Analysis, purification and properties of a 50,000-dalton membrane-associated phosphoprotein from human platelets

Recently, the development of a monospecific antiserum against a 46,000/50,000-dalton membrane protein from human platelets which was stoichiometrically and reversibly phosphorylated in intact human platelets in response to vasodilators was reported. Using this antiserum, the subcellular distribution and the purification of this vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein (VASP) from human platelets has now been analysed. The VASP of human platelets is primarily a membrane-associated protein and can be purified to apparent homogeneity by salt extraction and sequential ion-exchange and dye-ligand chromatography with a purification factor of 1200 and a yield of 13%. Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis under reducing and non-reducing conditions indicated that purified monomers of this VASP are linked by interchain disulphide bonding.     

Variable coordination geometries at the diiron(II) active site of ribonucleotide reductase R2

The R2 subunit of Escherichia coli ribonucleotide reductase contains a dinuclear iron center that generates a catalytically essential stable tyrosyl radical by one electron oxidation of a nearby tyrosine residue. After acquisition of Fe(II) ions by the apo protein, the resulting diiron(II) center reacts with O(2) to initiate formation of the radical. Knowledge of the structure of the reactant diiron(II) form of R2 is a prerequisite for a detailed understanding of the O(2) activation mechanism. Whereas kinetic and spectroscopic studies of the reaction have generally been conducted at pH 7.6 with reactant produced by the addition of Fe(II) ions to the apo protein, the available crystal structures of diferrous R2 have been obtained by chemical or photoreduction of the oxidized diiron(III) protein at pH 5-6. To address this discrepancy, we have generated the diiron(II) states of wildtype R2 (R2-wt), R2-D84E, and R2-D84E/W48F by infusion of Fe(II) ions into crystals of the apo proteins at neutral pH. The structures of diferrous R2-wt and R2-D48E determined from these crystals reveal diiron(II) centers with active site geometries that differ significantly from those observed in either chemically or photoreduced crystals. Structures of R2-wt and R2-D48E/W48F determined at both neutral and low pH are very similar, suggesting that the differences are not due solely to pH effects. The structures of these "ferrous soaked" forms are more consistent with circular dichroism (CD) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopic data and provide alternate starting points for consideration of possible O(2) activation mechanisms.     

Chain-length dependence of the conformational order in self-assembled dialkylammonium monolayers on mica studied with soft X-ray absorption

Self-assembled alkyl chain based monolayers on mica are important for industrial and technological processes since they can be employed for an organic modification of the inorganic substrate. The conformational structure and orientational order of the films determine the interaction of the modified substrate with the environment and the chemical character and stability of its surface. We have studied the conformational order in ion exchanged dialkylammonium monolayers adsorbed on mica depending on the length of the alkyl chains systematically with near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (NEXAFS). In addition, films were characterized by water contact angle measurements. The experimentally determined average tilt angles of the chains are discussed in terms of the degree of order. It was found that the absolute number of gauche defects in the films increases with decreasing chain length.     

Molecular recognition and conductance in crown ethers

Crown ethers have the remarkable property of recognizing and binding specific metal cations in complex mixtures. We propose to combine molecular recognition with molecular electric conductance. The question we address is: can the event of binding a cation be sensed by a change in conductance? Specifically, we study a short molecular wire (MW) containing a crown-6 molecule connected via sulfur atoms to two gold atomic wires acting as metallic leads. Upon binding a cation, the density of states of the system is only slightly affected. This reflects the fact that the cation binding is largely electrostatic in nature and is accompanied by little electronic reorganization. Yet, the cationic binding does significantly lower conductance. We also identify strong interference affecting the conductance. A striking feature is the insensitivity of conductance to the type of ligand with the exception of the proton.     

Carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen coupling reactions catalyzed by palladium nanoparticles derived from a palladium substituted Keggin-type polyoxometalate

Palladium 15-20 nm particles stabilized by a Keggin-type polyoxometalate were prepared by reduction of K(5)PPdW(11)O(39) with H(2). The nanoparticles were shown to be effective catalysts for Suzuki-, Heck-, and Stille-type carbon-carbon coupling and carbon-nitrogen coupling reactions of bromoarenes in aqueous media. Chloroarenes were also reactive in reaction media without solvent. [reaction: see text]     

Determination of polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASH) in diesel fuel by high performance liquid chromatography and photodiode-array detection

An oxidation method (sulfone method) for the determination of polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASH) in diesel fuel is presented. The aromatic fraction of a diesel fuel, isolated by solid phase extraction, is oxidized under controlled conditions with hydrogen peroxide. The oxidation products, mainly methylated dibenzosulfone, are determined and quantified directly, without further clean-up, by HPLC with photodiode-array detection.     

Three‐Component Reactions with (S)‐Methyl Pyroglutamate: An Efficient Way to Diversely Substituted Asymmetric Amidocyclohexenes

Chiral N‐dienyl lactams are crucial building blocks for the synthesis of complex organic compounds. However, their generation is rather challenging. This paper reports the novel one‐pot reaction of (S)‐methyl pyroglutamate as the a mide component with different a ldehydes and d ienophiles (AAD reaction) to give novel chiral 1‐amido‐2‐cyclohexenes. The corresponding N‐dienyl lactams generated in situ undergo subsequent Diels–Alder reactions in good yield and diastereoselectivity. The scope and limitations of the three‐component protocol were investigated. X‐ray and NMR spectroscopic analysis of the products as well as DFT calculations of the intermediates were also performed to explain the observed stereoselectivity and structural features.     

Gel Chromatography

Gel chromatography can be regarded as a network-limited partitioning of substances. The theory of this method and the preparation and properties of various gel systems are reviewed. Optimization of the method is illustrated for the separation of oligomers.     

Solution properties of polyoxymethylene

Light scattering and viscosity have been measured at 25°C. for dilute solutions of six unfractionated polyoxymethylene samples in the mixed solvent hexafluoroacetone–water (mole ratio 1/1.7) slightly buffered with triethylamine. Dialysis equilibrium through porous Vycor glass thimbles indicates that the polymer is strongly solvated by the hydrate (CF₃)₂C(OH)₂, and this must be taken into account in evaluating weight-average molecular weights from the light-scattering data. Over the molecular weight range 23,000–185,000, the intrinsic viscosities (in deciliter per gram) follow the relation The corresponding unperturbed dimensions are σ = 2.3 ± 0.2 or r₀²/nl² = 10.5 ± 1.5.     

A semiempirical model for the two-center repulsion integrals in the NDDO approximation

A self-consistent formalism is proposed for the two-center electron repulsion integrals in the NDDO approximation, based on their expansion in terms of multipole-multipole interactions and free from adjustable parameters.