Aminonitriles: Possible role in chemical evolution

The formation of HCN, ammonium cyanide, alkylnitriles, aminoacetonitrile and its C-and N-methyl homologs was demonstrated earlier in a simulated Jovian atmosphere. The polymeric material resulting in these experiments was shown to give glycine, alanine, sarcosine, aspartic acid and someimiono dibasic acids on acid hydrolysis suggesting thereby the participation of the monomeric nitriles into the formation of the polymeric products(s). Further examination of products resulting from semi-corona and are discharge through a mixture of methane and ammonia has provided evidence for the formation of alkylaminopropionitriles as a complex mixture and also some pyridyl and pyrimidyl type heterocyclic compounds. A GC-MS examination of the heterocyclics showed resemblance with those found in some carbonaceous chondrites. The significance of these findings in relation to chemical evolution will be discussed.     

Ultrastructural effects of silicic acid on primary lung fibroblasts in tissue culture

Transmission and scanning electron microscopic examination of primary lung fibroblasts exposed in tissue culture to polymeric silicic acid (PSA) revealed profound cellular changes in the cell surface membranes, resulting in rapid endocytosis of affected membranes and formation of multivesicular bodies. Exposure to monomeric silicic acid did not appear to exhibit any immediate adverse effects. Appearance of numerous cytoplasmic vacuoles within 1 h of PSA exposure was easily visible by light microscopy. Electron microscopy revealed that PSA exposure caused formation of an 'osmiophilic' cell surface membrane. Numerous osmiophilic cytoplasmic blebs on the surface and subsequent endocytotic vesicles appeared to collapse and aggregate into multivesicular bodies. This study provides ultrastructural evidence of the direct interaction between lung fibroblasts and polymeric silicic acid, which has a dramatic effect the surface membrane, its subsequent internalization and cytoplasmic processing. This interaction could be one of the key steps in the damaging effects of silica containing dust.     

Regioselectivity of ferulic acid polymerization catalyzed by oxidases

Enzymatic oxidation of ferulic acid catalyzed by oxidases (laccase and peroxidase) was carried out. Ferulic acid was shown to be subjected to oxidative processes leading to the formation of oligomeric and polymeric structures. The polymer formation takes place due to the formation of CAr-CAr-, and CAr-O-CAr-bonds, as well as due to reactions of opening of the propane chain double bond. Different dynamic conditions of the enzymatic reactions were used to study the effects of conditions on the biosynthesis in vitro of some dehydropolymers: the method of dropwise mixing (endwise polymers) and a single addition (bulk polymers). The chemical structures of the resulting compounds were examined by the methods of IR, 1H NMR, and 13N NMR spectroscopy. Differences in the quantitative ratio of structural fragments in a polymer cause changes in its thermal characteristics.     

Preliminary characterization of novel amino acid based polymeric vesicles as gene and drug delivery agents

The amino acid homopolymers, poly-L-lysine and poly-L-ornithine, have been modified by the covalent attachment of palmitoyl and methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG) residues to produce a new class of amphiphilic polymers-PLP and POP, respectively. These amphiphilic amino acid based polymers have been found to assemble into polymeric vesicles in the presence of cholesterol. Representatives of this new class of polymeric vesicles have been evaluated in vitro as nonviral gene delivery systems with a view to finding delivery systems that combine effective gene expression with low toxicity in vivo. In addition, the drug-carrying capacity of these polymeric vesicles was evaluated with the model drug doxorubicin. Chemical characterization of the modified polymers was carried out using (1)H NMR spectroscopy and the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) assay for amino groups. The amphiphilic polymers were found to have an unreacted amino acid, palmitoyl, mPEG ratio of 11:5:1, and polymeric vesicle formation was confirmed by freeze-fracture electron microscopy and drug encapsulation studies. The resulting polymeric vesicles, by virtue of the mPEG groups, bear a near neutral zeta-potential. In vitro biological testing revealed that POP and PLP vesicle-DNA complexes are about one to 2 orders of magnitude less cytotoxic than the parent polymer-DNA complexes although more haemolytic than the parent polymer-DNA complexes. The polymeric vesicles condense DNA at a polymer:DNA weight ratio of 5:1 or greater and the polymeric vesicle-DNA complexes improved gene transfer to human tumor cell lines in comparison to the parent homopolymers despite the absence of receptor specific ligands and lysosomotropic agents such as chloroquine.     

Regioselectivity of ferulic acid polymerization catalyzed by oxidases

Enzymatic oxidation of ferulic acid catalyzed by oxidases (laccase and peroxidase) was carried out. Ferulic acid was shown to be subjected to oxidative processes leading to the formation of oligomeric and polymeric structures. The polymer formation takes place due to the formation of C_Ar-C_Ar- and C_Ar-O-C_Ar-bonds, as well as due to reactions of opening of the propane chain double bond. Different dynamic conditions of the enzymatic reactions were used to study the effects of conditions on the biosynthesis in vitro of some dehydropolymers: the method of dropwise mixing (endwise polymers) and a single addition (bulk polymers). The chemical structures of the resulting compounds were examined by the methods of IR, ¹H NMR, and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. Differences in the quantitative ratio of structural fragments in a polymer cause changes in its thermal characteristics.     

Preparation and properties of modified chitosan as potential matrix materials for drug sustained-release beads

Modified chitosan such as chitosan alpha-ketoglutaric acid (KCTS) and hydroxamated chitosan alpha-ketoglutaric acid (HKCTS) were successfully prepared. The modified chitosan were employed in the formation of drug-loaded, iron(III)-crosslinked polymeric beads. The produced polymers were characterized by IR, NMR, WXRD and DSC measurements. The resulting beads were evaluated in vitro as drug prolonging and potentially orally administered delivery system. Theophylline was used as the loaded model drug. The generated beads proved to be successful in prolonging drug release. The release kinetics was evaluated by fitting the experimental data to standard release equations (zero-, first- and Higuchi equation). The best fit was found with Higuchi model for the polymeric beads.     

A New Pathway to Aspartic Acid from Urea and Maleic Acid Affected by Ultraviolet Light

The photochemistry of a mixture of ureaand maleic acid, which are thought to have been widelypresent on the primitive Earth, was studied in order toexamine a possibility of the formation of amino acids. When an aqueous solution of urea and maleic acid wasirradiated with an ultraviolet light of wavelength 172 nm,urea was revealed to be rather resistant to photochemicaldecomposition. In contrast, maleic acid was completelydecomposed within 4 h, reflecting the reactivity of a C-Cdouble bond in the molecule. In the reaction mixture, 2-isoureidosuccinic acid was detected. The acid wasconsidered to be formed by addition of an isoureido radicalwhich had been produced from urea by the action of ahydroxyl radical, to a C-C double bond of maleic acid. Theisoureido group of the product was revealed to undergothermal rearrangement to afford 2-ureidosuccinic acid (N-carbamoylaspartic acid). The result suggested a novelpathway leading to the formation of aspartic acid from non-amino acid precursors, possibly effected by UV-light on theprimitive Earth. The formation of ureidocarboxylic acidsis of another significance, since they are capable ofundergoing thermal polymerization, resulting in formationof polyamino acids.     

Abiotic Photophosphorylation Model Based on Abiogenic Flavin and Pteridine Pigments

A model for abiotic photophosphorylation of adenosine diphosphate by orthophosphate with the formation of adenosine triphosphate was studied. The model was based on the photochemical activity of the abiogenic conjugates of pigments with the polymeric material formed after thermolysis of amino acid mixtures. The pigments formed showed different fluorescence parameters depending on the composition of the mixture of amino acid precursors. Thermolysis of the mixture of glutamic acid, glycine, and lysine (8:3:1) resulted in a predominant formation of a pigment fraction which had the fluorescence maximum at 525 nm and the excitation band maxima at 260, 375, and 450 nm and was identified as flavin. When glycine in the initial mixture was replaced with alanine, a product formed whose fluorescence parameters were typical to pteridines (excitation maximum at 350 nm, emission maximum at 440 nm). When irradiated with the quasi-monochromatic light (over the range 325–525 nm), microspheres in which flavin pigments were prevailing showed a maximum photophosphorylating activity at 375 and 450 nm, and pteridine-containing chromoproteinoid microspheres were most active at 350 nm. The positions and the relative height of maxima in the action spectra correlate with those in the excitation spectra of the pigments, which point to the involvement of abiogenic flavins and pteridines in photophosphorylation.     

Selective cleavage of N-terminal amino acid in a peptide by polymeric cobalt (III) triene complex

Cellulose was functionalized to incorporate triethylenetetramine group. This was in turn converted into the polymeric analogue of cobalt(III)triene complex. The polymeric complex reacts with peptides resulting in the cleavage of amino end amino acid, thus suggesting the applicability of the polymeric reagent as a solid phase reagent for N-terminal determination.     

Green biorefinery: separation of lactic acid from grass silage juice by chromatography using neutral polymeric resin

The aim of this work was to recover lactic acid in undissociated form from grass silage juice. For this aim, chromatographic separation using neutral polymeric resin Amberlite XAD1600 was investigated. Up to now, there is no hint in the literatures about using neutral polymeric resin for lactic acid separation from a mixture. Important factors (flow-rate, concentration of feed and loaded volume) that affect separation performance were firstly investigated with model solutions. The obtained results showed that lactic acid solutions with the purity varying from 93.2% to 99.9% could be obtained at the recovery yields over 99.4%. After that, trials with silage juice were carried out. Due to the complex composition of the feed, the purity of products decreased to 94% at a recovery yield of 97%. Although 99% of inorganic salts and sugars were separated from lactic acid organic acids in general and acetic acid in particular caused a purity problem. It seems that organic acids could not be separated from lactic acid by neutral resin Amberlite XAD1600. Besides the organic acid problem, some amino acids were remained in the products as impurities.     

Facile syntheses of acyl dihydroxyacetone phosphates and lysophosphatidic acids having different acyl groups

In this study, we report novel and simple chemical syntheses of acyl dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) and 1-acyl glycero-3-phosphate [lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)], key intermediaries in the formation of glycerolipids containing ester and ether bonds. The synthesis of acyl DHAPs involved acylating the dimethyl ketal of DHAP by acid anhydride using 4-pyrrolidinopyridine as the catalyst, and the resulting product was deketalized by HClO(4) in acetone to produce acyl DHAP. The acid anhydride was either added directly or generated in the reaction mixture from the corresponding fatty acid using dicyclohexylcarbodiimide as the condensing agent. Using these methods, a number of acyl DHAPs having short-, medium-, and long-chain saturated and unsaturated acyl groups were synthesized, with overall yields from 37% to 75%. The activities of these acyl DHAPs as substrates for guinea pig liver peroxisomal acyl DHAP:NADPH reductase and alkyl DHAP synthase were then determined. Next, starting from these acyl DHAPs, a variety of LPAs were synthesized by chemical reduction of the ketone group. Biological activities of these LPAs were determined by measuring their relative abilities to release intracellular Ca(2+) via the LPA receptor. A combined chemical-enzymatic method is also described to prepare the natural LPA from the racemic mixture.     

Pyridine-2, 6-dicarboxylic acid (dipicolinic acid) formation in Bacillus subtilis. II Non-enzymatic and enzymatic formations of dipicolinic acid from alpha, epsilon-diketopimelic acid and ammonia.

Non-enzymatic formation of dipicolinic acid (DPA) from diketopimelic acid and ammonia was clearly demonstrated using a new method for DPA analysis. The reaction rates of DPA formation were almost the same under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Nearly equimolecular quantities of DPA and tetrahydrodipicolinic acid were detected in spontaneous reaction mixture. The spontaneous reaction seemed to be due to dismutation of dihydrodipicolinic acid, resulting in DPA and tetrahydrodipicolinic acid. The apparent optimum pH of the spontaneous reaction was 8.2 and the maximal rate of DPA formation was observed with a 1 : 4 molar ratio of diketopimelic acid to ammonia. The rate of the spontaneous reaction was stimulated by ferrous sulfate, FMN, and riboflavin. Dihydrodipicolinate reductase catalyzes the reduction of dihydrodipicolinate, prepared from pyruvate and aspartic beta-semialdehyde, with NADPH as reductant. The reductase was isolated from Bacillus subtilis, and found to stimulate DPA formation from diketopimelic acid and ammonia. The enzymatic DPA formation was absolutely dependent on oxygen, and optimum pH was 6.4. The catalytic action of the enzyme was similar to that of the oxidase. Possible mechanisms of DPA formation from diketopimelic acid and ammonia are proposed.     

In vitro rumen fermentation of soluble and non-soluble polymeric carbohydrates in relation to ruminal acidosis

The end-products of dietary carbohydrate fermentation catalysed by rumen microflora can serve as the primary source of energy for ruminants. However, ruminants provided with continuous carbohydrate-containing feed can develop a metabolic disorder called “acidosis”. We have evaluated the fermentation pattern of both soluble monomeric and non-soluble polymeric carbohydrates in the rumen in in vitro fermentation trials. We found that acidosis could occur within 6 h of incubation in the rumen culture fermenting sugars and starch. The formation of lactic acid and acetic acid, either alone or in mixture with ethanol, accounted for high build-up of acid in the rumen. Acidosis resulted even when only 20% of a normal daily feed load for all soluble and non-soluble carbohydrates was provided. DNA-based microbial analysis revealed that Prevotella was the dominant microbial species present in the rumen fluid.     

Fluorescent labeling of RAFT-generated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) via a facile maleimide-thiol coupling reaction

We report a facile labeling technique in which the telechelic thiocarbonylthio functionality of well-defined poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) prepared by room temperature RAFT polymerization is first converted to the thiol and subsequently reacted with a maleimido-functional fluorescent dye, N-(1-pyrene)maleimide (PM). Nearly monodisperse PNIPAM (M(n) = 39 500 g/mol, M(w)/M(n) = 1.07) was synthesized using a trithiocarbonate-based CTA, 2-dodecylsulfanylthiocarbonylsulfanyl-2-methyl propionic acid (DMP), and a conventional azo-initiator, namely, 2,2'-azobis(4-methoxy-2,4-dimethylvaleronitrile) (V-70), as the primary source of radicals. The key to successful conjugation of PM to PNIPAM is the implementation of a two-step reduction process involving (1) the cleavage of the trithiocarbonate with a strong reducing agent, in this case, NaBH4, to form a mixture of polymeric thiols and disulfides and (2) the conjugation of PM to the pure polymeric thiol in the presence of tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine.HCl (TCEP). We show that TCEP efficiently eliminates the formation of polymeric disulfides and thus allows for the desired addition of the free polymeric thiol across the maleimide double bond. This concept is demonstrated using SEC-MALLS and UV-vis spectroscopy measurements.     

Intracellular feruloylation of arabinoxylan in wheat: evidence for feruloyl-glucose as precursor

Incorporation of [(3)H]arabinose and [(14)C]ferulic acid into soluble and polymeric fractions from suspension-cultured wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cells and the corresponding extracellular medium was studied. The major part of these products was identified as arabinoxylan and two proteins of 40 and 100 kDa. The time course suggests an intracellular synthesis of feruloylated arabinoxylan with feruloyl-glucose as substrate. In contrast, synthesis of feruloylated proteins appears to occur with feruloyl-CoA as precursor. Intracellular formation of ferulic acid dimers is limited to 8,5'-diferulic acid, while other dimers appear to be formed extracellularly. [(3)H]Arabinose was incorporated into polymeric material in both the cellular and in the medium fraction while [(14)C]ferulic was only found in polymers from the cellular fraction, indicating synthesis of both feruloylated and non-feruloylated arabinoxylan by the cells.     

Design of mucoadhesive polymeric films based on blends of poly(acrylic acid) and (hydroxypropyl)cellulose

Mixing of aqueous solutions of poly(acrylic acid) and (hydroxypropyl)cellulose results in formation of hydrogen-bonded interpolymer complexes, which precipitate and do not allow preparation of homogeneous polymeric films by casting. In the present work the effect of pH on the complexation between poly(acrylic acid) and (hydroxypropyl)cellulose in solutions and miscibility of these polymers in solid state has been studied. The pH-induced complexation-miscibility-immiscibility transitions in the polymer mixtures have been observed. The optimal conditions for preparation of homogeneous polymeric films based on blends of these polymers have been found, and the possibility of radiation cross-linking of these materials has been demonstrated. Although the gamma-radiation treatment of solid polymeric blends was found to be inefficient, successful cross-linking was achieved by addition of N,N'-methylenebis(acrylamide). The mucoadhesive potential of both soluble and cross-linked films toward porcine buccal mucosa is evaluated. Soluble films adhered to mucosal tissues undergo dissolution within 30-110 min depending on the polymer ratio in the blend. Cross-linked films are retained on the mucosal surface for 10-40 min and then detach.     

Theanine production by coupled fermentation with energy transfer employing Pseudomonas taetrolens Y-30 glutamine synthetase and baker's yeast cells

Theanine was formed from glutamic acid and ethylamine by coupling the reaction of glutamine synthetase (GS) of Pseudomonas taetrolens Y-30 with sugar fermentation of baker's yeast cells as an ATP-regeneration system. Theanine formation was stimulated by the addition of Mn2+ to the mixture for the coupling. The addition of Mg2+ was less effective. In a mixture containing a larger amount of yeast cells with a fixed level of GS, glucose (the energy source) was consumed rapidly, resulting in a decrease in the final yield of theanine. On the other hand, an increase in GS amounts increased theanine formation in a mixture with a fixed amount of yeast cells. High concentrations of ethylamine enhanced theanine formation whereas inhibited yeast fermentation of sugar and the two contrary effects of ethylamine caused a high yield of theanine based on glucose consumed. In an improved reaction mixture containing 200 mM sodium glutamate, 1,200 mM ethylamine, 300 mM glucose, 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0), 5 mM MnCl2, 5 mM AMP, 100 units/ml GS, and 60 mg/ml yeast cells, approximately 170 mM theanine was formed in 48 h.     

Solvent-free enzymatic synthesis of alitame precursor using eutectic substrate mixtures

N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-aspartic acid ethyl ester-D-alanine amide, a derivative of alitame, was synthesized from a eutectic mixture of the substrates N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-aspartic acid diethyl ester and D-alanine amide using alpha-chymotrypsin. The hydrophilic solvents DMSO and MEA were found to be the best adjuvants for formation of a eutectic substrate mixture. A low eutectic temperature of 27 degrees C was obtained for the substrate mixture containing 9% DMSO, 18% MEA, and 12% water. Under these conditions a conversion yield of 70.3% (mol/mol) was obtained at 37 degrees C. The optimum molar ratio of the acyl acceptor D-alanine amide and the acyl donor N-benzyloxycarbonyl-L-aspartic acid diethyl ester was 1:1.     

Routes to Potential Bioproducts from Lignocellulosic Biomass Lignin and Hemicelluloses

An essential feature of proposed fermentation-based lignocellulose to biofuel conversion processes will be the co-production of higher value chemicals from lignin and hemicellulose components. Over the years, many routes for chemical conversion of lignin and hemicelluloses have been developed by the pulp and paper industry and we propose that some of these can be applied for bioproducts manufacturing. For lignin products, thermochemical, chemical pulping, and bleaching methods for production of polymeric and monomeric chemicals are reviewed. We conclude that peroxyacid chemistry for phenol and ring-opened products looks most interesting. For hemicellulose products, preextraction of hemicelluloses from woody biomass is important and influences the mixture of solubilized material obtained. Furfural, xylitol, acetic acid, and lactic acid are possible targets for commercialization, and the latter can be further converted to acrylic acid. Pre-extraction of hemicelluloses can be integrated into most biomass-to-biofuel conversion processes.     

Effect of Enzymes on the Composition and Structure of Chromobacterium violaceum Cell Envelopes

Cell envelopes of Chromobacterium violaceum were isolated and treated under controlled conditions with trypsin, Pronase, lipase, phospholipase C, lysozyme, and a mixture of enzymes produced by a bacteriolytic Pseudomonas sp. After each enzyme treatment, losses in dry weight, protein, lipid, carbohydrate, 2,6-diaminopimelic acid, and total phosphorus were determined. Electron-microscopic examination of the enzyme-treated envelopes indicated complete or partial loss of envelope rigidity or some envelope fragmentation, or both. Each enzyme hydrolyzed at least one envelope component and liberated several others into the supernatant fluid, where they appeared as nondialyzable particulate components, identified by means of electron microscopy. Unlike the other enzymes, the Pseudomonas sp. enzyme mixture partially liberated all major envelope components except phosphorus, heptose, and 2-keto-3-deoxy octonic acid. In spite of these large losses, the envelopes preserved some features of their integrity and elongated shape.