Characterization of the N-linked glycosylation site of recombinant pectate lyase

Recombinant pectate lyase from Aspergillus niger was overexpressed in Aspergillus nidulans. The two recombinant proteins produced differed in molecular mass by 1200 Da, which suggested that the larger molecular weight protein was glycosylated. The deduced amino acid sequence was searched for potential N-linked glycosylation sites, and one potential site was identified at residue 64. The proteins were analyzed for their ability to bind various lectins as an assay for the presence of carbohydrates. The proteins were then digested with trypsin to facilitate the isolation of the potential glycosylation site. The resulting digestion products were subsequently analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry using in-source collision induced dissociation to detect glycopeptides. Once the glycopeptide had been identified, treatment with an endoglycosidase both verified the location of glycosylation and identified the mass of the glycan. The Complex Carbohydrate Structural Database was searched for possible N-linked structures with the same mass, and the suggested primary sequence was confirmed by an exoglycosidase digestion. The data demonstrated that the larger recombinant protein contained a high mannose N-linked structure (Man(5)GlcNAc(2)) attached to N-64, while this site was not occupied in the smaller protein.     

Multinuclear NMR studies and ab initio structure calculations of hindered phencyclone diels‐alder adducts from symmetrical cyclic dienophiles: Cyclohexene,vinylene carbonate,vinylene trithiocarbonate and two N‐aryl maleimides

A series of hindered Diels‐Alder adducts have been prepared from phencyclone, 1 , with various unusual symmetrical cyclic dienophiles, including cyclohexene, 2a ; vinylene carbonate, 2b ; vinylene trithiocarbonate, 2c ; and the N‐aryl maleimides: N‐(4‐dimethylamino‐3,5‐dinitrophenyl)maleimide (“Tuppy's maleimide”), 2d ; and N‐[3,5‐bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]maleimide, 2e . The highly hindered adducts, 3a‐e , respectively, were extensively characterized by one‐ and two‐dimensional NMR methods, observing proton, carbon‐13 and fluorine‐19. High resolution COSY45 spectra permitted rigorous proton NMR assignments. The 2D heteronuclear C‐H chemical shift correlation spectra (HETCOR, XHCORR) were obtained for adducts 3a‐d , allowing specific assignments for protonated carbons. Corrections to earlier proton NMR assignments for the vinylene carbonate adduct are given; results of the gated decoupling ¹³C NMR experiment for this adduct supported endo adduct stereochemistry. Relative proton chemical shifts for bridgehead phenyls of adduct 3c appeared anomalous relative to other adducts, suggesting possible special anisotropic interactions (with endocyclic sulfur or other anisotropic groups in the product) due to the unusual calculated orientation of the phenyls. The unsubstituted bridgehead phenyls in all adducts were shown to exhibit slow exchange limit (SEL) ¹H and ¹³C spectra on the NMR timescales at ambient temperatures (7 tesla) showing slow rotations about the C(sp³)‐C(aryl sp²) bonds. The rapid rotation of the N‐aryl rings of the maleimide adducts was indicated by fast exchange limit spectra, suggesting that ortho substitution of the N‐aryl ring may be necessary to slow this rotation to the SEL regime. Ab initio geometry optimizations at the Hartree‐Fock level were carried out for each adduct, with the 6‐31G* basis sets. Appreciable geometry differences were seen in calculated structures, and significant NMR chemical shift differences were experimentally observed, depending on the nature of the groups attached to the (Z)‐HC=CH moiety of the dienophiles.     

Direct mass spectrometry of polymers. XIV. Thermal fragmentation processes in poly-schiff bases

The thermal fragmentation processes in poly-Schiff bases have been investigated by direct pyrolysis–mass spectrometry. The mass spectral data show that the thermal fragmentation occurring in the polymers under investigation is characterized by hydrogen transfer reactions. In the case of a totally aromatic poly-Schiff base (polymer I ), the thermal fragmentation process involves hydrogen transfer irom the methyne group with formation of fragments bearing nitrile and/or phenyl end groups. In the case of aromatic-aliphatic poly-Schiff bases (polymers II–IV ), the hydrogen transfer process occurs from the aliphatic methylene groups. The latter process involves a lower energy and therefore occurs at lower temperatures with respect to the totally aromatic polymer I , with formation of thermal fragments bearing olefin and/or imine end groups. Beside these fragments, several thermal fragmentation compounds are also evolved by multiple hydrogen transfer reactions.     

Selenium dioxide oxidation of tetrahydro-β-carboline derivatives

The oxidation of some tetrahydro-β-carboline derivatives with selenium dioxide led to the formation of 1,4-dihydro or fully aromatic β-carbolines, depending on the nature and the number of substituents at 1 position. The oxidation of 2-acetyl derivatives followed a different course and the products originated by the attack at C-1 of the ring C of the tetrahydro-β-carboline were obtained.     

Small Heteroborane Cluster Systems. 6. Mössbauer Effect Study of Iron Substituted Small Metallaborane Clusters

The M?ssbauer effect spectra for a series of small [Fe(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)(x)()] substituted metallaborane complexes are reported, where x = 1 or 2. The pentaborane cage in compounds [Fe(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)(2)B(5)H(7)P(C(6)H(5))(2)] (1), [Fe(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)(2)B(5)H(8)] (2), and [(Fe(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)(2))(2)B(5)H(7)] (3) was found to act as a significantly better donor ligand than the ligands in a comparison group of previously reported [Fe(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)LX] complexes, where L = CO or PPh(3) and X = halide, pseudohalide, or alkyl ligands. These metallaborane complexes were found to most resemble their silyl analogues in M?ssbauer spectral parameters and the electronic distribution around the iron centers. In addition, the M?ssbauer data showed that the [&mgr;-2,3-(P(C(6)H(5))(2)B(5)H(7)](-) ligand was a superior donor to the corresponding unsubstituted [B(5)H(8)](-) ligand. The M?ssbauer spectral results for the metallaborane complexes studied were found to be in general agreement with the anticipated donor and accepting bonding considerations for the cage ligands based upon their infrared and (11)B NMR spectra and X-ray structural features. The M?ssbauer data for the [Fe(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)B(4)H(6)(P(C(6)H(5))(2))] (4) and [Fe(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)B(3)H(7)(P(C(6)H(5))(2))] (5) complexes, in comparison with compound 1, showed that as the borane cage becomes progressively smaller, it becomes a poorer donor ligand. A qualitative relationship was found between the observed M?ssbauer isomer shift data and the number of boron cage vertices for the structurally related [Fe(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)(x)B(y)H(z)P(C(6)H(5))(2)] complexes, where x = 1 or 2, y = 3-5, and z = 6 or 7. The X-ray crystallographic data for compounds 1, 2, 5, and [Fe(eta(5)-C(5)H(5))(CO)B(5)H(8)] (6) were also found to agree with the trends observed in the M?ssbauer spectra which showed that the s-electron density on the iron nucleus increases in the order 5 < 6 < 2 < 1. The X-ray crystal structure of complex 2 is also reported. Crystallographic data for 2: space group P2(1)/c (No. 14, monoclinic), a = 6.084(3) ?, b = 15.045(8) ?, c = 13.449(7) ?, beta = 99.69(5) degrees, V = 1213(1) ?(3), Z = 4 molecules/cell.     

Environmental effects on a prion's helix II domain: copper(II) and membrane interactions with PrP180-193 and its analogues

An abnormal interaction between copper and the prion protein is believed to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. Copper binding has been mainly attributed to the N-terminal domain of the prion protein, but this hypothesis has recently been challenged in some papers which suggest that the C-terminal domain might also compete for metal anchoring. In particular, the segment corresponding to the helix II region of the prion protein, namely PrP180-193, has been shown both to bind copper and to exhibit a copper-enhanced cytotoxicity, as well as to interact with artificial membranes. The present work is aimed at extending these results by choosing the most representative model of this domain and by determining its copper affinity. With this aim, the different role played by the electrostatic properties of the C- and N-termini of PrP180-193 (VNITIKQHTVTTTT) in determining its conformational behaviour, copper coordination and ability to perturb model membranes was investigated. Owing to the low solubility of PrP180-193, its copper affinity was evaluated by using the shorter PrPAc184-188NH2 (IKQHT) analogue as a model. ESI-MS, ESR, UV/Vis, and CD measurements were carried out on the copper(II)/PrPAc184-188NH2 and copper(II)/PrP180-193NH2 systems, and showed that PrPAc184-188NH2 is a reliable model for the metal interaction with the helix II domain. The affinity of copper(II) for the helix II fragment is higher than that for the octarepeat and PrP106-126 peptides. Finally, the different ability of PrP180-193 analogues to perturb the DPPC model membrane was assessed by DSC measurements. The possible biological consequences of these findings are also discussed briefly.     

Fluorinated heterocyclic compounds. An effective strategy for the synthesis of fluorinated Z-oximes of 3-perfluoroalkyl-6-phenyl-2h-1,2,4-triazin-5-ones via a ring-enlargement reaction of 3-benzoyl-5-perfluoroalkyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles and hydrazine

The reaction of 3-benzoyl-5-perfluoroalkyl-1,2,4-oxadiazoles with hydrazine has been investigated, evidencing the possibility of competitive reaction paths. Nucleophilic addition of the hydrazine to the electrophilic C(5) of the 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring, followed by ring opening and ring closure with enlargement, leads with high yield and in very mild experimental conditions to the formation of Z-oximes of 3-perfluoroalkyl-6-phenyl-2H-1,2,4-triazin-5-ones (11a-c) as major products of the reaction. In turn, the hydrazine can attack the electrophilic carbonyl carbon giving 4-perfluoroacylamino-5-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazoles (13a-c) through the well-known Boulton-Katritzky rearrangement of the intermediate hydrazones.     

Endothermic ion molecule reactions

Endothermic ion-molecule reactions in a tandem mass spectrometer have been used for a number of years for determining thermodynamic quantities, such as heats of formation and proton affinities, for gaseous ions. Recently, the reactive, endothermic collision has been exploited as an analytical technique for the structural analysis of peptides and other biomolecules. The technique is based upon the endothermic transfer of protons associated with amide bonds to ammonia. This reaction proceeds via a long-lived collision complex. When additional beam energy is supplied, other dissociation channels are opened up, leading to the production of sequence ions for the mass-selected, protonated analyte that are normally observed in high energy collision-induced dissociation spectra. The advantage, however, is that such spectra can be produced at very low beam energies. In this article, the rationale for developing this scheme, and its roots in previous ion-molecule studies, are explored.