Cooperative effects in phospholipid monolayers induced by a peptide from HIV-1 capsid protein

The study of interactions between biological molecules and model membranes is essential for the understanding of a number of physiological mechanisms involved in viral infections and dissemination. In this paper, the analysis of the interaction between a peptide from the p24 protein of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) and a phospholipid monolayer has pointed to a cooperative response in which very small amounts of peptide p24-1 (e.g. 0.05 mol%) can lead to measurable effects. Monolayer surface pressure and surface potential isotherms were affected for peptide concentrations as low as 0.05 mol%, with saturation at 0.5 mol%. The expansion effect from p24-1 is confirmed by changes in morphology of the monolayers using Brewster angle microscopy. Even though p24-1 is disordered in aqueous solutions, the interaction with dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) causes it to adopt an alpha-helix structure, as shown by circular dichroism (CD) data for multilamellar vesicles (MLV). The expansion of the phospholipid monolayer in a cooperative way may imply that p24-1 has potential antiviral activity, by participating in the cell rupture, with no need of specific receptors in the membrane.     

Decomposition of protonated noradrenaline and normetanephrine assisted by NH2 migration studied by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and molecular orbital calculations

As part of a research program on neurotransmitters in a biological fluid, the fragmentations characterising catecholamines protonated under electrospray ionisation (ESI) conditions, under low collision energy in a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer, were investigated. The decompositions of protonated noradrenaline (VH) and normetanephrine (VIH) were studied. Both precursor ions eliminate first H2O at very low collision energy, and the fragmentations of [MH-H2O]+ occur at higher collision energy. The breakdown graphs of [MH-H2O]+ ions, with collision energy varying from 0-40 eV in the laboratory frame, are presented. [VIH-H2O]+ ions lose competitively NH3 and CH3OH. For [VH-H2O]+ the loss of NH3 is dominant while H2O is eliminated at very low abundance at all collision energies. All of these secondary fragmentations are followed at higher collision energies by elimination of CO. These fragmentations are interpreted by means of ab initio calculations up to the B3LYP/6-311+G(2d,2p) level of theory. The elimination of H2O requires first the isomerisation of N-protonated forms, chosen as energy references, to O-protonated forms. The isomerisation barriers are calculated to be lower than 81 kJ/mol above the N-protonated forms. The elimination of NH3 from [MH-H2O]+ requires first the migration, via a cyclisation, of the amine function from the linear chain to the aromatic ring in order to prevent the formation of unstable disubstituted carbocations in the ring. The barriers associated with the loss of NH3 are located 220 and 233 kJ/mol above VH and 219 kJ/mol above VIH. The energy barrier for the loss of ROH is located 236 and 228 kJ/mol above VH and VIH, respectively. The absence of ions corresponding to [VH-2H2O]+ is due to a parasitic mechanism with an activation barrier lower than 236 kJ/mol that leads to a stable species unable to fragment, thus preventing the second loss of H2O. Losses of CO following the secondary fragmentations involve activation barriers higher than 330 kJ/mol.     

An electrochemically controllable nanomechanical molecular system utilizing edge-to-face and face-to-face aromatic interactions

[formula: see text] A new molecular system, 2,11-dithio[4,4]metametaquinocyclophane containing a quinone moiety, was designed and synthesized. As the quinone moiety can readily be converted into an aromatic pi-system (hydroquinone) upon reduction, the nanomechanical molecular cyclophane system exhibits a large flapping motion like a molecular flipper from the electrochemical redox process. The conformational changes upon reduction and oxidation are caused by changes of nonbonding interaction forces (devoid of bond formation/breaking) from the edge-to-face to face-to-face aromatic interactions and vice versa, respectively.     

The use of imidazolium ionic liquids for the formation and stabilization of ir0 and rh0 nanoparticles: efficient catalysts for the hydrogenation of arenes

Stable transition-metal nanoparticles of the type [M(0)](n) are easily accessible through the reduction of Ir(I) or Rh(III) compounds dissolved in "dry" 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ionic liquid by molecular hydrogen. The formation of these [M(0)](n) nanoparticles is straightforward; they are prepared in dry ionic liquid whereas the presence of the water causes the partial decomposition of ionic liquid with the formation of phosphates, HF and transition-metal fluorides. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations and X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) show the formation of [Ir(0)](n) and [Rh(0)](n) nanoparticles with 2.0-2.5 nm in diameter. The isolated [M(0)](n) nanoparticles can be redispersed in the ionic liquid, in acetone or used in solventless conditions for the liquid-liquid biphasic, homogeneous or heterogeneous hydrogenation of arenes under mild reaction conditions (75 degrees C and 4 atm). The recovered iridium nanoparticles can be reused several times without any significant loss in catalytic activity. Unprecedented total turnover numbers (TTO) of 3509 in 32 h, for arene hydrogenation by nanoparticles catalysts, have been achieved in the reduction of benzene by the [Ir(0)](n) in solventless conditions. Contrarily, the recovered Rh(0) nanoparticles show significant agglomeration into large particles with a loss of catalytic activity. The hydrogenation of arenes containing functional groups, such as anisole, by the [Ir(0)](n) nanoparticles occurs with concomitant hydrogenolysis of the C-O bond, suggesting that these nanoparticles behave as "heterogeneous catalysts" rather than "homogeneous catalysts".     

Chemical, structural, and thermal properties of Zn(II)-Cr(III) layered double hydroxides intercalated with sulfated and sulfonated surfactants

Zn(II)-Cr(III)-LDHs (layered double hydroxides) containing sulfated or sulfonated surfactants as the interlamellar anion were synthesized by the coprecipitation method. The syntheses were conducted under various different experimental conditions, such as the Zn : Cr ratio, pH, and aging time. In each of the prepared materials, unlike previously reported data, the interlayer anion arrangement did not change, being consistent with a perpendicular monolayer. The thermal decomposition process of the prepared materials was studied by a set of analysis methods, such as TG/DTA, TG/MS, PXRD, and FT-IR. From the results obtained it was possible to conclude that, in an air atmosphere, the anions decomposed by a partial combustion, leading to the formation of sulfide. The results also showed that sulfonated surfactants containing LDHs are much more stable than those containing sulfated surfactants. A mechanism was proposed for the thermal decomposition of such LDHs based on the experimental results.     

Carboxylate anions binding and sensing by a novel tetraazamacrocycle containing ferrocene as receptor

A tetraazamacrocycle containing ferrocene moieties has been synthesized and characterized. The tetraprotonated form of this compound was evaluated as a receptor (R) for anion recognition of several substrates (S), Cl(-), PF(6)(-), HSO(4)(-), H(2)PO(4)(-) and carboxylates, such as p-nitrobenzoate (p-nbz(-)), phthalate (ph(2-)), isophthalate (iph(2-)) and dipicolinate (dipic(2-)). (1)H NMR titrations in CD(3)OD indicated that this receptor is not suitable for recognizing HSO(4)(-) and H(2)PO(4)(-), but weakly binds p-nbz(-), and strongly interacts with ph(2-), dipic(2-), and iph(2-) anions forming 1 : 2 assembled species. The largest beta(2) binding constant was determined for ph(2-), followed by dipic(2-) and finally iph(2-). The effect of the anionic substrates on the electron-transfer process of the ferrocene units of R was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV) in methanol solution and 0.1 mol dm(-3)(CH(3))(4)NCl as the supporting electrolyte. Titrations of the receptor were undertaken by addition of anion solutions in their tetrabutylammonium or tetramethylammonium forms. The protonated ligand exhibits a reversible voltammogram, which shifts cathodically in the presence of the substrates. The data revealed kinetic constraints in the formation of the receptor/substrate entity for dipic(2-), ph(2-) and iph(2-) anions, but not for p-nbz(-). In spite of the slow kinetics of assembled species formation with the ph(2-) substrate, this anion provides the largest redox-response when the supramolecular entity is formed, followed by dipic(2-), iph(2-) and finally p-nbz(-) anions. This trend is in agreement with the (1)H NMR results and the values of the binding constants. Single crystal X-ray structures of the receptor with PF(6)(-), ph(2-), iph(2-) and p-nbz(-) were carried out and showed that supermolecules with a RS(2) stoichiometry are formed with the first three anions, but RS(4) with p-nbz(-). In all cases the binding occurs outside the macrocyclic cavity via N-H...O=C hydrogen bonds for carboxylate anions and N-H...F hydrogen bonds for the PF(6)(-) anion, which is in agreement with the solution results. The macrocyclic framework adopts different conformations in order to interact with each substrate having Fe...Fe intramolecular distances ranging from 10.125(14) to 12.783(15)A.     

Structural stability and energetics of C,Si, and Ge microclusters: empirical many-body potential energy function calculation

The structural stability and energetics of carbon, silicon, and germanium microclusters containing 3?7 atoms have been investigated by using a recently developed empirical many-body potential energy function (PEF), which comprises two- and three-body atomic interactions. The PEF satisfies both bulk cohesive energy per atom and bulk stability exactly. It has been found that the most stable C_3?4 microclusters are linear withD _∞h symmetry but C_5?7 microclusters are planar withD _nh symmetry. Silicon and germanium microclusters show similar structural stability. TheX _n (X=Si, Ge;n=3?7) microclusters are found to be most stable in the following forms:X ₃ is triangular withD _3h symmetry,X ₄ is tetragonal withT _d symmetry,X ₅ is square pyramidal withD _4h symmetry,X ₆ is bipyramidal square withO _h symmetry, and finallyX ₇ is square pyramidal having two atoms underneath withD _2h symmetry.     

Study of peptides containing modified lysine residues by tandem mass spectrometry: precursor ion scanning of hexanal-modified peptides

Upon hexanal-modification in the presence of NaCNBH(3), the oxidized B chain of insulin becomes mono- and further dialkylated on both the N-terminal and Lys(29) residues. A pseudo-MS(3) study was performed with a triple-quadrupole mass spectrometer on the different modified lysine-containing species to gain further insights into the characteristic fragmentation pattern. These fragmentations, in good agreement with true MS(3) measurements obtained using an ion trap mass spectrometer, highlighted characteristic monoalkylated lysine (immonium-NH(3)) and protonated modified caprolactam ions at m/z 168 and 213, respectively. In contrast, no fragment ion derived from a modified lysine residue (immonium or caprolactam) was observed when dialkylation occurs on Lys(29). However, a fragment ion corresponding to a protonated dihexylamine was observed at m/z 186. This loss, characteristic of dialkylated lysine fragmentation, was also observed upon dialkylation of N(alpha)-acetyllysine with either hexanal or pentanal. On the other hand, acetylation and malondialdehyde-modification of the N(alpha)-acetyllysine side chain led mainly to the corresponding modified (immonium-NH(3)) fragment ions at m/z 126 and 138, respectively. Finally, it was demonstrated that precursor ion scanning for both m/z 168 and 213 ions led to specific and sensitive identification of peptides containing hexanal-modified lysine residues within an unfractionated tryptic digest of hexanal-modified apomyoglobin. Thus, Lys(42), Lys(45), Lys(62), Lys(63), Lys(77), Lys(87), Lys(96), Lys(98), Lys(145) and Lys(147) were found to be modified upon reaction with hexanal.     

Thermodynamic properties of aqueous organic mixtures near the critical demixing: Cases of 2,6-dimethylpyridine and of 2-isobutoxyethanol

Phase diagrams, volumes and heat capacities of aqueous mixtures of 2,6-dimethylpyridine (2,6-L) and 2-isobutoxyethanol (iBE) and activities of 2,6-L in aqueous mixtures were measured in the monophasic region near the lower critical solution temperature (LCST). With 2,6-L some measurement were also made just above the LCST. From the temperature dependence of these data, partial molar relative enthalpies (2,6-L), expansibilities and the temperature derivative of heat capacities were calculated and show that iBE undergoes a microphase transition at low concentration which is not related to the phase separation. On the other hand, the properties of 2,6-L in the water-rich region at temperatures well below the LCST indicates that this solute has only a slight tendency to associate. The heat capacities of 2,6-L show an important increase near the LCST. Such changes are not observed for iBE and other alkoxyethanols and amines since these systems already exist in the form of microphases; the partial molar properties of iBE near the LCST are nearly equal to the molar values of the pure liquid, and the changes in thermodynamic properties corresponding to the macroscopic phase transition, are therefore too small to be measured by the present techniques.     

Structural dependence of electron transfer to non-covalent polar complexes

Electron attachment to polar molecules and their non-covalent complexes can lead to different kinds of anions which differ from their excess electron localization. Spectroscopic methods for studying anion structures are reviewed. In many cases, the neutral and anion structures are identical and can be deduced from the electron attachment properties. Examples are given for complexes containing polar solvents or building blocks of biomolecules (nucleobases, amino acid residues...).