Mass spectrometry analysis of synthetically myristoylated peptides

Myristoylpeptides were synthesized in order to determine if a neutral loss of 210 Da, C14H26O (the mass of the myristoyl moiety), was universal and observable by both liquid chromatography electrospray ionization quadrupole ion trap (LC-ESI-QIT) and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight time-of-flight (MALDI-ToF/ToF) mass spectrometry. Myristoylation was successfully introduced on the N-terminus, internally on the amino group of lysine and arginine. Larger peptides and the arginine compounds needed elevated temperatures for myristoylation. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a chemically-synthesized myristoylated arginine in a peptide. Collision energy studies for the LC-ESI-QIT instrument showed that modified peptides and a loss of 210 Da could be detected under commonly used conditions (energy level between 30 and 42%) with picomole amounts of sample. The loss of myristoyl moiety is observed on the MALDI-Tof/Tof mass spectrometer as well. Due to the hydrophobic properties of the myristoyl moiety, it is not surprising that the modified peptides all formed at least dimers, and in some cases trimers. We were also able to distinguish a mixture of two mono-myristoylated peptides. MS3 data from the LC-ESI-QIT instrument on a di-myristoylated peptide indicates the loss of 210 Da at either the N-terminus or lysine. We were also able to analyze a mixture of modified and unmodified peptides on the MALDI-ToF/ToF instrument. The data presented in this paper demonstrates the constant neutral loss of the 210 Da, C14H26O, from both N-terminally and internally myristoylated peptides can be identified unambiguously using LC-ESI-QIT or MALDI-ToF/ToF mass spectrometers. This will be a useful tool in determining the myristoylation status of candidate proteins after enzyme digestion, and in elucidating the modification sites of internal myristoyl proteins.     

Improved short-lived nuclide activation analysis

A novel technique has been developed to increase the sensitivity, precision and accuracy of short-lived nuclide activation analysis and especially of delayed fission neutron counting, by improving the counting statistics. This has been achieved by approaching the irradiated sample to the detector during the counting period in order to compensate for the rapid radioactive decay by variation of the counting efficiency, permitting prolongation of the counting period with constant count rate. The sample holder movement with approximately exponentially decreasing velocity is implemented by a variable DC motor with a rotary to linear movement converter, which is being replaced by a more reliable stepping motor.     

Elastic properties of crosslinked poly(vinyl alcohol) gels: Network topology

Current network theory exhibits inconsistencies which show up particularly clearly in deformation of networks prepared by crosslinking a polymer in solution. A check of theory can be obtained if one knows precisely the number of crosslinks in the network and if a range of deformations is applied to the network. In an effort to explore this problem we have examined the relation of shear modulus to crosslink density, primary molecular weight, and polymer concentration for a series of poly(vinyl alcohol) gels at low to intermediate concentrations. Aqueous poly(vinyl alcohol) solutions were crosslinked to form infinite networks using terephthalaldehyde. We find a large discrepancy with these poly(vinyl alcohol) gels between measured shear modulus and that calculated from classical elasticity theory assuming quantitative reaction of crosslinking. The ratio of measured to calculated modulus is independent of crosslink density for a given primary molecular weight and concentration. It shows linear dependence on polymer concentration prior to crosslinking and extrapolates to a critical concentration which is consistent with the effective sizes of the polymer molecules.     

Notes on Kuhn's ω″ molecular orbital method

(1) It is shown that, contrary to statements sometimes made, it is perfectly possible to obtain consistent sets of charges in Kuhn's ω″ molecular-orbital method, whatever the values of the parameters ω, ω′, ω″.

(2) Particular applications are made to the benzyl cation, and to the non-alternants fulvene, heptafulvene and azulene. It appears that including the ω-terms decreases the magnitude of the largest of the net atomic charges as calculated by the simple Hückel method, and results in an overall smoothing-out process. Further inclusion of the ω′-terms continues this smoothing-out process, but inclusion of the ω″-terms may sometimes slightly reverse this process.

(3) The charge distributions obtained for fulvene and azulene in (1) and (2) lead to molecular dipole moments which are still much too large.

In view of (3) it is not clear that the additional work involved in the inclusion of ω′ and ω″ is justified by the greater accuracy thus obtained.     

Syngas reactions : II. The homogeneous catalyzed carbonylation and cyclization of allylic substrates

Carbon monoxide insertion and/or addition to allylic precursors may lead to the formation of both linear and cyclic carbonylation products. In examining these competing reaction paths, rhodium, platinum, palladium and nickel-based homogeneous catalysts have been developed which are particularly useful for the selective synthesis of γ-butyrolactam, N-alkyl-2-pyrrolidones, vinylacetate and phenylacetate esters and diesters from a variety of allylic and benzylic substrates. The extension of this catalysis to the carbonylation of certain vinylic and propargyl congeners had also been considered.     

Gitoxigenin glycosides

Summary Three cardiac glycosides have been synthesized from gitoxigenin and D-glucose: gitoxigenin 3-O--D-glucopyranoside, gitoxigenin 16 -O- -D-glucopyranoside, and gitoxigenin 3, 16-di-O- -D-glucoside. The first glycoside, obtained with a yield of 49% on the weight of the initial aglycone, possesses a fairly high biological activity (0.25 mg/kg), while the other two, formed in a yield of about 0.3%, do not possess the action on the heart that is specific for the cardenolides.Khar'kov Chemical and Pharmaceutical Scientific-Research Institute. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 45–49, January, 1971.     

Furocoumarins ofCnidium dubium

Summary 1. Paper chromatography has shown that the fruit ofC. dubium contains not less than eight substances of coumarinic nature; six of these (A, B, C, D, E, and H) have been isolated in the crystalline state.2. Substances B, D, and E are identical with isoimperatorin, imperatorin, and oxypeucedanin, respectively. Some properties of substance H have been determined. Prangenin [F] has been detected in the fruit ofC. dubium by paper chromatography.3. The structure of two new compounds has been established: substance A (cnidicin) (I) is 5, 8-di-(, -dimethylallyloxy) psoralen, and substance C (cnidilin) (II) is 5-(, -dimethylallyloxy)-8-methoxypsoralen.Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp. 375–380, 1966     

Total synthesis of indole and dihydroindole alkaloids. VII. The total synthesis of isovelbanamine, velbanamine, cleavamine, 18beta-carbomethoxycleavamine and catharanthine.

A synthesis of a variety of nine-membered ring intermediates in the cleavaminevelbanamine series is described. The formation of the penultimate intermediate involves a fragmentation reaction in which the cleavamine system is generated from an appropriate rigid pentacyclic Iboga alkaloid derivative. Thus dihydrocatharanthinol tosylate (VIII) on reaction with triethylamine in refluxing benzene undergoes fragmentation to the 5, 18-seco-diene X. This latter substance is then elaborated in various ways to the desired compounds.     

On field desorption mass spectrometry of salts

The types of ion occurring in the field desorption mass spectra of inorganic and organic salts are discussed. In contrast to general experience with field desorption mass spectrometry molecular ions are either absent or of low intensity. The energetically and kindetically favoured process of cluster formation, however, generates ions from which the molecular structure can be easily derved. Some specific aspects for the analyses of salts by field desrption mass spectrometry are outlined.     

Die Bildungsenthalpien einiger Siliciumtetrahalogenid—Pyridin-Addukte

The enthalpies of formation of the addition compounds F₄Si(py)₂, Cl₄Si(py)₂, Br₄Si(py)₂ and I₄Si(py)₄ have been measured calorimetrically by two different ways (see table 1). It was not possible to confirm enthalpy data published in^{7, 8}. The sequence SiF₄4～SiBr₄>SiI₄(?) is proposed for the acceptor power of the silicon tetrahalides towards pyridine.