Synthesis of glutamate by reductive amination of 2-oxoglutarate with the combination of hydrogenase and glutamate dehydrogenase

Glutamate synthesis by reductive amination of 2-oxoglutarate was performed by the combination of NADH regeneration system and glutamate dehydrogenase (GluDH). The conversion of 2-oxoglutamate to glutamate was 98% after 3 h, and the turnover number of NAD⁺was 17.     

Further investigating the determination of phosphorus in plants by INAA using<Emphasis Type="Italic"> bremsstrahlung</Emphasis> measurement

Phosphorus is an essential element for plants and animals, playing a fundamental role in the production of biochemical energy. Despite its relevance, phosphorus is not commonly determined by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), because ³²P does not emit gamma-rays in its decay. There are alternative methods for the determination of phosphorus by INAA, such as the use of beta counting or the measurement of bremsstrahlung originated from the high energy beta particle from ³²P. Here the determination of phosphorus in plant materials by measuring the bremsstrahlung production was further investigated, to optimize an analytical protocol for minimizing interferences and overcoming the poor specificity. Eight certified reference materials of plant matrices with phosphorus ranging between 171 and 5,180 mg kg⁻¹ were irradiated at a thermal neutron flux of 9.5 × 10¹² cm⁻² s⁻¹ and measured with a HPGe detector at decay times varying from 7 to 60 days. Phosphorus solutions added to a certified reference material at three levels were used for calibration. Counts accumulated in the baseline at four different regions of the gamma-ray spectra were tested for the determination of phosphorus, with better results for the 100 keV region. The Compton scattering contribution in the selected range was discounted using an experimental peak-to-Compton factor and the net areas of all peaks in the spectra with energies higher than 218 keV, i.e. Compton edge above 100 keV. Amongst the interferences investigated, the production of ³²P from sulfur, and the contribution of Compton scattering should be considered for producing good results.     

A molecular dynamics study of the lateral free energy profile of a pair of cholesterol molecules as a function of their distance in phospholipid bilayers

Free energy profile of a pair of cholesterol molecules in a leaflet of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-phosphatidylcholine (POPC) bilayers in the liquid-crystalline phase has been calculated as a function of their lateral distance using a combination of NPT-constant atomistic molecular dynamics calculations (P = 1 atm and T = 310.15 K) and the thermodynamic integration method. The calculated free energy clearly shows that the two cholesterol molecules form a dimer separated by a distance of 1.0-1.5 nm in POPC bilayers. Well depth of the free energy profile is about 3.5 kJ/mol, which is comparable to the thermal energy k(B)T at 310.15 K. This indicates that the aggregation of cholesterol molecules in the bilayers depends on the temperature as well as the concentration of the system. The free energy function obtained here may be used as a reference when coarse grained potential model is investigated for this two-component system. Local structure of POPC molecules around two cholesterol molecules has also been investigated.     

Theoretical study on the isomerization behavior between alpha,beta-unsaturated acyl radicals and alpha-ketenyl radicals

[reaction: see text] Ab initio calculations using 6-311G**, cc-pVDZ, aug-cc-pVDZ, and a (valence) double-zeta pseudopotential (DZP) basis set, with (QCISD, CCSD(T)) and without (UHF) the inclusion of electron correlation, and density functional methods (BHandHLYP, B3LYP) predict that alpha,beta-unsaturated acyl radicals and alpha-ketenyl radicals exist as isomers. At the CCSD(T)/cc-pVDZ//BHandHLY/cc-pVDZ level of theory, energy barriers of 15.1 and 17.7-21.7 kJ mol(-)(1) are calculated for the isomerization of s-trans-propenoyl and s-trans-crotonoyl radical to ketenylmethyl and 1-ketenylethyl radical, respectively. Similar results are obtained for the reactions of s-trans isomers involving silyl, germyl, and stannyl groups with energy barriers (DeltaE++) of 12.2-12.4, 13.1-13.9, and 12.9-18.2 kJ mol(-)(1) at the CCSD(T)/DZP//BHandHLYP/DZP calculation, respectively. These results suggest that alpha,beta-unsaturated acyl radicals and alpha-ketenyl radicals are not canonical forms but are isomeric species that can rapidly interconvert.     

Optical switching and alignment of antiferroelectric liquid crystals containing an azo group

The optical properties of two kinds of photochromic antiferroelectric liquid crystal (AFLC) containing an azo group have been examined. Depending on the substituting group at the chiral centre, these AFLCs showed different photoinduced phase transitions by Ar⁺ laser light irradiation. This phase transition has led to a new form of optical switching controlled by a bias voltage. In addition, it was found that these AFLCs caused an azimuthal photoalignment effect regulated by linearly polarized Ar⁺ laser light irradiation. These phenomena were applied to image storage.     

Drug–tea polyphenol interaction

Propericiazine (PCZ) is an antipsychotic agent used for the treatment and the prevention of relapse of schizophrenia. We found that when an oral solution containing PCZ was mixed with a green tea drink, the residual content of PCZ was reduced by forming an insoluble complex between PCZ and tea polyphenol. In this study, the mechanism underlying the incompatibility of PCZ with green tea polyphenol (GTP) in the solution was clarified by isothermal titration microcalorimetry (ITC). Both solutions of 27.4 mM PCZ and 2.2 mM (?)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), which is a main ingredient of GTP, were mixed and then PCZ in the filtrate was reduced to approximately 60 %. According to measurement at 298 K by ITC, PCZ formed an insoluble complex with EGCg at an associate constant (K) of 4.75 × 10² M^?1 exothermically, ΔH = ?40.0 kJ mol^?1. When (?)-epicatechin gallate (ECg) was used as the GTP, PCZ interacted with ECg with K and ΔH values of 3.74 × 10² M^?1 and ?22.1 kJ mol^?1, respectively. On the other hand, little heat of the reaction between PCZ and (?)-epigallocatechin or (?)-epicatechin was observed. The results indicated that the main reason for this incompatibility was the formation of an insoluble complex by PCZ and a gallate-type GTP such as EGCg and ECg in the aqueous solution.     

Universal fluorescent labeling of amplification products using locked nucleic acids

Amplification/hybridization‐based genetic analyses using primers containing locked nucleic acids (LNAs) present many benefits. Here, we developed a novel design for universal fluorescent PCR using LNAs. Universal fluorescent PCR generates intermediate nonlabeled fragments and final fluorescent fragments in a two‐step amplification process that uses locus‐specific primers with universal tails and universal fluorescent primers. In this study, a few standard nucleotides were replaced with LNAs only in the fluorescent universal primers. The sequence of the fluorescent universal primer significantly affected the amplification efficiency. For primers with three LNAs, the fluorescent primers with stable M13(‐47) sequences provided the most efficient signal (approximately tenfold higher than the primers with M13(‐21) sequences at lower Tm values). Moreover, AT‐rich LNA substitutions in the fluorescent primers produced much lower amplification efficiencies than GC‐rich substitutions. GC‐rich LNAs produced greater differences in Tm values among primers, and resulted in the preferential production of fluorescently labeled amplicons. The specificity and sensitivity of LNA‐containing fluorescent primers were assessed by genotyping eight STRs in Japanese individuals, and full STR profiles could be generated using as little as 0.25 ng of genomic DNA. The method permitted clear discrimination of alleles and represents sensitive STR genotyping at a reduced cost.     

Synthesis,Redox Behavior,Sensitizer Activity,and Oxygen Transfer of Covalently Bound Polymeric Porphyrins

Metal complexes of covalently bound porphyrins are used as sensitive probes for several investigations. Substituted derivatives of tetraphenyl-porphin, phthalocyanine, and naphthalocyanine are synthesized at positively and negatively charged as well as uncharged polymers. The photo-redox activities were studied under irradiation with visible light in the presence of a donor and an acceptor. The triplet life times of covalently bound porphyrin moieties are strongly enhanced compared with the analogous monomeric porphyrins. In addition, the polymer binding results in higher photocatalytic activity. The electron-transfer reactions of Mn(III)-containing porphyrins using the reducing agent dithionite are strongly influenced by the polymer environment. In contrast to monomeric Mn(III)-porphyrins, the porphyrins containing polymers exhibit a two-step reduction which may be due to the change of the conformation of the polymer coil. The catalytic epoxidation of 2,5-dihydrofuran with hypochlorite with formation of 3,4-epoxytetrahydrofuran occurs with water-soluble porphyrins in water. No influence of the polymer environment exists. The different reactions require reaction times from milliseconds up to hours.     

Some reactions of diphosphenes and related species

Abstract

Some reactions of diphosphenes and the related species involving oxidation, reduction, alkylation, sulfurization, and ⁶η-coordination are described.