Immobilization in biotechnology and biorecognition: from macro- to nanoscale systems

Biological molecules such as enzymes, cells, antibodies, lectins, peptide aptamers, and cellular components in an immobilized form are extensively used in biotechnology, in biorecognition and in many medicinal applications. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the developments in new immobilization materials, techniques, and their practical applications previously developed by the authors. A detailed overview of several immobilization materials and technologies is given here, including bead cellulose, encapsulation in ionotropic gels and polyelectrolyte complexes, and various immobilization protocols applied onto surfaces. In addition, the review summarises the screening and design of an immobilization protocol, practical applications of immobilized biocatalysts in the industrial production of metabolites, monitoring, and control of fermentation processes, preparation of electrochemical/optical biosensors and biofuel cells.     

Influence of the conditions of manufacture of nanomeric zirconium dioxide,stabilized with yttrium oxide,on its catalytic properties in the oxidation of CO

The morphological and catalytic properties of samples of nanomeric zirconium dioxide, stabilized with yttrium oxide, manufactured via the effect of a UHF field during the process of drying precipitated zirconium hydroxide and calcination at temperatures from 300 to 1000 °C, were studied. It was shown that the highest activity in the oxidation of CO occurred with 40 nm particles of zirconium dioxide prepared at 1000 °C. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 43, No. 2, pp. 96–101, March–April, 2007.     

Reaction of divinyl selenide with secondary phosphine chalcogenides

Under the conditions of free-radical initiation (AIBN, UV irradiation), divinyl selenide regioselectively reacts with secondary phosphine sulfides and phosphine selenides to afford, depending on the ratio of the reagents, mono- or diadducts mainly of the anti-Markownikoff structure. The conditions which allow obtaining the diadducts in up to 97% yield are found. By the example of 2-{[2-(diphenethylphosphoroselenoyl) ethyl]selanyl}ethyl(diphenethyl)phosphine selenide the diadducts were shown to react with aqueous hydrogen peroxide at 53–56°C to give vinyl(diphenethyl)phosphine oxide in 76% yield.     

Effect of dielectric medium on angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors binding to Zn<Superscript>2+</Superscript>

The Becke3LYP density functional was used to study structural and thermodynamic parameters of bivalent zinc cation complexes with selected substrates and ACE inhibitors (H₂O/OH⁻, neutral forms of captopril, zofenoprilat, omapatrilat, CH₃CONHCH₃, and N-terminal anions of captopril, zofenoprilat, omapatrilat, enalaprilat, perindoprilat, trandolaprilat, and fosinoprilat). The combination of DFT and the conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM) were employed to compute the Gibbs interaction energies (ΔG) between Zn²⁺ and the selected ACE inhibitors for dielectric media with ɛ = 5 (to simulate the protein environment) and for water media (ɛ = 78.39) for comparison purposes. The results show that ΔG is sensitive to the dielectric constant of the environment and that lower dielectric medium favors the binding of inhibitors to the zinc cation.     

Photophysics and photochemistry of uranyl ions in aqueous solutions: Refining of quantitative characteristics

The photochemistry and photophysics of aqueous solutions of uranyl nitrate have been investigated by nanosecond laser photolysis with excitation at 266 and 355 nm and by time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. The quantum yield has been determined for (UO₂²⁺)* formation under excitation with λ = 266 and 355 nm light (φ = 0.35). The quantum yield of uranyl luminescence under the same conditions is 1 × 10^–2 and 1.2 × 10^–3, respectively, while the quantum yield of luminescence in the solid state is unity, irrespective of the excitation wavelength. The decay of (UO₂²⁺)* in the presence of ethanol is biexponential. The rate constants of this process at pH 3.4 are k₁ = (2.7 ± 0.2) × 10⁷ L mol^–1 s^–1 and k₂ = (5.4 ± 0.2) × 10⁶ L mol^–1 s^–1. This biexponential behavior is explained by the existence of different complex uranyl ion species in the solution. The addition of colloidal TiO₂ to the solution exerts no effect on the quantum yield of (UO₂²⁺)* formation or on the rate of the reaction between (UO₂²⁺)* and ethanol. The results of this study have been compared with data available from the literature.     

1-Methylimidazolin-2-yl functionalized cyclopentadienyl complexes of titanium and zirconium. Crystal structure of {[η:η-κN-C5H4CPh2CH2-(1-Me-C3H4N2)]ZrCl2}2(μ-Cl)2

The novel bidentate ligand, C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3), has been prepared and characterized as its lithium salt LiC₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-Li). Cyclopentadiene HC₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-H) has been obtained from 6,6-diphenylfulvene and 1,2-dimethylimidazoline (1). In THF-d₈ solution in the presence of 1, (1-methylimidazoline-2-yl)methyllithium (2) has been proved to undergo gradual conversion into a dilithium derivative of N¹-methyl-N²-[(1E,2E)-1-methyl-2-(1-methylimidazolidine-2-idene)ethylidene]ethane-1,2-diamine (2a). In a solution, cyclopentadiene 3-H has been shown to undergo isomerization into 3-{N-[2-(N-methylamino)ethyl]amino}-1,1-diphenyl-1,2-dihydropentalene (4) and, further, into a mixture of 4 and two rotameric 3-[N-(2-aminoethyl)-N-methylamino]-1,1-diphenyl-1,2-dihydropentalenes (5a) and (5b). Treatment of the lithium salt 3-Li with Me₃SiCl has lead to 3-{N-[2-(N-trimethylsilylamino)ethyl]amino}-1,1-diphenyl-1,2-dihydropentalene (6) as the dominant component in the reaction mixture. In the latter case the expected Me₃Si-C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-Si) was not observed. Stannylation of 3-Li with 1 equiv. of Me₃SnCl has resulted in formation of a mixture of Me₃Sn-C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-Sn), (Me₃Sn)₂-C₅H₃CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂) (3-Sn₂), and cyclopentadiene 3-H in a ca. 2:1:1 molar ratio. Monocyclopentadienyl complexes {[η⁵:η¹-κN-C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂)]MCl₃ (M = Ti (7), Zr (8)) have been prepared starting from the organotin and organolithium compounds 3-Sn and 3-Li, respectively. The dynamic behavior of complexes 7 and 8 has been investigated by means of variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy in solutions. The molecular structures of the dihydropentalene 4, binuclear complex {[η⁵:η¹-κN-C₅H₄CPh₂CH₂-(1-Me-C₃H₄N₂)]ZrCl₂}₂(μ-Cl)₂8, and a coordination dimer of the dilithium salt 2a have been established by X-ray diffraction analysis. In the crystal structure of the 2a-dimer, the shortest known Li-Li contact has been found.     

Features of the stokes vector of polarized radiation when passing through a magneto-optical crystal under conditions of magnetomechanical resonance

Components of the Stokes vector are shown to undergo amplitude- and phase-frequency variations for a magneto-optical thin rod-shaped crystal located under conditions of magnetomechanical resonance when the variable magnetic field is directed at an acute angle to the light propagation axis coinciding with the crystal oscillation axis. It is noted that the phase relations for these components must be taken into account for polarized light when finding the connection between the variable and constant components of the Stokes vector.     

Phase state of the polysulfone-poly(ethylene glycol)-dimethylacetamide system

Via the method of turbidity points, a fragment of the phase diagram of the polysulfone-poly(ethylene glycol) 400-dimethylacetamide three-component system was constructed. This system is a unique object with both an upper critical solution temperature and a second-order lower critical solution temperature. Viscosity characteristics and activation parameters of the viscous flow of concentrated and dilute polysulfone solutions in dimethylacetamide containing poly(ethylene glycol) were studied. An abnormal increase in the solution viscosity with temperature that precedes the phase transition was found. With the use of IR spectroscopy and the viscometry of dilute solutions, it was shown that it is possible to form additive compounds between the components in a solution.     

Fluorescence Interaction and Determination of Sulfathiazole with Trypsin

The mechanism of interaction of trypsin with the sulfathiazole was studied through using fluorescence quenching and UV-visible absorption spectra at pH 7.4. The Stern-Volmer quenching constants, binding constants, number of binding sites and the corresponding thermodynamic parameters ΔH^o, ΔS^o and ΔG^o were calculated at different temperatures. The effect of common metal ions on the constants was also discussed. The results suggest that sulfathiazole can interact strongly trypsin and that there is the formation of trypsin-sulfathiazole complex and the interaction can be explained on the basis of hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces. The binding distance (r) between the donor (trypsin) and acceptor (sulfathiazole) was 3.52 nm based on the Förster’s non-radiative energy transfer theory. The detection and quantification limits of sulfathiazole were calculated as 2.52 and 8.40 μM in the presence of trypsin, respectively. The relative standard deviation (RSD) was 4.086 % for determinations (n?=?7) of a sulfathiazole solution with the concentration of 7.54 μM.