Advanced approaches for the characterization of a de novo designed antiparallel coiled coil peptide

We report here an advanced approach for the characterization of the folding pattern of a de novo designed antiparallel coiled coil peptide by high-resolution methods. Incorporation of two fluorescence labels at the C- and N-terminus of the peptide chain as well as modification of two hydrophobic core positions by Phe/[15N,13C]Leu enable the study of the folding characteristics and of distinct amino acid side chain interactions by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) and NMR spectroscopy. Results of both experiments reveal the antiparallel alignment of the helices and thus prove the design concept. This finding is also supported by molecular dynamics simulations. Electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FTICR-MS) in combination with NMR experiments was used for verification of the oligomerization equilibria of the coiled coil peptide.     

Laser desorption of DNA oligomers larger than one kilobase from cooled 4-nitrophenol

A unique matrix system consisting mostly of 4-nitrophenol has shown to be very effective for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometric analysis of large DNA oligomers when a cooled sample stage was used to prevent the sublimation of this matrix under vacuum. Using this 4-nitrophenol matrix with UV laser desorption, detection of picomole quantities of DNA oligomers containing up to approximately 800 nucleotides was routinely achieved. The effectiveness of this matrix was further demonstrated by the observation of a double-stranded DNA oligomer larger than 1000 base pairs, seen as a denatured single-stranded species, with a molecular ion mass exceeding 300 000 Da. The potential applications of 4-nitrophenol as a matrix for DNA sizing are discussed.     

Emissionsspektrometrische Analyse von Roheisen

Zusammenfassung Die spektrometrische Analyse von weiß erstarrtem Roheisen (auf C, Si, Mn, P, S, Cu) ist mit der gleichen Anregung und in der gleichen Funkzeit wie diejenige von Stahl möglich. Eine spezielle Kalibriertechnik mit Stahlproben garantiert ein ausreichend reproduzierbares und richtiges Resultat in relativ kurzer Zeit (20 sec).

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Emission-spectrometrical analysis of pig iron

The conditions of pig iron analysis by using a direct reading spectrometer for routine determination of C, Si, Mn, P, S and Cu, the influence of sampling and a new calibration technique of the instrument are described. The whole time needed for complete spectrometrical analysis is about 20 sec.

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Wir sind Herrn T. Nientiedt für zahlreiche Anregungen und Diskussionen zu Dank verpflichtet.     

Trimethylsilylverbindungen der Vb-Elemente. VI. Synthese,Molekül- und Kristallstruktur des Tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)distibans im Vergleich mit Tetraphenyldistiban

Trimethylsilyl Derivatives of Vb-Elements. VI. Synthesis, Molecular and Crystal Structure of Tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)distibine Compared with Tetraphenyldistibine Tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)distibine already isolated by Breunig et al. [9] from cleavage reactions of tris(trimethylsilyl)stibine may also be obtained in high yields from lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)antimonide · 2THF and 1,2-dibromoethane in n-pentane. This compound intensely red in the solid state, but only slightly yellow in solution or in the melt crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁/c with a = 680.6(1); b = 1672.8(2); c = 1190.0(1) pm; β = 119.01(5)°; Z = 2 at +20°C. An X-ray structure determination (R = 0.017) shows the bis(trimethylsilyl)-stibino groups to be arranged in a transoid position. Characteristic bond lengths and angles are: Sb? Sb 286.7(1); Sb? Si 259.4 pm; Si? Sb? Si 94.46(3); Sb? Sb? Si 98.68(3) and 94.43(3)°. As in similiar 2,2′,5,5′-tetramethyldistibolyl published recently by Ashe III et al. [8] this crystal structure, too, is characterized by a nearly linear sequence of Sb? Sb groups. Compared with the sum of van-der-Waals radii the intermolecular Sb-Sb contact in such a chain is shortened from 440 to 399 pm. This probably allows electronic interactions of unknown type responsible for the colour of the crystals. In keeping with this assumption an analogous formation of chains is not found in solid, only yellow tetraphenyldistibine 5 the structure of which has already been studied by Rehder et al. [44].     

Eine neue Untersuchungstechnik in der Metallanalyse

A method, named “cold oxidation” was developed, by which structures of isotropic looking pyrocarbon coatings of nuclear fuel particles can be made visible. It is based on a dry oxidation of the pyrocarbon at room temperature by highly excited oxygen. The amorphous parts of the pyrocarbon coatings burn off more quickly than the pyrocarbon itself and thereby a relief-like coating structure appears. It could be shown that a connection exists between the structure of the pyrocarbon coatings after “cold oxidation” and their behaviour under fast neutron irradiation.     

The electrochemistry of strapped and capped porphyrin monomers,mono- and doubly-linked dimers,and their Zn and Mg complexes

The interaction between two “spatially close” porphyrins plays important roles in biochemical functions. The present study focuses on the effects of distortion, steric hindrance, distance and orientation exerted by a variety of porphyrin monomers (strapped and capped) and dimers (mono- and doubly-linked) on their redox properties as well as the stability of positively charged intermediates derived from them. Cyclic voltammograms have been conducted in aprotic media on both free bases and their metal complexes (Zn and Mg). The effect of the nature of supporting electrolyte on the anodic peak potentials and wave separation has been studied in the case of conjugated directly-linked bis-zinc and bis-magnesium porphyrins.     

Hyperfine structure of the 625 nm band in the a 3Πu ← X 1 Σg transitions of Na2

Hyperfine structures of transitions in the a ³Π_u ← X¹Σ_g system of Na₂ have been accurately measured by Doppler-free laser excitation spectroscopy in a collimated molecular beam. The hyperfine patterns are quantitatively explained and the reduced matrix elements of the magnetic dipole hf interaction determined from a least-squares fit to the measured line positions.     

Transformations of conjugated enamines of the imidazolidine 1-oxide series in the Vilsmeier-Haack reaction

In some cases, the reactions of enaminones of the imidazolidine 1-oxide series with the Vilsmeier reagent afford electrophilic substitution products containing the dimethyl-aminomethylene group. In an acidic medium, these products undergo either hydrolytic elimination of the dimethylaminomethylene moiety or hydrolysis of the latter to form the aldehyde group. The reaction of nitroenamine, which is a derivative of imidazolidine 1-oxide, with the Vilsmeier reagent produces furoxane, viz., the nitroxyl biradical. Reduction of the latter affords the dioxime biradical. Dedicated to the memory of Academician N. N. Vorozhtsov on the 100th anniversary of his birth. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 6, pp. 1165–1170, June, 2007.