NONPHOTOCHEMICAL HOLE BURNING OF THE B800-B850 ANTENNA COMPLEX OF Rhodopseudomonas acidophila

Detailed burn wavelength-dependent hole-burning studies of the title complex have been performed. The zero-phonon hole (ZPH) widths for B800 at 4.2 K are 6.0 ± 0.3 cm and are discussed in terms of B80O-B850 and B800-B800 energy transfer. The B800* lifetime is 1.8 ± 0.2 ps. The site inhomogeneous broadening (r,) of B800 is 240 cm^?1. The B850 (located at 864 nm at 4.2 K) hole spectra reveal that B850 suffers from significant homogeneous broadening, which is attributed to unit cell exciton level structure and ultrafast interexciton level relaxation. Novel ZPH action spectra lead to the resolution of a minor component at 885 nm, which is the analogue of B870 of Rhodobacter sphaeroides previously assigned as the lowest exciton level of the B850 exciton band. The B870 ZPH width of 2.0 ± 0.2 cm^?1for Rhodopseudomonas acidophila leads to a total dephasing time of 5.3 ps, which is attributed to exciton scattering that stems from the energetic inequivalence of neighboring B850 unit cells.     

Synthesis of conformationally constrained cyclic peptides using an intramolecular sonogashira coupling

[Reaction: see text]. Small peptides having a 3-bromobenzyl group at the C-termini and n-alkynoyl group at the N-termini undergo a smooth copper-free intramolecular Sonogashira coupling reaction to afford the corresponding cyclic peptides in moderate yields. Scope and limitations of this macrocyclization is demonstrated with di-, tri-, and tetrapeptides.     

Estimation of cephalosporin antibiotics by differential pulse polarography

Differential pulse polarographic (DPP) method of determination of cephalosporins has been developed based on the electrochemistry of the azomethine group in the drugs in universal buffers of pH 2.0-12.0. Quantitative measurements were successful in the concentration range of 1.0 x 10(-5) M-2.5 x 10(-8) M, the lower concentration representing the detection limit by DPP. The described procedure has been applied for the determination of these drugs individually in pharmaceutical formulations and urine samples as well as for simultaneous determination in a single run.     

Gas phase reactions of chloride ion with aryl-substituted nitrocyclohexenes

Chloride ion chemical ionization studies of some aryl-substituted nitrocyclohexenes have demonstrated that benzylic anion formation is favoured in the gas phase. Anchimeric assistance by neighbouring phenyl groups and the effect of olefinic functions have a significant influence on the stability of the carbanions.     

Protein engineering of nitrile hydratase activity of papain: molecular dynamics study of a mutant and wild-type enzyme

The mechanism of hydrolysis of the nitrile (N-acetyl-phenylalanyl-2-amino-propionitrile, I) catalyzed by Gln19Glu mutant of papain has been studied by nanosecond molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. MD simulations of the complex of mutant enzyme with I and of mutant enzyme covalently attached to both neutral (II) and protonated (III) thioimidate intermediates were performed. An MD simulation with the wild-type enzyme.I complex was undertaken as a reference. The ion pair between protonated His159 and thiolate of Cys25 is coplanar, and the hydrogen bonding interaction S(-)(25).HD1-ND1(159) is observed throughout MD simulation of the mutant enzyme.I complex. Such a sustained hydrogen bond is absent in nitrile-bound wild-type papain due to the flexibility of the imidazole ring of His159. The nature of the residue at position 19 plays a critical role in the hydrolysis of the covalent thioimidate intermediate. When position 19 represents Glu, the imidazolium ion of His159-ND1(+).Cys25-S(-) ion pair is distant, on average, from the nitrile nitrogen of substrate I. Near attack conformers (NACs) have been identified in which His159-ImH(+) is positioned to initiate a general acid-catalyzed addition of Cys-S(-) to nitrile. Though Glu19-CO(2)H is distant from nitrile nitrogen in the mutant.I structure, MD simulations of the mutant.II covalent adduct finds Glu19-CO(2)H hydrogen bonded to the thioimide nitrogen of II. This hydrogen bonded species is much less stable than the hydrogen bonded Glu19-CO(2)(-) with mutant-bound protonated thioimidate (III). This observation supports Glu19-CO(2)H general acid catalysis of the formation of mutant.III. This is the commitment step in the Gln19Glu mutant catalysis of nitrile hydrolysis.     

Thermal neutron activation analysis of essential and trace elements and organic constituents in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Trikatu</Emphasis>: An ayurvedic formulation

Trikatu, an Ayurvedic formulation of three dried powder spices, ginger, black pepper and pipali in equal proportion is widely used to promote digestion, assimilation and bioavailibility of food. It works synergistically, and hence, is more effective than an equal amount of any of its three ingredients taken separately. Five different brands and its three constituents were analyzed for 31 elements by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) using 5-minute and 6-hour thermal neutron irradiation followed by high-resolution γ-ray spectrometry. Heavy toxic metals Cd, Ni and Pb determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) were found below permissible limits. Most elements in different brands vary in a narrow range. Ginger is particularly enriched in Ca, Fe, Mg and Mn whereas black pepper is enriched in Cr, Se, P and Zn. Cu/Zn shows linear relationship (r = 0.92) with Cu whereas Fe and Mn exhibit inverse correlation (r = −0.89) in different brands. Hydro distillation of pipali yielded an essential oil whereby 10 organic constituents were identified by GC-MS. Also barbituric and tannic acids were isolated from the aqueous methanolic extract of pipali.     

Substoichiometric radiochemical determination of thallium with sodium isopropyl xanthate

A rapid radiochemical method for the determination of thallium(III) has been developed based on the substoichiometric extraction of its 13 complex with sodium isopropyl xanthate into chloroform from pH 9 ammonia buffer. The effect of foreign ions on the extraction was also studied. 10 g amounts of thallium were determined with an average error of 1.9%. The method has been successfully applied for the determination of thallium content present in sphalarite ores collected from Jawar Mines, Rajasthan (India).     

In silico studies of the mechanism of methanol oxidation by quinoprotein methanol dehydrogenase

The mechanism of bacterial methanol dehydrogenase involves hydride equivalent transfer from substrate to the ortho-quinone PQQ to provide a C5-reduced intermediate that subsequently rearranges to the hydroquinone PQQH(2). We have studied the PQQ reduction by molecular dynamic (MD) simulations in aqueous solution. Among the five simulated structures, either Asp297 or Glu171 or both are ionized. Reasonable structures are obtained only when both carboxyl groups are ionized. This is not unexpected since the kinetic pH optimum is 9.0. In the structure of the enzyme.PQQ.HOCH(3) complex, the hydrogen bonded Glu171-CO(2)(-).H-OCH(3) is in a position to act as a general base catalyst for hydride equivalent transfer to C5 of PQQ. We thus suggest that Glu171 plays the role of general base catalyst in PQQ reduction rather than Asp297 as previously suggested. The reduction is assisted by Arg324, which hydrogen bonds to the ortho-quinone moiety of PQQ. The rearrangement of the C5-reduced intermediate to provide hydroquinone PQQH(2) is also assisted by proton abstraction by Glu171-CO(2)(-) and the continuous hydrogen bonding of Arg324 throughout the entire reaction. These features as well as the mapping of the channel for substrate and water into the active site entrance are the observations of major importance.     

Solvent extraction of Tm(III) by sulfoxides and mixtures of DPSO (di-N-pentyl sulfoxide) and HTTA (thenoyl-trifluoroacetone) from perchlorate and thiocyanate media

Extraction of Tm(III), from thiocyanate media, by different sulfoxides (R₂SO) has revealed that the extractable complex is Tm(SCN)₃·4 R₂SO. When mixtures of DPSO and HTTA are used for the extraction of Tm(III) from thiocyanate or perchlorate media, synergistic enhancement of the extraction of Tm(III) results. The complexes responsible for the enhanced extraction are Tm(TTA)₃·DPSO and Tm(TTA)₃·2 DPSO when perchlorate media were employed for the extraction and Tm(SCN)(TTA)₂·2 DPSO and Tm(SCN)₂(TTA)·3 DPSO, in addition to the above two when a thiocyanate medium was employed for the extraction. Values of equilibrium constants for some equilibria encountered in the extraction of Am(III) and Tm(III) by mixtures of DPSO and HTTA are given.