High-frequency (140-GHz) time domain EPR and ENDOR spectroscopy: the tyrosyl radical-diiron cofactor in ribonucleotide reductase from yeast

High-frequency pulsed EPR and ENDOR have been employed to characterize the tyrosyl radical (Y*)-diiron cofactor in the Y2-containing R2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR) from yeast. The present work represents the first use of 140-GHz time domain EPR and ENDOR to examine this system and demonstrates the capabilities of the method to elucidate the electronic structure and the chemical environment of protein radicals. Low-temperature spin-echo-detected EPR spectra of yeast Y* reveal an EPR line shape typical of a tyrosyl radical; however, when compared with the EPR spectra of Y* from E. coli RNR, a substantial upfield shift of the g(1)-value is observed. The origin of the shift in g(1) was investigated by 140-GHz (1)H and (2)H pulsed ENDOR experiments of the Y2-containing subunit in protonated and D(2)O-exchanged buffer. (2)H ENDOR spectra and simulations provide unambiguous evidence for one strongly coupled (2)H arising from a bond between the radical and an exchangeable proton of an adjacent residue or a water molecule. Orientation-selective 140-GHz ENDOR spectra indicate the direction of the hydrogen bond with respect to the molecular symmetry axes and the bond length (1.81 A). Finally, we have performed saturation recovery experiments and observed enhanced spin lattice relaxation rates of the Y* above 10 K. At temperatures higher than 20 K, the relaxation rates are isotropic across the EPR line, a phenomenon that we attribute to isotropic exchange interaction between Y* and the first excited paramagnetic state of the diiron cluster adjacent to it. From the activation energy of the rates, we determine the exchange interaction between the two irons of the cluster, J(exc) = -85 cm(-)(1). The relaxation mechanism and the presence of the hydrogen bond are discussed in terms of the differences in the structure of the Y*-diiron cofactor in yeast Y2 and other class I R2s.     

Fine characterization of the ethylene and ethane sorption in poly(amide 12-block-tetramethylenoxide) copolymer/AgBF4 membranes

Ethylene/ethane sorption characteristics were determined for dry Pebax™ (poly(amide 12-block-tetramethylenoxide) copolymer)/AgBF₄ membranes by using an electronic microbalance. The membranes containing 0.7 and 22 wt.% AgBF₄ showed a dual-mode sorption isotherm. The ethane isotherms for all the membranes were of the Henry-type, which is the normal sorption for gases in rubbery polymers. The abnormal presence of Langmuir sorption sites only for ethylene in the rubbery copolymer, never reported sofar, is attributed to the silver-based specific complexation sites. The silver salt which dissolved in limited amounts in the rubbery copolymer had a much smaller Langmuir sorption capacity than the salt that crystallized in the copolymer. The sorption kinetics indicate that the crystallized salt did adsorb slowly ethylene according to a zeroth-order kinetics, but not ethane. The gas uptake kinetics resulting from a step of the pressure surrounding the copolymer exhibited one stage for ethane but two stages for ethylene. For the latter, there was first a fast Fickian sorption stage, then a drift of the zeroth-order sorption of ethylene on salt crystals, which contributes for a large part to the total uptake. The zeroth-order sorption suggests that the sorbed ethylene amount in the second-stage is independent of the crystal-surface coverage. The value of the Fickian diffusion coefficient calculated by fitting the kinetics with a solution of the second Fick’s law was 5 × 10⁻¹² m²/s for both ethylene (the first stage) and ethane, and is typical for small organic compounds in a rubbery material.     

From D-glucose to biologically potent L-hexose derivatives: synthesis of alpha-L-iduronidase fluorogenic detector and the disaccharide moieties of bleomycin A2 and heparan sulfate

A novel and convenient route for the synthesis of biologically potent and rare L-hexose derivatives from D-glucose is described. Conversion of diacetone-alpha-D-glucose (14) into 1,2:3,5-di-O-isopropylidene-beta-L-idofuranose (19) was efficiently carried out in two steps. Orthogonal isopropylidene rearrangement of compound 19 led to 1,2:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-beta-L-idofuranose (27), which underwent regioselective epimerization at the C3 position to give the L-talo- and 3-functionalized L-idofuranosyl derivatives. Hydrolysis of compound 19 under acidic conditions furnished 1,6-anhydro-beta-L-idopyranose (35) in excellent yield, which was successfully transformed into the corresponding L-allo, L-altro, L-gulo, and L-ido derivatives via regioselective benzylation, benzoylation, triflation and nucleophilic substitution as the key steps. Applications of these 1,6-anhydro-beta-L-hexopyranoses as valuable building blocks to the syntheses of 4-methylcoumarin-7-yl-alpha-L-iduronic acid and the disaccharide moieties of bleomycin A(2) as well as heparan sulfate are highlighted.     

Gas-phase derivatization of [C3H5]+ ions using tandem mass spectrometry methods A13C labelling study

The study of specifically ¹³C-labelled precursors sheds further light on the gas-phase chemistry of allyl and 2-propenyl cations. It is demonstrated that both species are formed from allyl and 2-propenyl bromide upon 70 eV electron impact ionization without skeletal reorganization. Gas-phase derivatization of the [C₃ H₅]⁺ ions with benzene facilitates, as suggested and observed earlier, the distinction of the two isomers using collision-induced dissociation of the Wheland complexes (or isomers thereof). The ¹³C labelling data clearly demonstrate that 64% of allyl cations survive the derivatization while 36% isomerize to 2-phenylpropyl cations; the latter are also formed via the reaction of 2-propenyl cation with benzene, protonation of α-methylstyrene and water loss from protonated 2-phenyl-2-propanol, respectively. Unimolecular loss of C₂H₄ from protonated allylbenzene proceeds via two competing reaction channels: one involves heterolysis of 1-phenylpropyl cations (～30%); the major pathway (～70%), however, involves decomposition via propylene benzenium ions.     

Theoretical and experimental reevaluation of the basicity of lambda3-phosphinine

We have investigated the basicity of phosphinine (C5H5P, phosphabenzene) in reevaluating its proton affinity (PA) and gas-phase basicity (GB) and the pK(a) value of its protonated form. As a necessary step, we have first determined its gas-phase proton affinity. Using both mass spectrometric and quantum chemical methods, we have obtained the values PA(C5H5P) = 195.8 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1) and GB(298)(C5H5P) = 188.1 +/- 1.0 kcal mol(-1), in good agreement with previous results. We then derived a value of pK(a)(C5H6P+) = -16.1 +/- 1.0 in aqueous solution using three different approaches: the latter markedly differs from the currently available value of -10. The reason for such a discrepancy in the pK(a) of protonated phosphinine in solution is discussed. In the theoretical determination of PAs, evaluation of the basis set superposition error (BSSE) showed that this effect is quite small, being 0.1-0.2 kcal mol(-1) for phosphinine, when a density functional theory (DFT) method in conjunction with a large basis set were used.     

三元无规芳—脂族聚酯酰胺的热致液晶行为

采用低湿溶液缩聚的方法合成了对苯二甲酰氯，二甲基联苯胺和己二醇为单体的芳酯族液晶聚酯酰胺。用ＤＳＣ，Ｘ光衍射分析和偏光显微镜等手段研究了该系列聚酯酰胺的热致液晶行为，确认了二甲基联苯胺单体用量在２０％（ｍｏｌ）的情况下，所得聚酯酰胺仍为向列型液晶聚合物。由于聚酯酰胺分子间聚酰胺链段之间的氢键作用，随着二甲基联苯胺用量增加至６０ｍｏｌ％时，所得的聚酯酰胺己无液晶转变温度，其液晶区间即从熔融温度直至分     

1H and 13C NMR characterization of hemiamidal isoniazid-NAD(H) adducts as possible inhibitors of InhA reductase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Isoniazid (INH) is easily oxidized with manganese(III) pyrophosphate, a chemical model of the KatG protein involved in activation of INH inside the bacteria Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Performed in the presence of NAD(+), this oxidation generates a family of isomeric INH-NAD(H) adducts, which have been shown to be effective inhibitors of InhA, an enzyme essential in mycolic acid biosynthesis. In this work, we fully characterized by (1)H and (13)C NMR spectroscopy four main species of INH-NAD(H) adducts that coexist in solution. Two of them are open diastereoisomers consisting of the covalent attachment of the isonicotinoyl radical at position four of the nicotinamide coenzyme. The other two result from a cyclization involving the amide group from the nicotinamide and the carbonyl group from the isonicotinoyl radical to give diastereoisomeric hemiamidals. Although an INH-NAD(H) adduct with a 4S configuration has been characterized within the active site of InhA from Xray crystallography and this bound adduct interpreted as an open form (Rozwarski et al., Science 1998, 279, 98-102), it is legitimate to raise the question about the effective active form(s), open or cyclic, of INH-NAD(H) adduct(s). Is there a single active form or are several forms able to inhibit the InhA activity with different levels of inhibitory potency?     

A study of methylation of inorganic tin by iodomethane in an aquatic environment with 13C carbon isotope tracer technique

The methylation of tin(II) [Sn(II)] by iodomethane (CH₃I) under environmental conditions has been further demonstrated by a ¹³C carbon isotope tracer method. Methylation products are mainly monomethyltin, and very small amounts of dimethyltin. The reaction of Sn(II) and CH₃I was investigated at pH 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and salinity (S) 8, 15, 22, 28, 35%; it has been found the reaction was affected by pH and salinity, the tin methylation activity being highest at about pH 6 and S = 28% . The methylation reaction is first-order for both CH₃I and Sn(II), and the rate equation has been obtained as follows: .     

Photoactivation of pheophorbide a induces a mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis in Jurkat leukaemia cells

The mechanism of cell death by pheophorbide a (Pba) which has been established to be a potential photosensitizer was examined in experimental photodynamic therapy (PDT) on Jurkat cells, a human lymphoid tumor cell line. In 30-60 min after irradiation, Pba treated cells exhibited apoptotic features including membrane blebbing and DNA fragmentation. Pba/PDT caused a rapid release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol. Sequentially, activation of caspase-3 and the cleavage of poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) were followed. Meanwhile, no evidence of activation of caspase-8 was indicated in the cells. In experiments with caspase inhibitors, it was found that caspase-3 alone was sufficient initiator for the Pba-induced apoptosis of the cells. Pba specific emission spectra were confirmed in the mitochondrial fraction and the light irradiation caused a rapid change in its membrane potential. Thus, mitochondria were entailed as the crucial targets for Pba as well as a responsible component for the cytochrome c release to initiate apoptotic pathways. Taken together, it was concluded that the mode of Jurkat cell death by Pba/PDT is an apoptosis, which is initiated by mitochondrial cytochrome c release and caspase-3-pathways.     

Synthesis of coumarins by ring-closing metathesis using Grubbs’ catalyst

A novel generally applicable synthesis of coumarins from phenolic substrates utilizing ring-closing metathesis is described. This sequence involves O-allylation of phenols followed by ortho-Claisen rearrangement, subsequent based-induced isomerization affording 2-(1-propenyl)phenols, acylation with acryloyl chloride, and finally ring-closing metathesis (RCM) with Grubbs’ second generation catalyst.