Enrichment of hydrophobic proteins via Triton X-114 phase partitioning and hydroxyapatite column chromatography for mass spectrometry

Membrane proteins are the starting point of several signal transduction pathways. Therefore, the separation and identification of these proteins are of great interest in proteome analysis. However, the specific properties of membrane proteins seriously impede their analysis. We present an effective and highly reproducible method for the two-dimensional separation of extremely hydrophobic proteins and demonstrate the advantages of special preseparation procedures for the identification of proteins which have very similar Mr and p/. Using the example of the integral membrane protein very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) receptor (NCBI Acc. # 1730111) and the soluble heat shock protein (HSP) 90 (NCBI Acc. # 386786) we present the applicability of a phase-separation system with Triton X-114. Using matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) of the protein spots after 2-D separation of the hydrophilic and the strongly hydrophobic protein fraction of human endothelial cells (ECV cell line), we were able to distinguish both proteins.     

Synthesis of 1,2-di-(4-pyridyl)ethylenediamine and related compounds

Hydrolysis of N,N'-diacyl-1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethylenediamines 1 in aqueous sulfuric acid gave the corresponding imidazolines 3. 1,2-Di-(4-pyridyl)ethylenediamine 2 was prepared in 61 % yield by treating N,N'-di-t-butyl-oxycarbonyl-1,2-di(4-pyridyl)ethylenediamine 4 with trifluoroacetic acid or in 94% yield by the hydrolysis under basic conditions of N,N'-diphthaloylglycyl-1,2-di(4-pyridy)ethylenediamine 13.     

Synthese und Konformation einiger Azaspirane mit Alkyl-bzw. Aryl-Sulfonamid-Gruppen

Preferred conformations of some azaspiran systems substituted with large groups at the nitrogen atoms were established by UV absorption spectroscopy. These groups prohibit the inversion at nitrogen, as was deduced from the¹H NMR spectra.

     

Lattice-dynamical calculations for tetracene and pentacene

Lattice-dynamical, calculations for evidently non-rigid molecules of aromatic hydrocarbons have been carried out on tetracene and pentacene. In these substances, “out-of plane” vibrations mix extensively with lattice vibrations, and significant differences can be noted between results from a “rigid-body” and a “non-rigid” treatment. For tetracene crystals, whose Raman spectral data are given in the literature, the agreement with experiment is satisfactory. This confirms the validity of such procedures for interpreting and/or predicting spectroscopic behaviour, starting from empirical atom—atom potentials and valence force fields.     

Development of a liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry assay for the quantification of PM00104, a novel antineoplastic agent, in mouse, rat, dog, and human plasma

A rapid and sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) assay was developed and validated to quantify a novel antineoplastic agent, PM00104, in mouse, rat, dog, and human plasma. The method was validated to demonstrate the specificity, limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy, and precision of measurements. The calibration range for PM00104 was established using PM00104 standards from 0.01-5.0 ng/mL in blank plasma. The selected reaction monitoring (SRM), based on the m/z 692.2 --> 218.2 transition, was specific for PM00104, and that based on the m/z 697.2 --> 218.2 transition was specific for PM00104 ((13)C(2),(2)H(3)) (the internal standard, IS); no endogenous materials interfered with the analysis of PM00104 and IS from blank plasma. The assay was linear over the concentration range 0.01-5.0 ng/mL. The correlation coefficients for the calibration curves ranged from 0.9981-0.9999. The mean intra-day and inter-day accuracies for all calibration standards (n = 8) ranged from 97-105% (< or =5% bias) in human plasma, and the mean inter-day precision for all calibration standards was less than 8.5%. The mean intra- and inter-day assay accuracy for all quality control (QC) replicates in human plasma (n = 9), determined at each QC level throughout the validated runs, ranged from 96-112% (< or =12% bias) and from 102-105% (< or =5% bias), respectively. The mean intra- and inter-day assay precision was less than 15.0 and 11.8% for all QC levels, respectively. For the QC samples prepared in animal species plasma, the %CV values of the assays ranged from 1.8-8.8% in mouse plasma, from 3.7-13.8% in rat plasma, and from 3.0-7.2% in dog plasma. The assay accuracies ranged from 92-102% (< or =8% bias) for all QC levels prepared in mouse plasma; ranged from 93-106% (< or =7% bias) in rat plasma; and ranged from 95-114% (< or =14% bias) in dog plasma. The assay has been used to support preclinical pharmacokinetic and toxicokinetic studies and is currently used to measure PM00104 plasma concentrations to support clinical trials.     

Formation of a cyclobutylidene ring: intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition of allyl and vinylidene C=C bonds under mild conditions

Intramolecular [2 + 2] cycloaddition of two C=C bonds in vinylidene complexes [Ru(eta5-C9H7){=C=C(R)H}(PPh3){kappa1-(P)-PPh2(C3H5)][BF4] affords cyclobutylidene complexes [Ru(eta5-C9H7){kappa2-(P,C)-(=CC(R)HCH2CHCH2PPh2)}(PPh3)][BF4], which can be also obtained by reaction of terminal alkynes with [Ru(eta5-C9H7)(PPh3){kappa3-(P,C,C)-PPh2(C3H5)}][PF6]. The reaction proceeds under mild conditions via vinylidene complexes, and the activation parameters were determined by kinetic studies.     

Two problematic human polymorphic Alu insertions

Analysis of two previously described polymorphic Alu insertions (Sb19.3 and NBC3) in world-wide human populations generated genotypic frequencies grossly in violation of Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium expectations. GenBank searches at the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) and sequencing analyses revealed that samples homozygous for the Sb19.3 Alu insertion amplify a band indistinguishable in size to the lack of insertion amplicon, corresponding to a paralogous locus on chromosome 4. This locus displays a very similar sequence (84%) to that flanking the Sb19.3 Alu insertion located at chromosome 19. Moreover, we have determined that NBC3, a different Alu insertion, is not located in the pseudoautosomal region of the Y-chromosome, as previously reported, but in position Yq11.2. Also, the band that mimics the lack of insertion amplicon corresponds to a paralogous locus located at chromosome X with a similarity of 92% to the sequence flanking the NBC3 Alu insertion. Finally, the utilization of newly designed primers avoided amplification from the paralogous loci and allowed a reliable assignation of genotypes for both loci. Unlike previously reported, using our new primers the Y-specific locus NBC3 was found not to be polymorphic in the populations analyzed.     

CERTAIN SINGLET OXYGEN QUENCHERS AFFECT THE PHOTOREACTION BETWEEN 8-MOP and DNA

The effect of certain chemicals known as singlet oxygen quenchers on the photoreaction between 8-MOP and DNA has been studied in vitro; sodium azide, l,4-diazabicyclo-(2,2,2)-octane, p-carotene and dimethylsolfoxide (used as a solvent) appeared to be capable of reducing significantly the 8-MOP ability to induce both monoadducts and cross-links in DNA. Therefore, these chemicals seem to be not useful in studying the singlet oxygen implication in the induction of biological effects of 8-MOP sensitization.     

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic separation of epimeric alkaloid N-oxides from Thalictrum simplex L.

A simple and precise method was developed for the analytical and preparative reversed-phase HPLC separation of a mixture of epimeric pavine N-oxides containing 49.1% of (−)-thalimonine N-oxide A and 50.1% of (−)-thalimonine N-oxide B isolated from Thalictrum simplex L. (Ranunculaceae). A reversed-phase system with Nucleosil C₁₈ analytical and preparative columns and ethanol-1.5% aqueous orthophosphoric acid (15:85) as the mobile phase was used. The epimeric pavine N-oxides were completely separated within 50 min.