Evaluation of Effects of Bivalent Cations on the Formation of Purine-rich Triple-Helix DNA by ESI-FT-MS

The GGA triplet repeats are widely dispersed throughout eukaryotic genomes. (GGA)n or (GGT)n oligonucleotides can interact with double-stranded DNA containing (GGA:CCT)n to form triple-stranded DNA. The effects of 8 divalent metal ions (3 alkaline-earth metals and 5 transition metals) on formation of these purine-rich triple-helix DNA were investigated by electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI-FT-MS). In the absence of metal ions, no triplex but single-strand, duplex, and purine homodimer ions were observed in mass spectra. The triple-helix DNA complexes were observed only in the presence of certain divalent ions. The effects of different divalent cations on the formation of purine-rich triplexes were compared. Transition-metal ions, especially Co2+ and Ni2+, significantly boost the formation of triple-helix DNA, whereas alkaline-earth metal ions have no positive effects on triplex formation. In addition, Ba2+ is notably beneficial to the formation of homodimer instead of triplex.

Size-dependent phase transfer of gold nanoparticles from water into toluene by tetraoctylammonium cations: A wholly electrostatic interaction

In this study, it is demonstrated that the tetraoctylammonium cation can be used directly as a phase-transfer reagent of negatively charged water-based gold nanoparticles. The transference is size-dependent and is based on a wholly electrostatic interaction.

Mannose-Escherichia coli interaction in the presence of metal cations studied in vitro by colorimetric polydiacetylene/glycolipid liposomes

Supramolecular assemblies of liposomes (vesicles) made of diacetylenic lipids and synthetic mannoside derivative glycolipid receptors were successfully used to mimic the molecular recognition occurring between mannose and Escherichia coli. This specific molecular recognition was translated into visible blue-to-red color transition (biochromism) of the polymerized liposomes, readily quantified by UV-visible spectroscopy. Some transition metal cations (Cd2+, Ag+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Zn2+ and Ni2+) and alkali earth metal cations (Ca2+, Mg2+ and Ba2+) were introduced into the system to analyze their effects on specific biochromism. Results showed that the presence of Cd2+, Ag+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and Ba2+ enhanced biochromisin. A possible enhancement mechanism was proposed in the process of bacterial adhesion to host cells. However, Cu2+, Fe3+, Zn2+ and Ni2+ exhibited inhibitory effects that cooperated with diacetylene lipid with a carboxylic group and increased the rigidity of the liposomal outer leaflet, blocking changes in the side chain conformation and electrical structure of polydiacetylene polymer during biochromism.

Effect of cations in solution on the oxidation of methanol on the surface of platinum electrode

The effect of metal cations in solution on the oxidation of methanol on the electrode surface of platinum is a neglected aspect to direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). In this paper, a smooth platinum electrode absorbing metal cations as the working electrode was applied to investigate the methanol oxidation with the cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 1.0 mol L-1 H2SO4. From the analysis of experiment, it is found that the cations, Li+, Ce4+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, have some negative effect on the catalytic oxidation of methanol on the surface of platinum. The degree of the effect from different cations was analyzed.

1,1 '-di(tert-butyl)metallocenium cations. The x-ray crystal structures of [M((C5H4Bu)-Bu-t)(2)]PF6 (M = Fe, Co) and [Co((C5H4Bu)-Bu-t)(2)](2)CoCl4

The hexafluorophosphate salts [Fe((C5H4Bu)-Bu-t)(2)]PF6 (1) and [Co((C5H4Bu)-Bu-t)(2)]PF6 (2) crystallize in isotypic structures with centrosymmetric cations which have a staggered (transoid) conformation of the exactly parallel ring Ligands (conformational angle tau = 180 degrees). The tetrachlorocobaltate salt, [CO((C5H4Bu)-Bu-t)(2)](2)CoCl4 (3), contains one almost eclipsed (tau = 140.4 degrees) and one almost staggered (tau = 101.4 degrees) cobaltocenium cation; in both cases, the cyclopentadienyl ring planes are slightly inclined (by alpha = 5.4 degrees and 4.1 degrees, respectively) to give more room to the tert-butyl substituents which are bent away from the metal in all three complexes 1 - 3.

Gas-phase ion-molecule reactions of C-60 and theoretical studies of [C60C2H3O](+) adduct cations

Gas-phase ion-molecule reactions of buckminsterfullerene (C-60) with the acetyl cation CH3-C-+=O (m/z 43) and formylmethyl cation (CH2)-C-+-CH=O (m/z 43, or oxiranyl cation), generated from the self-chemical ionization of acetone and vinyl acetate, respectively, were studied in the ion source of a mass spectrometer. Adduct cations [C60C2H3O](+) (m/z 763) and protonated C-60, [C60H](+) (m/z 721), were observed as the major products. AM1 semiempirical molecular orbital calculations on the possible structures, stabilities and charge locations of the isomers of the adducts [C60C2H3O](+) were carried out at the restricted Hartree-Fock level. The results indicated that the sigma-addition product [C-60-COCH3](+) is the most stable adduct for the reaction of C-60 with CH3-C-+=O rather than that resulting from the [2+2] cycloaddition. The [2+3] cycloadduct and the sigma-adduct [C60CH2CHO](+) might be the most possible coexisting products for the reactions of C-60 with (CH2)-C-+-CH=O or oxiranyl cation. Other [C60C2H3O](+) isomers are also discussed. (C) 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

FORMATION OF [C60C5H5] ADDUCT CATIONS AND THEORETICAL-STUDY OF THE ISOMERS

We study here the reactions between C-60 and planar C5H5+ cations that lead to the formation of [C60C5H5](+) adduct cations in the chemical ionization source of the mass spectrometer. The structures, stabilities and charge locations of some possible isomers of [C60C5H5](+): sigma-adduct, pi-complex, [1,4]- and [1,2]-addition cations, are studied by AM1 semiempirical molecular orbital calculations. We find that the most stable is the sigma-addition cation. Another interesting and stable structure is the pi-complex cation which is bonded by the electrostatic interaction at the inter-ring distance of 1.589 Angstrom with the C-5v symmetry. The C5H5+ cyclopentadienium cation seems to be an ''inverted umbrella'' sitting on a five-membered ring of the C-60 cage.

Theoretical investigation on the adsorption of Ag+ and hydrated Ag+ cations on clean Si(111) surface

In this paper, the adsorption of Ag+ and hydrated Ag+ cations on clean Si(111) surface were investigated by using cluster (Gaussian 03) and periodic (DMol(3)) ab initio calculations. Si(111) surface was described with cluster models (Si14H17 and Si22H21) and a four-silicon layer slab with periodic boundary conditions. The effect of basis set superposition error (BSSE) was taken into account by applying the counterpoise correction. The calculated results indicated that the binding energies between hydrated Ag+ cations and clean Si(111) surface are large, suggesting a strong interaction between hydrated Ag+ cations and the semiconductor surface. With the increase of number, water molecules form hydrogen bond network with one another and only one water molecule binds directly to the Ag+ cation. The Ag+ cation in aqueous solution will safely attach to the clean Si(111) surface.