Aggregation behaviors of gemini nucleotide at the air-water interface and in solutions induced by adenine-uracil interaction

Cationic gemini surfactants having nucleotides as counterions (called nucleo-gemini hereafter) were synthesized and their aggregation behavior at air-water surfaces as well as in bulk solutions were studied. Fluid solutions of these nucleo-gemini surfactants show transitions to hydrogels upon addition of complementary nucleoside bases or other nucleo-gemini surfactants having complementary bases as counterions. The FTIR-ATR measurements show that the carboxylate groups of uridine form hydrogen bonds with the amine groups of adenosine. The aggregation behavior was also confirmed at the air-water interface by Brewster angle microscopy as well as surface pressure measurements; the monolayer of a gemini nucleotide was observed to undergo a transition to multilayers when nucleosides with complementary bases were added into the subphase. Isotherm curves of surface pressure monitored in parallel show a decrease in molecular area upon addition of such nucleosides.     

Atoms and bonds in molecules and chemical explanations

The concepts of atoms and bonds in molecules which appeared in chemistry during the nineteenth century are unavoidable to explain the structure and the reactivity of the matter at a chemical level of understanding. Although they can be criticized from a strict reductionist point of view, because neither atoms nor bonds are observable in the sense of quantum mechanics, the topological and statistical interpretative approaches of quantum chemistry (quantum theory of atoms in molecules, electron localization function and maximum probability domain) provide consistent definitions which accommodate chemistry and quantum mechanics.     

Comparative studies of nontoxic and toxic amyloids interacting with membrane models at the air-water interface

Many in vitro studies have pointed out the interaction between amyloids and membranes, and their potential involvement in amyloid toxicity. In a previous study, we generated a yeast toxic mutant (M8) of the harmless model amyloid protein HET-s((218-289)). In this study, we compared the self-assembling process of the nontoxic wild-type (WT) and toxic (M8) protein at the air-water interface and in interaction with various phospholipid monolayers (DOPE, DOPC, DOPI, DOPS and DOPG). We first demonstrate using ellipsometry measurements and polarization-modulated infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (PMIRRAS) that the air-water interface promotes and modifies the assembly of WT since an amyloid-like film was instantaneously formed at the interface with an antiparallel β-sheet structuration instead of the parallel β-sheet commonly observed for amyloid fibers generated in solution. The toxic mutant (M8) behaves in a similar manner at the air-water interface or in bulk, with a fast self-assembling and an antiparallel β-sheet organization. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images established the fibrillous morphology of the protein films formed at the air-water interface. Second, we demonstrate for the first time that the main driving force between this particular fungus amyloid and membrane interaction is based on electrostatic interactions with negatively charged phospholipids (DOPG, DOPI, DOPS). Interestingly, the toxic mutant (M8) clearly induces perturbations of the negatively charged phospholipid monolayers, leading to a massive surface aggregation, whereas the nontoxic (WT) exhibits a slight effect on the membrane models. This study allows concluding that the toxicity of the M8 mutant could be due to its high propensity to interact with membranes.     

Complexation dans le méthanol anhydre de Cu (II) et Zn (II) par des ligands diaza-polyoxamacrocycliques

Complexation in anhydrous methanol of Cu (II) and Zn (II) with diaza-polyoxamacrocyclic ligands Protonation of five diaza-polyoxamacrocyclic ligands, (L = [2.1], [2.2], [2.1.1.], [2.2.1], [2.2.2]), and their complexing properties towards Cu²⁺ and Zn²⁺ cations have been studied in anhydrous methanolic solutions. Potentiometric measurements have been carried out at 25°, using 5 · 10^?2MEt₄N⁺ClO as support-electrolyte, in order to determine the nature of the species formed upon complexation and their stability constants. The results were confirmed by spectrophotometry, for the cupric complexes of [2.1] and [2.2.2], and the electronic spectra of the different complexes were calculated. Comparison between complexation in aqueous and methanolic solutions have been made: as in water, ML²⁺ species and sometimes protonated MHL³⁺ species, with higher stability constants, are present in methanol; but the main difference is the formation of dinuclear complexes M₂L⁴⁺, between Cu²⁺ and all ligands except [2.1]. In these complexes the Cu²⁺ cations cannot be both ‘encaged’ in the ligand cavity because of its small size. The different possible structures are discussed in terms of the stability constants values. The protonation constants values and the existence of the binuclear complexes may indicate a possible conformational change in the complexing ligand on changing the solvent from water to methanol.     

Improved detection of the histamine receptor on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells by crosslinking using tritiated as compared with radioiodinated histamine

In order to detect histamine receptors on the surface of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, the cells were incubated in the presence of radiolabelled histamine and then the bifunctional crosslinker disuccimidyl suberate was added in various concentrations. They were then solubilized with sodium dodecyl sulphate, boiled, reduced and the lysate separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Both 3H and 125I-radiolabelled ligands bound to a 16 kDa band, to be defined although a much clearer and obviously unequivocal signal was obtained with 3H-labelled histamine. This molecule migrated with the same mass on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as a 16 kDa subunit which had been purified on a histamine affinity column from Triton X-100 solubilized mononuclear cells, indicating it to be the ligand-binding subunit for the histamine receptor on these cells. For 3H, fluorography with Entensify was required to obtain an autoradiographic signal. Although 3H took much longer to give a signal than 125I, the considerable background, artefacts and heavy lane trailing seen with [125I] histamine were completely abrogated when [3H]histamine was used. In addition, the distinction between specific and nonspecific binding was more clearly seen using [3H]histamine. The modifications reported here which improve signal detection for 3H should encourage the use of tritiated ligands in radioreceptor crosslinking, particularly those of low molecular weight which might otherwise undergo steric modification due to iodination, this having the potential for interfering with receptor ligand binding.     

The reduction and hydrolysis of some 7,7-diethylpyrazolo[1,2-a]-pyridazine-6,8(7H)dione derivatives

The chemistry of several of the Diels-Alder adducts formed by the reaction of 4,4-diethylpyrazoline-3,5-dione ( 1 ) with conjugated dienes was studied with respect to reduction (hydride and catalytic) and reaction with base. Reaction of the 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene adduct with lithium aluminum hydride followed by hydrogenation gave 1,3,5,6,7,8-hexahydro-cis-endo-6,7-dimethyl-2,2-diethylpyrazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine ( 11 ). Attempted conversion of this compound to 3,3-diethyl-cis-7,8-dimethyl-1,5-diazacyclononane ( 12 ) gave instead a compound which has been tentatively identified as N-(2,3-dimethyl-4-aminobutyl)-2-ethyl-2-methylbutanaldimine ( 14 ). Lithium aluminum hydride reduction of 4,4-diethylpyrazolidine-3,5-dione ( 22 ) or the adducts formed from 1 and cyclopentadiene or 1,3-cyclohexadiene gave good yields of 4,4-diethylpyrazolidine ( 21 ). This later reduction gave a new and efficient synthetic route to the pyrazolidine ring system. Lithium aluminum hydride reduction of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydro-5,8-ethano-2,2-diethylpyrazolo[1,2-a]pyridazine-1,3(2H)dione ( 26 ) followed by hydrogenolysis led to a high yield of 4,4-diethyl-2,6-diazabicyclo[5.2.2]undecane ( 28 ) which is the first reported example of this ring system. Reaction of several of the adducts with ethanolic potassium hydroxide resulted in the opening of the five-membered ring.     

The Effect of Solvent Variation on Nucleophilic Substitution Rates of Methyl Tosylate

Rates of the reactions between bromide ion and methyl tosylate have been determined in 12 solvents and extrapolated to infinite dilution. The data are correlated with Parker's solvent activity coefficients by means of an empirical equation of the type: logk^s – logk⁰ = A log⁰γ + B with the constants A = 0.788 and B = 0,108 and a correlation coefficient of 0.983.     

Additions radicalaires du tétrahydrothiophène à des dérivés éthyléniques: Préparation de tétrahydrothiophènes substitués en 2

Di-t-butyl peroxide induces a free radical addition of tetrahydrothiophene to ethylenic compounds. The main products arise from an α-attack of the substrate. This reaction seems to be an interesting synthesis of these heterocycles.     

Thermally stable silarylene-1,3,4-oxadiazole polymers

The effects of incorporating a p-phenylene- (or m-phenylene)-1,3,4-oxadiazole fragment into the backbone of poly[1,4-phenylene(diphenylsilyl)-1,4-phenylene-2,5-(1,3,4-oxadiazole)], which was developed by the authors, was investigated. Bis[(p-carbohydrazidophenyl)]diphenylsilane was copolymerized with dipentachlorophenyl terephthalate or isophthalate to produce the prepolymers poly[N-(p-diphenylsilylbenzoyl)-N′N″-(terephthaloyl)-N″′-(p-benzoyl)dihydrazide] and poly[N-(p-diphenylsilylbenzoyl)-N′,-N″-(isophthaloyl)-N″′-p-(benzoyl) dihydrazide], respectively. The polyhydrazides were converted by thermal dehydration into poly[1,4-phenylene(diphenylsilyl)-1,4-phenylene-(1,3,4-oxadiazole-2,5-diyl)-1,4-phenylene-2,5-(1,3,4-oxadiazole)] and poly[1,4-phenyl-ene(diphenylsilyl)-1,4-phenylene-(1,3,4-oxadiazole-2,5-diyl)-1,3,4-(oxadiazole)]. The new polymers were soluble in organic solvents. Films cast from these solutions exhibited good adhesion to glass and metal surfaces. Thermal analysis showed that the heat stability of all these polymers was about the same and that they were resistant to decomposition when heated in air to about 400°C. The results also indicated that these polymers were somewhat less heat-resistant than samples of poly-[1,4-phenylene(diphenylsilyl)-1,4-phenylene-2,5-]1,3,4-(oxadiazole) synthesized from bis(p-carbohydrazidophenyl)diphenylsilane and bis-(p-carbopentachlorophenoxy-phenyl)diphenylsilane.