49 research outputs found
Analysis of ergonomics problems contact-centers
The analysis of the ergonomic problems
of the contact center. It allocates main factors of
influence on man- operator
Simple Chemical Transformation of Lignocellulosic Biomass into Furans for Fuels and Chemicals
Lignocellulosic biomass is a plentiful and renewable resource for fuels and chemicals. Despite this potential, nearly all renewable fuels and chemicals are now produced from edible resources, such as starch, sugars, and oils; the challenges imposed by notoriously recalcitrant and heterogeneous lignocellulosic feedstocks have made their production from nonfood biomass inefficient and uneconomical. Here, we report that <i>N</i>,<i>N</i>-dimethylacetamide (DMA) containing lithium chloride (LiCl) is a privileged solvent that enables the synthesis of the renewable platform chemical 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) in a single step and unprecedented yield from untreated lignocellulosic biomass, as well as from purified cellulose, glucose, and fructose. The conversion of cellulose into HMF is unabated by the presence of other biomass components, such as lignin and protein. Mechanistic analyses reveal that loosely ion-paired halide ions in DMA−LiCl are critical for the remarkable rapidity (1−5 h) and yield (up to 92%) of this low-temperature (≤140 °C) process. The simplicity of this chemical transformation of lignocellulose contrasts markedly with the complexity of extant bioprocesses and provides a new paradigm for the use of biomass as a raw material for a renewable energy and chemical industries
Conversion of Azides into Diazo Compounds in Water
Diazo
compounds are in widespread use in synthetic organic chemistry but
have untapped potential in chemical biology. We report on the design
and optimization of a phosphinoester that mediates the efficient conversion
of azides into diazo compounds in phosphate buffer at neutral pH and
room temperature. High yields are maintained in the presence of common
nucleophilic or electrophilic functional groups, and reaction progress
can be monitored by colorimetry. As azido groups are easy to install
and maintain in biopolymers or their ligands, this new mode of azide
reactivity could have substantial utility in chemical biology
Residues Lys-6 to Arg-14 of PTEN and the canonical PIP<sub>2</sub>-binding motif.
<p>Each conserved residue in this motif is altered in cancer according to the COSMIC database.</p
Initial characterization of PTEN.
<p>(A) Analysis of PTEN-L, wild-type PTEN, and K13A PTEN on a Coomassie R-250–stained polyacrylamide (12% w/v) gel containing sodium dodecylsulfate (0.1% w/v). (B) Representative progress curves for the turnover of PIP<sub>3</sub> (10, 15, or 40 μM) by wild-type PTEN. Reactions were performed in 50 mM Tris–HCl buffer, pH 7.6, containing EDTA (2.0 mM), MESG (0.20 mM), DTBA (40 mM), and NaCl (0, 100, or 200 mM), and were initiated with the addition of PTEN to 20 nM. Absorbance at 360 nM was converted to concentration by using Δ<i>ε</i> = 11 mM<sup>−1</sup>cm<sup>−1</sup>.
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Conformational Stability and Catalytic Activity of PTEN Variants Linked to Cancers and Autism Spectrum Disorders
Phosphoinositides are membrane components
that play critical regulatory
roles in mammalian cells. The enzyme PTEN, which catalyzes the dephosphorylation
of the phosphoinositide PIP<sub>3</sub>, is damaged in most sporadic
tumors. Mutations in the <i>PTEN</i> gene have also been
linked to autism spectrum disorders and other forms of delayed development.
Here, human PTEN is shown to be on the cusp of unfolding under physiological
conditions. Variants of human PTEN linked to somatic cancers and disorders
on the autism spectrum are shown to be impaired in their conformational
stability, catalytic activity, or both. Those variants linked only
to autism have activity higher than the activity of those linked to
cancers. PTEN-L, which is a secreted <i>trans</i>-active
isoform, has conformational stability greater than that of the wild-type
enzyme. These data indicate that PTEN is a fragile enzyme cast in
a crucial role in cellular metabolism and suggest that PTEN-L is a
repository for a critical catalytic activity
A Key <i>n</i>→π* Interaction in <i>N</i>‑Acyl Homoserine Lactones
Many
Gram-negative bacteria employ <i>N</i>-acyl homoserine
lactones (AHLs) as signal molecules for quorum sensing. The binding
of AHLs to their target LuxR-type receptor proteins can effect changes
in growth, virulence, and other phenotypes. LuxR-type receptors therefore
present attractive pharmaceutical targets for control of bacterial
pathogenesis. Here, we present X-ray crystallographic and computational
evidence that the conformation of free AHLs is biased away from the
conformation observed when bound to their cognate receptor due to
the influence of an <i>n</i>→π* interaction.
In this <i>n</i>→π* interaction, the <i>p</i>-type lone pair (<i>n</i>) of the <i>N</i>-acyl oxygen overlaps with the π* orbital of the lactone carbonyl
group. This overlap results in the release of approximately 0.64 kcal/mol
of energy. We also show that this interaction can be attenuated by
installing electron-withdrawing groups on the <i>N</i>-acyl
chain. Modulating this previously unappreciated interaction could
present a new avenue toward effective inhibitors of bacterial quorum
sensing
Human Collagen Prolyl 4‑Hydroxylase Is Activated by Ligands for Its Iron Center
Collagen is the most abundant protein
in animals. The posttranslational
hydroxylation of proline residues in collagen contributes greatly
to its conformational stability. Deficient hydroxylation is associated
with a variety of disease states, including scurvy. The hydroxylation
of proline residues in collagen is catalyzed by an Fe(II)- and α-ketoglutarate-dependent
dioxygenase, collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase (CP4H). CP4H has long been
known to suffer oxidative inactivation during catalysis, and the cofactor
ascorbate (vitamin C) is required to reactivate the enzyme by reducing
its iron center from Fe(III) to Fe(II). Herein, we report on the discovery
of the first synthetic activators of CP4H. Specifically, we find that
2,2′-bipyridine-4-carboxylate and 2,2′-bipyridine-5-carboxylate
serve as ligands for the iron center in human CP4H that enhance the
rate of ascorbate-dependent reactivation. This new mode of CP4H activation
is available to other biheteroaryl compounds but does not necessarily
extend to other prolyl 4-hydroxylases. As collagen is weakened in
many indications, analogous activators of CP4H could have therapeutic
benefits
Optimized Diazo Scaffold for Protein Esterification
The <i>O</i>-alkylation of carboxylic acids with diazo
compounds provides a means to esterify carboxylic acids in aqueous
solution. A Hammett analysis of the reactivity of diazo compounds
derived from phenylglycinamide revealed that the (<i>p</i>-methylphenyl)glycinamide scaffold has an especially high reaction
rate and ester/alcohol product ratio and esterifies protein carboxyl
groups more efficiently than any known reagent
Optimal Interstrand Bridges for Collagen-like Biomaterials
In
some natural collagen triple helices, cysteine (Cys) residues
on neighboring strands are linked by disulfide bonds, enhancing association
and maintaining proper register. Similarly, Cys–Cys disulfide
bridges have been used to impose specific associations between collagen-mimetic
peptides (CMPs). Screening a library of disulfide linkers <i>in silico</i> for compatibility with collagen identifies the
disulfide bridge between proximal homocysteine (Hcy) and Cys as conferring
much greater stability than a Cys–Cys bridge, but only when
Hcy is installed in the Xaa position of the canonical Xaa–Yaa–Gly
repeat and Cys is installed in the Yaa position. Experimental evaluation
of CMPs that host alternative thiols validates this design: only Hcy-Cys
bridges improve triple-helical structure and stability upon disulfide-bond
formation. This privileged linker can enhance CMP-based biomaterials
and enable previously inaccessible molecular designs