Conformational Change of Spermidine upon Interaction with Adenosine Triphosphate in Aqueous Solution

A complex rotation : The solution conformation of spermidine (SPD) was elucidated by using diastereospecifically deuterated and ¹³C‐labeled derivatives to diagnose the orientation of seven conformationally relevant bonds. NMR coupling constants were determined for a complex formed from spermidine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP; see figure).

     

Rapid quantification of cyanamide by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography in fertilizer,soil or plant samples

A rapid and simple method for determination of cyanamide in fertilizer, soil and plants has been developed. In this method, cyanamide is extracted with 2% acetic acid and the extract separated by centrifugation. It is then purified by passing through a membrane filter. The extract was derivatized with 6-aminoquinolyl-N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-carbamate and the derivatized compound separated by ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography. It is then detected with a UV detector at 260 nm by the same method as is used for amino acid analysis. The proposed method is fast, simple and cheap and also has good selectivity and sensitivity for the determination of cyanamide in a wide range of biotic and abiotic materials.     

Synthesis and application of atropisomeric dihydrobenzofuran-based bisphosphine (BICMAP)

A new atropisomeric dihydrobenzofuran-based bisphosphine ligand 1 was easily prepared from 1,4-dibromo-2-fluorobenzene. This racemic bisphosphine (±)-1 was used as a ligand for the palladium-catalyzed Suzuki-Miyaura reaction of aryl chloride with arylboronic acids and Hartwig-Buchwald amination of aryl bromides with aniline derivatives. The optical resolution of (±)-1 was also carried out by HPLC with a chiral stationary phase column.     

Amycolamicin: A Novel Broad‐Spectrum Antibiotic Inhibiting Bacterial Topoisomerase

The abuse of antibacterial drugs imposes a selection pressure on bacteria that has driven the evolution of multidrug resistance in many pathogens. Our efforts to discover novel classes of antibiotics to combat these pathogens resulted in the discovery of amycolamicin (AMM). The absolute structure of AMM was determined by NMR spectroscopy, X‐ray analysis, chemical degradation, and modification of its functional groups. AMM consists of trans‐decalin, tetramic acid, two unusual sugars (amycolose and amykitanose), and dichloropyrrole carboxylic acid. The pyranose ring named as amykitanose undergoes anomerization in methanol. AMM is a potent and broad‐spectrum antibiotic against Gram‐positive pathogenic bacteria by inhibiting DNA gyrase and bacterial topoisomerase IV. The target of AMM has been proved to be the DNA gyrase B subunit and its binding mode to DNA gyrase is different from those of novobiocin and coumermycin, the known DNA gyrase inhibitors.     

Foaming properties of monoglycerol fatty acid esters in nonpolar oil systems

Foaming properties of monoglycerol fatty acid esters that have different alkyl chain lengths were studied in different nonpolar oils, namely liquid paraffin (LP 70), squalane, and squalene. The effect of the hydrocarbon chain length of the surfactant, the concentration, the nature of the oil, and the temperature on the nonaqueous foam stability was mainly studied. Five weight percent of glycerol alpha-monododecanoate (monolaurin) formed highly stable foams in squalane at 25 degrees C, and the foams were stable for more than 14 h. Foam stability of the monolaurin/LP 70 and the monolaurin/squalene systems are almost similar, and the foams were stable for more than 12 h. Foam stability was decreased as the hydrocarbon chain length of the monoglyceride decreased. In the glycerol alpha-monodecanoate (monocaprin)-oil systems, the foams were stable only for 3-4 h, depending on the nature of the oil. However, the foams formed in the glycerol alpha-monooctanoate (monocaprylin)-oil systems coarsened very quickly, leading to the progressive destruction of foam films, and all of the foams collapsed within a few minutes. Foam stability decreased when the oil was changed from squalane to squalene, in both monocaprin and monolaurin systems. It was observed that, in the dilute regions, these monoglycerides form fine solid dispersions in the aforementioned oils at 25 degrees C. At higher temperatures, the solid melts to isotropic single-liquid or two-liquid phases and the foams formed collapsed within 5 min. Judging from the wide-angle X-ray scattering (WAXS) and the foaming test, it is concluded that the stable foams are mainly caused by the dispersion of the surfactant solids (beta-crystal) and foam stability is largely influenced by the shape and size of the dispersed solid particles.     

Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy of the insulating NaxWO3: Anderson localization, polaron formation, and remnant Fermi surface

The electronic structure of the insulating sodium tungsten bronze, Na(0.025)WO(3), is investigated by high-resolution angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. We find that near-E(F) states are localized due to the strong disorder arising from random distribution of Na+ ions in the WO(3) lattice, which makes the system insulating. The temperature dependence of photoemission spectra provides direct evidence for polaron formation. The remnant Fermi surface of the insulator is found to be the replica of the real Fermi surface in the metallic system.