Optimized Culture Conditions for the Efficient Production of Porcine Adenylate Kinase in Recombinant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Temperature shift cultivations with amino acid supplementation were optimized to produce porcine adenylate kinase (ADK) in recombinant Escherichia coli harboring a pUC-based recombinant plasmid under the control of the trp promoter. With regard to temperature control, the culture condition was initially maintained at 35 °C for cellular growth, but ADK expression was suppressed until the late logarithmic growth phase; subsequently, a temperature shift was applied (from 35 °C to 42 °C), which resulted in maximal ADK production. In addition, supplementation of amino acids, especially valine and leucine, during the temperature shift stimulated ADK expression from 3.5% to 9.2% and 8.6% of the total protein, respectively. After optimization, 1 g ADK per liter was produced within 16 h of cultivation with a dry cell weight of 21.8 g/l. In this system, there was no loss of the recombinant plasmid during cultivation without selective pressure.     

Stable mesoscopic dye-sensitized solar cells based on tetracyanoborate ionic liquid electrolyte

A stable dye-sensitized solar cell has been obtained based on a new binary ionic liquid electrolyte system containing 1-propyl-3-methylimidazolium iodide and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetracyanoborate.     

Copolymer Microstructure by High-Resolution NMR Studies

The monomer and configurational sequences of several radical copolymers between substituted styrenes and acrylates have been examined by analyzing the high-resolution NMR spectra with the previously reported treatment of the styrene-methyl methacrylate system. The analyses have led to the conclusion that the monomer sequence distribution is just as expected from the usual copolymerization theory with r ₁ and r ₂.     

Negative Coulomb drag in coupled wire and quantum dot system

We measure the Coulomb drag between parallel split-gate quantum wires with a quantum dot embedded in one of the two wires (drive wire). We observe negative Coulomb drag when a Coulomb oscillation peak appears in the drive wire and the conductance of the other wire (drag wire) is slightly below the first plateau. This indicates that correlation holes are dragged in the drag wire by single electron tunneling through the quantum dot in the drive wire. The drag is only promoted in the drag wire near the barrier regions of the dot, and low compressibility of the drag wire is necessary for the negative drag to occur.     

Molecular states observed in a single pair of strongly coupled self-assembled InAs quantum dots

Molecular states in a single pair of strongly coupled self-assembled InAs quantum dots are investigated using a sub-micron sized single-electron transistor containing just a few pairs of coupled InAs dots embedded in a GaAs matrix. We observe a series of well-formed Coulomb diamonds with charging energy of less than 5 meV, which are much smaller than those reported previously. This is because electrons are occupied in molecular states, which are spread over both dots and occupy a large volume. In the measurement of ground and excited state single-electron transport spectra with a magnetic field, we find that the electrons are sequentially trapped in symmetric and anti-symmetric states. This result is well explained by numerical calculation using an exact diagonalization method.     

Aharonov-Bohm oscillations changed by indirect interdot tunneling via electrodes in parallel-coupled vertical double quantum dots

Aharonov-Bohm (AB) oscillations are studied for a parallel-coupled vertical double quantum dot with a common source and drain electrode. We observe AB oscillations of current via a one-electron bonding state as the ground state and an antibonding state as the excited state. As the center gate voltage becomes more negative, the oscillation period is clearly halved for both the bonding and antibonding states, and the phase changes by half a period for the antibonding state. This result can be explained by a calculation that takes account of the indirect interdot coupling via the two electrodes.     

X‐ray Crystallography and Vibrational Spectroscopy Reveal the Key Determinants of Biocatalytic Dihydrogen Cycling by [NiFe] Hydrogenases

[NiFe] hydrogenases are complex model enzymes for the reversible cleavage of dihydrogen (H₂). However, structural determinants of efficient H₂ binding to their [NiFe] active site are not properly understood. Here, we present crystallographic and vibrational‐spectroscopic insights into the unexplored structure of the H₂‐binding [NiFe] intermediate. Using an F₄₂₀‐reducing [NiFe]‐hydrogenase from Methanosarcina barkeri as a model enzyme, we show that the protein backbone provides a strained chelating scaffold that tunes the [NiFe] active site for efficient H₂ binding and conversion. The protein matrix also directs H₂ diffusion to the [NiFe] site via two gas channels and allows the distribution of electrons between functional protomers through a subunit‐bridging FeS cluster. Our findings emphasize the relevance of an atypical Ni coordination, thereby providing a blueprint for the design of bio‐inspired H₂‐conversion catalysts.