A Chromogenic and Fluorogenic Peptide Substrate for the Highly Sensitive Detection of Proteases in Biological Matrices.

The synthesis and application of a novel type of chromogenic and fluorogenic substrate for protease detection is described. The outstanding performance of the tripeptide substrates is exemplified by specific fluorescence detection of thrombin and factor Xa at only 500 fM concentration. The substrate is also applicable to the sensitive detection of the thrombin inhibitor dabigatran in human plasma and whole blood samples, highlighting its potential for a point-of-care test for instant monitoring the blood levels of this blockbuster anticoagulant drug in specific clinical situations.

Dental caries experience among secondary school children in the Vardar region of the Republic of Macedonia.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the dental caries in 15-year-old children attending regular public secondary schools in Veles.

Methods: The study has been carried out during 2013 on adolescents aged 15.01(± 0.

Irreversible inhibition of DNA polymerase β by small-molecule mimics of a DNA lesion.

Abasic sites are ubiquitous DNA lesions that are mutagenic and cytotoxic but are removed by the base excision repair pathway. DNA polymerase β carries out two of the four steps during base excision repair, including a lyase reaction that removes the abasic site from DNA following incision of its 5'-phosphate. DNA polymerase β is overexpressed in cancer cells and is a potential anticancer target.

Control of the photocatalytic activity of bimetallic complexes of pyropheophorbide-a by nucleic acids.

Photocatalytic activity of a photosensitizer (PS) in an oligodeoxyribonucleotide duplex 5'-PS~ODN1/ODN2~Q-3' is inhibited because of close proximity of a quencher Q. The ODN2 in this duplex is selected to be longer than the ODN1. Therefore, in the presence of a nucleic acid (analyte), which is fully complementary to the ODN2 strand, the duplex is decomposed with formation of an analyte/ODN2~Q duplex and a catalytically active, single stranded PS~ODN1.

1,9-Dialkoxyanthracene as a (1)O2-sensitive linker.

We developed a (1)O(2)-sensitive linker based on a 9,10-dialkoxyanthracene structure. Its cleavage in the presence of (1)O(2) is quick and high-yielding. A phosphoramidite containing this fragment was prepared and coupled to a variety of molecular fragments, including nucleosides, fluorescent dyes, and a cholesteryl derivative.