No description available.

<p> This thesis describes the ionic strength and ion binding effects on the oxidation reduction properties of cytochrome c and its lysine modified derivatives.</p> <p> Cytochrome c has been modified in two different ways: a complete modification of all lysine residues and specific modification of one lysine residue. Some properties of the modified derivatives are described.</p> <p> Ion binding properties of cytochrome c and its lysine modified derivatives were studied by measuring the apparent equilibrium constant of the reaction between the ferri- form of the protein and potassium ferrocyanide. It was found that unmodified cytochrome c binds one cation (K+, Na+) per molecule, and binding is much stronger to the reduced form of the protein. Binding of cations is not changed upon modification of the lysine residues. For binding of the chloride, there are two binding sites on the cytochrome c molecule, and the binding is much stronger to the oxidized form of the protein. It was shown that upon the modification of the lysine residues in either way the binding of chloride was considerably changed. It was concluded that one of these two binding sites for chloride on cytochrome c involves lysine residue, probably the residue number 13.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Specific ion effects, identified for more than hundred years, play an important role in a wide range of phenomena and applications. Several mechanisms such as direct ion interaction with molecules have been suggested to explain these effects, but quantitative experimental evidence remains scarce. Electrophoretic NMR (eNMR) has been emerging as a very powerful tool for studying molecular association and ionic transport in a variety of systems. Yet its potential in studying specific ion effect has been unexplored. In this thesis, eNMR was in part developed further as an analytical method and was in part used as one of the main techniques to study ions interacting with macromolecules in aqueous and non-aqueous solutions. The complexation of a large group of cations with poly ethylene oxide (PEO) in methanol was studied with eNMR. The binding of monovalent ions was demonstrated not to follow the Hofmeister order; multivalent cations except barium all showed negligible complexation. As a unifying feature, only cations with surface charge density below a threshold value were able to bind suggesting that ion solvation is critical. The binding mechanism was examined in greater detail for K+ and Ba2+ with oligomeric PEO of different chain lengths. Those two cations exhibited different binding mechanisms. K+ was found to bind to PEO by having at least 6 repeating units wrap around it while retaining the polymer flexibility. On the other hand, Ba2+ (and, to some extent, (BaAnion)+) needs a slightly shorter section to bind, but the molecular dynamics at the binding site slow considerably. The binding of anions with poly (N-isopropylacrylamide) in water was quantified at low salt concentration with eNMR and the binding affinity, though very weak, followed the Hofmeister order. This result indicates the non-electrostatic nature of this specific ion effects. The increase of binding strength with salt concentration is well described by a Langmuir isotherm. The specific ion binding to a protein, bovine serum albumin (BSA), was also studied at pH values where BSA has either net positive and negative charges. Our results show that anions have the same binding affinity irrespective of the surface charge while the binding strength of cations is reversed with the change in net surface charge. This indicates different binding mechanisms for cations and anions. The ionization of cellobiose in alkaline solutions was measured quantitatively by eNMR. The results show a two-step deprotonation process with increasing alkaline strength. Supported by results from 1H-13C HSQC NMR and MD simulation, ionization was proposed to be responsible for the improved solubility of cellulose in alkaline solution. eNMR was also used to characterize the effective charge of tetramethylammonium ions in a variety of solvents. In solvents of high polarity, the results agree well with predictions based on Onsager’s limiting law but for nonpolar solvents deviations were found that were attributed to ion pair formation. / <p>QC 20170216</p>

No description available.

In recent years the application of single-molecule techniques to probe biomolecules and intermolecular interactions at single-molecule resolution has expanded rapidly. Here, I investigate a series of peptides and proteins in an attempt to gain a better understanding of nanopore sensing as a single-molecule technique. The analysis of retro, inversed, and retro-inversed isomers of glucagon and α-helical Fmoc-D2A10K2 peptide showed that nanopore sensing utilizing a wild-type α-hemolysin pore can distinguish between all four isomers while circular dichroism can only distinguish between chiral isomers, but not between directional isomers. The investigation of a series of proteins of different chemical and physical properties revealed important information about nanopore analysis of proteins. Contrary to some reports in the literature, all proteins analysed here induced large blockade events. The frequency of total events and the proportion of large blockade events were significantly reduced in tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane or 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine-1-ethanesulfonic acid buffers and were only restored by the addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid or the use of phosphate buffer, both of which can sequester metal ions. Furthermore, the results obtained with the proteins in the presence of ligands demonstrated that transient or partial unfolding of proteins can be detected by nanopore analysis confirming the usefulness of this technique for conformational studies or for protein/ligand interactions. Interestingly, while the blockade current histograms were different for each protein there was no obvious correlation between the properties of the proteins and the blockade current histograms. In an attempt to identify whether the large blockade events were translocation or intercalation, both an indirect and a direct approach were taken. The indirect approach which relies on the effect of voltage on the interaction of the molecule with the pore provided no conclusive answer to the question of protein translocation through the α-hemolysin pore. In contrast, the direct approach in which ribonuclease A is added to the cis side of the pore and then the trans side is tested for enzyme activity showed that ribonuclease A doesn't translocate through the α-hemolysin pore.

Abstract Starch is one of the most abundant polysaccharides found in nature and is widely utilized in various fields of industry. Due to the complex structure of native starch it is insoluble in most organic solvents and needs modification prior utilization. In this study, ionic liquids (ILs), modern green chemistry alternatives for common solvents were used as reaction media in starch modification. At first various starch species were depolymerized in 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM]Cl) with p-TsOH as a catalyst. Microwave activation or conventional bath heating were used as heating methods while HPLC-ELSD was used as an analytical method. All studied starch species depolymerized similarly into water-soluble starch oligomers while microwave activation shortened the depolymerization time considerably compared to oil bath heating. Barley starch was chosen for further experiments, in which various ILs were studied as potential media for starch dissolution and depolymerization. Results suggested that both the anion and the cation part of the IL had an effect on the dissolution and depolymerization of barley starch. After the depolymerization reactions, the depolymerized barley starch was further modified by cationization. [AMIM]Cl was used as the reaction media, microwave activation as the heating method while HPLC-ELSD, 1H NMR and elemental analysis were used as analytical methods. The modified products had DS values from 0.2 to 0.5 depending on the reaction conditions. The products were studied as potential binding agents for heavy metal ions which showed that moderately substituted modified starch (DS 0.4) could be used to bind Cu(II), Fe(III) and Zn(II) ions from an aqueous solution. Finally, potato peel waste was studied as an alternative starch source to produce cationized starch for wastewater purification. Peel waste was pre-treated by alkaline depolymerization after which it was cationized in a water solution to produce cationized products with DS from 0 to 0.35. The cationized peel waste products were studied preliminary as binding agents for Cu(II) ions from a water solution using ICP-OES as an analytical method. The results suggested that when the molar ratio between cationized waste starch and copper was 3:1, cationized waste starch was an effective binding agent for copper ions. / Tiivistelmä Tärkkelys on yksi yleisimmistä luonnossa esiintyvistä polysakkarideista. Sitä hyödynnetään useilla eri teollisuuden aloilla. Monimutkaisen rakenteensa vuoksi tärkkelys on liukenematon useimpiin orgaanisiin liuottimiin ja veteen, minkä vuoksi sitä täytyy modifioida ennen käyttöä. Tässä väitöstutkimuksessa tärkkelyksen modifioinnissa käytettiin ionisia nesteitä reaktioväliaineena. Tutkimuksen alussa eri tärkkelyslajeja depolymeroitiin 1-allyyli-3-metyyli-imidatsoliumkloridissa ([AMIM]Cl) katalyyttinä p-TsOH. Mikroaaltoaktivointia ja haudekuumennusta käytettiin vaihtoehtoisina lämmitysmenetelminä. Reaktion edistymistä ja tuotteiden muodostumista tutkittiin HPLC-ELSD -menetelmällä. Eri tärkkelyslajit depolymeroituivat samankaltaisesti vesiliukoisiksi, lyhytketjuisiksi tärkkelysoligomeereiksi. Mikroaaltoaktivointi lyhensi reaktioaikaa haudekuumennukseen verrattuna. Tutkimuksen seuraavassa vaiheessa tutkittiin ohratärkkelyksen liukoisuutta ja depolymeroitumista eri ionisissa nesteissä. Tulosten perusteella ionisen nesteen sekä anioni- että kationiosa vaikuttivat tärkkelyksen liukenemiseen. Depolymeroidun ohratärkkelyksen modifiointitutkimuksia jatkettiin [AMIM]Cl:ssa kationisoinnilla. Lämmitysmenetelmänä käytettiin mikroaaltoaktivointia. Tuotteet tutkittiin käyttäen alkuaineanalyysiä sekä HPLC-ELSD- että 1H NMR-tekniikoita. Kationisoitujen tuotteiden substituutioaste (DS) vaihteli reaktio-olosuhteista riippuen välillä 0.2–0.5. Saatuja tuotteita tutkittiin raskasmetalli-ionien sitomisessa vesiliuoksesta. Havaittiin, että kohtalaisesti substituoitu (DS 0.4) modifioitu tärkkelys sitoi Cu(II)-, Fe(III)- ja Zn(II)-ioneja vesiliuoksesta. Tutkimuksen loppuosassa tutkittiin perunan kuorijätettä vaihtoehtoisena tärkkelyslähteenä kationisoidun tärkkelyksen valmistamisessa. Kuorijäte esikäsiteltiin kuumentamalla se emäksisessä etanoliliuoksessa, minkä jälkeen sille suoritettiin kationisointi vesiliuoksessa. Kationisten tuotteiden substituutioasteet vaihtelivat välillä 0–0.35. Tuotteiden soveltuvuutta Cu(II)-ionien sitomiseen vesiliuoksesta tutkittiin ICP-OES -menetelmän avulla. Alustavien tulosten mukaan kationisoitu jätetärkkelys sitoi kupari-ioneja vedestä, kun tärkkelyksen ja kuparin moolisuhde oli 3:1.

Zahlreiche Studien belegen, dass Maillard-Reaktionsprodukte (MRP) in vivo einen Einfluss auf den physiologischen Metallionenhaushalt haben können. Da bisher noch keine Korrelation zwischen dem Entstehen von definierten MRP und einem erhöhten Metallionenbindungsvermögen ermittelt werden konnte, war es das Ziel dieser Arbeit, die Komplexbildungseigenschaften der ausgewählten MRP Nε-Carboxymethyllysin, Isomaltol und Maltosin sowie deren Strukturanaloga Maltol, Deferipron, Mimosin und Pyridosin mit den physiologisch relevanten Metallionen Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Al(III) und Mn(II) zu untersuchen. Dazu wurden die MRP Nε-Carboxymethyllysin und Maltosin sowie die parallel untersuchten Substanzen Pyridosin, Maltosin-3-benzylether, Nα-Hippuryl- und Nα-Acetylmaltosin in ausreichender Menge und Reinheit synthetisiert. Dabei gelang es, für Maltosin und Pyridosin neue und effiziente Synthesewege zu entwickeln, bei welchen zum ersten Mal beide Substanzen gezielt aufgebaut wurden. Die Komplexbildungskonstanten der Liganden mit den Metallionen wurden pH-potentiometrisch bestimmt (I[KNO3] = 0,15 M; θ = 25 °C). Durch die Auswertung der Protonierungskonstanten der gebildeten Komplexe und das Vermessen geeigneter Derivate konnten für die untersuchten Komplexe zusätzlich die Koordinationsstellen der Liganden aufgeklärt werden. Die Untersuchungen zu den Komplexbildungseigenschaften bestätigten erstmals die Vermutung, dass MRP in der Lage sind, Metallionen zu binden. Dabei wurde weiterhin ermittelt, dass die Bindung von Cu(II) durch Nε-Carboxymethyllysin und von Fe(III), Al(III) und Cu(II) durch Maltosin durchaus von physiologischer Relevanz sind. Die Bedeutung der Ergebnisse wurde qualitativ durch Versuche mit Maltosin-derivatisiertem Rinderserumalbumin unterstrichen. Als besonderes Ergebnis der Arbeit ist herauszustellen, dass das MRP Maltosin und die Verbindung Pyridosin deutlich stabilere Komplexe mit Fe(III) bilden als das zur Fe(III)-Chelattherapie eingesetzte Medikament Deferipron. Diese festgestellte Eigenschaft bietet interessante Perspektiven für zukünftige Studien zur möglichen Anwendung von z. B. Maltosin als Pharmakon. / Several studies show that Maillard reaction products (MRP) may influence the physiological metal ion balance. But none of these studies prove a correlation between the formation of defined MRP and an enhanced metal ion binding. Therefore it was the aim of this work to investigate the complex formation characteristics of the selected MRP Nε-carboxymethyllysine, isomaltol and maltosine as well as the structural analogues maltol, deferiprone, mimosine and pyridosine with the physiological relevant metal ions Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Al(III) and Mn(II). For that purpose the MRP Nε-carboxymethyllysine and maltosine plus the parallel analysed substances pyridosine, maltosine-3-benzylether, Nα-hippuryl- and Nα-acetylmaltosine were synthesised. Thereby new and efficient syntheses for maltosine and pyridosine were developed. The stability constants of the ligands with the metal ions were determined by pH-potentiometry (I(KNO3) = 0,15 M; θ = 25 °C). Furthermore the donor atoms within the formed complexes were determined by the evaluation of the protonation constants of the formed complexes and by the analysis of adequate derivatives. The studies to the complex formation characteristics confirm for the first time the assumption, that MRP are able to form stable complexes with metal ions. Withal it was ascertained that the coordination of Cu(II) by Nε-carboxymethyllysine and of Fe(III), Al(III) and Cu(II) by maltosine may be of physiological relevance. The significance of the results was pointed out by experiments with maltosine derivatised bovine serum albumine. The fact that the MRP maltosine and the compound pyridosine form more stable complexes with Fe(III) as the medicament for the Fe(III) chelate therapy deferiprone is a particular result of this work. This property affords interesting perspectives for future studies about a possible appliance of e.g. maltosine as pharmaceutical.

Zahlreiche Studien belegen, dass Maillard-Reaktionsprodukte (MRP) in vivo einen Einfluss auf den physiologischen Metallionenhaushalt haben können. Da bisher noch keine Korrelation zwischen dem Entstehen von definierten MRP und einem erhöhten Metallionenbindungsvermögen ermittelt werden konnte, war es das Ziel dieser Arbeit, die Komplexbildungseigenschaften der ausgewählten MRP Nε-Carboxymethyllysin, Isomaltol und Maltosin sowie deren Strukturanaloga Maltol, Deferipron, Mimosin und Pyridosin mit den physiologisch relevanten Metallionen Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Al(III) und Mn(II) zu untersuchen. Dazu wurden die MRP Nε-Carboxymethyllysin und Maltosin sowie die parallel untersuchten Substanzen Pyridosin, Maltosin-3-benzylether, Nα-Hippuryl- und Nα-Acetylmaltosin in ausreichender Menge und Reinheit synthetisiert. Dabei gelang es, für Maltosin und Pyridosin neue und effiziente Synthesewege zu entwickeln, bei welchen zum ersten Mal beide Substanzen gezielt aufgebaut wurden. Die Komplexbildungskonstanten der Liganden mit den Metallionen wurden pH-potentiometrisch bestimmt (I[KNO3] = 0,15 M; θ = 25 °C). Durch die Auswertung der Protonierungskonstanten der gebildeten Komplexe und das Vermessen geeigneter Derivate konnten für die untersuchten Komplexe zusätzlich die Koordinationsstellen der Liganden aufgeklärt werden. Die Untersuchungen zu den Komplexbildungseigenschaften bestätigten erstmals die Vermutung, dass MRP in der Lage sind, Metallionen zu binden. Dabei wurde weiterhin ermittelt, dass die Bindung von Cu(II) durch Nε-Carboxymethyllysin und von Fe(III), Al(III) und Cu(II) durch Maltosin durchaus von physiologischer Relevanz sind. Die Bedeutung der Ergebnisse wurde qualitativ durch Versuche mit Maltosin-derivatisiertem Rinderserumalbumin unterstrichen. Als besonderes Ergebnis der Arbeit ist herauszustellen, dass das MRP Maltosin und die Verbindung Pyridosin deutlich stabilere Komplexe mit Fe(III) bilden als das zur Fe(III)-Chelattherapie eingesetzte Medikament Deferipron. Diese festgestellte Eigenschaft bietet interessante Perspektiven für zukünftige Studien zur möglichen Anwendung von z. B. Maltosin als Pharmakon. / Several studies show that Maillard reaction products (MRP) may influence the physiological metal ion balance. But none of these studies prove a correlation between the formation of defined MRP and an enhanced metal ion binding. Therefore it was the aim of this work to investigate the complex formation characteristics of the selected MRP Nε-carboxymethyllysine, isomaltol and maltosine as well as the structural analogues maltol, deferiprone, mimosine and pyridosine with the physiological relevant metal ions Cu(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Al(III) and Mn(II). For that purpose the MRP Nε-carboxymethyllysine and maltosine plus the parallel analysed substances pyridosine, maltosine-3-benzylether, Nα-hippuryl- and Nα-acetylmaltosine were synthesised. Thereby new and efficient syntheses for maltosine and pyridosine were developed. The stability constants of the ligands with the metal ions were determined by pH-potentiometry (I(KNO3) = 0,15 M; θ = 25 °C). Furthermore the donor atoms within the formed complexes were determined by the evaluation of the protonation constants of the formed complexes and by the analysis of adequate derivatives. The studies to the complex formation characteristics confirm for the first time the assumption, that MRP are able to form stable complexes with metal ions. Withal it was ascertained that the coordination of Cu(II) by Nε-carboxymethyllysine and of Fe(III), Al(III) and Cu(II) by maltosine may be of physiological relevance. The significance of the results was pointed out by experiments with maltosine derivatised bovine serum albumine. The fact that the MRP maltosine and the compound pyridosine form more stable complexes with Fe(III) as the medicament for the Fe(III) chelate therapy deferiprone is a particular result of this work. This property affords interesting perspectives for future studies about a possible appliance of e.g. maltosine as pharmaceutical.