Effects of sugars and polyols on the stability of azurin in ice

This study represents the first attempt to gain a quantitative estimate of the protective influence of sugars (sucrose and trehalose) and polyols (sorbitol and glycerol) on the thermodynamic stability (DeltaG degrees ) of a protein in low-temperature part-frozen aqueous solutions. The method, based on guanidinium chloride denaturation of the azurin mutant C112S from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, distinguishes between the effects of cooling to subfreezing temperatures from those induced specifically by the formation of a solid ice phase. The results point out that in the liquid state the generally stabilizing effect (at molar concentrations) of these polyhydric compounds is markedly attenuated on cooling to subfreezing temperatures such that at -15 degrees C, only sucrose still exerts a significant increase in DeltaG degrees . At this temperature, and in the absence of additives, the formation of ice caused a progressive destabilization of the native fold, DeltaG degrees decreasing up to 3-4 kcal/mol as the fraction of liquid water in equilibrium with ice (V(L) was reduced to less than 1%. Unexpectedly, denaturation profiles in ice at selected V(L) demonstrate that none of the above sugars and polyols counters effectively the decrease in protein stability at small V(L). Only trehalose was able to partly attenuate the ice perturbation, raising DeltaG degrees by a modest 0.6-0.8 kcal/mol relative to the salt reference. In all cases the reduction in DeltaG degrees caused by the solidification of water correlates with the decrease in m-value. The implication is that DeltaASA of unfolding is smaller in ice because protein-ice interactions either increase the solvent-accessible surface area (ASA) of the native fold (partial unfolding) or reduce the ASA of the denatured state (compaction), or both. Information on the protein tertiary structure in ice, in the absence and in the presence of sucrose or glycerol, suggests that these osmolytes play an important role in maintaining a compact native state that in their absence is expanded and partly unfolded. Thus, it appears that the prevailing mechanism by which these osmolytes act as cryoprotectants is through preservation of the native conformation in the liquidus rather than by increasing the thermodynamic stability of the native fold.     

离子色谱不对称色谱峰的处理

介绍了通过微分处理分辨离子色谱中不对称峰的方法。实验将Ｆ＾－、Ｃｌ＾－、Ａｃ＾－、ＮＯ２＾－、ＮＯ３＾－、ＰｈＣＯＯ＾－、ＳＣＮ＾－、柠檬酸根、水杨酸根、山梨酸根和葡萄糖酸根等常见离子按一定比例配合混合液,对出现的不对称峰进行微分处理,得到的导数谱图可进行峰高定量,收到了较好的效果。     

Monitoring of unfolding of metallo-proteins by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

An electrospray ionisation (ESI) mass spectrometric method for the determination of the equilibrium constant and free energy (DeltaG) of protein unfolding was used to monitor the denaturation process at different pH of three metallo-proteins, i.e. wild-type copper azurin, zinc azurin and wild-type amicyanin. The time course of the unfolding process was followed by dissolving the proteins under denaturing conditions (methanol-water (1 : 1, v/v)) at different pH (2.5, 3.0, 3.5) and recording ESI spectra at time intervals. The spectra showed two series of peaks, corresponding to the native holo-protein and the unfolded apo-protein. From the intensity ratio of these two series of peaks at increasing time and at equilibrium, the equilibrium constants for the unfolding process for the three proteins could be determined. From these equilibrium constants a DeltaG degrees derivation was attempted. The DeltaG degrees values obtained decrease with decrease in pH, in agreement with the expected reduction of conformational stability of proteins at lower pH. The results obtained confirm that ESI-MS can be used for monitoring of unfolding process and to derive quantitative thermodynamic data.     

Quantitative separation of zinc traces from cadmium matrices by solid-phase extraction with polyurethane foam

A system for separation of zinc traces from large amounts of cadmium is proposed in this paper. It is based on the solid-phase extraction of the zinc in the form of thiocyanate complexes by the polyurethane foam. The following parameters were studied: effect of pH and of the thiocyanate concentration on the zinc extraction, shaking time required for quantitative extraction, amount of PU foam necessary for complete extraction, conditions for the separation of zinc from cadmium, influence of other cations and anions on the zinc sorption by PU foam, and required conditions for back extraction of zinc from the PU foam. The results show that zinc traces can be separated from large amounts of cadmium at pH 3.0±0.50, with the range of thiocyanate concentration from 0.15 to 0.20 mol l⁻¹, and the shaking time of 5 min. The back extraction of zinc can be done by shaking it with water for 10 min. Calcium, barium, strontium, magnesium, aluminum, nickel and iron(II) are efficiently separated. Iron(III), copper(II) and cobalt(II) are extracted simultaneously with zinc, but the iron reduction with ascorbic acid and the use of citrate to mask copper(II) and cobalt(II) increase the selectivity of the zinc extraction. The anions nitrate, chloride, sulfate, acetate, thiosulphate, tartarate, oxalate, fluoride, citrate, and carbonate do not affect the zinc extraction. Phosphate and EDTA must be absent. The method proposed was applied to determine zinc in cadmium salts using 4-(2-pyridylazo)-resorcinol (PAR) as a spectrophotometric reagent. The result achieved did not show significant difference in the accuracy and precision (95% confidence level) with those obtained by ICP–AES analysis.     

Dipolar anions are not preferentially attracted to the oil/water interface

Homogenization of hexadecane in water at pH 9 gives the same surface charge density in the presence of 0.2 mM thiocyanate or acetate anions as in the presence of chloride, indicating that these dipolar anions are not preferentially adsorbed at the oil/water interface. The decrease in the zeta potential of the emulsion droplets as the sodium salts of iodate, thiocyanate, or acetate are added from 0.1 to 10 mM is the same as that when sodium chloride is added, leading to the same conclusion. Increasing the sodium hydroxide concentration from pH 9 to 11.5 has a different effect on the zeta potential, consistent with the specific adsorption of hydroxide ion at the oil/water interface.     

Liquid-liquid extraction of zinc from aqueous thiocyanate solutions with 5-(-4-pyridyl)nonane in benzene

5-(4-Pyridyl)nonane dissolved in benzene has been applied to the extraction of zinc, down to very low concentration (< 10(-6)M), from aqueous thiocyanate solutions. The metal can be quantitatively extracted from neutral and acidic thiocyanate solutions (up to 5M HCl, 0.25M HNO(3) or 0.25M H(2)SO(4)) in a single extraction. Equilibration times of 5 min are sufficient for almost complete extraction. The optimum thiocyanate concentration range is 0.05-0.5M. Among the common anions chloride exerts a slight depressing effect on extraction from neutral solution when present in high concentration. The extraction mechanism and the composition of the extracted complexes of zinc are discussed. The metal is predominantly extracted by means of a solvate mechanism. The effect of chloride, nitrate, sulphate, acetate, citrate, oxalate and ascorbate ions on the extraction of zinc is described. Several elements, including those of interest in separation of zinc, have been tested for extraction from O.1M KSCN at the optimal concentrations of the mineral acids, and the separation factors estimated.     

离子液体的阴离子三氟乙酸根、硫氰酸根、四氟硼酸根和三氟甲磺酸根的离子对色谱-直接电导检测法分析

建立了同时测定离子液体的阴离子三氟乙酸根、硫氰酸根、四氟硼酸根和三氟甲磺酸根的反相离子对色谱-直接电导检测方法。采用Diamonsil C18分离柱,以离子对试剂-苹果酸-乙腈水溶液为流动相,从流动相组成和色谱柱温度两方面讨论并确定了优化的色谱条件,即以0.15 mmol/L氢氧化四丁铵-0.099 mmol/L苹果酸-20%(v/v)乙腈混合水溶液(pH 6.5)为流动相,柱温25 ℃。在此条件下,三氟乙酸根、硫氰酸根、四氟硼酸根和三氟甲磺酸根离子均达到基线分离,且不受其他常见阴离子氟离子、氯离子、溴离子、硝酸根、硫酸根的干扰。三氟乙酸根、硫氰酸根、四氟硼酸根和三氟甲磺酸根离子的检出限(信噪比为3)分别为0.21、0.07、0.36、0.12 mg/L。将方法应用于测定离子液体中三氟乙酸根、硫氰酸根、四氟硼酸根和三氟甲磺酸根离子,加标回收率为95.0%～104.6%。该法简便、快速、灵敏度较高,可满足离子液体样品的检测要求。     

Solubility of inorganic salts in pure ionic liquids

The solubility of different conventional salts in several room-temperature ionic liquids – containing ammonium, phosphonium or imidazolium cations combined with acetate, sulfate, sulfonate, thiocyanate, chloride, tetracyano-borate, tris(pentafluoroethyl)trifluoro-phosphate, l-lactate, bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide or trifluoromethylsulfonate anions – were screened using a visual detection method. The most promising mixtures were then re-measured using an ATR–FTIR (Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infra Red) spectroscopy technique in order to accurately and quantitatively determine the corresponding solubility at 298.15 K.     

Effect of anion concentration on the stability of the uranyl-ascorbate complex

The effect of anion concentration and the dependence of uranyl ascorbate on the nature of anion present is systematically studied for nine different anions over the concentration range (0.2–2.0) × 10⁻² M. These anions, commonly encountered in pharmaceutical preparations with ascorbic acid (vitamin C) are nitrate, sulfate, chloride, bromide, fluoride, phosphate, citrate, oxalate, and tartrate. Based on the absorbance data, and on the value of the replacement constant K calculated, the studied anions may be arranged according to their complexing power on uranium as follows: citrate > tartrate > phosphate > oxalate > fluoride > sulfate > nitrate > chloride > bromide.This order is substantiated by the calculated values of the side reaction coefficients α_M of the uranyl ligand complex or the conditional stability constant of uranyl-ascorbate calculated at different ligand concentrations.     

DX-300离子色谱测定山地冰川雪冰中的有机酸与无机酸阴离子

 利用AS4A SC分离柱 ,AG4A SC保护柱 ,ASRS Ⅱ抑制器 ,TAC 2阴离子富集柱和ATC 1阴离子捕集柱 ,以四硼酸钠 (Na2 B4O7)为淋洗液试剂 ,2 5mmol/LH2 SO4为化学抑制的再生液 ,采用梯度淋洗方式 ,对中国天山乌鲁木齐河源一号冰川雪冰中的生物有机酸和无机酸阴离子进行了测试分析。 2mL雪冰融水样品可在 16min内通过一次进样检测出氟离子、乙酸根离子、甲酸根离子、丙酮酸根离子、一氯乙酸根离子、氯离子、亚硝酸根离子、溴离子、硝酸根离子、磷酸根离子、硫酸根离子和草酸根离子共 10多种有机酸和无机酸阴离子。     

Nanometer-scale ion aggregates in aqueous electrolyte solutions: guanidinium sulfate and guanidinium thiocyanate

Neutron diffraction experiments and molecular dynamics simulations are used to study the structure of aqueous solutions of two electrolytes: guanidinium sulfate (a mild protein conformation stabilizer) and guanidinium thiocyanate (a powerful denaturant). The MD simulations find the unexpected result that in the Gdm2SO4 solution the ions aggregated into mesoscopic (nanometer-scale) clusters, while no such aggregation is found in the GdmSCN solution. The neutron diffraction studies, the most direct experimental probe of solution structure, provide corroborating evidence that the predicted very strong ion pairing does occur in solutions of 1.5 m Gdm2SO4 but not in 3 m solutions of GdmSCN. A mechanism is proposed as to how this mesoscopic solution structure affects solution denaturant properties and suggests an explanation for the Hofmeister ordering of these solutions in terms of this ion pairing and the ability of sulfate to reverse the denaturant power of guanidinium.     

Solvation of thiocyanate complexes of mercury(II) by 2-hexylpyridine from aqueous mineral acid solutions

The extraction of trace amounts of mercury(II) by 2-hexylpyridine dissolved in benzene from aqueous mineral acid solutions has been studied. The replacement of chloride, nitrate and sulfate ions by the potentially ambidentate, linear and less basic thiocyanate group offers interestingly high extraction coefficients. The value of the distribution coefficients may be lowered by complexing mercury with oxalate, thiosulfate, acetate or citrate ions in the aqueous phase. The possible mechanism of extraction has been discussed in the light of the results of extraction isotherms and slope analysis data. Distribution coefficients and separation factors of several metal ions relative to mercury(II) are reported for the three mineral acid systems and the possible removal of mercury along with some other inorganic pollutants from aqueous solutions is suggested.     

Thiocyanate-selective electrode based on cobalt(II) complexes of pyrazolone heterocyclic Schiff bases

A new solvent polymeric membrane electrode based on pyrazolone heterocyclic Schiff base complexes of Co(II) is described. It shows a preferential response towards thiocyanate over a range of 2.0 × 10^–6 to 1.0 × 10^–1 mol L^–1 with a slope of –60.2 ± 0.6 mV/dec. The selectivity sequence observed is thiocyanate > hydroxide > nitrite > iodide > perchlorate > citrate > bromide > fluoride > chloride > nitrate > acetate > borate > sulfate > phosphate. The selectivity behavior is discussed in view of axial coordination by uv/vis spectroscopy and the transfer process of thiocyanate across the membrane interface is investigated by the ac impedance technique. The electrode was successfully applied to the determination of thiocyanate in human urine as an indicator for distinguishing between smokers and non-smokers.     

Spectrophotometric determination of vanadium(IV) with nitrilotriacetic acid

A new and convenient spectrophotometric method for the estimation of vanadium(IV) with NTA is described. The minimum ratio of metal ion to ligand, working pH, wavelength for maximum absorbance of the complex ion, and the effect of various cations and anions are described. The complex ion obeys Beer's law in the concentration range 1–32 mmol/liter of the vanadium(IV) ion. It is observed that iron(II), cobalt(II), nickel(II), copper(II), and oxidizing anions such as chromate and nitrite interfere in this determination, whereas managanese(II), chromium(III), iron(III), and anions like nitrate, chloride, bromide, iodide, thiocyanate, sulfate, and sulfite do not have any effect. Excessive amounts of acetate, phosphate, oxalate, tartrate and thiosulfate must also be avoided in this determination. Anions and cations which interfere in the determination of vanadium(IV) by NTA should not be present in the system.     

The reversal by sulfate of the denaturant activity of guanidinium

Guanidinium (Gdm+) chloride is a powerful protein denaturant, whereas the sulfate dianion (SO42-) is a strong stabilizer of folded protein states; Gdm2SO4 is effectively neutral in its effects on protein stability. While the "neutralizing" effects of protein-stabilizing solutes on the activity of denaturants can be broadly interpreted in terms of additive effects of the solutes, recent experimental and simulation studies support a role for hetero-ion interactions in the effect of sulfate on Gdm+ denaturation [Mason, P. E.; et al. J. Phys. Chem. B 2005, 109, 24185-24196]. Here we describe an experimental strategy for testing this mechanism that involves spectroscopic analysis of the separate effects of alkali metal sulfates (Na2SO4, Rb2SO4), GdmCl, and Gdm2SO4 on the folded populations of several peptides chosen to dissect specific noncovalent contributions to the conformational stability of proteins [alanine-based helical peptides stabilized by hydrogen bonds, tryptophan zipper (trpzip) peptides stabilized largely by cross-strand indole-indole interactions]. While the trpzip peptides are highly sensitive to GdmCl denaturation, they are unaffected by NaCl, Na2SO4, or Gdm2SO4, indicating that the reversal of the denaturant activity of Gdm+ by sulfate in this case is not due to competing stabilizing (sulfate) and destabilizing (Gdm+) interactions. Gdm2SO4 was found to retain considerable denaturant activity against alanine-based alpha-helical peptides. The differences in the effects of Gdm2SO4 on the two peptide types can be understood in terms of the different mechanisms of Gdm+ denaturation of trpzip peptides and helical peptides, respectively, and the specific nature of Gdm+ and SO42- ionic "clustering" that differentially affects the ability of Gdm+ to make the molecular interactions with the peptides that underlie its denaturant activity.     

Effect of the air-water interface on the stability of beta-lactoglobulin

We report the X-ray and neutron reflectometry measurements of the structural changes caused by chemical denaturation of a surface excess of the bovine milk protein, beta-lactoglobulin. The thickness of the diffuse protein surface layer was used as an order parameter as there was no corresponding increase in the surface excess as a function of guanidinium chloride (G.HCl) concentration. A thermodynamic analysis performed gave the interfacial free energy of unfolding in the absence of a denaturant (DeltaG(0)). This energy, lower than the free energy of unfolding bulk solution, shows that the air-water interface has a destabilizing effect on protein structure up to 50 kJ mol(-1).     

Influence of counteranions on catalytic ability of immobilized laccase in Cu-alginate matrices： Inhibition of chloride and activation of acetate

Laccase is a promising oxidase with environmental applications, such as lignin degradation and chlorophenol detoxification. Laccase immobilization can significantly improve physiochemical stability and reusability compared to the free enzymes. In this work, anion effect was investigated in entrapment of Cu-alginate matrix with five types of anions, including perchlorate(ClO4à), nitrate(NO3à), sulfate(SO42à), chloride(Clà), and acetate(CH3CO2à). Accordingly, chloride inhibition and acetate activation were detected in the o-tolidine kinetic experiments, while effects of the other three anions were much smaller. Such counteranion effects were also observed in the laccase-catalyzed biodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol. The results indicated that counteranions in the enzyme immobilization process are crucial for catalytic capacity, probably due to the competition with the carboxylate groups in alginate.Our results also imply that these anions might coordinate the copper cations in laccase.     

Thiocyanate-selective electrode based on cobalt(II) complexes of pyrazolone heterocyclic Schiff bases

A new solvent polymeric membrane electrode based on pyrazolone heterocyclic Schiff base complexes of Co(II) is described. It shows a preferential response towards thiocyanate over a range of 2.0 × 10^–6 to 1.0 × 10^–1 mol L^–1 with a slope of –60.2 ± 0.6 mV/dec. The selectivity sequence observed is thiocyanate > hydroxide > nitrite > iodide > perchlorate > citrate > bromide > fluoride > chloride > nitrate > acetate > borate > sulfate > phosphate. The selectivity behavior is discussed in view of axial coordination by uv/vis spectroscopy and the transfer process of thiocyanate across the membrane interface is investigated by the ac impedance technique. The electrode was successfully applied to the determination of thiocyanate in human urine as an indicator for distinguishing between smokers and non-smokers. Received: 30 September 1997 / Revised: 9 December 1997 / Accepted: 13 December 1997     

Highly selective and sensitive monohydrogen phosphate membrane sensor based on molybdenum acetylacetonate

In this work, a highly selective and sensitive monohydrogen phosphate membrane sensor based on a molybdenum bis(2-hydroxyanil) acetylacetonate complex (MAA) is reported. The sensor shows a linear dynamic range between 1.0 × 10⁻¹ and 1.0 × 10⁻⁷ M, with a nice Nernstian behavior (−29.5 ± 0.3 mV decade⁻¹) in pH of 8.2. The detection limit of the electrode is 6.0 × 10⁻⁸ M (∼6 ppb). The best performance was obtained with a membrane composition of 32% poly(vinyl chloride), 58% benzyl acetate, 2% hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide and 8% MAA. The sensor possesses the advantages of short response time, low detection limit and especially, very good selectivity towards a large number of organic and inorganic anions including salicylate, citrate, tartarate, acetate, oxalate, fluoride, chloride, bromide, iodide, sulfite, sulfate, nitrate, nitrite, cyanide, thiocyanate, perchlorate, metavanadate, and bicarbonate ions. The electrode can be used for at least 10 weeks without any considerable divergence in its slope and detection limit. It was used as an indicator electrode in potentiometric titration of monohydrogenphosphate ion with barium chloride. The proposed sensor was successfully applied to direct determination of monohydrogenphosphate in two fertilizer samples (NPK).     

Effects of Anions on the Zinc Electrodeposition onto Glassy-Carbon Electrode

The zinc electrodeposition onto glassy-carbon electrode from the sulfate, chloride and acetate solutions is examined using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The surface morphology of zinc deposited films is observed by scanning electron microscopy. The results show that all mechanisms of the zinc electrocrystallization on glassy-carbon electrode in the three solutions follow the same three-dimensional instantaneous nucleation and growth. The anions mainly affect the nucleation densities during zinc deposition, which results in different surface morphology. In the presence of acetate and chloride ions, the deposited zinc film tends to grow in a multi-layered pattern, while in sulfate solution the zinc deposition forms irregular grains.