Origin of the vertebrate visual cycle: III. Distinct distribution of RPE65 and beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase homologues in Ciona intestinalis

We previously identified three genes that encode putative visual cycle proteins that are homologues of retinal G-protein coupled receptor (Ci-opsin3), cellular retinaldehyde-binding protein (Ci-CRALBP) and beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase (Ci-BCO) in the ascidian Ciona intestinalis. Ci-opsin3 and Ci-CRALBP are localized in both ocellus photoreceptor cells and surrounding non-photoreceptor cells in the brain vesicle of the larva. In the present study, we investigated the possible role and evolutionary origin of the BCO/RPE65 family in the visual cycle by analyzing Ci-BCO localization by immunohistochemistry and by identifying a novel gene that encodes a homologue of retinal pigment epithelium-specific 65 kDa protein (Ci-RPE65) in C. intestinalis. In situ hybridization and expressed sequence tag (EST) profiles consistently suggest that Ci-RPE65 is not significantly expressed in the ocellus and brain vesicle of the larva. Ci-RPE65 is expressed in the neural complex, a photoreceptor organ of the adult ascidian, at a level comparable to that of Ci-opsin3 and Ci-CRALBP. Ci-RPE65 is also expressed in various adult tissues, including the gill, body wall and intestine, suggesting that Ci-RPE65 plays a role in addition to that in the visual cycle. In contrast, Ci-BCO is predominantly localized in ocellus photoreceptor cells of the larva. The larval visual cycle seems to use Ci-opsin3 as a photo-isomerase. Our results also suggest that the RPE65-dependent visual cycle is used in the adult photoreceptors of a primitive chordate.     

Spectroscopic and theoretical studies of optically active porphyrin dimers: a system uninterpretable by exciton coupling theory.

The electronic excited states of a meso-meso beta-beta doubly linked bis-porphyrin are comprehensively investigated by measuring its circular dichroism (CD) and magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectra. The observed spectroscopic properties are rationalized by DFT calculations. The frontier molecular orbitals (MOs) are constructed by the linear combinations of the constituent monomers' four MOs. Comparison of a theoretical CD spectrum based on time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) with the experimental spectra resulted in the assignment of the helical conformation of the dimer. This assignment is contrary to the previous assignment based on the point-dipole approximation (exciton coupling theory).     

Mechanism of catalytic asymmetric hydrogenation of 2-formyl-1-methylene-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline using Ru(CH3COO)2[(S)-binap]

The mechanism of the asymmetric hydrogenation of 2-acyl-1-alkylidene-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines, the first reported reaction with the Noyori-Takaya Ru(CH₃COO)₂(binap) complex, has been investigated by means of deuterium labeling, kinetics, and NMR analysis. A series of experiments has revealed that (1) a monohydride-unsaturated mechanism operates involving the initial formation of RuH followed by reaction with the enamide substrate, (2) the hydride transfer from RuH to the olefinic double bond is endothermic and reversible, and (3) the rate is determined in the hydrogenolysis step. This view is consistent with that of proposed for the BINAP-Ru catalyzed Kagan reaction.     

Photophysical properties of porphyrin tapes

The novel fused Zn(II)porphyrin arrays (Tn, porphyrin tapes) in which the porphyrin macrocycles are triply linked at meso-meso, beta-beta, beta-beta positions have been investigated by steady-state and time-resolved spectroscopic measurements along with theoretical MO calculations. The absorption spectra of the porphyrin tapes show a systematic downshift to the IR region as the number of porphyrin pigments increases in the arrays. The fused porphyrin arrays exhibit a rapid formation of the lowest excited states (for T2, approximately 500 fs) via fast internal conversion processes upon photoexcitation at 400 nm (Soret bands), which is much faster than the internal conversion process of approximately 1.2 ps observed for a monomeric Zn(II)porphyrin. The relaxation dynamics of the lowest excited states of the porphyrin tapes were accelerated from approximately 4.5 ps for the T2 dimer to approximately 0.3 ps for the T6 hexamer as the number of porphyrin units increases, being explained well by the energy gap law. The overall photophysical properties of the porphyrin tapes were observed to be in a sharp contrast to those of the orthogonal porphyrin arrays. The PPP-SCI calculated charge-transfer probability indicates that the lowest excited state of the porphyrin tapes (Tn) resembles a Wannier-type exciton closely, whereas the lowest excited state of the directly linked porphyrin arrays can be considered as a Frenkel-type exciton. Conclusively, these unique photophysical properties of the porphyrin tapes have aroused much interest in the fundamental photophysics of large flat organic molecules as well as in the possible applications as electric wires, IR sensors, and nonlinear optical materials.     

First total synthesis of artepillin C established by o,o'-diprenylation of p-halophenols in water

We have demonstrated that prenylation of p-halophenols was dependent on the solvent effect and succeeded in o,o'-diprenylation of p-halophenols in water. Following the Mizoroki-Heck coupling of the diprenyl-p-iodophenol 3c with methyl acrylate and then hydrolysis, we first synthesized artepillin C [3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-di(3-methyl-2-butenyl)phenyl)-2(E)-propenoic acid] (1), which is a biologically active constituent of propolis. These reactions may be applicable to the synthesis of various useful natural products such as 2,4,6-trisubstituted phenol derivatives.     

A study of GABA and its analogues using the molecular orbital method

GABA is a major neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. Data on GABA and its analogues calculated by using the ab initio and the MNDO method were compared with data obtained experimentally. The structures of GABA analogues calculated by the ab initio method agree well with the experimental data. This finding suggests the high reliability of this method. However, the structures of GABA analogues calculated by the MNDO method reflect only some aspects of the experimental data. Therefore the MNDO method should be used only for carefully selected chemical compounds.

The amino group in GABA and its analogues was proved to be the major active site. The electrostatic potential around the amino group in these compounds seems to be related to their biological activity. The difference in the electrostatic potential between the receptor binding molecules and the neuronal uptake molecules suggests that the structure of post-synaptic receptors might differ from that of uptake receptors. This finding suggests that there are at least two GABA-A receptors. GABA molecules seem to have a high potential for binding to the two receptors because they are highly flexible and can readily change their conformation. These results indicate a high reliability of the data calculated by the molecular orbital method and suggest that this method provides us with useful information that cannot be obtained experimentally.     

Low-temperature structural phase transition in synthetic libethenite Cu2PO4OH

Low-temperature structural properties of the synthetic mineral libethenite Cu₂PO₄OH were investigated by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, specific heat measurements, and Raman spectroscopy. A second-order structural phase transition from the Pnnm symmetry (a=8.0553(8) Å, b=8.3750(9) Å, c=5.8818(6) Å at 180 K) to the P2₁/n symmetry (a=8.0545(8) Å, b=8.3622(9) Å, c=5.8755(6) Å, β=90.0012(15) at 120 K) was found at 160 K during cooling. At 120 K, the monoclinic angle is 90.0012(15) from single crystal X-ray data vs 90.083(1) from powder X-ray diffraction data. The P2₁/n–to–Pnnm transition may be a general feature of the adamite-type compounds, M₂XO₄OH.