Synthesis of monodisperse polymers from proteins

Proteins are functional biopolymers; viewed as molecules, they are also monodisperse polyamides with chemically reactive side chains. This paper describes the use of proteins as starting materials for the synthesis of monodisperse polymers with nonbiological functionalities attached to the side chains. It demonstrates the complete derivatization of amine groups (lysine side chains and N-termini) on three different proteins by addition of activated carboxylate reagents in aqueous solutions containing sodium dedecyl sulfate (SDS), under denaturing conditions. Several different acylating reagents were used to generate derivatized proteins; the resulting compounds constitute a new class of monodisperse, semisynthetic polymers, having the potential for wide variation in the structure of the backbone and of the side chains. Modification of lysozyme on a gram scale demonstrated that the method can generate useful quantities of material.     

Indirect polarographic determination of phosmet O,O-Dimethyl-S-(phthalimidomethyl)dithiophosphate

Summary An indirect polarographic method for the determination of phosmet was elaborated. It is based on the fact that N-hydroxymethylphthalimide formed by the reaction of phosmet with sulphuric acid is polarographically active and exhibits a behaviour during electrolysis at a Hg dropping-electrode similar to that of phthalimide. The method has been applied to the determination of phosmet in apples. The sensitivity is 0.1 ppm.

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Indirekte polarographische Bestimmung von Phosmet O,O-Dimethyl-S-(phthalimidomethyl)dithiophosphat

Zusammenfassung Das Verfahren beruht darauf, daß N-Hydroxymethylphthalimid, das bei der Reaktion von Phosmet mit Schwefelsäure gebildet wird, polarographisch aktiv ist und sich bei der Elektrolyse mit der Quecksilber-Tropfelektrode ähnlich wie Phthalimid verhält. Die Methode wurde zur Bestimmung von Phosmet in Äpfeln angewandt. Die Empfindlichkeit beträgt 0,1 ppm.

     

Growth factors and gangliosides: a possible new perspective in neuronal growth control.

For many permanent cell lines the transition from a growing (P) to a resting (R) state is reversibly controlled by growth factors present in serum. This P-to-R transition was studied in a neuronal cell line (B104) with respect to the action of serum, dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DBcAMP), gangliosides, and a glioma cell-produced growth factor GGF. In this cell system gangliosides seem to act as differentiation and survival factors. The kinetics of uptake of radioactively labeled gangliosides and survival experiments both support the idea of the stable incorporation of exogenously added gangliosides into the cells. Based on the experimental evidence a new model of cell development is proposed. Thus in addition to the R or Go state, which in this cell system is rather unstable and probably regulated by cyclic nucleotides, we postulate a differentiated D state, which is controlled by gangliosides and which is characterized by its stability (survival time). This D compartment seems to be closer to the in vivo differentiated neuron than does the R or P state. tthe possible mechanisms for the action of gangliosides are discussed.