SQUID HYPSORHODOPSIN

Abstract— Squid hypsorhodopsin is produced by irradiating rhodopsin or isorhodopsin with yellow light (>480nm) at liquid He temperature (4K). Compared with cattle rhodopsin, squid rhodopsin easily converts to a photosteady state mixture composed of rhodopsin, isorhodopsin, hypsorhodopsin and bathorhodopsin at this temperature and the amount of hypsorhodopsin in the mixture is high. Hypsorhodopsin has a main absorption peak at 446 nm, and its extinction coefficient is 1.16 times larger than that of rhodopsin. On warming above 35 K, squid hypsorhodopsin converts to bathorhodopsin. A kinetic analysis indicates that the hypsorhodopsin can be formed not only from rhodopsin but also from isorhodopsin. On absorption of light. both squid bathorhodopsin and hypsorhodopsin convert to a mixture of rhodopsin and isorhodopsin.     

Bitter decoration and magneto-optical observations of vortex chains in high temperature superconductors

In tilted magnetic fields, vortices in anisotropic superconductors form one-dimensional arrangements, called vortex chains. We have visualized vortex chains by Bitter decoration and magneto-optical technique. The fundamental energy scale for the attractive interaction between pancake and Josephson vortices is evaluated by observing vortex chains under various conditions. We also explore how the vortex chains evolve when the large in-plane field is applied or when the anisotropy parameter of the system is changed     

Preparation of microporous polymer-encapsulated Pd nanoparticles and their catalytic performance for hydrogenation and oxidation

Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) encapsulated by conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) were prepared by the Pd-catalyzed polymerization followed by a thermal treatment with N₂ or H₂. The Pd catalysts were embedded in the porous network during polymerization and used as a precursor for the generation of Pd NPs in CMP. Although no Pd NPs were formed in the as-synthesized Pd/CMPs, Pd NPs with 1.6–3.5 nm size were formed after the thermal treatment. The obtained Pd/CMP-N₂ and -H₂ catalysts were highly selective in the hydrogenation of 4-nitrostyrene to 4-ethylnitrobenzene, whereas Pd NPs supported on carbon (Ketjen black) gave a fully reduced product, 4-ethylaniline. Substituents in CMP framework could change the catalytic activity of Pd NPs; hydroxy-substituted CMP encapsulated Pd NPs showed higher catalytic activity than Pd/CMP-H₂ for benzyl alcohol oxidation.     

Diastereoselective Additive Trifluoromethylation/Halogenation of Isoxazole Triflones: Synthesis of All-Carbon-Functionalized Trifluoromethyl Isoxazoline Triflones

Highly functionalized 5-trifluoromethyl-2-isoxazoline derivatives featuring a triflyl (SO₂CF₃) group at the 4-position were successfully synthesized via diastereoselective trifluoromethylation and halogenation of isoxazole triflones using the Ruppert– Prakash reagent. The trifluoromethylation is quite general in terms of the substrates including 3,5-diaryl isoxazole triflones and 3-aryl-5-styrylisoxazole triflones to provide products in high yields with excellent diastereoselectivities. The highly functionalized 5-trifluoromethyl-2-isoxazoline derivatives are expected to be a new class of antiparasiticides. Thus the triflyl group both activates isoxazoles and the 4-postion of CF₃ adducts, and has a potential biological function.     

ENERGETICS OF PROTONATION-DEPROTONATION OF THE CHROMOPHORE IN RETINAL PROTEINS

Abstract— We investigate the energetics of protonation and deprotonation of retinylidene Schiff-base (SB) which is realized in the functioning of retinal proteins. We first calculate the energy difference ΔE between the protonated and unprotonated states of the SB by the ab initio molecular orbital method, using two kinds of molecular model; a counter-ion model where a carboxyl group of Glu or Asp is directly hydrogen-bonded to the SB, and a water-bridge model where a water molecule bridges the carboxyl group and the SB. The calculated results indicate that the protonated SB state is unstable compared with the unprotonated SB state in either model. In addition, we find that coordination of some water molecules to the carboxyl group reduces ΔE significantly. The value of AE for the counterion model with two coordinated water molecules is 0.003 eV. Next, we calculate the electrostatic interaction energy between a tryptophan residue and the SB. We find that the protonated state is more stabilized than the unprotonated state by about 0.1 eV with one tryptophan residue. This fact indicates that if some aromatic amino acid residues work cooperatively, they can contribute to significantly reducing ΔE. We also discuss the possible role of amino acid residues which make hydrogen-bond with the carboxyl group of interest.     

PHOTOREACTIVATION OF Halobacterium halobium: ACTION SPECTRUM AND ROLE OF PIGMENTATION

Abstract— An action spectrum for photoreactivation was measured with Halobacterium halobium R₁m₁ to prove a role of carotenoid pigments in photoreactivation of the bacteria. The action spectrum obtained showed a main peak at 435 nm and a minor peak at about 325 nm. The action spectrum was similar to that of Streptomyces pigment (Eker et al. , 1981) suggesting that the chromophore of the photoreactivating enzyme in Halobacterium halobium is 8-OH-5-deazaflavin. The minor peak may be due to photochemical cleavage of a pyrimidine6–4 hetero adduct. The result indicates that carotenoid pigments do not play a positive role in enhancing photoreactivation. This was confirmed also by comparing the efficiency of photoreactivation at 465 nm among three strains of Halobacterium halobium having different carotenoid pigments; R₁m₁. R₁ and W5002–1.     

Improvement of Ligand Affinity and Thermodynamic Properties by NMR‐Based Evaluation of Local Dynamics and Surface Complementarity in the Receptor‐Bound State

The thermodynamic properties of a ligand in the bound state affect its binding specificity. Strict binding specificity can be achieved by introducing multiple spatially defined interactions, such as hydrogen bonds and van der Waals interactions, into the ligand–receptor interface. These introduced interactions are characterized by restricted local dynamics and improved surface complementarity in the bound state. In this study, we experimentally evaluated the local dynamics and the surface complementarity of weak‐affinity ligands in the receptor‐bound state by forbidden coherence transfer analysis in free‐bound exchange systems (Ex‐FCT), using the interaction between a ligand, a myocyte‐enhancer factor 2A (MEF2A) docking peptide, and a receptor, p38α, as a model system. The Ex‐FCT analyses successfully provided information for the rational design of a ligand with higher affinity and preferable thermodynamic properties for p38α.