Epitope-targeted proteome analysis: towards a large-scale automated protein–protein-interaction mapping utilizing synthetic peptide arrays

We describe the development of a process for the genome-wide mapping of interactions between protein domains and peptide ligands entirely based on high-throughput biochip technologies. A phage library displaying protein domains from a randomly fragmented and cloned cDNA library will be "panned" on an array of synthetic peptide ligands. After multiplexed affinity enrichment, peptide-specific phage populations will be automatically eluted, propagated, labelled and identified by hybridisation to a DNA microarray. Peptide arrays are synthesized in situ by SPOT synthesis on a planar substrate. By utilizing a commercially available library of human brain cDNA plus a set of distinct model domains cloned into T7-phage, we could show that a single panning round on an array of known peptide ligands for these model domains synthesized on a cellulose membrane can yield an enrichment of better than a factor of 1,000. This is sufficient to detect peptide-specific enrichment of Cy3(post-panning) against Cy5(pre-panning)-labelled phage DNA inserts on a cDNA microarray. Thus, the proof-of-principle of our approach could be successfully demonstrated and first interaction data are being collected.     

The Effect of Pressure on the Thermodynamic Properties of Propan-1-ol + n-Heptane Mixtures

The densities of propan-1-ol + n-heptane have been measured over the whole composition range at atmospheric pressure and at temperatures from 293 to 318 K using a vibrating tube densimeter. The densities and heat capacities for propan-1-ol + n-heptane mixtures at pressures up to 120 MPa and for temperatures ranging from 293 to 318 K were calculated using the speeds of sound measured under elevated pressures, together with the densities and heat capacities at atmospheric pressure. A modified method, based on the suggestion of Davis and Gordon J. Chem. Phys. 46 (1967), has been applied. The effect of pressure and temperature on the isentropic compressibility, the excess volume, and the excess heat capacity are discussed.     

Thermodynamic and acoustic properties of (heptane + dodecane) mixtures under elevated pressures

The speed of sound in (heptane + dodecane) mixtures was measured over the whole concentration range at pressures up to 101 MPa and within the temperature range from (293 to 318) K. The density of (heptane + dodecane) was measured in the whole composition range under atmospheric pressure and at temperatures from (293 to 318) K. The densities and heat capacities of these binaries at the same temperatures were calculated for pressures up to 100 MPa from the speeds of sound under elevated pressures together with the densities and heat capacities at atmospheric pressure. The effects of pressure and temperature on the excess molar volume and the excess molar heat capacity are discussed.     

Quantum limits to oscillator stability: Theory and experiments on acoustic emissions from the human ear

Statistical properties of acoustic emissions from a human ear are measured and compared with the theory of quantum-limited oscillations. Theory and experiment are in excellent agreement, both in qualitative and quantitative features, strongly supporting previous theoretical arguments for the importance of quantum noise in the inner ear.     

NMR spectra of chiral smectic liquid crystals differing in helical parameters

Chiral liquid crystals with three-ring rigid core were examined. The method based on the selectively reflected light was used to determine the helical pitch. The helical twist sense was worked out using the polarimetry method. ¹H and ¹³C NMR measurements were performed. The influence of three molecular structure parameters: the type of chiral centre, the length of non-chiral chain and substitution of benzene ring by fluorine atoms, on helical pitch, handedness of helical structure and values of chemical shift in proton and carbon spectra was determined. The change of the length of non-chiral terminal chain has the most significant influence on the temperature dependence of helical pitch. All tested parameters have the biggest influence on the values of chemical shift of atoms in the chiral centre.     

Spin‐orbit ZORA and four‐component Dirac–Coulomb estimation of relativistic corrections to isotropic nuclear shieldings and chemical shifts of noble gas dimers

Hartree–Fock and density functional theory with the hybrid B3LYP and general gradient KT2 exchange‐correlation functionals were used for nonrelativistic and relativistic nuclear magnetic shielding calculations of helium, neon, argon, krypton, and xenon dimers and free atoms. Relativistic corrections were calculated with the scalar and spin‐orbit zeroth‐order regular approximation Hamiltonian in combination with the large Slater‐type basis set QZ4P as well as with the four‐component Dirac–Coulomb Hamiltonian using Dyall's acv4z basis sets. The relativistic corrections to the nuclear magnetic shieldings and chemical shifts are combined with nonrelativistic coupled cluster singles and doubles with noniterative triple excitations [CCSD(T)] calculations using the very large polarization‐consistent basis sets aug‐pcSseg‐4 for He, Ne and Ar, aug‐pcSseg‐3 for Kr, and the AQZP basis set for Xe. For the dimers also, zero‐point vibrational (ZPV) corrections are obtained at the CCSD(T) level with the same basis sets were added. Best estimates of the dimer chemical shifts are generated from these nuclear magnetic shieldings and the relative importance of electron correlation, ZPV, and relativistic corrections for the shieldings and chemical shifts is analyzed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.