A new synthetic route to chiral 3-aryl-5-ethyl-1,4,2-oxazaphosphorines

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Universally signable graphs

In a graph, a chordless cycle of length greater than three is called a hole. Let be a {0, 1} vector whose entries are in one-to-one correspondence with the holes of a graphG. We characterize graphs for which, for all choices of the vector , we can pick a subsetF of the edge set ofG such that |F H| H (mod 2), for all holesH ofG and |F T| 1 for all trianglesT ofG. We call these graphsuniversally signable. The subsetF of edges is said to be labelledodd. All other edges are said to be labelledeven. Clearly graphs with no holes (triangulated graphs) are universally signable with a labelling of odd on all edges, for all choices of the vector . We give a decomposition theorem which leads to a good characterization of graphs that are universally signable. This is a generalization of a theorem due to Hajnal and Surányi [3] for triangulated graphs.This work was supported in part by NSF grants DMI-9424348 DMS-9509581 and ONR grant N00014-89-J-1063. Ajai Kapoor was also supported by a grant from Gruppo Nazionale Delle Ricerche-CNR. We also acknowledge the support of Laboratoire ARTEMIS, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble.     

Enrichment of rare-earth elements (REE) and Gd-DTPA in surface water samples by means of countercurrent chromatography (CCC)

An analytical scheme was developed for the determination of rare-earth elements and gadolinium diethylenetriaminepentaacetate (Gd-DTPA) in river water by ICP-MS. Since the concentration of Gd-DTPA and the rare-earth elements in river water is often lower than the limits of detection in quadrupole ICP-MS applying pneumatic nebulization, a preconcentration procedure is essential.In this work, the capabilities of countercurrent chromatography (CCC) for preconcentration of REE were investigated. For preconcentration ethylhexylphosphates as stationary phase had been used. Acidified aqueous samples (pH 2) and river water spiked with REE and Gd-DTPA were under study. The procedure was compared with solid phase extraction (SPE) using the same samples and ethylhexylphosphates as stationary phase. The recovery of the light and middle REE was found to be at about 100%, which was found to be more efficient than applying SPE. In contrast, the recovery rates for Yb and Lu were low (and poorly reproducible) using CCC (57% and 73%, respectively) while significant better results were obtained with SPE (89% and 84%, respectively).The recoveries of Gd applying Gd-DTPA were 80 ± 4% in the investigation of river water samples.     

Library screening for synthetic agonists and antagonists of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa autoinducer

The autoinducer (AI) that initiates the quorum sensing (QS) signaling cascade in Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an acyl-homoserine lactone (acyl-HSL). We initiated a study of the requirements for binding of the AI to its protein effector LasR by synthesizing a library of analogs with the HSL moiety replaced with different amines and alcohols. We tested each compound for both agonist and antagonist activity using a QS-controlled reporter gene assay and found several new agonists and antagonists. A representative antagonist was further tested for its ability to inhibit virulence factors. This data progresses our understanding of the LasR-AI interaction toward the rational design of therapeutic inhibitors of QS.     

Reactions of Bis(p-methoxyphenyl)trisulfane and Its Oxides with Dimethyldioxirane and (Trifluoromethyl)methyldioxirane

The reactions of dimethyldioxirane and (trifluoromethyl)methyldioxirane with bis(p-methoxyphenyl)trisulfane, its 1-oxide, its 2-oxide, and its 1,1-dioxide derivatives have been investigated. The reactions were followed by careful monitoring of the methoxy region of the (1)H NMR spectra and where possible by doping with authentic samples of the products. The decomposition of labile intermediates and products was investigated. A new mechanism for the rearrangement of a trisulfane 1,3-dioxide to a trisulfane 1,1-dioxide is proposed.     

Evaluation of extraction buffers using the current approach of detecting multiple allergenic and nonallergenic proteins in food

The detection of food allergens has been a challenge because of the increasing need to ensure the absence of undeclared allergens in foods. The current trend in the detection of some food allergens, like peanuts, is based on the detection of multiple allergenic and nonallergenic proteins, and this is the approach that kit manufacturers have adopted. Because commercial kits differ in their ability to detect allergens, regulatory agencies, the food industry, and kit manufacturers are working together to standardize the detection methods. Three kits for the detection of peanuts have been evaluated for performance by the AOAC Research Institute. For this evaluation, a peanut butter suspension was used as a reference material. Several kit components contribute to between-kit analytical variation, even when the same sample is used. One component of commercial kits, which may be contributing to this variability, is the sample extraction buffer. In this study, differences in extractability of 3 allergenic foods were evaluated by using 4 different extraction buffers. The conclusion is that optimum allergen extractability was buffer-dependent, and no single buffer is appropriate for use as a universal extraction solution for all allergenic foods. Therefore, a thorough evaluation of sample preparation buffers needs to be performed for every individual allergenic food. In light of the results obtained, the current approach used for detection of peanut allergens based on the detection of multiple allergenic and nonallergenic proteins is being analyzed.     

The highest water exchange rate ever measured for a Gd(III) chelate

The complex [Gd(L)(H2O)]3- (H(6)L =N,N'-bis(6-carboxy-2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-methylenephosphonic acid) displays the highest water exchange rate ever measured for a Gd(III) chelate (k(298)(ex)= 8.8 x 10(8) s(-1)), which is attributed to the flexibility of the metal coordination environment.     

Characterization of the P13 membrane protein of Borrelia burgdorferi by mass spectrometry

Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is a tick-borne pathogen that causes Lyme disease. The characterization of membrane proteins from this and other pathogens may yield a better understanding of the mechanisms of infection and information useful for vaccine design. Characterization of the highly hydrophobic Borrelia outer membrane component P13 from a mutant (OspA- OspB- OspC- and OspD-) strain was undertaken by use of a combination of mass spectrometric methods. In a previous investigation, an electrospray ionization (ESI) mass spectrum of the intact protein provided an average molecular weight that was 20 Da lower than the predicted molecular weight. The mass deviation could be explained by a modification of the N-terminus of the protein such as pyroglutamylation (-17 Da) in combination with the experimental error of measurement, however more information was required. New structural information for this membrane protein was provided by peptide mapping with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI TOF MS) and sequencing with ESI-quadrupole-TOF tandem MS.     

Investigation of the binding of epimer A of the covalent hydrate of 6,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)-8-D-ribityllumazine to a recombinant F22W Bacillus subtilis lumazine synthase mutant by (15)N[(19)F] REDOR NMR

The two epimeric covalent hydrates A and B of 6,7-bis(trifluoromethyl)-8-D-ribityllumazine are metabolically stable analogues of hypothetical intermediates proposed in the reactions catalyzed by riboflavin synthase and lumazine synthase. To confirm the stereochemical assignments previously based solely on results for epimer B, a (15)N[(19)F] REDOR NMR study was performed on the complex formed from epimer A and a recombinant, uniformly (15)N-labeled F22W mutant of Bacillus subtilis lumazine synthase. The results indicate that the fluorines of the ligands are closer to the side chain nitrogens of Arg127 and farther away from the side chain nitrogens of Lys135 in epimer B than in epimer A. These results are consistent with the assignment of the earlier 7R configuration of epimer A and the 7S configuration of epimer B.     

A conformational dynamics study of alpha-l-Rhap-(1-->2)[alpha-l-Rhap-(1-->3)]-alpha-l-Rhap-OMe in solution by NMR experiments and molecular simulations

The conformational preference of alpha-l-Rhap-(1-->2)[alpha-l-Rhap-(1-->3)]-alpha-l-Rhap-OMe in solution has been studied by NMR spectroscopy using one-dimensional (1)H,(1)H T-ROESY experiments and measurement of trans-glycosidic (3)J(C,H) coupling constants. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations with a CHARMM22 type of force field modified for carbohydrates were performed with water as the explicit solvent. The homonuclear cross-relaxation rates, interpreted as effective proton-proton distances, were compared to those obtained from simulation. Via a Karplus torsional relationship, (3)J(C,H) values were calculated from simulation and compared to experimental data. Good agreement was observed between experimental data and the MD simulation, except for one inter-residue T-ROE between protons in the terminal sugar residues. The results show that the trisaccharide exhibits substantial conformational flexibility, in particular along the psi glycosidic torsion angles. Notably, for these torsions, a high degree of correlation (77%) was observed in the MD simulation revealing either psi(2)(+) psi(3)(+) or psi(2)(-)psi(3)(-) states. The simulations also showed that non-exoanomeric conformations were present at the phi torsion angles, but to a limited extent, with the phi(3) state populated to a larger extent than the phi(2) state. Further NMR analysis of the trisaccharide by translational diffusion measurements and (13)C T(1) relaxation experiments quantified global reorientation using an anisotropic model together with interpretation of the internal dynamics via the "model-free" approach. Fitting of the dynamically averaged states to experimental data showed that the psi(2)(+)psi(3)(+) state is present to approximately 49%, psi(2)(-) psi(3)(-) to approximately 39%, and phi(3) (non-exo) to approximately 12%. Finally, using a dynamic and population-averaged model, (1)H,(1)H T-ROE buildup curves were calculated using a full relaxation matrix approach and were found to be in excellent agreement with experimental data, in particular for the above inter-residue proton-proton interaction between the terminal residues.