Visualizing the mode of action and supramolecular assembly of teixobactin analogues in Bacillus subtilis

Teixobactin has been the source of intensive study and interest as a promising antibiotic, because of its excellent activity against drug-resistant Gram-positive pathogens and its novel but not yet fully understood mechanism of action that precludes drug resistance. Recent studies have demonstrated that the mode of action of teixobactin is more complicated than initially thought, with supramolecular assembly of the antibiotic appearing to play a critical role in the binding process. Further studies of the interactions of teixobactin with bacteria and its molecular targets offer the promise of providing deeper insights into its novel mechanism of action and guiding the design of additional drug candidates and analogues. The current study reports the preparation and study of teixobactin analogues bearing a variety of fluorophores. Structured illumination microscopy of the fluorescent teixobactin analogues with B. subtilis enables super-resolution visualization of the interaction of teixobactin with bacterial cell walls and permits the observation of aggregated clusters of the antibiotic on the bacteria. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy further elucidates the supramolecular assembly by showing that fluorescent teixobactin molecules co-localize within a few nanometers on B. subtilis. Fluorescence microscopy over time with a fluorescent teixobactin analogue and propidium iodide in B. subtilis reveals a correlation between cell death and binding of the antibiotic to cellular targets, followed by lysis of cells. Collectively, these studies provide new insights into the binding of teixobactin to Gram-positive bacteria, its supramolecular mechanism of action, and the lysis of bacteria that follows.

FRET microscopy experiments demonstrate supramolecular assembly of teixobactin molecules on Bacillus subtilis, providing further evidence that teixobactin is a supramolecular antibiotic.     

Biodegradation of poly (vinylalcohol) with enzymatic extracts of phanerochaete chrysosporium

Commercial poly(vinylalcohol) samples (PVOH) of average molecular mass (Mw) 120,000 g/mol, were subjected to biodegradation with enzymatic extracts of the Phanerochaete chrysosporium fungus, in which the lignine peroxidase activity (LiP) was detected. The results of differential refractive index and ultraviolet (UV) absorption Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Gas Chromatography coupled to a Mass Detector (GC-MS) allow to deduce that in 15 days, under the conditions of this study, the average molar mass of the polymer decreases in 79.3 %. The benzaldehyde was detected as the main degradation product.     

Characterization of sodium alginate and its block fractions by surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy

The surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of sodium alginates and their hetero‐ and homopolymeric fractions obtained from four seaweeds of the Chilean coast was studied. Alginic acid is a copolymer of β‐D ‐mannuronic acid (M) and α‐L guluronic acid (G), linked 1 → 4, forming two homopolymeric fractions (MM and GG) and a heteropolymeric fraction (MG). The SERS spectra were registered on silver colloid with the 632.8 nm line of a He Ne laser. The SERS spectra of sodium alginate and the polyguluronate fraction present various carboxylate bands which are probably due to the coexistence of different molecular conformations. SERS allows to differentiate the hetero‐ and homopolymeric fractions of alginic acid by characteristic bands. In the fingerprint region, all the poly‐D ‐mannuronate samples present a band around 946 cm⁻¹ assigned to C O stretching, and C C H and C O H deformation vibrations, a band at 863 cm⁻¹ assigned to deformation vibration of β‐C₁ H group, and one at 799–788 cm⁻¹ due to the contributions of various vibration modes. Poly‐L ‐guluronate spectra show three characteristic bands, at 928–913 cm⁻¹ assigned to symmetric stretching vibration of C O C group, at 890–889 cm⁻¹ due to C C H, skeletal C C, and C O vibrations, and at 797 cm⁻¹ assigned to α C₁ H deformation vibration. The heteropolymeric fractions present two characteristic bands in the region with the more important one being an intense band at 730 cm⁻¹ due to ring breathing vibration mode. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Kalirin12 interacts with dynamin

Background  

Guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) and their target Rho GTPases regulate cytoskeletal changes and membrane trafficking. Dynamin, a large force-generating GTPase, plays an essential role in membrane tubulation and fission in cells. Kalirin12, a neuronal RhoGEF, is found in growth cones early in development and in dendritic spines later in development.     

Rapid Isocratic HPLC Method and Sample Extraction Procedures for Measuring Carotenoid,Retinoid, and Tocopherol Concentrations in Human Blood and Breast Milk for Intervention Studies

Vitamin A deficiency continues to be a major public health concern in the developing world effecting over 200 million people. Interventions including carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables, containing α- and β-carotene, and β-cryptoxanthin, are being tested for their potential to alleviate vitamin A deficiency in several countries. Thus, there is a need for a faster isocratic reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) method than the methods currently available. Efficient extraction procedures for biological samples are also valuable to save time, materials, and cost. We developed an HPLC method and compared several extraction methods for carotenoids, retinoids, and vitamin E in plasma and human breast milk. The method uses an Agilent 1100 system equipped with a Waters Spherisorb ODS2 column (3 × 125 mm 3 μm) and similar guard column (ThermoScientific ODS2 3 × 20 mm 3 μm). Mobile phase of 7:2:1 acetonitrile:dichloromethane:methanol was run at 0.5 mL min⁻¹, and run times were complete in approximately 8 min. This rapid method uses little solvent and provides excellent results in the analysis of these fat-soluble nutrients. Analyte measurements were repeatable using standards and plasma and were accurate compared to NIST certified and reference serum values. The validated HPLC method was applied to the analysis of plasma samples from a vitamin A intervention study.

     

Selective Inhibition of Lysine‐Specific Demethylase 5A (KDM5A) Using a Rhodium(III) Complex for Triple‐Negative Breast Cancer Therapy

Lysine‐specific demethylase 5A (KDM5A) has recently become a promising target for epigenetic therapy. In this study, we designed and synthesized metal complexes bearing ligands with reported demethylase and p27 modulating activities. The Rh(III) complex 1 was identified as a direct, selective and potent inhibitor of KDM5A that directly abrogate KDM5A demethylase activity via antagonizing the KDM5A‐tri‐/di‐methylated histone 3 protein–protein interaction (PPI) in vitro and in cellulo. Complex 1 induced accumulation of H3K4me3 and H3K4me2 levels in cells, causing growth arrest at G1 phase in the triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines, MDA‐MB‐231 and 4T1. Finally, 1 exhibited potent anti‐tumor activity against TNBC xenografts in an in vivo mouse model, presumably via targeting of KDM5A and hence upregulating p27. Moreover, complex 1 was less toxic compared with two clinical drugs, cisplatin and doxorubicin. To our knowledge, complex 1 is the first metal‐based KDM5A inhibitor reported in the literature. We anticipate that complex 1 may be used as a novel scaffold for the further development of more potent epigenetic agents against cancers, including TNBC.     

Metallocene polyolefins and their blends#

Commercial copolymers of 1‐octene and ethylene: metallocene catalyzed (mLLDPE) and Ziegler‐Natta catalyzed (znLLDPE), a low density polyethylene (LDPE), and high density polyethylene (HDPE), were characterized with respect to branching, crystallization behaviour and dynamic‐mechanical properties. It was found that the crystallinity of the polymers is more influenced by the homogeneity of the short‐chain branching than by its content. The study of blends of mLLDPE and znLLDPE with LDPE and HDPE showed that the interaction between mLLDPE and LDPE is stronger than between znLLDPE and LDPE. Blends containing mLLDPE showed a composition depending improvement of the storage modulus G' which was not observed in znLLDPE/LDPE blends. The HPDE blends followed a linear mixing rule. Co‐crystallization was found mLLDPE/LDPE and partially in znLLDPE/LDPE and znLLDPE/HDPE blends, respectively.     

In situ catalyst systems for ring-opening metathesis polymerization

Several new in situ tungsten catalyst systems for ring-opening metathesis polymerizations (ROMP) by reaction injection molding (RIM) have been developed by adding BF₃ promoter to binary catalyst systems, by using metal hydride cocatalysts, and by altering the ligands on the procatalyst metal center. BF₃ etherates improved catalyst efficiency and reduced induction times for formation of active catalysts from reaction of aryloxytungsten complexes [e.g., (ArO)_y(WX_x)] with organotin hydrides. Coordinatively unsaturated cationic intermediates, such as [(ArO)_yWX_x-1]⁺ BF₃X⁻, are proposed to facilitate formation of the active catalysts. Tougher poly(dicyclopentadiene) (polyDCPD) composites were produced using < 5 wt % of styrene-butadiene block copolymers due to formation of small “shell-core” rubber morphologies when BF₃ promoter was added to the catalyst system. Nonalkylating metal hydrides besides R₃SnH, including (PPh₃)₂CuBH₄, (PPh₃CuH)₆, and Cp₂ZrClH, were shown to be cocatalysts. The optimum 2 : 1 stoichiometric ratio of organotin hydride cocatalyst to tungsten, revealed by BF₃-promoted catalyst systems, and W^V EPR resonances (g ∼ 1.7) observed in the reaction of aryloxytungsten with organotin hydride are consistent with an overall reduction and reoxidation mechanism for formation of the active metathesis catalysts. Some tungsten complexes derived from 9-hydroxyfluorene, 2,2′-(and 4,4′)-biphenols, and 1,4-hydroquinones were found to be very reactive procatalysts, even in the absence of cocatalyst in some cases. These procatalysts also were paramagnetic, characterized by unusual EPR spectra consistent with W^V (g = 1.6–1.9) and “ligand-centered” (g = 2.003) resonances. Valence tautomeric species, analogous to catecholate-semiquinonate complexes, are proposed. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35 : 3027–3047, 1997     

Ring-opened metathesis polymers from cyclohexenylnorbornene and related Diels-Alder adducts of cyclopentadiene with vinyl and divinyl cyclohydrocarbons

5-(3-Cyclohexen-1-yl)-2-norbornene [CHNB] has been shown to form a very lightly crosslinked polymer (T_g = 127°C) with good elongation via ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP). Based on swelling behavior with added norbornadiene dimer, the low crosslink density is ascribed to ≪0.5% participation by the cyclohexenyl ring. Compared to dicyclopentadiene (DCPD), CHNB polymerizations were less exothermic, required less catalyst, and exhibited greater molding latitude, which are advantageous for Reaction Injection Molding (RIM). Styrene-isoprene and styrene-ethylene/butylene block copolymers were effective impact modifiers for polyCHNB, forming large particle morphologies. Small rubber particles formed from styrene-butadiene block copolymers were not effective for impact enhancement of polyCHNB, in contrast to polyDCPD. Rubber-modified polyCHNB retained impact resistance four to six times longer than polyDCPD samples when aged in air at 50–70°C. Related RIM-ROMP of liquid monomer mixtures prepared by cyclopentadiene cycloadditions with 4-vinyl-1-cyclohexene, cis-1,3-divinylcyclopentane, 3,5-divinylcyclopentene or cis-2,4-divinylbicyclo[3.3.0]oct-6-ene formed highly crosslinked, less ductile copolymers with T_gs as high as 206°C. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 3049–3063, 1997     

Theoretical study of the structure of tetraborane(10)

Fully optimized geometries are reported for two possible isomers of B₄H₁₀. At the restricted Hartree-Fock level, the unobserved bisdiborane isomer is lower in energy than the observed isomer. Generalized-molecular-orbital, configuration-interaction calculations show that electron correlation is responsible for this reversal. Electron correlation may be important in stabilizing other cluster molecules.