Synthesis and characterization of tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)-modified mono-, di-, and trinuclear manganese complexes as electron-transfer models for photosystem II

With the aim of modeling the arrangement of redox-active and photoactive components along the electron-transfer pathway of photosystem II, tetra- to nonanuclear transition metal complexes have been synthesized, comprising one, two, or three manganese ions, oxidizable phenolates, and tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)-type units as photosensitizers. These model complexes are considered to be mononuclear ([LnMn](PF6)m), dinuclear ([L1aMnIV2(mu-O)2](PF6)6), or trinuclear ([LnMnIIMnIIMnIILn](PF6)12) with respect to the number of manganese centers present. Electronic coupling between the manganese ions is strongly antiferromagnetic in the case of the di(mu-oxo)-dimanganese compound [L1aMnIV2(mu-O)2](PF6)6, where the "ligand" [H2L1a]4+ consists of two tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)-type units covalentely bound to a bismacrocyclic Me2dtne backbone to which the manganese ions are coordinated via an additional phenolate oxygen (Me2dtne = 1,2-bis(4-methyl-1,4,7-triazacyclononyl)ethane). Weak antiferromagnetic coupling is observed in compounds [LnMnIIMnIIMnIILn](PF6)12, where the three metals are in a linear arrangement (face-sharing octahedral). They are bridged by three phenolate oxygens of each of the deprotonated "ligands" [H3Ln]6+, respectively. Each ligand [H3Ln]6+ (n = 1, 2) consists of a tacn ring with three pendent arm phenols which are each bound to a tris(bipyridyl)ruthenium(II)-type unit (tacn = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane). In these compounds several electron-transfer steps were detected by electrochemical methods which are assigned to different redox processes located at individual electrochemically active components (Mn, Ru, bipyridyl, phenolate). For example, in the "mononuclear" compounds [LnMn](PF6)m (n = 1 or 2) Mn(II), Mn(III), and Mn(IV) are accessible and three Ru(II) centers are reversibly oxidized to Ru(III), and in addition, the coordinated phenolate can be oxidized to a highly reactive, coordinated phenoxyl radical. In several cases very slow heterogeneous electron-transfer rates were observed for redox processes involving the manganese centers.     

Density functional theory study of 11-atom germanium clusters: effect of electron count on cluster geometry

Density functional theory (DFT) at the hybrid B3LYP level has been applied to the germanium clusters Ge(11)(z) (z = -6, -4, -2, 0, +2, +4, +6) starting from eight different initial configurations. The global minimum within the Ge(11)(2-) set is an elongated pentacapped trigonal prism distorted from D(3)(h) to C(2v) symmetry. However, the much more spherical edge-coalesced icosahedron, also of C(2v) symmetry, expected by the Wade-Mingos rules for a 2n + 2 skeletal electron system and found experimentally in B(11)H(11)(2-) and isoelectronic carboranes, is of only slightly higher energy (+5.2 kcal/mol). Even more elongated D(3)(h) pentacapped trigonal prisms are the global minima for the electron-rich structures Ge(11)(4-) and Ge(11)(6-). For Ge(11)(4-) the C(5v) 5-capped pentagonal antiprism analogous to the dicarbollide ligand C(2)B(9)H(11)(2-) is of significantly higher energy (approximately 28 kcal/mol) than the D(3h) global minimum. The C(2v) edge-coalesced icosahedron is also the global minimum for the electron-poor Ge(11) similar to its occurrence in experimentally known 11-vertex "isocloso" metallaboranes of the type (eta(6)-arene)RuB(10)H(10). The lowest energy polyhedral structures computed for the more hypoelectronic Ge(11)(4+) and Ge(11)(6+) clusters are very similar to those found experimentally for the isoelectronic ions E(11)(7-) (E = Ga, In, Tl) and Tl(9)Au(2)(9-) in intermetallics in the case of Ge(11)(4+) and Ge(11)(6+), respectively. These DFT studies predict an interesting D(5h) centered pentagonal prismatic structure for Ge(11)(2+) and isoelectronic metal clusters.     

Single-site mutation and secondary structure stability: an isodesmic reaction approach. The case of unnatural amino acid mutagenesis Ala-->Lac

A method is described to evaluate backbone interactions in proteins via computational unnatural amino acid mutagenesis. Several N-acetyl polyalanyl amides (AcA(n)NH(2)) were optimized in the representative helical (3(10)-, 4(13)-, and a "hybrid" kappa-helix, n = 7, 9, 10, 14) and hairpin (two- and three-stranded antiparallel beta-sheets with type I turns betaalphaalphaepsilon, n = 6, 9, 10) conformations, and extended conformers of N-acetyl polyalanyl methylamides (n = 2, 3) were used to derive multistranded beta-sheet fragments. Subsequently, each residue of every model structure was substituted, one at a time, with l-lactic acid. The resulting mutant structures were again optimized, and group-transfer energies DeltaE(GT) were obtained as heats of the isodesmic reactions: AcA(n)NHR + AcOMe --> AcA(x)LacA(y)NHR + AcNHMe (R = H, CH(3)). These group-transfer energies correlate with the degree of charge polarization of the substituted peptide linkages as measured by the difference Deltae in H and O Mulliken populations in HN-C=O and with the H-bond distances in the "wild-type" structures. A good correlation obtains for the HF/3-21G and B3LYP/6-31G* group-transfer energies. The destabilization effects are interpreted in terms of loss of interstrand and intrastrand H-bonds, decrease in Lewis basicity of the C=O group, and O...O repulsion. On the basis of several comparisons of Ala --> Lac DeltaE(GT)'s with heats of the NH --> CH(2) substitutions, the latter contribution is estimated (B3LYP/6-31G*) to range between 1.5 and 2.4 kcal mol(-1), a figure close to the recent experimental DeltaDeltaG(o) value of 2.6 kcal mol(-1) (McComas, C. C.; Crowley, B. M.; Boger, D. L. J. Am.Chem. Soc. 2003, 125, 9314). The partitioning yields the following maximum values of the electronic association energy of H-bonds in the examined sample of model structures (B3LYP/6-31G* estimates): 3(10)-helix D(e) = -1.7 kcal mol(-1), alpha-helix D(e) = -3.8 kcal mol(-1), beta-sheet D(e) = -6.1 kcal mol(-1). The premise of experimental evaluations of the backbone-backbone H-bonding that Ala --> Lac substitution in proteins is isosteric (e.g., Koh, J. T.; Cornish, V. W.; Schultz, P. G. Biochemistry 1997, 36, 11314) is often but not always corroborated. Examination of the integrity of H-bonding pattern and phi(i), psi(i) distribution identified several mutants with significant distortions of the "wild-type" structure resulting inter alia from the transitions between i, i + 3 and i, i + 4 H-bonding in helices, observed previously in the crystallographic studies of depsipeptides (Ohyama, T.; Oku, H.; Hiroki, A.; Maekawa, Y.; Yoshida, M.; Katakai, R. Biopolymers 2000, 54, 375; Karle, I. L.; Das, C.; Balaram, P. Biopolymers 2001, 59, 276). Thus, the isodesmic reaction approach provides a simple way to gauge how conformation of the polypeptide chain and dimensions of the H-bonding network affect the strength of backbone-backbone C=O...HN bonds. The results indicate that the stabilization provided by such interactions increases on going from 3(10)-helix to alpha-helix to beta-sheet.     

Synthesis of Zeolite L. Tuning Size and Morphology

A convenient synthesis of zeolite L is presented. The size of the crystals can be tuned between 30 and 6000nm, spanning a volume range of seven orders of magnitude. The zeolite L crystals, which typically feature a cylindrical morphology, are synthesized with various aspect ratios ranging from elongated to disc-shaped. The importance of obtaining zeolite crystals with well-defined size and morphology is discussed in view of potential applications of zeolite L containing organic dye molecules as guests.     

Structure and physical properties of 1D magnetic chalcogenide, jamesonite (FePb4Sb6S14)

Monoclinic FePb(4)Sb(6)S(14) phase, jamesonite, which is a candidate material as a S = 2 Haldane compound, has been synthesized by the direct reaction of elements under dry conditions with sealed evacuated quartz tubes. The congruent melting point was determined at 592 degrees C by DTA measurements. Shiny metallic gray needle crystals grow on the surface of bulk heated at 550 degrees C. The elongated direction of each needle crystal is parallel to the c-axis. The crystal structure refinement (P2(1)/a, a = 15.750(6) A, b = 19.125(3) A, c = 4.030(4) A, beta = 91.68(8) degrees, V = 1213(1) A(3), Z = 2, D(c) = 5.651 g/cm(3), R(1) = 3.16%) reveals the presence of two rod substructures elongated parallel to the c-axis. One is the lozenge-shaped Bi(2)Te(3)-type (or called SnS archetype), [Pb(4)Sb(6)S(13)]. The other is the novel single magnetic one-dimensional (1D) straight chain, [FeS(6)]. This compound shows intrinsic semiconductor behavior in the electric conductivity measurements. The optical band gap, 0.48 eV, is estimated by near-IR diffuse reflectance measurements. In the magnetic susceptibility measurements, this compound shows 1D-Heisenberg antiferromagnetic behavior with a broad peak at approximately 33.5 K, where Fe(2+) takes the high-spin state, t(2g)(4)e(g)(2). A possibility for the S = 2 Haldane system is discussed.     

Agarose gel electrophoresis reveals structural fluidity of a phage T3 DNA packaging intermediate

We find a new aspect of DNA packaging-associated structural fluidity for phage T3 capsids. The procedure is (i) glutaraldehyde cross-linking of in vivo DNA packaging intermediates for the stabilization of structure and then (ii) determining effective radius by two-dimensional agarose gel electrophoresis (2D-AGE). The intermediates are capsids with incompletely packaged DNA (ipDNA) and without an external DNA segment; these intermediates are called ipDNA-capsids. We initially increase the production of ipDNA-capsids by raising NaCl concentration during in vivo DNA packaging. By 2D-AGE, we find a new state of contracted shell for some particles of one previously identified ipDNA-capsid. The contracted shell-state is found when the ipDNA length/mature DNA length (F) is above 0.17, but not at lower F. Some contracted-shell ipDNA-capsids have the phage tail; others do not. The contracted-shell ipDNA-capsids are explained by premature DNA maturation cleavage that makes accessible a contracted-shell intermediate of a cycle of the T3 DNA packaging motor. The analysis of ipDNA-capsids, rather than intermediates with uncleaved DNA, provides a simplifying strategy for a complete biochemical analysis of in vivo DNA packaging.     

Potential Mechanisms of Photodynamic Inactivation of Virus by Methylene BlueI. RNA–Protein Crosslinks and Other Oxidative Lesions in Qβ Bacteriophage

A spectrum of oxidative lesions was observed in a bacteriophage-based model system that is very sensitive to the photodynamic activity of selected dyes. When suspensions of the intact bacteriophage Qβ were exposed to methylene blue plus light (MB+L), inactivating events, or "hits" occurred that were oxygen-dependent and that were associated with the formation of several specific lesions: (1) carbonyl moieties on proteins, (2) 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine (8-oxoGua), and (3) single-strand breaks (ssb) in the RNA genome and (4) RNA-protein crosslinks. Formation of carbonyl groups associated with protein in the Qβ phage preparation correlated positively with photoinactivation of the phage with increasing doses of either of the sensitizers MB or rose bengal. Strand breaks in the Qβ genomic RNA were observable at high MB concentrations but appeared not to be significant at the lower concentrations of MB, as full-length Qβ RNA was observable well beyond the 99% inactivation point in MB dosage. It was shown that the number of 8-oxoGua lesions were unlikely to be sufficient to account for the number of lethal events. Following exposure to MB+L, crosslink formation between Qβ RNA and protein was observed by virtue of the location of RNA at the interface of phenol-aqueous extractions of phage suspensions. A significant increase over background of RNA-protein complexes (including full-length Qβ RNA) was observed at the lowest concentration of MB tested (0.5 μ M ), which corresponded roughly to an average of 2 lethal hits per phage or approximately 13% survival compared to the zero MB control (100% survival). Due to its close correlation with Qβ inactivation and its expected lethality, RNA-protein crosslink formation may be important as an inactivating lesion in bacteriophage Qβ following MB+L exposure.     

含50-100at%Pd的Ce-Pd系相图

本文通过X射线衍射实验证实了CePd5化合物的结构, 进一步研究了含50-100at%Pd的Ce-Pd系相图, 在750℃以上含50-100at%Pd的Ce-Pd系相图中共有5个中间化合物:CePd5, CePd3, Ce2Pd3, Ce3Pd4和CePd。     

苹果酸酶结合域定点突变对烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸类似物催化性能的影响

通过对苹果酸酶(ME)辅酶结合域L310、Q401、L404饱和位点突变库与辅酶烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸(NAD⁺)类似物库的高通量筛选,研究了苹果酸酶结合域位点对NAD⁺及其类似物(B1~B7)催化活性的影响。 结果表明,突变后酶ME-Q401H/L404T对类似物B4的k_cat/K_m是野生型酶的50倍;突变后酶ME-L310M/Q401N对类似物B4的k_cat/K_m是野生型酶的16倍,对类似物B3的k_cat/K_m是野生型酶的5倍,因此通过对结合域定点突变,NAD⁺类似物的催化活性得到提高。     

Synthesis, structure, and bonding of Sc4MgxCu15-xGa approximately 7.5 (x=0, 0.5). Two incommensurately modulated scandium substitution derivatives of cubic Mg2Cu6Ga5

The substitution of scandium for magnesium in Mg2Cu6Ga5 (Mg2Zn11-type) yields an irrational superstructure phase that includes the refined compositions, Sc4Mg0.50(2)Cu14.50(2)Ga7.61(2) and Sc4Cu14.76(2)Ga7.51(2). These crystallize in Cmmm, a=approximately 8.31 A, b=approximately 21.72 A, c=approximately 8.30 A. The structures feature Sc2 dimers, Cu6 octahedra, a 3D CuGa (Cu12Ga2) framework, and arachno gallium-centered Cu4Ga6 icosahedra that are condensed into zigzag chains. The arrangement of these building blocks exhibits a topologic relationship to Mg2Cu6Ga5. Further studies reveal that the quaternary compound exhibits incommensurate modulations along a, with q=(0.694, 0, 0). Structure refinements with superspace group Xmmm(a00)000 led to saw-tooth modulations for two fractional or mixed sites that avoid short Cu-Ga distances. Band structure analyses reveal that the Fermi surface and bonding are sensitive to the incommensurately modulated atoms.     

Spectral analysis of Mn2+, Co2+ and Ni2+: B2O3-ZnO-PbO glasses

This paper reports on the spectral properties of Mn2+, Co2+ and Ni2+ ions doped B2O3-ZnO-PbO glasses. XRD, FT-IR spectra and DSC profiles of these glasses have also been carried out, and the FT-IR profiles have shown the presence of both BO3 and BO4 units. It is interesting to notice that the FT-IR peak positions are slightly shifted towards higher energy with an increase in transition metal ion concentration change. From the measured DSC thermograms, glass transition (T(g)), crystallization (T(c)) and temperature of melting (T(m)) have been evaluated. From the UV absorption spectra of Mn2+, Co2+ and Ni2+ ions doped glasses, both direct and indirect optical band gaps have been calculated. The visible absorption spectra of Mn2+:glasses have shown a broad absorption band at 520 nm (6A1g(S) --> 4T1g(G)); with Co2+ ions one absorption band at 605 nm (4A2(4F) --> 4T1(4P)) and another at 1450 nm (4A2(4F) --> 4T1(4F)); and for Ni2+:glasses three absorption bands at 420 nm (3A2g(F) --> 3T1g(P)), 805 nm (3A2g(F) --> 1Eg(D)) and 880 nm (3A2g(F) --> 3T1g(F)) have been observed. For Mn2+:glasses, upon excitation with 262 nm, a green emission (539 nm) with a slight blue shift; and with 392 nm, a green emission (534 nm) with a slight red shift with Mn2+ ions concentration change (0.2-0.5 mol%) has been observed. This green emission has been assigned to (4T1(G) --> 6A1(S)) d-d transition of Mn2+ ions that are in tetrahedral co-ordination. For 0.5 mol% Co2+ ions doped glass, upon excitation with 580 nm, a red emission (625 nm) has been observed which originates from 2E(2G) --> 4A2(4F) transition of Co2+ ions in tetrahedral co-ordination. For Ni2+ ions doped glasses upon excitation with 420 nm, a green (577 nm) and red (670 nm) emissions are observed and are assigned to (1T2g(D) --> 3A2g(F)) and (1T2g(D) --> 3T2g(F)) d-d transitions of Ni2+ ions in octahedral co-ordination.     

Functional organization of the outer membrane of escherichia coli: phage and colicin receptors as components of iron uptake systems.

The functional interaction of outer membrane proteins of E. coli can be studied using phage and colicin receptors which are essential components of penetration systems. The uptake of ferric iron in the form of the ferrichrome complex requires the ton A and ton B functions in the outer membrane of E. coli. The ton A gene product is the receptor protein for phage T5 and is required together with the ton B function by the phages T1 and ?80 to infect cells and by colicin M and the antibiotic albomycin, a structural analogue of ferrichrome, to kill cells. The ton B function is necessary for the uptake of ferric iron complexed by citrate. Iron complexed by enterochelin is only transported in the presence of the ton B and feu functions. Cells which have lost the feu function are resistant to the colicins B, I or V while ton B mutants are resistant to all 3 colicins. The interaction of the ton A, ton B, and feu functions apparently permits quite different "substrates" to overcome the permeability barrier of the outer membrane. It was shown for ferrichrome dependent iron uptake that the complexing agent was not altered and could be used repeatedly. Only very low amounts of 3H-labeled ferrichrome were found in the cell. It is possible that the iron is mobilized in the membrane and that desferri-ferrichrome is released into the medium without having entered the cytoplasm. Growth on ferrichrome as the sole iron source was used to select revertants of T5 resistant ton A mutants. All revertants exhibited wild-type properties with the exception of partial revertants. In these 4 strains, as in the ton A mutants, the ton A protein was not detectable by SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoreses of outer membranes. Albomycin resistant mutants were selected and shown to fall into 5 categories: 1) ton A; 2) ton B mutants; 3) mutants with no iron transport defects and normal ton A/ton B functions, which might be target site mutants; 4) mutants which were deficient in ferrichrome-mediated iron uptake but had normal ton A/ton B functions. We tentatively consider that the defect might be located in the active transport system of the cytoplasmic membrane; 5) a variety of mutants with the following general properties: most of them were resistant to colicin M, transported iron poorly, and, like ton B mutants, contained additional proteins in the outer membrane. The outer membrane protein patterns of wild-type and ton B mutant strains were compared by slab gel electrophoresis in an attempt to identify a ton B protein. It was observed that under most growth conditions, ton B mutants overproduced 3 proteins of molecular weights 74,000-83,000. In extracted, iron-deficient medium, both the wild-type and ton B mutant strains had similar large amounts of these proteins in their outer membranes. The appearance of these proteins was suppressed by excess iron in both wild-type and mutant. From this evidence it is apparent that the proteins appear as a response to low intracellular iron rather than being controlled by the ton B gene...     

Synthesis of Zeolite L. Tuning Size and Morphology

Summary. A convenient synthesis of zeolite L is presented. The size of the crystals can be tuned between 30 and 6000nm, spanning a volume range of seven orders of magnitude. The zeolite L crystals, which typically feature a cylindrical morphology, are synthesized with various aspect ratios ranging from elongated to disc-shaped. The importance of obtaining zeolite crystals with well-defined size and morphology is discussed in view of potential applications of zeolite L containing organic dye molecules as guests.This revised version was published online in February 2005. In the previous version the issue was not marked as a special issue, and the issue title and the editor was missing     

Exploring the Role of L10 Loop in New Delhi Metallo-β-lactamase (NDM-1): Kinetic and Dynamic Studies

Four NDM-1 mutants (L218T, L221T, L269H and L221T/Y229W) were generated in order to investigate the role of leucines positioned in L10 loop. A detailed kinetic analysis stated that these amino acid substitutions modified the hydrolytic profile of NDM-1 against some β-lactams. Significant reduction of k_cat values of L218T and L221T for carbapenems, cefazolin, cefoxitin and cefepime was observed. The stability of the NDM-1 and its mutants was explored by thermofluor assay in real-time PCR. The determination of T_mB and T_mD demonstrated that NDM-1 and L218T were the most stable enzymes. Molecular dynamic studies were performed to justify the differences observed in the kinetic behavior of the mutants. In particular, L218T fluctuated more than NDM-1 in L10, whereas L221T would seem to cause a drift between residues 75 and 125. L221T/Y229W double mutant exhibited a decrease in the flexibility with respect to L221T, explaining enzyme activity improvement towards some β-lactams. Distances between Zn1-Zn2 and Zn1-OH- or Zn2-OH- remained unaffected in all systems analysed. Significant changes were found between Zn1/Zn2 and first sphere coordination residues.     

Optical absorption and EPR studies on some natural carbonate minerals

Limestone and dolomite minerals have been investigated by EPR and optical absorption studies. The optical absorption results indicate the presence of ferrous and ferric ion in both the minerals. The bands observed at 24,750, 22,780, 19,415 and 14,450cm(-1) are assigned to 6A1-->4T2 (4D), 6A1-->4E, 4A1 (4G), 6A1-->4T2 (4G) and 6A1-->4T1 (4G) d-d transitions of Fe3+ ions, respectively. A low energy band at 10,638cm(-1) is identified as being due to Fe2+ ion and can be attributed to 5T2g-->5E(g) transition. The weak band in the region 30,000-40,000cm(-1) corresponds to Fe-O charge transfer. Crystal field and Racah parameters evaluated for the Fe2+ ion are Dq=990cm(-1), B=885cm(-1) and C=3860cm(-1) and that for Fe3+ ions are Dq=1040cm(-1), B=703cm(-1) and C=3150cm(-1). The room temperature 9 and 35GHz EPR spectra of the minerals exhibit a sextet hyperfine pattern characteristic of Mn2+. The EPR parameters obtained for Mn2+ in limestone are g=2.00399, A= -9.411mT, D= -8.19mT and these values confirm that the Mn2+ ion are located in the calcite impurity. For Mn2+ in dolomite are g=2.0004, A= -9.45mT for Mn2+ substituted in the Ca lattice site and g=2.00984, A= -9.37mT, D= -9.94mT for substitution at the Mg site. The EPR spectra of heat-treated limestone and dolomite samples at 950 degrees C show a signal corresponding to CO2(-) ion.     

Cluster self-organization of germanate systems: Suprapolyhedral precursor clusters and self-assembly of K2Nd4Ge4O13(OH)4, K2YbGe4O10(OH), K2Sc2Ge2O7(OH)2, and KScGe2O6(PYR)

Geometric and topological analysis of all known types of K,TR germanates (TR = La-Lu, Y, Sc, In) is carried out with the use of computer techniques (the TOPOS 4.0 program package). Framework structures are represented as three-dimensional (3D) K,TR,Ge networks (graphs) with oxygen atoms removed. The following crystal-forming 2D TR,Ge networks are determined: for K₂Nd₄Ge₄O₁₃(OH)₄, this is TR 4 3 3 4 3 3 + T 4 3 4 3; for K₂YbGe₄O₁₀(OH), this is TR 6 6 3 6 + T 1 6 8 6 + T 2 3 6 8; for K₂Sc₂Ge₂O₇(OH)₂, this is TR 6 4 6 4 + T 6 4 6; and for KScGe₂O₆, TR 6 6 3 6 3 4 + T 1 6 3 6 + T 2 6 4 3. The full 3D reconstruction of the self-assembly mechanism of crystal structures is performed as follows: precursor cluster—primary chain—microlayer-microframework (supraprecursor). In K₂Nd₄Ge₄O₁₃(OH)₄, K₂Sc₂Ge₂O₇(OH)₂, and KScGe₂O₆, an invariant type of cyclic six-polyhedral precursor cluster is identified; this precursor clusters is built of TR octahedra, which are stabilized by atoms K. For K₂Nd₄Ge₄O₁₃(OH)₄, the type of cyclic four-polyhedral precursor cluster of tetrahedron-linked TR octatopes is identified. The cluster coordination number in a layer is six (the maximum possible value) only for anhydrous germanate KScGe₂O₆ (an analogue of pyroxene, PYR); in the other OH-containing germanates, this number is four. The mechanism of formation of Ge radicals in the form of groups Ge₂O₇ and Ge₄O₁₃, a chain GeO₃, and a tubular assembly of linked cyclic groups Ge₈O₂₀ is considered.     

Characterization of hepatitis B virus capsids by resistive-pulse sensing

We report characterization of hepatitis B virus (HBV) capsids by resistive-pulse sensing through single track-etched conical nanopores formed in poly(ethylene terephthalate) membranes. The pores were ～40 nm in diameter at the tip, and the pore surface was covalently modified with triethylene glycol to reduce surface charge density, minimize adsorption of the virus capsids, and suppress electroosmotic flow in the pore. The HBV capsids were assembled in vitro from Cp149, the assembly domain of HBV capsid protein. Assembled T = 3 (90 Cp149 dimer) and T = 4 (120 dimer) capsids are 31 and 36 nm in diameter, respectively, and were easily discriminated by monitoring the change in current as capsids passed through an electrically biased pore. The ratio of the number of T = 3 to T = 4 capsids transiting a pore did not reflect actual concentrations, but favored transport of smaller T = 3 capsids. These results combined with longer transit times for the T = 4 capsids indicated that the capsids must overcome an entropic barrier to enter a pore.     

Identifying substrates for endothelium-specific Tie-2 receptor tyrosine kinase from phage-displayed peptide libraries for high throughput screening

The peptide substrate specificity of Tie-2 was probed using the phage display method in order to identify efficient substrate for high throughput screening. Two random peptide libraries, pGWX3YX4 and pGWX4YX4, were constructed, in which all twenty amino acid residues were represented at the X positions flanking the fixed tyrosine residue Y. A fusion protein of GST and the catalytic domain of human Tie-2 was used to perform the phage phosphorylation. The phosphorylated phage particles were enriched by panning over immobilized anti-phosphotyrosine antibody pY20 for a total of 5 rounds. Four phage clones (3T61, 3T68, C1-90 and D1-15) that express a peptide sequence that can be phosphorylated by the recombinant catalytic domain of human Tie-2 were identified. Synthetic peptides made according to the sequences of the 4 selected clones from the two libraries, which had widely different sequences, were active substrates of Tie-2. Kinetic analysis revealed that D1-15 had the best catalytic efficiency with a k(cat)/K(m) of 5.9x10(4) M(-1) s(-1). Three high throughput screening assay formats, dissociation-enhanced lanthanide fluoroimmunoassay (DELFIA), radioactive plate binding (RPB) and time-resolved fluorescent resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) were developed to assess the suitability of these phage display selected peptides in screening Tie-2 inhibitors. Three out of four peptides were functional in the DELFIA assay and D1-15 was functional in the TR-FRET assay.     

Polymerization of D-α-methylbenzyl methacrylate by n-butyllithium and the tacticity and optical rotation of the polymer

D -α-Methylbenzyl methacrylate, [α] = +51.3° (neat), was polymerized by n-butyllithium in toluene–tetrahydrofuran mixtures of various solvent ratios at ?78°C. The polymers obtained were converted into poly(methyl methacrylate)s, which were analyzed for tacticity by high resolution NMR spectroscopy. A linear relationship was obtained between the optical rotation and the isotacticity of poly(D -α-methylbenzyl methacrylate). The extrapolation of the data gave +120° and +99° for [α] of the fully isotactic and syndiotactic polymers, respectively. The copolymerization of the D - and L -isomers in toluene gave copolymers which were less isotactic than the homopolymer of the D -isomer. The optical rotation of the copolymer was proportional to the excess of one isomer in the polymer.     

Fluorous tag method for the simultaneous synthesis of different kinds of glycolipids

A mixture of saccharide primers with partially fluorinated tails, 2-(perfluorooctyl)ethyl 4′-O-(β-d-galactopyranosyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside (Lac H2F8) and 6-(perfluorohexyl)hexyl 2′-acetamido-2′-deoxy-β-d-glucopyranoside (GN H6H6), were introduced to animal cells. The oligosaccharide of Lac H2F8 was elongated by cellular enzymes and gave a GM3-type oligosaccharide. On the other hand, GN H6F6 was galactosylated to afford a lactosamine derivative that was further sialylated. This research confirmed that simultaneous glycosylation processes took place for Lac H2F8 and GN H6F6 primers and that the presence of one did not prevent the glycosylation of the other from proceeding. Each primer was recognized independently and elongated sequentially by cellular enzymes. Significantly, the synthesis of glycolipids from a mixture of these artificial scaffolds did not prevent the synthesis of glycolipids from the natural precursor. The glycosyl transferases recognized both precursors resulting to simultaneous synthesis of glycolipids.