Effect of drug-loading methods on drug load, encapsulation efficiency and release properties of alginate/poly-L-arginine/chitosan ternary complex microcapsules

The drug-loaded alginate/poly-L-arginine/chitosan ternary complex microcapsules were prepared by mixing method, absorption method and the combined method of mixing and absorption, respectively. The effect of drug-loading methods on drug load, the encapsulation efficiency and the release properties of the complex microcapsules were investigated. The results showed that the absorption process is a dominating factor to greatly increase the drug load of Hb into microcapsules. Upon loading Hb into microcapsules by combined method of mixing and absorption, the drug load (19.9%) is up to the maximum value, and the encapsulation efficiency is 93.8%. Moreover, the drug release is a zero-order kinetics process for the ternary complex microcapsules made by mixing. For the complex microcapsules made by absorption, the drug release is a first-order kinetics. However, for the complex microcapsules made by combining the mixing and the absorption, the drug release obeys a first-order kinetics during the first eighteen hours, changing afterwards to a zero-order kinetics process. Effect of drug-loading methods on drug load and encapsulation efficiency of alginate/poly-L-arginine/chitosan ternary complex microcapsules.     

First report of the direct supporting of palladium–arginine complex on boehmite nanoparticles and application in the synthesis of 5‐substituted tetrazoles

Boehmite nanoparticles are aluminium oxide hydroxide (γ‐AlOOH) particles, which were prepared using a simple and inexpensive procedure in water at room temperature and further modified using arginine. Subsequently palladium particles were immobilized on their surface to prepare Pd‐Arg@boehmite. This novel nanostructured compound was fully characterized using thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma optical emission (ICP‐OES) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopies, and scanning and transmission electron microscopies. Finally, this catalyst was applied as a moisture‐ and air‐stable heterogeneous material for the synthesis of 5‐substituted 1H –tetrazole derivatives. The leaching of palladium and heterogeneity of the catalyst were studied using hot filtration and ICP‐OES. This catalyst demonstrated remarkable recyclability. The novelty of this work is that it represents the first time an amino acid has been grafted on boehmite nanoparticles.     

Two‐Component Supramolecular Gels Derived from Amphiphilic Shape‐Persistent Cyclo[6]aramides for Specific Recognition of Native Arginine

A unique supramolecular two‐component gelation system was constructed from amphiphilic shape‐persistent cyclo[6]aramides and diethylammonium chloride (or triethylammonium chloride). This system has the ability to discriminate native arginine from 19 other amino acids in a specific fashion. Cyclo[6]aramides show preferential binding for the guanidinium residue over ammonium groups. This specificity was confirmed by both experimental results and theoretical simulations. These results demonstrated a new modular displacement strategy, exploring the use of species‐binding hydrogen‐bonded macrocyclic foldamers for the construction of two‐component gelation systems for selective recognition of native amino acids by competitive host–guest interactions. This strategy may be amenable to developing a variety of functional two‐component gelators for specific recognition of various targeted organic molecular species.     

Optimization of l‐arginine purification from Corynebacterium crenatum fermentation broth

l ‐Arginine has many special physiological and biochemical functions, with wide applications in the food and pharmaceutical industry. Few studies on the purification of l ‐arginine from fermentation broth have been conducted; however, none of them were systematic enough for industrial scale‐up. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a highly efficient and systematic process for the purification of l ‐arginine from fermentation broth. In this study, we screened out a cation exchange resin, D155, having high exchange capacity, high selectivity, and easy elution capacity, and analyzed its adsorption isotherm, thermodynamics, and kinetics using different models. Further, the process parameters of fixed‐bed ion exchange adsorption and elution were optimized, and the penetration curve during the operation was modeled. Based on the fixed‐bed ion‐exchange parameters, a 30‐column continuous ion‐exchange system was designed, and the flow velocity in each zone was optimized. Finally, to obtain a high purity of l ‐arginine, the purification tests were conducted using anion exchange resin 711, and an l ‐arginine yield of 99.1% and purity of 98.5% was obtained. This effective and economical method also provides a promising strategy for separation of other amino acids from the fermentation broth, which is of great significance to the l ‐arginine fermentation industry.     

Recognition of Dimethylarginine Analogues by Tandem Tudor Domain Protein Spindlin1

Epigenetic readout of the combinatorial posttranslational modification comprised of trimethyllysine and asymmetric dimethylarginine (H3K4me3R8me2a) takes place via biomolecular recognition of tandem Tudor-domain-containing protein Spindlin1. Through comparative thermodynamic data and molecular dynamics simulations, we sought to explore the binding scope of asymmetric dimethylarginine mimics by Spindlin1. Herein, we provide evidence that the biomolecular recognition of H3K4me2R8me2a is not significantly affected when R8me2a is replaced by dimethylarginine analogues, implying that the binding of K4me3 provides the major binding contribution. High-energy water molecules inside both aromatic cages of the ligand binding sites contribute to the reader–histone association upon displacement by histone peptide, with the K4me3 hydration site being lower in free energy due to a flip of Trp151.     

二水合氯精氨酸的构象变化

以X光衍射实验对二水合氯酸的晶体结构进行了研究,重点讨论了影响精氨酸构象变化的主要因素并比较了在不同阴离子存在条件下精氨酸构象的变化情况。该晶体为单斜晶系,P21/c,a=11.0490(18);b=8.4876(13);c=11.2261(17);β=91.386(2);°Z=4;Dx=1.443Mg.m-3。精氨酸分子以顺式和反式两种构象沿C轴方向交错排列而羧基氧原子和相邻分子中的α-氨基N-H以氢键相连,形成常见的“头尾”相连构型;分子中的结晶水参与氢键的形成,类似“盐桥”作用;氯离子参与电荷平衡并和精氨酸的N-H形成较强的氢键作用和静电吸引力。上述作用使得精氨酸分子晶体形成了三维氢键网状超分子结构。     

不同加成数C60精氨酸衍生物的合成及其清除活性氧自由基的性能

通过控制反应配比, 首次合成了三种具有不同加成数目的水溶性C₆₀精氨酸衍生物, C₆₀[HNC(NH)NH(CH₂)₃CH(NH₂)COOH]_nH_n (n＝2, 6, 8). 采用FT-IR, UV, RF, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, LC-MS, EA, 粒径分析, 透射电镜等手段对其结构进行了表征. 同时采用化学发光法考察了三种具有不同加成数目的C₆₀精氨酸衍生物对活性氧自由基(超氧阴离子O₂^－.及羟自由基•OH)清除能力, 结果表明, C₆₀精氨酸衍生物对活性氧自由基具有优良的清除能力, 且清除能力与加成基团供电效应、空间位阻及C₆₀精氨酸衍生物在水中的聚集形态等因素密切相关.     

Mild Synthesis of Pt/SnO2/Graphene Nanocomposites with Remarkably Enhanced Ethanol Electro‐oxidation Activity and Durability

We have designed a new Pt/SnO₂/graphene nanomaterial by using L ‐arginine as a linker; this material shows the unique Pt‐around‐SnO₂ structure. The Sn²⁺ cations reduce graphene oxide (GO), leading to the in situ formation of SnO₂/graphene hybrids. L ‐Arginine is used as a linker and protector to induce the in situ growth of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) connected with SnO₂ NPs and impede the agglomeration of Pt NPs. The obtained Pt/SnO₂/graphene composites exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity and stability for the ethanol oxidation reaction as compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst owing to the close‐connected structure between the Pt NPs and SnO₂ NPs. This work should have a great impact on the rational design of future metal–metal oxide nanostructures with high catalytic activity and stability for fuel cell systems.     

Nickel‐substituted cobalt ferrite nanoparticles supported on arginine‐modified graphene oxide nanosheets: Synthesis and catalytic activity

The amino acid arginine was used to modify the surface of graphene oxide nanosheets and then nickel‐substituted cobalt ferrite nanoparticles were supported on those arginine‐grafted graphene oxide nanosheets (Ni_0.5Co_0.5Fe₂O₄@Arg–GO). The prepared Ni_0.5Co_0.5Fe₂O₄@Arg–GO was characterized using flame atomic absorption spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry, energy‐dispersive spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The application of Ni_0.5Co_0.5Fe₂O₄@Arg–GO as a catalyst was examined in a one‐pot tandem oxidative cyclization of primary alcohols with o ‐phenylenediamine to benzimidazoles under aerobic oxidation conditions. The results showed that 2‐phenylbenzimidazole derivatives were successfully achieved using Ni_0.5Co_0.5Fe₂O₄@Arg–GO nanocomposite catalyst via the one‐pot tandem oxidative cyclization strategy.     

Probing of arginine residues in peptides and proteins using selective tagging and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A general labelling method is presented which allows the determination of the number of guanidine groups (related to arginine and homoarginine in peptides and proteins) by means of mass spectrometry. It implies a guanidine-selective derivatization step with 2,3-butanedione and an arylboronic acid under aqueous, alkaline conditions (pH 8-10). The reaction mixture is then directly analysed by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry without further sample pretreatment. Other amino acids are not affected by this reaction although it is demonstrated that lysine side-chains may be unambiguously identified when they are converted to homoarginine prior to derivatization. Guanidine functionalities, as e.g. in the amino acid arginine, are easily identified by the characteristic mass shift between underivatized and derivatized analyte. The tagging procedure is straightforward and selective for guanidine groups. The influence of several experimental parameters, especially the pH of the solution and the choice of reagents, is examined and the method is applied to various arginine-containing peptides and to lysozyme as a representative protein. Possible applications of this technique and its limitations are discussed.