N-methylcarbamate pesticides and their phenolic degradation products: hydrolytic decay, sequestration and metal complexation studies.

We report on the rates of decomposition of a group of N-methylcarbamate (NMC) pesticides (carbaryl, carbofuran and propoxur) under pre-determined tropical field conditions. Rates of decomposition for three NMCs were determined at pH 7.08 and T = 20 °C and pH 7.

A New Design Strategy and Diagnostic to Tailor the DNA-Binding Mechanism of Small Organic Molecules and Drugs.

The classical model for DNA groove binding states that groove binding molecules should adopt a crescent shape that closely matches the helical groove of DNA. Here, we present a new design strategy that does not obey this classical model. The DNA-binding mechanism of small organic molecules was investigated by synthesizing and examining a series of novel compounds that bind with DNA.

One probe, two-channel imaging of nuclear and cytosolic compartments with orange and red emissive dyes.

Several new DNA-targeting probes that exhibit binding-induced 'turn on' fluorescence are presented. Two of the dyes, orange emissive 1, (E)-4-(4(-4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)phenyl)6-(4-(4-methylpi-perazin-1-yl)styryl)pyrimidin-2-ol), and red emissive 2, (E)-4-(4(-4-methyl-piperazin-1-yl)-phenyl)6-(4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)styryl)-1,3-propanedionato-κO,κO']difluoroborane), are brightly fluorescent when bound to DNA, but are virtually non-fluorescent in aqueous solutions. Confocal fluorescence microscopy of live BT474, MCF7 and HEK293 cells demonstrates that both probes are cell permeable and rapidly accumulated intracellularly into cell nuclei and the cytosol.

Two-Photon Spectroscopy as a New Sensitive Method for Determining the DNA Binding Mode of Fluorescent Nuclear Dyes.

A new optical strategy to determine the binding modes (intercalation vs groove binding) of small fluorescent organic molecules with calf thymus DNA was developed using two-photon absorption (TPA) spectroscopy. Two-photon excited emission was utilized to investigate a series of fluorescent nuclear dyes. The results show that TPA cross-sections are able to differentiate the fine details between the DNA binding modes.

Base pair sensitivity and enhanced ON/OFF ratios of DNA-binding: donor-acceptor-donor fluorophores.

The photophysical properties of two recently reported live cell compatible, DNA-binding dyes, 4,6-bis(4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)phenyl)pyrimidin-2-ol, 1, and [1,3-bis[4-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)phenyl]-1,3-propandioato-κO, κO']difluoroboron, 2, are characterized. Both dyes are quenched in aqueous solutions, while binding to sequences containing only AT pairs enhances the emission. Binding of the dyes to sequences containing only GC pairs does not produce a significant emission enhancement, and for sequences containing both AT and GC base pairs, emission is dependent on the length of the AT pair tracts.

Turn-on, fluorescent nuclear stains with live cell compatibility.

DNA-binding, green and yellow fluorescent probes with excellent brightness and high on/off ratios are reported. The probes are membrane permeable, live-cell compatible, and optimally matched to 405 nm and 514 nm laser lines, making them attractive alternatives to UV-excited and blue emissive Hoechst 33342 and DAPI nuclear stains. Their electronic structure was investigated by optical spectroscopy supported by TD-DFT calculations.

Common ADRB2 haplotypes derived from 26 polymorphic sites direct beta2-adrenergic receptor expression and regulation phenotypes.

Background: The beta2-adrenergic receptor (beta2AR) is expressed on numerous cell-types including airway smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes. Drugs (agonists or antagonists) acting at these receptors for treatment of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and heart failure show substantial interindividual variability in response. The ADRB2 gene is polymorphic in noncoding and coding regions, but virtually all ADRB2 association studies have utilized the two common nonsynonymous coding SNPs, often reaching discrepant conclusions.