The Molecular and Crystal Structure of the Glycopeptide A-40926 Aglycone

The crystal structure of a glycopeptide antibiotic A–40926 aglycone was investigated by X-ray analysis at ?120°. A-40926 crystallises in the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁ with two monomers in the asymmetric unit, a = 21.774(4), b = 28.603(7), c = 29.757(4) Å. ‘Conventional’ direct methods approach failed to solve the structure, but a novel iterative real/reciprocal space procedure was successful. Refinement against 11248 F² data led to R1 = 13.3% for 6770 F > 4σ (F). The two monomers of A-40926 have similar conformations and are bound by antiparallel H-bonds to form a ‘chain’ structure of connecting dimers. The antibiotic molecule possesses a ‘binding pocket’ for the C-terminal carboxy group of the cell-wall protein, which is consisten with suggestions based on NMR data and the recently reported crystal structure of ureido-balhimycin. In A-40926 the monomers are polymerically linked by H-bonds, quite unlike the tight dimer formation observed in ureido-balhimycin.     

3-Diethylamino-5-phenyl-1,2,4-diselenazolium-tetrachloroniccolat(II) — Synthese und Struktur

3-Diethylamino-5-phenyl-1,2,4-diselenazolium-tetrachloroniccolate(II) — Synthesis and Structure Bis-(N′, N′-diethyl-N-benzoylselenoureato)nickel(II) reacts with diphosgene in benzene to 3-diethylamino-5-phenyl-1,2,4-diselenazolium-tetrachloroniccolate(II). Its structure is confirmed by RKSA and ESCA. The compound consists of cations, which are planar fivemembered rings and of tetrahedral tetrachloroniccolate(II) anions. The complex is isomorphic with 3-diethylamino-5-phenyl-1,2,4-dithiazolium-tetrachloroniccolate(II).     

Electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and quadrupole mass spectrometry for genotyping single nucleotide substitutions in intact polymerase chain reaction products in K-ras and p53

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and mutations were genotyped for both homozygous and heterozygous PCR products of p53, a tumor suppressor gene, and K-ras, an oncogene, using electrospray ionization (ESI) quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) mass spectrometry (MS) and ESI-quadrupole MS analysis. Mass accuracy was adequate for both instruments to detect genetic changes in homozygous PCR products, including the most difficult to distinguish (adenine [A] --> thymine [T] transversion). However, for the detection of A --> T shifts (9.0 Da difference) in heterozygous PCR products, the increased resolution of ESI-Q-TOFMS proved essential. Although, greater mass differences in heterozygotes (e.g. cytosine [C] <--> T or guanine [G] <--> A) can be discriminated using ESI-quadrupole MS analysis.     

The physicochemical surface characteristics of Brevibacterium linens

The physicochemical surface characteristics and interfacial behavior of two strains of Brevibacterium linens (BL-MGE and BL-9174), that may enhance cheese flavor, were assessed. Cell surface hydrophobicity was determined by measuring the contact angle of a variety of polar and non-polar wetting agents on lawns of the bacterial cells. The contact angles obtained were used to calculate the cell surface free energy components γ^LW, γ^AB, γ⁺ and γ⁻. The Lifshitz van der Waals component and the Lewis acid-base component were approximately 35 mJ m⁻² and 22 mJ m⁻², respectively, for both strains. Under conditions of physiological pH and low ionic strength, neither strain exhibited affinity for an octyl ligand in hydrophobic interaction chromatography. This occurred despite a favorable free energy of interfacial interaction which was attributable almost entirely to favorable acid-base interactions between cells and octyl-sepharose. The nature of surface functional groups was evaluated using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Excluding H, the mean percentage of atomic fraction for C, O, N and P for BL-MGE was 57.7, 37.8, 3.9 and 0.6%, respectively and 61.0, 31.8, 7.0 and 0.2%, respectively for BL-9174.     

A system for defining reference materials applicable to all food matrices

Recently the subcommittee on Food Definition of the AOAC INTERNATIONAL Task Force on Methods for Nutrition Labeling proposed a Food Matrix Organizational System [4] to systematically judge the applicability of collaboratively studied methods over a range of food matrices. This system describes a food matrix by its location in one of nine sectors in a triangle, with each point of the triangle defined as representing 100% and the opposite side representing 0% of the normalized contents of each of three major components of FAT, PROTEIN and CARBOHYDRATE. Foods falling within the same sector would be chemically similar and thus should behave in a similar analytical manner. This same scheme can be used to select one or two food matrices representing each sector, for development of a series of reference materials representing all foods. The list of 5250 foods contained in the USDA Nutrient Data Base for Standard Reference has been sorted and matched to this schematic to determine the scope of the selection process. In addition the list of foods in the USDA Data Base for Food Consumption Surveys has been examined. Results and progress of this selection process are reported.     

A convenient one-pot synthesis of 1,8-naphthyridones

In this paper, we disclose an efficient one-pot procedure for the preparation of substituted 1,8-naphthyridin-4-one analogues. Previous efforts to effect this type of transformation were complicated by the formation of benzene tricarboxylate. Via the use of excess base, the impurity formation was completely inhibited. This allowed for the clean preparation of the desired intermediate and subsequent formation of naphthyridone analogues in a single flask, which could then be crystallized directly from the reaction mixture in good yield and high purity.     

Solvent and substitution effects upon the phosphorescent triplet state of carbonyl pyridines

The effects of perturbing nitrogen upon localized triplet excitations are observed for several carbonyl pyridines. Conventional and pulse optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) techniques are used to characterize the spin-relaxation processes in these aromatic carbonyl molecules.     

Self aggregation of binary mixtures of sodium dodecyl sulfate and polyoxyethylene alkyl ethers in aqueous solution

The mixed micelles of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) with Brij35 and Brij 97 were studied separately by fluorescence measurement using pyrene as fluorescent probe. In the range of 0–1.0 mole fraction (X) of added SDS to Brij solutions, the cmc value of the mixed micelles varies from 0.085 to 8 mmol with Brij 35 and 0.04 to 8 mmol with Brij 97. The aggregation number also changes. A measure of the stability of mixed micelles is also presented. The interaction parameter ₁₂ and the chain–chain contribution parameter (B₁) are extracted from the analysis of the results. This parameter B₁ is related to the standard free energy change associated with the introduction of one ionic species into a nonionic micelle coupled with the release of one nonionic species from the micelle. The clouding behaviour of Brij 97 in the presence of SDS was investigated and the associated thermodynamic parameters of clouding were generated and discussed.