Preparation, characterization and reactivity of 1-benzylpyridinium-4-aldoxime chloride and 1-phenacylpyridinium-4-aldoxime chloride and their complexes with the aquapentacyanoferrate(II) ion

A detailed structural characterization of the biologically active 1-benzylpyridinium-4-aldoxime chloride and 1-phenacylpyridinium-4-aldoxime chloride was performed using NMR and vibrational and electronic spectroscopy, as well as X-ray diffraction. The complexes of these compounds with the aquapentacyanoferrate(II) ion were examined in solution, isolated as solids and characterized by elemental analysis, electronic, FT-IR and NMR spectral data. They were found to be mononuclear substituted pentacyanoferrates(II) containing the aldoxime group coordinated to the iron through the nitrogen atom. The complexes were also precipitated in the form of the respective zinc salts; the analysis of these complexes revealed a molar Fe/Zn ratio of 1, thus confirming the charge of the complex anions to be −2. The ionization constants of the aldoxime group in the free ligands and in the respective cyano complexes were also determined. Despite the presence of two donor sites in 1-phenacylpyridinium-4-aldoxime chloride, only the aldoxime group was found to be reactive.     

Asymmetric block of the plant vacuolar Ca2+-permeable channel by organic cations

In this work we have analysed the voltage-dependent block of the slow activating channel from red beet vacuoles by Tris, quaternary ammonium ions and the natural polyamines putrescine, spermidine and spermine. All these organic cations when applied from the cytosolic side blocked the channel by binding apparently deep (zδ values in the range of 0.65–1.35) within the pore. Tetraethylammonium ion did not pass the selectivity filter, whereas the cations with a smaller cross-section and Tris could pass across the entire pore, as evidenced by a relief of block at high positive voltages. Voltage dependence of the establishment of block from cytosolic side and of its relief was anomalously strong in the sense that the total charge moved across the pore for all blockers tested, with a notable exception of spermine, was in excess of their actual valence. This behaviour is consistent with the existence of multiple binding sites within a long pore, their simultaneous occupancy and interaction between different ions. In contrast, binding of blockers from the vacuolar (lumenal) side appears to follow a single-ion handling rule, with a common binding site for all amines located at approximately 30% of the electrical distance from the lumenal side. Received: 22 February 1999 / Revised version: 6 July 1999 / Accepted: 8 July 1999     

A Model of Hydrodynamic Interaction Between Swimming Bacteria

We study the dynamics and interaction of two swimming bacteria, modeled by self-propelled dumbbell-type structures. We focus on alignment dynamics of a coplanar pair of elongated swimmers, which propel themselves either by “pushing” or “pulling” both in three- and quasi-two-dimensional geometries of space. We derive asymptotic expressions for the dynamics of the pair, which complemented by numerical experiments, indicate that the tendency of bacteria to swim in or swim off depends strongly on the position of the propulsion force. In particular, we observe that positioning of the effective propulsion force inside the dumbbell results in qualitative agreement with the dynamics observed in experiments, such as mutual alignment of converging bacteria.     

Oligomycin inhibition of Na,K,ATPase

It is shown that the incomplete, uncompetitive inhibition pattern exhibited by oligomycin toward Na,K,ATPase cannot be explained by a single-cycle enzyme model. In contrast, the experimental data are easily explained in terms of a dimeric enzyme, only one subunit of which can bind oligomycin at a time, and that subunit is then rendered inactive. In a brief analysis of the model thus obtained by way of numerical examples it is shown that it may show activation at small concentrations of moderator, which disappears at higher concentrations, a property observed for the hydrolysis ofp-nitro-phenylphosphate, which is also catalyzed by Na,K,ATPase.     

Enhancement of Oxidation and Phosphorylation of Maize Scutellum Mitochondria by Physiological Concentration of Indoleacetic Acid

Mitochondria isolated from inbred and hybrid maize scutella were found to exhibil enhancd oxidative and phosphorylative activity in many cases when treated with physiological concentrations of IAA. It was found that the genotype being tested the substrate utilized, and the concentration of IAA applied had significant effects on the degree of enhancement or inhibition observed in each case. These results suggest that IAA is related in some manner to theactivity of the respiratory enzymes of the mitochondria.     

Hybrid Proteins with Short Conformational Epitopes of the Receptor-Binding Domain of SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein Promote Production of Virus-Neutralizing Antibodies When Used for Immunization

Biochemistry (Moscow) - Based on the previously developed approach, hybrid recombinant proteins containing short conformational epitopes (a.a. 144-153, 337-346, 414-425, 496-507) of the...     

Adaptations of microbial communities and dissolved organics to seasonal pressures in a mesotrophic coastal Mediterranean lake

In lake ecosystems, changes in eukaryotic and prokaryotic microbes and the concentration and availability of dissolved organic matter (DOM) produced within or supplied to the system by allochthonous sources are components that characterize complex processes in the microbial loop. We address seasonal changes of microbial communities and DOM in the largest Croatian lake, Vrana. This shallow lake is connected to the Adriatic Sea and is impacted by agricultural activity. Microbial community and DOM structure were driven by several environmental stressors, including drought, seawater intrusion and heavy precipitation events. Bacterial composition of different lifestyles (free-living and particle-associated) differed and only a part of the particle-associated bacteria correlated with microbial eukaryotes. Oscillations of cyanobacterial relative abundance along with chlorophyll a revealed a high primary production season characterized by increased levels of autochthonous DOM that promoted bacterial processes of organic matter degradation. From our results, we infer that in coastal freshwater lakes dependent on precipitation-evaporation balance, prolonged dry season coupled with heavy irrigation impact microbial communities at different trophic levels even if salinity increases only slightly and allochthonous DOM inputs decrease. These pressures, if applied more frequently or at higher concentrations, could have the potential to overturn the trophic state of the lake.     

Exogenous Galanin Reduces Hyperglycemia and Myocardial Metabolic Disorders Induced by Streptozotocin in Rats

International Journal of Peptide Research and Therapeutics - Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has caused a high mortality rate since its emergence in 2012 in the Middle East....