Angular dependent rayleigh scattering of Mössbauer radiation on proteins

RSMR experiments with⁵⁷Fe radiation were performed on myoglobin. An areasensitive detector was employed for simultaneous angular dependent collection of the scattered quanta up to a maximum angle 2θ of 17‡. Experimental data of polycrystalline and lyophilized myoglobin are compared with computer calculations of the scattering which are based on the atomic coordinates determined by X-ray structure analysis. Special attention has been paid to the influence of coherence effects from collectively moving parts of the protein. A simple model is introduced in order to take into account these segmental motions. Our first results indicate that the sizes of collectively moving segments are comparable with spheres of about 6 å in diameter in dry myoglobin. In myoglobin crystals, where the molecules are surrounded by large hydration shells, the movements appear to be correlated in segments with sizes comparable to helices.

     

The Mössbauer effect and collective motions in glass-forming liquids and polymeric networks

Glass-forming liquids, synthetic polymers and biopolymers share essential properties. Dynamic processes in these complex systems are characterized by cooperative motions with wide distributions of time scales, which manifest themselves in broad quasielastic lines in the Mössbauer spectrum. In this article, the application of the Mössbauer effect to the study of structural dynamics in complex systems is discussed.     

可溶性汞化苯乙烯－丙烯酸甲酯共聚物的合成

用自由基溶液降合方法制备一系列苯乙烯－丙烯酸甲酯线型共聚物，用核磁共振测定了苯基在共聚物中的百分比，在该共聚物的四氢呋喃溶液中，用三氟乙酸汞在共聚物的苯环上进行亲电取代反应，得到可溶性汞化共聚物，由于这类泵化共的可溶于四氢呋喃，二氯甲烷等溶剂，用重沉淀法多次提纯，得到了纯度很高，溶解性较好的含重金属二价汞的共聚物，用红外光谱仪测定共聚物上的汞基团，用原子吸收定量测试共聚中的汞的百分聚代率，结果表明     

Dynamics of polyglutamic acids in α-helical and coil states. Comparison with dynamics of some globular proteins. Rayleigh scattering of Mössbauer radiation (RSMR) data

Summary The classical model system poly-L-glutamic acid (poly-Glu), was investigated in a disordered coil state (atpH=7.0) and in helix state (atpH=2.0) by the RSMR technique. By considering that the coil state of poly-Glu models unfolded (random coil) state and α-helix state models the fluctuating secondary structure (during consequent folding of protein), a comparative analysis of the dynamical properties of poly-Glu in different states with the dynamical properties of different proteins in the native state (α-helical myoglobin and HSA, partially β-sheet lysozyme) and in intermediate (molten globule) state (α-lactalbumin) was performed. This comparison brings some unpredicted results: native α-helical proteins behave close to random coil, native partially β-sheet proteins behave close to fluctuating secondary structure (α-helix) and the dynamic behaviour of molten-globule state (partially β-sheet α-lactalbumin) is not different from the behaviour of lysozyme and much more rigid than that of native α-helical proteins. Paper presented at ICAME-95, Rimini, 10–16 September 1995.     

Taking Advantage of Hydrophobic Fluorine Interactions for Self‐Assembled Quantum Dots as a Delivery Platform for Enzymes

Self‐assembly of nanoparticles provides unique opportunities as nanoplatforms for controlled delivery. By exploiting the important role of noncovalent hydrophobic interactions in the engineering of stable assemblies, nanoassemblies were formed by the self‐assembly of fluorinated quantum dots in aqueous medium through fluorine–fluorine interactions. These nanoassemblies encapsulated different enzymes (laccase and α‐galactosidase) with encapsulation efficiencies of ≥74 %. Importantly, the encapsulated enzymes maintained their catalytic activity, following Michaelis–Menten kinetics. Under an acidic environment the nanoassemblies were slowly disassembled, thus allowing the release of encapsulated enzymes. The effective release of the assayed enzymes demonstrated the feasibility of this nanoplatform to be used in pH‐mediated enzyme delivery. In addition, the as‐synthesized nanoassemblies, having a diameter of about 50 nm, presented high colloidal stability and fluorescence emission, which make them a promising multifunctional nanoplatform.