LIMITED TRYPTIC DIGESTION OF LEUCYL-tRNA SYNTHETASE AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ITS ACTIVE FRAGMENT

Leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS, EC 6.1.1.4) from E. coli underwent limitedproteolysis by trypsin which cut off 6K peptide and converted the intact LeuRS into a 96K fragment. The truncated enzyme retained the PPi exchange activity with the same kinetic parameters as those of native LeuRS but lost the tRNA~(Leu)charging, binding and other tRNA~(Leu)-related activities. N-terminus analysis showed that the 6K peptide was located at the C-terminus of LeuRS. This small part played a crucial role in tRNA~(Leu) binding. Our results suggest that the two activities, PPi exchange and tRNA charging are independent of each other and correspond to different structural regions of LeuRS. The C-terminal region might be the tRNA~(Leu)binding site of LeuRS.     

Spectroscopic evidence for site specific chemistry at a unique iron site of the [4Fe-4S] cluster in ferredoxin:thioredoxin reductase

Ferredoxin:thioredoxin reductase (FTR) catalyzes the reduction of the disulfide in thioredoxin in two one-electron steps using an active site comprising a [4Fe-4S] in close proximity to a redox active disulfide. M?ssbauer spectroscopy has been used to investigate the ligation and electronic properties of the [4Fe-4S] cluster in as-prepared FTR which has the active-site disulfide intact and in the N-ethylmaleimide (NEM)-modified form which provides a stable analogue of the one-electron-reduced heterodisulfide intermediate and has one of the cysteines of the active-site disulfide alkylated with NEM. The results reveal novel site-specific cluster chemistry involving weak interaction of the active-site disulfide with a unique Fe site of the [4Fe-4S]2+ cluster in the resting enzyme and cleavage of the active-site disulfide with concomitant coordination of one of the cysteines to yield a [4Fe-4S]3+ cluster with a five-coordinate Fe site ligated by two cysteine residues in the NEM-modified enzyme. The results provide molecular-level insight into the catalytic mechanism of FTR and other Fe-S-cluster-containing disulfide reductases, and suggest a possible mechanism for the reductive cleavage of S-adenosylmethionine by the radical SAM family of Fe-S enzymes.     

ROLE OF THIOL-DISULFIDE EXCHANGE IN INSULIN BINDING TO ITS RECEPTOR

The effects of reduction by DTT, oxidation by DTNB and treatment with NEM on the thiol contents and insulin binding to its receptor in mice liver membranes were studied. Reduction with DTT leads to a parallel increase in the thiol content and the speciflc binding of insulin to the membrane. Scatchard analysis of the results shows little change in the number of binding sites but a twofold increase of the binding constant. Washing the membrane with bound insulin by a DTT containing buffer results in a more marked increase in the release of bound insulin than washing with buffer alone, suggesting that part of the insulin is bound to its receptor by covalent disulfide linkages through a thIol-disulfide exchange reaction and reduction with DTT leads to a marked increase in this "disulfide-linked" insulin. Treatment with DTNB or NEM of the DTT-reduced membrane seems to reverse the effect of DTT reduction, although the reaction of the untreated membrane with DTNB or NEM had little or no effect on the specific     

Structural changes in myosin during contraction and the state of ATP in the intact frog muscle.

The reactivity of myosin to [14C]-labeled N-ethylmaleimide ([14C]NEM) or to tritium was determined in functionally different frog muscles. The incorporation of [14C]NEM into myosin decreased during isotonic or isometric contractions, as compared to resting muscle. The cysteine residues which were protected during contraction were not involved in the ATPase activity or the actin-binding ability of myosin. Peptide mapping revealed that several residues were protected simultaneously. The incorporation of tritium into the peptide N-H groups of myosin was also decreased during muscle activity. These data support the idea that activation and subsequent contraction of muscle are correlated with structural changes in the myosin molecule. The reactivity of myosin to [14C]NEM was increased when the muscle was stretched to 140% rest length and treated with iodoacetate to deplete ATP. Based on in vitro experiments and on literature data, it is suggested that in the resting muscle myosin contains bound MgATP which decreases the rate of incorporation of [14C]NEM into myosin and that upon the irreversible loss of ATP the rate increases. 31P nuclear magnetic resonance signals from a number of phosphates were detected in the intact frog muscle. The data indicated that the minimum concentration of ATP in the muscle is 3 mM, a value which agrees with that of chemical determination. The characteristic chemical shifts, coupling constants, and line widths of ATP in the muscle were considerably altered from that of either free ATP in aqueous solutions or ATP in perchloric acid extracts of muscle.     

Peptide peak intensities enhanced by cysteine modifiers and MALDI TOF MS

Two cysteine‐specific modifiers we reported previously, N‐ethyl maleimide (NEM) and iodoacetanilide (IAA), have been applied to the labeling of cysteine residues of peptides for the purpose of examining the enhancement of ionization efficiencies in combination with matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS). The peak intensities of the peptides as a result of modification with these modifiers were compared with the peak intensities of peptides modified with a commercially available cysteine‐specific modifier, iodoacetamide (IA). Our experiments show significant enhancement in the peak intensities of three cysteine‐containing synthetic peptides modified with IAA compared to those modified with IA. The results showed a 4.5–6‐fold increase as a result of modification with IAA compared to modification with IA. Furthermore, it was found that IAA modification also significantly enhanced the peak intensities of many peptides of a commercially available proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA), compared to those modified with IA. This significant enhancement helped identify a greater number of peptides of these proteins, leading to a higher sequence coverage with greater confidence scores in identification of proteins with the use of IAA. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

CARBON-14 LABELING AND BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY OF THE TUMOR-LOCALIZING DERIVATIVE OF HEMATOPORPHYRIN

Abstract— Carbon-14-labeled hematoporphyrin ([¹⁴C]HP) was synthesized by two methods, (i) Using an in vitro avian whole-blood system, [¹⁴C]protoheme was obtained biosynthetically by incorporating [⁴C]aminolevulinic acid into the porphyrin ring structure. Subsequently, the [¹⁴C]protoheme was converted to [⁴C]HP by standard procedures, (ii) By adopting several well-characterized chemical reactions, deuteroporphyrin was treated with [¹⁴C]acetyl chloride, giving [¹⁴C]diacetyl deuteroporphy-rin which was readily reduced and hydrolyzed to [¹⁴C]HP (with thecarbon–14 label on the hydroxyethyl side-chains). These two methods are simple and afford good yields of [¹⁴C]HP with moderate to high specific activities. The [¹⁴C]HP was then treated with acetic acid/sulfuric acid followed by sodium hydroxide to give [¹⁴C]HPD. Upon gel- and ultra-filtration, the [¹⁴C]HPD was enriched in the so-called tumor-localizing fraction of HPD, giving [¹⁴C]PII with specific activities of 0.4 Ci/mol (biosynthesis) and 10 Ci/mol (chemical synthesis). These [¹⁴C]PII preparations were equivalent with respect to chromatographic and spectrophotometric characteristics, as well as tumoricidal photodynamic activity in the DBA/2 Ha-DD mouse: SMT-F tumor system, to the unlabeled commercial product Photofrin^? II. The distribution of [¹⁴C]PII in mouse tissues was in close agreement to that previously reported, after adjustment for dose, for [¹⁴C]HPD biosynthetically labeled in vivo (Gomer and Dougherty, 1979), as well as for Photofrin^? II, where tissue levels were determined spectrophotometrically after extraction (Dougherty and Mang, unpublished).     

EVIDENCE FOR A MAJOR STRONG BINDING SITE FOR TETRACHLOROSALICYLANILIDE ON HUMAN SERUM ALBUMIN

Abstract— Solutions of human serum albumin(HSA) monomer were irradiated with UV light(360 nm) in the presence of [₁₄C]-3,3.4'S-tetrachlorosalicylanilide([₁₄C]-T₄CS).The [₁₄C]-T₄ CS-labeiled HSA was cleaved by cyanogen bromide and separated into two fractions. These fractions were reduced carboxymethylated and separated into their seven characteristic peptides and monitored for radioactivity. Tetrachlorosalicylanilide was found to bind mainly to one region of the sequence of HSA and this covalent binding site was located in residues 124 (Cys) to 298 (Met) of the molecule. The binding of 3,5-dichlorosalicylamido-4-(2,2,6.6-tetramethylpiperidine-l-oxyl (DCS-TEMPO),a spin-label analogue of T₄CS, to HSA was studied by electron spin resonance spectroscopy. In the absence of UV light. DCS-TEMPO bound non-covalently (k = 6.1 times 10₆M₁) to one major binding site on HSA. These results are evidence for the existence of a major strong binding site for the photochemical binding of T₄CS to HSA.     

水溶性双甲基化大豆苷元磺酸钴的合成及其晶体结构

以大豆苷元为先导化合物,合成了水溶性异黄酮衍生物--4′,7-二甲氧基异黄酮磺酸钴{[Co(H_2O)_6](C_(17)H_(13)O_4SO_3)_2·8H_2O(1)},其结构经~1H NMR,IR,元素分析和X-射线单晶衍射表征.1属单斜晶系,空间群P21/c,晶胞参数a=18.697(4)(A),b=7.358(2)(A),c=18.368(4)(A),β=116.223(1)°,Z=2.1的Co(Ⅱ)位于对称中心并被6分子水所配位;[Co(H_2O)_6]~(2+),[C_(17)H_(13)O_4SO_3]~- 和H_2O之间存在多种氢键,形成晶体结构中的亲水区.异黄酮骨架间反平行排列,存在着π┈π堆积作用,构成晶体结构中的疏水区.磺酸根是连接亲水区和疏水区的桥梁.氢键、π┈π堆积以及阴阳离子之间的静电引力作用共同将1组装成具有三维网络结构的超分子.     

Central cholinergic agents. I. Potent acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, 2-[omega-[N-alkyl-N-(omega-phenyl-alkyl)amino]alkyl]-1H-isoindole- 1,3(2H)-diones, based on a new hypothesis of the enzyme's active site.

It has been suggested that the active site of acetylcholinesterase contains a hydrophobic binding site (HBS-1), which is closely adjacent to both the anionic and the esteratic sites. In this paper, we assumed that there exists another hydrophobic binding site (HBS-2), some distance removed from the anionic site. On this assumption, a new working hypothesis was proposed for the design of acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. A series of 2-[omega-[N-alkyl-N-(omega-phenyl-alkyl)amino]alkyl]-1H- isoindole-1,3(2H)-diones was designed based on this hypothesis and tested for its inhibitory activities on acetylcholinesterase. Some in this series were revealed to be more potent than physostigmine. Optimum activity was found to be associated with a five carbon chain length separating the benzylamino group from the 1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione (phthalimide) moiety. Quantitative study of substitution effect on the phthalimide moiety revealed that hydrophilic and electron-withdrawing groups enhance the activity.     

咪唑基离子液体Br[C_(14)im](CH_2)_4[C_(14)im]Br对PP结构与性能的影响

应用Gemini型咪唑基离子液体和聚丙烯(PP)熔融共混,制备出Gemini型咪唑基离子液体改性PP,并对改性PP的结构与性能进行了表征与测试.研究结果表明,Br[C14im](CH2)4[C14im]Br添加到PP中后,起到了异相成核的作用,同时使PP晶体结晶度减小;添加离子液体的样品熔融峰温,结晶峰温与纯样相近,同时离子液体也诱导了PP中α晶的生成;Gemini型咪唑基离子液体可以提高PP的抗静电性能,加入量为3 phr时,表面电阻率为8.97×109Ωcm,抗静电性能优良;此外,添加离子液体后样品拉伸强度有所降低,冲击强度有所提高,断裂伸长率有所下降,降低了PP的玻璃化温度,说明离子液体对PP有增塑作用.     

DTNB电化学行为的探讨

应用电解还原, 紫外和红外光谱及循环伏安等方法, 研究了DTNB在水溶液中和汞电极上的电化学行为。借助于电解还原和ESR技术, 首次检测到在DTNB电解还原中产生的自由基讯号。研究了该自由基的性质和动力学衰变规律。     

阴离子交换树脂负载钒(V)—硫脲氧化还原体系引发丙烯腈聚合的研究

用负载偏钒酸根的强碱性阴离子交换树脂(PV)与硫脲(TU)组成氧化还原体系在硝酸溶液中引发丙烯腈(AN)聚合,表观聚合速度是: R=1.92×10~4e~(-6860)/RT[AN]~(1.2)[RV]~(0.44)[TU]~(1.8)[HNO_ 3]~(1.0)聚合动力学参数与V~(6+)—TU体系所得者不同,表明初级自由基的产生受扩散控制因素的重要影响,并且载体树脂在聚合过程中存在着强烈的大分子场效应。聚合诱导期(ι)与引发速度成反比。聚合物分子量与聚合速度成正比,与终止速度和聚合温度成反比。加料方式实验再一次表明了引发种是由五价钒和硫脲络合和/或缔合所产生而不是和异硫脲结合的结果。本文讨论了引发聚合机理。     

Identification of the active sites and mechanism for partial methane oxidation to methanol over copper-exchanged CHA zeolites

To make methane a suitable energy carrier and transport less costly, it is an urgent and challenging task for us to convert methane to liquid under mild conditions efficiently. In this study, we explored partial methane oxidation to methanol by density functional theory(DFT) calculations using a hybrid functional(HSE06) with van der Waals(vdW) interactions. The stabilities of different active sites over SSZ-13 and SAPO-34, two CHA type zeolites, are thoroughly investigated by ab initio molecular dynamics(AIMD) simulations and ab initio thermodynamics analyses. Four possible active sites, namely [CuOHCu]~(2+), [Cu(OH)_2Cu]~(2+),[CuOCu]~(2+) and [CuOH]~+, are identified stable. Methane-to-methanol reaction mechanisms are further studied upon these most stable active sites, among which [CuOCu]~(2+) and [CuOH]~+ are proved to be reactive. The migration of species among zeolite pores are also discussed, which accounts for the activity on [CuOH]~+ sites. This concept may represent a more complete picture of catalytic reactions over zeolites in general.     

SYNTHESIS OF CYCLIC N-(2,4-DICHLOROPHENOXYACETYL)-O-DICARBOXIMIDES

Cantharidinum is not only considered the active principle of antineoplastic drug in Chinese traditional medicine^[1], but also it and its natrii-cantharidas can be used herbicide and defoliant for legume plants. Seen from the structure of nor-cantharidinamine, it is a five-membered ring glutarimide,which is an active group in pesticide.In 1986,Lacova,M. Reported that the cyclic N-(aryloxyacetyl)-O-dicarboximides exhibited herbicide and fungicide activity^[2],but as now there is no report that reports the synthesis and pesticide activity of the cyclic N-(2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetyl)-O-dicarboximides^[2].So we base on the derivative of nor-dehydrocantharidin and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyactic acid to make 6 compounds be synthesized,which were characterized elemental analysis, HNMR,MS.Pesticide activities of these compounds are being tested.     

14C-labeling of bromobutide, 2-bromo-3,3-dimethyl-N-(alpha, alpha-dimethylbenzyl)butyramide

Bromobutide, a novel herbicide, was labeled with carbon-14 independently at the carbonyl group and the phenyl ring for use in metabolic studies. 14C-Carbonation of neopentylmagnesium chloride (3) gave 3,3-dimethyl[1-14C]butyric acid (4a) quantitatively. Chlorination of 4a with thionyl chloride followed by alpha-bromination with bromine yielded 2-bromo-3,3-dimethyl[1-14C]-butyryl halide (5a), which was subsequently condensed with alpha, alpha-dimethylbenzylamine (6a) to afford [carbonyl-14C]bromobutide (1a). The overall yield of 1a was 76% from barium [14C]-carbonate (2). Similarly, condensation of alpha, alpha-dimethyl[phenyl-14C]benzylamine (6b), which was prepared from alpha-methyl[phenyl-U-14C]styrene (7) in three steps, with 2-bromo-3,3-dimethylbutyryl halide (5b) gave [phenyl-14C]bromobutide (1b) in 67% yield after purification. The specific activities of 1a and 1b were 1.38 and 0.781 GBq/mmol (37.2 and 21.1 mCi/mmol), respectively.     

An alpha-formylglycine building block for fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis

[reaction: see text] Nearly all known sulfatases share a common active site modification that is required for their activity: conversion of cysteine to alpha-formylglycine. We report the synthesis of an alpha-formylglycine building block suitable for Fmoc-based solid-phase peptide synthesis. The building block was incorporated into a synthetic peptide derived from the active site of a Mycobacterium tuberculosis sulfatase.     

Defining topological features of membrane proteins by nanoelectrospray ionisation mass spectrometry

The D‐galactose‐H⁺ symport protein, GalP, of Escherichia coli is the bacterial homologue of the human glucose transport protein, GLUT1. Here we demonstrate that mass spectrometry can be used to map modification by covalently bound reagents, and also to detect structural changes in the GalP protein that occur upon substrate binding. The small thiol‐group‐specific reagent N‐ethylmaleimide (NEM) was used to modify the cysteine residues in GalP(His)₆ both alone and in the presence of D‐glucose, a known substrate. Employing a mixture of proteolysis and thermal degradation methods, the three cysteine residues were found to undergo sequential reactions with NEM, with Cys374 being modified first, followed by Cys389 and finally Cys19, thus indicating their different accessibilities within the three‐dimensional structure of the protein. Prior binding of the substrate D‐glucose to the protein protected Cys19 and Cys374 against NEM modification, but not Cys389. Cys374 had been expected to be shielded by D‐glucose binding while Cys389 had been expected to be unaffected, consistent with their proposed respective locations in the vicinity of, and distant from, the sugar binding site. However, the inaccessibility of Cys19 was unexpected and suggests a structural change in the protein promoted by D‐glucose binding which changes the proximity of Cys19 with respect to the D‐glucose‐binding site. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and cytotoxic activity of benzophenanthrolinone analogues of acronycine

Condensation of either 2-bromobenzoic acid (4) or 2-chloro-3-nitrobenzoic acid (5) with suitable aminoquinolines 6-8 afforded phenylquinolylamines 9-13. Acid mediated cyclization gave the corresponding 12H-benzo[b][1,7]phenanthrolin-7-ones 14 and 15, and 12H-benzo[b][1,10]phenanthrolin-7-ones 16-18. Compounds 14, 16, and 17 were subsequently N-methylated to 6-demethoxyacronycine and acronycine analogues 19-21, whereas reduction of the aromatic nitro group of 18 gave the amino derivative 22. Unsubstituted 12H-benzo[b][1,10]phenanthrolin-7-ones 16, 17, 20, and 21 were devoid of significant cytotoxic activity, whereas 18 and 22, bearing a nitrogen substituent at position 11, were significantly active. Unsubstituted 12H-benzo[b][1,7]phenanthrolin-7-ones 14 and 19, which include a pyridine nitrogen in the same 4-position as the pyran oxygen of acronycine exhibited cytotoxic activities within the same range of magnitude as acronycine itself.     

(R)-N-(β-三氯锗丙酰基)四氢噻唑-2-硫酮-4-羧酸甲酯的合成及其晶体结构

三氯锗丙酰氯与(R)-四氢噻唑-2-硫酮-4-羧酸甲酯反应, 得到标题化合物1, [α]~D^2^0-89.40°。经水解得到取代丙酰四氢噻唑-2-硫酮-4-羧酸甲酯基锗倍半氧化物2, X射线衍射法测出标题化合物的晶体结构, 属于正交晶系, 晶胞参数: a=0.6192(1)nm,b=1.1147(4)nm,c=2.1796(8)nm, V=1.5045nm^3, Z=4, 空间群P2~12~12~1。分子中酰胺羰基C=O与C=S基团处于C(4)NC(3)键两侧呈反式。用MNDO分子轨道方法研究了该化合物的电子结构, 电荷和键序分布,前沿轨道性质,讨论了电子光谱性质。     

Active site labeling of the gentamicin resistance enzyme AAC(6')-APH(2") by the lipid kinase inhibitor wortmannin

BACKGROUND: Aminoglycoside antibiotic resistance is largely the result of the production of enzymes that covalently modify the drugs including kinases (APHs) with structural and functional similarity to protein and lipid kinases. One of the most important aminoglycoside resistance enzymes is AAC(6')-APH(2"), a bifunctional enzyme with both aminoglycoside acetyltransferase and kinase activities. Knowledge of enzyme active site structure is important in deciphering the molecular mechanism of antibiotic resistance and here we explored active site labeling techniques to study AAC(6')-APH(2") structure and function. RESULTS: AAC(6')-APH(2") was irreversibly inactivated by wortmannin, a potent phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase inhibitor, through the covalent modification of a conserved lysine in the ATP binding pocket. 5'-[p-(Fluorosulfonyl)benzoyl]adenosine, an electrophilic ATP analogue and known inactivator of other APH enzymes such as APH(3')-IIIa, did not inactivate AAC(6')-APH(2"), and reciprocally, wortmannin did not inactivate APH(3')-IIIa. CONCLUSIONS: These distinct active site label sensitivities point to important differences in aminoglycoside kinase active site structures and suggest that design of broad range, ATP binding site-directed inhibitors against APHs will be difficult. Nonetheless, given the sensitivity of APH enzymes to both protein and lipid kinase inhibitors, potent lead inhibitors of this important resistance enzyme are likely to be found among the libraries of compounds directed against other pharmacologically important kinases.