Tambjamine alkaloids and related synthetic analogs: efficient transmembrane anion transporters

The tambjamine alkaloids and related synthetic analogs are potent transmembrane anion tranporters promoting bicarbonate/chloride exchange in model phospholipid liposomes and discharging pH gradients in living cells.     

Imaging multiple conductance states in an alamethicin pore

Alamethicin is the archetypal antimicrobial pore-forming peptide. Although the peptide has long been known to form pores of characteristic conductances in lipid membranes, the precise nature of these pores is not known. Simultaneous calcium-flux imaging and single-channel recording in a droplet interface bilayer allowed us to directly attribute multiple conductance states to a single point diffusing in the bilayer.     

Aggregation behavior and dynamics of synthetic amphiphiles that self-assemble to anion transporters

The amphiphilic heptapeptides-referred to as synthetic anion transporters (SATs)-mediate chloride transport in planar lipid bilayer membranes, synthetic liposomes, and mammalian cells. The SATs described have the general formula R1(2)NCOCH2OCH2CO-(Gly)3-Pro-(Gly)3-OR2. Substitution at R1 and R2 with various aliphatic or aromatic groups alters the ability of SATs to transport chloride through a phospholipid bilayer membrane. Despite extensive structure-activity relationship studies concerning Cl(-)-mediated transport by SATs, relatively little was known about the mechanism of insertion and pore-formation in the membrane. In the current study, the mechanistic behavior of SATs was investigated in aqueous solution and at the air-water interface. In the latter case, Langmuir trough studies and Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) revealed the extent of monolayer stability and organization for SATs. Dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed these results and defined the aggregation behavior of SATs in solution. SAT derivatives that showed low chloride transport activity organized into stable monolayers at the air-water interface, while more active SATs formed less stable monolayers. The relationship between intermolecular organization of SATs and pore-formation in the membrane is discussed along with its implications for chloride transport.     

Fluorescent, synthetic amphiphilic heptapeptide anion transporters: evidence for self-assembly and membrane localization in liposomes

Synthetic anion transporters (SATs) of the general type (n-C18H37)2N-COCH2OCH2CO-(Gly)3-Pro-(Gly)3-O-n-C7H15, 1, are amphiphilic peptides that form anion-conducting pores in bilayer membranes. To better understand membrane insertion, assembly and aggregation dynamics, and membrane penetration, four novel fluorescent structures were prepared for use in both aqueous buffer and phospholipid bilayers. The fluorescent residues pyrene, indole, dansyl, and NBD were incorporated into 1 to give 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. Assembly of peptide amphiphiles in buffer was confirmed by monitoring changes in the pyrene monomer/excimer peaks observed for 2. Solvent-dependent fluorescence changes that were observed for indole (3) and dansyl (4) side-chained SATs in bilayers showed that these residues experienced an environment between epsilon=9 (CH2Cl2) and epsilon=24 (EtOH) in polarity. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) between 2 and 3 demonstrated aggregation of SAT monomers within the bilayer. This self-assembly led to pore formation, which was detected as Cl(-) release from the liposomes. The results of acrylamide quenching of fluorescent SATs supported membrane insertion. Studies with NBD-labeled SAT 5 showed that peptide partition into the bilayer is relatively slow. Dithionite quenching of NBD-SATs suggests that the amphiphilic peptides are primarily in the bilayer's outer leaflet. Images obtained by using a fluorescence microscope revealed membrane localization of a fluorescent SAT. Taken together, this study helps define the insertion, membrane localization, and aggregation behavior of this family of synthetic anion transporters in liposomal bilayers.     

Development of synthetic membrane transporters for anions

The development of low molecular weight anion transporters is an emerging topic in supramolecular chemistry. The major focus of this tutorial review is on synthetic chloride transport systems that operate in vesicle and cell membranes. The transporters alter transmembrane concentration gradients, and thus they have applications as reagents for cell biology research and as potential chemotherapeutic agents. The molecular designs include monomolecular channels, self-assembled channels and mobile carriers. Also discussed are the experimental assays that measure transport rates across model bilayer membranes.     

1,1,3,3-Tetraethylurea as a solvent for conductance studies

1,1,3,3-Tetraethylurea (TEU), a solvent of relatively low dielectric constant, 14.4, was evaluated as a medium for conductance studies of a series of alkali metal salts and organic acids. Conductance data for KSCN, NaSCN, NaI, NaClO₄, and NaBPh₄ in TEU were analyzed by the Fuoss-Shedlovsky, Fouss-Onsager, and expanded Pitts equations. The behavior of these salts in TEU was compared with that of the same salt series in the previously studied tetramethylurea. Tetraethylurea also was used successfully as a solvent for conductometric titrations of several carboxylic acids and phenols.     

CASPT2 and CASSCF studies on the low-lying electronic states of the HCCO radical and its anion

The complete active space self-consistent field and multiconfigurational second-order perturbation theory methods have been used to investigate the low-lying electronic states of the HCCO radical and its anion. The calculated geometrical structure and harmonic vibrational frequencies for the X ²A″ state of HCCO are in good agreement with experimental values. The barrier to 1²П (1²A′) is estimated to be 0.069 eV (554 cm^?1), which is also close to experimental result (540 cm^?1). Moreover, we find that the 2²A′ state is bent, while 2²П (2²A″) is linear. By comparing the oscillator strengths and adiabatic excitation energies, we show that the 2²П (2²A″) ← X ²A″ transition is the most intense among these transitions. The unpaired electrons mainly locate on the C atoms in the 2²A′ and 2²П (2²A″) states according to the Mulliken spin populations. On the other hand, for HCCO^?, the first adiabatic and vertical detachment energies are 2.210 and 2.362 eV, respectively, which reasonably agree with experimental value of 2.338 ± 0.008 eV. Remarkably, we explore several higher excited states of the HCCO radical (1⁴A′, 2⁴A″ and cis-1⁴A′) and its anion (1³A″, 1¹A″ and 1³A′), which have not been reported in previous studies.     

碳-碳重键的新合成方法学研究

本研究工作包括下列8方面:(1)一种不同于Wittig反应的新的烯化方法,含氟β-酮基磷盐在有机合成中的应用。(2)"一锅"法的碳-碳双键形成反应。(3)一种新的叶立德阴离子的形成方法。(4)消去三苯基胂形成碳-碳双键的合成方法学。(5)立体选择性地控制合成(Z)或(E)-碳-碳双键化合物的新方法。(6)亲核试剂对全氟酰基膦酸酯进攻为基础的新合成方法学。(7)还原烯化反应的合成方法学。(8)含氟碳-碳叁键的合成方法学。     

Studies on calcium dependence reveal multiple modes of action for triptolide

Triptolide, a diterpene triepoxide isolated from the traditional Chinese medicinal vine Trypterygium wilfordii hook f., has been shown to induce rapid apoptosis in a myriad of cancer cell lines and inhibit NFkappaB transactivation. To understand further the general cellular mechanisms for this therapeutically relevant natural product, binding and biological activities were assessed. Studies showed that triptolide binding was saturable, reversible, and primarily localized to cell membranes. Depletion of calcium enhanced overall binding while differentially modulating biological function. Furthermore, triptolide's structural moieties demonstrated variability in the regulation of cell death versus inhibition of NFkappaB transactivation. These results implicate triptolide in the manipulation of at least two distinct cellular pathways with differing requirements for calcium and effective triptolide concentration in order to elicit each particular biological function.     

Single enzyme studies reveal the existence of discrete functional states for monomeric enzymes and how they are "selected" upon allosteric regulation

Allosteric regulation of enzymatic activity forms the basis for controlling a plethora of vital cellular processes. While the mechanism underlying regulation of multimeric enzymes is generally well understood and proposed to primarily operate via conformational selection, the mechanism underlying allosteric regulation of monomeric enzymes is poorly understood. Here we monitored for the first time allosteric regulation of enzymatic activity at the single molecule level. We measured single stochastic catalytic turnovers of a monomeric metabolic enzyme (Thermomyces lanuginosus Lipase) while titrating its proximity to a lipid membrane that acts as an allosteric effector. The single molecule measurements revealed the existence of discrete binary functional states that could not be identified in macroscopic measurements due to ensemble averaging. The discrete functional states correlate with the enzyme's major conformational states and are redistributed in the presence of the regulatory effector. Thus, our data support allosteric regulation of monomeric enzymes to operate via selection of preexisting functional states and not via induction of new ones.     

About a synthetic saliva for in vitro studies

Numerous artificial salivas have been used during studies in odontology. These salivas have compositions, which are more or less the same as that of natural saliva. In this article, we are presenting a discussion about the various media described in the related literature. A review of nearly 60 artificial salivas was carried out to clarify the role of some of the compounds most frequently met in the proposed formulae. The study focused on the buffer effect, the role played by CO₂ gas and the presence of calcium ions, hydrogenocarbonates, hydrogenophosphates and thiocyanates. The SAGF medium, which we proposed some years ago, was used as a reference and some in vitro behavioral tests of dental biomaterials were studied in a comparative way. Using the SAGF medium allowed us to specify the mode of fluoride ions release from glass ionomer cements and the corrosion behavior of the dental amalgams.     

Circular dichroism spectroscopic studies reveal pH dependent binding of curcumin in the minor groove of natural and synthetic nucleic acids

For the first time, an interaction between the non-toxic, cancer chemopreventive agent curcumin and both natural and synthetic DNA duplexes has been demonstrated by using circular dichroism (CD) and absorption spectroscopy techniques. Upon addition of curcumin to calf thymus DNA, poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) and poly(dA-dT).poly(dA-dT) solutions, an intense positive induced CD band centered around 460-470 nm was observed depending on the actual pH and Na+ ion concentration of the medium; no CD signal was obtained, however, with single stranded poly(dC). Interaction of curcumin with calf thymus DNA was observed already at pH 6.5 in contrast with poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) which induces no extrinsic Cotton effect above a pH value of 5. The protonated, Hoogsteen base-paired structure of poly(dG-dC).poly(dG-dC) is necessary for curcumin binding while the alternating AT-rich polymer formed complexes with curcumin only at certain Na+ concentrations. Evaluation of the spectral data and molecular modeling calculations suggested that curcumin, this dietary polyphenolic compound binds in the minor groove of the double helix. The mechanism of the induced CD activity, the effects of the pH and Na+ ions on the ligand binding and conformation of the double helix are discussed in detail. As well as being an essentially new phenolic minor groove binder agent curcumin is also a promising molecular probe to study biologically important, pH and cation induced conformational polymorphisms of nucleic acids.     

Pulse radiolysis studies of 4-pyridinol: Evidence for dimer anion formation

Rate constants for the reactions of 4-pyridinol with e^-_aq and OH/O^- species were determined at different pHs. The spectral and kinetic characteristics of product transient species formed have been assessed. It has been found that semireduced 4-pyridinol forms dimer anions on reaction with the parent molecule. Equilibrium constant for the dimer formation has been determined to be 97 dm³ mol^-1. Reactions of 4-pyridinol with radiolytic species have been compared with those of 2- and 3-pyridinols investigated and reported earlier.     

Indole diterpene synthetic studies: development of a second-generation synthetic strategy for (+)-nodulisporic acids A and B

A second-generation strategy for construction of (+)-nodulisporic acids A and B based on the development of a new, effective modular indole synthesis exploiting a sequential Stille cross-coupling/Buchwald-Hartwig union/cyclization tactic is disclosed. This strategy evolved due to the considerable acid instability of the C(24) hydroxyl group observed in several advanced intermediates during our first-generation approach.     

Tetraacyldiborates: selective and efficient acylation reagents suitable for multiple parallel synthetic applications

Boron-based mixed anhydrides are rapidly reactive, easy to prepare, cheap, efficient, and general acylating reagents capable of selectivity when chelation is possible. High yields of various esters, amides and thioesters are quickly obtainable and the products are easy to isolate in high purity. The method is readily used under multiple parallel synthesis conditions and is readily scaleable.