Molecular Structure of the Bis[tris(2-aminoethyl)aminecyano]dicobalt(III) Ion and its UV/VIS Spectrum

Formation of μ-peroxodicobalt(III) complexes has been studied in solutions containing tris(2-aminoethyl)aminecobalt(II) and additional monodentate ligands X. Depending n the nature and the concentration of X and on pH, singly bridged [(tren)XCoOOCoX(tren)]⁴⁺ and/or doubly bridged [(tren)Co(C₂OH)Co(tren)]³⁺ are formed. The UV/VIS spectra of these complexes are discussed on the basis of a theoretical model which stresses the importance of the dihedral angle of the CoOOCo-group. [(tren)(CN)CoOOCo(CN)(tren)](ClO₄)₂ has been synthesized and its structure determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction. The CoOOCo-group of the cation is planar. Solutions of the complex as well as the solid show two CT bands in the 300–400 nm region.     

Über Reaktionen oxygenierter Kobalt(II)-Chelate. VI. Präparative Darstellung von diastereoisomeren Tetrakis(äthylendiamin)-μ-peroxo-μ-hydroxodikobalt(III)-perchloraten

On Reactions of oxygenated Cobalt(II) Chelates. VI. Preparation of diastereoisomeric tetrakis(ethylenediamine)-μ-peroxo-μl-hydroxo-dicobalt(III) Perchlorates Oxygenation of Co(en)₂²⁺ leads to a mixture of two isomeric forms of [(en)₂Co(O₂, OH)-Co(en)₂] (ClO₄)₃ · H₂O from which the less soluble meso form can be readily crystallized. Further crystallization from the mother liquor yields the racemate ΔΔ/ΔΔ. The pure racemate may be obtained by either of the following methods: (a) By ligand exchange starting from mono bridged [(NH₃)₅CoO₂Co(NH₃)₅] (NO₃)₄ or from doubly bridged [(SCN) (NH₃)₃Co(O₂, OH)Co(NH₃)₃(SCN)] SCN · 2H₂O. (b) By reaction of cis-[Co(en)₂(OH₂)₂]³⁺ with H₂O₂. Reaction (b) proceeds via an intermediate cis-[Co(en)₂(OOH) (OH₂)] (ClO₄)₂ · H₂O which at higher pH reacts with [Co(en)₂(OH) (OH₂)]²⁺ to yield the desired doubly bridged ΔΔ/ΔΔ tetrakis(ethylenediamine)-μ-peroxo-μ-hydroxodikobalt(III)-perchlorate.     

Hemoglobin adducts from glycidamide: acetonization of hydrophilic groups for reproducible gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric analysis

Acrylamide (AA) is a reactive compound widely used as an industrial chemical. It is also, as recently shown, present in heated foodstuffs. AA is known to cause tumors in rodents and is classified as probably carcinogenic to humans. The metabolite glycidamide (GA) is assumed to be the predominant genotoxic agent in AA exposure. Therefore, knowledge about in vivo doses of GA is essential for cancer risk assessment of exposure to AA. The in vivo dose of GA could be inferred from the level of the adduct formed by GA with N-terminal valine (GA-Val) in hemoglobin (Hb), detached as a pentafluorophenylthiohydantoin (PFPTH) and measured by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectrometric (GC/MS/MS) analysis. However, due to the highly polar character of the GA-Val-PFPTH derivative, it was found necessary to modify the method through further derivatization. This paper presents an evaluation of acetonization for derivatization of the adjacent bond;OH and bond;NH(2) groups in the adduct formed from GA. Good reproducibility was obtained. Also, acetonization improves the response and thus increases the sensitivity of the GC/MS/MS analysis of the PFPTH derivative of GA-Val. The sensitivity obtained is sufficient for studies of background adduct levels of GA in animals and in humans. Acetonization as a method for derivatization is robust and simple.     

Synthesis of salmon calcitonin, a high activity hypocalcemic hormone

A total synthesis of salmon calcitonin is described. The C-terminal nonapeptide amide 24–32 was coupled with the heptapeptide 17–23. The resulting hexadecapeptide amide 17–32 was reacted with the heptapeptide 10–16 to give the tricosapeptide 10–32. This was condensed with the N-terminal nonapeptide 1–9, yielding the protected dotriacontapeptide amide 1–32. After removal of the protective groups and purification by gel-filtration the free peptide obtained exhibited the physical, chemical and biological properties of the natural hormone. Its hypocalcaemic activity (ca. 3500 MRC U/mg) is 20–30 times higher than that of porcine or human calcitonin.     

Paramagnetic Solid-State NMR to Localize the Metal-Ion Cofactor in an Oligomeric DnaB Helicase

Paramagnetic metal ions can be inserted into ATP-fueled motor proteins by exchanging the diamagnetic Mg²⁺ cofactor with Mn²⁺ or Co²⁺. Then, paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) or pseudo-contact shifts (PCSs) can be measured to report on the localization of the metal ion within the protein. We determine the metal position in the oligomeric bacterial DnaB helicase from Helicobacter pylori complexed with the transition-state ATP-analogue ADP:AlF₄⁻ and single-stranded DNA using solid-state NMR and a structure-calculation protocol employing CYANA. We discuss and compare the use of Mn²⁺ and Co²⁺ in localizing the ATP cofactor in large oligomeric protein assemblies. ³¹P PCSs induced in the Co²⁺-containing sample are then used to localize the DNA phosphate groups on the Co²⁺ PCS tensor surface enabling structural insights into DNA binding to the DnaB helicase.     

DLVO and steric contributions to bacterial deposition in media of different ionic strengths

The deposition of eight bacterial strains on Teflon and glass in aqueous media with ionic strengths varying between 0.0001 and 1 M was measured and interpreted. Two types of interactions were considered: (1) those described by the DLVO theory, which comprise van der Waals attraction and electrostatic repulsion (bacteria and surfaces are both negatively charged); and (2) steric interactions between the outer cell surface macromolecules and the substrata. As a trend, at low ionic strength (<0.001 M), deposition is inhibited by DLVO-type electrostatic repulsion, but at high ionic strength (≥0.1 M) it is dominated by steric interactions. The ionic strength at which the transition from the DLVO-controlled to the sterically controlled deposition occurs, is determined by the extension of the macromolecules into the surrounding medium, which varied between 5 and 100 nm among the bacterial strains studied. The steric interactions either promote deposition by bridging or inhibit it by steric repulsion. Between Teflon and hydrophobic bacteria, bridging is generally observed. The surface of one bacterial strain contains amphiphilic macromolecules that form bridges with Teflon but induce steric repulsion on glass. The presence of highly polar anionic polysaccharide coatings on the cell impedes attachment on both glass and Teflon. For practice, the general conclusion is that the deposition of most bacteria is: (1) strongly inhibited by DLVO-type electrostatic repulsion in aqueous environments of low ionic strength such as rain water, streams and lakes; (2) controlled by DLVO and/or steric interactions in systems as domestic waste waters and saliva; and (3) determined by steric interactions only in more saline environments as milk, urine, blood and sea water.     

Cohesive properties of nickel-alumina interfaces determined via simulation of ductile bridging experiments

A combined experimental and computational study is carried out to characterize a nickel-alumina interface in terms of the two parameter (σ̂, Γ₀) computational cohesive zone (CCZ) model of Tvergaard and Hutchinson. Experiments were performed using a sandwich specimen consisting of a thin nickel foil bonded between two pre-cracked alumina plates. The specimen was loaded in tension with the nickel foil bridging the cracks in the ceramic. Numerical simulations of the experiments were used to extract the parameters for the CCZ model.Effects of various parameters of the CCZ model are investigated and it is found that the most dominant parameter is the interface strength, σ̂. Effects of the residual thermal stresses are also investigated and it is shown that these stresses can enhance the specimen fracture toughness by almost 16%. The parameters for the nickel-alumina interface are found to be σ̂ = 148 MPa and Γ₀ = 11 J m⁻². It is observed that for the foil thicknesses tested, the work of rupture does not vary linearly with the thickness as predicted by many theoretical models. We found that interfaces which are neither too strong nor too weak contribute most to the overall fracture toughness of such a composite. Although the macroscopic loading at the nickel-alumina interface is shear, the failure is primarily tensile due to the thinning that occurs in the metal as it is stretched.     

A density functional theory study of a concerted mechanism for proton exchange between amino acid side chains and water

 A concerted mechanism for proton exchange between water and the amino acid side chains of cysteine, serine, arginine and glutamic acid has been investigated with hybrid density functional theory. The models used include, besides the amino acid side chain, a number of water molecules ranging from one to five in some cases. The modeling of the amino acids without their backbones is shown to be an excellent approximation. Long-range polarization effects were incorporated through a dielectric cavity method allowing a better comparison to existing measurements for free amino acids in water. The barriers converge rather fast with the number of water molecules for all the present amino acids and the converged values are in reasonable agreement with experiments with discrepancies in the range 2–6 kcal/mol. The dielectric effects were found to be small for all systems except cysteine, where there is a lowering of the barrier by 3–5 kcal/mol. The transition states for these concerted pathways form rings in which the separated charges can be stabilized. Received: 25 October 1999 / Accepted: 5 April 2000 / Published online: 21 June 2000     

Automated sample preparation method for mass spectrometry analysis on recombinant proteins

A completely automated procedure for the purification and desalting of proteins with a polyhistidine purification tag prior to mass spectrometry analysis is presented. The system is ideal for rapid quality control and optimization studies and it provides researchers with a straightforward, reliable tool for studies of recombinant proteins. Forty-eight samples can be prepared within 4.5 h and only small cultivation and buffer volumes are needed. In this proof of concept, 19,000–35,000 Da recombinant proteins from both crude and clarified cell lysates were successfully prepared for subsequent analysis by electrospray ionization and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry as well as by gel electrophoresis.     

$$C_0$$-semigroups associated with uniquely ergodic Kantorovich modifications of operators

We extend to the context of \(L^p\) spaces and \(C_0\)-semigroups of operators our previous results from Heilmann and Ra?a (Positivity 21:897–910, 2017.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s11117-016-0441-1), concerning the eigenstructure and iterates of uniquely ergodic Kantorovich modifications of linking operators.