Photophysics, Molecular Reorientation in Solution and X-Ray Structure of a New Fluorescent Probe 1,7-Diazaperylene

A new fluorescent molecule 1,7-diazaperylene (DP) has been investigated by means of time-resolved and steady-state polarized fluorescence spectroscopy, as well as X-ray spectroscopy. Absorption and fluorescence spectra of DP in solution are similar to those of perylene. However, absorption and fluorescence spectra of 2,8-dimethoxy DP and 2,8-dipentyloxy DP in solution are red-shifted by ca. 55 nm relative to perylene. The fluorescence decay of DP is exponential with a lifetime of 5.1 ns in ethanol, 4.9 ns in glycerol and 4.3 ns in paraffin oil. The radiative lifetime in ethanol was calculated to be 6.3 ns for DP, 8.0 ns for 2,8-dimethoxy DP and 7.6 ns for 2,8-dipentyloxy DP. The calculated fluorescence quantum yields of 0.8 for DP and its alkoxy derivatives in ethanol, are in good agreement with those obtained from measurements. The calculated Förster radius is 37.2 ± 1 Å for DP and 41.9 ± 1 Å for its alkoxy derivatives in ethanol. Examining the S0 S1 transition, we obtain a limiting fluorescence anisotropy of r0 0.38 for DP and its alkoxy derivatives. The rotational rates of DP in paraffin oil and glycerol were compared to that of perylene. In paraffin oil both molecules show an almost identical biexponential decay of the fluorescence anisotropy, which is compatible with a rotational motion like an oblate ellipsoid. The fluorescence anisotropy is monoexponential for DP in glycerol, and DP appears to rotate like a spherical particle while perylene in glycerol appears to rotate like an oblate ellipsoid. Moreover, the rotational diffusion constant, corresponding to rotation about an axis in the aromatic plane (D), is the same for both DP and perylene in glycerol

In silico simulation of reversible and irreversible swelling of mitochondria: The role of membrane rigidity

Mitochondria have been widely accepted as the main source of ATP in the cell. The inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) is important for the maintenance of ATP production and other functions of mitochondria. The electron transport chain (ETC) generates an electrochemical gradient of protons known as the proton-motive force across the IMM and thus produces the mitochondrial membrane potential that is critical to ATP synthesis. One of the main factors regulating the structural and functional integrity of the IMM is the changes in the matrix volume. Mild (reversible) swelling regulates mitochondrial metabolism and function; however, excessive (irreversible) swelling causes mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death. The central mechanism of mitochondrial swelling includes the opening of non-selective channels known as permeability transition pores (PTPs) in the IMM by high mitochondrial Ca2+ and reactive oxygen species (ROS). The mechanisms of reversible and irreversible mitochondrial swelling and transition between these two states are still unknown. The present study elucidates an upgraded biophysical model of reversible and irreversible mitochondrial swelling dynamics. The model provides a description of the PTP regulation dynamics using an additional differential equation. The rigidity tensor was used in numerical simulations of the mitochondrial parameter dynamics with different initial conditions defined by Ca2+ concentration in the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum. We were able to estimate the values of the IMM rigidity tensor components by fitting the model to the previously reported experimental data. Overall, the model provides a better description of the reversible and irreversible mitochondrial swelling dynamics.Funding Agency USA NIGMS NIH SC1GM128210 Institute for Functional Nanomaterials (USA NSF) 1002410 PR NASA EPSCoR (USA NASA Cooperative Agreement) NNX15AK43Ainfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Membrane fusion of secretory vesicles and liposomes Two different types of fusion

Secretory vesicles isolated from adrenal medulla were found to fuse in vitro in response to incubation with Ca2+. Intervesicular fusion was detected by electron microscopy and was indicated by the appearance of twinned vesicles in freeze-fractured suspensions of vesicles and in thin-sectioned pellet. Two types of fusion could be distinguished: Type I, occurring between 10−7 M and 10−4 M Ca2+, was specific for Ca2+, was inhibited by other divalent cations and was abolished by pretreatment of vesicles with glutaraldehyde, neuraminidase or trypsin. Fusion type I was linear with temperature. A second type of intervesicular fusion was elicited by Ca2+ in concentrations higher than 2.5 mM and was morphologically characterized by multiple fusions of secretory vesicles. This type of fusion was found to be similar to fusion of liposomes prepared from the membrane lipids of adrenal medullary secretory vesicles: Ca2+ could be replaced by other divalent cations, the effect of different divalent cations was additive and pretreatments attacking membrane proteins were ineffective. Fusion type II of intact secretory vesicles as well as liposome fusion was discontinuous with temperature. Liposome fusion could be detected within 35 ms and persisted for 180 min. Using liposomes containing defined Ca2+ concentrations we have not found a major influence of Ca2+ asymmetry on fusion. Incorporation of the ganglioside GM3, which is present in the membranes of intact adrenal medullary secretory vesicles did not change the properties of liposomes fusion. Using a Ca2+-selective electrode we have identified in secretory vesicle membranes both high affinity binding sites for Ca2+ (Kd = 1.6 · 10−6M) and low affinity sites (Kd = 1.2 · 10−4M)

Selective Adsorption and Chiral Amplification of Amino Acids in Vermiculite Clay -Implications for the origin of biochirality

Smectite clays are hydrated layer silicates that, like micas, occur naturally in abundance. Importantly, they have readily modifiable interlayer spaces that provide excellent sites for nanochemistry. Vermiculite is one such smectite clay and in the presence of small chain-length alkyl-NH3Cl ions, forms sensitive, 1-D ordered model clay systems with expandable nano-pore inter-layer regions. These inter-layers readily adsorb organic molecules. N-propyl NH3Cl vermiculite clay gels were used to determine the adsorption of alanine, lysine and histidine by chiral HPLC. The results show that during reaction with fresh vermiculite interlayers, significant chiral enrichment of either L- and D-enantiomers occurs depending on the amino acid. Chiral enrichment of the supernatant solutions is up to about 1% per pass. In contrast, addition to clay interlayers already reacted with amino acid solutions resulted in little or no change in D/L ratio during the time of the experiment. Adsorption of small amounts of amphiphilic organic molecules in clay inter-layers is known to produce Layer-by-Layer or Langmuir-Blodgett films. Moreover atomistic simulations show that self-organization of organic species in clay interlayers is important. These non-centrosymmetric, chirally active nanofilms may cause clays to act subsequently as chiral amplifiers, concentrating organic material from dilute solution and having different adsorption energetics for D- and L-enantiomers. The additional role of clays in RNA oligimerization already postulated by Ferris and others, together with the need for the organization of amphiphilic molecules and lipids noted by Szostak and others, suggests that such chiral separation by clays in lagoonal environments at normal biological temperatures might also have played a significant role in the origin of biochirality.Comment: 17 Pages, 2 Figures, 4 Table