A Chimeric DNA/RNA Antiparallel Quadruplex with Improved Stability

Nucleic acid quadruplexes are proposed to play a role in the regulation of gene expression, are often present in aptamers selected for specific binding functions and have potential applications in medicine and biotechnology. Therefore, understanding their structure and thermodynamic properties and designing highly stable quadruplexes is desirable for a variety of applications. Here, we evaluate DNA→RNA substitutions in the context of a monomolecular, antiparallel quadruplex, the thrombin-binding aptamer (TBA, GGTTGGTGTGGTTGG) in the presence of either K⁺ or Sr²⁺. TBA predominantly folds into a chair-type configuration containing two G-tetrads, with G residues in both syn and anti conformation. All chimeras with DNA→RNA substitutions (G→g) at G residues requiring the syn conformation demonstrated strong destabilization. In contrast, G→g substitutions at Gs with anti conformation increased stability without affecting the monomolecular chair-type topology. None of the DNA→RNA substitutions in loop positions affected the quadruplex topology; however, these substitutions varied widely in their stabilizing or destabilizing effects in an unpredictable manner. This analysis allowed us to design a chimeric DNA/RNA TBA construct that demonstrated substantially improved stability relative to the all-DNA construct. These results have implications for a variety of quadruplex-based applications including for the design of dynamic nanomachines.     

Traceless chemical ligations from O-acyl serine sites

Chemical ligation via O- to N-acyl transfer of O-acylated serine containing peptides affords serine containing native peptides via 8- and 11-membered cyclic transition states opening the door to a wide variety of potential applications to peptide elaboration. The feasibility of these traceless chemical ligations is feasible as supported by computation.     

Effect of macropore convection on mass transfer in a bidisperse adsorbent particle

The importance of adsorption induced convection in the macropores of a bidisperse adsorbent particle is studied for a step change in mole fraction or total pressure at the surface of the particle. Material balance equations for a binary gas mixture are written for both the macropores and the macropores with allowance for convection in the macropores, which is described by Darcy's law. The coupled set o1' partial differential equations is solved by orthogonal collocation. The enhancement in mass transfer as a result of convection is assessed by comparing the fractional uptake curves obtained with and without allowance for convection. Both equilibrium-based and kinetic-based separation processes are considered. The effect of the presence of convection in determining the controlling diffusional resistance (macropore or micropore) is also examined. Due to inclusion of convection no single non-dimensional group alone can determine the relative importance of macropore and micropore resistances. Results show that convection can significantly affect the performance of an equilibrium-based macropore diffusion controlled process and that the enhancement in mass transfer is more for a particle with a high value of Darcy permeability.     

Denitrocyclization in synthesis of dibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepin‐11(10h)‐ones and their derivatives

A convenient synthesis of the novel dibenzo[b,f][1,4]thiazepin‐11(10H)‐ones is reported. As a key step, the synthetic route includes intramolecular aromatic denitrocyclization of 2‐(2,4‐dinitro‐phenylsulfanyl)‐benzoic acid amides. Efficient procedures for denitrocyclization in the presence of different bases are developed. Reduction of the nitro group in the obtained heterocycles resulted in formation of primary amines, which were transformed into amides by acylation with different carboxylic acids. The synthesized compounds have a great potential of bioactivity and are useful objects for biomedicinal screening.     

Representation formulae of general solutions in the theory of hemitropic elasticity

We consider the steady state oscillation equations of the theoryof elasticity of hemitropic materials. We derive general representationformulae for the displacement and microrotation vectors by meansof six scalar metaharmonic functions. These formulae are veryconvenient and useful in many particular problems for domainswith concrete geometry. Here we consider two canonical transmissionproblems for piecewise homogeneous bodies with spherical interfacesand with the help of the representation formulae construct explicitsolutions in the form of absolutely and uniformly convergentseries. The representations can also be applied to multi-layeredbodies with spherical and cylindrical interfaces.     

The nuclear spin-echo signals under combined action of magnetic field and RF pulses

The effect of a pulse magnetic field on formation of the single-pulse echo signal in some magnetic materials has been studied. The signals of nuclear-spin echo formed by the combined action of radio frequency and magnetic pulses have been observed. The duration of the magnetic pulse was only limited by the length of the radio frequency pulse. The echo signal formed by the two magnetic pulses, the edges of a long magnetic pulse, and other situations that allowed us to reproduce the analogue of multipulse action, were observed as well.     

Preparation, structure and some properties of boron crystals with different content of B and B isotopes

The present work deals with the analysis of data on preparation and investigation of boron with different content of ¹⁰B and ¹¹B isotopes. It was established that influence of isotopes on the structure and physical-mechanical properties of boron varies with regard to the type and percentage of an applied isotope. Microhardness of the specimens was measured at room temperatures. Peculiarities of changes observed in the values of microhardness, thermal expansion coefficients and characteristics of the relaxation processes are discussed from the point of view of probable changes in inter-atomic forces created due to substitution of natural boron atoms with their isotopes.     

Imitation of artificial membrane system via mobile phases with Tween-80 and cholic acid in biopartitioning micellar chromatography

The chromatographic behaviour of compounds of biomedical significance was studied using micellar mobile phases modified with polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween-80). The influence of the surfactant within the 0.75-4% concentration range on the retention factor of model compounds was investigated. The biological surfactant cholic acid was introduced into the mobile phases in order to approach to the structure of natural membranes, viz. erythrocyte and cytoplasmatic membranes. It was found that curves of dependence of retention factor vs concentration of Tween-80 in the absence and presence of cholic acid in the mobile phase considerably diverge with one another, especially in the 2-3% concentration range of Tween-80 using C18-type support. Increasing the concentration of Tween-80 resulted in the increase of retention factors using phenyl-coated stationary phase.