Search results for "layer"
showing 10 items of 2667 documents
Viroporins, Examples of the Two-Stage Membrane Protein Folding Model
2015
Viroporins are small, α-helical, hydrophobic virus encoded proteins, engineered to form homo-oligomeric hydrophilic pores in the host membrane. Viroporins participate in multiple steps of the viral life cycle, from entry to budding. As any other membrane protein, viroporins have to find the way to bury their hydrophobic regions into the lipid bilayer. Once within the membrane, the hydrophobic helices of viroporins interact with each other to form higher ordered structures required to correctly perform their porating activities. This two-step process resembles the two-stage model proposed for membrane protein folding by Engelman and Poppot. In this review we use the membrane protein folding …
Nitrated Fatty Acids Modulate the Physical Properties of Model Membranes and the Structure of Transmembrane Proteins
2017
Nitrated fatty acids (NO2 -FAs) act as anti-inflammatory signal mediators, albeit the molecular mechanisms behind NO2 -FAs' influence on diverse metabolic and signaling pathways in inflamed tissues are essentially elusive. Here, we combine fluorescence measurements with surface-specific sum frequency generation vibrational spectroscopy and coarse-grained computer simulations to demonstrate that NO2 -FAs alter lipid organization by accumulation at the membrane-water interface. As the function of membrane proteins strongly depends on both, protein structure as well as membrane properties, we consecutively follow the structural dynamics of an integral membrane protein in presence of NO2 -FAs. …
Atomic Layer Deposition of Aluminum Oxide on TiO2 and Its Impact on N3 Dye Adsorption from First Principles
2011
The atomic layer deposition of aluminum oxide on an OH-terminated TiO2(101) anatase surface was studied employing density functional theory calculations. The formation of the Al2O3−TiO2 interface during the first atomic layer deposition cycle was modeled by studying the dissociative adsorption of an Al(CH3)3 precursor, followed with a H2O-pulse reaction step that changes the surface termination. Calculations provide evidence for the formation of a discontinuous, atomically rough aluminum oxide layer after the first cycle. To explore the role of the aluminum oxide layer on adsorption of a ruthenium-based N3 dye molecule, various adsorption geometries were investigated. Calculations show that…
Supported Ionic Liquid Asymmetric Catalysis. A New Method for Chiral Catalysts Recycling. The Case of Proline-Catalyzed Aldol Reaction.
2004
A new method for chiral catalysts recycling, based on the supported ionic liquid asymmetric catalysis concept, has been developed. This concept involves the treatment of a monolayer of covalently attached ionic liquid on the surface of silica gel with additional ionic liquid. These layers serve as the reaction phase in which the homogeneous chiral catalyst is dissolved. As first application of this concept the L-proline-catalyzed aldol reaction has been carried out. Good yields and ee values, comparable with those obtained under homogeneous conditions have been obtained. Moreover, this material shows high regenerability.
Domain formation in monolayers
1995
For phospholipids at the air/water interface we demonstrate that molecular chirality in some, but not in all, cases influences the domain shapes. In other cases chirality in the head group region can cause a chiral structure considering the tail arrangement. This indicates head group ordering. Minute changes of the molecular structure may change domain morphology from circular to dendritic. This can be related to slight changes of the lattice structure. In case of a dendritic domain the chains are more tilted, the deviation from hexagonal symmetry is more pronounced, and hence the lattice anisotropy is larger. This can be understood also in view of recent simulations considering diffusion-l…
NOx selective catalytic reduction at high temperatures with mixed oxides derived from layered double hydroxides
2012
[EN] Mixed oxides derived from layered double hydroxides (LDHs) have been investigated as potential catalysts for the NOx removal at high temperatures. The best results were obtained with Co–Al mixed oxides derived from LDHs that are active at 750 ◦C in the presence of oxygen and water. These catalysts could reduce or/and decompose the NOx formed in the dense phase of the FCC regenerator, being deactivated at oxygen concentrations higher than 1.5%. Nevertheless this deactivation is not permanent and they would be regenerated after reduction with hydrogen at 530 ◦C. The influence of the layered double hydroxides (LDHs) preparation method on the catalyst activity was studied, observing that t…
Optimized bath for electroless deposition of palladium on amorphous alumina membranes
2006
A new bath for the electroless deposition of palladium on anodic alumina (AA) membranes is proposed. It was found that the optimal conditions for the uniform deposition of palladium, with minimal damage to the AA membranes, were under conditions of pH 8.4 and plating times shorter than 30 min. The deposited Pd layer was detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis. The morphology of the AA membrane before and after plating was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). EDX analysis revealed that palladium was deposited only on the surfaces of the membrane and Sn ions, coming from the sensitizing bath, were incorporated into the palladium layer. EDTA in…
Investigation of the dynamics of bacteriorhodopsin
1990
Bacteriorhodopsin (bR) converted to the blue form by deionization has been reconstituted to the active purple membrane by addition of57Fe ions. Mossbauer spectra measured in a wide temperature range reveal Fe3+ binding places with oxygen atoms in the neighbourhood. No evidence for a well defined functional binding place of the iron has been found. On a timescale faster 100 ns the purple membrane shows increasing flexibility above 200 K. In order to analyse the influence of the lipids, a bacteriorhodopsin sample where the lipid content has been increased artificially by the incorporation of DMPC as well as a sample consisting of lipid bilayer have been investigated.
A surface EXAFS study of thin nickel deposits on (110) TiO2 surfaces
1997
Abstract The first stages of nickel deposition on a clean (110) TiO 2 surface were studied using surface extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS). Experiments were performed on two kinds of nickel deposits, one of 0.8 equivalent monolayers and another of 1.6 equivalent monolayers. Depositions were performed on well characterized TiO 2 (110)-p(1 × 1) surfaces. The correlation of Auger experiments with EXAFS results showed that no islands were present on the surface; only two-dimensional growth of nickel was observed. Moreover, it was shown, in the case of the thinner deposit, that a model with nickel atoms forming chains in the channels determined by oxygen atoms on the surface is co…
Determination of the Absolute Density of Fe3+ and Ni2+ Ions in Langmuir-Blodgett Films
1996
By means of the Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) technique, mono- and multilayers of Ni2+ and Fe3+ containing fatty acid salts are transferred onto silicon wafers. After thermal treatment, oxidic layers can be produced. The absolute amounts of Fe3+ and Ni2+ ions per monolayer of LB film were measured and calculated by three different methods. In the case of nickel, the amount expected from theory and preparation conditions was obtained experimentally. In contrast, about twice the number of Fe3+ ions as expected is transferred. An explanation can be given by the presence of hydroxide groups bound to iron. The mean film thickness of the oxidic layers after thermal treatment was estimated where the thic…