Comparison of ordered mesoporous materials sorption properties towards amino acids

The adsorption of amino acids such as l-phenylalanine and l-histidine was carried out on a series of mesoporous carbons obtained with the use ordered silicas KIT-6, SBA-16, SBA-15 as templates and furfuryl alcohol as carbon precursor. Small angle XRD analysis confirmed the ordered mesoporous structures of all materials obtained. They were also characterised by well-developed surface areas and high pore volumes. Adsorption behaviour of amino acids on ordered mesoporous carbons was investigated in potassium phosphate buffer solutions with adjustable l-phenylalanine and l-histidine concentration, ion strength, and pH. The highest sorption capacity towards the amino acids were observed at pH close to the isoelectric point of l-phenylalanine (pI = 5.48) and l-histidine (pI = 7.59). Electrostatic, hydrophobic and steric interactions had very strong effect on the adsorption of amino acids on mesoporous carbons. The amount of l-phenylalanine and l-histidine adsorbed decreased in the following sequence: C_KIT-6 > C_SBA-16 > C_SBA-15 that was strongly related to their structure, surface areas and average pore diameters.     

Magnetic nanoparticles grafted <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-carnosine dipeptide: remarkable catalytic activity in water at room temperature

Modification of magnetic nanoparticle surface with l-carnosine dipeptide was developed using a simple chemical process. In order to synthesize this catalyst system, first, magnetic nanoparticles were modified with vinyl groups using trimethoxy(vinyl)silane. Next, the vinyl groups were oxidized with H₂O₂ to give the epoxy-functionalized MNPs. Reaction of l-carnosine with epoxide rings via amino group resulted in the functionalization of MNPs surface with l-carnosine, covalently. To explore high catalytic activity of this material, l-carnosine grafted on magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@LCar; l-CarMNP) was used as a highly efficient heterogeneous nano-organocatalyst in a multicomponent reaction in aqueous medium at room temperature. It was reusable at least for eight times without a significant decrease in its catalytic activity. The catalytic activity of l-CarMNP was compared with other magnetic nano-organocatalyst, and results demonstrate that l-CarMNP has high catalytic activity related to others tested.     

Enhancing <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Lysine Production of Beet Molasses by Engineered <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> Using an In Situ Pretreatment Method

Reducing the viscosity of molasses environmentally and selectively removing the harmful ingredients for microbes are the keys to promoting the bioavailability of molasses. A simple and environmental in situ pretreatment method integrating surfactants and alkali was developed to reduce the viscosity of molasses prior to l-lysine production using Escherichia coli ZY0217. Adding activated carbon and modified orange peel based on the in situ pretreatment process effectively removed pigments and excessive zinc in the molasses and also significantly increased the cell growth and l-lysine yield from E. coli ZY0217. The experimental results showed that a mixture of secondary alkane sulfonate, an anionic surfactant, and HodagCB-6, a non-ionic surfactant, effectively reduced the viscosity of the molasses more so than any single surfactant. When the surfactant mixture was added at a concentration of 0.04 g/L to the molasses, the ω value was 0.4, and when ammonia was added at 0.6 %, the lowest viscosity of 705 mPa?·?s was obtained. Further, 91.5 % of the color and 86.68 % of the original levels of zinc were removed using an activated carbon and modified orange peel treatment on the molasses with the lowest viscosity, which further promoted cell growth and l-lysine production. In the fed-batch cultivation process, the l-lysine concentration achieved using a constant-speed feeding strategy was 45.89 g/L, with an l-lysine yield of 27.18 %, whereas the l-lysine yield from untreated molasses was only 10.13 %. The increase in l-lysine yield was related to the reduced viscosity and the detoxification of the molasses. Lastly, the pretreatment was found to significantly enhance the conversion of sugars in the molasses to l-lysine.     

Determination of Protonation Constants of O-Phospho-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-serine in Aqueous Solution: Potentiometry,Microcalorimetry, NMR Spectroscopy and Quantum Chemical Calculations

O-Phospho-l-serine is one of the naturally occurring phosphorylated amino acids, having important pharmacological activity and bioactivity. The protonation constants of O-phospho-l-serine were determined by means of potentiometric titrations at 25 °C and ionic strength of 0.5 mol·L^?1 (NaCl). The heat effects of the protonation reaction of the O-phospho-l-serine were measured by direct calorimetry. NMR spectroscopy has demonstrated that the first protonation site occurs at the nitrogen atom in the amino group, followed by one of the oxygen atoms in the phosphono group, and finally the carboxyl oxygen atom. This trend is in good agreement with the enthalpy of protonation and quantum chemical calculations. These data will help to predict the speciation of O-phospho-l-serine in physiological systems.     

The chemo- enzymatic synthesis of labeled <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-amino acids and some of their derivatives

This review compiles the combined chemical and enzymatic synthesis of aromatic l-amino acids (l-phenylalanine, l-tyrosine, l-DOPA, l-tryptophan, and their derivatives and precursors) specifically labeled with carbon and hydrogen isotopes, which were elaborated in our research group by the past 20 years. These compounds could be then employed to characterize the mechanisms of enzymatic reactions via kinetic and solvent isotope effects methods.     

Thermodynamics of the Protonation of an Analogue of Glyphosate, <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-(phosphonomethyl)-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-proline,in Aqueous Solutions

N-(phosphonomethyl)-l-proline is an analogue of glyphosate. The protonation for N-(phosphonomethyl)-l-proline was studied by potentiometry, calorimetry, ³¹P NMR spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations to further understand the protonation process of glyphosate. The results confirmed that the order of successive protonation sites of totally deprotonated N-(phosphonomethyl)-l-proline are a phosphonate oxygen, amino nitrogen, and finally the carboxylate oxygen. The results can improve the understanding of the biological activity of these types of molecules in solution.     

A sensitive electrochemical sensor for lead based on gold nanoparticles/nitrogen-doped graphene composites functionalized with <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-cysteine-modified electrode

Glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) modified with l-cysteine (l-cys)/gold nanoparticles (AuNPs)/nitrogen-doped graphene (NG) composite were prepared to fabricate a novel electrochemical sensor for lead. AuNPs were uniformly dispersed into NG and l-cys was successfully decorated on AuNPs through the S–Au bond. The l-cys/AuNPs/NG exhibited a well-distributed nanostructure and high responsivity toward Pb(II). The results indicated that l-cys/AuNPs/NG/GCE exhibited the highest peak current, reflecting that the l-cys/AuNPs/NG composites showed the best response signal toward Pb²⁺. Under optimized conditions, a linear relationship between the current intensity and Pb²⁺ concentration was obtained in a range of 0.5–80 μg L^?1 with a detection limit of 0.056 μg L^?1 (S/N = 3). The analytical interference procedure and practical application were investigated using the prepared electrode, which exhibited an acceptable result.     

Establishing a Mathematical Equations and Improving the Production of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-Leucine by Uniform Design and Regression Analysis

l-tert-Leucine (l-Tle) and its derivatives are extensively used as crucial building blocks for chiral auxiliaries, pharmaceutically active ingredients, and ligands. Combining with formate dehydrogenase (FDH) for regenerating the expensive coenzyme NADH, leucine dehydrogenase (LeuDH) is continually used for synthesizing l-Tle from α-keto acid. A multilevel factorial experimental design was executed for research of this system. In this work, an efficient optimization method for improving the productivity of l-Tle was developed. And the mathematical model between different fermentation conditions and l-Tle yield was also determined in the form of the equation by using uniform design and regression analysis. The multivariate regression equation was conveniently implemented in water, with a space time yield of 505.9 g L^?1 day^?1 and an enantiomeric excess value of >99 %. These results demonstrated that this method might become an ideal protocol for industrial production of chiral compounds and unnatural amino acids such as chiral drug intermediates.     

Effect of Amino Acids and Sodium Chloride on <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-Sorbitol in Aqueous Solutions at Different Temperatures: Volumetric and Acoustic Approach

Apparent molar volumes and apparent molar compressibilities for d-sorbitol in (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3) mol·kg^?1 aqueous solutions of l-alanine, l-cysteine and l-histidine and NaCl have been determined from measurements of solution density at T?=?(288.15, 298.15, 308.15 and 318.15) K and sound velocity at T?=?298.15 K, as a function of the concentration of the sugar alcohol. The data were used to obtain the limiting apparent molar volumes, limiting apparent molar compressibilities and the corresponding transfer parameters. Limiting apparent molar expansibilities and their second order derivatives and volume interaction coefficients were also estimated. These parameters are discussed in terms of d-sorbitol and co-solute (amino acid or sodium chloride) interactions in aqueous solutions.     

Effect of Amino Acids on the Phase Behavior of Aqueous Biphasic Systems Composed of 1-Butyl-3-methylimidazolium Tetrafluoroborate and Sodium Citrate

Ionic liquids (ILs) based aqueous biphasic systems (ABSs) have been successfully applied to the extraction and purification of biomolecules. Although much research has focused on the effect of ILs on the phase formation, there are few reports that describe the phase behavior of quaternary IL-based ABS systems using amino acids (AAs) as additives. Here, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([C₄mim]BF₄) formed an ABS with sodium citrate (Na₃C₆H₅O₇) with the aid of AAs. The phase behavior and physical properties of the ABS were investigated at 298 K. The capacity of the AA to create the ABS (area of biphasic region) increases with increasing in solubility and decrease with the molecular weight of the ILs and follows the trend glycine?>?l-alanine?≈?l-lysine?>?l-threonine?>?l-proline?≈?l-arginine?>?none. Moreover, the pH of the top and bottom phases containing l-proline as additive are nearly neutral; l-threonine, glycine, and l-alanine result in mildly acidic environments, while l-arginine and l-lysine provide basic pH conditions. The results show that the effects of the addition of the AAs can be considerable and important in the simulation, design calculation and pH control of ABS for efficient separation and extraction processes.     

Xymedon conjugate with biogenic acids. Antioxidant properties of a conjugate of Xymedon with <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-ascorbic acid

Antiradical activity and antioxidant properties of a conjugate of Xymedon with l-ascorbic acid were studied. In contrast to Xymedon, a conjugate of Xymedon with l-ascorbic acid was found to react with free radicals. Pro-oxidant activity of the conjugate of Xymedon with l-ascorbic acid in a chemiluminescence system is weaker as compared to individual l-ascorbic acid. This is the evidence of the increase in the stability of ascorbic acid upon conjugation with a molecule of Xymedon. Conjugate of Xymedon with l-ascorbic acid facilitates the decrease in the concentration of a lipid peroxidation product (malondialdehyde) and the activity of superoxide dismutase in liver and serum of laboratory animals exposed to intoxication with a known hepatotropic toxin CCl₄. This observation shows the contribution of the antioxidant action to the hepatoprotective effect of the studied Xymedon derivative.     

Enantiomeric Excess Determination for Monosaccharides Using Chiral Transmission to Cold Gas-Phase Tryptophan in Ultraviolet Photodissociation

Chiral transmission between monosaccharides and amino acids via photodissociation in the gas phase was examined using a tandem mass spectrometer fitted with an electrospray ionization source and a cold ion trap in order to investigate the origin of the homochirality of biomolecules in molecular clouds. Ultraviolet photodissociation mass spectra of cold gas-phase noncovalent complexes of the monosaccharide enantiomers glucose (Glc) and galactose (Gal) with protonated l-tryptophan H⁺(l-Trp) were obtained by photoexcitation of the indole ring of l-Trp. l-Trp dissociated via C_α–C_β bond cleavage when noncovalently complexed with d-Glc; however, no dissociation of l-Trp occurred in the homochiral H⁺(l-Trp)(l-Glc) noncovalent complex, where the energy absorbed by l-Trp was released through the evaporation of l-Glc. This enantioselective photodissociation of Trp was due to the transmission of chirality from Glc to Trp via photodissociation in the gas-phase noncovalent complexes, and was applied to the quantitative chiral analysis of monosaccharides. The enantiomeric excess of monosaccharides in solution could be determined by measuring the relative abundance of the two product ions in a single photodissociation mass spectrum of the cold gas-phase noncovalent complex with H⁺(l-Trp), and by referring to the linear relationships derived in this work.

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Thermodynamic Properties of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Aspartates of Alkali and Alkali-Earth Metals in Aqueous Solutions at 298.15 and 310.15 K and Specific Cation Effects on Biomolecule Solvation

Vapor pressure osmometry was applied to the systems calcium l-aspartate ((S)-aminobutanedioic acid calcium salt)?+?water for varying molalities of Ca–l-Asp (m_Ca–l-Asp?=?0.01–1.02 mol·kg^?1) and guanidinium hydrochloride (methanamidine hydrochloride)?+?sodium L–aspartate ((S)–aminobutanedioic acid sodium salt)?+?water, varying the molalities of GndmCl and Na–l-Asp (m_Na–l-Asp?=?0.1, 0.25, 0.4, 0.57 mol·kg^?1 and m_GndmCl?=?0.1–1.1 mol·kg^?1) at T?=?298.15 K and 310.15 K. From vapor pressure osmometry, activities of water, and the corresponding osmotic coefficients of the mixtures Ca–l-Asp?+?water and Na–l-Asp?+?GndmCl?+?water have been calculated, both being directly related to the chemical potentials of the different species and therefore to their Gibbs energy. Mean molal ion activity coefficients were obtained from experimental data fits with the Pitzer equations and the corresponding dual and triple interaction parameters were derived for the Ca–l-Asp?+?water binary system. β⁽²⁾ Pitzer parameters different from zero are required for Ca–l-Asp in water to reproduce the osmotic coefficient decrease with increasing concentration. Mean Spherical Approximation parameters accounting for Coulomb and short range interactions that describe the calcium and magnesium aspartates and glutamates are given. The decrease in the chemical potential of the aspartates corresponds to the Hofmeister series: NaAsp?>?Mg(Asp)₂?>?CaAsp. A strong interaction between amino acid and salt due to specific dispersion interactions in amino acid salt systems containing guanidinium based salt has been revealed that is in agreement with MD and half-empirical quantum-chemical calculations.     

Concise synthesis of two natural steroidal glycosides isolated from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Allium schoenoprasum</Emphasis>

Two natural steroidal glycosides, diosgenin 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-[β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)]-β-d-glucopyranoside (1) and laxogenin 3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-[β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)]-β-d-glucopyranoside (2) with important cytotoxic activity against the HCT 116 and HT-29 human colon cancer cell lines have been efficiently synthesized via straightforward sequential glycosylation reaction with the combined use of N-phenyltrifluoroacetimidates and trichloroacetimidates donors at room temperature. All structures of the synthesized new compounds were identified by ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and HRMS spectra.     

A Comprehensive Review on <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Asparaginase and Its Applications

l-asparaginase (LA) catalyzes the degradation of asparagine, an essential amino acid for leukemic cells, into ammonia and aspartate. Owing to its ability to inhibit protein biosynthesis in lymphoblasts, LA is used to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Different isozymes of this enzyme have been isolated from a wide range of organisms, including plants and terrestrial and marine microorganisms. Pieces of information about the three-dimensional structure of l-asparaginase from Escherichia coli and Erwinia sp. have identified residues that are essential for catalytic activity. This review catalogues the major sources of l-asparaginase, the methods of its production through the solid state (SSF) and submerged (SmF) fermentation, purification, and characterization as well as its biological roles. In the same breath, this article explores both the past and present applications of this important enzyme and discusses its future prospects.     

Organometallic chiral Schiff base for enantio-selective fluorescent recognition of methionine

Herein, the synthesis and characterization of a novel chiral Schiff bases derived from ferrocene, coded as 3, have been reported. The sensing behavior of the synthesized compound has been examined towards the enantiomers of some amino acids (methionine, alanine, serine, histidine, and threonine) by spectrofluorimetric method. The fluorescence response of compound 3 showed noticeable enhancement upon addition of d-methionine compared to l-methionine and kept nearly linear correlation with the concentration of d-methionine. The value of enantiomeric fluorescence difference ratio (ef) has been determined to be 1.54 when d - and l- methionine amount is 100 times more than compound 3. The results showed that the compound 3 can be used as a sensor for enantio-selective recognition of d-methionine.     

The pivotal role of copper(II) in the enantiorecognition of tryptophan and histidine by gold nanoparticles

Stereoselective amino acid analysis has increasingly moved into the scope of interest of the scientific community. In this work, we report a study on the chiral recognition of d,l-Trp and d,l-His using l-Cys-capped gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and copper(II) ion. In the l-Cys-capped AuNPs, the thiol group of the amino acid interacts with AuNPs through the formation of Au–S bond, whereas the α-amino and α-carboxyl groups of the surface-confined cysteine can coordinate the copper(II) ion, which in turn, binds the l- or d-amino acid present in solution forming diastereoisomeric complexes. The resulting systems have been characterized by UV–Vis spectra and dynamic light scattering measurements, obtaining different results for l- and d-Trp, as well as for l- and d-His. The knowledge of the solution equilibria of the investigated systems allowed us to accurately calculate in advance the concentrations of the species present in solution and to optimize the system performances, highlighting the pivotal role of copper(II) ion in the enantiodiscrimination processes.     

Volumetric Investigations on Molecular Interactions of Glycine/<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-alanine in Aqueous Citric Acid Solutions at Different Temperatures

Apparent molar volumes \((\phi_{V})\) of glycine/l-alanine in water and in aqueous citric acid (CA) solutions of varying concentrations, i.e. (0.05, 0.10, 0.20, 0.30, 0.40 and 0.50) mol·kg^?1 were determined from density measurements at temperatures T?=?(288.15, 298.15, 308.15, 310.15 and 318.15) K and at atmospheric pressure. Limiting partial molar volumes \((\phi_V^{\text{o}})\) and their corresponding partial molar volumes of transfer \((\Delta_{\text{tr}} \phi_{V} )\) have been calculated from the \(\phi_{V}\) data. The negative \(\Delta_{\text{tr}} \phi_{V}\) values obtained for glycine/l-alanine from water to aqueous CA solutions indicate the dominance of hydrophilic–hydrophobic/hydrophobic–hydrophilic and hydrophobic–hydrophobic interactions over ion/hydrophilic–dipolar interactions. Further, pair and triplet interaction coefficients, i.e. \((V_{\text{AB}} )\;{\text{and}}\; (V_{\text{ABB}} )\) along with hydration number \((n_{\text{H}} )\) have also been calculated. The effect of temperature on the volumetric properties of glycine/l-alanine in water and in aqueous CA solutions has been determined from the limiting partial molar expansibilities \((\partial \phi_{V}^{\text{o}} /\partial T)_{p}\) and their second-order derivative \((\partial^{2} \phi_{V}^{\text{o}} /\partial T^{2} )_{{P}}\). The apparent specific volumes \((\nu_{\phi} )\) for glycine and l-alanine tend to approach sweet taste behavior both in the presence of water and in aqueous CA solutions. The \(\nu_{\phi}\) values for glycine/l-alanine increase with increase in concentration of CA at all temperatures studied. This reveals that CA helps in enhancing the sweet taste behavior of glycine/l-alanine which also supports the dominance of hydrophobic–hydrophobic interactions.     

Purification of Two Novel Sugar Acid-binding Lectins from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Haplomitrium Mnioides</Emphasis> (bryophyte,Plantae) and their Preliminary Characterization

Two novel sugar acid-binding lectins were purified from Haplomitrium mnioides (Lindb.) Schust. using a procedure consisting of ammonium sulfate precipitation, G-50 gel filtration, hydroxyapatite chromatography, and HW-50 gel filtration. We reported their partial physicochemical properties: molecular weight, affinity for carbohydrates and organic acids, pH stability, and dependence of their hemagglutination activity on metal ions. We also determined their N-terminal amino acid sequences. H. mnioides lectins (HMLs) were monomers (one with a molecular weight of approximately 27 kDa, and the other with a molecular weight of approximately 105 kDa) under both nonreducing and reducing conditions. They were named HML27 and HML105, respectively. Both HMLs had an affinity for N-acetylneuraminic acid, d-glucuronic acid, d-glucaric acid, bovine submaxillary mucin, heparin, and organic acids, such as citrate, 2-oxoglutaric acid, and d-2-hydroxyglutarate. Furthermore, HML27 had an affinity for α-d-galacturonic acid, d-malate, l-malate, and pyruvate, while HML105 had an affinity for d-gluconic acid. HML27 and HML105 are novel plant lectins: they have an affinity for sugar acids and organic acids and specifically recognize the carboxyl group, and there is no homology between their N-terminal amino acid sequences and those of the previously described lectins and agglutinins.     

A <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-tryptophan sensor based on tellurium nanorods modified glassy carbon electrode

An electrochemical l-tryptophan sensor based on tellurium nanorods modified glassy carbon electrode was proposed. The tellurium nanorods were synthesized by a chemical reduction method. The morphology and structures of the nanorods were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Owing to the special structure of the tellurium nanorods, the sensor exhibits excellent electrocatalytic ability towards the oxidation of l-tryptophan and shows linearity in the range from 0.02 to 11.48 μM with a sensitivity of 256 μA mM^?1 cm^?2 with a correlation coefficient of 0.9945. The detection limit was 0.01 μM with signal-to-noise ratio of 3, and the response time was found to be 2 s. Moreover, the sensor also exhibited long-term stability, good reproducibility and anti-interference, thus holding promise for sensing of l-tryptophan in practice.