New step-growth graft block copolymers were synthesized. These two-sided comb copolymers consisted of a poly(amic ester) (PAE) backbone and pendant poly(propylene oxide) (PPO) grafts. The copolymers were made via a macromonomer approach, in which the 4,6-bischlorocarbonyl isophthalic acid bis[poly(propylene oxide)] ester macromonomer was synthesized through the reaction of hydroxyl-terminated P...

Bacterial formyl-CoA:oxalate CoA-transferase (FCOCT) and oxalyl-CoA decarboxylase work in tandem to perform a proton-consuming decarboxylation that has been suggested to have a role in generalized acid resistance. FCOCT is the product of uctB in the acidophilic acetic acid bacterium Acetobacter aceti. As expected for an acid-resistance factor, UctB remains folded at the low pH values encountere...

Subsequent treatment of H2TPP(CO2H)4 (tetra(p-carboxylic acid phenyl)porphyrin, 1) with an excess of oxalyl chloride and HNR2 afforded H2TPP(C(O)NR2)4 (R = Me, 2; iPr, 3) with yields exceeding 80%. The porphyrins 2 and 3 could be converted to the corresponding metalloporphyrins MTPP(C(O)NR2)4 (R = Me/iPr for M = Zn (2a, 3a); Cu (2b, 3b); Ni (2c, 3c); Co (2d, 3d)) by the addition of 3 equiv of a...

γ-Glutamyltranspeptidases (γ-GTs), ubiquitous in glutathione metabolism for γ-glutamyl transfer/hydrolysis, are N-terminal nucleophile (Ntn)-hydrolase fold proteins that share an autoproteolytic process for self-activation. γ-GT homologues are widely present in Gram-positive actinobacteria where their Ntn-hydrolase activities, however, are not involved in glutathione metabolism. Herein, we demo...

Studies of two different bacterial anion exchange proteins (antiporters) led us to conclude that both reductionist and integrative approaches contribute to progress in understanding membrane biology. We have used a reductionist perspective in applying cysteine scanning mutagenesis to probe individual amino acid positions of UhpT (uptake of hexose phosphate transporter), the carrier responsible ...

Syntheses of non ionic oligodeoxynucleoside phosphoramidates (P-NH2) and mixed phosphoramidate- phosphodiester oligomers were accomplished on automated solid supported DNA synthesizer using both H-phosphonate and phosphoramidite chemistries, in combination with t-butylphenoxyacetyl for N-protection of nucleoside bases, an oxalyl anchored solid support and a final treatment with methanolic ammon...

Hydrazino-pyridazines continue to be an object of interest for improving medicinal drugs for blood pressure control such as hydralazine, which has been used for many years in the treatment of essential hypertension [1-3]. Recently, therapeutic interest in this kind of drug has increased considerably due to their cytotoxic activities, notably decreasing blood flow to tumors [4]. Lately, the synt...

Neurolathyrism is a unique neurodegeneration disease caused by β-N-oxalyl-L-α, β- diaminopropionic (β-ODAP) present in grass pea seed (Lathyrus stativus L.) and its pathogenetic mechanism is unclear. This issue has become a critical restriction to take full advantage of drought-tolerant grass pea as an elite germplasm resource under climate change. We found that, in a human glioma cell line, β-...

The electrochemical oxidation of oxalate at a platinum electrode in acetonitrile solutions as studied by cyclic and rotating-ring disk voltammetry and controlled potential coulometry shows an irreversible two-electron oxidation at ca. 0.3 V vs. SCE to CO2 with no intermediates detectable by these techniques. The oxidation of oxalate in the presence of several fluorescers (such as rubrene, 9, IO...