Preparation and characterization of films based on zirconium sulfophenyl phosphonate and chitosan

Zirconium sulfophenyl phosphonate (ZrSP), Zr(O₃P-C₆H₄SO₃H)₂, was synthesized and characterized to prepare nanocomposites based on chitosan (CS). The effects of ZrSP on the structure, morphology, and thermal properties, as well as the mechanical properties of the films were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and tensile tests. FTIR spectroscopy revealed that electrostatic interactions had been formed in the nanocomposites, which improved the compatibility between CS and ZrSP. XRD and SEM results indicated the ZrSP nanoparticles were uniformly distributed in the chitosan matrix at low loading, and obvious aggregations existed at high loading. In addition, compared with neat CS, the values of tensile strength (σ_b), elongation at break (ε_b), and water resistance of CS/ZrSP-3 containing 0.6 wt % ZrSP had been improved by 60.0%, 69.7%, and 41.8%, respectively.     

Minor Modifications of the C-terminal Helix Reschedule the Favored Chemical Reactions Catalyzed by Theta Class Glutathione Transferase T1-1

Adaptive responses to novel toxic challenges provide selective advantages to organisms in evolution. Glutathione transferases (GSTs) play a pivotal role in the cellular defense because they are main contributors to the inactivation of genotoxic compounds of exogenous as well as of endogenous origins. GSTs are promiscuous enzymes catalyzing a variety of chemical reactions with numerous alternative substrates. Despite broad substrate acceptance, individual GSTs display pronounced selectivities such that only a limited number of substrates are transformed with high catalytic efficiency. The present study shows that minor structural changes in the C-terminal helix of mouse GST T1-1 induce major changes in the substrate-activity profile of the enzyme to favor novel chemical reactions and to suppress other reactions catalyzed by the parental enzyme.     

Role of type I fimbriae in the aggregative adhesion pattern of enteroaggregative Escherichia coli

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) is distinguished by its characteristic aggregative adherence (AA) pattern to cultured epithelial cells. In this study we investigated the role of type I fimbriae (TIF) in the AA pattern to HEp-2 cells and in biofilm formation. Accentuation of this pattern was observed when the adherence assay was performed in the absence of mannose. This effect was observed in the prototype EAEC strain 042 (O44:H18), O128:H35 strains and for other EAEC serotypes. Antiserum against TIF decreased AA by 70% and 90% for strains 042 and 18 (O128:H35 prototype strain), respectively. A non-polar knockout of fimD, the TIF usher, in strains 042 and 18 resulted in inhibition of the accentuated AA pattern of approximately 80% and 70% respectively, and biofilm formation diminution of 49% for 042::fimD and 76% for 18::fimD. Our data evidence a role for TIF in the AA pattern and in EAEC biofilm formation, demonstrating that these phenotypes are multifactorial.     

Interactions of flavonoids with iron and copper ions: a mechanism for their antioxidant activity

The metal chelating properties of flavonoids suggest that they may play a role in metal-overload diseases and in all oxidative stress conditions involving a transition metal ion. A detailed study has been made of the ability of flavonoids to chelate iron (including Fe 3+ ) and copper ions and its dependence of structure and pH. The acid medium may be important in some pathological conditions. In addition, the ability of flavonoids to reduce iron and copper ions and their activity-structure relationships were also investigated. To fulfil these objectives, flavones (apigenin, luteolin, kaempferol, quercetin, myricetin and rutin), isoflavones (daidzein and genistein), flavanones (taxifolin, naringenin and naringin) and a flavanol (catechin) were investigated. All flavonoids studied show higher reducing capacity for copper ions than for iron ions. The flavonoids with better Fe 3+ reducing activity are those with a 2,3-double bond and possessing both the catechol group in the B-ring and the 3-hydroxyl group. The copper reducing activity seems to depend largely on the number of hydroxyl groups. The chelation studies were carried out by means of ultraviolet spectroscopy and electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry. Only flavones and the flavanol catechin interact with metal ions. At pH 7.4 and pH 5.5 all flavones studied appear to chelate Cu 2+ at the same site, probably between the 5-hydroxyl and the 4-oxo groups. Myricetin and quercetin, however, at pH 7.4, appear to chelate Cu 2+ additionally at the ortho -catechol group, the chelating site for catechin with Cu 2+ at pH 7.4. Chelation studies of Fe 3+ to flavonoids were investigated only at pH 5.5. Only myricetin and quercetin interact strongly with Fe 3+ , complexation probably occurring again between the 5-hydroxyl and the 4-oxo groups. Their behaviour can be explained by their ability to reduce Fe 3+ at pH 5.5, suggesting that flavonoids reduce Fe 3+ to Fe 2+ before association.     

栝楼核糖核酸酶的性质研究

关于栝楼核糖核酸酶的性质已经研究.它对核糖核酸和多聚尿嘧喧核苷酸所显示的酶活性,有很大的相似性:(1)栝楼核糖核酸酶的最适度应pH在5左右;(2)稳定的pH范围在5-12之间;(3)最佳反应温度为55℃左右;(4) 热稳定性:在15分钟内,60℃以下酶活性基本稳定,在65℃左右时大约有50%的活性丧失;(5)金属离子中,除CU~(2+)和Ag~+有明显的抑制作用外、一般作用不明显.另外,酸对其它合成的多聚核苷酸的水解作用,显示有碱基特异性;对双链RNA(CPV RNA)也显有活性.实验中未发现该酶有磷酸单酯酶的活性及降解DNA的活性.因此,该酶可能是一种具有碱基特异性的核糖核酸酶.     

过氧化氢对铜锌超氧化物歧化酶活性及某些理化性质的影响

用H_2O_2作用于牦牛红细胞铜锌超氧化物歧化酶。观察到酶活性随H_2O_2浓度升高及作用时间增加而下降;酶分子连接的铜和锌有所丢失;PAGE图谱中三条酶活性带成为四条酶活性带;等电点下降;680nm处表征二价铜光学性质的可见光吸收减弱;紫外吸收增加,表现为增色效应;内源性荧光减弱;在含有3.0mol/LKCl的PH3.8—5.4琥珀酸缓冲液中溶解度下降;酶对胰蛋白酶水解的敏感性增加。     

土曲霉金色变种AT8951菊粉酶的纯化和性质的研究

土典霉金色变种AT8951菊粉酶粗酶液经硫酸铵分段沉淀、DEAE Cellulose DE32离子交换、超滤、Sephadex G-150凝胶过滤和FPLC,获得两个菊粉酶组分EⅠ和EⅡ,经分析型FPLG和PAGE鉴定为单一纯和分析纯。EⅠ分子量为66KD,最适作用温度和pH分别55℃和5.8;EⅡ分子量为56KD,最适作用温度为57℃,最适pH为6.0。EⅠ和EⅡ皆为糖蛋白,多糖含量分别为24.7％和22％,都属于内切酶。本文还对EⅠ和EⅡ的Km值和I/s值,温度、pH、离子对酶活作用的影响等进行了研究。     

Isolation,Purification and Some Properties of Invertase from Leaves of Mandarin Orange

Highly active acid invertase was found in the young leaf extract of mandarin orange Citrus reticulata Blanco). The invertase was isolated and purified from the young leaf extract of mandarin orange through the procedures of ammonium sulphate precipitation, DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography and Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration. 6.4% of the invertase activity was recovered. Invertase was 179.2-folds purified. The purified invertase preparation was homogeneous as shown in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and Sephacryl S-200 molecular sieve chromatography. The molecular weight of the native invertase determined by gel filtration was 80 kD. The invertase consists of two identical subunits with apparent equal subunit weight of 40 kD as determined on SDS-PAGE. The invertase followed typical Michaelis-Menten Kinetics with apparent Km Of 1. 6 × 10-2 mol/L for sucrose. Vmax of the invertase was 100 mg reducing sugar · mg-1 protein · h-1 The optimum pH was 5.0 (stable from 4.5—5.5). The optimum temperature was 55℃.     

Investigation of the electronic and dynamic properties of sodium and caesium exchanged zeolite by MO and MD simulations

For the pyrochemical reprocessing of spent metallic fuels in molten salt baths it is of importance to investigate the electronic and dynamic properties of the negative elements like Cs in aluminosilicates framework. The molecular orbital simulation has been performed on three types of clusters and 4A-zeolite frameworks with exchangeable alkali-ions containing as significant fission products in order to estimate the geometry optimization, the vibrational frequency factors and the electric densities, etc. These quantum chemical results enable us to conclude that the most stable structure is consistent with the X-ray results. Moreover, the obtained infrared spectrum was reproduced by the experimental results. Furthermore, the molecular dynamics simulation for Na-A and Cs-A zeolites has been carried out at 673 K in order to investigate the dynamics of Na⁺ and Cs⁺ions in Na-A and Cs-A zeolite frameworks. These results revealed that Na I ion in β-cage was more stable than the other Na ions in Na-A zeolite and Cs I ion in α-cage was maintained stability in Cs-A zeolite in consideration of the self-diffusion coefficients.     

Review Properties and Applications of Urease

Urease is a highly efficient catalyst for the hydrolysis of urea with a rate approximately 10 14 times the rate of the noncatalyzed reaction. It has a long and distinguished history in the development of enzymology. In this work the properties of urease and its applications in biotechnology are reviewed, including urea content analysis in blood, urine, alcoholic beverages, natural water and environmental wastewaters; analysis of heavy metal content in natural waters, wastewaters and soil; determination of creatinine, arginine and IgG; urea removal from artificial kidney dialyzates, alcohol beverages and fertilizer wastewaters; wastewater reclamation for life support systems in space; pH control or shift for multi-enzyme reaction system; and urea hydrolysis as sources of ammonia or carbon dioxide in special cases. Future research trends are also outlined.