PHYCOBILIPROTEINS: COMPARISON OF SOLUTION AND SINGLE CRYSTAL FLUORESCENCE FOR C-PHYCOCYANIN AND B-PHYCOERYTHRIN*

Abstract— Trimeric and hexameric solution forms of C-phycocyanin (CPC) from the cyanophyte Agme-nellum quadruplicatum have been isolated and their spectral properties compared to those obtained from single crystals. Although the absorbance peak of a suspension of small C-phycocyanin crystals is red-shifted only 7 nm relative to the solution forms, the single crystal fluorescence is red-shifted 60 nm relative to the solution forms. The crystal fluorescence spectrum exhibits a single peak at LD_max= 708 nm when excited at 514.5 or 530.9 nm and two peaks (LD_max= 661 and 708 nm) when excitation occurs at 568.2 nm. Fluorescence depolarization measurements indicate that extensive energy transfer could occur for both solution and crystal forms with the latter being dependent upon the relative orientation of the crystal with respect to the excitation dipole. Similar results were obtained with B-phycoerythrin (BPE) from the red alga Porphyridium cruentum where the single crystal fluorescence is red-shifted =50nm relative to the solution spectra with two peaks (LD_max= 583 and 617 nm) observed whose relative intensities are dependent on the excitation wavelength (LD_max– 514.5 and 530.9 nm). Single crystal fluorescent lifetimes exhibited considerable shortening relative to that observed for the solution forms. The implications of these results are discussed with respect to the possible relationships of the crystalline structures to the assembly forms present within phycobilisomes.     

Reactions of methylniobium(V) and methyltantalum(V) chlorides with carbodiimides

The chlorides Me_xMCl_5-x, M = Nb, Ta, x = 1, 2, 3 react with carbodiimides RNCNR (R = isopropyl, cyclohexyl, p-tolyl) to give products of the types MCl₄[NR-C(Me)=NR], MeMCl₃[NR-C(Me)=NR], MCl₃[NR-C(Me)=NR]₂, Me₂MCl₂[NR-C(Me)=NR], MeMCl₂[NR-C(Me)=NR]₂, which cóntain bidentate acetamidine groups arising from insertion of the carbodiimide into the metal-carbon bond. The products have been characterised by elemental analysis IR and proton NMR spectra.     

Volume and compressibility changes of complex formation between 18-Crown-6 and NaCl,KCl, and CsCl in water

The apparent molal volumes and compressibilities of NaCl, KCl, and CsCl in mixtures of 18-Crown-6 and water have been calculated from density and speed-of-sound measurements at 25°C. The partial molal volumes and compressibilities of the salts when all cations have formed complexes with 18-Crown-6 molecules have been evaluated. The sign and magnitude of the volume and compressibility changes of complex formation strongly suggest that the charge of the cation becomes very effectively screened by the crown ether.     

Preparation and use of 18-fluorine labelled inorganic compounds

2,2,6,6-Tetrakis(trifluoromethyl)-5,6-dihydro-2H-1,3,5-oxadiazines 3 on thermolysis undergo a retro Diels Alder reaction. On elimination of hexafluoroacetone 2 4,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-diazabuta-1,3-dienes are formed, which are transformed into 4,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-3,4-dihydro-quinazolines 6, 4,4-bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,4-dihydro-1,3,5-triazines 11, and hexahydro-1,3,5-triazines 20, respectively, depending on the substituents present at the heterodiene skeleton.     

Metallacycloalkanes: I. Preparation and characterisation of α,α′-bipyridyl-5-nickela-3,3,7,7-tetramethyl-trans-tricyclo[4.1.0.02,4]heptane

Oxidative addition of 2 molecules of 3,3-dimethylcyclopropene (I) to α,α′-bipyridyl(1,5-cyclooctadiene)nickel(0) (III) gave the title compound (IV) in over 90% yield. Complex IV was characterized by mass, ¹H NMR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Its structure was determined by X-ray diffraction (a 13.7081(2), b 14.638(2), c 9.5139(1) Å, β 110.82(1)°, C2/c, R = 0.05 for 1614 reflections).     

Synthesis and antiinflammatory activity of the sulfoxides of 4-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl] - 3,4- dihydro- 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-3-phenyl-2H-1,4-benzothiazine

Oxidation of 4-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-3,4-dihydro-2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-3-phenyl-2H-1,4-benzothiazine, hydrochloride (I) with hydrogen peroxide yielded a mixture of two sulfoxides (II). Since this mixture exhibited antiinflammatory activity, the two components (Isomers A and B) were prepared in purified form by oxidation of I with N-chlorosuccinimide and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. Isomer A was more potent than Isomer B in the carrageenin-induced edema test.     

Dynamic behaviour of river colloidal and dissolved organic matter through cross-flow ultrafiltration system

Through cross-flow filtration (CFF) with a 1-kDa regenerated cellulose Pellicon 2 module, the ultrafiltration characteristics of river organic matter from Longford Stream, UK, were investigated. The concentration of organic carbon (OC) in the retentate in the Longford Stream samples increased substantially with the concentration factor (cf), reaching approximately 40 mg/L at cf 15. The results of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and colloidal organic carbon (COC) analysis, tracking the isolation of colloids from river waters, show that 2 mg/L of COC was present in those samples and good OC mass balance (77-101%) was achieved. Fluorescence measurements were carried out for the investigation of retentate and permeate behaviour of coloured dissolved organic materials (CDOM). The concentrations of CDOM in both the retentate and permeate increased with increasing cf, although CDOM were significantly more concentrated in the retentate. The permeation model expressing the correlation between log[CDOM] in the permeate and logcf was able to describe the permeation behaviour of CDOM in the river water with regression coefficients (r(2)) of 0.94 and 0.98. Dry weight analysis indicated that the levels of organic colloidal particles were from 49 to 71%, and between 29 and 51% of colloidal particles present were inorganic. COC as a percentage of DOC was found to be 10-16% for Longford Stream samples.     

Identification of inhibitors for UDP-galactopyranose mutase

The flavoenzyme uridine 5'-diphosphate (UDP)-galactopyranose mutase (UGM) plays a key role in the cell wall biosynthesis of many pathogens, including Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Using a synthetic fluorescent ligand, we screened 16 000 compounds in a fluorescence polarization assay. Effective inhibitors of UGM were identified.     

Isothiazoles XI. Diels-alder adducts of 4-isothiazolin-3-one 1-oxides and 1,1-dioxides

4-Isothiazolin-3-one 1-oxides and 1,1-dioxides react with a variety of cyclic and acyclic dienes to afford cycloaddition products.     

Functionalization of substituted 2-(1H)pyridones. II. Synthetic pathways to c-6 modified 3-cyano- and 3-carboxy-2-(1H)pyridones from a common precursor

Starting from readily available 1,2-dihydro-6-methyl-2-oxo-3-pyridinecarbonitrile, 1, viable synthetic pathways to a number of C-6 functionalized 1,2-dihydro-2-oxo-3-pyridinecarbonitriles and corresponding acids are presented. Through the utilization of dianion chemistry, the C-6 methyl substituent is selectively functionalized to three different oxidation levels.