Mechanism of the 2-ethyl-3-hydroxy-6-methylpyridinium 2-nitroxysuccinate reduction in nitrite-generating systems

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Relative Abundance of Alpha-Amylase/Trypsin Inhibitors in Selected Sorghum Cultivars

Sorghum is of growing interest and considered as a safe food for wheat related disorders. Besides the gluten, α-amylase/trypsin-inhibitors (ATIs) have been identified as probable candidates for these disorders. Several studies focused on wheat-ATIs although there is still a lack of data referring to the relative abundance of sorghum-ATIs. The objective of this work was therefore to contribute to the characterization of sorghum ATI profiles by targeted proteomics tools. Fifteen sorghum cultivars from different regions were investigated with raw proteins ranging from 7.9 to 17.0 g/100 g. Ammonium bicarbonate buffer in combination with urea was applied for protein extraction, with concentration from 0.588 ± 0.047 to 4.140 ± 0.066 mg/mL. Corresponding electrophoresis data showed different protein profiles. UniProtKB data base research reveals two sorghum ATIs, {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P81367","term_id":"3913899","term_text":"P81367"}}P81367 and {"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P81368","term_id":"3913900","term_text":"P81368"}}P81368; both reviewed and a targeted LC–MS/MS method was developed to analyze these. Quantifier peptides ELAAVPSR ({"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P81367","term_id":"3913899","term_text":"P81367"}}P81367) and TYMVR ({"type":"entrez-protein","attrs":{"text":"P81368","term_id":"3913900","term_text":"P81368"}}P81368) were identified and retained as biomarkers for relative quantification. Different reducing and alkylating agents were assessed and combination of tris (2 carboxyethyl) phosphine/iodoacetamide gave the best response. Linearity was demonstrated for the quantifier peptides with standard recovery between 92.2 and 107.6%. Nine sorghum cultivars presented up to 60 times lower ATI contents as compared to wheat samples. This data suggests that sorghum can effectively be considered as a good alternative to wheat.     

Evidence of steric factors in the fungitoxic mechanisms of 8-quinolinol and its 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6-and 7-chloro and bromo analogues

Summary A study was made of the fungitoxicity of 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6- and 7-chloro and bromo-8-quinolinols againstAspergillus niger,A. oryzae,Myrothecium verrucaria,Trichoderma viride andTrichophyton mentagrophytes in Sabouraud dextrose broth and in Yeast Nitrogen Base supplemented with 1%D-glucose and 0.088%L-asparagine. Based on the presence or absence of synergism between pairs of substituted 8-quinolinols and reversal or nonreversal of toxicity byL-cysteine or N-acetyl-L-cysteine, the following conclusions were reached: (1) substituents on the quinoline ring change the site(s) of action of the toxicant; (2) the sites of action of the 5-, 6-, and 7-chloro-8-quinolinols are different from each other and from 8-quinolinol and its 2-, 3-, and 4-chloro analogues, and the same is true for the corresponding bromo compounds; (3) 8-quinolinol and its 3- and 4-chloro and bromo analogues appear to share common sites of action; (4) for good antifungal activity the 2 position of the ring must not be substituted by sterically bulky groups; (5) the geometry of the binding sites of action are not so constrained that they cannot accommodate the analogously substituted chloro- and bromo-8-quinolinols.

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Nachweis sterischer Faktoren bei der Fungitoxizität von 8-Chinolinol und seinen 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6- und 7-Chlor- und -Brom-Analogen

Zusammenfassung Es wurde eine Studie der Fungitoxizität von 2-, 3-, 4-, 5-, 6- und 7-Chlor- und-Brom-8-chinolinol gegenüberAspergillus niger,A. oryzae,Myrothecium verrucaria,Trichoderma viride undTrichphyton mentagrophytes in Sabouraud Dextrose Nährmedium und in Hefe-N-Base mit 1%D-Glucose und 0.088%L-Asparagin unternommen. Auf der Basis des Zutreffens oder der Abwesenheit eines Synergismus zwischen Paaren von substituierten 8-Chinolinolen und der Umkehrung oder Nichtumkehrung der Toxizität durchL-Cystein oder N-Acetyl-L-cystein wurden folgende Schlußfolgerungen abgeleitet: (1) Substituenten am Chinolin-Ring ändern die Aktionsstelle(n) des Toxikans; (2) Die Angriffsstellen der 5-, 6- und 7-Chlor-8-chinolinole sind untereinander und von 8-Chinolinol und seinen 2-, 3- und 4-Chlor-Analogen verschieden, wobei das auch für die entsprechenden Brom-Verbindungen gilt; (3) 8-Chinolinol und seine 3- und 4-Chlor- und -Brom-Analogen scheinen gemeinsame Aktionsstellen zu teilen; (4) für eine gute antifungale Aktivität darf die 2-Position des Rings nicht mit sterisch anspruchsvollen Gruppen besetzt sein; (5) Die Geometrie des Bindungsstellen der Wirkung ist nicht so gespannt, daß nicht sowohl analoge Chlor- oder Brom-8-chinolinole Platz finden.

     

Application of L-Cysteine-Capped ZnS Nanoparticles in the Determination of Nucleic Acids Using the Resonance Light Scattering Method

Nanometer-sized L-cysteine-capped ZnS particles were synthesized by a colloidal aqueous method. The functionalized nanoparticles are water-soluble and suitable for biological applications. In Tris-HCl buffer solution, nucleic acids combine with cysteine-capped nano-ZnS particles by intermolecular forces to form larger nanoparticles. There are two resonance light scattering peaks at 304.5nm and 373.8nm, respectively. The enhanced RLS is related to the concentration of nucleic acids in the range of 0.04 to 1.2µgmL^–1 for calf thymus DNA and 0.2 to 1.0µgmL^–1 for fish sperm DNA. The detection limits (3) are 19ngmL^–1 for calf thymus DNA and 23ngmL^–1 for fish sperm DNA, respectively. Four synthetic samples were analyzed satisfactorily.     

A Highly Sensitive and Selective Assay for Cysteine Using the Chemiluminescence Reaction of Luminol and Hydrogen Peroxide

A very simple, highly sensitive and selective chemiluminescence (CL) method was established for the determination of cysteine. This method is based on the fact that the CL reaction of luminol and hydrogen peroxide can be greatly enhanced by cysteine. The CL intensities at maximum light emission were linearly correlated with the concentration of cysteine over the range of 2.0×10^–8–6.0×10^–6molL^–1 with a detection limit of 7.5×10^–9molL^–1. The relative standard deviation was 1.7% for the determination of 1.0×10^–7molL^–1 cysteine (n=9). The feasibility of utilizing the proposed method for the determination of total concentration of cysteine in human serum was examined.     

Reduction of nitrates,the no donors,by hemoglobin in the presence of cysteine

Hemoglobin (Hb) reduces 3,3-bis(nitroxymethyl)oxetane (NMO) only in the presence of cysteine (Cys) via intermediate cysteine thionitrate. The kinetics of the reaction of NMO with Cys and the kinetics and mechanism of formation of NO in the ternary system Hb-NMO-Cys were studied. The formation rate of Hb-NO in the ternary system is higher than that of Hb-NO in the reaction of Hb only with NO ₂ ⁻ generated in the binary system NMO-Cys. The second-order rate constants of the main reaction steps in the system Hb-NMO-Cys were estimated by simulating the kinetics of the reactions with a system of equations taking into account equilibria between all components of the reaction mixture. Hemoglobin reduces cysteine thionitrate, the intermediate in the reaction of NMO with Cys, to NO. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 4, pp. 725–731, April, 2007.     

Nucleophilic proteolytic antibodies

Proteolytic antibodies appear to utilizecatalytic mechanisms akin to nonantibody serine proteases, assessed from mutagenesis and protease-inhibitor studies. The catalytic efficiency derives substantially from the ability to recognize the ground state with high affinity. Because the proteolytic activity is germline-encoded, catalysts with specificity for virtually any target polypeptide could potentially be developed by applying appropriate immunogens and selection strategies. Analysis of transition-state stabilizing interactions suggests that chemical reactivity ofactive-site serine residues is an important contributor to catalysis. A prototype antigen analog capable of reacting covalently with nucleophilic serine residues permitted enrichment of the catalysts from a phage-displayed lupus light-chain library. Further mechanistic developments in understanding proteolytic antibodies may lead to the isolation of catalysts suitable for passive immunotherapy of major diseases, and elicitation of catalytic immunity as a component of prophylactic vaccination.     

Thermostability Improvement of L-Asparaginase from Acinetobacter soli via Consensus-Designed Cysteine Residue Substitution

To extend the application range of L-asparaginase in food pre-processing, the thermostability improvement of the enzyme is essential. Herein, two non-conserved cysteine residues with easily oxidized free sulfhydryl groups, Cys8 and Cys283, of Acinetobacter soli L-asparaginase (AsA) were screened out via consensus design. After saturation mutagenesis and combinatorial mutation, the mutant C8Y/C283Q with highly improved thermostability was obtained with a half-life of 361.6 min at 40 °C, an over 34-fold increase compared with that of the wild-type. Its melting temperature (T_m) value reaches 62.3 °C, which is 7.1 °C higher than that of the wild-type. Molecular dynamics simulation and structure analysis revealed the formation of new hydrogen bonds of Gln283 and the aromatic interaction of Tyr8 formed with adjacent residues, resulting in enhanced thermostability. The improvement in the thermostability of L-asparaginase could efficiently enhance its effect on acrylamide inhibition; the contents of acrylamide in potato chips were efficiently reduced by 86.50% after a mutant C8Y/C283Q treatment, which was significantly higher than the 59.05% reduction after the AsA wild-type treatment. In addition, the investigation of the mechanism behind the enhanced thermostability of AsA could further direct the modification of L-asparaginases for expanding their clinical and industrial applications.     

A turn on ESIPT probe for rapid and ratiometric fluorogenic detection of homocysteine and cysteine in water with live cell-imaging

5(Benzothiazol-2-yl)-4-hydroxyisophthalaldehyde (BHI), an intense ESIPT containing molecule in mixed media loses its properties due to resonance-assisted H-bond (RAHB) in absolute water. Due to resonance-assisted H-bond the o-aldehyde is more reactive than the other one. With addition of cysteine/homocysteine into this solution the o-aldehyde group gets transformed into thiazolidine/thiazine ring, respectively, and the phenolic proton becomes free enough for transfer to nitrogen of the benzothiazole ring in excited state, that is, the ESIPT of BHI is turned on. Thus we can detect cysteine/homocysteine in water as well as in live cells.