Analysis, purification and properties of a 50,000-dalton membrane-associated phosphoprotein from human platelets

Recently, the development of a monospecific antiserum against a 46,000/50,000-dalton membrane protein from human platelets which was stoichiometrically and reversibly phosphorylated in intact human platelets in response to vasodilators was reported. Using this antiserum, the subcellular distribution and the purification of this vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) from human platelets has now been analysed. The VASP of human platelets is primarily a membrane-associated protein and can be purified to apparent homogeneity by salt extraction and sequential ion-exchange and dye-ligand chromatography with a purification factor of 1200 and a yield of 13%. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing and non-reducing conditions indicated that purified monomers of this VASP are linked by interchain disulphide bonding.     

Variable coordination geometries at the diiron(II) active site of ribonucleotide reductase R2

The R2 subunit of Escherichia coli ribonucleotide reductase contains a dinuclear iron center that generates a catalytically essential stable tyrosyl radical by one electron oxidation of a nearby tyrosine residue. After acquisition of Fe(II) ions by the apo protein, the resulting diiron(II) center reacts with O(2) to initiate formation of the radical. Knowledge of the structure of the reactant diiron(II) form of R2 is a prerequisite for a detailed understanding of the O(2) activation mechanism. Whereas kinetic and spectroscopic studies of the reaction have generally been conducted at pH 7.6 with reactant produced by the addition of Fe(II) ions to the apo protein, the available crystal structures of diferrous R2 have been obtained by chemical or photoreduction of the oxidized diiron(III) protein at pH 5-6. To address this discrepancy, we have generated the diiron(II) states of wildtype R2 (R2-wt), R2-D84E, and R2-D84E/W48F by infusion of Fe(II) ions into crystals of the apo proteins at neutral pH. The structures of diferrous R2-wt and R2-D48E determined from these crystals reveal diiron(II) centers with active site geometries that differ significantly from those observed in either chemically or photoreduced crystals. Structures of R2-wt and R2-D48E/W48F determined at both neutral and low pH are very similar, suggesting that the differences are not due solely to pH effects. The structures of these "ferrous soaked" forms are more consistent with circular dichroism (CD) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopic data and provide alternate starting points for consideration of possible O(2) activation mechanisms.     

Chain-length dependence of the conformational order in self-assembled dialkylammonium monolayers on mica studied with soft X-ray absorption

Self-assembled alkyl chain based monolayers on mica are important for industrial and technological processes since they can be employed for an organic modification of the inorganic substrate. The conformational structure and orientational order of the films determine the interaction of the modified substrate with the environment and the chemical character and stability of its surface. We have studied the conformational order in ion exchanged dialkylammonium monolayers adsorbed on mica depending on the length of the alkyl chains systematically with near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS). In addition, films were characterized by water contact angle measurements. The experimentally determined average tilt angles of the chains are discussed in terms of the degree of order. It was found that the absolute number of gauche defects in the films increases with decreasing chain length.     

Molecular recognition and conductance in crown ethers

Crown ethers have the remarkable property of recognizing and binding specific metal cations in complex mixtures. We propose to combine molecular recognition with molecular electric conductance. The question we address is: can the event of binding a cation be sensed by a change in conductance? Specifically, we study a short molecular wire (MW) containing a crown-6 molecule connected via sulfur atoms to two gold atomic wires acting as metallic leads. Upon binding a cation, the density of states of the system is only slightly affected. This reflects the fact that the cation binding is largely electrostatic in nature and is accompanied by little electronic reorganization. Yet, the cationic binding does significantly lower conductance. We also identify strong interference affecting the conductance. A striking feature is the insensitivity of conductance to the type of ligand with the exception of the proton.     

Determination of polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASH) in diesel fuel by high performance liquid chromatography and photodiode-array detection

An oxidation method (sulfone method) for the determination of polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASH) in diesel fuel is presented. The aromatic fraction of a diesel fuel, isolated by solid phase extraction, is oxidized under controlled conditions with hydrogen peroxide. The oxidation products, mainly methylated dibenzosulfone, are determined and quantified directly, without further clean-up, by HPLC with photodiode-array detection.     

Photoelectron spectra of uranium(V) in mixed oxides showing characteristic satellite signals

Whereas uranyl compounds at most show electron transfer satellites at 3 eV higher I in the U4f region, mixed oxides containing uranium(V) show a characteristic satellite at 7.9 eV higher I. Uranium-cerium blue and certain U(IV) compounds are also discussed.     

Examination of the swelling of heat protective hydrocolloids by DSC

While the basic fermented (sour) milk products, such as yogurt and kefir can be produced only in live flora version, the post heat-treatment is preferred in their flavored variations to increase the storage time. Casein being in sour coagulum precipitates during heat-treatment; therefore protective colloids surrounding the protein should be used to prevent it. Protective colloids are plant extracts, the most known of them are pectin and amylopectin. Basic requirement of protective colloid effect is the lower swelling temperature of hydrocolloid than the temperature of precipitation of sour coagulum. In this work we have examined the precipitation of sour coagulum as a function of the type of lactic acid bacteria cultures applied during fermentation as well as the swelling of heat protective plant hydrocolloids as a function of the composition (mainly of sugar content) of medium. To investigate the precipitation of fermented coagulum skimmed milk was fermented with mesophilic butter culture, thermophilic yogurt culture as well as with exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing Prebiolact-2 culture. Precipitation was indicated in the increase of great extent of viscosity. Amylopectin was dispersed into aqueous solution of pH 4.5, the saccharose concentration of which was changed during the investigation of the swelling of heat protective hydrocolloids. A definite exothermic peak was assigned to the swelling of hydrocolloids during the DSC experiments. We could conclude that the precipitation temperature was increasing in the mesophilic-thermophilic-EPS producing microbes line, i.e. the heat stability and swelling temperature of hydrocolloids depend on the saccharose content of aqueous medium and they increase with rising the concentration of saccharose.     

Gel Chromatography

Gel chromatography can be regarded as a network-limited partitioning of substances. The theory of this method and the preparation and properties of various gel systems are reviewed. Optimization of the method is illustrated for the separation of oligomers.     

Solution properties of polyoxymethylene

Light scattering and viscosity have been measured at 25°C. for dilute solutions of six unfractionated polyoxymethylene samples in the mixed solvent hexafluoroacetone–water (mole ratio 1/1.7) slightly buffered with triethylamine. Dialysis equilibrium through porous Vycor glass thimbles indicates that the polymer is strongly solvated by the hydrate (CF₃)₂C(OH)₂, and this must be taken into account in evaluating weight-average molecular weights from the light-scattering data. Over the molecular weight range 23,000–185,000, the intrinsic viscosities (in deciliter per gram) follow the relation The corresponding unperturbed dimensions are σ = 2.3 ± 0.2 or r₀²/nl² = 10.5 ± 1.5.     

Hexaphosphapentaprismane: a new gateway to organophosphorus cage compound chemistry

Several independent synthetic routes are described leading to the formation of a novel unsaturated tetracyclic phosphorus carbon cage compound tBu4C4P6 (1), which undergoes a light-induced valence isomerization to produce the first hexaphosphapentaprismane cage tBu4C4P6 (2). A second unsaturated isomer tBu4C4P6 (9) of 1 and the bis-[W(CO)5] complex 13 of 1 are stable towards similar isomerization reactions. Another starting material for the synthesis of the hexaphosphapentaprismane cage tBu4C4P6 (2) is the trimeric mercury complex [(tBu4C4P6)Hg]3 (11), which undergoes elimination of mercury to afford the title compound 2. Single-crystal X-ray structural determinations have been carried out on compounds 1, 2, 9, 11, and 13.