Vector and Cell Line Engineering Technologies Toward Recombinant Protein Expression in Mammalian Cell Lines

The rapid growth of global biopharmaceutical market in the recent years has been a good indication of its significance in biotechnology industry. During a long period of time in recombinant protein production from 1980s, optimizations in both upstream and downstream processes were launched. In this regard, one of the most promising strategies is expression vector engineering technology based on incorporation of DNA opening elements found in the chromatin border regions of vectors as well as targeting gene integration. Along with these approaches, cell line engineering has revealed convenient outcomes in isolating high-producing clones. According to the fact that more than 50% of the approved therapeutic proteins is being manufactured in mammalian cell lines, in this review, we focus on several approaches and developments in vector and cell line engineering technologies in mammalian cell culture.     

Antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of nanochelating based silver nanoparticles against several nosocomial pathogens

The emergence of multi‐drug resistant (MDR) bacteria and dynamic pattern of infectious diseases demand to develop alternative and more effective therapeutic strategies. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are among the most widely commercialized engineered nanomaterials, because of their unique properties and increasing use for various applications in nanomedicine. This study for the first time aimed to evaluate the antibacterial and antibiofilm activities of newly synthesized nanochelating based AgNPs against several Gram‐positive and ‐negative nosocomial pathogens. Nanochelating technology was used to design and synthesize the AgNPs. The cytotoxicity was tested in human cell line using the MTT assay. AgNPs minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by standard broth microdilution. Antibiofilm activity was assayed by a microtiter‐plate screening method. The two synthesized AgNPs including AgNPs (A) with the size of about 20‐25 nm, and AgNPs (B) with 30‐35 nm were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. AgNPs exhibited higher antibacterial activity against Gram‐positive strains. AgNPs were found to significantly inhibit the biofilm formation of tested strains in concentration 0.01 to 10 mg/mL. AgNPs (A) showed significant effective antibiofilm activity compared to AgNPs (B). In summary, our results showed the promising antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of our new nanochelating based synthesized AgNPs against several nosocomial pathogens.     

Surface modification of cellulose nanocrystal with chitosan oligosaccharide for drug delivery applications

A novel drug delivery system based on two of the most abundant natural biopolymers was developed by modifying the surface of oxidized cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) with chitosan oligosaccharide (CS_OS). First, the primary alcohol moieties of CNC were selectively oxidized to carboxyl groups using the 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical catalyst. The amino groups of CS_OS were then reacted with carboxylic acid groups on oxidized CNC (CNC-OX) via the carbodiimide reaction using N-hydroxysuccinimide and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-carbodiimide as coupling agents. Successful grafting of CS_OS to CNC-OX was confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry, potentiometric titration, and zeta potential measurements. The grafting resulted in a conversion of ~90 % carboxyl groups on CNC-OX and the degree of substitution was 0.26. CNC–CS_OS nanoparticles showed a binding efficiency of 21.5 % and a drug loading of 14 % w/w. A drug selective electrode was used to directly measure the concentration of procaine hydrochloride released from CNC–CS_OS particles. The in vitro drug release was studied at pH 8 and the nanoparticles revealed a fast release of up to 1 h, which can be used as biocompatible and biodegradable drug carriers for transdermal delivery applications.     

Cross-Correlated Motions in Azidolysozyme

The changes in the local and global dynamics of azide-labelled lysozyme compared with that of the wild type protein are quantitatively assessed for all alanine residues along the polypeptide chain. Although attaching -N3 to alanine residues has been considered to be a minimally invasive change in the protein it is found that depending on the location of the alanine residue, the local and global changes in the dynamics differ. For Ala92, the change in the cross-correlated motions are minimal, whereas attaching -N3 to Ala90 leads to pronounced differences in the local and global correlations as quantified by the cross-correlation coefficients of the Cα atoms. We also demonstrate that the spectral region of the asymmetric azide stretch distinguishes between alanine attachment sites, whereas changes in the low frequency, far-infrared region are less characteristic.     

Efficient and solvent-free synthesis of 1-amidoalkyl-2-naphthols using <Emphasis Type="Italic">N,N,N’,N’</Emphasis>-tetrabromobenzene-1,3-disulfonamide

N,N,N,’N’-Tetrabromobenzene-1,3-disulfonamide [TBBDA] is found to be a reusable catalyst for efficient synthesis of various amidoalkyl naphthols from β-naphthol, aromatic aldehydes and urea in good to high yields under solvent-free conditions.      

Improved hydrogen evolution on glassy carbon electrode modified with novel Pt/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide nanoscale aggregates

A novel, cost‐effective, and simple electrocatalyst based on a Pt‐modified glassy carbon electrode (GCE), using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a cationic surfactant, is reported. Am‐phiphilic...     

Highly tunable elastic dielectric metasurface lenses

Dielectric metasurfaces are two‐dimensional structures composed of nano‐scatterers that manipulate the phase and polarization of optical waves with subwavelength spatial resolution, thus enabling ultra‐thin components for free‐space optics. While high performance devices with various functionalities, including some that are difficult to achieve using conventional optical setups have been shown, most demonstrated components have fixed parameters. Here, we demonstrate highly tunable dielectric metasurface devices based on subwavelength thick silicon nano‐posts encapsulated in a thin transparent elastic polymer. As proof of concept, we demonstrate a metasurface microlens operating at 915 nm, with focal distance tuning from 600 μm to 1400 μm (over 952 diopters change in optical power) through radial strain, while maintaining a diffraction limited focus and a focusing efficiency above 50%. The demonstrated tunable metasurface concept is highly versatile for developing ultra‐slim, multi‐functional and tunable optical devices with widespread applications ranging from consumer electronics to medical devices and optical communications.

     

1,3-Dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin as an efficient homogeneous catalyst for synthesis of benzoxazoles, benzimidazoles, and oxazolo[4,5-b]pyridines

Abstract  

A simple and highly efficient method for synthesis of benzoxazoles, benzimidazoles, and oxazolo[4,5-b]pyridines is described. Condensation of orthoesters with o-substituted anilines or 2-amino-3-hydroxypyridine was performed in the presence of catalytic amounts of commercially available, inexpensive, and moisture-stable 1,3-dibromo-5,5-dimethylhydantoin under solvent-free conditions. The corresponding heterocycles were obtained in good to excellent yields. The main advantages of the present procedure are mild reaction conditions, short reaction times, high yields of products, easy work-up, and absence of solvent.     

Melamine-(H_2SO_4)_3 and PVP-(H_2SO_4)_n as solid acids:Synthesis and application in the first mono-and di-nitration of bisphenol A and other phenols

Melamine and poly vinylpyrrolidone（PVP） reacted with neat sulfuric acid readily to form two new organic solid acids namely melamine-（H₂SO₄）₃ and PVP-（H₂SO₄）_n.These solid acids were used for the first nitration of bisphenol A as well as other phenols in the presence of NH₄NO₃.Mono- and di-nitro bisphenol A have been characterized with IR and ¹H NMR techniques.     

Variational transition state theory with multidimensional tunnelling and kinetic isotope effects in the reactions of C2H6, C2H5D and C2D6 with .CCl3 to produce CHCl3 and CDCl3

ABSTRACT

Rate constants for the reactions of C₂H₆, C₂H₅D and C₂D₆ with .CCl₃. for the production of CHCl₃ and CDCl₃ (k₁, k₂, k₃ and k₄) were computed using variational transition state theory coupled with hybrid-meta density functional theory (MPWB1K) over the temperature range of 200–2900 K. The ground-state vibrational adiabatic potential was plotted for all channels. Small- and large-curvature tunnelling were determined to include quantum effects in the calculation of rate constants. Harmonic vibrational frequencies along the reaction path were calculated in curvilinear coordinates with scaled frequencies. Anharmonicity was included in the lowest-frequency torsion. The position of formation and dissociation of bonds was specified using the variation in harmonic vibrational frequencies along the reaction path. Representative tunnelling energy and the thermally averaged transmission probability at 298 K (P(E)exp?( ? ΔE/RT)) were determined for the reactions in which tunnelling is important. The kinetic isotope effect was used to calculate the considerable contributions of tunnelling and vibration. The expressions for rate constants were determined using nonlinear least-square fitting over the temperature range of 200–2900 K.