Physical immobilization of Rhizopus oryzae lipase onto cellulose substrate: activity and stability studies

Rhizopus oryzae lipase (ROL) was immobilized by adsorption onto oxidized cellulose fibers and regenerated films. The maximum adsorption level increases with the raise in the amount of carboxylic groups on cellulose surface confirming that adsorption is being governed mainly by electrostatic interaction between the enzyme and the substrate. This hypothesis was further confirmed by zeta-potential measurements showing a decrease in the zeta-potential of the fibers after enzyme adsorption. XPS analysis showed an intensification of the N 1s peak attesting the presence of the enzyme on the surface. The effect of temperature, pH and solvent polarity on the immobilized enzyme activity and stability was investigated. The catalytic esterification of oleic acid with n-butanol has been carried on using hexane as an organic solvent. A high conversion yield was obtained (about 80%) at 37 degrees C with a molar ratio of oleic acid to butanol 1:1 and 150IU immobilized lipase. The adsorption achieved two successive cycles with the same efficiency, and started to lose its activity during the third cycle.     

Acrolein and Copper as Competitive Effectors of α-Synuclein

Mounting evidence supports the role of amyloidogenesis, oxidative stress, and metal dyshomeostasis in the development of neurodegenerative disorders. Parkinson's Disease is characterized by α-synuclein (αSyn) accumulation and aggregation in brain regions, also promoted by Cu²⁺. αSyn is modified by reactive carbonyl species, including acrolein (ACR). Notwithstanding these findings, the interplay between ACR, copper, and αSyn has never been investigated. Therefore, we explored more thoroughly the effects of ACR on αSyn using an approach based on LC-MS/MS analysis. We also evaluated the influence of Cu²⁺ on the protein carbonylation and how the ACR modification impacts the Cu²⁺ binding and the production of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Finally, we investigated the effects of ACR and Cu²⁺ ions on the αSyn aggregation by dynamic light scattering and fluorescence assays. Cu²⁺ regioselectively inhibits the modification of His50 by ACR, the carbonylation lowers the affinity of His50 for Cu²⁺ and ACR inhibits αSyn aggregation both in the presence and in the absence of Cu²⁺.     

Experimental and theoretical approaches to the study of the reactivity and mechanism of the substitution of phenyl 1-(2,4-dinitronaphthyl) ether with anilines derivatives

Reactions of aniline derivatives in dimethyl sulfoxide with phenyl 1-(2,4-dinitronaphthyl) ether yield aryl 1-(2,4-dinitronaphthyl) amine, which results in substitution of the phenoxy groups at the naphthyl ipso carbon atom. Rate constants were measured spectrophotometrically, and reaction proton transfer was rate limiting. The values of the rate coefficients indicate a rate-limiting proton transfer mechanism with significant substituent effects. The calculated activation parameters were of regular variation with substituents in 4- and 3-position in the aniline nucleophile, and the reaction proceeded through a common mechanism. Hammett's reaction constant showed that the reaction rate constants depend on the electron density of the nitrogen atom of aniline derivative, whereas the coefficient value obtained from the Brönsted relation indicated that the reaction was significantly associative and quite zwitterion like. Computational studies of the substitution were carried out based on density functional theory, and theoretical to the experimental agreement was achieved.     

Synthesis and Single Crystal Structure Characterization of Dinuclear and Polymeric Mixed-ligand Coordination Compounds of Zinc(II) and Cadmium(II) with the Bridging Ligand 1,2-Bis(pyridin-4-ylmethylene)hydrazine

Three d¹⁰-transition-metal coordination compounds [Cd(tfpb)₂(4-bpmh)]_n ( 1 ), [Cd(9-aca)(NO₃)(OHCH₃)(4-bpmh)]_n ( 2 ) and [Zn₂(dpp)₄(4-bpmh)] ( 3 ) with the bridging ligand 4-bpmh were synthesized [4-bpmh = 1,2-bis(pyridin-4-ylmethylene)hydrazine, tfpb = 4,4,4-trifluoro-1-phenylbutane-1,3-dionate, 9-aca = anthracene-9-carboxylate, dpp = 1,3-diphenylpropane-1,3-dionate]. Compounds 1 – 3 were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and structurally authenticated by X-ray crystallography. Compounds 1 – 3 are constructed by an O,O'-donor ligand including chelating β-diketonates (tfpb, dpp) in 1 and 3 and a carboxylate ligand (9-aca) in 2 in combination with a linear neutral bidentate and bridging N-ligand (4-bpmh). The assembly and action of the bridging 4-bpmh ligand leads to one-dimensional coordination polymers in 1 , 2 and to a dinuclear coordination complex in 3 . The structures and the solid-state supramolecular interactions for studying the crystal packing fashions of 1 – 3 were analyzed. The supramolecular interactions including hydrogen bonding, C–H ··· π, π ··· π, and C–F ··· π in 1 , 2 , and 3 were founded.     

Pyrolysis mass spectrometry analysis of poly(vinyl acetate), poly(methyl methacrylate) and their blend coalesced from inclusion compounds formed with γ-cyclodextrin

Direct insertion probe pyrolysis mass spectrometry (DIP-MS) analyses of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and binary PMMA/PVAc guests, coalesced from their inclusion compounds (ICs) formed with host γ-cyclodextrin (γ-CD) through removal of the γ-CD host, have been performed. A slight increase in the thermal stabilities of the coalesced polymers were recorded both by TGA and DIP-MS compared to the corresponding as-received polymers. The DIP-MS observations pointed out that the thermal stability and degradation products of these polymers are affected once they are included inside the IC channels created by the stacked host γ-CDs. DIP-MS observations suggested that the degradation mechanisms for PMMA and PVAc chains in their coalesced blend were significantly altered from those observed in their as-received and solution blended samples. This was attributed to the presence of specific molecular interactions between the intimately mixed PMMA and PVAc chains in their coalesced blend.     

Synthesis of new quinoxalinophenazinediones and tetrahydrobenzodipyrrolotetrones of biological interest

The reaction of two equivalents of sodium azide with diarylaminodibromo-p-benzoquinone (I) in DMF for 15–24 h produced quinoxalinophenazinediones together with a byproduct identified as diarylaminodiaminobenzoquinone. On the other hand, the reaction of bromanil with active methylenes, such as diethyl malonate and ethyl acetoacetate, resulted in disubstitution products which, on treatment with primary amines, cyclized into benzodipyrroletetrones. Comparative antifungal and antibacterial studies were made.     

A comparative study on various spectrometries with thin layer chromatography for simultaneous analysis of drotaverine and nifuroxazide in capsules

Three spectrophotometric methods including Vierordt's method, derivative, ratio spectra derivative, and thin layer chromatography (TLC)-UV densitometric method were developed for simultaneous determination of drotaverine HCl (DRT) and nifuroxazide (NIF) in presence of its impurity, 4-hydroxybenzohydrazide (4-HBH). In Vierordt's method, (E(1 cm)(1%)) values were calculated at 227 and 368 nm in the zero-order spectra of DRT and NIF. By derivative spectrophotometry, the zero-crossing method, drotaverine HCl was determined using the second derivative at 245 nm and the third derivative at 238 nm, while nifuroxazide was determined using the first derivative at 399 nm and the second derivative at 411 nm. The ratio spectra derivative spectrophotometry is basedon the measure of the amplitude at 459 nm for DRT and at 416 nm for NIF in the first derivative of the ratio spectra. Calibration graphs of the three spectrophotometric methods were plotted in the range 1-10 mug/ml of DRT and 2-20 mug/ml of NIF. TLC-UV densitometric method was achieved on silica gel plates using ethyl acetate : methanol : ammonia 33% (10 : 1 : 0.1 v/v/v) as the mobile phase. The Rf values were 0.74, 0.50, 0.30+/-0.01 for DRT, NIF and 4-HBH, respectively. On the fluorescent plates, the spots were located by fluorescence quenching and the densitometrical area were measured at 308 and 287 nm with linear range 0.2-4 mug/spot and 0.6-12 mug/spot for DRT and NIF, respectively. The proposed methods have been successfully applied to the commercial pharmaceutical formulation without any interference of excipients. Mean recoveries, relative standard deviations and the results of the proposed methods were compared with those obtained by applying the alternate methods.     

Validated stability-indicating methods for the determination of nizatidine in the presence of its sulfoxide derivative

Four new selective, precise, and accurate methods are described for the determination of nizatidine (NIZ) in the presence of its sulfoxide derivative in both the raw material and pharmaceutical preparations. Method A is based on zero-order (0D), first-derivative (1D), and second-derivative (2D) spectrophotometric measurement of NIZ in aqueous solution at the zero-crossing point of its sulfoxide derivative (at 314, 295-334, and 318-348 nm, respectively). Method B is a 1DD spectrophotometric method based on the simultaneous use of the first derivative of the ratio spectra and the measurement of peak amplitude at 297 nm. Method C uses a solvent-induced derivative-difference spectrophotometry with deltaD1 measurement from peak to peak at 315-345 nm. Method D involves quantitative densitometric evaluation of a mixture of the drug and its sulfoxide derivative after separation by high-performance thin-layer chromatography on silica gel plates with chloroform-methanol (9 + 1, v/v) as the mobile phase; Rf values for NIZ and its sulfoxide derivative were 0.4 and 0.2, respectively. The spot was scanned at 254 nm. The first-derivative spectrophotometric method was used to investigate the kinetics of the hydrogen peroxide degradation process at different temperatures. The apparent pseudo-first-order rate constant, half-life, and activation energy were calculated. The results obtained by the proposed methods were analyzed statistically and compared with those obtained by the official method. These methods are suitable as stability-indicating for the determination of NIZ in the presence of its oxidation-induced degradation product (sulfoxide derivative) either in the bulk powder or in pharmaceutical preparations.     

A highly sensitive detection platform based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering for Escherichia coli enumeration

A very sensitive and highly specific heterogeneous immunoassay system, based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and gold nanoparticles, was developed for the detection of bacteria and other pathogens. Two different types of gold nanoparticles (citrate-stabilized gold nanosphere and hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB)-stabilized gold nanorod particles) were examined and this immunoassay was applied for the detection of Escherichia coli. Raman labels were constructed by using these spherical and rod-shaped gold nanoparticles which were first coated with 5,5′-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid) (DTNB) and subsequently with a molecular recognizer. The working curve was obtained by plotting the intensity of the SERS signal of the symmetric NO₂ stretching of DTNB at 1,333 cm⁻¹ versus the concentration of the E. coli. The analytical performance of gold particles was evaluated via a sandwich immunoassay, and linear calibration graphs were obtained in the E. coli concentration range of 10¹–10⁵ cfu/mL with a 60-s accumulation time. The sensitivity of the Raman label fabricated with gold nanorods was more than three times higher than spherical gold nanoparticles. The selectivity of the developed sensor was examined with Enterobacter aerogenes and Enterobacter dissolvens, which did not produce any significant response. The usefulness of the developed immunoassay to detect E. coli in real water samples was also demonstrated.     

Purification and Biochemical Characterization of an Acid-Stable Lipase from the Pyloric Caeca of Sardine (Sardinella aurita)

A lipolytic activity was located in the sardine digestive glands (pyloric caeca), from which a sardine digestive lipase (SaDL) was purified. Pure SaDL has a molecular mass of 43 kDa as determined by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. The enzyme was found to be more active on short-chain triacylglycerols than on long-chain ones. SaDL does not present the interfacial activation phenomenon. Control experiments were performed under the same experimental conditions, with dromedary and turkey pancreatic lipases and showed a positive interfacial activation phenomenon. Sodium deoxycholate (NaDC) has an inhibitory effect on the lipase activity. The pure enzyme lost 40% of its activity in presence of 8 mM NaDC. SaDL was found to be mostly stable at low pH values. Interestingly, no colipase was detected in the sardine pyloric caeca. Analogous results were reported for the scorpion and the crab digestive systems. This is in line with the idea that colipase might has evolved in mammal animals simultaneously with the appearance of an exocrine pancreas. No similarity was found between the NH₂-terminal amino acid residues of SaDL and those of lipases from the digestive tract of other species. Altogether, these results suggest that SaDL is a member of a new group of lipases belonging to aquatic species.