Peptide recognition via hierarchical imprinting

Silica particles containing immobilised peptidic templates have been used for the generation of hierarchically imprinted polymers. The pores of the silica mould were filled with a mixture of monomers/initiator and polymerised, followed by dissolution of the silica template. This method leaves behind imprinted polymers with binding sites located at the surface, which are capable of recognising larger molecules with the same immobilised epitope. All the products resulting from solid-phase synthesis of peptides were characterised by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy. The hierarchically imprinted polymers generated from these products were characterised by elemental analysis, FT-IR spectroscopy, fluorescence microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen adsorption, providing evidence concerning the reproducibility of each step. The chromatographic properties of the materials have been investigated and the advantages of the immobilisation method have been proven. The materials exhibit selectivity for their templates and other structurally related dipeptides. Furthermore, the polymers proved to be capable of recognising larger peptides containing the immobilised sequence.     

Bis-β-diketones as lonophores for Mg2+ in solvent polymeric membranes

Lipophilic bis--diketones have been prepared by covalently linking two-diketone subunits. Potentiometric studies on liquid membrane electrode cell assemblies showed no improvement of the ion selectivities induced by the bridged systems in comparison to unbridged-diketones. The dissociation constants of the enol functions in the bis--diketones indicate that under the conditions of the EMF measurement probably only one-diketone unit is deprotonated in the liquid membrane phase. The complexation of these-diketones with Mg²⁺ and Ca²⁺ was studied by¹³C NMR-monitored titrations in a homogeneous organic phase.On leave from the Chemistry Department, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland     

Thermal properties and flammability of fibres made from polyimidoamide nanocomposite

The effects of basic fibre-forming parameters on the thermal properties and flammability of fibres from polyimidoamide (PIA) nanocomposite have examined. The comparative analysis of the properties of fibres from modified PIA and PIA nanocomposite has been conducted. The multi-functional fibres prepared from PIA nanocomposite show increased porosity and sorption properties as well as a high thermal stability and reduced flammability in comparison with fibres without MMT.     

Chain-breaking antioxidant and cytoprotective action of nitric oxide on photodynamically stressed tumor cells

Nitric oxide (.NO) has a multitude of physiological roles, including the ability to protect cells against oxidant-induced killing, e.g. by inhibiting caspase-mediated apoptosis or by intercepting damaging free radicals derived from membrane lipids. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that low flux .NO acting in the latter fashion can enhance tumor-cell resistance to photodynamic killing, specifically that sensitized by 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA)-derived protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). Preliminary model experiments with iron-ascorbate-treated, PpIX-sensitized liposomes showed that spermine NONOate (SPER/NO)-derived .NO had no effect on photoinduced accumulation of primary singlet oxygen adducts, e.g. the cholesterol hydroperoxide 5 alpha-OOH, but dose-dependently inhibited the buildup of free radical-generated oxidation products arising from one-electron turnover of primary peroxides. In subsequent studies, breast tumor COH-BR1 cells in serum-free medium were treated with 1 mM ALA for 15 min and then without ALA for 3.75 h, allowing biogenerated PpIX to diffuse to extramitochondrial sites, including plasma membrane. Cells were irradiated in the absence or presence of SPER/NO and compared for peroxidative damage and Hoechst-assessed viability after 5 h in the dark. Iron-stimulated necrotic photo-killing and accumulation of chain lipid peroxidation products were observed, and this was inhibited strongly by SPER/NO, but not by decomposed SPER/NO, confirming that .NO was the active agent. When introduced after irradiation, .NO became progressively less inhibitory, consistent with ongoing but waning free-radical activity. These findings provide new insights into the possible role of .NO in tumor resistance to ALA-photodynamic therapy and other photo-dynamic treatments.     

Modeling substrate- and inhibitor-bound forms of liver alcohol dehydrogenase: chemistry of mononuclear nitrogen/sulfur-ligated zinc alcohol,formamide, and sulfoxide complexes

Using a mixed nitrogen/sulfur ligand possessing a single internal hydrogen bond donor (N,N-bis-2-(methylthio)ethyl-N-(6-amino-2-pyridylmethyl)amine (bmapa)), we prepared and structurally and spectroscopically characterized a series of zinc complexes possessing a single alcohol ([(bmapa)Zn(MeOH)](ClO(4))(2) (1)), formamide ([(bmapa)Zn(DMF)](ClO(4))(2) (3), [(bmapa)Zn(NMF)](ClO(4))(2) (4)), or sulfoxide ([(bmapa)Zn(DMSO)](ClO(4))(2) (7), [(bmapa)Zn(TMSO)](ClO(4))(2) (8)) ligand. X-ray crystallographic characterization was obtained for 1.MeOH, 3, 4, 7.DMSO, and 8. To enable studies of the influence of the single hydrogen bond donor amino group of the bmapa ligand on the chemistry of zinc/neutral oxygen donor binding interactions, analogous alcohol ([(bmpa)Zn(MeOH)](ClO(4))(2) (2)), formamide ([(bmpa)Zn(DMF)](ClO(4))(2) (5), [(bmpa)Zn(NMF)](ClO(4))(2) (6)), and sulfoxide ([(bmpa)Zn(DMSO)](ClO(4))(2) (9), [(bmpa)Zn(TMSO)](ClO(4))(2) (10)) complexes of the bmpa (N,N-bis-2-(methylthio)ethyl-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) ligand system were generated and characterized. Of these, 2, 5, 6, and 9.2DMSO were characterized by X-ray crystallography. Solution spectroscopic methods ((1)H and (13)C NMR, FTIR) were utilized to examine the formamide binding properties of 3-6 in CH(3)CN and CH(3)NO(2) solutions. Conclusions derived from this work include the following: (1) the increased donicity of formamide and sulfoxide donors (versus alcohols) makes these competitive ligands for a cationic N/S-ligated zinc center, even in alcohol solution, (2) the inclusion of a single internal hydrogen bond donor, characterized by a heteroatom distance of approximately 2.80-2.95 A, produces subtle structural perturbations in N/S-ligated zinc alcohol, formamide, or sulfoxide complexes, (3) the heteroatom distance of a secondary hydrogen-bonding interaction involving the oxygen atom of a zinc-coordinated alcohol, formamide, and sulfoxide ligand is reduced with increasing donicity of the exogenous ligand, and (4) formamide displacement on a N/S-ligated zinc center is rapid, regardless of the presence of an internal hydrogen bond donor. These results provide initial insight into the chemical factors governing the binding of a neutral oxygen donor to a N/S-ligated zinc center.     

Convergent stereoselective synthesis of the visual pigment A2E

[chemical reaction: see text]. A stereoselective total synthesis of the visual pigment A2E has been achieved with use of palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions in all key steps: a regioselective Suzuki or Negishi coupling of 2,4-dibromopyridine, a Sonogashira reaction, and a double Stille cross-coupling to complete the bispolyenyl skeleton.     

A benzopyran derivative substituted at position 3

In (E)‐3‐{[(di­phenoxy­phospho­ryl)­methyl­hydrazono]­methyl}‐4H‐1‐benzo­pyran‐4‐one, C₂₃H₁₉N₂O₅P, the benzo­pyran–methyl­hydrazone moiety is planar and the two phenoxy phenyl rings are inclined at angles of 21.29 (6) and 89.33 (5)°. Weak C—H?O and C—H?N intramolecular interactions exert some influence on the planarity and orientation of that moiety.     

Oligomers with four 3,4-quinolinediyl units and α,ω-bis (4-chloro-3-quinolinylthio)alkanes

Starting from the reaction of thioquinanthrene 1 with sodium methoxide followed by the reaction with α,ω-dihalogenoalkanes, title bis-methoxy oligomers 4a-c with four 3,4-quinolinediyl units were prepared (40–91%). Acid catalysed hydrolysis of methoxy groups in 4a-c gave tetramers 5a-c (46–94%) with two 4(1H)-quinolinone functions. The reactions of bis-quinolinones 5a-c with phosphoryl chloride in DMF run as deoxo-chlorination and afforded tide dichlorotetramers 6a-c (51–66%) with 4-chloroquinolinyl groups. The treatment of bis-methoxy tetramers 4a -c with boiling phosphoryl chloride led to title α,ω-bis(4-chloro-3-quinolinylthio)alkanes 7a-c (52–56%) and thioquinanthrene (65–70%).     

Studies on thermoplastic polyurethanes based on new diphenylethane-derivative diols. II. Synthesis and characterization of segmented polyurethanes from HDI and MDI

Various new thermoplastic segmented polyurethanes were synthesized by a one-step melt polymerization from aliphatic-aromatic α,ω-diols containing sulfur in the aliphatic chain, including 4,4′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(benzenethioethanol), 4,4′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(benzenethiopropanol) and 4,4′-(ethane-1,2-diyl)bis(benzenethiodecanol) as chain extenders, hexane-1,6-diyl diisocyanate (HDI) or 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and 20-80 mol% poly(oxytetramethylene)diol (PTMO) with molecular weight of 1000 g/mol as a soft segment. The reaction was conducted at the molar ratio of NCO/OH = 1 and 1.05, and in the case of the HDI-based polyurethanes in the presence of dibutyltin dilaurate as a catalyst. The effect of the diisocyanate used on the structure and some physicochemical, thermal and mechanical properties of the segmented polyurethanes were studied. The structures of these polyurethanes were examined by FTIR and X-ray diffraction analysis. The thermal properties were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimetric analysis. Shore hardness and tensile properties were also determined. All the synthesized polymers showed partially crystalline structures. The MDI-based polyurethanes were products with lower crystallinity, higher glass-transition temperature (T_g) and better thermal stability in comparison with the HDI-based ones. The MDI series polymers also exhibited higher tensile strength (up to ∼36 MPa vs. ∼23 MPa) and elongation at break (up to ∼3900% vs. ∼900%), but lower hardness than the analogous HDI series polyurethanes. In both series of the polymers an increase in PTMO soft-segment content was associated with decreased crystallinity, T_g, hardness and tensile strength. An increase in PTMO content also involved an increase in elongation at break.     

Multiplex pyrosequencing of InDel markers for forensic DNA analysis

The capillary electrophoresis (CE) technology is commonly used for fragment length separation of markers in forensic DNA analysis. In this study, pyrosequencing technology was used as an alternative and rapid tool for the analysis of biallelic InDel (insertion/deletion) markers for individual identification. The DNA typing is based on a subset of the InDel markers that are included in the Investigator^® DIPplex Kit, which are sequenced in a multiplex pyrosequencing analysis. To facilitate the analysis of degraded DNA, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) fragments were kept short in the primer design. Samples from individuals of Swedish origin were genotyped using the pyrosequencing strategy and analysis of the Investigator^® DIPplex markers with CE. A comparison between the pyrosequencing and CE data revealed concordant results demonstrating a robust and correct genotyping by pyrosequencing. Using optimal marker combination and a directed dispensation strategy, five markers could be multiplexed and analyzed simultaneously. In this proof‐of‐principle study, we demonstrate that multiplex InDel pyrosequencing analysis is possible. However, further studies on degraded samples, lower DNA quantities, and mixtures will be required to fully optimize InDel analysis by pyrosequencing for forensic applications. Overall, although CE analysis is implemented in most forensic laboratories, multiplex InDel pyrosequencing offers a cost‐effective alternative for some applications.