Spectrophotometric estimation of functional groups on microslides for preparation of biochips

A universal reagent 1-O-(4,4'-dimethoxytrityl)-6-aminohexanol (DTAH) is described for the estimation of surface-bound functionalities (epoxy, aldehyde, and carboxyl) required for preparation of oligonucleotide arrays (biochips). The method involves the reaction of universal reagent DTAH with surface-bound functionality under microwaves for 10 min, followed by washings to remove the excess reagent. In the subsequent step, a weighed amount of DTAH-treated surface is exposed to acid to liberate 4,4'-dimethoxytrityl cation, which is measured at 505 nm to determine the functional group loading on the surface.     

Spectrophotometric method for estimation of aliphatic primary amines in biological samples

A method based on Rimini test for aliphatic amines was studied and developed for quantitative estimation of aliphatic primary amines. The method involves action of the amine with acetone to form schiff base which complexes with sodium nitroprusside to give violet colour. The absorption maximum in the visible range of the spectrum, for the reaction mixture was found to be 550 nm. The pH (8–11) and reaction time scan for the assay were optimized. A linear relation of concentration (0.2–3 mg/mL) of amine against absorbance at 550 nm was established. Interference due to other reaction components was negligible (±0.02 mg/mL) as compared to the sample in buffer. 1, 3-dimethyl butylamine was used as the model amine and the method was applied to other amines; it was observed that when electron-withdrawing substituents are present in the molecule the reaction is retarded, as the incubation time was longer. This method is useful for estimation of aliphatic primary amine in biological samples.     

完整叶片内玉米黄质的分光光度分析

以载玻片作参比材料,成功地解决了较厚叶片不能直接测定505nm光吸收来反映玉米黄质水平的难题。并通过对银杏叶片505nm光吸收的不同方法测定分析比较,表明该方法测定结果稳定可靠。     

AlCl3分光光度法测定荞麦种质资源中黄酮的研究

荞麦是黄酮的膳食来源之一。我国是世界保存荞麦种质资源最多的国家,为深入开发利用荞麦种质资源的功能成分,对AlCl3分光光度法测定荞麦种质资源黄酮含量的方法进行了研究,并对新收集的169份荞麦种质资源进行了测定评价。结果表明：①AlCl3分光光度法稳定性好,准确性和精密度高,偏差小,易于操作,适用于荞麦种质资源黄酮鉴定和评价;②苦荞种质资源黄酮含量的平均值、变异幅度、标准偏差分别为2．53％、1．94％～3．11％、0．2436,甜荞种质资源黄酮含量的平均值、变异幅度、标准差分别为0．13％、0．08％～0．21％、0．0273;苦荞种质资源黄酮含量的平均值约为甜荞的20倍。     

The interactions of cobalt(II) with mitochondria from rat liver

The interactions of Co²⁺ with mitochondria have been investigated. The results indicate that Co²⁺ inhibits ATP synthesis. Further investigations into ATP synthesis mechanisms indicated that inhibition is due to the opening of a transmembrane pore. The opening of this pore causes the collapse of the high-energy intermediate where, under a pH and a potential gradient, the energy is stored and subsequently utilized to form ATP from ADP.     

Discovery of a cobalt complex with high MEK1 binding affinity

A series of Schiff base ligands (L¹–L⁵) and their cobalt(II) complexes (1–5) were designed and synthesized for MEK1 binding experiment. The biological evaluation results showed that Bis(N,N′-disalicylidene)-3,4-phenylenediamine-cobalt(II) 1 and Bis(N,N′-disalicylidene)-1,2-cyclohexanediamine-cobalt(II) 2 are much more effective than the parent Schiff bases (L¹ and L²). Importantly, 2 exhibited MEK1 binding affinity with IC₅₀71 nM, which is so far the best result for metal complexes and more potent than U0126 (7.02 μM) and AZD6244 (2.20 μM). Docking study was used to elucidate the binding modes of complex 2 with MEK1. Thus cobalt(II) complex 2 may be further developed as a novel MEK1 inhibitor.     

Spectrophotometric assay for protease activity in ionic liquids using chromogenic substrates

A new spectrophotometric assay has been developed to evaluate protease activity in ionic liquids (ILs). The assay consists of two strategies to enable real-time spectrometric analysis of enzymatic reaction in ILs. First, enzymes are modified with a comb-shaped poly(ethylene glycol), PM₁₃, to obtain a transparent enzyme solution in IL. Second, a chromogenic substrate is used to follow the enzymatic reaction in IL. p-Nitroaniline-derivatized substrates are subjected to protease-catalyzed alcoholysis to release chromogenic p-nitroaniline that can be quantitatively detected by a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. By using this method, we can evaluate protease activity in ILs quite easily without separation of products from the reaction mixture. The availability of the novel assay system was demonstrated in a kinetic analysis of subtilisin-catalyzed reaction in the IL 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide ([Emim][Tf₂N]) under different reaction conditions. Because two different serine proteases, subtilisin and α-chymotrypsin, substantially retained its original substrate specificity in the IL, the assay can be extended to other enzymes by using suitable chromogenic substrates.     

Cobalt hexafluoroacetylacetonate polyether adducts for thin films of cobalt oxides

The novel [Co(C₅F₆HO₂)₂ · 2H₂O · CH₃(OCH₂CH₂)₂OCH₃] and [Co(C₅F₆HO₂)₂ · 2H₂O · CH₃(OCH₂CH₂)₃OCH₃] low-melting adducts have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, mass spectra and TG-DTG thermal measurements. The former adduct is liquid at room temperature, whilst very mild heating of the latter results in a thermal stable liquid compound. Both adducts can easily be evaporated. Deposition experiments, in a low-pressure horizontal hot-wall reactor, on optical transparent SiO₂ substrates, using these precursors, result in CoO or Co₃O₄ films, depending on the deposition conditions. XRD measurements provide evidence that CoO and Co₃O₄ consist of cubic, highly oriented, (2 0 0) and (3 1 1) crystals, respectively. The mean crystallite sizes were evaluated from the XRD line broadening. Both optical spectra and resistivity measurements of Co₃O₄ films show that they are semi-conducting and their band-gap was determined from the optical induced transitions. The film cross section and the surface atomic composition were investigated by SEM and XPS analyses, respectively.     

Mechanism to combat cobalt toxicity in cobalt resistant mutants of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Aspergillus nidulans</Emphasis>

Characteristics of fungal species tolerant to high levels of metals in natural environment can be amplified by isolation and selection of resistant mutants. Step-by-step culturing led to identification of highly stable Co-resistant (Co^R) mutants of A. nidulans. Based on two distinct morphological features, Co-resistant mutants were categorized as Co^RI and Co^RII. The two mutants varied in their growth behavior and colony morphology that were reflected in supplemented as well as unsupplemented growth media over the generations. As compared to the Co^RI, Co^RII mutant exhibited sparse mycelia and conidiation but secreted higher amount of melanin. Co^R mutants could tolerate up to 2.5mM Co in the medium, however, required a threshold concentration of 0.25mM Co for optimal growth and germination. Absence of Co in the medium caused a stressful situation for the Co^R mutants and led to the secretion of a white extracellular precipitate found to be a glycoprotein. In response to interactions with Co-ions, Co^R mutants produced oxalic acid and bioprecipitated Co as Co-oxalate providing scope for metal reclamation as well as oxalic acid extraction. The mutants could help to recover the insoluble Co-oxalate salt from aqueous solutions by entrapping it in their growing mycelial meshwork.     

Synthesis of cobalt(III) complexes with novel open chain oxime ligands and metal-ligand coordination in aqueous solution

Cobalt(III) complexes with new open chain oxime ligands: N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyiminopropionyl)-1,2-aminoethane (H₂pen) and N,N′-bis(2-hydroxyiminopropionyl)-1,3-diaminopropane (H₂pap) have been investigated. Single crystals of Co(papH₋₁)(Im₂)·CH₃OH (1) and Co(papH₋₁)(MEA)₂·1.5H₂O (2) (where Im = imidazole, MEA = monoethanolamine) suitable for X-ray crystallography were grown by slow evaporation of methanol/water solutions at room temperature. The molecular structures have been determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The potentiometric and spectrophotometric results in aqueous solution reveal that both of the open chain ligands show a very high efficacy in the coordination of Co(II) ions. As it has been indicated, differences between the two oxime ligands in complexing ability may be attributed to the longer -CH₂- chain in H₂pap and by that a better fit of the relatively large Co(II) ion to the accessible binding site. One of the complex species confirmed under inert atmosphere, namely of type Co(LH₋₁)⁻ (where L = pap or pen), has been shown as the “active” form, capable of dioxygen uptake followed by irreversible oxidation to Co(III).     

3D azido-bridged cobalt(II) complexes with diazines as coligands

Two new three-dimensional azido-bridged Co(II) compounds with formula [Co(N₃)₂(2,5-Me₂pyz)]_n (1) and [Co(N₃)₂(2-ampym)]_n (2) have been structurally and magnetically characterized. 2,5-Me₂pyz and 2-ampym are 2,5-dimethylpyrazine and 2-aminopyrimidine, respectively. Compound 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic system with space group P2₁/c and compound 2 in the orthorhombic system with space group Pnma. In 1 and 2 each cobalt atom is linked to the four nearest-neighbors by end-to-end (EE) azido bridges, forming square layers. These layers are further connected to 3D networks by the N,N′-bridging ligands 2,5-dimethylpyrazine or 2-aminopyrimidine. The magnetic properties of 1 and 2 are reported. The plots of χ_M or χ_MT for 1 and 2 show antiferromagnetic coupling.     

Structure and properties of cobalt ortho-phenylenediacetate coordination polymers with rigid dipyridyl ligands

Divalent cobalt coordination polymers containing both ortho-phenylenediacetate (ophda) and rigid dipyridyl ligands 4,4′-bipyridine (bpy) or 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethylene (dpee) display different topologies depending on carboxylate binding mode, tether length, and inclusion of charged species. [Co(ophda)(H₂O)(dpee)]_n (1) displays a common (4,4) grid layer motif. Use of the shorter bpy tether afforded {[Co₂(ophda)₂(bpy)₃(H₂O)₂][Co(bpy)₂(H₂O)₄](NO₃)₂·2bpy·7H₂O}_n (2) or [Co(ophda)(bpy)]_n (3) depending on cobalt precursor. Compound 2 manifests 5-connected [Co₂(ophda)₂(bpy)₃(H₂O)₂]_n pillared bilayer slabs with rare 4⁸6² SnS topology and entrained [Co(bpy)₂(H₂O)₄]²⁺ complex cations. The 3-D coordination polymer 3 has an uncommon 4,6-connected binodal (4⁴6²)(4⁴6¹⁰8) fsc topology, and shows ferromagnetic coupling (J = +1.5(2) cm⁻¹) along 1-D spiro-fused [Co(OCO)₂]_n chain submotifs.     

Novel stable five-coordinate diorgano cobalt(III) complexes: Formation, structure, and reaction with carbon monoxide

A series of new five-coordinate acyl vinyl cobalt(III) complexes Co{η¹-C(CCPh)CHPh}[C(O)CCO] L₂(L = PMe₃) (6-10) were prepared via formal insertion of diphenylbutadiyne into Co-H function of mer-octahedral hydrido-acyl(phenolato)-cobalt(III) complexes. The complexes are diamagnetic. One square pyramidal structure of complex 6 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. These complexes are stable in solid state. In solution, six-coordinate acyl vinyl carbonyl cobalt(III) complex 11 is approved through the reaction of complex 7 with CO and the structure of complex 11 was determined by X-ray method.