Quantifying lipid diffusion by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy: a critical treatise

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) measurements are widely used for determination of diffusion coefficients of lipids and proteins in biological membranes. In recent years, several variants of FCS have been introduced. However, a comprehensive comparison of these methods on identical systems has so far been lacking. In addition, there exist no consistent values of already determined diffusion coefficients for well-known or widely used membrane systems. This study aims to contribute to a better comparability of FCS experiments on membranes by determining the absolute diffusion coefficient of the fluorescent lipid analog 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3',3'-tetramethylindodicarbocyanine (DiD) in giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) made of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC), which can in future studies be used as a reference value. For this purpose, five FCS variants, employing different calibration methods, were compared. Potential error sources for each particular FCS method and strategies to avoid them are discussed. The obtained absolute diffusion coefficients for DiD in DOPC were in good agreement for all investigated FCS variants. An average diffusion coefficient of D = 10.0 ± 0.4 μm(2) s(-1) at 23.5 ± 1.5 °C was obtained. The independent confirmation with different methods indicates that this value can be safely used for calibration purposes. Moreover, the comparability of the methods also in the case of slow diffusion was verified by measuring diffusion coefficients of DiD in GUVs consisting of DOPC and cholesterol.     

Visualizing individual sodium channels on the move

Visualization of voltage-gated sodium channels at work is an important requirement for the understanding of rapid electrical signaling in nerve cells. In this issue of Chemistry & Biology, Ondrus and colleagues have mastered this challenge by chemical synthesis of a fluorescent antagonist and by monitoring single sodium channels in living cells with unprecedented optical resolution.     

Syntheses, characterization, and magnetic studies of copper(II) complexes with the ligand N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,3-benzenediamine (1,3-tpbd) and its phenol derivative 2,6-bis[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]-p-cresol] (2,6-Htpcd)

The copper(II) complexes [Cu(4)(1,3-tpbd)(2)(H(2)O)(4)(NO(3))(4)](n)(NO(3))(4n)·13nH(2)O (1), [Cu(4)(1,3-tpbd)(2)(AsO(4))(ClO(4))(3)(H(2)O)](ClO(4))(2)·2H(2)O·0.5CH(3)OH (2), [Cu(4)(1,3-tpbd)(2)(PO(4))(ClO(4))(3)(H(2)O)](ClO(4))(2)·2H(2)O·0.5CH(3)OH (3), [Cu(2)(1,3-tpbd){(PhO)(2)PO(2)}(2)](2)(ClO(4))(4) (4), and [Cu(2)(1,3-tpbd){(PhO)PO(3)}(2)(H(2)O)(0.69)(CH(3)CN)(0.31)](2)(BPh(4))(4)·Et(2)O·CH(3)CN (5) [1,3-tpbd = N,N,N',N'-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,3-benzenediamine, BPh(4)(-) = tetraphenylborate] were prepared and structurally characterized. Analyses of the magnetic data of 2, 3, 4, and [Cu(2)(2,6-tpcd)(H(2)O)Cl](ClO(4))(2) (6) [2,6-tpcd = 2,6-bis[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)amino]-p-cresolate] show the occurrence of weak antiferromagnetic interactions between the copper(II) ions, the bis-terdentate 1,3-tpbd/2,6-tpcd, μ(4)-XO(4) (X = As and P) μ(1,2)-OPO and μ-O(phenolate) appearing as poor mediators of exchange interactions in this series of compounds. Simple orbital symmetry considerations based on the structural knowledge account for the small magnitude of the magnetic couplings found in these copper(II) compounds.     

C—H⋯O,C—H⋯π and π–π inter­actions in three benzofuran‐2‐yl ketone derivatives

The mol­ecules of 2‐benzoyl‐1‐benzofuran, C₁₅H₁₀O₂, (I), inter­act through double C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming dimers that are further linked by C—H⋯O, C—H⋯π and π–π inter­actions, resulting in a three‐dimensional supramolecular network. The dihedral angle between the benzo­yl and benzofuran fragments in (I) is 46.15 (3)°. The mol­ecules of bis­(5‐bromo‐1‐benzofuran‐2‐yl) ketone, C₁₇H₈Br₂O₃, (II), exhibit C₂ symmetry, with the carbon­yl group (C=O) lying along the twofold rotation axis, and are linked by a combination of C—H⋯O and C—H⋯π inter­actions and Br⋯Br contacts to form sheets. The stability of the mol­ecular packing in 3‐mesit­yl‐3‐methyl­cyclo­but­yl 3‐methyl­naphtho[1,2‐b]furan‐2‐yl ketone, C₂₈H₂₈O₂, (III), arises from C—H⋯π and π–π stacking inter­actions. The fused naphthofuran moiety in (III) is essentially planar and makes a dihedral angle of 81.61 (3)° with the mean plane of the trimethyl­benzene ring.     

On the Measurement of the Stiffness of Spin Waves in the Fe<Subscript>0.75</Subscript>Co<Subscript>0.25</Subscript>Si Helimagnet by the Small-Angle Neutron Scattering Method

The stiffness of spin waves in the Fe_0.75Co_0.25Si helimagnet with the Dzyaloshinskii–Moriya interaction in a state fully magnetized by an external field has been measured by the small-angle neutron scattering method. It has been shown that the dispersion of magnons in this state is anisotropic because the neutron scattering pattern consists of two circles for neutrons with obtaining and losing the magnon energy, respectively. The centers of the circles are shifted by the momentum transfer oriented along the applied magnetic field H and equal to the wave vector of the spiral ±k_s measured in inverse nanometers. The radius of the circles is directly related to the stiffness of spin waves and depends on the magnitude of the magnetic field. It has been shown that the stiffness of spin waves A for the helimagnet is equal to 46.0 meV Ų at T = 0 K and decreases weakly (by 20%) with increasing temperature up to the critical value T_c = 38 K.     

Untersuchungen zum elektronischen Einfluß von Organoliganden. XIII. Synthese und Charakterisierung von 2-funktionalisierten Vinylrhodoximen

Studies on the Electronic Influence of Organoligands. XIII. Synthesis and Characterization of 2-Functionalized Vinyl Rhodoximes 2-Functionalized vinyl rhodoximes [Rh(dmgH)₂ (PPh₃)cis/trans-CH = CHZ] ([Rh]? CH = CHZ) ) ( 1 ) can be prepared with a wide variation of the substituent Z (cis: OEt ( 1 a ), OPh ( 1 b ), Cl ( 1 c ), Me ( 1 j ), Ph ( 1 k ), SMe ( 1 l ), SPh ( 1 m ); trans: SPh ( 1 d ), Me ( 1 e ), Ph ( 1 f ), CMe₃ ( 1 g ), SiMe₃ ( 1 h )) by oxidative addition of XCH = CHZ and/or by nucleophilic addition of HC?CZ and Me₃SiC?CZ, respectively, to [Rh]^?. 1 a is converted to [Rh]? CH₂CHO ( 2 ) already in a weakly acid medium. 1 l is isomerized to trans-[Rh]? CH = CHSMe ( 1 n ) in the presence of acids. The complexes 1 are characterized by microanalysis and by ¹H, ¹³C and ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. The magnitude of the coupling constants ¹J(¹⁰³Rh, ³¹P) reveals only a small effect of Z on the (NMR) trans influence of the vinyl ligands CH = CHZ. The molecular structures of cis-[Rh]? CH = CHSPh ( 1 m ) and trans-[Rh]? CH = CHSPh ( 1 d ) show a distorted octahedral coordination of Rh with a mutual trans position of triphenyl-phosphine and the 2-phenylmercaptovinyl ligands. Van der Waals interactions exist between the sulfur and the equatorial dimethylglyoximato ligands in the cis complex 1 m .