Protein unfolding, amyloid fibril formation and configurational energy landscapes under high pressure conditions

High hydrostatic pressure induces conformational changes in proteins ranging from compression of the molecules to loss of native structure. In this tutorial review we describe how the interplay between the volume change and the compressibility leads to pressure-induced unfolding of proteins and dissociation of amyloid fibrils. We also discuss the effect of pressure on protein folding and free energy landscapes. From a molecular viewpoint, pressure effects can be rationalised in terms of packing and hydration of proteins.     

A DFT study on the electronic structure for iridium nitride under high pressure

We present density functionary theory (DFT) calculations on the structural parameters and electronic structure for iridium nitride by using the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and the Perdew–Burke–Ernserhof (PBE) exchange-correlation functional. The lattice parameters and bulk modulus (B ₀) for the ground state are obtained, and the energy band structure and electron densities of states (DOS) of IrN₂ are presented. It is found that IrN₂ has a very close indirect energy gap. There is a strong covalent bond between the two nearest N atoms. This gives rise to a very high elastic modulus of IrN₂ and reveals the quasimolecular nature of the N₂ in IrN₂ crystal. Lattice parameters, bulk modulus, and the electronic structure of IrN₂ under high pressure have also been investigated based on DFT. The compressibility along three cell vectors is very close to each other. The band gap increases a little with the pressure even when the pressure is up to 100 Gpa.     

Dissociation of methane under high pressure

Methane is an extremely important energy source with a great abundance in nature and plays a significant role in planetary physics, being one of the major constituents of giant planets Uranus and Neptune. The stable crystal forms of methane under extreme conditions are of great fundamental interest. Using the ab initio evolutionary algorithm for crystal structure prediction, we found three novel insulating molecular structures with P2(1)2(1)2(1), Pnma, and Cmcm space groups. Remarkably, under high pressure, methane becomes unstable and dissociates into ethane (C(2)H(6)) at 95 GPa, butane (C(4)H(10)) at 158 GPa, and further, carbon (diamond) and hydrogen above 287 GPa at zero temperature. We have computed the pressure-temperature phase diagram, which sheds light into the seemingly conflicting observations of the unusually low formation pressure of diamond at high temperature and the failure of experimental observation of dissociation at room temperature. Our results support the idea of diamond formation in the interiors of giant planets such as Neptune.     

Structural investigations under high pressure conditions

Because of its extremely high yield strength, hardness and relatively high transparency to high-energy x-ray radiation, the diamond anvil cell has become a favored device in high pressure research. This includes structural investigations where pressure induced phase transitions can be studied using x-ray diffraction techniques up to several Mbars when combined with a high-brilliance synchrotron source. In this paper several structural studies under high pressure are presented to show general trends. High pressure instrumentation has reached the stage at which hydrogen, according to theoretical calculations, can be metallized and thermodynamic conditions, (i.e. pressure and temperature) exceed those at the center of the earth.     

Crystallization kinetics of polyethylene under high pressure

The kinetics of isothermal crystallization of polyethylene under high pressures ranging from 840 to 5300 kg/cm² has been studied dilatometrically. The crystallization rate estimated from the half-time of the overall transformation increases markedly with pressure. The Avrami exponent n becomes smaller with increasing pressure. Values of n ≈ 2 for the crystallization at 840 and 1950 kg/cm², and n ≈ 1 at 5100 and 5300 kg/cm² were obtained. Differential scanning calorimetry and electron microscopy data are presented. It is concluded that extended-chain crystals grow rapidly, predominantly in one dimension, at high pressure. Relations between log k and T_m/T(ΔT) and T_m²/T(ΔT)² are nearly linear. Here, k is the crystallization rate constant from an Avrami equation, ΔT = T_m – T, T_m is the melting point, and T is the temperature of crystallization. From the dependence of the slope of the straight line on the crystallization pressure it is concluded that the surface energy of crystal nuclei decreases with increasing pressure.     

Simulations of polymer crystallization under high pressure

High pressure crystallization of polypropylene was studied by means of PVT measurements and computer simulations. The isothermal crystallization behaviour were described by using a model which takes into account the effect of pressure on the temperature dependence of nucleation rate and linear growth rate. The agreement between the simulation and the experiments was seen in the tendency that the crystallization was accelerated by the high pressure. The non-isothermal crystallization behavior was also simulated by applying a generalized Avrami equation. The simulation curves well reproduced the experimental values below relative crystallinity 0.5 and below 100 MPa.     

Emulsion polymerization of styrene under high pressure

Summary The emulsion polymerization of styrene was studied at 40 °C over a pressure range of 1 to 1000 bar. By measuring the ratio of the overall reaction rate under high pressure and at atmospheric pressure, the activation volume for the prouagation was obtained as –23.5 cm³/mol which was rather smaller than the literature values. The underestimation by the method of emulsion polymerization would be due to the character of polymerization processes and the emulsion polymerization method is not appropriate to determine the accurate value of the activation volume of propagation reactions.

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Zusammenfassung Es wird die Emulsionspolymerisation von Styrol bei 40 °C über den Druckbereich von 1 bis 1000 bar untersucht. Durch Messung des Verhältnisses der Reaktionsgeschwindigkeit unter hohem Druck und bei Atmosphärendruck wurde das Aktivierungsvolumen für die Ausbreitungsgeschwindigkeit zu –23,5 cm³/mol gefunden, ein Werr, der ziemlich kleiner als die Literaturwerte ist, Die Unterschätzung bei der Methode der Emulsionspolymerisation dürfte dem Charakter des Polymerisationsprozesses zuzuschreiben sein, und die Emulsionspolymerisation ist nicht geeignet, den exakten Wer für das Aktivierungsvolumen zu erhalten.

     

DTA measurements on polymers under high pressure

The construction of a high-pressure (up to 800 MPa), low-temperature (173–600 K) differential thermal analysis (DTA) apparatus is described. Some results on the phase transitions in polyethylene and poly(diethylsiloxane) under high pressure are presented.

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Zusammenfassung Mittels DSC wurde im Bereich 323 bis 1273 K die spezifische Wärme von Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂- und Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂-Einkristallen untersucht. Unter Zuhilfenahme des normalen Wärmekapazitätskurvenverlaufes für Bi₄Ge₃O₁₂ wurde derjenige Temperaturbereich bestimmt, in dem in Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂ die anomale Umwandlung von einer polarisierten in eine unpolarisierte Phase verläuft. Wärmeeffekt und Entropieänderung für diese Umwandlung wurden ermittelt.

     

Free volumes in solids under high pressure

A review of experimental work on ortho-positronium (o-Ps) lifetime in solids under the pressures up to 1 GPa is presented. Among the effects observed at high pressure one can mention: the disappearance of the energy level for Ps at the reduction of free volume size; pressure induced phase transitions; variation of Ps formation intensity with time; increase of o-Ps lifetime after intercalation of high pressure gas to the paraffin samples.     

Synthesis of 5-ketotetrazoles under high pressure

Conclusions The reaction of -ketonitriles with hydrazoic acid and organic azides at high pressure is an effective method for the synthesis of 5-acyltetrazoles.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1168–1170, May, 1988.     

Synthesis of titanium sulfides under high pressure

Titanium sulfides were synthesized in the temperature range 600–750°C and in the pressure range 10–200 MPa with an apparatus used for hydrothermal synthesis. Stoichiometric TiS₂ cannot be prepared under atmospheric pressure, but was synthesized under high pressure. Also the phase relationship between TiS₂ and TiS₃ has been established under high pressure up to 200 MPa, and the pressure-temperature phase diagram for TiS system is presented.     

Lamellar thickening of polyethylene under high pressure

Single crystal mat (SCM) samples of polyethylene (PE) were prepared from dilute solution of p-xylen, then they were annealed at pressures of 200 and 500 MPa. Lamellar thickness of the original and annealed SCM samples was measured by small-angle X-ray scattering method. Orientation of the molecular chain in those SCM samples was investigated by wide-angle X-ray diffraction pattern. From these X-ray measurements, annealing temperature dependence of the lamellar thickness, i.e., lamellar thickening, under high pressure was obtained. Melting process of the SCM samples was also investigated at 200 and 500 MPa by high pressure differential thermal analysis. Then correspondence between the lamellar thickening and the melting process was studied. The lamellar thickness increases markedly with approaching to the melting temperature of the orthorhombic crystal even in the high pressure region where the high pressure phase (hexagonal phase) appears. The annealing temperature dependence curve of the lamellar thickness at 200 MPa can be superimposed on the curve at 500 MPa by shifting the curve along the temperature scale by 47 K. Large scale lamellar thickening occurs in the orthorhombic crystal phase in the high pressure region. The formation process of extended-chain crystal is discussed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys, 35: 535–543, 1997     

High-resolution optical spectroscopy of benzophenone under high pressure

Phosphorescence spectra of benzophenone have been investigated with a diamond anvil cell. At 2 K the spectra remain sharp under high pressure. The pressure shift of the origin exhibits a plateau around 25 kbar. This and other spectral observations are interpreted.     

NQR of hydrogen bonded crystals under high pressure

The work presents the results of NQR under high hydrostatic pressure for the following ferroelectrics: KDA, KD^xA, LHA, LDA and AHCA. Most of the below presented discussions concerns the behaviour of these ferroelectrics and the explanation of this behaviour on the basis of pseudo-spin-lattice coupling model.     

Phase transformation of methane hydrate under high pressure

In situ Raman spectroscopy is employed to study the phase behavior of methane hydrate at high pressure. The structure 1 of methane hydrate can be maintained up to 950 MPa at 299 K. The transformation of structure I<-->structure H+water+CH4 occurs at 880 MPa and 323 K. The structure H of methane hydrate, however, decomposes to methane and water at 960 MPa and 348 K. The initiation mechanism of methane hydrate sI is also discussed.     

Differential thermal analysis of polyethylene under high pressure

The design of a differential thermal analysis apparatus for use at elevated pressure is described. Experiments on melting and crystallization of folded-chain crystals of polyethylene and poly(ethylene–butene-1) copolymer, and melting of extended-chain polyethylene crystals have been conducted at pressures up to 4200 bars. The precision in transition temperature measurement was ±1°C. The Clausius-Clapeyron equation predicts the melting point increase with pressure at atmospheric pressure to be 32.0°C/kb. The melting point depression due to copolymerization remained constant over the complete pressure range analyzed on the poly(ethylene–butene-1) used in this study. Crystallization of polyethylene is retarded at elevated pressures, and a 50% larger degree of supercooling is necessary at 5000 bars to give a crystallization rate equal to that observed at atmospheric pressure. The difference in melting point between folded-chain and extended-chain polyethylene increases from 8.4°C at 1 bar to 25.6°C at 3000 bars.