Telomestatin, a potent telomerase inhibitor that interacts quite specifically with the human telomeric intramolecular g-quadruplex

Telomestatin is a natural product isolated from Streptomyces anulatus 3533-SV4 and has been shown to be a very potent telomerase inhibitor. The structural similarity between telomestatin and a G-tetrad suggested to us that the telomerase inhibition might be due to its ability either to facilitate the formation of or trap out preformed G-quadruplex structures, and thereby sequester single-stranded d[T(2)AG(3)](n) primer molecules required for telomerase activity. Significantly, telomestatin appears to be a more potent inhibitor of telomerase (5 nM) than any of the previously described G-quadruplex-interactive molecules. In this communication we provide the first experimental evidence that telomestatin selectively facilitates the formation of or stabilizes intramolecular G-quadruplexes, in particular, that produced from the human telomeric sequence d[T(2)AG(3)](4). A simulated annealing (SA) docking approach was used to study the binding interactions of telomestatin with the intramolecular antiparallel G-quadruplex structure. Each intramolecular G-quadruplex molecule was found to bind two telomestatin molecules (unpublished results). A 2:1 model for the telomestatin bound in the external stacking mode in an energy minimized complex with the human telomeric basket-type G-quadruplex was constructed. Our observation that a G-quadruplex-interactive molecule without significant groove interactions is able to reorient in a G-quadruplex structure proints to the importance of core interaction with an asymmetric G-quadruplex structure in producing selective binding. Furthermore, the G-quadruplex interactions of telomestatin are more selective for the intramolecular structure in contrast to other G-quadruplex-interactive agents, such as TMPyP4.     

High-performance liquid chromatography of electrolysis solutions: a study of the reduction of carbon disulfide in n,n-dimethylformamide

High-performance liquid chromatographic (h.p.l.c.) and mass spectral studies of CS₂/N,N-dimethylformamide/tetrabutylammonium iodide electrolysis solutions have shown that trithiocarbonate is not formed initially in the electrochemical reduction of CS₂. The h.p.l.c. separation on a Partisil 10-ODS column indicated the presence of at least six products or intermediates in this electrode process. A major chromatographic peak is assigned to the tetrathiooxalate dianion (C₂S₄^2-) which demonstrates the importance of this species as an intermediate in the CS₂ reduction process.     

Unexpectedly facile synthesis of symmetrical P1,P2-dinucleoside-5'pyrophosphates

Symmetrical dinucleoside 5'-pyrophosphates have been synthesized from the corresponding nucleoside 5'-phosphate free acid in high yield. The one-pot procedure is carried out in DMF or DMSO using triphenylphosphine and 2,2'-dipyridyldisulfide as the coupling agents, and 1-methylimidazole as the catalyst.     

Use of low-background instrumental neutron activation analysis to measure contaminants in silicon and biological samples

Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) is a common method of trace element analysis whose sensitivity is limited either by interference from other trace elements in the sample or by interference from ambient background radiation in the detection system. In at least two cases, a true low-background facility, such as that at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, substantially enhances senitivity: (1) Ultra-pure silicon, such as that used in semiconductor fabrication. Even after prolonged exposure within a nuclear reactor, minimal observable gamma-ray emitting activities are produced in the silicon. Extrapolated from our 7 gram sample size experiments, parts-per-quadrillion (1.E-15) sensitivity to 23 elements should be obtainable for 400 gram sample sizes. (2) Similarly, the life elements H, C, N, O are effectively inert within the reactor, and this enhances sensitivity to trace elements in, for example, bacteria. Data will be presented for these two cases.     

CHLOROPHYLL PHOTOCHEMISTRY IN CONDENSED MEDIA—II. TRIPLET STATE QUENCHING AND ELECTRON TRANSFER TO QUINONE IN LIPOSOMES*

The fate of excitation energy and electron transfer to quinones within Chl-a-containing phosphatidyl choline liposomes has been investigated. The bilayer membrane of the liposome stabilizes the Chl triplet state, as evidenced by a three-fold increase in the lifetime over that observed in ethanol solution. The relative triplet yield follows the relative fluorescence yield, indicative of quenching at the singlet level. Triplet state lifetimes are markedly shortened as the Chl concentration is increased, demonstrating that quenching occurs at the triplet level as well. This process is shown to be due to a collisional de-excitation. In the presence of quinones, the Chl triplet reduces the quinone resulting in production of long-lived electron transfer products. The percent conversion of Chl triplet to cation radical when benzoquinone is employed as acceptor is approximately 60 ± 10%, which is slightly less than in ethanol solution (70 ± 10%). The lifetime of the radical, however, can be as much as 1900 times longer. With respect to potentially useful photochemical energy conversion, the magnitude of this increased lifetime is far more significant than is the decreased radical yield.     

UV absorption spectrum,and kinetics and mechanism of the self reaction of CF3CF2O2 radicals in the gas phase at 295 K

The ultraviolet absorption spectrum, kinetics, and mechanism of the self reaction of CF₃CF₂O₂ radicals have been studied in the gas phase at 295 K. Two techniques were used; pulse radiolysis UV absorption to measure the spectrum and kinetics, and long-path length FTIR spectroscopy to identify and quantify the reaction products. Absorption cross sections were quantified over the wavelength range 220–270 nm. At 230 nm, σ = (2.74 ± 0.46) ×10^?18 cm² molecule^?1. This absorption cross section was used to derive the observed self reaction rate constant for reaction (1), defined as, ?d[CF₃CF₂O₂]/dt = 2k_1obs[CF₃CF₂O₂]²: k_1obs = (2.10 ± 0.38) ×10^?12 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 (2σ). The observed products following the self reaction of CF₃CF₂O₂ radicals were COF₂, CF₃O₃CF₃, CF₃O₃C₂F₅, and CF₃OH. CF₃O₂CF₃ was tentatively identified as a product. The carbon balance was 90–100%. The self reaction of CF₃CF₂O₂ radicals was found to proceed via one channel to produce CF₃CF₂O radicals which then decompose to give CF₃ radicals and COF₂. In the presence of O₂, CF₃ radicals are converted into CF₃O radicals. CF₃O radicals have several fates; self reaction to give CF₃O₂CF₃; reaction with CF₃O₂ radicals to give CF₃O₃CF₃; reaction with C₂F₅O₂ radicals to give CF₃O₃C₂F₅; or reaction with CF₃CF₂H to give CF₃OH. As part of this work a rate constant of (2.5 ± 0.6) ×10^?16 cm³ molecule^?s^?1 was measured for the reaction of Cl atoms with CF₃CHF₂ using a relative rate technique. Results are discussed with respect to the atmospheric chemistry of CF₃CF₂H (HFC-125). © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Kinetics of the reaction of OH radicals with acetylene in 25–8000 torr of air at 296 K

Relative rate techniques were used to study the kinetics of the reaction of OH radicals with acetylene at 296 K in 25–8000 Torr of air, N₂/O₂, or O₂ diluent. Results obtained at total pressures of 25–750 Torr were in good agreement with the literature data. At pressures >3000 Torr, our results were substantially (～35%) lower than that reported previously. The kinetic data obtained over the pressure range 25–8000 Torr are well described (within 15%) by the Troe expression using k_o = (2.92 ± 0.55) × 10^?30 cm⁶ molecule^?2 s^?1, k_∞ = (9.69 ± 0.30) × 10^?13 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1, and F_c = 0.60. At 760 Torr total pressure, this expression gives k = 8.49 × 10^?13 cm molecule^?1 s^?1. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Chem Kinet 35: 191–197, 2003     

ACTINOMETRY IN MONOCHROMATIC FLASH PHOTOLYSIS: THE EXTINCTION COEFFICIENT OF TRIPLET BENZOPHENONE AND QUANTUM YIELD OF TRIPLET ZINC TETRAPHENYL PORPHYRIN

Abstract— The extinction coefficient ε_T, of triplet benzophenone in benzene has been directly determined by absolute measurements of absorbed energy and triplet absorbance, Δ D ⁰_T, under demonstrably linear conditions where incident excitation energy, E ₀, and ground state absorbance, A ₀, are both extrapolated to zero. The result, 7220 ± 320 M ^-1 cm^-1 at 530 nm, validates and slightly corrects many measurements relative to benzophenone of triplet extinction coefficients made by the energy transfer technique, and of triplet yields obtained by the comparative method.
As E ₀ and A ₀ both decrease, Δ D ⁰_T becomes proportional to their product. In this situation, the ratio R = (1/ A ₀)(dΔ D ⁰_T/d E ₀) = (ε_T - ε_G)φ_T. Measurements of R , referred to benzophenone, give (ε_T - ε_G)φ_T for any substance, without necessity for absolute energy calibration.
Both absolute and relative laser flash measurements on zinc tetraphenyl porphyrin (ε_T - ε_G at 470 nm = 7.3 × 10⁴ M ^-1 cm^-1) give φ_T= 0.83 ± 0.04.     

Synthesis of Sequence-Selective C8-Linked Pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine DNA Interstrand Cross-Linking Agents

An efficient convergent synthesis of a homologous series of C8-linked pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimers with remarkable DNA interstrand cross-linking activity and potent in vitro cytotoxicity is reported. The "amino thioacetal" cyclization procedure was used to produce the electrophilic DNA-interactive N10-C11 imine moiety during the final synthetic step. In order to construct the key A-ring fragments (9a-d), a versatile convergent approach has been developed to join two units of vanillic acid with alpha,omega-dihaloalkanes of varying length to provide the required bis(4-carboxy-2-methoxyphenoxy)alkanes while avoiding the formation of mixtures of monoalkylated and bisalkylated products.     

Lyapunov functions and attractors in arbitrary metric spaces

We prove two theorems concerning Lyapunov functions on metric spaces. The new element in these theorems is the lack of a hypothesis of compactness or local compactness. The first theorem applies to a discrete dynamical system on any metric space; the result is that if is an attractor for a continuous map of a metric space to itself, then there is a Lyapunov function for . The second theorem applies only to separable metric spaces; the theorem is that there is a complete Lyapunov function for any continuously-generated discrete dynamical system on a separable metric space. (A complete Lyapunov function is a real-valued function that is constant on orbits in the chain recurrent set, is strictly decreasing along all other orbits, and separates different components of the chain recurrent set.)