ASSIMILATION,DISTRIBUTION, AND METABOLISM OF (75Se)-SELENITE,SELENATE, AND SELENOAMINO ACIDS BY ESCHERICHIA COLI

Abstract

Assimilation of selenium (Se) by Escherichia coli as (⁷⁵Se)-selenite, selenate, selenomethionine, selenocystine and Se?CH₃-selenocystine revealed that (a) selenoamino acids from a culture media are more completely assimilated than selenite or selenate and (b) that the amount of selenite is assimilated three to four times selenate. Most (>95%) of the Se assimilated by E. coli could not be solubilized by sonication and ethanol extraction but much (28% to 70%) of the Se, except Se from selenomethionine, was removed by alkaline dialysis. Se from selenocystine and from Se?CH₃-selenocystine dialyzed from intact cells, whereas Se from selenite and selenate did not. Dialyzable Se is that Se probably present in selenotrisulfide (R?S?Se?S?R) bonds or bound nonspecifically. Analysis of the soluble Se metabolites from selenite, selenate, selenomethionine and selenocystine showed that E. coli produces at least one major metabolic product common to all substrates which upon chromatography appeared to be selenocysteic acid. In monogastric animals selenite and selenate Se does not enter the primary protein structure as amino acids yet metabolites of selenite, selenate and selenocystine produced by E. coli could enter the primary protein structure of animals in minute amounts.     

Determination of selenium species in plant leaves by HPLC-UV-HG-AFS

The purpose of this work was the development of a method for the determination of Se compounds in leaves of plants. Water-soluble Se compounds were extracted from samples by water. Enzymatic hydrolysis with the non-specific enzyme protease XIV was used for the release of Se compounds bound to proteins. Separation of Se species was made by ion exchange chromatography, using an anion exchange column for Se^IV, Se^VI and selenomethionine (SeMet), and a cation exchange column for selenomethylselenocysteine (SeMeSeCys) and selenocystine (SeCys₂). Columns were connected “on line” to a hydride generation atomic fluorescence spectrometer (HG-AFS) using a UV lamp between the separation and detection system. The repeatability of the results obtained by the developed method was under 15% (R.S.D.) for all Se species; the detection limit was 2-10 ng Se/g of supernatant. The accuracy was checked by comparison with some literature data for reference materials since there were no suitable certified reference materials available. The method was used for the determination of Se compounds in chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) leaves from plants which were cultivated aeroponically with elevated concentrations of Na₂SeO₄ for different periods. Se accumulated efficiently in chicory leaves; up to 480 μg/g after 41 days of exposure, mostly (64%) as Se^VI, i.e. in the form of Se added. Beside inorganic Se, in the extracts from enzyme hydrolysis we also found SeMet (4.2-8.4%) and SeMeSeCys (<DL−0.7%). Some unidentified peaks were also observed in the chromatograms of plant extracts.     

Selenomethionine content of candidate reference materials

Selenium has been identified as an antioxidant of importance in the diet. Accurate determination of its chemical forms depends on the availability of suitable reference materials (RMs). Two candidate reference materials for determination of selenomethionine (Semet) in food-related materials, a standard wheat gluten sample (NIST RM 8418 Wheat Gluten) and a commercial selenium enriched yeast, have been examined by use of a gas chromatography–isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) procedure, after treatment of the matrix with 0.1 mol L^–1 hydrochloric acid containing stannous chloride, addition of CNBr, and extraction with chloroform. This procedure results in cleavage of the CH₃Se group to form volatile CH₃SeCN. Addition of isotopically enriched ⁷⁴Semet to an analytical sample enables estimation of the naturally occurring protein-bound ⁸⁰Semet by IDMS without a protein-digestion process. We found that the Wheat Gluten RM contains a significant amount of Semet as a portion of its assigned value of 2.58 μg Se_total g^–1. Commercial selenium yeast tablets are labeled as containing an elevated level of “organic selenium”, usually as Semet. The sample we investigated contained 210 μg Se_total g^–1 sample as determined separately by IDMS, measuring elemental selenium after digestion. 73% of this total (153±21 μg Se_Semet g^–1; n = 23) was present as Semet. Thus, these two materials contain significant amounts of their total selenium content as Semet and would be good candidates for further study and characterization as reference materials for determining this important food component. The CNBr reaction used will also enable the determination of Se-(methyl)selenocysteine, the biological role of which is of recent interest. In addition to matrix RMs for Semet, it is important to have standard materials of the pure substance. We have examined a sample of a candidate standard material of selenomethionine being prepared by the USP. It was confirmed that this material is pure selenomethionine. Received: 13 December 2000 / Revised: 5 March 2001 / Accepted: 12 March 2001     

Differential Pulse Voltammetric Determination of Selenocystine and Selenomethionine Using SAM nanoSe0/Vc/SeCys‐Film Modified Au Electrode

The SAM nanoSe⁰/Vc/SeCys‐film modified Au electrode has been prepared to determine selenocystine and selenomethionine. The AFM and SEM showed the special three‐dimensional (3D) network structure of the sol‐gel films. The affinity between nanoparticles and biomolecules created special chemical characters analyzed by the XRD and fluorescence. The modified electrode was characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). The modified films partly had resistance in the charge transduction of Fe(CN) , but the less electron‐transfer resistance. Differential pulse voltammetric (DPV) determination of selenoamino acids using SAM nanoSe⁰/Vc/SeCys‐film modified Au electrode was presented. In PBS (pH 7.0)+0.1 mol L^?1 NaClO₄ solution, selenoamino acids yielded a sensitive reduction peak at about +400±50 mV. The peak current had a linear relationship with the concentration of selenoamino acids in the range of 5.0×10^?8–1.0×10^?5 mol L^?1, and a 3σ detection limit of selenoamino acids was 1.2×10^?8 mol L^?1. The relative standard deviation of DPV signals of 0.50×10^?6 mol L^?1 selenoamino acids was 3.8% (n=8) using the same electrode and was 4.4% (n=5) when using three modified electrodes prepared at different times. The content of selenoamino acids in the organo‐selenium powder were determined by DPV. The results showed 71.5 μg g^?1 of SeCys and 65.1 μg g^?1 of SeMet in the organo‐selenium powder.     

Indirect Nuclear <Superscript>77</Superscript>Se–<Superscript>77</Superscript>Se Spin–Spin Coupling Constants. Application of Density Functional Theory (DFT) Calculations

Calculations of the isotropic indirect nuclear spin–spin coupling constants ⁿJ(⁷⁷Se,⁷⁷Se) (n = 1,2,3) have been carried out at the B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) level of theory. The compounds considered were non-cyclic and cyclic diselanes 1, boryl-substituted diselanes 2, dichlorodiselane 4, selenium Se₈, Se₆, Se₅ and various mixed selenium sulfides 3, and the bis(ethylene)tetraselenafulvalene (TSeF) 5. In comparison with experiment, both magnitude and sign, if available, were reproduced. The Coupled Perturbed DFT method gave the total coupling constant and the contributions arising from the Fermi contact term (FC), the spin-dipole (SD) and the spin.orbital terms (PSO and DSO). FC contributions play a minor role in most cases when compared with the non-contact terms.SD and PSO.     

Speciation of selenoamino acids by on-line HPLC ETAA spectrometry

An analytical method was developed to determine selenoamino acids in the presence of other compounds. Separation has been achieved by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) using electrothermal atomic absorption (ETAA) spectrometry as a very sensitive and element-specific detector. On-line HPLC ETAAS speciation of selenocystine and selenomethionine has been studied, using a laboratory made interface. Analytical characterization of the method has been realized with standard solutions. Using a 100μl sample loop, the detection limits were calculated as 8 μgl^?1 for selenomethionine and 10 μgl^?1 for selenocystine with repeatability and reproducibility of 4% and 7% respectively. The method has been applied to the determination of selenoamino acids in an extract of white clover (CRM402) certified for total selenium.     

Determination of selenoamino acids using two-dimensional ion-pair reversed phase chromatography with on-line detection by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Analytical methods for the speciation of nine selenium species (selenite, selenate, selenourea, trimethylselenonium ion, selenocystamine, selenocystine, selenocysteine, selenomethionine and selenoethionine) that are commonly encountered in biological and environmental samples were developed. Good separation was achieved by either a mixed ion-pair reversed phase chromatography (LiChrosorb RP 18, 2.5 mM 1-butanesulfonate-8 mM tetramethylammonium hydroxide-4 mM malonic acid-0.05% methanol, pH 4.5) or a conventional ion-pair reversed phase chromatography (Inertsil ODS, 10 mM tetraethylammonium hydroxide-4.5 mM malonic acid, pH 6.8) with on-line ICP-MS detection. Using a 20-μl sample loop, low detection limits around 1 ng ml⁻¹ expressed as Se were achieved for the examined selenium species. The methods were used for the determination of selenoamino acids in a selenium nutritional supplement. The developed methods were found to be rather robust. No alteration of the separation was observed when the protease enzymatic extracts were analyzed without dilution. Both water extracts and enzymatic extracts were chromatographed first with the mixed ion-pair reversed phase chromatographic system, then the major chromatographic peaks were collected and analyzed by the second ion-pair reversed phase chromatographic system for a further verification of their identity. Selenomethionine was found to be the major selenium species in the supplement. A major unknown species, probably Se-adenosylhomocysteine, could be determined in the extracts. A biological reference material, Dolt-2, was also examined for the selenoamino acids. Selenocystine and selenomethionine could be detected in its enzymatic extract, suggesting that Dolt-2 may be used as a reference material for the identification of selenoamino acids in biological and environmental samples. As selenoethionine does not occur naturally in the investigated samples, it is added as an internal standard in this study.     

Six-membered tetracarbonylmanganese(I) and -rhenium(I) metalacycles containing the [Ph2P(Se)NP(Se)Ph2] ligand: solution and solid state characterization

The halocarbonyls BrM(CO)₅, M = Mn and Re, were reacted with the KN(SePPh₂)₂ salt in equimolar amounts; the reactions were thermally carried out and resulted in the generation of the hexacoordinated isostructural complexes [M(CO)₄{Ph₂P(Se)NP(Se)Ph₂-Se,Se′}] with a twist MSePNPSe ring conformation. Complexes’ characterizations were achieved by IR, mass, NMR (¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P, ⁷⁷Se) spectroscopies, and by single-crystal X-ray diffraction.     

Bis(diethoxyselenophosphinoyl) triselenide and bis(diisopropoxyselenophosphinoyl) diselenide

The title compounds, bis(diethoxyselenophosphinoyl) triselenide, [P(OEt)₂Se]Se₃[P(OEt)₂Se], and bis­(diisopropoxy­selenophosphinoyl) diselenide, [P(OⁱPr)₂Se]Se₂[P(OⁱPr)₂Se], comprise an Se₃ chain or an Se₂ chain bridging two (RO)₂PSe groups.     

Cs6Nb4Se22 and K12Nb6Se35.3: two new compounds containing the M4Q22 building block

The title compounds, namely hexacaesium tetraniobium docosaselenide and dodecapotassium hexaniobium pentatriacontaselenide, were formed from their respective alkali chalcogenide reactive flux and niobium metal. Both compounds fall into the larger family of solid‐state compounds that contain the M₂Q₁₁ building block (M = Nb, Ta; Q = Se, S), where the metal chalcogenide forms dimers of face‐shared pentagonal bipyramids. Cs₆Nb₄Se₂₂ contains two Nb₂Se₁₁ building blocks linked by an Se—Se bond to form isolated Nb₄Se₂₂ tetrameric building blocks surrounded by caesium ions. K₁₂Nb₆Se_35.3 contains similar Nb₄Se₂₂ tetramers that are linked by an Se—Se—Se unit to an Nb₂Se₁₁ dimer to form one‐dimensional anionic chains surrounded by potassium ions. Further crystallographic studies of K₁₂Nb₆Se_35.3 demonstrate a new M₂Se₁₂ building block because of disorder between an Se²⁻ site (85%) and an (Se—Se)²⁻ unit (15%). The subtle differences between the structures are discussed.     

Generation and detection of tellurane [10-Te-4(C4)] and selenurane [10-Se-4(C4)] having alkyl and aryl ligands

Formation of 2,2′-biphenylylenedimethylselenurane and -tellurane was observed by the ¹H, ¹³C, ⁷⁷Se, and ¹²⁵Te NMR studies at low temperature, in the reactions of dibenzoselenophene Se-oxide and 2,2′-biphenylylenedibromotellurane with methyllithium. These hypervalent compounds were unstable and decomposed at room temperature to give the corresponding dibenzochalcogenophenes quantitatively.     

GC–ICP–MS determination of dimethylselenide in human breath after ingestion of <Superscript>77</Superscript>Se-enriched selenite: monitoring of in-vivo methylation of selenium

The amount of volatile dimethylselenide (DMSe) in breath has been monitored after ingestion of sub-toxic amounts of selenium (300 μg ⁷⁷Se, as selenite) by a healthy male volunteer. The breath samples were collected in Tedlar bags every hour in the first 12 h and then at longer intervals for the next 10 days. The samples were subjected to speciation analysis for volatile selenium compounds by use of cryotrapping–cryofocussing–GC–ICP–MS. Simultaneously, all urine was collected and subjected to total selenium determination by use of ICP–MS. By monitoring m/z 82 and 77, background or dietary selenium and selenium from the administered selenite were simultaneously determined in the urine and in the breath—dietary selenium only was measured by monitoring m/z 82 whereas the amount of spiked ⁷⁷Se (99.1% [enriched spike]) and naturally occurring selenium (7.6% [natural abundance]) were measured by monitoring m/z 77. Quantification of DMSe was performed by using DMSe gas samples prepared in Tedlar bags (linear range 10–300 pg, R ²=0.996, detection limit of Se as DMSe was 10 pg Se, or 0.02 ng L⁻¹, when 0.5 L gas was collected). Dimethylselenide was the only selenium species detected in breath samples before and after the ingestion of ⁷⁷Se-enriched selenite. Additional DM⁷⁷Se was identified as early as 15 min after ingestion of the isotopically-labelled selenite. Although the maximum concentration of ⁷⁷Se in DMSe was recorded 90 min after ingestion, the natural isotope ratio for selenium in DMSe (77/82) was not reached after 20 days. The concentration of DMSe correlated with the total Se concentration in the urine during the experiment (R ²=0.80). Furthermore, the sub-toxic dose of 300 μg selenium led to a significant increase of DMSe and renal excretion of background selenium, confirming that selenium ingested as selenite is homeostatically controlled by excretion. The maximum concentration of DMSe resulting from the spiked selenite was 1.4 ng Se L⁻¹ whereas the dietary background level was less than 0.4 ng Se L⁻¹. Overall excretion as DMSe was calculated to be 11.2% from the ingested selenite within the first 10 days whereas urinary excretion accounts for nearly 18.5%.     

High-Resolution 77Se NMR of Ammonium Pyroselenite (NH4)2Se2O5 Crystals

The high-resolution ⁷⁷Se NMR spectra of ammonium pyroselenite crystals were recorded in the cross-polarization mode. The angular dependences of the chemical shifts of resonance lines with respect to liquid H₂SeO₄ were used to determine the chemical shift tensor parameters for the ⁷⁷Se nuclei of the Se₂O₅ pyroselenite ion.     

Physical- and Bio-Organic Chemstry of Nonbonded Selenium· · ·Oxygen Interactions

Weak nonbonded interaction between a divalent selenium and an oxygen atom (i.e., Se···O interaction) frequently plays important roles in chemical and biological functions of selenium compounds. To establish that ⁷⁷ Se NMR is an easy experimental probe to diagnose the strength of an Se···O interaction, 3 series of 2-substituted benzeneselenenyl derivatives, which have an intramolecular Se···O interaction in solution, were employed. By comparing the ⁷⁷ Se NMR chemical shifts (δ _Se ) with those observed for other series of selenium compounds, which have an intramolecular Se···Y (Y = N, O, F, Cl, or Br) interaction, approximate linear correlation was found between the δ _Se values and the strengths of the nonbonded Se···Y interactions evaluated by natural bond orbital analysis at the B3LYP level. The correlation will be useful for estimating the strength of an Se···O interaction simply from the ⁷⁷ Se NMR chemical shift. By extending the chemistry of nonbonded Se···O interactions to structural biology, analogous S···O interactions have been discovered in protein architecture. The directional features were, however, different from those of Se···O and S···O interactions of small organic compounds.     

Effect of sample preparation methods on the D,L-enantiomer ratio of extracted selenomethionine

Effects of the two most widespread sample preparation techniques on the d,l-enantiomer ratio of extracted selenomethionine were monitored through the analysis of the certified reference material selenium-enriched yeast and the isolated protein fraction of high selenium monkeypot nut. The extracted selenomethionine (SeMet) fractions were orthogonally cleaned up with anion exchange chromatography before carrying out the enantiomer-specific detection to increase the robustness and the efficiency of the subsequent o-phthal-aldehyde and n-isobutyril-cysteine-based derivatisation process and reversed phase-high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) detection. The two techniques, namely methanesulphonic acid (MSA) based digestion and proteolytic digestion with protease XIV, resulted in significantly different ratio of d,l-selenomethionine with the final results of 2.2–2.7% and 0.5–0.6% of d-SeMet, respectively. The study revealed significant differences in the ICP-MS-related sensitivity of the derivatised selenomethionine enantiomers, which calls attention to the quantification of this selenoamino acid after MSA hydrolysis.     

Long-range nuclear spin–spin coupling between selenium-77 and phosphorus-31 in biphosphorus compounds

The coupling constants ⁿJ(⁷⁷Se³¹P), n = 1–4, have been measured in the proton-decoupled ³¹P NMR spectra of a range of diphosphorus selenides and diselenides. ³¹P–{¹H, ³¹P} and ³¹P–{¹H, ⁷⁷Se} triple resonance experiments have been used to establish the signs of the coupling constants, and it is found that both the magnitudes and signs depend upon the stereochemical relationship of the coupled nuclei.     

77Se NMR spectra of Se7 and Se5S2 prepared from titanocene pentaselenide; Evidence for pseudorotation

The natural abundance ⁷⁷Se NMR spectra of Se₇ (singlet at 996 ppm vs Me₂Se) and of Se₅S₂ (singlets at 976, 1023 and 1085 ppm) show that these puckered seven-membered ring molecules undergo pseudorotation at 20°C in CS₂ solution. This internal puckering motion makes all atoms of Se₇ equivalent on the NMR time scale, and results in only three sets of non-equivalent Se atoms in Se₅S₂. The chemical shift of seven-membered Se-containing ring molecules is much larger than that of comparable six- or eight-membered homo- or heterocycles, reflecting the unique bonding situation.     

Identification of selenium species in urine by ion-pairing HPLC–ICP–MS using laboratory-synthesized standards

This study focused on the detection/identification of possible selenium metabolites in human urine. Organoselenium compounds not commercially unavailable were synthesized and characterized by electrospray mass spectrometry. Separation of selenomethionine, methylselenomethionine, trimethylselonium, selenoethionine, and selenoadenosylmethionine was achieved by ion-pairing HPLC with a mobile phase of 2 mmol L^–1 hexanesulfonic acid, 0.4% acetic acid, 0.2% triethanolamine (pH 2.5), and 5% methanol. The column effluent was introduced on-line to inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry for selenium-specific detection (⁷⁷Se and ⁷⁸Se). For selenium speciation in urine, solid-phase extraction was carried out using C₁₈ cartridges modified with hexanesulfonic acid. Selective retention of cationic species was observed from acidified urine (perchloric acid, pH 2.0). After elution with methanol, evaporation, and dissolution in the mobile phase, the sample was introduced to the HPLC–ICP–MS system and the chromatographic peaks were assigned by adding standards. The species identified in urine were selenomethionine, trimethylselonium ion, and selenoadenosylmethionine. The last species was detected for the first time and our results suggest that selenomethionine might enter the metabolic pathway of its sulfur analog in the activated methylation cycle.Kazimierz Wrobel and Katarzyna Wrobel are on the leave from the Institute of Scientific Research, University of Guanajuato, L. de Retana No. 5, 36000 Guanajuato, Gto., Mexico     

Study of the lipophilicity of selenium species

In this work the lipophilicity of different selenium species occurring in environmental matrices and food, Se(IV), Se(VI), selenomethionine (Se-Met), selenocystamine (Se-CM), selenocystine (Se-Cyst), and dimethyl diselenide (CH₃)₂Se₂, was investigated in the octanol–water system, using the shaking flask method and detection with inductively coupled plasma–atomic emission spectrometry (ICP–AES), in order to assess their environmental fate and tendency to bioaccumulate. Polarography was also used for the electrochemically active Se species, Se(IV), Se-Cyst, Se-CM and (CH₃)₂Se₂, and the results were compared with those measured by ICP–AES. Furthermore, the influence of pH was studied by determining the logarithm of the distribution coefficient, log D, at three pH values, 5, 7, and 9, as was the impact of the marine environment on the lipophilicity profile of the six investigated Se species. The results were compared with those estimated approximately by use of PrologD software, based on the Ghose-Crippen log P (P: partition coefficient) calculation system, the only system which incorporates values—even though approximate—for the atom type of Se. Finally, from our experimental data an indicative value of the Se–Se fragment for log P prediction, for use in drug design, was estimated.     

Two-Plateau Li-Se Chemistry for High Volumetric Capacity Se Cathodes

For Li-Se batteries, ether- and carbonate-based electrolytes are commonly used. However, because of the “shuttle effect” of the highly dissoluble long-chain lithium polyselenides (LPSes, Li₂Se_n, 4≤n≤8) in the ether electrolytes and the sluggish one-step solid-solid conversion between Se and Li₂Se in the carbonate electrolytes, a large amount of porous carbon (>40 wt % in the electrode) is always needed for the Se cathodes, which seriously counteracts the advantage of Se electrodes in terms of volumetric capacity. Herein an acetonitrile-based electrolyte is introduced for the Li-Se system, and a two-plateau conversion mechanism is proposed. This new Li-Se chemistry not only avoids the shuttle effect but also facilitates the conversion between Se and Li₂Se, enabling an efficient Se cathode with high Se utilization (97 %) and enhanced Coulombic efficiency. Moreover, with such a designed electrolyte, a highly compact Se electrode (2.35 g_Se cm⁻³) with a record-breaking Se content (80 wt %) and high Se loading (8 mg cm⁻²) is demonstrated to have a superhigh volumetric energy density of up to 2502 Wh L⁻¹, surpassing that of LiCoO₂.