IN VIVO INDUCTION OF 4-THIOURIDINE-CYTIDINE ADDUCTS IN tRNA OF E. COLI B/r BY NEAR-ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION*

Abstract— Near-ultraviolet (near-UV; 320–405 nm) irradiation of Escherichia coli B/r induces the formation in vivo of ⁴Srd-Cyd adducts in transfer RNA, as evidenced by (1) fluorescence spectrum changes of tRNA extracted from irradiated cells and reduced with NaBH₄, (2) thin-layer chromatography on cellulose of hydrolysates of trichloroacetic acid-precipitable extracts of irradiated cells, and (3) comparison of these findings with adduct formation induced by near-UV irradiation of purified mixed tRNA from E. coli. The kinetics of induction of the ⁴Srd-Cyd adduct in vivo, and the near-UV fluences required, provide strong support for our earlier hypothesis that formation of these adducts is responsible for near-UV-induced growth delay in E. coli.     

Photophysical behaviour of azaphenanthrenes

Nitrogen position and internal heavy atom effects on the radiative and radiationless transitions from the lowest excited states of the isomeric azaphenanthrenes and some of their methyl, chlorine and bromine derivatives have been studied in E.P.A. solutions at 77 K. The nitrogen position affects the fluorescence and S₁-T₁ intersystem crossing rates more than the phosphorescence and T₁-S₀ intersystem crossing rates. Small differences in the behaviour of 9-azaphenanthrene are enhanced in non-hydroxylic solvents and at room temperature, and it is inferred that (n, π*) states play a more important role in the photophysical behaviour of this isomer. Halogen, substitution in all the isomers increases the phosphorescence rate, induces a smaller increase in the T₁-S₀ intersystem crossing rates and has a negligible effect on the fluorescence rate.     

Studies of solvent effects

The effect of water on the conformational preferences of acetylcholine has been studied within the discrete, the continuum and the combined discrete-continuum models described in parts I and II of this series. All the models lead to the conclusion that the trans-gauche form which is, following refined quantum-mechanical computations, the intrinsically preferred one and the one observed in the crystal of acetylcholine and of a number of analogues should remain also the preferred conformation in water. This result agrees with NMR studies. The results of the empirical discrete model used here compare favorably to those obtained by an ab initio super-molecule treatment. The continuum model utilized here represents a net improvement above such models utilized in other works.     

Calculations of the electronic structures of cage molecules using free-electron orbitals as a basis

A non-empirical molecular orbital method, particularly suitable for calculations on cage-like molecules, is described. The method uses as basis functions the set of free-electron functions which are the solutions of Schrödinger's equation for an electron confined between two concentric, spherical potential energy barriers. Application of the theory to the SCF calculation of the energies of the delocalized electrons in benzene and tetrasulphur tetranitride shows that the model is capable of interpreting the properties of such systems. However, it does highlight a difficulty in the calculation of excited state energies with one-centre models which appears to be largely unrecognized.Extension of the method to a consideration of all the valence electrons, using P₄ as an example, reveals problems the origin of which is an inadequate treatment of the core electrons. It is suggested that these problems may best be dealt with by use of a suitable pseudo potential.     

Vaporisation et dissociation thermique des sulfures de phosphore P4S3, P4S7 et P4S10 a l'etat gazeux

Résumé Nous avons montré par spectrométrie Raman à chaud et mesure des tensions de vapeur que P₄S₃ se vaporise de façon congruente tandis que P₄S₇ et P₄S₁₀ se dissocient dès le début de leur vaporisation. P₄S₇ donne réversiblement P₄S₃ et soufre. P₄S₁₀ se dissocie irréversiblement en P₄S₇ et soufre. A l'état de vapeur non saturante, P₄S₃ se dissocie au-dessus de 600° avec formation de phosphore, de soufre et d'autres espèces non identifiées.Nous avons mesuré expérimentalement la capacité calorifique de P₄S₃ liquide, calculé celle de P₄S₃ gazeux et son entropie standard. Nous avons aussi estimé l'enthalpie standard de vaporisation de P₄S₃ à l'aide des mesures des tensions de vapeur saturante. Nous en avons déduit l'entropie standard de P₄S₃ liquide et son point d'ébullition.

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It is shown by Raman spectroscopy at high temperature and by vapor tensimetric measurements that the vaporisation of P₄S₃ is congruent, whereas P₄S₇ and P₄S₁₀ dissociate at the beginning of vaporisation. P₄S₇ gives P₄S₃ and sulfur reversibly. The dissociation of P₄S₁₀ into P₄S₇ and sulfur is irreversible. Above 600°, in non-saturated vapour the dissociation of P₄S₃ gives phosphorus, sulfur and some unidentified gaseous species. The heat capacity of liquid P₄S₃ has been measured. That of gaseous P₄S₃ and its standard entropy have been calculated. The vaporisation standard enthalpy of P₄S₃ has been estimated from the experimental results on the saturated vapour pressures. The standard entropy of liquid P₄S₃ and its boiling point have been derived from these data.

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Zusammenfassung Mittels Raman-Spektrometrie bei erhöhter Temperatur und durch Messung der Dampfdrucke wurde festgestellt, daß sich P₄S₃ verflüchtigt, während P₄S₇ und P₄S₁₀ mit Beginn der Verflüchtigung dissoziieren. P₄S₇ ergibt reversibel P₄S₃ und Schwefel. Im Zustand ungesättigten Dampfes dissoziiert P₄S₃ oberhalb von 600° unter Bildung von Phosphor, Schwefel und anderer nicht identifizierter Substanzen.Die Wärmekapazität von flüssigem P₄S₃ wurde gemessen, während die vom gasförmigem P₄S₃ sowie seine Standard-Entropie berechnet wurden. Die Standard-Enthalpie der Verflüchtigung des P₄S₃ wurde durch Messungen der Sättigungs-Dampfdrucke ermittelt. Daraus wurden die Standard-Entropie des flüssigen P₄S₃ sowie sein Siedepunkt berechnet.

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- - , P₄S₃ , P₄S₇ P₄S₁₀ . P₄S₇ P₄S₃ , P₄S₁₀ P₄S₇ . 600° P₄S₃ , . P₄S₃, P₄S₃ . P₄S₃. P₄S₃ .

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Nous remercions Monsieur Letoffe du laboratoire du Professeur J. Bousquet, INSA de Lyon, 20 Avenue Albert Einstein 401, 69621 Villeurbanne, qui a r6alis6 pour nous les déterminations expérimentales des capacités calorifiques de P₄S₈ liquide.     

Metallacycloalkanes: I. Preparation and characterisation of α,α′-bipyridyl-5-nickela-3,3,7,7-tetramethyl-trans-tricyclo[4.1.0.02,4]heptane

Oxidative addition of 2 molecules of 3,3-dimethylcyclopropene (I) to α,α′-bipyridyl(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) (III) gave the title compound (IV) in over 90% yield. Complex IV was characterized by mass, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Its structure was determined by X-ray diffraction (a 13.7081(2), b 14.638(2), c 9.5139(1) Å, β 110.82(1)°, C2/c, R = 0.05 for 1614 reflections).     

Mechanisms for the solvolytic decompositions of nucleoside analogues—I: Acidic hydrolysis of 2-substituted 1-(1-ethoxyethyl)benzimidazoles

A few 2-substituted 1-(1-ethoxyethyl)benzimidazoles have been prepared and the rate constants for their hydrolysis measured at various temperatures and oxonium ion concentrations. The formal kinetics followed and the effect of varying the 2-substitution on the hydrolysis rate suggest that the acid-catalyzed cleavage of these compounds involves a rapid initial protonation of the benzimidazole ring and a subsequent rate-limiting heterolysis of the protonated substrate to form a free nitrogen base and an ocarbenium ion derived from the ethoxyethyl group. The values obtained for the entropy of activation are consistent with the assumed unimolecular nature of the rate-limiting step. The effects of 2-substituents on the acidities of the protonated substrates and their heterolysis rates have been compared. The latter partial reaction has been suggested to be the subject of steric acceleration.     

The determination of sulphur in copper,nickel and aluminium alloys by proton activation analysis

The ³⁴S(p, n)^34mCl reaction induced by 13-MeV protons is used for the determination of sulphur in copper, nickel and aluminium alloys. The ^34mCl is separated by repeated precipitation as silver chloride. The results obtained were 3.08 ± 0.47, 1.47 ± 0.17 and <1μg g^-1 for copper, nickel and aluminium alloys, respectively.     

A new approach to binary tree-based heuristics

The goals and limitations of some clustering methods are briefly reviewed. In order to avoid the usual methods which are very demanding on computer time and space, a new scheme is proposed for updating (generation) of, and retrieval from, large data bases organized as binary trees. The method is based on calculation of three distances at any given vertex l on the level n, A(l,n) instead of two. The respective distances d₁(X,A_l), d₂(X,A_r), d₃(A_lA_r) are calculated between the input vector X and the left and right descendant of the vertex A(l,n), A_l and A_r, respectively. The advantage of the method compared to the standard clustering methods or formation of hierarchal trees is that the required memory or computational time is reduced from N² to approximately N log N (N is the number of clustering objects).     

Zum Mechanismus der Hydrogenolyse aromatisch gebundenen Halogens

The selective chlorination of a m/p-xylene mixture, followed by distillation of the unreacted p-xylene, leaves a residue containing up to 90% of monochlorinated m-xylenes. m-Xylene is recovered from the latter by heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenolysis in the gas-phase. It was found that the hydrogenolysis on certain noble metal catalysts proceeds according to an ionic reaction mechanism at temperatures below a definite temperature range. At temperatures above this range hydrogenolysis follows a radical reaction mechanism.