Post-translational modifications in lens proteins are key causal factors in cataract. As the most abundant post-translational modification in the lens, racemization may be closely related to the pathogenesis of cataract. Racemization of αA-crystallin, a crucial structural and heat shock protein in the human lens, could significantly influence its structure and function. In previous studies, ele...

Racemization has a large impact upon the biological properties of molecules but the chemical scope of compounds with known rate constants for racemization in aqueous conditions was hitherto limited. To address this remarkable blind spot, we have measured the kinetics for racemization of 28 compounds using circular dichroism and 1 H NMR spectroscopy. We show that rate constants for racemization ...

The increase in proportion of the non-biological (D-) isomer of aspartic acid (Asp) relative to the L-isomer has been widely used in archaeology and geochemistry as a tool for dating. the method has proved controversial, particularly when used for bones. The non-linear kinetics of Asp racemization have prompted a number of suggestions as to the underlying mechanism(s) and have led to the use of...

The kinetics of racemization of meluadrine tartrate in aqueous solution was investigated by HPLC, over the pH range of 1.2 to 12 at 40, 60 and 80 degrees C. The racemization was followed by measuring both the residual (R)-enantiomer and formed (S)-enantiomer of meluadrine. The pH-racemization rate profile of meluadrine showed a minimum racemization rate constant between pH 4 and 6, and the rate...

In recent reports (I ) the term racemization is used inappropriately. It is stated in both reports that Lisoleucine racemizes to D-alloisoleucine. This reaction is epimerization, not racemization. Racemization of L-iSOleucine results in the formation of DLisoleucine. As stated in Eliel (2): "'racemization is the process of producing a racemic modification starting with one of the pure enantiome...

Racemization of the C-terminal amino acid (Ala) has been studied in various solvents during coupling between 4-methoxybenzyloxycarbonyl (Z(OMe))-Gly-L-Ala-OH and phenylalanine benzyl ester (H-Phe-OBzl) with 4-(4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-thiazin-2-yl)-4-methylmorpholinium chloride (DMT-MM). The reaction occurred without substantial racemization in AcOEt, tetrahydrofuran (THF), N,N-dimethylformamide (DM...

Racemization of aspartic acid (Asp) residues in proteins plays an important role in the molecular biology of aging. In the widely accepted mechanism of the Asp racemization, a succinimide (SI) intermediate is the species which actually undergo the direct racemization. In the present study, a two-water-assisted mechanism of the SI racemization was computationally investigated using a model compo...

1. The tripeptide glycyl-levo-alanyl-glycine in solution of either one or ten equivalents of alkali does not undergo racemization on standing. 2. The dipeptide levo-alanyl-glycine under the conditions given in (1) does not undergo racemization. 3. In ketopiperazines, levo-alanyl-glycine anhydride and in levo-prolyl-glycine anhydride under the influence of dilute alkalies, racemization takes pla...

An efficient deracemization method for conversion of the racemate to desirable (R)-enantiomer Praziquantel has been developed by coupling incompatible racemization and crystallization processes. By a library approach, derivative that crystallizes as conglomerate identified. Racemization occurs via reversible hydrogenation over palladium on carbon (Pd/C) packed column at 130 °C, whereas is achie...

Estimation of age-at-death for skeletonised forensic remains is one of the most significant problems in forensic anthropology. The majority of existing morphological and histological techniques are highly inaccurate, and show a bias towards underestimating the age of older individuals. One technique which has been successful in forensic age estimation is amino acid racemization in dentine. Howe...