Direct Observation of Dynamic Interactions between Orientation-Controlled Nucleosomes in a DNA Origami Frame

The nucleosome is one of the most fundamental units involved in gene expression and consequent cell development, differentiation, and expression of cell functions. We report here a method to place reconstituted nucleosomes into a DNA origami frame for direct observation using high-speed atomic-force microscopy (HS-AFM). By using this method, multiple nucleosomes can be incorporated into a DNA origami frame and real-time movement of nucleosomes can be visualized. The arrangement and conformation of nucleosomes and the distance between two nucleosomes can be designed and controlled. In addition, four nucleosomes can be placed in a DNA frame. Multiple nucleosomes were well accessible in each conformation. Dynamic movement of the individual nucleosomes were precisely monitored in the DNA frame, and their assembly and interaction were directly observed. Neither mica surface modification nor chemical fixation of nucleosomes is used in this method, meaning that the DNA frame not only holds nucleosomes, but also retains their natural state. This method offers a promising platform for investigating nucleosome interactions and for studying chromatin structure.     

Isotope ratio analysis of individual sub-micrometer plutonium particles with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Information on plutonium isotope ratios in individual particles is of great importance for nuclear safeguards, nuclear forensics and so on. Although secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is successfully utilized for the analysis of individual uranium particles, the isobaric interference of americium-241 to plutonium-241 makes difficult to obtain accurate isotope ratios in individual plutonium particles. In the present work, an analytical technique by a combination of chemical separation and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is developed and applied to isotope ratio analysis of individual sub-micrometer plutonium particles. The ICP-MS results for individual plutonium particles prepared from a standard reference material (NBL SRM-947) indicate that the use of a desolvation system for sample introduction improves the precision of isotope ratios. In addition, the accuracy of the ²⁴¹Pu/²³⁹Pu isotope ratio is much improved, owing to the chemical separation of plutonium and americium. In conclusion, the performance of the proposed ICP-MS technique is sufficient for the analysis of individual plutonium particles.     

Folded edge of turbulence in a pipe

The results of an experimental investigation into the threshold boundary between laminar and disordered pipe flow are presented. Complex features have been uncovered using a highly refined experimental approach where an intermediate periodic state forms an integral part of the transition sequence. In accord with the suggestions produced by a numerical investigation, the boundary is found to be folded with a complicated structure. This raises important questions about accepted definitions of threshold amplitudes in this long-standing problem.     

Structural studies of bacterial cellulose through the solid-phase nitration and acetylation by CP/MAS <Superscript>13</Superscript>C NMR spectroscopy

The solid-phase nitration and acetylation processes of bacterial cellulose have been investigated mainly by CP/MAS ¹³C NMR spectroscopy to clarify the features of these reactions in relation to the characterization of the disordered component included in the microfibrils. CP/MAS ¹³C NMR spectra of bacterial and Valonia cellulose samples are markedly changed as the nitration progresses, in a similar way to the case of cotton linters previously reported; and the relative reactivity of the OH groups in the glucose residues is found to decrease in the order of O(6)H>O(2)H>O(3)H. Moreover, the nitration rate and mode greatly depend on the concentration of nitric acid in the reaction media. At dilute and medium concentrations, the O(6)H groups in the crystalline and disordered components are subjected to nitration at nearly the same rate, indicating that these two components are distributed almost at random in the entire region of each microfibril. The preferential penetration of nitric acid into each microfibril also occurs prior to nitration at the medium concentration, resulting in an increase in the mole fraction of the disordered component. In contrast, all OH groups undergo nitration very rapidly at the higher concentration, although nitration levels off to a certain extent for O(3)H groups. In solid-phase acetylation, no regio-selective reactivity is observed among the three kinds of OH groups, which may be due to the characteristic reaction that proceeds in a very thin layer between the acetylated and nonacetylated regions in each microfibril. The almost random distribution of the disordered component in the entire region of the microfibrils is also confirmed in this solid-phase acetylation. On the basis of these results, the mechanism of the solid-phase reactions and the microfibril structure are discussed.     

Degradation of protein in nanoplasma generated around gold nanoparticles in solution by laser irradiation

We developed a method of protein degradation in an aqueous solution containing gold nanoparticles by irradiation of a pulse laser. In the present study, lysozyme was used as an example. Lysozyme degradation proceeded most efficiently when a pH of the solution was adjusted so that it was at the isoelectric point. The scheme of the lysozyme degradation is as follows: (1) Lysozyme molecules in the solution are neutralized and adsorbed on the gold nanoparticles with its pH value adjusted at the isoelectric point, (2) nanoplasma is generated in the close vicinity of a gold nanoparticle which is excited by an intense 532-nm laser, (3) lysozyme molecules in the nanoplasma are degraded into small fragments. Lysozyme degradation does not proceed efficiently at a pH value deviated from the isoelectric point because the lysozyme molecules are dissolved uniformly so that only a small portion of the lysozyme molecules are located in the vicinity of gold nanoparticles which create the nanoplasma.     

Combined application of alpha-track and fission-track techniques for detection of plutonium particles in environmental samples prior to isotopic measurement using thermo-ionization mass spectrometry

The fission track technique is a sensitive detection method for particles which contain radio-nuclides like ²³⁵U or ²³⁹Pu. However, when the sample is a mixture of plutonium and uranium, discrimination between uranium particles and plutonium particles is difficult using this technique. In this study, we developed a method for detecting plutonium particles in a sample mixture of plutonium and uranium particles using alpha track and fission track techniques. The specific radioactivity (Bq/g) for alpha decay of plutonium is several orders of magnitude higher than that of uranium, indicating that the formation of the alpha track due to alpha decay of uranium can be disregarded under suitable conditions. While alpha tracks in addition to fission tracks were detected in a plutonium particle, only fission tracks were detected in a uranium particle, thereby making the alpha tracks an indicator for detecting particles containing plutonium. In addition, it was confirmed that there is a linear relationship between the numbers of alpha tracks produced by plutonium particles made of plutonium certified standard material and the ion intensities of the various plutonium isotopes measured by thermo-ionization mass spectrometry. Using this correlation, the accuracy in isotope ratios, signal intensity and measurement errors is presumable from the number of alpha tracks prior to the isotope ratio measurements by thermal ionization mass spectrometry. It is expected that this method will become an effective tool for plutonium particle analysis. The particles used in this study had sizes between 0.3 and 2.0 μm.     

Rational control of a polyacetylene helix by a pendant rotaxane switch

Polyacetylene bearing a pendant rotaxane moiety with an optically active wheel component was synthesized to realize reversible structural control of its helical structure by position control of the wheel component. Polyacetylene formed a one-handed helical structure only when the optically active wheel component moved close to the main chain.