Search results for "Crystallization"

Synthesis of SWCNT Rings Made by Two Y Junctions and Possible Applications in Electron Interferometry

2007

Molybdenum Complex with Bulky Chelates as a Functional Model for Molybdenum Oxidases

2014

The novel bulky Schiff base chelate ligand [(4,5-diisopropyl-1H-pyrrole-2-yl)methylene]-4-(tert-butyl)aniline ((iPr2)HL) bearing two isopropyl groups close to the pyrrole nitrogen atom reacts with MoCl2(dme)O2 (dme = 1,2-dimethoxyethane) to give the sterically congested complex Mo(VI)((iPr2)L)2O2 ((iPr2)1; OC-6-4-4 configuration). In spite of the increased steric shielding of the [MoO2] unit (iPr2)1 is active in oxygen-atom transfer to PMe3 and PPh3 to give OPMe3 and OPPh3, respectively. Because of the increased steric bulk of the chelate ligand, formation of dinuclear complexes [Mo(V)((iPr2)L)2O]2(μ-O) ((iPr2)3) by comportionation is effectively prevented in contrast to the highly favored …

Motion, relaxation dynamics, and diffusion processes in two-dimensional colloidal crystals confined between walls

2012

The dynamical behavior of single-component two-dimensional colloidal crystals confined in a slit geometry is studied by Langevin dynamics simulation of a simple model. The colloids are modeled as pointlike particles, interacting with the repulsive part of the Lennard-Jones potential, and the fluid molecules in the colloidal suspension are not explicitly considered. Considering a crystalline strip of triangular lattice structure with n=30 rows, the (one-dimensional) walls confining the strip are chosen as two rigidly fixed crystalline rows at each side, commensurate with the lattice structure and, thus, stabilizing long-range order. The case when the spacing between the walls is incommensura…

Jararhagin-derived RKKH Peptides Induce Structural Changes in α1I Domain of Human Integrin α1β1

2003

Integrin alpha(1)beta(1) is one of four collagen-binding integrins in humans. Collagens bind to the alphaI domain and in the case of alpha(2)I collagen binding is competitively inhibited by peptides containing the RKKH sequence and derived from the metalloproteinase jararhagin of snake venom from Bothrops jararaca. In alpha(2)I, these peptides bind near the metal ion-dependent adhesion site (MIDAS), where a collagen (I)-like peptide is known to bind; magnesium is required for binding. Published structures of the ligand-bound "open" conformation of alpha(2)I differs significantly from the "closed" conformation seen in the structure of apo-alpha(2)I near MIDAS. Here we show that two peptides,…

Conformational investigation of alpha,beta-dehydropeptides. XIII. Conformational properties of N-acetyl-alpha,beta-dehydrovaline N',N'-dimethylamide.

2004

The crystal structure of Ac-DeltaVal-NMe(2) (DeltaVal = alpha,beta-dehydrovaline) was determined by X-ray crystallography. The found angles phi = -60 degrees and psi = 125 degrees correspond exactly to the respective values of the (i + 1)th residue in idealised beta-turn II/VIa. Ab initio/DFT studies revealed that the molecule adopts the angle psi restricted only to about |130 degrees | and very readily attains the angle phi = about -50 degrees. This is in line with its solid-state conformation. Taken together, these data suggest that the DeltaVal residue combined with a C-terminal tertiary amide is a good candidate at the (i + 1)th position in a type II/VIa beta-turn.

Bacteriophage P23-77 capsid protein structures reveal the archetype of an ancient branch from a major virus lineage.

2013

Summary It has proved difficult to classify viruses unless they are closely related since their rapid evolution hinders detection of remote evolutionary relationships in their genetic sequences. However, structure varies more slowly than sequence, allowing deeper evolutionary relationships to be detected. Bacteriophage P23-77 is an example of a newly identified viral lineage, with members inhabiting extreme environments. We have solved multiple crystal structures of the major capsid proteins VP16 and VP17 of bacteriophage P23-77. They fit the 14 Å resolution cryo-electron microscopy reconstruction of the entire virus exquisitely well, allowing us to propose a model for both the capsid archi…

ProteoPlex: stability optimization of macromolecular complexes by sparse-matrix screening of chemical space.

2015

Molecular machines or macromolecular complexes are supramolecular assemblies of biomolecules that ensure cellular homeostasis. Structure determination of those complexes in a purified state is often a tedious undertaking due to the compositional complexity and the related relative structural instability. To improve the stability of macromolecular complexes in vitro, we present here a generic method that optimizes the stability, homogeneity and solubility of macromolecular complexes by sparse-matrix screening of their thermal unfolding behaviour in the presence of various buffers and small molecules. The method includes the automated analysis of thermal unfolding curves based on a newly deve…

Non-stochastic quadratic fingerprints and LDA-based QSAR models in hit and lead generation through virtual screening: theoretical and experimental as…

2005

In order to explore the ability of non-stochastic quadratic indices to encode chemical information in antimalarials, four quantitative models for the discrimination of compounds having this property were generated and statistically compared. Accuracies of 90.2% and 83.3% for the training and test sets, respectively, were observed for the best of all the models, which included non-stochastic quadratic fingerprints weighted with Pauling electronegativities. With a comparative purpose and as a second validation experiment, an exercise of virtual screening of 65 already-reported antimalarials was carried out. Finally, 17 new compounds were classified as either active/inactive ones and experimen…

A phenoxo-bridged dicopper(ii) complex as a model for phosphatase activity: mechanistic insights from a combined experimental and computational study

2017

A μ-phenoxo-bis(μ2-1,3-acetato)-bridged dicopper(II) complex [CuII2(L1)(μ-O2CMe)2][NO3] (1) has been synthesized from the perspective of modeling phosphodiesterase activity. Structural characterization was done initially with 1·3Et2O (vapour diffusion of Et2O into MeOH solution of 1; poor crystal quality) and finally with its perchlorate salt [CuII2(L1)(μ-O2CMe)2][ClO4]·1.375MeCN·0.25H2O, crystallized from vapour diffusion of n-pentane into a MeCN–MeOH mixture (comparatively better crystal quality). An asymmetric unit of such a crystal contains two independent molecules of compositions [CuII2(L1)(μ-O2CMe)2][ClO4] and [CuII2(L1)(μ-O2CMe)2(MeCN)][ClO4] (coordinated MeCN with 0.75 occupancy), …

Reversed Enantioselectivity of Diisopropyl Fluorophosphatase against Organophosphorus Nerve Agents by Rational Design

2009

Diisopropyl fluorophosphatase (DFPase) from Loligo vulgaris is an efficient and robust biocatalyst for the hydrolysis of a range of highly toxic organophosphorus compounds including the nerve agents sarin, soman, and cyclosarin. In contrast to the substrate diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) the nerve agents possess an asymmetric phosphorus atom, which leads to pairs of enantiomers that display markedly different toxicities. Wild-type DFPase prefers the less toxic stereoisomers of the substrates which leads to slower detoxification despite rapid hydrolysis. Enzyme engineering efforts based on rational design yielded two quadruple enzyme mutants with reversed enantioselectivity and overall en…