Effect of antimicrobial peptide (AMP)–tethered stainless steel surfaces on the bacterial membrane

Bacterial colonization leading to biofilm formation on surfaces induces industry-related as well as health care–associated infections worldwide. Emerging antibiotic-resistant microbes and related persistent infections due to adherent biofilm formation on surfaces have urged the need of effective alternative solutions to eradicate prevailing problems. Antimicrobial peptides are considered as potential candidates with distinguished characteristics, namely, broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, low propensity toward pathogen resistance, and low immune response. In this study, we immobilize an in-house–designed peptide, KLLLRLRKLLRR (KLR), using a 2-step functionalization strategy onto stainless steel (SS) surfaces. SS is amino-silanized using (3-aminopropyl) triethoxysilane followed by tethering of KLR on it via formation of the amide bond. KLR-coated SS surfaces show nearly 95–100% reduction in bacterial colonization in vitro as obtained from antibacterial susceptibility testing while being non-toxic to mammalian cells. The coating strategy does not affect the microstructure of the SS surfaces. These findings demonstrate that this tethering process is able to produce excellent antibacterial surfaces.     

Optical and dynamic properties of water-soluble highly luminescent CdTe quantum dots

CdTe quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized in aqueous solution using thioglycolic acid (HS-CH2COOH, TGA) as a stabilizer. The phenomenon of "on" and "off" luminescence intermittency (blinking) of CdTe QDs in PVA and trehalose was investigated by single-molecule optical microscopy, and we identified that the intermittencies of single QDs were correlated with the interaction of water molecules absorbed on the QD surface. The "off" times, the interval between adjacent "on" states, remained essentially unaffected with an increase in excitation intensity. Every QD showed a similar power law behavior for the "off" time distribution regardless of the excitation intensity and aqueous environment of the QDs. In the case of "on" time distribution, power law behavior with an exponential cutoff tail is observed at longer time scales. The time traces indicated that the "on" time was inversely proportional to the excitation intensity; the duration of "on" time became shorter with increasing excitation intensity. An increase in the duration of "on" time was observed in trehalose with respect to that in PVA. We obtained a clear decrease in the power law exponent when PVA was replaced with trehalose. These observations indicate that the luminescence blinking statistics of water-soluble single CdTe QDs is significantly dependent on the aqueous environment, which is interpreted in terms of passivation of the surface trap states of QDs.     

Synthesis, structure, and reactions of 1-tert-butyl-2-diphenylphosphino-imidazole

Metalation reactions were studied of a sterically demanding imidazole derivative, namely, 1-tert-butylimidazole (1), with different metalation reagents and subsequent reaction with diphenylchlorophosphane. The reaction product, 1-tert-butyl-2-diphenylphosphino-imidazole (2), was subjected to oxidation and complexation reactions to yield the corresponding products Ph(2)(Imi)P-E (E = O (3), S (4), Se (5), W(CO)(5) (8)) and in the case of borane-THF the N-BH(3) coordination product 10 was obtained. The analytical data of the new compounds are discussed, including X-ray diffraction studies of 3-5.     

Synthesis and structural characterization of sol–gel derived titania/poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) nanocomposites

Non hydrolytic sol–gel method was employed to synthesize pure anatase TiO₂ nanocrystals using tetra isopropyl orthotitanate and poly vinylpyrrolidone as precursors. The structural analyses of the prepared samples were carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermo gravimetric and differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The capping of PVP around TiO₂ nanoparticles was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy, the interaction being via bridging oxygens of the carbonyl (C=O) and the nanoparticle surface. The XRD, Raman and TEM results indicate that the prepared samples had a pure anatase nano-TiO₂ structure. The particle size analysed by TEM ranged between 7 and 12 nm. The size of the nanocrystals evaluated from the XRD spectra and TEM micrograph is well in agreement. The spacing for the crystal planes was also determined using the ImageJ program applied to the TEM micrographs.     

Inhibition assay of yeast cell walls by plasmon resonance Rayleigh scattering and surface-enhanced Raman scattering imaging

We report on plasmon resonance Rayleigh scattering (PRRS) and surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) imaging for inhibition assay of yeast cell walls. This assay reveals that the proteins having alkali sensitive linkage bound to β1,3 glucan frameworks in cell walls are involved in SERS activity. The result is further confirmed by comparison of genetically modified cells and wild type cells. Finally, we find that PRRS and SERS spots do not appear on cell walls when daughter cells are enough smaller than parent ones, but appear when size of daughter cells are comparable to parent cells. This finding indicates the relationship between expression of the proteins that generate SERS spots and cell division. These results demonstrate that PRRS and SERS imaging can be a convenient and sensitive method for analysis of cell walls.     

Synthesis of Bis(imidazole‐2‐thion‐4‐yl)phosphanes

Novel bis(imidazole‐2‐thion‐4‐yl)‐ phosphanes ( 2a–d ) were synthesized via lithiation of the precursor imidazole‐2‐thiones followed by the phosphanylation reaction. Oxidation of bis(imidazole‐2‐thion‐4‐yl)phosphane 2b–d with elemental sulfur and selenium led selectively and in good yields to the P‐thio ( 3b–d ) and P‐seleno ( 4c ) derivatives of bis(imidazole‐2‐thion‐4‐yl)phosphanes, respectively. The treatment of 2a,c with phosphorus trichloride gives the corresponding P‐chloro derivatives 5a,c . These compounds were unambiguously characterized by elemental analyses, spectroscopic and spectrometric methods, in addition by single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis in the case of 2d . © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 00:1–7, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/hc.21043     

Recent advances in transition-metal-free carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reactions using arynes

This tutorial review is aimed at highlighting recent developments in transition-metal-free carbon-carbon and carbon-heteroatom bond-forming reactions utilizing a versatile class of reactive intermediates, viz., arynes, which hold the potential for numerous applications in organic synthesis. Key to the success of the resurgence of interest in the rich chemistry of arynes is primarily the mild condition for their generation by the fluoride-induced 1,2-elimination of 2-(trimethylsilyl)aryl triflates. Consequently, arynes have been employed for the construction of multisubstituted arenes with structural diversity and complexity. The versatile transition-metal-free applications of arynes include cycloaddition reactions, insertion reactions and multicomponent reactions. In addition, arynes have found applications in natural product synthesis. Herein, we present a concise account of the major developments that occurred in this field during the past eight years.     

1,2-Benzoquinones in Diels-Alder reactions, dipolar cycloadditions, nucleophilic additions, multicomponent reactions and more

A brief account of the recent developments in the chemistry of 1,2-benzoquinones is presented in this tutorial review. The title compounds exhibit commendable versatility in both Diels-Alder and dipolar cycloaddition reactions. They have also been employed as electrophilic reaction partners in nucleophile-triggered catalytic processes and related multicomponent reactions. These, along with other reactions described here, lead to the synthesis of densely functionalised carbocyclic and heterocyclic frameworks that are otherwise difficult to access.     

Synthesis, structure and reactivity of 4-phosphanylated 1,3-dialkyl-imidazole-2-thiones

Selective formation of 4-phosphanylated 1,2-dialkyl imidazole-2-thiones 3a-f has been obtained via a lithiation followed by phosphanylation reaction. The reactivity of 3a-f was examined towards oxidation and complexation reactions. All products were unambiguously characterized by elemental analyses, spectroscopic and spectrometric methods including X-ray analysis (3a, 3b, 4b, 4d, 5b, 6a and 6d).