Uniform hierarchical silica film with perpendicular macroporous channels and accessible ordered mesopores for biomolecule separation

Herein, we demonstrate that silica films with perpendicular macroporous channels and accessible ordered mesopores can be conveniently prepared. The hierarchical macroporous–mesoporous silica films are synthesized by using zinc oxide nanorod array as macroporous template and CTAB surfactant as mesoporous template. In basic surfactant-containing solution, ordered mesoporous silica shells homogeneously grow on the zinc oxide nanorod array. The growth of the mesostructures do not require any chemical modification for the zinc oxide nanorod, which opens a new way for preparing hierarchical silica films with perpendicular mesochannels. The prepared hierarchical macroporous–mesoporous silica films possess a uniform thickness of 2 mm, large perpendicular macropores with a length of 1.8 mm and a width of 80 nm, and accessible ordered mesopores. Separation experiment demonstrates that this macroporous–mesoporous film can effectively separate biomolecules with different sizes.     

Soluble factor from tumor cells induces heme oxygenase-1 by a nitric oxide-independent mechanism in murine peritoneal macrophages

Tumor target-derived soluble secretary factor has been known to influence macrophage activation to induce nitric oxide (NO) production. Since heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is induced by a variety of conditions associated with oxidative stress, we questioned whether soluble factor from tumor cells induces HO-1 through NO-dependent mechanism in macrophages. We designated this factor as a tumor-derived macrophage-activating factor (TMAF), because of its ability to activate macrophages to induce iNOS. Although TMAF alone showed modest activity, TMAF in combination with IFN-gamma significantly induced iNOS expression and NO synthesis. Simultaneously, TMAF induced HO-1 and this induction was slightly augmented by IFN-gamma. Surprisingly, however, induction of HO-1 by TMAF was not inhibited by the treatment with the highly selective iNOS inhibitor, 1400 W, indicating that TMAF induces the HO-1 enzyme by a NO-independent mechanism. While rIFN-gamma alone induced iNOS, it had no effect on HO-1 induction by itself. Collectively, the current study reveals that soluble factor from tumor target cells induces HO-1 enzyme in macrophages. However, overall biological significance of this phenomenon remains to be determined.     

Characteristic sequences for DNA primary sequence

A DNA sequence can be identified with a word over an alphabet N = [A, C, G, T]. Characteristic sequences of a DNA sequence are given in term of classifications of bases of nucleic acids. Using the characteristic sequences, we construct a set of 2 x 2 matrices to represent DNA primary sequences, which are based on counting of the frequency of occurrence of all (0,1) triplets of characteristic sequences. Furthermore, the leading eigenvalues of these matrices are computed and considered as invariants for the DNA primary sequences. Similarity and dissimilarity analysis based on the characteristic sequences are given for eight exon-1 genes of beta-globin about eight species.     

Selective interactions of cationic porphyrins with G-quadruplex structures

G-quadruplex DNA presents a potential target for the design and development of novel anticancer drugs. Because G-quadruplex DNA exhibits structural polymorphism, different G-quadruplex typologies may be associated with different cellular processes. Therefore, to achieve therapeutic selectivity using G-quadruplexes as targets for drug design, it will be necessary to differentiate between different types of G-quadruplexes using G-quadruplex-interactive agents. In this study, we compare the interactions of three cationic porphyrins, TMPyP2, TMPyP3, and TMPyP4, with parallel and antiparallel types of G-quadruplexes using gel mobility shift experiments and a helicase assay. Gel mobility shift experiments indicate that TMPyP3 specifically promotes the formation of parallel G-quadruplex structures. A G-quadruplex helicase unwinding assay reveals that the three porphyrins vary dramatically in their abilities to prevent the unwinding of both the parallel tetrameric G-quadruplex and the antiparallel hairpin dimer G-quadruplex DNA by yeast Sgs1 helicase (Sgs1p). For the parallel G-quadruplex, TMPyP3 has the strongest inhibitory effect on Sgs1p, followed by TMPyP4, but the reverse is true for the antiparallel G-quadruplex. TMPyP2 does not appear to have any effect on the helicase-catalyzed unwinding of either type of G-quadruplex. Photocleavage experiments were carried out to investigate the binding modes of all three porphyrins with parallel G-quadruplexes. The results reveal that TMPyP3 and TMPyP4 appear to bind to parallel G-quadruplex structures through external stacking at the ends rather than through intercalation between the G-tetrads. Since intercalation between G-tetrads has been previously proposed as an alternative binding mode for TMPyP4 to G-quadruplexes, this mode of binding, versus that determined by a photocleavage assay described here (external stacking), was subjected to molecular dynamics calculations to identify the relative stabilities of the complexes and the factors that contribute to these differences. The DeltaG(o) for the external binding mode was found to be driven by DeltaH(o) with a small unfavorable TDeltaS(o) term. The DeltaG(o) for the intercalation binding model was driven by a large TDeltaS(o) term and complemented by a small DeltaH(o) term. One of the main stabilizing components of the external binding model is the energy of solvation, which favors the external model over the intercalation model by -67.94 kcal/mol. Finally, we propose that intercalative binding, although less favored than external binding, may occur, but because of the nature of the intercalative binding, it is invisible to the photocleavage assay. This study provides the first experimental insight into how selectivity might be achieved for different G-quadruplexes by using structural variants within a single group of G-quadruplex-interactive drugs.     

PrCl3-BaCl2-LiCl三元体系相图的研究

本文借助于DTA与X射线结构分析研究了PrCl_3-BaCl_2-LiCl三元体系相同。发现本体系内有对应于PrCl_2、α-BaCl_2、β-BaCl_2、LiCl和Ba_2PrCl_3的五个液相面、六条二次结晶线、一个三元低共熔点E(72.1wt%PrCl_3,2.8wt%BaCl_2,25.1wt%LiCl;441℃)和三元转熔点P(62.5wt%PrCl_3,12.5wt%BaCl_2,25.0wt%LiCi;490℃)。同时发现有一固相下形成的不稳定化合物Y(430℃分解)。     

固相萃取-气相色谱-高分辨质谱法测定巢湖水中半挥发性有机化合物

描述了巢湖水中半挥发性有机化合物的提取、测定过程和初步结果。湖水中半挥发性有机化合物的提取采用XAD-2和XAD-4混合树脂富集，用气相色谱-高分辨质谱法测定了所萃取的有机化合物，并给出相应的分子式和结构式。春季湖水中检测到14种有机化合物。     

Structure of YM-254890, a Novel Gq/11 Inhibitor from Chromobacterium sp. QS3666

The isolation and structure elucidation of YM-254890, a novel G_q/11 inhibitor from Chromobacterium sp. QS3666, is described. The gross structure was determined by one- and two-dimensional NMR studies and mass spectrometry. YM-254890 is a cyclic depsipeptide containing uncommon amino acids; β-hydroxyleucine (two residues), N,O-dimethylthreonine and N-methyldehydroalanine. YM-254890 exists as a mixture of two conformers in a variety of NMR solvents, and the distinction between major and minor conformers appears to lie in the geometry of the amide bond between 3-phenyllactic acid and N-methyldehydroalanine. The absolute stereochemistery was elucidated by Marfey's analysis and chiral HPLC analysis of the acid hydrolysate of YM-254890.     

Synthesis of Two Novel Rhenium（I） Bipyridyl Photosensitive Dyes

Two novel rhenium(I) 2, 2′-bipyridyl complexes, [(4,4′-di-COOEt-bipy) Re(CO)3 (NCCH3)PF6] and [(4,4′-di-COOEt-bipy) Re (CO)3 (NCS)], a model complex [(4,4′-di-COOEt-bipy) Re (CO)3 (pyridine)PF6], were synthesized. Their ground state electronic spectra and emission spectra were measured in acetonitrile. The MLCT absorption maximum of the complex exhibited a considerable red shift as the ligand changed from pyridine to CNCH3, or SCN.     

An Investigation on the Production of Random Copolymer with Monothiocarbonate and Trithiocarbonate Units over Cyclic Thiocarbonate via Metal‐free Catalysis

Synthesis of poly(thiocarbonate)s from the copolymerization of epoxides and carbon disulfide (CS₂) remains a tough challenge, due to inevitable oxygen‐sulfur atom scrambling process. In this work, we utilized the oxygen‐sulfur exchange reaction (O‐S ER) to synthesize a random copolymer with monothiocarbonate and trithiocarbonate units from CS₂ and phenyl glycidyl ether (PGE) via metal‐free Lewis pairs. The copolymers contained monothiocarbonate and trithiocarbonate units of which the molar fraction could be tuned by varying either the types of Lewis pairs or the reaction temperature. Keeping track on the intermediate provided an insight in the process of O‐S ER and thus gave a hint to control the product structure. Production and consumption of phenyl thioglycidyl ether was the key process to regulate the chain structure. Remarkably, the oxygen atoms of PGE could be excluded out of the chain, resulting in the nearly complete production of poly(trithiocarbonate)s. Correspondingly, the refractive index of this kind of copolymer could be regulated in a wide range of 1.73—1.79 (at 590 nm).     

Single molecule force spectroscopy reveals the context dependent folding pathway of the C-terminal fragment of Top7

Top7 is a de novo designed protein with atomic level accuracy and shows a folded structure not found in nature. Previous studies showed that the folding of Top7 is not cooperative and involves various folding intermediate states. In addition, various fragments of Top7 were found to fold on their own in isolation. These features displayed by Top7 are distinct from those of naturally occurring proteins of a similar size and suggest a rough folding energy landscape. However, it remains unknown if and how the intra-polypeptide chain interactions among the neighboring sequences of Top7 affect the folding of these Top7 fragments. Here we used single-molecule optical tweezers to investigate the folding–unfolding pathways of full length Top7 as well as its C-terminal fragment (CFr) in different sequence environments. Our results showed that the mechanical folding of Top7 involves an intermediate state that likely involves non-native interactions/structure. More importantly, we found that the folding of CFr is entirely dependent upon its sequence context in which it is located. When in isolation, CFr indeed folds into a cooperative structure showing near-equilibrium unfolding–folding transitions at ∼6.5 pN in OT experiments. However, CFr loses its autonomous cooperative folding ability and displays a folding pathway that is dependent on its interactions with its neighboring sequence/structure. This context-dependent folding dynamics and pathway of CFr are distinct from those of naturally occurring proteins and highlight the critical importance of intra-chain interactions in shaping the overall energy landscape and the folding pathway of Top7. These new insights may have important implications on the de novo design of proteins.

Optical tweezers experiments reveal that the folding of the C-terminal fragment of Top7 (cFr) is context-dependent. Depending on its neighboring sequence, cFr shows very different folding pathways and folding kinetics.