Self-promoted DNA interstrand cross-link formation by an abasic site

The C4'-oxidized abasic site (C4-AP) is produced in DNA as a result of oxidative stress. A recent report suggests that this lesion forms interstrand cross-links. Using duplexes in which C4-AP is produced from a synthetic precursor, we show that the lesion produces interstrand cross-links in which both strands are in tact and cross-links in which the C4-AP containing strand is cleaved. The yields of these products are dependent upon the surrounding nucleotide sequence. When C4-AP is opposed by dA, cross-link formation occurs exclusively with an adjacent dA on the 5'-side. Moreover, formation of the lower molecular weight cross-link is promoted by an opposing adenine. When the opposing dA is replaced by dT, the activity of the adenine can be rescued by adding the free base. This is a rare example in which DNA promotes its own modification, an observation that is all the more important because of the biological significance of the product produced.     

Evidence for concerted proton-electron transfer in the electrochemical oxidation of phenols with water as proton acceptor. Tri-tert-butylphenol

Proton-coupled electron transfer oxidation of phenols play a prominent role in several natural processes, and one may wonder if their high efficiency is related to the possibility that the electron and proton transfer steps are concerted. The cyclic voltammetric observation of the electrochemical oxidation and reverse reaction has allowed, with the example of 2,4,6-tri-tert-butylphenol in nonbuffered aqueous media, the clear identification of a pathway in which a phenol is directly and reversibly converted into the phenoxyl radical while the generated proton is accepted by a water molecule in a concerted manner. In very basic media, a stepwise mechanism takes place in which the phenol is deprotonated by OH- and the resulting phenoxide ion rapidly oxidized into the phenoxyl radical. As the pH decreases, this pathway progressively shuts down to the advantage of the concerted pathway. The latter assignment is confirmed by the observation of a substantial H/D kinetic isotope effect. At moderately basic pH 10.5, the contributions of the two pathways are about equal and the occurrence of the two competing routes is directly visualized in the cyclic voltammetry response.     

Gadolinium chelate coated gold nanoparticles as contrast agents for both X-ray computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging

Functionalized gold nanoparticles were applied as contrast agents for both in vivo X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging. These particles were obtained by encapsulating gold cores within a multilayered organic shell which is composed of gadolinium chelates bound to each other through disulfide bonds. The contrast enhancement in MRI stems from the presence of gadolinium ions which are entrapped in the organic shell, whereas the gold core provides a strong X-ray absorption. This study revealed that these particles suited for dual modality imaging freely circulate in the blood vessels without undesirable accumulation in the lungs, spleen, and liver.     

Towards zirconium phosphonate-based microarrays for probing DNA-protein interactions: critical influence of the location of the probe anchoring groups

Terminal phosphate groups on double-stranded DNA probes bind strongly to glass substrates coated with a zirconium phosphonate monolayer, and probes immobilized in this way as microarrays can be used to detect protein targets. The sensitivity of the microarray was shown to be enhanced by the use of a polyguanine segment ((G)n , n > or = 5) as a spacer between the phosphate linker and the protein interaction domain. More importantly, the presence of phosphate linkers on both ends of the dsDNA probes leads to significant enhancement of target capture. The relevant characteristics of the different probes when bound to the surface were determined, by the original use of a combination of surface characterization techniques (XPS, AFM, and Sarfus). In this context, the location of the phosphate linkers in the duplex probes was found to result in different probe surface coverage and presentation on the surface, which affect subsequent interactions with the target protein.     

Anionic layered networks reconstructed from [Cd(SCN)3]infinity(-) chains in pseudo one-dimensional conducting salts of halogenated tetrathiafulvalenes

The electrocrystallization of diiodo- and dibromo-ethylenedithiotetrathiafuvalene (EDT-TTFI2 and EDT-TTFBr2) in the presence of the polymeric 1D [Et4N][Cd(SCN)3] as an electrolyte affords two different salts, formulated as [EDT-TTF-I2]4[Cd3(NCS)8] x CH3CN x H2O (1) and [EDT-TTF-Br2]10[Cd5(SCN)14] x 2 TCE (2), characterized by a two-dimensional segregation of the partially oxidized donor molecules and the polymeric anionic network incorporating embedded solvent molecules. Both salts exhibit a partial charge transfer, that is, rho = 0.5 in 1 and an unconventional rho = 0.4 in 2. They behave as semiconductors with sigma RT = 0.67 and 33 S cm(-1) and activation energies of 330 and 370 K for 1 and 2, respectively. Compared with a 1:3 Cd/SCN ratio of the starting electrolyte, the reconstructed, thiocyanate (SCN)-deficient motifs [Cd3(NCS)8](2-) and [Cd5(SCN)14](4-) organize into layered hollow structures with cavities filled by solvent molecules, halogen-bonded to the halogenated TTF molecules, through a C(TTF)-I...N[triple bond]C-CH3 interaction in 1, through a type II C(TTF)-Br...Cl-C(TCE) halogen/halogen interaction in 2. Band structure and Fermi surface calculations for the two salts indicate a two-dimensional character, while the semiconducting properties of the salts are attributed to an efficient nesting of the hidden 1D Fermi surfaces.     

Heterospin systems constructed from [Cu2Ln]3+ and [Ni(mnt)2]1-,2- Tectons: First 3p-3d-4f complexes (mnt = maleonitriledithiolato)

New heterospin complexes have been obtained by combining the binuclear complexes [{Cu(H(2)O)L(1)}Ln(O(2)NO)(3)] or [{CuL(2)}Ln(O(2)NO)(3)] (L(1) = N,N'-propylene-di(3-methoxysalicylideneiminato); L(2) = N,N'-ethylene-di(3-methoxysalicylideneiminato); Ln = Gd(3+), Sm(3+), Tb(3+)), with the mononuclear [CuL(1)(2)] and the nickel dithiolene complexes [Ni(mnt)(2)](q)- (q = 1, 2; mnt = maleonitriledithiolate), as follows: (1)infinity[{CuL(1)}(2)Ln(O(2)NO){Ni(mnt)(2)}].Solv.CH(3)CN (Ln = Gd(3+), Solv = CH(3)OH (1), Ln = Sm(3+), Solv = CH(3)CN (2)) and [{(CH(3)OH)CuL(2)}(2)Sm(O(2)NO)][Ni(mnt)(2)] (3) with [Ni(mnt)2]2-, [{(CH(3)CN)CuL(1)}(2)Ln(H(2)O)][Ni(mnt)(2)]3.2CH(3)CN (Ln = Gd(3+) (4), Sm(3+) (5), Tb(3+) (6)), and [{(CH(3)OH)CuL(2)}{CuL(2)}Gd(O(2)NO){Ni(mnt)(2)}][Ni(mnt)(2)].CH(2)Cl(2) (7) with [Ni(mnt))(2]*-. Trinuclear, almost linear, [CuLnCu] motifs are found in all the compounds. In the isostructural 1 and 2, two trans cyano groups from a [Ni(mnt)2]2- unit bridge two trimetallic nodes through axial coordination to the Cu centers, thus leading to the establishment of infinite chains. 3 is an ionic compound, containing discrete [{(CH(3)OH)CuL(2)}(2)Sm(O(2)NO)](2+) cations and [Ni(mnt)(2)](2-) anions. Within the series 4-6, layers of discrete [CuLnCu](3+) motifs alternate with stacks of interacting [Ni(mnt)(2)](*-) radical anions, for which two overlap modes, providing two different types of stacks, can be disclosed. The strength of the intermolecular interactions between the open-shell species is estimated through extended Hückel calculations. In compound 7, [Ni(mnt)(2)](*-) radical anions coordinate group one of the Cu centers of a trinuclear [Cu(2)Gd] motif through a CN, while discrete [Ni(mnt)(2)](*-) units are also present, overlapping in between, but also with the coordinated ones. Furthermore, the [Cu(2)Gd] moieties dimerize each other upon linkage by two nitrato groups, both acting as chelate toward the gadolinium ion from one unit and monodentate toward a Cu ion from the other unit. The magnetic properties of the gadolinium-containing complexes have been determined. Ferromagnetic exchange interactions within the trinuclear [Cu(2)Gd] motifs occur. In the compounds 4 and 7, the [Ni(mnt)(2)](*-) radical anions contribution to the magnetization is clearly observed in the high-temperature regime, and most of it vanishes upon temperature decrease, very likely because of the rather strong antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between the open-shell species. The extent of the exchange interaction in the compound 7, which was found to be antiferromagnetic, between the coordinated Cu center and the corresponding [Ni(mnt)(2)](*-) radical anion, bearing mostly a 3p spin type, was estimated through CASSCF/CASPT2 calculations. Compound 6 exhibits a slow relaxation of the magnetization.     

A density functional study of a twisted nematic cell and its relation to the Frank-Oseen theory

The numerical results for the twist angle profile xi(z) across a slab-shaped nematic cell obtained from a density functional theory (DFT) are compared to the predictions of the macroscopic Frank-Oseen theory. The latter theory predicts that xi"(z)=0, and this is also seen to be the case for the DFT results. These do, however, verify the Frank-Oseen relation, lambda+/-W+/-=K2, between the de Gennes extrapolation length (lambda+/-), the anchoring energy per unit area of the (+/-) cell wall (W+/-), and the elastic constant of the nematic for twist deformations (K2), only if W+/- is nonlinearly related to the amplitude of the anchoring term of the DFT.     

Decarboxylative Mannich Reactions with N-Alkyl Imines

The use of N-alkyl imines in decarboxylative Mannich reaction with substituted malonic acids half oxyesters (SMAHOs) has been developed to afford a direct access to secondary β^2,3-aminoesters. The transformation occurs under very practical conditions (DABCO as a catalyst in bulk toluene and open to air) and can be performed with a broad range of each substrate in yields of 36 to 97 %. Importantly, the reaction was found to require the use of acidic additives in combination with the organocatalyst to limit the competitive olefination reaction.