Binding energies of water to lithiated valine: Formation of solution-phase structure in vacuo

Dissociation kinetics for loss of a water molecule from hydrated ions of lithiated valine, alanine ethyl ester and betaine are determined using blackbody infrared radiative dissociation at temperatures between -60 and 110 degrees C. From master equation modeling of these data, values of the threshold dissociation energy are obtained for clusters containing one through three water molecules. By comparing the values for valine with its two isomers, one a model for the nonzwitterion structure, the other a model for the zwitterion structure, information about the structure of valine in these hydrated clusters is inferred. Structures, relative energies, and water binding energies for these ions are also calculated at the B3LYP/6-31++G** level of theory. With one water molecule, both experiment and theory indicate that valine is not a zwitterion and that the lithium ion coordinates with the amino nitrogen and the carbonyl oxygen (NO coordinated) and the water molecule interacts directly with the lithium ion. With two water molecules, the zwitterion and nonzwitterion structures are nearly isoenergetic, but the experiment clearly indicates a NO-coordinated nonzwitterion structure. With three water molecules, both the experimental data and theory indicate that the lithium ion binds to the carboxylate group of valine, i.e., valine is zwitterionic with three water molecules. The agreement between the experimentally determined and calculated binding energies is good for all the clusters, with deviations of <== 0.12 eV.     

三七总皂甙对牛血清白蛋白溶液构象的影响

应用衰减全反射傅立叶变换红外光谱结合荧光光谱和紫外光谱研究了中药三七 的有效成分三七总皂甙与牛血清白蛋白（BSA）的相互作用，采用对蛋白质红外光 谱酰氨Ⅰ带和酰氨Ⅲ带进行曲线拟合的方法，定量分析了不同浓度三七总皂甙对 BSA二级结构的影响，发现随着三七总皂甙浓度的增加，蛋白分子结构逐渐发生了 由螺旋向折叠的转化。a-螺旋结构减少了3%，β-折叠结构增加了约5%，其它二级 结构没有明显的变化，红外差谱和荧光光谱的结果为药物与蛋白质的作用引起牛血 清白蛋白溶液构象的变化提供了佐证，紫外光谱反映了单体皂甙与蛋白质的结合常 数的差异。     

Protein interactions studied by SAXS: effect of ionic strength and protein concentration for BSA in aqueous solutions

We have studied a series of samples of bovine serum albumin (BSA) solutions with protein concentration, c, ranging from 2 to 500 mg/mL and ionic strength, I, from 0 to 2 M by small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The scattering intensity distribution was compared to simulations using an oblate ellipsoid form factor with radii of 17 x 42 x 42 A, combined with either a screened Coulomb, repulsive structure factor, SSC(q), or an attractive square-well structure factor, SSW(q). At pH = 7, BSA is negatively charged. At low ionic strength, I < 0.3 M, the total interaction exhibits a decrease of the repulsive interaction when compared to the salt-free solution, as the net surface charge is screened, and the data can be fitted by assuming an ellipsoid form factor and screened Coulomb interaction. At moderate ionic strength (0.3-0.5 M), the interaction is rather weak, and a hard-sphere structure factor has been used to simulate the data with a higher volume fraction. Upon further increase of the ionic strength (I >or= 1.0 M), the overall interaction potential was dominated by an additional attractive potential, and the data could be successfully fitted by an ellipsoid form factor and a square-well potential model. The fit parameters, well depth and well width, indicate that the attractive potential caused by a high salt concentration is weak and long-ranged. Although the long-range, attractive potential dominated the protein interaction, no gelation or precipitation was observed in any of the samples. This is explained by the increase of a short-range, repulsive interaction between protein molecules by forming a hydration layer with increasing salt concentration. The competition between long-range, attractive and short-range, repulsive interactions accounted for the stability of concentrated BSA solution at high ionic strength.     

Peculiarities of long-range interaction between the nucleotides after DNA damage.

In this work, the long-range interaction between the pairs of nucleotides situated on the opposite ends of a double broken DNA helix have been studied theoretically. The long-range energy was considered as a sum of electrodynamics Van der Waals and electrostatic Coulomb interactions. The most important region for the problem under consideration is about 5-15 A between the nucleotides. The calculations of the energy of long-range interaction have shown that during the interaction between the pairs CG-CG, there is a potential repulsive barrier with the amplitude of about 4 kT at the distance of 7-9 A, and during the interaction between the pairs TA-TA, there is a potential repulsive barrier with the amplitude of about 1.5 kT at the same distance, which can prevent DNA from enzyme selfrepairing after a double DNA break. This barrier vanishes as the pH of intracellular medium increases. The remainder pairs of nucleotides do not have such barrier, and there is always an attraction like interaction.     

Protein-protein interactions in complex cosolvent solutions.

The effects of various kosmotropic and chaotropic cosolvents and salts on the intermolecular interaction potential of positively charged lysozyme is evaluated at varying protein concentrations by using synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering in combination with liquid-state theoretical approaches. The experimentally derived static structure factors S(Q) obtained without and with added cosolvents and salts are analysed with a statistical mechanical model based on the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek (DLVO) potential, which accounts for repulsive and attractive interactions between the protein molecules. Different cosolvents and salts influence the interactions between protein molecules differently as a result of changes in the hydration level or solvation, in charge screening, specific adsorption of the additives at the protein surface, or increased hydrophobic interactions. Intermolecular interaction effects are significant above protein concentrations of 1 wt %, and with increasing protein concentration, the repulsive nature of the intermolecular pair potential V(r) increases markedly. Kosmotropic cosolvents like glycerol and sucrose exhibit strong concentration-dependent effects on the interaction potential, leading to an increase of repulsive forces between the protein molecules at low to medium high osmolyte concentrations. Addition of trifluoroethanol exhibits a multiphasic effect on V(r) when changing its concentration. Salts like sodium chloride and potassium sulfate exhibit strong concentration-dependent changes of the interaction potential due to charge screening of the positively charged protein molecules. Guanidinium chloride (GdmCl) at low concentrations exhibits a similar charge-screening effect, resulting in increased attractive interactions between the protein molecules. At higher GdmCl concentrations, V(r) becomes more repulsive in nature due to the presence of high concentrations of Gdm(+) ions binding to the protein molecules. Our findings also imply that in calculations of thermodynamic properties of proteins in solution and cosolvent mixtures, activity coefficients may not generally be neglected in the concentration range above 1 wt % protein.     

Single-chain mechanical property of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) and interaction with small molecules

The single-chain nanomechanical properties of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVPr) and povidone-iodine (PVPr-I2) under different solution conditions have been investigated by using an atomic force microscopy based technique-single-molecule force spectroscopy. The force-extension curve (force curve) of PVPr in water is markedly deviated from that obtained in ethanol or tetrahydrofuran, suggesting a different interaction between PVPr and the solvents. Moreover, we have comparatively studied the force signals of PVPr-I2 and PVPr in an aqueous solution of KI or KI3 and found that only KI3 influences the elastic property of PVPr dramatically. These experimental results indicate that there exists a specific interaction between PVPr and KI3, which is also supported by Fourier transform infrared data. By the integration of the deviated area between the force curve and the modified freely jointed chain fitting curve, we estimate that the energy needed to destroy the interaction between PVPr and water is 5.3 kT and between PVPr and KI3 is 3.6 kT per repeating unit, respectively.     

Effect of water on the interfacial structures of room-temperature ionic liquids

The interfacial structures of cyano-based room-temperature ionic liquids play a very important role in reducing friction. However, the presence of water impairs their tribological performance. The interfacial structures and friction forces of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium dicyanamide, [EMIM][DCN], and the effect of water on these structures and forces were investigated using atomic force microscopy. In addition, the interaction of water and [EMIM][DCN] was evaluated using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Multiple repulsive layers were observed in the [EMIM][DCN] solution. This solution showed low friction force because these repulsive layers worked as protective layers against friction. On the other hand, the specific repulsive layer characteristics of [EMIM][DCN] could not be observed in a [EMIM][DCN] + 2 wt% H₂O solution. FT-IR results indicated that the layer structure of [EMIM][DCN] was disturbed by the addition of H₂O. Therefore, the solution containing water exhibited a high friction force.     

[He3H]＋分子基态势能面的从头计算研究

使用CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ从头计算方法，对[He3H]＋分子的一些特殊构型的电子基态势能进行扫描，并以此为基础对三体相互作用势在惰性气体质子簇中的影响进行了讨论.结果表明即使在这样一个简单的体系中三体相互作用的影响都是不能忽略的.另一方面，在[He3H]＋分子稳定构型附近仅将势能展开至三体相互作用项便可提供较精确的相互作用信息，但在强排斥区域更高阶作用的影响变得越来越突出.本文同时讨论了[He4H]＋的稳态结构. [He3H]＋与[He4H]＋的稳态结构表明,[HenH]＋簇中存在着一个[He2H]＋核.     

Photostabilization of polypropylene. II. Stabilizers and hydroperoxides

The effects of various polyolefin photostabilizers on the thermal and photodecomposition of model and polymeric hydroperoxides have been investigated, both in the liquid and solid phases. Several extremely effective ultraviolet stabilizers belonging to the metal chelate class can cause the rapid thermal decomposition of model and polymeric hydroperoxides. Although stabilizers did not reduce the quantum yield for polypropylene hydroperoxide photolysis, several additives can scavenge hydroxyl and macroalkoxy radical products which result from hydroperoxide photolytic cleavage. Ultraviolet stabilizers which were found to trap radicals were able to prevent the photodegradation of polypropylene which already contained a significant concentration of hydroperoxide groups. Highly effective polypropylene ultraviolet stabilizers probably operate by a range of mechanisms including hydroperoxide decomposition, radical scavenging and singlet oxygen quenching.     

Polarized vibrational spectra of betaine monohydrate single crystal

The polarized infrared and Raman spectra of betaine monohydrate single crystal were measured and discussed in relation to the crystal structure. An assignment of the observed bands to the internal vibrations of the betaine and water molecules is proposed.     

Microwave-assisted extraction by fast sample preparation for the systematic analysis of additives in polyolefins by high-performance liquid chromatography

This paper presents a new approach for complete and systematic analysis of organic additives in polyolefins. The proposed procedure is a convenient combination of sample preparation, performed by microwave-assisted extraction (MAE), and direct chromatographic evaluation of extract by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with ultraviolet and evaporative light scattering detection. In particular two microwave-assisted processes are reported and discussed: the one-step MAE, useful for additives with low-medium dipolarity (like stabilizers, flame retardant, antistatics, slip and processing agents), and the two-step MAE, useful for additives with either high dipolarity (like organic salts, antigasfading, antiacid, nucleating agent) or high molecular mass (like polymeric hindered amine light stabilizers). Both the proposed processes have been tested on representative additives in five commercially common polymeric matrices, demonstrating their satisfactory analytical results, in terms of repeatability and percentage recoveries, and their good performances, in terms of safety and time/solvent consumption, in comparison with those of traditional extraction methods.     

BCBP与牛血清白蛋白相互作用热力学

塞来昔布衍生物是一类应用非常广泛的治疗急慢性炎症的新型非甾体抗炎药。本文综合利用荧光光谱、紫外吸收光谱、圆二色谱和分子模拟等方法,研究了塞来昔布衍生物1-苯磺酰胺-3-羧基-5-苯基吡唑(BCBP)与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)相互作用的热力学行为。荧光光谱和紫外吸收光谱的分析表明：BCBP能有效猝灭BSA的内源荧光,猝灭机制为静态猝灭。通过所获取的相互作用热力学参数,可知两者之间的相互作用是一个吉布斯自由能降低的自发过程,且二者之间的主要作用力为氢键和范德华力。圆二色谱的分析发现BCBP引起BSA的构象发生改变,其α-螺旋含量降低,无规卷曲含量升高。分子对接的结果与实验结果相符。     

Energy transfer processes involving ultraviolet stabilizers. Quenching of singlet oxygen

The role of electronically excited singlet (¹Δ_g) oxygen molecules in the photooxidation of polymers has received increased attention in recent years. Little information regarding the interaction of ultraviolet stabilizers with singlet oxygen is known, however. In this study, singlet oxygen was produced by a microwave discharge in a flow system and rate constants were obtained for quenching by ultraviolet stabilizers. It was found that some nickel chelate stabilizers are effective quenchers of singlet oxygen and their quenching behaviors can be correlated with ultraviolet stabilization effectiveness in thin polypropylene and polyethylene films. The best oxygen quenchers of those examined are nickel chelates with sulfur donor ligands.     

槲皮素-铝配合物的制备及其与BSA的结合作用

在甲醇溶液中合成了槲皮素-铝配合物(Que-Al),并用紫外-可见吸收光谱和红外光谱进行了表征;运用荧光光谱探讨了Que-Al与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)的相互作用;求得了结合常数KA和热力学参数△H、△G、和△S.结果表明,Que-Al对BSA具有荧光猝灭作用,其猝灭方式为动态猝灭;Que-Al与BSA之间的作用力主要为疏水作用力.     

A model system to study the insertion of cholesterol into a phospholipid monolayer

Colloidal probe atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used to study the interaction between a surface bearing tethered cholesterol groups and an egg phosphatidylcholine (egg-PC) monolayer. The cholesterol bearing surface was comprised of a mixed self-assembled monolayer comprised of O-cholesteryl N-(8'-mecapto-3',6'-dioxaoctyl)carbamate (CPEO3) molecules and beta-mercaptoethanol formed on a 20 mum diameter gold-coated silica particle. The egg-PC monolayer was adsorbed onto an octadecylthiol monolayer formed on template-stripped gold. The force between the surfaces, as a function of separation, was measured for surface concentrations of CPEO3 from 0 to 100 mol %. At all concentrations there was a long-range repulsive double-layer force due to weak surface charges. At surface concentrations of CPEO3 from 1 to 29 mol % the interaction on the approach of the surfaces showed a maximum in the repulsive force, followed by a small (2-5 nm) jump into a force minimum corresponding to adhesion of the surfaces. On separation, a normalized pull-off force of 1.0-1.6 mN m(-1) was measured. Over the same concentration range, the calculated interaction energy per CPEO3 molecule decreased from 1.1 +/- 0.2 kT to 0.04 kT. At surface concentrations of 35 mol % and above there was no reproducible adhesion between the cholesterol-bearing surface and the phospholipid monolayer. We attribute the occurrence of short-range attraction and adhesion in the 1-29 mol % regime to the insertion of (some) cholesterol groups into the phospholipid monolayer. At higher surface concentrations the efficiency of insertion is reduced due to steric effects. We discuss the experimental results in the light of the energetics of the insertion of a cholesterol molecule into a lipid bilayer.     

Effect of metal ion and water coordination on the structure of a gas-phase amino acid.

The mode of metal ion and water binding to the amino acid valine is investigated using both theory and experiment. Computations indicate that without water, the structure of valine is nonzwitterionic. Both Li(+) and Na(+) are coordinated to the nitrogen and carbonyl oxygen (NO coordination), whereas K(+) coordinates to both oxygens (OO coordination) of nonzwitterionic valine. The addition of a single water molecule does not significantly affect the relative energies calculated for the cationized valine clusters. Experimentally, the rates of water evaporation from clusters of Val.M(+)(H(2)O)(1), M = Li, Na, and K, are measured using blackbody infrared radiative dissociation. The dissociation rate from the valine complex is compared to water evaporation rates from model complexes of known structure. These results indicate that the metal ion in the lithiated and the sodiated clusters is NO-coordinated to nonzwitterionic valine, while that in the potassiated cluster has OO coordination, in full agreement with theory. The zwitterionic vs nonzwitterionic character of valine in the potassiated cluster cannot be distinguished experimentally. Extensive modeling provides strong support for the validity of inferring structural information from the kinetic data.     

可快速计算水团簇三体作用强度的新方法

将水分子视为由2个O—H键偶极构成, 再将水分子间的三体作用视为长程诱导作用和短程校正之和, 使用Thole模型计算长程诱导作用, 通过同时考虑不同水分子间的置换和同一个水分子中2个键偶极间的置换计算短程校正, 从而提出了一个可快速计算水团簇三体作用强度的新方法. 根据已报道的12347个水三聚体的结构和CCSD(T)三体作用能, 确定了该方法所需参数. 将该方法和所确定的参数应用于67个水团簇体系, 计算这些体系的三体作用能, 并与CCSD(T), MP2, M06-2X方法的计算结果进行比较. 结果表明, 相对于CCSD(T)方法的总三体作用能, 本文方法的均方根偏差(RMSD)仅为3.32 kJ/mol, 平均相对偏差(MRD)仅为2.43%; 对较大水团簇体系, 该方法计算精度稍优于MP2方法, 明显优于M06-2X方法, 并且更快捷高效.     

Estimation of excess solvation numbers of water and cosolvents from preferential interaction and volumetric experiments

To elucidate, at a molecular level, how cosolvents influence protein stability, it is indispensable to understand the distribution of water and cosolvent molecules around proteins. Calculation of excess solvation numbers of water and cosolvents serves this purpose, and I show that they can be extracted from preferential interaction parameter and volumeric data via the Kirkwood-Buff theory. This scheme was applied to trehalose and glycerol (stabilizers) and urea (denaturant). Important insights from the application include stabilizer-induced enhancement of protein hydration, which, together with the stabilizer's exclusion from protein surfaces, may contribute to protein stabilization at high osmolyte concentrations.     

[Cu(Phen)(5-Fu)2](NO3)2配合物与牛血清白蛋白相互作用的荧光光谱研究

以Cu(Ⅱ)作为中心离子,5-氟脲嘧啶(5-Fu)和邻菲咯啉(Phen)作为配体,合成了[Cu(Phen)(5-Fu)2](NO3)2配合物;利用元素分析和红外光谱分析了配合物的组成和化学结构;利用荧光光谱考察了其与牛血清白蛋白(BSA)的相互作用.结果表明.配合物与BSA作用可导致BSA内源荧光猝灭;其猝灭机理为静态...     

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.