Microcalorimetric study of protein adsorption onto calcium hydroxyapatites

To clarify the adsorption mechanism of proteins onto calcium hydroxyapatite (Hap), the present study measured adsorption (DeltaHads) and desorption (DeltaHdes) enthalpies of bovine serum albumin (BSA; isoelectric point (iep) 4.7, molecular mass (Ms) 67,200 Da, acidic protein), myoglobin (MGB; iep=7.0, Ms=17,800 Da, neutral protein), and lysozyme (LSZ; iep=11.1, Ms=14,600 Da, basic protein) onto Hap by a flow microcalorimeter (FMC). Five kinds of large platelike particles of CaHPO4.2H2O (DCPD) after hydrolyzing at room temperature with different concentrations of NaOH aqueous solution ([NaOH]) for 1 h were used. DCPD converted completely to Hap after treatment at [NaOH]>or=2%, and the crystallinity of Hap was increased with an increase in [NaOH] up to 10%. The amounts of protein adsorbed (Deltanads) and desorbed (Deltandes) were measured simultaneously by monitoring the protein concentration downstream from the FMC with a UV detector. The Deltanads values were also measured statically by a batch method in each system. The Deltanads values measured by the FMC and static measurements fairly agreed with each other. Results revealed that DeltaHBSAads was decreased with an increase in [NaOH]; in other words, DeltaHBSAads was decreased with the improvement of Hap's crystallinity, suggesting that the BSA adsorption readily proceeded onto Hap. This fact indicated a high affinity of Hap to protein. This affinity was further recognized by DeltaHBSAdes because its positive value was increased by increasing [NaOH]. These opposite tendencies in DeltaHBSAads and DeltaHBSAdes revealed that Hap possessed a high adsorption affinity to BSA (i.e., enthalpy facilitated protein adsorption but hindered its desorption). The fraction of BSA desorption was also decreased with an increase in [NaOH], confirming the high affinity of Hap to protein. Similar results were observed on the LSZ system, though the enthalpy values were smaller than those of BSA. In the case of neutral MGB, DeltaHBSAads also exhibited results similar to those of the BSA and LSZ systems. However, due to its weak adsorption by the van der Waals force, DeltaHBSAdes was small and almost zero at [NaOH]>or=2%. Hence, the fraction of MGB desorption was less dependent on [NaOH].     

DTA study of the chlorination of fly ash and bauxite in the presence of carbon

The chlorination processes of fly ash and bauxite in the presence of carbon were studied by means of a gas-flow type DTA, X-ray analysis and SEM observation, and the reactivity of Al-compounds as their constituents was compared. In the case of fly ash, the exothermic peak due to the formation of AlCl₃ (mainly) and FeCl₃ appeared at about 790–920°C. The reactivity of Al estimated from the DTA peak temperature depended on the particle size, carbon content and preparation temperature of fly ash, and was much lower than that of bauxite. Fractional conversion of Al was about 60–70%, when fly ash (?300 mesh) was heated up to 900°C in Cl₂ at 5°C min^?1 of heating rate. In the case of bauxite, two exothermic peaks due to the chlorination of Fe and Al appeared at about 270 and 490°C, respectively. The chlorination of Al was completed at 550°C under the above conditions.     

The first synthesis of a methano[60]fullerene with an electron-donating group at the methano-bridge carbon: synthesis and reaction of aminomethano[60]fullerene

[reaction: see text] Aminomethano[60]fullerene was synthesized for the first time as a trifluoromethanesulfonic acid salt by applying the Curtius rearrangement of azidocarbonylmethano[60]fullerene as the key reaction. Aminomethano[60]fullerene thus obtained was found to be able to react with various acyl chlorides to afford the corresponding amides.     

Age-dependent variations of cell response to oxidative stress: proteomic approach to protein expression and phosphorylation

We investigated the protein profiles of variously aged rat astrocytes in response to oxidative stress. After H2O2-exposure of cells at 100 microM for 30 min, the relative intensity of ten protein spots changed on two-dimensional (2-D) gels compared with control gels after silver staining. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analysis after in-gel digestion revealed that six of these spots corresponded to three kinds of proteins, each of which was composed of a protein and its modified form with a different isoelectric point (pI). These three proteins were identified as peroxiredoxins (PRDXs) II and III, and calpactin I light chain (p11). H2O2-exposure increased the intensity of the spot with lower pI and simultaneously decreased that of the spot with higher pI for both PRDXs II and III. In addition, the expression of annexin VII, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, elongation factor II fragment (EF-II), and adenosine deaminase was increased by H2O2-exposure in astrocytes from variously aged rats. Using the Pro-Q Diamond staining, heat shock protein 60 kDa (Hsp 60) and alpha-tubulin were observed to be phosphorylated upon H2O2-exposure. While phosphorylation of alpha-tubulin was correlated positively with age, the changes in abundance of ten protein spots as described above were independent of age. These results suggest that aging does not suppress the responses aimed at limiting injury and promoting repair brought about by severe oxidative stress, and might affect cell dynamics including the formation of microtubules.     

Rhenium-catalyzed formation of indene frameworks via C-H bond activation: [3+2] annulation of aromatic aldimines and acetylenes

A rhenium complex, [ReBr(CO)3(thf)]2, catalyzes the reaction of an aromatic aldimine with an acetylene to give an indene derivative in a quantitative yield. The reaction proceeds via C-H bond activation, insertion of the acetylene, intramolecular nucleophilic cyclization, and reductive elimination. In contrast to ruthenium and rhodium catalysts, which are usually employed in this type of reaction, the rhenium catalyst promotes the intramolecular nucleophilic cyclization of the alkenylmetal species generated by insertion of the acetylene.     

Polarized near-edge x-ray-absorption fine structure spectroscopy of C60-functionalized 11-amino-1-undecane thiol self-assembled monolayer: molecular orientation and evidence for C60 aggregation

Near-edge x-ray-absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy was adopted to probe the unoccupied electronic states of C60 anchored onto an organized assembly of 11-amino-1-undecane thiol on Au(111). The polarization dependence of the intensity of pi* resonance associated with C60 pi network revealed the self-assembled monolayer (SAM) system to be oriented with an average molecular tilt angle of 57 degrees with respect to the surface normal. Invoking the absence of solid-state band dispersion effects and in comparison to solid C60 and /or 1-ML C60/Au(111), the electronic structure of the resulting assembly was found dominated by spectral position shift and linewidth and intensity changes of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO), LUMO+1, and LUMO+2 orbitals. The latter implied hybridization between N Pz of -NH2 group of thiolate SAM and pi levels of C60, resulting in a nucleophilic addition with a change in the symmetry of C60 from Ih to C1 in the SAM. Occurrence of a new feature at 285.3 eV in the NEXAFS spectrum, assigned previously to pi* graphitic LUMO, signified the formation of aggregated clusters, (C60)n of C60 monomer. Low tunneling current scanning tunneling microscopy confirmed them to be spherical and stable aggregates with n approximately 5.     

Synthesis of chiral oxime ethers based on regio- and enantioselective allylic substitution catalyzed by iridium-pybox complex

The oxygen atom of oximes acts as a reactive nucleophile in the iridium-catalyzed allylic substitution of unsymmetrical substrates to give the branched oxime ethers. Among several chiral ligands evaluated, the iridium complex of pybox ligand having phenyl group catalyzed the allylic substitution of phosphates with high activity to form the branched oxime ethers with good enantioselectivities.     

Complexation of acyclic ligands having two terminal quinoline units with alkali metal cations

Abstract

Acyclic multidentate ligands consisting of an oligooxyethylene chain (di-, tri-, tetra-, and penta-) and two terminal rigid quinaldate end groups were newly prepared and their complexation properties with alkali metal cations were estimated by the solvent extraction method to indicate a better affinity for K⁺. Among them, the tetraethylene glycol derivative showed the highest K⁺ binding on about the same level as 18-crown-6. Their conformations in solution and in the solid state were examined by using ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystal analyses, respectively. The better binding of K⁺ in comparison with the corresponding glymes or analogues having the same donor sites was reasonably explained by considering the effective co-ordination of the carbonyl oxygen of the ester groups and the parallel π-stacking interaction between two quinaldate surfaces.     

Spectroscopic and Electrochemical Characterization of Cytochrome P450st‐DDAB Films on a Plastic‐Formed Carbon Electrode

We have studied the characterization of thermophilic cytochrome P450 (P450st)‐didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) films by using UV‐vis absorption, resonance Raman spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods. The observed Raman spectrum indicated near‐native conformation of the heme iron in DDAB film on the surface of a glass slide, while on the surface of a plastic‐formed carbon (PFC) electrode, the conformation of P450st‐DDAB was very similar to that of heme‐DDAB film, suggesting the release of heme from P450st in DDAB films on PFC electrodes. When NaBr was added as salt to the casting solution, the result of Raman spectrum indicated near‐native conformation of P450st in DDAB film even on the PFC electrode, but no redox potential of P450st which has near native structure was observed. This study suggests the essential experimental conditions when working with heme protein‐DDAB films as, in some cases, heme iron from proteins is released on the surface of the electrode.     

Behavior of a polymer chain immersed in a binary mixture of solvents

The behavior of a polymer chain immersed in a binary solvent mixture is investigated via a single-polymer simulation using an effective Hamiltonian, where the solvent effects are taken into account through a density-functional theory for polymer-solvent admixtures. The liquid-liquid phase separation of the binary solvent mixture is modeled as that of a Lennard-Jones binary fluid mixture with weakly attractive interactions between the different components. Two types of energetic preferences of the polymer chain for the better solvent-(A) no preferential solvophilicity and (B) strong preferential solvophilicity-are employed as polymer-solvent interaction models. The radius of gyration and the polymer-solvent radial distribution functions are determined from the simulations of various molar fractions along an isotherm slightly above the critical temperature of the liquid-liquid phase separation. These quantities near the critical point conspicuously depend on the strength of the preferential solvophilicity. In the case where the polymer exhibits a strong preferential solvophilicity, a remarkable expansion of the polymer chain is observed near the critical point. On the other hand, in the case where the polymer has no preferential solvophilicity, no characteristic variation of the polymer conformation is observed even near the critical point. These results indicate that the expansion of a polymer chain enhances the local phase separation around it, acting as a nucleus of demixing in the vicinity of the critical point. This phenomenon in binary solvents near the liquid-liquid critical point is similar to the expansion of the polymer chain in one-component supercritical solvents near the liquid-vapor critical point, which we have reported [T. Sumi and H. Sekino J. Chem. Phys. 122, 194910 (2005)].