Design and characterization of endosomal-pH-responsive coiled coils for constructing an artificial membrane fusion system

A weakly acidic pH-responsive polypeptide is believed to have the potential for an endosome escape function in a polypeptide-triggered delivery system. For constructing a membrane fusion device with pH-responsiveness, we have designed novel polypeptides that are capable of forming an α2 coiled coil structure. Circular dichroism spectroscopy reveals that a polypeptide, AP-LZ(EH5), with a Glu and His salt-bridge pair at a staggered position in the hydrophobic core forms a stable coiled coil structure only at endosomal pH values (pH 5.0 to 5.5). On the basis of their endosomal-pH responsiveness, a boronic acid/polypeptide conjugate (BA-H5-St) was also designed as a pilot molecule to construct a pH-responsive, one-way membrane fusion system with a sugarlike compound (phosphatidylinositol: PI)-containing liposome as a target. Membrane fusion behavior was characterized by lipid-mixing, inner-leaflet lipid-mixing, and contents-mixing assays. These studies reveal that membrane fusion is clearly observed when the pH of the experimental system is changed from 7.4 (physiological condition) to 5.0 (endosomal condition).     

Efficient improved extraction of tomato saponin using shock waves

In the conventional method of mixer blending extraction, the yields of the tomato-saponin, esculeoside A, in the mini and middy tomatoes were found to be 0.043% and 0.046%, respectively. In order to improve the yields, we attempted a more efficient extraction using shock waves. The yields of esculeoside A were 0.0987% in air after 1 shock, 0.0792% in air after two shots, 0.0648% in half water after 1 or 2 shocks, and 0.0599% in water after 1 or 2 shocks. The yields obtained by the proposed method were approximately twice those of the conventional mixer blending method; therefore, this method is regarded to be very efficient. Moreover, two spirosolane glycosides, tomatine and lycoperoside A, were obtained for the first time from the ripe tomato fruit in this method. To date, these compounds have not been obtained with the mixer blending method. However, whether these glycosides are produced from esculeoside A or are newly extracted from the plant organ by the shock wave is still unclear.     

Structural Analysis of Triacylglycerols by Using a MALDI-TOF/TOF System with Monoisotopic Precursor Selection

A new MALDI-TOF/TOF system with monoisotopic precursor selection was applied to the analysis of triacylglycerols in an olive oil sample. Monoisotopic precursor selection made it possible to obtain product-ion mass spectra without interference from species that differed by a single double bond. Complete structure determination of all triacylglycerols, including structural isomers, was made possible by interpreting the charge-remote fragmentation resulting from high-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the sodiated triacylglycerols.      

A Mn(III)2Ni(II) single-chain magnet separated by a thick isolating network of BPh4- anions

The assembly reaction of a Mn(III) salen-type dimeric complex, [MnIII2(saltmen)2(H2O)2](ClO4)2 (saltmen2- = N,N'-(1,1,2,2-tetramethylethylene)bis(salycylideneiminate)), and a Ni(II) oximato complex, [Ni(II)(pao)2(phen)] (pao- = pyridine-2-aldoximate; phen = 1,10-phenanthroline), in the presence of NaBPh4 yielded a heterometallic chain of [MnIII2(saltmen)2NiI)(pao)2(phen)](BPh4)2 (Mn2Ni-BPh4) having a [-Mn(III)-ON-Ni(II)-NO-Mn(III)-(OPh)2-] repeating unit surrounded by a "zeolite-like" network of BPh4- anions. Thanks to such bulky ion-walls, each chain is not only structurally separated with a nearest inter-chain metalmetal distance of 14.4 A (MnNi) but also magnetically extremely well isolated. This magnetic isolation and the ferromagnetic interactions between S = 3 anisotropic units constituting the chain play key roles that induce single-chain magnet behavior in this system.     

Development of a N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) assay on a centrifugal lab-on-a-compact-disc (Lab-CD) platform

A centrifugal microfluidic platform, which is also known as lab-on-a-compact-disc (Lab-CD), was developed for use as a urinary N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) activity assay. In this work, Lab-CD design, centrifugal operations and analytical procedures were established. Automated liquid handling on Lab-CD processes, such as fluid transport, sample metering, mixing, and fluorescence detection are accomplished using a portable Lab-CD system. The linearity of the NAG assay using 4-methylumbelliferyl-N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminide (4-MU-GlcNAc) was found to be acceptable in the range of 2.5 to 20 U L(-1); the relative standard deviations for the fluorescence intensity of eight samples (7.5 U L(-1)) was 6.4%. Clinical diagnostics is one of the most promising applications for Lab-CD technologies. All the benefits of miniaturization, such as reduced sample requirement, reduced reagent consumption and automation, are realized in this investigation.     

Conformation-controlled luminescent properties of lanthanide clusters containing p-tert-butylsulfonylcalix[4]arene

Dinuclear and cubane-shaped lanthanide cluster complexes containing EuIII)and TbIII were synthesized by step-by-step construction using p-tert-butylsulfonylcalix[4]arene as a cluster-forming ligand. The sulfonylcalixarene adopts a pinched-cone conformation in the dinuclear complexes and a cone conformation in the cubane complexes. Because the calixarene has a large pi-conjugate system expanding over the entire molecule, it behaves as a good antenna chromophore for UV and near-UV light, and a slight conformational change of the calixarene (from cone to pinched-cone and vice versa) has an effect on the energy levels of excited S1 and T1 states. As a result, selectivity is observed in the luminescent properties of dinuclear and cubane-shaped systems of EuIII and TbIII.     

Efficient Transformation of Polymer Main Chain Catalyzed by Macrocycle Metal Complexes via Pseudorotaxane Intermediate

Post-synthesis modification of polymers streamlines the synthesis of functionalized polymers, but is often incomplete due to the negative polymer effects. Developing efficient polymer reactions in artificial systems thus represents a long-standing objective in the fields of polymer and material science. Here, we show unprecedented macrocycle-metal-complex-catalyzed systems for efficient polymer reaction that result in 100 % transformation of the main chain functional groups presumably via a processive mode reaction. The complete polymer reactions were confirmed in not only intramolecular reaction (hydroamination) but also intermolecular reaction (hydrosilylation) by using Pd- and Pt-macrocycle-catalyzed systems. The most fascinating feature of the both reactions is that higher-molecular-weight polymers reach completion faster. Various studies suggested that the reactions occur in the catalyst cavity via the formation of a supramolecular complex between the macrocycle catalyst and polymer substrate like pseudorotaxane, which should be of characteristic of the efficient polymer reactions progressing in a processive mode.     

ATP-Responsive Nanoparticles Covered with Biomolecular Machine “Chaperonin GroEL”

Herein, we report an ATP-responsive nanoparticle (^GroELNP) whose surface is fully covered with the biomolecular machine “chaperonin protein GroEL”. ^GroELNP was synthesized by DNA hybridization between a gold NP with DNA strands on its surface and GroEL carrying complementary DNA strands at its apical domains. The unique structure of ^GroELNP was visualized by transmission electron microscopy including under cryogenic conditions. The immobilized GroEL units retain their machine-like function and enable ^GroELNP to capture denatured green fluorescent protein and release it in response to ATP. Interestingly, the ATPase activity of ^GroELNP per GroEL was 4.8 and 4.0 times greater than those of precursor ^cysGroEL and its DNA-functionalized analogue, respectively. Finally, we confirmed that ^GroELNP could be iteratively extended to double-layered NP.