Amplification of bifunctional ligands for calmodulin from a dynamic combinatorial library

A well known strategy to prepare high affinity ligands for a biological receptor is to link together low affinity ligands. DCC (dynamic combinatorial chemistry) was used to select bifunctional protein ligands with high affinity relative to the corresponding monofunctional ligands. Thiol to disulfide linkage generated a small dynamic library of bifunctional ligands in the presence of calmodulin, a protein with two independently mobile domains. The binding constant of the bifunctional ligand (disulfide) most amplified by the presence of calmodulin is nearly two orders of magnitude higher than that of the corresponding monofunctional ligand (thiol).     

Bradykinin-related peptides from Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis azurea: Mass spectrometric structural characterisation and cloning of precursor cDNAs

Amphibian skin secretions contain a plethora of bioactive compounds, many of which are understood to act to deter ingestion by predators. Bradykinins in particular are constitutively expressed in many amphibian skin secretions, mediating a variety of effects including hyperalgesia and contraction of gastric smooth muscle. Using a variety of proteomic techniques (high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS), and quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (Q-TOF-MS/MS)) the current study identified 13 bradykinin-like peptides in the skin secretions of Phyllomedusa hypochondrialis azurea, including several new C-terminally extended isoforms (VPPGFTPFRLT, VHypPGFTPFRQT) and a novel phyllokinin-like peptide (RPPGFTPFRVY). Identification of the cDNA sequences encoding these peptides led to the deduction that the peptides were derived from differential post-translational processing and modification of five different precursors. Such an event emphasises the metabolic efficiency of peptide production in amphibian venom, with multiple products perhaps selective to different receptors in a variety of predators generated from a single precursor. An unusual modification was also recognised in the present study, with several bradykinin-like peptides featuring hydroxyprolination of the first proline residue rather than the commonly targeted second. This alteration may be mediated by the structural organisation of N-terminal amino acids prior to precursor processing.     

Synthesis and characterization of a series of 1,x‐bis‐(4‐oxo‐3,4‐dihydro‐1,2,3‐benzotriazin‐3‐yl)alkanes

Reaction of isatoic anhydride with an alkanediamine in DMF solution under mild conditions affords excellent yields of the 1,x‐bis‐{(2‐aminobenzoyl‐)amino}alkanes ( 2a‐k ), which have been characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. Diazotization of the bis‐{(2‐aminobenzoyl‐)‐amino}alkanes in aqueous solution gives high yields of the 1,x‐bis‐(4‐oxo‐3,4‐dihydro‐1,2,3‐benzotriazin‐3‐yl)alkanes ( 1a‐k ), whch have also been characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy, high resolution mass spectrometry and elemental analysis. The alkanediamines employed are as follows: ethylene diamine, 1,3‐propanediamine, 1,2‐propanediamine, 2‐methyl‐1,2‐propanediamine, 2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐propanediamine, 2‐hydroxy‐1,3‐propanediamine, 1,4‐diaminobutane, 1,5‐diaminopentane, 1,3‐diaminopentane (DYTEK® EP diamine), 1,6‐diaminohexane and 1,7‐diaminoheptane. The alternative method of synthesis of the bis‐(4‐oxo‐3,4‐dihydro‐1,2,3‐benzotriazin‐3‐yl)alkanes ( 1 ) via the diazonium salt from methyl anthranilate was explored.     

Synthesis and structure–property relationships of poly(sulfone)s for anion exchange membranes

Membranes based on cationic polymers that conduct anions are important for enabling alkaline membrane fuel cells and other solid-state electrochemical devices that operate at high pH. Anion exchange membranes with poly(arylene ether sulfone) backbones are demonstrated by two routes: chloromethylation of commercially available poly(sulfone)s or radical bromination of benzylmethyl moieties in poly(sulfone)s containing tetramethylbisphenol A monomer residues. Polymers with tethered trimethylbenzyl ammonium moieties resulted from conversion of the halomethyl groups by quaternization with trimethyl amine. The water uptake of the chloromethylated polymers was dependent on the type of poly(sulfone) backbone for a given IEC. Bisphenol A-based Udel® poly(sulfone) membranes swelled in water to a large extent while membranes from biphenol-based Radel® poly(sulfone), a stiffer backbone than Udel, only showed moderate water uptake. The water uptake of cationic poly(sulfone)s was further reduced by synthesizing tetramethylbisphenol A and 4,4′-biphenol-containing poly(sulfone) copolymers where the ionic groups were clustered on the tetramethylbisphenol A residues. The conductivity of all samples scaled with the bulk water uptake. The hydration number of the membranes could be increased by casting membranes from the ionic form polymers versus converting the halomethyl form cast polymers to ionic form in the solid state. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2013, 51, 1790–1798, 2013