氮氧自由基的应用研究进展

氮氧自由基化合物是指含碳、氮、氧、氢等元素以及自旋单电子的有机化合物,因其自身的特殊性质被广泛应用于很多领域。本文结合氮氧自由基的特点,对其在生物学、磁性、有机催化和阻聚等方面的应用研究进行了总结,并对氮氧自由基化合物的发展趋势进行了展望。     

气相二氧化硅填充极性低聚物的界面与流变

气相二氧化硅(FS)/低聚物纳米复合材料应用广泛于涂料、胶黏剂、锂离子电池、液体防弹衣等诸多领域.然而,极性低聚物与FS表面相互作用复杂,FS/低聚物复合材料(ONCs)的流变响应多种多样.如何实现ONCs流变行为调控,是长期困扰工业界的难题.本文详细总结了FS在ONCs领域的应用,将FS粒子间相互作用与ONCs流变性质相关联,综述ONCs界面层结构的表征、调控手段及界面层与流变行为的关系.结合本课题组对FS/极性低聚物体系界面及流变行为的研究成果,提出未来ONCs领域的2个重要方向,即研究界面结构与粒子-极性低聚物相互作用间的关系,并通过界面设计实现对纳米粒子/极性低聚物复合材料的流变行为的精确调控.     

基于糖和苯硼酸动态共价键的高效蛋白质表面修饰方法

糖和蛋白质的相互作用参与了很多重要的生命过程.研究糖和蛋白质的相互作用有多种手段,石英晶体微天平(QCM)是其中重要的一种.研究中常需要将蛋白质通过共价键连接在天平芯片的表面.但是,用于检测糖分子的蛋白质多为植物凝集素,它们的分子量大,表面可修饰位点少,通过共价键修饰在芯片表面的效率偏低.本文提出一种基于糖和苯硼酸之间动态共价键的新修饰方法,能够大幅度提高蛋白质在芯片表面的修饰效率.     

软骨细胞体外增殖去分化的拉曼光谱分析

基于显微拉曼光谱技术,对组织工程的软骨种子细胞在传代增殖过程中的去分化进行单细胞分析。首先,对体外单层培养的第1-4代(P1-P4)大鼠软骨细胞样本进行了单细胞拉曼光谱检测,由此识别出软骨细胞中各种碱基、糖基、氨基酸等主要物质分子结构的特征峰集合。随后,分析拉曼光谱中若干重点特征峰强度随细胞传代次数的变化,发现软骨细胞体外增殖过程中核酸(789、1094、1576 cm~(-1))含量降低、Ⅱ型胶原(特异组分为羟脯氨酸,1207 cm~(-1))和蛋白聚糖(特异组分为糖胺聚糖,1042、1063、1126、1160 cm~(-1))合成下降、脂质(1304 cm~(-1))及磷酸盐(957 cm~(-1))含量增加等分子水平变化,从而在活体单细胞层次初步揭示了去分化引起软骨细胞增殖变缓、分泌减弱、形态纤维化等现象的分子机制。     

以腐植酸为对象开展稳态和时间分辨荧光实验教学

腐植酸是天然有机质的重要组成部分,其结构复杂且具有多种荧光发射特征。我们结合目前环境科学领域腐植酸或其他天然有机质的研究重点,利用腐植酸开展稳态和时间分辨荧光综合实验教学。本实验可以使学生全面掌握分子荧光分析中拉曼散射、激发光能量对荧光发射影响、荧光寿命和内滤效应等知识。     

计算化学在分子轨道教学中的应用

分子轨道理论是理解分子电子结构与微观性质的重要理论之一,也是本科生与研究生结构化学教学中的重点与难点。学生对原子轨道组合形成分子轨道、分子轨道能级交叉混合等知识的理解缺乏形象直观、定量的认识。本文通过基于量子化学或密度泛函理论的Gaussian 03计算软件,计算、绘制并分析了F_2、O_2、N_2、HF、CO等的分子轨道能级图,将学生较难理解的内容定量、直观地呈现出来,形象地解释了分子轨道成键原则与电子填充原则等分子轨道理论中的重难点,加深了学生对分子轨道理论的理解,特别是sp轨道混杂导致的σ_(2p_z)与π_(2p)轨道能级交叉这一难点,激发了学生学习的主动性和积极性,提高了教学质量。在此基础上,利用分子轨道理论分析了CO_2的电子结构,使学生学会应用分子轨道理论解决实际问题,巩固了相关课堂理论知识。     

Metal ion-induced H-aggregation of a water-soluble anionic dye Congo red (CR) in Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) film

Present communication reports the preparation of Langmuir monolayer of water-soluble anionic dye Congo red (CR) by allowing it to adsorb from the aqueous subphase onto the preformed Langmuir monolayer of anionic stearic acid using divalent metal cations Mg²⁺ as mediator. Isotherm and compressibility studies of SA-Mg-CR hybrid monolayer gave valuable information about the molecular organisation in the Langmuir monolayer. Absorption spectroscopic studies revealed the formation of H-aggregates in the hybrid Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films fabricated at lower salt concentration in the subphase. Atomic Force Microscopic image gave visual evidence of distinct nanocrystalline domains in the LB monolayer film.     

Virtual screening of B-Raf kinase inhibitors: A combination of pharmacophore modelling,molecular docking, 3D-QSAR model and binding free energy calculation studies

B-Raf kinase has been identified as an important target in recent cancer treatment. In order to discover structurally diverse and novel B-Raf inhibitors (BRIs), a virtual screening of BRIs against ZINC database was performed by using a combination of pharmacophore modelling, molecular docking, 3D-QSAR model and binding free energy (ΔG_bind) calculation studies in this work. After the virtual screening, six promising hit compounds were obtained, which were then tested for inhibitory activities of A375 cell lines. In the result, five hit compounds show good biological activities (IC₅₀ < 50 μM). The present method of virtual screening can be applied to find structurally diverse inhibitors, and the obtained five structurally diverse compounds are expected to develop novel BRIs.     

Disruption of redox catalytic functions of peroxiredoxin-thioredoxin complex in Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv using small interface binding molecules

Mycobacterium tuberculosis has distinctive ability to detoxify various microbicidal superoxides and hydroperoxides via a redox catalytic cycle involving thiol reductants of peroxiredoxin (Prx) and thioredoxin (Trx) systems which has conferred on it resistance against oxidative killing and survivability within host. We have used computational approach to disrupt catalytic functions of Prx-Trx complex which can possibly render the pathogen vulnerable to oxidative killing in the host. Using protein–protein docking method, we have successfully constructed the Prx-Trx complex. Statistics of interface region revealed contact area of each monomer less than 1500 Å² and enriched in polar amino acids indicating transient interaction between Prx and Trx. We have identified ZINC40139449 as a potent interface binding molecule through virtual screening of drug-like compounds from ZINC database. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies showed differences in structural properties of Prx-Trx complex both in apo and ligand bound states with regard to root mean square deviation (RMSD), radius of gyration (Rg), root mean square fluctuations (RMSF), solvent accessible surface area (SASA) and number of hydrogen bonds (NHBs). Interestingly, we found stability of two conserved catalytic residues Cys61 and Cys174 of Prx and conserved catalytic motif, WCXXC of Trx upon binding of ZINC40139449. The time dependent displacement study reveals that the compound is quite stable in the interface binding region till 30 ns of MD simulation. The structural properties were further validated by principal component analysis (PCA). We report ZINC40139449 as promising lead which can be further evaluated by in vitro or in vivo enzyme inhibition assays.