A new perspective on beta-sheet structures using vibrational Raman optical activity: from poly(L-lysine) to the prion protein

The vibrational Raman optical activity (ROA) spectrum of a polypeptide in a model beta-sheet conformation, that of poly(l-lysine), was measured for the first time, and the alpha-helix --> beta-sheet transition monitored as a function of temperature in H(2)O and D(2)O. Although no significant population of a disordered backbone state was detected at intermediate temperatures, some side chain bands not present in either the alpha-helix or beta-sheet state were observed. The observation of ROA bands in the extended amide III region assigned to beta-turns suggests that, under our experimental conditions, beta-sheet poly(L-lysine) contains up-and-down antiparallel beta-sheets based on the hairpin motif. The ROA spectrum of beta-sheet poly(L-lysine) was compared with ROA data on a number of native proteins containing different types of beta-sheet. Amide I and amide II ROA band patterns observed in beta-sheet poly(L-lysine) are different from those observed in typical beta-sheet proteins and may be characteristic of an extended flat multistranded beta-sheet, which is unlike the more irregular and twisted beta-sheet found in most proteins. However, a reduced isoform of the truncated ovine prion protein PrP(94-233) that is rich in beta-sheet shows amide I and amide II ROA bands similar to those of beta-sheet poly(L-lysine), which suggests that the C-terminal domain of the prion protein is able to support unusually flat beta-sheets. A principal component analysis (PCA) that identifies protein structural types from ROA band patterns provides a useful representation of the structural relationships among the polypeptide and protein states considered in the study.     

Requirement for guanosine triphosphate in the activation of adenylate cyclase by cholera toxin.

The activation of adenylate cyclase in lysed pigeon erythrocytes requires, among several cofactors, a nucleotide which may be ATP, GTP, or many other triphosphates. However, after removal of endogenous nucleotides by gel filtration or by adsorption onto charcoal the requirement can be met only by GTP, or an analog of GTP. The GTP is required during the activation of the cyclase by toxin even if GTP is also included during the subsequent adenylate cyclase assay, conducted without toxin. In the presence of GTP it is possible to assay for the cytosolic protein that is also required for the action of cholera toxin. By gel filtration, its apparent molecular weight is 15,000--20,000.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Biological Screening of Some Novel Thiazolidin-4-One and α-Aminophosphonate Derivatives

Abstract

Synthesis of some new functionalized thiazolidin-4-ones and α-amino phosphonate derivatives has been reported. The imines were synthesized from the reaction of various substituted anilines with 1-phenyl-3-(pyridine-4-yl)-1H-pyrazole-4-carbaldehyde in ethanol at reflux condition. The corresponding thiazolidin-4-ones and α-aminophosphonates were prepared by reaction of imines with mercaptoacetic acid and triethyl phosphite, respectively. The structures of the newly synthesized compounds were confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, and mass spectral data and were evaluated for their antimicrobial activities.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT      

Grafting onto Gelatin. II. Graft Copolymerization of Ethyl Acrylate and Methyl Methacrylate onto Gelatin in the Presence of Ce4+ as Redox Initiator

In order to initiate a comprehensive study of graft copolymerization of vinyl monomers onto soluble protein-gelatin, we have studied grafting of ethyl acrylate (EA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) onto gelatin using eerie ammonium nitrate (CAN) and eerie ammonium sulfate (CAS) as the redox initiator in an aqueous medium. A small amount of mineral acid (HNO₃ with CAN and H2SO4 with CAS) was found to catalyze the graft copolymerization. Graft copolymerization reactions were carried out at different temperatures. Maximum grafting occurred at 65°C both with EA and MMA. Percentage grafting has been determined as function of 1) concentration of monomer (EA and MMA), 2) concentration of initiator (CAN and CAS), 3) concentration of acid (HNO3 and H2SO4), 4) time, and 5) temperature.     

Mild,Rapid, and Inexpensive Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Allylic and Propargylic Esters

A variety of allylic and propargylic esters were rapidly prepared via microwave heating of their corresponding mixed anhydride derived from pivaloyl chloride. The reaction conditions were modified to account for the sterics of the alcohol and the electronics of the carboxylic acid.

Supplemental materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher's online edition of Synthetic Communications® to view the free supplemental file.     

Synthesis and Antimicrobial Screening of Some Novel Chromones and Pyrazoles with Incorporated Isoxazole Moieties

The title compounds 5a , 5b , 5c , 5d , 5e , 5f , 5g , 5h and 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d , 6e , 6f , 6g , 6h have been synthesized from β‐diketones and chromones, respectively, having 5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole moiety. Substituted 2‐acetylphenyl 5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole‐4‐carboxylate 3a , 3b , 3c , 3d , 3e , 3f , 3g , 3h were converted into 1‐(2‐hydroxyphenyl)‐3‐(5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole‐4‐yl)propane‐1,3‐dione 4a , 4b , 4c , 4d , 4e , 4f , 4g , 4h by Baker–Venketaraman transformation. Further, the cyclodehydration of diketone 4a , 4b , 4c , 4d , 4e , 4f , 4g , 4h with glacial acetic acid in conc. HCl at reflux gave corresponding substituted 2‐(5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole‐4‐yl)‐4H‐chromen‐4‐one 5a , 5b , 5c , 5d , 5e , 5f , 5g , 5h . The corresponding 5a , 5b , 5c , 5d , 5e , 5f , 5g , 5h react with hydrazine hydrate in presence of glacial acetic acid in ethanol at reflux to furnish 2‐(5‐5(5‐methyl‐3‐phenylisoxazole‐4‐yl)‐1H‐pyrazole‐3‐yl)phenol 6a , 6b , 6c , 6d , 6e , 6f , 6g , 6h . The structures of all newly synthesized compounds have been confirmed by IR, ¹H NMR, mass spectral data, as well as elemental analysis. The synthesized compounds have been screened for their antimicrobial activity. Some of the compounds show better antimicrobial activity as compared with the reference drugs Streptomycin, Ampicillin, Gentamycin, Cefixime, and Ketoconazole.     

Observation of B-->eta'K* and evidence for B+-->eta'rho+

We present an observation of B-->eta'K*. The data sample corresponds to 232x10(6) BB[over ] pairs collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy B factory at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center. We measure the branching fractions (in units of 10(-6)) B(B(0)-->eta'K*0)=3.8+/-1.1+/-0.5 and B(B+-->eta'K*+)=4.9(1.7)(+1.9)+/-0.8, where the first error is statistical and the second systematic. A simultaneous fit results in the observation of B-->eta'K* with B(B-->eta'K*)=4.1(-0.9)(+1.0)+/-0.5. We also search for B-->eta'rho and eta'f(0)(980)(f(0)-->pi+pi-) with results and 90% confidence level upper limits B(B+-->eta'rho+)=8.7(-2.8-1.3)(+3.1+2.3) (<14), B(B(0)-->eta'rho0)<3.7, and B(B(0)-->eta'f(0)(980)(f(0)-->pi+pi-))<1.5. Charge asymmetries in the channels with significant yields are consistent with zero.     

Heart Regeneration: Opportunities and Challenges for Drug Discovery with Novel Chemical and Therapeutic Methods or Agents

Following a heart attack, more than a billion cardiac muscle cells (cardiomyocytes) can be killed, leading to heart failure and sudden death. Much research in this area is now focused on the regeneration of heart tissue through differentiation of stem cells, proliferation of existing cardiomyocytes and cardiac progenitor cells, and reprogramming of fibroblasts into cardiomyocytes. Different chemical modalities (i.e. methods or agents), ranging from small molecules and RNA approaches (including both microRNA and anti‐microRNA) to modified peptides and proteins, are showing potential to meet this medical need. In this Review, we outline the recent advances in these areas and describe both the modality and progress, including novel screening strategies to identify hits, and the upcoming challenges and opportunities to develop these hits into pharmaceuticals, at which chemistry plays a key role.     

Measurement of B0-B-0 flavor oscillations in hadronic B0 decays

Flavor oscillations of neutral B mesons have been studied in e+e- annihilation data collected with the BABAR detector at center-of-mass energies near the upsilon(4S) resonance. The data sample used for this purpose consists of events in which one B0 meson is reconstructed in a hadronic decay mode, while the flavor of the recoiling B0 is determined with a tagging algorithm that exploits the correlation between the flavor of the heavy quark and the charges of its decay products. From the time development of the observed mixed and unmixed final states, we determine the B0-B-0 oscillation frequency deltamd to be 0.516+/-0.016(stat)+/-0.010(syst) ps-1.     

Measurement of B --> K*gamma branching fractions and charge asymmetries

The branching fractions of the exclusive decays B0-->K(*0)gamma and B+-->K(*+)gamma are measured from a sample of (22.74+/-0.36)x10(6) BB decays collected with the BABAR detector at the PEP-II asymmetric e(+)e(-) collider. We find B (B0-->K(*0)gamma) = [4.23+/-0.40(stat)+/-0.22(syst)]x10(-5), B(B+-->K(*+)gamma) = [3.83+/-0.62(stat)+/-0.22(syst)]x10(-5) and constrain the CP-violating charge asymmetry to be -0.170K(*)gamma)<0.082 at 90% C.L.