Probing the interaction of the potassium channel modulating KCNE1 in lipid bilayers via solid‐state NMR spectroscopy

KCNE1 is known to modulate the voltage‐gated potassium channel α subunit KCNQ1 to generate slowly activating potassium currents. This potassium channel is essential for the cardiac action potential that mediates a heartbeat as well as the potassium ion homeostasis in the inner ear. Therefore, it is important to know the structure and dynamics of KCNE1 to better understand its modulatory role. Previously, the Sanders group solved the three‐dimensional structure of KCNE1 in LMPG micelles, which yielded a better understanding of this KCNQ1/KCNE1 channel activity. However, research in the Lorigan group showed different structural properties of KCNE1 when incorporated into POPC/POPG lipid bilayers as opposed to LMPG micelles. It is hence necessary to study the structure of KCNE1 in a more native‐like environment such as multi‐lamellar vesicles. In this study, the dynamics of lipid bilayers upon incorporation of the membrane protein KCNE1 were investigated using ³¹P solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Specifically, the protein/lipid interaction was studied at varying molar ratios of protein to lipid content. The static ³¹P NMR and T₁ relaxation time were investigated. The ³¹P NMR powder spectra indicated significant perturbations of KCNE1 on the phospholipid headgroups of multi‐lamellar vesicles as shown from the changes in the ³¹P spectral line shape and the chemical shift anisotropy line width. ³¹P T₁ relaxation times were shown to be reversely proportional to the molar ratios of KCNE1 incorporated. The ³¹P NMR data clearly indicate that KCNE1 interacts with the membrane. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Crystal structures of the benzene and ethanol solvates of neotame

The benzene and ethanol solvates of neotame crystallized from solutions of neotame anhydrate in benzene and ethanol, respectively. The crystal structures of the two solvates were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction using synchrotron radiation. The benzene solvate crystallizes in the monoclinic space group, P2₁, Z = 2, with one neotame molecule and one benzene molecule per asymmetric unit. The cell constants are a = 13.060 (6) Å, b = 5.582 (2) Å, c = 17.954 (9) Å, and = 102.079 (15)°. The ethanol solvate crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group, P2₁2₁2₁ with Z = 8 (Z = 2). The cell constants are a = 10.047 (4) Å, b = 17.001 (4) Å, and c = 28.948 (7) Å. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding among neotame molecules is evident in the two crystals. The benzene solvate has a nonpolar region containing the benzene molecules, with the benzene rings and alkyl chains of the neotame molecules.     

Review of Acetic Acid Synthesis from Various Feedstocks Through Different Catalytic Processes

Acetic acid (AA) has been largely used with a wide range of applications such as a raw material for a synthesis of vinyl acetate monomer, cellulose acetate or acetate anhydrate, acetate ester and a solvent for a synthesis of terephthalic acid and so on. The present paper briefly summarizes the commercialized chemical processes with their Rh or Ir-based catalytic systems in a liquid-phase carbonylation reaction such as Monsanto, Cativa and Acetica processes. In addition, some alternative catalytic systems such as heterogeneous catalysts to produce AA by direct oxidation or indirect carbonylation of dimethyl ether through BP-SaaBre process in a gas-phase reaction to solve some problems such as a difficult separation of homogeneous catalysts in a corrosive reaction medium. Some home-made heterogeneous catalysts such as a rhodium incorporated graphitic carbon nitride (Rh-g-C₃N₄) and some heterogenized homogeneous catalysts using the supports of tungsten carbide, iron oxide or graphitic carbon nitride containing rhodium complexes were also introduced for the synthesis of AA through a liquid-phase methanol carbonylation reaction to effectively solve the leaching problem of active rhodium metal as well as to mitigate the separation problem of homogeneous catalysts.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">T</Emphasis>-Coloring of Certain Networks

Given a graph G and a finite set T of non-negative integers containing zero, a T-coloring of G is a non-negative integer function f defined on V(G) such that \(|f(x)-f(y)|\not \in T\) whenever \((x,y)\in E(G)\). The span of T-coloring is the difference between the largest and smallest colors, and the T-span of G is the minimum span over all T-colorings f of G. The edge span of a T-coloring is the maximum value of \(|f(x)-f(y)|\) over all edges \((x,y)\in E(G)\), and the T-edge span of G is the minimum edge span over all T-colorings f of G. In this paper, we compute T-span and T-edge span of crown graph, circular ladder and mobius ladder, generalized theta graph, series-parallel graph and wrapped butterfly network.     

Surface and interface engineering in transition metal–based catalysts for electrochemical water oxidation

A tremendous effort has been provided in last two decades to develop efficient transition metal–based heterogeneous catalysts for the electrochemical water oxidation. Several approaches such as composition modulation, heteroatom doping, morphological development, particle size tuning, surface area enhancement, and control over electronic structure have been explored for the designing of the materials with improved water oxidation activity. As the electrochemical process is a surface phenomenon, surface structure plays a crucial role in controlling the water oxidation activity. Rational engineering of the catalyst surface by composition modulation, crystal facet tuning, and generating functional overlayer has been reported to enhance the water oxidation activity. Heteroatom doping, cationic and anionic deficiencies, and ultrathin 2D morphology are also found to promote electrochemical performance. In addition, engineering in the interface provides intrinsic improvement of the catalytic activity and stability for the electrochemical water oxidation. Although, surface and interface engineering of the catalyst has come out as the major factors in the electrochemical water oxidation, no dedicated review is available in this field. In this review, we have described the strategies of improving water oxidation activity of the catalysts by surface and interface engineering. The progress in this field discussed in detail; the challenges have been identified and addressed to attain a clear understanding in this field.     

Electrochemical behaviour of zinc in alkaline solutions

As the whole passivation phenomenon in the case of zinc is very quick and sudden and as it cannot be fully studied and followed by galvanostatic techniques alone, the constant over-potential technique has, for the first time, been applied to zinc and results reported. A special apparatus consisting of suitable oscillator, modulator, demodulator and a stable D.C. amplifier with a gain of 100,000 was used for the purposes and is described. Potential curves for equilibrium current rates, achieved on 0·1 V. and 25 mV. steps after 1 minute each, have been obtained in 6N, N, 0·1 N KOH and zincate solutions for the complete range of ?1·3 to about ?2·0 volts with reference to Hg/HgO/KOH reference electrode. It has been found that in the first truly active region, the main electrode reaction is the formation of zinc ions while after the passivation it changes to gas evolution. Potentiostatic techniques reveal intermediary stages, undisclosed by constant current methods, of pseudo-passivation and current-plateau regions in which the anodic layer thickens, controlled by the high field cation transport. These observations and explanations are further supported by plotting rate-time transients obtained by suddenly dropping the potentials from higher to lower values, when the rates were found to cut off. Some anomalies and sudden reversal of currents with increasing over-voltages, have also been fully discussed. The influence of other factors,e.g., concentration, stirring, sudden changes in over-voltages, presence of zincate, sulphate, etc., has also been considered. Studies such as these are found to throw considerable light on the electrochemical behaviour of zinc.