Measurement of the membrane potential generated by complex I in submitochondrial particles

To investigate the energy-conserving function of the NADH:ubiquinone reductase (complex I), we have selected oxonol VI [bis(3-propyl-5-oxoisoxazol-4-yl)pentamethine oxonol] as the most sensitive probe for measuring the reactions of membrane potential generation in submitochondrial particles. Calibration of the oxonol signals with potassium diffusion potentials shows a non-linear response after a threshold around -50 mV. Thermodynamic evaluations indicate that the upper limit of the oxonol response to the potential generated by complex I is around -220 mV, which is close to the maximal protonmotive force in coupled submitochondrial particles. NADH addition to particles in which ubiquinol oxidation is blocked by inhibitors of other respiratory complexes generates oxonol signals corresponding to membrane potentials of -130 to -180 mV. These signals are produced by about four turnovers of the complex reducing endogenous ubiquinone (i.e. non-steady-state conditions) and are equivalent to a charge separation similar to that of the antimycin-sensitive reactions of ubiquinol:cytochrome c reductase (complex III). The transient oxonol signals under non-steady-state conditions are thus informative of crucial steps in the electrogenic reactions catalyzed by complex I. The possible nature of these electrogenic reactions is discussed in relation to proposed mechanisms for complex I.     

Conformational changes in the A1 domain of von Willebrand factor modulating the interaction with platelet glycoprotein Ibalpha

The interaction between von Willebrand factor (vWF) A1 domain and platelet glycoprotein Ib alpha occurs in the presence of high shear stress or when vWF becomes immobilized onto a surface but not appreciably in the normal circulation. To investigate the structural properties regulating A1 domain function, we have used recombinant fragments prepared either in cyclic form with oxidized Cys509-Cys695 disulfide bond or reduced and alkylated. Interaction with glycoprotein Ibalpha was assessed by testing inhibition of monoclonal antibody LJ-Ib1 binding to platelets and inhibition of shear-induced platelet aggregation mediated by native vWF. Fragments exposed to pH between 2.5 and 3.5 adopted the molten globule conformation with loosened tertiary structure intermediate between native and completely unordered state. Maximal receptor binding activity was observed when fragments kept at acidic pH, particularly after reduction of the Cys509-Cys695 disulfide bond, were subjected to quick refolding by rapid pH increase. In contrast, slow refolding by incremental pH change over several hours resulted in at least 20-fold lower activity. A specific single point mutation (I546V) resulted in enhanced receptor binding, whereas another mutation (S561G) caused markedly reduced binding. These results provide experimental evidence that conformational transitions can modulate function of the vWF A1 domain in solution.     

Changes in binding parameters of fluorescent probes 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate and 4-(n-dimethylaminostyryl)-1-methylpyridinium n-toluolsulfonate with liposomes upon radiation exposure

Using fluorescent probes 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate and 4-(n-dimethylaminostyryl)-1-methylpyridinium n-toluenesulfonate the effect of radiation on the properties of liposomes composed of phosphatidylcholine and diphosphatidylglycerol has been investigated. Parameters of the probes association with liposomes were estimated. It was suggested that radiation-induced increase of 1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonate fluorescence intensity and decrease of that for 4-(n-dimethylaminostyryl)-1-methylpyridinium n-toluenesulfonate are caused by lipid's peroxidation.     

Lipoprotein analysis by means of the fluorescence probe 8-anilino-1-naphthalene sulphonic acid (author''s transl)

Single and mixed lipoprotein fractions were successfully analyzed by utilizing the fluorescent propertby of the applied reagent, 8-anilino-naphthalene sulphonic acid. The described method is especially useful for determination of lipoproteins present in high dilution, as found in chromatographic column effluents. The concentration dependence of the developed fluorescence was determined and this served as basis for quantitation. Furthermore, the measured activation spectra show two peaks for each lipoprotein class, the relative intesities being different for each class. The intensity quotient shows a tendency towards linear concentration dependence. Investigation of binary and ternary mixtures showed that the ratio of the two maximum intensities is additive, in contrast to the intensities themselves.     

Multimode interaction of Hoechst 33258 with eukaryotic DNA; quantitative analysis of the DNA conformational changes

The interaction of the minor groove binding ligand Hoechst 33258 (Hoe) with natural DNA was investigated by high resolution titration rotational viscometry. Analysis of the concomitant DNA conformational changes was performed with two DNA samples of sufficiently different molar mass M, at 4 degrees C, 22 degrees C and 40 degrees C, for Hoe/DNA-P ratios below r = 0.02. In this narrow r range several interaction modes could be resolved. The measured conformational changes were quantified in terms of relative changes of both apparent DNA persistence length, delta a/a, and hydrodynamically operative DNA contour length, deltaL/L. Delta a/a(r) primarily is a measure of ligand-induced DNA helix stiffening, but both, delta a/a(r) and deltaL/L(r), generally depend also on ligand binding induced DNA bending or DNA unbending. The essential difference obviously is that delta a/a(r) is influenced by the randomly distributed helix bends and deltaL/L(r) by phased ones. The measurements performed at different temperatures deliver informations about existence and temperature dependent abolition of intrinsic helix curvature. Both Hoe and netropsin (Nt) prefer binding to AT rich DNA segments, which are candidates for intrinsic DNA helix bends. But our data for Hoe interaction with calf thymus DNA (ctDNA) show characteristic differences to those for Nt-ctDNA interaction. Especially for Hoe, the mode of highest affinity is saturated already at a ligand concentration of roughly 1 nM (r approximately = 0.0015 Hoe/DNA-P). It exhibits an unusually strong temperature dependence of the conformational DNA response. A Hoe-Nt competition experiment shows that Hoe binding to the sites of the very first Hoe mode is almost unaffected by bound Nt. But Hoe binding to the sites of the following Hoe modes does not occur due to the competition with Nt. Thus this mode of strongest Hoe-DNA interaction reflects a unique mechanism, possibly of high relevance for gene regulatory systems.     

Molecular modeling of interleukin-8 receptor beta and analysis of the receptor-ligand interaction

A structural model of interleukin-8 receptor type beta (IL-8R-beta) was constructed based on the structure of bacteriorhodopsin. High temperature molecular dynamics simulations were performed to search the possible conformations of loop regions in IL-8R-beta which recognize the ligand. The crystal structure of interleukin 8 (IL-8) was used as a geometric constraint of the extracellular loop regions of IL-8R-beta in the conformational search. 500 complex structures were extracted from the dynamics trajectory and five plausible models were selected based on the binding energy and known experimental data. To study further the interaction between IL-8R-beta and its ligands, the complex of IL-8R-beta and platelet factor 4 (PF4) C-terminal peptide was also modeled by molecular dynamics simulations. From these models, the N-terminus, extracellular domain 3 and extracellular domain 4 of IL-8R-beta were found to be important for ligand binding. Key residues of these regions involved in ligand binding were characterized. These models provide insight into the structural basis of biological activity of IL-8 and PF4 and may guide the design of potential therapeutic agents targeting IL-8 receptors. Furthermore, the approach developed from this study may have implications for the understanding of other chemokine receptor-ligand interactions that have been recently suggested to be involved in HIV infection.     

Transient kinetic studies on the interaction of Ras and the Ras-binding domain of c-Raf-1 reveal rapid equilibration of the complex

Transient kinetic methods have been used to analyze the interaction between the Ras-binding domain (RBD) of c-Raf-1 and a complex of H-Ras and a GTP analogue. The results obtained show that the binding is a two-step process, with an initial rapid equilibrium step being followed by an isomerization reaction occurring at several hundred per second. The reversal of this step determines the rate constant for dissociation, which is on the order of 10 s-1. The lifetime of the complex is therefore on the order of 50-100 ms, which is much shorter than the lifetime of GTP at the active site of H-Ras as determined by the intrinsic GTPase reaction. This suggests that multiple interactions of a single activated Ras molecule and Raf can occur, the number being limited by the competing interaction with GAP. The GDP complex of H-Ras binds more than 2 orders of magnitude more weakly than the GTP-analogue complex, mainly due to a significant weakening of the initial binding equilibrium reaction in the GDP state, thereby avoiding even short-lived recruitment of Raf to the plasma membrane by the inactive Ras form.     

The interaction of 1-anilino-8-naphthalenesulfonate with lipids: a nuclear magnetic resonance study

The proton magnetic resonance (PMR) and phosphorus magnetic resonance (PhMR) spectra of egg phosphatidylcholine in the presence of 1-anilino-8-nahthalenesulfonate (ANS) have been studied. At low ratios of ANS to phospholipid, the spectra indicate that ANS molecules are in the lipid interface region where they interact with the head-group protons. ANS also penetrates into the hydrocarbon region to some extent. As the ANS/phospholipid ratio approaches one, a significant splitting of the head-group signal occurs. This splitting is associated with head-group signals from inner and outer molecules of the phospholipid vesicles. As the ANS/phospholipid ratio is further increased, a gel phase often occurs. The spectra for this gel phase suggest a highly mobile head-group. Further ANS addition results in a PMR spectrum suggestive of ANS-phospholipid micelle formation. The results for a phospholipid-cholesterol complex and for the total lipid extract from a cell membrane show that the ANS effect is more complicated in these cases.     

The interaction of hydrogen with the interface of AI2O3 particles in iron

A mathematical model to calculate the trap binding energy and trap density is suggested considering the theories of hydrogen trapping and hydrogen retrapping. When iron containing 2.0 wt pct Al₂O₃ is heated with a uniform heating rate of 3 K-min^-1, a hydrogen peak is observed at 853 K in the evolution ratevs temperature plot. This is due to hydrogen evolution from the Al₂O₃/lattice interface. The trap activation energy and trap binding energy of hydrogen at the Al₂O₃/lattice interface are estimated as 79 kJ ⋅ mol^-1 and 71.4 kJ ⋅ mol^-1, respectively, fitting experimental data to the model. This indicates that the Al₂O₃/lattice interface acts as an irreversible trapping site for hydrogen. By combining the trap binding energy and trap activation energy, the energy level of hydrogen around the Al₂O₃/lattice interface is suggested. The saddle point energy of hydrogen at Al₂O₃/lattice interface, 7.56 kJ ⋅ mol^-1 is nearly equivalent to the activation energy for hydrogen diffusion through a normal lattice, 6.9 kJ ⋅ mol^-1. Formerly Graduate Student, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology.     

A kinetic and thermodynamic analysis of cleavage site mutations in the hammerhead ribozyme

We have produced three forms of human Fas: full-length Fas, Fas with a C-terminal deletion, and a chimera between extracellular Fas and the intracellular domain of the tumor necrosis factor receptor I p55 subunit. We transfected cell lines with these constructs to compare the relative capacity of antibody agonists and the physiological Fas ligand (FasL) to stimulate death. With two agonistic antibodies, the chimera is 100- to 1000-fold more sensitive to induction of death than the full-length Fas. The C-terminal deletion mutant also shows greatly enhanced death in comparison to the wild-type receptor. In contrast, when FasL is used to trigger the Fas pathway, wild-type Fas and the deletion mutant are similarly sensitive, whereas the chimera is 100-fold less susceptible to ligand-mediated killing than Fas. This demonstrates that antibody agonists and natural ligand can stimulate different signaling pathways and emphasizes the limitations of defining physiologically important signaling pathways solely by antibody agonists.     

A novel fluorescence chamber for the determination of volume changes in human CaSki cell cultures attached on filters

The objective of the study was to test the hypothesis that, in the cultured human cervical epithelium, CaSki, the effect of calcium mobilizing agents on transepithelial electrical conductance (GTE), is the result of cell volume decrease. CaSki cells attached on filters were loaded with fura-2, and measurements of fluorescence at the isosbestic wavelength 360 nm (excitation/emission [F360/510]) were made in a newly designed fluorescence chamber; this design allowed us also to determine changes in cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i). The experimental conditions were similar to those used to measure changes in paracellular permeability in the Ussing chamber, and they enabled us to compare the time-course of changes in [Ca2+]i, in F360/510, and in GTE. Hypertonicity increased, and hypotonicity decreased F360/510 and GTE, without having an effect on [Ca2+]i, and the changes in F360/510 and in GTE correlated linearly. Metabolism, bleaching, and extrusion of intracellular fura-2 were minimal, indicating that the changes in F360/510 reflect changes in dye concentration. Hypertonicity decreased, and hypotonicity increased the size of dispersed CaSki cells, suggesting that osmolarity-induced changes in F360/510 reflect changes in size of the attached cells. Ionomycin increased [Ca2+]i, F360/510, and GTE, but the increases in [Ca2+]i preceded those in F360/510 and GTE. The calcium chelator BAPTA blocked the ionomycin-induced increase in [Ca2+]i, F360/510, and in GTE. Preincubation with 4-acetamido-4'isothiocyanatostilbene-2,2'disulfonic acid (SITS) augmented the ionomycin-induced increase in [Ca2+]i, but blocked the increases in F360/510 and in GTE. Pretreatment of cells with hypertonic solution abrogated the increases in F360/510 and in GTE in response to ionomycin, but had little effect on the ionomycin-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. On the basis of these results we suggest that the ionomycin-induced increase in GTE is mediated by [Ca2+]i-dependent chloride secretion and osmotic water loss.     

荧光猝灭法与紫外-可见吸收光谱法相结合探讨纳米MnS与明胶相互作用

利用荧光光谱、同步荧光光谱和紫外-可见吸收光谱研究了在pH 12.0及不同温度下MnS纳米晶与明胶结合反应的光谱行为。结果表明, 在明胶溶液中生成的MnS纳米晶与明胶通过范德华和氢键作用力结合成复合物, 使明胶的内源荧光猝灭(属于静态荧光猝灭), 而MnS纳米晶却未使明胶色氨酸残基的构象发生变化。根据静态猝灭的 Lineweave-Burk 方程, 计算了温度在293 K和305 K时MnS纳米晶与明胶的结合常数和热力学参数, 得到结合常数分别为4.72×10³L·mol^-1和3.23×10³L·mol^-1, 焓变(ΔH)为-23.5 kJ·mol^-1, 熵变(ΔS)分别为-9.86 J·K^-1·mol^-1和-9.87 J·K^-1·mol^-1, 吉布斯自由能变(ΔG)分别为20.61 kJ·mol^-1和20.49 kJ·mol^-1。     

Comparison of the roles of CD8 alpha alpha and CD8 alpha beta in interaction with MHC class I

The CD8 molecule is expressed either as an alpha/alpha homodimer or an alpha/beta heterodimer on thymocytes and cytotoxic T cells, and functions as a coreceptor in concert with TCR for binding the MHC class I/peptide complex. Although CD8alpha/beta heterodimers have been shown to be more effective coreceptors, the precise role of the beta-chain in TCR-mediated thymic maturation and T cell activation is not understood. To understand the role of CD8beta in mediating CD8/MHC class I interaction, we examined whether cell surface CD8alpha/beta heterodimer promotes better cell-cell adhesion with MHC class I than the CD8alpha/alpha homodimer. The abilities of different forms of CD8 to adhere to MHC class I were measured with a cell-cell binding assay. Using a wild-type CD8beta and -alpha, we found that CD8alphabeta heterodimers did not mediate greater cell-cell adhesion than CD8alphaalpha homodimers. Furthermore, we found that chimeric CD8beta-alpha homodimers afforded no detectable binding. These results do not support the idea that CD8alphabeta binding to MHC class I is greater than that of CD8alphaalpha. Rather, they point to an alternative explanation in which CD8beta may play an role in promoting CD8/TCR interaction and/or in signaling/regulatory pathways.     

电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法测定三氯化铑中11种杂质元素

铑化合物中杂质元素的测定,无统一的标准方法,产品标准中杂质元素分析通常是将化合物还原为铑粉后以摄谱法测定,该方法既需要将化合物还原成铑粉,又需要消耗粉末光谱标样,分析流程长,成本高。实验采用盐酸-硝酸混合酸溶解样品,选择Ni 221.647 nm、Fe 259.940 nm、Cu 324.754 nm、Al 396.152 nm、Pb 220.353 nm、Pd 340.458 nm、Pt 299.797 nm、Ca 393.366 nm、Mg 279.553 nm、Zn 213.856 nm、Cr 205.552 nm为分析谱线,通过扣除背景消除了背景干扰,再通过实验证明无基体效应以及被测元素之间无干扰的基础上,建立了电感耦合等离子体原子发射光谱法(ICP-AES)测定三氯化铑中11种杂质元素的方法。各元素校准曲线的线性相关系数r均大于0.999;方法定量限均小于0.001%(质量分数)。实验方法用于测定三氯化铑中镍、铁、铜、铝、铅、钯、铂、钙、镁、锌、铬,结果的相对标准偏差(RSD,n=11)为6.4%～16.5%;三氯化铑中11种杂质元素的测定结果与采用国家标准方法GB/T 1421—2004测定的结果相吻合。     

X射线荧光光谱在现场分析中的应用评介

现场分析对于地矿行业来说是一个永恒的课题,而X射线荧光光谱(XRF)的技术特点又使其成为地质野外现场分析应用最方便和有效的技术之一。文章从陆地野外现场分析和测井、船载和水下现场测量及月岩探测等方面评介XRF现场分析的应用。在陆地现场分析方面:包括仪器研制、野外实验及应用研究;现场应用涉及矿产勘查、化探、矿山分析、矿区环境调查、岩芯检测、X射线荧光测井和多功能车载现场分析等。在船载和水下现场分析方面:评介了船载X射线荧光分析仪器在我国大洋多金属结核、海山富钴结壳和深海稀土资源调查中的应用及我国研制的海底金属矿产水下原位分析装备的实验研究。月岩探测方面:介绍了我国"嫦娥一号"、"嫦娥二号"搭载的X射线光谱探测系统的应用。全篇引文117篇。