Contrasting glycosylation profiles between Fab and Fc of a human IgG protein studied by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

A conserved structural feature of human IgG molecules is the presence of an oligosaccharide moiety within the Fc region at Asn297. In addition, 15-20% of normal polyclonal IgG molecules bear N-linked oligosaccharides in the variable (V) regions of the light (L) and/or heavy (H) chains. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) has been applied to the glycan analysis of two IgG1 myeloma proteins (Wid and Cri) after mild reduction and acidification.

Multiple proteins present in purified porcine sperm apical plasma membranes interact with the zona pellucida of the oocyte.

An important step in fertilization is the recognition and primary binding of the sperm cell to the zona pellucida (ZP). Primary ZP binding proteins are located at the apical plasma membrane of the sperm head. In order to exclusively study primary zona binding proteins, plasma membranes of sperm heads were isolated, highly purified and subsequently solubilized with a mild or a strong solubilization procedure.

Controlled assembly of luminescent racks based on heteroleptic dinuclear lanthanide complexes.

Luminescent lanthanide racks are formed in solution through supramolecular assembly of lanthanide ions with a rigid bis-didentate sensitiser ligand and octadentate aminopolycarboxylate ligands.

Tubercle bacilli generate a novel cell wall-associated pigment after long-term anaerobic culture.

Many cases of tuberculosis result from reactivation of previously acquired latent infections. Models to study such persister forms often involve gradual depletion of oxygen during culture as poor aeration is a characteristic of non-progressive TB granulomas. Anaerobically cultured bacilli develop a thickened outer-most cell wall layer.

Sperm proteome mapping of a patient who experienced failed fertilization at IVF reveals altered expression of at least 20 proteins compared with fertile donors: case report.

The aim of this study was to compare the sperm protein expression profile (proteome map) from a patient who experienced failed fertilization at IVF with fertile controls. One patient and three fertile donor sperm samples were characterized using two-dimensional electrophoresis. Differences in protein expression were established using gel analysis software before attempted protein identification.

Hairpin-shaped heterometallic luminescent lanthanide complexes for DNA intercalative recognition.

Luminescent Ln-Pt2 metallohairpin complexes have been developed, and their intercalative recognition with DNA has been demonstrated with linear dichroism spectroscopy. The heterotrimetallic complexes were formed in a one-step reaction, by assembly of an aminopolycarboxylate ligand, a platinum terpyridine unit, and the lanthanide salt. The metallohairpin complexes bear a neutral lanthanide moiety and two positively charged platinum-containing intercalating units.

Germacrene A is a product of the aristolochene synthase-mediated conversion of farnesylpyrophosphate to aristolochene.

The biosynthesis of several sesquiterpenes has been proposed to proceed via germacrene A. However, to date, the production of germacrene A has not been proven directly for any of the sesquiterpene synthases for which it was postulated as an intermediate. We demonstrate here for the first time that significant amounts of germacrene A (7.

Ferrocene-containing carbohydrate dendrimers.

Aliphatic amines, incorporating one or three (branched) acylated beta-D-glucopyranosyl residues, were coupled with the acid chloride of ferrocenecarboxylic acid and with the diacid chloride of 1,1'-ferrocenedicarboxylic acid to afford four dendrimer-type, carbohydrate-coated ferrocene derivatives in good yields (54-92%). Deprotection of the peracylated beta-D-glucopyranosyl residues was achieved quantitatively by using Zemplén conditions, affording four water-soluble ferrocene derivatives. When only one of the two cyclopentadienyl rings of the ferrocene unit is substituted, strong complexes are formed with beta-cyclodextrin in H2O, as demonstrated by liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry (LSIMS), 1H NMR spectroscopy, electrochemical measurements, and circular dichroism spectroscopy.

Supramolecular Daisy Chains.

Our childhoods may be recalled when a self-complementary cation, endowed with both a dibenzo[24]crown-8 macroring and a secondary dialkylammonium sidearm, self-assembles to form a two-component supramolecular architecture that is reminiscent of a daisy chain (depicted schematically on the right). This daisy-chain-like superarchitecture is stabilized by a combination of [N -H⋅⋅⋅O] hydrogen bonds and aryl-aryl stacking interactions.

A Molecular Chameleon: Chromophoric Sensing by a Self-Complexing Molecular Assembly.

A color change from purple to green takes place on addition of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) to the macrobicyclic receptor 1 , which is composed of a cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) tetracation that shares one of its paraphenylene rings with a 1,5-naphthoparaphenylene-[36]crown-10 macrocycle. The TTF molecule forces the macrobicycle to turn inside out (see schematic drawing below) and displaces the self-complexed 1,5-dioxynaphthalene ring system from the center of the tetracationic cyclophane.

A Chemically and Electrochemically Switchable [2]Catenane Incorporating a Tetrathiafulvalene Unit.

A mechanical switch in a [2]catenane, made up of a cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene) tetracation interlocked with a macrocyclic polyether containing a redox-active tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) unit and a 1,5-dioxynaphthalene ring system, can be thrown either chemically or electrochemically. The neutral TTF unit resides "inside" the tetracationic cyclophane in the reduced state and "alongside" it in the oxidized species (TTF / TTF ). Switching between the reduced (I ) and oxidized state (I (I )) is accompanied by a dramatic color change.

Translational Isomerism in Some Two- and Three-Station [2]Rotaxanes.

The template-directed syntheses of three [2]rotaxanes are described. They all have dumbbell components, with both hydroquinone and resorcinol rings inserted into polyether chains terminated by tetraarylmethane stoppers, that become encircled during the key self-assembly processes by the tetracationic cyclophane, cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene), with its two pi-electron deficient bipyridinium units. It has been demonstrated by low-temperature (1)H NMR spectroscopy that the pi-electron deficient tetracationic cyclophane has a remarkably high preference to reside around the hydroquinone ring in these molecular shuttles.

Recognition of Bipyridinium-Based Derivatives by Hydroquinone- and/or Dioxynaphthalene-Based Macrocyclic Polyethers: From Inclusion Complexes to the Self-Assembly of [2]Catenanes.

A range of pi-electron-rich macrocyclic polyethers incorporating dioxybenzene (hydroquinone) and/or dioxynaphthalene units have been synthesized in good yields by simple two-step procedures. These macrocycles are able to bind bipyridinium-based guests as a result of a series of cooperative noncovalent bonding interactions. These molecular recognition events can be extended to the self-assembly of [2]catenanes incorporating the bipyridinium-based cyclophane, cyclobis(paraquat-p-phenylene), and the macrocyclic polyethers incorporating dioxybenzene and -naphthalene units.

Synthetic Cyclic Oligosaccharides-Syntheses and Structural Properties of a Cyclo[(1 → 4)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-α-D-mannopyranosyl]trioside and -tetraoside.

An efficient polycondensation-cyclization approach to the synthesis of cyclodextrin analogues is demonstrated by the preparation of cyclohexaoside 1 and cyclooctaoside 2. The key intermediate, disaccharide 3, bearing the cyanoethylidene group as a glycosyl donor function and the trityloxy group as a glycosyl acceptor function was prepared in 15 steps starting from L-rhamnose and D-mannose. The crucial cyclooligomerization of the disaccharide monomer 3 was carried out in the presence of TrClO as a promoter with the use of ultra-dry conditions at normal concentrations.