Host-guest complexes of carotenoids with beta-glycyrrhizic acid

The structure, stability, and reactivity of the host-guest complexes between a set of carotenoids and the triterpene glycoside, beta-glycyrrhizic acid (GA), were investigated by different physicochemical techniques: high-performance liquid chromatography, optical absorption, and fluorescence spectroscopy. It has been demonstrated recently that the molecular complexes of GA with a number of drugs are characterized by reduced toxicity and increased therapeutic activity of these drugs. In the present work it was found that carotenoids form 1:2 complexes with GA in aqueous solutions as well as in polar organic solvents, methanol, acetonitrile, and dimethylsulfoxide. We assume that the structure of the complex is a cycliclike dimer of GA encapsulating a carotenoid molecule. The stability constants in all solvents are near 10(4) M(-1). In addition, GA forms inclusion complexes with carotenoid radical cations, which results in their stabilization. Complex formation (a) decreases the rate of electron transfer from carotenoids to electron acceptors (Fe3+ or quinone) and (b) considerably increases the lifetime of the carotenoid-quinone charge-transfer complex and the yield of the major product (a carotenoid-quinone adduct). A thermodynamic study shows that hydrophobic interactions are the main driving force of the carotenoid-GA complex formation. These results are important for understanding both the nature of GA complexes and the influence of GA on the therapeutic activity of some drugs. Furthermore, carotenoid-GA complexes could be used for the design of artificial light-harvesting, photoredox, and catalytic systems.     

Polymorphism of the signaling molecule c-di-GMP

Using UV, CD, and NMR, we demonstrate that the important bacterial signaling molecule involved in biofilm formation, cyclic diguanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), exists as a mixture of five different but related structures in an equilibrium that is sensitive both to its concentration and to the metal present. At the lower concentrations used for UV and CD work (0.05-0.5 mM), Li(+), Na(+), Cs(+), and Mg(2+) favor a bimolecular self-intercalated structure, while K(+), Rb(+), and NH(4)(+) favor formation of one or more guanine quartet complexes as well. At the higher NMR concentrations ( approximately 30 mM), the bimolecular structures associate and rearrange to a mixture of all-syn and all-anti tetramolecular and octamolecular quartet complexes. With K(+) the octamolecular complexes predominate, while with Li(+) the tetramolecular and octamolecular quartet complexes are present in approximately equal amounts, along with the bimolecular structure. We also find that both guanine amino groups in c-di-GMP are essential for formation of the quartets, because substitution of inosine for one guanosine allows formation of only the bimolecular structure. Further, two molecules of c-di-GMP tethered together are constrained in such a way that limits their ability to form these quartet complexes. The polymorphism we describe may provide different options for this signaling molecule when performing its functions in a bacterial cell, with K(+) and its own local concentration controlling the equilibrium.     

Rhenium(V) complexes with sulfur-containing amino acids

Rhenium(V) complexes with 2-amino-4-(methylthio)butanoic acid (methionine, Met) and 2-amino-3-sulfopropionic acid (cysteine, Cys) have been synthesized. Depending on the initial reagent ratio, the resulting complexes contain one or two ligand molecules. On heating the compounds with one amino acid molecule, two hydrogen halide molecules are removed at 128–132°C to form a molecular complex. The composition, structure, and thermal stability of the complexes have been studied by elemental analysis, conductometry, IR spectroscopy, NMR, and mass spectrometry.     

pH-Sensitive Glycyrrhizin Based Vesicles for Nifedipine Delivery

Glycyrrhizic acid, or glycyrrhizin (GA), a major active component of licorice root, has been widely used in traditional Chinese and Japanese medicine since ancient times. However, only in the last decades has a novel and unusual property of the GA been discovered to form water-soluble, supramolecular complexes with a variety of lipophilic drugs. These complexes show significant advantages over other known delivery systems, in particular, due to strong pH sensitivity, the properties of GA self-associates. In the present study, a supramolecular complex formation of the hypotensive and antiarrhythmic drug nifedipine with GA has been studied at different pH values, corresponding to the different degrees of GA dissociation, including a fully dissociated state of GA. Both NMR experiments and molecular dynamics simulations demonstrate the existence of the nifedipine complex with GA at all dissociation states of GA. However, optical absorption experiments show the decrease of complex stability and solubility at pH > 6 when the GA molecule is fully deprotonated. It means the higher release rate of the drug in a neutral and basic environment compared with acid media. These results could form the basis of follow-up studies of GA self-associates as pH-controlled drug delivery systems.     

Towards synthetic adrenaline receptors

The macrocyclic bisphosphonate 2 forms complexes with amino alcohols, amines, and amino acid esters with high association constants in polar organic solvents. Exertion of solvophobic interactions inside the macrocyclic cavity in DMSO and methanol leads to specificity for guest molecules with hydrophobic moieties. Experimental evidence is presented for the insertion of the guest molecules' nonpolar groups into the macrocycle's hydrophobic cavity. NMR spectra of complexes with 2 in DMSO show a molecular imprint of the guest molecule; this gives information about its location inside the macrocycle. In aqueous solutions strong self-association of 2 occurs, which is explained by distinct structural similarities between 2 and micelle-forming phospholipids.     

Small-angle X-ray scattering, light scattering, and NMR study of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymer/cationic surfactant complexes in aqueous solution

The formation of triblock copolymer/surfactant complexes upon mixing a nonionic Pluronic polymer (PEO-PPO-PEO) with a cationic surfactant, hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (CTAC), has been studied in dilute aqueous solutions using small-angle X-ray scattering, static and dynamic light scattering, and self-diffusion NMR. The studied copolymer (denoted P123, EO(20)PO(68)EO(20)) forms micelles with a radius of 10 nm and a molecular weight of 7.5 x 10(5), composed of a hydrophobic PPO-rich core of radius 4 nm and a water swollen PEO corona. The P123/CTAC system has been investigated between 1 and 5 wt % P123 and with varying surfactant concentration up to approximately 170 mM CTAC (or a molar ratio n(CTAC)/n(P123) = 19.3). When CTAC is mixed with micellar P123 solutions, two different types of complexes are observed at various CTAC concentrations. At low molar ratios (>/=0.5) a "P123 micelle-CTAC" complex is obtained as the CTAC monomers associate noncooperatively with the P123 micelle, forming a spherical complex. Here, an increased interaction between the complexes with increasing CTAC concentration is observed. The interaction has been investigated by determining the structure factor obtained by using the generalized indirect Fourier transformation (GIFT) method. The interaction between the P123 micelle-CTAC complexes was modeled using the Percus-Yevick closure. For the low molar ratios a small decrease in the apparent molecular weight of the complex was obtained, whereas the major effect was the increase in electrostatic repulsion between the complexes. Between molar ratios 1.9 and 9 two coexisting complexes were found, one P123 micelle-CTAC complex and one "CTAC-P123" complex. The latter one consists of one or a few P123 unimers and a few CTAC monomers. As the CTAC concentration increases above a molar ratio of 9, the P123 micelles are broken up and only the CTAC-P123 complex that is slightly smaller than a CTAC micelle exists. The interaction between the P123/CTAC complexes was modeled with the hypernetted-chain closure using a Yukawa type potential in the GIFT analysis, due to the stronger electrostatic repulsion.     

Ion-pairing molecular recognition in water: aggregation at low concentrations that is entropy-driven

Investigations into the thermodynamic parameters that characterize the binding of citrate to tris-guanidinium host 1 in water are reported. The parameters K(a), DeltaH degrees, DeltaS degrees, and DeltaG degrees for the binding event were quantified using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) techniques. The 1:1 binding stoichiometry was verified by a Job plot derived from NMR data, and the microcalorimetry data was collected for solutions of 1 and citrate ranging from 1 to 100 mM using phosphate buffer concentrations of 5 and 103 mM. At low buffer concentrations (low ionic strength) complexes with greater than 1:1 stoichiometries were observed by ITC, and K(1) was determined to range from 2.0 x 10(3) to 3.0 x 10(3) M(-1). At higher buffer concentrations (high ionic strength) the higher-order complexes were not detected, and K(1) was determined to be 409 M(-1). The 1:1 association of host 1 and citrate is characterized by a large favorable entropy component and negative enthalpy. However, the complexes with higher-order stoichiometry arise from desolvation processes that result from the association of polyions in aqueous media and is entirely entropy driven. This leads to an unusual observation: the dilution of one component of the host/guest complex leads to the formation of the higher-order complexes. The reason for this observation is discussed.     

二茂钛氨基酸配合物的合成新方法

二茂钛衍生物在催化烯烃聚合、氢化、异构化等领域具有重要应用价值[1] ,同时 ,因该类衍生物还具有良好的抗癌性能 ,且其毒性远远低于顺铂类化合物[2 ] ,使人们对这类配合物的研究一直非常重视 .有文献报道 [3] ,以具有生物活性的配体取代二氯二茂钛中的氯原子 ,可以改善其生物利用率 ,提高二茂钛的抗癌活性 .二茂钛配合物的合成绝大多数都是在无水无氧的有机相中进行的 ,在两相(水相 /有机相 ) [4 ,5] 中则很少 .我们曾经在有机相和水相中合成了一些新的二茂钛氨基酸配合物 [6] ,但操作繁杂 ,反应速度慢 ,影响因素多 ,产率低等是这两种体系…     

Mixed-ligand complexes of boric acid with organic biomolecules

Boric acid forms meta-stable complexes with biomolecules like amino and hydroxy acids and stable complexes with the diol group containing carbohydrates, vitamins, and nucleotides, yielding mono-chelate (1: 1 complex) or bis-chelate (1: 2 complex) structures with negatively charged tetrahedral borate anions. Here we report water-soluble, bio-available mixed-ligand boron adducts for potential nutritional and/or pharmaceutical applications. The complexes were prepared by complete esterification of boric acid with a number of acyclic- and cyclic hydroxy-functionalized biomolecules employing sodium as the counter ion. Structural and thermal properties of the complexes were investigated using chemical analysis, ¹¹B NMR, FTIR, and TGA-DTA techniques. Complexes containing salicylic acid as one of the ligands displayed higher thermal and hydrolytic stabilities.     

Stacking effects on local structure in RNA: changes in the structure of tandem GA pairs when flanking GC pairs are replaced by isoG-isoC pairs

The Watson-Crick-like isoG-isoC (iGiC) pair, with the amino and carbonyl groups transposed relative to the Watson-Crick GC pair, provides an expanded alphabet for understanding interactions that shape nucleic acid structure. Here, thermodynamic stabilities of tandem GA pairs flanked by iGiC pairs are reported along with the NMR structures of the RNA self-complementary duplexes (GCiGGAiCGCA)2 and (GGiCGAiGCCA)2. A sheared GA pairing forms in (GCiGGAiCGCA)2, and an imino GA pairing forms in (GGiCGAiGCCA)2. The structures contrast with the formation of tandem imino and sheared GA pairs flanked by GC pairs in the RNA self-complementary duplexes (GCGGACGC)2 and (GGCGAGCC)2, respectively. In both iGiC duplexes, Watson-Crick-like hydrogen bonds are formed between iG and iC, and iGiC substitutions result in less favorable loop stability. The results provide benchmarks for testing computations of molecular interactions that shape RNA three-dimensional structure.     

Structures of lithiated lysine and structural analogues in the gas phase: effects of water and proton affinity on zwitterionic stability

The structures of lithiated lysine, ornithine, and related molecules, both with and without a water molecule, are investigated using both density functional theory and blackbody infrared radiative dissociation experiments. The lowest-energy structure of lithiated lysine without a water molecule is nonzwitterionic; the metal ion interacts with both nitrogen atoms and the carbonyl oxygen. Structures in which lysine is zwitterionic are higher in energy by more than 29 kJ/mol. In contrast, the singly hydrated clusters with the zwitterionic and nonzwitterionic forms of lysine are more similar in energy, with the nonzwitterionic form more stable by only approximately 7 kJ/mol. Thus, a single water molecule can substantially stabilize the zwitterionic form of an amino acid. Analogous molecules that have methyl groups attached to either the N-terminus (NMeLys) or the side-chain amine (Lys(Me)) have proton affinities greater than that of lysine. In the lithiated clusters with a water molecule attached, the zwitterionic forms of NMeLys and Lys(Me) are calculated to be approximately 4 and approximately 11 kJ/mol more stable than the nonzwitterionic forms, respectively. Calculations of the potential-energy pathway for interconversion between the different forms of lysine in the lithiated complex indicate multiple stable intermediates with an overall barrier height of approximately 83 kJ/mol between the lowest-energy nonzwitterionic form and the most accessible zwitterionic form. Experimentally determined binding energies of water are similar for all these complexes and range from 57 to 64 kJ/mol. These results suggest that loss of a water molecule from the lysine complexes is both energetically and entropically favored compared to interconversion between the nonzwitterionic and zwitterionic structures. Comparisons to calculated binding energies of water to the various structures show that the experimental results are most consistent with the nonzwitterionic forms.     

Investigation of humate-cetyltrimethylammonium complexes by small-angle X-ray scattering

The structural examination of the complexes formed between humic acid and cationic surfactants has environmental implications. A humic acid (HA) dissolved in 0.1 M NaOH (5 g/L) was reacted with a cationic surfactant (hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide or CTAB) at initial solution concentrations of 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 mM. The HA precipitated at CTAB concentrations of 20, 30, and 50 mM but the complexes were soluble at 40 mM and below 20 mM. The charge neutralization between humic acid anions and CTAB micelles and the subsequent charge reversal due to hydrophobic interactions explain the behavior of the HA-CTAB complexes. The HA solution (5 g/L), reaction products (supernatants and precipitates), and pure cationic surfactant solutions were studied by the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique in order to determine the structure of HA-CTAB complexes. The scattering intensity (I(q)) of various HA-CTAB systems were recorded over a range of scattering vectors (q=0.053-4.0 nm(-1)). HA forms networks in an alkaline solution with a characterization length of 7.8 nm or greater. The HA-CTAB precipitates and the 50-mM CTAB solution gave d(100) and d(110) reflections of a hexagonal structure. The hexagonal array of cylindrical CTAB micelles has a lattice parameter of 5.01 nm in pure solution, and the parameter decreases in the order: 4.96, 4.91, and 4.85 nm for the precipitates of HA-CTAB (50, 30, and 20 mM, respectively), indicating that the structure of CTAB micelles was disturbed by the addition of HA. The molecular properties and behavior of HA in solution were discussed.     

Cooperative hydrogen bonds of macromolecules. 3. A model study of the proximity effect

Experimental and theoretical evidence for the proximity effect as a basic mechanism of the hydrogen bond cooperativity was obtained in a model system. Hydrogen bond (HB) interaction between poly(4-vinylpyridine) (PVP) and selected acids as HB donors was studied using PFG NMR self-diffusion measurements, 1H NMR longitudinal relaxation and quantum-mechanical DFT calculations. Bivalent HB donors, such as glutaric (GA) and adipic acid (AA), were compared to univalent donors 4-chlorobutyric acid, 4-acetylbutyric acid and 5-chlorovaleric acid. PFG NMR established substantially larger HB equilibrium constants for AA and, in particular, GA than for univalent donors, thus indicating cooperativity of COOH groups in bivalent donors. According to the values of these constants, the fraction of the transiently bound GA and AA molecules, which are bound by two hydrogen bonds, is 0.70 and 0.63, respectively. This result, which means substantial cooperativity in particular in GA, was then independently verified by a relaxation study comparing longitudinal relaxation rates of univalent and bivalent donors. Analysis of relaxation led to the same probabilities that HB of one COOH group of a bivalent donor will be accompanied by HB of another COOH group of the same molecule, namely 0.70 for GA and 0.63 for AA. Such cooperativity must be due to the proximity effect, i.e., the lowering of the entropy demand of the next binding by the motional restriction imposed by the already existing bonds. This conclusion is in excellent agreement with DFT calculations on the interaction of GA with a model vinylpyridine dimer, which predict preference of double binding of the same GA molecule over that of two GA molecules and show that this preference is due to a substantially lower entropy demand.     

Temperature responsive complex coacervate core micelles with a PEO and PNIPAAm corona

In aqueous solutions at room temperature, poly( N-methyl-2-vinyl pyridinium iodide)- block-poly(ethylene oxide), P2MVP 38- b-PEO 211 and poly(acrylic acid)- block-poly(isopropyl acrylamide), PAA 55- b-PNIPAAm 88 spontaneously coassemble into micelles, consisting of a mixed P2MVP/PAA polyelectrolyte core and a PEO/PNIPAAm corona. These so-called complex coacervate core micelles (C3Ms), also known as polyion complex (PIC) micelles, block ionomer complexes (BIC), and interpolyelectrolyte complexes (IPEC), respond to changes in solution pH and ionic strength as their micellization is electrostatically driven. Furthermore, the PNIPAAm segments ensure temperature responsiveness as they exhibit lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior. Light scattering, two-dimensional 1H NMR nuclear Overhauser effect spectrometry, and cryogenic transmission electron microscopy experiments were carried out to investigate micellar structure and solution behavior at 1 mM NaNO 3, T = 25, and 60 degrees C, that is, below and above the LCST of approximately 32 degrees C. At T = 25 degrees C, C3Ms were observed for 7 < pH < 12 and NaNO 3 concentrations below approximately 105 mM. The PEO and PNIPAAm chains appear to be (randomly) mixed within the micellar corona. At T = 60 degrees C, onion-like complexes are formed, consisting of a PNIPAAm inner core, a mixed P2MVP/PAA complex coacervate shell, and a PEO corona.     

Kinetico-mechanistic studies of C-H bond activation on new Pd complexes containing N,N'-chelating ligands

The hybrid imine/amine palladium(II) coordination complexes [PdX2(kappa2-N(imino),N(amino))](X = Cl, AcO; kappa2-N(imino),N(amino)= 4ClC6H4CHNCH2(CH2)nN(CH3)2, n= 1, 2) have been prepared in different isomeric forms which include E/Z arrangement around the C[double bond]N bond of the hybrid ligand and {Pd(kappa(2)-N(imino),N(amino))} ring conformation. The crystal structures of four of them, E-1AcO, Z-1AcO, E-2AcO and E-2Cl, have been determined and the solution behaviour in acetic acid, the common cyclometallating solvent, for all these systems studied. The complexes in acetic acid solution are shown to maintain the structure determined by X-ray crystallography, as they do in deuterated chloroform. Nevertheless, a partial opening equilibrium of the {Pd(kappa2-N(imino),N(amino))} ring is observed by NMR experiments. When the complexes are held in solution for longer periods the corresponding cyclometallated derivatives, 1AcO-CM, 2AcO-CM, 1Cl-CM and 2Cl-CM, containing the {Pd(kappa2-C,N(imino))} palladacycle are obtained, as characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy. In these compounds the total opening of the N(amino) moiety of the ligand has occurred. The C-H bond activation process has been studied kinetico-mechanistically at different temperatures, pressures and acid concentrations; the results agree with the need of an opening of the chelate ring in [PdX2(kappa2-N(imino),N(amino))] prior to the proper cyclometallation reaction. The values of the enthalpies of activation are higher than those observed for known N-monodentated cyclometallating ligands, as should correspond to the contribution of a ligand dechelation pre-equilibrium. The entropies and volumes of activation are also indicative of this predissociation that include an important amount of contractive ordering. The presence of small amounts of triflic acid in the reaction medium accelerates the reaction to the value observed for N(imino)-monodentate systems, indicating that the full opening of the chelate ring has taken place. For the badly oriented isomeric forms of the ligand in the chelated complex (Z), the cyclometallation process is even more slow and corresponds directly to the reorganization of the ligand to its cyclopalladation-active (E) conformation.     

C-F or C-H bond activation and C-C coupling reactions of fluorinated pyridines at rhodium: synthesis, structure and reactivity of a variety of tetrafluoropyridyl complexes

Reactions of [RhH(PEt3)3] (1) or [RhH(PEt3)4] (2) with pentafluoropyridine or 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoropyridine afford the activation product [Rh(4-C5NF4)(PEt3)3] (3). Treatment of 3 with CO, 13CO or CNtBu effects the formation of trans-[Rh(4-C5NF4)(CO)(PEt3)2] (4a), trans-[Rh(4-C5NF4)(13CO)(PEt3)2] (4b) and trans-[Rh(4-C5NF4)(CNtBu)(PEt3)2] (5). The rhodium(III) compounds trans-[RhI(CH3)(4-C5NF4)(PEt3)2] (6a) and trans-[RhI(13CH3)(4-C5NF4)(PEt3)2] (6b) are accessible on reaction of 3 with CH3I or 13CH3I. In the presence of CO or 13CO these complexes convert into trans-[RhI(CH3)(4-C5NF4)(CO)(PEt3)2] (7a), trans-[RhI(13CH3)(4-C5NF4)(CO)(PEt3)2] (7b) and trans-[RhI(13CH3)(4-C5NF4)(13CO)(PEt3)2] (7c). The trans arrangement of the carbonyl and methyl ligand in 7a-7c has been confirmed by the 13C-13C coupling constant in the 13C NMR spectrum of 7c. A reaction of 4a or 4b with CH3I or 13CH3I yields the acyl compounds trans-[RhI(COCH3)(4-C5NF4)(PEt3)2] (8a) and trans-[RhI(13CO13CH3)(4-C5NF4)(PEt3)2] (8b), respectively. Complex 8a slowly reacts with more CH3I to give [PEt3Me][Rh(I)2(COCH3)(4-C5NF4)(PEt3)](9). On heating a solution of 7a, the complex trans-[RhI(CO)(PEt3)2] (10) and the C-C coupled product 4-methyltetrafluoropyridine (11) have been obtained. Complex 8a also forms 10 at elevated temperatures in the presence of CO together with the new ketone 4-acetyltetrafluoropyridine (12). The structures of the complexes 3, 4a, 5, 6a, 8a and 9 have been determined by X-ray crystallography. 19F-1H HMQC NMR solution spectra of 6a and 8a reveal a close contact of the methyl groups in the phosphine to the methyl or acyl ligand bound at rhodium.     

Novel 15-crown-5 ether or beta-diketone incorporated gadolinium complexes for the detection of potassium ions or magnesium and calcium ions

Novel gadolinium complexes (KMR-series: KMR-K and KMR-Mg), which have a bis-15-crown-5 ether or a charged beta-diketone structure as a recognition site, have been designed, synthesized and applied for the detection of K(+) or of Mg(2+) and Ca(2+) using MRI or NMR techniques. The measurements are based on the modulation of the longitudinal relaxation time (T(1)) of water protons in proximity of the gadolinium complexes. Relaxivity measurements of KMR-K1 in aqueous solution showed that the initial longitudinal relaxivity value (r(1)) of 5.05 mM(-1) s(-1) is monotonously decreasing with increasing K(+) concentrations, reaching a final value of 4.78 mM(-1) s(-1). This decrease is attributed to a change in the second sphere of hydration of the gadolinium (Gd(3+)) complex (KMR-K), resulting in a K(+) concentration-dependent contrast in MR images. From stoichiometric analysis using mass spectrometry and UV/VIS spectrometry, a 1 : 1 complex formation between KMR-K1 and K(+) in a sandwich-type manner with a log K of 3.20 was confirmed. In the case of KMR-Mg, the initial r(1) value of 4.98 mM(-1) s(-1) is monotonously decreasing with increasing Mg(2+) or Ca(2+) concentrations, reaching a final value of 3.95 or 4.16 mM(-1) s(-1), respectively, resulting in Mg(2+) and Ca(2+) concentration-dependent contrast in MR images. The formation of a 1:1 complex with a log K of 2.33 for Mg(2+) and 1.91 for Ca(2+) was confirmed. KMR-K1 and KMR-Mg are the first ion-selective or ion-sensitive gadolinium complexes for K(+) or Mg(2+) and Ca(2+), respectively.     

Microscopic analysis of ester hydrolysis reaction catalyzed by Candida rugosa lipase

The relationship between the kinetics of the lipase-catalyzed oil hydrolysis and the surface area distribution of oil droplets was investigated using ethyl decanoate and gum Arabic (GA) as a model oil and an emulsifier, respectively. Along an ethyl decanoate concentration gradient between 2 and 8 mM, the initial hydrolysis rate increased at 0.25% (w/v) GA but did not change at 1.0% (w/v) GA. At 0.25% GA, the surface area of droplets was narrowly distributed regardless of the ethyl decanoate concentration. However, at 1.0% GA and with ethyl decanoate concentrations higher than 2 mM, the fraction of relatively large droplets with a surface area larger than approximately 200 microm2, suddenly increased. The microscopy of ethyl decanoate emulsion during the hydrolysis reaction indicates that the large oil droplets were not hydrolyzed. At 20 mM ethyl decanoate where the hydrolysis rate remained the same between 0.25% and 1.0% GA, the surface area of droplets was narrowly distributed at 0.25% and 1.0% GA. Therefore, the constant hydrolysis rate observed in the emulsion of ethyl decanoate between 2 and 8 mM containing GA at 1.0%, is believed to be caused by the relatively large oil droplets with the interface quality differing from that of the small oil droplets.     

ATP与氨基酸弱相互作用的质谱与理论计算研究

利用电喷雾质谱、荧光、核磁和理论计算研究了ATP与19种氨基酸的弱相互作用.在质谱中发现除甘氨酸(Gly)、丙氨酸(Ala)、缬氨酸(Val)外,其它氨基酸均可观测到与ATP因弱相互作用形成的复合物离子.利用不同质谱锥孔电压下复合物稳定性的不同,分析了侧链基团对ATP与19种氨基酸弱相互作用的影响.并利用荧光光谱和核磁共振波谱法研究了芳香性氨基酸与ATP的弱相互作用.结果表明,氨基酸与ATP的弱相互作用强弱顺序为:色氨酸(Trp)＞苯丙氨酸(Phe)＞具有R‖C-NH2的氨基酸＞具有-RCOOH、-R-NH2的氨基酸＞具有-RSH、-ROH的氨基酸＞R为长链的氨基酸＞R为短链的氨基酸.不同官能团的氨基酸与ATP的弱相互作用的模拟计算也证实了此结论,并发现氨基酸的主侧链基团与ATP分子基团间的多个分子间因氢键作用使复合物能稳定存在.这一结果将为预测蛋白与ATP结合位点及研究ATP的识别机理提供依据.     

Modulating the sensory response of a conjugated polymer by proteins: an agglutination assay for mercury ions in water

The complexes of a carboxylate-substituted poly(para-phenyleneethynylene) (PPE) with histone, bovine serum albumin, and papain were investigated. At higher concentrations, the proteins have a significant effect on the emission characteristics of the PPE. The electrostatic complexes formed from the PPE, and the proteins are agglutinated by different metal cations. The observed selectivities and sensitivities of these simple systems are most unusual; combination of the carboxylate-PPE and commercially available papain forms an electrostatic complex that is precipitated by mercury ions at concentrations above 10-5 mol L-1.