The Dynamics of the Neuropeptide Y Receptor Type 1 Investigated by Solid-State NMR and Molecular Dynamics Simulation

We report data on the structural dynamics of the neuropeptide Y (NPY) G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) type 1 (Y1R), a typical representative of class A peptide ligand GPCRs, using a combination of solid-state NMR and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. First, the equilibrium dynamics of Y1R were studied using ¹⁵N-NMR and quantitative determination of ¹H-¹³C order parameters through the measurement of dipolar couplings in separated-local-field NMR experiments. Order parameters reporting the amplitudes of the molecular motions of the C-H bond vectors of Y1R in DMPC membranes are 0.57 for the Cα sites and lower in the side chains (0.37 for the CH₂ and 0.18 for the CH₃ groups). Different NMR excitation schemes identify relatively rigid and also dynamic segments of the molecule. In monounsaturated membranes composed of longer lipid chains, Y1R is more rigid, attributed to a higher hydrophobic thickness of the lipid membrane. The presence of an antagonist or NPY has little influence on the amplitude of motions, whereas the addition of agonist and arrestin led to a pronounced rigidization. To investigate Y1R dynamics with site resolution, we conducted extensive all-atom MD simulations of the apo and antagonist-bound state. In each state, three replicas with a length of 20 μs (with one exception, where the trajectory length was 10 μs) were conducted. In these simulations, order parameters of each residue were determined and showed high values in the transmembrane helices, whereas the loops and termini exhibit much lower order. The extracellular helix segments undergo larger amplitude motions than their intracellular counterparts, whereas the opposite is observed for the loops, Helix 8, and termini. Only minor differences in order were observed between the apo and antagonist-bound state, whereas the time scale of the motions is shorter for the apo state. Although these relatively fast motions occurring with correlation times of ns up to a few µs have no direct relevance for receptor activation, it is believed that they represent the prerequisite for larger conformational transitions in proteins.     

Optimization of extraction procedure and chromatographic separation of glyphosate, glufosinate and aminomethylphosphonic acid in soil

Analysing herbicides in soil is a complex issue that needs validation and optimization of existing methods. An extraction and analysis method was developed to assess concentrations of glyphosate, glufosinate and aminomethylphophonic acid (AMPA) in field soil samples. After testing extractions by accelerated solvent extraction and ultrasonic extraction, agitation was selected with the best recoveries. Water was preferred as solvent extraction because it resulted in a cleaner chromatogram with fewer impurities than was the case with alkaline solvents. Analysis was performed by FMOC pre-column derivatization followed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on a 300 mm C(18) column which permitted enhanced separation and sensitivity than a 250 mm C(18) column and increased resistance than the NH(2) column for soil samples. This extraction and analysis method allowing a minimum of steps before the injection in the HPLC with fluorescence detection is efficient and sensitive for a clay-loamy soil with detection limits of 103 μg kg(-1) for glyphosate, 15 μg kg(-1) for glufosinate and 16 μg kg(-1) for AMPA in soil samples.     

Visualization of Protein‐Specific Glycosylation inside Living Cells

Protein glycosylation is a ubiquitous post‐translational modification that is involved in the regulation of many aspects of protein function. In order to uncover the biological roles of this modification, imaging the glycosylation state of specific proteins within living cells would be of fundamental importance. To date, however, this has not been achieved. Herein, we demonstrate protein‐specific detection of the glycosylation of the intracellular proteins OGT, Foxo1, p53, and Akt1 in living cells. Our generally applicable approach relies on Diels–Alder chemistry to fluorescently label intracellular carbohydrates through metabolic engineering. The target proteins are tagged with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP). Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the EGFP and the glycan‐anchored fluorophore is detected with high contrast even in presence of a large excess of acceptor fluorophores by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM).     

The use of bis(diphenylphosphino)amines with N-aryl functionalities in selective ethylene tri- and tetramerisation

A systematic study was conducted on the Cr catalysed tri- and tetramerisation of ethylene using bis(diphenylphosphino)amine ligands with N-aryl functionality. This study revealed that the oligomerisation reaction product selectivity is primarily dependent on the structure and size of the N-aryl groups.

Addition of sufficient steric bulk to the N-phenyl group via ortho-alkyl substitution increased the combined 1-hexene and 1-octene selectivity (overall alpha selectivity) to above 82% at an overall 1-octene selectivity of 56%. The introduction of a single carbon spacer between the N-atom and the aryl-moiety, as well as the addition of branching on this carbon, resulted in further selectivity improvements, achieving an overall 1-octene selectivity of 64% and an overall alpha selectivity of 84%. This was obtained at catalyst productivities in excess of 1,000,000 g/g Cr/h.     

Polymorphism of paracetamol

The thermodynamic relationship between crystal modifications of paracetamol was studied by alternative methods. Temperature dependence of saturated vapor pressure for polymorphic modifications of the drug paracetamol (acetaminophen) was mea sured and thermodynamic functions of the sublimation process calculated. Solution calorimetry was carried out for the two modifications in the same solvent. Thermodynamic parameters for sublimation for form I (monoclinic) were found: ΔG _sub²⁹⁸=60.0 kJ mol⁻¹; ΔH _sub²⁹⁸=117.9±0.7 kJ mol⁻¹; ΔS _sub²⁹⁸=190±2 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹. For the orthorhombic modification (form II), the saturated vapor pressure could only be studied at 391 K. Phase transition enthalpy at 298 K, ΔH _tr²⁹⁸(I→II)=2.0±0.4 kJ mol⁻¹, was derived as the difference between the solution enthalpies of the noted polymorphs in the same solution (methanol). Based on ΔH _tr²⁹⁸ (I→II), differences between temperature dependencies of heat capacities of both modifications and the vapor pressure value of form II at 391 K, the temperature dependence of saturated vapor pressure and thermodynamic sublimation parameters for modification II were also estimated (ΔG _sub²⁹⁸=56.1 kJ mol⁻¹; ΔH _sub²⁹⁸=115.9±0.9 kJ mol⁻¹; ΔS _sub²⁹⁸=200±3 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹). The results indicate that the modifications are monotropically related, which is in contrast to findings recently reported found by classical thermochemical methods.