Organophosphorus acid anhydrolase bio-template for the synthesis of CdS quantum dots

A direct conjugation of organophosphorus acid anhydrolase (OPAA) with CdS quantum dots was prepared via arrested precipitation within the enzyme matrix. The bio-conjugate was found not only to retain enzyme conformational structure but also to retain enzyme activity and be effective at detecting diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) at the micro molar level.     

A discrete time model for software reliability with application to a flight control software

This work is motivated by a particular software reliability problem in a unit of flight control software developed by the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO), in which the testing of the software is carried out in multiple batches, each consisting of several runs. As the errors are found during the runs within a batch, they are noted, but not debugged immediately; they are debugged only at the end of that particular batch of runs. In this work, we introduce a discrete time model suitable for this type of periodic debugging schedule and describe maximum likelihood estimation for the model parameters. This model is used to estimate the reliability of the software. We also develop a method to determine the additional number of error‐free test runs required for the estimated reliability to achieve a specific target with some high probability. We analyze the test data on the flight control software of ISRO. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of Thioglycosides in Room Temperature Ionic Liquid

An eco-friendly reaction for the preparation of thioglycosides has been developed using an ionic liquid as the solvent. Thioglycosides were obtained in excellent yields on treatment of per-O-acetylated sugar derivatives with thiols in the presence of boron trifluoride diethyl etherate in [Bmim][BF₄] as solvent at 20°C. Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Journal of Carbohydrate Chemistry to view the free supplemental file.     

A colorimetric and ratiometric fluorescent turn-on fluoride chemodosimeter and application in live cell imaging: high selectivity via specific SiO cleavage in semi aqueous media and prompt recovery of ESIPT along with the X-ray structures

A ratiometric fluorescent turn-on probe for fluoride ion, based on modulation of the excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) process by chemodosimetric desilylation pathway is reported. The probe SNBT (silyl protected hydroxynaphthalene benzothiazole moiety) shows a significant increase of ratiometric absorption band at 440 nm and emission band at 477 nm by the deprotection of fluoride mediated silyl bond cleavage in CH₃CN–H₂O (8/2, v/v, 25 °C). The test strips based on SNBT and F⁻ are fabricated, which can act as a convenient and efficient F⁻ test kits. Furthermore, the biological application shows that it can be very useful as a selective fluoride probe in the fluorescence imaging of living cells.     

Self-Assembled Peptidyl Aggregates for the Fluorogenic Recognition of Mitochondrial DNA G-Quadruplexes

The selective monitoring of G-quadruplex (G4) structures in living cells is important to elucidate their functions and reveal their value as diagnostic or therapeutic targets. Here we report a fluorogenic probe ( CV2 ) able to selectively light-up parallel G4 DNA over antiparallel topologies. CV2 was constructed by conjugating the excimer-forming CV dye with a peptide sequence (l -Arg-l -Gly-glutaric acid) that specifically recognizes G4s. CV2 forms self-assembled, red excimer-emitting nanoaggregates in aqueous media, but specific binding to G4s triggers its disassembly into rigidified monomeric dyes, leading to a dramatic fluorescence enhancement. Moreover, selective permeation of CV2 stains G4s in mitochondria over the nucleus. CV2 was employed for tracking the folding and unfolding of G4s in living cells, and for monitoring mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage. These properties make CV2 appealing to investigate the possible roles of mtDNA G4s in diseases that involve mitochondrial dysfunction.     

Synthesis,characterization and crystal structures of 2-[(E)-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)-1-diazenyl]benzoic acid and its polymeric and monomeric triorganotin(IV) complexes

Three triorganotin(IV) complexes of composition R₃SnLH (R = Me, Bu and Ph and LH = 2-[(E)-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethylphenyl)-1-diazenyl]benzoate) have been synthesized and characterized by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹⁹Sn NMR, and IR spectroscopic techniques in combination with elemental analysis. The crystal structures of the carboxylate ligand HO₂CC₆H₄{NN(C₆H₂-4-OH-3,5-(CH₃)₂)}-o in its neutral form and three triorganotin(IV) complexes, viz., polymeric (R₃Sn[O₂CC₆H₄{N–N(H)(C₆H₂-4-O-3,5-(CH₃)₂)}-o])_n (R = Me (1) and Bu (2)) and monomeric Ph₃Sn[O₂CC₆H₄{N–N(H)(C₆H₂-4-O-3,5-(CH₃)₂)}-o] (3) complexes are reported. The polymeric complexes 1 and 2 exist as extended chains in which the LH-bridged Sn-atoms adopt a trans-R₃SnO₂ trigonal bipyramidal configuration with R groups in the equatorial positions and the axial sites occupied by an oxygen atom from the carboxylate ligand and the phenoxide O atom of the next carboxylate ligand. The Sn atom in complex 3 has a distorted tetrahedral geometry. In all three complexes, the carboxylate ligand is in the zwitterionic form with the phenolic proton moved to the nearby azo nitrogen atom, in contrast to the free carboxylic acid ligand which is in the azo form.     

Benzimidazole-based optical probe for selective detection of multiple-cations via dual-channel analysis

A benzimidazole-based optical probe having pendant carboxyl, amine, and imine groups as ionophore has been prepared for screening various metal ions. The 4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-1H-imidazole-5-carboxylic acid (1) has been obtained in good yield and characterized by full battery of complementary physico-chemical techniques including ¹H NMR, UV-Vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and single crystal X-ray crystallography. Metal ion-binding properties of 1 have been studied using ppm level concentration of representative alkali metal (Na⁺, K⁺), alkaline earth metal (Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺), and transition metal (Zn²⁺, Co²⁺, Fe³⁺, Cd²⁺, Hg²⁺, Pb²⁺, Cu²⁺, Ag⁺) ions and the output signal was monitored via two different channels viz chromogenically and fluorogenically. Selective recognition of Hg²⁺ has been explored with absorption spectra whereas emission spectra of 1 display differential response for multiple cations at parts-per-million (ppm) level concentration that allow selective detection of Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Na⁺ ions. The results have been discussed in light of selectivity, sensitivity, response time, mode of binding/interactions, and sensing properties.     

Total synthesis of the heptasaccharide repeating unit of the iron-binding exopolysaccharide secreted by Klebsiella oxytoca BAS-10

The first total synthesis of a heptasaccharide found in the iron-binding exopolysaccharide produced by Klebsiella oxytoca BAS-10 has been achieved in excellent yield using a block synthetic strategy. A trisaccharide glycosyl donor was stereoselectively coupled with a tetrasaccharide glycosyl acceptor using the trichloroacetimidate activation procedure. The yields and stereo outcome were excellent in each step of glycosylation. A late stage oxidation protocol was adopted for the oxidation of the primary hydroxyl group to the carboxylic functionality while keeping a secondary hydroxyl group unaffected.