Topography of the free-energy landscape probed via mechanical unfolding of proteins

Single-molecule experiments in which proteins are unfolded by applying mechanical stretching forces generally force unfolding to proceed along a reaction coordinate that is different from that in chemical or thermal denaturation. Here we simulate the mechanical unfolding and refolding of a minimalist off-lattice model of the protein ubiquitin to explore in detail the slice of the multidimensional free-energy landscape that is accessible via mechanical pulling experiments. We find that while the free-energy profile along typical "chemical" reaction coordinates may exhibit two minima, corresponding to the native and denatured states, the free energy G(z) is typically a monotonic function of the mechanical coordinate z equal to the protein extension. Application of a stretching force along z tilts the free-energy landscape resulting in a bistable (or multistable) free energy G(z)-fz probed in mechanical unfolding experiments. We construct a two-dimensional free-energy surface as a function of both chemical and mechanical reaction coordinates and examine the coupling between the two. We further study the refolding trajectories after the protein has been prestretched by a large force, as well as the mechanical unfolding trajectories in the presence of a large stretching force. We demonstrate that the stretching forces required to destabilize the native state thermodynamically are larger than those expected on the basis of previous experimental estimates of G(z). This finding is consistent with the recent experimental studies, indicating that proteins may refold even in the presence of a substantial stretching force. Finally, we show that for certain temperatures the free energy of a polyprotein chain consisting of multiple domains is a linear function of the chain extension. We propose that the recently observed "slow phase" in the refolding of proteins under mechanical tension may be viewed as downhill diffusion in such a linear potential.     

Efficient catalytic aza-Michael additions of carbamates to enones: revisited dual activation of hard nucleophiles and soft electrophiles by InCl3/TMSCl catalyst system

The aza-Michael reaction of a variety of chalcones with weaker nucleophilic carbamates catalyzed by InCl₃ in the presence of TMSCl via the entry of dual activation of both hard nucleophiles (carbamates) and soft electrophiles (enones) to provide the corresponding adducts in good yields. The first example of enantioselective aza-Michael reaction of chalcones with carbamates was also investigated in the presence of the present catalyst system.     

牛血清白蛋白与十二烷基硫酸钠作用的机理

利用电动势法得到了牛血清白蛋白(BSA)与十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS)相互作用的结合等温线. 通过四阶导数紫外光谱法和荧光光谱法研究了相互作用过程中芳香族氨基酸残基微环境极性的变化. 通过研究发现, 随着SDS浓度的逐渐增大, SDS在BSA上的平均结合数(v)逐渐增大, 色氨酸(Trp)残基所处微环境的极性在减弱后保持基本不变, 酪氨酸残基所处微环境的极性在明显增强后稍有减弱, 苯丙氨酸残基所处微环境的极性略有增强. 结果表明, 当v由0增大到14时, SDS主要结合在BSA的Trp-213附近并逐渐形成聚集体, 从而诱导BSA由结构域ⅡA 开始逐渐展开. 此后, SDS呈正协同作用的特点与BSA 结合, v急剧增大. 当v约为302 时, SDS在BSA上的结合基本达到饱和, BSA的构象趋于稳定.     

高效液相色谱-串联质谱法测定小鼠组织中的新型抗心力衰竭化合物AF-HF001

建立了基于高效液相色谱-质谱联用技术的新型抗心力衰竭化合物AF-HF001在小鼠组织中的测定方法,并考察了其在小鼠体内的组织分布。采用液-液萃取对样品进行预处理,以Thermo Hypersil Gold C18色谱柱进行分离,流动相为乙腈-0.1%甲酸水溶液,梯度洗脱,采用选择性反应监测(SRM)正离子模式检测分析物。小鼠组织中AF-HF001含量在0.5~10μg/mL范围内线性关系良好(r>0.996),在加标量为1.5,4,10μg/mL的组织样品中,提取回收率大于58%,基质效应在100.38%~109.99%之间,日内和日间精密度RSD均小于15%。该方法为AF-HF001的体内分布研究及进一步药物研发提供了依据。初步结果表明,该化合物能够迅速到达心脏并迅速代谢,主要分布在肝脏组织中,其他组织中分布较少。     

Analysis of rabbit tear proteins by high-pressure liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The aim of this study was to develop a fast and reliable analytical procedure for the display of the protein components of tears that can be used to differentiate the status of the ocular surface. Using this new procedure, we analyzed the tear protein components following a corneal wound in the rabbit. Calibrated 10-microL glass, fire-polished capillary micropipettes were used to collect tears from New Zealand White rabbits prior to and daily for 9 days following a unilateral 6-mm diameter centrally placed anterior keratectomy. Tear proteins were eluted by a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) column and the tear protein profile was monitored by electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrometry positive total ion current (TIC) chromatography. Tear proteins were reliably separated into 17 peaks, each of which contained one or a number of protein components. The molecular weight of each protein component was determined by on-line ESI. Major tear protein components, lactoferrin, lysozyme (minimally detectable in rabbit tears), albumin, lipocalin, lipophilin and beta2-microglobulin, were tentatively identified by this method. Based on the mass spectrometric data, beta2-microglobulin was found to be glycosylated with N-acetylhexosamine. ESI-positive TIC chromatograms and mass spectra revealed comparative differences in the tear protein spectra after corneal wounding. One day after wounding, rabbit lysozyme with a molecular weight of 14,717 Da was found to be 8-fold higher in the tears of wounded eyes when compared with tears from unwounded eyes. It dropped back to normal 3 days after wounding. The expression of an unidentified tear protein with the molecular weight of 16,060 Da was also elevated after corneal wounding and returned to normal level by day 5. In this study, LC/ESI-MS was developed as a fast, reproducible and simple method for the identification and analysis of many of the protein components of the tears. Importantly, this technique also allows quantification of each component resolved in the chromatogram. This method is very suitable for mapping peptides and proteins (<80 kDa) in tears.     

铜(Ⅱ)-三氮唑偶氮络合物与脱氧核糖核酸相互作用的电化学行为

运用电化学方法研究了铜（Ⅱ）－三氮唑偶氮（2－[2,3,5-三氮唑偶氮]-5－二甲氨基苯甲酸，TZAMB）络合物与脱氧核糖核酸（DAN）的相互作用。在pH2.5(0.05mol/L）邻苯二甲酸氢钾（PBS）缓冲溶液中，DNA与Cu(Ⅱ）－TZAMB络合物形成一种电惰性结合物，使Cu（Ⅱ）－TZAMB络合物的还原峰电流减小。通过循环伏安法、盐效应以及紫外－可见吸收谱证实了是由Cu(Ⅱ）－TZAMB络合物与DNA形成一种插入式的电惰性结合物而使其峰电流下降。根据这种峰电流下降可以测定DNA，测定结果令人满意。     

钨砷杂多阴离子[KAs4W40O140(M·H2O)2]n-中配位水的取代反应

本文报道了[KAs_4W_(40)O_(140)(M·H_2O_2]~(n-)杂多阴离子中配位水的取代反应.在水溶液中,许多配体,如[Fe(CN)_6]~(4-)、[Fe(CN)_6]~(3-),SO_3~(2-)等都能取代配位水形成具有特征颜色的配离子.在水溶液中不能发生的配体取代配位水的反应,在非极性有机溶剂中却容易发生,这与配位水分子在非极性有机溶剂中易脱去形成配位不饱和态有关.     

牛血清白蛋白与十二烷基硫酸钠作用的机理

利用电动势法得到了牛血清白蛋白(BSA)与十二烷基硫酸钠(SDS)相互作用的结合等温线. 通过四阶导数紫外光谱法和荧光光谱法研究了相互作用过程中芳香族氨基酸残基微环境极性的变化. 通过研究发现, 随着SDS浓度的逐渐增大, SDS在BSA上的平均结合数(v)逐渐增大, 色氨酸(Trp)残基所处微环境的极性在减弱后保持基本不变, 酪氨酸残基所处微环境的极性在明显增强后稍有减弱, 苯丙氨酸残基所处微环境的极性略有增强. 结果表明, 当v由0增大到14时, SDS主要结合在BSA的Trp-213附近并逐渐形成聚集体, 从而诱导BSA由结构域ⅡA 开始逐渐展开. 此后, SDS呈正协同作用的特点与BSA 结合, v急剧增大. 当v约为302 时, SDS在BSA上的结合基本达到饱和, BSA的构象趋于稳定.     

Further Daphniphyllum Alkaloids from the Leaves of Daphniphyllum macropodum Miq.

Five new polycyclic Daphniphyllum alkaloids, macropodumines F ( 1 ) and G ( 2 ), 17‐oxoyuzurimine ( 3 ), and macropodumines H ( 4 ) and I ( 5 ), were isolated from the leaves of D. macropodum Miq ., collected in Sichuan Province, China. The structures and relative configurations of the new compounds – as well as of four known, related alkaloids – were elucidated on the basis of in‐depth spectroscopic and mass‐spectrometric analyses, by chemical derivatization, and by comparison of spectroscopic data with those of known compounds.