Fine Tune Balance of Hydrophobic-hydrophylic Relationship of Amphiphilic Compounds by Partial Reduction and Methylation

Author(s):  
Dumitru Petru I. Iga ◽  
Dumitru Popescu ◽  
Valentin I. R. Niculescu
Membranes ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 299
Author(s):  
Monica De Caroli ◽  
Fabrizio Barozzi ◽  
Luciana Renna ◽  
Gabriella Piro ◽  
Gian-Pietro Di Sansebastiano

Plants rely on both actin and microtubule cytoskeletons to fine-tune sorting and spatial targeting of membranes during cell growth and stress adaptation. Considerable advances have been made in recent years in the comprehension of the relationship between the trans-Golgi network/early endosome (TGN/EE) and cytoskeletons, but studies have mainly focused on the transport to and from the plasma membrane. We address here the relationship of the cytoskeleton with different endoplasmic reticulum (ER) export mechanisms toward vacuoles. These emergent features of the plant endomembrane traffic are explored with an in vivo approach, providing clues on the traffic regulation at different levels beyond known proteins’ functions and interactions. We show how traffic of vacuolar markers, characterized by different vacuolar sorting determinants, diverges at the export from the ER, clearly involving different components of the cytoskeleton.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 197
Author(s):  
Iván Ramos-Tomillero ◽  
Marisa K. Sánchez ◽  
Hortensia Rodríguez ◽  
Fernando Albericio

Using the classical Ugi four-component reaction to fuse an amine, ketone, carboxylic acid, and isocyanide, here we prepared a short library of N-alkylated α,α-dialkylglycine derivatives. Due to the polyfunctionality of the dipeptidic scaffold, this highly steric hindered system shows an interesting acidolytic cleavage of the C-terminal amide. In this regard, we studied the structure-acid lability relationship of the C-terminal amide bond (cyclohexylamide) of N-alkylated α,α-dialkylglycine amides 1a–n in acidic media and, afterward, it was established that the most important structural features related to its cleavage. Then, it was demonstrated that electron-donating effects in the aromatic amines, flexible acyl chains (Gly) at the N-terminal and the introduction of cyclic compounds into dipeptide scaffolds, increased the rate of acidolysis. All these effects are related to the ease with which the oxazolonium ion intermediate forms and they promote the proximity of the central carbonyl group to the C-terminal amide, resulting in C-terminal amide cleavage. Consequently, these findings could be applied for the design of new protecting groups, handles for solid-phase synthesis, and linkers for conjugation, due to its easily modulable and the fact that it allows to fine tune its acid-lability.


2013 ◽  
Vol 1499 ◽  
Author(s):  
Parvathalu Kalakonda ◽  
Michael Daly ◽  
Kaikai Xu ◽  
Yaniel Cabrera ◽  
Robert Judith ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe internal micro/nano-structure of anisotropically oriented polymer/CNTs composites determines their macroscopic properties. However, the connections between the two are not fully understood. The varying of CNT concentration, preparation method, and a thermodynamic parameter (e.g. temperature) can all play interconnected role. In this work, the macroscopic electrical conductivity was measured perpendicular to the film thickness of an insulating polymer (isotactic PolyPropylene, iPP) and a nano-composite of iPP with 5 weight percent of CNT. The thin films studied were sheared (anisotropically nano-structured) and non-sheared (with random internal structure). In general the effect of melt shearing induces anisotropy on the electrical transport properties of the iPP/CNT films in directions parallel and perpendicular to the direction of orientation. Our results show that for the pure iPP, resistivity slightly increases with shear at higher temperatures. When CNTs are introduced, there is a large difference between the resistivity of the sheared and non-sheared nanocomposite. The sheared PNCs when the CNTs are aligned parallel to each other, have higher resistivity, which is possibly due to the higher concentration at which the percolation threshold occurs in this arrangement. The resistivity decreases overall, as the temperature increases from 0 to 50 °C. These results show that CNTs can be used to control and fine tune the desired macroscopic physical properties of nanocomposites, by concentration and orientation, such as electrical conductivity, for applications where such properties are necessary.


Paleobiology ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 6 (02) ◽  
pp. 146-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
William A. Oliver

The Mesozoic-Cenozoic coral Order Scleractinia has been suggested to have originated or evolved (1) by direct descent from the Paleozoic Order Rugosa or (2) by the development of a skeleton in members of one of the anemone groups that probably have existed throughout Phanerozoic time. In spite of much work on the subject, advocates of the direct descent hypothesis have failed to find convincing evidence of this relationship. Critical points are:(1) Rugosan septal insertion is serial; Scleractinian insertion is cyclic; no intermediate stages have been demonstrated. Apparent intermediates are Scleractinia having bilateral cyclic insertion or teratological Rugosa.(2) There is convincing evidence that the skeletons of many Rugosa were calcitic and none are known to be or to have been aragonitic. In contrast, the skeletons of all living Scleractinia are aragonitic and there is evidence that fossil Scleractinia were aragonitic also. The mineralogic difference is almost certainly due to intrinsic biologic factors.(3) No early Triassic corals of either group are known. This fact is not compelling (by itself) but is important in connection with points 1 and 2, because, given direct descent, both changes took place during this only stage in the history of the two groups in which there are no known corals.


Author(s):  
D. F. Blake ◽  
L. F. Allard ◽  
D. R. Peacor

Echinodermata is a phylum of marine invertebrates which has been extant since Cambrian time (c.a. 500 m.y. before the present). Modern examples of echinoderms include sea urchins, sea stars, and sea lilies (crinoids). The endoskeletons of echinoderms are composed of plates or ossicles (Fig. 1) which are with few exceptions, porous, single crystals of high-magnesian calcite. Despite their single crystal nature, fracture surfaces do not exhibit the near-perfect {10.4} cleavage characteristic of inorganic calcite. This paradoxical mix of biogenic and inorganic features has prompted much recent work on echinoderm skeletal crystallography. Furthermore, fossil echinoderm hard parts comprise a volumetrically significant portion of some marine limestones sequences. The ultrastructural and microchemical characterization of modern skeletal material should lend insight into: 1). The nature of the biogenic processes involved, for example, the relationship of Mg heterogeneity to morphological and structural features in modern echinoderm material, and 2). The nature of the diagenetic changes undergone by their ancient, fossilized counterparts. In this study, high resolution TEM (HRTEM), high voltage TEM (HVTEM), and STEM microanalysis are used to characterize tha ultrastructural and microchemical composition of skeletal elements of the modern crinoid Neocrinus blakei.


Author(s):  
Leon Dmochowski

Electron microscopy has proved to be an invaluable discipline in studies on the relationship of viruses to the origin of leukemia, sarcoma, and other types of tumors in animals and man. The successful cell-free transmission of leukemia and sarcoma in mice, rats, hamsters, and cats, interpreted as due to a virus or viruses, was proved to be due to a virus on the basis of electron microscope studies. These studies demonstrated that all the types of neoplasia in animals of the species examined are produced by a virus of certain characteristic morphological properties similar, if not identical, in the mode of development in all types of neoplasia in animals, as shown in Fig. 1.


Author(s):  
J.R. Pfeiffer ◽  
J.C. Seagrave ◽  
C. Wofsy ◽  
J.M. Oliver

In RBL-2H3 rat leukemic mast cells, crosslinking IgE-receptor complexes with anti-IgE antibody leads to degranulation. Receptor crosslinking also stimulates the redistribution of receptors on the cell surface, a process that can be observed by labeling the anti-IgE with 15 nm protein A-gold particles as described in Stump et al. (1989), followed by back-scattered electron imaging (BEI) in the scanning electron microscope. We report that anti-IgE binding stimulates the redistribution of IgE-receptor complexes at 37“C from a dispersed topography (singlets and doublets; S/D) to distributions dominated sequentially by short chains, small clusters and large aggregates of crosslinked receptors. These patterns can be observed (Figure 1), quantified (Figure 2) and analyzed statistically. Cells incubated with 1 μg/ml anti-IgE, a concentration that stimulates maximum net secretion, redistribute receptors as far as chains and small clusters during a 15 min incubation period. At 3 and 10 μg/ml anti-IgE, net secretion is reduced and the majority of receptors redistribute rapidly into clusters and large aggregates.


Author(s):  
D.L. Spector ◽  
S. Huang ◽  
S. Kaurin

We have been interested in the organization of RNA polymerase II transcription and pre-mRNA splicing within the cell nucleus. Several models have been proposed for the functional organization of RNA within the eukaryotic nucleus and for the relationship of this organization to the distribution of pre-mRNA splicing factors. One model suggests that RNAs which must be spliced are capable of recruiting splicing factors to the sites of transcription from storage and/or reassembly sites. When one examines the organization of splicing factors in the nucleus in comparison to the sites of chromatin it is clear that splicing factors are not localized in coincidence with heterochromatin (Fig. 1). Instead, they are distributed in a speckled pattern which is composed of both perichromatin fibrils and interchromatin granule clusters. The perichromatin fibrils are distributed on the periphery of heterochromatin and on the periphery of interchromatin granule clusters as well as being diffusely distributed throughout the nucleoplasm. These nuclear regions have been previously shown to represent initial sites of incorporation of 3H-uridine.


Author(s):  
Kathleen B. Reuter

The reaction rate and efficiency of piperazine to 1,4-diazabicyclo-octane (DABCO) depends on the Si/Al ratio of the MFI topology catalysts. The Al was shown to be the active site, however, in the Si/Al range of 30-200 the reaction rate increases as the Si/Al ratio increases. The objective of this work was to determine the location and concentration of Al to explain this inverse relationship of Al content with reaction rate.Two silicalite catalysts in the form of 1/16 inch SiO2/Al2O3 bonded extrudates were examined: catalyst A with a Si/Al of 83; and catalyst B, the acid/phosphate Al extracted form of catalyst A, with a Si/Al of 175. Five extrudates from each catalyst were fractured in the transverse direction and particles were obtained from the fracture surfaces near the center of the extrudate diameter. Particles were also obtained from the outside surfaces of five extrudates.


Author(s):  
Ruth V.W. Dimlich

Mast cells in the dura mater of the rat may play a role in cerebral pathologies including neurogenic inflammation (vasodilation; plasma extravasation) and headache pain . As has been suggested for other tissues, dural mast cells may exhibit a close spatial relationship to nerves. There has been no detailed ultrastructural description of mast cells in this tissue; therefore, the goals of this study were to provide this analysis and to determine the spatial relationship of mast cells to nerves and other components of the dura mater in the rat.Four adult anesthetized male Wistar rats (290-400 g) were fixed by perfusion through the heart with 2% glutaraldehyde and 2.8% paraformaldehyde in a potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) for 30 min. The head of each rat was removed and stored in fixative for a minimum of 24 h at which time the dural coverings were removed and dissected into samples that included the middle meningeal vasculature. Samples were routinely processed and flat embedded in LX 112. Thick (1 um) sections from a minimum of 3 blocks per rat were stained with toluidine blue (0.5% aqueous).


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