Cholesterol location and orientation in aqueous suspension of large unilamellar vesicles of phospholipid revealed by intermolecular nuclear overhauser effect

The locational and orientational structure and the dynamics of cholesterol in the bilayer membrane were studied by using the solution-state NMR. The intermolecular nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) was analyzed for large unilamellar vesicles (100 nm in diameter) composed of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) and cholesterol at cholesterol concentrations of 9-33 mol %. The DMPC headgroups show (1)H-{(1)H}-NOEs with the methyl groups at the hydrophobic terminals of both cholesterol and DMPC, illustrating the significant fluctuation of the bilayer membrane in the vertical (bilayer normal) direction. Cholesterol was found to keep the hydroxyl (OH) group toward the outer water pool on the basis of the following observations: (1) the cross correlation between the DMPC headgroup and the cholesterol terminal methyl group is weaker than those between the DMPC headgroups and (2) the methyl group at the hydrophobic terminal of cholesterol shows strong correlation with the terminal group of the DMPC chain portion. The OH group plays a crucial role in orienting cholesterol with its OH group outward, since cholestane, which has a molecular structure similar to that of cholesterol except for the absence of the OH group, was found to have no orientational preference in the bilayer membrane. The dynamic slowdown at high cholesterol concentrations is demonstrated on the basis of the correlation times for NOE as well as the broadening of the proton linewidths.     

Total synthesis of (+)- and (-)-sundiversifolide via intramolecular acylation and determination of the absolute configuration

Intramolecular acylation of an organolithium leads to an efficient stereocontrolled total synthesis of both enantiomers of sundiversifolide. The absolute configuration was determined by HPLC analysis and allelopathy assay. The gamma-lactone moiety resulted from a butenolide was obtained by the condensation of a bicyclic alpha-hydroxyhemiacetal with Ph3P=CMe(CO2R).     

Single-molecule magnet behavior in heterometallic M(II)-Mn(III)(2)-M(II) tetramers (M(II) = Cu, Ni) containing Mn(III) salen-type dinuclear core

The linear-type heterometallic tetramers, [Mn(III)(2)(5-MeOsaltmen)(2)M(II)(2)(L)(2)](CF(3)SO(3))(2) x 2H(2)O (MII = Cu, 1a; Ni, 2a), where 5-MeOsaltmen(2-) = N,N'-(1,1,2,2-tetramethylethylene) bis(5-methoxysalicylideneiminate), and H(2)L = 3-{2-[(2-hydroxy-benzylidene)-amino]-2-methyl-propylimino}-butan-2-one oxime, have been synthesized and characterized from structural and magnetic points of view. These two compounds are isostructural and crystallize in the same monoclinic P2(1)/n space group. The structure has a [M(II)-NO-Mn(III)-(O)(2)-Mn(III)-ON-M(II)] skeleton, where -NO- is a linking oximato group derived from the non-symmetrical Schiff-base complex [M(II)(L)] and -(O)(2)- is a biphenolato bridge in the out-of-plane [Mn(2)(5-MeOsaltmen)(2)](2+) dimer. The solvent-free compounds, 1b and 2b, have also been prepared by drying of the parent compounds, 1a and 2a, respectively, at 100 degrees C under dried nitrogen. After this treatment, the crystallinity is preserved, and 1b and 2b crystallize in a monoclinic P2(1)/c space group without significant changes in their structures in comparison to 1a and 2a. Magnetic measurements on 1a and 1b revealed antiferromagnetic Mn(III)---Cu(II) interactions via the oximato group and weak ferromagnetic Mn(III)---Mn(III) interactions via the biphenolato bridge leading to an S(T) = 3 ground state. On the other hand, the diamagnetic nature of the square planar Ni(II) center generates an S(T) = 4 ground state for 2a and 2b. At low temperature, these solvated (a) and desolvated (b) compounds display single-molecule magnet behavior modulated by their spin ground state.     

Slowdown of H/D exchange reaction rate and water dynamics in ionic liquids: deactivation of solitary water solvated by small anions in 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride

The H/D exchange reaction and the rotational dynamics of heavy water (D2O) are studied at 50 degrees C in the ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([bmim][Cl]), in the [D2O] range of 3-55 M. The initial H/D exchange rates are observed as 1.0 x 10(-7), 4.5 x 10(-6), 1.0 x 10(-5), 4.1 x 10(-5), 1.1 x 10(-4), and 3.7 x 10(-4) s(-1), respectively, at [D2O] of 2.8, 7.1, 8.1, 11, 15, and 25 M. The rate is very slow and less than 10(-5) s(-1) at [D2O] below approximately 7 M. It steeply increases to the order of 10(-4)s(-1) for 7 M < [D2O] < 10 M, and linearly increases with [D2O] in the more water-rich region. The intercept of the linear region at [D2O] = approximately 9 M is interpreted by considering that each chloride anion deactivates 1.6 equiv water molecules due to the strong solvation. Correspondingly, the rotational correlation time of D2O at [D2O] < 7 M is 1 order of magnitude larger than that in water-rich conditions.     

Azahelicene-Fused BODIPY Analogues Showing Circularly Polarized Luminescence

Helical carbazole-based BODIPY analogues were readily synthesized via aza[7]helicenes. The structures of azahelicene-incorporated BF₂ dyes were elucidated by x-ray diffraction analysis. DFT calculations revealed that the π-conjugated system expanded from the helicene moiety to the BODIPY framework. The azahelicene-fused boron complexes showed the Cotton effects and the circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) in the visible region. Furthermore, an axially chiral binaphthyl group was attached to the helically chiral dyes, which enhanced the chiroptical properties.     

Qualitative PCR method for Roundup Ready soybean: interlaboratory study

Quantitative and qualitative methods based on PCR have been developed for genetically modified organisms (GMO). Interlaboratory studies were previously conducted for GMO quantitative methods; in this study, an interlaboratory study was conducted for a qualitative method for a GM soybean, Roundup Ready soy (RR soy), with primer pairs designed for the quantitative method of RR soy studied previously. Fourteen laboratories in Japan participated. Each participant extracted DNA from 1.0 g each of the soy samples containing 0, 0.05, and 0.10% of RR soy, and performed PCR with primer pairs for an internal control gene (Le1) and RR soy followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The PCR product amplified in this PCR system for Le1 was detected from all samples. The sensitivity, specificity, and false-negative and false-positive rates of the method were obtained from the results of RR soy detection. False-negative rates at the level of 0.05 and 0.10% of the RR soy samples were 6.0 and 2.3%, respectively, revealing that the LOD of the method was somewhat below 0.10%. The current study demonstrated that the qualitative method would be practical for monitoring the labeling system of GM soy in kernel lots.     

Luminescence tuning of imidazole-based lanthanide(III) complexes [Ln = Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy

To tune the lanthanide luminescence in related molecular structures, we synthesized and characterized a series of lanthanide complexes with imidazole-based ligands: two tripodal ligands, tris{[2-{(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)methylidene}amino]ethyl}amine (Me(3)L), and tris{[2-{(imidazol-4-yl)methylidene}amino]ethyl}amine (H(3)L), and the dipodal ligand bis{[2-{(imidazol-4-yl)methylidene}amino]ethyl}amine (H(2)L). The general formulas are [Ln(Me(3)L)(H(2)O)(2)](NO(3))(3)·3H(2)O (Ln = 3+ lanthanide ion: Sm (1), Eu (2), Gd (3), Tb (4), and Dy (5)), [Ln(H(3)L)(NO(3))](NO(3))(2)·MeOH (Ln(3+) = Sm (6), Eu (7), Gd (8), Tb (9), and Dy (10)), and [Ln(H(2)L)(NO(3))(2)(MeOH)](NO(3))·MeOH (Ln(3+) = Sm (11), Eu (12), Gd (13), Tb (14), and Dy (15)). Each lanthanide ion is 9-coordinate in the complexes with the Me(3)L and H(3)L ligands and 10-coordinate in the complexes with the H(2)L ligand, in which counter anion and solvent molecules are also coordinated. The complexes show a screw arrangement of ligands around the lanthanide ions, and their enantiomorphs form racemate crystals. Luminescence studies have been carried out on the solid and solution-state samples. The triplet energy levels of Me(3)L, H(3)L, and H(2)L are 21?000, 22?700, and 23?000 cm(-1), respectively, which were determined from the phosphorescence spectra of their Gd(3+) complexes. The Me(3)L ligand is an effective sensitizer for Sm(3+) and Eu(3+) ions. Efficient luminescence of Sm(3+), Eu(3+), Tb(3+), and Dy(3+) ions was observed in complexes with the H(3)L and H(2)L ligands. Ligand modification by changing imidazole groups alters their triplet energy, and results in different sensitizing ability towards lanthanide ions.     

Photosynthetic oxygen evolution in mesoporous silica material: adsorption of photosystem II reaction center complex into 23 nm nanopores in SBA

An oxygen-evolving photosynthetic reaction center complex (PSII) was adsorbed into nanopores in SBA, a mesoporous silica compound. We purified the dimer of PSII complex from a thermophilic cyanobacterium, Thermosynechococcus vulcanus, which grows optimally at 57 °C. The thermally stable PSII dimeric complex has a diameter of 20 nm and a molecular mass of 756 kDa and binds more than 60 chlorophylls. The SBA particles, with average internal pore diameters of 15 nm (SBA(15)) and 23 nm (SBA(23)), adsorbed 4.7 and 15 mg of PSII/g SBA, respectively. Measurement with a confocal laser-scanning microscope indicated the adsorption of PSII to the surface and the inner space of the SBA(23) particles, indicating the adsorption of PSII into the 23 nm silica nanopores. PSII did not bind to the inner pores of SBA(15). PSII bound to SBA(23) showed the high and stable activity of a photosynthetic oxygen-evolving reaction, indicating the light-driven electron transport from water to the quinone molecules added in the outer medium. The PSII-SBA conjugate can be a new material for photosensors and artificial photosynthetic systems.     

Platinum catalyzed 7-endo cyclization of internal alkynyl amides and its application to synthesis of the caprazamycin core

The scope and limitations of the platinum catalyzed 7-endo cyclization of internal alkynyl amides were investigated. Substitution of the alkyne with an aryl group gave better results, presumably because it stabilized the transition state. Applying the reaction to a secondary amide, the caprazamycin core was successfully synthesized from commercially available material in eight steps.