High resolution protein separations using affinity ultrafiltration with small charged ligands

Although the feasibility of affinity ultrafiltration was demonstrated more than 20 years ago, commercial applications have not developed due to the high cost and practical limitations of the large macroligands needed for highly selective separations. The objective of this study was to examine the use of small charged affinity ligands for protein purification by exploiting electrostatic interactions between the charged complex and an electrically-charged membrane. Experiments were performed using bovine serum albumin and ovalbumin with Cibacron Blue as the affinity ligand. Negatively charged versions of a composite regenerated cellulose membrane were generated by covalent attachment of a sulfonic acid functionality. Binding experiments were used to identify appropriate conditions for protein separations. The selectivity for the separation of BSA and ovalbumin was a function of the solution conditions, Cibacron Blue concentration, and membrane charge, with the addition of Cibacron Blue causing a 30-fold increase in selectivity. A diafiltration process was performed at the optimal conditions, giving a BSA product with a purification factor of more than 90-fold and a yield greater than 90%. These results clearly demonstrate the potential of using a small charged affinity ligand for high resolution protein separations.     

High-throughput purification of combinatorial libraries I: a high-throughput purification system using an accelerated retention window approach

We have developed a high-throughput purification system to purify combinatorial libraries at a 50-100-mg scale with a throughput of 250 samples/instrument/day. We applied an accelerated retention window method to shorten the purification time and targeted one fraction per injection to simplify data tracking, lower QC workload, and simplify the postpurification processing. First, we determined the accurate retention time and peak height for all compounds using an eight-channel parallel LC/UV/MS system, and calculated the specific preparative HPLC conditions for individual compounds. The preparative HPLC conditions include the compound-specific gradient segment for individual compounds with a fixed gradient slope and the compound-specific UV or ELSD threshold for triggering a fraction collection device. A unique solvent composition or solvent strength was programmed for each compound in the preparative HPLC in order to elute all compounds at the same target time. Considering the possible deviation of the predicted retention time, a 1-min window around the target time was set to collect peaks above a threshold based on UV or ELSD detection. Dual column preparative instruments were used to maximize throughput. We have purified more than 500 000 druglike compounds using this system in the past 3 years. We report various components of this high-throughput purification system and some of our purification results.     

Structures and synthesis of framework Rb and Cs uranyl arsenates and their relationships with their phosphate analogues

Two hydrated uranyl arsenates, Cs₂(UO₂)[(UO₂)(AsO₄)]₄(H₂O)₂ (CsUAs) and Rb₂(UO₂)[(UO₂)(AsO₄)]₄(H₂O)_4.5 (RbUAs), were synthesized by hydrothermal methods. Intensity data were collected at room temperature using MoKα radiation and a CCD-based area detector. The crystal structure of RbUAs was solved by direct methods, whereas the structure model of the phosphate Cs₂(UO₂)[(UO₂)(PO₄)]₄(H₂O)₂ was used for CsUAs; both were refined by full-matrix least-squares techniques on the basis of F² to agreement indices (CsUAs, RbUAs) wR₂=0.061,0.041, for all data, and R₁=0.032,0.021, calculated for 5098, 4991 unique observed reflections (|F_o|>4σ_F), respectively. The compound CsUAs is orthorhombic, space group Cmc2₁, Z=4, a=15.157(2), b=14.079(2), c=13.439(2) Å, V=2867.9(1) Å³. RbUAs is monoclinic, space group C2/m, Z=4, a=13.4619(4), b=15.8463(5), c=14.0068(4) Å, β=92.311(1)°, V=2985.52(2) Å³. The structures consist of sheets of arsenate tetrahedra and uranyl pentagonal bipyramids, with composition [(UO₂)(AsO₄)]⁻, that are topologically identical to the uranyl silicate sheets in uranophane-beta. These sheets are connected by a uranyl pentagonal bipyramid in the interlayer that shares corners with two arsenate tetrahedra on each of two adjacent sheets and whose fifth equatorial vertex is an H₂O group, resulting in an open framework with alkali metal cations in the larger cavities of the structures. CsUAs is isostructural with its phosphate analogue, and has two Cs atoms and a H₂O group in its structural cavities. RbUAs is not isostructural with its phosphate analogue, although it has a homeotypic framework. Its structural cavities are occupied by three Rb atoms and four H₂O groups; one Rb position and three of the interstitial H₂O groups are half-occupied. The partial occupancies of these positions probably result from the accommodation of the larger As atoms (relative to P) in the framework and resultant larger cavities.     

Three-photon near-threshold photoionization dynamics of isooctane

The electron survival probability following three-photon (9.3 eV total) near-threshold photoionization of neat isooctane is measured with sub-50 fs time resolution. The measured dynamics are nonexponential in time and are well described by a diffusion-controlled electron-cation recombination model. Excitation-power-dependent studies indicate that the unperturbed three-photon threshold ionization is only observed for pump irradiance below 0.5 TW cm2. At excitation fields above this level, the signal is no longer cubic in the excitation irradiance, and the observed electron survival probability dramatically changes, decaying as a single exponential in time.     

Rational materials design of sorbent coatings for explosives: applications with chemical sensors

A series of chemoselective polymers had been designed and synthesized to enhance the sorption properties of polymer coated chemical sensors for polynitroaromatic analytes. To evaluate the effectiveness of the chemoselective coatings, a polynitroaromatic vapor test bed was utilized to challenge polymer coated surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices with different explosive vapors. Dinitrotoluene detection limits were determined to be in the <100 parts per trillion ranges. ATR-FTIR studies were used to determine the nature of the polymer-polynitroaromatic analyte interactions, and confirm the presence of hydrogen-bonding between polymer pendant groups and the nitro functional groups of polynitroaromatic explosive materials.     

Application of solid phase peptide synthesis to engineering PEO–peptide block copolymers for drug delivery

This work describes a simple, versatile solid-phase peptide-synthesis (SPPS) method for preparing micelle-forming poly(ethylene oxide)-block-peptide block copolymers for drug delivery. To demonstrate its utility, this SPPS method was used to construct two series of micelle-forming block copolymers (one of constant core-composition and variable length; the other of constant core length and variable composition). The block copolymers were then used to study in detail the effect of size and composition on micellization. The various block copolymers were prepared by a combination of SPPS for the peptide block, followed by solution–phase conjugation of the peptide block with a proprionic acid derivative of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) to form the PEO-b-peptide block copolymer. The composition of each block component was characterized by mass spectrometry (MALDI and ES-MS). Block copolymer compositions were characterized by ¹H NMR. All the block copolymers were found to form micelles as judged by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and light scattering analysis. To demonstrate their potential as drug delivery systems, micelles prepared from one member of the PEO-b-peptide block copolymer series were physically loaded with the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX). Micelle static and dynamic stability were found to correlate strongly with micelle core length. In contrast, these same micellization properties appear to be a complex function of core composition, and no clear trends could be identified from among the set of compositionally varying, fixed length block copolymer micelles. We conclude that SPPS can be used to construct biocompatible block copolymers with well-defined core lengths and compositions, which in turn can be used to study and to tailor the behavior of block copolymer micelles.     

Site-specific cleavage of human telomerase RNA using PNA-neocuproine.Zn(II) derivatives

Here we report the synthesis of a novel PNA based neocuproine.Zn RNA cleaving agent; we demonstrate that such agents sequence specifically cleave a synthetic RNA target and in particular the RNA component of human telomerase.     

Copper(II) chloride complexes with multimodal ligands based on the cyclotriphosphazene platform

The reaction of hexakis(2-pyridyloxy)cyclotriphosphazene (L) and hexakis(4-methyl-2-pyridyloxy)cyclotriphosphazene (MeL) with copper(ii) chloride afford the complexes [CuLCl(2)], [(CuCl(2))(2)(MeL)], [CuLCl]PF(6) and [Cu(MeL)Cl]PF(6). The single-crystal X-ray structure of [CuLCl(2)] shows the copper ion to be in a square based pyramidal distorted trigonal bipyramidal (SBPDTBP) environment (tau= 0.47) with L acting as a kappa(3)N donor, coordinating via the nitrogen atoms from two non-geminal pyridyloxy pendant arms, a nitrogen atom in the phosphazene ring and two chloride ions. In the dimetallic complex, [(CuCl(2))(2)(MeL)], the geometry about both (symmetry related) copper(ii) centres is also SBPDTBP (tau= 0.57) with a 'N(3)Cl(2)' donor set. In the monocation of [CuLCl]PF(6), L acts as a kappa(5)N donor, bonding to the copper(ii) centre through the nitrogen atoms of four pyridyloxy pendant arms, a phosphazene ring nitrogen atom and a chloride ion to give an elongated rhombic octahedral coordination sphere. The phosphazene ring atoms remain virtually coplanar in all three structures as a consequence of the phenoxy-hinge, which links the pyridine pendant donors to the cyclotriphosphazene platform, allowing the formation of six-membered chelate rings. The spectroscopic (mass spectral, EPR and electronic) and magnetic properties of the complexes are discussed. The EPR and variable temperature magnetic susceptibility results for the dicopper complex, [(CuCl(2))(2)(MeL)], point to a very weak electronic interaction between the metal atoms.