An activation mechanism for ATP cleavage in muscle.

Evidence for a proposed activation mechanism is summarized. The low rate of ATP cleavage in the resting state of muscle is considered to result from the formation of a stable ring structure involving the two essential sulfhydryl groups on each myosin head and MgATP. Activation is thought to occur by interaction of actin in the vicinity of one of the essential sulfhydryl groups. Thus opening the stable ring leading to rapid dissociation of split products. This idea is consistent with the kinetic scheme of ATP cleavage developed recently by other workers and allows a prediction of the shift in population of intermediate states with changes in solvent conditions. It is also supported by our recent studies on the spatial geometry of the ring. The possibility that other nucleophilic groups may replace the sulfhydryl groups in other contractile systems is considered. The relevance of the ring structure to the tension generating event is discussed on the basis of recent measurements of the rate of contraction of modified (SH1-blocked) actomyosin threads. Results indicate the ability to form the ring structure is an essential requirement of the contractile process in these systems, and, moreover, that single, modified heads of myosin can act independently to produce the same rate of contraction as native myosin. This latter finding suggests that the myosin duplex exhibits some type of negative cooperativity in the contractile process.     

Electron spin relaxation in liquids : edited by L.T. Muus and P.W. Atkins,Plenum Press,New York, 1972, pp. xiv + 537, price £29.50

The infrared and Raman spectra of trimethylarsine sulfide, trimethylarsine selenide, and their perdeuterated analogues have been recorded. An assignment of 22 of the 24 fundamental vibrational frequencies (exclusive of the methyl torsions) has been made for each molecule. Assignments were made on the basis of symmetry selection rules and comparison with structurally similar molecules.A normal coordinate analysis for each of these molecules was carried out to reinforce the assignments. Assuming a valence force field for each molecule of C_3v symmetry, a set of 24 force constants was refined to give a least squares fit of the calculated frequencies to the observed frequencies. Calculations of the potential energy distribution for each molecule show that there exists little coupling between the different modes.     

Über kondensierte Heterocyclen aus β-Isothiocyanatoketonen und Aminoalkoholen bzw. Diaminen

2- and 3-aminoalcohols, o-aminobenzylalcohol, o-hydroxybenzylamine and o-amino(thio)-phenol react with 4-isothiocyanato-4-methyl-2-pentanone (1) to yield derivatives of condensed heterocycles (oxazolopyrimidines7, pyrimidooxazine8, pyrimidobenzoxazines9, 10, pyrimidobenzoxazole11 a and pyrimidobenzothiazole11 c respectively). Ethylenediamine or 1,3-diaminopropane react with1 to yield either imidazo-pyrimidine13 and pyrimidopyrimidine14 respectively or the 1,2-ethylene- and trimethylenebisdihydro-2(1H)-pyrimidinethione15 a, b respectively, according to the molar ratio of the reactants. o-Phenylenediamine gives pyrimidobenzimidazole11 d. 11a undergoes ring cleavage in boiling dimethylformamide followed by methylpyrimidine-pyridine rearrangement to dihydrohydroxyphenylamino-2(1H)-pyridinethione12, while15 a is converted into the bis-4-(ethanediimino)-pyridinthione16.     

Microstructural investigation of monoglyceride-water coagel systems by NMR and CryoSEM

Monoglyceride coagels consist of a network of plate-like crystals and are formed from a swollen gel state (alpha-gel). In order to resolve the transition mechanism, coagels were prepared with monoglycerides that differ in fatty acid composition (monomyristate and palmitate/stearate, respectively). Rheology provided information on kinetics of coagel formation and the strength of the resulting crystal network. From NMR measurements, the surface-to-volume ratio, tortuosity, and dimensionality of the network were obtained. These findings were in line with qualitative and quantitative structural information obtained from CryoSEM. As a model for the behaviour of non-monoglyceride species, the dynamics of (perdeuterated) palmitic acid was monitored in both alpha-gels and coagels. The experimental data support a two-stage mechanism. In the first stage, two-dimensional separation of D- and L-isomers in the monoglyceride bilayers of the alpha-gel occurs. This process depends primarily on lateral diffusion rate of the monoglycerides. Palmitic acid can be accommodated in the alpha-gel bilayer, but in the coagels it is separated into relative mobile and mechanically weak junction zones between the crystal plates. In the second stage of coagel formation, the crystal plates also grow in the third dimension. Both monoglyceride type and concentration determine the kinetics of this process.     

Synthesis and structural assignment of some N-substituted imidazopyridine derivatives

A synthesis of all possible N-alkylated 2-n-butyl-imidazo[4,5]pyridine isomers is described as well as their structural assignment by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. One of these derivatives, 2,-n-butyl-3-[2′- (1H-tetrazol-5-yl)-4-biphenylylmethyl]-3H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine 9 is a potent angiotensin II receptor antagonist.     

Thallium-205, carbon-13 and proton NMR parameters for some monomethylthallium(III) derivatives

Thallium-205, carbon-13 and proton NMR spectra have been determined for some monomethylthallium(III) derivatives CH₃TlX₂ (X  anion) permitting comparison of NMR parameters in the series CH₃TlX₂, (CH₃)₂TlX, (CH₃)₃Tl.