Studies on the effects of the antitumor agent camptothecin and derivatives on DNA. Camptothecin potentiated cleavage of DNA by bleomycin in vitro

Addition of sodium camptothecin (2a, Fig. 1) in comparable low concentrations to the glycopeptide antitumor antibiotic bleomycin (BLM) leads to enhanced rates of single-strand scission of PM2-covalently closed circular DNA, whereas sodium camptothecin alone has no effect. A similar enhancement of DNA scission by sodium camptothecin is produced with the 1 : 1 bleomycin-iron complex alone or in conjunction with NADPH as an additional reductant. The interpretation that camptothecin may substitute for the reducing requirement of the antibiotic is supported by its oxidation at 37°C by the 1 : 1 bleomycin iron complex, by iron salts or more efficiently by hydrogen peroxide to the known hemiacetal (3, Fig. 1).Electrochemical studies of 2a, its analogues and selected model compounds established that the α-pyridone ring D is most susceptible to a one-electron reduction at a reversible potential of ?0.95 ± 0.01 V. The reduced camptothecin is a transient species readily capable of donating an electron. This process may by compatible with a coupled reduction of the sequestered Fe(III) in the glycopeptide antibiotic necessary for the expression of antibiotic and antitumor properties. The results may provide a mechanistic rationale for the observed potentiation of the antitumor activity of bleomycin by camptothecin in vivo.     

琼脂糖电内渗对电泳的影响

用电内渗不同(0、0.03、0.08、0.20mr)的琼脂糖制成凝胶或电极缓冲液凝胶条,观察对电泳行为的影响.结果表明等电聚焦电泳必须使用无电内渗琼脂糖.不同电内渗的琼脂糖制成的电极缓冲液凝胶条对SDS电泳无显著影响,但对常规聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳有不同程度的影响,电内渗越高,越不利于电泳的进行.     

Improved strategies for electrochemical 1,4-NAD(P)H2 regeneration: A new era of bioreactors for industrial biocatalysis

Industrial enzymatic reactions requiring 1,4-NAD(P)H₂ to perform redox transformations often require convoluted coupled enzyme regeneration systems to regenerate 1,4-NAD(P)H₂ from NAD(P) and recycle the cofactor for as many turnovers as possible. Renewed interest in recycling the cofactor via electrochemical means is motivated by the low cost of performing electrochemical reactions, easy monitoring of the reaction progress, and straightforward product recovery. However, electrochemical cofactor regeneration methods invariably produce adventitious reduced cofactor side products which result in unproductive loss of input NAD(P). We review various literature strategies for mitigating adventitious product formation by electrochemical cofactor regeneration systems, and offer insight as to how a successful electrochemical bioreactor system could be constructed to engineer efficient 1,4-NAD(P)H₂-dependent enzyme reactions of interest to the industrial biocatalysis community.     

环形电极介导的小麦基因转化

用环形电极电激法有效地将外源DNA导入完整的小麦幼胚组织中。电激的物理参数采用770V／cm场强、800μF电容、100μg／mL质粒DNA(含有bar和GUS双标记基因),幼胚被电激3次。经PCR和Southern杂交分析表明,外源基因已稳定整合到小麦基因组中,转化频率为7．5％,高于相同处理条件下基因枪法的转化频率(4．2％)。     

Improved performance of membrane free single-chamber air-cathode microbial fuel cells with nitric acid and ethylenediamine surface modified activated carbon fiber felt anodes

Surface modifications of anode materials are important for enhancing power generation of microbial fuel cell (MFC). Membrane free single-chamber air-cathode MFCs, MFC-A and MFC-N, were constructed using activated carbon fiber felt (ACF) anodes treated by nitric acid and ethylenediamine (EDA), respectively. Experimental results showed that the start-up time to achieve the maximum voltages for the MFC-A and MFC-N was shortened by 45% and 51%, respectively as compared to that for MFC-AT equipped with an unmodified anode. Moreover, the power output of MFCs with modified anodes was significantly improved. In comparison with MFC-AT which had a maximum power density of 1304 mW/m², the MFC-N achieved a maximum power density of 1641 mW/m². The nitric acid-treated anode in MFC-A increased the power density by 58% reaching 2066 mW/m². XPS analysis of the treated and untreated anode materials indicated that the power enhancement was attributable to the changes of surface functional groups.     

(Ni-Sn-M_xO_y)/Pb改性复合电极电解合成L-半胱氨酸的反应

在（Ｎｉ－Ｓｎ）／Ｐｂ合金修饰电极中添加某些金属氧化物进行改性,用于电解合成Ｌ－半胱氨酸反应。结果证明,添加ＷＯ３后电极反应活性大大加强,反应同期转化率有较大提高,选择性也有所提高,添加稀土金属氧化物能有效降低反应阴极过电位,使反应选择性有所提高,但是电极稳定性还有待改善。     

Bioelectrochemical fuel cells

In the past 20 years, inorganic fuel cells have been transformed from novelty devices to practical energy transfer-energy storage units. However, the advantage of the high operating efficiency afforded by these fuel cells is partially offset by (a) the limited viability and high cost of the catalysts, (b) the highly corrosive electrolytes, and (c) the elevated operating temperatures. The possibility exists to reduce some of these problems through the development of bioelectrochemical fuel cells. Such biological/electrochemical systems incorporate either microorganisms or enzymes as an active component within the specified electrode compartments. Recent studies with microorganisms as part of the anode compartment have been aimed at defining the mechanism of the observed electrochemical reactions. Recent investigations on the use of cell-free enzyme preparations in the electrode compartments have dealt primarily with developing methodology and defining mechanisms for enhancing the rate of electron transfer from the enzyme-cofactor active site to the solid electrode surface. Applications of this developing technology have been envisioned for analytical chemistry, medical devices, energy transfer, electrochemical synthesis, and detoxification. In this review, the theory and problems of bioelectrochemical fuel cells are described and related to research, both recent and proposed, for the practical development of this area.     

The respiratory chain of plant mitochondria. XV. Equilibration of cytochromes c549, b553, b557 and ubiquinone in mung bean mitochondria: Placement of cytochrome b557 and estimation of the midpoint potential of ubiquinone

1. 1. Cycles of oxidation followed by reduction at pH 7.2 have been induced in uncoupled anaerobic mung bean mitochondria treated with succinate and malonate by addition of oxygen-saturated medium. Under the conditions used, cytochromes b₅₅₇, b₅₅₃, c₅₄₉ (corresponding to c₁ in mammalian mitochondria) and ubiquinone are completely oxidized in the aerobic state, but become completely reduced in anaerobiosis.

2. 2. The time course of the transition from fully oxidized to fully reduced in anaerobiosis was measured for cytochromes c₅₄₉, b₅₅₇, and b₅₅₃. The intramitochondrial redox potential (IMP_h) was calculated as a function of time for each of the three cytochromes from the time course of the oxidized-to-reduced transition and the known midpoint potentials of the cytochromes at pH 7.2. The three curves so obtained are superimposable, showing that the three cytochromes are in redox equilibrium under these conditions during the oxidized-to-reduced transition.

3. 3. This result shows that the slow reduction of cytochrome b₅₅₇ under these conditions, heretofore considered anomalous, is merely a consequence of its more negative midpoint potential of +42 mV at pH 7.2, compared to +75 mV for cytochrome b₅₅₃ and +235 mV for cytochrome c₅₄₉. Cytochrome b₅₅₇ is placed on the low potential side of coupling site II and transfers electrons to cytochrome c₅₄₉ via the coupling site.

4. 4. The time course of the transition from fully oxidized to fully reduced was also measured for ubiquinone. Using the change in intramitochondrial potential IMP_h with time obtained from the three cytochromes, the change in redox state of ubiquinone with IMP_h was calculated. When replotted as IMP_h versus the logarithm of the ratio (fraction oxidized)/(fraction reduced), two redox components with n = 2 were found. The major component is ubiquinone with a midpoint potential E_m7.2 = + 70 mV. The minor component has a midpoint potential E_m7.2 = − 12 mV; its nature is unknown.

鸽子慢性电刺激用电极转接装置及其固定方法

慢性电极植入以及无线刺激技术被广泛应用于动物自由活动状态下的脑区功能研究。实现刺激器与脑内植入电极过渡连接的转接装置需固定在颅骨之上。鸟类特殊的骨质构造不利于转接装置的长期固定。以鸽子(Columba livia)为例设计制作了一种用于慢性运动诱导实验的9通道电极转接装置,长12.8 mm、宽9.5 mm、高5.5 mm,重0.42 g;根据鸽子颅骨特点在固定过程中对颅骨表面进行粗糙化处理增加固定时与牙科水泥的接触面积,并选取特定位点拧入螺钉进行固定,有效延长了转接装置的固定时间。经实验验证能够在鸽子头部稳定固定6个月以上,满足鸽子长期运动诱导研究的需求,未对动物正常活动产生影响。该装置及其固定方法亦可为其他小型动物的脑区功能研究提供借鉴。