Determination of Azidothymidine – an Antiproliferative and Virostatic Drug by Square‐Wave Voltammetry

The 3′‐azido‐3′‐deoxythymidine (AZT, Zidovudine) is an antiproliferative and virostatic drug widely used in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV‐1) infection treatment. With respect to side effects of high doses and a short half‐life of AZT, a fast and simple detection method for this agent could be helpful. The aim of our study was to determine AZT levels in natural samples (urine, serum, whole blood, and cell cultures, such as the HaCaT line of keratinocytes) without their mineralization and/or purification, by means of electrochemical methods using hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE). On this electrode, AZT undergoes irreversible reduction at the peak potential near E_p?1.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl/3 M KCl). Reduction AZT signals were measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), square‐wave voltammetry (SWV), and constant current chronopotentiometric stripping analysis (CPSA). In phosphate buffer (pH 8) the SWV yielded the best AZT signal with the detection limit of 1 nM. The determination of AZT concentration in biological materials is affected by electroactive components, such as proteins and DNA. For monitoring the influence of these compounds, AZT reduction was performed in the presence of 10 μg/mL calf thymus ssDNA and/or 100 μg/mL bovine serum albumin. In these cases, the detection limit increased to 0.25 μM. Also studied was the AZT concentration in keratinocyte cells (HaCaT line) during cell cultivation. It has been shown that the SWV may be considered as a useful tool for the determination of AZT concentration in cell cultures, and for monitoring AZT pharmacokinetics.     

Rapid on-chip postcolumn labeling and high-resolution separations of DNA

When performing genetic analysis on microfluidic systems, labeling the sample DNA for detection is a critical preparation step. Labeling procedures often involve fluorescently tagged primers and PCRs, which lengthen experimental run times and introduce higher levels of complexity, increasing the overall cost per analysis. Alternatively, on-chip labeling techniques based on intercalating dyes permit rapid labeling of DNA fragments. However, as noted in the literature, the stochastic nature of dye-DNA complex formation hinders the native electrophoretic migration of DNA fragments, degrading the separation resolution. In this study, we present a novel method of controllably labeling DNA fragments at the end of the electrophoretic separation channel in a glass microfluidic chip. Permitting the DNA to separate and labeling just before detection, achieves the rapid labeling associated with intercalators while maintaining the high resolution of native DNA separations. Our analyses are completed in minutes, rather than the hours typical of sample prelabeling. We demonstrate an electrophoretic microchip-based intercalator labeling technique that achieves higher resolution performance than reported in the literature to date.     

钴希夫碱配合物及其分子氧加合物的合成与表征

以β-萘酚醛与一系列二胺缩合为配体,合成了钴的配合物。通过测定配合物在各种溶剂中吸收的氧气,得到了配合物与分子氧的摩尔比。并从各种溶剂中分离出了一系列2:1和1:1(Co/O_2)的分子氧加合物。对这些配合物和分子氧加合物进行了元素分析,红外、紫外一可见光谱和磁化率的表征,并研究了性质与结构的关系。     

Isolation, Mapping, DNA Sequence and RFLPs Studies of Random Single-Copy DNA Segments on Human X Chromosome

Using the total human/mouse DNA as the probe, screening has been carried out three times with in situ plaque hybridization to obtain the single-copy DNA sequence from the human X chromosome genomic library. The effective rate of screening is 1. 45%. DNAs from clones containing single-copy inserts have been analyzed by a panel of hybrid cells with or without human X chromosome. Three segments, designated by DXFD52,73,75, are mapped to the X chromosome. DXFD52 has been precisely localized on Xq12-q13 with in situ chromosomal hybridization. DXFD52 has been partially sequenced. The results indicate that DXFD52 is a new isolated single-copy segment on the X chromosome. Great progress in the RFLPs study with DXFD52 has been achieved in the population of Chongqing, Sichuan Province. The results show that the DXFD52 can be used to detect the RFLP with Hind Ⅲ, Bgl Ⅱ, and Hinf Ⅰ. DXFD52 will be a potential "landmark" for the construction of the complete linkage map of human genome and the analysis of genomic s     

SNPs Feasibility of Nonlabeled Oligonucletides on Using Electrochemical Sensing

We have demonstrated an electrochemical gene chip protocol for the SNPs detection of nonlabeled DNA. Using an array consisting of streptavidin‐modified gold electrodes, probe DNA were attached through the application of a direct electric field. Electrochemical response changes originating from the hybridization of nucleic acids to protein‐bound nucleic acids using soluble mediators in K₃Fe(CN)₆ solution could then be observed. The electrochemical protocol developed showed high sensitivity and good reproducibility in the detection of DNA hybridization. Significant changes in electrochemical signals were also observed when using target DNA with a single base mismatch, indicating the applicability of this method to single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) detection.     

Regioselective synthesis of polysubstituted benzenes from Baylis-Hillman adducts via [4+2] annulation protocol

A new and regioselective [4+2] benzannulation protocol toward polysubstituted benzenes was developed. A nitroalkane derivative, which was prepared from Baylis-Hillman adduct, served as the four-carbon unit and a Michael acceptor as a two-carbon unit. Vinyltriphenylphosphonium salt could also be used as a Michael acceptor efficiently.     

Regioselective synthesis of pentasubstituted benzene derivatives: TBAF as an effective catalyst for the sequential Michael addition-intramolecular aldolization

Polysubstituted benzene derivatives were synthesized starting from the Baylis-Hillman adducts via the sequential introduction of primary nitroalkane at the primary position, Michael addition to β-branched Michael acceptor, aldol condensation, elimination of nitrous acid, and the final aromatization process.     

Interaction of the mutagen ethidium bromide with DNA, using a carbon paste electrode and a hanging mercury drop electrode

The interaction of ethidium bromide (2,7-diamino-10-ethyl-9-phenylphenanthridinium bromide; EB) with double stranded (ds) calf thymus DNA and thermally denatured single stranded (ss) DNA was studied in solution and at the electrode surface by means of transfer voltammetry using a carbon paste electrode (CPE) as working electrode in 0.2 M acetate buffer, pH 5.0. As a result of intercalation of this dye between the base pairs of dsDNA, the characteristic peak of dsDNA, due to the oxidation of guanine residues, decreased and after a particular concentration of EB a new peak at +0.81 V appeared, probably due to the formation of a complex between dsDNA and EB. The non-intercalated EB gives another peak, but at an increased concentration of the dye. A similar behaviour was observed during the interaction of the dye with ssDNA.Furthermore, the interaction of EB with ds, ss and supercoiled (sc) DNA was studied at the hanging mercury drop electrode (HMDE) surface by means of alternating current voltammetry in 0.3 M NaCl and 50 mM sodium phosphate buffer (pH 8.5) as supporting electrolyte. dsDNA yields a smaller peak at −1.42 V (peak III) compared to the one yielded by ssDNA, since the latter is a relaxed and more accessible form. By addition of EB into the buffer solution an increase of peak III was observed in the dsDNA form as well as in ssDNA resulting from their interaction with EB. Furthermore, the appearance of peak III in covalently closed circular scDNA after exposure to increasing concentrations of EB is a result of the introduction of ‘free ends’ in DNA affecting its structural integrity.     

三菲咯啉合铁手性配合物键合DNA的立体选择性

应用光谱法研究了手性金属配合物［Ｆｅ（ｐｈｅｎ）３］＾２＋与小牛胸腺ＤＮＡ的作用，确定了△型异构体对Ｂ型右手螺旋ＤＮＡ有优先键合的立体选择性。     

Pressure effects on the phase transition of urea adducts withn-paraffins and polyethylene

The decomposition of urea adducts with hydrocarbons is treated as a first-order phase transition and the pressure dependence is studied up to 0.7 GPa for several kinds of adducts. The thermodynamic quantities at the decomposition of the adduct can be analysed as a sum of those quantities of the component materials. The transition from the orthorhombic to the hexagonal form of the adduct with polyethylene is also investigated by X-ray diffraction and the pressure dependence of the lattice parameters is measured for the adducts. The results are compared with the phase transition in the pure paraffin.