Ab initio study of the binding of Trichostatin A (TSA) in the active site of histone deacetylase like protein (HDLP)

Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors have recently attracted considerable interest because of their therapeutic potential for the treatment of cell proliferative diseases. An X-ray structure of a very potent inhibitor, Trichostatin A (TSA), bound to HDLP (an HDAC analogue isolated from Aquifex aeolicus), is available. From this structure, an active site model (322 atoms), relevant for the binding of TSA and structural analogues, has been derived, and TSA has been minimized in this active site at HF 3-21G* level. The resulting conformation is in excellent accordance with the X-ray structure, and indicates a deprotonation of the hydroxamic acid in TSA by His 131. Also, a water molecule was minimized in the active site. In addition to a similar deprotonation, in accordance with a possible catalytic mechanism of HDAC as proposed by Finnin et al. (M. S. Finnin, J. R. Donigian, A. Cohen, V. M. Richon, R. A. Rifkind and P. A. Marks, Nature, 1999, 401, 188-193), a displacement of the resulting OH- ion in the active site was observed. Based on these results, the difference in energy of binding between TSA and water was calculated. The resulting value is realistic in respect to experimental binding affinities. Furthermore, the mechanism of action of the His 131-Asp 166 charge relay system was investigated. Although the Asp residue in this motif is known to substantially increase the basicity of the His residue, no proton transfer from His 131 to Asp 166 was observed on binding of TSA or water. However, in the empty protonated active site, this proton transfer does occur.     

Multiparametric microsensor chips for screening applications

The identification of drug targets for pharmaceutical screening can be greatly accelerated by gene databases and expression studies. The identification of leading compounds from growing libraries is realized by high throughput screening platforms. Subsequently, for optimization and validation of identified leading compounds studies of their functionality have to be carried out, and just these functionality tests are a limiting factor. A rigorous preselection of identified compounds by in vitro cellular screening is necessary prior to using the drug candidates for the further time consuming and expensive stage, e.g. in animal models. Our efforts are focused to the parallel development, adaptation and integration of different microelectronic sensors into miniaturized biochips for a multiparametric, functional on-line analysis of living cells in physiologically environments. Parallel and on-line acquisition of data related to different cellular targets is required for advanced stages of drug screening and for economizing animal tests.     

Highly conjugated p-quinonoid pi-extended tetrathiafulvalene derivatives: a class of highly distorted electron donors

A new class of pi-extended TTF-type electron donors (11 a-c) has been synthesized by Wittig-Horner olefination of bianthrone (9) with 1,3-dithiole phosphonate esters (10 a-c). In cyclic voltammetry experiments, donors 11 a-c reveal a single, electrochemically irreversible oxidation-yielding the corresponding dicationic products-at relatively low oxidation potentials (approximately 0.7-0.8 V). Theoretical calculations, performed at the DFT level (B3 P86/6-31 G*), predict a highly-folded C(2h) structure for 11 a. In the ground state, the molecule adopts a double saddle-like conformation to compensate the steric hindrance. The calculations suggest that the intramolecular charge transfer associated with the HOMO-->LUMO transition is responsible for an absorption band observed above 400 nm. While the radical cation 11 a*+ retains the folded C(2h) structure predicted for the neutral molecule as the most stable conformation, the dication 11 a(2+) has a fully aromatic D(2) structure, formed by an orthogonal 9,9'-bianthryl central unit to which two singly-charged dithiole rings are attached. The drastic conformational changes that compounds 11 undergo upon oxidation account for their electrochemical properties. By means of pulse radiolysis measurements, radical-induced one-electron oxidation of 11 a-c was shown to lead to the radical cation species (11 a-c*+), which were found to disproportionate with generation of the respective dication species (11 a-c(2+)) and the neutral molecules (11 a-c).     

High facial diastereoselectivity in intra- and intermolecular reactions of chiral benzylic cations

Chiral carbenium ions can be attacked by arene nucleophiles with high facial diastereoselectivity (dr >/= 94/6). Benzylic cations, such as 2, were generated under acidic conditions and reacted with arenes in intra- and intermolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction. The depicted reaction 1 --> 3 represents one example for the unprecedented, highly diastereoselective intermolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation reactions which were observed in this study.     

1-Alkoxy-2-azaallenyl-komplexe von chrom und wolfram

The successive reaction of (CO)₆M with Na[NCR₂¹] and [Et₃O]BF₄ yields (CO)₅M[C(NCR₂¹)OEt] (II: M = Cr; III: M = W; CR₂¹ = C(C₆H₄Br-p)₂ (a), CPh₂ (b), C(C₆H₄OMe-p)₂ (c), C(C₆H₄)₂O (d), CBu₂^tt (e)). Hexacarbonyltungsten, (CO)₆W, reacts with Na[NCPh₂] and MeOSO₂F to give (CO)₅W[C(NCPh₂) OMe] (IV). X-Ray analysis of IIe shows that: (1) the CNC fragment is almost linear (171.7°); (2) the two NC bond lengths are equal within experimental error; and (3) the O,C,Cr,N plane is perpendicular to the C(Me₃),C,N,C(Me₃) plane (90.0°). Therefore compounds II–IV are best described as 1-alkoxy-2-azaallenyl complexes.     

Comparison of the Hartree-Fock,Møller-Plesset,and Hartree-Fock-Slater method with respect to electrostatic properties of small molecules

Summary The results of various quantum chemical calculations, the Hartree-Fock (HF) method, the Møller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2), and the Hartree-Fock-Slater (HFS) method are compared. Atomic charges, dipole moments, topological properties of the electron density distribution and polarizabilities, and first hyperpolarizabilities are calculated. Atomic charges obtained with the HFS method are found to be very close to those calculated with the MP2 method, from which we conclude that the HFS method describes to some extent electron correlation effects. Performing an MP2 calculation after an HF calculation improves the molecular dipole moments considerably, yielding values close to the experimental ones. HFS calculations are computationally less demanding than MP2 and yield comparable results for the electron density distributions, dipole moments and polarizabilities.     

Addition reaction of azido-exTTFs to C60: synthesis of fullerotriazoline and azafulleroid electroactive dyads

[structure: see text] The addition reaction of azido-exTTFs to C(60) affords electroactive fullerotriazoline and azafulleroid dyads, which behave as amphoteric redox systems. Fluorescence experiments and transient absorption spectroscopy reveal that excitation of the fullerene moiety leads to radical pair lifetimes that are 2 orders of magnitude higher than those previously reported for related fullerotriazolines.     

Automatisches Verfahren zur Bestimmung des Bleioxidgehalts von Grauoxid durch Messung der L?sungsw?rme

Zusammenfassung Für das zur Herstellung von Bleibatterien verwendete Grauoxid (bestehend aus einem feinteiligen Gemisch von ca. 60 bis 90% Bleioxid, PbO, und einem Rest metallischem Blei) wurde ein Verfahren zur kontinuierlichen bzw. quasikontinuierlichen, automatischen Bestimmung des PbO-Gehaltes an den Fertigungsanlagen benötigt. Eine schnelle Analyse mit vergleichsweise geringem Aufwand war durch Messung der Lösungswärme bei Behandlung einer abgewogenen Menge Grauoxid mit verd. Essigsäure möglich. Unter technisch bequem realisierbaren Bedingungen wurden Temperaturerhöhungen von einigen Grad erhalten. Der Einfluß verschiedener Arbeitsbedingungen, der verschiedenen PbO-Modifikationen und der Teilchengröße und -form wurde untersucht. Zur Zeit wird eine für die Fertigung bestimmte, automatische Apparatur aufgebaut, die bei einer Analysenfolge von 1 min die Bestimmung mit einer Standardabweichung unter ±1% durchzuführen gestattet.

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Automatic procedure for the determination of the lead oxide content of gray oxides by measurement of the heat of solution

A continuous or semicontinuous automatic method for the determination of the lead oxide content was needed in the manufacturing process of gray oxides (a fine particle mixture of about 60 to 90% lead oxide, PbO, and metallic lead, used in manufacturing lead batteries).A rapid determination with comparatively small effort was possible by measuring the heat of solution of a weighed amount of gray oxides treated with acetic acid. Temperature rise of a few degrees could be reached under technically realisable conditions. The influence of different working conditions, of the particle size and shape and of the PbO modifications were investigated. An automatic apparatus for the determination is at present being built and will give one determination per minute with a standard deviation of less than ±1%.

     

Infrared spectroscopic characterization of the buried interface and surfaces of bonded silicon wafers

Basic investigations have been carried out on the characterization of different processing steps in bond preparation using etched <111> faces of silicon wafers for the incidence of the infrared beam to a multiple internal reflection geometry. The method is very sensitive to the surface coverage and interface. Surface activation by RCA cleaning yields an increase of water coverage and a decrease of SiH and CH groups. The detection limit for an oxide layer between silicon wafers has been found to be about 3 nm. Received: 18 July 1997 / Revised: 15 August 1997 / Accepted: 19 August 1997