Electrochemical surface plasmon resonance detection of enzymatic reaction in bilayer lipid

In this paper, electrochemical surface plasmon resonance (SPR) method was first used to detect enzymatic reaction in bilayer lipid membrane (BLM) based on immobilizing horseradish peroxidase (HRP) in the BLMs supported by the redox polyaniline (PAn) film. By SPR kinetic curve in situ monitoring the redox transformation of PAn film resulted from the reaction between HRP and PAn, the enzymatic reaction of HRP with H2O2, was successfully analyzed by electrochemical SPR spectroscopy.

CNT Templated Regioselective Enzymatic Polymerization of Phenol in Water and Modification of Surface of MWNT Thereby

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are used as templates to synthesize regioselective polymers from enzymatic polymerization of phenol in water. About 90% of total polymeric units in the obtained polymers are the highly thermally stable oxyphenylene units. The polymer-yields are dependent on the quantities of CNTs used. On the basis of MWNT-templated enzymatic polymerization of phenol, covalent attachment of polyphenol chains to the surface of MWNT by way of a linking molecule, hydroquinone, is achieved. This approach supplies a novel way for producing high-performance polymers and for functionalization of the surface of CNT.

Enzymatic degradation of poly(L-lactide) and poly (epsilon-caprolactone) electrospun fibers

Poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) ultrafine fibers were prepared by electrospinning. The influence of cationic and anionic surfactants on their enzymatic degradation behavior was investigated by measuring weight loss, molecular weight, crystallinity, and melting temperature of the fibers as a function of degradation time. Under the catalysis of proteinase K, the PLLA fibers containing the anionic surfactant sodium docecyl sulfate (SDS) exhibited a faster degradation rate than those containing cationic surfactant triethylbenzylammonium chloride (TEBAC), indicating that surface electric charge on the fibers is a critical factor for an enzymatic degradation. Similarly, TEBAC-containing PCL fibers exhibited a 47% weight loss within 8.5 h whereas SDS-containing PCL fibers showed little degradation in the presence of lipase PS. By analyzing the charge status of proteinase K and lipase PS under the experimental conditions, the importance of the surface charges of the fibers and their interactions with the charges on the enzymes were revealed. Consequently, a "two-step" degradation mechanism was proposed: (1) the enzyme approaches the fiber surface; (2) the enzyme initiates hydrolysis of the polymer.

Synthesis and characterization of poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) copolyester by transesterification

To synthesize the copolyester of poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL), the transesterification of PHB and PCL was carried out in the liquid phase with stannous octoate as the catalyzer. The effects of reaction conditions on the transesterification, including catalyzer concentration, reaction temperature, and reaction time, were investigated. The results showed that both rising reaction temperature and increasing reaction time were advantageous to the transesterification. The sequence distribution, thermal behavior, and thermal stability of the copolyesters were investigated by C-13 NMR, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, wide-angle X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The transesterification of PHB and PCL was confirmed to produce the block copolymers. With an increasing PCL content in the copolyesters, the thermal behavior of the copolyesters changed evidently. However, the introduction of PCL segments into PHB chains did not affect its crystalline structure. Moreover, thermal stability of the copolyesters was little improved in air as compared with that of pure PHB.

Study on the transesterification of poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone)

The transesterification of poly(beta-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) and poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) was carried out by using stannous octoate as catalyzer in liquid phase. The effects of reaction conditions on the transesterification, including reaction temperature, reaction time and catalyzer content, were investigated. The sequence distribution, crystallization behavior and thermal stability of PHB-co-PCL copolyesters were studied by C-13-NMR, FTIR, DSC, WAXD and TGA. The results showed that the transesterification of PHB with PCL was confirmed to produce a block copolymer, and enhancing reaction temperature and increasing reaction time were advantageous to the transesterification. With the increase in PCL content in the block copolymer, the crystallization behavior of PHB-co-PCL copolyesters changed evidently. On the other hand, the introduction of PCL segment into PHB chains did not change its crystalline structure; moreover, thermal stability of PHB-co-PCL copolyesters was a little improved in air, comparing with that of pure PHB.

Enzymatic and kinetic properties of selenium-containing catalytic antibody with cGPX activity

Three selenium-containing catalytic antibodies mHB4, mHB5 and mHB7 which acted as mimics of cytosolic glutathione peroxidase(cGPX), were prepared by chemically introducing selenium into monoclonal antibodies HB4, HB5 and HB7. HB4. HB5 and HB7 were raised against a GSH derivative GSH-S-DNP dibenzyl ester, The cGPX activity of mHB4, mHB5, mHB7 were 170, 1 867, 32 U/mu mol, respectively. The cGPX activity of mHB5 was 0, 32 fold of natural rabbit liver cGPX and 1. 51 fold of m4A4. About two atoms of selenium existed in each of mHB5 molecule determined by inductively-coupled plasma/mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), The optimal activity of mHB5 was at between pH 8. 4 and 8, 8, The reaction catalyzed by mHB5 involved a Ping-Pong mechanism. At pH 7. 0 and 37 degreesC, the apparent second-order rate constants for reaction of mHB5 with H2O2 and t-ROOH were as followed: k(+1) (H2O2) = 9. 71 x 10(6) L/(mol min), k(+1)(t-ROOH) = 5. 99 x 10(5) L/(mol.min). Rate accelerations (k(cat)/K-m/k(uncat)) 9. 8 x 10(6) and 3.7 x 10(5) fold those of the uncatalytic reaction were observed.

A heterogeneous catalytic kinetics for enzymatic biodegradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) nanoparticles in aqueous solution

Water insoluble poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) was micronized into narrowly distributed stable nanoparticles. The biodegradation of such PCL nanoparticles in the presence of the enzyme, Lipase PS, was monitored by using laser light scattering because the scattering intensity is directly related to the particle concentration. The PCL and enzyme concentration dependence of the biodegradation rate supports a heterogeneous catalytic kinetics in which we have introduced an additional equilibrium between the inactive and active enzyme/substrate complexes. The initial rate equation derived on the basis of this mechanism was used to successfully explain the influence of surfactant, pH and temperature on the enzymatic biodegradation. Our results confirmed that both the adsorption and the enzymatic catalysis were important for the biodegradation of the PCL nanoparticles. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Enzymatic degradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/poly(DL-lactide) blends in phosphate buffer solution

Blend films of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(DL-lactide) (PDLLA) with 0.5 weight fraction of PCL were prepared by means of solution casting and their degradation behavior was studied in phosphate buffer solution containing Pseudomonas (PS) lipase. Enzymatic degradation of the blend films occurred continuously within the first 6 days and finally stopped when the film weight loss reached 50%, showing that only PCL in the blends degraded under the action of PS lipase in the buffer solution. These results indicate the selectivity of PS lipase on the promotion of degradation for PCL and PDLLA. The thermal properties and morphology of the blend films were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry, wide-angle X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphology resulting from aggregate structures of PCL in the blends was destroyed in the enzymatic degradation process, as observed by SEM. These results confirm again the enzymatic degradation of PCL in the blends in the presence of PS lipase. (C) 1999 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

A novel laser light-scattering study of enzymatic biodegradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) nanoparticles

A successful micronization of water-insoluble poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) into narrowly distributed nanoparticles stable in water has not only enabled us to study the enzymatic biodegradation of PCL in water at 25 degrees C by a combination of static and dynamic laser light scattering (LLS), but also to shorten the biodegradation time by a factor of more than 10(3) compared with using a thin PCL film, i.e. a 1 week conventional experiment becomes a 4 min one. The time-average scattering intensity decreased linearly. It was interesting to find that the decrease of the scattering intensity was not accompanied by a decrease of the average size of the PCL nanoparticles, indicating that the enzyme, Lipase Pseudomonas (PS), ''eats'' the PCL nanoparticles one-by-one, so that the biodegradation rate is determined mainly by the: enzyme concentration. Moreover, we found that using anionic sodium lauryl sulphate instead of cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide as surfactant in the micronization can prevent the biodegradation, suggesting that the biodegradation involves two essential steps: the adsorption of slightly negatively charged Lipase PS onto the PCL nanoparticles and the interaction between Lipase PS and PCL. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Synthesis, structure characterization and transesterification of the complexes of beta-alkoxycarbonylethyltin trichlorides

Thirteen title complexes ROCOCH2CH2SnCl3 . L(R = C(1 similar to 5)alkyl;L = DBSO,HMPA) were synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR,H-1 NMR. The crystal structure of n -PrOCOCH2CH2SnCl3 . DBSO was determined by the X-ray diffraction analysis. The crystal belongs to orthorhombic system,space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with a = 1.062, b = 1.427, c = 1.635nm; Z = 4. The complex exists as a discrete molecule, and the tin atom attains a distorted octahedral geometry via the coordination of intramolecular carbonyl oxygen and the Lewis base donor atom. The transesterification of CH3OCOCH2CH2SnCl3 . L with alcohol was studied, and the intramolecular Lewis acid catalytic mechanism was suggested.

Enzymatic degradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) film in phosphate buffer solution containing lipases

The enzymatic degradation of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) films in phosphate buffer solution containing lipases has been studied by DSC, WAXD and SEM. Three lipases, pseudomonas lipase (PS), porcine pancreatic lipase (PP), and candida cylindracea lipase (AY), were used. The results showed that the degradation of PCL films in phosphate buffer solution containing PP or AY was very slow: no weight loss could be found within 1 week. However, PCL film could degrade rapidly and completely within 4 days in phosphate buffer solution containing PS lipase. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Limited.

Characterizing a monotopic membrane enzyme. Biochemical, enzymatic and crystallization studies on Aquifex aeolicus sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase

Monotopic membrane proteins are membrane proteins that interact with only one leaflet of the lipid bilayer and do not possess transmembrane spanning segments. They are endowed with important physiological functions but until now only few of them have been studied. Here we present a detailed biochemical, enzymatic and crystallographic characterization of the monotopic membrane protein sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase. Sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase is a ubiquitous enzyme involved in sulfide detoxification, in sulfide-dependent respiration and photosynthesis, and in heavy metal tolerance. It may also play a crucial role in mammals, including humans, because sulfide acts as a neurotransmitter in these organisms. We isolated and purified sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase from the native membranes of the hyperthermophilic bacterium Aquifex aeolicus. We studied the pure and solubilized enzyme by denaturing and non-denaturing polyacrylamide electrophoresis, size-exclusion chromatography, cross-linking, analytical ultracentrifugation, visible and ultraviolet spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and electron microscopy. Additionally, we report the characterization of its enzymatic activity before and after crystallization. Finally, we discuss the crystallization of sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase in respect to its membrane topology and we propose a classification of monotopic membrane protein crystal lattices. Our data support and complement an earlier description of the three-dimensional structure of A. aeolicus sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (M. Marcia, U. Ermler, G. Peng, H. Michel, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 106 (2009) 9625-9630) and may serve as a reference for further studies on monotopic membrane proteins. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.