Flow-injection liposome immunoanalysis (FILIA) for alachlor

An automated Flow-Injection Liposome ImmunoAnalysis (FILIA) system has been modified from a previous design, using a specific environmental contaminant, the herbicide alachlor, as a model analyte. Signal amplification by means of fluorescent marker-loaded, analyte-tagged liposomes provides high sensitivity. The computer controlled system is composed of commercially available components, with the exception of the column packing material, which has to be prepared for each specific analyte to be determined. The use of such components means that the system is easily modified. The relationships between antibody concentration and assay speed and sensitivity are explored, and the possibilities of using the system for determination of multiple analytes is discussed.     

New nickel(II), copper(II), platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes of a multidentate sulfur–nitrogen chelating agent

A new, potentially polydentate sulfur–nitrogen chelating agent, 2,6–bis(N-methyl-S-methyldithiocarbazato)pyridine (L) has been synthesized and characterized. With nickel(II) salts, the ligand yields complexes of empirical formula NiLX2·nH2O (X=Cl−, NCS− or NO3−; n=0 or 1) in which it behaves as a quadridentate NSSN chelating agent, coordinating to the nickel(II) ion via the two amino nitrogen atoms and the two sulfur atoms. Magnetic and spectral evidence support a distorted octahedral structure for these complexes. The ligand reacts with copper(II), platinum(II) and palladium(II) salts to yield homo-binuclear complexes of general formula [M2LX4]·nSol (M=CuII, PtII or PdII; X=Cl− or Br−; n=0.5, 1 or 2; Sol=H2O, MeOH or MeCOMe), in which each of the metal ions is in a square-planar environment. These complexes have been characterized by a variety of physicochemical techniques. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

FT-Raman spectroscopy of the reaction of polybutadiene with mercapto-thiadiazoles

Mercapto-thiadiazoles having potential anti-wear behaviour are reacted with polymers with existing viscosity index-improving properties in order to produce materials which may find a use as multifunctional lubricant additives. 2,5-Dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole, 2-amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole and 2-methyl-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiadiazole were reacted with low MW polybutadiene containing vinyl-1,2, cis-1,4 and trans-1,4 (C=C) groups. The reactions were monitored using FT-Raman spectroscopy in order to determine quantitatively the consumption of the individual structural units when reacted with thiadiazoles. 2,5-Dimercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole reacted readily with the polybutadiene, achieving 80% reaction within a few hours. The thiadiazole reacted selectively with the order of addition being cis>vinyl>trans. 2-Amino-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole and 2-methyl-5-mercapto-1,3,4-thiadiazole were found to react more slowly and hence to a lesser extent (40 and 25%, respectively) over a similar time scale.     

The biosynthetic gene cluster for the antitumor drug bleomycin from Streptomyces verticillus ATCC15003 supporting functional interactions between nonribosomal peptide synthetases and a polyketide synthase

BACKGROUND: The structural and catalytic similarities between modular nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) and polyketide synthases (PKSs) inspired us to search for a hybrid NRPS-PKS system. The antitumor drug bleomycin (BLM) is a natural hybrid peptide-polyketide metabolite, the biosynthesis of which provides an excellent opportunity to investigate intermodular communication between NRPS and PKS modules. Here, we report the cloning, sequencing, and characterization of the BLM biosynthetic gene cluster from Streptomyces verticillus ATCC15003. RESULTS: A set of 30 genes clustered with the previously characterized blmAB resistance genes were defined by sequencing a 85-kb contiguous region of DNA from S. verticillus ATCC15003. The sequenced gene cluster consists of 10 NRPS genes encoding nine NRPS modules, a PKS gene encoding one PKS module, five sugar biosynthesis genes, as well as genes encoding other biosynthesis, resistance, and regulatory proteins. The substrate specificities of individual NRPS and PKS modules were predicted based on sequence analysis, and the amino acid specificities of two NRPS modules were confirmed biochemically in vitro. The involvement of the cloned genes in BLM biosynthesis was demonstrated by bioconversion of the BLM aglycones into BLMs in Streptomyces lividans expressing a part of the gene cluster. CONCLUSION: The blm gene cluster is characterized by a hybrid NRPS-PKS system, supporting the wisdom of combining individual NRPS and PKS modules for combinatorial biosynthesis. The availability of the blm gene cluster has set the stage for engineering novel BLM analogs by genetic manipulation of genes governing BLM biosynthesis and for investigating the molecular basis for intermodular communication between NRPS and PKS in the biosynthesis of hybrid peptide-polyketide metabolites.     

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners using a polymeric surfactant as the pseudostationary phase

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) of highly hydrophobic compounds is generally difficult using sodium dodecyl sulfate micellar solutions. The polymeric surfactant, polysodium undecyl sulfate (poly-SUS) has been used to separate moderately to highly hydrophobic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners by MEKC in the absence of cyclodextrins. Parameters such as concentration of acetonitrile (ACN), polymeric surfactant concentration, and the effect of pH were examined. Optimum MEKC conditions to get baseline resolution of nine PCBs was 7.5 mM borate in 40% (v/v) ACN fraction buffered at pH 9.2 using 0.5% (w/v) poly-SUS. The applied voltage was 30 kV and the temperature was maintained at 25 degrees C. Elution order for each PCB congener was found to be dependent on the degree of chlorination and hydrophobic character.     

Cluster Build-up Reactions using Di-gold Cationic Fragments: Synthesis and Structural Characterization of [Os7(CO)19(Au2dppm)]

The reaction of the di-gold cation [Au₂(dppx)]²⁺ with the heptanuclear cluster dianion [Os₇(CO)₂₀]^2– affords the mixed metal cluster [Os₇(CO)₂₀{Au₂(dppx)}] (x=m (1), e (2), b (3)). On standing, in solution, this complex undergoes decarbonylation to give the cluster [Os₇(CO)₁₉{Au₂(dppx)}] (x=m (4), e (5), b (6)). The complexes have been characterised spectroscopically, and an X-ray structure determination of the dppm derivative shows that it contains a metal core based on an Os₇ edge-bridged bicapped tetrahedron with the two ₃-Au atoms capping adjacent triangular Os₃ faces of the central tetrahedron. In an analogous reaction, the carbido anion [Os₇(H)C(CO)₁₉]^– affords the neutral cluster [Os₇C(CO)₁₉{Au₂(dppm)}] (7) when treated with [Au₂(dppm)]²⁺ in the presence of base.     

Amino acid end-group in commercial heparin. III. Determination of the number of amino groups of amino acid and hexosamine residues per heparin molecule

The reactions of heparin with 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) were studied spectrometrically. Seven different commercial heparins were used in this study. The amino groups react with TNBS to form equimolar amounts of trinitrophenylated (TNP) amino groups and bisulfite ions. The TNP-amino groups further react with bisulfite ions to form the monosubstituted anionic sigma complex. The absorption spectrum with two maxima at approximately 350 nm and approximately 420 nm, characteristic of either the TNP-amino groups or the complex, was analyzed for the reaction of TNBS with heparin. It was shown that the reactivities of TNBS with amino groups from α-amino acid and hexosamine residues are greatly different. By combining the results of the reaction kinetics and the reaction of heparin with Sanger's reagent, the number of the α-amino groups and the free amino groups in hexosamine residues were determined. These data have been performed with a range of heparins from different commercial sources, of different activities and physical characteristics. No correlation was found between the free amino contents of these heparins and biological potency. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.