Effects of mutation on the amyloidogenic propensity of apolipoprotein C-II(60-70) peptide

Using experimental and computational methods we identified the effects of mutation on the structure and dynamics of the amyloidogenic peptide apoC-II(60-70), in monomeric and oligomeric states. Methionine (Met60) substitutions to hydrophilic Gln, hydrophobic Val, and methionine sulfoxide residues were investigated and the results compared with observations of fibril formation by the wild-type, Met60Gln, Met60Val, and oxidised Met60 (oxi-Met) apoC-II(60-70) peptides. ThT fluorescence measurements showed fibril formation by all peptides, however with different kinetics. The wild-type and Met60Val peptides formed fibrils fastest, while oxi-Met and Met60Gln peptides exhibited significantly longer lag phases. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the mutated monomers exhibited structural features consistent with fibril-forming propensity, such as β-hairpin conformation and a hydrophobic core. However, important differences to the wild-type were also noted, such as increased structural flexibility (oxi-Met and Met60Gln systems) and a broader distribution of the aromatic angle orientation, which could contribute to the different fibrillation kinetics observed in these peptides. Our results also showed that the critical nucleus size for fibril formation by apoC-II(60-70) may not be very large, since tetrameric oligomers in anti-parallel configuration were very stable within the 100 ns of simulations. The single-point mutations Met60Val and Met60Gln had no significant effect on the structural stability of the tetramer. The rate of fibril formation by apoC-II(60-70) peptides was generally much faster compared to longer apoC-II(56-76) peptides. Also, the effects of amino acid modifications on the kinetics of peptide fibril formation differ from the effects observed for apoC-II(56-76) and full-length apoC-II, suggesting that additional mechanisms are involved in fibril formation by mature apoC-II.     

Anyons and the Bose-Fermi duality in the finite-temperature thirring model

Solutions to the Thirring model are constructed in the framework of algebraic quantum field theory. Fermionic solutions exist for all positive temperatures only if the coupling constants is $\lambda = \sqrt {2 (2n + 1) \pi } $ , n ∈ ?. These fermions are not equivalent and become canonical fields only forn=1. In the general case, the solutions are anyons. Different anyons (uncountably many) exist in orthogonal spaces and satisfy dynamic equations (of the Heisenberg “Urgleichung” type) characterized by corresponding values of the statistical parameter, which, in turn, is related to the coupling constant λ. The whole Hilbert space becomes nonseparable with a different Urgleichung satisfied in each sector. This feature is absent from any power expansion in λ, which, being related to the statistical parameter, definitely fails and never reveals the true structure of the theory. The correlation functions in the temperature state for canonically dressed fermions coincide with the ones for the bare fields. This is in agreement with the uniqueness of the τ-Kubo-Martin-Schwinger state over the canonical anticommutation relation algebra (τ being the shift automorphism). The α-anyon two-point function is computed and reproduces the previously known result for a scalar field.     

The electrostatic potential at atomic sites as a reactivity index in the hydrogen bond formation

The paper reviews results from computational studies by molecular orbital and density functional theories on several series of hydrogen bonded complexes. These studies aim at quantifying the reactivity of molecules for the complexation process. Excellent linear relationships are found between the electrostatic potential values at the sites of the electron donor and electron accepting atoms and the energy of hydrogen bond formation (ΔE). The series studied are: (a) complexes of R–CHO and R–CN molecules with hydrogen fluoride; (b) complexes of mono-substituted acetylene derivatives with ammonia; (c) (HCN)_n hydrogen bonded cluster for n=2–7. All 22 studied complexes of carbonyl and nitrile compounds with hydrogen fluoride fall in the same dependence between the energy of hydrogen bond formation and the electrostatic potential at the atomic site of the carbonyl oxygen and nitrile nitrogen atoms, with linear regression correlation coefficient r=0.979. In the case of complexes of mono-substituted acetylene and diacetylene derivatives with NH₃, the correlation coefficient for the dependence between the electrostatic potential at the acidic hydrogen atom and ΔE equals 0.996. For the series of hydrogen bonded (HCN)_n clusters, the correlation coefficient for the relationship between the electrostatic potential at the end nitrogen atom and ΔE is r=0.9996. Similarly, the analogous relationship with the electrostatic potential at the end hydrogen atom has a regression coefficient equal to 0.9994. The dependencies found are theoretically substantiated by applying the Morokuma energy decomposition scheme. The results show that the molecular electrostatic potential at atomic sites can be successfully used to predict the ability of molecules to form hydrogen bonds.     

Conformation of some biologically active aromatic ureas

Experimental IR spectroscopic data for the N-H stretching mode frequencies for several types of tri-substituted ureas containing benzyl and/or phenyl substituents as well as theoretical results from B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) computations on selected compounds provide sufficient evidence to determine the conformational state of these molecules. Two types of N-H bands may be found the spectra: (a) A type band due to a classical trans conformation (trans I) of the CONH structure; (b) B type band arising from an alternative trans form (trans II), in which the N-H band is involved in a hydrogen bond like interaction with the aromatic ring at the neighbouring nitrogen atom (benzyl or phenyl substituents). The N-H band of trans ICONH structure is observed at frequencies higher than 3460 cm-1, the actual position depending on weather the non-substituted N-H group is linked to aryl or alkyl substituents. The N-H band of the trans II rotameric structure is observed at 3430-3420 cm-1.     

Mechanism of the aminolysis of methyl benzoate: a computational study

Density functional and ab initio methods were applied in examining the possible mechanistic pathways for the reaction of methyl benzoate with ammonia. Transition state structures and energies were determined for concerted and neutral stepwise mechanisms. The theoretical results show that the two possible pathways have similar activation energies. The general base catalysis of the process was also examined. The predictions reveal that the catalytic process results in considerable energy savings and the most favorable pathway of the reaction is through a general-base-catalyzed neutral stepwise mechanism. The structure and transition vectors of the transition states indicate that the catalytic role of ammonia is realized by facilitating the proton-transfer processes. Comparison of the energetics of the aminolysis for methyl benzoate and methyl formate shows the more favorable process to be that for the aliphatic ester. The differing reactivity of the two esters is explained in terms of the electrostatic potential values at the atoms of the ester functionality.     

Second-quantization picture of the edge currents in the fractional quantum Hall effect

We study the quantum theory of two-dimensional electrons in a magnetic field and an electric field generated by a homogeneous background. The dynamics separates into a microscopic and a macroscopic mode. The latter is a circular Hall current which is described by a chiral quantum field theory. It is shown how in this second-quantized picture a Laughlin-type wave function emerges. Received: 30 January 2001 / Published online: 23 March 2001