Current development of analytical affinity chromatography: Design and biotechnological uses of molecular recognition surfaces

Analytical high performance liquid affinity chromatography (analytical HPLAC) has been investigated as an experimental guide to both synthetic design and affinity technological use of peptide and protein recognition surfaces. This work has progressed from the ongoing use of analytical affinity chromatography to study interaction mechanisms of naturally-occurring peptides and proteins, including enzyme fragment complexes and neuroendocrine biosynthetic precursors. We recently initiated a study to use analytical HPLAC for de novo design of recognition peptides called “anti-sense peptides”. Present data suggest the potential to use anti-sense peptides as “synthetic antibodies”, in immobilized forms, for biomolecular separation and analysis. Analogous studies have been started with immobilized natural antibodies in analytical immuno HPLAC. Our present data typify the growing usefulness of analytical HPLAC when designing recognition molecules, analyzing their interaction characteristics, and devising ways to use them in affinity technology.     

Host defense peptides and lipopeptides: modes of action and potential candidates for the treatment of bacterial and fungal infections

Endogenous peptide antibiotics (termed also host-defense or antimicrobial peptides) are known as evolutionarily old components of innate immunity. They were found initially in invertebrates, but later on also in vertebrates, including humans. This secondary, chemical immune system provides organisms with a repertoire of small peptides that act against invasion (for both offensive and defensive purposes) by occasional and obligate pathogens. Each antimicrobial peptide has a broad but not identical spectrum of antimicrobial activity, predominantly against bacteria, providing the host maximum coverage against a rather broad spectrum of microbial organisms. Many of these peptides interact with the target cell membranes and increase their permeability, which results in cell lysis. A second important family includes lipopeptides. They are produced in bacteria and fungi during cultivation on various carbon sources, and possess a strong antifungal activity. Unfortunately, native lipopeptides are non-cell selective and therefore extremely toxic to mammalian cells. Whereas extensive studies have emerged on the requirements for a peptide to be antibacterial, very little is known concerning the parameters that contribute to antifungal activity. This review summarizes recent studies aimed to understand how antimicrobial peptides and lipopeptides select their target cell. This includes a new group of lipopeptides highly potent against pathogenic fungi and yeast. They are composed of inert cationic peptides conjugated to aliphatic acids with different lengths. Deep understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the differential cells specificity of these families of host defense molecule is required to meet the challenges imposed by the life-threatening infections.     

Impact-deflection by oblique fibers in sparsely reinforced composites

A matrix sparsely reinforced by fibers is investigated under the assumption that the rigidity of the fibers is greater than that of the matrix. Constitutive equations are given in terms of the reinforcement ratio and angles of inclination of the fibers.Specifically, the problem of a reinforced half-space suddenly impacted on its surface by a time-dependent concentrated force is solved by a stable numerical procedure. Results are given for various reinforcements and fiber directions. Comparisons with the isotropic case are shown.

---

Zusammenfassung Die Stoffgleichung eines zusammengesetzten Stoffs mit dünn verteilten Filamenten, deren Steifigkeit grösser ist als jene des Kernmaterials, wird in Funktion des Versteifungsverhältnisses und der Neigungswinkel der Filamente aufgestellt. Durch ein stabiles numerisches Verfahren wird das spezifische Problem eines versteiften Halbraums mit einer stossartig angebrachten, zeitabhängigen, konzentrierten Oberflächenkraft gelöst. Die Resultate werden für verschiedene Versteifungen und Filamentenrichtungen angegeben und mit dem isotropen Fall verglichen.

     

W-Band pulse EPR distance measurements in peptides using Gd(3+)-dipicolinic acid derivatives as spin labels

We present high field DEER (double electron-electron resonance) distance measurements using Gd(3+) (S = 7/2) spin labels for probing peptides' conformations in solution. The motivation for using Gd(3+) spin labels as an alternative for the standard nitroxide spin labels is the sensitivity improvement they offer because of their very intense EPR signal at high magnetic fields. Gd(3+) was coordinated by dipicolinic acid derivative (4MMDPA) tags that were covalently attached to two cysteine thiol groups. Cysteines were introduced in positions 15 and 27 of the peptide melittin and then two types of spin labeled melittins were prepared, one labeled with two nitroxide spin labels and the other with two 4MMDPA-Gd(3+) labels. Both types were subjected to W-band (95 GHz, 3.5 T) DEER measurements. For the Gd(3+) labeled peptide we explored the effect of the solution molar ratio of Gd(3+) and the labeled peptide, the temperature, and the maximum dipolar evolution time T on the DEER modulation depth. We found that the optimization of the [Gd(3+)]/[Tag] ratio is crucial because excess Gd(3+) masked the DEER effect and too little Gd(3+) resulted in the formation of Gd(3+)-tag(2) complexes, generating peptide dimers. In addition, we observed that the DEER modulation depth is sensitive to spectral diffusion processes even at Gd(3+) concentrations as low as 0.2 mM and therefore experimental conditions should be chosen to minimize it as it decreases the DEER effect. Finally, the distance between the two Gd(3+) ions, 3.4 nm, was found to be longer by 1.2 nm than the distance between the two nitroxides. The origin and implications of this difference are discussed.     

Polymer-Bromine Interactions. I. Interactions with Polyacrylonitrile

The present paper deals with the interactions of bromine with poly-acrylonitrile (PAN). Kinetics and equilibria of the sorption of Br₂ on PAN were studied at a concentration range of 0.01–0.1 mol/L and a temperature range of 25–40°C. Two kinds of sorption were found: a “reversible” sorption removable by water and an “irreversible” sorption removable by aqueous ammonia solutions. The irreversibly sorbed bromine is presumably linked by charge transfer to the nitrile groups of the PAN, as evidenced by UV spectra. The irreversible sorption follows the reversible sorption and is slower. Partition coefficients obtained from the linear Freundlich isotherms increased with temperature and, at 40°C, the values obtained were 97, 65, and 32 L/kg for the total, irreversible, and reversible sorptions, respectively. At 25°C the chemical potential, enthalpy, and change in entropy for the irreversible sorption were ?2.0 kcal/mol, 9.4 kcal/mol, and 38 cal·mol^?1·K^?1. Effects of a 6-day Br₂ treatment and ammonia rinse were: decrease in dry T _g from 74.5 to 61°C and in water from 38 to 35°C; no significant decrease in M _W ; decrease in tensile strength measured after the bromine stage, and improvement after ammonia stage; increased swollen dimensions from 57% in water to 75%; and stabilization of swollen dimensions upon drying. The results support the existence of two phases in the less ordered regions of PAN.     

SEMILLAC: A new hybrid atomic model of hot dense plasmas

SEMILLAC is a fast, yet highly accurate method to calculate ionic population distributions in plasmas at a given electron temperature and density. SEMILLAC solves rate equations for non-relativistic configurations population distributions. It considers electron collisional, radiative and autoionizing atomic processes. The code is designed to be highly versatile so it can be used for modeling a wide range of laboratory plasmas. The population distributions can be calculated for steady state or time dependent conditions, with or without the presence of a radiation field. SEMILLAC is designed to be used as a tool for population distributions calculations and spectroscopic modeling of plasmas. Our aim is to get high accuracy while keeping the code fast enough to be used for standard PC calculations. At the heart of our method, average transitions energies and rate coefficients are calculated for a restricted set of simple non-relativistic ionic configurations using the HULLAC code. We then use this basic set to calculate energies and rates coefficients of more complex, multiply excited configurations.