Desulfurization of dibenzothiophene, benzothiophene, and other thiophene analogs by a newly isolated bacterium, Gordonia alkanivorans strain 1B

A novel bacterium, Gordonia alkanivorans strain 1B, was isolated from hydrocarbon-contaminated soil. Assessment of the biodegradation of distinct organic sulfur-compounds, such as dibenzothiophene (DBT), benzothiophene (BT), DBT sulfone, and alkylated tiophenic compounds, as the sole source of sulfure was investigated. G. alkanivorans strain 1B was able to remove selectively the sulfur from DBT while keeping intact the remaining carbon-carbon structure. Orthophenyl phenol (2-hydroxybiphenyl) was the only detected metabolic product. The bacterial desulfurization activity was repressed by sulfate. G. alkanivorans straini 1B consumed 310 μM DBT after 120 h of cultivation, corresponding to a specific desulfurization rate of 1.03 μmol/(g of dry cells·h). When an equimolar mixture of DBT/BT was used as a source of sulfur in the growth medium, G. alkanivorans strain 1B assimilated both compounds in a sequential manner, with BT as the preferred source of sulfur. Only when BT concentration was decreased to a very low level was DBT utilized as the source of sulfur for bacterial growth. Thespecific desulfurization overall rates of BT and DBT obtained were 0.954 and 0.813 μmol/(g of dry cells·h), respectively. The newly isolated G. alkanivorans strain 1B has good potential for application in the biodesulfurization of fossil fuels.     

The Behaviour of Reduced, Alkylated and Native Proteins in a pH-Gradient LC System

Two dimensional (2D) liquid chromatography (LC) separations of proteins can be obtained faster and more automated than traditional 2D gel electrophoresis. Previously we have described a 2D LC method for separation of native proteins with separation according to pI by pH-gradient strong anion exchange (SAX) chromatography in the first dimension, and according to hydrophobicity by reversed phase chromatography in the second dimension. Since there are few literature reports on the combination of reduced/alkylated proteins and modern LC, a basic study of the chromatographic properties of a few reduced /alkylated proteins was undertaken with a pH-gradient SAX chromatographic system. Proteins where the disulfide groups were reduced, but not alkylated, were also included. The conditions that separated native proteins according to pI could not be used for neither reduced nor reduced/alkylated proteins. High concentrations of urea (4–8 M) were needed in the mobile phase in order to obtain good peak shapes. Addition of urea had an undesired impact on both the retention of the proteins and the pH gradient profile, with the effect that little correlation between reported pI values and elution pH was found. The conclusion was that proteins should be separated in the native state if good pI–pH correlations are important, and in the alkylated state with urea if other considerations are more important.     

A preliminary study for isolation of catalytic antibodies by histidine ligand affinity chromatography as an alternative to conventional protein A/G methods

Catalytic autoimmune antibodies from the sera of lupus patients were purified using histidyl-aminohexyl-Sepharose gel and compared with the antibodies purified with protein A and protein G affinity chromatography. The IgG preparations from the histidine affinity column had a much higher catalytic activity in hydrolyzing the peptide substrate Pro-Phe-Arg-methyl-coumarinamide compared to the antibodies obtained by the conventional protein A/G method. This preservation of catalytic activity is attributed to the gentle buffer conditions used in the histidine ligand method that allowed the integrity of three-dimensional structure of purified catalytic antibodies. Thus, histidine affinity offer a superior method for isolating autoimmune catalytic antibodies.     

Highly efficient bromination of aromatic compounds using 3-methylimidazolium tribromide as reagent/solvent

3-Methylimidazolium tribromide proves to be an alternative highly efficient reagent/solvent for the halogenation of non-activated aromatic compounds.     

Licamichauxiioic-A and -B acids--two ent-kaurene diterpenoids from Licania michauxii

Bioassay-guided fractionation allowed the isolation of two new cytotoxic ent-kaurene diterpenoids, licamichauxiioic-A and -B acids (1 and 2) from the root extract of Licania michauxii Prance (Chrysobalanaceae). They were characterized as ent-15-oxo-9(11),16-kauradien-19-oic acid (1) and ent-15-oxo-13(14),16-kauradien-19-oic acid (2) by various spectroscopic methods, in particular, 1D and 2D NMR spectra, and chemical evidence.     

Hydrogen for fluorine exchange in CH4-xFx by monomeric [1,2,4-(Me3C)3C5H2]2CeH: experimental and computational studies

The monomeric metallocenecerium hydride, Cp'(2)CeH (Cp' = 1,2,4-tri-tert-butylcyclopentadienyl), reacts instantaneously with CH(3)F, but slower with CH(2)F(2), to give Cp'(2)CeF and CH(4) in each case, a net H for F exchange reaction. The hydride reacts very slowly with CHF(3), and not at all with CF(4), to give Cp'(2)CeF, H(2), and 1,2,4- and 1,3,5-tri-tert-butylbenzene. The substituted benzenes are postulated to result from trapping of a fluorocarbene fragment derived by alpha-fluoride abstraction from Cp'(2)CeCF(3). The fluoroalkyl, Cp'(2)CeCF(3), is generated by reaction of Cp'(2)CeH and Me(3)SiCF(3) or by reaction of the metallacycle, [(Cp')(Me(3)C)(2)C(5)H(2)C(Me(2))CH(2)]Ce, with CHF(3), and its existence is inferred from the products of decomposition, which are Cp'(2)CeF, the isomeric tri-tert-butylbenzenes and in the case of Me(3)SiCF(3), Me(3)SiH. The fluoroalkyls, Cp'(2)CeCH(2)F and Cp'(2)CeCHF(2), generated from the metallacycle and CH(3)F and CH(2)F(2), respectively, are also inferred by their decomposition products, which are Cp'(2)CeF, CH(2), and CHF, respectively, which are trapped. DFT(B3PW91) calculations have been carried out to examine several reaction paths that involve CH and CF bond activation. The calculations show that the CH activation by Cp(2)CeH proceeds with a low barrier. The carbene ejection and trapping by H(2) is the rate-determining step, and the barrier parallels that found for reaction of H(2) with CH(2), CHF, and CF(2). The barrier of the rate-determining step is raised as the number of fluorines increases, while that of the CH activation path is lowered as the number of fluorines increases, which parallels the acidity.     

Natural Cryoprotective and Cytoprotective Agents in Cryopreservation: A Focus on Melatonin

Cryoprotective and cytoprotective agents (Cytoprotective Agents) are fundamental components of the cryopreservation process. This review presents the essentials of the cryopreservation process by examining its drawbacks and the role of cytoprotective agents in protecting cell physiology. Natural cryoprotective and cytoprotective agents, such as antifreeze proteins, sugars and natural deep eutectic systems, have been compared with synthetic ones, addressing their mechanisms of action and efficacy of protection. The final part of this article focuses melatonin, a hormonal substance with antioxidant properties, and its emerging role as a cytoprotective agent for somatic cells and gametes, including ovarian tissue, spermatozoa and spermatogonial stem cells.     

Chiral Phosphate in Rhodium‐Catalyzed Asymmetric [2+2+2] Cycloaddition: Ligand,Counterion, or Both?

Investigations based on NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and DFT calculations shed light on the metallic species generated in the rhodium‐catalyzed asymmetric [2+2+2] cycloaddition reaction between diynes and isocyanates with the chiral phosphate TRIP. The catalytic mixture comprising [{Rh(cod)Cl}₂], 1,4‐diphenylphosphinobutane (dppb), and Ag(S)‐TRIP actually gives rise to two species, both having an effect on the stereoselectivity. One is a rhodium(I) complex in which TRIP is a weakly coordinating counterion, whereas the other is a bimetallic Rh/Ag complex in which TRIP is a strongly coordinating X‐type ligand.     

The Fluorenyl Cation

The fluorenyl cation is a textbook example for a 4π antiaromatic cation. However, contrasting results have been published on how the annelated benzene rings compensate the destabilizing effect of the 4π antiaromatic five‐membered ring in its core. Whereas previous attempts to synthesize this cation in superacidic media resulted in undefined polymeric material only, we herein report that it can be generated and isolated in amorphous water ice at temperatures below 30 K by photolysis of diazofluorene. Under these conditions, the fluorenylidene is protonated by water to give the fluorenyl cation, which could be characterized spectroscopically. Its absorption in the visible‐light range matches that previously obtained by ultrafast absorption spectroscopy, and furthermore, its IR spectrum could be recorded. The IR bands in amorphous ice very nicely match predictions from DFT and DFT/MM calculations, suggesting the absence of strong interactions between the cation and surrounding water molecules.     

A complete experimental approach for synthesis gas separation studies using static gravimetric and column breakthrough experiments

In this work a combination of static gravimetric and inverse chromatographic techniques is used to study the adsorption and separation of the main synthesis gas components, i.e. CO₂, CO, CH₄ and H₂. The single component adsorption isotherms of CO₂, CO, CH₄ and H₂ on faujasite NaX were measured from 303 K to 473 K and over a large range of pressures (from 0 to 1200 kPa). Breakthrough curves of CO₂ and CO and their mixtures were determined at 323 K and 373 K and 100 kPa as an illustrative example. A nice agreement was noticed between the two above-mentioned techniques for single component adsorption. Binary mixture dynamics measurements were compared to the predictions of ideal adsorption solution theory (IAST) via the previously cited single component adsorption data.