Chemical Synthesis,Proton NMR. Parameters,Hydrogen- and Calcium-Ion. Complexation of L-γ-Carboxyglutamyl-L-γ-carboxyglutamic Acid and D-γ-Carboxyglutamyl-L-leucine

The purpose of this communication is to describe the preparation and some properties of the first two synthetic peptides containing D - and L -γ-carboxyglutamic acid. Use was made of N-protected γ,γ′-di-t-butyl-γ-carboxyglutamic acids (D , L , and DL ) described earlier [1 a]. Preliminary ¹H-NMR. data (360 MHz) indicate a restricted rotation of the Gla side chain in the free amino acid as well as in the C-terminal Gla of Gla-Gla in H₂O solution at acid pH. The proton dissociation from Gla and Gla-Gla was studied by potentiometric titration and NMR. methods. The pH titration in the presence of Ca²⁺ ions shows that Gla-Gla has a much higher association constant for this cation than Gla. It is almost as great as that of prothrombin (pCa²⁺ = 3.2 vs. 3.5).     

Metal carbonyl catalysis of carbon monoxide and formate reactions

The water gas shift reaction (CO + H₂O = CO₂+ H₂) is catalyzed by aqueous metal carbonyl systems derived from simple mononuclear carbonyls such as Fe(CO)₅ and M(CO)₆ (M = Cr, Mo, and W) and bases in the 140–200 °C temperature range. The water gas shift reaction in a basic methanol-water solution containing Fe(CO)₅ is first order in [Fe(CO)₅], zero order in [CO], and essentially independent of base concentration and appears to involve an associative mechanism with a metallocarboxylate intermediate [(CO)₄Fe-CO₂H]^–. The water gas shift reactions using M(CO)₆ as catalyst precursors are first order in [M(CO)₆], inverse first order in [CO], and first order in [HCO₂ ^–] and appear to involve a dissociative mechanism with formatometallate intermediates [(CO)₅M-OCHO]^–.The Reppe hydroformylation of ethylene to produce propionaldehyde and 1-propanol in basic solutions containing Fe(CO)₅ occurs at 110–140 °C. This reaction is second order in [Fe(CO)₅], first order in [C₂H₄] up to a saturation pressure >1.5 MPa, and inhibited by [CO]. These experimental results suggest a mechanism where the rate-determining step involves a binuclear iron carbonyl intermediate. The substitution of Et₃N for NaOH as the base facilitates the reduction of propionaldehyde to 1-propanol but results in a slower rate for the overall reaction.The homogeneous photocatalytic decomposition of the formate ion to H₂ and CO₂ in the presence of Cr(CO)₆ appears to be closely related to the water gas shift reaction. The rate of H₂ production from the formate ion exhibits saturation kinetics in the formate ion and is inhibited by added pyridine. The infrared spectra of the catalyst solutions indicate an LCr(CO)₅ intermediate. Photolysis of the Cr(CO)₆/formate system in aqueous methanol in the presence of an aldehyde RCHO (R =n-heptyl,p-tolyl, andp-anisyl) results in catalytic hydrogenation of the aldehyde to the corresponding alcohol RCH₂OH by the formate ion. Detailed kinetic studies onp-tolualdehyde hydrogenation by this method indicates saturation kinetics in formate ion, autoinhibition by thep-tolualdehyde, and a threshold effect for Cr(CO)₆ at concentrations >0.004 mol L^–1. The presence of an aldehyde can interrupt the water gas shift catalytic cycle by interception of an HCr(CO)₅ ^– intermediate by the aldehyde.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 9, pp. 1533–1539, September, 1994.     

Unexpected valence bond isomerization of [1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-c][1,2,4]benzotriazines under flash vacuum pyrolytic (fvp) conditions

Flash vacuum pyrolysis (fvp) of some substituted [1,2,4]triazolo[3,4-c][1,2,4]benzotriazine derivatives (1a-d) has been studied between 450 and 600 °C. The only transformation observed up to 525 °C was the unexpected valence bond isomerization of the angularly fused starting compounds to the isomeric linearly fused [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-b][1,2,4]benzotriazine derivatives (9a-d), whereas at higher temperatures fragmentation products such as aromatic nitriles were also formed. Kinetic measurements revealed negative entropies of activation in the isomerization process, which suggest a concerted ring closure reaction to an intermediate antiaromatic diazirine. Reversibiblity of the title isomerization reaction was also proved by FVP experiments.     

Elucidating Factors Manipulated the Formation of Multiply Charged Protein Homomultimeric Complexes by Electrospray Ionization

Native non‐covalently bonded protein‐protein and protein‐substrate complexes are of great interest and have been extensively studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI‐MS). Multiply charged protein homomultimeric complexes are shown to form by ESI‐MS. This study addresses factors that can artificially induce the formation of multiply charged protein homomultimeric complexes. Cytochrome c (Cyt c) and ubiquitin, which are monomers in solution, were found to generate (Cyt c)_mⁿ⁺ by electrospray ionization (ESI). The homomultimeric complexes were not limited to dimeric complexes but include also multiply charged trimers, tetramers, and pentamers. The observation of these homomultimeric complexes has never been revealed from a Cyt c solution at the concentration as low as 10 μM. Increasing the concentration of Cyt c enhanced the formation of (Cyt c)_mⁿ⁺ as expected; however, the protein concentration does not affect the relative intensities of monomeric and dimeric complexes. Additionally the enrichment of NH₄OH also promotes the formation of (Cyt c)_mⁿ⁺. Notably, source collision‐induced dissociations (source‐CID) of (Cyt c)_mⁿ⁺ alter the charge state distribution (CSD) and may lead to an incorrect interpretation of Cyt c conformations. Hence, extra care should be taken when using CSD to interpret the conformation of a protein derived from ESI‐MS.     

Detection of DNA fragments separated by capillary electrophoresis based on their native fluorescence inside a sheath flow

A scheme for the separation and detection of native DNA fragments in capillary electrophoresis is presented. A UV laser at 275 nm excites the intrinsic fluorescence of the fragments, which is greatly enhanced at pH 2.8. To provide a compatible system, methylcellulose-based size separation is performed at the identical pH. A sheath-flow arrangement isolates the detection region from the linear polymer for a reduced background level. The performance is an order-of-magnitude enhancement in detectability over absorption detection. We also uncovered a selective degradation/ligation process at these pH conditions that may be useful as additional selectivity for DNA characterization.     

Micellar electrokinetic capillary chromatographic separation and laser-induced fluorescence detection of 2'-deoxynucleoside 5'-monophosphates of normal and modified bases

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography is used to separate dansylated nucleotides, both normal and modified species. The high separation power allows detection of minor components present in less than 1 part per thousand of the major components. Laser-excited fluorescence is used to detect the separated components at the 6 x 10(-18) mol level or 10(-9) M injected material. Combined with high-performance liquid chromatographic enrichment prior to labeling, this technique can be used to assess DNA damage in carcinogenesis studies.     

Gold nanoparticle-enhanced surface plasmon resonance measurement with a highly sensitive quantification for human tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2

Two different methods for the quantification of human tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-2 (TIMP-2) were developed using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and gold nanoparticles for signal enhancement. The first method, a competitive assay, used TIMP-2 immobilized to the sensor surface and the inactive form of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (proMMP-2) (EC 3.4.24.24) adsorbed to gold nanoparticles. The sensor signals resulting from the interaction of MMP-2-gold nanoparticles with immobilized TIMP-2 were inversely proportional to the amounts of TIMP-2 of the sample. The measuring range for TIMP-2 was about 15–180 pM. The second method, a one-step sandwich assay, used proMMP-2 immobilized to the sensor surface and an anti-TIMP-2 monoclonal antibody coupled to gold nanoparticles. The lower detection limit of this assay format was 0.5 pM of TIMP-2. The binding signals were highly reproducible up to 100 pM of the inhibitor. The improvements obtained in TIMP-2 quantification over already existing tests could contribute to a better understanding and diagnosis of diseases like cancer.     

HPLC isolation and NMR structure elucidation of the most prominent octabromo isomer in technical octabromo diphenyl ether

The major octabromo isomer of technical octabromo diphenyl ether mixture (technical octaBDE) DE-79 was isolated by RP-HPLC. Three serially coupled columns (each 250 mm long) enabled a good separation of the target compound from other congeners using 100% ACN as eluent. Approximately 100 microg of the target compound was isolated with a purity of >90% and investigated by MS for confirmation of the degree of bromination. 1H-NMR and 2-D 1H-13C correlation NMR spectra unequivocally clarified that the octaBDE in question is 2,2',3,3',4,4',6,6'-octabromodiphenyl ether (BDE 197). Based on annual production rates of technical BDE products (1999/2001), approximately 380 tons of BDE 197 were annually produced which, on the long term, may enter the environment. Compared with other individual BDE congeners, BDE 197 has the seventh highest application rate. Reductive debromination of BDE 197 can lead to four hepta-, 15 hexa-, 23 penta-, and 28 tetra-BDE isomers, respectively. This variety includes all known major BDEs of environmental concern (BDE 47, 85, 99, 100, 153, 154, and 183). The identification of BDE 197 in technical octaBDE DE-79 strongly suggests that research on the environmental fate of BDEs should include this key-BDE congener.     

A photometric detector driven by beta radiation

It was recently found that typical Chromatographic carrier gases such as argon or nitrogen could be used in a modified flame photometric detector for general or selective determination of eluted molecules. The detector was powered not by a flame but by a radioactively stimulated, mild discharge. The luminescence arose from the second positive system of nitrogen (in argon), and various emissions from aroyl-containing molecules (in nitrogen).This study describes experiments that take away not only the flame but also the discharge: The energy that produces the luminescence is derived solely from the beta decay of⁶³Ni. Because of this low power input, the sensitivity of the present beta-driven photometric detector (-PD) is limited to about 25 ppm of nitrogen (in argon), and to about 5 pg/s for benzaldehyde and other well-responding aroyl compounds (in nitrogen). In accordance with mechanisms postulated earlier, other types of molecules do not produce significant responses in the absence of an electrical field.Material taken from doctoral thesis