Molecular dynamics and information on possible sites of interaction of intramyocellular metabolites in vivo from resolved dipolar couplings in localized H NMR spectra

Proton NMR resonances of the endogenous metabolites creatine and phosphocreatine ((P)Cr), taurine (Tau), and carnosine (Cs, β-alanyl-l-histidine) were studied with regard to residual dipolar couplings and molecular mobility. We present an analysis of the direct ¹H–¹H interaction that provides information on motional reorientation of subgroups in these molecules in vivo. For this purpose, localized ¹H NMR experiments were performed on m. gastrocnemius of healthy volunteers using a 1.5-T clinical whole-body MR scanner. We evaluated the observable dipolar coupling strength SD₀ (S = order parameter) of the (P)Cr-methyl triplet and the Tau-methylene doublet by means of the apparent line splitting. These were compared to the dipolar coupling strength of the (P)Cr-methylene doublet. In contrast to the aliphatic protons of (P)Cr and Tau, the aromatic H2 (δ = 8 ppm) and H4 (δ = 7 ppm) protons of the imidazole ring of Cs exhibit second-order spectra at 1.5 T. This effect is the consequence of incomplete transition from Zeeman to Paschen-Back regime and allows a determination of SD₀ from H2 and H4 of Cs as an alternative to evaluating the multiplet splitting which can be measured directly in high-resolution ¹H NMR spectra. Experimental data showed striking differences in the mobility of the metabolites when the dipolar coupling constant D₀ (calculated with the internuclear distance known from molecular geometry in the case of complete absence of molecular dynamics and motion) is used for comparison. The aliphatic signals involve very small order parameters S ≈ (1.4 − 3) × 10⁻⁴ indicating rapid reorientation of the corresponding subgroups in these metabolites. In contrast, analysis of the Cs resonances yielded S ≈ (113 − 137) × 10⁻⁴. Thus, the immobilization of the Cs imidazole ring owing to an anisotropic cellular substructure in human m. gastrocnemius is much more effective than for (P)Cr and Tau subgroups. Furthermore, ¹H NMR experiments on aqueous model solutions of histidine and N-acetyl-l-aspartate (NAA) enabled the assignment of an additional signal component at δ = 8 ppm of Cs in vivo to the amide group at the peptide bond. The visibility of this proton could result from hydrogen bonding which would agree with the anticipated stronger motional restriction of Cs. Referring to the observation that all dipolar-coupled multiplets resolved in localized in vivo ¹H NMR spectra of human m. gastrocnemius collapse simultaneously when the fibre structure is tilted towards the magic angle (θ ≈ 55°), a common model for molecular confinement in muscle tissue is proposed on the basis of an interaction of the studied metabolites with myocellular membrane phospholipids.     

Determination of Taurine in Lycium Barbarum L. and Other Foods by Capillary Electrophoresis with Electrochemical Detection

A method based on capillary electrophoresis (CE) with electrochemical detection (ED) was developed for the determination of taurine in Lycium Barbarum L., LIPOVIYAN beverage and milk powder. The effects of some important factors such as the acidity of the running buffer, separation voltage, injection time, and applied potential to working electrode were investigated. Operated in a wall‐jet configuration, a 300 μm diameter carbon‐disk electrode was used as the working electrode, which exhibits good responses at +1.05 V (vs. SCE) for taurine. Excellent linearity was obtained in the concentration range from 5.0×10^?4 mol/L to 5.0×10^?6 mol/L. The detection limit (S/N=3) was 1.0×10^?7 mol/L. This proposed method has been successfully applied to analyze the actual samples with satisfactory assay results.     

Quantitative determination of taurine in real samples by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with integrated pulsed amperometric detection

As taurine is a very important compound involved in a large number of metabolic processes, it is naturally present in the mammal tissues and is often deliberately added in some foods as a fortifying component. A detailed knowledge of taurine metabolic roles in biological systems can be obtained only if a sensitive, reliable and rapid analytical method is available. This article describes the successful application of high-performance anion-exchange chromatography coupled with integrated pulsed amperometric detection (HPAEC-IPAD) for taurine determination in egg white and yolk samples, as well extracts of human serum and urine. Applications are shown for determination of taurine in soft drinks and pharmaceutical preparations where the taurine content was evaluated by standard additions. These results were achieved without prior derivatization of taurine.     

HPLC determination of plasma taurine

Summary The taurine content in plasma was determined by high performance liquid chromatographic analysis of its dansyl derivative with fluorometric detection. After the reaction with dansyl chloride, the derivative was extracted from an aqueous mixture by using tetrabutylammonium as a counter-ion. The influences of different tetrabutylammonium salts and of the eluent mixture composition were studied. Omotaurine, added as the internal standard to the plasma samples, assured good reproducibility. The procedure was applied to the determination of taurine in specimens from different mammalian species.     

Quantification of taurine and amino acids in mice single fibrosarcoma cell by microchip electrophoresis coupled with chemiluminescence detection

A method based on MCE coupled with chemiluminescence (CL) detection was developed for the determination of taurine (Tau) and amino acids including alanine (Ala), glycine (Gly), tryptophan (Trp), glutamic acid (Glu) and aspartic acid (Asp) present in mice single fibrosarcoma (S180) cells. Cell injection, loading, cytolysis, electrophoretic separation and CL detection were integrated onto a simple double‐T microfluidic chip. The intracellular constituents were electrophoretically separated within 150 s. The CL detection was based on the enhancement effects of Tau and amino acids on the CL reaction of luminol with H₂O₂ and Cu²⁺. The average amounts of Tau, Trp, Gly, Ala, Glu and Asp in per S180 cell from a cell population were 4.73, 1.23, 2.65, 1.94, 1.61 and 1.99 fmol. Ten S180 cells were analyzed, and the contents of Tau, Trp, Gly, Ala, Glu and Asp in mice single S180 cells were found to be in the range of 1.78–8.84, 0.95–2.31, 1.08–6.87, 1.03–4.05, 0.84–2.61 and 0.82–3.68 fmol, respectively. This work demonstrates that MCE coupled with CL detection is a useful analytical tool that is simple, quick and highly sensitive for single‐cell analysis.     

牛磺酸Schiff碱及其Cu（Ⅱ）配合物的合成与表征

用牛磺酸与2-吡啶甲醛反应合成了一种牛磺酸Schiff碱,并制备了它与Cu（Ⅱ）的配合物[CuL（H2O）].NO3,其中HL=C8H10N2O3S,利用元素分析,红外光谱,紫外光谱,差热-热重分析及摩尔电导的测定等方法对Schiff碱及金属配合物进行了表征。     

牛磺酸2吡-啶甲醛Schiff碱镧配合物的合成及表征

采用直接合成法用牛磺酸和2-吡啶甲醛合成牛磺酸Schiff碱,并以此为配体合成La（Ⅲ）的配合物,同时对Schiff碱及金属配合物进行元素分析,红外光谱,紫外光谱,差热-热重分析及摩尔电导的测定等表征,从而推测配合物的组成为[L aL2（H2O）2]NO3.H2O,HL=C8H10N2O3S。     

银环蛇蛇蜕的化学成分研究Ⅱ . 脂肪酸和氨基酸组分

用色谱－质谱（GC－MS）联用技术分析了银环蛇蛇蜕的脂肪酸成分,鉴定出36种脂肪酸（饱和酸28种不饱和酸8种）,在蛇蜕中发现16种饱和二元酸,并发现了自然界中少见的奇数碳脂肪酸14种及支链酸2种,用氨基酸自动分析仪测定了蛇蜕水提取液中的13种游离氨基酸,酸性水解液中17种氨基酸,在蛇蜕中发现存在牛 磺酸。     

荧光法测定食物中牛磺酸

利用荧光吸光光度法测定食物中牛磺酸含量,测定的相对标准偏差小于4.4%,标准加入回收率在92.0%-102%之间。样品经过前处理,避免了其它氨基酸的干扰。方法具有选择性好、操作简便等优点,适用于食物中牛磺酸的测定。     

A novel approach enables imaged capillary isoelectric focusing analysis of PEGylated proteins

PEGylation has been used as a strategy to enhance pharmacokinetic properties of therapeutic proteins by pharmaceutical industry. Imaged CIEF (iCIEF) is the current industry standard technology for pI determination and charge variant quantification of proteins and antibodies. However, the charge variants of PEGylated proteins merge into one broad peak during iCIEF, most likely due to masking of proteins by the surrounding PEG chain as well as the increased hydrodynamic volume due to PEGylation. Here, we report our novel matrix formula with a combination of glycine and taurine that significantly improved the separation of charge variants in PEGylated proteins. As a result, it is no longer necessary to conduct IEF of proteins prior to PEGylation, which does not reflect the changes caused by PEGylation and purification processes. The novel matrix (glycine and taurine) enables iCIEF analysis of PEGylated proteins in their real conjugated states.