Ultra-fast Glyco-coating of Non-biological Surfaces

The ability to glycosylate surfaces has medical and diagnostic applications, but there is no technology currently recognized as being able to coat any surface without the need for prior chemical modification of the surface. Recently, a family of constructs called function-spacer-lipids (FSL) has been used to glycosylate cells. Because it is known that lipid-based material can adsorb onto surfaces, we explored the potential and performance of cell-labelling FSL constructs to “glycosylate” non-biological surfaces. Using blood group A antigen as an indicator, the performance of a several variations of FSL constructs to modify a large variety of non-biological surfaces was evaluated. It was found the FSL constructs when optimised could in a few seconds glycosylate almost any non-biological surface including metals, glass, plastics, rubbers and other polymers. Although the FSL glycan coating was non-covalent, and therefore temporary, it was sufficiently robust with appropriate selection of spacer and surface that it could capture anti-glycan antibodies, immobilize cells (via antibody), and withstand incubation in serum and extensive buffer washing, making it suitable for diagnostic and research applications

2,3,4-Triacet­oxy-1-[5-(1,2,3,4-tetra­acetoxy­butyl)pyrazin-2-yl]butyl acetate

The title compound, C28H36N2O16, was obtained unintentionally in an attempt to synthesize 1,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-azido-2-de­oxy-d-mannopyran­ose. The crystal packing utilizes methyl–acet­oxy C—H⋯O and meth­yl–pyrazine C—H⋯N hydrogen bonding

1H NMR spectra, dipole moments, and conformations of 3-oxo-6,7-benzo-1,5,3-dioxaphosphepines

1H NMR spectroscopy, measurements of dipole moments, and the Kerr effect have been used to study the conformational structure in solutions of 3-X-3-oxo-6,7-benzo-1,5,3-dioxaphosphepines (X=Me, Et, Ph, Cl, NEt2, OEt, OPh). On the basis of x-ray diffraction data, by means of the Dillen-Geise method, possible conformers of the seven-membered ring have been described quantitatively: chair, twist, and twist-boat. It has been shown that the compounds are characterized by a three-component equilibrium of chair and flexible forms. The relative populations of the conformers depend on the nature of the substituent X. The relationships in internal rotation around the P-Ph and P-O(R) bonds are discussed. © 1991 Plenum Publishing Corporation

Phylogenetic and structural analysis of annexins in pea (<i>Pisum sativum</i> L.) and their role in legume-rhizobial symbiosis development

Annexins as Ca2+/phospholipid-binding proteins are involved in the control of many biological processes essential for plant growth and development. In a previous study, we had shown, using a proteomic approach, that the synthesis of two annexins is induced in pea roots in response to rhizobial inoculation. In this study, phylogenetic analysis identified these annexins as PsAnn4 and PsAnn8 based on their homology with annexins from other legumes. The modeling approach allowed us to estimate the structural features of these annexins that might influence their functional activity. To verify the functions of these annexins, we performed comparative proteomic analysis, experiments with calcium influx inhibitors, and localization of labeled proteins. Essential down-regulation of PsAnn4 synthesis in a non-nodulating pea mutant P56 (sym10) suggests an involvement of this annexin in the rhizobial symbiosis. Quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that PsAnn4 was upregulated at the early stages of symbiosis development, starting from 1–3 days after inoculation to up to 5 days after inoculation, while experiments with the Ca2+ channel blocker LaCl3 revealed its negative influence on this expression. To follow the PsAnn4 protein localization in plant cells, it was fused to the fluorophores such as red fluorescent protein (RFP) and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) and expressed under the transcriptional regulation of the 35S promoter in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves by infiltration with Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The localization of PsAnn4 in the cell wall or plasma membrane of plant cells may indicate its participation in membrane modification or ion transport. Our results suggest that PsAnn4 may play an important role during the early stages of pea-rhizobial symbiosis development

Neoglycolipids Micelle-like Structures as a Basis for Drug Delivery Systems

Targeted drug delivery is one of the most promising tasks of nanomedicine, as this is a real way to increase the effectiveness of therapeutic effects against many diseases. In this regard, the development of new inexpensive highly effective stimulating and non-immunogenic drug delivery systems (DDS) is of great importance. In this work new molecular candidates were proposed and studied for the creation of such systems based on the use of new compounds, neoglycolipids. It is shown that these compounds are capable of self-association in aqueous solutions and can serve as potential carriers of drug compounds with targeted delivery determined by their terminal groups (in particular, glycans). The processes of their associates formation and features of their structure are investigated. The results show that these selforganizing nanoscale systems can be used as a basis for developing new drug delivery systems. Keywords: neoglycolipids, micelle-like structures, small-angle X-ray scattering, molecular dynamics simulatio

Spontaneous alloying in binary metal microclusters - A molecular dynamics study -

Microcanonical molecular dynamics study of the spontaneous alloying(SA), which is a manifestation of fast atomic diffusion in a nano-sized metal cluster, is done in terms of a simple two dimensional binary Morse model. Important features observed by Yasuda and Mori are well reproduced in our simulation. The temperature dependence and size dependence of the SA phenomena are extensively explored by examining long time dynamics. The dominant role of negative heat of solution in completing the SA is also discussed. We point out that a presence of melting surface induces the diffusion of core atoms even if they are solid-like. In other words, the {\it surface melting} at substantially low temperature plays a key role in attaining the SA.Comment: 15 pages, 12 fgures, Submitted to Phys.Rev.