scholarly journals Conformational Consequences for Compatible Osmolytes on Thermal Denaturation

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1394
Author(s):  
Nimesh Shukla ◽  
Brianna Bembenek ◽  
Erika A. Taylor ◽  
Christina M. Othon

Compatible osmolytes are a broad class of small organic molecules employed by living systems to combat environmental stress by enhancing the native protein structure. The molecular features that make for a superior biopreservation remain elusive. Through the use of time-resolved and steady-state spectroscopic techniques, in combination with molecular simulation, insight into what makes one molecule a more effective compatible osmolyte can be gained. Disaccharides differing only in their glycosidic bonds can exhibit different degrees of stabilization against thermal denaturation. The degree to which each sugar is preferentially excluded may explain these differences. The present work examines the biopreservation and hydration of trehalose, maltose, and gentiobiose.

1992 ◽  
Vol 46 (9) ◽  
pp. 1382-1387 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Aguilera ◽  
C. Aragón ◽  
J. Campos

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy has been used to determine carbon content in steel. The plasma was formed by focusing a Nd:YAG laser on the sample surface. With the use of time-resolved spectroscopy and generation of the plasma in nitrogen atmosphere, a precision of 1.6% and a detection limit of 65 ppm have been obtained. These values are similar to those of other accurate conventional techniques. Matrix effects for the studied steels are reduced to a small slope difference between the calibration curves for stainless and nonstainless steels.


RSC Advances ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 4 (28) ◽  
pp. 14335-14347 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raina Thakur ◽  
Anupam Das ◽  
Anjan Chakraborty

The interaction of human serum albumin (HSA) with liposomes made of saturated and unsaturated phosphocholines has been studied using circular dichroism (CD), steady state and time resolved fluorescence spectroscopic techniques.


Nanophotonics ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (16) ◽  
pp. 4689-4701
Author(s):  
Lili Du ◽  
Wenjuan Xiong ◽  
Wai Kin Chan ◽  
David Lee Phillips

AbstractIn this review, noncovalent functionalization of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is briefly reviewed. The functional materials summarized here include metalloporphyrin derivatives, biomolecules and conjugated polymers. Notably, time-resolved spectroscopic techniques such as time-resolved fluorescence and transient absorption were employed to directly investigate the electron transfer and recombination processes between the functionalities and the SWCNTs. In addition, Raman spectroscopy is also useful to identify the interaction and the electron transfer direction between both the functionalities and the SWCNTs. An improved understanding of the mechanisms of these SWCNT-based nanohybrids in terms of their structural and photophysical properties can provide more insights into the design of new electronic materials.


Molecules ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (11) ◽  
pp. 2537
Author(s):  
Danilo Sousa-Pereira ◽  
Thais Silva de Oliveira ◽  
Rojane O. Paiva ◽  
Otávio Augusto Chaves ◽  
José C. Netto-Ferreira ◽  
...  

Synthesis of four compounds belonging to mesoionic class, (E)-3-phenyl-5-(phenylamino)-2-styryl-1,3,4-thiadiazol-3-ium chloride derivatives (5a–d) and their biological evaluation against MT2 and C92 cell lines infected with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1 (HTLV-1), which causes adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL), and non-infected cell lines (Jurkat) are reported. The compounds were obtained by convergent synthesis under microwave irradiation and the cytotoxicity was evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays. Results showed IC50 values of all compounds in the range of 1.51–7.70 μM in HTLV-1-infected and non-infected cells. Furthermore, it was observed that 5b could induce necrosis after 24 h for Jurkat and MT2 cell lines. The experimental (fluorimetric method) and theoretical (molecular docking) results suggested that the mechanism of action for 5b could be related to its capacity to intercalate into DNA. Moreover, the preliminary pharmacokinetic profile of the studied compounds (5a–d) was obtained through human serum albumin (HSA) binding affinity using multiple spectroscopic techniques (circular dichroism, steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence), zeta potential and molecular docking calculations. The interaction HSA:5a–d is spontaneous and moderate (Ka ~ 104 M−1) via a ground-state association, without significantly perturbing both the secondary and surface structures of the albumin in the subdomain IIA (site I), indicating feasible biodistribution in the human bloodstream.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew L. Trinh ◽  
Alessandro Esposito

AbstractA deeper understanding of spatial resolution in microscopy fostered a technological revolution that is now permitting us to investigate the structure of the cell with nanometer resolution. Although fluorescence microscopy techniques enable scientists to investigate both the structure and biochemistry of the cell, the biochemical resolving power of a microscope is a physical quantity that is not well-defined or studied. To overcome this limitation, we carried out a theoretical investigation of the biochemical resolving power in fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy, one of the most effective tools to investigate biochemistry in single living cells. With the theoretical analysis of information theory and Monte Carlo simulations, we describe how the ‘biochemical resolving power’ in time-resolved sensing depends on instrument specifications. We unravel common misunderstandings on the role of the instrument response function and provide theoretical insights that have significant practical implications in the design and use of time-resolved instrumentation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Riin Kont ◽  
Bastien Bissaro ◽  
Vincent G. H. Eijsink ◽  
Priit Väljamäe

AbstractLytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs) are widely distributed in Nature, where they catalyze the hydroxylation of glycosidic bonds in polysaccharides. Despite the importance of LPMOs in the global carbon cycle and in industrial biomass conversion, the catalytic properties of these monocopper enzymes remain enigmatic. Strikingly, there is a remarkable lack of kinetic data, likely due to a multitude of experimental challenges related to the insoluble nature of LPMO substrates, like cellulose and chitin, and to the occurrence of multiple side reactions. Here, we employed competition between well characterized reference enzymes and LPMOs for the H2O2 co-substrate to kinetically characterize LPMO-catalyzed cellulose oxidation. LPMOs of both bacterial and fungal origin showed high peroxygenase efficiencies, with kcat/KmH2O2 values in the order of 105–106 M−1 s−1. Besides providing crucial insight into the cellulolytic peroxygenase reaction, these results show that LPMOs belonging to multiple families and active on multiple substrates are true peroxygenases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 6268-6274
Author(s):  
Alexander M. Brugh ◽  
Malcolm D. E. Forbes

Time-resolved electron paramagnetic resonance (TREPR) spectroscopy has been used to study the proton coupled electron transfer (PCET) reaction between a Ruthenium complex (Ru(bpz)(bpy)2) and several substituted hydroquinones (HQ).


2015 ◽  
Vol 95 (2) ◽  
pp. 141-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.H. Hooijschuur ◽  
M.F.C. Verkaaik ◽  
G.R. Davies ◽  
F. Ariese

AbstractRaman spectroscopy appears to be an ideal technique for the initial detection of biomarkers, molecules that are potentially indicative of life on planetary bodies elsewhere in our solar system. Carotenoids are particularly useful biomarkers as they are used widely across the species, relatively resistant to breakdown and no inorganic source is known. They are used by microorganisms in their cell membranes for protection against UV radiation. In this paper we focus on the detection of carotenoids in microorganisms within a mineral matrix. We compare the Raman signatures of pure compounds with those of laboratory-made mixtures of β-carotene and minerals. Carotenoids covered by 2.5 mm of translucent calcite or 40 mm of transparent halite were detected using a conventional confocal Raman microscope. To improve sensitivity and hence detection levels, Raman measurements were successfully performed under resonant conditions. Raman analysis can be compromised by fluorescence interference. Data are presented to show how the contribution from the fluorescent background in the Raman spectra can be reduced when making use of gated detection in time-resolved Raman spectroscopy. Overall, this study demonstrates some of the potential of Raman spectroscopy as a method for the detection of (past) life signatures during future planetary missions without taking current technical limitations such as instrumental size into account as recent rapid technical developments suggest these limitations will be resolved in time.


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