Metal-organic anion receptors: arranging urea hydrogen-bond donors to encapsulate sulfate ions

A new class of synthetic receptors for anions can be prepared by arranging urea hydrogen-bond donor groups on a simple metal-organic scaffold. The complex cation [PtL4]2+ (L = 8-(n-butylurea)iso-quinoline) can adopt four conformations reminiscent of calix[4]arene-based receptors; "cone", "partial cone", "1,2-alternate", or "1,3-alternate". 1H NMR solution data and solid-state X-ray structures show that a "1,2-alternate" conformation is used to bind spherical halide ions while a "cone" conformation is involved in strong binding with the tetrahedral oxy-anions such as the sulfate ion; even in a strongly competitive solvent such as DMSO.     

Fluoride-selective binding in a new deep cavity calix[4]pyrrole: experiment and theory

A new "super-extended cavity" tetraacetylcalix[4]pyrrole derivative was synthesized and characterized, and X-ray crystal structures of complexes bound to fluoride and acetonitrile were obtained. The binding behavior of this receptor was investigated by NMR titration, and the complex was found to exclusively bind fluoride ions in DMSO-d(6). This unusual binding behavior was investigated by Monte Carlo free energy perturbation simulations and Poisson calculations, and the ion specificity was seen to result from the favorable electrostatic interactions that the fluoride gains by sitting lower in the phenolic cavity of the receptor. The effect of water present in the DMSO on the calculated free energies of binding was also investigated. Owing to the use of a saturated ion solution, the effect of contaminating water is small in this case; however, it has the potential to be very significant at lower ion concentrations. Finally, the adaptive umbrella WHAM protocol was investigated and optimized for use in binding free energy calculations, and its efficiency was compared to that of the free energy perturbation calculations; adaptive umbrella WHAM was found to be approximately two times more efficient. In addition, structural evidence demonstrates that the protocol explores a wider conformational range than free energy perturbation and should therefore be the method of choice. This paper represents the first complete application of this methodology to "alchemical" changes.     

'Twisted' isophthalamide analogues

Steric interactions in 1,3-dicarboxamidoanthraquinones have been employed to 'twist' isophthalamide-like anion binding sites; the crystal structure of the fluoride complex of a bis-3,5-dichlorophenylamide derivative shows the receptor acting as a 'hydrogen-bonding corner' in a '2 + 2' fluoride containing molecular box.     

Dithizone derivatives as sensitive water soluble chromogenic reagents for the ion chromatographic determination of inorganic and organo-mercury in aqueous matrices

Water-soluble sulfonate and the novel carboxylate analogues of dithizone, combined with ion interaction chromatography on a Dionex Acclaim 120 C18 silica column (250 x 4.6 mm id) with an eluent consisting of 10 mM tetrabutylammonium bromide and 60:40 methanol:water, have been developed as highly sensitive chromogenic ligands for the quantitative isocratic determination of inorganic and organo-mercury compounds in aqueous matrices in under 12 min. Using an optimised post column reagent system containing 0.65 mM dye, 0.5% Triton X-100 and 50 mM sodium hydroxide, good linearity (0-7.5 mg L(-1) R2 > 0.999), reproducibility using peak area measurements (RSD 0.69-1.38%, n = 8), and limits of detection (4-12 microg L(-1)) were achieved for methyl mercury, inorganic mercury and phenyl mercury.     

Monitoring dispersion polymerisations of methyl methacrylate in supercritical carbon dioxide

This paper describes the development and application of power compensation calorimetry equipment to monitor the dispersion polymerisation of methyl methacrylate in supercritical carbon dioxide. We have studied the polymerisation of methyl methacrylate using a macromonomer (poly(dimethylsiloxane) monomethacrylate) as stabiliser and initiator azoisobutylnitrile. The calorimetric data allow monitoring of the polymerisation process. Through monitoring the changes in reaction exotherm and system pressure during the polymerisation one can clearly observe the point at which the polymerisation starts and effectively ceases. The effect of initiator concentration and stabiliser on the reaction was studied and the enthalpy of polymerisation obtained from the apparatus was found to correlate with previously reported data.     

Evaluation of 15 polymerases and phosphorothioate primer modification for detection of UV-induced C:G to T:A mutations by allele-specific PCR

Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction is based on polymerase extension from primers that contain a 3' end base that is complementary to a specific mutation and inhibition of extension with wild-type DNA due to a 3' end mismatch. Taq polymerase is commonly used for this assay, but because of the high rate of nucleotide extension from primer 3' base mismatches documented for Taq polymerase, high sensitivity is difficult to achieve. To determine whether other polymerases might improve assay sensitivity, 15 polymerases were tested with mutation-specific primers for two ultraviolet-induced mutations in the human 5S ribosomal RNA genes. Of the 15 polymerases tested, six were capable of discriminating these mutations at levels equivalent to or better than Taq polymerase. All primers were phosphorothioate modified on the 3' end to block removal of the critical 3' mutation-specific base by polymerases containing 3' --> 5' exonuclease "proofreading" activity. The effectiveness of phosphorothioate modification was measured in mock polymerase chain reaction reactions and a time course. All six enzymes containing this exonuclease activity showed some ability to digest phosphorothioate-modified primers and could be divided into two groups, showing fast and slow digestion kinetics. Of the three enzymes that showed slow digestion kinetics, two also showed significantly slower digestion kinetics of unmodified primers.     

An efficient method for cyclopentene annulation onto alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones: W(CO)(5)(L)-catalyzed 5-endo-dig cyclization of 6-siloxy-5-en-1-ynes

[reaction: see text] A highly efficient method for the cyclopentene annulation onto alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones is described. Indium-mediated 1,4-propargylation onto alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones in the presence of tert-butyldimethylsilyl triflate and dimethyl sulfide gives the 6-siloxy-5-en-1-yne derivatives, which undergo W(CO)(5)(L)-catalyzed 5-endo-dig cyclization to give the corresponding cyclopentene derivatives in good yield.     

Constitutive expression of 4-1BB on T cells enhances CD4+ T cell responses

4-1BB, a transmembrane molecule, member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, is an important costimulatory molecule in the immune response, plays a key role in the clonal expansion and survival of CD8(+) T cells. In this study, we investigated 4-1BB regulation of CD4(+) T cell responses using 4-1BB transgenic (TG) mice that constitutively expressed 4-1BB on mature T cells. We first showed that CD4(+) T cells of 4-1BB TG mice had more sustained proliferative capacity in response to TCR/4-1BB stimulation in vitro compared to WT mice. Secondly, 4-1BB TG mice exhibited a more elevated contact hypersensitivity (CHS) response mediated by CD4+ Th1 cells due to more vigorous expansion of and apoptotic inhibition of CD4(+) T cells. Finally, CD4(+) T cells of 4-1BB TG mice had a heightened capacity for T cell priming. Overall, our results demonstrate the involvement of 4-1BB in CD4(+) Th1 cell responses by regulating the clonal expansion and survival of CD4(+) T cells as seen in CD8(+) T cells.     

Maniplating the phenolic acid content and digestibility of italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum)b y vacuolar-targeted epession of a fungal ferulic acid esterase

In grass cell walls, ferulic acid esters linked to arabinosyl residues in arabinoxylans play a key role in crosslinking hemicellulose. Although such crosslinks have a number of important roles in the cell wall, they also hinder the rate and extent of cell wall degradation by ruminant microbes and by fungal glycohydrolyase enzymes. Ferulic acid esterase (FAE) can release both monomeric and dimeric ferulic acids from arabinoxylans making the cell wall more susceptible to further enzymatic attack. Transgenic plants of Lolium multiflorum expressing a ferulic acid esterase gene from Aspergillus niger, targeted to the vacuole under a constitutive rice actin promoter, have been produced following microprojectile bombardment of embryogenic cell cultures. The level of FAE activity was found to vary with leaf age and was highest in young leaves. FAE expression resulted in the release of monomeric and dimeric ferulic acids from cell walls on cell death and this was enhanced severalfold by the addition of exogenous β-1,4-endoxylanase. We also show that a number of plants expressing FAE had reduced levels of cell wall esterified monomeric and dimeric ferulates and increased in vitro dry-matter digestibility compared with nontransformed plants.