Impact of prefractionation using Gradiflow on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and protein identification by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry

Prefractionation of protein samples prior to two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) has the potential to increase the dynamic detection range for proteomic analysis. We evaluated a membrane-based electrophoretic separation technique (Gradiflow) for its ability to fractionate an exoproteome sample from the filamentous fungus Trichoderma reesei. The sample was separated on the basis of size and charge. Buffer optimization was found to be necessary for successful size fractionation. Fractionation by charge was used to resolve the sample into four fractions that were subjected to analysis by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). Enhanced detection of low-abundance proteins with selective removal of high-abundance species was achieved. Fractionated and unfractionated samples were examined for differences in the ability to identify proteins following 2-DE using trypsin in-gel digestion followed by peptide mass fingerprinting using matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). Fractionated samples showed marked improvement in protein identification ability and sequence coverage. This study demonstrates the utility of the Gradiflow for fractionation, resulting in an enhancement of resolution and characterization of a moderately complex proteome.     

The modulating possibilities of dicarbollide clusters: optimizing the Kharasch catalysts

exo-Cluster dicarbollides substitution has allowed tuning of the E degrees (Ru(II)/Ru(III)) potential to obtain the best-performing Kharasch catalyst. We postulate that this is possible through the to-and-fro electron movement between the boron cluster and the sulfonium moieties.     

Design, synthesis, and photophysical studies of a porphyrin-fullerene dyad with parachute topology; charge recombination in the marcus inverted region

As part of a continuing investigation of the topological control of intramolecular electron transfer (ET) in donor-acceptor systems, a symmetrical parachute-shaped octaethylporphyrin-fullerene dyad has been synthesized. A symmetrical strap, attached to ortho positions of phenyl groups at opposing meso positions of the porphyrin, was linked to [60]-fullerene in the final step of the synthesis. The dyad structures were confirmed by (1)H, (13)C, and (3)He NMR, and MALDI-TOF mass spectra. The free-base and Zn-containing dyads were subjected to extensive spectroscopic, electrochemical and photophysical studies. UV-vis spectra of the dyads are superimposable on the sum of the spectra of appropriate model systems, indicating that there is no significant ground-state electronic interaction between the component chromophores. Molecular modeling studies reveal that the lowest energy conformation of the dyad is not the C(2)(v)() symmetrical structure, but rather one in which the porphyrin moves over to the side of the fullerene sphere, bringing the two pi-systems into close proximity, which enhances van der Waals attractive forces. To account for the NMR data, it is proposed that the dyad is conformationally mobile at room temperature, with the porphyrin swinging back and forth from one side of the fullerene to the other. The extensive fluorescence quenching in both the free base and Zn dyads is associated with an extremely rapid photoinduced electron-transfer process, k(ET) approximately 10(11) s(-)(1), generating porphyrin radical cations and C(60) radical anions, detected by transient absorption spectroscopy. Back electron transfer (BET) is slower than charge separation by up to 2 orders of magnitude in these systems. The BET rate is slower in nonpolar than in polar solvents, indicating that BET occurs in the Marcus inverted region, where the rate decreases as the thermodynamic driving force for BET increases. Transient absorption and singlet molecular oxygen sensitization data show that fullerene triplets are formed only with the free base dyad in toluene, where triplet formation from the charge-separated state is competitive with decay to the ground state. The photophysical properties of the P-C(60) dyads with parachute topology are very similar to those of structurally related rigid pi-stacked P-C(60) dyads, with the exception that there is no detectable charge-transfer absorption in the parachute systems, attributed to their conformational flexibility. It is concluded that charge separation in these hybrid systems occurs through space in unsymmetrical conformations, where the center-to-center distance between the component pi-systems is minimized. Analysis of the BET data using Marcus theory gives reorganization energies for these systems between 0.6 and 0.8 eV and electronic coupling matrix elements between 4.8 and 5.6 cm(-)(1).     

A novel way to study the initial stages of soap-free emulsion polymerizations: The intercalation of polystyrene oligomers into hydrotalcite

The dominant species in the early stages of an emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization of styrene has been found to be an oligomer of two to three monomer units using a novel trapping technique. This involved the intercalation of charged primary oligomers between the layers of a hydrotalcite, [Mg₄Al₂(OH)₁₂]²⁺[A]^2- (where A = dianion). Hydrotalcites are an important class of lamellar, inorganic compounds whose interlayer spacing can be mod-ified by anion exchange. Our approach first involved preparing a hydrotalcite precursor in which the layers were propped apart by an organic dianion (terephthalate = TA). This material was then used to capture the negatively charged polystyrene oligomers from the emulsion polymerization reaction mixture. We found that TA was rapidly ion-exchanged for the charged oligomers. The resulting pillared hydrotalcite material was characterized using XRD and SEC. We found that the interlayer spacing between the hydroxide layers increased to 23.2 Å on exposure to the emulsion reaction mixture. This represents an interlayer expansion of 18.3 Å (after subtraction of the hydroxide layer contribution), which is cnsistent with intercalation of oligomers with two to three monomer units arranged in a bilayer. This size estimate was confirmed by the results of size exclusion chromatography. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Enhancement of the electrochemical capacitance of TiO2 nanotube arrays through controlled phase transformation of anatase to rutile

Here, we report the fabrication of self-organized titania (TiO(2)) nanotube array supercapacitor electrodes through controlled phase transformation of TiO(2), with aerial capacitances as high as 2.6 mF cm(-2), which far exceeds the values so far reported in the literature. The role of phase transformation in the electrochemical charge-discharge behaviour of nanocrystalline TiO(2) nanotubes is investigated and discussed in detail. The ease of synthesis and the exceptional electrochemical properties make these nanotube arrays an alternative candidate for use in energy storage devices.     

Interfacial concentrations of chloride and bromide in zwitterionic micelles with opposite dipoles: experimental determination by chemical trapping and a theoretical description

Interfacial concentrations of chloride and bromide ions, with Li(+), Na(+), K(+), Rb(+), Cs(+), trimethylammonium (TMA(+)), Ca(2+), and Mg(2+) as counterions, were determined by chemical trapping in micelles formed by two zwitterionic surfactants, namely N-hexadecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (HPS) and hexadecylphosphorylcholine (HDPC) micelles. Appropriate standard curves for the chemical trapping method were obtained by measuring the product yields of chloride and bromide salts with 2,4,6-trimethyl-benzenediazonium (BF(4)) in the presence of low molecular analogs (N,N,N-trimethyl-propane sulfonate and methyl-phosphorylcholine) of the employed surfactants. The experimentally determined values for the local Br(-) (Cl(-)) concentrations were modeled by fully integrated non-linear Poisson Boltzmann equations. The best fits to all experimental data were obtained by considering that ions at the interface are not fixed at an adsorption site but are free to move in the interfacial plane. In addition, the calculation of ion distribution allowed the estimation of the degree of ion coverage by using standard chemical potential differences accounting for ion specificity.