Far-infrared spectroscopy of CH3OD in highly excited torsional states and the atlas of the Fourier transform spectra in the range 200-350 cm(-1)

The high resolution Fourier transform far-infrared (FIR) spectrum of the torsion rotation band of CH3OD has been analyzed for the highly excited torsion states (n > or = 2) in the vibrational ground state. The spectrum shows splitting of the lines due to strong torsional-rotational-vibrational interactions in the molecule. Assignments were possible for rotational sub-bands in the torsional state as high as n = 4 and for K values up to 8 and J values of up to approximately 30 in most cases, for all the symmetry species. For the third excited torsional state n = 3 assignments were possible to K = 10. The data were analyzed with the help of the energy expansion model, which has been proven very successful in methanol. The state dependent expansion parameters are presented. These molecular parameters were able to reproduce the observed wavenumbers almost to within experimental accuracy of 0.0002 cm(-1) for clean unblended lines. These expansion coefficients should prove valuable in the calculation of precise energy values for excited torsional states up to n = 4, which is way above the torsional barrier. The detailed high-resolution spectral atlas of CH3OD has been presented in the range 200-350 cm(-1). This atlas is an extension of our earlier atlas in the range 20-205 cm(-1). The availability of this atlas in the journal will be very valuable for spectroscopists and astrophysicists seeking information in the infrared (IR) region in the laboratory and in outer space.     

Time-resolved thermodynamic changes photoinduced in 5,12-trans-locked bacteriorhodopsin. Evidence that retinal isomerization is required for protein activation

Structural volume changes upon excitation of isomerization-blocked 5,12-trans-locked bacteriorhodopsin (bR) (bacterio-opsin + 5-12-trans-locked retinal) were studied using photothermal methods. The very small prompt expansion detected using laser-induced optoacoustics (0.3 mL/mol of absorbed photons) is assigned to a charge reorganization in the chromophore protein pocket concomitant with the formation of the intermediate T5.12. The subsequent contraction associated with a 300 ns lifetime is assigned to protein movements required to reach the entire chromoprotein free energy minimum, after the 17 ps optical decay of T5.12. The volume changes comprise the entropy of medium rearrangement during T5.12 formation and decay. The slow changes detected in previous studies by atomic force microscopy might be explained by the slowing down of movements in films containing 5,12-trans-locked bR. Photothermal beam deflection data with the 5,12-trans-locked bR suspensions indicate no further changes in microseconds to hundreds of milliseconds. Thus, all the absorbed energy is either released to the solution as heat or used for entropy changes within the first 300 ns after the pulse, supporting the paradigm that isomerization is required for signal transduction in retinal proteins. Bacterio-opsin assembled with all-trans-retinal afforded (similar to data reported with wild-type bR) an expansion of 2.6 mL/mol (assigned to the production of KE) followed by a further expansion of 0.8 mL/mol (KE-->KL; KE, KL, early and late K's) involving no heat loss. For KL decay to L, a contraction of 6 mL/mol of phototransformed reconstituted all-trans bR was determined.     

Multiparametric microsensor chips for screening applications

The identification of drug targets for pharmaceutical screening can be greatly accelerated by gene databases and expression studies. The identification of leading compounds from growing libraries is realized by high throughput screening platforms. Subsequently, for optimization and validation of identified leading compounds studies of their functionality have to be carried out, and just these functionality tests are a limiting factor. A rigorous preselection of identified compounds by in vitro cellular screening is necessary prior to using the drug candidates for the further time consuming and expensive stage, e.g. in animal models. Our efforts are focused to the parallel development, adaptation and integration of different microelectronic sensors into miniaturized biochips for a multiparametric, functional on-line analysis of living cells in physiologically environments. Parallel and on-line acquisition of data related to different cellular targets is required for advanced stages of drug screening and for economizing animal tests.     

A study of simultaneous photolysis and photoaddition reactions of riboflavin in aqueous solution

The photodegradation reactions of riboflavin (RF) in the presence of 0.05-2.00 M phosphate (pH 7.0) have been studied using a specific multicomponent spectrophotometric method. The reactions involve simultaneous photolysis (intramolecular photoreduction) and photoaddition (intramolecular photoaddition) leading to lumichrome (LC) and cyclodehydroriboflavin (CDRF), respectively, as major products. The contribution of each reaction in the overall photodegradation depends upon the phosphate concentration, i.e., higher the phosphate concentration higher the extent of photoaddition. The apparent first-order rate constants for the photodegradation of RF and for the formation of LC and CDRF at 0.25-2.00 M phosphate concentration range from 0.65 to 3.03 x 10(-2), and from 0.41 to 0.99 x 10(-2) and 0.12 to 1.63 x 10(-2) min(-1), respectively. The second-order rate constants for the phosphate catalysed photodegradation of RF and for the formation of LC and CDRF are 2.12 x 10(-4) and 0.61 x 10(-4) and 1.41 x 10(-4) M(-1)s (-1), respectively. Since the formation of CDRF by photoaddition is catalysed by HPO(4)(2-) ions, it is suggested that H(2)PO(4)(-) ions may be involved in the formation of LC by photolysis. Thus, both H(2)PO(4)(-) and HPO(4)(2-) ions may catalyse the two major reaction pathways of riboflavin photodegradation, respectively.     

Redox kinetic measurements of glutathione at the mercury electrode by means of square-wave voltammetry. The role of copper, cadmium and zinc ions

The electrode reaction of glutathione (GSH) at the hanging mercury drop electrode is studied by means of square-wave voltammetry (SWV). At potentials more positive than -0.350 V (vs. Ag/AgCl (3 mol/l KCl)) the oxidation of the mercury electrode in the presence of GSH leads to creation of a sparingly soluble mercury-GSH complex that deposits onto the electrode surface. Under cathodic potential scan, the deposited complex acts as a reducible reactant, giving raise to a well-defined cathodic stripping reversible SW voltammetric response. The electrode reaction can be described by the scheme: Hg(SG)(2(s))+e(-)+2H((aq))(+) = Hg((l))+2GSH((aq)). Thus, the electrode reaction provides information on both thermodynamics and kinetics of the chemical interactions of GSH with mercury. An experimental methodology for measuring the kinetics of the electrode reactions, based on the property known as "quasireversible maximum", is developed. The standard redox rate constant is 5.09, 5.75 and 5.22 cm s(-1) in a phosphate buffer at pH 5.6, 7.0 and 8.5, respectively, with a precision of +/-10%. The high rate of the electrode reaction reflects the strong affinity of GSH towards chemical interaction with mercury. The electrode reaction is particularly sensitive to the presence of heavy metal ions such as Cu(2+), Cd(2+), and Zn(2+.) The rate of the electrode reaction decreases significantly in the presence of these ions due to simultaneous interactions of GSH with the respective ion and mercury.     

Primate beta-defensins--structure, function and evolution

Host defense peptides (HDPs) are endogenous antibiotics that play a multifunctional role in the innate immunity of mammals. Among these, beta-defensins contribute to mucosal and epithelial defense, also acting as signal molecules for cellular components of innate and adaptive immunity. Numerous members of this family have been identified in mammalian and avian species, and genomic studies in human and mouse indicate a considerable complexity in their gene organization. Recent reports on the evolution of primate and rodent members of this family indicate quite a complex pattern of variation. In this review we briefly discuss the evolution of mammalian beta-defensins in relation to other types of defensins, and then concentrate on the evolution of beta-defensins 1 to 4 in primates. In particular, the surprisingly varied patterns of evolution, which range from neutral or weakly purifying, to positive selection to a high level of conservation are analyzed in terms of possible genetics, structural or functional implications, as well as to observed variations on the antimicrobial activity in vitro. The role of polymorphisms in the genes encoding for these host defense peptides in determining susceptibility to human diseases are also briefly considered.     

Dendrimeric Gd(III) complex of a monophosphinated DOTA analogue: optimizing relaxivity by reducing internal motion

A marked increase of relaxivity has been observed upon rigidifying the internal frame of Gd-containing PAMAM dendrimers: the effect has been attained by either protonation of the dendrimer or by forming supramolecular adducts with cationic polyaminoacids.     

Development of piezoelectric immunosensors for measurement of albuminuria

The development of piezoelectric immunosensors for human serum albumin (HSA) is reported. The piezoelectric crystals were modified either with monoclonal antibody AL-01 (direct assay) or with HSA (competitive assay). Measurements were carried out in the flow-through mode. Affinity interaction between albumin and the antibody was characterised. With immobilised antibody and HSA in solution, the kinetic association rate constant k(a) was 18 100 l mol(-1) s(-1) and the dissociation constant k(d) was 0.00369 s(-1). For the opposite arrangement (immobilised HSA), a slower dissociation was observed, k(d) was 0.00085 s(-1). A competitive assay for HSA was developed with working range of 1-5 mug ml(-1) and a total time for one analysis equal to 17 min. Samples of urine were analysed after tenfold dilution. The developed system was successfully evaluated on real samples from diabetic patients and the obtained results correlated well with the standard reflectometric assay of proteins in urine.     

Ab initio and variational transition state approach to beta-C3N4 formation: kinetics for the reaction of CH3NH2 with H

The CH3NH2 molecule has been considered as either an important intermediate in methane and ammonia mixtures or a precursor in methylamine and hydrogen mixtures in the synthesis of carbon nitride thin films. The fast Hydrogen (H) abstraction from CH3NH2 is an important process involved in the formation of HCN or CNH in the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of carbon nitride thin films. The energetic and kinetic characteristics of the H abstraction reaction from CH3NH2 by atomic H used in CVD of beta-C3N4 were studied using ab initio direct dynamics methods for the first time. Two primary processes were identified for this reaction: H abstraction from the CH3 group and H abstraction from the NH2 group. On the basis of ab initio data, the rate constants of each channel have been deduced by canonical variational transition state theory with small-curvature tunneling correction over a wide temperature range of 200 to approximately 3000 K. The theoretical results were compared with available experimental data.     

Derivatisation for liquid chromatography/electrospray mass spectrometry: synthesis of pyridinium compounds and their amine and carboxylic acid derivatives

A simple method has been developed for the pre-column derivatisation of low molecular weight primary and secondary amines and carboxylic acids using quaternary nitrogen compounds to enhance their detection by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS). The synthesis of seven novel quaternary nitrogen reagents is described. The derivatives are designed to be relatively small molecules to avoid some of the steric hindrance problems that may be associated with larger derivatisation reagents. The compounds have amine and carboxylic acid functional groups with which to derivatise carboxylic acids and amines, respectively. Two of the compounds contain a bromine atom in order to assess the advantages of a bromine isotope pattern in the mass spectra. This acts as a simple marker for derivatisation and enables data processing by cluster analysis.Activation of the carboxylic acid group was achieved by the use of either 1-chloro-4-methylpyridinium iodide (CMPI) or the more reactive 1-fluoro-4-methylpyridinium p-toluenesulphonate (FMP).1 Using both of these active reagents, the degree of nucleophilic substitution was investigated for the derivatisation of a variety of small molecules. Whilst giving some increase in the ESI-MS response for the derivatised compounds, the FMP itself acted as a derivatising reagent in a competing reaction. In the light of this finding, FMP was reacted with the test compounds separately and gave positive results as a derivatising reagent. Detection of the 'pre-charged' derivatives of amines and carboxylic acids by LC/ESI-MS was investigated with respect to their ESI response and chromatography.