Orientador: Anita Jocelyne Marsaioli / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Quimica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-06T15:53:09Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Chen_LuShi_D.pdf: 1749829 bytes, checksum: aa7f95ee1b7db09369cb88541ee02c93 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / Doutorado / Quimica Organica / Doutor em Ciências

Enantioselective reactions are one of the ways to produce pure chiral compounds. Understanding the basis of this selectivity makes it possible to guide enzyme design towards more efficient catalysts. One approach to study enzymes involved in chiral chemistry is through the use of computational models that are able to simulate the chemical reaction taking place. The potato epoxide hydrolase is one enzyme that is known to be both highly enantioselective, while still being robust upon mutation of residues to change substrate scope. The enzyme was used to investigate the epoxide hydrolysis mechanism for a number of different substrates, using the EVB approach to the reaction both in solution and in several enzyme variants. In addition to this, work has been performed on new ways of performing simulations of divalent transition metals, as well as development of new simulation software.

Orientador: Luciana Gonzaga de Oliveira / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-22T05:28:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rampasio_RaquelRodrigues_M.pdf: 2052024 bytes, checksum: 07f4cd2fcba87af264e6efceab06d527 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: Epóxidos enantiopuros e dióis vicinais têm sido utilizados na síntese de inúeras moléculas bioativas. Dessa forma, as epóxido-hidrolases microbianas capazes de hidrolisar enantioseletivamente epóxidos racêmicos emergiram como uma alternativa promissora na obtenção destes compostos. Recentemente, a linhagem P. stipitis CCT 2617 foi selecionada por apresentar atividade hidrolítica frente a epóxidos terminais e teve seu genoma completo publicado. Assim, esta levedura foi selecionada para o trabalho de clonagem e expressão de sua epóxido hidrolase. Neste trabalho, a clonagem do gene SEH1, que codifica para a epóxido hidrolase de P. stipitis, foi efetuada com sucesso em P. pastoris, tanto no vetor pPICZa A, quanto no vetor pPICZ B. A clonagem da proteína com a cauda de histidina deve auxiliar na detecção da expressão. A detecção de uma banda, referente a uma proteína de 46 kDa, no gel de eletroforese foi um indício de que a expressão da enzima SEH (contendo o fator a) ocorreu, porém, não conseguimos reproduzir este resultado posteriormente. Além disso, buscamos melhores alternativas para a detecção da atividade enzimática, como o teste de adrenalina e o ensaio baseado em substrato fluorogênico, que devem ser aperfeiçoados para a utilização com células íntegras. A modelagem computacional da estrutura tridimensional da PSEH resultou em um modelo contendo 40% de hélices a e 12% de folhas b. Determinamos que os resíduos que devem fazer parte do sítio ativo são Tyr319, Asp209, Asp352 e His383 e, tendo em vista que a PSEH deve se apresentar na forma de um homodímero com sítio ativo similar ao das EHs de P. aeruginosa, A. radiobacter e A. niger, nossa hipótese é que esta enzima deve hidrolisar epóxidos pouco volumosos e aromáticos com algum nível de enantiosseletividade / Abstract: Enantiopure epoxides and vicinal diols have been used to prepare a number of bioactive molecules. Thus, the microbial epoxide hydrolases able to enantioselectivity hydrolyze racemic epoxides emerged as a promising alternative in the synthesis of these compounds. Recently, the P. stipitis CCT2617 strain was selected due to the presence of hydrolytic activity against terminal epoxides and had its genome completely described. Therefore, this yeast was selected for cloning and expression of the gene SEH1, which was annoted as epoxide hydrolase. In this work, the cloning of SEH1 gene, codifying for the epoxide hydrolase of P. stipitis, was done with success in P. pastoris, both in pPICZa A and pPICZ B vectors. The cloning of the protein with a histidine tag should help in the detection of expression. The detection of a protein with 46 kDa evidenced that the expression of SEH enzyme (containing the a factor) is occurring, however, this result was not reproducible due to the sample degradation. Furthermore, better alternatives for the detection of enzyme activity were performed, as adrenaline test and fluorogenic assay, which must be optimized for application with whole cells. The 3D structure computational modeling of PSEH resulted in a model that contains 40% of a helices and 12% of b sheets. Our hypothesis is that the residues that make part of the active site are Tyr319, Asp209, Asp352 and His 383. And, considering that the PSEH should be in the homodimeric form with an active site similar to that of the EHs of P. aeruginosa, A. radiobacter and A. niger, this enzyme should hydrolyze small and aromatic epoxides probably with some enantioselectivity / Mestrado / Quimica Organica / Mestre em Química

Orientador: Anita Jocelyne Marsaioli / Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Química / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-27T18:00:04Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Costa_BrunaZucolotoda_D.pdf: 6212345 bytes, checksum: ec8b84a214cbc377e0f9f13d33ddc561 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2011 / Resumo: Os processos biocatalíticos foram abordados nesta tese de doutorado deste a triagem de micro-organismos para a seleção de biocatalisadores adequados até o uso de enzimas isoladas em reações de interesse biotecnológico. O primeiro capítulo apresenta o isolamento, identificação e a triagem enzimática de bactérias heterotróficas isoladas de rejeitos de mineração de cobre. A partir destas amostras foi possível isolar 189 bactérias, as quais apresentaram uma diversificada atuação catalítica. As bactérias isoladas foram identificadas por MALDI-TOF e por sequenciamento do gene RNAr 16S sendo encontrados diversos gêneros como Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Delftia, Stenotrophomonas, Hydrogenophaga, Rhodococcus, entre outros. O segundo capítulo apresenta o estudo do potencial catalítico de uma nova epóxido hidrolase de Aspergillus brasiliensis CCT1435, recombinante e expressa em E. coli. Esta EH é ativa em uma ampla faixa de pH e temperatura, apresentando um desempenho ótimo em pH 6,0 e 30 °C. Este trabalho ainda permitiu uma avaliação detalhada da aplicação biocatalítica desta EH na hidrólise do óxido de estireno em meio aquoso e bifásico. Por fim, o terceiro capítulo apresenta resultados preliminares envolvendo um processo quimio-enzimático para a produção de alcalóides pirrolidínicos a partir das respectivas 1,4-dicetonas. Esta metodologia é promissora uma vez que diversas 1,4-dicetonas foram convertidas nas suas respectivas iminas cíclicas, sendo que a subsequente etapa de redução com NaBH3CN promoveu a formação das pirrolidinas de interesse. Portanto, esta tese de doutorado apresenta um estudo amplo e diversificado envolvendo processos biocatalíticos aplicados em uma série de reações de interesse biotecnológico / Abstract: Biocatalytic processes have been addressed in this thesis from the microorganism screening for the selection of suitable biocatalysts to the use of isolated enzymes in biotechnological reactions. The first chapter presents the isolation, identification and enzymatic screening of heterotrophic bacteria isolated from copper mine drainages. From these samples, 189 bacteria were isolated, which showed diverse catalytic activities. The isolated bacteria were identified by MALDI-TOF and 16S rRNA gene sequencing and several genera were found: Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Delftia, Stenotrophomonas, Hydrogenophaga, Rhodococcus, among others. The second chapter presents the catalytic potential of a new epoxide hydrolase from Aspergillus brasiliensis CCT1435 (AbEH), recombinant and expressed in E. coli. This EH is active in a wide pH and temperature range, with a great performance at pH 6.0 and 30 °C. This work also presents the AbEH biocatalytic application for the styrene oxide hydrolysis in aqueous and biphasic media. Finally, the third chapter presents preliminary results involving a chemo-enzymatic method for the production of pyrrolidine alkaloids from the corresponding 1,4-diketones. This approach is promising since several 1,4-diketones were converted to their respective cyclic imines, and the subsequent reduction with NaBH3CN promoted the pyrrolidines formation. Therefore, this thesis presents a broad and diverse study of biocatalytic processes applied in a number of interesting biotechnological reactions / Doutorado / Quimica Organica / Doutora em Ciências

The dissertation thesis submitted deals with the study of dielectric properties of epoxy nanocomposites containing nanoparticles of inorganic oxides. These nanocomposites may have a promising technologic application for electric insulations in view of their higher resistance against partial discharges; yet information about their behavior in the course of ageing is not available. If at least a partial mass replacement of the currently used epoxy insulation with nanocomposite-based insulations is due to occur, the knowledge of the changes of their dielectric properties in the course of their operation will become indispensable. Within the framework of this dissertation, ensembles of samples of epoxy resins without fillers and with Al2O3, WO3, TiO2 and SiO2 fillers in the form of nanopowders, in concentrations up to 12 wt %, have been prepared. These ensembles have been measured prior to ageing and exposed to long-time (up to 5000 hours) ageing at increased temperatures 200, 250 and 300 °C and in a few cases also at 330 and 360 °C. Samples were measured in the course of ageing roughly in a logarithmic time series after 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 hours. The measured quantities included complex permittivity , internal resistivity i and loss factor tan at temperatures ranging from -153 °C to +167 °C and in the frequency range 10-2 – 106 Hz. Changes in nanocomposites have been investigated using not just dielectric spectroscopy measurements, but other methods, too, namely Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The experiments have proved that materials with different fillers respond to the same concentrations of various fillers in different ways. The addition of nanoparticles, without the addition of microparticles, at a relatively low concentration (max 12 wt %), was not sufficient for reaching fundamental changes in dielectric spectrum; only smaller changes of dielectric strength and shifts of relaxations and in relaxation maps have occurred. Out of more pronounced changes, increase of concentration of the SiO2 filler in the epoxy matrix brings about a decrease of electrical conductivity in the resulting nanocomposite. The TiO2 filler had a different impact. Different TiO2 concentrations make their marked appearance in the region between the relaxation and relaxation. The TiO2-filled nanocomposites do not exhibit the unambiguous dependence of electrical conductivity on nanofiller concentration. It can be concluded that the mere addition of nanoparticles, without the addition of established microparticles, does not change the dielectric spectrum substantially. Generally, a serious problem was the production of the nanocomposite with a uniform distribution of nanoparticles. The preparation of such a nanocomposite was not trivial and, in industrial applications, this issue will require a specific focus, so as to avoid the formation of undesirable aggregates. Within the framework of this research, a methodology for the production of an epoxy nanocomposite has been developed with as high as possible uniformity of nanoparticle distribution.

Female offspring of Sprague-Dawley rats fed a high-salt diet (HS) during pregnancy show an enhancement of mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) response to acute stress in adulthood compared to offspring whose mothers were fed a normal-salt diet (NS) [1]. In the present study, we first examined the expression of soluble epoxide hydrolase (SEH) protein in brain tissue. Whole brains were collected and SEH gene (EPHX2) mRNA and SEH protein expression were analyzed using RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. mRNA levels were relatively decreased in high-salt rats (1.0 ± 0.32 NS vs 0.39 ± 0.07 HS, n=6). However, the relative expression of SEH protein was significantly increased in HS rats (0.97 ± 0.06 NS vs. 1.72 ± 0.32 HS, n=10). SEH is an enzyme that inactivates epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), which can increase the level of oxygen free radical production and potentially produce an increase in blood pressure. Tempol, a free radical scavenger, was administered ntracerebroventricularly to HS (n=12) and NS (n=11) offspring to determine if the stressinduces cardiovascular hyperresponsiveness could be reversed. We were unable to conclusively show that this was the case. Hence, the expression of SEH protein in the brains of HS offspring was increased, but a role, if any, for this change in explaining the exaggerated response to acute stress remains elusive. Second, the expression of the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene was investigated. We focused on the methylation patterns of the exon 17 GR promoter and 17 CpG dinucleotide sites that include the NGFI-A transcription factor binding site. Female rats (HS n=8, NS n=8) were sacrificed and brains were immediately extracted. Tissue from the pituitary, hypothalamus, and hippocampus was removed and DNA was extracted from each of these areas. CT conversion was performed on the DNA samples followed by cloning and sequencing. Methylation patterns between HS and NS in the pituitary, hypothalamus, and hippocampus did not vary. RT-PCR and Western blot were performed to investigate differences in the levels of GR transcription and/or translation. There were no significant differences found. However, the trends found may suggest different levels of GR mRNA and protein between HS and NS female rats. DNA methylation may play a role in the regulation of GR in prenatal high-salt female offspring. Additional studies will be needed to pinpoint the mechanisms responsible for the exaggerated cardiovascular response to acute stress in HS offspring.

Genom ringöppningssampolymerisation av utvalda epoxider och anhydrider möjliggjordes en enkel strategi för att syntetisera funktionella sampolymerer. Sampolymererna hade förmågan att bilda tvärbundna material, och var dessutom benägna för både hydrolytisk och enzymatisk nedbrytning. Användning av organokatalysatorn PPNCl gjorde det möjligt att bilda sampolymerer genom alternerande ringöppning av epoxider och anhydrider. Utbytet var högt, och polymererna nådde molekylvikter i intervallet 0,7–7,6 kg mol-1. De omättade bindningarna i sampolymerernas sidokedjor gav dem förmågan att bilda tvärbundna nätverk. Graden av tvärbindning dikterades av sampolymerernas molekylära struktur och molekylvikt. De termiska egenskaperna hos sampolymererna reglerades genom att variera anhydriden, där strukturella skillnader mellan de valda anhydriderna hade en inverkan Tg och T5%. Tvärbindningsreaktionen resulterade i en ökning av både Tg och T5% i förhållande till de ursprungliga linjära sampolymererna. De klyvbara estergrupperna i sampolymerkedjorna gjorde det möjligt för sampolymererna att genomgå både hydrolytisk och enzymatisk nedbrytning. De nedbrutna sampolymererna påvisade en förändring i molekylvikt och dispersitet, samt en ökad viktminskning. De nedbrutna tvärbundna materialen visade på större svällning och lägre gelinnehåll än de initiala värdena före nedbrytning. Dessa resultat ger en ökad förståelse kring hur strukturen hos epoxid/anhydrid-baserade sampolyestrar påverkar deras egenskaper, så som förmågan att bilda tvärbundna material samt deras nedbrytbarhet. Förhoppningen är att denna studie ska gynna utvecklingen av nya material inom denna klass av polyestrar, och vara till hjälp för att förutse deras potentiella tillämpningar. / The ring-opening copolymerization of selected epoxides and anhydrides enabled a simple strategy to synthesize functional copolymers with the ability to form crosslinked materials and prone to hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation pathways. The synthesis utilized PPNCl as an organocatalyst and allowed the formation of copolymer chains by alternating ring-opening of epoxides and anhydrides in high yield and molar mass in the range of 0.7-7.6 kg mol-1. The pendant unsaturated bonds in the copolymer chains endowed the copolymers with the ability to form crosslinking networks. The degree of crosslinking was dictated by the molecular structure and molar mass of the copolymers. The thermal properties of the copolymers were regulated by varying the anhydrides, the difference in the structure of each anhydride influence the Tg and T5%. Crosslinking reaction indeed increased the Tg and T5% from the native copolymers. The presence of ester as cleavable groups in the copolymer chains allowed the copolymers to undergo hydrolytic and enzymatic degradation. The degraded copolymers showed a change in molar mass and dispersity and increased mass loss. The degraded crosslinked materials showed higher swelling ratio and lower gel content than the initial values before degradation. These results deliver a better understanding of the structure-property relationships, the ability to form crosslinked materials, and the degradation behavior of epoxides/anhydrides-based copolyesters. They should favor the design of new materials belonging to this class of polyesters and to envisage their potential applications.

Fem metoder har använts för att modifiera barrvedslignin med syftet att öka reaktiviteten av ligninet mot epoxidgrupper. Ligninprover analyserades med NMR och FTIR medan reaktivitet var mätt genom reometri. Metoder som ökade mängden karboxylsyragrupper på ligninet minskade ligninets reaktivitet. Modifikation av lignin med resorcinol minskade reaktiviteten medan modifikation med fenol ökade reaktivitet mot epoxidgrupper. / Five different methods were used to modify softwood kraft lignin with the goal of increasing the reactivity of lignin towards epoxide groups. Lignin samples were characterized with NMR and FTIR while reactivity was measured through rheometry. Methods that increased carboxylic acid content in lignin decreased reactivity. Lignin modification with resorcinol decreased reactivity while lignin modified with phenol increased reactivity.

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