The role of the distal histidine in myoglobin and haemoglobin

The distal E7 histidine in vertebrate myoglobins and haemoglobins has been strongly conserved during evolution and is thought to be important in fine-tuning the ligand affinities of these proteins. A hydrogen bond between the N epsilon proton of the distal histidine and the second oxygen atom may stabilize O2 bound to the haem iron. The proximity of the imidazole side chain to the sixth coordination position, which is required for efficient hydrogen bonding, has been postulated to inhibit sterically the binding of CO and alkyl isocyanides. To test these ideas, engineered mutants of sperm whale myoglobin and the alpha- and beta-subunits of human haemoglobin were prepared in which E7 histidine was replaced by glycine. Removal of the distal imidazole in myoglobin and the alpha-subunits of intact, R-state haemoglobin caused significant changes in the affinity for oxygen, carbon monoxide and methyl isocyanide; in contrast, the His-E7 to Gly substitution produced little or no effect on the rates and extents of O2, CO and methyl isocyanide binding to beta-chains within R-state haemoglobin. In the beta-subunit the distal histidine seems to be less significant in regulating the binding of ligands to the haem iron in the high affinity quaternary conformation. Structural differences in the oxygen binding pockets shown by X-ray crystallographic studies account for the functional differences of these proteins.     

乙二胺四乙酸和乙二胺四亚甲基膦酸清除铁垢性能的量子化学计算

采用密度泛函的B3LYP方法，对所有原子采用DEF2-TZVP基组，以水为溶剂，计算了配合物分子Fe(EDTA)－和Fe(EDTMP)－的几何结构、轨道和空间位阻，分析了二者溶垢能力差异的原因.结果表明:配合物为低自旋态的六配位八面体结构，EDTA与Fe3+的结合能大于EDTMP的；EDTA由于羧基形成离域π键，加强了配位键的电子离域程度，而EDTMP的膦酸基只有σ键，从而使Fe(EDTA)－配位键的共价作用比Fe(EDTMP)－的强；Fe(EDTMP)－中膦酸基之间存在空间位阻效应，也不利于EDTMP与Fe3+的结合.     

Roles of flanking sequences in the binding between unimolecular parallel-stranded G-quadruplexes and ligands

G-quadruplexes attract more and more attention in recent years.Numerous small molecules which can induce or stabilize the formation of G-quadruplexes have been investigated on the purpose of anticancer drug development.As a motif existed in physiological condition,flanking sequences are an important part of G-quadruplexes but the study on the impact of flanking sequences on (G-quadruplex)-ligand binding is rarely reported.In this paper,the effects of flanking sequences on binding affinity between a series of unimolecular parallel-stranded G-quadruplex sequences derived from c-myc oncogene promoter (termed as c-myc G-quadruplexes) and their ligands are discussed in detail.The results showed that the flanking sequences on c-myc G-quadruplexes play key roles in (G-quadruplex)-ligand interaction.When a c-myc G-quadruplex is bound to its ligands,the flanking sequences might form a binding cavity above the terminal G-quartet,which could provide a suitable site for ligands to dock in.Moreover,the bases on flanking sequences could interact with ligand through π-π stacking,and finally form a sandwich-stacking mode (terminal G-quartet,ligand and bases on the flanking sequence).This mode could stabilize the (G-quadruplex)-ligand complex effectively and enhance the binding affinity dramatically.However,flanking sequences are also found to exhibit steric hindrance effect which could impede the (G-quadruplex)-ligand binding.     

Crystallographic analysis of mutant human haemoglobins made in Escherichia coli

The expression of beta-globin in Escherichia coli has enabled us to study the functional role of individual amino-acid residues in haemoglobin (Hb) by site-directed mutagenesis. In contrast to mammalian Hbs, some teleost fish haemoglobins show a drastic lowering of oxygen affinity and cooperativity at low pH, a phenomenon known as the Root effect. We have produced the two mutant haemoglobins Hb Nymphéas [Cys(F9)93 beta----Ser] and Hb Daphne [His(H21)143 beta----Arg, Cys(F9)93 beta----Ser] to investigate this allosteric property. Although these substitutions were thought to be responsible for the Root effect, Hb Nymphéas and Hb Daphne show an increased oxygen affinity and a reduced effect of pH on oxygen affinity. Our X-ray crystallographic studies show that the hydroxyl group of Ser 93 beta forms a hydrogen bond with Asp 94 beta which is in equilibrium with the salt bridge between Asp 94 beta and His 146 beta. The oxygen-binding properties of Hbs Nymphéas and Daphne are accounted for by the partial disruption of the salt bridge.     

取代基位置对钌(Ⅱ)配合物与DNA的作用及荧光性质影响

利用紫外吸收和荧光光谱法研究了不同钌(Ⅱ)配合物[Ru(bpy)2MDHIP]2+(MDHIP=2,4-二羟基-咪唑并[4,5-f]][1,10]邻菲咯啉)和[Ru(bpy)2ODHIP]2+(ODHIP=3,4-二羟基-咪唑并[4,5-f]][1,10]邻菲咯啉)与DNA的作用机制,并研究了这两个配合物与Cu2+的配位情况及配位形成双核配合物后的荧光性质变化.结果表明取代基的位置对配合物与DNA的作用机制及荧光性质等都具有较大影响.配体MDHIP上的2-位OH可以与相邻咪唑环上的N原子形成分子内氢键,增强配合物与DNA的插入作用.但其4-位OH取代基又会产生一定的位阻,使配合物只能以部分插入模式与DNA作用.而配体ODHIP上3-和4-位的两个OH取代基不能与相邻咪唑环上的N原子形成分子内氢键,并会产生更大的空间位阻,使得配合物不能插入到DNA的碱基对中.但ODHIP上的2个OH可以同时与Cu2+配位形成双核配合物,使配合物与DNA的作用模式由沟面结合改为插入结合,配合物的荧光减弱.     

Dendritic tellurides acting as antioxidants

Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) is a mammalian anti- oxidant seleno-enzyme that protects biomembranes and other cellular components from oxidative damage by catalyzing the reduction of a variety of hydroperoxides (ROOH), using glutathione (GSH) as the reduci…     

取代基和配体的负离子效应对(TPFC)Mn(V)O轴向配位作用的影响

采用密度泛函理论(DFT)的BP86方法对系列位取代的锰(Ⅴ)-氧咔咯((TPFC)MnⅤO)配合物与咪唑的轴向配位作用，以及无位取代的(TPFC)MnⅤO与轴向配体4-甲基咪唑和吡咯的轴向配位性质进行理论研究。计算结果显示位取代基吸电子性质和轴向配体负离子效应均能缩短配位键长并增大结合能，显著增强(TPFC)MnⅤO配合物轴向配位作用。通过自然键轨道(NBO)分析发现影响其轴向配位作用的主要因素是轴向配体上氮原子的孤对电子轨道LP(N)与锰原子的孤对电子轨道LP(Mn,4s)和锰氧反键轨道*(MnO)间的二级微扰稳定化能E(2)，取代基吸电子效应和轴向配体负离子效应均能导致E(2)值增大，显著增强(TPFC)MnⅤO的轴向配位作用。     

C-9不同位阻取代小檗碱衍生物的合成及对DNA键合作用的影响

 以小檗碱为原料,合成了小檗碱C-9位不同空间位阻取代的9-乙氧基小檗碱、9-异丙氧基小檗碱,通过MS、¹ H NMR确认其结构。运用紫外可见吸收光谱法和荧光光谱法研究了化合物与CT DNA的结合作用。结果发现,小檗碱C-9位上的不同空间位阻会影响小檗碱衍生物与CT DNA的相互作用,随空间位阻增大结合强度减小,结合模式也发生了变化,初步证明了小檗碱类化合物可能是从环的C-8, 9, 10这一侧与DNA相互作用,用实验验证了Mazzini计算机模拟的结合模型。     

烷基黄原酸及其有关化合物的线性自由能关系

本文根据文献报导的数据,对烷基黄原酸的热力学参数及其对应的几种化合物的若干热力学参数间的关系作了考察,发现烷基黄原酸的PK_a值与下列各参数存在着线性自由能关系:烷基黄原酸本身的标准电极电位E~0(v);烷基黄原酸所对应烷基醇的PK_a值和烷基黄原酸的Zn,C_d络合物的稳定常数。并且从理论上推导了这些关系。支链烷基各常数偏离直线关系,用空间位阻效应作了解释。     

酚类生物降解性的从头算和分子设计

运用ab initio HF方法对甲酚等18种酚类化合物进行几何优化，在此基础上对它们的电子效应、取代基空间位阻效应和最高占有轨道能量(EHOMO)进行了系统的计算，计算结果表明，酚类化合物主要由电子效应和空间效应决定，同时前线轨道能量也反映出其降解难易的大致顺序，结果与实验事实相一致。     

Crystals of haemoglobin with the T quaternary structure bind oxygen noncooperatively with no Bohr effect

The relationship between the structure and function of haemoglobin has mainly been studied by comparing its X-ray crystal structures with its function in solutions. To make a direct comparison we have studied the functional properties of haemoglobin in single crystals, an approach that has been an important part of the investigation of several enzyme mechanisms. Here we report on the oxygen binding by single crystals of human haemoglobin grown in solutions of polyethylene glycol. Unlike haemoglobin crystals formed in concentrated salt solution, which crack and become disordered on oxygenation, crystals grown in polyethylene glycol remain intact. X-ray studies have shown that the T (deoxy) quaternary structure of haemoglobin in this crystal at pH 7.0 is maintained at atmospheric oxygen pressure, and that the salt-bridges are not broken. We find striking differences between oxygen binding by haemoglobin in this crystal and by haemoglobin in solution. Not only is oxygenation of the crystal noncooperative, but the oxygen affinity is independent of pH in the range 6.0-8.5, and is much lower than that of the T state in solution. The lack of cooperativity without a change in quaternary structure is predicted by the two-state allosteric model of Monod, Wyman and Changeux. The absence of a Bohr effect without breakage of salt-bridges is predicted by Perutz's stereochemical mechanism. In contrast to the X-ray result that oxygen binds only to the alpha haems, our measurements show that the alpha haems have only a slightly higher affinity than the beta haems.     

The influence of the metal net charge of non-metallocene early transition metal catalyst on the ethylene polymerization activity

The net charges on central metals of a serial non-metallocene early transition metal catalysts （FI catalyst） with similar steric hindrance were caculated with MM-QEq （molecular mechmism-charge equilibration） method and associated with ethylene polymerization activities of these FI catalyta. It was found that the activity increased with the net charge on metal if ignoring the influence of the steric hindrance. In other words, introduction of strong and/or more electron-withdrewing groups onto the Iigand of FI catalyst would enhance the activity of the catalyst. This conculsion gave a direction to designing new FI catalyst with higher activity.     

Enterotoxin residues determining T-cell receptor V beta binding specificity.

Superantigens such as the staphylococcal enterotoxins bind to major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules and activate T cells through a specific interaction between the V beta region of the T-cell antigen receptor (TCR) and the toxin. The TCR beta-chain alone is sufficient to produce the interaction with the enterotoxin-class II complex. Identification of the regions of enterotoxins that interact with TCR has so far proved equivocal because of difficulties in distinguishing between direct effects on T-cell recognition and indirect effects resulting from alteration of binding to class II. For example, amino-terminal truncations of SEB abrogated T-cell stimulation whereas carboxy-terminal truncation of SEA stopped its mitogenic activity. The most comprehensive study to date, accounting for both enterotoxin binding to class II and enterotoxin interactions with the TCR, identified two functionally important regions for SEB binding to TCR. Although the amino-acid sequences of staphylococcal enterotoxins A and E are 82% identical, they activate T cells bearing different V beta elements. We have assayed the binding of cells coated with these enterotoxins to soluble secreted TCR beta-chain protein and find that V beta 3 binds enterotoxin A but not E, whereas V beta 11 binds enterotoxin but not A. To map the amino-acid residues responsible for these different binding specificities, we prepared a series of hybrids between the two staphylococcal enterotoxins. We report that just two amino-acid residues near the carboxy terminus of the enterotoxins are responsible for the discrimination between these molecules by V beta 3 and V beta 11.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Structural basis for allostery in integrins and binding to fibrinogen-mimetic therapeutics

Integrins are important adhesion receptors in all Metazoa that transmit conformational change bidirectionally across the membrane. Integrin alpha and beta subunits form a head and two long legs in the ectodomain and span the membrane. Here, we define with crystal structures the atomic basis for allosteric regulation of the conformation and affinity for ligand of the integrin ectodomain, and how fibrinogen-mimetic therapeutics bind to platelet integrin alpha(IIb)beta3. Allostery in the beta3 I domain alters three metal binding sites, associated loops and alpha1- and alpha7-helices. Piston-like displacement of the alpha7-helix causes a 62 degrees reorientation between the beta3 I and hybrid domains. Transmission through the rigidly connected plexin/semaphorin/integrin (PSI) domain in the upper beta3 leg causes a 70 A separation between the knees of the alpha and beta legs. Allostery in the head thus disrupts interaction between the legs in a previously described low-affinity bent integrin conformation, and leg extension positions the high-affinity head far above the cell surface.     

纳米二氧化硅表面接枝的X射线光电子能谱研究

在纳米SiO2表面接枝聚缩醛可在粒子表面建立起空间位阻稳定层,提高纳米粒子的分散稳定性,增强纳米粒子与树脂基体的相容性。X射线光电子能谱(XPS)的分析结果表明,经过聚缩醛接枝改性的纳米SiO2的Si2p峰明显降低,结合能减小0．7eV,对C1s峰精细扫描及分峰拟合表明表面碳元素中有66．34％属于接枝物聚缩醛的有机碳,证明纳米SiO2表面形成了良好的修饰层,修饰层以化学键结合于纳米SiO2表面,同时根据XPS和热失重(TG)分析的数据结果,可以推测聚缩醛主要分布在纳米SiO2的表面,而在体相中独立存在的几率较小。     

Was the loss of the D helix in alpha globin a functionally neutral mutation?

Proteins in the globin family are found in a variety of species from bacteria to man. From the many globin sequences known, evolutionary trees have been constructed showing that alpha and beta globins diverged from a common ancestor between 425 and 500 million years ago, after vertebrate species had appeared and roughly when sharks and bony vertebrates diverged. The alpha and beta globins assemble to form tetrameric haemoglobin, alpha 2 beta 2, which can switch between quaternary states having high and low oxygen affinity. This allows the protein to bind oxygen cooperatively and therefore efficiently transport oxygen from the lungs to respiring tissues. The alpha and beta globins have closely related tertiary structures, being alpha-helical proteins with similar haem-binding sites. Most globins consist of eight helices, designated A to H from the N terminus, connected by short nonhelical segments, but all known vertebrate alpha globins lack a D helix. Because the loss of this helix by alpha globin occurred shortly before tetrameric haemoglobin appeared, it might be a functionally important mutation required for a tetramer assembly or allostery. We have now tested this idea by engineering human haemoglobins containing beta subunits without a D helix and alpha subunits with a D helix. Both of these mutations have little effect on the oxygen-binding properties of the molecule. Thus it is possible that deletion of the D helix in the alpha subunit was caused by a neutral mutation.     

A human recombinant haemoglobin designed for use as a blood substitute.

The need to develop a blood substitute is now urgent because of the increasing concern over blood-transmitted viral and bacterial pathogens. Cell-free haemoglobin solutions and human haemoglobin synthesized in Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been investigated as potential oxygen-carrying substitutes for red blood cells. But these haemoglobins cannot be used as a blood substitute because (1) the oxygen affinity in the absence of 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate is too high to allow unloading of enough oxygen in the tissues, and (2) they dissociate into alpha beta dimers that are cleared rapidly by renal filtration, which can result in long-term kidney damage. We have produced a human haemoglobin using an expression vector containing one gene encoding a mutant beta-globin with decreased oxygen affinity and one duplicated, tandemly fused alpha-globin gene. Fusion of the two alpha-globin subunits increases the half-life of this haemoglobin molecule in vivo by preventing its dissociation into alpha beta dimers and therefore also eliminates renal toxicity.     

Genes encoding ligands for deletion of V beta 11 T cells cosegregate with mammary tumour virus genomes.

The T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire is selected in the thymus after rearrangement of genes encoding TCR alpha and beta chains. Selection is based on the recognition by newly emergent T cells of self-ligands associated with molecules of the major histocompatibility complex: some combinations result in positive selection, others in negative selection. Negative selection, or clonal deletion, is an important mechanism for eliminating autoreactive T cells. A group of self-ligands involved in clonal deletion was identified because they, like exogenous superantigens, were recognized by almost all T cells expressing particular TCR V beta genes. V beta 17a T cells are deleted by a tissue-specific ligand; V beta 6, V beta 7, V beta 8.1 and V beta 9 T cells are deleted by the minor lymphocyte-stimulating (Mls) determinant Mls-1a; V beta 3 T cells by Mls-2a and Mls-3a; V beta 11 T cells by ligands encoded by independently segregating genes; and V beta 5 T cells by ligands encoded by two genes. Chromosome mapping using recombinant inbred strains of mice and classic backcrosses show that Mls-1a in DBA/2 mice is encoded on chromosome 1, that one of the two ligand genes for deletion of V beta 5 T cells maps to chromosome 12 and that a ligand gene for V beta 11 deletion is linked to the CD8 locus on chromosome 6. Here we present evidence from three sets of backcross mice for concordance between V beta 11 deletion ligand genes on chromosomes 6, 12 and 14 and endogenous mouse mammary tumour virus integrant (Mtv) genomes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

氯化铒与氨基酸配合物的稳定性研究

用分光光度法测定了稀土铒盐与甘氨酸(Gly,)组氨酸(L-His,)脯氨酸(L-Pro)形成配合物的组成及平衡常数,从而研究了稀土氨基酸配合物的稳定性,并用DFT-B3LYP方法和6-31G(d,p)基组计算了氨基酸中相关原子的净电荷,结果表明,配合物的稳定性主要受配体空间位阻的影响.