Equimolar Proportions Research Articles

Sphingolipid symmetry governs membrane lipid raft structure

Lipid domain formation in membranes underlies the concept of rafts but their structure is controversial because the key role of cholesterol has been challenged. The configuration of glycosphingolipid receptors for agonists, bacterial toxins and enveloped viruses in plasma membrane rafts appears to be an important factor governing ligand binding and infectivity but the details are as yet unresolved. I have used X-ray diffraction methods to examine how cholesterol affects the distribution of glycosphingolipid in aqueous dispersions of an equimolar mixture of cholesterol and egg-sphingomyelin containing different proportions of glucosylceramide from human extracts. Three coexisting liquid-ordered bilayer structures are observed at 37°C in mixtures containing up to 20mol% glycosphingolipid. All the cholesterol was sequestered in one bilayer with the minimum amount of sphingomyelin (33mol%) to prevent formation of cholesterol crystals. The other two bilayers consisted of sphingomyelin and glucosylceramide. Asymmetric molecular species of glucosylceramide with N-acyl chains longer than 20 carbons form an equimolar complex with sphingomyelin in which the glycosidic residues are arranged in hexagonal array. Symmetric molecular species mix with sphingomyelin in proportions less than equimolar to form quasicrystalline bilayers. When the glycosphingolipid exceeds equimolar proportions with sphingomyelin cholesterol is incorporated into the structure and formation of a gel phase of glucosylceramide is prevented. The demonstration of particular structural features of ceramide molecular species combined with the diversity of sugar residues of glycosphingolipid classes paves the way for a rational approach to understanding the functional specificity of lipid rafts and how they are coupled across cell membranes.

Branched amphiphilic peptide capsules: Cellular uptake and retention of encapsulated solutes

Branched amphiphilic peptide capsules (BAPCs) are peptide nano-spheres comprised of equimolar proportions of two branched peptide sequences bis(FLIVI)-K-KKKK and bis(FLIVIGSII)-K-KKKK that self-assemble to form bilayer delimited capsules. In two recent publications we described the lipid analogous characteristics of our BAPCs, examined their initial assembly, mode of fusion, solute encapsulation, and resizing and delineated their capability to be maintained at a specific size by storing them at 4°C. In this report we describe the stability, size limitations of encapsulation, cellular localization, retention and, bio-distribution of the BAPCs in vivo. The ability of our constructs to retain alpha particle emitting radionuclides without any apparent leakage and their persistence in the peri-nuclear region of the cell for extended periods of time, coupled with their ease of preparation and potential tune-ability, makes them attractive as biocompatible carriers for targeted cancer therapy using particle emitting radioisotopes. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Interfacially Active Peptides and Proteins. Guest Editors: William C. Wimley and Kalina Hristova.

Structure of Sphingomyelin Bilayers and Complexes with Cholesterol Forming Membrane Rafts

Sphingomyelin and cholesterol are of interest to biologists because they interact to form condensed structures said to be responsible for a variety of functions that membranes perform. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction methods have been used to investigate the structure of bilayers of D-erythro palmitoyl-sphingomyelin and complexes formed by palmitoyl- and egg-sphingomyelin with cholesterol in aqueous multibilayer dispersions. D-erythro palmitoyl sphingomyelin bilayers exist in two conformers that are distinguished by their lamellar repeat spacing, bilayer thickness, and polar group hydration. The distinction is attributed to hydrogen bonding to water or to intermolecular hydrogen bonds that are disrupted by the formation of ripple structure. The coexisting bilayer structures of pure palmitoyl sphingomyelin are observed in the presence of cholesterol-rich bilayers that are characterized by different bilayer parameters. The presence of cholesterol preferentially affects the conformer of D-erythro sphingomyelin with thicker, more hydrated bilayers. Coexisting bilayers of sphingomyelin and complexes with cholesterol are in register and remain coupled at temperatures at least up to 50 °C. Cholesterol forms a complex of 1.8 mols of sphingomyelin per cholesterol at 37 °C that coexists with bilayers of pure sphingomyelin up to 50 °C. Redistribution of the two lipids takes place on cooling below the fluid- to gel-phase transition temperature, resulting in the withdrawal of sphingomyelin into gel phase and the formation of coexisting bilayers of equimolar proportions of the two lipids. Cholesterol-rich bilayers fit a stripe model at temperatures less than 37 °C characterized by alternating rows of sphingomyelin and cholesterol molecules. A quasicrystalline array models the arrangement at higher temperatures in which each cholesterol molecule is surrounded by seven hydrocarbon chains, each of which is in contact with two cholesterol molecules. The thickness of bilayer complexes of sphingomyelin and cholesterol is less than that of coexisting bilayers of pure sphingomyelin. The implications for protein sorting theories based on bilayer thickness are discussed.

A palladium(II) complex: Synthesis, structure, characterization, electrochemical behavior, thermal aspects, BVS calculation and antimicrobial activity

The reaction of equimolar proportions of Na2[PdCl4] and 1-(4-methylimidazol-5-yl) phenylhydrazonopropane-2-one oxime (LH), a 1:1 Schiff-base condensate of 1-hydrazono-1-phenyl-propan-2-one oxime (1) and 4-methylimidazole-5-carboxaldehyde, in methanol gives rise to [Pd(L)(Cl)] (2) in a satisfactory yield. The title monomeric palladium(II) complex, 2, has been characterized by C, H and N microanalyses, 1H and 13C NMR, FAB-MS, FT-IR, UV–Vis spectra, molar electric conductivity measurements and room temperature magnetic susceptibility measurements. The X-ray crystal structures of 1 and 2 have been determined. The structure of 1, a precursor of the ligand (LH), shows that the methyl and phenyl groups are in an ‘anti’ disposition. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21 with a=6.9503(5), b=6.4535(3), c=10.1631(6)Å, V=455.04(5)Å3 and Z=2. The structure of 2 reveals that it is a distorted square-planar palladium(II) compound. The palladium center is in an ‘N3Cl’ coordination chromophore. Complex 2 crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I41/a with a=22.5744(3), b=22.5744(3), c=13.2967(2)Å, V=6776.05(16)Å3 and Z=16. The thermal and electrochemical aspects of 2 have been studied. Electrochemical studies in DMF show a Pd(II) to Pd(III) oxidation at 0.573V, along with a reduction of Pd(II) to Pd(I) at −0.757V versus Ag/AgCl. A Bond-Valence Sum (BVS) model calculation was performed to assign the oxidation state of the palladium center in 2. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of 2 was tested against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. Complex 2 exhibits satisfactory bacteriostatic activity.

Tautomerism, Raman, infrared and ultraviolet–visible spectra, vibrational assignments, MP2 and B3LYP calculations of dienol 3,4-dihydroxypyridine, keto-enol 3-hydroxypyridin-4-one and keto-enol dimer

Raman (3500–100cm−1) and infrared (4000–200cm−1) spectra of 3,4-dihydroxypyridine (3,4-DHP) have been recorded in the solid phase. In addition, the UV spectrum (350–190nm) of 3,4-DHP was measured in ethanol solution. Thirteen structures were initially proposed for 3,4-DHP as a result of keto-enol tautomerism and rotation(s) of hydroxyl group(s) around the CO bond. The conformational energies have been calculated with the methods of MP2, MP2(full) and B3LYP/DFT utilizing a variety of basis sets up to 6-311++G(d,p). Moreover, TD-DFT/B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p) computations of dienol (DHP) and keto-enol (HPO) tautomers were used to predict the electronic absorption spectra in ethanol solution utilizing a PCM. The theoretical results were compiled with infrared and Raman spectral data, favoring a mixture of dienol 3,4-dihydroxypyridine (structure 2) and keto-enol 3-hydroxypyridin-4-one (structure 9) in the solid phase. However, the keto-enol HPO tautomer is favored in solutions in agreement with the observed/calculated UV spectra. Moreover, mass spectral analysis indicates the presence of equimolar proportions of 3,4-DHP monomer and its dimer. Aided by DFT/B3LYP and ab intio/MP2(full) frequency calculations at 6-31G(d) basis set and the simulated vibrational spectra of dienol DHP and keto-enol HPO mixture, a complete vibrational assignment of the observed infrared and Raman bands has been proposed supported by normal coordinate analysis and potential energy distributions (PEDs). The results reported herein are compared with similar structural analogues whenever appropriate.

The Deep Plumbing System of Ischia: a Physico-chemical Window on the Fluid-saturated and CO2-sustained Neapolitan Volcanism (Southern Italy)

Ischia, a volcanic island located 18 miles SWof Naples (Southern Italy), is a densely populated active caldera that last erupted in AD 1302. Melt inclusions in phenocrysts of the Vateliero and Cava Nocelle shoshonite^latite eruptive products (6th to 4th centuries BC) constrain the structure and nature of the Ischia deep magmatic feeding system.Their geochemical characteristics make Ischia a natural borehole for probing the physico-chemical conditions of magma generation in mantle contaminated by slab-derived fluids or melts, largely dominated by CO2.Volatile concentrations in olivine-hosted melt inclusions require gas^melt equilibria at between 3 and 18 km depth. In agreement with what has already been demonstrated at the other neighboring Neapolitan volcanoes (Procida, Campi Flegrei caldera and Somma^Vesuvius volcanic complex), a major crystallization depth at 8^10 km has been identified.The analyzed melt inclusions provide clear evidence for CO2-dominated gas fluxing and consequent dehydration of magma batches stagnating at crustal discontinuities. Gas fluxing is further supported by selective enrichment in K owing to fluid-transfer during magma differentiation.This takes place under oxidized conditions (Fe3þ/ Fe 0·3) that can be fixed by an equimolar proportion of divalent and trivalent iron in the melt if post-entrapment crystallization of the host olivine is discarded.The melt inclusion data, together with data from the literature for other Neapolitan volcanoes, show that magmatism and volcanism in the Neapolitan area, despite differences in composition and eruption dynamics, are closely linked to supercritical CO2-rich fluids. These fluids are produced by devolatilization of subducting terrigenous^pelagic metasediments and infiltrate the overlying mantle wedge, generate magmas and control their ascent up to eruption. Geochemical characteristics of Ischia and the other Neapolitan volcanoes reveal that the extent of fluid or melt contamination of the pre-subduction asthenospheric mantle wedge was similar among these volcanoes. However, differences in the isotopic compositions of the erupted magmas (more enriched in radiogenic Sr at Ischia, Campi Flegrei and Somma^Vesuvius with respect to Procida) and the amount of H2O in the plumbing system of these volcanoes (almost double at Ischia, Campi Flegrei and Somma^Vesuvius than at Procida) reflect the different flow-rates of deep slab-derived fluids or melts through the mantle wedge, which, in turn, control the amount of generated magma.The high bulk permeability of the lithosphere below Ischia, Campi Flegrei and Somma^Vesuvius, determined by the occurrence of intersecting NW^SE and NE^SW regional fault systems, favours fluid ascent and accumulation at crustal levels, with consequent larger magma production and storage than at Procida, located along the NE^SWsystem.

An oxorhenium(V) Schiff-base complex: Synthesis, characterisation, structure, spectroscopic and electrochemical aspects

Reaction of equimolar proportion of trans-ReOCl3(PPh3)2 with HL, a 1:1 Schiff-base condensate of salicylaldehyde and allylamine, in chloroform gives rise to ReO(L)(PPh3)Cl21a in optimal yield. 1a has been characterized by C, H and N microanalyses, ESI-MS, FT-IR, UV–Vis spectra, molar conductivity measurements. The X-ray crystal structure of 1a reveals that it is an octahedral cis-Cl,Cl oxorhenium(V) complex. The rhenium center is in ‘NO2Cl2P’ coordination sphere. 1a crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pna21 with a=17.3541(11), b=10.2737(6), c=15.2113(10)Å, V=2712.0(3)Å3 and Z=4. The photophysical and electrochemical aspects of 1a have been studied. Electrochemical studies in dichloromethane show Re(V) to Re(VI) oxidation at 1.437V along with a reduction of Re(V) to Re(IV) at −0.705V versus Ag/AgCl. Excitation of 1a in chloroform at 460nm leads to a fluorescent emission at 525nm with a quantum yield (Ф) of 0.17. Geometry optimization of the cis-Cl,Cl complex 1a vis-à-vis its trans analogue, trans-Cl,Cl complex 1b, have been performed at the level of the density functional theory (DFT). It is revealed that 1b is more stable than 1a by 4kcal per mole of energy in gas phase.

Lolium latent virus (Alphaflexiviridae) coat proteins: expression and functions in infected plant tissue

The genome of Lolium latent virus (LoLV; genus Lolavirus, family Alphaflexiviridae) is encapsidated by two carboxy-coterminal coat protein (CP) variants (about 28 and 33 kDa), in equimolar proportions. The CP ORF contains two 5'-proximal AUGs encoding Met 1 and Met 49, respectively promoting translation of the 33 and 28 kDa CP variants. The 33 kDa CP N-terminal domain includes a 42 aa sequence encoding a putative chloroplast transit peptide, leading to protein cleavage and alternative derivation of the approximately 28 kDa CP. Mutational analysis of the two in-frame start codons and of the putative proteolytic-cleavage site showed that the N-terminal sequence is crucial for efficient cell-to-cell movement, functional systemic movement, homologous CP interactions and particle formation, but is not required for virus replication. Blocking production of the 28 kDa CP by internal initiation shows no major outcome, whereas additional mutation to prevent proteolytic cleavage at the chloroplast membrane has a dramatic effect on virus infection.

Liquid-phase isobutane alkylation with butenes over aluminum chloride complexes synthesized in situ from activated aluminum and tert-butyl chloride

The liquid-phase interaction between isobutane and butenes at 303 K and 2.5–3.0 MPa has been investigated using activated aluminum (Al*)-tert-butyl chloride (TBC) model system (TBC: Al* = 0.35−4 mol/mol). It has been demonstrated by attenuated total reflection FT-IR (ATR-FT-IR) spectroscopy that the catalytically active aluminum chloride complexes forming in situ in the hydrocarbon medium vary in composition. Alkylation as such takes place at equimolar proportions of the reactants (TBC: Al* = 1: 1) and butenes feed 1mass flow rate of 5 h−1 per gram of Al*. According to ATR-FT-IR data, the most abundant aluminum complexes resulting under these conditions are the AlCl4− and Al2Cl7− ions and, probably, the molecular complex AlCl3 · sec-C4H9Cl. In a fourfold excess of TBC over Al* at butenes mass feed rate of 2.5 h−1, isobutane undergoes self-alkylation. In this case, the Al2Cl7− ion is not detected and the most abundant complexes are AlCl4−, Al3Cl10− and the molecular species AlCl3 · tert-C4H9Cl. It is hypothesized that the Al2Cl7− ion plays the key role in the liquid-phase alkylation of isobutane with butenes.

Inhibition of VEGF expression in A431 and MDA-MB-231 tumour cells by cationic lipid-mediated siRNA delivery

In order to promote siRNA transfer in tumour cells, we used an original cationic lipid, synthesized in our laboratory, dimethyl-hydroxyethyl-aminopropane-carbamoyl-cholesterol (DMHAPC-Chol). Liposomes were prepared from this lipid and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE) in equimolar proportion. Its transfecting capacity was evaluated using ELISA, cell cytometry, and RT-PCR in estimating the silencing effect of VEGF siRNA. This liposome efficiently delivered VEGF siRNA in two human cancer cell lines abundantly secreting VEGF, A431 and MDA-MB-231. Results showed that 50 nM of VEGF siRNA carried by DMHAPC-Chol/DOPE liposomes already silenced more than 90% of VEGF in these cells. A comparative study with two commercial carriers indicated that the inhibition induced by VEGF siRNA transported by cationic DMHAPC-Chol/DOPE liposomes was comparable to that induced by INTERFERin and better than lipofectamine 2000. Moreover, a transfection by a GFP plasmid followed by a GFP siRNA showed that DMHAPC-Chol/DOPE liposomes compared to lipofectamine were less efficient for plasmid but better for siRNA transport. Following one of our previous works concerning cell delivery of plasmid (), the main interest of results presented here resides in the double potential of DMHAPC-Chol/DOPE liposomes to deliver little-sized siRNA as well as large nucleic acids in cells.

Molecular organization of bacterial membrane lipids in mixed systems—A comprehensive monolayer study combined with Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction and Brewster Angle Microscopy experiments

To properly design and investigate new antibacterial drugs a detailed description of the organization of bacterial membrane is highly important. Therefore in this work we performed a comprehensive characteristic of the Langmuir monolayers composed of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG) mixed in a wide range of composition and treated as an artificial cytoplasmic layer of bacterial membrane. To obtain detailed information on the properties of these films we combined the analysis of the surface pressure–area curves with the surface potential measurements, Brewster Angle Microscopy studies and Grazing Incidence X-ray Diffraction experiments. It was found that the investigated phospholipids mix nonideally in the monolayers and that the most favorable packing of molecules occurs at their equimolar proportion. This is directly connected with the formation of hydrogen bonds between both types of molecules in the system. All the collected experimental data evidenced that dipalmitoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DPPE) and dipalmitoylphosphatidylglycerol (DPPG) form highly ordered associates of fixed (DPPE:DPPG 1:1) stoichiometry. The obtained results allow one to conclude a nonuniform distribution of lipids in bacterial membranes and the existence of domains composed of the investigated phospholipids. The latter seems to be of great importance in the perspective of further studies on the mechanism of action of antibacterial agents.

Cation immobilization in pyrolyzed simulated spent ion exchange resins

Significant quantities of spent ion exchange resins that are contaminated by an assortment of radioactive elements are produced by the nuclear industry each year. The baseline technology for the conditioning of these spent resins is encapsulation in ordinary Portland cement which has various shortcomings none the least of which is the relatively low loading of resin in the cement and the poor immobilization of highly mobile elements such as cesium. The present study was conducted with cationic resin samples (Lewatit S100) loaded with Cs+, Sr2+, Co2+, Ni2+ in roughly equimolar proportions at levels at or below 30% of the total cation exchange capacity. Low temperature thermal treatment of the resins was conducted in inert (Ar), or reducing (CH4) gas atmospheres, or supercritical ethanol to convert the hydrated polymeric resin beads into carbonaceous materials that contained no water. This pyrolytic treatment resulted in at least a 50% volume reduction to give mechanically robust spherical materials. Scanning electron microscope investigations of cross-sections of the beads combined with energy dispersive analysis showed that initially all elements were uniformly distributed through the resin matrix but that at higher temperatures the distribution of Cs became inhomogeneous. Although Cs was found in the entire cross-section, a significant proportion of the Cs occurred within internal rings while a proportion migrated toward the outer surfaces to form a crustal deposit. Leaching experiments conducted in water at 25°C showed that the divalent contaminant elements were very difficult to leach from the beads heated in inert atmospheres in the range 200–600°C. Cumulative fractional loses of the order of 0.001 were observed for these divalent elements for temperatures below 500°C. Regardless of the processing temperature, the cumulative fractional loss of Cs in water at 25°C reached a plateau or steady-state within the first 24h increasing only marginally up 120h. For unheated beads, a steady-state was reached at a cumulative fractional Cs loss of about 0.0045 while for beads heated to 400°C the steady-state was reached at a value of 0.1. Under comparable conditions leaching of Sr, Co and Ni were close to the detection limits. It is concluded that the fraction of the Cs inventory that was more readily leached derived mainly from Cs phases in the crustal deposit.

Genotoxicity of pesticide mixtures present in the diet of the French population

Consumers may be simultaneously exposed to several pesticide residues in their diet. A previous study identified the seven most common pesticide mixtures to which the French population was exposed through food consumption in 2006. The aim of this study was to investigate if the seven mixtures are potentially cytotoxic and genotoxic and if so, whether compounds in a same mixture have a combined effect. The cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of the seven mixtures were investigated with a new assay (γ-H2AX) using four human cell lines (ACHN, SH-SY5Y, LS-174T, and HepG2). Mixtures were tested at equimolar concentrations and also at concentrations reflecting their actual proportion in the diet. Irrespective of the cell line tested, parallel cytotoxicity of the seven mixtures was observed. Only one mixture was genotoxic for the HepG2 cells at concentrations = 3 μM in equimolar proportion and at 30 μM in actual proportion. Caspase 3/7 activity, the comet assay, and reactive oxygen species production were also investigated using the same mixture and HepG2 cells. Our results suggest that pesticide metabolites from the mixture generated by HepG2 cells were responsible for the observed damage to DNA. Among the five compounds in the genotoxic mixture, only fludioxonil and cyprodinil were genotoxic for HepG2 cells alone at concentrations = 4 and 20 μM, respectively. Our data suggest a combined genotoxic effect of the mixture at low concentrations with a significantly higher effect of the mixture of pesticides than would be expected from the response to the individual compounds. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Self-Assembly of Acridine Orange into H-Aggregates at the Air/Water Interface: Tuning of Orientation of Headgroup

The surface active derivative of the organic dye Acridine Orange (N-10-dodecyl-acridine orange (DAO)) has been included in mixed Langmuir monolayers with stearic acid (SA). The maximum relative content on DAO for a stable mixed monolayer is a molar ratio of X(DAO) = 0.5. Brewster angle microscopy (BAM) reveals a high homogeneity at the micrometer level for the mixed monolayer in equimolar proportion (X(DAO) = 0.5), whereas the appearance of domains occurs for lower content of DAO, i.e., X(DAO) = 0.2 and 0.1. The aggregation of the DAO headgroup leads to well-defined H-aggregates at the air/water interface for those mixed monolayers with a low content of DAO. However, for the mixed monolayers enriched in DAO, e.g., X(DAO) = 0.5, the molecular crowding prevents the formation of defined supramolecular structures. Molecular organization and tilting of the DAO headgroup is quantitatively analyzed by in situ UV-visible reflection spectroscopy. The formation of H-aggregates of the DAO headgroup can be reversibly tuned with the applied surface pressure. A molecular mechanism for the conformational rearrangement of the DAO molecule is proposed using RM1 quantum semiempirical calculations.

Synthesis of size controlled phase pure KNbO3 fine particles via a solid-state route from a core–shell structured precursor

From a core–shell structured precursor, comprising Nb2O5 core enveloped by KHCO3 in an equimolar proportion, phase pure KNbO3 (KN) fine particles were obtained by calcining in air at 600°C for 1h. Disintegrating the large agglomerated particles of KHCO3 prior to the precursor preparation enabled the micronization of the KN particle size down to 240nm, close to that of the starting Nb2O5, due to increased mixing homogeneity and consequent thorough enveloping of individual Nb2O5 particles. Based on these findings, together with the known coupling diffusion mechanism of potassium and oxygen into Nb2O5, it was concluded that the core–shell particles in the precursor serve as a separated reaction space to complete the formation of KN without appreciable coalescence or local sintering, as far as the firing temperature is low enough like those employed in the present study. Superiority of KHCO3 over K2CO3 or KNO3 as a potassium source was also discussed.

Structure and physical–mechanical properties of interpolymeric complexes based on sodium carboxymethylcellulose

AbstractThe structure and physical–mechanical properties of films of interpolymeric complexes (IPCs) based on sodium carboxymethylcellulose (Na‐CMC) with urea–formaldehyde oligomers (UFOs) of different structure are studied in this article. It is shown that films of IPC have higher rate of deformative–strength properties and elasticity, minimal rate of solutions' viscosity with equimolar proportion of components of Na‐CMC and UFO. The excess of Na‐CMC or UFO causes the decrease of strength and elasticity which in turn is connected with decreasing of intermolecular links frequency. The decreasing of IPC elasticity with excess of Na‐CMC or UFO is connected with creation of heterogenic structures, which can be seen in electronic microscope images. As a result, there were obtained films of IPC with various concentrations of triazinon cycle, which have a globular structure with different values of diameters (from 200 to 500 é), mechanical strength (80–140 MPa), modulus of elasticity (from 3 × 103 to 3.8 × 103 MPa), and the viscosity of solutions with a value in the range from 0.16 to 0.20 Pa s. Changing the structure of the interacting components gives the possibility to control substantially structure and properties of IPC based on Na‐CMC and UFO. Regulation of physical–mechanical properties of the IPC films provides numerous opportunities for their applications as soil conditioners in agriculture and as a base for semisolid medicinal forms in pharmacy. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011

Biochemical properties of pancreatic colipase from the common stingray Dasyatis pastinaca

BackgroundPancreatic colipase is a required co-factor for pancreatic lipase, being necessary for its activity during hydrolysis of dietary triglycerides in the presence of bile salts. In the intestine, colipase is cleaved from a precursor molecule, procolipase, through the action of trypsin. This cleavage yields a peptide called enterostatin knoswn, being produced in equimolar proportions to colipase.ResultsIn this study, colipase from the common stingray Dasyatis pastinaca (CoSPL) was purified to homogeneity. The purified colipase is not glycosylated and has an apparent molecular mass of around 10 kDa. The NH2-terminal sequencing of purified CoSPL exhibits more than 55% identity with those of mammalian, bird or marine colipases. CoSPL was found to be less effective activator of bird and mammal pancreatic lipases than for the lipase from the same specie. The apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of the colipase/lipase complex and the apparent Vmax of the colipase-activated lipase values were deduced from the linear curves of the Scatchard plots. We concluded that Stingray Pancreatic Lipase (SPL) has higher ability to interact with colipase from the same species than with the mammal or bird ones.ConclusionThe fact that colipase is a universal lipase cofactor might thus be explained by a conservation of the colipase-lipase interaction site. The results obtained in the study may improve our knowledge of marine lipase/colipase.

A macronutrient optimization platform for micropropagation and acclimatization: using turmeric (Curcuma longa L.) as a model plant

Tissue culture medium is often overlooked as a factor in plant biotechnology. Most work uses Murashige and Skoog (MS; Physiol Plant in 15:473–497, 1962) inorganic medium formulation, which is not likely optimal for many of the plant systems where it is used. This current study of macronutrient factors simultaneously altered media volume and amount of tissue (plants per vessel), sucrose, nitrogen (as NO 3 − and NH 4 + ions), and K+ in a d-optimal design space with only 55 experimental units (including five true replicates). Meso- and micro-nutrient concentrations were lowered (5% of MS) to determine which elements were most critical to plantlet quality. Plantlet quality was quantified by multiplication in the laboratory and survival and growth in the greenhouse. Plantlets grown at the lowest plant density, the lowest macronutrient concentration (20 mM), and equi-molar proportions of NH 4 + /K+ resulted in the best multiplication ratio and 100% greenhouse survival. Multiplication ratio in vitro and survival in the greenhouse were well correlated with one another. Laboratory dry mass, media use, sucrose use, and the uptake of the macronutrients NO 3 − , NH 4 + , and K+ were not well correlated with plantlet quality. Plantlets with the greatest uptake of P, Ca, Mg, and Mn had the best multiplication in the laboratory and on subsequent transfer, acclimatized and grew fastest in the greenhouse. Phosphorus was shown to be most depleted in media. This work demonstrates a platform to simultaneously optimize several nutritive components of tissue culture media to produce plantlets that perform well in both laboratory and greenhouse environments. Plant quality was related with factors outside the macronutrient design, and this platform indicated where to expand the experimental space. Fixed, flat-screen presentations revealed less of the response surface than interactive profiles driven by the reader.

Epoxide ring opening in a zinc(II) complex in water without any Lewis acid catalyst: Formation of only one diastereomer out of 23

The epoxide ring in 5,6-dihydro-5,6-epoxy-1,10-phenanthroline (L) opens up in its reaction with 4-methylaniline and 4-methoxyaniline in water in equimolar proportion at room temperature without any Lewis acid catalyst to give a monohydrate of 6-(4-methyl-phenylamino)-5,6-dihydro-1,10-phenanthrolin-5-ol (L′·H2O) and 6-(4-methoxyphenyl-amino)-5,6-dihydro-1,10-phenanthrolin-5-ol (L″) respectively. Reaction time decreases from 72 to 14h in boiling water. But the yields become less. Reaction of L with Zn(ClO4)2·6H2O in methanol in 3:1 molar ratio at room temperature affords white [ZnL3](ClO4)2·H2O. The X-ray crystal structure of the acetonitrile solvate [ZnL3](ClO4)2·MeCN has been determined which shows that the metal has a distorted octahedral N6 coordination sphere. [ZnL3](ClO4)2·2H2O reacts with 4-methylaniline and 4-methoxyaniline in boiling water in 1:3 molar proportion in the absence of any Lewis acid catalyst to produce [ZnL′3](ClO4)2·4H2O and [ZnL″3](ClO4)2·H2O, respectively in 1–4h time in somewhat low yield. In the 1H NMR spectra of [ZnL′3](ClO4)2·4H2O and [ZnL″3](ClO4)2·H2O, only one sharp methyl signal is observed implicating that only one diastereomer out of the 23 possibilities is formed. The same diastereomers are obtained when L′·H2O and L″ are reacted directly with Zn(ClO4)2·6H2O in tetrahydrofuran at room temperature in very good yields. Reactions of L′·H2O and L″ with Ru(phen)2Cl2·2H2O (phen=1,10-phenanthroline) in equimolar proportion in methanol–water mixture under refluxing condition lead to the isolation of two diastereomers of [Ru(phen)2L′](ClO4)2·2H2O and [Ru(phen)2L″](ClO4)2·2H2O.

The Stepwise Alkoxylation of Phenyl Phosphorodichloridate

AbstractThe reaction of phenylphosphorodichloridate (P.P.D.C.) with various alcohols in the presence of a tertiary base has been studied. With equimolar proportions of the P.P.D.C. and the requisite alcohol in light petroleum, the following compounds have been obtained: phenyl n-undecyl, phenyl n-butyl and phenyl methyl hydrogen phosphates. When two molar proportions of the alcohol in acetonitrile are added to P.P.D.C., phenyl bis-n-undecyl, phenyl bis-n-butyl and phenyl bis-n-amyl phosphates may be isolated. By hydrogenolysis (of the phenyl group diundecyl, dibutyl, and dimethyl hydrogen phosphates result.