Structural transition of glucagon in the concentrated solution observed by electrophoretic and spectroscopic techniques

Glucagon, a polypeptide hormone consisting of 29 amino acid residues, tends to form gel-like fibrillar aggregates, and the glucagon fibril, as well as other pathologically related fibrils including prion, amylin, and beta-amyloid, have been found to be cytotoxic through the activation of apoptotic signaling pathways. To understand the aggregation properties of glucagon fibril, we have characterized and compared the physicochemical properties of glucagon, secretin, a member of the glucagon superfamily, and amylin using analytical techniques including capillary electrophoresis (CE), circular dichroism (CD), FT-IR, FT-Raman, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and beta-sheet-imaging probe. Aging treatment of glucagon resulted in the formation of fibrillar aggregates in time- and concentration-dependent manner, and FT-IR and FT-Raman analyses showed the spectral shift of amide I band, suggesting the conformational changes from alpha-helix to beta-sheet structure. Interestingly, secretin, having high sequential and secondary structural homology with glucagon, did not generate the fibrillar aggregates at the conditions tested. In addition, we evaluated the association state of glucagon at various pHs raging from pH 2.0 to 3.5 using CE. Based on the CE data, the rate constants of glucagon aggregation were calculated to be 0.002 +/- 0.004/h and 0.080 +/- 0.011/h for aging at pH 2.0 and 3.5, respectively, suggesting the pH dependence of self-association. CE showed the potential to separate and detect the glucagon aggregates and intermediates during aging process.     

Reversed-phase liquid chromatography on a microchip with sample injector and monolithic silica column

In micro total analysis systems, liquid chromatography (LC) works under pressure-driven flow is the essential analysis component. There were not, however, much works on microchip LC. Here we developed a microchip for reversed-phase LC using porous monolithic silica. The chip consisted of a double T-shaped injector and a approximately 40-cm serpentine separation channel. The octadecyl-modified monolithic silica was prepared in the specified part of the channel on the microchip using sol-gel process. Furthermore, the effect of geometry of turn sections on band dispersion at turns was examined under pressure-driven flow. High separation efficiencies of 15,000-18,000 plates/m for catechins were obtained using the LC chip.     

Self-assembled meso-helicates of linear trinuclear nickel(II)-radical complexes with triple pyrazolate bridges

Complexation of 3-nitronyl-nitroxide-substituted pyrazolate (pzNN) and 3-imino-nitroxide-substituted pyrazolate (pzIN) with nickel(II) gave [Ni3(pzNN)6] and [Ni3(pzIN)6], respectively. They were practically isomorphous and characterized as a linear trinuclear structure with neighboring nickel ions triply bridged by pyrazolate moieties. The space groups were P2(1)/n but the molecules have a pseudo three-fold axis. We found polymorphs in the crystals of [Ni3(pzIN)6] depending on the solvate molecules; another space group was a cubic Pa3[combining macron]. The opposite chirality around the inversion center at the central nickel(II) ion leads to a meso-helical symmetry in the whole molecule. The radical oxygen atoms participate in the 6-membered chelation at the terminal nickel(II) ions. Antiferromagnetic couplings were observed in both complexes, which are ascribable to interactions between the nickel and radical spins and between the nickel spins across the pyrazolate bridges.     

Solid state-specific and chiral lattice-controlled asymmetric photoisomerization of 3-substituted propyl cobalt complexes, and direct observation of the intermediate complex

Solid state-specific and chiral lattice-controlled asymmetric photoisomerization of 3-cyanopropyl cobaloxime complexes coordinated with chiral axial ligand, 1a-h, was found to occur with moderate to relatively high enantioselectivities (∼91%ee), even though the reaction proceeds through radical species. The enantioselectivities at a lower temperature (−78 °C) are extremely enhanced as compared to those at room temperature, in most cases.The configuration of the major enantiomer of the isomerized product is predictable from the shape of the reaction cavity, drawn based on the crystal structure of the starting material. The structure (including absolute configuration) of the intermediate 2-cyanopropyl complex was directly observed by X-ray crystallographic analyses of a single-crystal-to-single-crystal reaction of (S)-1-cyclohexylethylamine-coordinated 3-cyanopropyl cobaloxime, 1e.     

Quantitative analysis of an oligomeric hindered amine light stabilizer in polypropylene by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry using a solid sampling technique

A small amount of an oligomeric hindered amine light stabilizer (HALS) (Adekastab LA-68LD) in polypropylene (PP) materials was directly determined by solid sampling matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) using an internal standard method. First the matrix reagent (dithranol), 20 mg, and the empirically selected internal standard, angiotensin I (MW = 1296.5), 5 microg, were premixed in the solid state. The matrix mixture was then co-ground with the PP sample containing the HALS in liquid nitrogen using a freezer mill. The powdered sample mixture was spotted on the sample plate, suspended in ion-exchanged water, dried to adhere on the plate, and subjected to MALDI-MS. Three series of the HALS components accompanied by the oxidized species were clearly observed as their molecular ions (M*+)) along with that of the internal standard in the mass spectra. A fairly good linear relationship (R2 = 0.9991) with a relative standard deviation of ca. 11% was observed between the relative peak intensities of the HALS components and the HALS contents ranging from 0.1-2.5 wt%, which could be used as the calibration line to determine the HALS content in PP composites directly by MALDI-MS. The UV-exposed PP composite samples were evaluated by this method to interpret the photostabilizing action of HALS in the PP materials based on the observed change in the relative abundances of the original and oxidized HALS components as a function of UV-exposure time.     

Synthetic study on α(2→8)-linked oligosialic acid employing 1,5-lactamization as a key step

An attempt to synthesize α(2→8)-linked oligosialic acid utilizing a 1,5-lactamized sialyl acceptor is described. 1,5-Lactamization was experimentally proven to proceed only for α-sialoside, which was integrated into the synthetic cycle of oligosialic acid as a chemical sorting step to collect the desired α-sialoside and as a transformation step to produce a reactive sialyl acceptor for the next sialylation. Lactamized oligosialyl acceptors served as favorable coupling partners for sialylation, providing high stereoselectivities and high yields.     

Phytoremediation of industrial effluent containing azo dye by model up-flow constructed wetland

This study assessed the treatment of azo dye Acid Orange 7(AO7)containing wastewater by laboratory-scale up-flow constructed wetland(UFCW)with and without supplementary aeration.The supplementary aeration could effectively control the ratio of anaerobic and aerobic zones in the UFCW reactor.The results dearly show the supplementary aeration boosted the biodegradation of organic pollutants and mineralization of intermediate aromatic amines formed by AO7 degradation.     

Phase transition and proton exchange in 1,3-diazinium hydrogen chloranilate monohydrate

In the hydrate crystal of 1:1 salt with 1,3-diazine and chloranilic acid (H₂ca), (1,3-diazineH)·H₂O·Hca, an unique hydrogen-bonded molecular aggregate is formed. There exists proton disorder in the N–H...O hydrogen bond between 1,3-diazinium ion and water (H₂O) of crystallization. In order to reveal dynamic aspect of this disorder, ³⁵Cl NQR measurements were conducted. Two resonance lines observed at 35.973 and 35.449 MHz at 321 K split into four lines below T _c?=?198 K clearly showing occurrence of a solid–solid phase transition; 36.565, 36.357, 36.011, 35.974 MHz at 77 K. Temperature dependence of spin-lattice relaxation time T ₁ in high-temperature phase was observed to obey an Arrhenius-type relation with the activation energy of 8.5 kJ mol^???1. This result leads to the conclusion that proton exchange in the N–H...O hydrogen bond takes place in the high-temperature phase. Specific heat measurements by DSC resulted in the transition entropy ΔS?=?1.3 J K^???1 per 1 mole [(1,3-diazineH)·H₂O·Hca]₂ which is far less than 2R ln2 = 11.5 J K^???1 mol^???1. It is expected that proton exchange in the two hydrogen bonds within the aggregate does not occur independently but concertedly with strong correlation in the high-temperature phase.