Synthesis of positively charged lipids containing a 1,3-oxathiolane cycle

Positively charged lipids of the 1,3-oxathiolane series were synthesized by interaction of 2-pentadecyl-5-tosyloxymethyl- or -5-iodomethyl-1,3-oxathiolane with 2-(N,N-dimcthyl-amino)ethanol.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 2347–2349, September, 1996.     

MALDI imaging mass spectrometry of lipids by adding lithium salts to the matrix solution

Mass spectrometry imaging of lipids using MALDI–TOF/TOF mass spectrometers is of growing interest for chemical mapping of organic compounds at the surface of tissue sections. Many efforts have been devoted to the best matrix choice and deposition technique. Nevertheless, the identification of lipid species desorbed from tissue sections remains problematic. It is now well-known that protonated, sodium- and potassium-cationized lipids are detected from biological samples, thus complicating the data analysis. A new sample preparation method is proposed, involving the use of lithium salts in the matrix solution in order to simplify the mass spectra with only lithium-cationized molecules instead of a mixture of various cationized species. Five different lithium salts were tested. Among them, lithium trifluoroacetate and lithium iodide merged the different lipid adducts into one single lithium-cationized species. An optimized sample preparation protocol demonstrated that the lithium trifluoroacetate salt slightly increased desorption of phosphatidylcholines. Mass spectrometry images acquired on rat brain tissue sections by adding lithium trifluoroacetate showed the best results in terms of image contrast. Moreover, more structurally relevant fragments were generated by tandem mass spectrometry when analyzing lithium-cationized species.     

Selective stabilization of the chorismate mutase transition state by a positively charged hydrogen bond donor

Citrulline was incorporated via chemical semisynthesis at position 90 in the active site of the AroH chorismate mutase from Bacillus subtilis. The wild-type arginine at this position makes hydrogen-bonding interactions with the ether oxygen of chorismate. Replacement of the positively charged guanidinium group with the isosteric but neutral urea has a dramatic effect on the ability of the enzyme to convert chorismate into prephenate. The Arg90Cit variant exhibits a >104-fold decrease in the catalytic rate constant kcat with a 2.7-fold increase in the Michaelis constant Km. In contrast, its affinity for a conformationally constrained inhibitor molecule that effectively mimics the geometry but not the dissociative character of the transition state is only reduced by a factor of approximately 6. These results show that an active site merely complementary to the reactive conformation of chorismate is insufficient for catalysis of the mutase reaction. Instead, electrostatic stabilization of the polarized transition state by provision of a cationic hydrogen bond donor proximal to the oxygen in the breaking C-O bond is essential for high catalytic efficiency.     

Wetting films of polar and nonpolar liquids

Disjoining pressure isotherms for water and n-octane films on glass obtained using a recently developed apparatus, based on the interferometric technique, are compared with other values reported in the literature. Our method, including a simple cleaning procedure, yields experimental results in excellent agreement both with other experimental results and with theoretical predictions. An error analysis was made which quantifies the uncertainty of our results and simultaneously allows the minimization of the errors.     

Photodissociation of p-xylene in polar and nonpolar solutions

The photodissociation of p-xylene at 266 nm in n-heptane and acetonitrile has been studied with use of nanosecond fluorescence and absorption spectroscopy. The p-methylbenzyl radical was identified in n-heptane and acetonitrile by its fluorescence, which was induced by excitation at 308 nm. The p-xylene radical cation was observed in acetonitrile by its absorption. In n-heptane, the decay rate of the S(1) state of p-xylene ((3.2 +/- 0.2) x 10(7) s(-1)) is equal to the growth rate of the p-methylbenzyl radical ((2.7 +/- 0.4) x 10(7) s(-1)), showing that the molecule dissociates via the S(1) state into the radical by C-H bond homolysis (quantum efficiency approximately 5.0 x 10(-3)). In acetonitrile, the formation of the p-xylene radical cation requires two 266 nm photons, and the decay rate of the radical cation ((1.6 +/- 0.2) x 10(6) s(-1)) equals the growth rate of the p-methylbenzyl radical ((2.0 +/- 0.2) x 10(6) s(-1)). This shows that the radical cation dissociates into the radical by deprotonation (quantum efficiency approximately 8.9 x 10(-2)).     

Improved method for immunostaining of mucin separated by supported molecular matrix electrophoresis by optimizing the matrix composition and fixation procedure

Mucins are a family of heavily glycosylated high molecular mass proteins that have great potential as novel clinical biomarkers for the diagnosis of various malignant tumors. Supported molecular matrix electrophoresis (SMME) is a new type of membrane electrophoresis that can be used to characterize mucins. In SMME, mucins migrate in a molecular matrix supported by membrane materials. Here, we have developed an immunostaining method for the identification of SMME-separated mucins. The novel method involves stably fixing the mucins onto the SMME membrane and optimizing the molecular matrix for the fixation process. We applied this technique for the detection of MUC1 produced from three cancer cell lines (T47D, HPAF-II and BxPC3) and also analyzed their O-linked glycans by mass spectrometry. Our results revealed that properties of the MUC1 molecules from the three cell lines are different in terms of migrating position in SMME and glycan profile. The present method allows simple and rapid characterization of mucins in terms of both glycans and core proteins. The method will be a useful tool for the exploration of mucin alterations associated with various diseases such as cancer.     

Preparation and properties of vesicles made of nonpolar/polar/nonpolar fullerene amphiphiles

Twenty potassium complexes of penta-[(4-substituted)phenyl][60]fullerene anions were synthesized and examined for their ability to form bilayer vesicles in water. The 4-substituents include alkyl groups ranging from methyl to icosanyl groups and perfluoromethyl, perfluorobutyl, and perfluorooctyl groups. The overall structure of the amphiphiles can be described as a nonpolar/polar/nonpolar (n-p-n') motif as opposed to the usual polar/nonpolar motif of lipid amphiphiles. Despite the hydrophobicity of the fullerene moiety (n-part) and alkyl/perfluoroalkyl chains (n'-part), all compounds except for the one with perfluoromethyl groups were soluble in water because of the centrally located fullerene cyclopentadienide (p-part) and spontaneously formed a vesicle of 25- to 60-nm diameter with a narrow unimodal size distribution. The vesicles are stable upon heating to 90 °C or standing over one year in air, as well as on a solid substrate in air or in vacuum, maintaining their spherical form. The vesicle membrane consists of an interdigitated bilayer of the amphiphile molecules, in which the fullerene n-part is inside and the n'-side is exposed to water. These vesicles, in particular the one bearing icosanyl chains, exhibit the smallest water permeability coefficient ever found for a self-assembled membrane in water.     

Selective covalent binding of a positively charged water-soluble benzoheterocycle triosmium cluster to single- and double-stranded DNA

The water-soluble triosmium cluster [Os₃(CO)₉(μ-η²-(4-CHO)C₉H₅N)(μ-H)(P(OCH₂CH₂N(CH₃)₃I)₃)] (4) was tested for its reactivity with plasmid DNA. In contrast to the band retardation previously observed with a related series of positively charged clusters, an intensification and retardation of three discrete bands was observed with increasing cluster concentration. In order to further investigate the apparent modification of DNA by 4, its interaction with a 22-oligomer (sequence 5′-AGT TGT GGT GAC TTT CCC AGG C-3′) was examined. Incubation with this oligonucleotide (pH 7.4 in Tris-HCl buffer and 100 mM NaCl) followed by HPLC analysis revealed the formation of three dose dependent products assigned as covalent modifications at three sites of the oligonucleotide. Incubation of 4 with ³²P-ATP labeled oligonucleotide at the 5′-end followed by treatment with piperidine and comparison with the standard Maxam-Gilbert sequencing protocol products revealed only general background cleavage, indicating that the modification products are piperidine labile and suggesting that the modification involved formation of a Schiff base. An alternative approach was then pursued which involved annealing the 4-oligonucleotide products with their complementary strand and treatment of the resulting duplex DNAwith the exonuclease, Exo III. This assay indicated three exonuclease stops, consistent with the three products observed by HPLC whose electrophoretic mobility approximately matched guanine containing fragments when compared with the Maxam-Gilbert sequencing lanes. Reduction of the 4-oligonucleotide products with borohydride reducing agents, followed by treatment with piperidine, resulted in the formation of one product (by HPLC) with the same electrophoretic mobility as the AGTT fragment based on comparison with the Maxam-Gilbert sequencing lanes. This product most likely results from reduction of an initially formed Schiff base adduct (to the corresponding amine) with the guanine of the TGT fragment of the oligonucleotide, and corresponds to the most stable of the three Schiff base adducts detected by HPLC and by incubation with the exonuclease. The other two products are less stable and competitive reduction of the free aldehyde functionality on the cluster in equilibrium with these adducts precludes their detection after treatment with the reducing agents. The formation of the Schiff base adduct is further corroborated by the model reaction of [Os₃(CO)₁₀(μ-η²-(4-CHO)C₉H₅N)(μ-H)] (4′) with acetylated guanine in nonaqueous solvents where disappearance of the aldehyde resonance and the appearance of several new resonances in the 6-9 ppm region of the ¹H NMR of the reaction mixture is noted.     

Preparation and characterization of positively charged ruthenium nanoparticles

Positively charged ruthenium nanoparticles were prepared by NaBH(4) reduction at room temperature and at pH values lower than 4.9. The ruthenium nanoparticles were characterized by zeta potential measurement, TEM, XPS, and XRD. Particles with a mean diameter of 1.8 nm and a standard deviation of 0.40 nm could be obtained under the experimental conditions. The surface charge on the particles is believed to originate from hydrated proton adsorption. The positively charged ruthenium nanoparticles could be used as the starting material for further functionalization by PVP, ethylenediamine, and dodecylamine.     

Properties and reactions of charged species in nonpolar supercritical fluids

This review focuses on the properties and reactions of charged species in supercritical fluids. The techniques of pulse conductivity and transient absorption are used to follow the behavior of charged species. We begin with a discussion of the mobilities, yields, and energy levels of electrons. Studies of the pressure dependence of electron attachment reactions lead to information on the magnitude of activation volumes. This as well as diffusion and energetics are factors that influence the rates of electron attachment. The free energy changes in electron attachment-detachment equilibrium reactions decrease rapidly at pressures where the compressibility maximizes. The transport properties of ions in supercritical fluids are also discussed, as these studies provide a straightforward indication of the degree of interaction between ions and the medium. We conclude with a review of electron transfer reactions in supercritical fluids.     

Wetting of CVD carbon films by polar and nonpolar liquids and implications for carbon nanopipes

The handling, dispersion, manipulation, and functionalization of carbon nanotubes and nanopipes often require the use of solvents. Therefore, a good understanding of the wetting properties of the carbon nanotubes is needed. Such knowledge is also essential for the design of nanotube-based nanofluidic devices, which hold the promise of revolutionizing chemical analysis, separation, drug delivery, filtration, and sensing. In this work, we investigated the wetting behavior of individual nanopipes produced by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of carbon in porous alumina templates and of thin carbon films produced by the same technique. The carbon pipes and films have the same chemistry and structure as determined by Raman and infrared spectroscopies and, when similarly treated, demonstrate the same qualitative wetting behavior, as determined by optical microscopy. Thus, measurements conducted on the carbon film surface are relevant to the nanopipes. In the case of the nanopipes, filling with various liquids was monitored. Contact angle experiments with both polar (water, glycerol, ethylene glycol, ethanol, tetra-hydro furan, and 2-propanol alcohol) and nonpolar liquids (cyclohexane, hexadecane, poly(dimethylsiloxane), and a fluoro-silicone) were conducted on films using the sessile drop method. The contact angles on the CVD carbon films ranged from 0 to 79 degrees. The exposure of the carbon films to a NaOH solution, typically used to dissolve the alumina template, led to a significant decrease of the contact angle, especially in the case of polar liquids.     

A new equation of state for polar and nonpolar pure fluids

Chung, T.H., Khan, M.M., Lee, L.L. and Starling, K.E., 1984. A new equation of state for polar and nonpolar pure fluids. Fluid Phase Equilibria, 17: 351–372A new equation of state based on the concept of perturbation theory and the hard-convex-body equation of state has been developed successfully for nonpolar compounds. The equation can predict the thermodynamic properties (density, enthalpy departure and vapor pressure) of a wide range of pure fluids from small, spherical (argon-like) molecules to large, structurally complex molecules. For nonpolar compounds, the equation employs three parameters: the shape, size and energy parameters. For normal paraffins, the size parameter (hard-core volume) is related to the measurable van der Waals volume given by Bondi. For most other compounds, it is related to the critical volume. The shape-parameter values reflect the structure and degree of acentricity of the compound of interest. The equation has been extended to polar and associating compounds by using the mean-potential model. For polar compounds, a fourth parameter is required. The equation has been tested extensively for polar (dipolar and quadrupolar) and hydrogen-bonding compounds. The applicability of this equation for such a wide variety of substances provides an important first step in the development of a composition-dependent equation of state for mixtures.     

Ozonolysis of oleic acid adsorbed to polar and nonpolar aerosol particles

Single-particle kinetic studies of the reaction between oleic acid and O 3 have been conducted on two different types of core particles: polystyrene latex (PSL) and silica. Oleic acid was found to adsorb to both particle types in multilayer islands that resulted in an adsorbed layer of a total volume estimated to be less than one monolayer. The rate of the surface reaction between surface-adsorbed oleic acid and O 3 has been shown for the first time to be influenced by the composition of the aerosol substrate in a mixed organic/inorganic particle. A Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism was applied to the observed dependence of the pseudo-first-order rate constant with [O 3], and the resulting fit parameters for the ozone partition coefficient ( K O 3 ) and maximum first order rate constant ( k 1,max ) suggest that the reaction proceeded faster on the less polar PSL core at lower [O 3] due to the increased residence time of O 3 on the PSL surface, but the reaction was ultimately more efficient on the silica surface at high [O 3]. Values for the uptake coefficient, gamma oleic , for reaction of oleic acid on PSL spheres decrease from 2.5 x 10 (-5) to 1 x 10 (-5) with increasing [O 3] from 4 to 25 ppm and overlap at high [O 3] with the estimated values for gamma oleic on silica, which decrease from 1.6 x 10 (-5) to 1.3 x 10 (-5). The relationship between gamma oleic and the more common expression for gamma O 3 is discussed.     

Spectroscopic studies of nanostructures of negatively charged free base porphyrin and positively charged tin porphyrins

Spectroscopic studies were carried out on the homoaggregates of negatively charged free base meso-tetraphenylsulfonated porphyrin ([H₂TPPS₄]⁴⁻) and heteroaggregates of a mixture of protonated ([H₄TPPS₄]²⁻) and tin meso-tetra (N-methyl-4-pyridyl) porphyrin ([SnTMPyP]⁴⁺). The spectroscopic studies were done to determine the optimal conditions required for the fabrication of porphyrin nanorods by ionic self assembly of two oppositely charged porphyrins. In addition, the various spectral changes of [H₄TPPS₄]²⁻ with concurrent change in pH and concentration are also investigated. In acid media at pH <3, and at concentrations >1 × 10⁻⁵ M, [H₄TPPS₄]²⁻ molecules form J aggregates. A mixture of [H₄TPPS₄]²⁻ and [SnTMPyP]⁴⁺ forms heteroaggregates of the J type in acid media. At pH’s 2 to 3, the optimum ratio for the formation of J aggregates is 3:1 and for pH 1, the optimum ratio is 2:1. Transmission electron microscope images of the nanostructures formed show that they are of cylindrical shape.