An enzyme derivatized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane for use in membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS)

Membrane introduction mass spectrometry (MIMS) provides direct measurement of volatile and semivolatile analytes in condensed and gas-phase samples without sample preparation steps. Although MIMS has numerous advantages that include direct, on-line, real-time analysis with low detection limits, current applications of MIMS are predominantly limited to volatile and semivolatile analytes that permeate hydrophobic membranes (e.g., polydimethylsiloxane; PDMS). We report the first enzyme modified PDMS membrane for use with MIMS. This was achieved by immobilizing Candida rugosa lipase directly onto the surface of oxidized PDMS. These surface immobilized enzymes catalyze ester hydrolysis, releasing an alcohol product at the membrane interface that is readily detected. We have successfully used an enzyme modified membrane for the analysis and quantification of low-volatility and hydrophilic esters. We report the quantification of several carboxylic acid esters in dilute aqueous solutions, including a phthalate monoester carboxylate that is not readily detected by conventional MIMS. This new interface demonstrates the potential for extending the range and versatility of MIMS.     

Nanoscale organization of the pathogen receptor DC-SIGN mapped by single-molecule high-resolution fluorescence microscopy.

DC-SIGN, a C-type lectin exclusively expressed on dendritic cells (DCs), plays an important role in pathogen recognition by binding with high affinity to a large variety of microorganisms. Recent experimental evidence points to a direct relation between the function of DC-SIGN as a viral receptor and its spatial arrangement on the plasma membrane. We have investigated the nanoscale organization of fluorescently labeled DC-SIGN on intact isolated DCs by means of near-field scanning optical microscopy (NSOM) combined with single-molecule detection. Fluorescence spots of different intensity and size have been directly visualized by optical means with a spatial resolution of less than 100 nm. Intensity- and size-distribution histograms of the DC-SIGN fluorescent spots confirm that approximately 80 % of the receptors are organized in nanosized domains randomly distributed on the cell membrane. Intensity-size correlation analysis revealed remarkable heterogeneity in the molecular packing density of the domains. Furthermore, we have mapped the intermolecular organization within a dense cluster by means of sequential NSOM imaging combined with discrete single-molecule photobleaching. In this way we have determined the spatial coordinates of 13 different individual dyes, with a localization accuracy of 6 nm. Our experimental observations are all consistent with an arrangement of DC-SIGN designed to maximize its chances of binding to a wide range of microorganisms. Our data also illustrate the potential of NSOM as an ultrasensitive, high-resolution technique to probe nanometer-scale organization of molecules on the cell membrane.     

Parameterization of peptide 13C carbonyl chemical shielding anisotropy in molecular dynamics simulations.

NMR chemical shielding anisotropy (CSA) relaxation is an important tool in the study of dynamical processes in proteins and nucleic acids in solution. Herein, we investigate how dynamical variations in local geometry affect the chemical shielding anisotropy relaxation of the carbonyl carbon nucleus, using the following protocol: 1) Using density functional theory, the carbonyl (13)C' CSA is computed for 103 conformations of the model peptide group N-methylacetamide (NMA). 2) The variations in computed (13)C' CSA parameters are fitted against quadratic hypersurfaces containing cross terms between the variables. 3) The predictive quality of the CSA hypersurfaces is validated by comparing the predicted and de novo calculated (13)C' CSAs for 20 molecular dynamics snapshots. 4) The CSA fluctuations and their autocorrelation and cross correlation functions due to bond-length and bond-angle distortions are predicted for a chemistry Harvard molecular mechanics (CHARMM) molecular dynamics trajectory of Ca(2+)-saturated calmodulin and GB3 from the hypersurfaces, as well as for a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of an NMA trimer using a quantum mechanically correct forcefield. We find that the fluctuations can be represented by a 0.93 scaling factor of the CSA tensor for both R(1) and R(2) relaxations for residues in helix, coil, and sheet alike. This result is important, as it establishes that (13)C' relaxation is a valid tool for measurement of interesting dynamical events in proteins.     

The iromycins, a new family of pyridone metabolites from Streptomyces sp. I. Structure, NOS inhibitory activity, and biosynthesis

The iromycins A-D are members of a new family of rare alpha-pyridone metabolites. The isolation and structure elucidation of these microbial secondary metabolites from Streptomyces sp. Dra 17 revealed a N-heterocyclic core structure with two unusual side chains. Iromycins act as inhibitors of nitric oxide synthases (NOS), a protein family, which produces the crucial second messenger nitric oxide (NO). Importantly, these compounds inhibit selectively endothelial NOS rather than neuronal NOS and thus set prospects for both medical therapy and basic research. Feeding experiments with 13C- and 15N -labeled precursors indicated an uncommon type of polyketide biosynthesis and clearly ruled out an isoprenoid origin. A detoxification pathway of a particular secondary metabolite in the host strain is a rare observation and here we demonstrate it with the iromycin family.     

Ultrafast structural dynamics of water induced by dissipation of vibrational energy

In the liquid phase, water molecules form a disordered fluctuating network of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. Using both inter- and intramolecular vibrations as structural probes in ultrafast infrared spectroscopy, we demonstrate a two-stage structural response of this network to energy disposal: vibrational energy from individually excited water molecules is transferred to intermolecular modes, resulting in a sub-100 fs nuclear rearrangement that leaves the local hydrogen bonds weakened but unbroken. Subsequent energy delocalization over many molecules occurs on an approximately 1 ps time scale and is connected with the breaking of hydrogen bonds, resulting in a macroscopically heated liquid.     

Sodium and potassium benzeneazophosphonate complexes with crown ethers: Solid-state microwave synthesis, characterization and biological activity

The eco-friendly synthesis, spectroscopic (IR, MS, ¹H and ¹³C NMR) study and biological (cytostatic, antiviral) activity of sodium and potassium benzeneazophosphonate complexes, obtained by reaction in the solid state under microwave irradiation of the alkali salts of ethyl [α-(4-benzeneazoanilino)-N-benzyl]phosphonic acid and [α-(4-benzeneazoanilino)-N-4-methoxybenzyl]phosphonic acid with crown ethers containing 18-membered (dibenzo-18-crown-6 and bis(4′-di-tert-butylbenzo)-18-crown-6), 24-membered (dibenzo-24-crown-8) and 30-membered (dibenzo-30-crown-10) macrocyclic rings, have been described. The simple work-up solvent free reaction is an efficient green procedure for the formation of mononuclear crown ether complexes in which the sodium/potassium ion is bound to oxygen atoms of the macrocycle and the phosphonic acid oxygen. The free crown ethers, alkali benzeneazophosphonate salts and their complexes were evaluated for their cytostatic activity in vitro against murine leukemia L1210, murine mammary carcinoma FM3A and human T-lymphocyte CEM and MT-4 cell lines, as well as for their antiviral activity against a wide variety of DNA and RNA viruses. The investigated compounds showed no specific antiviral activity, whereas all the free crown ethers and their complexes demonstrated cytostatic activity, which was especially pronounced in the case of bis(4′-di-tert-butylbenzo)-18-crown-6 and its complexes.     

Influence of promoters on the performance of Au/MnOx and Pt/SnOx/SiO2 low-temperature CO oxidation catalysts

The influence of promoters on Pt/SnO_x/SiO₂ and Au/MnO_x low-temperature CO oxidation catalysts has been investigated under stoichiometric reaction conditions with no CO₂ added to the feed gas. The performance of Pt/SnO_x/SiO₂ catalysts is improved significantly by the addition of 1 wt.% Fe but reduced by the addition of 5 wt.%Fe, 1 wt.% Sb, 5 wt.% Sb, 1 wt.% As, 5 wt.%As and 1.8 wt.% P. The performance of Au/MnO_x is improved significantly by the addition of 1 at.% Ce but reduced by the addition of 1 at.% Co. For the catalysts and conditions examined, the Au/MnO_x catalysts are superior to the Pt/SnO_x/SiO₂ catalysts with respect to both activity and decay characteristics.     

Association of bound states of the coulomb potential with resonances of the coulomb potential perturbed by a barrier

In the present article we show how the bound states of the Coulomb potential may be associated with resonances that occur when this potential is perturbed by a barrier potential. The main idea is to trace the bound states on successive switching on of the barrier perturbation. It is found that those bound states that are localized inside the barrier are highly sensitive to variation with respect to the barrier height, whereas those that are localized outside are less sensitive. However, there are certain intervals for the barrier height when the role of being “a state localized inside the barrier” is shifted from one bound state to another. The result can be pictured as a “relay race,” where the “deliveries of the baton” are carried out over corresponding avoided crossings. The baton is ultimately handed over to a shape-type resonance state.     

Effects of Polydispersity on the Phase Behavior of Additive Hard Spheres in Solution

The ability to separate enzymes, nucleic acids, cells, and viruses is an important asset in life sciences. This can be realised by using their spontaneous asymmetric partitioning over two macromolecular aqueous phases in equilibrium with one another. Such phases can already form while mixing two different types of macromolecules in water. We investigate the effect of polydispersity of the macromolecules on the two-phase formation. We study theoretically the phase behavior of a model polydisperse system: an asymmetric binary mixture of hard spheres, of which the smaller component is monodisperse and the larger component is polydisperse. The interactions are modelled in terms of the second virial coefficient and are assumed to be additive hard sphere interactions. The polydisperse component is subdivided into sub-components and has an average size ten times the size of the monodisperse component. We calculate the theoretical liquid–liquid phase separation boundary (the binodal), the critical point, and the spinodal. We vary the distribution of the polydisperse component in terms of skewness, modality, polydispersity, and number of sub-components. We compare the phase behavior of the polydisperse mixtures with their concomittant monodisperse mixtures. We find that the largest species in the larger (polydisperse) component causes the largest shift in the position of the phase boundary, critical point, and spinodal compared to the binary monodisperse binary mixtures. The polydisperse component also shows fractionation. The smaller species of the polydisperse component favor the phase enriched in the smaller component. This phase also has a higher-volume fraction compared to the monodisperse mixture.     

A Lock-and-Kill Anticancer Photoactivated Chemotherapy Agent†

Photosubstitutionally active ruthenium complexes show high potential as prodrugs for the photoactivated chemotherapy (PACT) treatment of tumors. One of the problems in PACT is that the localization of the ruthenium compound is hard to trace. Here, a ruthenium PACT prodrug, [Ru(3)(biq)(STF-31)](PF₆)₂ (where 3 = 3-(([2,2′:6′,2″-ter- pyridin]-4′-yloxy)propyl-4-(pyren-1-yl)butanoate) and biq = 2,2′-biquinoline), has been prepared, in which a pyrene tracker is attached via an ester bond. The proximity between the fluorophore and the ruthenium center leads to fluorescence quenching. Upon intracellular hydrolysis of the ester linkage, however, the fluorescence of the pyrene moiety is recovered, thus demonstrating prodrug cellular uptake. Further light irradiation of this molecule liberates by photosubstitution STF-31, a known cytotoxic nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) inhibitor, as well as singlet oxygen via excitation of the free pyrene chromophore. The dark and light cytotoxicity of the prodrug, embedded in liposomes, as well as the appearance of blue emission upon uptake, were evaluated in A375 human skin melanoma cells. The cytotoxicity of the liposome-embedded prodrug was indeed increased by light irradiation. This work realizes an in vitro proof-of-concept of the lock-and-kill principle, which may ultimately be used to design strategies aimed at knowing where and when light irradiation should be realized in vivo.