Mutagenesis Mediated by Triple Helix–Forming Oligonucleotides Conjugated to Psoralen: Effects of Linker Arm Length and Sequence Context

Targeted mutagenesis and gene knock-out can be mediated by triple helix-forming oligonucleotides (TFO) linked to mutagenic agents, such as psoralen. However, this strategy is limited by the availability of homopurine/ homopyrimidine stretches at or near the target site because such sequences are required for high-affinity triplex formation. To overcome this limitation, we have tested TFO conjugated to psoralen via linker arms of lengths varying from 2 to 86 bonds, thereby designed to deliver the psoralen at varying distances from the third strand binding site present at the 3'end of the supFG1 mutation reporter gene. Following triplex formation and UVA irradiation, mutations were detected using an SV40-based shuttle vector assay in human cells. The frequency and distribution of mutations depended on the length of the linker arm. Precise targeting was observed only for linker arms of length 2 and 6, which also yielded the highest mutation frequencies (3 and 14%, respectively). Psoralen–TFO with longer tethers yielded mutations at multiple sites, with the maximum distance from the triplex site limited by the linker length but with the distribution within that range influenced by the propensity for psoralen intercalation at A:T base-pair-rich sites. Thus, gene modification can be extended beyond the site of third strand binding but with a decrease in the precision of the targeting.     

Chemical Constituents and Antibacterial and Antifungal Activities of Two Aglaia Species

In the course of searching bioactive natural products from the plant genus Aglaia, we selected two species, A. cordata and A. testicularis, for further chemical study. Totally twenty natural compounds were obtained and structurally elucidated with which eleven of them were discovered for the first time. Among these compounds, lignans, rocaglamides,aglains and bisamides were the main constituents of the two plant species. The results from a bioactive screening indicated that some of the lignans possess potent antibacterial and antifungal activity.     

A coupled two-compartment model for immobilized enzyme electrodes

The effect of stirring on the transient and pseudo steady-state behavior of potentiometric and amperometric immobilized enzyme electrodes is accurately modelled by a coupled two-compartment system of nonlinear differential equations. In the first compartment, the enzyme layer, the chemistry is governed by enzyme kinetics and diffusion. This is coupled to the second compartment, the bulk solution, which is controlled only by molecular diffusion. Several results of analytical significance can be obtained by using this model: for example, it is shown how the stirring rate can be used to increase the linear dynamic range.     

Chelatometrie. VI

Zusammenfassung Mit 0,1 m Äthylendiamintetraessigsäure (EDTA) lassen sich in Lösungen, die viel Natriumacetat und Ammoniumrhodanid enthalten, bis zu 150 mg Kupfer(II)-Ionen gegen den Redoxindicator Variaminblau B-Base titrieren. Der optimale Arbeitsbereich liegt bei p_H 5,5. Eisen(III) stört nicht, wenn es mit Ammoniumfluorid getarnt wird. Nicht zu große Erdalkalikonzentrationen sind ohne Einfluß auf das Titrationsergebnis.Die inverse Titration von EDTA mit Kupfer(II)-chloridmaßlösung ermöglicht die indirekte Bestimmung einiger Metall-Ionen, die vorher bei p_H 4,5–6,0 mit überschüssiger EDTA umgesetzt werden.Ferner werden weitere Untersuchungsergebnisse zur Verwendung des Kupfer(II)/Kupfer(I)-Redoxsystems in der Chelatometrie mitgeteilt.Über direkte Titrationen von Zink- und Bleisalzlösungen mit EDTA, die in Gegenwart von etwas Kupfer(II)-rhodanid und von Variaminblau B-Base bei p_H 5,5 möglich sind, soll später berichtet werden.Mitteilung V dieser Reihe: diese Z. 140, 241 (1956).Herrn Prof. Dr. L. Erdey, Budapest, sei vielmals für die Überlassung von Variaminblau B-Base gedankt. Dem freundlichen Entgegenkommen der Badischen Anilin- & Sodafabrik A.G., Ludwigshafen a. Rhein, verdanke ich das Trilon BS. Herrn W. Johannsen, Leiter des Laboratoriums der Metallhütte Mark A. G., bin ich für das dieser Arbeit entgegengebrachte Interesse verpflichtet.     

Dimethylzinc-mediated additions of alkenylzirconocenes to aldimines. New methodologies for allylic amine and C-cyclopropylalkylamine syntheses

Hydrozirconation of alkynes with zirconocene hydrochloride followed by in situ transmetalation to dimethylzinc provides access to reactive alkenyl organometallic reagents from readily available precursors. Upon addition of imines, 1,2-attack leads to synthetically useful allylic amine building blocks. In the presence of CH(2)I(2) or CH(2)Cl(2), the N-metalated allylic amide intermediate is cyclopropanated and C-cyclopropylalkylamines are formed in high yield and excellent diastereoselectivities favoring the anti products. The use of enynes as starting materials for this domino reaction provides conjugated biscyclopropanes and thus allows the stereoselective formation of five new carbon-carbon bonds. A transition state that explains the need for both zirconocene complex and alkyl zinc in the cyclopropanation reaction is proposed.     

Photophysical and ab Initio Studies of Mononuclear Copper(I) Complexes

Described are the photophysical properties of the mononuclear copper(I) complexes CuL(4)(+) (L = pyridine (py), 4-methylpyridine, 4-phenylpyridine, or acetonitrile), Cu(lut)(3)(+) (lut = 2,6-lutidine), and Cu(lut)(2)(+). Each of these compounds as their solid PF(6)(-) salts display a relatively long-lived (>1 &mgr;s), visible range emission at both ambient temperature and at 77 K but not in fluid solutions. Also reported are the results for ab initio calculations at the restricted Hartree-Fock self-consistent field level to probe the natures of lower energy excited states of the hypothetical species CuL(n)()(+) (L = NH(3), CH(3)CN, or py; n = 1-4). These results point to an assignment of the lowest energy, luminactive excited states as being largely metal centered, d --> s in character for each of the above complexes with the possible exception of the CuL(4)(+) species where L is py or a substituted analogue. In the case of Cu(py)(4)(+) the ab initiocalculations indicate a metal-to-ligand charge transfer to be the lowest energy Franck-Condon state, although the similarities of emission band shapes, energies, and lifetimes among the various complexes suggest a common d --> s assignment.     

3-Chloropropyltrialkoxysilanes—Key Intermediates for the Commercial Production of Organofunctionalized Silanes and Polysiloxanes

Silicon and carbon may be looked upon as the two fundamental antipodes with respect to the naturally occurring forms of matter and life on earth: Silicon plays the key role in the “petrification” of inanimate matter, while carbon is the representative element for the “incarnation” of living organisms. If a scientist were to search for a highly efficient method of uniting inorganic and organic matter, he would, at a very early stage of attempting to solve this problem, combine these two natural principles of matter and think of “bireactive” molecules containing a silicon functionality for bonding to inorganic material on the one hand and a carbon functionality for anchoring to an organic counterpart on the other. The title compounds and their derivatives epitomize such molecules: they are wanderers between both (chemical) worlds. Owing to their bifunctionality they are capable of binding to inorganic (especially siliceous) systems as well as to organic polymers. Whether their commercial application concerns the strengthening of polyester resins with glass fibers for use in boatbuilding or the incorporation of silica as a filler in rubber mixtures for the manufacture of wear-resistant tires or even the immobilization of enzymes on glass spheres for carrying out reactions in enzyme reactors—in all cases organofunctionalized silanes guarantee a reliable and permanent union between two otherwise “incompatible” material systems.     

Chromium(III) complexes for photochemical nitric oxide generation from coordinated nitrite: synthesis and photochemistry of macrocyclic complexes with pendant chromophores, trans-[Cr(L)(ONO)(2)]BF(4)

Several new dinitritochromium(III) complexes of the type trans-[Cr(L)(ONO)(2)]BF(4), where L is a derivative of the macrocyclic ligand cyclam having pendant aromatic chromophores attached (L = 5,7-dimethyl-6-(substituted)-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane), have been prepared and characterized. Photoexcitation of aqueous solutions containing these complexes at wavelengths corresponding to the pendant chromophore absorption bands led to the generation of NO as detected by an electrochemical sensor. Photophysical data show that the expected fluorescence of the pendant chromophores is largely quenched when the macrocyclic ligand is coordinated to these Cr(III) centers, and this is interpreted in terms of fast energy transfer processes from the ligand-centered pipi states to the Cr(III)-centered ligand field states leading to subsequent cleavage of the Cr(III)-coordinated nitrito ligand. Thus, the chromophores tethered to the coordinated cyclam serve as light-gathering antennae for the intramolecular sensitization of the NO-generating photoreactions at the metal center.     

Organometallic chemistry, biology and medicine: ruthenium arene anticancer complexes

Our work has shown that certain ruthenium(II) arene complexes exhibit promising anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo. The complexes are stable and water-soluble, and their frameworks provide considerable scope for optimising the design, both in terms of their biological activity and for minimising side-effects by variations in the arene and the other coordinated ligands. Initial studies on amino acids and nucleotides suggest that kinetic and thermodynamic control over a wide spectrum of reactions of Ru(II) arene complexes with biomolecules can be achieved. These Ru(II) arene complexes appear to have an altered profile of biological activity in comparison with metal-based anticancer complexes currently in clinical use or on clinical trial.     

Syntheses of reactive fluorescent stains derived from 5(2)-aryl-2(5)-(4-pyridyl)oxazoles and bifunctionally reactive linkers

Several bifunctionally reactive linkers containing halide or sulfonate ester groups were prepared. The linkers were used to quaternize 5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-2-(4-pyridyl)oxazole and 2-(6-chromanyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)oxazole to produce fluorescent stains that contained a reactive group such as an isothiocyanate, an N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester, a maleimide, or an oxirane. The stains were derivatized with either 1-propylamine, 1-propanethiol, or piperidine, as appropriate, to help in characterization. The stains may serve as more photostable alternatives to fluoresceins or coumarins.