Optimized polymer-enzyme electrostatic interactions significantly improve penicillin G amidase efficiency in charged PEGA polymers

Hydrolytic yields as high as 80% were obtained by using penicillin G amidase (PGA) on substrates anchored on optimized positively charged PEGA polymers. By increasing the amount of permanent charges inside the polymer, electrostatic interactions between the positively charged PEGA⁺ and the negatively charged PGA (pI=5.2-5.4) were strengthened, thus favouring the accessibility of the bulky enzyme (MW=88 kDa) inside the pores. The effect of different amounts of charges on polymer swelling and protein retention inside the polymer was investigated and correlated to the enzyme efficiency demonstrating that electrostatic interactions predominate over swelling properties in determining enzyme accessibility.     

Review of recent advances in the preparation of organic polymer monoliths for liquid chromatography of large molecules

In recent years the use of monolithic polymers in separation science has greatly increased due to the advantages these materials present over particle-based stationary phases, such as their relative ease of preparation and good permeability. For these reasons, these materials present high potential as stationary phases for the separation and purification of large molecules such as proteins, peptides, nucleic acids and cells. An example of this is the wide range of commercial available polymer-based monolithic columns now present in the market.     

Synergic effect of hydride and proton donors in the Pd(0)-mediated deprotection of N-Aloc proline derivatives

In this study, the challenging Pd(0)-catalyzed N^α-Aloc removal from a proline residue using Me₂NH·BH₃ or PhSiH₃ as allyl scavengers has been investigated. Standard conditions led to a large amount of an allylamine byproduct. A careful study of the reactions allowed us to design the optimal conditions for the quick and quantitative formation of the desired product, while taking advantage of a synergic effect between hydride and proton donors.     

Introduction of permanently charged groups into PEGA resins leads to improved biotransformations on solid support

The application of biotransformations in solid phase synthesis is an attractive alternative to chemical methodologies. An important issue that needs to be addressed in this context is accessibility of functional groups within a porous polymer to the biocatalyst. This paper shows that such accessibility can be improved for penicillin G amidase by introducing permanent charges into the polymer. The effect appears to be due to better swelling of the polymer in buffer and to electrostatic interactions between polymer and enzyme.     

A Comparative Study of Chemical Routes for Coating Gold Nanoparticles via Controlled RAFT Emulsion Polymerization

The synthesis of core‐shell Au nanoparticles protected by an amphiphilic block copolymer is investigated by distinct reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) emulsion polymerization routes. The controlled polymerization of polymer shells onto Au nanoparticles is attempted by using the macroRAFT (MR) agent based on 2‐(dodecylthiocarbonothioylthio)‐2‐methylpropionic acid synthesized via RAFT polymerization of poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate and exploring several approaches, which include (i) post‐modification; (ii) in situ synthesis and (iii) “grafting from” strategies. In the conditions investigated here all these strategies lead to Au polymer nanocomposites but morphological well‐defined core‐shell nanoparticles are only obtained by applying the “grafting from” strategy. In particular, conditions that promote chain extension from the MR agent adsorbed onto the Au nanoparticles are found necessary to obtain nanostructures with such morphological characteristics and that still show the localized surface plasmon resonance typical of colloidal Au nanoparticles.     

A convenient procedure for the solid-phase synthesis of hydroxamic acids on PEGA resins

An efficient method for the solid-phase synthesis of hydroxamic acids is described. The method comprises the nucleophilic displacement of esters immobilized on PEGA resins with hydroxylamine/sodium hydroxide in isopropanol. The hydroxyaminolysis protocol is compatible with a broad range of PEGA-supported peptide and peptidomimetic esters. The methodology was found to be compatible with two new strategies for the synthesis of solid-supported lactams and diketopiperazines, respectively, both relying on the high inter- and intramolecular reactivity of cyclic N-acyliminium ions with electron-rich aromatics and heteroaromatics, ultimately affording hydroxamic acid derivatives in high purities.