The biochemistry of cell-adhesion

The proposition is examined that adhesion between cells of animal tissues, and between cells and their extracellular matrix, is brought about by specific molecules present at cell-surfaces. Evidence is surveyed which has begun to emerge from the use of antibodies which inhibit or reverse adhesion. Putative cell-adhesion molecules in cellular slime-moulds and cells of chick and mouse embryos have been identified by their ability to neutralize the adhesion-inhibiting activity of monovalent fragments of polyspecific antibodies. In some instances antibodies have also been used to investigate the role of the cell-adhesion molecules in morphogenetic phenomena. A possible parallel is discussed between the effects of calcium ions on the cell-adhesion molecule uvomorulin from mouse blastomeres, and its effects on certain other cell-adhesion molecules.Although the role of fibronectin in promoting attachment and spreading of cells on artificial substrates and on denatured collagen is firmly established, there is little evidence that this glycoprotein is involved in direct intercellular adhesion. The observation that cells spread on adsorbed fibronectin, whereas binding of individual fibronectin molecules to cells is difficult to demonstrate may merely indicate that fibronectin is a relatively weak ligand for cell-surfaces. It is suggested that rather than being a necessary intermediate in the adhesion of cells to collagen, fibronectin may form matrix in its own right which shares with native collagen the ability to promote cell-attachment and spreading.The long-held view that cell-surface oligosaccharides act as receptors in cell-adhesion appears still to be largely unsubstantiated. However the poorly adhesive properties of cells from many different lines with glycosylation defects strongly suggest N-linked oligosaccharides of glycoproteins are involved in some way as yet not determined.     

Synthese neuer N-Vinylpyrrole

Syntheses of New N-Vinylpyrroles The reactions of pyrrolyl potassium ( 1 ) with (ethoxymethylene)malonic acid derivatives 2a–e yielded the carbanions 3a–e , which could be hydrolyzed to 4a–e , but with the exception of 4b they were not isolated, because a transformation to the N-vinylpyrroles 5a , c–e by elimination of ethanol took place; 1 reacted with 2b at 80°C to give 4b and 6 . Hydrolysis of 4b with KOH yielded 4g , which eliminated 1 mol of ethanol to form 5f , decarboxylation of which led to N-vinylpyrrole 7 . By cyclization of 5e under various conditions the pyrrolizines 8a , b are obtained, the hydrolysis of which did not give ketone 9 but only amino alcohol 10 . Some other cyclizations of 11a–c and 13 yielded the 3H-pyrrolizine derivatives 12a–c and 14 , respectively.     

Triterpene glycosides of Acanthophyllum gypsophiloides IV. The structure of acanthophyllosides B and C

Summary Alternative structures for the acyloside chain of acanthophylloside B and C have been established.Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 728–734, November–December, 1975.     

Synthesis and properties of anthracene-containing polybenzyls

A number of alternating copolymers containing anthryl and aryl units in the polymer chain have been prepared by Friedel-Crafts arylation of the anthracene (polymer type B) or by condensation of 9,10-bis(chloromethyl) anthracene with opportune aromatic substrates (polymer type A). Polymers of type A were all found to contain 9,10-disubstituted anthracene units, but polymers of type B were found to contain 1,4-disubstituted anthracene units. Structure of the polymers were established through their NMR and ultraviolet spectra, and through analogy with appropriate model compounds. It has been found that the inclusion of anthracene units in the polymer chain yields higher melting and more soluble materials with respect to polybenzyls containing only aryl units. Anthracene units introduce, also, some interesting fluorescence characteristics in the polymers, which show intense emission at about 440 mμ.     

PHOTOREDUCTION OF ZINC PORPHIN BY ASCORBIC ACID*

Abstract— Zinc porphin is photoreduced to zinc chlorin through an intermediate dihydroporphin (PH₂) by ascorbic acid in ethanol containing 1% to 10% (v/v) piperidine. Under the same conditions zinc chlorin is more slowly photoreduced to zinc tetrahydroporphin. The reactions leading to chlorin are photosensitized by the product chlorin and so are autocatalytic in red light. Quantum yields for these reactions range up to 0.05.Other aliphatic amines catalyze these reactions, but at rates peculiar to the amine. The immediate product of reduction of zinc porphin, PH₂, is distinguished by an intense band at 437 nm; it reverts to porphin in the dark in the presence of oxygen or dehydroascorbic acid. Its conversion to chlorin is effected by light absorbed by porphin or chlorin, but not by light absorbed by PH₂ itself. A suggested structure for PH₂, compatible with the observed reactions, has added hydrogens on one bridge carbon and one β-pyrrole carbon. The possibility of an analogy between these reactions and the biochemical conversion of protochlorophyll to chlorophyll is discussed.     

Die differenzierte,zeitliche Titration von Proteinen mit n/150 Kaliumcupri-3-tellurat

Zusammenfassung Es wird gezeigt, daß bei der differenzierten, zeitlichen Titration von Proteinen in genügender Menge (40 bis 60 mg) die Abbaukurve in deutlichen Stufen verläuft, die wahrscheinlich ganz bestimmten Peptidbindungen entsprechen.

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Summary It was shown that in the differential, periodic titration of proteins in sufficient amounts (40 to 60 mg) the degradation curve proceeds in distinct stages, which probably correspond to very definite peptide linkages.

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Résumé On montre que lors du titrage différentiel en fonction du temps de quantités suffisantes de protéines (40–60 mg), la branche décroissante de la courbe présente des parties distinctes qui correspondent vraisemblablement à des liaisons peptidiques bien déterminées.

     

Modern state of the catalytic reforming of petrol fractions. Experience of manufacture and industrial exploitation of reforming catalysts of the PR series

Analysis of the modern state of catalytic reforming is performed. Comparative assessment of the efficiency of various technologies of the process is given and their distribution in Russia and abroad is shown. Experience of the modernization of reforming installations with periodic catalyst regeneration is summarized. The state of manufacture of reforming catalysts in our country and accumulated experience of the development of catalysts of the PR series are presented. Results of industrial exploitation of new domestic reforming catalysts are shown. On this basis comparative assessment of Russian and imported catalysts is given. Original Russian Text D.I. Kiryanov, M.D. Smolikov, V.V. Pashkov, A.G. Proskura, E.V. Zatolokina, I.E. Udras, A.S. Belyi, 2007, published in Russkii Khimicheskii Zhurnal, 2007, Vol. 51, No. 4, pp. 60–68.     

Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Cysteine and Cystine at a Carbon-Paste Electrode Modified with Ruthenium(IV) Oxide

The electrocatalytic activity of ruthenium(IV) oxide incorporated into a carbon-paste electrode was studied in the oxidation of cysteine and cystine. The oxidation potentials of the amino acids decreased and the current peaks of their oxidation increased at a modified electrode as compared to an unmodified one. Procedures for the voltammetric determination of cysteine and cystine with the use of electrodes chemically modified with ruthenium(IV) oxide were proposed.     

Effect of Water Vapor on Chromatographic Characteristics of the Cyclodextrin-Containing Stationary Liquid Phase in Capillary Gas Chromatography

The effects of the presence of water vapor in the carrier gas and the temperature on the retention of achiral and chiral compounds, enantioselectivity, and performance of an open-tubular column with a cyclodextrin-containing phase were studied. The use of a carrier gas containing water vapor in the determination of optically active isomers, such as camphor, slightly increases the retention factor. A substantial improvement of performance characteristics of the column was found: for hydroxy compounds, the column performance increased by two to three times and the peak symmetry improved by more than twice.     

Pathways of Intramolecular Cyclization of Phosphorylated Ureas and Thioureas: A Theoretical Study

The stability of phosphorylated ureas and thioureas containing various substituents at the P and N atoms and the stability of their cyclization products, the corresponding diazaphospholidines and/or oxaza(thiaza)phospholines, was evaluated by PM3, MNDO, and DFT calculations. The thermal effects of cyclizations involving phosphorylated ureas (or thioureas) and of separate steps of their synthesis were calculated. According to the calculations, diazaphospholidine structures are preferably formed from substituted ureas and thiazaphospholine structures, from their thio analogs; formation of five-membered heterorings with the P-N bond is thermodynamically preferable as compared to their six-membered analogs.