Unique charge transfer properties of the four-base pi-stacks in Z-DNA

To investigate the photoreactions of BrU in Z-DNA, the photoirradiation of 5'-d(C1G2C3G4BrU5G6C7G8)-3'/5'-d(C9mG10C11A12C13mG14C15G16)-3'(ODN 1-2) was investigated. In accord with previous observations, B-form ODN 1-2 with the 5'-GBrU sequence showed very weak photoreactivity. However, Z-form ODN 1-2 in 2 M NaCl underwent photoreaction to afford 5'-d(CGC)rGd(UGCG)-3' together with the formation of imidazolone (Iz) contained 5'-d(CIzCACmGCG)-3'. The results clearly indicate that structural changes caused by the B-Z transition dramatically increased the photoreactivity of ODN 1-2. Inspection of the molecular structure of Z-DNA suggests that there is unique four-base pi-stacks at the G4-BrU5-C11-mG10 in ODN 1-2. These results suggest that the intriguing possibility that the mG10 in a complementary strand located at the end of the four-base pi-stacks may act as an electron donor. To test the hypothesis of interstrand charge transfer from mG10 to BrU5 within the four-base pi-stacks in Z-DNA, ODN 1-3 samples in which the putative donor G10 residue was replaced with 8-methoxyguanine (moG) were prepared, since moG is known to trap cation radicals to yield Iz moieties in DNA. Photoirradiation of ODN 1-3 efficiently produced 5'-d(CGC)rGd(UGCG)-3' together with formation of 5'-d(CIzCACmGCG)-3'. These results clearly indicate that the interstrand charge transfer from mG10 to BrU5 initiates the photoreaction. In clear contrast, other replacements of G with moG did not enhance the photoreactivity. The present study revealed the presence of unique four-base pi-stacks in Z-DNA and photoirradition of BrU in Z-DNA causes efficient electron transfer from G within this cluster.     

Air-Segmented Continuous-Flow Analysis for Molybdenum in Various Geochemical Samples

 An air-segmented continuous-flow method has been developed for the determination of molybdenum at ultra trace levels using the catalytic effect of molybdate during the oxidation of L-ascorbic acid by hydrogen peroxide. Incorporation of an on-line ion exchange column improved the tolerance limit for various ions. The detection limits with and without the column were 64 pmol L⁻¹ and 17 pmol L⁻¹, and the reproducibilities at 10 nmol L⁻¹ were 2.1% and 0.2%, respectively. The proposed method was applied to the determination of molybdenum in seawater and lake water as well as in rock and sediment samples. This method has the highest sensitivity among the available literature to our knowledge, and is also convenient for routine analysis of molybdenum in various natural samples. Author for correspondence. E-mail: masahito.sugiyama@ sojin0206.mbox.media.kyoto-u.ac.jp Received October 23, 2002; accepted January 28, 2003 Published online May 19, 2003     

Characterization of the supermolecular structure of cellulose in wood pulp fibres

The hierarchic organization of cellulose fibrils (microfibrils) was investigated in holocellulose, sulphite pulp and kraft pulp using TEM, XRD, ED and FTIR. There were remarkable differences in both the fibril structure and fibril aggregation between the samples. TEM observations revealed more intimately associated fibrils in the kraft pulp compared to the sulphite pulp and the holocellulose, results in agreement with previous CP/MAS ¹³C-NMR data [Hult E.-L. et al. (2002) Holzforschung 56: 231–234]. Furthermore, the cellulose crystallinity was higher in the kraft pulp sample. With respect to the cellulose I and I allomorphs, these samples were controversial when different analytical techniques were applied. Due to the small fibril size and the low degree of order of cellulose in these samples, the concept of crystalline triclinic and monoclinic components as determined by diffraction analysis may not be adequate. Instead the fibril can be regarded to have different degrees of lateral order (including paracrystalline ordering) that can be reoriented to I type conformation and packing upon pulping.     

The Electronic State of Hydrogen in the α Phase of the Hydrogen‐Storage Material PdH(D)x: Does a Chemical Bond Between Palladium and Hydrogen Exist?

The palladium–hydrogen system is one of the most famous hydrogen‐storage systems. Although there has been much research on β‐phase PdH(D)_x, we comprehensively investigated the nature of the interaction between Pd and H(D) in α‐phase PdH(D)_x (x<0.03 at 303 K), and revealed the existence of Pd?H(D) chemical bond for the first time, by various in situ experimental techniques and first‐principles theoretical calculations. The lattice expansion, magnetic susceptibility, and electrical resistivity all provide evidence. In situ solid‐state ¹H and ²H NMR spectroscopy and first‐principles theoretical calculations revealed that a Pd?H(D) chemical bond exists in the α phase, but the bonding character of the Pd?H(D) bond in the α phase is quite different from that in the β phase; the nature of the Pd?H(D) bond in the α phase is a localized covalent bond whereas that in the β phase is a metallic bond.     

Characterization of tension and normally lignified wood cellulose inPopulus maximowiczii

We have investigated unlignified tension wood and normally lignified wood celluloses inPopulus maximowiczii with particular reference to the composition of two crystalline phases I/I (triclinic/ monoclinic). Four independent techniques, which enable us to detect the two phases, CP/MAS¹³C NMR, Fourier transform infrared microscopy, selected-area electron diffraction, and X-ray diffraction were applied. Because of the low crystallinity of wood celluloses, particularly in the case of celluloses in the lignified cell wall, no single method was decisive enough to be able to determine the composition of the two phases as one can with highly crystalline materials. The I dominant structure (monoclinic crystal type) was, however, preferred for both tension and normal wood celluloses.     

Preparation of alkyl-modified silicon nanosheets by hydrosilylation of layered polysilane (Si6H6)

Alkyl-modified crystalline silicon nanosheets 2 were synthesized and maintained the crystal structure of a Si(111) plane, in which the dangling silicon bond is stabilized by capping with the alkyl group. 2 was characterized using UV-vis, Fourier transform-infrared, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies; X-ray diffraction; and X-ray absorption near edge structure analysis. A model structure is proposed that has a periodicity through the nanosheet surface.     

A novel method for asymmetric synthesis of both enantiomers of α-substituted carboxylic acid derivatives from optically active 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides and lithium ester enolates with 1,4-chiral induction from the sulfur chiral center

Treatment of optically active 1-chlorovinyl p-tolyl sulfoxides, which were synthesized from symmetrical ketones and (R)-(−)-chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide in three steps, with lithium enolate of carboxylic acid tert-butyl esters gave optically active adducts having a substituent at the α-position with high 1,4-chiral induction from the sulfur chiral center in high yields. The adducts were converted to optically active esters and carboxylic acids having a chiral center at the α-position. When this addition reaction was carried out with the ester enolate generated from excess carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester with LDA in the presence of HMPA, the diastereomer of the adduct was obtained. By using the two reaction conditions for the generation of the ester enolates, a new method for asymmetric synthesis of both enantiomers of carboxylic acid derivatives having a substituent at the α-position from the one chiral source, (R)-(−)-chloromethyl p-tolyl sulfoxide, was realized.     

Ligand Design to Acquire Specificity to Intended G-Quadruplex Structures

A G-quadruplex is a nucleic acid secondary structure that is adopted by guanine-rich sequences, and is considered to be relevant in various pharmacological and biological contexts. G-Quadruplexes have also attracted great attention in the field of DNA nanotechnology because of their extremely high thermal stability and the availability of many defined structures. To date, a large repertory of DNA/RNA G-quadruplex-interactive ligands has been developed by numerous laboratories. Several relevant reviews have also been published that have helped researchers to grasp the full scope of G-quadruplex research from its outset to the present. This review focuses on the G-quadruplex ligands that allow targeting of specific G-quadruplexes. Moreover, unique ligands, successful methodologies, and future perspectives in relation to specific G-quadruplex recognition are also addressed.