Evaluation of the molecular recognition of peptide-conjugated polymer.

We have recently reported on dodecamer peptides (HPPMDFHKAMTR, CHPQPLKSRNPL) which recognize 52-58th and 197-203rd amino acid sequences of glucose oxidase (GOx) by screening via a phage random peptide library. In this study, a side-chain protected peptide monomer (PPM) was synthesized using two peptides (HPPMDFHKAMTR, SHPQPLKSRNPL) and acryloyl chloride. The peptide-conjugated polymer (PCP) was copolymerized with PPMs and N,N-diethylacrylamide (DEAA). The affinity of PCPs to GOx was estimated using surface plasmon resonance detection. This study suggests that PCP is a valuable molecular recognition biomolecule.     

Simple and rapid determination of hydrogen peroxide using phosphine-based fluorescent reagents with sodium tungstate dihydrate.

A simple batch method for the fluorometric determination of hydrogen peroxide using phosphine-based fluorescent reagents has been developed. A rapid, mild and selective derivatization reaction was achieved by adding sodium tungstate dihydrate to the reaction mixture of hydrogen peroxide and a phosphine-based fluorescent reagent. When 4-diphenylphosphino-7-methylthio-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole was used as a reagent, the derivatization reaction was completed after 2 min at room temperature. The calibration curve was linear between 12.5 and 500 ng hydrogen peroxide in a 10 microL sample solution. This method is accurate and has potential for on-line applications.     

Novel synthesis of macrocycles with 1,1′-binaphthalene-2,2′-diol using intramolecular oxidative coupling

A new series of BINOL-based macrocycles with two phenolic protons have been synthesized via oxidative coupling reaction using CuCl(OH)-TMEDA.     

Spreading of dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine on the surface of sodium deoxycholate aqueous solution

The surface pressure vs. mokcular surface area relations for dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) insoluble monolayer and sodium deoxycholate (SDC) adsorbed monolayer,L and D1, respectively, were obtained from the analyses of surface tensions measured by the Wilhelmy glass plate. Also, D1 was obtained by a drop-weight method. Next, the surface pressure time course,(t), of the SDC aq. was measured by the Wilhelmy plate before and after DPPC was spread on the liquid surface. At DPPC spreading,(t) jumped to a maximum,, and decreased along an exponential curve. The values of with various surface amounts of DPPC and bulk concentrations of SDC were analyzed using a dual surface-region model. The model enabled the estimation of. For better fitting, modified relations were constructed in place of D1. The exponential decrease of(t) was also observed on the SDC adsorbed monolayer which was rapidly compressed by a moving barrier. The(t) relaxation rate constants of the SDC monolayers which were compressed by DPPC spreading and the moving barrier agreed with each other, suggesting a desorption of SDC from the surface.     

Fluorogenic probes for detecting deacylase and demethylase activity towards post-translationally-modified lysine residues

Reversible enzymatic post-translational modification of the ε-amino groups of lysine residues (e.g. N-acylation reactions) plays an important role in regulating the cellular activities of numerous proteins. This study describes how enzyme catalyzed N-deprotection of lysine residues of non-fluorescent peptide-coumarin probes can be used to generate N-deprotected peptides that undergo spontaneous O- to N-ester transfer reactions (uncatalyzed) to generate a highly fluorescent N-carbamoyl peptide. This enables detection of enzyme catalyzed N-deacetylation, N-demalonylation, N-desuccinylation and N-demethylation reactions activities towards the N-modified lysine residues of these probes using simple ‘turn on’ fluorescent assays.

We developed “turn-on” fluorescent probes that detect enzymatic lysine deacylation and demethylation critical for epigenetic and other cellular phenomena, using intramolecular O- to N-ester transfer reactions.     

Nonspecific medium effects versus specific group positioning in the antibody and albumin catalysis of the base-promoted ring-opening reactions of benzisoxazoles

The mechanisms by which solvents, antibodies, and albumins influence the rates of base-catalyzed reactions of benzisoxazoles have been explored theoretically. New experimental data on substituent effects and rates of reactions in several solvents, in an antibody, and in an albumin are reported. Quantum mechanical calculations were carried out for the reactions in water and acetonitrile, and docking of the transition state into a homology model of antibody 34E4 and an X-ray structure of human serum albumin was accomplished. A microenvironment made up of catalytic polar groups (glutamate in antibody 34E4 and lysine in human serum albumin) surrounded by relatively nonpolar groups is present in both catalytic proteins.     

Diffusion-controlled stress-relaxation in polymers,I

Summary The “chemical” relaxation of stress either in Amilan (6-Nylon) or polyvinyl alcohol caused by penetration of water vapor was studied at 40% R. H. and temperatures 15, 30, and 50° C. A theory was presented of the chemical relaxation in a polymer which comprises penetrant-sensitive bonds as the crosslinkages between the molecular chains. This theory assumes the diffusion coefficient of penetrant in the polymer to he independent of concentration and any other factors. It was found that the system Amilan-water behaves in exact conformity with the theory over the ranges of elongation and temperature studied. The diffusion coefficient,D, of water in Amilan could thus be evaluated from the chemical relaxation data, using the theory presented, as functions of elongation and temperature. An ordinary sorption experiment was carried out for this system at 40% R. H. and 16.8° C and demonstrated that the diffusion of water in Amilan was Fickian with a constant diffusion coefficient. Both diffusion coefficients from the chemical relaxation data and the sorption. data were found to agree quite well when the former was extrapolated to zero-strain. The chemical relaxation behavior in the system polyvinyl alcohol-water was markedly different from that expected from the theory, suggesting primarily that the diffusion coefficient of water in this polymer was not constant. A parallel evidence for this fact was obtained from sorption measurements on this system, which demonstrated the diffusion in this system to be dependent both on concentration and time. From these results it may be concluded that the chemical relaxation technique, when combined properly with an adequate theory, can be used not only to evaluate the diffusion coefficient of penetrant in a given polymer solid but also to investigate, at least qualitatively, the type of sorption behavior characteristic of the system under given experimental conditions.

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Zusammenfassung Die chemische Spannungsrelaxation in Amilan (6-Nylon) und Polyvinylalkohol, verursacht durch Eindringen von Wasserdampf, wurde bei 40% r. F. und Temperaturen von 15, 30 und 50° C untersucht. Es wird eine Theorie der chemischen Relaxation von Polymeren vorgelegt, die als empfindliche Bindungen auf das eindringende Niedermolekulare die Vernetzungen zwischen den molekularen Ketten betrachtet. Diese Theorie setzt voraus, da? der Diffusionskoeffizient im Polymeren für die eindringende Substanz unabh?ngig von Konzentration und anderen Faktoren ist. Das System Amilan-Wasser benimmt sich vollkommen entsprechend dieser Theorie in den studierten Verstreckungs- und Temperaturbereiche. Der Diffusionskoeffizient von Wasser in Amilan konnte daher aus der chemischen Relaxation als Funktion von Dehnung und Temperatur ausgewertet werden. Ein normales Quellungsexperiment wurde für das System bei 40% r. F. und 16,8° C ausgeführt und zeigte, da? die Diffusion von Wasser in Amilan dem Fickschen Gesetz mit konstantem Diffusionskoeffizienten folgt. Beide Diffusionskoeffizienten, der aus chemischer Relaxation und der aus Quellungsdaten gewonnene, stimmten sehr gut überein, falls der erstere auf die Dehnung 0 extrapoliert wurde. Die chemische Relaxation des Systems Polyvinylalkohol-Wasser war merklich anders als nach der Theorie erwartet und lie? in erster Linie vermuten, da? der Diffusionskoeffizient von Wasser in diesem Polymeren nicht konstant ist. Eine entsprechende Andeutung wurde aus Quellungsmessungen an diesem System erhalten. Die Diffusion h?ngt von Konzentration und Zeit ab. Aus diesen Resultaten kann gefolgert werden, da? die Technik der Untersuchungen der chemischen Relaxation unter Verwendung einer geeigneten Theorie nicht nur dazu angewendet werden kann, Diffusionskoeffizienten von kleinen Molekülen in einem gegebenen festen Polymeren zu messen, sondern zumindest auch qualitativ den Typ des Quellungsverhaltens festzustellen, der das System unter den gegebenen experimentellen Bedingungen charakterisiert.