ACTION SPECTRUM FOR SUBLIMINAL LIGHT CONTROL OF ADAPTATION IN Phycomyces PHOTOTROPISM

Abstract -Adaptation processes enable phototropism and other blue light responses of Phycomyces to operate over a 10-decade range of Ruencc rate. Phototropic latency, used routinely to monitor the kinetics of sensitivity recovery after a step down in fluence rate, can be shortened by application of dim light for 35 min during the early part of the latency period. This light is termed subliminal , because it does not elicit phototropism under these experimental conditions; rather, it exerts its influence on the underlying adaptation kinetics. Fluence rate-response data for this latency reduction, obtained at 17 wavelengths of subliminal light from 347 to 742 nm, showed a variety of shapes that could be fit by zero, one, or two sigmoidal components, plus a constant term. At most wavelengths, the fluence-rate threshold for latency reduction by subliminal light tended to be well below the absolute threshold for phototropism, indicating that this effect is highly sensitive. An action spectrum for the sensitivity of the subliminal light effect, derived from the fluence rate-response curves, shows major peaks around 400 and 500 nm and a broad band from 570 to 670 nm, followed by a steep absorption edge. The sensitivity in the near ultraviolet region is relatively very low. The magnitude of the latency reduction also depends strongly on wavelength with a maximum at about 450 nm. The Huence-rate response data and the action spectrum–which is markedly different from that for phototropism and other blue-light responses of Phycornyces – indicate the participation of multiple pigments, or pigment states, in the photocontrol of adaptation.     

Structures and cytotoxicities of fascaplysin and related alkaloids from two marine phyla—Fascaplysinopsis sponges and Didemnum tunicates

The structural variations and bioactivity properties of the alkaloids in the fascaplysin (1) and the reticulatine (3) families were examined. Four organisms were analyzed consisting of two collections of the sponge Fascaplysinopsis reticulata and two collections of the tunicate Didemnum sp. Reported are the isolation of three new compounds: 3-bromofascaplysin (2), 14-bromoreticulatine (4), and 14-bromoreticulatate (6) along with reticulatate (5) previously known as a semi-synthetic product of 1. Compounds 1 and 5 showed selectivity in a cell based cytotoxicity assay.     

3－苯氧甲基－6－（2，4－二氟苯基）－7H-1,2,4-三唑并[3,4-b][1,3,4]噻二嗪的合成与晶体结构研究

由苯氧乙酸出发，经多步反应，制得3-苯氧甲基－4－氨基－5－巯基－1，2， 4－三唑，它与2-氯－2'，4'－二氟苯乙酮进行环化反应，生成3-苯氧甲基－6－（ 2,4-二氟苯基）－7H-1,2,4-三唑并[3,4-b][1,3,4]噻二嗪，通过元素分析、红外 光谱、核磁共振氢谱与碳谱、质谱进行表征，并利用单晶X射线衍射法测定其结构 。晶体属单斜晶系、P2_(1/c)空间群，a = 1.339(3) nm, b = 1.4683(4) nm, c = 0.8606(2) nm, β = 108.49(2)°, Z = 4, F(000) = 736, R_1 = 0.0509。还 对均三唑并噻二唑两类稠杂环的晶体结构作了比较。     

Phenyl and Phenylethyl Glycosides from Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora

Three new phenyl glycosides, scrophenoside A ( 1 ), B ( 2 ), and C ( 3 ), and two new phenylethyl glycosides, scroside D ( 4 ) and scroside E ( 5 ), were isolated from the stem of Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora Pennell (Scrophularlaceae), besides five known compounds. On the basis of spectroscopic evidence, the structures of the new compounds were elucidated as 4‐acetyl‐2‐methoxyphenyl 6‐O‐[4‐(β‐D ‐glucopyranosyloxy)vanilloyl]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 1 ), 4‐acetylphenyl 6‐O‐[(E)‐p‐coumaroyl]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 2 ), 4‐[(1R)‐ and (1S)‐1‐hydroxyethyl]‐2‐methoxyphenyl β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 3a and 3b , resp.), 2‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐4‐O‐[(E)‐feruloyl]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 4 ), and 2‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)ethyl O‐β‐D ‐glucopyranosyl‐(1→3)‐6‐O‐[(E)‐feruloyl]‐β‐D ‐glucopyranoside ( 5 ).     

Highly stable olefin-Cu(I) coordination oligomers and polymers

Highly stable Cu(I)-olefin coordination oligomers and polymers have been successfully prepared and applied to construct metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with interesting physical and chemical functions in recent years. In this review, we present the olefin-Cu(I) coordination oligomers and polymers and their novel physical properties. From structure to functions, particular emphasis is placed on the coordination and organometallic chemistry of olefin-Cu(I) coordination oligomers and polymers, their structures and potential applications as solids possessing unusual physical functional properties such as electrochemical, chiral separation, fluorescent sensing and ferroelectricity.     

The first metal (Nd3+, Mn2+, and Pb2+) coordination compounds of 3,5-dinitrotyrosine and their nonlinear optical properties

The reactions of 3,5-dinitrotyrosine (H2DNTY) with Nd(NO3)3.6H2O, Mn(ClO4)2.6H2O, and Pb(OAc)2 afforded three homochiral compounds: discrete [Nd(Hdnty)2(NO3)(H2O)5].3H2O (1) and two- and three-dimensional coordination polymers, [Mn(Hdnty)2] (2) and [Pb(dnty)(0.5 H2O)] (3), respectively. The Nd atom in 1 displays a tricapped trigonal prism and supramolecular weak interactions, such as pi-pi stacking and H-bonds, between amino and nitro groups result in the formation of a three-dimensional network through these interactions. 2 has a two-dimensional square-grid topological net while 3 has the first three-dimensional homochiral ThSi2 net. To the best of our knowledge, these are the first metal coordination compounds with 3,5-dinitrotyrosine. Preliminary second harmonic generation (SHG) investigations indicated that 1 and 2 are SHG active with estimated responses 5 and 6 times larger than that of urea, respectively, while 3 is SHG non-active (obeying the Klainman symmetry requirement). Strong enhancement of their SHG efficiency, compared with H2DNTY, may be due to 1) the addition of a good donor-pi-acceptor organic chromophore into the compound resulting in superior qualities of both inorganic and organic materials and 2) the H-bonds that persist in them. Crystal data: 1: C18H32N7O25Nd, Mr = 890.75 g mol(-1), monoclinic, P2(1), a=7.0179(7), b=27.060(3), c=8.3097(8) A, alpha=gamma=90.00, beta=95.646(2) degrees , V=1570.4(3) A(3), Z=2, rho(calcd)=1.884 Mg m(-3), R(1)=0.0489, wR(2)=0.1223, mu=17.67 mm(-1), S=0.811, Flack value=0.003(13); 2: C(18)H(16)N(6)O(14)Mn, M(r)=595.31 g mol(-1), orthorhombic, P2(1)2(1)2, a=8.4381(14), b=13.639(2), c=19.697(3) A, alpha=beta=gamma=90.00 degrees , V=2266.9(6) A(3), Z=4, rho(calcd)=1.744 Mg m(-3), R(1)=0.0866, wR(2)=0.2030, mu=6.72 mm(-1), S=1.095, Flack value=0.02(6); 3: C(9)H(8)N(3)O(7.5)Pb, M(r)=485.37 g mol(-1), tetragonal, P4(1)2(1)2, a=12.8136(12), b=12.8136(12), c=14.931(2), alpha=beta=gamma=90.00 degrees , V=2451.5(5) A(3), Z=8, rho(calcd)=1.885 Mg m(-3), R(1)=0.0564, wR(2)=0.1323, mu=6.942 mm(-1), S=0.878, Flack value=0.03(2). For space group P4(3)2(1)2: R(1)=0.0672, wR(2)=0.1656, S=1.034, Flack value=1.02(3); this suggests the chosen space group P4(1)2(1)2 is correct.     

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry studies of low molecular weight dendrimers

We report the application of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-ToF) mass spectrometry, with delayed extraction in the reflectron mode, for the characterization of low molecular weight dendrimers. 20 dendrimer samples were measured and 4 typical dendrimers, as examples, are discussed in detail. Several factors that affect the analysis including the matrices used, the concentrations of sample, the solvents and cationization reagent used, were investigated in detail. Experimental results indicate that the type of solvent can greatly influence exact mass measurement. However, sample preparation is generally not very critical for dendrimer analysis using MALDI-ToF since many kinds of matrices and a wide range of sample concentrations can be used efficiently. In addition, the Cs(+) ion can be used to enhance the efficiency of cationization. Some reasons for this behavior are discussed on the basis of results of calculations using Gaussian94 software (a connected system of programs for performing a variety of semi-empirical and ab initio molecular orbital (MO) calculations).     

SET8 suppression mediates high glucose-induced vascular endothelial inflammation via the upregulation of PTEN

Hyperglycemia-mediated endothelial inflammation participates in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular complications in subjects with diabetes. Previous studies reported that phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome ten (PTEN) and SET8 participate in high glucose-mediated endothelial inflammation. In this study, we hypothesize that SET8 regulates PTEN expression, thus contributing to high glucose-mediated vascular endothelial inflammation. Our data indicated that plasma soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) and endothelial selectin (e-selectin) were increased in patients with diabetes and diabetic rats. PTEN expression was augmented in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with diabetes and in the aortic tissues of diabetic rats. Our in vitro study indicated that high glucose increased monocyte/endothelial adhesion, endothelial adhesion molecule expression and p65 phosphorylation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Moreover, high glucose led to endothelial inflammation via upregulation of PTEN. Furthermore, high glucose inhibited SET8 expression and histone H4 lysine 20 methylation (H4K20me1), a downstream target of SET8. SET8 overexpression reversed the effects of high-glucose treatment. shSET8-mediated endothelial inflammation was counteracted by siPTEN. Furthermore, SET8 was found to interact with FOXO1. siFOXO1 attenuated high glucose-mediated endothelial inflammation. FOXO1 overexpression-mediated endothelial inflammation was counteracted by siPTEN. H4K20me1 and FOXO1 were enriched in the PTEN promoter region. shSET8 increased PTEN promoter activity and augmented the positive effect of FOXO1 overexpression on PTEN promoter activity. Our in vivo study indicated that SET8 was downregulated and FOXO1 was upregulated in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with diabetes and the aortic tissues of diabetic rats. In conclusion, SET8 interacted with FOXO1 to modulate PTEN expression in vascular endothelial cells, thus contributing to hyperglycemia-mediated endothelial inflammation.Subject terms: Diabetes complications, Vascular diseases     

Molecular modeling on recognition of sheared and normal DNA by novel metal complex Λ- and Δ-[Co(phen)2hpip]

Recognition of sheared and normal DNA by a novel metal complex [Co(phen)₂hpip]³⁺ (phen=1,10-phenanthroline, HPIP=2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)imidazole[4,5-f][1,10]phenanethroline) is studied by molecular modeling. Calculating results indicate that, this complex can specifically recognize DNA segment of sequence –MMNNMM– (M means mismatch base pairs and N means normal base pairs). Intercalating from minor groove between the middle normal duplex into the sheared DNA with the depth of 1.2 nm is of preference and enantioselectivity is observed. Comparison on the two DNA structures of optimal conformation and analysis on the interaction between DNA and the two tail ligands of the complex show that, the effect of the two neighboring mismatch duplexes on the structure of the middle normal base pairs and the steric interaction between the mismatch duplexes and the two tail ligands of the complex are the essential reason to the segment specificity. Investigation on the detailed energy terms indicate that, in effecting enantioselectivity, the electrostatic distribution of the complex is in the majority and steric interaction is at the next place. But, steric interaction is surely the only factor determining the intercalating from minor groove.