Conformational selection underlies recognition of a molybdoenzyme by its dedicated chaperone

Molecular recognition is central to all biological processes. Understanding the key role played by dedicated chaperones in metalloprotein folding and assembly requires the knowledge of their conformational ensembles. In this study, the NarJ chaperone dedicated to the assembly of the membrane-bound respiratory nitrate reductase complex NarGHI, a molybdenum-iron containing metalloprotein, was taken as a model of dedicated chaperone. The combination of two techniques ie site-directed spin labeling followed by EPR spectroscopy and ion mobility mass spectrometry, was used to get information about the structure and conformational dynamics of the NarJ chaperone upon binding the N-terminus of the NarG metalloprotein partner. By the study of singly spin-labeled proteins, the E119 residue present in a conserved elongated hydrophobic groove of NarJ was shown to be part of the interaction site. Moreover, doubly spin-labeled proteins studied by pulsed double electron-electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy revealed a large and composite distribution of inter-label distances that evolves into a single preexisting one upon complex formation. Additionally, ion mobility mass spectrometry experiments fully support these findings by revealing the existence of several conformers in equilibrium through the distinction of different drift time curves and the selection of one of them upon complex formation. Taken together our work provides a detailed view of the structural flexibility of a dedicated chaperone and suggests that the exquisite recognition and binding of the N-terminus of the metalloprotein is governed by a conformational selection mechanism

Angular Dependences of Third Harmonic Generation from Microdroplets

We present experimental and theoretical results for the angular dependence of third harmonic generation (THG) of water droplets in the micrometer range (size parameter $62<ka<248$). The THG signal in $p$- and $s$-polarization obtained with ultrashort laser pulses is compared with a recently developed nonlinear extension of classical Mie theory including multipoles of order $l\leq250$. Both theory and experiment yield over a wide range of size parameters remarkably stable intensity maxima close to the forward and backward direction at ``magic angles''. In contrast to linear Mie scattering, both are of comparable intensity.Comment: 4 pages, RevTeX, 3 figures available on request from [email protected], submitted to PR

Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles Loaded with Surfactant: Low Temperature Magic Angle Spinning 13C and 29Si NMR Enhanced by Dynamic Nuclear Polarization

We show that dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) can be used to enhance NMR signals of13C and 29Si nuclei located in mesoporous organic/inorganic hybrid materials, at several hundreds of nanometers from stable radicals (TOTAPOL) trapped in the surrounding frozen disordered water. The approach is demonstrated using mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN), functionalized with 3-(N-phenylureido)propyl (PUP) groups, filled with the surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). The DNP-enhanced proton magnetization is transported into the mesopores via 1H–1H spin diffusion and transferred to rare spins by cross-polarization, yielding signal enhancements εon/off of around 8. When the CTAB molecules are extracted, so that the radicals can enter the mesopores, the enhancements increase to εon/off ≈ 30 for both nuclei. A quantitative analysis of the signal enhancements in MSN with and without surfactant is based on a one-dimensional proton spin diffusion model. The effect of solvent deuteration is also investigated

Photoionization of LinHm clusters

Ionization potentials of LinHm clusters have been measured from bare Lin clusters to hydrogen saturated clusters. The evolution of electronic properties with the number of H is discussed. We found that LinHm clusters behave like Lin-m clusters. This similarity may be due to a segregation between a metallic part and an insulator part inside the cluster

Non-homogeneous distribution of Al³⁺ in doped phosphate glasses revealed by ²⁷Al/³¹P solid state NMR

International audienceSolid state NMR is applied in this contribution on the xAl2O3-(50-x/2)Na2O-(50-x/2)P2O5 composition line (with 0 < x < 5mol%) in order to investigate the distribution of Al3+ ions in Al2O3-doped sodium phosphate glasses. The structure was analysed by (i) 27Al 1D-, 3Q-, DQ- MAS-NMR analysis and (ii) 1D 31P, 27Al(31P) 2D D-HMQC MAS-NMR and 2D 31P R-INADEQUATE technique. The 27Al NMR results confirm the presence of six-coordinated aluminate as major aluminate species and indicate that Al3+ ions are fully dissociated in the glass network. The 31P NMR data show the simultaneous presence of five different phosphate units connected to 0, 1 but also 2 Al3+ ions and offer a new vision of the doping mechanism by highlighting a non-homogeneous distribution of Al3+ ions in the phosphate matrix. This study indicates that the glass networks contain Al3+-rich and -poor domains and present thus a significant structural disorder beyond the local order

On the relationship between corrosion inhibiting effect and molecular structure of 2,5-bis(<i>n</i>-pyridyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives in acidic media: ac impedance and DFT studies

The inhibition properties of 2,5-bis(n-pyridyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles (n-PTH) on corrosion of mild steel in different acidic media (1 M HCl, 0.5 M H2SO4 and 1 M HClO4) were analyzed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The n-PTH derivatives exhibit good inhibition properties in different acidic solutions and the calculated values of ΔG°ads revealed that the adsorption mechanism of n-PTH on steel surface is mainly due to chemisorption. While in 1 M HClO4, both 2-PTH and 4-PTH isomers stimulate the corrosion process especially at low concentrations. Quantum chemical calculations using the density functional theory (DFT) were performed on n-PTH derivatives to determine the relationship between molecular structure and their inhibition efficiencies. The results of the quantum chemical calculations and experimental inhibition efficiency were subjected to correlation analysis and indicate that the inhibition effects of n-PTH may be explained in terms of electronic properties

New 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione derivatives as efficient organic inhibitors of carbon steel corrosion in hydrochloric acid medium: Electrochemical, XPS and DFT studies

New 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione derivatives, namely 1-phenyl-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione (PPD) and 1-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione (MPPD) were synthesised and their inhibitive action against the corrosion of carbon steel in 1 M HCl solution were investigated at 308 K by weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization curves, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods. The results showed that the investigated 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione derivatives are good corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in 1 M HCl medium, their inhibition efficiency increased with inhibitor concentration, and MPPD is slightly more effective than PPD. Potentiostatic polarization study showed that PPD and MPPD are mixed-type inhibitors in 1 M HCl. Impedance experimental data revealed a frequency distribution of the capacitance, simulated as constant phase element. The results obtained from electrochemical and weight loss studies were in reasonable agreement. The adsorption of MPPD and PPD on steel surface obeyed Langmuir’s adsorption isotherm. Thermodynamic data and XPS analysis clearly indicated that the adsorption mechanism of 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione derivatives on carbon steel surface in 1 M HCl solution is mainly controlled by a chemisorption process. Quantum chemical calculations using the Density Functional Theory (DFT) were performed on 1H-pyrrole-2,5-dione derivatives to determine the relationship between molecular structures and their inhibition efficiencies

Understanding the adsorption of 4 H -1,2,4-triazole derivatives on mild steel surface in molar hydrochloric acid

International audienceThis study examines the use of some 4H-triazole derivatives, namely 3,5-diphenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole (DHT), 3,5-bis(4-pyridyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole (4-PHT) and 3,5-bis(4-methyltiophenyl)-4H-1,2,4-triazole (4-MTHT) for corrosion and dissolution protection of mild steel in normal hydrochloric acid solution. The inhibiting efficiency of the different additives is evaluated by means of weight loss and electrochemical techniques such as ac impedance measurements and polarisation curves. The experimental results obtained reveal that 4-MTHT is the best effective inhibitor and the inhibition efficiency is found to be in the following order: 4-MTHT > 4-PHT > DHT. The variation in inhibitive efficiency mainly depends on the type and nature of the substituents present in the inhibitor molecule. Polarisation curves show that theses triazoles are mixed-type inhibitors in 1 M HCl. The inhibition efficiency increases with 4H-triazole derivatives concentration and attains the maximum value of 99.6% in the case of 4-MTHT at 5 × 10−4 M. The results obtained from weight loss electrochemical studies were in reasonable agreement. The adsorption of 4H-triazole derivatives on the steel surface obeys to the Langmuir isotherm model. The thermodynamic data of adsorption and activation are determined and discussed. The fundamental thermodynamic functions were used to glean important information about the 4H-triazoles inhibitory behaviour. Molecular modeling was used to get better insight, about structural and electronic effects in relation to the inhibition efficiencies

Manuel de codicologie des manuscrits en écriture arabe

International audienc