Characterization of xylitol dehydrogenase from debaryomyces hansenii

The xylitol dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.9) from xylose-grown cells ofDebaryomyces hansenii was partially purified in two Chromatographic steps, and characterization studies were carried out in order to inves tigate the role of the xylitol dehydrogenase-catalyzed step in the regu lation of D-xylose metabolism. The enzyme was most active at pH 9.0–9.5, and exhibited a broad polyol specificity. The Michaelis con stants for xylitol and NAD⁺ were 16.5 and 0.55 mM, respectively. Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Mn²⁺ did not affect the enzyme activity. Conversely, Zn²⁺, Cd²⁺, and Co²⁺ strongly inhibited the enzyme activity. It was concluded that NAD⁺-xylitol dehydrogenase from D.hansenii has similarities with other xylose-fermenting yeasts in respect to optimal pH, substrate specificity, and K_m value for xylitol, and therefore should be named L-iditol:NAD⁺-5-oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.14). The reason D.hansenii is a good xylitol producer is not because of its value of K_m for xylitol, which is low enough to assure its fast oxidation by NAD⁺ xylitol dehydrogenase. However, a higher K_m value of xylitol dehydro genase for NAD⁺ compared to theK _m values of other xylose-ferment ing yeasts may be responsible for the higher xylitol yields.     

微波固相法制备ZnCl2/NaY催化剂ZnCl2/NaY在月桂烯Diels-Alder反应中的催化性能

比较了微波固相法、普通加热法和简单混合法制备的ZnCl2/NaY及溶液离子交换法制备的ZnNaY在月桂烯与丙烯醛Diels-Alder反应中的催化性能,发现微波固相法制备的催化剂表现出最高的环加成选择性和区域选择性.通过对微波固相法制备的催化剂中ZnCl2负载量的考察,揭示了微波诱导ZnCl2在NaY分子筛表面形成了不同催化活性中心的特点,分散在分子筛表面的ZnCl2具有更高的催化活性和区域选择性.微波辐射可成功地将ZnCl2固载于NaY分子筛中,当ZnCl2负载量为6.3%时,ZnCl2与NaY分子筛主要发生固态离子交换反应;当ZnCl2负载量达25%时,催化活性提高了3倍,区域选择性提高了1倍以上.而且,以微波固相法制备的ZnCl2/NaY催化剂,其环加成选择性和区域选择性随反应温度的升高而下降.     

Determination of breath alcohol using a differential-type amperometric biosensor based on alcohol dehydrogenase

A differential-type amperometric biosensor based on conventional thick-film technology has been developed for breath alcohol measurement. The amperometric breath alcohol biosensor utilizes the alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) cofactor which produce reduced NADH as a product of the oxidation of alcohol. The biosensor was designed in a differential format consisting of a common Ag/AgCl reference electrode, an active working electrode containing the ADH, and the inactive working electrode containing only bovine serum albumin instead of the ADH. The differential signal between the active working electrode and the inactive working electrode minimized the interference from a large number of oxidizable species present in a person's breath. Prior to the amperometric measurement the biosensor was hydrated simply by dipping it into a phosphate buffer solution at pH 7.4. The NADH produced from the enzymatic reaction was oxidized at the working electrode biased at a potential of 470 mV vs. an on-board Ag/AgCl reference electrode. The biosensor can measure a person's breath alcohol over the concentration range 20–800 ppm routinely required in a test of drunken driving.     

Electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor based on Ru(bpy)3(2+) and dehydrogenase immobilized in sol-gel/chitosan/poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) composite material

A new electrogenerated chemiluminescence biosensor was fabricated by immobilizing ECL reagent Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ and alcohol dehydrogenase in sol-gel/chitosan/poly(sodium 4-styrene sulfonate) (PSS) organically modified composite material. The component PSS was used to immobilize ECL reagent Ru(bpy)₃²⁺ by ion-exchange, while the addition of chitosan was to prevent the cracking of conventional sol-gel-derived glasses and provide biocompatible microenvironment for alcohol dehydrogenase. Such biosensor combined enzymatic selectivity with the sensitivity of ECL detection for quantification of enzyme substrate and it was much simpler than previous double-layer design. The detection limit was 9.3 × 10⁻⁶ M for alcohol (S/N = 3) with a linear range from 2.79 × 10⁻⁵ to 5.78 × 10⁻² M. With ECL detection, the biosensor exhibited wide linear range, high sensitivity and good stability.     

One-pot synthesis of N-protected α-amino aldehyde acetals from three-component reaction of fluoroalkanesulfonyl azide, vinyl ether and alcohol

A facile one-step method has been developed for the synthesis of N-protected α-amino aldehyde acetals in moderate to good yields by three-component reaction of fluoroalkanesulfonyl azides, vinyl ethers and alcohol at 0 °C within 10 min. This practical synthetic method provides a convenient and expeditious access to N-per(poly)fluoroalkanesulfonyl α-amino aldehyde acetals.     

Cyclic vinylogous triflate hemiacetals as new surrogates for alkynyl aldehydes

Cyclic vinylogous triflate hemiacetals can serve as ‘synthetic equivalents’ for alkynyl aldehydes: treatment of a vinylogous triflate hemiacetal with excess amounts of Grignard reagents produces acyclic alkynyl alcohols in good to high yields. This transformation likely involves the Grob-type C-C bond cleaving fragmentation to form the alkynyl aldehyde in situ. Subsequent nucleophilic attack of the Grignard reagent furnishes secondary alkynols. Vinylogous triflate hemiacetals are easily prepared by DIBALH reduction of vinylogous acyl triflates, which are derived from cyclic 1,3-diketones.     

Reagentless amperometric formaldehyde-selective biosensors based on the recombinant yeast formaldehyde dehydrogenase

Novel formaldehyde-selective amperometric biosensors were developed based on NAD(+)- and glutathione-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase isolated from a gene-engineered strain of the methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha. Electron transfer between the immobilized enzyme and a platinized graphite electrode was established using a number of different low-molecular free-diffusing redox mediators or positively charged cathodic electrodeposition paints modified with Os-bis-N,N-(2,2'-bipyridil)-chloride ([Os(bpy)(2)Cl]) complexes. Among five tested Os-containing redox polymers of different chemical structure and properties, complexes of osmium-modified poly(4-vinylpyridine) with molecular mass of about 60 kDa containing diaminopropyl groups were selected. The positively charged cathodic paint exhibited the best electron-transfer characteristics. Moreover, the polymer layers simultaneously served as a matrix for keeping the negatively charged low-molecular cofactors, glutathione and NAD(+), in the bioactive layer. Additionally, covering the enzyme/polymer layer with a negatively charged Nafion membrane significantly decreased cofactors leakage and simultaneously enhanced the sensor' stability. The developed sensors revealed a high selectivity to formaldehyde (FA) and a low cross-sensitivity to other substances (such as, e.g. butyraldehyde, propionaldehyde, acetaldehyde, methylglyoxal). The maximum current value was 34.2+/-0.72 microA/mm(2) (3.05 mm diameter electrode) and the apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K(M)(app)) derived from the FA calibration curves was 120+/-5mM with a linear detection range for FA up to 20mM. The best observed sensitivity for reagentless sensor was 1.8 nA microM(-1) (358 Am(-2)M(-1)). The developed sensors had a good operational and storage stability. The laboratory prototype of the sensor was applied for FA testing in some real samples of pharmaceutical (formidron), disinfectant (descoton forte) and industrial product (formalin). A good correlation was revealed between the concentration values measured using the developed FdDH-based sensor, an enzymatic method and standard chemical methods of FA determination.     

3,6-二甲基-9-芳基-2,7-二氧杂-1,2,7,8,9,10-六氢-1,8-吖啶二酮衍生物的一步合成

以芳醛、6-甲基-4-羟基-2-吡喃酮、醋酸铵为原料, 醋酸为溶剂, 一步合成了一系列3,6-二甲基-9-芳基-2,7-二氧 杂-1,2,7,8,9,10-六氢-1,8-吖啶二酮, 产物的结构经红外、核磁、元素分析进行了表征, 并对反应过程提出了可能的机理.     

离子液体存在下脂肪醛的环化三聚反应

Aliphatic aldehydes such as ethanal,propanal,n-butanal,isobutyraldehyde,n-valeraldehyde,isovaleraldehyde,n-hexanal and n-octanal were converted into the corresponding 2,4,6-trialkyl-1,3,5-trioxanes through cyclotrimer-ization in the presence of the ferric chloride based ionic liquids at room temperature without solvent in high selec-tivity.The effects of different ionic liquids,acidity of ionic liquids and temperature on cyclotrimerization were alsostudied.The results showed that the ferric chloride based ionic liquids(apparent molar fraction of FeCl_3(x(FeCl_3)=0.62))were a kind of efficient catalysts for the cyclotrimerization of aliphatic aldehyde which could be separatedconveniently from the reaction mixture and recycled without loss of catalytic activity.The conversion of isobu-tyraldehyde and the selectivity to 2,4,6-triisopropyl-1,3,5-trioxane were 91.1% and 99.8% respectively under opti-mum reaction condition(isobutyraldehyde 25.0 g,[Et_3NH]Cl/FeCl_3(x(FeCl_3)=0.62)1.0 g,25 ℃for 1 h).     

Alterations in osmoregulation, antioxidant enzymes and indole alkaloid levels in Catharanthus roseus exposed to water deficit

Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don plants were grown in different water regimes in order to study the drought induced osmotic stress and proline (PRO) metabolism, antioxidative enzyme activities and indole alkaloid accumulation. The plants under pot culture were subjected to 10, 15 and 20 days interval drought (DID) stress from 30 days after sowing (DAS) and regular irrigation was kept as control. The plants were uprooted on 41 DAS (10 DID), 46 DAS (15 DID) and 51 DAS (20 DID). The drought stressed plants showed increased aminoacid (AA), glycine betaine (GB) and PRO contents and decreased proline oxidase (PROX) and increased γ-glutamyl kinase (γ-GK) activities when compared to control. The antioxidative enzymes like peroxidase (POX) and polyphenol oxidase (PPO) increased to a significant level in drought stressed plants when compared to control. The drought stressed C. roseus plants showed an increase in total indole alkaloid content in shoots and roots when compared to well-watered control plants. Our results suggest that the cultivation of medicinal plants like C. roseus in water deficit areas would increase its PRO metabolism, osmoregulation, defense system and the level of active principles.