From biochemistry to physiology: the calorimetry connection.

This article provides guidelines for selecting optimal calorimetric instrumentation for applications in biochemistry and biophysics. Applications include determining thermodynamics of interactions in non-covalently bonded structures, and determining function through measurements of enzyme kinetics and metabolic rates. Specific examples illustrating current capabilities and methods in biological calorimetry are provided.

An evaluation of the utility of in vacuo methylation for mass-spectrometry-based analyses of peptides.

In vacuo trimethylation of the N-terminus of a lyophilized peptide with methyl iodide was previously reported to enhance the peptide's signal in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) and to suppress alkali adduct formation in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Both the signal enhancement and alkali adduct suppression observed for methylated peptides are believed to be due to the permanent positive charge on the N-terminus of the peptide resulting from the formation of a quaternary ammonium moiety. The present work evaluates the general utility of the in vacuo methylation procedure for the MS analysis of peptides, and specifically addresses the issue of whether the methylation of nucleophilic sites other than the N-terminal amine affects the MALDI signal of modified peptides.

Synthesis of a non-heme template for attaching four peptides: an approach to artificial iron(II)-containing peroxidases.

We are developing all-synthetic model cofactor-protein complexes in order to define the parameters controlling non-natural cofactor activity. The long-term objective is to establish the theoretical and practical basis for designing novel enzymes. A non-heme pentadentate ligand (N4Py) is being developed as a template for the site-specific attachment of a designed four-helix bundle.