Immobilization of AMP-deaminase in acrylamide-glycidylmethacrylate copolymer

The enzyme AMP-deaminase was entrapped in an acrylamide-glycidylmethacrylate copolymer. No leakage of AMP-deaminase was observed from the copolymer. The optimum pH of native AMP-deaminase was 5.6. The pH was displaced to 5.0 with immobilization in the copolymer. The immobilized AMP-deaminase column maintained more than 95% of initial activity after 10 days of operation.     

Building block approach to organic/silica hybrid materials

The reaction of the cubic octameric silicate anion, Si₈O ₂₀ ^8– , with dimethyldichlorosilane in 2,2-dimethoxypropane yielded solid products. FT-IR and solid-state ²⁹Si NMR spectra of the products indicate that the silicate anion becomes cross-linked via the dimethylsilyl group without degradation of the cubic core, resulting in the formation of organic/silica hybrids consisting of the Si₈O ₂₀ ^8– structure as a building block. The hybrids are thermally stable up to ca. 380°C in air. The specific surface area of the hybrids is 31 m² g^–1, while the value increases to 339 m² g^–1 after calcination at 350°C in air. The process of increasing the surface area of the hybrids by the heat-treatment was investigated using solid-state ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.     

IR study on the intensity of ν1 of carbon disulfide

The IR intensity of ν₁ of carbon disulfide is reported in various states. The intensity increases with a decrease in temperature. Less than 10% of the observed intensity can be explained in terms of an electric field applied from an adjacent molecule. On the other hand, nearly half of the intensity is explained in terms of a vibrational coupling of ν₁ with ν₃ or ν₂, which is estimated from dimer models, on the assumption that the observed IR and Raman frequencies can be attributed to dimers.     

Facile isolation ofEndo-pectate lyase fromErwinia carotovora based on electrostatic interaction

Endo-pectate lyase (PATE) from Erwinia carotovora was selectively cosedimented with extracellularly produced lipopolysaccharide-lipid complex (LPSLC) through dialysis of the cell free culture broth. The selective isolation of PATE was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The cosedimentation of the PATE with LPSLC was initiated by decreasing conductivity of the solution and terminated at approx 1 m siemens (mScm-1). As much as 62% of PATE activity in the culture broth was removed by precipitation. PATE was isolated from the precipitate by gel chromatography. The cosedimentation of PATE with LPSLC was remarkably affected by pH or ionic strength. The addition of polycationic peptide polymyxin B sulfate or a metal chloride affected the interaction. The cosedimentation was diminished by acetylation of the free amino groups of PATE. From these results, it was confirmed that the cosedimentation was induced by electrostatic interaction.     

Scattering of potassium atomic beams from various cleaved surfaces

Scattering of potassium atomic beams from cleaved surfaces of LiF, KCl and mica were studied. The observed spatial distributions follow the cosine distribution in most cases. At large incident angles the distributions from LiF and KCl deviate from the cosine and show apparent backscatterings. A simple model is proposed to interpret the backscattering in terms of macroscopic roughness of cleaved surfaces. The sticking coefficient S (t) is defined and the mass balance between the incident and outgoing atoms is examined. Mass balance holds within the limits of errors on the surfaces of LiF and KCl at temperatures above 400 K. On a mica surface deposition of potassium atoms is observed even at temperatures higher than room temperature. It is shown from the change of the sticking coefficient that the deposition does not proceed linearly in the initial period.     

Structure of anislactone A; a new skeletal type of sesquiterpene from the pericarps of Illicium anisatum

A novel sesquiterpene lactone was isolated from the pericarps of Illicium anisatum, a well known toxic plant in Japan, and its structure was established from spectral data and X-ray crystallographic analysis.