Ruthenium-Containing Block Copolymer Assemblies: Red-Light-Responsive Metallopolymers with Tunable Nanostructures for Enhanced Cellular Uptake and Anticancer Phototherapy.

The use of self-assembled nanostructures consisting of red-light-responsive Ru(II)-containing block copolymers (BCPs) for anticancer phototherapy is demonstrated. Three Ru-containing BCPs with different molecular weights are synthesized. Each BCP contains a hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) block and an Ru-containing block. In the Ru-containing block, more than half of the side chains are coordinated with [Ru(2,2':6',2''-terpyridine)(2,2'-biquinoline)](2+) , resulting in more than 40 wt% Ru complex in the BCPs. The Ru complex acts as both a red-light-cleavable moiety and a photoactivated prodrug. Depending on their molecular weights, the BCPs assemble into micelles, vesicles, and large comp…

CitA (citrate) and DcuS (C4-dicarboxylate) sensor kinases in thermophilic Geobacillus kaustophilus and Geobacillus thermodenitrificans

The thermophilic Geobacillus thermodenitrificans and Geobacillus kaustophilus are able to use citrate or C4-dicarboxylates like fumarate or succinate as the substrates for growth. The genomes of the sequenced Geobacillus strains (nine strains) each encoded a two-component system of the CitA family. The sensor kinase of G. thermodenitrificans (termed CitAGt) was able to replace CitA of Escherichia coli (CitAEc) in a heterologous complementation assay restoring expression of the CitAEc-dependent citC-lacZ reporter gene and anaerobic growth on citrate. Complementation was specific for citrate. The sensor kinase of G. kaustophilus (termed DcuSGk) was able to replace DcuSEc of E. coli. It respon…

Phototherapy: Ruthenium-Containing Block Copolymer Assemblies: Red-Light-Responsive Metallopolymers with Tunable Nanostructures for Enhanced Cellular Uptake and Anticancer Phototherapy (Adv. Healthcare Mater. 4/2016)