What to Learn from a Comparative Genomic Sequence Analysis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis>-Carnitine Dehydrogenase

Summary. In contrast to eukaryotic cells certain eubacterial strains have acquired the ability to utilize L-carnitine (R-(–)-3-hydroxy-4-(trimethylamino)butyrate) as sole source of energy, carbon and nitrogen. The first step of the L-carnitine degradation to glycine betaine is catalysed by L-carnitine dehydrogenase (L-CDH, EC 1.1.1.108) and results in the formation of the dehydrocarnitine. During the oxidation of L-carnitine a simultaneous conversion of the cofactor NAD⁺ to NADH takes place. This catabolic reaction has always been of keen interest, because it can be exploited for spectroscopic L-carnitine determination in biological fluids – a quantification method, which is developed in our lab – as well as L-carnitine production.Based on a cloned L-CDH sequence an expedition through the currently available prokaryotic genomic sequence space began to mine relevant information about bacterial L-carnitine metabolism hidden in the enormous amount of data stored in public sequence databases. Thus by means of homology-based and context-based protein function prediction is revealed that L-CDH exists in certain eubacterial genomes either as a protein of approximately 35 kDa or as a homologous fusion protein of approximately 54 kDa with an additional putative domain, which is predicted to possess a thioesterase activity. These two variants of the enzyme are found on one hand in the genome sequence of bacterial species, which were previously reported to decompose L-carnitine, and on the other hand in gram-positive bacteria, which were not known to express L-CDH. Furthermore we could not only discover that L-CDH is located in a conserved genetic entity, which genes are very likely involved in this L-carnitine catabolic pathway, but also pinpoint the exact genomic sequence position of several other enzymes, which play an essential role in the bacterial metabolism of L-carnitine precursors.     

Kettenverlängerung am P2(SiMe3)4 durch Reaktion mit LiBu

Extension of the Chain Length of P₂(SiMe₃)₄ by Reaction with LiBu The first steps of the reaction of P₂(SiMe₃)₄ 1 with LiBu in THF, which finally yields Li₃P₇ among other P-rich phosphides while P(SiMe₃)₃ and LiP(SiMe₃)₂ are simultaneously split off, were investigated by means of ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy. At ?20°C first of all one Si? P bond is cleaved generating Li(Me₃Si)P? P(SiMe₃)₂ 2 as well as BuSiMe₃. Subsequently 2 forms Li(Me₃Si)P? P(SiMe₃)? P(SiMe₃)₂ 5 and LiP(SiMe₃)₂ 4 in equimolar ratios. This clearly demonstrates that both compounds are generated in one single reaction step. This behaviour is caused by the different basicity of the respective P-atoms in 2 , which necessarily results in a multicentered mechanism.     

L'acide hydroxylamine-O-sulfonique,réactif de choix pour la conversion d'aldéhydes en nitriles

Hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid: a convenient reagent for the conversion of aldehydes into nitriles . Hydroxylamine-O-sulfonic acid (HAS) proved to be an excellent reagent for the conversion of aliphatic, aromatic and heteroatomic aldehydes into nitriles. There, aldehydes in the form of suspension in HAS water solution, react rapidely to give the corresponding nitriles in high yield. Only with formylpyridines could the intermediate oxime-O-sulfonic acids be isolated.     

Transition metal nitrosyls as nitrosylation agents : II.Photo-nitrosylation of η5-C5H5V(CO)3L(L = CO,Pz3) by [Co(NO)2Br]2

η⁵-C₅H₅V(NO)₂CO is prepared in 40% yield by the photo-reaction between η⁵-C₅H₅V(CO)₄ and [Co(NO)₂Br]₂.η⁵-C₅H₅V(NO)₂CO reacts by an S_N1 mechanism with various phosphines PZ₃ to yield η⁵-C₅-H₅V(NO)₂PZ₃. The phosphine complexes are also obtained by photo-induced ligand interchange between η⁵-C₅H₅V(CO)₃PZ₃ and [Co(NO)₂Br]₂, or η⁵-C₅H₅V(CO)₄ and Co(NO)₂Br(PZ₃). In all cases, the main cobalt species formed is Co(NO)(CO)₃. While the one-bond vanadiumphosphorus coupling constants of most of the phosphine complexes are virtually the same (ca 410 Hz),the chemical shift values δ(⁵¹V) (?1328 to ?973 ppm rel. VOCl₃) decrease in the order PF₃ > CO > P(OR)₃ > P(alkyl)₃ > PPh₃ > PPh(NEt₂)₂, reflecting the decreasing π-acceptor ability of the ligands. δ(⁵¹V) also decreases in the series of alkylphosphines PR₃ (R = Me, Et, Prⁿ, Buⁱ, Prⁱ, BU^t) as the cone angle of PR₃increases.     

Chronocoulometric study of the electrochemistry of Prussian blue

During the electrochemical oxidation of Prussian blue (PB) to Prussian yellow (PY), an electrocatalytic oxygen production proceeds at the electrode when aqueous electrolyte solutions are used. The formed oxygen is scavenged by the PY, probably by absorption, and it is consumed during the electrochemical reduction of PY to PB by a heterogeneous chemical reaction of PB with oxygen to PY and hydrogen peroxide. Because of this catalytic regeneration of PY, it is impossible to determine the amount of low-spin iron by chronocoulometry using a potential program in which PB is first oxidized to PY and then the charge is measured to reduce PY to PB. The latter charge is biased by the electrocatalytic PY regeneration.     

Verhalten von ng- und μg-Mengen biochemisch interessierender Amine bei Trennverfahren,wie Ionenaustausch-Chromatographie,Mitfällung und Extraktion

The behaviour of ng- and μg-amounts of amines of biochemical interest is compared. ng-amounts are co-precipitated from aqueous solutions with the tetraphenyloborates of potassium, ammonium and creatinine. A separation from potassium chloride, ammonium chloride and creatinine is achieved by extraction of the amines with methanol. The elution volumes of about 50 amines during ion-exchange chromatography using a weakly acidic resin are compared. A procedure has been elaborated by which the amines can be collected from urine.     

Sulfide ion electrooxidation catalysed by cobalt phthalocyanine microcrystals

Electrooxidation of sulfide ion catalysed by microcrystals of cobalt phthalocyanine was investigated by cyclic voltammetry in 0.5M KNO₃ at pH 9.22. Traces of catalyst were immobilized at the surface of a paraffin-impregnated graphite electrode by the mechanical transfer of its powder. The electro-oxidation of HS^– proceeds in two irreversible steps, with the first peak between 0 V and –0.12 V and the second at 0.17 V. The first step is second order in HS^– and its product is the adsorbed disulfide, which may further dissociate to give adsorbed sulfur atoms. The reduction of sulfur occurs at –0.1 V.     

Vacancy ion-exclusion chromatography of carboxylic acids on a weakly acidic cation-exchange resin

In this preliminary study, a new approach to ion-exclusion chromatography is proposed to overcome the relatively poor conductivity detection response which occurs in ion-exclusion chromatography when acids are added to the eluent in order to improve peak shape. This approach, termed vacancy ion-exclusion chromatography, requires the sample to be used as eluent and a sample of water to be injected onto a weakly acidic cation-exchange column (TSKgel OApak-A). Vacancy peaks for each of the analytes appear at the retention times of these analytes. Highly sensitive conductivity detection is possible and sharp, well-shaped peaks are produced, leading to efficient separations. Retention times were found to be affected by the concentration of the analytes in the eluent, and also by the presence of an organic modifier such as methanol in the eluent. Detection limits for oxalic, formic, acetic, propionic, butyric and valeric acids were 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.3, 0.4 and 0.5 microM, respectively, and linear ranges for some acids extended over two orders of magnitude. Precision values for retention times were 0.21% and for peak areas were <1.90%. The vacancy ion-exclusion chromatography method was found to give detection responses four to 10 times higher than conventional ion-exclusion chromatography using sulfuric acid eluent and two to five times higher than conventional ion-exclusion chromatography using benzoic acid eluent.     

Analytical investigation of the properties and uses of a new hydrophobic molecular sieve

Distribution coefficients and capacities have been determined for many different organic compounds on a new molecular sieve called silicalite, which does not adsorb water but does adsorb small organic molecules with diameters up to 6 A, from both liquid and gaseous streams. The characteristics of silicalite have been examined closely and new applications for it are briefly described.