Three-dimensional structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae inorganic pyrophosphatase complexed with cobalt and phosphate ions

Crystals of Saccharomyces cerevisiae inorganic pyrophosphatase suitable for X-ray diffraction study were grown by cocrystallization of the enzyme with cobalt chloride and imidodiphosphate. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is a metal-dependent enzyme which catalyzes hydrolysis of inorganic pyrophosphate to orthophosphate. The three-dimensional structure of this enzyme was solved by the molecular-replacement method and refined at 1.8 Å resolution to an R factor of 19.5%. Cobalt and phosphate ions were revealed in the active centers of both identical subunits (A and B) of the pyrophosphatase molecule. In subunit B, a water molecule was found between two cobalt ions. It is believed that this water molecule acts as an attacking nucleophile in the enzymatic cleavage of the pyrophosphate bond. It was demonstrated that cobalt ions and a phosphate group occupy only part of the potential binding sites (two chemically identical and crystallographically independent subunits have different binding sites). The arrangement of ligands and the structure of the nucleophile-binding site are discussed in relation to the mechanism of action of the enzyme and the nature of the metal activator.     

Macroscopic properties and self-organization in mixed solutions of surfactants

The directions of the studies of aqueous solutions containing two surfactants or surfactants and various additives performed by the authors and coworkers are discussed, with the focus being on systems in which mixing is accompanied by synergistic effects (a significant decrease in the critical micelle concentration, the growth of aggregates, an increase in the viscosity, changes in the topology of the solubility diagram, etc.). Experimental data and results of modeling with the use of molecular-thermodynamic approaches of various levels are presented.     

Two- and three-dimensional analysis of bose-einstein correlations inπ +/K+p interactions at 250 GeV/c

The NA22 data onπ ^? π ^? correlations are analyzed in terms of a number of two- and three-dimensional parametrizations (Gaussian space-time, Goldhaber, Bowler string-like, Bertsch hydrodynamical, Kopylov-Podgoretskii, etc.). Contrary to the results obtained for e⁺e^? andµp collisions, the Goldhaber parametrization, as well as string-like models, fail in describing the hadron-hadron data. Better fits are obtained in the framework of surface-emitting fireball-like models, both when including and excluding hydrodynamical expansion of nuclear matter. Our results indicate that pion radiation occurs at earlier stages of matter evolution than in nuclear collisions.     

Preparation of alkyl-containing derivatives of chitosan and its oligomers in polymer-analogous reactions

It has been shown that the interaction of chitosan and oligochitosan with unsaturated acrylic esters via the nucleophilic addition mechanism and their condensation with heptadecyl isocyanate yield hydrophobic alkyl-containing derivatives of the above polymers. The method of modification of oligochitosan in reactions via end functional groups is developed.     

Flavonoids ofGnaphalium uliginosum

The herb low cudweed has yielded for the first time a new acylated flavone glycoside, for which the structure of 3,4,5,7-tetrahydroxy-6-methoxyflavone 7-O-(6-O-caffeyl--D-glucopyranoside) has been established. In addition, 6-methoxyluteolin, 6-hydroxyluteolin 7-O--D-glucopyranoside, and scutellarein 7-O--D-glucopyranoside have been isolated. Identification was made on the basis of UV, IR, PMR, and mass spectra, the products of alkaline and acid hydrolyses, and the results of elementary analyses, melting points, and specific rotations.Vitebsk State Medical Institute, All-Union Scientific-Research Institute of Medicinal Plants, Moscow. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 4, pp. 483–487, July–August, 1979.     

Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition of Silicon Carbonitride Films from Volatile Silyl Derivatives of 1,1-Dimethylhydrazine

Silicon carbonitride films were synthesized from new volatile precursors by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Based on a detailed study of the morphology of film surfaces, it was found that the layer material was an amorphous matrix with inclusions of nanosized crystals. Calculation of the structure of the crystalline phase from synchrotron X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated that the entire set of the diffraction peaks detected is indexed by a tetragonal structure with the lattice parameters a = 9.6 Å and c = 6.4 Å. This is consistent with the fact that the carbon 1s and nitrogen 1s core level X-ray photoelectron spectra exhibited only sp ³ bonding, which was expected for superhard carbon nitride phases.     

7-Aryl-6,7-dihydro-8h-indeno[1′,2′∶2,3]pyrano-[5,6-c]benzo[c]pyran-6,8-diones and their thio analogs

The ability of 3-[-(1,3-dioxo-2-indanyl)benzyl]-4-hydroxy-substituted 2H-benzo [b]pyran-2-ones and benzo[b]thiopyran-2-ones to undergo dehydration under the influence of dehydrating agents to give 7-aryl-6,7-dihydro-8H-indeno[1,2-2,3]pyrano[5,6-c]benzo[c]pyran-6,8-diones and their thio analogs was demonstrated.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 11, pp. 1475–1476, November, 1985.     

Nitrobenzene oxidation of fractions of cotton-plant dioxane lignin

Summary Analysis of the products of alkaline nitrobenzene oxidation of lignin fractions has confirmed their chemical inhomogeneity and has shown that in the various fractions the amounts of condensed syringly and guaiacyl structures differed markedly.Institute of the Chemistry of Plant Substances, Academy of Sciences of the Uzbek SSR, Tashkent. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii No. 1, pp. 82–84, January–February, 1979.     

New acylated flavone glycoside fromGnaphalium uliginosum

A new acylated flavone glycoside has been isolated for the first time from the herb marsh cudweed, and for it the structure of 6-caffeyl-7--D-glucopyranosyloxy-4,5-dihydroxy-3,6dimethoxyflavone has been established. In addition, the aglycone, identified as 4,5,7-trihydroxy-3,6-dimethoxyflavone has been isolated. The identifications were made on the basis of UV, IR, PMR, and mass spectra, the products of alkaline and acid hydrolyses, and the results of elementary analysis, melting points, and specific rotations.Vitebsk Medical Institute. All-Union Scientific-Research Institute of Medicinal Plants, Moscow. Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 3, pp. 311–315, May–June, 1979.