In Silico Investigation of Potential Applications of Gamma Carbonic Anhydrases as Catalysts of CO2 Biomineralization Processes: A Visit to the Thermophilic Bacteria Persephonella hydrogeniphila,Persephonella marina,Thermosulfidibacter takaii,and Thermus thermophilus

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs) have been identified as ideal catalysts for CO₂ sequestration. Here, we report the sequence and structural analyses as well as the molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of four γ-CAs from thermophilic bacteria. Three of these, Persephonella marina, Persephonella hydrogeniphila, and Thermosulfidibacter takaii originate from hydrothermal vents and one, Thermus thermophilus HB8, from hot springs. Protein sequences were retrieved and aligned with previously characterized γ-CAs, revealing differences in the catalytic pocket residues. Further analysis of the structures following homology modeling revealed a hydrophobic patch in the catalytic pocket, presumed important for CO₂ binding. Monitoring of proton shuttling residue His69 (P. marina γ-CA numbering) during MD simulations of P. hydrogeniphila and P. marina’s γ-CAs (γ-PhCA and γ-PmCA), showed a different behavior to that observed in the γ-CA of Escherichia coli, which periodically coordinates Zn²⁺. This work also involved the search for hotspot residues that contribute to interface stability. Some of these residues were further identified as key in protein communication via betweenness centrality metric of dynamic residue network analysis. T. takaii’s γ-CA showed marginally lower thermostability compared to the other three γ-CA proteins with an increase in conformations visited at high temperatures being observed. Hydrogen bond analysis revealed important interactions, some unique and others common in all γ-CAs, which contribute to interface formation and thermostability. The seemingly thermostable γ-CA from T. thermophilus strangely showed increased unsynchronized residue motions at 423 K. γ-PhCA and γ-PmCA were, however, preliminarily considered suitable as prospective thermostable CO₂ sequestration agents.     

Pull-Down of Metalloproteins in Their Native States by Using Desthiobiotin-Based Probes

One-third of all proteins are estimated to require metals for structural stability and/or catalytic activity. Desthiobiotin probes containing metal binding groups can be used to capture metalloproteins with exposed active-site metals under mild conditions so as to prevent changes in metallation state. The proof-of-concept was demonstrated with carbonic anhydrase (CA), an open active site, Zn²⁺-containing protein. CA was targeted by using sulfonamide derivatives. Linkers of various lengths and structures were screened to determine the optimal structure for capture of the native protein. The optimized probes could selectively pull down CA from red blood cell lysate and other protein mixtures. Pull-down of differently metallated CAs was also investigated.     

Amine-containing olefin copolymer with CO2-switchable oil absorption and desorption

Global decrease in crude oil resources and frequent crude oil leaks cause the energy crisis and ecological pollution. The absorption and release of leaked crude oil through absorption materials are a necessary process for environmental protection and recycling. In this article, a CO₂-responsive olefin copolymer was obtained by copolymerization of styrene and an amine-containing olefin monomer. The structure of resultant copolymer was characterized by FTIR; thermal properties and CO₂-responsive morphology changes were determined by DSC/TGA and SEM, respectively. Copolymers had certain absorption capacity for toluene with absorption rate up to 180.0%. The absorbed toluene could be released upon CO₂ stimulation with desorption rate up to 84.6%. The CO₂-responsive copolymer could be regenerated through a simple heating process and showed stable absorption–desorption performance even after being recycled for 4 times. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47439.     

Inhibitory Monoclonal Antibodies and Their Recombinant Derivatives Targeting Surface-Exposed Carbonic Anhydrase XII on Cancer Cells

Monoclonal and recombinant antibodies are widely used for the diagnostics and therapy of cancer. They are generated to interact with cell surface proteins which are usually involved in the development and progression of cancer. Carbonic anhydrase XII (CA XII) contributes to the survival of tumors under hypoxic conditions thus is considered a candidate target for antibody-based therapy. In this study, we have generated a novel collection of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against the recombinant extracellular domain of CA XII produced in HEK-293 cells. Eighteen out of 24 MAbs were reactive with cellular CA XII on the surface of live kidney and lung cancer cells as determined by flow cytometry. One MAb 14D6 also inhibited the enzymatic activity of recombinant CA XII as measured by the stopped-flow assay. MAb 14D6 showed the migrastatic effect on human lung carcinoma A549 and renal carcinoma A498 cell lines in a ‘wound healing’ assay. It did not reduce the growth of multicellular lung and renal cancer spheroids but reduced the cell viability by the ATP Bioluminescence assay. Epitope mapping revealed the surface-exposed amino acid sequence (35-FGPDGENS-42) close to the catalytic center of CA XII recognized by the MAb 14D6. The variable regions of the heavy and light chains of MAb 14D6 were sequenced and their complementarity-determining regions were defined. The obtained variable sequences were used to generate recombinant antibodies in two formats: single-chain fragment variable (scFv) expressed in E. coli and scFv fused to human IgG1 Fc fragment (scFv-Fc) expressed in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells. Both recombinant antibodies maintained the same specificity for CA XII as the parental MAb 14D6. The novel antibodies may represent promising tools for CA XII-related cancer research and immunotherapy.     

Study of Compatibilized Liquid Crystalline Polymer/Cyclic Olefin Copolymer Blends

The technology to produce compatibilized blends of liquid crystalline polymer and highly amorphous cyclic olefin copolymers through two novel approaches were studied. The first approach was to use silane-functionalized halloysite nanotube as nonspecific compatibilizer and the second method was reactive compatibilization. The study of blends and their resulting microstructure; their thermal, mechanical, and viscoelastic properties were investigated. The kinetic study of blends compatibilized through both routes was performed.     

分子筛绿色化合成技术的开发

对现有分子筛合成废液中氨氮及还原性物质的来源进行分析，确定降低排放废水中氨氮浓度及COD的方案。对现有ZRP-5分子筛制备流程进行优化，增加母液及赶胺水回用工序；建立母液浓缩装置，将钛硅分子筛及Β分子筛的合成母液及重排母液应用于ZSM-5分子筛的合成，实现废液的梯级利用。上述措施既解决了因分子筛生产废液的排放造成的环境污染，亦因废物资源化降低了ZSM-5分子筛的生产成本。     

新国标烯烃限值的无铅汽油对汽车耐久性能的影响

选用3种轿车,使用烯烃含量接近新国标限值35％的无铅汽油,行驶8×10~4km,进行整车和发动机台架检测,并对进气阀和喷嘴进行评定。试验结果表明,在行驶8×10~4km后,整车的动力性、经济性很稳定,电喷车的排放检测值符合现行国标的限值要求;进气阀较清洁,喷嘴流量损失小;发动机外特性、比油耗、活塞窜气量、汽缸压缩压力等都变化不大。这说明,符合现行国标烯烃限值要求的无铅汽油适合目前我国汽车的使用并能满足现行排放法规的要求。     

提高催化裂化柴油和液化气收率的方法及措施

介绍了利用现有的催化裂化装置 ,通过优化操作及运用MGD技术提高柴油和液化气收率的方法和技术措施。     

含氯取代基的聚间苯二甲酰间苯二胺的合成与表征

以 2 ,5 -二氯对苯二甲酰氯作为第三单体 ,将其与间苯二甲酰氯、间苯二胺在N ,N -二甲基乙酰胺中进行低温溶液共缩聚反应 ,合成了含氯取代基的聚间苯二甲酰间苯二胺。研究了单体摩尔浓度、反应初始温度、叔胺添加剂种类、第三单体用量等对共聚物相对分子质量的影响 ,并用红外光谱、热重分析等方法对共聚物进行了表征。     

烯烃聚合单活性中心非茂催化剂的最新研究进展

综述了近几年来烯烃聚合用单活性中心非茂催化剂的研究进展。简要介绍了 2 3种由前、后过渡金属组成的配位化合物催化剂的结构与性能