IPET:测定独个生物大分子三维空间结构的实验方法

蛋白质的动态特性和结构活性对于蛋白质功能的调控具有根本意义。传统的结构确定方法(包括X射线和电子显微镜单颗粒分析技术等)往往需要成千上万不同蛋白质分子的平均信号,因此难以确定蛋白质分子的动态结构。而电子显微断层成像技术是一种对独个生物个体结构从不同的观测角度照相、并计算来恢复该个体的三维结构密度图的方法。传统的冷冻电子断层成像重构方法采用整个大尺寸电镜图像进行重构计算,通常用来研究细菌、细胞切片等大尺寸生物个体在较低分辨率下的结构;由于分辨率的限制,不足以获得小尺寸的蛋白质分子的结构细节。最近,任罡研究小组提出一种独个生物颗粒的电子显微断层成像方法(individual-particle electron tomography,IPET)。该方法通过减小图像尺寸(直至所选区域只包含单个蛋白质分子)的策略,运用提出的FETR(focused electron tomography reconstruction)算法来提高独个大分子重构的分辨率。此方法不需要初始模型和大量分子的平均信号,同时能够容忍一定的测角误差。本文综述了IPET/FETR方法在确定独个分子结构过程中的具体步骤以及如何应用该方法来研究蛋白动态特性和结构变化特征。期望通过该综述和国内同行交流,分享最新的前沿研究,为赶超世界科技前沿的建设添砖加瓦。     

Optimization of microwave‐assisted extraction for anthocyanins,polyphenols, and antioxidants from raspberry (Rubus Coreanus Miq.) using response surface methodology

Anthocyanins (Acys), polyphenols, and antioxidants were extracted from raspberry (Rubus Coreanus Miq.) using a highly efficient microwave‐assisted extraction technique. Different solvents, including methanol, ethanol, and acetone, were tested. The colors of the extracts varied from light yellow to purple red or dark red. SEM and other nutrient analyses verified that ethanol was the most favorable medium for the microwave‐assisted extraction of raspberry due to its high output and low toxicity. Effects of process parameters, including microwave power, irradiation time, and solvent concentration, were investigated through response surface methodology. Canonical analysis estimated that the highest total Acys content, total polyphenols content, and antioxidant activity of raspberry were 17.93 mg cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside equivalents per gram dry weight, 38.57 mg gallic acid equivalents per gram dry weight, and 81.24%, respectively. The polyphenol compositions of raspberry extract were identified by HPLC with diode array detection, and nine kinds of polyphenols were identified and quantified, revealing that chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, and rutin are the major polyphenols contained in raspberry fruits. Compared with other fruits and vegetables, raspberry contains higher Acy and polyphenol contents with stronger antioxidant activity, suggesting that raspberry fruits are a good source of natural food colorants and antioxidants.     

Ligand‐Functionalization of BPEI‐Coated YVO4:Bi3+,Eu3+ Nanophosphors for Tumor‐Cell‐Targeted Imaging Applications

In this study, surface‐functionalized, branched polyethylenimine (BPEI)‐modified YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ nanocrystals (NCs) were successfully synthesized by a simple, rapid, solvent‐free hydrothermal method. The BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ NCs with high crystallinity show broad‐band excitation in the λ=250 to 400 nm near‐ultraviolet (NUV) region and exhibit a sharp‐line emission band centered at λ=619 nm under excitation at λ=350 nm. The surface amino groups contributed by the capping agent, BPEI, not only improve the dispersibility and water/buffer stability of the BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ NCs, but also provide a capability for specifically targeted biomolecule conjugation. Folic acid (FA) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were further attached to the BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ NCs and exhibited effective positioning of fluorescent NCs toward the targeted folate receptor overexpressed in HeLa cells or EGFR overexpressed in A431 cells with low cytotoxicity. These results demonstrate that the ligand‐functionalized, BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺, Eu³⁺ NCs show great potential as a new‐generation biological luminescent bioprobe for bioimaging applications. Moreover, the unique luminescence properties of BPEI‐coated YVO₄:Bi³⁺,Eu³⁺ NCs show potential to combine with a UVA photosensitizing drug to produce both detective and therapeutic effects for human skin cancer therapy.     

Vitrifolin A: A Norlabdane Diterpenoid from the Fruits of Vitex trifolia Linn. var. simplicifolia Cham

A new norlabdane diterpenoid, named vitrifolin A, was isolated from the fruits of Vitex trifolia Linn. var. simplicifolia Cham. Its structure was elucidated by mean of spectroscopic methods, including HRESIMS, IR, 1D and 2D NMR. The inhibitory effect of vitrifolin A on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccarideactivated mouse macrophages was also evaluated.     

Oxidant Effect of H2O2 for the Syntheses of Quinoline Derivatives via One-Pot Reaction of Aniline and Aldehyde

A convenient one-pot method for the synthesis of substituted quinolines via the reaction of aniline and aldehyde in the presence of a Lewis acid (AlCl₃) and an oxidant (H₂O₂) has been developed. Hydrogen peroxide was found to promote the reaction by its function as a hydrogen hunter, hindering the formation of by-product N-alkylaniline. The effect of the oxidant on the yield and selectivity was studied. When the molar ratio of aniline, n-butyraldehyde, and H₂O₂ was 1:3:0.5 at 25 °C, the yield of 3-ethyl-2-propylquinoline was improved from 64% (reaction without H₂O₂) to 84% (with H₂O₂), and the quinoline selectivity was improved to almost 100%. Moreover, the reaction time was obviously reduced. The substituent effect was also investigated in this work.     

Extraction Separation of BSA in Aqueous Two-Phase Systems of Anionic and Cationic Surfactant Mixtures

Aqueous two-phase systems (ATPS) are formed in mixtures of sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB), and sodium bromide (NaBr). Two different kinds of ATPS appear when CTAB and SDS surfactants are in excess, respectively. Such ATPS may provide a new, useful partitioning system for separation of bovine serum albumin (BSA). The partitioning of BSA was studied in these systems. The results show that the partitioning is affected by the electrical property, the hydrophobicity and the structure of liquid crystal (LC), which exists in the top phase of the ATPS. BSA is extracted into the top phase with higher distribution coefficient when LC and BSA are oppositely charged. The hydrophobicity of LC, which can be improved by increasing the length of alkyl group, enhances the distribution coefficient. The hydrophobicity of lamellar LC and hexagonal LC is stronger than that of cubic LC, which causes extractive capability of the former is higher than the latter.     

Study of Cl−(H2O)n (n = 1–4) using basin‐hopping method coupled with density functional theory

Cl^?(H₂O)_n (n = 1–4) clusters were investigated using a basin‐hopping (BH) algorithm coupled with density functional theory (DFT). Structures, energetics, thermodynamics, vertical detachment energies, and vibrational frequencies were obtained from high‐level ab initio calculations. Through comparisons with previous theoretical and experimental data, it was demonstrated that the combination of the BH method and DFT could accurately predict the global and local minima of Cl^?(H₂O)_n (n = 1–4). Additionally, to optimize larger Cl^?(H₂O)_n (n > 4) clusters, several popular density functionals as well as DF‐LMP2 (Schütz et al., J. Chem. Phys. 2004, 121, 737) (second‐order Møller‐Plesset perturbation theory using local and density fitting approximations) were tested with appropriate basis sets through comparisons with MP2 optimized results. DF‐LMP2 will be used in future studies because its overall performance in describing the relative binding energies and the geometrical parameters of Cl^?(H₂O)_n (n = 1–4) was outstanding in this study. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Broadband spin‐controlled focusing via logarithmic‐spiral nanoslits of varying width

This work presents analytical, numerical and experimental demonstrations of light diffracted through a logarithmic spiral (LS) nanoslit, which forms a type of switchable and focus‐tunable structure. Owing to a strong dependence on the incident photon spin, the proposed LS‐nanoslit converges incoming light of opposite handedness (to that of the LS‐nanoslit) into a confined subwavelength spot, while it shapes light with similar chirality into a donut‐like intensity profile. Benefitting from the varying width of the LS‐nanoslit, different incident wavelengths interfere constructively at different positions, i.e., the focal length shifts from 7.5 μm (at λ = 632.8 nm) to 10 μm (at λ = 488 nm), which opens up new opportunities for tuning and spatially separating broadband light at the micrometer scale.

     

CoMn@NC催化5-羟甲基糠醛常压氧化为2, 5-呋喃二甲酸二甲酯

2, 5-呋喃二甲酸二甲酯(DMFDCA)这一生物质衍生的增值化学品是石油基聚合物单体对苯二甲酸(TPA)的理想替代品。本研究采用一步共热解法合成了两种廉价金属修饰的氮掺杂多孔碳催化剂CoMn@NC,并将其用于5-羟甲基糠醛(HMF)在温和条件下的需氧氧化。由Co₃Mn₂@NC-800催化HMF在50 ℃和常压氧气的条件下反应12 h后,得到产率为85%的DMFDCA。多孔催化剂的高比表面积提高了传质效率。Co纳米粒子(NPs)和呈原子级分散的Mn与掺杂在碳中的氮配位形成M―N_x。富含吡啶氮的碳基体中的缺电子金属位点有利于HMF和氧的活化。氧形成的超氧自由基阴离子的存在确保了半缩醛中间体和5-(羟基甲基)-2-糠酸甲酯(HMMF)的羟甲基的脱氢氧化,从而高选择性得到DMFDCA。该催化剂性能稳定,可适用于各种取代芳醇。该催化体系具有用于生产聚合物单体羧基酯的应用潜力。