On the Temperature–Pressure Free‐Energy Landscape of Proteins

We studied the thermodynamic stability of a small monomeric protein, staphylococcal nuclease (Snase), as a function of both temperature and pressure, and expressed it as a 3D free‐energy surface on the p,T‐plane using a second‐order Taylor expansion of the Gibbs free‐energy change ΔG upon unfolding. We took advantage of a series of different techniques (small‐angle Xray scattering, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, differential thermal analysis, pressure perturbation calorimetry and densitometry) in the evaluation of the conformation of the protein and in evaluating the changes in the thermodynamic parameters upon unfolding, such as the heat capacity, enthalpy, entropy, volume, isothermal compressibility and expansivity. The calculated results of the free‐energy landscape of the protein are in good agreement with experimental data of the p,T‐stability diagram of the protein over a temperature range from 200 to 400 K and at pressures from ambient pressure to 4000 bar. The results demonstrate that combined temperature–pressure‐dependent studies can help delineate the free‐energy landscape of proteins and hence help elucidate which features and thermodynamic parameters are essential in determining the stability of the native conformational state of proteins. The approach presented may also be used for studying other systems with so‐called re‐entrant or Tamman loop‐shaped phase diagrams.     

Protein secondary structure and stability determined by combining exoproteolysis and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

In the post-genomic era, several projects focused on the massive experimental resolution of the three-dimensional structures of all the proteins of different organisms have been initiated. Simultaneously, significant progress has been made in the ab initio prediction of protein three-dimensional structure. One of the keys to the success of such a prediction is the use of local information (i.e. secondary structure). Here we describe a new limited proteolysis methodology, based on the use of unspecific exoproteases coupled with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS), to map quickly secondary structure elements of a protein from both ends, the N- and C-termini. We show that the proteolytic patterns (mass spectra series) obtained can be interpreted in the light of the conformation and local stability of the analyzed proteins, a direct correlation being observed between the predicted and the experimentally derived protein secondary structure. Further, this methodology can be easily applied to check rapidly the folding state of a protein and characterize mutational effects on protein conformation and stability. Moreover, given global stability information, this methodology allows one to locate the protein regions of increased or decreased conformational stability. All of this can be done with a small fraction of the amount of protein required by most of the other methods for conformational analysis. Thus limited exoproteolysis, together with MALDI-TOF MS, can be a useful tool to achieve quickly the elucidation of protein structure and stability.     

Quantum-Chemical Investigation of Intermediates in the Addition of Phenylsulfenium Cation to Substituted Acetylenes

The reaction paths for the transformations of substituted acetylenes (X—CC—Y; X, Y = H, Me, Ph, CN) in reaction with phenylsulfenium cation were studied by quantum-chemical methods. It was shown that the reactions take place with the formation of acyclic and cyclic cationic intermediates. The factor that determines the structure and characteristics of these cations is the induction and polarizing action of the substituents in the acetylenes and to a lesser degree their electron-donor characteristics. The resonance effect of the phenyl substituent has a predominantly levelling action on the distribution of charges.     

Pattern of separatrices and intrinsic reaction coordinates for degenerate thermal rearrangements

A structurally stable model of the standard adiabatic gradient field of the potential energy surface for certain pericyclic reactions is derived.These reactions are not subjected to the principles of orbital isomerism or to the Woodward-Hoffmann rules.Use is made of a principle established by Ariel Fernández and Oktay Sinanolu which precludes direct meta-IRC connections between transition states.It is shown that Jahn-Teller isomers of the singlet biradicals involved in the process are not interconvertible since the biradical configuration is not a transition state but a critical point with Hessian matrix with two negative eigenvalues.The topological features of the PES obtained by combinatorial methods are in full agreement with earlier results obtained from MINDO calculations.     

KIT-1介孔分子筛的化学修饰及吸附性能

介孔分子筛MCM-41具有较大、可调的孔径和较高的比表面积，其骨架组成具有较强的可调变性．为该材料的应用提供了很大的空间。但全硅MCM-41分子筛在潮湿空气中，即使在室温条件下也会发生水解反应，使其介孔结构遭到破坏。前人已针对MCM-41分子筛稳定性不足的问题相继合成了稳定性较高的介孔分子筛KIT-1,     

Mass spectrometric study of thermal stability of copper(II) bis(dipivaloylmethanate) vapour

The processes of thermal destruction of copper(II) bis(dipivaloylmethanate) (Cu(dpm)₂) in the temperature range 150°–550°C were studied by using a two-temperature variant of a double chamber Knudsen cell, with mass spectrometric recording of the gas-phase composition. The temperature range of stability of the vapour of the complex in vacuum was determined, as were those of its mixtures with oxygen in different proportions. The temperature dependence of the rate constant of the thermolysis of (Cu(dpm)₂) vapour was obtained. The thermal stability of Hdpm vapour and the influence of oxygen on the thermolysis of the ligand were studied.

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Zusammenfassung Unter Verwendung einer Zweitemperaturenvariante der Knudsenschen Doppelkammerzelle wurde mittels MS-Untersuchung der Gasphasenzusammensetzung im Temperaturbereich 150°–550°C der thermische Abbau von Kupfer(II)-bis(dipivaloylmethanat) (Cu(dpm)₂) untersucht. Es wurde der Temperaturbereich für die Stabilität der gasförmigen Komplexe in Vakuum sowie in Gemischen mit Sauerstoff in verschiedenen Verhältnissen bestimmt. Dabei wurde die Temperaturabhängigkeit der Geschwindigkeitskonstante für die Thermolyse von Cu(dpm)₂ ermittelt. Weiterhin wurde die thermische Stabilität von Hdpm-Dampf sowie der Einfluß von Sauerstoff auf die Thermolyse der Liganden bestimmt.

     

Novel alginate-poly(L-histidine) microcapsules as drug carriers: in vitro protein release and short term stability

Spherical, smooth-surfaced and mechanically stable alginate-poly(L-histidine) (PLHis) microcapsules with narrow particle size distributions were prepared by incubating calcium alginate beads in aqueous solutions of PLHis. The in vitro release characteristics, drug loading and encapsulation efficiency of the microcapsules were investigated using bovine erythrocytes hemoglobin (Hb) as a model drug. The results showed that the concentration of Ca(2+) ions had a considerable effect on the drug loading, encapsulation efficiency and in vitro release behavior of the microcapsules. When the concentration of CaCl(2) in the PLHis solution was increased from 0 to 3.0% (w/v), the drug loading and encapsulation efficiency decreased significantly from 38.0 to 4.3% and from 92.9 to 8.0%, respectively, while the total cumulative release of Hb from microcapsules in phosphate buffered saline solution (PBS, pH 6.8) decreased from 96.2 to 72.8% in 24 h. No significant protein release was observed during 70 h of incubation in hydrochloric acid solution (pH 1.2). However, under neutral conditions (PBS, pH 6.8), the Hb was completely and stably released within 24-70 h. An explosion test showed that the stability of alginate-PLHis microcapsules depended strongly on the concentration of PLHis and the calcium ions in solution. [Diagram: see text] Microscopy photo of Hb-loaded alginate-PLHis microcapsules.     

A kinetic stability study of MN (MBe,Mg, Ca,Sr, and Ba)

This work describes a structure and kinetic stability study of some complexes with the general formula MN, where M are the alkaline earth metal atoms, Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, and Ba. A complex (A) with two points of attachment to the N₅ ring is the most energetically favored for all metals considered here. Except for Be, structure (B) containing a mono‐coordinated metal atom is a transition state corresponding to the metal atom transfer around the N₅ ring. Pyramidal structure (C) is kinetically unstable with the low isomerization barrier height, ranging from 0.9 to 6.7 kcal/mol. The dissociation barrier heights for the lowest energy isomers (A) are predicted to be 1.2–18.7 kcal/mol (Be to Ba), indicating that kinetic stability increases from lighter to heavier metal atoms. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004     

Substituent Effects on the C-C Bond Strength, 15[1] Geminal Substituent Effects, 7[2]. Thermochemistry and Thermal Decomposition of Alkyl-substituted Tricyanomethyl Compounds

The thermolysis reactions of the tricyanomethyl compounds 10a-c were studied in solution. 2,2-Dicyano-3-methyl-3-phenylbutyronitrile ( 10a ) and 2,2-dicyano-3-methyl-3-(4-nitrophenyl)butyronitrile ( 10b ) decomposed heterolytically into carbenium ions and (CN)₃C⁻ anions, while 9-methyl-9-(tricyanomethyl)fluorene ( 10c ) underwent about 11% homolytic C-C bond cleavage into 9-methyl-9-fluorenyl- and tricyanomethyl radicals. The rates of the homolysis were determined by a radical scavenger procedure under conditions of pseudozero order kinetics. From the temperature effect on the rate constants the activation parameters were determined [ΔH ( 10c ) = 155· 2 kJ mol⁻¹, ΔS ( 10c ) = 58· 5 J mol⁻¹ K⁻¹]. Standard enthalpies of formation ΔH (g) were determined for 2,2-dicyanopropionitrile ( 2 ) (422.45 kJ mol⁻¹), 2,2-dicyanohexanenitrile ( 3 ) (349.74 kJ mol⁻¹), 2,2-dicyano-3-phenylpropionitrile ( 4 ) (540.75 kJ mol⁻¹), 2-butyl-2-methylhexanentrile ( 5 ) (-133.20 kJ mol⁻¹), 2,2-dimethylpentanenitrile ( 6 ) (-45.78 kJ mol⁻¹), and 2-methylbutyronitrile ( 7 ) (2.44 kJ mol⁻¹) from the enthalpies of combustion and enthalpies of sublimation/vaporization. From these data and known Δ (g) values for alkanenitriles and -dinitriles, thermochemical increments for ΔH (g) were derived for alkyl groups with one, two, or three cyano groups attached. The comparison of these increments with those of alkanes reveals a strong geminal destabilization, which is interpreted by dipolar repulsions between the cyano groups. - From ΔH (g) of 10c and ΔH of its homolytic decomposition the radical stabilization enthalpy for the tricyanomethyl radical 1 RSE ( 1 ) = -18 kJ mol⁻¹ was determined. Thus, 1 is destabilized, in comparison with the RSEs of tertiary α-cyanalkyl (23 kJ mol⁻¹) and α,α-dicyanoalkyl (27 kJ mol⁻¹) radicals, which were recalculated from bond homolysis measurements^[4] and the new thermochemical data. This change of RSE on increasing the number of α-cyano groups is discussed as the result of the additive contributions by resonance stabilization and increasing destabilization by dipolar repulsion. The amount of the dipolar energies was estimated by molecular mechanics (MM2).     

Effect of hydrogen bonding of solvent on the thermodynamic stability of cadmium ethylenediamine complexes

Changes in the stability of the cadmium(ii) ethylenediamine complexes in mixed water—DMSO solvents were studied by pH-metry and calorimetry. Complex cations [Cd(en)]²⁺, [Cd(en)₂]²⁺, and [Cd(en)₃]²⁺ are formed in aqueous solutions, and the [Cd(en)₄]²⁺ complex with a partially dentate ligand is stable in DMSO. An increase in the DMSO content in a solvent increases the stability of the complexes. The maximum increase in logK is observed for coordinatively saturated compounds. The thermodynamics of complexation is discussed from the viewpoint of solvation approach. Principal differences in the influence of aqueous-alcohol and aqueous-aprotic solvents on the stability of the metal amino complexes were revealed. Protolytic solvents exert a destabilizing effect on the multiligand complexes, because the coordination sphere is involved in H bonding.