initially formed from an equimolar mixture of isophthalic acid (IPA) and terephthalic acid (TPA) and 2,2‐bis(4‐hydroxyphenyl)propane (BPA, 50 mol %) with bisphenols (BPs, 20 mol %) was carried out using a tosyl chloride/dimethylformamide/pyridine condensing agent. The distributions of the resulting oligomers (n_x‐mers), which were quenched with methanol, were determined by a combination of gel permeation chromatography (GPC) and NMR. These distributions (presented by molar percentage) were conveniently calculated with the equation n_x (mol %) = n_x (% mol by GPC) × n₀ (mol % by NMR)/n₀ (% mol by GPC), where n_x (% mol) = n_x (wt % by GPC)/its molecular weight. The results showed the distributions of the preformed IPA/TPA‐BPA oligomers to be in fairly good accord with those obtained directly from GPC and to be supported by the NMR results. The calculation was applied to the co‐oligomers prepared up to a reaction of 0.7, at which there was an increase in the number of higher oligomers indivisible by GPC and the distributions could no longer be determined by molar percentage. The calculated distributions are discussed in relation to the results of copolycondensation. The sequence distributions in the resulting co‐oligomers, which were also examined by NMR, are compared with those in the copolymers. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 44–51, 2004     

Microwave-promoted Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reactions in a cycloalkane-based thermomorphic biphasic system

Microwave-promoted Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction of aryl halides attached to a cycloalkane-soluble platform was accomplished in a cycloalkane-based thermomorphic biphasic system. Following irradiation and subsequent cooling, the monophasic reaction mixture immediately formed a biphasic solution to allow facile workup and separation of the product.     

Dynamic headspace analysis of trace volatile components in polymeric materials by wide bore capillary gas chromatography

A novel dynamic headspace gas chromatographic system equipped with a wide bore capillary column was constructed for direct analysis of less volatile components in polymeric materials such as coating paints. With this system, the determination of typical paint additives such as hindered amine light stabilizers and ultraviolet absorbers could be carried out within a short time.     

Analysis of free fatty acids by a micro-liquid chromatograph directly coupled with a mass spectrometer through a vacuum nebulizing interface

A liquid chromatograph directly coupled with a quadrupole mass spectrometer through a vacuum nebulizing interface was applied to the analysis of various free fatty acids. Chemical ionization mass spectra of the C₇? C₂₂ free fatty acids were first examined using either methanol or benzene as the reagents. Then the practical compositional analysis of the fatty acids were performed with various biological samples such as bean oil, rape oil, palm oil and milk fat where most of the fatty acids are included as their triglycerides.     

Synthesis, properties, and crystal structure of a novel anthracene-bridged molybdenum-zinc porphyrin dimer

The synthesis and properties of novel anthracene-bridged porphyrin dimers having an oxomolybdenum(V) porphyrin unit, H(2)(DPA)[Mo(V)O(OMe)] (1) and (DPA)[Mo(V)O(OMe)][Zn(II)(MeOH)] (2), and the relevant monomer porphyrin complexes Mo(V)O(MPP)OMe (3) and Zn(II)(MPP) (4) are presented. An oxomolybdenum(V) unit was introduced into one of the two porphyrins in DPA to give 1, which has a free-base porphyrin unit. By introducing a zinc(II) ion to the free-base part, a mixed-metal complex of 2 was prepared and isolated. The structure of 2 was analyzed by X-ray crystallography (2.(7)/(6)CH(2)Cl(2), triclinic, P(-)1 (no. 2), a = 15.2854(12) A, b = 19.9640(15) A, c = 13.6915(12) A, alpha = 90.968(3), beta = 113.108(4), gamma = 96.501(4), Z = 2, R1 = 9.9, wR2 = 19.2). The structure of 2 demonstrated that a methanol is stably coordinated to the Zn(II) ion with the aid of a hydrogen bond to the methoxo ligand on the Mo(V) ion in the binding pocket of DPA. The electrochemical measurements of 2 suggested that the methanol was kept in the pocket of DPA in solution even at the reduced state of the molybdenum ion.     

Determination of trace inpurities high-purity aluminum oxide by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission-spectrometry

Trace impurities (Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Na and Si) in 99.99% aluminum oxide were determined by inductively-coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (i.c.p./a.e.s.). The sample was fused with lithium carbonate/boric acid to determine Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn, Na and Si or dissolved in phosphoric/sulphuric acids to determine iron. Matrix effects on the calibration graphs for each element were studied: for accurate determinations, calibration solutions must contain lithium and boric acid (or aluminium and phosphoric and sulphuric acids for iron).     

Effect of cholesterol or phospholipid incorporation on the chemical stability of the muramyldpeptide derivative B30-MDP in mixed vesicles

Application of the muramyldipeptide derivative B30-MDP to liposomal vaccines will aid in the development of improved high immunogenicity vaccines. To give full play to the effectiveness of B30-MDP as a liposomal vaccine, it is important to evaluate the effect of cholesterol, dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) or distearoylphosphatidylcholine (DSPC) incorporation on the chemical stability of B30-MDP and physicochemical properties of B30-MDP/lipid mixed vesicles from the view point of pharmaceutics.The observed degradation rate constants of B30-MDP by hydrolysis in B30-MDP/cholesterol mixed vesicles were increased with increasing concentration of cholesterol, however, those in B30-MDP/DMPC and B30-MDP/DSPC mixed vesicles were unchanged with increasing concentration of DMPC and DSPC. The degradation behavior of B30-MDP was then compared with physicochemical properties of B30-MDP/lipid mixed vesicles, such as membrane fluidity and particle size. It was apparent that the degradation of B30-MDP in B30-MDP/cholesterol mixed vesicles was influenced by the particle size, but not by the fluidity of the membranes. In the case of B30-MDP/phospholipid mixed vesicles, MDP/phospholipid mixed vesicles, the degradation of B30-MDP was not influenced by either the membranes' fluidity or the particle size of the mixed vesicles.It is considered that the degradation of B30-MDP in the mixed vesicles is dependent on the membrane state, and the addition of cholesterol to B30-MDP vesicle inhibits the mutual interaction of MDP regions, whereas the addition of phospholipids hardly influences the mutual interaction of MDP regions, possibly owing to phase separation between B30-MDP and phospholipids.     

Highly sensitive determination of a polymeric hindered amine light stabilizer in polypropylene by reactive thermal desorption-gas chromatography using nitrogen-specific detection

Highly sensitive and specific determination of trace amounts of a polymeric hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) in polypropylene (PP) materials could be established by improving reactive thermal desorption-gas chromatography (RTD-GC) in the presence of an organic alkali, tetramethylammonium hydroxide. By using nitrogen-phosphorus detection, highly selective detection of the HALS-related components was attained. In addition, the use of a polar poly(ethylene glycol) separation column alleviated the adsorption of minor specific pyrolysis products. This modified RTD-GC method allowed the determination of the polymeric HALS (Mr 1900) in PP even for trace concentrations between 100 and 500 ppm, through observing selectively the characteristic products containing a tetramethylpiperidine moiety, which had been impossible to detect under the previous RTD-GC conditions using a non-polar separation column and conventional flame ionization detection.     

Mononuclear oxovanadium complexes of tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine

Mononuclear oxovanadium(IV) and dioxovanadium(V) complexes of tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (tpa) have been prepared for the first time. Crystal structure determinations of three oxovanadium(IV) complexes, [VO(SO4)(tpa)], [VOCl(tpa)]PF6, or [VOBr(tpa)]PF6, and a dioxovanadium(v) complex [V(O)2(tpa)]PF6 disclosed that the tertiary nitrogen of the tpa ligand always occupies the trans-to-oxo site. The structures of an oxo-peroxo complex [VO(O2)(tpa)]Cl that was prepared previously and of a mu-oxo vanadium(III) complex [{VCl(tpa)}2(mu-O)](PF6)2 have also been determined. The tertiary nitrogen is located at a trans site to the peroxo and chloride ligands, respectively. The total sums of the four V-N bond lengths from the tpa ligand are remarkably similar among the six complexes, indicating that the vanadium oxidation states become less influential in tpa bonding due primarily to the coordination of electron-donating oxo ligand(s). Absorption spectra of [VOCl(tpa)]+ in acetonitrile showed a significant change upon addition of p-toluenesulfonic acid and HClO4, but not on addition of benzoic acid. Protonation at the oxo ligand by the former two acids is suggested. Cyclic voltammetric studies in acetonitrile verified the proton-coupled redox behavior of the V(III)/V(IV) process involving the oxo ligand for the first time. From the dependence of the added p-toluenesulfonic acid to the CV, redox potentials for the following species have been estimated: [V(IV)OCl(tpa)]+/[V(III)OCl(tpa)](E1/2=-1.59 V vs. Fc+/Fc), [V(IV)(OH)Cl(tpa)]2+/[V(III)(OH)Cl(tpa)]+(Epc=-1.34 V), [V(IV)(OH2)Cl(tpa)]3+/[V(III)(OH2)Cl(tpa)]2+(Epa=-0.49 V), and [V(IV)Cl2(tpa)]2+/[V(III)Cl2(tpa)]+(E1/2=-0.89 V). The reduction of [V(V)(O)2(tpa)]+ in 0.05 M [(n-Bu)4N]PF6 acetonitrile showed a major irreversible reduction wave V(V)/(IV) at -1.48 V. The metal reduction potentials of the oxovanadium(IV) and dioxovanadium(V) species are very close, reinforcing the significant influence of the oxo ligand(s).