Hole Migration in Telomere-Based Oligonucleotide Anions and G-Quadruplexes

Vacuum ultraviolet photoionization of a gas-phase oligonucleotide anion leads to the formation of a valence hole. This hole migrates towards an energetically favorable site where it can weaken bonds and ultimately lead to bond cleavage. We have studied Vacuum UV photoionization of deprotonated oligonucleotides containing the human telomere sequence dTTAGGG and G-quadruplex structures consisting of four dTGGGGT single strands, stabilized by NH₄⁺ counter ions. The oligonucleotide and G-quadruplex anions were confined in a radiofrequency ion trap, interfaced with a synchrotron beamline and the photofragmentation was studied using time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Oligonucleotide 12-mers containing the 5'-TTAGGG sequence were found to predominantly break in the GGG region, whereas no selective bond cleavage region was observed for the reversed 5'-GGGATT sequence. For G-quadruplex structures, fragmentation was quenched and mostly non-dissociative single and double electron removal was observed.     

Unusual sum rule for Clebsch–Gordan coefficients

Letters in Mathematical Physics - We present a new sum rule for Clebsch–Gordan coefficients using generalized characters of irreducible representations of the rotation group. The identity is...     

Formation of negative oxidation states of platinum and gold in redox ionic liquid: Electrochemical evidence

The electrochemical reduction of noble metal electrodes in the presence of redox ionic liquid, 1-ferrocenylethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide, [FcEMIM][TFSI], was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. Our experiments suggest the formation of metal with negative oxidation states, in the cases of platinum and gold electrodes [M_n⁻, FcEMIM⁺]. By analogy with the previous work, the formation of these phases is concomitant with the insertion of the supporting electrolyte; which correspond in our experimental condition to the redox cation of the ionic liquid. As an exciting result, the electrochemical investigations of the reduced electrode in electrolytic solution, containing solvent and supporting electrolyte, evidence the presence of the ferrocene groups at the electrode surface. Moreover, the reduced electrode exhibits the presence of the ferrocene even after, contact with air, after ultrasound, and after physical polishing, highlighting the large stability of this organo-metallic phases formed in this media. The AFM investigations demonstrate the morphological change of the platinum surface after the reduction process. Finally, our works bring a formal electrochemical proof of the presence of the ionic liquid cation inside the electrode material after the cathodic treatment in this media.     

NMR and X-ray diffraction analysis of 3-thioamido-5-phosphono-1-cyclohexene derivatives: Conformational and stereochemical assignments

Reaction of N-(dienyl)-4-(R)-phenyloxazolidin-2-thione (1) with 1-diethoxyphosphoryl-1-buten-3-one (2a), methyl 3-(diethoxyphosphoryl)acrylate (2b) and 3-(diethoxyphosphoryl)acrylonitrile (2c) furnished the [4 + 2] cycloadducts 3a, 3b and 3c, respectively, as single stereoisomers, confirming the efficiency of the oxazolidin-2-thione chiral auxiliary in the facial discrimination of Diels–Alder reactions. The absolute configuration of the 3,4,5-trisubstituted cyclohexene derivatives (3a–c) was established by X-ray diffraction analysis. NMR studies confirmed the relative stereochemistries and showed two possible conformers in solution.     

Transferable specific scaling factors for interpretation of infrared spectra of biomolecules from density functional theory

A set of transferable local scaling factors is established for assignment of infrared spectra of molecular systems of biological interest experimentally recorded under gas-phase conditions. Each scaling factor is specific for an experimentally observable vibrational mode chosen among those bringing significant structural information. Those factors are provided for harmonic calculations at the DFT B3LYP and DFT B3PW91 levels respectively with 7 and 2 different basis sets. The used training set of neutral molecules comprises nucleobases, aminoacids, peptides, sugars, and neurotransmitters. The proposed specific scaling factors usable for unambiguous conformer assignments lead to typical prediction errors ca. 10 cm(-1) for free and moderately hydrogen-bonded group frequencies with red-shifts up to 200 cm(-1).     

Controlled assembly of bacteria on chemical patterns using soft lithography

Highly ordered arrays of single living bacteria were obtained by selective adsorption of bacteria onto chemical patterns with micrometric resolution. The chemically engineered template surfaces were prepared with the combination of microcontact printing process and a simple incubation technique. This methodology can be used for fundamental studies of bacterium's inner mechanisms and sub-cellular organization as well as for interfacing living bacteria with artificial microsystems.     

Removal, recovery, and recycling of triarylphosphonium-supported tin reagents for various organic transformations

Phosphonium-supported tin reagents and catalysts were prepared and were shown to be effective in Stille couplings, radical dehalogenations, radical cyclizations, and carbonyl allylations. Not only could the tin residues be removed from the crude reaction mixture through a phase separation process but also they could be recovered and recycled.     

On the minimality of the p-harmonic ma p $$x/\|x\|$$ for weighted energy

In this paper, we study the minimality of the map for the weighted energy functional , where is a continuous function. We prove that for any integer and any non-negative, non-decreasing continuous function f, the map minimizes E _f,p among the maps in which coincide with on . The case p = 1 has been already studied in [Bourgoin J.-C. Calc. Var. (to appear)]. Then, we extend results of Hong (see Ann. Inst. Poincaré Anal. Non-linéaire 17: 35–46 (2000)). Indeed, under the same assumptions for the function f, we prove that in dimension n ≥  7 for any real with , the map minimizes E _f,p among the maps in which coincide with on .      

Design of original bioactive formulations based on sugar-surfactant/non-steroidal anti-inflammatory catanionic self-assemblies: a new way of dermal drug delivery

A new kind of catanionic assembly was developed that associates a sugar-based surfactant with a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). Three different assemblies using indomethacin, ibuprofen and ketoprofen as NSAIDs were easily obtained in water by an acid-base reaction. These assemblies formed new amphiphilic entities because of electrostatic and hydrophobic effects in water and led to the spontaneous formation of vesicles. These catanionic vesicles were then tested as potential NSAID delivery systems for dermatological application. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated in vivo, and this study clearly showed an improved therapeutic effect for NSAIDs that were formulated as catanionic vesicles. These vesicles ensured a slower diffusion of the NSAID through the skin. This release probably increased the time of retention of the NSAID in the targeted strata of the skin. Thus, the present study suggests that this catanionic bioactive formulation could be a promising dermal delivery system for NSAIDs in the course of skin inflammation treatment.