The barium site in a potassium channel by x-ray crystallography

X-ray diffraction data were collected from frozen crystals (100 degrees K) of the KcsA K(+) channel equilibrated with solutions containing barium chloride. Difference electron density maps (F(barium) - F(native), 5.0 A resolution) show that Ba(2+) resides at a single location within the selectivity filter. The Ba(2+) blocking site corresponds to the internal aspect (adjacent to the central cavity) of the "inner ion" position where an alkali metal cation is found in the absence of the blocking Ba(2+) ion. The location of Ba(2+) with respect to Rb(+) ions in the pore is in good agreement with the findings on the functional interaction of Ba(2+) with K(+) (and Rb(+)) in Ca(2+)-activated K(+) channels (Neyton, J., and C. Miller. 1988. J. Gen. Physiol. 92:549-567). Taken together, these structural and functional data imply that at physiological ion concentrations a third ion may interact with two ions in the selectivity filter, perhaps by entering from one side and displacing an ion on the opposite side.     

低能离子注入木聚糖酶产生菌黑曲霉(Aspergillus Niger)育种中参数的优化

本文对离子束技术的注入工艺和在不同能量下的不同注入剂量下黑曲霉的存活率和突变率进行了研究,目的是为了找到恰当的注入工艺和良好的注入参数,使诱变达到较好的效果。结果发现:当注入离子为氮离子时,在10keV的能量下注入剂量为5.2×1014ions/cm2和1.56×1015ions/cm2时,诱变效果较好。在这注入条件下,通过培养基优化,使木聚糖酶酶活达到600IU/ml。     

High Capacity Adsorption—Dominated Potassium and Sodium Ion Storage in Activated Crumpled Graphene

Structurally and chemically defective activated‐crumbled graphene (A‐CG) is employed to achieve unique synergy of large reversible potassium (K) and sodium (Na) ion storage capacity with fast charging and extended cyclability. A‐CG synthesis consists of low temperature spraying of graphene oxide slurry, followed by partial reduction annealing and air activation. For K storage, the reversible capacities are 340 mAh g^?1 at 0.04 A g^?1, 261 mAh g^?1 at 0.5 A g^?1, and 210 mAh g^?1 at 2 A g^?1. For Na storage, the reversible capacities are 280 mAh g^?1 at 0.04 A g^?1, 191 mAh g^?1 at 0.5 A g^?1, and 151 mAh g^?1 at 2 A g^?1. A‐CG shows a stable intermediate rate (0.5 Ag^?1) cycling with both K and Na, with minimal fade after 2800 and 8000 cycles. These are among the most favorable capacity—rate capability—cyclability combinations recorded for potassium‐ion battery and sodium‐ion battery carbons. Electroanalytical studies (cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic intermittent titration technique, b‐value) and density functional theory (DFT) reveal that enhanced electrochemical performance originates from ion adsorption at various defects, such as Stone–Wales defects. Moreover, DFT highlights enhanced thermodynamic stability of A‐CG with adsorbed K versus with adsorbed Na, explaining the unexpected higher reversible capacity with the former.     

Ionic processes underlying the decrease in osmotic potential of Chara L-cell fragments in dilute electrolyte solutions

Movements of ions are considered to be governed by the electroneutrality rule. Therefore, a cation moving across the cell membrane into the cell either passively or actively should move together with its counterion, an anion, in equal amounts of charge or in exchange for another cation inside the cell. This means that the net influx of the cation in question should be affected by the permeability of its counterion and/or another cation inside the cell. To examine osmotic and ionic regulation in Chara cells, cell fragments of Chara having a lower osmotic pressure than normal (L-cell fragments) were prepared. The L-cell fragments were individually put into various dilute electrolyte solutions and their osmotic potentials were measured with a turgor balance. Concentrations of K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl^?, NO^?₃. and SO^2?₄. in the external electrolyte solutions in which L-cells had been incubated were also analysed by ion chromatography. The results showed that in 0.5 mM KCL + 0.1 mM CaCl₂ solution, Chara L-cell fragments absorbed K⁺ and Cl^? to maintain electroneutrality and then regained their osmotic potential very rapidly. When the anion was Cl, the cation absorbed at the highest rate was K⁺ On the other hand, when the cation was K, the anion absorbed at the highest rate was Cl, Other ions Ca²⁺, SO^2?₄ and NO^?₃ showed much less permeability than K⁺ and Cl ^?for the Chara plasma membrane. The conclusion from these findings was that due to the constraint of electroneutral transport, the uptake rate of a salt into L-cells is limited by the permeability of the least permeable ion.     

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations of an artificial sodium channel in a lipid bilayer: the effect of water solvation/desolvation of the sodium ion

All-atom molecular dynamics is used to investigate the transport of Na⁺ across a 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine lipid bilayer facilitated by a diazacrown hydraphile. Specifically, the free energy of Na⁺ passing through the bilayer is calculated using the adaptive biasing force method to study the free energy associated with the increase in Na⁺ transport in the presence of the hydraphile molecule. The results show that water interaction greatly influences Na⁺ transport through the lipid bilayer as water is pulled through the bilayer with Na⁺ forming a water channel. The hydraphile causes a reduction in the free energy barrier for the transport of Na⁺ through the head group part of the lipid bilayer since it complexes the Na⁺ reducing the necessity for water to be complexed and, therefore, dragged through with Na⁺, an energetically unfavorable process. The free energy associated with Na⁺ being desolvated within the bilayer is significantly decreased in the presence of the hydraphile molecule; the hydraphile increases the number of solvation states of Na⁺ that can be adopted, and this increase in the number of available configurations provides an entropic explanation for the success of the hydraphile.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of the magnetic resonance imaging contrast agent gadobenate ion in plasma, urine, faeces, bile and tissues

The gadobenate ion is an intravascular paramagnetic contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging. An HPLC method for assaying gadobenate ion in plasma, urine, faeces, bile and tissue samples is described. The analysis is based on the reversed-phase chromatographic separation of gadobenate ion from the endogenous components of biological matrices and detection by UV absorption at 210 nm. The selectivity of the method was satisfactory. The mean absolute recovery was greater than 95%. The precision and accuracy of the analytical methods were in the range 0.1–6.5% and −12 to +9.3%, respectively. The detection limits in plasma (0.1 ml), urine (0.05 ml), dried faeces (200 mg suspended in 4 ml water), bile (0.5 ml), and dried liver tissue (100 mg suspended in 1 ml water) were, respectively, 0.24, 0.47, 2.6, 0.63 and 2.8 nmol ml⁻¹ (corresponding to 0.16, 0.31, 1.7, 0.42 and 1.9 μg ml⁻¹).     

Application of hybrid SiO2‐coated CdTe nanocrystals for sensitive sensing of Cu2+ and Ag+ ions

A new ion sensor based on hybrid SiO₂‐coated CdTe nanocrystals (NCs) was prepared and applied for sensitive sensing of Cu²⁺ and Ag⁺ for the selective quenching of photoluminescence (PL) of NCs in the presence of ions. As shown by ion detection experiments conducted in pure water rather than buffer solution, PL responses of NCs were linearly proportional to concentrations of Cu²⁺ and Ag⁺ ions < 3 and 7 uM, respectively. Much lower detection limits of 42.37 nM for Cu²⁺ and 39.40 nM for Ag⁺ were also observed. In addition, the NC quenching mechanism was discussed in terms of the characterization of static and transient optical spectra. The transfer and trapping of photoinduced charges in NCs by surface energy levels of CuS and Ag₂S clusters as well as surface defects generated by the exchange of Cu²⁺ and Ag⁺ ions with Cd²⁺ ion in NCs, resulted in PL quenching and other optical spectra changes, including steady‐state absorption and transient PL spectra. It is our hope that these results will be helpful in the future preparation of new ion sensors. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

嗜盐耐盐微生物抗盐胁迫相关离子转运蛋白研究进展

离子转运蛋白在维持细胞内pH稳态、离子动态平衡等方面发挥着重要作用。钠离子转运体和钾离子转运体在嗜盐耐盐微生物中广泛存在,其"保钾排钠"机制是微生物抗盐胁迫的两大策略之一。近年来,嗜盐耐盐微生物中许多新型钠、钾离子转运体被陆续发现,如RDD蛋白、UPF0118蛋白、DUF蛋白和KimA蛋白等;Fe³⁺、Mg²⁺等其他金属离子的转运蛋白也被证实可通过影响微生物胞内相容性溶质的合成起到渗透调节的作用。本文综述了嗜盐耐盐微生物中抗盐胁迫相关的各类离子转运蛋白,分析其分子结构和工作机理,并对这些蛋白在农业方面的应用进行了展望。继续发现新的离子转运蛋白,探究抗盐胁迫相关离子转运蛋白的结构和机理,解析各转运系统的协同作用及分子调控机制,将进一步加深对嗜盐耐盐微生物抗盐胁迫调控的认识,并为盐碱地农作物的改良等提供新的思路。     

Affinity and location of an internal K+ ion binding site in shaker K channels

We have examined the interaction between TEA and K+ ions in the pore of Shaker potassium channels. We found that the ability of external TEA to antagonize block of Shaker channels by internal TEA depended on internal K+ ions. In contrast, this antagonism was independent of external K+ concentrations between 0.2 and 40 mM. The external TEA antagonism of internal TEA block increased linearly with the concentration of internal K+ ions. In addition, block by external TEA was significantly enhanced by increases in the internal K+ concentration. These results suggested that external TEA ions do not directly antagonize internal TEA, but rather promote increased occupancy of an internal K+ site by inhibiting the emptying of that site to the external side of the pore. We found this mechanism to be quantitatively consistent with the results and revealed an intrinsic affinity of the site for K+ ions near 65 mM located approximately 7% into the membrane electric field from the internal end of the pore. We also found that the voltage dependence of block by internal TEA was influenced by internal K+ ions. The TEA site (at 0 internal K+) appeared to sense approximately 5% of the field from the internal end of the pore (essentially colocalized with the internal K+ site). These results lead to a refined picture of the number and location of ion binding sites at the inner end of the pore in Shaker K channels.     

铝离子对二价铁离子启动的卵磷脂脂质体脂质过氧化的影响

利用化学发光、ＴＢＡ 反应与测量共轭二烯的方法观测了Ａｌ３ ＋ 对Ｆｅ２ ＋ 启动的卵磷脂脂质体脂质过氧化的影响。实验结果显示,在生理ｐＨ 条件下,Ａｌ３ ＋ 对Ｆｅ２ ＋ 启动的脂质过氧化有增强作用,表现为缩短潜伏期和加快脂质过氧化的反应速率, Ａｌ３ ＋ 的增强作用与脂质体中原先存在的过氧化物有关。这可能是因为在脂质体存在的条件下,Ａｌ３ ＋ 加速了Ｆｅ２ ＋ 的氧化,且加速作用与脂质体中原先存在的过氧化物的含量有关;另一方面,Ａｌ３ ＋ 可以引起脂质体的聚集,表现为浊度的增加;测量脂质体上标记的脂肪酸自旋标记物５ － Ｄｏｘｙｌ ｓｔｅａｒｉｃ ａｃｉｄ 的ＥＳＲ 波谱发现： Ａｌ３ ＋ 降低了脂质体的膜脂的流动性。研究表明： Ａｌ３ ＋ 对Ｆｅ２ ＋ 启动的卵磷脂脂质体的过氧化的增强作用可能与Ａｌ３ ＋ 加速了Ｆｅ２ ＋ 的氧化和改变了脂质体的物理状态有关     

Seasonal stability of sulfuric acid accumulation in the Dictyotales (Phaeophyceae)

Concerning the accumulation of S0₄^2‐ in cells, three types of species are known in the Dictyotales: (i) acidic type (high H₂S0₄ accumulation); (ii) high MgS0₄ accumulation type; and (iii) nonacidic type (low S0₄^2‐ accumulation). Seasonal changes of intracellular pH and concentrations of inorganic ions were examined in six dictyotalean species. In acidic species (Dictyopteris prolifera (Okamura) Okamura and Spatoglossum eras‐sum J. Tanaka), intracellular concentrations of S0₄^2‐ and H⁺ estimated by pH were high through all seasons. In high MgS0₄ accumulating species (Dictyotasp. and Padina arborescens Holmes), intracellular concentrations of S0₄^2‐ and Mg²⁺ were high through all seasons. In nonacidic species (Dictyota dichotoma (Hudson) Lamouroux and Dictyopteris undulata Holmes), intracellular concentration of sulfuric acid ion was low all year round.     

Multifunctional peptide‐based fluorescent chemosensor for detection of Hg2+, Cu2+ and S2− ions

A novel multifunctional fluorescent peptide sensor based on pentapeptide dansyl‐Gly‐His‐Gly‐Gly‐Trp‐COOH (D‐P5) was designed and synthesized efficiently using Fmoc solid‐phase peptide synthesis (SPPS). This fluorescent peptide sensor shows selective and sensitive responses to Hg²⁺ and Cu²⁺ among 17 metal ions and six anions studied in N‐2‐hydroxyethylpiperazine‐N‐2‐ethane sulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer solution. The peptide probe differentiates Hg²⁺ and Cu²⁺ ions by a ‘turn‐on’ response to Hg²⁺ and a ‘turn‐off’ response to Cu²⁺. Upon addition of Hg²⁺ or Cu²⁺ ions, the sensor displayed an apparent color change that was visible under an ultraviolet lamp to the naked eye. The limits of detection (LOD) of DP‐5 were 25.0 nM for Hg²⁺ and 85.0 nM for Cu²⁺; the detection limits for Cu²⁺ were much lower than the drinking water maximum contaminant levels set out by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). It is noteworthy that both D‐P5‐Hg and D‐P5‐Cu systems were also used to detect S^2? successfully based on the formation of ternary complexes. The LODs of D‐P5‐Hg and D‐P5‐Cu systems for S^2? were 217.0 nM and 380.0 nM, respectively. Furthermore, the binding stoichiometry, binding affinity and pH sensitivity of the probe for Hg²⁺ and Cu²⁺ were investigated. This study gives new possibilities for using a short fluorescent peptide sensor for multifunctional detection, especially for anions.     

Cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator. Physical basis for lyotropic anion selectivity patterns

The selectivity of Ca2+ over Na+ is approximately 3.3-fold larger in cGMP-gated channels of cone photoreceptors than in those of rods when measured under saturating cGMP concentrations, where the probability of channel opening is 85-90%. Under physiological conditions, however, the probability of opening of the cGMP-gated channels ranges from its largest value in darkness of 1-5% to essentially zero under continuous, bright illumination. We investigated the ion selectivity of cGMP-gated channels as a function of cyclic nucleotide concentration in membrane patches detached from the outer segments of rod and cone photoreceptors and have found that ion selectivity is linked to gating. We determined ion selectivity relative to Na+ (PX/PNa) from the value of reversal potentials measured under ion concentration gradients. The selectivity for Ca2+ over Na+ increases continuously as the probability of channel opening rises. The dependence of PCa/PNa on cGMP concentration, in both rods and cones, is well described by the same Hill function that describes the cGMP dependence of current amplitude. At the cytoplasmic cGMP concentrations expected in dark-adapted intact photoreceptors, PCa/PNa in cone channels is approximately 7.4-fold greater than that in rods. The linkage between selectivity and gating is specific for divalent cations. The selectivity of Ca2+ and Sr2+ changes with cGMP concentration, but the selectivity of inorganic monovalent cations, Cs+ and NH4+, and organic cations, methylammonium+ and dimethylammonium+, is invariant with cGMP. Cyclic nucleotide-gated channels in rod photoreceptors are heteromeric assemblies of alpha and beta subunits. The maximal PCa/PNa of channels formed from alpha subunits of bovine rod channels is less than that of heteromeric channels formed from alpha and beta subunits. In addition, Ca2+ is a more effective blocker of channels formed by alpha subunits than of channels formed by alpha and beta subunits. The cGMP-dependent shift in divalent cation selectivity is a property of alphabeta channels and not of channels formed from alpha subunits alone.     

Requirement of Ca2+ for the gelatinization of pectin solution by a proteinous cell wall-bound factor and solubilization of the gel by acid treatment

The cell wall-bound pectin-gelatinizing factor, whose existence was reported in a previous paper (Yamaoka and Sato, 1981), was found to be composed of a proteinous factor (PGF) and calcium ion. Magnesium ion could not replace Ca²⁺ whereas Sr²⁺ could replace Ca²⁺ and Ba²⁺ could cause gelation without the action of PGF. In the hypocotyl of soybean seedlings, the basal region contained more PGF than did the apical region. The gel of apple pectin formed by the action of PGF and Ca²⁺ was solubilized by acid treatment for some time after the gelation. It was also found that the gel became more and more resistant to acidity with time. The hardened gel was almost completely dissolved by boiling in 0.2 M NaCl solution. The idea that the gelation of apple pectinin vitro may simulate the gelation of pectin in the primary cell wall was discussed in view of the results and the phenomenon of acid growth.     

Design and Performance of Rechargeable Sodium Ion Batteries,and Symmetrical Li‐Ion Batteries with Supercapacitor‐Like Power Density Based upon Polyoxovanadates

The polyanion Li₇V₁₅O₃₆(CO₃) is a nanosized molecular cluster (≈1 nm in size), that has the potential to form an open host framework with a higher surface‐to‐bulk ratio than conventional transition metal oxide electrode materials. Herein, practical rechargeable Na‐ion batteries and symmetric Li‐ion batteries are demonstrated based on the polyoxovanadate Li₇V₁₅O₃₆(CO₃). The vanadium centers in {V₁₅O₃₆(CO₃)} do not all have the same V^IV/V redox potentials, which permits symmetric devices to be created from this material that exhibit battery‐like energy density and supercapacitor‐like power density. An ultrahigh specific power of 51.5 kW kg^?1 at 100 A g^?1 and a specific energy of 125 W h kg^?1 can be achieved, along with a long cycling life (>500 cycles). Moreover, electrochemical and theoretical studies reveal that {V₁₅O₃₆(CO₃)} also allows the transport of large cations, like Na⁺, and that it can serve as the cathode material for rechargeable Na‐ion batteries with a high specific capacity of 240 mA h g^?1 and a specific energy of 390 W h kg^?1 for the full Na‐ion battery. Finally, the polyoxometalate material from these electrochemical energy storage devices can be easily extracted from spent electrodes by simple treatment with water, providing a potential route to recycling of the redox active material.