A new tripodal receptor for molecular recognition of monosaccharides. A paradigm for assessing glycoside binding affinities and selectivities by 1H NMR spectroscopy

A new tripodal receptor for the recognition of monosaccharides is described. The prototypical host 1 features a 1,3,5-substituted 2,4,6-triethylbenzene scaffold bearing three convergent H-bonding units. The binding ability of the t-octyl derivative 1a toward a set of octylglycosides of biologically relevant monosaccharides, including Glc, Gal, Man, and GlcNAc, was investigated by 1H NMR in CDCl3. A protocol for the correct evaluation of binding affinities was established, which can be generally applied for the recognition of monosaccharides by 1H NMR spectroscopy. A three-constant equilibrium model, including 1:1 and 2:1 host-guest association and dimerization of the receptor, was ascertained for the interaction of 1a with all the investigated glycosides. An affinity index, which we defined median binding concentration BC50 in analogy to the IC50 parameter, intended to address the general issue of comparing dimensionally heterogeneous binding data, and a limiting BC0(50)quantity describing intrinsic binding affinities were developed for evaluating the results. BC0(50) values for 1a range from 1 to 6 mM, indicating an intrinsic binding affinity in the millimolar range and a selectivity factor of 5 toward the investigated glycosides. The treatment has been extended to include any generic host-guest system involved in single or multiple binding equilibria.     

Probing the glycosidic linkage: UV and IR ion-dip spectroscopy of a lactoside

The beta(1-->4) glycosidic linkage found in lactose is a prevalent structural motif in many carbohydrates and glycoconjugates. Using UV and IR ion-dip spectroscopies to probe benzyl lactoside isolated in the gas phase, we find that the disaccharide unit adopts only a single, rigid structure. Its fully resolved infrared ion-dip spectrum is in excellent agreement with that of the global minimum structure computed ab initio. This has glycosidic torsion angles of phi(H) (H1-C1-O-C4') approximately 180 degrees and psi(H) (C1-O-C4'-H4') approximately 0 degrees which correspond to a rotation of approximately 150 degrees about the glycosidic bond compared to the accepted solution-phase conformation. We discuss the biological implications of this discovery and the generality of the strategies employed in making it.     

N,N,N′,N′-Tetrabutyl-3,6-dioxaoctan-dithioamid,Ionophor mit Selektivität für Cd2+

N,N,N′,N′-Tetrabutyl-3,6-dioxaoctane-dithioamide, an Ionophore with Selectivity for Cd²⁺ The dioxa-dithioamide 3 behaves as a highly selective ionophore for Cd²⁺ in solvent polymeric membranes. It induces cation-permselectivity in these membranes with a transference number of 1 for Cd(NO₃)₂- and of 2 for CdCl₂-solutions. In the presence of a proton carrier, 3 may be used to selectively pump Cd²⁺ through membranes by coupling with a pH gradient.     

Alkyl and stannyl radical generation by CSn and SnSn bond dissociation in photolytically excited peralkylated tristannanes as studied by ESR and 119Sn-CIDNP

Tristannanes used as photochemical precursors for the synthesis of organic compounds react via triplet states followed by homolytic CSn and SnSn bond scission.     

Electron kinetics of collision dominated r.f. bulk plasma in CO: The role of second-kind collisions

Electron energy distribution functions (EEDF) and related properties in the bulk region of the rf CO plasma at the reduced rf field frequency /p₀=×10⁷ sec^–1 torr^–1 have been calculated by solving the time-dependent spatially homogeneous Boltzmann equation in the presence of second-kind collisions and have been interpreted on a microphysical basis. The results show that second-kind collisions (vibrational and electronic) strongly affect the temporal evolution of EEDF, of the mean energy, and of the mean collision frequencies for vibrational and electronic excitation processes, as well as for ionization. In particular, second-kind collisions in the CO rf bulk plasma strongly decrease the modulation of the mean ionization frequency during its periodical alteration in the rf field. Furthermore, the effect of second-kind collisions on an approximate determination of the time-averaged EEDF in the rf bulk plasma using the so-called effective-field appriximation has been estimated.     

Analytical quality control by solid sampling GFAAS in the production of animal tissue reference materials: lead and cadmium in bovine liver reference materials

Summary The function of solid sampling graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry (SS-GFAAS) in the laboratory-internal preparation, production and standardization of bovine liver reference material is described. Analytical quality assurance was achieved by using a wet digestion decomposition procedure and GFAAS (WD-GFAAS) as well as three different methods of SS-GFAAS. It will be shown, that SS-GFAAS is an adequate and efficacious method of analytical quality control in the production of reference materials. Details are given about the preliminary steps of sample selection and preparation, applying SS-GFAAS both as a screening method and for the detection of contamination during the production of the reference materials. The element contents of the four bovine liver materials measured after decomposition with nitric acid in the open system by GFAAS and also by Flame-AAS, using the slotted tube atom trap, are compared statistically with the results obtained by SS-GFAAS. In solid sampling analyses three different systems were applied: a solid sampling ZAA-spectrometer with platform-boat, a D₂AA-spectrometer with solid sampling graphite tube and platform-drawer and an autoprobe-D₂AA-spectrometer with solid sampling autoprobe and graphite tube.     

Synthesis of (±)-Desmarestene and (±)-Viridiene,the Two Sperm Releasing and Attracting Pheromones from the Brown Algae Desmarestia aculeata and Desmarestia viridis

Desmarestene 1 6-(1Z,3-butadienyl)-1,4-cycloheptadiene and viridiene 3 cis-3-(1Z, 3-butadienyl)-4-vinylcyclopentene are chemical messengers for male gametes of the brown algae Desmarestia aculeate and Desmarestia viridis. Total syntheses of 1 , 3 and their stereoisomers 1a , 3a - c are reported. Gas-chromatographic comparison of synthetic 1 and 3 with the corresponding natural products has established their structural identity.     

Small-angle X-ray scattering studies of the open and closed conformations of aspartate aminotransferase

Summary Aspartate aminotransferase was investigated by X-ray small-angle scattering. A small difference was found between the open (active) and the closed (liganded) conformation of the enzyme. The results were compared with X-ray crystallography data.

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Untersuchungen zur Röntgenkleinwinkelstreuung der offenen und geschlossenen Konformation von Aspartat-Aminotransferase

Zusammenfassung Aspartat-Aminotransferase wurde mittels Röntgenkleinwinkelstreuung untersucht. Ein kleiner Unterschied zwischen der offenen (aktiven) und der geschlossenen (ligandierten) Konformation wurde gefunden. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit Röntgenkristallstrukturdaten verglichen.

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Abbreviations AspAT aspartate aminotransferase     

Mass spectrometric analysis of androstan-17β-ol-3-one and androstadiene-17β-ol-3-one isomers

Mass spectrometric identification and characterization of steroids using electrospray ionization and tandem mass spectrometry has advantages in drug testing and doping control analysis attributable to limitations of gas chromatography followed by electron ionization mass spectrometry. Steroids with an androstadiene-17beta-ol-3-one nucleus and double bonds located either at C-1 and C-4, C-4 and C-9, or C-4 and C-6 were used to determine characteristic fragmentation pathways. Diagnostic dissociation routes are proposed using deuterium labeling, MS3 experiments, and analyses of structurally closely related compounds. Steroids such as boldenone (androst-1,4-diene-17beta-ol-3-one) produced characteristic product ions at m/z 121, 135, and 147. Compounds with double bonds at C-4 and C-9 generated abundant product ions at m/z 145 and 147. Conjugated double bonds at C-4 and C-6 gave rise to an intense and characteristic signal at m/z 133. Stereochemical differentiation between 5alpha- and 5beta-isomers of androstan-17beta-ol-3-ones was possible because of significant differences in relative abundance of product ions generated by elimination of acetone from alpha,beta-saturated 3-keto steroids.     

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.