An efficient unnatural base pair for PCR amplification

Expansion of the genetic alphabet by an unnatural base pair system provides a powerful tool for modern biotechnology. As an alternative to previous unnatural base pairs, we have developed a new pair between 7-(2-thienyl)imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine (Ds) and 2-nitropyrrole (Pn), which functions in DNA amplification. Pn more selectively pairs with Ds in replication than another previously reported pairing partner, pyrrole-2-carbaldehyde (Pa). The nitro group of Pn efficiently prevented the mispairing with A. High efficiency and selectivity of the Ds-Pn pair in PCR amplification were achieved by using a substrate mixture of the gamma-amidotriphosphate of Ds and the usual triphosphates of Pn and the natural bases, with Vent DNA polymerase as a 3' to 5' exonuclease-proficient polymerase. After 20 cycles of PCR, the total mutation rate of the Ds-Pn site in an amplified DNA fragment was approximately 1%. PCR amplification of DNA fragments containing the unnatural Ds-Pn pair would be useful for expanded genetic systems in DNA-based biotechnology.     

Apotirucallane and tirucallane triterpenoids from Cedrela sinensis

Nine new triterpenoids, 1-9, were isolated from the cortex of Cedrela sinensis (Meliaceae), together with six known compounds, sapelin E acetate, grandifoliolenone, azadirone, bourjotinolone A, piscidinol A, and hispidol B. The structures of 1-9 were determined by the 2D NMR experiments, chemical methods, and X-ray crystallography.     

Ion-Channel – Mimetic Sensors Based on Self-Assembled Monolayers of Phosphate Esters: High Selectivity for Trivalent Cations

 Gold electrodes were chemically modified with a phosphate ester monolayer designed to mimic biological ion-channel membranes. Cyclic voltammograms of Fe(CN)₆ ³⁻ as electroactive marker were measured in the presence of various types of analyte cations. Whereas in the absence of analyte cations the marker reduction was hindered by electrostatic repulsion between the marker anions and phosphate groups of the receptor monolayer, binding of di-and trications to the monolayer resulted in large increases of the reduction current. Trivalent cations could be detected down to the submicromolar concentration range with excellent selectivities over alkali metal ions. Also divalent cations were well discriminated and similar responses as to trivalent cations were only observed if their concentration exceeded that of the trivalent cations by about two orders of magnitudes. Received August 24, 1998. Revision March 10, 1999.     

Development of an analytical method for beryllium in airborne dust by micellar electrokinetic chromatography

The separation of diacetylacetonato–beryllium [Be(acac)₂] from acetylacetone was achieved with micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) followed by subsequent beryllium analysis carried out using capillary electrophoresis. Analysis using a separation and absorption detector, with a 50 μm capillary cell, could detect approximately 1000 ppb of beryllium in the final sample. Be(acac)₂ is a promising reagent for absorption spectrophotometry, because its molar absorption coefficient, (32 000 l mol⁻¹ cm⁻¹) is very large. As the complex and acetylacetone have a similar absorption wavelength, the excess free ligand must removed from the sample to be measured. Acetylacetone is a weak acid with keto–enol tautomerism in aqueous solution. Acetylacetone and neutral Be(acac)₂ should be separated with capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) using a neutral or basic buffer solution as the mobile phase. Although the pH and temperature of the mobile phase were optimized, separation with CZE was interfered with by a portion of acetylacetone. This interfering portion seems to be a neutral keto-form with the same migration time as Be(acac)₂. As a neutral species separation method, MEKC with sodium dodecyl sulfate was tried and the separation was completed. The optimum pH value and buffer temperature are pH 7.8 and 15°C, respectively.     

Multiple nuclear Bragg scattering

Multiple nuclear resonant scattering from an ⁵⁷FeBO₃ single crystal has been observed in the three-beam case. A change of the lifetime and a modulation of the quantum beat were observed in our study. The high brilliance of synchrotron radiation and the high perfection of the synthetic ⁵⁷FeBO₃ single crystal enabled us to observe such an effect. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Rheological and DSC studies of mixtures of gellan gum and konjac glucomannan

The interaction between gellan gum (GELL) and konjac glucomannan (KGM) with and without sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride and magnesium chloride has been monitored using mechanical spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The rheological results indicated that the synergism occurred at sufficient low temperatures where individual helices of GELL molecules were sufficiently aggregated. With progressive addition of monovalent cations, storage shear modulus G' and loss shear modulus G” for mixtures gradually increased, and not only the helix-coil transition temperature of GELL molecules in mixtures but also the sol-gel transition temperature for mixtures shifted to higher temperatures with increasing concentration of salts. Moreover, in the presence of sufficient monovalent cations, mixtures formed an elastic gel with large thermal hysteresis. In the presence of divalent cations, the synergistic interaction was promoted up to a certain concentration, however, with more progressive addition of divalent cations, the main structure formed by aggregates of GELL helices would be smaller, so that mixtures could not form a gel in the presence of excessive divalent cations. DSC results indicated that the intermolecular binding complexes between GELL and KGM molecules would not occur, but KGM markedly influenced the disorder-order transition of GELL molecules. We have suggested that KGM was attached to the surface of large aggregates of GELL helices, and since cations promote GELL self-aggregation by a screening effect, the synergistic interaction between GELL and KGM was promoted with increasing concentration of salts. However, excessive divalent cations formed various aggregates of GELL helices with different thermal stabilities, so that the phase-separation in GELL/KGM mixtures was promoted in the presence of excessive divalent cations.     

A ferroelectric barium titanate,BaTi2O5

The crystal structure of monobarium dititanium pentaoxide, BaTi₂O₅, synthesized by a floating‐zone method, was studied by X‐ray diffraction. Previous reports describe the structure as being in the monoclinic centrosymmetric space group C2/m. We have recently found that this material exhibits ferroelectricity, and therefore BaTi₂O₅ should have lower symmetry. The crystal structure of BaTi₂O₅ was refined in space group C2, revealing a displacement of the Ti atoms along the b axis. This result is consistent with the fact that the ferroelectricity of BaTi₂O₅ was only observed along the b axis.     

Two new monodesmosidic triterpene saponins from Gypsophila oldhamiana

Two new monodesmosidic triterpene saponins were isolated from the roots of Gypsophila oldhamiana (Caryophyllaceae). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data to be quillaic acid, alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-fucopyranosyl ester (1), and vaccaric acid, beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1-->3)-[beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)]-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-fucopyranosyl ester (2). Compound 1 showed a significant enhancement of granulocyte phagocytosis in vitro.     

In situ hydrogenation of terminal halogen in poly(methyl methacrylate) by ruthenium-catalyzed living radical polymerization: direct transformation of "polymerization catalyst" into "hydrogenation catalyst"

An in situ, selective, and quantitative hydrogenation of the terminal chlorine (alpha-haloester) in living PMMA-Cl into PMMA-H was achieved via direct transformation of a "polymerization catalyst" into a "hydrogenation catalyst" in the Ru(II)-catalyzed living radical polymerization, where the polymerization mixture of MMA was directly treated in situ with K2CO3 as a base and 2-propanol as a hydrogen donor. The reaction terminated the polymerization and, more importantly, the terminal chlorine was quantitatively hydrogenated, as confirmed by SEC, 1H NMR, and MALDI-TOF MS.