Femtomolar Zn(II) affinity in a peptide-based ligand designed to model thiolate-rich metalloprotein active sites

Metal-ligand interactions are critical components of metalloprotein assembly, folding, stability, electrochemistry, and catalytic function. Research over the past 3 decades on the interaction of metals with peptide and protein ligands has progressed from the characterization of amino acid-metal and polypeptide-metal complexes to the design of folded protein scaffolds containing multiple metal cofactors. De novo metalloprotein design has emerged as a valuable tool both for the modular synthesis of these complex metalloproteins and for revealing the fundamental tenets of metalloprotein structure-function relationships. Our research has focused on using the coordination chemistry of de novo designed metalloproteins to probe the interactions of metal cofactors with protein ligands relevant to biological phenomena. Herein, we present a detailed thermodynamic analysis of Fe(II), Co(II), Zn(II), and[4Fe-4S]2(+/+) binding to IGA, a 16 amino acid peptide ligand containing four cysteine residues, H2N-KLCEGG-CIGCGAC-GGW-CONH2. These studies were conducted to delineate the inherent metal-ion preferences of this unfolded tetrathiolate peptide ligand as well as to evaluate the role of the solution pH on metal-peptide complex speciation. The [4Fe-4S]2(+/+)-IGA complex is both an excellent peptide-based synthetic analogue for natural ferredoxins and is flexible enough to accommodate mononuclear metal-ion binding. Incorporation of a single ferrous ion provides the FeII-IGA complex, a spectroscopic model of a reduced rubredoxin active site that possesses limited stability in aqueous buffers. As expected based on the Irving-Williams series and hard-soft acid-base theory, the Co(II) and Zn(II) complexes of IGA are significantly more stable than the Fe(II) complex. Direct proton competition experiments, coupled with determinations of the conditional dissociation constants over a range of pH values, fully define the thermodynamic stabilities and speciation of each MII-IGA complex. The data demonstrate that FeII-IGA and CoII-IGA have formation constant values of 5.0 x 10(8) and 4.2 x 10(11) M-1, which are highly attenuated at physiological pH values. The data also evince that the formation constant for ZnII-IGA is 8.0 x 10(15) M-1, a value that exceeds the tightest natural protein Zn(II)-binding affinities. The formation constant demonstrates that the metal-ligand binding energy of a ZnII(S-Cys)4 site can stabilize a metalloprotein by -21.6 kcal/mol. Rigorous thermodynamic analyses such as those demonstrated here are critical to current research efforts in metalloprotein design, metal-induced protein folding, and metal-ion trafficking.     

Cooperativity in ionic liquids

Cooperativity in ionic liquids is investigated by means of static quantum chemical calculations. Larger clusters of the dimethylimidazolium cation paired with a chloride anion are calculated within density functional theory combined with gradient corrected functionals. Tests of the monomer unit show that density functional theory performs reasonably well. Linear chain and ring aggregates have been considered and geometries are found to be comparable with liquid phase structures. Cooperative effects occur when the total energy of the oligomer differs from a simple sum of monomer energies. Cooperative effects have been found in the structural motifs examined. A systematic study of linear chains of increasing length (up to nine monomer units) has shown that cooperativity plays a more important role than expected and is stronger than in water. The Cl...H distance of the chloride to the most acidic proton increases with an increasing number of monomer units. The average bond distance approaches 218.9 pm asymptotically. The dipole moment grows almost linearly and the dipole moment per monomer unit reaches the asymptotic value of 16.3 D. The charge on the chloride atoms decreases with an increasing chain length. In order to detect local hydrogen bonding in the clusters a new parametrization of the shared-electron number method is introduced. We find decreasing hydrogen bond energies with an increasing cluster size for both the first hydrogen bond to the most acidic proton and the average hydrogen bond.     

Advantages of deuterium-labelled mixed triacylglycerol in studies of intraluminal fat digestion

The (13)C-mixed triacylglcerol (MTG, 1,3-distearyl, 2-[1-(13)C]octanoyl glycerol) breath test is a non-invasive measure of intraluminal fat digestion. Recovery of (13)C in breath CO(2) is incomplete (<50%) owing to sequestration of (13)C into organic molecules via the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. In addition lack of knowledge of CO(2) production rate (VCO(2)) during the test leads to errors in the calculated percentage dose recovered (PDR). (2)H sequestration into organic molecules is low ( approximately 4%) and is not influenced by factors that affect VCO(2) such as food intake or physical activity. After oxidation of (2)H-labelled macromolecules, the label appears in body water, which can be sampled non-invasively in urine or saliva. After an overnight fast, two healthy adults consumed [(2)H]MTG (1,3-distearyl, 2-[(2)H(15)]octanoyl glycerol) and [(13)C]MTG (1,3 distearyl, 2-[1-(13)C]octanoyl glycerol) simultaneously. Total body water (TBW) was measured by (18)O dilution and also estimated from height and weight. Urine and saliva were sampled at baseline and for 10 h after consumption of the test meal. The abundance of (2)HOH and H(2) (18)O in urine and saliva was measured by continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. Cumulative PDR of (2)H and (18)O was calculated from the plateau enrichment, which was reached by 6 h in both saliva and urine. Recovery of (2)H calculated using measured TBW was compared with that using an estimated value of TBW. Mean recovery of (2)H in saliva was 99.3% and in urine was 96.4%. Errors introduced by estimating TBW were <5%. [(2)H]MTG could provide a simpler, more robust, indirect test of intraluminal fat digestion compared with the (13)C-breath test. Further studies are required in pancreatic insufficient patients.     

Toward uniform nanotubular compounds: synthetic approach and ab initio calculations

We propose to synthesize a new class of single-walled nanotubular compounds (SWNCs) and investigate the interplay between their structural and electronic properties using ab initio density functional calculations. SWNCs are composed of cyclacenes of variable diameter interconnected by various linker compounds. Cyclacenes map directly onto and can be viewed as the shortest segments of (n,0) zigzag carbon nanotubes. We focus on cyclacenes with n=6-12 fused benzene rings interconnected by biphenyl, tetrazine, or acetylene linkers. Depending upon the nature and the orientation of the linkers, we find it possible to change the systems from narrow-gap to wide-gap semiconductors, and to modulate the band dispersion, suggesting the possibility of band gap engineering.     

Solid-phase microextraction of organophosphate pesticides in source waters for drinking water treatment facilities

The rapid detection of contaminants in our nation's drinking water has become a top homeland security priority in this time of increased national vigilance. Real-time monitoring of drinking water for deliberate or accidental contamination is key to national security. One method that can be employed for the rapid screening of pollutants in water is solid-phase microextraction (SPME). SPME is a rapid, sensitive, solvent-free system that can be used to screen for contaminants that have been accidentally or intentionally introduced into a water system. A method using SPME has been developed and optimized for the detection of seven organophosphate pesticides in drinking water treatment facility source waters. The method is tested in source waters for drinking water treatment facilities in Mississippi and Alabama. Water is collected from a deepwater well at Stennis Space Center (SSC), MS, the drinking water source for SSC, and from the Converse Reservoir, the main drinking water supply for Mobile, AL. Also tested are samples of water collected from the Mobile Alabama Water and Sewer System drinking water treatment plant prior to chlorination. The method limits of detection for the seven organophosphates were comparable to those described in several Environmental Protection Agency standard methods. They range from 0.25 to 0.94 microg/L.     

Surface-directed boundary flow in microfluidic channels

Channel geometry combined with surface chemistry enables a stable liquid boundary flow to be attained along the surfaces of a 12 microm diameter hydrophilic glass fiber in a closed semi-elliptical channel. Surface free energies and triangular corners formed by PDMS/glass fiber or OTS/glass fiber surfaces are shown to be responsible for the experimentally observed wetting phenomena and formation of liquid boundary layers that are 20-50 microm wide and 12 microm high. Viewing this stream through a 20 microm slit results in a virtual optical window with a 5 pL liquid volume suitable for cell counting and pathogen detection. The geometry that leads to the boundary layer is a closed channel that forms triangular corners where glass fiber and the OTS coated glass slide or PDMS touch. The contact angles and surfaces direct positioning of the fluid next to the fiber. Preferential wetting of corner regions initiates the boundary flow, while the elliptical cross-section of the channel stabilizes the microfluidic flow. The Young-Laplace equation, solved using fluid dynamic simulation software, shows contact angles that exceed 105 degrees will direct the aqueous fluid to a boundary layer next to a hydrophilic fiber with a contact angle of 5 degrees. We believe this is the first time that an explanation has been offered for the case of a boundary layer formation in a closed channel directed by a triangular geometry with two hydrophobic wetting edges adjacent to a hydrophilic surface.     

Rheological behavior of aqueous micellar solutions of a triblock copolymer of ethylene oxide and 1,2-butylene oxide: B10E410B10

A triblock copolymer of ethylene oxide and 1,2-butylene oxide, denoted B10E410B10, was prepared by sequential oxyanionic polymerization and characterized by 13C NMR spectroscopy and gel permeation chromatography. Micellization and the formation of micelle clusters in dilute aqueous solution, the latter a consequence of micelle bridging, was confirmed by dynamic light scattering, and average association numbers of the micelles were determined by static light scattering for T = 20-40 degrees C. The frequency dependence of the dynamic storage and loss moduli was investigated for solutions in the range of 5-20 wt %. Comparison with results for poly(oxyethylene) dialkyl ethers (10 wt %, T = 25 degrees C) indicated that the viscoelasticity of a copolymer with terminal B10 hydrophobic blocks was roughly equivalent to one with terminal C14 alkyl chains. The temperature dependence of the modulus was investigated for 15 wt % solutions at T = 5-40 degrees C. Superposition of the data led, via an Arrhenius plot, to an activation energy for the relaxation process of -40 kJ mol(-1). The negative value contrasts with the positive values found for poly(oxyethylene) dialkyl ethers and related HEUR copolymers with urethane-linked terminal alkyl chains. This difference is attributed to the block-length distribution in copolymer B10E410B10, whereby the activation energy of the relaxation process has a positive contribution from the disengagement of B blocks from micelles but a negative contribution from micellization. The negative value of the activation energy for solutions of B10E410B10 was confirmed by determining the temperature dependence of the zero-shear viscosity of its 15 wt % solution.     

Host-guest chemistry of copper(II)-histidine complexes encaged in zeolite Y

Structural analysis has been carried out on copper(II )–histidine (Cu²⁺/His) complexes after immobilization in the pore system of the zeolites NaY and de‐aluminated NaY (DAY). The aim of this study was to determine the geometrical structure of Cu²⁺/His complexes after encaging, to obtain insight into both the effect of the zeolite matrix on the molecular structure and redox properties of the immobilized complexes. In addition to N₂ physisorption and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses, a combination of UV/Vis/NIR, ESR, X‐ray absorption (EXAFS and XANES), IR, and Raman spectroscopy was used to obtain complementary information on both the first coordination shell of the copper ion and the orientation of the coordinating His ligands. It was demonstrated that two complexes ( A and B ) are formed, of which the absolute and relative abundance depends on the Cu²⁺/His concentration in the ion‐exchange solution and on the Si/Al ratio of the zeolite material. In complex A , one His ligand coordinates in a tridentate facial‐like manner through N_am, N_im, and O_c, a fourth position being occupied by an oxygen atom from a zeolite Brønsted site. In complex B , two His ligands coordinate as bidentate ligands; one histamine‐like (N_am, N_im) and the other one glycine‐like (N_am, O_c). In particular the geometrical structure of complex A differs from the preferred structure of Cu²⁺/His complexes in aqueous solutions; this fact implies that the zeolite host material actively participates in the coordination and orientation of the guest molecules. The tendency for complex A to undergo reduction in inert atmosphere to Cu¹⁺ (as revealed by dynamic XANES studies) suggests activation of complex A by the interaction with the zeolite material. EXAFS analysis confirms the formation of a distorted four coordinate geometry of complex A , suggesting that the combination of zeolite and one His ligand force the Cu²⁺ complex into an activated, entactic state.     

Anticipating colloidal instabilities in cationic vesicle dispersions by measuring collective motions with dynamic light scattering

Vesicle dispersions are useful for many applications from medicinal to consumer products. However, using these dispersions requires some knowledge of and control over their colloidal properties. Measuring interparticle interactions between vesicles should allow framing the problem in terms of Smoluchowski kinetic models and consequently anticipating time-dependent aggregation and coalescence for the dispersions. However, this can be a difficult task for many complex mixtures. A primary goal of this paper is to show that it is possible to measure interparticle potential between small vesicles by measuring the concentration-dependent collective motion using dynamic light scattering. These measurements allow determination of the second virial coefficient for the dispersion, providing a convenient platform for summing all contributions to the interaction potential over all vesicle conformations, thus making the analysis of complex mixtures more tractable. As a verification of the approach, a comparison is made to dispersions in which the stability is governed solely by electrostatics, using existing techniques to anticipate instabilities. A second goal of this paper is to build a simple potential model in which the Smoluchowski model can be used to quantitatively anticipate the aggregation behavior of the small vesicle dispersion. Together, these observations constitute a convenient approach to anticipating the behavior of vesicle (and other) dispersions in complex mixtures.