Production, crystallization and X-ray characterization of chemically glycosylated hen egg-white lysozyme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

López-Jaramillo, F. J.; Pérez-Banderas, F.; Hernández-Mateo, F.; Santoyo-González, F.

2005-01-01

The feasibility of glycosylation post-purification has been demonstrated by introducing glucose into the model protein lysozyme via a novel reaction that is compatible with biological samples. The crystallization of glycoproteins is one of the challenges to be confronted by the crystallographic community in the frame of what is known as glycobiology. The state of the art for the crystallization of glycoproteins is not promising and removal of the carbohydrate chains is generally suggested since they are flexible and a source of heterogeneity. In this paper, the feasibility of introducing glucose into the model protein hen egg-white lysozyme via a post-purification glycosylation reaction that may turn any protein into a model glycoprotein whose carbohydrate fraction can be manipulated is demonstrated

Cross-linked lysozyme crystal templated synthesis of Au nanoparticles as high-performance recyclable catalysts

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liang Miao; Liu Xia; Qi Wei; Su Rongxin; Huang Renliang; Yu Yanjun; He Zhimin; Wang Libing

2013-01-01

Bio-nanomaterials fabricated using a bioinspired templating technique represent a novel class of composite materials with diverse applications in biomedical, electronic devices, drug delivery, and catalysis. In this study, Au nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesized within the solvent channels of cross-linked lysozyme crystals (CLLCs) in situ without the introduction of extra chemical reagents or physical treatments. The as-prepared AuNPs-in-protein crystal hybrid materials are characterized by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analyses. Small AuNPs with narrow size distribution reveal the restriction effects of the porous structure in the lysozyme crystals. These composite materials are proven to be active heterogeneous catalysts for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol. These catalysts can be easily recovered and reused at least 20 times because of the physical stability and macro-dimension of CLLCs. This work is the first to use CLLCs as a solid biotemplate for the preparation of recyclable high-performance catalysts. (paper)

Crystallization and preliminary x-ray structure analysis of the egg-white lysozyme from a Taiwanese Soft-Shelled Turtle (Tri onyx Sinensis Wiegmann)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siritapetawee, Jaruwan; Thammasirirak, Sompong; Yuvaniyama, Jirudon

2005-10-01

Lysozyme has been purified from the egg-white of a Taiwanese soft-shelled turtle. This soft-shelled turtle ' s egg-white lysozyme migrated on 12.5% SDS-PAGE at about 14.8 kDa. The lysozyme has been crystallized using the sitting drop vapor diffusion technique and 30% (w/v) polyethylene glycol 8000 in 0.1 M sodium cacodylate, p H 6.5 containing 0.2 M ammonium sulfate as a precipitant. One of the crystals diffracted X rays beyond 2 angstrom unit resolution and belonged to the orthorhombic, space group P212121, with unit cell dimensions of a = 37.8 angstrom unit, b = 55.6 angstrom unit, and c 72.2 angstrom unit and one molecule of the enzyme per asymmetric unit. The data were collected to 1.9 angstrom resolution with an R merge of 4.6%, suitable for high resolution structure analysis. The single-crystal X-ray structure of lysozyme has been initially phased with the Molecular Replacement technique using pheasant egg-white lysozyme (PDB ID 1GHL) as a search template. Model rebuilding and refinement are in progress

Disorder in Protein Crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Clarage, James Braun, II

1990-01-01

Methods have been developed for analyzing the diffuse x-ray scattering in the halos about a crystal's Bragg reflections as a means of determining correlations in atomic displacements in protein crystals. The diffuse intensity distribution for rhombohedral insulin, tetragonal lysozyme, and triclinic lysozyme crystals was best simulated in terms of exponential displacement correlation functions. About 90% of the disorder can be accounted for by internal movements correlated with a decay distance of about 6A; the remaining 10% corresponds to intermolecular movements that decay in a distance the order of size of the protein molecule. The results demonstrate that protein crystals fit into neither the Einstein nor the Debye paradigms for thermally fluctuating crystalline solids. Unlike the Einstein model, there are correlations in the atomic displacements, but these correlations decay more steeply with distance than predicted by the Debye-Waller model for an elastic solid. The observed displacement correlations are liquid -like in the sense that they decay exponentially with the distance between atoms, just as positional correlations in a liquid. This liquid-like disorder is similar to the disorder observed in 2-D crystals of polystyrene latex spheres, and similar systems where repulsive interactions dominate; hence, these colloidal crystals appear to provide a better analogy for the dynamics of protein crystals than perfectly elastic lattices.

Amino acids and glycine ethyl ester as new crystallization reagents for lysozyme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Len; Shiraki, Kentaro; Yamaguchi, Hiroshi

2010-01-01

During the past two decades, amino acids and amino-acid derivatives have been applied in various fields of protein chemistry. The potential use of amino acids and their derivatives as new precipitating agents is described. Several amino acids and their derivatives are prominent additives in the field of protein chemistry. This study reports the use of charged amino acids and glycine ethyl ester as precipitants in protein crystallization, using hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) as a model. A discussion of the crystallization of HEWL using these reagents as precipitating agents is given

Transition to collapsed tetragonal phase in CaFe2As2 single crystals as seen by 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Bud'ko, Sergey L.; Ma, Xiaoming; Tomić, Milan; Ran, Sheng; Valentí, Roser; Canfield, Paul C.

2016-01-01

Temperature dependent measurements of 57Fe Mössbauer spectra on CaFe2As2 single crystals in the tetragonal and collapsed tetragonal phases are reported. Clear features in the temperature dependencies of the isomer shift, relative spectra area, and quadrupole splitting are observed at the transition from the tetragonal to the collapsed tetragonal phase. From the temperature dependent isomer shift and spectral area data, an average stiffening of the phonon modes in the collapsed tetragonal phase is inferred. The quadrupole splitting increases by ˜25 % on cooling from room temperature to ˜100 K in the tetragonal phase and is only weakly temperature dependent at low temperatures in the collapsed tetragonal phase, in agreement with the anisotropic thermal expansion in this material. In order to gain microscopic insight about these measurements, we perform ab initio density functional theory calculations of the electric field gradient and the electron density of CaFe2As2 in both phases. By comparing the experimental data with the calculations we are able to fully characterize the crystal structure of the samples in the collapsed-tetragonal phase through determination of the As z coordinate. Based on the obtained temperature dependent structural data we are able to propose charge saturation of the Fe-As bond region as the mechanism behind the stabilization of the collapsed-tetragonal phase at ambient pressure.

Crystal structure and properties of tetragonal EuAg4In8 grown by metal flux technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Subbarao, Udumula; Sarkar, Sumanta; Peter, Sebastian C.

2015-01-01

The compound EuAg 4 In 8 has been obtained as single crystals in high yield from reactions run in liquid indium. X-ray diffraction on single crystals suggests that EuAg 4 In 8 crystallizes in the CeMn 4 Al 8 structure type, tetragonal space group I4/mmm with lattice constants a=b=9.7937(2) Å and c=5.7492(2) Å. Crystal structure of EuAg 4 In 8 is composed of pseudo Frank–Kasper cages occupied by one europium atom in each ring, which are shared through the corner along the ab plane resulting in a three dimensional network. The magnetic susceptibility of EuAg 4 In 8 was measured in the temperature range 2–300 K, which obeyed Curie–Weiss law above 50 K. Magnetic moment value calculated from the fitting indicates the presence of divalent europium, which was confirmed by X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy. Electrical resistivity measurements suggest that EuAg 4 In 8 is metallic in nature with a probable Fermi liquid behavior at low temperature. - Graphical abstract: The tetragonal EuAg 4 In 8 has been grown as single crystals from reactions run in liquid indium. Magnetic and XANES measurements suggest divalent nature of Eu and resistivity measurements suggest metallic nature. - Highlights: • EuAg 4 In 8 phase having tetragonal phase is grown by metal flux technique. • Magnetic and XANES measurements exhibit divalent nature of Eu in EuAg 4 In 8 . • Resistivity measurement suggests metallic nature and probable Fermi liquid behavior

Stress-induced martensitic transformation and ferroelastic deformation adjacent microhardness indents in tetragonal zirconia single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chien, F.R.; Ubic, F.J.; Prakash, V.; Heuer, A.H.

1998-01-01

The stress-induced tetragonal to monoclinic (t → m) martensitic transformation, stress-induced ferroelastic domain switching, and dislocation slip were induced by Vickers microindentation at elevated temperatures in polydomain single crystals of 3 mol%-Y 2 O 3 -stabilized tetragonal ZrO 2 single crystals (3Y-TZS). Chemical etching revealed traces along t directions adjacent to indentations, and Raman spectroscopy and TEM have shown that these traces are caused by products of the martensitic transformation, i.e. the monoclinic product phase forms primarily as thin, long plates with a habit plane approximately on (bar 301) m . This habit plane and the associated shear strain arising from the transformation, visible in TEM micrographs at the intersection of crystallographically equivalent martensite plates, were successfully predicted using the observed lattice correspondence and the phenomenological invariant plane strain theory of martensitic transformations. The extent of the martensitic transformation increased with increasing temperature from room temperature up to 300 C, but then decreased at higher temperatures. Ferroelastic deformation of tetragonal ZrO 2 has been observed at all temperatures up to 1,000 C. At the highest temperature, only ferroelastic domain switching and dislocation slip occurred during indentation-induced deformation

Crystal Growth of High-Quality Protein Crystals under the Presence of an Alternant Electric Field in Pulse-Wave Mode, and a Strong Magnetic Field with Radio Frequency Pulses Characterized by X-ray Diffraction

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adela Rodríguez-Romero

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The first part of this research was devoted to investigating the effect of alternate current (AC using four different types of wave modes (pulse-wave at 2 Hz on the crystal growth of lysozyme in solution. The best results, in terms of size and crystal quality, were obtained when protein crystals were grown under the influence of electric fields in a very specific wave mode (“breathing” wave, giving the highest resolution up to 1.34 Å in X-ray diffraction analysis compared with controls and with those crystals grown in gel. In the second part, we evaluated the effect of a strong magnetic field of 16.5 Tesla combined with radiofrequency pulses of 0.43 μs on the crystal growth in gels of tetragonal hen egg white (HEW lysozyme. The lysozyme crystals grown, both in solution applying breathing-wave and in gel under the influence of this strong magnetic field with pulses of radio frequencies, produced the larger-in-size crystals and the highest resolution structures. Data processing and refinement statistics are very good in terms of the resolution, mosaicity and Wilson B factor obtained for each crystal. Besides, electron density maps show well-defined and distinctly separated atoms at several selected tryptophan residues for the crystal grown using the “breathing wave pulses”.

The Anti-sigma Factor RsiV Is a Bacterial Receptor for Lysozyme: Co-crystal Structure Determination and Demonstration That Binding of Lysozyme to RsiV Is Required for σV Activation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jessica L Hastie

2016-09-01

Full Text Available σ factors provide RNA polymerase with promoter specificity in bacteria. Some σ factors require activation in order to interact with RNA polymerase and transcribe target genes. The Extra-Cytoplasmic Function (ECF σ factor, σV, is encoded by several Gram-positive bacteria and is specifically activated by lysozyme. This activation requires the proteolytic destruction of the anti-σ factor RsiV via a process of regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP. In many cases proteases that cleave at site-1 are thought to directly sense a signal and initiate the RIP process. We previously suggested binding of lysozyme to RsiV initiated the proteolytic destruction of RsiV and activation of σV. Here we determined the X-ray crystal structure of the RsiV-lysozyme complex at 2.3 Å which revealed that RsiV and lysozyme make extensive contacts. We constructed RsiV mutants with altered abilities to bind lysozyme. We find that mutants that are unable to bind lysozyme block site-1 cleavage of RsiV and σV activation in response to lysozyme. Taken together these data demonstrate that RsiV is a receptor for lysozyme and binding of RsiV to lysozyme is required for σV activation. In addition, the co-structure revealed that RsiV binds to the lysozyme active site pocket. We provide evidence that in addition to acting as a sensor for the presence of lysozyme, RsiV also inhibits lysozyme activity. Thus we have demonstrated that RsiV is a protein with multiple functions. RsiV inhibits σV activity in the absence of lysozyme, RsiV binds lysozyme triggering σV activation and RsiV inhibits the enzymatic activity of lysozyme.

Macromolecular crystallization in microgravity generated by a superconducting magnet.

Science.gov (United States)

Wakayama, N I; Yin, D C; Harata, K; Kiyoshi, T; Fujiwara, M; Tanimoto, Y

2006-09-01

About 30% of the protein crystals grown in space yield better X-ray diffraction data than the best crystals grown on the earth. The microgravity environments provided by the application of an upward magnetic force constitute excellent candidates for simulating the microgravity conditions in space. Here, we describe a method to control effective gravity and formation of protein crystals in various levels of effective gravity. Since 2002, the stable and long-time durable microgravity generated by a convenient type of superconducting magnet has been available for protein crystal growth. For the first time, protein crystals, orthorhombic lysozyme, were grown at microgravity on the earth, and it was proved that this microgravity improved the crystal quality effectively and reproducibly. The present method always accompanies a strong magnetic field, and the magnetic field itself seems to improve crystal quality. Microgravity is not always effective for improving crystal quality. When we applied this microgravity to the formation of cubic porcine insulin and tetragonal lysozyme crystals, we observed no dependence of effective gravity on crystal quality. Thus, this kind of test will be useful for selecting promising proteins prior to the space experiments. Finally, the microgravity generated by the magnet is compared with that in space, considering the cost, the quality of microgravity, experimental convenience, etc., and the future use of this microgravity for macromolecular crystal growth is discussed.

Use of europium ions for SAD phasing of lysozyme at the Cu Kα wavelength

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vijayakumar, Balakrishnan; Velmurugan, Devadasan

2012-01-01

Europium(III) ions bound to the surface of hen egg-white lysozyme were found to exhibit good anomalous signal facilitating SAD phasing using laboratory-source data and automated model building. The europium ion-binding sites were observed up to the 15σ level. Europium is shown to be a good anomalous scatterer in SAD phasing for solving the structure of biological macromolecules. The large value of the anomalous contribution of europium, f′′ = 11.17 e − , at the Cu Kα wavelength is an advantage in de novo phasing and automated model building. Tetragonal crystals of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) incorporating europium(III) chloride (50 mM) were obtained which diffracted to a resolution of 2.3 Å at a wavelength of 1.54 Å (Cu Kα). The master data set (360° frames) was split and analyzed for anomalous signal-to-noise ratio, multiplicity, completeness, SAD phasing and automated building. The structure solution and model building of the split data sets were carried out using phenix.autosol and phenix.autobuild. The contributions of the Eu ions to SAD phasing using in-house data collection are discussed. This study revealed successful lysozyme phasing by SAD using laboratory-source data involving Eu ions, which are mainly coordinated by the side chains of Asn46, Asp52 and Asp101 together with some water molecules

1H NMR studies of human lysozyme: Spectral assignment and comparison with hen lysozyme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Redfield, C.; Dobson, C.M.

1990-01-01

Complete main-chain (NH and αCH) 1 H NMR assignments are reported for the 130 residues of human lysozyme, along with extensive assignments for side-chain protons. Analysis of 2-D NOESY experiments shows that the regions of secondary structure for human lysozyme in solution are essentially identical with those found previously in a similar study of hen lysozyme and are in close accord with the structure of the protein reported previously from x-ray diffraction studies in the crystalline state. Comparison of the chemical shifts, spin-spin coupling constants, and hydrogen exchange behavior are also consistent with closely similar structures for the two proteins in solution. In a number of cases specific differences in the NMR parameters between hen and human lysozymes can be correlated with specific differences observed in the crystal structures

Crystal structure relation between tetragonal and orthorhombic CsAlD{sub 4}: DFT and time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernert, Thomas; Krech, Daniel; Felderhoff, Michael; Weidenthaler, Claudia [Department of Heterogeneous Catalysis, Max-Planck-Institut fuer Kohlenforschung, Muelheim/Ruhr (Germany); Kockelmann, Winfried [Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Oxford, Didcot (United Kingdom); Frankcombe, Terry J. [Research School of Chemistry, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT (Australia); School of Physical, Environmental and Mathematic Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Canberra, ACT (Australia)

2015-11-15

The crystal structures of orthorhombic and tetragonal CsAlD{sub 4} were refined from time-of-flight neutron powder diffraction data starting from atomic positions predicted from DFT calculations. The earlier proposed crystal structure of orthorhombic CsAlH{sub 4} is confirmed. For tetragonal CsAlH{sub 4}, DFT calculations predicted a crystal structure in I4{sub 1}/amd as potential minimum structure, while from neutron diffraction studies of CsAlD{sub 4} best refinement is obtained for a disordered structure in the space group I4{sub 1}/a, with a = 5.67231(9) Aa, c = 14.2823(5) Aa. While the caesium atoms are located on the Wyckoff position 4b and aluminium at Wyckoff position 4a, there are two distinct deuterium positions at the Wyckoff position 16f with occupancies of 50 % each. From this structure, the previously reported phase transition between the orthorhombic and tetragonal polymorphs could be explained. (Copyright copyright 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Ligand mediated synthesis of AgInSe2 nanoparticles with tetragonal/orthorhombic crystal phases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abazović, Nadica D.; Čomor, Mirjana I.; Mitrić, Miodrag N.; Piscopiello, Emanuela; Radetić, Tamara; Janković, Ivana A.; Nedeljković, Jovan M.

2012-01-01

Nanosized AgInSe 2 particles (d ∼ 7–25 nm) were synthesized using colloidal chemistry method at 270 °C. As solvents/surface ligands 1-octadecene, trioctylphosphine, and oleylamine were used. It was shown that choice of ligand has crucial impact not only on final crystal phase of nanoparticles, but also at mechanism of crystal growth. X-ray diffraction and TEM/HRTEM techniques were used to identify obtained crystal phases and to measure average size and shape of nanoparticles. UV/Vis data were used to estimate band-gap energies of obtained samples. It was shown that presented routes can provide synthesis of nanoparticles with desired crystal phase (tetragonal and/or orthorhombic), with band-gap energies in the range from 1.25 to 1.53 eV.

Study of ethanol-lysozyme interactions using neutron diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lehmann, M.S.; Mason, S.A.; McIntyre, G.J.

1985-01-01

Single-crystal neutron diffraction has been used to observe the interactions between deuterated ethanol (CD3CD2OH) and lysozyme in triclinic crystals of hen egg white lysozyme soaked in 25% (v/v) ethanol solutions. A total of 6047 observed reflections to a resolution of 2 A were used, and 13 possible ethanol sites were identified. The three highest occupied sites are close to locations for bromoethanol found in an earlier study by Yonath et al. [Yonath, A., Podjarny, A., Honig, B., Traub, W., Sielecki, A., Herzberg, O., and Moult, J. (1978) Biophys. Struct. Mech. 4, 27-36]. Structure refinements including a model for the flat solvent lead to a final crystallographic agreement factor of 0.097. Comparison with earlier neutron studies on triclinic lysozyme showed that neither the molecular structure nor the thermal motions were affected significantly by the ethanol. A detailed analysis of the ethanol-lysozyme contacts showed 61% of these to be with hydrophobic sites, in agreement with the dominant hydrophobic nature of ethanol. This, together with the fact that the molecular structure of lysozyme is not perturbed, suggests a model for denaturation of lysozyme by alcohol, which proceeds via a dehydration of the protein at high alcohol concentration

Synthesis and crystallization behavior of 3 mol% yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP) nanosized powders prepared using a simple co-precipitation process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hsu, Yu-Wei [Graduate Institute of Applied Science, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, 415 Chien-Kung Road, Kaohsiung 80782, Taiwan (China); Yang, Ko-Ho, E-mail: yangkoho@cc.kuas.edu.tw [Graduate Institute of Applied Science, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, 415 Chien-Kung Road, Kaohsiung 80782, Taiwan (China); Department of Mold and Die Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, 415 Chien-Kung Road, Kaohsiung 80782, Taiwan (China); Chang, Kuo-Ming [Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, 415 Chien-Kung Road, Kaohsiung 80782, Taiwan (China); Dental Materials Research Center, National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences, 415 Chien-Kung Road, Kaohsiung 80782, Taiwan (China); Yeh, Sung-Wei [Metal Industries Research and Development Centre, 1001 Kaohsiung Highway, Kaohsiung 811, Taiwan (China); Wang, Moo-Chin, E-mail: mcwang@kmu.edu.tw [Department of Fragrance and Cosmetics Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100, Shihchuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 80728, Taiwan (China)

2011-06-16

Highlights: > The thermal behavior of 3Y-TZP precursor powders had been investigated. > The crystallization behavior of 3Y-TZP nanopowders had been investigated. > The activation energy for crystallization of tetragonal ZrO{sub 2} was obtained. > The growth morphology parameter n is approximated as 2.0. > The crystallites show a plate-like morphology. - Abstract: The synthesis and crystallization behavior of 3 mol% yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP) nanopowders prepared using a simple co-precipitation process at 348 K and pH = 7 were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSC/TG), an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), the Raman spectra, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The activation energy of tetragonal ZrO{sub 2} crystallization from 3Y-TZP freeze-dried precursor powders using a non-isothermal method, namely, 169.2 {+-} 21.9 kJ mol{sup -1}, was obtained. The growth morphology parameter n was approximated as 2.0, which indicated that it had a plate-like morphology. The XRD, Raman spectra, and SAED patterns showed that the phase of the tetragonal ZrO{sub 2} was maintained at 1273 K. The crystallite size of 3Y-TZP freeze-dried precursor powders calcined at 1273 K for 5 min was 21.3 nm.

Synthesis and crystallization behavior of 3 mol% yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP) nanosized powders prepared using a simple co-precipitation process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hsu, Yu-Wei; Yang, Ko-Ho; Chang, Kuo-Ming; Yeh, Sung-Wei; Wang, Moo-Chin

2011-01-01

Highlights: → The thermal behavior of 3Y-TZP precursor powders had been investigated. → The crystallization behavior of 3Y-TZP nanopowders had been investigated. → The activation energy for crystallization of tetragonal ZrO 2 was obtained. → The growth morphology parameter n is approximated as 2.0. → The crystallites show a plate-like morphology. - Abstract: The synthesis and crystallization behavior of 3 mol% yttria stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP) nanopowders prepared using a simple co-precipitation process at 348 K and pH = 7 were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry/thermogravimetry (DSC/TG), an X-ray diffractometer (XRD), the Raman spectra, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), and an energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The activation energy of tetragonal ZrO 2 crystallization from 3Y-TZP freeze-dried precursor powders using a non-isothermal method, namely, 169.2 ± 21.9 kJ mol -1 , was obtained. The growth morphology parameter n was approximated as 2.0, which indicated that it had a plate-like morphology. The XRD, Raman spectra, and SAED patterns showed that the phase of the tetragonal ZrO 2 was maintained at 1273 K. The crystallite size of 3Y-TZP freeze-dried precursor powders calcined at 1273 K for 5 min was 21.3 nm.

Superconductivity in an anomalously tetragonal YB2C3O6.62 single crystal: A possible singularity in the structural phase diagram

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Frello, T.; Andersen, N.H.; Baziljevich, M.

2003-01-01

superconducting. This makes the sample highly anomalous in two respects: with a stoichiometry of YBa2Cu3O6.62 the sample should have an orthorhombic symmetry, and a tetragonal undoped sample should not be superconducting at all. Our results corroborate previous findings of Topnikov [JETP Lett. 46, 577 (1987......)] of a tetragonal superconducting YBCO crystal with x=0.62....

Crystal structure of the tetragonal polymorph of bis(1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrabromidocadmate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tamara Đorđević

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Both unique Cd atoms in the tetragonal polymorph of bis(1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrabromidocadmate, (C6H11N22[CdBr4], occupy special positions (site symmetry -4. The crystal structure consists of isolated tetrahedral [CdBr4]2− anions which are surrounded by 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium cations. The methyl and ethyl side chains of the cations show positional disorder in a 0.590 (11:0.410 (11 ratio. In the crystal, (C6H11N2+ cations display three weak C—H...Br hydrogen-bond interactions through the imidazolium ring H atoms with the Br− ligands of the surrounding complex anions. The alkyl groups of the side chains are not involved in hydrogen bonding.

Synthesis and crystal structure of Mg2B24C, a new boron-rich boride related to 'tetragonal boron I'

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adasch, Volker; Hess, Kai-Uwe; Ludwig, Thilo; Vojteer, Natascha; Hillebrecht, Harald

2006-01-01

Single crystals of Mg 2 B 24 C, a new boron-rich boridecarbide of magnesium, were synthesized as black needles and columns by reaction of the elements in Ta ampoules and BN crucibles at 1300 deg. C. The crystal structure was determined by X-ray diffraction (P-4n2, a=8.9391(13)A, c=5.0745(10)A, Z=2, 713 reflections, 64 variables, R 1 (F)=0.0235, wR 2 (I)=0.0591). It is closely related to 'tetragonal boron I' and can be described as a tetragonal rod packing of corner-linked B 12 icosahedra with C and Mg atoms in the voids. Each B 12 icosahedron has 2 B-C bonds and 10 exohedral bonds to other icosahedra, 2 within the rod and 4x2 to neighbouring rods. The isolated C atoms are 4-fold coordinated forming distorted tetrahedra. Mg is placed on two crystallographically independent positions within the three-dimensional B 12 C network. Mg 2 B 24 C is the first example for a compound related to 'tetragonal boron I' with a stoichiometric composition

Structural study on cubic-tetragonal transition of CH3NH3PbI3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawamura, Yukihiko; Mashiyama, Hiroyuki; Hasebe, Katsuhiko

2002-01-01

The cubic-tetragonal phase transition of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 was investigated by single crystal X-ray diffractometry. The crystal structure was refined at five temperatures in the tetragonal phase. The PbI 6 octahedron rotates around the c-axis alternatively to construct the SrTiO 3 -type tetragonal structure. A methylammonium ion is partially ordered; 24 disordered states in the cubic phase are reduced to 8. With decreasing temperature, the rotation angle of the octahedron increases monotonically, which indicates it is an order parameter of the cubic-tetragonal transition. (author)

Obtaining of lysozyme spherulitic forms at ambient temperature using pyrrolidinium octanoat as ionic liquid additive

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claudia Simona ŞTEFAN

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Pyrrolidinium octanoate carboxylate (Py+CnH2n+1COO-; PyO in abbreviation was used as additive for advanced crystallization of Lysozyme protein, to investigate the impact of protic ionic liquid on the protein crystal morphology. The ionic liquid was synthesized by acidic-base Brönsted neutralization, and its purity was checked by HPLC. The protein crystallization was made through the method of vapour diffusion with hanging drops. Crystallization experiments of Lysozyme with the addition of PyO were performed at 0.4 M PyO and respectively 1.6 M. The morphological of spherulitic forms of Lysozyme in aqueous solutions of PyO protic ionic liquid was investigated by optical microscopy after trials were incubated at ambient temperature (18-20°C, in various growth periods (3 days and 1 week. Hanging-drop vapour diffusion crystallization experiments with the addition of 0.4 M of PyO show that Lysozyme crystallized in type I spherulitic form. This is assumed to be a result of heterogeneous nucleation, with thin needles radially growing outwardfrom a more or less spherical particle. Hanging-drop vapour diffusioncrystallization experiments revealed that the addition of 1.6 M of PyO led to a second type of spherulitic form of the Lysozyme.

Influence of lysozyme on the precipitation of calcium carbonate: a kinetic and morphologic study

Science.gov (United States)

Jimenez-Lopez, Concepcion; Rodriguez-Navarro, Alejandro; Dominguez-Vera, Jose M.; Garcia-Ruiz, Juan M.

2003-05-01

Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the interactions between proteins and mineral surfaces, among them a combination of electrostatic, stereochemical interactions and molecular recognition between the protein and the crystal surface. To identify the mechanisms of interaction in the lysozyme-calcium carbonate model system, the effect of this protein on the precipitation kinetics and morphology of calcite crystals was examined. The solution chemistry and morphology of the solid were monitored over time in a set of time-series free-drift experiments in which CaCO 3 was precipitated from solution in a closed system at 25°C and 1 atm total pressure, in the presence and absence of lysozyme. The precipitation of calcite was preceded by the precipitation of a metastable phase that later dissolved and gave rise to calcite as the sole phase. With increasing lysozyme concentration, the nucleation of both the metastable phase and calcite occurred at lower Ω calcite, indicating that lysozyme favored the nucleation of both phases. Calcite growth rate was not affected by the presence of lysozyme, at least at protein concentrations ranging from 0 mg/mL to 10 mg/mL. Lysozyme modified the habit of calcite crystals. The degree of habit modification changed with protein concentration. At lower concentrations of lysozyme, the typical rhombohedral habit of calcite crystals was modified by the expression of {110} faces, which resulted from the preferential adsorption of protein on these faces. With increasing lysozyme concentration, the growth of {110}, {100}, and finally {001} faces was sequentially inhibited. This adsorption sequence may be explained by an electrostatic interaction between lysozyme and calcite, in which the inhibition of the growth of {110}, {100}, and {001} faces could be explained by a combined effect of the density of carbonate groups in the calcite face and the specific orientation (perpendicular) of these carbonate groups with respect to the calcite

Crystallization behavior of tetragonal ZrO{sub 2} prepared in a silica bath

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wang, Moo-Chin, E-mail: mcwang@kmu.edu.tw [Department of Fragrance and Cosmetic Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100 Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan (China); Huang, Hung-Jui [Department of Fragrance and Cosmetic Science, Kaohsiung Medical University, 100 Shih-Chuan 1st Road, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan (China)

2013-09-10

Highlights: ► The activation energy of t-ZrO{sub 2} crystallization calculated by the JMA equation is 643.0 ± 13.9 kJ·mol{sup −1}. ► The growth morphology parameter (n) and crystallization mechanism index (m) are approximated as 3.0. ► Bulk nucleation is dominant in the t-ZrO{sub 2} crystallization process, and has a spherical-like morphology. ► The TEM microstructure reveals that the t-ZrO{sub 2} crystallites have a spherical-like morphology. - Abstract: The synthesis of zirconia (ZrO{sub 2}) precursor powders by a co-precipitation process is studied in this work, using a silica bath prepared at 348 K and pH = 7, with 10 min mixing using zirconium (IV) nitrate and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS, Si(OC{sub 2}H{sub 5}){sub 4}) as the starting materials. The XRD result show that only a single phase of tetragonal ZrO{sub 2} (t-ZrO{sub 2}) appears when the freeze dried precursor powders are calcined between 1173 and 1473 K for 120 min. The activation energy of t-ZrO{sub 2} crystallization, as calculated by the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami (JMA) equation, is 643.0 ± 13.9 kJ/mol. The growth morphology parameter (n) and crystallization mechanism index (m) are approximated as 3.0, which indicates that bulk nucleation is dominant in the t-ZrO{sub 2} crystallization process, and that the material has a plate-like morphology.

Protein crystals as scanned probes for recognition atomic force microscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Wickremasinghe, Nissanka S; Hafner, Jason H

2005-12-01

Lysozyme crystal growth has been localized at the tip of a conventional silicon nitride cantilever through seeded nucleation. After cross-linking with glutaraldehyde, lysozyme protein crystal tips image gold nanoparticles and grating standards with a resolution comparable to that of conventional tips. Force spectra between the lysozyme crystal tips and surfaces covered with antilysozyme reveal an adhesion force that drops significantly upon blocking with free lysozyme, thus confirming that lysozyme crystal tips can detect molecular recognition interactions.

Crystallization of Hevamine, an Enzyme with Lysozyme/Chitinase Activity from Hevea brasiliensis Latex

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ROZEBOOM, HJ; BUDIANI, A; BEINTEMA, JJ

1990-01-01

Hevamine, an enzyme with both lysozyme and chitinase activity, was isolated and purified from Hevea brasiliensis (rubber tree) latex. The enzyme (molecular weight 29,000) is homologous to certain “pathogenesis-related” proteins from plants, but not to hen egg-white or phage T4 lysozyme. To

Defect model of a tetragonal Sm sup 3 sup + center found from EPR measurements in CaF sub 2 and SrF sub 2 crystals

CERN Document Server

Zheng Wen Chen; Wu Shao Yi; Tang Sheng

2003-01-01

The EPR parameters (g factors g sub p sub a sub r sub a sub l sub l sub e sub l , g sub p sub e sub r sub p sub e sub n sub d sub i sub c sub u sub l sub a sub r sub t sub o and hyperfine structure constants A sub p sub a sub r sub a sub l sub l sub e sub l , A sub p sub e sub r sub p sub e sub n sub d sub i sub c sub u sub l sub a sub r sub t sub o) of a tetragonal (C sub 4 sub v) Sm sup 3 sup + center in CaF sub 2 and SrF sub 2 crystals are calculated by considering the crystal-field J-mixing among the ground sup 6 H sub 5 sub / sub 2 , the first excited sup 6 H sub 7 sub / sub 2 and second excited sup 6 H sub 9 sub / sub 2 state multiplets. In the calculations the free-ion and crystal-field parameters of the tetragonal Sm sup 3 sup + -F sup - center obtained from polarized laser-selective excitation spectroscopy are used. The calculated results suggest that the tetragonal Sm sup 3 sup + -F sup - center is the Sm sup 3 sup + center found by later EPR measurements. The g factors g sub p sub a sub r sub a sub...

Ferroelastic domain switching in tetragonal zirconia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, C.J.; Ruhle, M.; Jue, J.F.; Virkar, A.V.

1991-01-01

Ferroelastic domain switching is one of the possible toughening mechanisms in ceramic materials. Microstructural evidence of domain reorientation (switching) in polydomain tetragonal zirconia single crystals is observed upon the application of a unidirectional compressive stress. Dark field imaging of the three (112) tetragonal twin variants in a [111] zone indicates that two sets of twin variants grow at the expense of the third set upon application of uniaxial compression. The diminishing variant is the one with its c axis parallel to the compression axis. Indentation experiments on uniaxially compressed samples show an anisotropy in crack length. Crack propogates more easily along the loading direction. In this paper construction for the orientation relationship of domains and their twin boundaries is presented

Protein crystal growth in low gravity

Science.gov (United States)

Feigelson, Robert S.

1993-01-01

This Final Technical Report for NASA Grant NAG8-774 covers the period from April 27, 1989 through December 31, 1992. It covers five main topics: fluid flow studies, the influence of growth conditions on the morphology of isocitrate lyase crystals, control of nucleation, the growth of lysozyme by the temperature gradient method and graphoepitaxy of protein crystals. The section on fluid flow discusses the limits of detectability in the Schlieren imaging of fluid flows around protein crystals. The isocitrate lyase study compares crystals grown terrestrially under a variety of conditions with those grown in space. The controlling factor governing the morphology of the crystals is the supersaturation. The lack of flow in the interface between the drop and the atmosphere in microgravity causes protein precipitation in the boundary layer and a lowering of the supersaturation in the drop. This lowered supersaturation leads to improved crystal morphology. Preliminary experiments with lysozyme indicated that localized temperature gradients could be used to nucleate crystals in a controlled manner. An apparatus (thermonucleator) was designed to study the controlled nucleation of protein crystals. This apparatus has been used to nucleate crystals of materials with both normal (ice-water, Rochelle salt and lysozyme) and retrograde (horse serum albumin and alpha chymotrypsinogen A) solubility. These studies have lead to the design of an new apparatus that small and more compatible with use in microgravity. Lysozyme crystals were grown by transporting nutrient from a source (lysozyme powder) to the crystal in a temperature gradient. The influence of path length and cross section on the growth rate was demonstrated. This technique can be combined with the thermonucleator to control both nucleation and growth. Graphoepitaxy utilizes a patterned substrate to orient growing crystals. In this study, silicon substrates with 10 micron grooves were used to grow crystals of catalase

The covalent effect on the energy levels of d3 ions in tetragonal compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Dong-Yang; Du, Mao-Lu

2015-01-01

For d 3 ions in covalent compounds with tetragonal symmetry, this paper presents a complete energy matrix, in which the different covalence of t 2 and e orbitals is considered not only in the electrostatic repulsions part of energy matrix elements but also in the crystal-field potential part of energy matrix elements. With taking and no taking the crystal field parameter B 00 0 into account, the effect of covalence on the energy levels of d 3 ions system were investigated, respectively. The investigation shows that it is very necessary for considering the different covalence of t 2 and e orbitals in both electrostatic repulsions part and crystal-field potential part when the optical properties of d 3 ions in strong covalent compounds with tetragonal symmetry is investigated. On the other hand, the crystal field parameter B 00 0 has a significant effect on the energy levels, and should be considered in investigations of d 3 ions in strong covalent compounds with tetragonal symmetry. Application to calculating the energy levels for Co 2+ in CdGa 2 Se 4 , the calculated results are in agreement with the experiment data

A comprehensive investigation of tetragonal Gd-doped BiVO{sub 4} with enhanced photocatalytic performance under sun-light

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Luo, Yangyang; Tan, Guoqiang, E-mail: tan3114@163.com; Dong, Guohua; Ren, Huijun; Xia, Ao

2016-02-28

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Tetragonal Gd-BiVO{sub 4} with enhanced photocatalytic activity was synthesized. • Gd doping can induce the phase transition from monoclinic to tetragonal BiVO{sub 4}. • GdVO{sub 4} seeds as crystal nucleus dominate the formation of tetragonal Gd-BiVO{sub 4}. • Tetragonal Gd-BiVO{sub 4} exhibits the excellent separation of electrons and holes. • The contribution of high photocatalytic activity under sun-light is from UV-light. - Abstract: Tetragonal Gd-doped BiVO{sub 4} having enhanced photocatalytic activity have been synthesized by a facile microwave hydrothermal method. The structural analysis indicates that Gd doping can induce the phase transition from monoclinic to tetragonal BiVO{sub 4}. The reaction results in precursor solutions imply that tetragonal GdVO{sub 4} seeds as crystal nucleus are the original and determined incentives to force the formation of tetragonal Gd-BiVO{sub 4}. The influences of the surface defect, band structure, and BET surface area on the improved photocatalytic activities of tetragonal Gd-doped BiVO{sub 4} are investigated systematically. The results demonstrate that the more surface oxygen deficiencies as active sites and the excellent mobility and separation of photogenerated electrons and holes are beneficial to the enhancement of the photocatalytic performance of tetragonal Gd-BiVO{sub 4}. The RhB photodegradation experiments indicate that the contribution of high photocatalytic activities under simulated sun-light is mainly from UV-light region due to the tetragonal structure feature. The best photocatalytic performance is obtained for tetragonal 10 at% Gd-BiVO{sub 4}, of which the RhB degradation rate can reach to 96% after 120 min simulated sun-light irradiation. The stable tetragonal Gd-BiVO{sub 4} with efficient mineralization will be a promising photocatalytic material applied in water purification.

Theoretical and experimental evaluation of piezo-optic parameters and photoelastic constant in tetragonal PWO.

Science.gov (United States)

Natali, Pier Paolo; Montalto, Luigi; Daví, Fabrizio; Mengucci, Paolo; Ciriaco, Andrea; Paone, Nicola; Rinaldi, Daniele

2018-02-01

The tetragonal PbWO 4 (PWO) is one of the most important scintillating crystals, being used both in the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and in the PANDA project at the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR). Light yield and other relevant scintillation properties depend, among many factors, also on the crystal mechanical quality. Accordingly, a detailed knowledge of crystal piezo-optic properties is a mandatory step toward understanding elasto-optic behavior and performing crystal quality control. In this paper, we evaluate for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, by means of both photoelastic and x-ray measurements, some components of the piezo-optic tensor; moreover, when the crystal is acted upon by a uniaxial stress, we obtain an evaluation for the rotation angle of the optic plane under stress as well as the photoelastic constant. These parameters are necessary to detect the residual stresses within the crystal, if any, and to give an overall quality measure. Such a methodology is in general suitable for any tetragonal crystals.

Microstructural evolution and stability of tetragonal precipitates in Y2O3 partially-stabilized ZrO2 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez-Fernandez, J.; Jimenez-Melendo, M.; Dominguez-Rodriguez, A.

1995-01-01

The microstructure and morphology of tetragonal precipitates (t-ZrO 2 ) in yttria partially-stabilized zirconia single crystals containing various amounts of Y 2 O 3 (3, 4, 4.7 and 5.8 mol%) have been studied as a function of aging time at 1,600 C in air. The precipitate size and volume fraction of t-ZrO 2 phase were determined using transmission electron microscopy. The evolution of the precipitate volume fraction with aging time indicated that the precipitation reaction was completed after 24 h of annealing, in agreement with the values of the Y 2 O 3 composition in the matrix measured by analytical electron microscopy. Further aging coarsened the precipitates which joined together forming fiber-like particles of several micrometers in length and remaining untransformed despite their large size. The stability of the t-ZrO 2 precipitates against the tetragonal to monoclinic transformation in the ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 system seems to be related to interactions between precipitates due to coherency stresses rather than with their morphological characteristics

Martensitic cubic → tetragonal transition

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schumann, H.

1983-01-01

Indium-thallium alloys containing 14 to 30% At. Tl have a cubic face-centred beta phase wich changes into a tetragonal face-centred alpha martensite during solidification. The martensite contains twin crystals that are large enough to be seen by means of a light microscope. The phenomenological crystallographic martensite theory was used to calculate Miller's index of the habit plane, the formation of the surface relief, the orientation relations and the critical thickness ratio of the twins. In a beta monocrystal frequently only one of the 24 crystallographic possible habit planes are formed at one end of the sample and migrate through the whole crystal when the temperature drops. Externally applied tension and compression influence in different ways the direction in which the habit plane moves and can even destroy the twinned structure, i.e. they can modify the substructure of the martensite crystal. This induces superelasticity, an effect that has also been described quantitatively. (author)

Magnetic properties of the tetragonal RCuGa{sub 3} (R=Pr, Nd and Gd) single crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagalakshmi, R., E-mail: nagaphys@yahoo.com [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 6200015 (India); Kulkarni, Ruta; Dhar, S.K.; Thamizhavel, A. [DCMPMS, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research, Mumbai 400005 (India); Krishnakumar, V. [Department of Physics, Periyar University, Salem 636011 (India); Reiffers, Marian; Čurlík, Ivan [Institute of Experimental Physics, Watsonova 47, SK-040 01 Kosice (Slovakia); Department of Physics, University of Presov, 17 Novembra 1, SK-080 01 (Slovakia); Hagemann, Hans; Lovy, Dominique [Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Geneva, Geneva (Switzerland); Nallamuthu, S. [Department of Physics, National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirappalli 6200015 (India)

2015-07-15

Single crystals of tetragonal RCuGa{sub 3} (R=La, Pr, Nd and Gd), with BaNiSn{sub 3} type structure (space group I4 mm), have been grown by high temperature solution growth technique using Ga as flux. Their magnetic properties were determined by heat capacity and the measurement of magnetization and electrical resistivity along [100] and [001] directions. Except LaCuGa{sub 3}, the compounds order magnetically. PrCuGa{sub 3} undergoes a ferromagnetic transition with Curie temperature of 4.6 K. NdCuGa{sub 3} shows a bulk magnetic transition at 3.3 K. The data on GdCuGa{sub 3} indicate combined characteristics of spin glass and antiferromagnetic behavior at low temperatures. From the Schottky heat capacity data the crystal electric field level energy spectra have been determined. Further we have performed temperature dependent measurements of electron spin resonance (ESR) on GdCuGa{sub 3} between 11 K and room temperature. The ESR data indicate an enhancement of magnetic fluctuations associated with spin reorientation and both homogeneous and inhomogeneous thermal broadening of the linewidth. - Highlights: • RCuGa{sub 3} (R=La, Pr, Nd and Gd) single crystals were grown by flux technique. • The compounds exhibit long range magnetic ordering. • Crystal electric field levels have been derived from Schottky heat capacity. • Electron spin resonance (ESR) studies of GdCuGa{sub 3} are also discussed.

Formation of metastable tetragonal zirconia nanoparticles: Competitive influence of the dopants and surface state

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gorban, Oksana, E-mail: matscidep@aim.com [Donetsk Institute for Physics and Engineering named after A.A. Galkin of the NAS of Ukraine, Nauki av. 46, Kyiv 03680 (Ukraine); Synyakina, Susanna; Volkova, Galina; Gorban, Sergey; Konstantiova, Tetyana [Donetsk Institute for Physics and Engineering named after A.A. Galkin of the NAS of Ukraine, Nauki av. 46, Kyiv 03680 (Ukraine); Lyubchik, Svetlana, E-mail: s_lyubchik@yahoo.com [REQUIMTE, Universida de Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal)

2015-12-15

The effect of the surface modification of the nanoparticles of amorphous and crystalline partially stabilized zirconia by fluoride ions on stability of the metastable tetragonal phase was investigated. Based on the DSC, titrimetry and FTIR spectroscopy data it was proven that surface modification of the xerogel resulted from an exchange of the fluoride ions with the basic OH groups. The effect of the powder pre-calcination temperature before modification on the formation of metastable tetragonal phase in partially stabilized zirconia was investigated. It was shown that the main factor of tetragonal zirconia stabilization is the state of nanoparticles surface at pre-crystallization temperatures.

Synthesis of new perovskite and ''tetragonal bronze'' materials with thorium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Launay, Suzanne; Erb, Alfred; Freundlich, William

1982-01-01

Disclosure and crystal chemistry study of the solid solutions Th(NbO 3 ) 4 , NaNbO 3 or AgNbO 3 with perovskite structure and Th(Nb, TaO 3 ) 4 , K(Nb,Ta)O 3 with ''tetragonal tungstene bronze'' structure, ''Banana'' type [fr

Lysozymes in the animal kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Callewaert, Lien; Michiels, Chris W

2010-03-01

Lysozymes (EC 3.2.1.17) are hydrolytic enzymes, characterized by their ability to cleave the beta-(1,4)-glycosidic bond between N-acetylmuramic acid and N-acetylglucosamine in peptidoglycan, the major bacterial cell wall polymer. In the animal kingdom, three major distinct lysozyme types have been identified--the c-type (chicken or conventional type), the g-type (goose-type) and the i-type (invertebrate type) lysozyme. Examination of the phylogenetic distribution of these lysozymes reveals that c-type lysozymes are predominantly present in the phylum of the Chordata and in different classes of the Arthropoda. Moreover, g-type lysozymes (or at least their corresponding genes) are found in members of the Chordata, as well as in some bivalve mollusks belonging to the invertebrates. In general, the latter animals are known to produce i-type lysozymes. Although the homology in primary structure for representatives of these three lysozyme types is limited, their three-dimensional structures show striking similarities. Nevertheless, some variation exists in their catalytic mechanisms and the genomic organization of their genes. Regarding their biological role, the widely recognized function of lysozymes is their contribution to antibacterial defence but, additionally, some lysozymes (belonging to different types) are known to function as digestive enzymes.

Preparation and preliminary characterization of crystallizing fluorescent derivatives of chicken egg white lysozyme

Science.gov (United States)

Sumida, John P.; Forsythe, Elizabeth L.; Pusey, Marc L.

2001-11-01

Fluorescence is one of the most versatile and powerful tools for the study of macromolecules. While most proteins are intrinsically fluorescent, working at crystallization concentrations require the use of covalently prepared derivatives added as tracers. This approach requires derivatives that do not markedly affect the crystal packing. We have prepared fluorescent derivatives of chicken egg white lysozyme with probes bound to one of two different sites on the protein molecule. Lucifer yellow and 5-(2-aminoethyl)aminonapthalene-1-sulfonic acid (EDANS) have been attached to the side chain carboxyl of Asp 101 using a carbodiimide coupling procedure. Asp 101 lies within the active site cleft, and it is believed that the probes are "buried" within that cleft. Lucifer yellow and EDANS probes with iodoacetamide reactive groups have been bound to His 15, located on the "back side" of the molecule relative to the active site. All the derivatives fluoresce in the solution and the crystalline states. Fluorescence characterization has focused on determination of binding effects on the probe quantum yield, lifetime, absorption and emission spectra, and quenching by added solutes. Quenching studies show that, as postulated, the Asp 101-bound probes are partially sheltered from the bulk solution by their location within the active site cleft. Probes bound to His 15 have quenching constants about equal to those for the free probes, indicating that this site is highly exposed to the bulk solution.

Crystal structure refinements of tetragonal (OH,F)-rich spessartine and henritermierite garnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Antao, Sytle M.; Cruickshank, Laura A.

2018-01-30

Cubic garnet (space group Ia\\overline 3 d) has the general formulaX₃Y₂Z₃O₁₂, whereX,YandZare cation sites. In the tetragonal garnet (space groupI4₁/acd), the corresponding cation sites areX1 andX2,Y, andZ1 andZ2. In both space groups only theYsite is the same. The crystal chemistry of a tetragonal (OH,F)-rich spessartine sample from Tongbei, near Yunxiao, Fujian Province, China, with composition^X(Mn_2.82Fe^{2+}_{0.14}Ca_0.04)_Σ3^Y{Al_1.95Fe^{3+}_{0.05}}_Σ2^Z[(SiO₄)_2.61(O₄H₄)_0.28(F₄)_0.11]_Σ3(Sps₉₄Alm₅Grs₁) was studied with single-crystal X-ray diffraction and space groupI4₁/acd. The deviation of the unit-cell parameters from cubic symmetry is small [a= 11.64463(1),c= 11.65481 (2) Å,c/a= 1.0009]. Point analyses and back-scattered electron images, obtained by electron-probe microanalysis, indicate a homogeneous composition. TheZ2 site is fully occupied, but theZ1 site contains vacancies. The occupiedZ1 andZ2 sites with Si atoms are surrounded by four O atoms, as in anhydrous cubic garnets. Pairs of split sites are O1 with F11 and O2 with O22. When theZ1 site is vacant, a larger [(O₂H₂)F₂] tetrahedron is formed by two OH and two F anions in the O22 and F11 sites, respectively. This [(O₂

Synthesis of new perovskite and ''tetragonal bronze'' materials with thorium

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Launay, S; Erb, A; Freundlich, W [Universite Paris-VI (France)

1982-03-22

Disclosure and crystal chemistry study of the solid solutions Th(NbO/sub 3/)/sub 4/, NaNbO/sub 3/ or AgNbO/sub 3/ with perovskite structure and Th(Nb, TaO/sub 3/)/sub 4/, K(Nb,Ta)O/sub 3/ with ''tetragonal tungstene bronze'' structure, ''Banana'' type.

Protein nanocrystallography: growth mechanism and atomic structure of crystals induced by nanotemplates.

Science.gov (United States)

Pechkova, E; Vasile, F; Spera, R; Fiordoro, S; Nicolini, C

2005-11-01

Protein nanocrystallography, a new technology for crystal growth based on protein nanotemplates, has recently been shown to produce diffracting, stable and radiation-resistant lysozyme crystals. This article, by computing these lysozyme crystals' atomic structures, obtained by the diffraction patterns of microfocused synchrotron radiation, provides a possible mechanism for this increased stability, namely a significant decrease in water content accompanied by a minor but significant alpha-helix increase. These data are shown to be compatible with the circular dichroism and two-dimensional Fourier transform spectra of high-resolution H NMR of proteins dissolved from the same nanotemplate-based crystal versus those from a classical crystal. Finally, evidence for protein direct transfer from the nanotemplate to the drop and the participation of the template proteins in crystal nucleation and growth is provided by high-resolution NMR spectrometry and mass spectrometry. Furthermore, the lysozyme nanotemplate appears stable up to 523 K, as confirmed by a thermal denaturation study using spectropolarimetry. The overall data suggest that heat-proof lysozyme presence in the crystal provides a possible explanation of the crystal's resistance to synchrotron radiation.

The tetragonal-monoclinic transformations of zirconia studied by small angle neutron scattering and differential thermal analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Z.; Epperson, J.E.; Fang, Y.; Chan, S.K.

1992-08-01

The tetragonal-monoclinic transformations of zirconia have been studied on pristine single crystals and on their cycled crystallites. Two complementary techniques have been used. Small angle neutron scattering experiments were carried out to monitor the degree of completion of a transformation under equilibrium conditions for collections of 20--30 large crystals using the total internal and external surface area as an indicator. Differential thermal analysis experiments were carried out on smaller single-domain crystals of different sizes individually during heating and cooling to measure the rates of latent heat absorption and emission. The investigation establishes the upper limit of stability of the monoclinic phase, the lower limit of stability of the tetragonal phase, and the coexistence temperature between the two phases. The characteristics of the transformations are also inferred from these experiments

Various magnetic behaviors of the hydrides deriving from the tetragonal CeFeSi-type compounds

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevalier, B.; Tence, S.; Gaudin, E.; Matar, S.F.; Bobet, J.-L.

2009-01-01

The hydrides RETXH (RE = rare earth, T = transition metal and X = Si, Ge) crystallizing in the tetragonal ZrSiCuAs-type are obtained by hydrogen absorption of the intermetallics adopting the tetragonal CeFeSi-type. The H-insertion induces interesting magnetic transitions governed by two effects: the increase of the unit cell volume linked to the H-absorption and the occurrence of the RE-H chemical bonding. Some typical examples are reported in this present brief review.

Behavior of lysozyme adsorbed onto biological liquid crystal lipid monolayer at the air/water interface

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Xiaolong; Shi, Ruixin; Hao, Changchun; Chen, Huan; Zhang, Lei; Li, Junhua; Xu, Guoqing; Sun, Runguang

2016-09-01

The interaction between proteins and lipids is one of the basic problems of modern biochemistry and biophysics. The purpose of this study is to compare the penetration degree of lysozyme into 1,2-diapalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) and 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethano-lamine (DPPE) by analyzing the data of surface pressure-area (π-A) isotherms and surface pressure-time (π-T) curves. Lysozyme can penetrate into both DPPC and DPPE monolayers because of the increase of surface pressure at an initial pressure of 15 mN/m. However, the changes of DPPE are larger than DPPC, indicating stronger interaction of lysozyme with DPPE than DPPC. The reason may be due to the different head groups and phase state of DPPC and DPPE monolayers at the surface pressure of 15 mN/m. Atomic force microscopy reveals that lysozyme was absorbed by DPPC and DPPE monolayers, which leads to self-aggregation and self-assembly, forming irregular multimers and conical multimeric. Through analysis, we think that the process of polymer formation is similar to the aggregation mechanism of amyloid fibers. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 21402114 and 11544009), the Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China (Grant No. 2016JM2010), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities of China (Grant No. GK201603026), and the National University Science and Technology Innovation Project of China (Grant No. 201610718013).

Electrostatic interactions in protein adsorption probed by comparing lysozyme and succinylated lysozyme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Veen, van der M.; Norde, W.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.

2004-01-01

The influence of electrostatic interactions on protein adsorption was studied by comparing the adsorption of lysozyme and succinylated lysozyme at silica surfaces. The succinylation affects the charge of the protein, but also the stability. Although changes in stability can have an influence on

Solving protein nanocrystals by cryo-EM diffraction: Multiple scattering artifacts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Subramanian, Ganesh [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ (United States); Basu, Shibom [Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ (United States); Liu, Haiguang [Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1504 (United States); Zuo, Jian-Min [Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL (United States); Spence, John C.H., E-mail: spence@asu.edu [Department of Physics, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-1504 (United States)

2015-01-15

The maximum thickness permissible within the single-scattering approximation for the determination of the structure of perfectly ordered protein microcrystals by transmission electron diffraction is estimated for tetragonal hen-egg lysozyme protein crystals using several approaches. Multislice simulations are performed for many diffraction conditions and beam energies to determine the validity domain of the required single-scattering approximation and hence the limit on crystal thickness. The effects of erroneous experimental structure factor amplitudes on the charge density map for lysozyme are noted and their threshold limits calculated. The maximum thickness of lysozyme permissible under the single-scattering approximation is also estimated using R-factor analysis. Successful reconstruction of density maps is found to result mainly from the use of the phase information provided by modeling based on the protein data base through molecular replacement (MR), which dominates the effect of poor quality electron diffraction data at thicknesses larger than about 200 Å. For perfectly ordered protein nanocrystals, a maximum thickness of about 1000 Å is predicted at 200 keV if MR can be used, using R-factor analysis performed over a subset of the simulated diffracted beams. The effects of crystal bending, mosaicity (which has recently been directly imaged by cryo-EM) and secondary scattering are discussed. Structure-independent tests for single-scattering and new microfluidic methods for growing and sorting nanocrystals by size are reviewed. - Highlights: • Validity domain of single-scattering approximation for protein electron diffraction is assessed • Electron Diffraction for tetragonal hen-egg lysozyme is simulated using multislice. • Bias from the use of phase information in modeling by molecular replacement (MR) is evaluated. • We find an approximate upper thickness limit, if MR is used, of 100 nm. • A 35% error in structure factor magnitudes may be

Serum lysozyme determinations, April-June 1961

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finch, S C; Lamphere, J P; Jablon, S

1963-04-18

Serum lysozyme levels were determined on 670 consecutive subjects seen for regularly scheduled clinic examinations of the Adult Health Study in Hiroshima. Serum lysozyme levels were found to vary significantly with the absolute peripheral granulocyte count, age, sex, and month of study. A high level of correlation also was noted between serum lysozyme and diabetes mellitus. This was at least in part attributable to greater average age in patients with diabetes. Suggestive relationship was established between serum lysozyme levels, respiratory diseases, and tuberculosis. These changes are believed to reflect active inflammation with excessive destruction of granulocytes and parenchymal tissues in those patients with the more acute processes. No relationship was found between serum lysozyme and previous exposure to ionizing radiation. These studies indicate that the serum lysozyme level may be useful in the study of the kinetics of leukopoiesis, the aging process, and in the detection of subtle inflammatory processes. 21 references, 5 tables.

A Proposed Model for Protein Crystal Nucleation and Growth

Science.gov (United States)

Pusey, Marc; Curreri, Peter A. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

How does one take a molecule, strongly asymmetric in both shape and charge distribution, and assemble it into a crystal? We propose a model for the nucleation and crystal growth process for tetragonal lysozyme, based upon fluorescence, light, neutron, and X-ray scattering data, size exclusion chromatography experiments, dialysis kinetics, AFM, and modeling of growth rate data, from this and other laboratories. The first species formed is postulated to be a 'head to side' dimer. Through repeating associations involving the same intermolecular interactions this grows to a 4(sub 3) helix structure, that in turn serves as the basic unit for nucleation and subsequent crystal growth. High salt attenuates surface charges while promoting hydrophobic interactions. Symmetry facilitates subsequent helix-helix self-association. Assembly stability is enhanced when a four helix structure is obtained, with each bound to two neighbors. Only two unique interactions are required. The first are those for helix formation, where the dominant interaction is the intermolecular bridging anion. The second is the anti-parallel side-by-side helix-helix interaction, guided by alternating pairs of symmetry related salt bridges along each side. At this stage all eight unique positions of the P4(sub3)2(sub 1),2(sub 1) unit cell are filled. The process is one of a) attenuating the most strongly interacting groups, such that b) the molecules begin to self-associate in defined patterns, so that c) symmetry is obtained, which d) propagates as a growing crystal. Simple and conceptually obvious in hindsight, this tells much about what we are empirically doing when we crystallize macromolecules. By adjusting the growth parameters we are empirically balancing the intermolecular interactions, preferentially attenuating the dominant strong (for lysozyme the charged groups) while strengthening the lesser strong (hydrophobic) interactions. In the general case for proteins the lack of a singularly defined

Complex coacervates of hyaluronic acid and lysozyme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Water, Jorrit J.; Schack, Malthe M.; Velazquez-Campoy, Adrian

2014-01-01

stoichiometry was determined using solution depletion and isothermal titration calorimetry. The binding stoichiometry of lysozyme to hyaluronic acid (870 kDa) determined by solution depletion was found to be 225.9 ± 6.6 mol, or 0.1 bound lysozyme molecules per hyaluronic acid monomer. This corresponded well...... with that obtained by isothermal titration calorimetry of 0.09 bound lysozyme molecules per hyaluronic acid monomer. The complexation did not alter the secondary structure of lysozyme measured by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy overlap analysis and had no significant impact on the Tm of lysozyme determined...

Variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of tetragonal and cubic perovskite-type barium titanate phases.

Science.gov (United States)

Nakatani, Tomotaka; Yoshiasa, Akira; Nakatsuka, Akihiko; Hiratoko, Tatsuya; Mashimo, Tsutomu; Okube, Maki; Sasaki, Satoshi

2016-02-01

A variable-temperature single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of a synthetic BaTiO3 perovskite has been performed over the temperature range 298-778 K. A transition from a tetragonal (P4mm) to a cubic (Pm3m) phase has been revealed near 413 K. In the non-centrosymmetric P4mm symmetry group, both Ti and O atoms are displaced along the c-axis in opposite directions with regard to the Ba position fixed at the origin, so that Ti(4+) and Ba(2+) cations occupy off-center positions in the TiO6 and BaO12 polyhedra, respectively. Smooth temperature-dependent changes of the atomic coordinates become discontinuous with the phase transition. Our observations imply that the cations remain off-center even in the high-temperature cubic phase. The temperature dependence of the mean-square displacements of Ti in the cubic phase includes a significant static component which means that Ti atoms are statistically distributed in the off-center positions.

Lysozyme's lectin-like characteristics facilitates its immune defense function

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Ruiyan

2017-06-06

Interactions between human lysozyme (HL) and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Klebsiella pneumoniae O1, a causative agent of lung infection, were identified by surface plasmon resonance. To characterize the molecular mechanism of this interaction, HL binding to synthetic disaccharides and tetrasaccharides representing one and two repeating units, respectively, of the O-chain of this LPS were studied. pH-dependent structural rearrangements of HL after interaction with the disaccharide were observed through nuclear magnetic resonance. The crystal structure of the HL-tetrasaccharide complex revealed carbohydrate chain packing into the A, B, C, and D binding sites of HL, which primarily occurred through residue-specific, direct or water-mediated hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts. Overall, these results support a crucial role of the Glu35/Asp53/Trp63/Asp102 residues in HL binding to the tetrasaccharide. These observations suggest an unknown glycan-guided mechanism that underlies recognition of the bacterial cell wall by lysozyme and may complement the HL immune defense function.

Lysozyme's lectin-like characteristics facilitates its immune defense function

KAUST Repository

Zhang, Ruiyan; Wu, Lisha; Eckert, Thomas; Burg-Roderfeld, Monika; Rojas-Macias, Miguel A.; Lü tteke, Thomas; Krylov, Vadim B.; Argunov, Dmitry A.; Datta, Aritreyee; Markart, Philipp; Guenther, Andreas; Norden, Bengt; Schauer, Roland; Bhunia, Anirban; Enani, Mushira Abdelaziz; Billeter, Martin; Scheidig, Axel J.; Nifantiev, Nikolay E.; Siebert, Hans-Christian

2017-01-01

Interactions between human lysozyme (HL) and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Klebsiella pneumoniae O1, a causative agent of lung infection, were identified by surface plasmon resonance. To characterize the molecular mechanism of this interaction, HL binding to synthetic disaccharides and tetrasaccharides representing one and two repeating units, respectively, of the O-chain of this LPS were studied. pH-dependent structural rearrangements of HL after interaction with the disaccharide were observed through nuclear magnetic resonance. The crystal structure of the HL-tetrasaccharide complex revealed carbohydrate chain packing into the A, B, C, and D binding sites of HL, which primarily occurred through residue-specific, direct or water-mediated hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic contacts. Overall, these results support a crucial role of the Glu35/Asp53/Trp63/Asp102 residues in HL binding to the tetrasaccharide. These observations suggest an unknown glycan-guided mechanism that underlies recognition of the bacterial cell wall by lysozyme and may complement the HL immune defense function.

Influence of polymers on lysozyme molecules association

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gromovoy T. Yu

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Aim. Study of lysozyme molecules behaviour at immobilization in gelatin and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt solutions by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI. Methods. Determination of the activity of lysozyme, both free and entrapped in gelatin and carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt (Na-CMC solutions, was conducted by bacteriolytic method. The enzyme interaction with polymers was confirmed by viscometry and mass-spectrometry methods. Results. The occurrence of lysozyme associates in aqueous solution in monomeric and oligomeric forms was shown. A non-valent interaction of the enzyme with solutions of polymers results in the dissociation of oligomeric associates into subunits, which depends on the support nature and mass ratio of lysozyme to polymer. The quantitative retention of immobilized lysozyme hydrolytic activity was established, which favours obtaining mucoadhesive film forms with bacteriolytic action. Conclusions. The lysozyme immobilization by non-valent interactions in gelatin solution and Na-CMC solutions causes dissociation of the enzyme oligomeric structures; a stronger lysozyme coupling with NaCMC was noted.

Stimulated emission (4F3/2 → 4I11/2 channel) with LD and Xe-flashlamp pumping of tetragonal, incommensurately modulated Ca2MgSi2O7:Nd3+(Na+) – a new disordered laser crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaminskii, A A; Nakao, H; Ueda, K; Shirakawa, A; Bohatý, L; Becker, P; Liebertz, J; Kleinschrodt, R

2010-01-01

Non-centrosymmetric tetragonal crystal Ca 2 MgSi 2 O 7 :Nd 3+ (Na + ) with incommensurately modulated melilite-type structure is presented as a new laser crystal. By LD and Xe-flashlamp pumping its CW and free-running pulsed stimulated emission of the 4 F 3/2 → 4 I 11/2 generation channel of Nd 3+ lasant ions was excited

The studies of geometrical microstructure of tetragonal Co sup 2 sup + -V sub O centers in KNbO sub 3 and KTaO sub 3 crystals from EPR data

CERN Document Server

Zheng Wen Chen

2002-01-01

From the perturbation formulas for the EPR g factors g sub p sub a sub r sub a sub l sub l sub e sub l and g sub p sub e sub r sub p sub e sub n sub d sub i sub c sub u sub l sub a sub r sub t sub o of a 3d sup 7 ion in tetragonal octahedral crystal field based on a cluster approach, the geometrical microstructures of tetragonal Co sup 2 sup + -V sub O centers in KNbO sub 3 and KTaO sub 3 crystals are obtained by fitting the calculated g sub p sub a sub r sub a sub l sub l sub e sub l and g sub p sub e sub r sub p sub e sub n sub d sub i sub c sub u sub l sub a sub r sub t sub o to the observed values. It is found that the Co sup 2 sup + ion in Co sup 2 sup + -V sub O centers is displaced away from the oxygen vacancy V sub O by 0.3 A in KNbO sub 3 and by 0.29 A in KTaO sub 3. These results are comparable with those of Fe sup 3 sup + -V sub O centers in ABO sub 3 perovskite-type crystals obtained from both the shell-model simulations and the embedded-cluster calculations, and from theoretical studies of EPR da...

Lysozymes in the animal kingdom

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

In the animal kingdom, three major distinct lysozyme types have been ... reveals that c-type lysozymes are predominantly present in the phylum of the Chordata and in different classes of the Arthropoda. ... Journal of Biosciences | News ...

On the Tetragonal Forms of KMo 4O 6

Science.gov (United States)

McCarroll, W. H.; Ramanujachary, K. V.; Greenblatt, M.; Marsh, Richard E.

1995-06-01

A reexamination of the X-ray diffraction data for the tetragonal form of KMo4O6 prepared by fused salt electrolysis leads to the conclusion that the crystal structure is better described by using space group P 4/mbm and not P4¯ as previously reported. However, refinement in the new space group does not result in any significant changes in the atomic arrangement. Possible reasons for the significant difference between the c lattice parameter of this form of KMo4O6 and that prepared at high pressures are also discussed.

Study of a photo-induced lysozyme-riboflavin bond

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferrer, I; Silva, E

1985-01-01

Irradiation of lysozyme in the presence of riboflavin results in the formation of a lysozyme-riboflavin adduct. Reduction and carboxymethylation of the four disulfide bonds as well as the chemical modification of the Tyr residues and the photochemical alteration of the His residue in lysozyme, do not affect the formation of the photo-induced lysozyme-riboflavin bond. When the lysozyme-riboflavin adduct was subjected to mild acid hydrolysis and ion exchange chromatography, the retention of a compound containing /sup 14/C-riboflavin was observed. Free /sup 14/C-riboflavin, on the contrary is not retained by the column. The photo-oxidation of free Trp in the presence of /sup 14/C-riboflavin, gave a compound which bound to the ion exchange resin like the above-mentioned derivative. The photo-oxidation of the Trp residues in lysozyme and in peptides obtained from lysozyme showed very high quantum yields, and these values were directly related to the incorporation of /sup 14/C-riboflavin in these samples.

Study of a photo-induced lysozyme-riboflavin bond

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferrer, I.; Silva, E.

1985-01-01

Irradiation of lysozyme in the presence of riboflavin results in the formation of a lysozyme-riboflavin adduct. Reduction and carboxymethylation of the four disulfide bonds as well as the chemical modification of the Tyr residues and the photochemical alteration of the His residue in lysozyme, do not affect the formation of the photo-induced lysozyme-riboflavin bond. When the lysozyme-riboflavin adduct was subjected to mild acid hydrolysis and ion exchange chromatography, the retention of a compound containing 14 C-riboflavin was observed. Free 14 C-ribboflavin, on the contrary is not retained by the column. The photo-oxidation of free Trp in the presence of 14 C-riboflavin, gave a compound which bound to the ion exchange resin like the above-mentioned derivative. The photo-oxidation of the Trp residues in lysozyme and in peptides obtained from lysozyme showed very high quantum yields, and these values were directly related to the incorporation of 14 C-riboflavin in these samples. (orig.)

The Antimicrobial Peptide Lysozyme Is Induced after Multiple Trauma

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Klüter

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The antimicrobial peptide lysozyme is an important factor of innate immunity and exerts high potential of antibacterial activity. In the present study we evaluated the lysozyme expression in serum of multiple injured patients and subsequently analyzed their possible sources and signaling pathways. Expression of lysozyme was examined in blood samples of multiple trauma patients from the day of trauma until 14 days after trauma by ELISA. To investigate major sources of lysozyme, its expression and regulation in serum samples, different blood cells, and tissue samples were analysed by ELISA and real-time PCR. Neutrophils and hepatocytes were stimulated with cytokines and supernatant of Staphylococcus aureus. The present study demonstrates the induction and release of lysozyme in serum of multiple injured patients. The highest lysozyme expression of all tested cells and tissues was detected in neutrophils. Stimulation with trauma-related factors such as interleukin-6 and S. aureus induced lysozyme expression. Liver tissue samples of patients without trauma show little lysozyme expression compared to neutrophils. After stimulation with bacterial fragments, lysozyme expression of hepatocytes is upregulated significantly. Toll-like receptor 2, a classic receptor of Gram-positive bacterial protein, was detected as a possible target for lysozyme induction.

Interaction of magnetic nanoparticles with lysozyme amyloid fibrils

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gdovinová, Veronika [Institute of Experimental Physics SAS, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Košice (Slovakia); Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Joliot-Curie 6, 141980 Dubna, Moscow Region (Russian Federation); Tomašovičová, Natália, E-mail: nhudak@saske.sk [Institute of Experimental Physics SAS, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Košice (Slovakia); Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Joliot-Curie 6, 141980 Dubna, Moscow Region (Russian Federation); Batko, Ivan; Batková, Marianna; Balejčíková, Lucia [Institute of Experimental Physics SAS, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Košice (Slovakia); Garamus, Vasyl M. [Helmholtz-Zentrum Geesthacht: Zentrum fr Material, und Kstenforschung GmbH, Max-Plank-Strae 1, Geesthacht 216502 (Germany); Petrenko, Viktor I. [Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Joliot-Curie 6, 141980 Dubna, Moscow Region (Russian Federation); Physics Department, Taras Shevchenko Kyiv National University, Volodymyrska Street 64, 01601 Kyiv (Ukraine); Avdeev, Mikhail V. [Frank Laboratory of Neutron Physics, Joint Institute for Nuclear Research, Joliot-Curie 6, 141980 Dubna, Moscow Region (Russian Federation); Kopčanský, Peter [Institute of Experimental Physics SAS, Watsonova 47, 040 01 Košice (Slovakia)

2017-06-01

This work is devoted to the structural study of complex solutions of magnetic nanoparticles with lysozyme amyloid fibrils due to possible ordering of such system by applying the external magnetic field. The interaction of magnetic nanoparticles with amyloid fibrils has been followed by atomic force microscopy and small-angle X-ray scattering. It has been observed that magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) adsorb to lysozyme amyloid fibrils. It was found that MNPs alter amyloids structures, namely the diameter of lysozyme amyloid fibrils is increased whereas the length of fibrils is decreased. In the same time MNPs do not change the helical pitch significantly. - Highlights: • Solution of MNPs with lysozyme amyloid fibrils was characterized by AFM and SAXS. • MNPs adsorb to lysozyme amyloid fibrils. • Diameter and size of lysozyme amyloid fibrils change due to doping with MNPs.

Crystalline mesoporous zirconia catalysts having stable tetragonal pore wall structure

Science.gov (United States)

Sachtler, W.M.H.; Huang, Y.Y.

1998-07-28

Methods are disclosed for the preparation of new sulfated mesoporous zirconia materials/catalysts with crystalline pore walls of predominantly tetragonal crystal structure, characterized by nitrogen physical sorption measurement, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and catalytic tests using n-butane isomerization to iso-butane and alkylation of 1-naphthol with 4-tert-butylstyrene as probe reactions. Sulfate deposition is preferred for the transformation of a mesoporous precursor with amorphous pore walls into a material with crystalline pore walls maintaining the mesoporous characteristics. 17 figs.

Nanosize stabilization of cubic and tetragonal phases in reactive plasma synthesized zirconia powders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jayakumar, S., E-mail: sjayakumar.physics@gmail.com [Research and Development Centre, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore 641 014 (India); Department of Physics, Pollachi Institute of Engineering and Technology, Pollachi 642 205 (India); Ananthapadmanabhan, P.V.; Thiyagarajan, T.K. [Laser and Plasma Technology Division, BARC, Trombay, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Perumal, K. [Vision for Wisdom, Temple of Consciousness, Aliyar 642 101 (India); Mishra, S.C. [Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engg, National Institute of Technology, Rourkela 769 008 (India); Suresh, G. [Department of Physics, Park College of Engineering and Technology, Coimbatore 641 659 (India); Su, L.T.; Tok, A.I.Y. [School of Materials Science and Engg, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore 639 798 (Singapore)

2013-06-15

Pure zirconium oxide powders with particle size 2–33 nm are synthesized by reactive plasma processing. Transmission electron microscopy investigation of these particles revealed size dependent behavior for their phase stabilization. The monoclinic phase is found to be stable when particle size is ≥20 nm; Tetragonal is found to be stabilized in the range of 7–20 nm and as the particle size decreases to 6 nm and less, the cubic phase is stabilized. - Highlights: ► Direct conversion of micron-sized zirconium hydride powder to single crystal ZrO{sub 2} nanopowder. ► Size dependent stabilization of cubic, tetragonal and monoclinic phases in the reactive plasma synthesized ZrO{sub 2} nanopowder. ► Transmission electron microscopic investigation to identify particles of different sizes and their corresponding phase structure.

Solvent minimization induces preferential orientation and crystal clustering in serial micro-crystallography on micro-meshes, in situ plates and on a movable crystal conveyor belt.

Science.gov (United States)

Soares, Alexei S; Mullen, Jeffrey D; Parekh, Ruchi M; McCarthy, Grace S; Roessler, Christian G; Jackimowicz, Rick; Skinner, John M; Orville, Allen M; Allaire, Marc; Sweet, Robert M

2014-11-01

X-ray diffraction data were obtained at the National Synchrotron Light Source from insulin and lysozyme crystals that were densely deposited on three types of surfaces suitable for serial micro-crystallography: MiTeGen MicroMeshes™, Greiner Bio-One Ltd in situ micro-plates, and a moving kapton crystal conveyor belt that is used to deliver crystals directly into the X-ray beam. 6° wedges of data were taken from ∼100 crystals mounted on each material, and these individual data sets were merged to form nine complete data sets (six from insulin crystals and three from lysozyme crystals). Insulin crystals have a parallelepiped habit with an extended flat face that preferentially aligned with the mounting surfaces, impacting the data collection strategy and the design of the serial crystallography apparatus. Lysozyme crystals had a cuboidal habit and showed no preferential orientation. Preferential orientation occluded regions of reciprocal space when the X-ray beam was incident normal to the data-collection medium surface, requiring a second pass of data collection with the apparatus inclined away from the orthogonal. In addition, crystals measuring less than 20 µm were observed to clump together into clusters of crystals. Clustering required that the X-ray beam be adjusted to match the crystal size to prevent overlapping diffraction patterns. No additional problems were encountered with the serial crystallography strategy of combining small randomly oriented wedges of data from a large number of specimens. High-quality data able to support a realistic molecular replacement solution were readily obtained from both crystal types using all three serial crystallography strategies.

Recognition of lysozyme using surface imprinted bacterial cellulose nanofibers.

Science.gov (United States)

Saylan, Yeşeren; Tamahkar, Emel; Denizli, Adil

2017-11-01

Here, we developed the lysozyme imprinted bacterial cellulose (Lyz-MIP/BC) nanofibers via the surface imprinting strategy that was designed to recognize lysozyme. This study includes the molecular imprinting method onto the surface of bacterial cellulose nanofibers in the presence of lysozyme by metal ion coordination, as well as further characterizations methods FTIR, SEM and contact angle measurements. The maximum lysozyme adsorption capacity of Lyz-MIP/BC nanofibers was found to be 71 mg/g. The Lyz-MIP/BC nanofibers showed high selectivity for lysozyme towards bovine serum albumin and cytochrome c. Overall, the Lyz-MIP/BC nanofibers hold great potential for lysozyme recognition due to the high binding capacity, significant selectivity and excellent reusability.

Crystal structure and magnetic susceptibility of UOSe single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kaczorowski, D.; Muenster Univ.; Poettgen, R.; Jeitschko, W.; Gajek, Z.; Zygmunt, A.

1993-01-01

The crystal structure and magnetic susceptibility behaviour of UOSe single crystals have been studied. UOSe crystalizes in the tetragonal PbFC1-type structure (space group P4/nmm) with the lattice parameters: a = 390.38(5) pm and c = 698.05(9) pm. It orders antiferromagnetically at T N =100±2 K and exhibits a very strong anisotropy in the susceptibility vs temperature variation. The magnetic and thermodynamic properties of UOSe are successfully interpreted in the framework of a perturbative ab initio crystal field approach. (Author)

Crystal structure and magnetic susceptibility of UOSe single crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaczorowski, D. (Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw (Poland). Inst. for Low Temperature and Structure Research Muenster Univ. (Germany). Anorganisch-Chemisches Inst.); Poettgen, R.; Jeitschko, W. (Muenster Univ. (Germany). Anorganisch-Chemisches Inst.); Gajek, Z.; Zygmunt, A. (Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw (Poland). Inst. for Low Temperature and Structure Research)

1993-01-01

The crystal structure and magnetic susceptibility behaviour of UOSe single crystals have been studied. UOSe crystalizes in the tetragonal PbFC1-type structure (space group P4/nmm) with the lattice parameters: a = 390.38(5) pm and c = 698.05(9) pm. It orders antiferromagnetically at T[sub N]=100[+-]2 K and exhibits a very strong anisotropy in the susceptibility vs temperature variation. The magnetic and thermodynamic properties of UOSe are successfully interpreted in the framework of a perturbative ab initio crystal field approach. (Author).

The association of lysozyme with casein

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Roos, de A.L.; Walstra, P.; Geurts, T.J.

1998-01-01

The association of hen eggs’ lysozyme with caseins was studied by using three casein substrates: (I) solutions of the various caseins, (II) artificially made casein micelles of various compositions and (III) caseins adsorbed onto soya-oil emulsion droplets. In solution, lysozyme associated most

/sup 87/Rb NMR study at the cubic to tetragonal phase transition in RbCaF/sub 3/

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bulou, A [Angers Univ., 72 - Le Mans (France). Centre Universitaire; Theveneau, H; Trokiner, A; Papon, P [Ecole Superieure de Physique et Chimie Industrielles, 75 - Paris (France)

1979-07-01

The /sup 87/Rb nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum, in perovskite single crystal of RbCaF/sub 3/, is studied above and below the cubic-to-tetragonal phase transition occurring at 198 K. In the high-temperature cubic phase, the temperature dependence of the resonance line amplitude deviates from the Curie law and this can be attributed to the existence of tetragonal domains. In the low temperature tetragonal phase, a second-order quadrupole shift of the central line is observed, from which the CaF/sub 6/ tilt angle (order parameter) is derived. The order parameter temperature dependence is described by a power law with a cross over from exponent 0.5 to exponent 0.32 at 150 K. The tilt angle PHI is compared to the values obtained from X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data.

Defect-induced local variation of crystal phase transition temperature in metal-halide perovskites.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobrovolsky, Alexander; Merdasa, Aboma; Unger, Eva L; Yartsev, Arkady; Scheblykin, Ivan G

2017-06-26

Solution-processed organometal halide perovskites are hybrid crystalline semiconductors highly interesting for low-cost and efficient optoelectronics. Their properties are dependent on the crystal structure. Literature shows a variety of crystal phase transition temperatures and often a spread of the transition over tens of degrees Kelvin. We explain this inconsistency by demonstrating that the temperature of the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic phase transition in methylammonium lead triiodide depends on the concentration and nature of local defects. Phase transition in individual nanowires was studied by photoluminescence microspectroscopy and super-resolution imaging. We propose that upon cooling from 160 to 140 K, domains of the crystal containing fewer defects stay in the tetragonal phase longer than highly defected domains that readily transform to the high bandgap orthorhombic phase at higher temperatures. The existence of relatively pure tetragonal domains during the phase transition leads to drastic photoluminescence enhancement, which is inhomogeneously distributed across perovskite microcrystals.Understanding crystal phase transition in materials is of fundamental importance. Using luminescence spectroscopy and super-resolution imaging, Dobrovolsky et al. study the transition from the tetragonal to orthorhombic crystal phase in methylammonium lead triiodide nanowires at low temperature.

Combining EPR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography to elucidate the structure and dynamics of conformationally constrained spin labels in T4 lysozyme single crystals.

Science.gov (United States)

Consentius, Philipp; Gohlke, Ulrich; Loll, Bernhard; Alings, Claudia; Heinemann, Udo; Wahl, Markus C; Risse, Thomas

2017-08-09

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy in combination with site-directed spin labeling is used to investigate the structure and dynamics of conformationally constrained spin labels in T4 lysozyme single crystals. Within a single crystal, the oriented ensemble of spin bearing moieties results in a strong angle dependence of the EPR spectra. A quantitative description of the EPR spectra requires the determination of the unit cell orientation with respect to the sample tube and the orientation of the spin bearing moieties within the crystal lattice. Angle dependent EPR spectra were analyzed by line shape simulations using the stochastic Liouville equation approach developed by Freed and co-workers and an effective Hamiltonian approach. The gain in spectral information obtained from the EPR spectra of single crystalline samples taken at different frequencies, namely the X-band and Q-band, allows us to discriminate between motional models describing the spectra of isotropic solutions similarly well. In addition, it is shown that the angle dependent single crystal spectra allow us to identify two spin label rotamers with very similar side chain dynamics. These results demonstrate the utility of single crystal EPR spectroscopy in combination with spectral line shape simulation techniques to extract valuable dynamic information not readily available from the analysis of isotropic systems. In addition, it will be shown that the loss of electron density in high resolution diffraction experiments at room temperature does not allow us to conclude that there is significant structural disorder in the system.

Tetragonal-cubic phase boundary in nanocrystalline ZrO2-Y2O3 solid solutions synthesized by gel-combustion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fabregas, Ismael O.; Craievich, Aldo F.; Fantini, Marcia C.A.; Millen, Ricardo P.; Temperini, Marcia L.A.; Lamas, Diego G.

2011-01-01

Research highlights: → Gel-combustion synthesis yields compositionally homogeneous, single-phased ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 nanopowders, that exhibit the presence at room temperature of three different phases depending on Y 2 O 3 content, namely two tetragonal forms (t' and t'') and the cubic phase. → Phase identification can be achieved by synchrotron XPD (SXPD) and Raman spectroscopy since the tetragonal forms and the cubic phase can be distinguished by these techniques. → The crystallographic features of ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 nanopowders were determined by SXPD. They are similar to those reported by Yashima and coworkers for compositionally homogeneous materials containing larger (micro)crystals. However, the lattice parameters are slightly different and the axial ratios c/a of our t' samples are smaller than those reported by these authors. → Compositional t'/t'' and t''/cubic phase boundaries are located at (9 ± 1) and (10.5 ± 0.5) mol% Y 2 O 3 , respectively. → For the whole series of nanocrystalline ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 solid solutions studied in the present work, no evidences of the presence of a mixture of phases - as reported by Yashima and coworkers for microcrystalline solid solutions - were detected. - Abstract: By means of synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction (SXPD) and Raman spectroscopy, we have detected, in a series of nanocrystalline and compositionally homogeneous ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 solid solutions, the presence at room temperature of three different phases depending on Y 2 O 3 content, namely two tetragonal forms and the cubic phase. The studied materials, with average crystallite sizes within the range 7-10 nm, were synthesized by a nitrate-citrate gel-combustion process. The crystal structure of these phases was also investigated by SXPD. The results presented here indicate that the studied nanocrystalline ZrO 2 -Y 2 O 3 solid solutions exhibit the same phases reported in the literature for compositionally homogeneous materials containing larger (micro)crystals

Aptamer-Based Electrochemical Sensing of Lysozyme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alina Vasilescu

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Protein analysis and quantification are required daily by thousands of laboratories worldwide for activities ranging from protein characterization to clinical diagnostics. Multiple factors have to be considered when selecting the best detection and quantification assay, including the amount of protein available, its concentration, the presence of interfering molecules, as well as costs and rapidity. This is also the case for lysozyme, a 14.3-kDa protein ubiquitously present in many organisms, that has been identified with a variety of functions: antibacterial activity, a biomarker of several serious medical conditions, a potential allergen in foods or a model of amyloid-type protein aggregation. Since the design of the first lysozyme aptamer in 2001, lysozyme became one of the most intensively-investigated biological target analytes for the design of novel biosensing concepts, particularly with regards to electrochemical aptasensors. In this review, we discuss the state of the art of aptamer-based electrochemical sensing of lysozyme, with emphasis on sensing in serum and real samples.

Stabilization of metastable tetragonal zirconia nanocrystallites by surface modification

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Mette Skovgaard; Almdal, Kristoffer; Lelieveld, A. van

2011-01-01

Metastable tetragonal zirconia nanocrystallites were studied in humid air and in water at room temperature (RT). A stabilizing effect of different surfactants on the tetragonal phase was observed. Furthermore, the phase stability of silanized metastable tetragonal zirconia nanocrystallites was te...... exposure to humidity. Only silanes and phosphate esters of these were able to stabilize the tetragonal phase in water. Even as small amounts of silanes as 0.25 silane molecule per nm2 are able to stabilize the tetragonal phase in water at RT. Aminopropyl trimethoxy silane and γ...

Technology Optimization of Lysozyme's Fresh Maintaining Effect on Apple.

Science.gov (United States)

Jun-Hong, Liu; Kun-Yu, Wang

2016-10-03

Lysozyme is a kind of alkaline globin, which functions well in the degradation of the cell wall of microbe. Currently, lysozyme is widely used in various fields, such as medicine, fruit, and vegetable industry, dairy industry, and so on. Therefore, the exploitation and utilization of lysozyme is of significant economic benefit. Taking apple as material, weight loss ratio and reducing sugar content as objectives, this paper studied the fresh-keeping effect of lysozyme. Influential factors, lysozyme concentration, soaking time, modified temperature, and reaction time were discussed in detail. The results showed that reducing sugar content was 2.043% and the weight loss ratio was the minimum in the presence of soaking time of 2 min, modified temperature of 65 °C, reaction time of 4 d, and lysozyme concentration of 0.5 g/L. © 2016 Institute of Food Technologists®.

Dynamics of hydration in hen egg white lysozyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Sterpone, F; Ceccarelli, M; Marchi, M

2001-08-10

We investigate the hydration dynamics of a small globular protein, hen egg-white lysozyme. Extensive simulations (two trajectories of 9 ns each) were carried out to identify the time-scales and mechanism of water attachment to this protein. The location of the surface and integral water molecules in lysozyme was also investigated. Three peculiar temporal scales of the hydration dynamics can be discerned: two among these, with sub-nanosecond mean residence time, tau(w), are characteristic of surface hydration water; the slower time-scale (tau(w) approximately 2/3 ns) is associated with buried water molecules in hydrophilic pores and in superficial clefts. The computed tau(w) values in the two independent runs fall in a similar range and are consistent with each other, thus adding extra weight to our result. The tau(w) of surface water obtained from the two independent trajectories is 20 and 24 ps. In both simulations only three water molecules are bound to lysozyme for the entire length of the trajectories, in agreement with nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion estimates. Locations other than those identified in the protein crystal are found to be possible for these long-residing water molecules. The dynamics of the hydration water molecules observed in our simulations implies that each water molecule visits a multitude of residues during the lifetime of its bound with the protein. The number of residues seen by a single water molecule increases with the time-scale of its residence time and, on average, is equal to one only for the water molecules with shorter residence time. Thus, tau(w) values obtained from inelastic neutron scattering and based on jump-diffusion models are likely not to account for the contribution of water molecules with longer residence time. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.

The Antimicrobial Peptide Lysozyme Is Induced after Multiple Trauma

OpenAIRE

Klüter, Tim; Fitschen-Oestern, Stefanie; Lippross, Sebastian; Weuster, Matthias; Mentlein, Rolf; Steubesand, Nadine; Neunaber, Claudia; Hildebrand, Frank; Pufe, Thomas; Tohidnezhad, Mersedeh; Beyer, Andreas; Seekamp, Andreas; Varoga, Deike

2014-01-01

The antimicrobial peptide lysozyme is an important factor of innate immunity and exerts high potential of antibacterial activity. In the present study we evaluated the lysozyme expression in serum of multiple injured patients and subsequently analyzed their possible sources and signaling pathways. Expression of lysozyme was examined in blood samples of multiple trauma patients from the day of trauma until 14 days after trauma by ELISA. To investigate major sources of lysozyme, its expression ...

Solvent minimization induces preferential orientation and crystal clustering in serial micro-crystallography on micro-meshes, in situ plates and on a movable crystal conveyor belt

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Soares, Alexei S., E-mail: soares@bnl.gov [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Mullen, Jeffrey D. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1274 (United States); Parekh, Ruchi M. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Suffolk County Community College, Selden, NY 11784 (United States); McCarthy, Grace S.; Roessler, Christian G.; Jackimowicz, Rick; Skinner, John M. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Orville, Allen M. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Allaire, Marc [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Sweet, Robert M. [Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States); Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973 (United States)

2014-10-09

Strategies are described for optimizing the signal-to-noise of diffraction data, and for combining data from multiple crystals. One challenge that must be overcome is the non-random orientation of crystals with respect to one another and with respect to the surface that supports them. X-ray diffraction data were obtained at the National Synchrotron Light Source from insulin and lysozyme crystals that were densely deposited on three types of surfaces suitable for serial micro-crystallography: MiTeGen MicroMeshes™, Greiner Bio-One Ltd in situ micro-plates, and a moving kapton crystal conveyor belt that is used to deliver crystals directly into the X-ray beam. 6° wedges of data were taken from ∼100 crystals mounted on each material, and these individual data sets were merged to form nine complete data sets (six from insulin crystals and three from lysozyme crystals). Insulin crystals have a parallelepiped habit with an extended flat face that preferentially aligned with the mounting surfaces, impacting the data collection strategy and the design of the serial crystallography apparatus. Lysozyme crystals had a cuboidal habit and showed no preferential orientation. Preferential orientation occluded regions of reciprocal space when the X-ray beam was incident normal to the data-collection medium surface, requiring a second pass of data collection with the apparatus inclined away from the orthogonal. In addition, crystals measuring less than 20 µm were observed to clump together into clusters of crystals. Clustering required that the X-ray beam be adjusted to match the crystal size to prevent overlapping diffraction patterns. No additional problems were encountered with the serial crystallography strategy of combining small randomly oriented wedges of data from a large number of specimens. High-quality data able to support a realistic molecular replacement solution were readily obtained from both crystal types using all three serial crystallography strategies.

Solvent minimization induces preferential orientation and crystal clustering in serial micro-crystallography on micro-meshes, in situ plates and on a movable crystal conveyor belt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soares, Alexei S.; Mullen, Jeffrey D.; Parekh, Ruchi M.; McCarthy, Grace S.; Roessler, Christian G.; Jackimowicz, Rick; Skinner, John M.; Orville, Allen M.; Allaire, Marc; Sweet, Robert M.

2014-01-01

Strategies are described for optimizing the signal-to-noise of diffraction data, and for combining data from multiple crystals. One challenge that must be overcome is the non-random orientation of crystals with respect to one another and with respect to the surface that supports them. X-ray diffraction data were obtained at the National Synchrotron Light Source from insulin and lysozyme crystals that were densely deposited on three types of surfaces suitable for serial micro-crystallography: MiTeGen MicroMeshes™, Greiner Bio-One Ltd in situ micro-plates, and a moving kapton crystal conveyor belt that is used to deliver crystals directly into the X-ray beam. 6° wedges of data were taken from ∼100 crystals mounted on each material, and these individual data sets were merged to form nine complete data sets (six from insulin crystals and three from lysozyme crystals). Insulin crystals have a parallelepiped habit with an extended flat face that preferentially aligned with the mounting surfaces, impacting the data collection strategy and the design of the serial crystallography apparatus. Lysozyme crystals had a cuboidal habit and showed no preferential orientation. Preferential orientation occluded regions of reciprocal space when the X-ray beam was incident normal to the data-collection medium surface, requiring a second pass of data collection with the apparatus inclined away from the orthogonal. In addition, crystals measuring less than 20 µm were observed to clump together into clusters of crystals. Clustering required that the X-ray beam be adjusted to match the crystal size to prevent overlapping diffraction patterns. No additional problems were encountered with the serial crystallography strategy of combining small randomly oriented wedges of data from a large number of specimens. High-quality data able to support a realistic molecular replacement solution were readily obtained from both crystal types using all three serial crystallography strategies

Modeling local structure using crystal field and spin Hamiltonian parameters: the tetragonal FeK3+-OI2- defect center in KTaO3 crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gnutek, P; Rudowicz, C; Yang, Z Y

2009-01-01

The local structure and the spin Hamiltonian (SH) parameters, including the zero-field-splitting (ZFS) parameters D and (a+2F/3), and the Zeeman g factors g || and g perpendicular , are theoretically investigated for the Fe K 3+ -O I 2- center in KTaO 3 crystal. The microscopic SH (MSH) parameters are modeled within the framework of the crystal field (CF) theory employing the CF analysis (CFA) package, which also incorporates the MSH modules. Our approach takes into account the spin-orbit interaction as well as the spin-spin and spin-other-orbit interactions omitted in previous studies. The superposition model (SPM) calculations are carried out to provide input CF parameters for the CFA/MSH package. The combined SPM-CFA/MSH approach is used to consider various structural models for the Fe K 3+ -O I 2- defect center in KTaO 3 . This modeling reveals that the off-center displacement of the Fe 3+ ions, Δ 1 (Fe 3+ ), combined with an inward relaxation of the nearest oxygen ligands, Δ 2 (O 2- ), and the existence of the interstitial oxygen O I 2- give rise to a strong tetragonal crystal field. This finding may explain the large ZFS experimentally observed for the Fe K 3+ -O I 2- center in KTaO 3 . Matching the theoretical MSH predictions with the available structural data as well as electron magnetic resonance (EMR) and optical spectroscopy data enables predicting reasonable ranges of values of Δ 1 (Fe 3+ ) and Δ 2 (O 2- ) as well as the possible location of O I 2- ligands around Fe 3+ ions in KTaO 3 . The defect structure model obtained using the SPM-CFA/MSH approach reproduces very well the ranges of the experimental SH parameters D, g || and g perpendicular and importantly yields not only the correct magnitude of D but also the sign, unlike previous studies. More reliable predictions may be achieved when experimental data on (a+2F/3) and/or crystal field energy levels become available. Comparison of our results with those arising from alternative models existing

Two types of amorphous protein particles facilitate crystal nucleation.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamazaki, Tomoya; Kimura, Yuki; Vekilov, Peter G; Furukawa, Erika; Shirai, Manabu; Matsumoto, Hiroaki; Van Driessche, Alexander E S; Tsukamoto, Katsuo

2017-02-28

Nucleation, the primary step in crystallization, dictates the number of crystals, the distribution of their sizes, the polymorph selection, and other crucial properties of the crystal population. We used time-resolved liquid-cell transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to perform an in situ examination of the nucleation of lysozyme crystals. Our TEM images revealed that mesoscopic clusters, which are similar to those previously assumed to consist of a dense liquid and serve as nucleation precursors, are actually amorphous solid particles (ASPs) and act only as heterogeneous nucleation sites. Crystalline phases never form inside them. We demonstrate that a crystal appears within a noncrystalline particle assembling lysozyme on an ASP or a container wall, highlighting the role of heterogeneous nucleation. These findings represent a significant departure from the existing formulation of the two-step nucleation mechanism while reaffirming the role of noncrystalline particles. The insights gained may have significant implications in areas that rely on the production of protein crystals, such as structural biology, pharmacy, and biophysics, and for the fundamental understanding of crystallization mechanisms.

A novel electrochemical aptamer-antibody sandwich assay for lysozyme detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Ocaña, Cristina; Hayat, Akhtar; Mishra, Rupesh; Vasilescu, Alina; del Valle, Manel; Marty, Jean-Louis

2015-06-21

In this paper, we have reported a novel electrochemical aptamer-antibody based sandwich biosensor for the detection of lysozyme. In the sensing strategy, an anti-lysozyme aptamer was immobilized onto the carbon electrode surface by covalent binding via diazonium salt chemistry. After incubating with a target protein (lysozyme), a biotinylated antibody was used to complete the sandwich format. The subsequent additions of avidin-alkaline phosphatase as an enzyme label, and a 1-naphthyl phosphate substrate (1-NPP) allowed us to determine the concentration of lysozyme (Lys) via Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV) of the generated enzyme reaction product, 1-naphthol. Using this strategy, a wide detection range from 5 fM to 5 nM was obtained for a target lysozyme, with a detection limit of 4.3 fM. The control experiments were carried out by using bovine serum albumin (BSA), cytochrome c and casein. The results showed that the proposed biosensor had good specificity, stability and reproducibility for lysozyme analysis. In addition, the biosensor was applied for detecting lysozyme in spiked wine samples, and very good recovery rates were obtained in the range from 95.2 to 102.0% for lysozyme detection. This implies that the proposed sandwich biosensor is a promising analytical tool for the analysis of lysozyme in real samples.

A Study of Biomolecules as Growth Modifiers of Calcium Oxalate Crystals

Science.gov (United States)

Kwak, Junha John

Crystallization processes are ubiquitous in nature, science, and technology. Controlling crystal growth is pivotal in many industries as material properties and functions can be tailored by tuning crystal habits (e.g. size, shape, phase). In biomineralization, organisms exert excellent control over bottom-up synthesis and assembly of inorganic-organic structures (e.g. bones, teeth, exoskeletons). This is made possible by growth modifiers that range from small molecules to macromolecules, such as proteins. Molecular recognition of the mineral phase allows proteins to function as nucleation templates, matrices, and growth inhibitors or promoters. We are interested in taking a biomimetic approach to control crystallization via biomolecular growth modifiers. We investigated calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM), found in plants and kidney stones, as a model system of crystallization. We studied the effects of four common proteins on COM crystallization: bovine serum albumin (BSA), transferrin, lactoferrin, and lysozyme. Through kinetic studies of COM crystallization, we classified BSA and lysozyme as COM growth inhibitor and promoter respectively. Their inhibition and promotion effects were also evident in the macroscopic crystal habit. Through adsorption and microscopy experiments, we showed that BSA exhibits binding specificity for the apical surfaces of macroscopic COM crystals. Lysozyme, on the other, functions via a non-binding mechanism at the surface to accelerate the growth of the apical surfaces. We also synthesized and studied peptides derived from the protein primary sequences to identify putative domains responsible for these inhibition and promotion effects. Collectively, our study of physiologically relevant biomolecules suggests potential roles of COM modifiers in pathological crystallization and helps to develop guidelines for rational design of biomolecular growth modifiers for applications in crystal engineering.

An improved 96-well turbidity assay for T4 lysozyme activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Toro, Tasha B; Nguyen, Thao P; Watt, Terry J

2015-01-01

T4 lysozyme (T4L) is an important model system for investigating the relationship between protein structure and function. Despite being extensively studied, a reliable, quantitative activity assay for T4L has not been developed. Here, we present an improved T4L turbidity assay as well as an affinity-based T4L expression and purification protocol. This assay is designed for 96-well format and utilizes conditions amenable for both T4L and other lysozymes. This protocol enables easy, efficient, and quantitative characterization of T4L variants and allows comparison between different lysozymes. Our method: •Is applicable for all lysozymes, with enhanced sensitivity for T4 lysozyme compared to other 96-well plate turbidity assays;•Utilizes standardized conditions for comparing T4 lysozyme variants and other lysozymes; and•Incorporates a simplified expression and purification protocol for T4 lysozyme.

The interaction of lysozyme with caffeine, theophylline and theobromine in solution.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hong-Mei; Tang, Bo-Ping; Wang, Yan-Qing

2010-10-01

The interactions of lysozyme with caffeine (Caf), theophylline (Tph) and theobromine (Tbr) were investigated using UV-Vis absorption, fluorescence, synchronous fluorescence, and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra techniques. The results revealed that Caf (Tph or Tbr) caused the fluorescence quenching of lysozyme by the formation of Caf (Tph or Tbr)-lysozyme complex. The binding constants (K(A)) and thermodynamic parameters (ΔG°, ΔH°, ΔS°) at two different temperatures, the binding locality, and the binding power were obtained. The results showed that the process of binding Caf (Tph or Tbr) to lysozyme was a spontaneous molecular interaction procedure and the hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions play a major role in stabilizing the complex; The distance r between donor (lysozyme) and acceptor (Caf, Tph or Tbr) was obtained according to fluorescence resonance energy transfer. The effect of Caf (Tph or Tbr) on the conformation of lysozyme was analyzed using synchronous fluorescence and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra techniques. The results showed that the binding of Caf (Tph or Tbr) to lysozyme induced some micro-environmental and conformational changes in lysozyme and disturbed the environment of the polypeptide of lysozyme.

Suppressive effects of lysozyme on polyphosphate-mediated vascular inflammatory responses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chung, Jiwoo [College of Pharmacy, CMRI, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Multi-Omics Based Creative Drug Research Team, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566 (Korea, Republic of); Ku, Sae-Kwang [Department of Anatomy and Histology, College of Korean Medicine, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan 38610 (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Suyeon [College of Pharmacy, CMRI, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Multi-Omics Based Creative Drug Research Team, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566 (Korea, Republic of); Bae, Jong-Sup, E-mail: baejs@knu.ac.kr [College of Pharmacy, CMRI, Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Multi-Omics Based Creative Drug Research Team, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566 (Korea, Republic of)

2016-06-10

Lysozyme, found in relatively high concentration in blood, saliva, tears, and milk, protects us from the ever-present danger of bacterial infection. Previous studies have reported proinflammatory responses of endothelial cells to the release of polyphosphate(PolyP). In this study, we examined the anti-inflammatory responses and mechanisms of lysozyme and its effects on PolyP-induced septic activities in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mice. The survival rates, septic biomarker levels, behavior of human neutrophils, and vascular permeability were determined in PolyP-activated HUVECs and mice. Lysozyme suppressed the PolyP-mediated vascular barrier permeability, upregulation of inflammatory biomarkers, adhesion/migration of leukocytes, and activation and/or production of nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6. Furthermore, lysozyme demonstrated protective effects on PolyP-mediated lethal death and the levels of the related septic biomarkers. Therefore, these results indicated the therapeutic potential of lysozyme on various systemic inflammatory diseases, such as sepsis or septic shock. -- Highlights: •PolyP is shown to be an important mediator of vascular inflammation. •Lysozyme inhibited PolyP-mediated hyperpermeability. •Lysozyme inhibited PolyP-mediated septic response. •Lysozyme reduced PolyP-induced septic mortality.

Suppressive effects of lysozyme on polyphosphate-mediated vascular inflammatory responses

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, Jiwoo; Ku, Sae-Kwang; Lee, Suyeon; Bae, Jong-Sup

2016-01-01

Lysozyme, found in relatively high concentration in blood, saliva, tears, and milk, protects us from the ever-present danger of bacterial infection. Previous studies have reported proinflammatory responses of endothelial cells to the release of polyphosphate(PolyP). In this study, we examined the anti-inflammatory responses and mechanisms of lysozyme and its effects on PolyP-induced septic activities in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and mice. The survival rates, septic biomarker levels, behavior of human neutrophils, and vascular permeability were determined in PolyP-activated HUVECs and mice. Lysozyme suppressed the PolyP-mediated vascular barrier permeability, upregulation of inflammatory biomarkers, adhesion/migration of leukocytes, and activation and/or production of nuclear factor-κB, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6. Furthermore, lysozyme demonstrated protective effects on PolyP-mediated lethal death and the levels of the related septic biomarkers. Therefore, these results indicated the therapeutic potential of lysozyme on various systemic inflammatory diseases, such as sepsis or septic shock. -- Highlights: •PolyP is shown to be an important mediator of vascular inflammation. •Lysozyme inhibited PolyP-mediated hyperpermeability. •Lysozyme inhibited PolyP-mediated septic response. •Lysozyme reduced PolyP-induced septic mortality.

The effect factors of potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystallization in aqueous solution

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Cun; Sun, Fei; Liu, Xuzhao

2017-01-01

The effects of cooling rate and pH on the potassium dihydrogen phosphate crystallization process were studied by means of batch crystallization process. The experiment shows that with the increase of cooling rate, the metastable zone width increase and the induction period decrease. When the pH is 3.0, the metastable zone width and induction period are both the minimum, while the crystallization rate is the highest. The crystallization products were characterized by scanning election microscope. Potassium Dihydrogen Phosphate (KDP) is a kind of excellent nonlinear optical materials, and belongs to tetragonal system, and ideal shape is aggregate of tetragonal prism and tetragonal dipyramid, the (100) cone is alternating accumulation by double positive ions and double negative ions [1-4]. The crystals of aqueous solution method to grow have large electro-optical nonlinear coefficient and high loser-damaged threshold, and it is the only nonlinear optical crystal could be used in inertial confinement fusion (ICF), KDP crystals are the ideal system to study the native defects of complex oxide insulating material [5-7]. With the development of photovoltaic technology, KDP crystals growth and performance have become a research focus worldwide [8, 9]. The merits of the crystallization process directly affect the quality of KDP products, so the study of the effect of crystallization conditions has an important significance on industrial production. This paper studied the change rule of metastable zone width, induction period, crystallization rate and particle size distribution in crystal process, and discussed the technical condition of KDP crystallization.

MUCOADHESIVE GEL WITH IMMOBILIZED LYSOZYME: PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dekina S. S.

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The study of non-covalent immobilized lysozyme, as well as physico-chemical and biochemical properties of obtained mucoadhesive gel was the aim of the research. Lysozyme activity was determined by bacteriolytic method (Micrococcus lysodeikticus cells acetone powder was a substrate. Lysozyme immobilization was conducted by the method of entrapment in gel. Enzyme carrier interaction was studied by viscometric, spectrophotometric and spectrofluorimetric methods. Mucoadhesive gel with immobilized lysozyme, possessing antiinflammatory and antimicrobial activities, was prepared. Due to immobilization, protein-polymer complex with the original enzymatic activity was formed. The product is characterized by high mucoadhesive properties, quantitative retaining of protein and bacteriolytic activity, prolonged release of the enzyme, improved biochemical characteristics (extended pH-activity profile, stability in acidic medium and during storage for 2 years, and it is perspective for further studies. The proposed method for lysozyme immobilization in the carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt gel allows to obtain a stable, highly efficient product, with high adhesive properties for attachment to the mucous membranes, that is promising for use in biomedicine.

Modified lysozymes as novel broad spectrum natural antimicrobial agents in foods.

Science.gov (United States)

Aminlari, Ladan; Hashemi, Marjan Mohammadi; Aminlari, Mahmoud

2014-06-01

In recent years much attention and interest have been directed toward application of natural antimicrobial agents in foods. Some naturally occurring proteins such as lactoperoxidase, lactoferrin, and lysozyme have received considerable attention and are being considered as potential antimicrobial agents in foods. Lysozyme kills bacteria by hydrolyzing the peptidoglycan layer of the cell wall of certain bacterial species, hence its application as a natural antimicrobial agent has been suggested. However, limitations in the action of lysozyme against only Gram-positive bacteria have prompted scientists to extend the antimicrobial effects of lysozyme by several types of chemical modifications. During the last 2 decades extensive research has been directed toward modification of lysozyme in order to improve its antimicrobial properties. This review will report on the latest information available on lysozyme modifications and examine the applicability of the modified lysozymes in controlling growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in foods. The results of modifications of lysozyme using its conjugation with different small molecule, polysaccharides, as well as modifications using proteolytic enzymes will be reviewed. These types of modifications have not only increased the functional properties of lysozyme (such as solubility and heat stability) but also extended the antimicrobial activity of lysozyme. Many examples will be given to show that modification can decrease the count of Gram-negative bacteria in bacterial culture and in foods by as much as 5 log CFU/mL and in some cases essentially eliminated Escherichia coli. In conclusion this review demonstrates that modified lysozymes are excellent natural food preservatives, which can be used in food industry. The subject described in this review article can lead to the development of methods to produce new broad-spectrum natural antimicrobial agents, based on modification of chicken egg white lysozyme, which

Phase behavior of mixtures of oppositely charged nanoparticles: Heterogeneous Poisson-Boltzmann cell model applied to lysozyme and succinylated lysozyme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Biesheuvel, P.M.; Lindhoud, S.; Vries, de R.J.; Stuart, M.A.C.

2006-01-01

We study the phase behavior of mixtures of oppositely charged nanoparticles, both theoretically and experimentally. As an experimental model system we consider mixtures of lysozyme and lysozyme that has been chemically modified in such a way that its charge is nearly equal in magnitude but opposite

Expression and prognostic significance of lysozyme in male breast cancer

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Serra, Carlos; Baltasar, Aniceto; Medrano, Justo; Vizoso, Francisco; Alonso, Lorena; Rodríguez, Juan C; González, Luis O; Fernández, María; Lamelas, María L; Sánchez, Luis M; García-Muñiz, José L

2002-01-01

Lysozyme, one of the major protein components of human milk that is also synthesized by a significant percentage of breast carcinomas, is associated with lesions that have a favorable outcome in female breast cancer. Here we evaluate the expression and prognostic value of lysozyme in male breast cancer (MBC). Lysozyme expression was examined by immunohistochemical methods in a series of 60 MBC tissue sections and in 15 patients with gynecomastia. Staining was quantified using the HSCORE (histological score) system, which considers both the intensity and the percentage of cells staining at each intensity. Prognostic value of lysozyme was retrospectively evaluated by multivariate analysis taking into account conventional prognostic factors. Lysozyme immunostaining was negative in all cases of gynecomastia. A total of 27 of 60 MBC sections (45%) stained positively for this protein, but there were clear differences among them with regard to the intensity and percentage of stained cells. Statistical analysis showed that lysozyme HSCORE values in relation to age, tumor size, nodal status, histological grade, estrogen receptor status, metastasis and histological type did not increase the statistical significance. Univariate analysis confirmed that both nodal involvement and lysozyme values were significant predictors of short-term relapse-free survival. Multivariate analysis, according to Cox's regression model, also showed that nodal status and lysozyme levels were significant independent indicators of short-term relapse-free survival. Tumor expression of lysozyme is associated with lesions that have an unfavorable outcome in male breast cancer. This milk protein may be a new prognostic factor in patients with breast cancer

Biomimetic mineralization of calcium carbonate/carboxymethylcellulose microspheres for lysozyme immobilization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Zheng; Zhang Juan; Ma Yunzi; Song Siyue; Gu Wei

2012-01-01

Porous calcium carbonate/carboxymethylcellulose (CaCO 3 /CMC) microspheres were prepared by the biomimetic mineralization method for lysozyme immobilization via adsorption. The size and morphology of CaCO 3 /CMC microspheres were characterized by transmitted electron microscopy (TEM) and zeta potential measurement. The lysozyme immobilization was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The effects of pHs and temperatures on lysozyme adsorption were investigated as well. It was revealed that CaCO 3 /CMC microspheres could immobilize lysozyme efficiently via electrostatic interactions and a maximum adsorption capacity of 450 mg/g was achieved at pH 9.2 and 25 °C. Moreover, it was found that the adsorption process fitted well with the Langmuir isothermal model. In addition, UV, fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopic studies showed that lysozyme maintained its original secondary structure during the adsorption/desorption process. Our study therefore demonstrated that CaCO 3 /CMC microsphere can be used as a cost-effective and efficient support for lysozyme immobilization. - Graphical abstract: CaCO 3 /CMC microsphere was prepared by a facile biomimetic mineralization method and can be used as an efficient and cost-effective support for lysozyme immobilization. Highlights: ► CaCO 3 /CMC microspheres were prepared by the biomimetic mineralization method. ► Lysozyme was efficiently immobilized to CaCO 3 /CMC microspheres via adsorption. ► A maximum adsorption capacity of 450 mg/g was obtained at pH 9.2 and 25 °C. ► The original secondary structure of lysozyme was maintained upon immobilization.

Heterogeneous nucleation of protein crystals on fluorinated layered silicate.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Keita Ino

Full Text Available Here, we describe an improved system for protein crystallization based on heterogeneous nucleation using fluorinated layered silicate. In addition, we also investigated the mechanism of nucleation on the silicate surface. Crystallization of lysozyme using silicates with different chemical compositions indicated that fluorosilicates promoted nucleation whereas the silicates without fluorine did not. The use of synthesized saponites for lysozyme crystallization confirmed that the substitution of hydroxyl groups contained in the lamellae structure for fluorine atoms is responsible for the nucleation-inducing property of the nucleant. Crystallization of twelve proteins with a wide range of pI values revealed that the nucleation promoting effect of the saponites tended to increase with increased substitution rate. Furthermore, the saponite with the highest fluorine content promoted nucleation in all the test proteins regardless of their overall net charge. Adsorption experiments of proteins on the saponites confirmed that the density of adsorbed molecules increased according to the substitution rate, thereby explaining the heterogeneous nucleation on the silicate surface.

Synthesis and electrical conductivity of nanocrystalline tetragonal FeS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng Shu-Lin; Wang Hui-Xian; Dong Cheng

2014-01-01

A convenient method for synthesis of tetragonal FeS using iron powder as iron source, is reported. Nanocrystalline tetragonal FeS samples were successfully synthesized by reacting metallic iron powder with sodium sulfide in acetate buffer solution. The obtained sample is single-phase tetragonal FeS with lattice parameters a = 0.3767 nm and c = 0.5037 nm, as revealed by X-ray diffraction. The sample consists of flat nanosheets with lateral dimensions from 20 nm up to 200 nm and average thickness of about 20 nm. We found that tetragonal FeS is a fairly good conductor from the electrical resistivity measurement on a pellet of the nanosheets. The temperature dependence of conductivity of the pellet was well fitted using an empirical equation wherein the effect of different grain boundaries was taken into consideration. This study provides a convenient, economic way to synthesize tetragonal FeS in a large scale and reports the first electrical conductivity data for tetragonal FeS down to liquid helium temperature. (condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties)

A study of the crystallization of ZrO

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aguilar, D. H.; Torres-Gonzalez, L. C.; Torres-Martinez, L. M.; Lopez, T.; Quintana, P.

2001-01-01

ZrO(sub 2)-SiO(sub 2) sol-gel powders were produced using tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and zirconium propoxide. After gellation, the ZrO(sub 2) crystallization process was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis (DTA/TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fresh gels were amorphous. Thermal treatments were carried out from 100 to 1400 C for a total annealing time of 182 h. Tetragonal zirconia, (Z(t)) was the first phase to crystallize, between 300 and 500 C. Crystallization temperature was lower for zirconia-rich compositions, increasing as silica content was raised. DTA analysis showed that Z(t) crystallization occurred in two stages. Complete tetragonal-monoclinic zirconia transformation occurred near 1000 C, and was clearly observed only in ZrO(sub 2)-rich compositions ( and gt;80%). Silica remains amorphous until 1200 C, when ZrSiO(sub 4) formation took place. A metastable sol-gel phase diagram was proposed to show the crystallization process between 100 and 1400 C

Feasibility of one-shot-per-crystal structure determination using Laue diffraction

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cornaby, Sterling [School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (United States); CHESS (Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (United States); Szebenyi, Doletha M. E. [MacCHESS (Macromolecular Diffraction Facilities at CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (United States); Smilgies, Detlef-M. [CHESS (Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (United States); Schuller, David J.; Gillilan, Richard; Hao, Quan [MacCHESS (Macromolecular Diffraction Facilities at CHESS), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (United States); Bilderback, Donald H., E-mail: dhb2@cornell.edu [School of Applied and Engineering Physics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (United States); CHESS (Cornell High Energy Synchrotron Source), Cornell University, Ithaca, New York (United States)

2010-01-01

Structure determination was successfully carried out using single Laue exposures from a group of lysozyme crystals. The Laue method may be a viable option for collection of one-shot-per-crystal data from microcrystals. Crystal size is an important factor in determining the number of diffraction patterns which may be obtained from a protein crystal before severe radiation damage sets in. As crystal dimensions decrease this number is reduced, eventually falling to one, at which point a complete data set must be assembled using data from multiple crystals. When only a single exposure is to be collected from each crystal, the polychromatic Laue technique may be preferable to monochromatic methods owing to its simultaneous recording of a large number of fully recorded reflections per image. To assess the feasibility of solving structures using single Laue images from multiple crystals, data were collected using a ‘pink’ beam at the CHESS D1 station from groups of lysozyme crystals with dimensions of the order of 20–30 µm mounted on MicroMesh grids. Single-shot Laue data were used for structure determination by molecular replacement and correct solutions were obtained even when as few as five crystals were used.

Feasibility of one-shot-per-crystal structure determination using Laue diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cornaby, Sterling; Szebenyi, Doletha M. E.; Smilgies, Detlef-M.; Schuller, David J.; Gillilan, Richard; Hao, Quan; Bilderback, Donald H.

2010-01-01

Structure determination was successfully carried out using single Laue exposures from a group of lysozyme crystals. The Laue method may be a viable option for collection of one-shot-per-crystal data from microcrystals. Crystal size is an important factor in determining the number of diffraction patterns which may be obtained from a protein crystal before severe radiation damage sets in. As crystal dimensions decrease this number is reduced, eventually falling to one, at which point a complete data set must be assembled using data from multiple crystals. When only a single exposure is to be collected from each crystal, the polychromatic Laue technique may be preferable to monochromatic methods owing to its simultaneous recording of a large number of fully recorded reflections per image. To assess the feasibility of solving structures using single Laue images from multiple crystals, data were collected using a ‘pink’ beam at the CHESS D1 station from groups of lysozyme crystals with dimensions of the order of 20–30 µm mounted on MicroMesh grids. Single-shot Laue data were used for structure determination by molecular replacement and correct solutions were obtained even when as few as five crystals were used

Tetragonal-cubic phase boundary in nanocrystalline ZrO{sub 2}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} solid solutions synthesized by gel-combustion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fabregas, Ismael O. [CINSO (Centro de Investigaciones en Solidos), CITEFA-CONICET, J.B. de La Salle 4397, 1603 Villa Martelli, Pcia. de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Craievich, Aldo F.; Fantini, Marcia C.A. [Instituto de Fisica, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Travessa R da Rua do Matao, No. 187, Cidade Universitaria, 05508-900 Sao Paulo (Brazil); Millen, Ricardo P.; Temperini, Marcia L.A. [Instituto de Quimica, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Avenida Prof. Lineu Prestes 748, Cidade Universitaria, 05508-900 Sao Paulo (Brazil); Lamas, Diego G., E-mail: dlamas@uncoma.edu.ar [CINSO (Centro de Investigaciones en Solidos), CITEFA-CONICET, J.B. de La Salle 4397, 1603 Villa Martelli, Pcia. de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Laboratorio de Caracterizacion de Materiales, Facultad de Ingenieria, Universidad Nacional del Comahue, Buenos Aires 1400, (8300) Neuquen Capital, Prov. de Neuquen (Argentina)

2011-04-21

Research highlights: > Gel-combustion synthesis yields compositionally homogeneous, single-phased ZrO{sub 2}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanopowders, that exhibit the presence at room temperature of three different phases depending on Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} content, namely two tetragonal forms (t' and t'') and the cubic phase. > Phase identification can be achieved by synchrotron XPD (SXPD) and Raman spectroscopy since the tetragonal forms and the cubic phase can be distinguished by these techniques. > The crystallographic features of ZrO{sub 2}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanopowders were determined by SXPD. They are similar to those reported by Yashima and coworkers for compositionally homogeneous materials containing larger (micro)crystals. However, the lattice parameters are slightly different and the axial ratios c/a of our t' samples are smaller than those reported by these authors. > Compositional t'/t'' and t''/cubic phase boundaries are located at (9 {+-} 1) and (10.5 {+-} 0.5) mol% Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, respectively. > For the whole series of nanocrystalline ZrO{sub 2}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} solid solutions studied in the present work, no evidences of the presence of a mixture of phases - as reported by Yashima and coworkers for microcrystalline solid solutions - were detected. - Abstract: By means of synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction (SXPD) and Raman spectroscopy, we have detected, in a series of nanocrystalline and compositionally homogeneous ZrO{sub 2}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} solid solutions, the presence at room temperature of three different phases depending on Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} content, namely two tetragonal forms and the cubic phase. The studied materials, with average crystallite sizes within the range 7-10 nm, were synthesized by a nitrate-citrate gel-combustion process. The crystal structure of these phases was also investigated by SXPD. The results presented here indicate that the studied nanocrystalline ZrO{sub 2}-Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} solid

Spatially modulated magnetic structure of EuS due to the tetragonal domain structure of SrTiO3 APS

CERN Document Server

Rosenberg, Aaron J.; Kirtley, John R.; Gedik, Nuh; Moodera, Jagadeesh S.; Moler, Kathryn A.

2017-12-15

The combination of ferromagnets with topological superconductors or insulators allows for new phases of matter that support excitations such as chiral edge modes and Majorana fermions. EuS, a wide-bandgap ferromagnetic insulator with a Curie temperature around 16 K, and SrTiO3 (STO), an important substrate for engineering heterostructures, may support these phases. We present scanning superconducting quantum interference device measurements of EuS grown epitaxially on STO that reveal micron-scale variations in ferromagnetism and paramagnetism. These variations are oriented along the STO crystal axes and only change their configuration upon thermal cycling above the STO cubic-to-tetragonal structural transition temperature at 105 K, indicating that the observed magnetic features are due to coupling between EuS and the STO tetragonal structure. We speculate that the STO tetragonal distortions may strain the EuS, altering the magnetic anisotropy on a micron scale. This result demonstrates that local variation in...

Metal ions-binding T4 lysozyme as an intramolecular protein purification tag compatible with X-ray crystallography

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Bouřa, Evžen; Bäumlová, Adriana; Chalupská, Dominika; Dubánková, Anna; Klíma, Martin

2017-01-01

Roč. 26, č. 6 (2017), s. 1116-1123 ISSN 0961-8368 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GJ17-07058Y; GA MŠk LO1302 Institutional support: RVO:61388963 Keywords : phage T4 * lysozyme * endolysin * histidine tag * protein purification * crystal structure Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology Impact factor: 2.523, year: 2016

Reversible aggregation of lysozyme in a biodegradable amphiphilic multiblock copolymer.

Science.gov (United States)

van de Weert, Marco; van Dijkhuizen-Radersma, Riemke; Bezemer, Jeroen M; Hennink, Wim E; Crommelin, Daan J A

2002-07-01

Lysozyme-loaded poly(ethylene glycol terephthalate)-poly(butylene terephthalate) (PEGT/PBT) films were prepared using a water-in-oil emulsification solvent evaporation method. Infrared spectroscopic analysis of the dried films indicated the presence of non-covalent lysozyme aggregates in the polymer matrix. The use of methanol to enhance the drying rate of the films increased the relative amount of aggregates. Surprisingly, quantitative in-vitro release of fully active, non-aggregated lysozyme was observed, indicating that lysozyme forms reversible aggregates during encapsulation in PEGT/PBT films.

Penetration and fusion of phospholipid vesicles by lysozyme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, J.; Kim, H.

1989-01-01

The lysozyme-induced fusion of phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylethanolamine vesicles as studied at a wide range of pH is found to correlate well with the binding of this protein to the vesicles. An identical 6000 molecular weight segment of lysozyme at the N-terminal region is found to be protected from tryptic digestion when initially incubated with vesicles at several pH values. Only this segment is labeled by dansyl chloride, which is partitioned into the bilayer. These results suggest the penetration of one segment of lysozyme into the bilayer. Photoactivated labeling of the membrane-penetrating segment of lysozyme with 3-(trifluoromethyl)-3-([ 125 I]iodophenyl)diazirine ([ 125 I]TID) and subsequent identification of the labeled residues by Edman degradation and gamma-ray counting indicate that four amino acids from the N-terminal are located outside the hydrophobic core of the bilayer. Although treatment of the membrane-embedded segment with aminopeptidase failed to cleave any amino acids from the N-terminal, it appears that a loop of lysozyme segment near the N-terminal penetrates into the bilayer at acidic pH. A helical wheel diagram shows that the labeling is done mainly on one surface of the alpha-helix. The penetration kinetics as studied by time-dependent [ 125 I]TID labeling coincide with the fusion kinetics, strongly suggesting that the penetration of the lysozyme segment into the vesicles is the cause of the fusion

Penetration and fusion of phospholipid vesicles by lysozyme

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, J.; Kim, H. (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul)

1989-10-01

The lysozyme-induced fusion of phosphatidylserine/phosphatidylethanolamine vesicles as studied at a wide range of pH is found to correlate well with the binding of this protein to the vesicles. An identical 6000 molecular weight segment of lysozyme at the N-terminal region is found to be protected from tryptic digestion when initially incubated with vesicles at several pH values. Only this segment is labeled by dansyl chloride, which is partitioned into the bilayer. These results suggest the penetration of one segment of lysozyme into the bilayer. Photoactivated labeling of the membrane-penetrating segment of lysozyme with 3-(trifluoromethyl)-3-(({sup 125}I)iodophenyl)diazirine (({sup 125}I)TID) and subsequent identification of the labeled residues by Edman degradation and gamma-ray counting indicate that four amino acids from the N-terminal are located outside the hydrophobic core of the bilayer. Although treatment of the membrane-embedded segment with aminopeptidase failed to cleave any amino acids from the N-terminal, it appears that a loop of lysozyme segment near the N-terminal penetrates into the bilayer at acidic pH. A helical wheel diagram shows that the labeling is done mainly on one surface of the alpha-helix. The penetration kinetics as studied by time-dependent ({sup 125}I)TID labeling coincide with the fusion kinetics, strongly suggesting that the penetration of the lysozyme segment into the vesicles is the cause of the fusion.

Correction of the equilibrium temperature caused by slight evaporation of water in protein crystal growth cells during long-term space experiments at International Space Station.

Science.gov (United States)

Fujiwara, Takahisa; Suzuki, Yoshihisa; Yoshizaki, Izumi; Tsukamoto, Katsuo; Murayama, Kenta; Fukuyama, Seijiro; Hosokawa, Kouhei; Oshi, Kentaro; Ito, Daisuke; Yamazaki, Tomoya; Tachibana, Masaru; Miura, Hitoshi

2015-08-01

The normal growth rates of the {110} faces of tetragonal hen egg-white lysozyme crystals, R, were measured as a function of the supersaturation σ parameter using a reflection type interferometer under μG at the International Space Station (NanoStep Project). Since water slightly evaporated from in situ observation cells during a long-term space station experiment for several months, equilibrium temperature T(e) changed, and the actual σ, however, significantly increased mainly due to the increase in salt concentration C(s). To correct σ, the actual C(s) and protein concentration C(p), which correctly represent the measured T(e) value in space, were first calculated. Second, a new solubility curve with the corrected C(s) was plotted. Finally, the revised σ was obtained from the new solubility curve. This correction method successfully revealed that the 2.8% water was evaporated from the solution, leading to 2.8% increase in the C(s) and C(p) of the solution.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the RAD protein from Antirrhinum majus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stevenson, Clare E. M.; Burton, Nicolas; Costa, Manuela; Nath, Utpal; Dixon, Ray A.; Coen, Enrico S.; Lawson, David M.

2005-01-01

An 8 kDa proteolytic fragment of the A. majus RADIALIS protein was crystallized and X-ray data were collected to 2 Å resolution. Crystals of the RADIALIS protein from Antirrhinum majus were grown by vapour diffusion after limited proteolysis. Mass spectrometry indicated that an 8 kDa fragment had been crystallized corresponding to the predicted MYB DNA-binding domain. X-ray data collected at room temperature were consistent with tetragonal symmetry, whereas data collected at 100 K using crystals cryoprotected by supplementing the mother liquor with ethylene glycol conformed to orthorhombic symmetry. It was subsequently shown that crystals soaked in cryoprotectants that were ‘osmolality-matched’ to the mother liquor retained tetragonal symmetry. Using these crystals, X-ray data were collected in-house to a maximum resolution of 2 Å

Use of Lysozyme as a Feed Additive on Rumen Fermentation and Methane Emission

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashraf A. Biswas

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted to determine the effect of lysozyme addition on in vitro rumen fermentation and to identify the lysozyme inclusion rate for abating methane (CH4 production. An in vitro ruminal fermentation technique was done using a commercial concentrate to rice straw ratio of 8:2 as substrate. The following treatments were applied wherein lysozyme was added into 1 mg dry matter substrate at different levels of inclusion: Without lysozyme, 2,000, 4,000, and 8,000 U lysozyme. Results revealed that, lysozyme addition had a significant effect on pH after 24 h of incubation, with the highest pH (p<0.01 observed in 8,000 U lysozyme, followed by the 4,000 U, 2,000 U, and without lysozyme. The highest amounts of acetic acid, propionic acid (p<0.01 and total volatile fatty acid (TVFA (p<0.05 were found in 8,000 U after 24 h of incubation. The CH4 concentration was the lowest in the 8,000 U and the highest in the without lysozyme addition after 24 h of incubation. There was no significant differences in general bacteria, methanogen, or protozoan DNA copy number. So far, addition of lysozyme increased the acetate, propionate, TVFA, and decreased CH4 concentration. These results suggest that lysozyme supplementation may improve in vitro rumen fermentation and reduce CH4 emission.

Complex coacervate core micelles with a lysozyme-modified corona.

Science.gov (United States)

Danial, Maarten; Klok, Harm-Anton; Norde, Willem; Stuart, Martien A Cohen

2007-07-17

This paper describes the preparation, characterization, and enzymatic activity of complex coacervate core micelles (C3Ms) composed of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(N-methyl-2-vinyl pyridinium iodide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PQ2VP-PEO) to which the antibacterial enzyme lysozyme is end-attached. C3Ms were prepared by polyelectrolyte complex formation between PAA and mixtures containing different ratios of aldehyde and hydroxyl end-functionalized PQ2VP-PEO. This resulted in the formation of C3Ms containing 0-40% (w/w) of the aldehyde end-functionalized PQ2VP-PEO block copolymer (PQ2VP-PEO-CHO). Chemical conjugation of lysozyme was achieved via reductive amination of the aldehyde groups, which are exposed at the surface of the C3M, with the amine groups present in the side chains of the lysine residues of the protein. Dynamic and static light scattering indicated that the conjugation of lysozyme to C3Ms prepared using 10 and 20% (w/w) PQ2VP-PEO-CHO resulted in the formation of unimicellar particles. Multimicellar aggregates, in contrast, were obtained when lysozyme was conjugated to C3Ms prepared using 30 or 40% (w/w) PQ2VP-PEO-CHO. The enzymatic activity of the unimicellar lysozyme-C3M conjugates toward the hydrolysis of the bacterial substrate Micrococcus lysodeikticus was comparable to that of free lysozyme. For the multimicellar particles, in contrast, significantly reduced enzymatic rates of hydrolysis, altered circular dichroism, and red-shifted tryptophan fluorescence spectra were measured. These results are attributed to the occlusion of lysozyme in the interior of the multimicellar conjugates.

Potential toxicity and affinity of triphenylmethane dye malachite green to lysozyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Fei; Li, Xiu-Nan; Diao, Jian-Xiong; Sun, Ye; Zhang, Li; Ma, Lin; Yang, Xin-Ling; Zhang, Li; Sun, Ying

2012-04-01

Malachite green is a triphenylmethane dye that is used extensively in many industrial and aquacultural processes, generating environmental concerns and health problems to human being. In this contribution, the complexation between lysozyme and malachite green was verified by means of computer-aided molecular modeling, steady state and time-resolved fluorescence, and circular dichroism (CD) approaches. The precise binding patch of malachite green in lysozyme has been identified from molecular modeling and ANS displacement, Trp-62, Trp-63, and Trp-108 residues of lysozyme were earmarked to possess high-affinity for this dye, the principal forces in the lysozyme-malachite green adduct are hydrophobic and π-π interactions. Steady state fluorescence proclaimed the complex of malachite green with lysozyme yields quenching through static type, which substantiates time-resolved fluorescence measurements that lysozyme-malachite green conjugation formation has an affinity of 10(3)M(-1). Moreover, via molecular modeling and also CD data, we can safely arrive at a conclusion that the polypeptide chain of lysozyme partially destabilized upon complexation with malachite green. The data emerged here will help to further understand the toxicological action of malachite green in human body. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Glass ceramic toughened with tetragonal zirconia

Science.gov (United States)

Keefer, Keith D.; Michalske, Terry A.

1986-01-01

A phase transformation-toughened glass ceramic and a process for making it are disclosed. A mixture of particulate network-forming oxide, network-modifying oxide, and zirconium oxide is heated to yield a homogeneous melt, and this melt is then heat-treated to precipitate an appreciable quantity of tetragonal zirconia, which is retained at ambient temperature to form a phase transformation-toughened glass ceramic. Nucleating agents and stabilizing agents may be added to the mixture to facilitate processing and improve the ceramic's properties. Preferably, the mixture is first melted at a temperature from 1200.degree. to 1700.degree. C. and is then heat-treated at a temperature within the range of 800.degree. to 1200.degree. C. in order to precipitate tetragonal ZrO.sub.2. The composition, as well as the length and temperature of the heat-treatment, must be carefully controlled to prevent solution of the precipitated tetragonal zirconia and subsequent conversion to the monoclinic phase.

Metal-chelating active packaging film enhances lysozyme inhibition of Listeria monocytogenes.

Science.gov (United States)

Roman, Maxine J; Decker, Eric A; Goddard, Julie M

2014-07-01

Several studies have demonstrated that metal chelators enhance the antimicrobial activity of lysozyme. This study examined the effect of metal-chelating active packaging film on the antimicrobial activity of lysozyme against Listeria monocytogenes. Polypropylene films were surface modified by photoinitiated graft polymerization of acrylic acid (PP-g-PAA) from the food contact surface of the films to impart chelating activity based on electrostatic interactions. PP-g-PAA exhibited a carboxylic acid density of 113 ± 5.4 nmol cm(-2) and an iron chelating activity of 53.7 ± 9.8 nmol cm(-2). The antimicrobial interaction of lysozyme and PP-g-PAA depended on growth media composition. PP-g-PAA hindered lysozyme activity at low ionic strength (2.48-log increase at 64.4 mM total ionic strength) and enhanced lysozyme activity at moderate ionic strength (5.22-log reduction at 120 mM total ionic strength). These data support the hypothesis that at neutral pH, synergy between carboxylate metal-chelating films (pKa(bulk) 6.45) and lysozyme (pI 11.35) is optimal in solutions of moderate to high ionic strength to minimize undesirable charge interactions, such as lysozyme absorption onto film. These findings suggest that active packaging, which chelates metal ions based on ligand-specific interactions, in contrast to electrostatic interactions, may improve antimicrobial synergy. This work demonstrates the potential application of metal-chelating active packaging films to enhance the antimicrobial activity of membrane-disrupting antimicrobials, such as lysozyme.

A population-based study of salivary lysozyme concentrations and candidal counts.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, C K; Dodds, M W; Zuo, P; Johnson, D A

1997-01-01

The relationship between salivary lysozyme concentration and oral candida load was examined in 595 adults. Unstimulated whole saliva, and citrate-stimulated parotid and submandibular/sublingual saliva were collected from each participant. Candida colony-forming units (c.f.u.) in unstimulated whole saliva were determined. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for lysozyme using commercially available antibodies was developed. This assay showed a linear relation of salivary lysozyme concentrations from 0.5 to 4.0 ng/ml. Significant negative relations were observed between lysozyme concentration and flow rate: r = -0.16 (p candida counts (r = 0.18: p candida in whole saliva revealed that lysozyme concentrations were higher in the high candida (> or = 1000 c.f.u./ml) group than in the zero and moderate candida categories in stimulated parotid saliva (p candida load increases.

The antibacterial protein lysozyme identified as the termite egg recognition pheromone.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kenji Matsuura

Full Text Available Social insects rely heavily on pheromone communication to maintain their sociality. Egg protection is one of the most fundamental social behaviours in social insects. The recent discovery of the termite-egg mimicking fungus 'termite-ball' and subsequent studies on termite egg protection behaviour have shown that termites can be manipulated by using the termite egg recognition pheromone (TERP, which strongly evokes the egg-carrying and -grooming behaviours of workers. Despite the great scientific and economic importance, TERP has not been identified because of practical difficulties. Herein we identified the antibacterial protein lysozyme as the TERP. We isolated the target protein using ion-exchange and hydrophobic interaction chromatography, and the MALDI-TOF MS analysis showed a molecular size of 14.5 kDa. We found that the TERP provided antibacterial activity against a gram-positive bacterium. Among the currently known antimicrobial proteins, the molecular size of 14.5 kDa limits the target to lysozyme. Termite lysozymes obtained from eggs and salivary glands, and even hen egg lysozyme, showed a strong termite egg recognition activity. Besides eggs themselves, workers also supply lysozyme to eggs through frequent egg-grooming, by which egg surfaces are coated with saliva containing lysozyme. Reverse transcript PCR analysis showed that mRNA of termite lysozyme was expressed in both salivary glands and eggs. Western blot analysis confirmed that lysozyme production begins in immature eggs in queen ovaries. This is the first identification of proteinaceous pheromone in social insects. Researchers have focused almost exclusively on hydrocarbons when searching for recognition pheromones in social insects. The present finding of a proteinaceous pheromone represents a major step forward in, and result in the broadening of, the search for recognition pheromones. This novel function of lysozyme as a termite pheromone illuminates the profound influence

The active site of hen egg-white lysozyme: flexibility and chemical bonding

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Held, Jeanette, E-mail: jeanette.netzel@uni-bayreuth.de; Smaalen, Sander van [University of Bayreuth, D-95440 Bayreuth (Germany)

2014-04-01

Chemical bonding at the active site of lysozyme is analyzed on the basis of a multipole model employing transferable multipole parameters from a database. Large B factors at low temperatures reflect frozen-in disorder, but therefore prevent a meaningful free refinement of multipole parameters. Chemical bonding at the active site of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) is analyzed on the basis of Bader’s quantum theory of atoms in molecules [QTAIM; Bader (1994 ▶), Atoms in Molecules: A Quantum Theory. Oxford University Press] applied to electron-density maps derived from a multipole model. The observation is made that the atomic displacement parameters (ADPs) of HEWL at a temperature of 100 K are larger than ADPs in crystals of small biological molecules at 298 K. This feature shows that the ADPs in the cold crystals of HEWL reflect frozen-in disorder rather than thermal vibrations of the atoms. Directly generalizing the results of multipole studies on small-molecule crystals, the important consequence for electron-density analysis of protein crystals is that multipole parameters cannot be independently varied in a meaningful way in structure refinements. Instead, a multipole model for HEWL has been developed by refinement of atomic coordinates and ADPs against the X-ray diffraction data of Wang and coworkers [Wang et al. (2007), Acta Cryst. D63, 1254–1268], while multipole parameters were fixed to the values for transferable multipole parameters from the ELMAM2 database [Domagala et al. (2012), Acta Cryst. A68, 337–351] . Static and dynamic electron densities based on this multipole model are presented. Analysis of their topological properties according to the QTAIM shows that the covalent bonds possess similar properties to the covalent bonds of small molecules. Hydrogen bonds of intermediate strength are identified for the Glu35 and Asp52 residues, which are considered to be essential parts of the active site of HEWL. Furthermore, a series of weak C�

The active site of hen egg-white lysozyme: flexibility and chemical bonding

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Held, Jeanette; Smaalen, Sander van

2014-01-01

Chemical bonding at the active site of lysozyme is analyzed on the basis of a multipole model employing transferable multipole parameters from a database. Large B factors at low temperatures reflect frozen-in disorder, but therefore prevent a meaningful free refinement of multipole parameters. Chemical bonding at the active site of hen egg-white lysozyme (HEWL) is analyzed on the basis of Bader’s quantum theory of atoms in molecules [QTAIM; Bader (1994 ▶), Atoms in Molecules: A Quantum Theory. Oxford University Press] applied to electron-density maps derived from a multipole model. The observation is made that the atomic displacement parameters (ADPs) of HEWL at a temperature of 100 K are larger than ADPs in crystals of small biological molecules at 298 K. This feature shows that the ADPs in the cold crystals of HEWL reflect frozen-in disorder rather than thermal vibrations of the atoms. Directly generalizing the results of multipole studies on small-molecule crystals, the important consequence for electron-density analysis of protein crystals is that multipole parameters cannot be independently varied in a meaningful way in structure refinements. Instead, a multipole model for HEWL has been developed by refinement of atomic coordinates and ADPs against the X-ray diffraction data of Wang and coworkers [Wang et al. (2007), Acta Cryst. D63, 1254–1268], while multipole parameters were fixed to the values for transferable multipole parameters from the ELMAM2 database [Domagala et al. (2012), Acta Cryst. A68, 337–351] . Static and dynamic electron densities based on this multipole model are presented. Analysis of their topological properties according to the QTAIM shows that the covalent bonds possess similar properties to the covalent bonds of small molecules. Hydrogen bonds of intermediate strength are identified for the Glu35 and Asp52 residues, which are considered to be essential parts of the active site of HEWL. Furthermore, a series of weak C�

Molecular dynamics simulations of lysozyme in water/sugar solutions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lerbret, A. [Department of Food Science, Cornell University, 101 Stocking Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853 (United States); Affouard, F. [Laboratoire de Dynamique et Structure des Materiaux Moleculaires, UMR CNRS 8024, Universite Lille I, 59655 Villeneuve d' Ascq Cedex (France)], E-mail: frederic.affouard@univ-lille1.fr; Bordat, P. [Laboratoire de Chimie Theorique et de Physico-Chimie Moleculaire, UMR 5624, Universite de Pau et des Pays de l' Adour, 64000 Pau (France); Hedoux, A.; Guinet, Y.; Descamps, M. [Laboratoire de Dynamique et Structure des Materiaux Moleculaires, UMR CNRS 8024, Universite Lille I, 59655 Villeneuve d' Ascq Cedex (France)

2008-04-18

Structural and dynamical properties of the solvent at the protein/solvent interface have been investigated by molecular dynamics simulations of lysozyme in trehalose, maltose and sucrose solutions. Results are discussed in the framework of the bioprotection phenomena. The analysis of the relative concentration of water oxygen atoms around lysozyme suggests that lysozyme is preferentially hydrated. When comparing the three sugars, trehalose is seen more excluded than maltose and sucrose. The preferential exclusion of sugars from the protein surface induces some differences in the behavior of trehalose and maltose, particularly at 50 and 60 wt% concentrations, that are not observed experimentally in binary sugar/mixtures. The dynamical slowing down of the solvent is suggested to mainly arise from the homogeneity of the water/sugar matrices controlled by the percolation of the sugar hydrogen bonds networks. Furthermore, lysozyme strongly increases relaxation times of solvent molecules at the protein/solvent interface.

Interaction of anthraquinone dyes with lysozyme: Evidences from spectroscopic and docking studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paramaguru, G.; Kathiravan, A.; Selvaraj, S.; Venuvanalingam, P.; Renganathan, R.

2010-01-01

The interaction between lysozyme and anthraquinone dyes such as Alizarin Red S, Acid blue 129 and Uniblue was studied using steady state, time resolved fluorescence measurements and docking studies. Addition of anthraquinone dyes effectively quenched the intrinsic fluorescence of lysozyme. Fluorescence quenching of lysozyme by dyes has revealed the formation of complex. The number of binding sites (n) and binding constant (K) for all the three dyes was calculated by relevant fluorescence quenching data. Based on Foerster's non-radiative energy transfer theory, distance (r 0 ) between the donor (lysozyme) and acceptor (dyes) as well as the critical energy transfer distance (R 0 ) has also been calculated. The interaction between dyes and lysozyme occurs through static quenching mechanism as confirmed by time resolved spectroscopy. The conformational change of lysozyme has been analyzed using synchronous fluorescence measurement. Finally, docking studies revealed that specific interactions were observed with the residue of Trp 62.

ABCC-JNIH adult health study: Hiroshima. Serum lysozyme determinations, April-June 1961

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Finch, S C; Lamphere, J P; Jablon, S

1961-01-01

Serum lysozyme levels were determined on 670 consecutive subjects seen for regularly scheduled clinic examinations of the Adult Health Study in Hiroshima. Serum lysozyme levels were found to vary significantly with the absolute peripheral granulocyte count, age, sex, and month of study. A high level of correlation also was noted between serum lysozyme and diabetes mellitus. This was at least in part attributable to greater average age in patients with diabetes. A suggestive relationship was established between serum lysozyme levels, respiratory diseases, and tuberculosis. These changes are believed to reflect active inflammation with excessive destruction of granulocytes and parenchymal tissues in those patients with the more acute processes. No relationship was found between serum lysozyme and previous exposure to ionizing radiation. These studies indicate that the serum lysozyme level may be useful in the study of the kinetics of leukopoiesis, the aging process, and in the detection of subtle inflammatory processes.

Tetragonal and collapsed-tetragonal phases of CaFe2As2 : A view from angle-resolved photoemission and dynamical mean-field theory

Science.gov (United States)

van Roekeghem, Ambroise; Richard, Pierre; Shi, Xun; Wu, Shangfei; Zeng, Lingkun; Saparov, Bayrammurad; Ohtsubo, Yoshiyuki; Qian, Tian; Sefat, Athena S.; Biermann, Silke; Ding, Hong

2016-06-01

We present a study of the tetragonal to collapsed-tetragonal transition of CaFe2As2 using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and dynamical mean field theory-based electronic structure calculations. We observe that the collapsed-tetragonal phase exhibits reduced correlations and a higher coherence temperature due to the stronger Fe-As hybridization. Furthermore, a comparison of measured photoemission spectra and theoretical spectral functions shows that momentum-dependent corrections to the density functional band structure are essential for the description of low-energy quasiparticle dispersions. We introduce those using the recently proposed combined "screened exchange + dynamical mean field theory" scheme.

Simulation of iron impurity in BaTiO3 crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stashans, Arvids; Castillo, Darwin

2009-01-01

Iron-doped barium titanate (BaTiO 3 ) has been simulated taking into account cubic and tetragonal crystallographic lattices of the crystal. A quantum-chemical method based on the Hartree-Fock formalism has been used throughout the study. The calculated equilibrium structures of Fe-doped crystals reveal the defect-inward displacements of the Ti and O atoms whereas the shifts for the Ba atoms are encountered to be away with respect to the Fe impurity. According to the analysis of electron density population and electron band structure it is found that some unusual chemical bonding might take place between the Fe atom and its six adjacent O atoms. The role of Fe impurity in the ferroelectric polarization of the tetragonal BaTiO 3 crystal has been discussed too.

Influence of lysozyme complexation with purified Aldrich humic acid on lysozyme activity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Li, Y.; Tan, W.F.; Wang, M.X.; Liu, F.; Weng, L.P.; Norde, W.; Koopal, L.K.

2012-01-01

Humic acid is an important component of dissolved organic matter and in two previous papers it has been shown that purified Aldrich humic acid (PAHA) forms strong complexes with the oppositely charged protein lysozyme (LSZ). The complexation and aggregation of enzymes with humic acids may lead to

Computational study of aggregation mechanism in human lysozyme[D67H].

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dharmeshkumar Patel

Full Text Available Aggregation of proteins is an undesired phenomena that affects both human health and bioengineered products such as therapeutic proteins. Finding preventative measures could be facilitated by a molecular-level understanding of dimer formation, which is the first step in aggregation. Here we present a molecular dynamics (MD study of dimer formation propensity in human lysozyme and its D67H variant. Because the latter protein aggregates while the former does not, they offer an ideal system for testing the feasibility of the proposed MD approach which comprises three stages: i partially unfolded conformers involved in dimer formation are generated via high-temperature MD simulations, ii potential dimer structures are searched using docking and refined with MD, iii free energy calculations are performed to find the most stable dimer structure. Our results provide a detailed explanation for how a single mutation (D67H turns human lysozyme from non-aggregating to an aggregating protein. Conversely, the proposed method can be used to identify the residues causing aggregation in a protein, which can be mutated to prevent it.

Lysozyme-immobilized electrospun PAMA/PVA and PSSA-MA/PVA ion-exchange nanofiber for wound healing.

Science.gov (United States)

Tonglairoum, Prasopchai; Ngawhirunpat, Tanasait; Rojanarata, Theerasak; Opanasopit, Praneet

2014-08-27

Abstract This research was aimed to develop the lysozyme immobilized ion-exchange nanofiber mats for wound healing. To promote the healing process, the PSSA-MA/PVA and PAMA ion-exchange nanofiber mats were fabricated to mimic the extracellular matrix structure using electrospinning process followed by thermally crosslinked. Lysozyme was immobilized on the ion-exchane nanofibers by an adsorption method. The ion-exchange nanofibers were investigated using SEM, FTIR and XRPD. Moreover, the lysozyme-immobilized ion-exchange nanofibers were further investigated for lysozyme content and activity, lysozyme release and wound healing activity. The fiber diameters of the mats were in the nanometer range. Lysozyme was gradually absorbed into the PSSA-MA/PVA nanofiber with higher extend than that is absorbed on the PAMA/PVA nanofiber and exhibited higher activity than lysozyme-immobilized PAMA/PVA nanofiber. The total contents of lysozyme on the PSSA-MA/PVA and PAMA/PVA nanofiber were 648 and 166 µg/g, respectively. FTIR and lysozyme activity results confirmed the presence of lysozyme on the nanofiber mats. The lysozyme was released from the PSSA-MA/PVA and PAMA/PVA nanofiber in the same manner. The lysozyme-immobilized PSSA-MA/PVA nanofiber mats and lysozyme-immobilized PAMA/PVA nanofiber mats exhibited significantly faster healing rate than gauze and similar to the commercial antibacterial gauze dressing. These results suggest that these nanofiber mats could provide the promising candidate for wound healing application.

Interaction of anthraquinone dyes with lysozyme: Evidences from spectroscopic and docking studies

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paramaguru, G.; Kathiravan, A.; Selvaraj, S.; Venuvanalingam, P. [School of Chemistry, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu (India); Renganathan, R., E-mail: rrengas@gmail.com [School of Chemistry, Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli 620024, Tamil Nadu (India)

2010-03-15

The interaction between lysozyme and anthraquinone dyes such as Alizarin Red S, Acid blue 129 and Uniblue was studied using steady state, time resolved fluorescence measurements and docking studies. Addition of anthraquinone dyes effectively quenched the intrinsic fluorescence of lysozyme. Fluorescence quenching of lysozyme by dyes has revealed the formation of complex. The number of binding sites (n) and binding constant (K) for all the three dyes was calculated by relevant fluorescence quenching data. Based on Foerster's non-radiative energy transfer theory, distance (r{sub 0}) between the donor (lysozyme) and acceptor (dyes) as well as the critical energy transfer distance (R{sub 0}) has also been calculated. The interaction between dyes and lysozyme occurs through static quenching mechanism as confirmed by time resolved spectroscopy. The conformational change of lysozyme has been analyzed using synchronous fluorescence measurement. Finally, docking studies revealed that specific interactions were observed with the residue of Trp 62.

Immunological response in egg-sensitive adults challenged with cheese containing or not containing lysozyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Rossi, Filippo; Iaconelli, Amerigo; Fiorentini, Lucia; Zito, Francesco; Donati, Maria Benedett; De Cristofaro, Maria Laura; Piva, Gianfranco; Mingrone, Geltrude

2012-12-01

Lysozyme is an enzyme that hydrolyzes bacterial peptidoglicans. For this reason, it is used in cheese manufacturing in order to prevent a defect of long-ripened hard cheese called "late blowing" due to the outgrowth of spores of Clostridium tyrobutyricum and Clostridium butyricum. Moreover, germination of Listeria monocytogenes spores into vegetative cells is also sensitive to lysozyme. The enzyme can be an allergenic molecule, and for this reason there are concerns about its use in food industry. The immunological and clinical response of consumption of lysozyme-containing cheese has been evaluated in 25 egg-sensitive subjects with or without lysozyme sensitization. A total of 25 egg-sensitive subjects were enrolled in this study. All the subjects were already treated for egg-sensitization and presented a positive skin prick test. All the subjects had a body mass index ≤ 25 kg/m(2) and were in the age range of 20-50 years. Each subject was studied twice and received randomly 30 g of Grana Padano (containing lysozyme) or TrentinGrana cheese (lysozyme-free) of two different aging periods: 16 or 24 months. A washout period of 1 week between each cheese intake was adopted. Blood samples were taken in fasting conditions and 1 hour after cheese intake and IgA, total IgE, and lysozyme-, ovomucoid-, and ovalbumin-specific IgE were measured. No adverse reactions were observed in both groups of patients after cheese samples were given. Lysozyme did not determine any variation of specific IgE compared with basal level. In lysozyme-sensitive patients a significant relationship between IgA and lysozyme-specific IgE was observed when lysozyme-containing cheese was given, confirming that lysozyme can pass the gut barrier. Neither adverse events nor immunological responses were observed after ingestion of cheese containing lysozyme. However, the immunological properties of peptides deriving from cheese protein hydrolysis need to be clarified, as does the effect of lysozyme on

Adsorption of lysozyme unto silica and polystyrene surfaces in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The adsorption capacity of lysozyme (chicken egg white) from aqueous solutions unto silica and polystyrene interfaces was studied at varying lysozyme concentrations and ionic strength. The studies revealed an increase in adsorption capacity with increase in concentration and with maximum adsorption densities of 1.34 ...

Antimicrobial activity of lysozyme with special relevance to milk

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2008-12-29

Dec 29, 2008 ... Lysozyme is among the minor milk proteins that has attracted increased .... while there is a general agreement that surface attachment polymers and ..... and form aggregates as a result of electrostatic and hydrophobic ...... conformational changes and antimicrobial activity of lysozyme upon reduction of its ...

Dielectric and gravimetric studies of water binding to lysozyme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bone, S.

1996-01-01

Time domain dielectric spectroscopy and hydration isotherm measurements as a function of temperature have been applied to hydrated lysozyme powder. Two dielectric dispersions were identified, the first centred at approximately 8 MHz and a second above 1 GHz. The higher dispersion is considered to be the result of rotational relaxation of water molecules bound to the enzyme. In this case the results indicate the existence of a population of 32 water molecules per lysozyme molecule which are irrotationally bound to the lysozyme structure. A larger population of water molecules is relatively free to respond to the electric field and exhibits a dipole moment close to that of vapour phase water molecules. Multi-temperature hydration isotherm measurements are used to calculate enthalpies and entropies associated with the binding of water to lysozyme. Discontinuities both in dielectric and in thermodynamic characteristics in the range 10-14% hydration are interpreted as a re-ordering of the water structure on the enzyme surface

Antimicrobial activity of lysozyme with special relevance to milk ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This review discusses the antimicrobial activity of lysozyme with special emphasis on milk's lysozyme, and attempts to shed some light on the recent advances elucidating the mechanism of its antimicrobial activity against sensitive microorganisms as well as the means used by some bacteria to resist such an activity.

Do protein crystals nucleate within dense liquid clusters?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maes, Dominique; Vorontsova, Maria A.; Potenza, Marco A. C.; Sanvito, Tiziano; Sleutel, Mike; Giglio, Marzio; Vekilov, Peter G.

2015-01-01

The evolution of protein-rich clusters and nucleating crystals were characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS), confocal depolarized dynamic light scattering (cDDLS) and depolarized oblique illumination dark-field microscopy. Newly nucleated crystals within protein-rich clusters were detected directly. These observations indicate that the protein-rich clusters are locations for crystal nucleation. Protein-dense liquid clusters are regions of high protein concentration that have been observed in solutions of several proteins. The typical cluster size varies from several tens to several hundreds of nanometres and their volume fraction remains below 10 −3 of the solution. According to the two-step mechanism of nucleation, the protein-rich clusters serve as locations for and precursors to the nucleation of protein crystals. While the two-step mechanism explained several unusual features of protein crystal nucleation kinetics, a direct observation of its validity for protein crystals has been lacking. Here, two independent observations of crystal nucleation with the proteins lysozyme and glucose isomerase are discussed. Firstly, the evolutions of the protein-rich clusters and nucleating crystals were characterized simultaneously by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and confocal depolarized dynamic light scattering (cDDLS), respectively. It is demonstrated that protein crystals appear following a significant delay after cluster formation. The cDDLS correlation functions follow a Gaussian decay, indicative of nondiffusive motion. A possible explanation is that the crystals are contained inside large clusters and are driven by the elasticity of the cluster surface. Secondly, depolarized oblique illumination dark-field microscopy reveals the evolution from liquid clusters without crystals to newly nucleated crystals contained in the clusters to grown crystals freely diffusing in the solution. Collectively, the observations indicate that the protein-rich clusters in

Tetragonal to orthorhombic transformation in Mg-PSZ

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Z.W.; Spargo, A.E.C.; Hannink, R.H.J.; Drennan, J.

1997-01-01

The phase transformation from tetragonal to orthorhombic in MgO-partially-stabilized zirconia has been investigated by using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Evidences are given to show that orthorhombic ZrO 2 frequently observed in transmission electron microscopy (TEM) thin foil studies was induced by dimpling and polishing during the specimen preparation. It was also found that the orthorhombic to monoclinic transformation was less sensitive to stress that the tetragonal to monoclinic transformation. 20 refs., 1 tab., 8 figs

Crystal structure of pure ZrO2 nanopowders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lamas, D.G.; Rosso, A.M.; Anzorena, M. Suarez; Fernandez, A.; Bellino, M.G.; Cabezas, M.D.; Walsoee de Reca, N.E.; Craievich, A.F.

2006-01-01

The crystal structure of pure (undoped) zirconia nanopowders synthesized by different wet-chemical routes has been investigated by synchrotron X-ray diffraction. Whereas some previous authors reported the retention of the cubic phase in similar materials, we demonstrate here that pure zirconia nanopowders with average crystallite sizes ranging from 5 to 10 nm exhibit the tetragonal phase. In addition, our results suggest that a tetragonal-to-cubic transition for decreasing crystallite size could eventually occur at a very small critical crystallite size

Simulation of iron impurity in BaTiO{sub 3} crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stashans, Arvids, E-mail: arvids@utpl.edu.e [Grupo de Fisicoquimica de Materiales, Instituto de Quimica Aplicada, Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja, Apartado 11-01-608, Loja (Ecuador); Castillo, Darwin [Grupo de Fisicoquimica de Materiales, Instituto de Quimica Aplicada, Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja, Apartado 11-01-608, Loja (Ecuador); Escuela de Electronica y Telecomunicaciones, Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja, Apartado 11-01-608, Loja (Ecuador)

2009-05-01

Iron-doped barium titanate (BaTiO{sub 3}) has been simulated taking into account cubic and tetragonal crystallographic lattices of the crystal. A quantum-chemical method based on the Hartree-Fock formalism has been used throughout the study. The calculated equilibrium structures of Fe-doped crystals reveal the defect-inward displacements of the Ti and O atoms whereas the shifts for the Ba atoms are encountered to be away with respect to the Fe impurity. According to the analysis of electron density population and electron band structure it is found that some unusual chemical bonding might take place between the Fe atom and its six adjacent O atoms. The role of Fe impurity in the ferroelectric polarization of the tetragonal BaTiO{sub 3} crystal has been discussed too.

ISOLATION AND PURIFICATION OF LYSOZYME FROM THE HEN EGG WHITE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. S.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The aim of the research was the development of the method of lysozyme isolation from hen egg proteins. Lysozyme was isolated by differential heat denaturation of proteins with changing of the medium pH value, followed by neutralization, dialysis and additional purification by gel chromatography on Sephadex G-50. Activity was determined by bacteriolytic method (with Micrococcus lysodeikticus 4698 as a substrate. The enzyme purity and molecular mass were determined using SDS-electrophoresis and massspectrometry. The method of lysozyme isolation from hen egg proteins with the enzyme yield of 3.2 ± 0.2% and bacteriolytic activity of 22 025 ± 1 500 U/mg is modified. According to electrophoresis data, the isolated enzyme is characterized by high degree of purity (~95–98% and is comparable with lysozyme of AppliChem company by main physical and chemical characteristics. The obtaining product is stored in a crystalline form at low temperature (–24 оC for 9 months. The proposed method allows obtaining active and stable lysozyme with high purity from hen egg protein in laboratory conditions for the usage in biotechnology.

A study of the interaction between malachite green and lysozyme by steady-state fluorescence.

Science.gov (United States)

Ding, Fei; Liu, Wei; Liu, Feng; Li, Zhi-Yuan; Sun, Ying

2009-09-01

The interaction of a N-methylated diaminotriphenylmethane dye, malachite green, with lysozyme was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopic techniques under physiological conditions. The binding parameters have been evaluated by fluorescence quenching methods. The results revealed that malachite green caused the fluorescence quenching of lysozyme through a static quenching procedure. The thermodynamic parameters like DeltaH and DeltaS were calculated to be -15.33 kJ mol(-1) and 19.47 J mol(-1) K(-1) according to van't Hoff equation, respectively, which proves main interaction between malachite green and lysozyme is hydrophobic forces and hydrogen bond contact. The distance r between donor (lysozyme) and acceptor (malachite green) was obtained to be 3.82 nm according to Frster's theory. The results of synchronous fluorescence, UV/vis and three-dimensional fluorescence spectra showed that binding of malachite green with lysozyme can induce conformational changes in lysozyme. In addition, the effects of common ions on the constants of lysozyme-malachite green complex were also discussed.

Production of biofunctionalized MoS2 flakes with rationally modified lysozyme: a biocompatible 2D hybrid material

Science.gov (United States)

Siepi, Marialuisa; Morales-Narváez, Eden; Domingo, Neus; Monti, Daria Maria; Notomista, Eugenio; Merkoçi, Arben

2017-09-01

Bioapplications of 2D materials embrace demanding features in terms of environmental impact, toxicity and biocompatibility. Here we report on the use of a rationally modified lysozyme to assist the exfoliation of MoS2 bulk crystals suspended in water through ultrasonic exfoliation. The design of the proposed lysozyme derivative provides this exfoliated 2D-materail with both, hydrophobic groups that interact with the surface of MoS2 and hydrophilic groups exposed to the aqueous medium, which hinders its re-aggregation. This approach, clarified also by molecular docking studies, leads to a stable material (ζ-potential, 27  ±  1 mV) with a yield of up to 430 µg ml-1. The bio-hybrid material was characterized in terms of number of layers and optical properties according to different slots separated by diverse centrifugal forces. Furthermore the obtained material was proved to be biocompatible using human normal keratinocytes and human cancer epithelial cells, whereas the method was demonstrated to be applicable to produce other 2D materials such as graphene. This approach is appealing for the advantageous production of high quality MoS2 flakes and their application in biomedicine and biosensing. Moreover, this method can be applied to different starting materials, making the denatured lysozyme a promising bio-tool for surface functionalization of 2D materials.

Genetic control of the humoral immune response to avian egg white lysozymes in the chicken

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Flanagan, M.P.

1987-01-01

Chickens from two closely related sublines, GHs-B6 and GHs-B13, differing serologically at the major histocompatibility complex, were significantly different in their humoral response to three avian egg white lysozymes. Specific antisera levels were measured by radioimmunoassay using 125 I-labeled lysozymes. Antibodies elicited in response to these lysozymes are assumed to be directed against sites on these lysozymes where their amino acid sequence differs from that of the recipient G. domesticus egg white lysozyme (HEL). GHs-B6 birds produced a high level of antibody in response to immunization of turkey (TEL), pheasant (PhL) and guinea hen (GHL) lysozymes. GHs-B13 birds produced no detectable antibody to TEL, were intermediate in their response to PhL and equaled the antibody production of GHs-B6 birds in response to GHL. Antisera to each lysozyme were examined for crossreactivity with all other lysozymes by use of a competitive binding assay

Polymorphism of Lysozyme Condensates.

Science.gov (United States)

Safari, Mohammad S; Byington, Michael C; Conrad, Jacinta C; Vekilov, Peter G

2017-10-05

Protein condensates play essential roles in physiological processes and pathological conditions. Recently discovered mesoscopic protein-rich clusters may act as crucial precursors for the nucleation of ordered protein solids, such as crystals, sickle hemoglobin polymers, and amyloid fibrils. These clusters challenge settled paradigms of protein condensation as the constituent protein molecules present features characteristic of both partially misfolded and native proteins. Here we employ the antimicrobial enzyme lysozyme and examine the similarities between mesoscopic clusters, amyloid structures, and disordered aggregates consisting of chemically modified protein. We show that the mesoscopic clusters are distinct from the other two classes of aggregates. Whereas cluster formation and amyloid oligomerization are both reversible, aggregation triggered by reduction of the intramolecular S-S bonds is permanent. In contrast to the amyloid structures, protein molecules in the clusters retain their enzymatic activity. Furthermore, an essential feature of the mesoscopic clusters is their constant radius of less than 50 nm. The amyloid and disordered aggregates are significantly larger and rapidly grow. These findings demonstrate that the clusters are a product of limited protein structural flexibility. In view of the role of the clusters in the nucleation of ordered protein solids, our results suggest that fine-tuning the degree of protein conformational stability is a powerful tool to control and direct the pathways of protein condensation.

Immobilization of lysozyme on cotton fabrics; synthesis, characterication, and activity

Science.gov (United States)

The antimicrobial activity of lysozyme derives from the hydrolysis of the bacterial cell wall polysaccharide at the glycosidic bond that links N-acetyl-glucosamine and N-acetyl-muramic acid. Maintaining the activity of lysozyme while bound to a cellulose substrate is a goal toward developing enzyme...

On the crystal structure of Z-phase Cr(V,Nb)N

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Danielsen, Hilmar Kjartansson; Hald, John; Grumsen, Flemming Bjerg

2006-01-01

The Z-phase Cr(YNb)N particles in various 9 to 12 pct Cr creep-resistant steels were investigated with electron diffraction, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and electron energy loss spectroscopy(EELS). In addition to the well-known tetragonal crystal structure for Z phase, a cubic crystal s...

Analysis of two lysozyme genes and antimicrobial functions of their recombinant proteins in Asian seabass.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gui Hong Fu

Full Text Available Lysozymes are important proteins of the innate immune system for the defense against bacterial infection. We cloned and analyzed chicken-type (c-type and goose-type (g-type lysozymes from Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer. The deduced amino acid sequence of the c-type lysozyme contained 144 residues and possessed typical structure residues, conserved catalytic residues (Glu(50 and Asp(67 and a "GSTDYGIFQINS" motif. The deduced g-type lysozyme contained 187 residues and possessed a goose egg white lysozyme (GEWL domain containing three conserved catalytic residues (Glu(71, Asp(84, Asp(95 essential for catalytic activity. Real time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR revealed that the two lysozyme genes were constitutively expressed in all the examined tissues. The c-type lysozyme was most abundant in liver, while the g-type lysozyme was predominantly expressed in intestine and weakly expressed in muscle. The c-type and g-type transcripts were up-regulated in the kidney, spleen and liver in response to a challenge with Vibrio harveyi. The up-regulation of the c-type lysozyme was much stronger than that of the g-type lysozyme in kidney and spleen. The recombinant proteins of the c-type and g-type lysozymes showed lytic activities against the bacterial pathogens Vibrio harveyi and Photobacterium damselae in a dosage-dependent manner. We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in the two lysozyme genes. There were significant associations of these polymorphisms with resistance to the big belly disease. These results suggest that the c- and g-type genes play an important role in resistance to bacterial pathogens in fish. The SNP markers in the two genes associated with the resistance to bacterial pathogens may facilitate the selection of Asian seabass resistant to bacterial diseases.

Pressure-induced change of the electronic state in the tetragonal phase of CaFe2As2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakaguchi, Yui; Ikeda, Shugo; Kuse, Tetsuji; Kobayashi, Hisao

2014-01-01

We have investigated the electronic states of single-crystal CaFe 2 As 2 under hydrostatic pressure using 57 Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and magnetization measurements. The center shift and the quadrupole splitting were refined from observed 57 Fe Mössbauer spectra using the single-crystalline sample under pressure at room temperature. A discontinuous decrease in the pressure dependence of the refined center shift was observed at 0.33 GPa without any anomaly in the pressure dependence of the refined quadrupole splitting, indicating a purely electronic state change in CaFe 2 As 2 with a tetragonal structure. Such a change is shown to be reflected in the peak-like anomalies observed in the pressure dependences of the magnetic susceptibility at 0.26 GPa above 150 K. Our results reveal that this pressure-induced electronic state change suppresses the tetragonal-to-orthorhombic structural phase transition accompanied by an antiferromagnetic ordering. We further observed superconductivity in CaFe 2 As 2 below ∼8 K around 0.33 GPa although our sample was not in a single phase at this pressure. These findings suggest that the electronic state change observed in CaFe 2 As 2 with the tetragonal structure is relevant to the appearance of the pressure-induced superconductivity in AFe 2 As 2 . (paper)

Far infrared and Raman response in tetragonal PZT ceramic films

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buixaderas, E.; Kadlec, C.; Vanek, P.; Drnovsek, S.; Ursic, H.; Malic, B.

2015-07-01

PbZr{sub 0}.38Ti{sub 0}.62O{sub 3} and PbZr{sub 0}.36Ti{sub 0}.64{sub O}3 thick films deposited by screen printing on (0 0 0 1) single crystal sapphire substrates and prepared at two different sintering temperatures, were studied by Fourier-transform infrared reflectivity, time-domain TH{sub z} transmission spectroscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. The dielectric response is discussed using the Lichtenecker model to account for the porosity of the films and to obtain the dense bulk dielectric functions. Results are compared with bulk tetragonal PZT 42/58 ceramics. The dynamic response in the films is dominated by an overdamped lead-based vibration in the TH{sub z} range, as known in PZT, but its evaluated dielectric contribution is affected by the porosity and roughness of the surface. (Author)

First-principles investigation of mechanical and electronic properties of tetragonal NbAl3 under tension

Science.gov (United States)

Jiao, Zhen; Liu, Qi-Jun; Liu, Fu-Sheng; Tang, Bin

2018-06-01

Using the density functional theory calculations, the mechanical and electronic properties of NbAl3 under different tensile loads were investigated. The calculated lattice parameters, elastic constants and mechanical properties (bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, Pugh's criterion and Cauchy's pressure) indicated that our results were in agreement with the published experimental and theoretical data at zero tension. With respect to NbAl3 under tension in this paper, the crystal structure was changed from tetragonal to orthorhombic under tension along the [100] and [101] directions. The NbAl3 crystal has been classified as brittle material under tension from 0 to 20 GPa. The obtained Young's modulus and Debye temperature monotonically decreased with increasing tension stress. Combining with mechanical and electronic properties in detail, the decreased mechanical properties were mainly due to the weakening of covalency.

Binding of Lysozyme to Spherical Poly(styrenesulfonate Gels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Andersson

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Polyelectrolyte gels are useful as carriers of proteins and other biomacromolecules in, e.g., drug delivery. The rational design of such systems requires knowledge about how the binding and release are affected by electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between the components. To this end we have investigated the uptake of lysozyme by weakly crosslinked spherical poly(styrenesulfonate (PSS microgels and macrogels by means of micromanipulator assisted light microscopy and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS in an aqueous environment. The results show that the binding process is an order of magnitude slower than for cytochrome c and for lysozyme binding to sodium polyacrylate gels under the same conditions. This is attributed to the formation of very dense protein-rich shells in the outer layers of the microgels with low permeability to the protein. The shells in macrogels contain 60 wt % water and nearly charge stoichiometric amounts of lysozyme and PSS in the form of dense complexes of radius 8 nm comprising 30–60 lysozyme molecules. With support from kinetic modelling results we propose that the rate of protein binding and the relaxation rate of the microgel are controlled by the protein mass transport through the shell, which is strongly affected by hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions. The mechanism explains, in turn, an observed dependence of the diffusion rate on the apparent degree of crosslinking of the networks.

Renaturation of reduced hen egg white lysozyme containing two blocked sulfhydryl groups

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acharya, A.S.; Taniuchi, H.

1980-10-01

Formation of native lysozyme from the reduced form involves many pathways in two processes: incorrect pairing of half-cystine residues by oxidation and rearrangement of disulfide (SS) bonds. The energy barrier against suflhydryl (SH)-disulfide interchange of the native or nativelike species thus formed causes accumulation of these species. For example, the enzymatically active isomers containing three presumably native SS bonds and one open SS bond may be thermodynamically favorable over the nonnative isomers and can be formed from reduced lysozyme or lysozyme containing scrambled SS bonds by nonobligatory and flexible pathways. As an extension of these observations formation of nativelike species from reduced lysozyme containing the average of two carboxymethyl (CM)-cysteine was investigated.

Observation of stimulated Raman scattering in polar tetragonal crystals of barium antimony tartrate trihydrate, Ba[Sb{sub 2}((+)C{sub 4}H{sub 2}O{sub 6}){sub 2}].3H{sub 2}O

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaminskii, Alexander A. [Institute of Crystallography, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation); Rhee, Hanjo; Eichler, Hans J.; Lux, Oliver [Institute of Optics and Atomic Physics, Technical University of Berlin (Germany); Nemec, Ivan [Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague (Czech Republic); Yoneda, Hitoki; Shirakawa, Akira [Institute for Laser Science, University of Electro-Communications, Tokyo (Japan); Becker, Petra; Bohaty, Ladislav [Section Crystallography, Institute of Geology and Mineralogy, University of Cologne (Germany)

2017-04-15

The non-centrosymmetric polar tetragonal (P4{sub 1}) barium antimony tartrate trihydrate, Ba[Sb{sub 2}((+)C{sub 4}H{sub 2}O{sub 6}){sub 2}].3H{sub 2}O, was found to be an attractive novel semi-organic crystal manifesting numerous χ{sup (2)}- and χ{sup (3)}-nonlinear optical interactions. In particular, with picosecond single- and dual-wavelength pumping SHG and THG via cascaded parametric four-wave processes were observed. High-order Stokes and anti-Stokes lasing related to two SRS-promoting vibration modes of the crystal, with ω{sub SRS1} ∼ 575 cm{sup -1} and ω{sub SRS2} ∼ 2940 cm{sup -1}, takes place. Basing on a spontaneous Raman investigation an assignment of the two SRS-active vibration modes is discussed. (copyright 2017 by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Isolation and characterization of a c-type lysozyme from the nurse shark.

Science.gov (United States)

Hinds Vaughan, Nichole; Smith, Sylvia L

2013-12-01

Lysozyme is a ubiquitous antibacterial enzyme that occurs in numerous invertebrate and vertebrate species. Three forms have been described c-type, g-type and i-type which differ in primary structure. Shark lysozyme has not been characterized; here we report on the isolation and characterization of lysozyme from unstimulated shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) leukocytes and provide amino acid sequence data across the highly conserved active site of the molecule identifying it to be a c-type lysozyme. A leukocyte lysate was applied either (a) to the first of two sequential DE-52 cellulose columns or alternatively, (b) to a DEAE-Sepharose column. Lysozyme activity in lysate and active fractions was identified by zones of lysis of Micrococcus lysodeikticus cell walls on lysoplates and zones of growth inhibition in agar diffusion assays using Planococcus citreus as the target organism. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a 14 kDa protein which was identified as lysozyme by mass spectroscopic analysis of peptides, reactivity against anti-HEWL antibodies on a Western blot, hydrolysis of M. lysodeikticus cell walls, and inhibition of growth of P. citreus on AU-gel blots in which the area of growth inhibition correlated to a 14 kDa protein. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Overexpression, crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of xylulose-5-phosphate/fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase from Bifidobacterium breve

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Suzuki, Ryuichiro; Kim, Byung-Jun; Shibata, Tsuyoshi; Iwamoto, Yuki; Katayama, Takane; Ashida, Hisashi; Wakagi, Takayoshi; Shoun, Hirofumi; Fushinobu, Shinya; Yamamoto, Kenji

2010-01-01

Xylulose-5-phosphate/fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase from B. breve was overexpressed and crystallized. The crystals belonged to the tetragonal space group I422 and diffracted to beyond 1.7 Å resolution. The xylulose-5-phosphate/fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase gene from Bifidobacterium breve was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The enzyme was purified to homogeneity and crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. Crystals were obtained at 293 K using 0.05 mM thiamine diphosphate, 0.25 mM MgCl 2 , 24%(w/v) PEG 6000 and 0.1 M Bicine pH 9.0. The crystals belonged to the tetragonal space group I422, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 174.8, c = 163.8 Å, and diffracted to beyond 1.7 Å resolution

A novel C-type lysozyme from Mytilus galloprovincialis: insight into innate immunity and molecular evolution of invertebrate C-type lysozymes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qing Wang

Full Text Available A c-type lysozyme (named as MgCLYZ gene was cloned from the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. Blast analysis indicated that MgCLYZ was a salivary c-type lysozyme which was mainly found in insects. The nucleotide sequence of MgCLYZ was predicted to encode a polypeptide of 154 amino acid residues with the signal peptide comprising the first 24 residues. The deduced mature peptide of MgCLYZ was of a calculated molecular weight of 14.4 kD and a theoretical isoelectric point (pI of 8.08. Evolution analysis suggested that bivalve branch of the invertebrate c-type lysozymes phylogeny tree underwent positive selection during evolution. By quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR analysis, MgCLYZ transcript was widely detected in all examined tissues and responded sensitively to bacterial challenge in hemocytes and hepatopancreas. The optimal temperature and pH of recombinant MgCLYZ (rMgCLYZ were 20°C and 4, respectively. The rMgCLYZ displayed lytic activities against Gram-positive bacteria including Micrococcus luteus and Staphyloccocus aureus, and Gram-negative bacteria including Vibrio anguillarum, Enterobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas putida, Proteus mirabilis and Bacillus aquimaris. These results suggest that MgCLYZ perhaps play an important role in innate immunity of M. galloprovincialis, and invertebrate c-type lysozymes might be under positive selection in a species-specific manner during evolution for undergoing adaptation to different environment and diverse pathogens.

Covalent immobilization of lysozyme on ethylene vinyl alcohol films for nonmigrating antimicrobial packaging applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Muriel-Galet, V; Talbert, J N; Hernandez-Munoz, P; Gavara, R; Goddard, J M

2013-07-10

The objective of this study was to develop a new antimicrobial film, in which lysozyme was covalently attached onto two different ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymers (EVOH 29 and EVOH 44). The EVOH surface was modified with UV irradiation treatment to generate carboxylic acid groups, and lysozyme was covalently attached to the functionalized polymer surface. Surface characterization of control and modified films was performed using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and dye assay. The value of protein loading after attachment on the surface was 8.49 μg protein/cm(2) and 5.74 μg protein/cm(2) for EVOH 29 and EVOH 44, respectively, after 10 min UV irradiation and bioconjugation. The efficacy of the EVOH-lysozyme films was assessed using Micrococcus lysodeikticus. The antimicrobial activity of the films was tested against Listeria monocytogenes and was similar to an equivalent amount of free enzyme. The reduction was 1.08 log for EVOH 29-lysozyme, 0.95 log for EVOH 44-lysozyme, and 1.34 log for free lysozyme. This work confirmed the successful use of lysozyme immobilization on the EVOH surface for antimicrobial packaging.

Adsorption of lysozyme to phospholipid and meibomian lipid monolayer films.

Science.gov (United States)

Mudgil, Poonam; Torres, Margaux; Millar, Thomas J

2006-03-15

It is believed that a lipid layer forms the outer layer of the pre-ocular tear film and this layer helps maintain tear film stability by lowering its surface tension. Proteins of the aqueous layer of the tear film (beneath the lipid layer) may also contribute to reducing surface tension by adsorbing to, or penetrating the lipid layer. The purpose of this study was to compare the penetration of lysozyme, a tear protein, into films of meibomian lipids and phospholipids held at different surface pressures to determine if lysozyme were part of the surface layer of the tear film. Films of meibomian lipids or phospholipids were spread onto the surface of a buffered aqueous subphase. Films were compressed to particular pressures and lysozyme was injected into the subphase. Changes in surface pressure were monitored to determine adsorption or penetration of lysozyme into the surface film. Lysozyme penetrated a meibomian lipid film at all pressures tested (max=20 mN/m). It also penetrated phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine lipid films up to a pressure of 20 mN/m. It was not able to penetrate a phosphatidylcholine film at pressures >or=10 mN/m irrespective of the temperature being at 20 or 37 degrees C. However, it was able to penetrate it at very low pressures (<10 mN/m). Epifluorescence microscopy showed that the protein either adsorbs to or penetrates the lipid layer and the pattern of mixing depended upon the lipid at the surface. These results indicate that lysozyme is present at the surface of the tear film where it contributes to decreasing the surface tension by adsorbing and penetrating the meibomian lipids. Thus it helps to stabilize the tear film.

Texture of poled tetragonal PZT detected by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and micromechanics analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hall, D.A.; Steuwer, A.; Cherdhirunkorn, B.; Withers, P.J.; Mori, T.

2005-01-01

The texture and lattice elastic strain due to electrical poling of tetragonal PZT (lead zirconate titanate) ceramics have been measured using high energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction. It is shown that XRD peak intensity ratios associated with crystal planes of the form {002}, {112} and {202} exhibit a linear dependence on cos-bar 2 Ψ, where Ψ represents the orientation angle between the plane normal and the macroscopic poling axis. The observed dependence of texture and lattice strain on the grain orientation can be understood on the basis that the macroscopic strain due to poling is the average of the poling strains of all the individual grains

Coassembly of Lysozyme and Amphiphilic Biomolecules Driven by Unimer-Aggregate Equilibrium.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Yuanyuan; Ma, Xiaoteng; Cai, Yaqian; Liu, Li; Zhao, Hanying

2018-04-12

Synthesis and self-assembly of bioconjugates composed of proteins and synthetic molecules have been widely studied because of the potential applications in medicine, biotechnology, and nanotechnology. One of the challenging research studies in this area is to develop organic solvent-free approaches to the synthesis and self-assembly of amphiphilic bioconjugates. In this research, dialysis-assisted approach, a method based on unimer-aggregate equilibrium, was applied in the coassembly of lysozyme and conjugate of cholesterol and glutathione (Ch-GSH). In phosphate buffer solution, amphiphilic Ch-GSH conjugate self-assembles into vesicles, and the vesicle solution is dialyzed against lysozyme solution. Negatively charged Ch-GSH unimers produced in the unimer-vesicle exchange equilibrium, diffuse across the dialysis membrane and have electrostatic interaction with positively charged lysozyme, resulting in the formation of Ch-GSH-lysozyme bioconjugate. Above a critical concentration, the three-component bioconjugate molecules self-assemble into bioactive vesicles.

Calcium oxalate crystals: an integral component of the Sclerotinia sclerotiorum/Brassica carinata pathosystem.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Margaret B Uloth

Full Text Available Oxalic acid is an important virulence factor for disease caused by the fungal necrotrophic pathogen Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, yet calcium oxalate (CaOx crystals have not been widely reported. B. carinata stems were infected with S. sclerotiorum and observed using light microscopy. Six hours post inoculation (hpi, CaOx crystals were evident on 46% of stem sections and by 72 hpi on 100%, demonstrating that the secretion of oxalic acid by S. sclerotiorum commences before hyphal penetration. This is the first time CaOx crystals have been reported on B. carinata infected with S. sclerotiorum. The shape of crystals varied as infection progressed. Long tetragonal rods were dominant 12 hpi (68% of crystal-containing samples, but by 72 hpi, 50% of stems displayed bipyramidal crystals, and only 23% had long rods. Scanning electron microscopy from 24 hpi revealed CaOx crystals in all samples, ranging from tiny irregular crystals (< 0.5 μm to large (up to 40 μm highly organized arrangements. Crystal morphology encompassed various forms, including tetragonal prisms, oval plates, crystal sand, and druses. Large conglomerates of CaOx crystals were observed in the hyphal mass 72 hpi and these are proposed as a strategy of the fungus to hold and detoxify Ca2+ions. The range of crystal morphologies suggests that S. sclerotiorum growth and infection controls the form taken by CaOx crystals.

The Preventive Effect of L-Lysine on Lysozyme Glycation in Type 2 Diabetes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein Mirmiranpour

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Lysozyme is a bactericidal enzyme whose structure and functions change in diabetes. Chemical chaperones are small molecules including polyamines (e.g. spermine, amino acids (e.g. L-lysine and polyols (e.g. glycerol. They can improve protein conformation in several stressful conditions such as glycation. In this study, the authors aimed to observe the effect of L-lysine as a chemical chaperone on structure and function of glycated lysozyme. In this study, in vitro and in vivo effects of L-lysine on lysozyme glycation were investigated. Lysozyme was incubated with glucose and/or L-lysine, followed by an investigation of its structure by electrophoresis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and circular dichroism spectroscopy and also assessment of its bactericidal activity against M. lysodeikticus. In the clinical trial, patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM were randomly divided into two groups of 25 (test and control. All patients received metformin and glibenclamide for a three months period. The test group was supplemented with 3 g/day of L-lysine. The quantity and activity of lysozyme and other parameters were then measured. Among the test group, L-lysine was found to reduce the advanced glycation end products (AGEs in the sera of patients with T2DM and in vitro condition. This chemical chaperone reversed the alteration in lysozyme structure and function due to glycation and resulted in increased lysozyme activity. Structure and function of glycated lysozyme are significantly improved by l-lysine; therefore it can be considered an effective therapeutic supplementation in T2DM, decreasing the risk of infection in these patients.

A zinc complex of heparan sulfate destabilises lysozyme and alters its conformation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hughes, Ashley J.; Hussain, Rohanah; Cosentino, Cesare; Guerrini, Marco; Siligardi, Giuliano; Yates, Edwin A.; Rudd, Timothy R.

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Zinc–heparan sulfate complex destabilises lysozyme, a model amyloid protein. ► Addition of zinc, without heparan sulfate, stabilises lysozyme. ► Heparan sulfate cation complexes provide alternative protein folding routes. -- Abstract: The naturally occurring anionic cell surface polysaccharide heparan sulfate is involved in key biological activities and is implicated in amyloid formation. Following addition of Zn–heparan sulfate, hen lysozyme, a model amyloid forming protein, resembled β-rich amyloid by far UV circular dichroism (increased β-sheet: +25%), with a significantly reduced melting temperature (from 68 to 58 °C) by fluorescence shift assay. Secondary structure stability of the Zn–heparan sulfate complex with lysozyme was also distinct from that with heparan sulfate, under stronger denaturation conditions using synchrotron radiation circular dichroism. Changing the cation associated with heparan sulfate is sufficient to alter the conformation and stability of complexes formed between heparan sulfate and lysozyme, substantially reducing the stability of the protein. Complexes of heparan sulfate and cations, such as Zn, which are abundant in the brain, may provide alternative folding routes for proteins.

Control of Electrostatic Interactions Between F-Actin And Genetically Modified Lysozyme in Aqueous Media

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sanders, L.K.; Xian, W.; Guaqueta, C.; Strohman, M.; Vrasich, C.R.; Luijten, E.; Wong, G.C.L.

2009-01-01

The aim for deterministic control of the interactions between macroions in aqueous media has motivated widespread experimental and theoretical work. Although it has been well established that like-charged macromolecules can aggregate under the influence of oppositely charged condensing agents, the specific conditions for the stability of such aggregates can only be determined empirically. We examine these conditions, which involve an interplay of electrostatic and osmotic effects, by using a well defined model system composed of F-actin, an anionic rod-like polyelectrolyte, and lysozyme, a cationic globular protein with a charge that can be genetically modified. The structure and stability of actin-lysozyme complexes for different lysozyme charge mutants and salt concentrations are examined by using synchrotron x-ray scattering and molecular dynamics simulations. We provide evidence that supports a structural transition from columnar arrangements of F-actin held together by arrays of lysozyme at the threefold interstitial sites of the actin sublattice to marginally stable complexes in which lysozyme resides at twofold bridging sites between actin. The reduced stability arises from strongly reduced partitioning of salt between the complex and the surrounding solution. Changes in the stability of actin-lysozyme complexes are of biomedical interest because their formation has been reported to contribute to the persistence of airway infections in cystic fibrosis by sequestering antimicrobials such as lysozyme. We present x-ray microscopy results that argue for the existence of actin-lysozyme complexes in cystic fibrosis sputum and demonstrate that, for a wide range of salt conditions, charge-reduced lysozyme is not sequestered in ordered complexes while retaining its bacterial killing activity.

The interaction of the protein lysozyme with bacteria E. coli observed using nanodiamond labelling

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perevedentseva, Elena; Cheng, C-Y; Chung, P-H; Tu, J-S; Hsieh, Y-H; Cheng, C-L

2007-01-01

The application of a nanometre-sized diamond in Raman-detectable biolabelling is demonstrated in this study. The interaction of a lysozyme-nanodiamond complex with bacteria E. coli was observed via Raman mapping using the diamond Raman signal as the labelling marker. The results are compared with scanning electron microscope observations, and the adsorbed lysozyme's functionality is analysed. High antibacterial activity of lysozyme-nanodiamond complex was observed, equivalent to active lysozyme in solution. The results suggest that nanodiamond labelling can be effective and that it can be applied in ambient conditions without complicated sample pre-treatments

Surface Plasmon Resonance based sensing of lysozyme in serum on Micrococcus lysodeikticus-modified graphene oxide surfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasilescu, Alina; Gáspár, Szilveszter; Gheorghiu, Mihaela; David, Sorin; Dinca, Valentina; Peteu, Serban; Wang, Qian; Li, Musen; Boukherroub, Rabah; Szunerits, Sabine

2017-03-15

Lysozyme is an enzyme found in biological fluids, which is upregulated in leukemia, renal diseases as well as in a number of inflammatory gastrointestinal diseases. We present here the development of a novel lysozyme sensing concept based on the use of Micrococcus lysodeikticus whole cells adsorbed on graphene oxide (GO)-coated Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) interfaces. M. lysodeikticus is a typical enzymatic substrate for lysozyme. Unlike previously reported sensors which are based on the detection of lysozyme through bioaffinity interactions, the bioactivity of lysozyme will be used here for sensing purposes. Upon exposure to lysozyme containing serum, the integrity of the bacterial cell wall is affected and the cells detach from the GO based interfaces, causing a characteristic decrease in the SPR signal. This allows sensing the presence of clinically relevant concentrations of lysozyme in undiluted serum samples. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Interaction of Lysozyme with Rhodamine B: A combined analysis of spectroscopic & molecular docking.

Science.gov (United States)

Millan, Sabera; Satish, Lakkoji; Kesh, Sandeep; Chaudhary, Yatendra S; Sahoo, Harekrushna

2016-09-01

The interaction of Rhodamine B (RB) with Lysozyme (Lys) was investigated by different optical spectroscopic techniques such as absorption, fluorescence, and circular-dichroism (CD), along with molecular docking studies. The fluorescence results (including steady-state and time-resolved mode) revealed that the addition of RB effectively causes strong quenching of intrinsic fluorescence in Lysozyme and mostly, by the static quenching mechanism. Different binding and thermodynamic parameters were calculated at different temperatures and the binding constant value was found to be 2963.54Lmol(-1) at 25°C. The average distance (r0) was found to be 3.31nm according to Förster's theory of non-radiative energy transfer between Lysozyme and RB. The conformational change in Lysozyme during interaction with RB was confirmed from absorbance, synchronous fluorescence, and circular dichroism measurements. Finally, molecular docking studies were done to confirm that the dye binds with Lysozyme. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Size Exclusion Chromatography Studies of the Initial Self-Association Steps of Chicken Egg White Lysozyme Nucleation

Science.gov (United States)

Ewing, Felecia; Donovan, David; Pusey, Marc

2000-01-01

Nucleation is one of the least understood aspects of crystallogenesis. In the case of macromolecule nucleation, this understanding is further hampered by uncertainty over what precisely is being discussed. We define the process of solute self-association (aggregation, oligomerization, interaction, clustering, etc.) whereby n-mers (n > or = 2) having a crystallographic or nascent crystallographic arrangement leading to the critical nucleus reversibly form in the solution, to be part of the nucleation process. This reversible self-association process is a fundamental part of the nucleation process, and occurs as a function of the solute concentration. In the case of chicken egg white lysozyme, a considerable body of experimental evidence leads us to the conclusion that it also forms the crystal growth units. Size exclusion chromatography is a simple and direct method for determining the equilibrium constants for the self-association process. A Pharmacia FPLC system was used to provide accurate solution flow rates. The column, injection valve, and sample loop were all mounted within a temperature-controlled chamber. Chromatographically re-purified lysozyme was first dialyzed against the column equilibration buffer, with injection onto the column after several hours pre-incubation at the running temperature. Preliminary experiments, were carried out using a Toyopearl HW-50F column (1 x 50cm), equilibrated with 0.1 M sodium acetate, 5% sodium chloride, pH 4.6, at 15C. Protein concentrations from 0.1 to 4 mg/ml were employed (C(sub sat) = 1.2 mg/ml). The data from several different protein preparations consistently shows a progressively decreasing elution volume with increasing protein concentration, indicating that reversible self-association is occurring. The dotted line indicates the monomeric lysozyme elution volume. However, lysozyme interacts with the column matrix in these experiments, which complicates data analysis.Accordingly, we are testing silica-based HPLC

Theoretical studies of the local structure and electron paramagnetic resonance parameters for tetragonal VO{sup 2+} in C{sub 6}H{sub 7}KO{sub 7}

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhou, Ping [Chongqing Jiaotong Univ. (China). School of Science; Li, Ling [Sichuan University of Arts and Science, Dazhou (China). Dept. of Maths and Finance-Economics

2015-07-01

The optical spectra, electron paramagnetic resonance parameters (i.e., the spin Hamiltonian parameters, including paramagnetic g factors and the hyperfine structure constants A{sub i}) and the local distortion structure for the tetragonal VO{sup 2+} in C{sub 6}H{sub 7}KO{sub 7} are theoretically studied based on the crystal-field theory and three-order perturbation formulas of a 3d{sup 1} centre in tetragonal site. The magnitude of orbital reduction factor, core polarisation constant κ, and local structure parameters are obtained by fitting the calculated optical spectra and electron paramagnetic resonance parameters to the experimental values. The theoretical results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental values.

Variable Lysozyme Transport Dynamics on Oxidatively Functionalized Polystyrene Films.

Science.gov (United States)

Moringo, Nicholas A; Shen, Hao; Tauzin, Lawrence J; Wang, Wenxiao; Bishop, Logan D C; Landes, Christy F

2017-10-17

Tuning protein adsorption dynamics at polymeric interfaces is of great interest to many biomedical and material applications. Functionalization of polymer surfaces is a common method to introduce application-specific surface chemistries to a polymer interface. In this work, single-molecule fluorescence microscopy is utilized to determine the adsorption dynamics of lysozyme, a well-studied antibacterial protein, at the interface of polystyrene oxidized via UV exposure and oxygen plasma and functionalized by ligand grafting to produce varying degrees of surface hydrophilicity, surface roughness, and induced oxygen content. Single-molecule tracking indicates lysozyme loading capacities, and surface mobility at the polymer interface is hindered as a result of all functionalization techniques. Adsorption dynamics of lysozyme depend on the extent and the specificity of the oxygen functionalities introduced to the polystyrene surface. Hindered adsorption and mobility are dominated by hydrophobic effects attributed to water hydration layer formation at the functionalized polystyrene surfaces.

The interaction of the protein lysozyme with bacteria E. coli observed using nanodiamond labelling

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Perevedentseva, Elena; Cheng, C-Y; Chung, P-H; Tu, J-S; Hsieh, Y-H; Cheng, C-L [Department of Physics, National Dong Hwa University, Hualien 97401, Taiwan (China)

2007-08-08

The application of a nanometre-sized diamond in Raman-detectable biolabelling is demonstrated in this study. The interaction of a lysozyme-nanodiamond complex with bacteria E. coli was observed via Raman mapping using the diamond Raman signal as the labelling marker. The results are compared with scanning electron microscope observations, and the adsorbed lysozyme's functionality is analysed. High antibacterial activity of lysozyme-nanodiamond complex was observed, equivalent to active lysozyme in solution. The results suggest that nanodiamond labelling can be effective and that it can be applied in ambient conditions without complicated sample pre-treatments.

The influence of different pathogens on the lysozyme activity into tissues of rat oral cavity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. P. Levitsky

2017-08-01

Full Text Available Aim: To determine action of the different pathogens on the lysozyme activity into tissues of oral cavity and serum. Methods: The lysozyme activities was determined into oral mucosa cheek, tongue gum and serum of 158 white rats (11 series experiments. The pathogens were used: atropine, protamine sulfat, indometacyn, bee poison, hydrasine sulfat, cytostatic cyclofosfan, lincomycin, lipopolysaccharide, composition of antibiotic and omeprasol for ACBT Results: The  whole of pathogens decreased lysozyme activity (mean in 1,6-2,5 times into oral tissues and on 16 % into serum. The specific lowering of lysozyme activities (Δ%/mg pathogen was low most for lipopolysaccharide, especially after oral application usage (exceeding was in tens times. Conclusion: The lysozyme activity lowering may play significant role in pathogenesis of stomatologic diseases/ Lipopolysaccharide (LPS send lysozyme activity lowering most especially after oral application. Probably, the antilysozyme action of pathogens realize by LPS. The stomatogenic factor in pathogenesis and profilactic of noninfection diseases is important.

Impact of lysozyme on stability mechanism of nanozirconia aqueous suspension

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Szewczuk-Karpisz, Katarzyna, E-mail: k.szewczuk-karpisz@wp.pl; Wiśniewska, Małgorzata

2016-08-30

Highlights: • Adsorption and stabilization-destabilization properties of lysozyme (LSZ) in the nanozirconia-biopolymer solution system were determined. • The stability measurements were performed using turbidimetric method. • Lysozyme macromolecules undergo adsorption on the ZrO{sub 2} surface under electrostatic adsorbent-adsorbate attraction, i.e. at pH 6 and 9. • The biopolymer adsorption impact on the zirconia stability varies at different pH values. - Abstract: The effect of lysozyme (LSZ) presence on the zirconium(IV) oxide (ZrO{sub 2}) aqueous suspension stability was examined. The applied zirconia contains mesopores (with a diameter about 30 nm) and its mean particle size is about 100 nm. To determine the stability mechanism of ZrO{sub 2} suspension in the biopolymer presence, the adsorption and electrokinetic (surface charge density and zeta potential) measurements were performed in the pH range 3–10. The lysozyme adsorption on the nanozirconia surface proceeds mainly through electrostatic forces. Under solid-polymer repulsion conditions, there is no adsorption of lysozyme (pH < 6, C{sub NaCl} 0.01 mol/dm{sup 3}). The increase of solution ionic strength to 0.2 mol/dm{sup 3} causes screening of unfavourable forces and biopolymer adsorption becomes possible. The LSZ addition to the ZrO{sub 2} suspension influences its stability. At pH 3, 4.6 and 7.6, slight improvement of the system stability was obtained. In turn, at pH 9 considerable destabilization of nanozirconia particles covered by polymeric layers occurs.

Fine structure of spectra of a bound exciton in tetragonal zinc diphosphide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syrbu, N.N.; Morozova, V.I.; Stratan, G.I.

1989-01-01

Investigation into the low-temperature luminescence spectra recorded in different crystal geometry relative to the direction of incident radiation wave vector, has demonstrated the existence of saddle-shaped valent zone ceiling near k=0 in zinc tetragonal diphosphide monocrystals. Binding energies of free (2.2085 eV) and bound (A(2.1943eV)B(2.1765eV), C(2.1447eV)) excitons as well as the phonon energy value are determined by investigations into absorption spectrum and radiative recombination. Phonon-free lines of bound A 0 and C 0 excitons are splitted into 2.2 and 0.3 MeV respectively. The band exciton singlet-triplet state splittings in a magnetic field and their field dependences are obtained. The spectroscopic splitting factor g=1.9 is determined

Hydrophobic nano-carrier for lysozyme adsorption

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

1 polymer in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer at ... lysozyme concentration, temperature and ionic strength are varied and .... tions at initial and final adsorption medium were measured ... ties such as very high specific surface area, low mass transfer.

Cubic to tetragonal phase transition of Tm3+ doped nanocrystals in oxyfluoride glass ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Yiming; Fu, Yuting; Shi, Yahui; Zhang, Xiaoyu; Yu, Hua; Zhao, Lijuan

2016-01-01

Tm 3+ ions doped β-PbF 2 nanocrystals in oxyfluoride glass ceramics with different doping concentrations and thermal temperatures are prepared by a traditional melt-quenching and thermal treatment method to investigate the structure and the phase transition of Tm 3+ doped nanocrystals. The structures are characterized by X-ray diffraction Rietveld analysis and confirmed with numerical simulation. The phase transitions are proved further by the emission spectra. Both of the doping concentration and thermal temperature can induce an O h to D 4h site symmetry distortion and a cubic to tetragonal phase transition. The luminescence of Tm 3+ doped nanocrystals at 800 nm was modulated by the phase transition of the surrounding crystal field

Fabrication of Sericin/Agrose Gel Loaded Lysozyme and Its Potential in Wound Dressing Application

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meirong Yang

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Sericin is a biomaterial resource for its significant biodegradability, biocompatibility, hydrophilicity, and reactivity. Designing a material with superabsorbent, antiseptic, and non-cytotoxic wound dressing properties is advantageous to reduce wound infection and promote wound healing. Herein, we propose an environment-friendly strategy to obtain an interpenetrating polymer network gel through blending sericin and agarose and freeze-drying. The physicochemical characterizations of the sericin/agarose gel including morphology, porosity, swelling behavior, crystallinity, secondary structure, and thermal property were well characterized. Subsequently, the lysozyme loaded sericin/agarose composite gel was successfully prepared by the solution impregnation method. To evaluate the potential of the lysozyme loaded sericin/agarose gel in wound dressing application, we analyzed the lysozyme loading and release, antimicrobial activity, and cytocompatibility of the resulting gel. The results showed the lysozyme loaded composite gel had high porosity, excellent water absorption property, and good antimicrobial activities against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Also, the lysozyme loaded gel showed excellent cytocompatibility on NIH3T3 and HEK293 cells. So, the lysozyme loaded sericin/agarose gel is a potential alternative biomaterial for wound dressing.

[Lysozyme in the treatment of juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis. A new concept in its etiopathogenesis].

Science.gov (United States)

Altamar-Ríos, J

1990-01-01

The A. inform about the results achieved with lysozyme chlorhydrate in the treatment of 15 patients with juvenile laryngeal papillomatosis. The lysozyme is an electropositive enzyme which synthesis is related to the degree of proteins and vitamin B complex ingestion. Lysozyme is a component of the immunitary inespecific system, serving to prevent against HPV-DNA at the level of the secretory film of the mucociliary apparatus of the respiratory mucous membrane. Furthermore, lysozyme hydrolyzes the mucopolysaccharide of the connective tissue and inhibits the virus-DNA replication. 100-300 mgr daily during 30-60 days simultaneously with hyperproteic diet and vitamin B complex (after correction of the nutrimental deficiencies) brought about the evanishment of papillomatosis. The A. suggest that the predisposition to infection by virus DNA is primarily of immunitary origin, because of lysozyme deficiency, and secondary due to a low intake of proteins and vitamin B complex.

Pulsed laser deposition of lysozyme: the dependence on shot numbers and the angular distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Constantinescu, C.; Matei, A.; Schou, Jørgen

2013-01-01

The ejection of molecules from a pressed solid target of lysozyme induced by laser ablation in the UV-regime at a wavelength of 355 nm was investigated. The ablation studies were carried out in vacuum at a laser fluence of 2 J/cm2 for which a significant fraction of proteins remains intact....... This was verified by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) spectrometry of thin films deposited on silicon substrates. The deposition rate of lysozyme was found to decrease with the number of shots and was correlated with increasing thermal damage of the lysozyme. This was monitored by measurements...... of the optical reflectivity of dry lysozyme. The angular distribution of the mass deposition can be fitted well by Anisimov’s hydrodynamic model. The total deposited yield over the entire hemisphere from direct laser ablation of lysozyme was estimated from this model and found to be three orders of magnitude...

The effects of xylitol and sorbitol on lysozyme- and peroxidase-related enzymatic and candidacidal activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Bum-Soo; Chang, Ji-Youn; Kim, Yoon-Young; Kho, Hong-Seop

2015-07-01

To investigate whether xylitol and sorbitol affect enzymatic and candidacidal activities of lysozyme, the peroxidase system, and the glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase system. Xylitol and sorbitol were added to hen egg-white lysozyme, bovine lactoperoxidase, glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase, and whole saliva in solution and on hydroxyapatite surfaces. The enzymatic activities of lysozyme, peroxidase, and glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase were determined by the turbidimetric method, the NbsSCN assay, and production of oxidized o-dianisidine, respectively. Candidacidal activities were determined by comparing colony forming units using Candida albicans ATCC strains 10231, 11006, and 18804. While xylitol and sorbitol did not affect the enzymatic activity of hen egg-white lysozyme both in solution and on hydroxyapatite surfaces, they did inhibit the enzymatic activity of salivary lysozyme significantly in solution, but not on the surfaces. Xylitol and sorbitol enhanced the enzymatic activities of both bovine lactoperoxidase and salivary peroxidase significantly in a dose-dependent manner in solution, but not on the surfaces. Sorbitol, but not xylitol, inhibited the enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase-mediated peroxidase significantly. Both xylitol and sorbitol did not affect candidacidal activities of hen egg-white lysozyme, the bovine lactoperoxidase system, or the glucose oxidase-mediated bovine lactoperoxidase system. Xylitol and sorbitol inhibited salivary lysozyme activity, but enhanced both bovine lactoperoxidase and salivary peroxidase activities significantly in solution. Xylitol and sorbitol did not augment lysozyme- and peroxidase-related candidacidal activities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface morphology of thin lysozyme films produced by matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Purice, Andreea; Schou, Jørgen; Pryds, Nini

2007-01-01

Thin films of the protein, lysozyme, have been deposited by the matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE) technique. Frozen targets of 0.3-1.0 wt.% lysozyme dissolved in ultrapure water were irradiated by laser light at 355 mn with a fluence of 2 J/cm(2). The surface quality of the thin....... The concentration of lysozyme in the ice matrix apparently does not play any significant role for the morphology of the film. The morphology obtained with MAPLE has been compared with results for direct laser irradiation of a pressed lysozyme sample (i.e. pulsed laser deposition (PLD)). (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All...

Modified denatured lysozyme effectively solubilizes fullerene c60 nanoparticles in water

Science.gov (United States)

Siepi, Marialuisa; Politi, Jane; Dardano, Principia; Amoresano, Angela; De Stefano, Luca; Monti, Daria Maria; Notomista, Eugenio

2017-08-01

Fullerenes, allotropic forms of carbon, have very interesting pharmacological effects and engineering applications. However, a very low solubility both in organic solvents and water hinders their use. Fullerene C60, the most studied among fullerenes, can be dissolved in water only in the form of nanoparticles of variable dimensions and limited stability. Here the effect on the production of C60 nanoparticles by a native and denatured hen egg white lysozyme, a highly basic protein, has been systematically studied. In order to obtain a denatured, yet soluble, lysozyme derivative, the four disulfides of the native protein were reduced and exposed cysteines were alkylated by 3-bromopropylamine, thus introducing eight additional positive charges. The C60 solubilizing properties of the modified denatured lysozyme proved to be superior to those of the native protein, allowing the preparation of biocompatible highly homogeneous and stable C60 nanoparticles using lower amounts of protein, as demonstrated by dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy studies. This lysozyme derivative could represent an effective tool for the solubilization of other carbon allotropes.

FT-IR reflection spectra of single crystals: resolving phonons of different symmetry without using polarised radiation

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METODIJA NAJDOSKI

2000-07-01

Full Text Available Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR reflection spectra, asquired at nearnormal incidence, were recorded from single crystals belonging to six crystal systems: CsCr(SO42.12H2O (alum, cubic, K2CuCl2·2H2O (Mitscherlichite, tetragonal, CaCO3 (calcite, hexagonal, KHSO4 (mercallite, orthorhombic, CaSO4·2H2O (gypsum, monoclinic and CuSO4·5H2O (chalcantite, triclinic. The acquired IR reflection spectra were further transformed into absorption spectra, employing the Kramers-Kronig transformation. Except for the cubic alums, the spectra strongly depend on the crystal face from which they were recorded; this is a consequence of anisotropy. Phonons of a given symmetry (E-species, in tetragonal/hexagonal and B-species, in monoclinic crystals may be resolved without using a polariser. The spectrum may be simplified in the case of an orthorhombic crystal, as well. The longitudinal-optical (LO and transversal-optical (TO mode frequencies were calculated in the case of optically isotropic and the simplified spectra of optically uniaxial crystals.

Overexpression, purification and crystallization of tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon Aeropyrum pernix K1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iwaki, Jun; Suzuki, Ryuichiro; Fujimoto, Zui; Momma, Mitsuru; Kuno, Atsushi; Hasegawa, Tsunemi

2005-01-01

Tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon A. pernix K1 was cloned, purified and crystallized. The crystals belonged to the tetragonal space group P4 3 2 1 2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 66.1, c = 196.2 Å, and diffracted to beyond 2.15 Å resolution at 100 K. Hyperthermophilic archaeal tyrosyl-tRNA synthetase from Aeropyrum pernix K1 was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The expressed protein was purified by Cibacron Blue affinity chromatography following heat treatment at 363 K. Crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction studies were obtained under optimized crystallization conditions in the presence of 1.5 M ammonium sulfate using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. The crystals belonged to the tetragonal space group P4 3 2 1 2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 66.1, c = 196.2 Å, and diffracted to beyond 2.15 Å resolution at 100 K

Cyclic olefin homopolymer-based microfluidics for protein crystallization and in situ X-ray diffraction

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emamzadah, Soheila; Petty, Tom J.; De Almeida, Victor; Nishimura, Taisuke; Joly, Jacques; Ferrer, Jean-Luc; Halazonetis, Thanos D.

2009-01-01

A cyclic olefin homopolymer-based microfluidics system has been established for protein crystallization and in situ X-ray diffraction. Microfluidics is a promising technology for the rapid identification of protein crystallization conditions. However, most of the existing systems utilize silicone elastomers as the chip material which, despite its many benefits, is highly permeable to water vapour. This limits the time available for protein crystallization to less than a week. Here, the use of a cyclic olefin homopolymer-based microfluidics system for protein crystallization and in situ X-ray diffraction is described. Liquid handling in this system is performed in 2 mm thin transparent cards which contain 500 chambers, each with a volume of 320 nl. Microbatch, vapour-diffusion and free-interface diffusion protocols for protein crystallization were implemented and crystals were obtained of a number of proteins, including chicken lysozyme, bovine trypsin, a human p53 protein containing both the DNA-binding and oligomerization domains bound to DNA and a functionally important domain of Arabidopsis Morpheus’ molecule 1 (MOM1). The latter two polypeptides have not been crystallized previously. For X-ray diffraction analysis, either the cards were opened to allow mounting of the crystals on loops or the crystals were exposed to X-rays in situ. For lysozyme, an entire X-ray diffraction data set at 1.5 Å resolution was collected without removing the crystal from the card. Thus, cyclic olefin homopolymer-based microfluidics systems have the potential to further automate protein crystallization and structural genomics efforts

Isolation and partial purification of lysozyme from saliva of Bali cattle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

About 100 μg/ml lysozyme of 14.2 kDa, determined through sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), per 4800 μg/ml saliva was obtained. Based on turbidity assay of Staphylococcus aureus, it was revealed that inhibition activities of 40 μg/ml isolated lysozyme were comparable to 800 μg/ml ...

The Feasibility of Bulk Crystallization as an Industrial Purification and Production Technique for Proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Judge, Russell A.; Forsythe, Elizabeth L.; Johns, Michael R.; Pusey, Marc L.; White, Edward T.

1998-01-01

Bulk crystallization in stirred vessels is used industrially for the recovery and purification of many inorganic and organic materials. Although much has been written on the crystallization of proteins for X-ray diffraction analysis, very little has been reported on the application of bulk crystallization in stirred vessels. In this study, a 1-liter, seeded, stirred, batch crystallizer was used with ovalbumin as a model protein to test the feasibility of this crystallization method as a recovery and purification process for proteins. Results were obtained for ovalbumin solubility, nucleation thresholds, crystal breakage and crystal growth kinetics in bulk solution under a range of operating conditions of pH and ammonium sulphate concentration (Judge et al., 1996). Experiments were also performed to determine the degree of purification that can be achieved by the crystallization of ovalbumin from a mixture of proteins. The effect of the presence of these proteins upon the ovalbumin crystal growth kinetics was also investigated (Judge et al., 1995). All of these aspects are essential for the design of bulk crystallization processes which have not previously been reported for proteins. Results from a second study that investigated the effect of structurally different proteins on the solubility, crystal growth rates and crystal purity of chicken egg white lysozyme are also presented (Judge et al., 1997). In this case face growth rates were measured using lysozyme purified by liquid chromatography and the effect of the addition of specific protein impurities were observed on the (110) and (101) crystal faces. In these two studies the results are presented to show the feasibility and purifying ability of crystallization as a production process for proteins.

Crystallization and quaternary structure analysis of an Lrp-like regulatory protein from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sedelnikova, S.E.; Smits, S.H.J.; Leonard, P.M.; Brinkman, A.B.; Oost, van der J.; Rafferty, J.B.

2001-01-01

The LrpA transcriptional regulator from Pyrococcus furiosus, a member of the leucine-responsive regulatory protein (Lrp) family, has been crystallized by the hanging-drop method of vapour diffusion using ammonium sulfate as the precipitant. The crystals belong to the tetragonal system and are in

Spin-flip transition of L10-type MnPt alloy single crystal studied by neutron scattering

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hama, Hiroaki; Motomura, Ryo; Shinozaki, Tatsuya; Tsunoda, Yorihiko

2007-01-01

Magnetic structure, tetragonality, and the spin-flip transition for an L1 0 -type MnPt ordered alloy were studied by neutron scattering using a single-crystal specimen. Tetragonality of the lattice showed strong correlation with the spin-flip transition. Although the spin-flip transition looks like a gradual change of the easy axis in the temperature range between 580 and 770 K, two modes of magnon-gap peaks with different energies were observed in this transition temperature range. Thus, the crystal consists of two regions with different anisotropy energies and the volume fractions of these regions with different spin directions change gradually with temperature. The tetragonality and spin-flip transition are discussed using the hard-sphere model for atomic radii of Pt and Mn. The Invar effect of Mn atoms is proposed using high- and low-spin transitions of Mn moments in analogy with the two-γ model of Fe moments in FeNi Invar alloy

Raman mapping of mannitol/lysozyme particles produced via spray drying and single droplet drying.

Science.gov (United States)

Pajander, Jari Pekka; Matero, Sanni; Sloth, Jakob; Wan, Feng; Rantanen, Jukka; Yang, Mingshi

2015-06-01

This study aimed to investigate the effect of a model protein on the solid state of a commonly used bulk agent in spray-dried formulations. A series of lysozyme/mannitol formulations were spray-dried using a lab-scale spray dryer. Further, the surface temperature of drying droplet/particles was monitored using the DRYING KINETICS ANALYZER™ (DKA) with controllable drying conditions mimicking the spray-drying process to estimate the drying kinetics of the lysozyme/mannitol formulations. The mannitol polymorphism and the spatial distribution of lysozyme in the particles were examined using X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) and Raman microscopy. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis was used for analyzing the Raman microscopy data. XRPD results indicated that a mixture of β-mannitol and α-mannitol was produced in the spray-drying process which was supported by the Raman analysis, whereas Raman analysis indicated that a mixture of α-mannitol and δ-mannitol was detected in the single particles from DKA. In addition Raman mapping indicated that the presence of lysozyme seemed to favor the appearance of α-mannitol in the particles from DKA evidenced by close proximity of lysozyme and mannitol in the particles. It suggested that the presence of lysozyme tend to induce metastable solid state forms upon the drying process.

Characterization of lysozyme films produced by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Purice, Andreea; Schou, Jørgen; Kingshott, Peter

2007-01-01

Thin lysozyme films of thickness up to more than 100 nm have been produced in a dry environment by MAPLE (matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation) from a water ice matrix. Analysis of the films demonstrates that a significant part of the lysozyme molecules is transferred to the substrate without...

High Performance Relaxor-Based Ferroelectric Single Crystals for Ultrasonic Transducer Applications

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Yan Chen

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3O3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PT have drawn much attention in the ferroelectric field because of their excellent piezoelectric properties and high electromechanical coupling coefficients (d33~2000 pC/N, kt~60% near the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB. Ternary Pb(In1/2Nb1/2O3-Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3O3-PbTiO3 (PIN-PMN-PT single crystals also possess outstanding performance comparable with PMN-PT single crystals, but have higher phase transition temperatures (rhombohedral to tetragonal Trt, and tetragonal to cubic Tc and larger coercive field Ec. Therefore, these relaxor-based single crystals have been extensively employed for ultrasonic transducer applications. In this paper, an overview of our work and perspectives on using PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT single crystals for ultrasonic transducer applications is presented. Various types of single-element ultrasonic transducers, including endoscopic transducers, intravascular transducers, high-frequency and high-temperature transducers fabricated using the PMN-PT and PIN-PMN-PT crystals and their 2-2 and 1-3 composites are reported. Besides, the fabrication and characterization of the array transducers, such as phased array, cylindrical shaped linear array, high-temperature linear array, radial endoscopic array, and annular array, are also addressed.

Molecular Characterization of a Lysozyme Gene and Its Altered Expression Profile in Crowded Beet Webworm (Loxostege sticticalis.

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Hailong Kong

Full Text Available There is growing evidence that insects living in high-density populations exhibit an increase in immune function to counter a higher risk of disease. This phenomenon, known as density-dependent prophylaxis, has been experimentally tested in a number of insect species. Although density-dependent prophylaxis is especially prevalent in insects exhibiting density-dependent phase polyphenism, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Our previous study demonstrated that the antibacterial activity of lysozyme is important for this process in the beet webworm Loxostege sticticalis. In this study, a lysozyme cDNA from L. sticticalis was cloned and characterized. The full-length cDNA is 1078 bp long and contains an open reading frame of 426 bp that encodes 142 amino acids. The deduced protein possesses structural characteristics of a typical c-type lysozyme and clusters with c-type lysozymes from other Lepidoptera. LsLysozyme was found to be expressed throughout all developmental stages, showing the highest level in pupae. LsLysozyme was also highly expressed in the midgut and fat body. Elevated LsLysozyme expression was observed in L. sticticalis larvae infected by Beauveria bassiana and in larvae reared under crowding conditions. In addition, the expression level of LsLysozyme in infected larvae reared at a density of 10 larvae per jar was significantly higher compared to those reared at a density of l or 30 larvae per jar. These results suggest that larval crowding affects the gene expression profile of this lysozyme. This study provides additional insight into the expression of an immune-associated lysozyme gene and helps us to better understand the immune response of L. sticticalis under crowding conditions.

Formation of Silica-Lysozyme Composites Through Co-Precipitation and Adsorption

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Daniela B. van den Heuvel

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Interactions between silica and proteins are crucial for the formation of biosilica and the production of novel functional hybrid materials for a range of industrial applications. The proteins control both precipitation pathway and the properties of the resulting silica–organic composites. Here, we present data on the formation of silica–lysozyme composites through two different synthesis approaches (co-precipitation vs. adsorption and show that the chemical and structural properties of these composites, when analyzed using a combination of synchrotron-based scattering (total scattering and small-angle X-ray scattering, spectroscopic, electron microscopy, and potentiometric methods vary dramatically. We document that while lysozyme was not incorporated into nor did its presence alter the molecular structure of silica, it strongly enhanced the aggregation of silica particles due to electrostatic and potentially hydrophobic interactions, leading to the formation of composites with characteristics differing from pure silica. The differences increased with increasing lysozyme content for both synthesis approaches. Yet, the absolute changes differ substantially between the two sets of composites, as lysozyme did not just affect aggregation during co-precipitation but also particle growth and likely polymerization during co-precipitation. Our results improve the fundamental understanding of how organic macromolecules interact with dissolved and nanoparticulate silica and how these interactions control the formation pathway of silica–organic composites from sodium silicate solutions, a widely available and cheap starting material.

Formation of Silica-Lysozyme Composites Through Co-Precipitation and Adsorption

Science.gov (United States)

van den Heuvel, Daniela B.; Stawski, Tomasz M.; Tobler, Dominique J.; Wirth, Richard; Peacock, Caroline L.; Benning, Liane G.

2018-04-01

Interactions between silica and proteins are crucial for the formation of biosilica and the production of novel functional hybrid materials for a range of industrial applications. The proteins control both precipitation pathway and the properties of the resulting silica-organic composites. Here we present data on the formation of silica-lysozyme composites through two different synthesis approaches (co-precipitation vs. adsorption) and show that the chemical and structural properties of these composites, when analyzed using a combination of synchrotron-based scattering (total scattering and SAXS), spectroscopic, electron microscopy and potentiometric methods vary dramatically. We document that while lysozyme was not incorporated into nor did its presence alter the molecular structure of silica, it strongly enhanced the aggregation of silica particles due to electrostatic and potentially hydrophobic interactions, leading to the formation of composites with characteristics differing from pure silica. The differences increased with increasing lysozyme content for both synthesis approaches. Yet, the absolute changes differ substantially between the two sets of composites, as lysozyme did not just affect aggregation during co-precipitation but also particle growth and likely polymerization during co-precipitation. Our results improve the fundamental understanding of how organic macromolecules interact with dissolved and nanoparticulate silica and how these interactions control the formation pathway of silica-organic composites from sodium silicate solutions, a widely available and cheap starting material.

Molecular Cloning and Characterization of a New C-type Lysozyme Gene from Yak Mammary Tissue

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Ming Feng Jiang

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Milk lysozyme is the ubiquitous enzyme in milk of mammals. In this study, the cDNA sequence of a new chicken-type (c-type milk lysozyme gene (YML, was cloned from yak mammary gland tissue. A 444 bp open reading frames, which encodes 148 amino acids (16.54 kDa with a signal peptide of 18 amino acids, was sequenced. Further analysis indicated that the nucleic acid and amino acid sequences identities between yak and cow milk lysozyme were 89.04% and 80.41%, respectively. Recombinant yak milk lysozyme (rYML was produced by Escherichia coli BL21 and Pichia pastoris X33. The highest lysozyme activity was detected for heterologous protein rYML5 (M = 1,864.24 U/mg, SD = 25.75 which was expressed in P. pastoris with expression vector pPICZαA and it clearly inhibited growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Result of the YML gene expression using quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that the YML gene was up-regulated to maximum at 30 day postpartum, that is, comparatively high YML can be found in initial milk production. The phylogenetic tree indicated that the amino acid sequence was similar to cow kidney lysozyme, which implied that the YML may have diverged from a different ancestor gene such as cow mammary glands. In our study, we suggest that YML be a new c-type lysozyme expressed in yak mammary glands that plays a role as host immunity.

Effects of modified β-cyclodextrin on thermal stability and conformation of lysozyme

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kamiyama, Tadashi; Satoh, Megumi; Tateishi, Takahiro; Nojiri, Tomoaki; Takeuchi, Daisuke; Kimura, Takayoshi

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Effects of cyclodextrin on stability and conformation of lysozyme were clarified. ► The CD influences the hydrophobic interaction of lysozyme by the inclusion. ► The CD relatively destabilized the folded state by stabilizing the unfolded state. ► The destabilization depends on the concentration and the substituent of CD. ► The conformation of lysozyme was more spread at unfolded state by inclusion of CD. - Abstract: Effects of cyclic oligosaccharide cyclodextrin (CD) on stability and conformation of lysozyme were clarified thermodynamically and rheologically by DSC, viscosity, and circular dichroism measurements. The modified β-CD relatively destabilized the folded state of lysozyme by stabilizing the unfolded state due to inclusion of hydrophobic part into the hydrophobic interior of CD. The order of higher destabilization effect was acetyl-β-CD > methyl-β-CD > hydroxypropyl-β-CD. Apparent number of bound CD to unfolded state for methyl-, hydroxypropyl-, and acetyl-β-CD is 6.7 ± 0.7, 4.2 ± 1.1, and 18.6 ± 4.3 and the binding constant is 5.5 ± 0.8, 6.7 ± 2.4, and 4.4 ± 1.2 L mol −1 , respectively. The viscosity for unfolded state was increased with an increase in the each modified β-CD concentration, suggesting that the inclusion of CD on a part of hydrophobic core at unfolded state leads to break the hydrophobic core, then lysozyme would be more spread structure. The substituent of CD can accelerate instability by directly breaking hydrogen bond and/or can restrain instability by increase in hydrophobic interaction. The fact that the each modified CDs has different destabilization effect shows a possibility to control the stability of protein by the substitution of CD.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of the peripheral light-harvesting complex LH2 from Marichromatium purpuratum.

Science.gov (United States)

Cranston, Laura J; Roszak, Aleksander W; Cogdell, Richard J

2014-06-01

LH2 from the purple photosynthetic bacterium Marichromatium (formerly known as Chromatium) purpuratum is an integral membrane pigment-protein complex that is involved in harvesting light energy and transferring it to the LH1-RC `core' complex. The purified LH2 complex was crystallized using the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method at 294 K. The crystals diffracted to a resolution of 6 Å using synchrotron radiation and belonged to the tetragonal space group I4, with unit-cell parameters a=b=109.36, c=80.45 Å. The data appeared to be twinned, producing apparent diffraction symmetry I422. The tetragonal symmetry of the unit cell and diffraction for the crystals of the LH2 complex from this species reveal that this complex is an octamer.

Lattice vibrations and cubic to tetragonal phase transition in ZrO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negita, K.

1989-01-01

On the basis of analyses of phonon modes in ZrO 2 , it is suggested that condensation of a phonon X 2 - at the cubic Brillouin zone boundary X point, (0, 0, 2 π/a), is associated with the cubic to tetragonal phase transition in ZrO 2 . Free energy consideration shows that spontaneous volume and shear strains, e Alg = (e 1 +e 2 +e 3 ) and e Eg = (2e 3 - e 1 - e 2 )/ Λ3, are induced in the tetragonal phase as a result of indirect couplings of the X 2 - mode to homogeneous elastic strains; the tetragonal phase is improper ferroelastic

Characterizing protein activities on the lysozyme and nanodiamond complex prepared for bio applications.

Science.gov (United States)

Perevedentseva, E; Cai, P-J; Chiu, Y-C; Cheng, C-L

2011-02-01

Recently, nanodiamond particles have attracted increasing attention as a promising nanomaterial for its biocompatibility, easy functionalization and conjugation with biomolecules, and its superb physical/chemical properties. Nanodiamonds are mainly used as markers for cell imaging, using its fluorescence or Raman signals for detection, and as carriers for drug delivery. For the success of these applications, the biomolecule associated with the nanodiamond has to retain its functionality. In this work, the protein activities of egg white lysozyme adsorbed on nanodiamond particles of different sizes is investigated. The lysozyme nanodiamond complex is used here as a protein model for analyzing its structural conformation changes and, correspondingly, its enzymatic activity after the adsorption. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) is used for the analysis of the sensitive protein secondary structure. To access the activities of the adsorbed lysozyme, a fluorescence-based assay is used. The process of adsorption is also analyzed using UV-visible spectroscopic measurements in combination with analysis of nanodiamond properties with FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and ζ-potential measurements. It is found that the activity of lysozyme upon adsorption depends on the nanodiamond's size and surface properties, and that the nanodiamond particles can be selected and treated, which do not alter the lysozyme functional properties. Such nanodiamonds can be considered convenient nanoparticles for various bioapplications.

Effects of tellurium concentration on the structure of melt-grown ZnSe crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Atroshchenko, Lyubov V.; Galkin, Sergey N.; Rybalka, Irina A.; Voronkin, Evgeniy F.; Lalayants, Alexandr I.; Ryzhikov, Vladimir D.; Fedorov, Alexandr G.

2005-01-01

It has been shown that isovalent doping by tellurium positively affects the structural perfection of ZnSe crystals related to the completeness of the wurtzite-sphalerite phase transition. The optimum concentration range of tellurium in ZnSe crystals is 0.3-0.6 mass %. X-ray diffraction studies have shown that in ZnSe 1-x Te x crystals at tellurium concentrations below 0.3 mass % twinning and packing defects occur, while tellurium concentrations above 0.6 mass % lead to formation of tetragonal crystal lattice

Crystal growth and magnetic property of a new compound CeAu4Si2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakashima, Hiroshi; Thamizhavel, Arumugam; Matsuda, Tatsuma D.; Haga, Yoshinori; Takeuchi, Tetsuya; Sugiyama, Kiyohiro; Settai, Rikio; Onuki, Yoshichika

2006-01-01

We have succeeded in growing a new ternary Ce compound CeAu 4 Si 2 . This compound crystallizes in the tetragonal crystal structure P4-bar m2 (-bar 1-bar 1-bar 5) with lattice parameters a=4.3304 -bar A and c=27.409 -bar A. The local environment around Ce atoms is similar to that of the well-known ThCr 2 Si 2 -type tetragonal structure in CeAu 2 Si 2 . Single crystals of CeAu 4 Si 2 were grown by the flux method using an Au 4.37 Si eutectic alloy as flux. Electrical resistivity, specific heat and magnetization measurements revealed a ferromagnetic ordering at T C =5.3 -bar K with a saturation moment of 1.7-bar μ B /Ce. Anisotropic features in the magnetic susceptibility and magnetization were well explained by a crystalline electric field (CEF) model. Estimated excitation energies from the ground state doublet to two excited doublets are 284 and 340-bar K, respectively

Regular arrangement of periodates bound to lysozyme

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ondráček, Jan; Weiss, M.S.; Brynda, Jiří; Fiala, J.; Jursík, F.; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Jenner, L.B.; Sedláček, Juraj

2005-01-01

Roč. 61, Pt9 (2005), s. 1181-1189 ISSN 0907-4449 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : hen egg white lysozyme * periodate * epitaxy Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 1.401, year: 2005

Macromolecular complexes of lysozyme with kappa carrageenan

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Antonov, Y.A.; Zhuravleva, I.L.; Cardinaels, R.; Moldenaers, P.

2018-01-01

We present a structural study of the complexation and binding of lysozyme (Lys) with kappa carrageenan (kCG) by means of turbidity measurements, phase analysis, dynamic and electrophoretic light scattering, differential scanning microcalorimetry (DSMC), confocal laser scanning (CLSM) microscopy,

Interaction of lysozyme protein with different sized silica nanoparticles and their resultant structures

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yadav, Indresh, E-mail: iykumarindresh288@gmail.com; Aswal, V. K. [Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085 (India); Kohlbrecher, J. [Laboratory for Neutron Scattering, Paul Scherrer Institut, CH-5232 PSI Villigen (Switzerland)

2016-05-23

The interaction of model protein-lysozyme with three different sized anionic silica nanoparticles has been studied by UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The surface area and curvature of the nanoparticles change with size, which significantly influence their interaction with protein. The lysozyme adsorbs on the surface of the nanoparticles due to electrostatic attraction and leads to the phase transformation from one phase (clear) to two-phase (turbid) of the nanoparticle-protein system. The dominance of lysozyme induced short-range attraction over long-range electrostatic repulsion between nanoparticles is responsible for phase transformation and modeled by the two-Yukawa potential. The magnitude of the attractive interaction increases with the size of the nanoparticles as a result the phase transformation commences relatively at lower concentration of lysozyme. The structure of the nanoparticle-protein system in two-phase is characterized by the diffusion limited aggregate type of mass fractal morphology.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of L30e, a ribosomal protein from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii (MJ1044)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rangarajan, Sarani; Jeyakanthan, Jeyaraman; Mridula, Palappetty; Sakamoto, Keiko; Kitamura, Yoshiaki; Agari, Yoshihiro; Shinkai, Akeo; Ebihara, Akio; Kuramitsu, Seiki; Yokoyama, Shigeyuki; Sekar, Kanagaraj

2008-01-01

The ribosomal protein (L30e) from M. jannaschii was cloned from the gene MJ1044, expressed, purified and crystallized. The crystal belongs to the primitive tetragonal space group P4 3 and diffracted to 1.9 Å resolution. In view of the biological significance of understanding the ribosomal machinery of both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, the L30e ribosomal protein from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii was cloned, overexpressed, purified and crystallized using the microbatch-under-oil method with the crystallization conditions 40% PEG 400, 0.1 M MES pH 6.0 and 5% PEG 3000 at 291 K. A diffraction-quality crystal (0.20 × 0.20 × 0.35 mm) was obtained that belonged to the primitive tetragonal space group P4 3 , with unit-cell parameters a = 46.1, b = 46.1, c = 98.5 Å, and diffracted to a resolution of 1.9 Å. Preliminary calculations reveal that the asymmetric unit contains two monomers with a Matthews coefficient (V M ) of 2.16 Å 3 Da −1

Molecular cloning, sequence analysis and phylogeny of first caudata g-type lysozyme in axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum).

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Haining; Gao, Jiuxiang; Lu, Yiling; Guang, Huijuan; Cai, Shasha; Zhang, Songyan; Wang, Yipeng

2013-11-01

Lysozymes are key proteins that play important roles in innate immune defense in many animal phyla by breaking down the bacterial cell-walls. In this study, we report the molecular cloning, sequence analysis and phylogeny of the first caudate amphibian g-lysozyme: a full-length spleen cDNA library from axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum). A goose-type (g-lysozyme) EST was identified and the full-length cDNA was obtained using RACE-PCR. The axolotl g-lysozyme sequence represents an open reading frame for a putative signal peptide and the mature protein composed of 184 amino acids. The calculated molecular mass and the theoretical isoelectric point (pl) of this mature protein are 21523.0 Da and 4.37, respectively. Expression of g-lysozyme mRNA is predominantly found in skin, with lower levels in spleen, liver, muscle, and lung. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that caudate amphibian g-lysozyme had distinct evolution pattern for being juxtaposed with not only anura amphibian, but also with the fish, bird and mammal. Although the first complete cDNA sequence for caudate amphibian g-lysozyme is reported in the present study, clones encoding axolotl's other functional immune molecules in the full-length cDNA library will have to be further sequenced to gain insight into the fundamental aspects of antibacterial mechanisms in caudate.

Pressure induced phase transitions in ceramic compounds containing tetragonal zirconia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sparks, R.G.; Pfeiffer, G.; Paesler, M.A.

1988-12-01

Stabilized tetragonal zirconia compounds exhibit a transformation toughening process in which stress applied to the material induces a crystallographic phase transition. The phase transition is accompanied by a volume expansion in the stressed region thereby dissipating stress and increasing the fracture strength of the material. The hydrostatic component of the stress required to induce the phase transition can be investigated by the use of a high pressure technique in combination with Micro-Raman spectroscopy. The intensity of Raman lines characteristic for the crystallographic phases can be used to calculate the amount of material that has undergone the transition as a function of pressure. It was found that pressures on the order of 2-5 kBar were sufficient to produce an almost complete transition from the original tetragonal to the less dense monoclinic phase; while a further increase in pressure caused a gradual reversal of the transition back to the original tetragonal structure.

Receptor-mediated endocytosis of lysozyme in renal proximal tubules of the frog Rana temporaria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E.V. Seliverstova

2015-04-01

Full Text Available The mechanism of protein reabsorption in the kidney of lower vertebrates remains insufficiently investigated in spite of raising interest to the amphibian and fish kidneys as a useful model for physiological and pathophysiological examinations. In the present study, we examined the renal tubular uptake and the internalization rote of lysozyme after its intravenous injection in the wintering frog Rana temporaria using immunohisto- and immunocytochemistry and specific markers for some endocytic compartments. The distinct expression of megalin and cubilin in the proximal tubule cells of lysozyme-injected frogs was revealed whereas kidney tissue of control animals showed no positive immunoreactivity. Lysozyme was detected in the apical endocytic compartment of the tubular cells and colocalized with clathrin 10 min after injection. After 20 min, lysozyme was located in the subapical compartment negative to clathrin (endosomes, and intracellular trafficking of lysozyme was coincided with the distribution of megalin and cubilin. However, internalized protein was retained in the endosomes and did not reach lysosomes within 30 min after treatment that may indicate the inhibition of intracellular trafficking in hibernating frogs. For the first time, we provided the evidence that lysozyme is filtered through the glomeruli and absorbed by receptor-mediated clathrin-dependent endocytosis in the frog proximal tubule cells. Thus, the protein uptake in the amphibian mesonephros is mediated by megalin and cubilin that confirms a critical role of endocytic receptors in the renal reabsorption of proteins in amphibians as in mammals.

21 CFR 862.1490 - Lysozyme (muramidase) test system.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-01

... serum, plasma, leukocytes, and urine. Lysozyme measurements are used in the diagnosis and treatment of monocytic leukemia and kidney disease. (b) Classification. Class I (general controls). The device is exempt...

Synthesis of Ag{sub 2}S nanorods by biomimetic method in the lysozyme matrix

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Qin, Dezhi, E-mail: dezhiqin@163.com; Zhang, Li; He, Guoxu; Zhang, Qiuxia

2013-09-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Firstly, Ag{sub 2}S nanorods were synthesized by biomimetic method in the lysozyme solutions. • The study of the interaction between Ag{sup +} and the lysozyme. • Discussion of possible formation mechanism of Ag{sub 2}S nanorods. • The synthesis process of lyso-conjugated Ag{sub 2}S nanocrystals is facile, effective and environment friendly. - Abstract: Ag{sub 2}S nanorods were successfully synthesized by biomimetic route in the lysozyme solution at physiological temperature and atmospheric pressure. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images revealed that the prepared nanorods are uniform and monodisperse with homogeneous size about 50 nm in diameter and 150 nm in length. The optical property of Ag{sub 2}S nanocrystals was studied by the ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, the results show that the products exhibit well-defined emission at 471 nm and 496 nm excited by 292 nm. The interaction of Ag{sup +}/Ag{sub 2}S with the lysozyme was investigated through Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, which shows that the cooperation effect of the lysozyme and Ag{sup +} could be responsible for the formation of as obtained Ag{sub 2}S nanorods.

The crystal structure and the phase transitions of pyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jesariew, Dominik; Ilczyszyn, Maria M; Pietraszko, Adam

2014-01-01

The calorimetric and optical studies and the structural properties of pyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate (abbreviated as PyHOTf) are reported. A sequence of four fully reversible solid–solid phase transitions, at 223.0, 309.0, 359.9 and 394.3 K, has been discovered. The phase transition sequence was confirmed by x-ray diffraction data. The crystal structures of three phases (V, IV and III) have been determined from the single crystal x-ray diffraction data. Structural properties of the high temperature phases are characterized using powder x-ray diffraction data measured in the 290–425 K temperature range. The structural changes triggered by the temperature change are discussed in relation to the phase transitions. Two low temperature phases (V and IV) belong to the P4 3 2 1 2 space group of the tetragonal system. The intermediate phases (III and II) are monoclinic and the prototype high temperature phase (I) is a pseudo-cubic (tetragonal) one. The low temperature phases (V and IV) are well ordered. The crystal structure of intermediate (III and II) and prototype (I) phases are characterized by high disorder of the pyridinium cations and triflate anions. (papers)

Zirconium oxide crystal phase: The role of the pH and time to attain the final pH for precipitation of the hydrous oxide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Srinivasan, R.; Harris, M.B.; Simpson, S.F.; De Angelis, R.J.; Davis, B.H.

1988-01-01

Precipitated hydrous zirconium oxide can be calcined to produce either a monoclinic or tetragonal product. It has been observed that the time taken to attain the final pH of the solution in contact with the precipitate plays a dominant role in determining the crystal structure of the zirconium oxide after calcination at 500 0 C. The dependence of crystal structure on the rate of precipitation is observed only in the pH range 7--11. Rapid precipitation in this pH range yields predominately monoclinic zirconia, whereas slow (8 h) precipitation produces the tetragonal phase. At pH of approximately 13.0, only the tetragonal phase is formed from both slowly and rapidly precipitated hydrous oxide. The present results, together with earlier results, show that both the pH of the supernatant liquid and the time taken to attain this pH play dominant roles in determining the crystal structure of zirconia that is formed after calcination of the hydrous oxide. The factors that determine the crystal phase are therefore imparted in a mechanism of precipitation that depends upon the pH, and it is inferred that it is the hydroxyl concentration that is the dominant factor

Fe-Vacancy-Induced Ferromagnetism in Tetragonal FeSe Thin Films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yong-Feng, Li; Gui-Bin, Liu; Li-Jie, Shi; Bang-Gui, Liu

2009-01-01

Motivated by recent experiments, we investigate structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of tetragonal FeSe with Fe vacancies using the state-of-the-art first-principles method. We show that Fe vacancies tend to stay in the same one of the two sublattices and thus induce ferromagnetism in the ground-state phase. Our calculated net moment is in good agreement with the experimental data available. Therefore, the ferromagnetism observed in tetragonal FeSe thin films is explained. It could be made controllable soon for spintronic applications

Serum lysozyme activity in coeliac disease: a possible aid to athe diagnosis of malignant change.

OpenAIRE

Cooper, B T; Ukabam, S O; Barry, R E; Read, A E

1981-01-01

Serum lysozyme activities were measured in 34 control subjects, 13 untreated adult coeliac patients, 21 adult coeliac patients on gluten-free diet, and eight coeliac patients with a histiocytic lymphoma. Serum lysozyme activities were raised in three untreated patients, three patients treated with a gluten-free diet, and in only two patients with coeliac disease and lymphoma. Serum lysozyme estimations cannot be recommended as an aid to the diagnosis of lymphoma in patients with coeliac disease.

High-resolution crystal structure of an engineered human beta2-adrenergic G protein-coupled receptor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cherezov, Vadim; Rosenbaum, Daniel M; Hanson, Michael A

2007-01-01

Heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors constitute the largest family of eukaryotic signal transduction proteins that communicate across the membrane. We report the crystal structure of a human beta2-adrenergic receptor-T4 lysozyme fusion protein bound to t...

Phase field modelling of precipitate morphologies in systems with tetragonal interfacial free energy anisotropy

OpenAIRE

Roy, Arijit; Gururajan, M P

2017-01-01

A wide variety of morphologies arise due to the tetragonal anisotropy in interfacial free energy. In this paper, we report on a family of Extended Cahn-Hilliard (ECH) models for incorporating tetragonal anisotropy in interfacial free energy. We list the non-zero and independent parameters that are introduced in our model and list the constraints on them. For appropriate choice of these parameters, our model can produce a many of the morphologies seen in tetragonal systems such as di-pyramids,...

[Inactivating Effect of Heat-Denatured Lysozyme on Murine Norovirus in Bread Fillings].

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Michiko; Yasuda, Yuka; Takahashi, Hajime; Takeuchi, Akira; Kuda, Takashi; Kimura, Bon

2018-01-01

In this study, we investigated the viability of murine norovirus strain 1 (MNV-1), a surrogate for human norovirus, in bread fillings used for making stuffed buns and pastries. The inactivating effect of heat-denatured lysozyme, which was recently reported to have an antiviral effect, on MNV-1 contaminating the bread fillings was also examined. MNV-1 was inoculated into two types of fillings (chocolate cream, marmalade jam) at 4.5 log PFU/g, and the bread fillings were stored at 4℃ for 5 days. MNV-1 remained viable in the bread fillings during storage. However, addition of 1% heat-denatured lysozyme to the fillings resulted in a decrease of MNV-1 infectivity immediately after inoculation, in both fillings. On the fifth day of storage, MNV-1 infectivity was decreased by 1.2 log PFU/g in chocolate cream and by 0.9 log PFU/g in marmalade jam. Although the mechanism underlying the anti-norovirus effect of heat-denatured lysozyme has not been clarified, our results suggest that heat-denatured lysozyme can be used as an inactivating agent against norovirus in bread fillings.

Retention at room temperature of the tetragonal t''-form in Sc{sub 2}O{sub 3}-doped ZrO{sub 2} nanopowders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdala, Paula M., E-mail: pabdala@citefa.gov.a [CINSO (Centro de Investigaciones en Solidos), CITEFA-CONICET, J.B. de La Salle 4397, 1603 Villa Martelli, Pcia. de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Lamas, Diego G. [CINSO (Centro de Investigaciones en Solidos), CITEFA-CONICET, J.B. de La Salle 4397, 1603 Villa Martelli, Pcia. de Buenos Aires (Argentina); Fantini, Marcia C.A.; Craievich, Aldo F. [Instituto de Fisica, FAP, USP, Travessa R da Rua do Matao, No. 187, Cidade Universitaria, 05508-900 Sao Paulo (Brazil)

2010-04-16

Synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction was applied to the study of the effect of crystallite size on the crystal structure of ZrO{sub 2}-10 mol% Sc{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanopowders synthesized by a nitrate-lysine gel-combustion route. Nanopowders with different average crystallite sizes were obtained by calcination at several temperatures, ranging from 650 to 1200 {sup o}C. The metastable t''-form of the tetragonal phase, exhibiting a cubic unit cell and tetragonal P4{sub 2}/nmc spatial symmetry, was retained at room temperature in fine nanocrystalline powders, completely avoiding the presence of the stable rhombohedral {beta} phase. Differently, this phase was identified in samples calcined at high temperatures and its content increased with increasing crystallite size. The critical maximum crystallite size for the retention of the mestastable t''-form resulted of about 35 nm.

An electron microscopy study of the diversity of Streptococcus sanguinis cells induced by lysozyme in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Yuqing; Li, Li; Li, Wei; Zhou, Xuedong; Lu, Junjun

2010-01-01

Bacterial virulence could be altered by the antimicrobial agents of the host. Our aim was to identify the damage and survival of Streptococcus sanguinis induced by lysozymes in vitro and to analyse the potential of oral microorganisms to shirk host defences, which cause infective endocarditis. S. sanguinis ATCC 10556 received lysozyme at concentrations of 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 microg/ml. Cells were examined by electron microscopy. The survival was assessed by colony counting and construction of a growth curve. Challenged by lysozymes, cells mainly exhibited cell wall damage, which seemed to increase with increasing lysozyme concentration and longer incubation period in the presence of ions. Cells with little as well as apparent lesion were observed under the same treatment set, and anomalous stick and huge rotund bodies were occasionally observed. After the removal of the lysozyme, some damaged cells could be reverted to its original form with brain heart infusion (BHI), and their growth curve was similar to the control cells. After further incubation in BHI containing lysozyme, S. sanguinis cell damage stopped progressing, and their growth curve was also similar to the control cells. The results suggested that the S. sanguinis lesions caused by the lysozyme in the oral cavity may be nonhomogeneous and that some damaged cells could self-repair and survive. It also indicated that S. sanguinis with damaged cell walls may survive and be transmitted in the bloodstream.

Thermodynamic Exploration of Eosin-Lysozyme Binding: A Physical Chemistry and Biochemistry Laboratory Experiment

Science.gov (United States)

Huisman, Andrew J.; Hartsell, Lydia R.; Krueger, Brent P.; Pikaart, Michael J.

2010-01-01

We developed a modular pair of experiments for use in the undergraduate physical chemistry and biochemistry laboratories. Both experiments examine the thermodynamics of the binding of a small molecule, eosin Y, to the protein lysozyme. The assay for binding is the quenching of lysozyme fluorescence by eosin through resonant energy transfer. In…

Synergistic cytotoxicity and mechanism of caffeine and lysozyme on hepatoma cell line HepG2

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Hongchao; Li, Jingjuan; Cui, Lin; Ren, Yanqing; Niu, Liying; Wang, Xinguo; Huang, Yun; Cui, Lijian

2018-03-01

The influences of caffeine, lysozyme and the joint application of them on the hepatoma cell line HepG2 proliferation inhibition and cell apoptosis were observed by 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-2-thiazyl)-2, 5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide assay and Hoechst 33342, which showed the proliferation inhibition rate of the joint application on HepG2 cells was 47.21%, significantly higher than caffeine or lysozyme, and the joint application promoted the apoptosis of HepG2 cells obviously. Van't Hoff classical thermodynamics formula, the Föster theory of non-radiation energy transfer and fluorescence phase diagram were used to manifest that the process of lysozyme binding to caffeine followed a two-state model, which was spontaneous at low temperature driven by enthalpy change, and the predominant intermolecular force was hydrogen bonding or Van der Waals force to stabilize caffeine-lysozyme complex with the distance 5.86 nm. The attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectra indicated that caffeine decreased the relative contents of α-helix and β-turn, which inferred the structure of lysozyme tended to be "loose". Synchronous fluorescence spectra and ultraviolet spectra supported the above conclusion. The amino acid residues in the cleft of lysozyme were exposed and electropositivity was increased attributing to the loose structure, which were conducive to increasing caffeine concentration on the HepG2 cell surface by electrostatic interaction to show synergistic effect. The great quantities of microvilli on the liver cancer cell membrane surface, is beneficial for the lysozyme-caffeine compound to aggregate on cell surface to increase the concentration of caffeine to play stronger physiological role by electrostatic effect.

Synchrotron white beam topography studies of SrLaGaO4 crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wieteska, K.; Wierzchowski, W.; Graeff, W.; Lefeld-Sosnowska, M.; Pajaczkowska, A.; Wierzbicka, E.; Malinowska, A.

2005-01-01

Strontium lantanum gallate SrLaGaO 4 tetragonal single crystal was investigated by white beam synchrotron radiation topography. Projection and section topographs were taken in back reflection and transmission geometry. The central 'core' crystal region was practically free of defects; only one extended 'oval' defect with strong boundary contrast was observed. The strong white-black contrasts connected with elongated volume defects and cracks were observed in surrounding the 'core' region

Local atomic structure in tetragonal pure ZrO{sub 2} nanopowders

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acuna, Leandro M.; Lamas, Diego G.; Fuentes, Rodolfo O.; Fabregas, Ismael O. [CITEFA-CONICET, Villa Martelli, Provincia de Buenos Aires (AR). CINSO (Centro de Investigaciones en Solidos); Fantini, Marcia C.A.; Craievich, Aldo F. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica; Prado, Rogerio J. [Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso (UFMT), Cuiaba (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica

2010-04-15

The local atomic structures around the Zr atom of pure (undoped) ZrO{sub 2} nanopowders with different average crystallite sizes, ranging from 7 to 40 nm, have been investigated. The nanopowders were synthesized by different wetchemical routes, but all exhibit the high-temperature tetragonal phase stabilized at room temperature, as established by synchrotron radiation X-ray diffraction. The extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) technique was applied to analyze the local structure around the Zr atoms. Several authors have studied this system using the EXAFS technique without obtaining a good agreement between crystallographic and EXAFS data. In this work, it is shown that the local structure of ZrO{sub 2} nanopowders can be described by a model consisting of two oxygen subshells (4+4 atoms) with different Zr-O distances, in agreement with those independently determined by X-ray diffraction. However, the EXAFS study shows that the second oxygen subshell exhibits a Debye-Waller (DW) parameter much higher than that of the first oxygen subshell, a result that cannot be explained by the crystallographic model accepted for the tetragonal phase of zirconia-based materials. However, as proposed by other authors, the difference in the DW parameters between the two oxygen subshells around the Zr atoms can be explained by the existence of oxygen displacements perpendicular to the z direction; these mainly affect the second oxygen subshell because of the directional character of the EXAFS DW parameter, in contradiction to the crystallographic value. It is also established that this model is similar to another model having three oxygen subshells, with a 4+2+2 distribution of atoms, with only one DW parameter for all oxygen subshells. Both models are in good agreement with the crystal structure determined by X-ray diffraction experiments. (orig.)

In Vitro Effect of Lysozyme on Albumin Deposition to Hydrogel Contact Lens Materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Babaei Omali, Negar; Subbaraman, Lakshman N; Heynen, Miriam; Fadli, Zohra; Coles-Brennan, Chantal; Jones, Lyndon W

2017-11-01

Albumin deposition on contact lenses could be detrimental to contact lens (CL) wear because this may increase the risk of bacterial binding and reduce comfort. Lysozyme deposition on selected lens materials would reduce albumin deposition on lenses. This study aims to determine if lysozyme deposition on CLs could act as a barrier against subsequent albumin adsorption, using an in vitro model. Six hydrogel CL materials (etafilcon A, polymacon, nelfilcon A, omafilcon A, ocufilcon B, and nesofilcon A) were evaluated. Four CLs of each type were soaked in lysozyme solution for 16 hours at 37°C. Lysozyme-coated lenses were then placed in vials with 1.5 mL of artificial tear solution containing I-labeled albumin for 16 hours at 37°C with shaking. Four uncoated lenses of each type were used as controls. Lenses soaked in radiolabeled albumin were rinsed in a phosphate-buffered saline solution, and radioactive counts were measured directly on lenses using a gamma counter. Albumin uptake on lenses was measured using a calibration curve by plotting radioactive counts versus protein concentration. Results are reported as mean ± SD. Lysozyme-coated etafilcon A lenses exhibited lower levels of deposited albumin than uncoated etafilcon A lenses (58 ± 12 vs. 84 ± 5 ng/lens; P albumin adsorption between control (uncoated) and lysozyme-coated polymacon (105 ± 10 vs. 110 ± 34 ng/lens), nelfilcon A (51 ± 7 vs. 42 ± 20 ng/lens), omafilcon A (90 ± 20 vs. 80 ± 38 ng/lens), ocufilcon B (87 ± 20 vs. 115 ± 50 ng/lens), and nesofilcon A (170 ± 29 vs. 161 ± 10 ng/lens) lens materials (P > .05). Uncoated nesofilcon A lenses deposited the highest amount of albumin when compared with other uncoated lenses (P albumin, which may potentially be beneficial to CL wearers.

Effect of Encapsulation on Antimicrobial Activity of Herbal Extracts with Lysozyme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petra Matouskova

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Resistance of microorganisms to antibiotics has increased. The use of natural components with antimicrobial properties can be of great significance to reduce this problem. The presented work is focused on the study of the effect of encapsulation of selected plant and animal antimicrobial substances (herbs, spices, lysozyme and nisin on their activity and stability. Antimicrobial components were packaged into liposomes and polysaccharide particles (alginate, chitosan and starch. Antimicrobial activity was tested against two Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus luteus and two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Serratia marcescens bacteria. Encapsulation was successful in all types of polysaccharide particles and liposomes. The prepared particles exhibited very good long-term stability, especially in aqueous conditions. Antimicrobial activity was retained in all types of particles. Liposomes with encapsulated herb and spice extracts exhibited very good inhibitory effect against all tested bacterial strains. Most of herbal extracts had very good antimicrobial effect against the tested Gram-negative bacterial strains, while Gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to lysozyme particles. Thus, particles with co-encapsulated herbs and lysozyme are more active against different types of bacteria, and more stable and more effective during long-term storage. Particles with encapsulated mixture of selected plant extracts and lysozyme could be used as complex antimicrobial preparation with controlled release in the production of food and food supplements, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

Stabilisation of late transition metal and noble metal films in hexagonal and body centred tetragonal phases by epitaxial growth

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hueger, E.

2005-08-26

In this work ultrathin metallic films with a crystal phase different to their natural bulk structure were produced by hetero-epitaxial growth on metallic substrates. A further aim of this work was to understand the initiation, growth and stability of crystal phase modifications of these films. there exist cases where the films turn beyond the pseudomorphic-growth to a crystal phase different from their natural bulk structure. The present work presents and discusses such a case in addition to the general phenomenon of pseudomorphic-growth. In particular it is shown that metals whose natural phase is face centred cubic (fcc) can be grown in body centred tetragonal (bct) or hexagonal close packed (hcp) phases in the form of thin films on (001) surfaces of appropriate substrates. The growth behavior, electron diffraction analysis, appearance conditions, geometric fit considerations, examples and a discussion of the phase stability of non-covered films and superlattices is given reviewing all epitaxial-systems whose diffraction pattern can be explained by the hexagonal or pseudomorphic bct phase. (orig.)

Crystallization of SHARPIN using an automated two-dimensional grid screen for optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Stieglitz, Benjamin; Rittinger, Katrin; Haire, Lesley F

2012-07-01

An N-terminal fragment of human SHARPIN was recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. Crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction were obtained by a one-step optimization of seed dilution and protein concentration using a two-dimensional grid screen. The crystals belonged to the primitive tetragonal space group P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 61.55, c = 222.81 Å. Complete data sets were collected from native and selenomethionine-substituted protein crystals at 100 K to 2.6 and 2.0 Å resolution, respectively.

Effect of ethanol as a co-solvent on the aerosol performance and stability of spray-dried lysozyme

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ji, Shuying; Thulstrup, Peter Waaben; Mu, Huiling

2016-01-01

In the spray drying process, organic solvents can be added to facilitate drying, accommodate certain functional excipients, and modify the final particle characteristics. In this study, lysozyme was used as a model pharmaceutical protein to study the effect of ethanol as a co...... the spray drying process. The enzymatic activities of the spray-dried lysozyme showed no significant impact of ethanol; however, the lysozyme enzymatic activity was ca. 25% lower compared to the starting material. In conclusion, the addition of ethanol as a co-solvent in the spray drying feed for lysozyme......-solvent on the stability and aerosol performance of spray-dried protein. Lysozyme was dissolved in solutions with various ratios of ethanol and water, and subsequently spray-dried. A change from spherical particles into wrinkled and folded particles was observed upon increasing the ratio of ethanol in the feed...

Comparative analysis of amino acids and amino-acid derivatives in protein crystallization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Len; Shiraki, Kentaro; Yamaguchi, Hiroshi

2010-01-01

New types of aggregation suppressors, such as amino acids and their derivatives, were focused on as fourth-component additives. Data were obtained that indicated that the additives promote protein crystallization. Optimal conditions for protein crystallization are difficult to determine because proteins tend to aggregate in saturated solutions. This study comprehensively evaluates amino acids and amino-acid derivatives as additives for crystallization. This fourth component of the solution increases the probability of crystallization of hen egg-white lysozyme in various precipitants owing to a decrease in aggregation. These results suggest that the addition of certain types of amino acids and amino-acid derivatives, such as Arg, Lys and esterified and amidated amino acids, is a simple method of improving the success rate of protein crystallization

Thermodynamic analysis of the formation of tetragonal bainite in steels

Science.gov (United States)

Mirzayev, D. A.; Mirzoev, A. A.; Buldashev, I. V.; Okishev, K. Yu.

2017-06-01

In the articles of Bkhadeshia, a new class of high-strength steels based on the structure of carbidefree bainite with an enhanced carbon content has been developed. According to Bkhadeshia, the main factor responsible for the high solubility of carbon is the occurrence of a tetragonality of the bainite lattice. To check this effect, in this article, the theory of tetragonality of martensite of iron alloys developed by Zener and Khachaturyan was applied to bainite under the assumption that the precipitation of carbides is prohibited. Equations for the chemical potentials of carbon and iron in austenite and in tetragonal ferrite have been derived. The equilibrium of these phases has been considered, and the calculations of the boundary concentrations of carbon and iron at different temperatures (300-1000 K) and at different parameters of the deformation interaction λ0 have been performed. The rigorous calculations confirmed Bkhadeshia's hypothesis that the suppression of the carbide formation during the formation of bainite leads to an increase in the carbon solubility in the bcc phase.

Nucleation in stress-induced tetragonal-monoclinic transformation of constrained zirconia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chan, S.K.

1992-08-01

A theory for stress-induced tetragonal→monoclinic transformation of constrained zirconia is presented based on the assumption that when forcibly strained to a regime of absolute instability where the free energy density of the tetragonal phase has a negative curvature, the constrained tetragonal zirconia becomes unstable with respect to the development of a modulated strain pattern that will evolve into a band of twin monoclinic domains. The temperature range for such an instability, the critical size of the inclusion, the corresponding critical strain, and the periodicity of the modulation are derived in terms of parameters that can be related to the elastic stiffness coefficients of various orders of the inclusion and the shear modulus of the host matrix. An entirely different mechanism is suggested for the reverse monoclinic→tetragonal transformation because the monoclinic phase is metastable when the extrinsic stress is removed. Estimates for the parameters are inferred from a variety of experimental data for pure zirconia and the numerical values for the predicted physical quantities are obtained

Crystallization of SHARPIN using an automated two-dimensional grid screen for optimization

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stieglitz, Benjamin; Rittinger, Katrin; Haire, Lesley F.

2012-01-01

The expression, purification and crystallization of an N-terminal fragment of SHARPIN are reported. Diffraction-quality crystals were obtained using a two-dimensional grid-screen seeding technique. An N-terminal fragment of human SHARPIN was recombinantly expressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. Crystals suitable for X-ray diffraction were obtained by a one-step optimization of seed dilution and protein concentration using a two-dimensional grid screen. The crystals belonged to the primitive tetragonal space group P4 3 2 1 2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 61.55, c = 222.81 Å. Complete data sets were collected from native and selenomethionine-substituted protein crystals at 100 K to 2.6 and 2.0 Å resolution, respectively

Cloning the human lysozyme cDNA: Inverted Alu repeat in the mRNA and in situ hybridization for macrophages and Paneth cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, L.P.; Keshav, S.; Gordon, S.

1988-01-01

Lysozyme is a major secretory product of human and rodent macrophages and a useful marker for myelomonocytic cells. Based on the known human lysozyme amino acid sequence, oligonucleotides were synthesized and used as probes to screen a phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-treated U937 cDNA library. A full-length human lysozyme cDNA clone, pHL-2, was obtained and characterized. Sequence analysis shows that human lysozyme, like chicken lysozyme, has in 18-amino-acid-long signal peptide, but unlike the chicken lysozyme cDNA, the human lysozyme cDNA has a >1-kilobase-long 3' nontranslated sequence. Interestingly, within this 3' region, an inverted repeat of the Alu family of repetitive sequences was discovered. In RNA blot analyses, DNA probes prepared from pHL-2 can be used to detect lysozyme mRNA not only from human but also from mouse and rat. Moreover, by in situ hybridization, complementary RNA transcripts have been used as probes to detect lysozyme mRNA in mouse macrophages and Paneth cells. This human lysozyme cDNA clone is therefore likely to be a useful molecular probe for studying macrophage distribution and gene expression

Controlled Release of Lysozyme from Double-Walled Poly(Lactide-Co-Glycolide (PLGA Microspheres

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Rezaul H. Ansary

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Double-walled microspheres based on poly(lactide-co-glycolide (PLGA are potential delivery systems for reducing a very high initial burst release of encapsulated protein and peptide drugs. In this study, double-walled microspheres made of glucose core, hydroxyl-terminated poly(lactide-co-glycolide (Glu-PLGA, and carboxyl-terminated PLGA were fabricated using a modified water-in-oil-in-oil-in-water (w1/o/o/w2 emulsion solvent evaporation technique for the controlled release of a model protein, lysozyme. Microspheres size, morphology, encapsulation efficiency, lysozyme in vitro release profiles, bioactivity, and structural integrity, were evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM images revealed that double-walled microspheres comprising of Glu-PLGA and PLGA with a mass ratio of 1:1 have a spherical shape and smooth surfaces. A statistically significant increase in the encapsulation efficiency (82.52% ± 3.28% was achieved when 1% (w/v polyvinyl alcohol (PVA and 2.5% (w/v trehalose were incorporated in the internal and external aqueous phase, respectively, during emulsification. Double-walled microspheres prepared together with excipients (PVA and trehalose showed a better control release of lysozyme. The released lysozyme was fully bioactive, and its structural integrity was slightly affected during microspheres fabrication and in vitro release studies. Therefore, double-walled microspheres made of Glu-PLGA and PLGA together with excipients (PVA and trehalose provide a controlled and sustained release for lysozyme.

Biofilm formation and transcriptome analysis of Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus in response to lysozyme.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Imke Grimm

Full Text Available Streptococcus gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus is a commensal bacterium of the human gastrointestinal tract, and a pathogen causing infective endocarditis and other biofilm-associated infections via exposed collagen. This study focuses on the characterization of the biofilm formation and collagen adhesion of S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus under different conditions. In this study, it has been observed that the isolate UCN 34 is resistant to 20 mg/ml lysozyme in BHI medium, whereas the strain BAA-2069 builds more biofilm in the presence of lysozyme compared to in a control of BHI without lysozyme. A transcriptome analysis with whole genome microarrays of these two isolates in BHI medium with lysozyme compared to control without lysozyme revealed changes in gene expression levels. In the isolate BAA-2069, 67 genes showed increased expression in the presence of lysozyme, while in the isolate UCN 34, 165 genes showed increased expression and 30 genes showed decreased expression through lysozyme treatment. Products of genes which were higher expressed are in involved in transcription and translation, in cell-wall modification, in hydrogen peroxide resistance and in bacterial immunity. Furthermore, the adhesion ability of different strains of S. gallolyticus subsp. gallolyticus to collagen type I and IV was analyzed. Thereby, we compared the adhesion of 46 human isolates with 23 isolates from animals. It was shown that the adhesion ability depends significantly on whether the isolate was isolated from human or animal. For example, high adhesion ability was observed for strain UCN 34 isolated from an infective endocarditis patient, whereas strain DSM 16831 isolated from koala feces adhered only marginally to collagen. Full genome microarray analysis of these two strains revealed strain-dependent gene expression due to adhesion. The expression of 25 genes of a transposon and 15 genes of a phage region in strain DSM 16831 were increased, which

Binding and Inhibitory Effect of the Dyes Amaranth and Tartrazine on Amyloid Fibrillation in Lysozyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, Anirban; Suresh Kumar, Gopinatha

2017-02-16

Interaction of two food colorant dyes, amaranth and tartrazine, with lysozyme was studied employing multiple biophysical techniques. The dyes exhibited hypochromic changes in the presence of lysozyme. The intrinsic fluorescence of lysozyme was quenched by both dyes; amaranth was a more efficient quencher than tartrazine. The equilibrium constant of amaranth was higher than that of tartarzine. From FRET analysis, the binding distances for amaranth and tartrazine were calculated to be 4.51 and 3.93 nm, respectively. The binding was found to be dominated by non-polyelectrolytic forces. Both dyes induced alterations in the microenvironment surrounding the tryptophan and tyrosine residues of the protein, with the alterations being comparatively higher for the tryptophans than the tyrosines. The interaction caused significant loss in the helicity of lysozyme, the change being higher with amaranth. The binding of both dyes was exothermic. The binding of amaranth was enthalpy driven, while that of tartrazine was predominantly entropy driven. Amaranth delayed lysozyme fibrillation at 25 μM, while tartrazine had no effect even at 100 μM. Nevertheless, both dyes had a significant inhibitory effect on fibrillogenesis. The present study explores the potential antiamyloidogenic property of these azo dyes used as food colorants.

Production of active lysozyme films by matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation at 355 nm

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Purice, Andreea; Schou, Jørgen; Kingshott, P.

2007-01-01

Thin lysozyme films have been produced in a dry environment by MAPLE (matrix assisted pulsed laser evaporation) from a water ice matrix irradiated by laser light at 355 nm above the absorption threshold of the protein. A significant part of the lysozyme molecules are transferred to the film without...

Structure and properties of quarternary and tetragonal Heusler compounds for spintronics and spin transver torque applications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zamani, Vajiheh Alijani

2012-03-07

shown that the series Mn{sub 3-x}Co{sub x}Ga crystallizes in the inverse tetragonal structure, for x=0.1-0.4 and in the cubic inverse Heusler structure, for x=0.6-1. In this series, while the tetragonal alloys, hard magnets, exhibit the features typically attractive for STT applications, the cubic systems, soft magnets, present 100% spin polarized materials obeying the Slater-Pauling rule. In Mn{sub 2-x}Rh{sub 1+x}Sn series, Mn{sub 2}RhSn crystallizes in the inverse tetragonal structure, shows a hard-magnetic hysteresis loop and does not follow the Slater-Pauling rule. With substituting Mn by Rh, the inverse cubic structure is observed. All cubic samples show perfect Slater-Pauling behavior and a soft hysteresis loop.

Isothermal Titration Calorimetry and Macromolecular Visualization for the Interaction of Lysozyme and Its Inhibitors

Science.gov (United States)

Wei, Chin-Chuan; Jensen, Drake; Boyle, Tiffany; O'Brien, Leah C.; De Meo, Cristina; Shabestary, Nahid; Eder, Douglas J.

2015-01-01

To provide a research-like experience to upper-division undergraduate students in a biochemistry teaching laboratory, isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) is employed to determine the binding constants of lysozyme and its inhibitors, N-acetyl glucosamine trimer (NAG[subscript 3]) and monomer (NAG). The extremely weak binding of lysozyme/NAG is…

Cloning, expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of UgdG, an UDP-glucose dehydrogenase from Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rocha, Joana; Granja, Ana Teresa; Sá-Correia, Isabel; Fialho, Arsénio; Frazão, Carlos

2009-01-01

Crystals of S. elodea ATCC 31461 UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.22) were obtained in space groups P622 and P4 3 2 1 2 and diffracted to 2.4 and 3.4 Å resolution, respectively. Gellan gum, a commercial gelling agent produced by Sphingomonas elodea ATCC 31461, is a high-value microbial exopolysaccharide. UDP-glucose dehydrogenase (UGD; EC 1.1.1.22) is responsible for the NAD-dependent twofold oxidation of UDP-glucose to UDP-glucuronic acid, one of the key components for gellan biosynthesis. S. elodea ATCC 31461 UGD, termed UgdG, was cloned, expressed, purified and crystallized in native and SeMet-derivatized forms in hexagonal and tetragonal space groups, respectively; the crystals diffracted X-rays to 2.40 and 3.40 Å resolution, respectively. Experimental phases were obtained for the tetragonal SeMet-derivatized crystal form by a single-wavelength anomalous dispersion experiment. This structure was successfully used as a molecular-replacement probe for the hexagonal crystal form of the native protein

Crystallization behavior of Zr62Al8Ni13Cu17 Metallic Glass

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Jo Mi Sun

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The crystallization behavior has been studied in Zr62Al8Ni13Cu17 metallic glass alloy. The Zr62Al8Ni13Cu17 metallic glass crystallized through two steps. The fcc Zr2Ni phase transformed from the amorphous matrix during first crystallization and then the Zr2Ni and residual amorphous matrix transformed into a mixture of tetragonal Zr2Cu and hexagonal Zr6Al2Ni phases. Johnson-Mehl-Avrami analysis of isothermal transformation data suggested that the formation of crystalline phase is primary crystallization by diffusion-controlled growth.

Expression and Activity of Lysozyme in Apis Mellifera Carnica Brood Infested with Varroa Destructor

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Zaobidna Ewa A.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite that attacks the honey bee, and previous studies have suggested that parasitosis caused by this mite is accompanied by immunosuppresion in the host. In this study, the effect of mite infestation on the expression of the lysozyme-1 (lys-1 gene and lysozyme activity in Apis mellifera carnica was determined. The experiment was carried out on the five developmental stages of honey bee workers and drones. Developmental and gender-related differences in gene expression and lysozyme activity were observed in a Varroa destructor-infested brood. The relative expression of the lys-1 gene increased in a infested worker brood and decreased in a drone brood except for P3 pupae. In the final stage of development, the lys-1 gene expression was significantly lower in infested newly emerged workers and drones. Changes in the relative expression of the lys-1 gene in infested individuals was poorly manifested at the level of enzyme activity, whereas at the two final stages of development (P5 and I there was a positive correlation between relative lys-1 expression and lysozyme activity in infested bees of both genders (r=0.988, r=0.999, respectively. The results of this study indicate that V. destructor influences the lysozyme-linked immune response in bees.

Inheritance of the lysozyme inhibitor Ivy was an important evolutionary step by Yersinia pestis to avoid the host innate immune response.

Science.gov (United States)

Derbise, Anne; Pierre, François; Merchez, Maud; Pradel, Elizabeth; Laouami, Sabrina; Ricard, Isabelle; Sirard, Jean-Claude; Fritz, Jill; Lemaître, Nadine; Akinbi, Henry; Boneca, Ivo G; Sebbane, Florent

2013-05-15

Yersinia pestis (the plague bacillus) and its ancestor, Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (which causes self-limited bowel disease), encode putative homologues of the periplasmic lysozyme inhibitor Ivy and the membrane-bound lysozyme inhibitor MliC. The involvement of both inhibitors in virulence remains subject to debate. Mutants lacking ivy and/or mliC were generated. We evaluated the mutants' ability to counter lysozyme, grow in serum, and/or counter leukocytes; to produce disease in wild-type, neutropenic, or lysozyme-deficient rodents; and to induce host inflammation. MliC was not required for lysozyme resistance and the development of plague. Deletion of ivy decreased Y. pestis' ability to counter lysozyme and polymorphonuclear neutrophils, but it did not affect the bacterium's ability to grow in serum or resist macrophages. Y. pestis lacking Ivy had attenuated virulence, unless animals were neutropenic or lysozyme deficient. The Ivy mutant induced inflammation to a degree similar to that of the parental strain. Last, Y. pseudotuberculosis did not require Ivy to counter lysozyme and for virulence. Ivy is required to counter lysozyme during infection, but its role as a virulence factor is species dependent. Our study also shows that a gene that is not necessary for the virulence of an ancestral bacterium may become essential in the emergence of a new pathogen.

Transverse anisotropic magnetoresistance effects in pseudo-single-crystal γ′-Fe4N thin films

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Kazuki Kabara

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Transverse anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR effects, for which magnetization is rotated in an orthogonal plane to the current direction, were investigated at various temperatures, in order to clarify the structural transformation from a cubic to a tetragonal symmetry in a pseudo-single-crystal Fe4N film, which is predicted from the usual in-plane AMR measurements by the theory taking into account the spin-orbit interaction and crystal field splitting of 3d bands. According to a phenomenological theory of AMR, which derives only from the crystal symmetry, a cos 2θ component ( C 2 tr exists in transverse AMR curves for a tetragonal system but does not for a cubic system. In the Fe4N film, the C 2 tr shows a positive small value (0.12% from 300 K to 50 K. However, the C 2 t r increases to negative value below 50 K and reaches to -2% at 5 K. The drastic increasing of the C 2 tr demonstrates the structural transformation from a cubic to a tetragonal symmetry below 50 K in the Fe4N film. In addition, the out-of-plane and in-plane lattice constants (c and a were precisely determined with X-ray diffraction at room temperature using the Nelson-Riely function. As a result, the positive small C 2 t r above 50 K is attributed to a slightly distorted Fe4N lattice (c/a = 1.002.

Enhancement of nucleation during hanging drop protein crystallization using HF treatment of cover glasses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guo, Yun-Zhu; Yin, Da-Chuan; Lu, Qin-Qin; Wang, Xi-Kai; Liu, Jun [Key Laboratory for Space Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi' an 710072, Shaanxi (China)

2010-02-15

We examined a simple approach, i.e., etching cover glasses using hydrofluoric acid (HF), to determine whether cover glass treatment enhances nucleation in hanging drop protein crystallization. Hen egg white lysozyme and proteinase K were used as the model proteins. We found that the treatment increased the success rate of crystallization. The results indicated that the simple treatment, which is easy to adopt without changing much in the hanging drop method, can be utilized as an alternative method to enhance protein crystallization screens (copyright 2010 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim) (orig.)

Size-dependent interaction of silica nanoparticles with lysozyme and bovine serum albumin proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Indresh; Aswal, Vinod K.; Kohlbrecher, Joachim

2016-05-01

The interaction of three different sized (diameter 10, 18, and 28 nm) anionic silica nanoparticles with two model proteins—cationic lysozyme [molecular weight (MW) 14.7 kDa)] and anionic bovine serum albumin (BSA) (MW 66.4 kDa) has been studied by UV-vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The adsorption behavior of proteins on the nanoparticles, measured by UV-vis spectroscopy, is found to be very different for lysozyme and BSA. Lysozyme adsorbs strongly on the nanoparticles and shows exponential behavior as a function of lysozyme concentration irrespective of the nanoparticle size. The total amount of adsorbed lysozyme, as governed by the surface-to-volume ratio, increases on lowering the size of the nanoparticles for a fixed volume fraction of the nanoparticles. On the other hand, BSA does not show any adsorption for all the different sizes of the nanoparticles. Despite having different interactions, both proteins induce similar phase behavior where the nanoparticle-protein system transforms from one phase (clear) to two phase (turbid) as a function of protein concentration. The phase behavior is modified towards the lower concentrations for both proteins with increasing the nanoparticle size. DLS suggests that the phase behavior arises as a result of the nanoparticles' aggregation on the addition of proteins. The size-dependent modifications in the interaction potential, responsible for the phase behavior, have been determined by SANS data as modeled using the two-Yukawa potential accounting for the repulsive and attractive interactions in the systems. The protein-induced interaction between the nanoparticles is found to be short-range attraction for lysozyme and long-range attraction for BSA. The magnitude of attractive interaction irrespective of protein type is enhanced with increase in the size of the nanoparticles. The total (attractive+repulsive) potential leading to two-phase formation is found to be

The Natural Antimicrobial Enzyme Lysozyme is Up-Regulated in Gastrointestinal Inflammatory Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos A. Rubio

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The cells that line the mucosa of the human gastrointestinal tract (GI, that is, oral cavity, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, and rectum are constantly challenged by adverse micro-environmental factors, such as different pH, enzymes, and bacterial flora. With exception of the oral cavity, these microenvironments also contain remnant cocktails of secreted enzymes and bacteria from upper organs along the tract. The density of the GI bacteria varies, from 103/mL near the gastric outlet, to 1010/mL at the ileocecal valve, to 1011 to 1012/mL in the colon. The total microbial population (ca. 1014 exceeds the total number of cells in the tract. It is, therefore, remarkable that despite the prima facie inauspicious mixture of harmful secretions and bacteria, the normal GI mucosa retains a healthy state of cell renewal. To counteract the hostile microenvironment, the GI epithelia react by speeding cell exfoliation (the GI mucosa has a turnover time of two to three days, by increasing peristalsis, by eliminating bacteria through secretion of plasma cell-immunoglobulins and by increasing production of natural antibacterial compounds, such as defensin-5 and lysozyme. Only recently, lysozyme was found up-regulated in Barrett’s oesophagitis, chronic gastritis, gluten-induced atrophic duodenitis (coeliac disease, collagenous colitis, lymphocytic colitis, and Crohn’s colitis. This up-regulation is a response directed to the special types of bacteria recently detected in these diseases. The aim of lysozyme up-regulation is to protect individual mucosal segments to chronic inflammation. The molecular mechanisms connected to the crosstalk between the intraluminal bacterial flora and the production of lysozyme released by the GI mucosae, are discussed. Bacterial resistance continues to exhaust our supply of commercial antibiotics. The potential use of lysozyme to treat infectious diseases is receiving much attention.

A comparative study on the aggregating effects of guanidine thiocyanate, guanidine hydrochloride and urea on lysozyme aggregation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Emadi, Saeed, E-mail: emadi@iasbs.ac.ir; Behzadi, Maliheh

2014-08-08

Highlights: • Lysozyme aggregated in guanidine thiocyanate (1.0 and 2.0 M). • Lysozyme aggregated in guanidine hydrochloride (4 and 5 M). • Lysozyme did not aggregated at any concentration (0.5–5 M) of urea. • Unfolding pathway is more important than unfolding per se in aggregation. - Abstract: Protein aggregation and its subsequent deposition in different tissues culminate in a diverse range of diseases collectively known as amyloidoses. Aggregation of hen or human lysozyme depends on certain conditions, namely acidic pH or the presence of additives. In the present study, the effects on the aggregation of hen egg-white lysozyme via incubation in concentrated solutions of three different chaotropic agents namely guanidine thiocyanate, guanidine hydrochloride and urea were investigated. Here we used three different methods for the detection of the aggregates, thioflavin T fluorescence, circular dichroism spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. Our results showed that upon incubation with different concentrations (0.5, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0 M) of the chemical denaturants, lysozyme was aggregated at low concentrations of guanidine thiocyanate (1.0 and 2.0 M) and at high concentrations of guanidine hydrochloride (4 and 5 M), although no fibril formation was detected. In the case of urea, no aggregation was observed at any concentration.

Incommensurate composite crystal structure of scandium-II

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fujihisa, Hiroshi; Gotoh, Yoshito; Yamawaki, Hiroshi; Sakashita, Mami; Takeya, Satoshi; Honda, Kazumasa; Akahama, Yuichi; Kawamura, Haruki

2005-01-01

The long-unknown crystal structure of the high pressure phase scandium-II was solved by powder x-ray diffraction and was found to have tetragonal host channels along the c axis and guest chains that are incommensurate with the host, as well as the high pressure phases of Ba, Sr, Bi, and Sb. The pressure dependences of the lattice constants, the incommensurability, the atomic distances, and the atomic volume were investigated

Lab-on-a-Chip Based Protein Crystallization

Science.gov (United States)

vanderWoerd, Mark J.; Brasseur, Michael M.; Spearing, Scott F.; Whitaker, Ann F. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We are developing a novel technique with which we will grow protein crystals in very small volumes, utilizing chip-based, microfluidic ("LabChip") technology. This development, which is a collaborative effort between NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center and Caliper Technologies Corporation, promises a breakthrough in the field of protein crystal growth. Our initial results obtained from two model proteins, Lysozyme and Thaumatin, show that it is feasible to dispense and adequately mix protein and precipitant solutions on a nano-liter scale. The mixtures have shown crystal growth in volumes in the range of 10 nanoliters to 5 microliters. In addition, large diffraction quality crystals were obtained by this method. X-ray data from these crystals were shown to be of excellent quality. Our future efforts will include the further development of protein crystal growth with LabChip(trademark) technology for more complex systems. We will initially address the batch growth method, followed by the vapor diffusion method and the liquid-liquid diffusion method. The culmination of these chip developments is to lead to an on orbit protein crystallization facility on the International Space Station. Structural biologists will be invited to utilize the on orbit Iterative Biological Crystallization facility to grow high quality macromolecular crystals in microgravity.

Raman study of lysozyme amyloid fibrils suspended on super-hydrophobic surfaces by shear flow

KAUST Repository

Moretti, Manola

2017-05-19

The shear flow generated at the rim of a drop evaporating on a micro-fabricated super-hydrophobic surface has been used to suspend and orient single/few lysozyme amyloid fibrils between two pillars for substrate-free characterization. Micro Raman spectroscopy performed on extended fibers evidenced a shift of the Amide I band main peak to the value attributed to β-sheet secondary structure, characteristic of the amyloid fibers. In addition, given the orientation sensitivity of the anisotropic molecule, the Raman signal of the main secondary structure was nicely enhanced for a fiber alignment parallel to the polarization direction of the laser. The substrate-free sample generated by this suspending technique is suitable for other structural analysis methods, where fiber crystals are investigated. It could be further employed for generation of arrays and patterns in a controllable fashion, where bio-compatible material is needed.

Raman study of lysozyme amyloid fibrils suspended on super-hydrophobic surfaces by shear flow

KAUST Repository

Moretti, Manola; Allione, Marco; Marini, Monica; Torre, Bruno; Giugni, Andrea; Limongi, Tania; Das, Gobind; Di Fabrizio, Enzo M.

2017-01-01

The shear flow generated at the rim of a drop evaporating on a micro-fabricated super-hydrophobic surface has been used to suspend and orient single/few lysozyme amyloid fibrils between two pillars for substrate-free characterization. Micro Raman spectroscopy performed on extended fibers evidenced a shift of the Amide I band main peak to the value attributed to β-sheet secondary structure, characteristic of the amyloid fibers. In addition, given the orientation sensitivity of the anisotropic molecule, the Raman signal of the main secondary structure was nicely enhanced for a fiber alignment parallel to the polarization direction of the laser. The substrate-free sample generated by this suspending technique is suitable for other structural analysis methods, where fiber crystals are investigated. It could be further employed for generation of arrays and patterns in a controllable fashion, where bio-compatible material is needed.

Crystallization and diffraction analysis of β-N-acetylhexosaminidase from Aspergillus oryzae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vaněk, Ondřej; Brynda, Jiří; Hofbauerová, Kateřina; Kukačka, Zdeněk; Pachl, Petr; Bezouška, Karel; Řezáčová, Pavlína

2011-01-01

The fungal β-N-acetylhexosaminidase from A. oryzae was crystallized and diffraction data were collected from two crystal forms to 3.2 and 2.4 Å resolution, respectively. Fungal β-N-acetylhexosaminidases are enzymes that are used in the chemoenzymatic synthesis of biologically interesting oligosaccharides. The enzyme from Aspergillus oryzae was produced and purified from its natural source and crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. Diffraction data from two crystal forms (primitive monoclinic and primitive tetragonal) were collected to resolutions of 3.2 and 2.4 Å, respectively. Electrophoretic and quantitative N-terminal protein-sequencing analyses confirmed that the crystals are formed by a complete biologically active enzyme consisting of a glycosylated catalytic unit and a noncovalently attached propeptide

Crystals of Janus colloids at various interaction ranges

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Preisler, Z. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma “Sapienza,” Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma (Italy); Soft Condensed Matter, Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science, Utrecht University, Princetonplein 5, 3584 CC Utrecht (Netherlands); Vissers, T. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma “Sapienza,” Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma (Italy); SUPA and School of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Edinburgh, James Clerk Maxwell Building, Peter Guthrie Tait Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FD (United Kingdom); Smallenburg, F. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma “Sapienza,” Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma (Italy); Institut für Theoretische Physik II: Weiche Materie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225 Düsseldorf (Germany); Sciortino, F. [Dipartimento di Fisica, Università di Roma “Sapienza,” Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma (Italy)

2016-08-14

We investigate the effect of interaction range on the phase behaviour of Janus particles with a Kern-Frenkel potential. Specifically, we study interaction ranges Δ = 0.1σ, 0.3σ, 0.4σ, 0.5σ with σ the particle diameter, and use variable box shape simulations to predict crystal structures. We found that changing the interaction range beyond 0.2σ drastically increases the variety of possible crystal structures. In addition to close-packed structures, we find body-centered tetragonal and AA-stacked hexagonal crystals, as well as several lamellar crystals. For long interaction ranges and low temperatures, we also observe an extremely large number of metastable structures which compete with the thermodynamically stable ones. These competing structures hinder the detection of the lowest-energy crystal structures, and are also likely to interfere with the spontaneous formation of the ground-state structure. Finally, we determine the gas-liquid coexistence curves for several interaction ranges, and observe that these are metastable with respect to crystallization.

Crystals of Janus colloids at various interaction ranges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preisler, Z.; Vissers, T.; Smallenburg, F.; Sciortino, F.

2016-01-01

We investigate the effect of interaction range on the phase behaviour of Janus particles with a Kern-Frenkel potential. Specifically, we study interaction ranges Δ = 0.1σ, 0.3σ, 0.4σ, 0.5σ with σ the particle diameter, and use variable box shape simulations to predict crystal structures. We found that changing the interaction range beyond 0.2σ drastically increases the variety of possible crystal structures. In addition to close-packed structures, we find body-centered tetragonal and AA-stacked hexagonal crystals, as well as several lamellar crystals. For long interaction ranges and low temperatures, we also observe an extremely large number of metastable structures which compete with the thermodynamically stable ones. These competing structures hinder the detection of the lowest-energy crystal structures, and are also likely to interfere with the spontaneous formation of the ground-state structure. Finally, we determine the gas-liquid coexistence curves for several interaction ranges, and observe that these are metastable with respect to crystallization.

The disruptive effect of lysozyme on the bacterial cell wall explored by an in-silico structural outlook.

Science.gov (United States)

Primo, Emiliano D; Otero, Lisandro H; Ruiz, Francisco; Klinke, Sebastián; Giordano, Walter

2018-01-01

The bacterial cell wall, a structural unit of peptidoglycan polymer comprised of glycan strands consisting of a repeating disaccharide motif [N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and N-acetylmuramylpentapeptide (NAM pentapeptide)], encases bacteria and provides structural integrity and protection. Lysozymes are enzymes that break down the bacterial cell wall and disrupt the bacterial life cycle by cleaving the linkage between the NAG and NAM carbohydrates. Lab exercises focused on the effects of lysozyme on the bacterial cell wall are frequently incorporated in biochemistry classes designed for undergraduate students in diverse fields as biology, microbiology, chemistry, agronomy, medicine, and veterinary medicine. Such exercises typically do not include structural data. We describe here a sequence of computer tasks designed to illustrate and reinforce both physiological and structural concepts involved in lysozyme effects on the bacterial cell-wall structure. This lab class usually lasts 3.5 hours. First, the instructor presents introductory concepts of the bacterial cell wall and the effect of lysozyme on its structure. Then, students are taught to use computer modeling to visualize the three-dimensional structure of a lysozyme in complex with bacterial cell-wall fragments. Finally, the lysozyme inhibitory effect on a bacterial culture is optionally proposed as a simple microbiological assay. The computer lab exercises described here give students a realistic understanding of the disruptive effect of lysozymes on the bacterial cell wall, a crucial component in bacterial survival. © 2017 by The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 46(1):83-90, 2018. © 2017 The International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

Human serum albumin crystals and method of preparation

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Daniel C. (Inventor)

1989-01-01

Human serum albumin (HSA) crystals are provided in the form of tetragonal plates having the space groups P42(sub 1)2, the crystals being grown to sizes in excess of 0.5 mm in two dimensions and a thickness of 0.1 mm. Growth of the crystals is carried out by a hanging drop method wherein a precipitant solution containing polyethylene glycol (PEG) and a phosphate buffer is mixed with an HSA solution, and a droplet of mixed solution is suspended over a well of precipitant solution. Crystals grow to the desired size in 3 to 7 days. Concentration of reagents, pH and other parameters are controlled within prescribed limits. The resulting crystals exhibit a size and quality such as to allow performance of x ray diffraction studies and enable the conduct of drug binding studies as well as genetic engineering studies.

Pulsed electric field (PEF)-induced aggregation between lysozyme, ovalbumin and ovotransferrin in multi-protein system.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Li; Zhao, Wei; Yang, Ruijin; Yan, Wenxu

2015-05-15

The aggregation of multi-proteins is of great interest in food processing and a good understanding of the formation of aggregates during PEF processing is needed for the application of the process to pasteurize protein-based foods. The aggregates formation of a multi-protein system (containing ovalbumin, ovotransferrin and lysozyme) was studied through turbidity, size exclusion chromatography and SDS-PAGE patterns for interaction studies and binding forces. Results from size exclusion chromatography indicated that there was no soluble aggregates formed during PEF processing. The existence of lysozyme was important to form insoluble aggregates in the chosen ovalbumin solution. The results of SDS-PAGE patterns indicated that lysozyme was prone to precipitate, and was relatively the higher component of aggregates. Citric acid could be effective in inhibiting lysozyme from interacting with other proteins during PEF processing. Blocking the free sulphydryl by N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) did not affect aggregation inhibition. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystallization in Pd40Ni40P20 glass

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jiang, Jianzhong; Saksl, K.; Nishiyama, N.

2002-01-01

Phase segregation and the effect of pressure on crystallization of bulk and ribbon Pd40Ni40P20 glasses have been studied by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and x-ray diffraction. The DSC measurements show only one glass transition event in the samples annealed at different...... temperatures in the supercooled liquid region. Phase analyses reveal at least five crystalline phases crystallized from the glass: monoclinic; body-centered tetragonal; orthorhombic; Ni2Pd2P and fcc-(Ni,Pd) solid solution phases. In the pressure range from 0 to 4.2 GPa, the crystallization temperature...... increases with pressure having a slope of 11 K/GPa. The eutectic crystallization reaction mode and crystalline phases formed are unchanged in the pressure range used. The enhancement of the crystallization temperature with increasing pressure in the glass can be explained by the suppression of atomic...

Crystallization of Fe83B17 amorphous alloy by electric pulses produced by a capacitor discharge

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Georgarakis, Konstantinos; Dudina, Dina V.; Mali, Vyacheslav I.; Anisimov, Alexander G.; Bulina, Natalia V.; Moreira Jorge, Alberto Jr.; Yavari, Alain R.

2015-01-01

Heating of conductive materials by electric current is used in many technological processes. Application of electric pulses to metallic glasses induces their fast crystallization, which is an interesting and complex phenomenon. In this work, crystallization of the Fe 83 B 17 amorphous alloy induced by pulses of electric current produced has been studied using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Ribbons of the alloy were directly subjected to single pulses of electric current 250 μs long formed by a capacitor discharge. As the value of ∫I 2 dt was increased from 0.33 to 2.00 A 2 s, different crystallization stages could be observed. The crystallization began through the formation of the nuclei of α-Fe. At high values of ∫I 2 dt, α-Fe and tetragonal and orthorhombic Fe 3 B and Fe 23 B 6 were detected in the crystallized ribbons with crystallites of about 50 nm. Thermal annealing of the ribbons at 600 C for 2 min resulted in the formation of α-Fe and tetragonal Fe 3 B. It was concluded that pulses of electric current produced by a capacitor discharge induced transformation of the Fe 83 B 17 amorphous phase into metastable crystalline products. (orig.)

Ethylenediaminetetraacetate and lysozyme improves antimicrobial activities of ovotransferrin against Escherichia coli O157:H7.

Science.gov (United States)

Ko, K Y; Mendoncam, A F; Ismail, H; Ahn, D U

2009-02-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of EDTA, lysozyme, or the combination of EDTA and lysozyme on the antibacterial activity of ovotransferrin against Escherichia coli O157:H7. Ovotransferrin solutions (20 mg/mL) containing 100 mM NaHCO3 (OS) with added EDTA (2.0 or 2.5 mg/mL), lysozyme (1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 mg/mL), or both were prepared. The antibacterial activities of OS, OSE (OS+EDTA), or OSL (OS+lysozyme) against E. coli O157:H7 in model systems were investigated by turbidity and viability tests. In addition, OSE, OSL, or OSEL (OS+EDTA+lysozyme) was applied to irradiated pork chops and commercial hams to determine whether the solutions had antibacterial activity on meat products. The effect of the initial cell population on the antibacterial activity of OSE, OSL, and OSEL was determined. Ethylenediaminetetraacetate at 2 mg/mL plus OS induced a reduction of approximately 3 to 4 log in viable E. coli O157:H7 cells in brain heart infusion broth media, and 1 mg/mL of lysozyme plus OS resulted in a reduction of approximately 0.5 to 1.0 log during a 36-h incubation at 35 degrees C. However, neither OSE nor OSEL showed a significant antibacterial effect on pork chops and hams during storage at 10 degrees C. The initial cell number in media did not affect the antibacterial activity of OSE or OSEL against E. coli O157:H7. This study demonstrates that combinations of ovotransferrin, NaHCO3, and EDTA have the potential to control E. coli O157:H7.

Dye-Affinity Nanofibrous Membrane for Adsorption of Lysozyme: Preparation and Performance Evaluation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steven Sheng-Shih Wang

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Polyacrylonitrile (PAN nanofibrous membrane was prepared by an electrospinning technique. After heat treatment and alkaline hydrolysis, the weak ion exchange membrane was grafted with chitosan molecule and then covalently immobilized with a Cibacron Blue F3GA (CB. Fibre diameter, porosity and pore size of the membrane and immobilized dye density were characterized. Furthermore, the membrane was applied to evaluate the binding performance of lysozyme under various operating parameters (pH, chitosan mass per volume ratio, dye concentration, ionic strength and temperature in batch mode. The experimental results were directly applied to purify lysozyme from chicken egg white by membrane chromatography. The results showed that the capture efficiency, recovery yield and purification factor were 90 and 87 %, and 47-fold, respectively, in a single step. The binding capacity remained consistent after five repeated cycles of adsorption-desorption operations. This work demonstrates that the dye-affinity nanofibrous membrane holds great potential for purification of lysozyme from real feedstock.

Crystals structure of Na3Li(TiF6)2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popov, D.Yu.; Antokhina, T.F.; Gerasimenko, A.V.; Kajdalova, T.A.; Sergienko, V.I.

2004-01-01

Crystals of Na 3 Li(TiF 6 ) 2 (1) were synthesized in aqueous solution and characterized by the elementary and X-ray phase analysis methods. According to X-ray diffraction analysis data compound 1 is crystallized in a tetragonal crystal system with the following parameters: a=5.130(1), c=18.046(4) A, Z=2, space group P4-bar2 1 c. Alternating layers on the basis of dimers made up by octahedrons of TiF 6 and Na(1)F 6 constitute the frame of compound 1 crystal structure. The dimer layers are joined in a continuous frame by Na(2) and Li cations. Coordination polyhedron of Li atom is tetrahedron (Li-F 1.898(3) A) [ru

Ultra-sensitive quantification of lysozyme based on element chelate labeling and capillary electrophoresis–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, MingWei; Wu, WeiHua; Ruan, YaJuan; Huang, LiMei; Wu, Zujian; Cai, Yong; Fu, FengFu

2014-01-01

Graphical abstract: An ultra-sensitive method for the determination of lysozyme was developed based on the Gd 3+ chelate labeling and CE–ICP–MS. The proposed method has an extremely low detection limit of 3.89 attomole and has been successfully used to detect lysozyme in saliva sample, showing excellent reliability. The success of the present method provides a new possibility for biological assays and clinical diagnoses. -- Highlights: •An ultra-sensitive method for detecting lysozyme based on CE–ICP–MS was described. •The proposed method has an extremely low detection limit of 3.89 attomole. •It can be used to detect trace lysozyme in saliva sample with a satisfied recovery. •The method provides a new potential for sensitive detection of low-abundant proteins. -- Abstract: In this study, an ultra-sensitive method for the quantification of lysozyme based on the Gd 3+ diethylenetriamine-N,N,N′,N″,N″-pentaacetic acid labeling and capillary electrophoresis–inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (CE–ICP–MS) was described. The Gd 3+ -tagged lysozyme was effectively separated by capillary electrophoresis (CE) and sensitively determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP–MS). Based on the gadolinium-tagging and CE–ICP–MS, the lysozyme was determined within 12 min with an extremely low detection limit of 3.89 attomole (3.89 × 10 −11 mol L −1 for 100 nL of sample injection) and a RSD < 6% (n = 5). The proposed method has been successfully used to detect lysozyme in saliva samples with a recovery of 91–106%, suggesting that our method is sensitive and reliable. The success of the present method provides a new potential for the biological assays and sensitive detection of low-abundant proteins

Crystal structure and phase transitions of sodium potassium niobate perovskites

Science.gov (United States)

Tellier, J.; Malic, B.; Dkhil, B.; Jenko, D.; Cilensek, J.; Kosec, M.

2009-02-01

This paper presents the crystal structure and the phase transitions of K xNa 1- xNbO 3 (0.4 ≤ x ≤ 0.6). X-ray diffraction measurements were used to follow the change of the unit-cell parameters and the symmetry in the temperature range 100-800 K. At room temperature all the compositions exhibited a monoclinic metric of the unit cell with a small monoclinic distortion (90.32° ≤ β ≤ 90.34°). No major change of symmetry was evidenced in the investigated compositional range, which should be characteristic of the morphotropic phase-boundary region. With increasing temperature, the samples underwent first-order monoclinic-tetragonal and tetragonal-cubic transitions. Only the potassium-rich phases were rhombohedral at 100 K.

Adsorption of lysozyme unto silica and polystyrene surfaces in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

user

2011-04-11

Apr 11, 2011 ... surfaces were well fitted by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model with maximum adsorption .... following reasons: (1) Lysozyme is a globular protein with ... vigorously for 1 h to attain equilibrium adsorption and allowed to.

Theoretical studies of the dependence of EPR parameters on local structure for the tetragonal Er(3+) centres in YVO4 and ScVO4.

Science.gov (United States)

Chai, Rui-Peng; Hao, Dan-Hui; Kuang, Xiao-Yu; Liang, Liang

2015-11-05

The dependences of the EPR parameters on the local distortion parameters Δθ and ΔR as well as the crystal-field parameters have been studied by diagonalizing the 364×364 complete energy matrices for a tetragonal Er(3+) centre in the YVO4 and ScVO4 crystals. The results show that the local distortion angle Δθ and the fourth-order crystal-field parameter Ā4 are most sensitive to the EPR g-factors g// and g⊥, whereas the local distortion length ΔR and the second-order parameter Ā2 are less sensitive to the g-factors. Furthermore, we found that the abnormal EPR g-factors for the Er(3+) ion in the ScVO4 may be ascribed to the stronger nephelauxetic effect and covalent bonding effect, as a result of an expanded local distortion for the Er(3+) centre in the ScVO4 crystal. Simultaneously, the contributions of the J-J mixing effects from the terms of excited states to the EPR parameters have been evaluated quantitatively. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative study of pressure-induced polymerization in C60 nanorods and single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hou Yuanyuan; Liu Bingbing; Wang Lin; Yu Shidan; Yao Mingguang; Chen Ao; Liu Dedi; Zou Yonggang; Li Zepeng; Zou Bo; Cui Tian; Zou Guangtian; Iwasiewicz-Wabnig, Agnieszka; Sundqvist, Bertil

2007-01-01

In this paper, we report a comparative study of pressure-induced polymerization in C 60 nanorods and bulk single crystals, treated simultaneously under various pressures and temperatures in the same experiment. For both materials, orthorhombic, tetragonal and rhombohedral phases have been produced under high pressure and high temperature. The structures have been identified and compared between the two sample types by Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy. There are differences between the Raman and photoluminescence spectra from the two types of materials for all polymeric phases, but especially for the tetragonal phase. From the comparison between nanorods and bulk samples, we tentatively assign photoluminescence peaks for various polymeric phases

Functional Micrococcus lysodeikticus layers deposited by laser technique for the optical sensing of lysozyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Dinca, Valentina; Zaharie-Butucel, Diana; Stanica, Luciana; Brajnicov, Simona; Marascu, Valentina; Bonciu, Anca; Cristocea, Andra; Gaman, Laura; Gheorghiu, Mihaela; Astilean, Simion; Vasilescu, Alina

2018-02-01

Whole cell optical biosensors, made by immobilizing whole algal, bacterial or mammalian cells on various supports have found applications in several fields, from ecology and ecotoxicity testing to biopharmaceutical production or medical diagnostics. We hereby report the deposition of functional bacterial layers of Micrococcus lysodeikticus (ML) via Matrix-Assisted Pulsed Laser Evaporation (MAPLE) on poly(diallyldimethylamonium) (PDDA)-coated-glass slides and their application as an optical biosensor for the detection of lysozyme in serum. Lysozyme is an enzyme upregulated in inflammatory diseases and ML is an enzymatic substrate for this enzyme. The MAPLE-deposited bacterial interfaces were characterised by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM), Fourier-Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Raman and optical microscopy and were compared with control interfaces deposited via layer-by-layer on the same substrate. After MAPLE deposition and coating with graphene oxide (GO), ML-modified interfaces retained their functionality and sensitivity to lysozyme's lytic action. The optical biosensor detected lysozyme in undiluted serum in the clinically relevant range up to 10μgmL -1 , in a fast and simple manner. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Synchrotron white beam topography studies of SrLaGaO{sub 4} crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wieteska, K. [Institute of Atomic Energy, 05-400 Otwock-Swierk (Poland); Wierzchowski, W. [Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, Wolczynska 133, 01-919 Warsaw (Poland)]. E-mail: wierzc_w@sp.itme.edu.pl; Graeff, W. [HASYLAB at DESY, Notkestr. 85, 22603 Hamburg (Germany); Lefeld-Sosnowska, M. [Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Warsaw, Hoza 69, 00-681 Warsaw (Poland); Pajaczkowska, A. [Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, Wolczynska 133, 01-919 Warsaw (Poland); Wierzbicka, E. [Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, Wolczynska 133, 01-919 Warsaw (Poland); Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Warsaw, Hoza 69, 00-681 Warsaw (Poland); Malinowska, A. [Institute of Experimental Physics, University of Warsaw, Hoza 69, 00-681 Warsaw (Poland); Faculty of Physics, Warsaw University of Technology, Koszykowa 75, 00-662 Warsaw (Poland); Institute of Electronic Materials Technology, Wolczynska 133, 01-919 Warsaw (Poland)

2005-09-29

Strontium lantanum gallate SrLaGaO{sub 4} tetragonal single crystal was investigated by white beam synchrotron radiation topography. Projection and section topographs were taken in back reflection and transmission geometry. The central 'core' crystal region was practically free of defects; only one extended 'oval' defect with strong boundary contrast was observed. The strong white-black contrasts connected with elongated volume defects and cracks were observed in surrounding the 'core' region.

Pyroelectricity in globular protein lysozyme films

Science.gov (United States)

Stapleton, A.; Noor, M. R.; Haq, E. U.; Silien, C.; Soulimane, T.; Tofail, S. A. M.

2018-03-01

Pyroelectricity is the ability of certain non-centrosymmetric materials to generate an electric charge in response to a change in temperature and finds use in a range of applications from burglar alarms to thermal imaging. Some biological materials also exhibit pyroelectricity but the examples of the effect are limited to fibrous proteins, polypeptides, and tissues and organs of animals and plants. Here, we report pyroelectricity in polycrystalline aggregate films of lysozyme, a globular protein.

EPR study of Gd sup 3 sup + centres in Tl sub 2 ZnF sub 4 crystals

CERN Document Server

Arakawa, M; Ebisu, H; Takeuchi, H

2003-01-01

EPR measurements have been made at room temperature on Tl sub 2 ZnF sub 4 crystals doped with Gd sup 3 sup + and co-doped with Gd sup 3 sup + and Li sup +. For crystals doped only with Gd sup 3 sup + , a spectrum with tetragonal symmetry (A centre) is observed. For co-doped crystals new spectra with tetragonal (B centre) and monoclinic (C centre) symmetries are observed in place of the spectrum of the A centre. The A centre is identified as the substitutional Gd sup 3 sup + ion at a Zn sup 2 sup + site in six-fold coordination without any local charge compensation in its immediate neighbourhood. On the basis of spin Hamiltonian separation analysis, the separated parameter b sub 2 sub a sub ( sub 1 sub ) for the C centre has a value close to the b sub 2 sup 0 parameter for the B centre. The B and C centres in co-doped crystals are ascribed to a Gd sup 3 sup + ion substituted for a Tl sup + site in nine-fold coordination, where the divalent excess positive charge on Gd sup 3 sup + is compensated by a Li sup + i...

Standard test method for determining the orientation of a metal crystal

CERN Document Server

American Society for Testing and Materials. Philadelphia

2009-01-01

1.1 This test method covers the back-reflection Laue procedure for determining the orientation of a metal crystal. The back-reflection Laue method for determining crystal orientation (1, 2) may be applied to macrograins (3) (0.5-mm diameter or larger) within polycrystalline aggregates, as well as to single crystals of any size. The method is described with reference to cubic crystals; it can be applied equally well to hexagonal, tetragonal, or orthorhombic crystals. 1.2 Most natural crystals have well developed external faces, and the orientation of such crystals can usually be determined from inspection. The orientation of a crystal having poorly developed faces, or no faces at all (for example, a metal crystal prepared in the laboratory) must be determined by more elaborate methods. The most convenient and accurate of these involves the use of X-ray diffraction. The “orientation of a metal crystal” is known when the positions in space of the crystallographic axes of the unit cell have been located with...

Dehydration and crystallization kinetics of zirconia-yttria gels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramanathan, S.; Muraleedharan, R.V.; Roy, S.K.; Nayar, P.K.K.

1995-01-01

Zirconia and zirconia-yttria gels containing 4 and 8 mol% yttria were obtained by coprecipitation and drying at 373 K. The dehydration and crystallization behavior of the dried gels was studied by DSC, TG, and XRD. The gels undergo elimination of water over a wide temperature range of 373--673 K. The peak temperature of the endotherm corresponding to dehydration and the kinetic constants for the process were not influenced by the yttria content of the gel. The enthalpy of dehydration observed was in good agreement with the heat of vaporization data. The dehydration was followed by a sharp exothermic crystallization process. The peak temperature of the exotherm and the activation energy of the process increased with an increase in yttria content, while the enthalpy of crystallization showed a decrease. The ''glow effect'' reduced with increasing yttria content. Pure zirconia crystallizes in the tetragonal form while the zirconia containing 4 and 8 mol% yttria appears to crystallize in the cubic form

Poly lactic acid based injectable delivery systems for controlled release of a model protein, lysozyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Tahami, Khaled; Meyer, Amanda; Singh, Jagdish

2006-02-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the critical formulation parameters (i.e., polymer concentration, polymer molecular weight, and solvent nature) affecting the controlled delivery of a model protein, lysozyme, from injectable polymeric implants. The conformational stability and biological activity of the released lysozyme were also investigated. Three formulations containing 10%, 20%, and 30% (w/v) poly lactic acid (PLA) in triacetin were investigated. It was found that increasing polymer concentration in the formulations led to a lower burst effect and a slower release rate. Formulation with a high molecular weight polymer showed a greater burst effect as compared to those containing low molecular weight. Conformational stability and biological activity of released samples were studied by differential scanning calorimeter and enzyme activity assay, respectively. The released samples had significantly (P solution kept at same conditions). Increasing polymer concentration increased both the conformational stability and the biological activity of released lysozyme. In conclusion, phase sensitive polymer-based delivery systems were able to deliver a model protein, lysozyme, in a conformationally stable and biologically active form at a controlled rate over an extended period.

Tetragonal BiFeO3 on yttria-stabilized zirconia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Heng-Jui; Du, Yu-Hao; Gao, Peng; Ikuhara, Yuichi; Huang, Yen-Chin; Chen, Yi-Chun; Chen, Hsiao-Wen; Liu, Hsiang-Lin; He, Qing; Chu, Ying-Hao

2015-01-01

High structural susceptibility of multiferroic BiFeO 3 (BFO) makes it a potential replacement of current Pb-based piezoelectrics. In this study, a tetragonal phase is identified based on a combination of x-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electronic microscopy, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy when BFO is grown on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates. To distinguish the discrepancy between this tetragonal phase and common cases of monoclinic BFO, piezoelectric force microscopy images and optical property are also performed. It shows a lower electrostatic energy of ferroelectric domains and a large reduction of band gap for BFO grown on YSZ substrate comparing to the well-known one grown on LaAlO 3 substrate. Our findings in this work can provide more insights to understand the structural diversity of multiferroic BFO system for further applications

Investigating the nucleation of protein crystals with hydrostatic pressure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kadri, A [Departement ' Mecanismes et Macromolecules de la Synthese Proteique et Cristallogenese' UPR 9002, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, 15 rue Rene Descartes, F-67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France); Damak, M [Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles, Faculte des Sciences de Sfax, BP 802, 3018 Sfax (Tunisia); Jenner, G [Laboratoire de Piezochimie Organique, UMR 7123, Faculte de Chimie, Universite Louis Pasteur, 1 rue Blaise Pascal, F-67008 Strasbourg Cedex (France); Lorber, B [Departement ' Mecanismes et Macromolecules de la Synthese Proteique et Cristallogenese' UPR 9002, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, 15 rue Rene Descartes, F-67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France); Giege, R [Departement ' Mecanismes et Macromolecules de la Synthese Proteique et Cristallogenese' UPR 9002, Institut de Biologie Moleculaire et Cellulaire du CNRS, 15 rue Rene Descartes, F-67084 Strasbourg Cedex (France)

2003-12-17

Hydrostatic pressure in the 0.1-75 MPa range has been used as a non-invasive tool to study the crystallization process of the tetragonal crystal form of the protein thaumatin (M{sub r} 22 200). Crystals were prepared within agarose gel and at temperatures in the range from 283 to 303 K. The solubility, i.e. the concentration of soluble macromolecules remaining in equilibrium with the crystals, decreases when the pressure increases and when the temperature decreases. High pressure was used to probe the nucleation behaviour of thaumatin. The pressure dependence of the nucleation rate leads to an activation volume of -46.5cm{sup 3} mol{sup -1}. It is shown that an increase in pressure decreases the enthalpy, the entropy and the free energy of crystallization of thaumatin. The data are discussed in the light of the results of crystallographic analyses and of the structure of the protein.

Investigating the nucleation of protein crystals with hydrostatic pressure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadri, A; Damak, M; Jenner, G; Lorber, B; Giege, R

2003-01-01

Hydrostatic pressure in the 0.1-75 MPa range has been used as a non-invasive tool to study the crystallization process of the tetragonal crystal form of the protein thaumatin (M r 22 200). Crystals were prepared within agarose gel and at temperatures in the range from 283 to 303 K. The solubility, i.e. the concentration of soluble macromolecules remaining in equilibrium with the crystals, decreases when the pressure increases and when the temperature decreases. High pressure was used to probe the nucleation behaviour of thaumatin. The pressure dependence of the nucleation rate leads to an activation volume of -46.5cm 3 mol -1 . It is shown that an increase in pressure decreases the enthalpy, the entropy and the free energy of crystallization of thaumatin. The data are discussed in the light of the results of crystallographic analyses and of the structure of the protein

Use of lysozyme from chicken egg white as a nitrite replacer in an Italian-type chicken sausage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nalaka Sandun Abeyrathne

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Background: Sodium or potassium nitrite is widely used as a curing agent in sausages and other cured meat products. Nitrite has strong antimicrobial and antioxidant effects and generates cured meat color. Nitrite, however, can react with secondary or tertiary amines in meat to form carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic N-nitroso compounds. Several findings have been suggested that high consumption of processed meat may increase the risk of cancer, and emphasized that dietary nitrosamines are positively associated with cancer. Lysozyme is one of the major egg proteins that have antimicrobial and antioxidant characteristics. Therefore, lysozyme can be used in meat processing to prevent microbial growth and oxidative degradation in meat products during storage. This study is focused on evaluating the antimicrobial and antioxidant effects of lysozyme extracted from egg white as a replacer of nitrite in a cooked Italian-type chicken sausage. Methods: Four curing treatments including 100% nitrite (control, 100% lysozyme (treatment 1, 25% nitrite + 75% lysozyme (treatment 2 and 50% nitrite + 50% lysozyme (treatment 3 were used to prepare Italian-type chicken sausage samples. Recipe was developed with 64% (w/w meat, 17% (w/w binder (bread crumble, 12% (w/w ice, 4% (w/w vegetable oil, 2% (w/w salt, 1% (w/w spices (chili, black pepper, cardamom. Prepared samples were cooked in an 80 °C smoke house to a core temperature of 65 °C and cooled in cold water to 20-25 °C subsequently packed in polyethylene and stored in a freezer (-18 °C. The antimicrobial effect lysozyme was tested using Escherichia coli and Salmonella. The growth of these pathogens at 0, 3 and 5 days of storage of spore inoculation was determined. The antioxidant activity of lysozyme was determined using the TBARS value during the 25 d storage period. The redness (a*, lightness (L*, and yellowness (b* of sausages were analyzed using a Minolta color meter (CR 410, Konica Minolta Inc

Activity and conformation of lysozyme in molecular solvents, protic ionic liquids (PILs) and salt-water systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Wijaya, Emmy C; Separovic, Frances; Drummond, Calum J; Greaves, Tamar L

2016-09-21

Improving protein stabilisation is important for the further development of many applications in the pharmaceutical, specialty chemical, consumer product and agricultural sectors. However, protein stabilization is highly dependent on the solvent environment and, hence, it is very complex to tailor protein-solvent combinations for stable protein maintenance. Understanding solvent features that govern protein stabilization will enable selection or design of suitable media with favourable solution environments to retain protein native conformation. In this work the structural conformation and activity of lysozyme in 29 solvent systems were investigated to determine the role of various solvent features on the stability of the enzyme. The solvent systems consisted of 19 low molecular weight polar solvents and 4 protic ionic liquids (PILs), both at different water content levels, and 6 aqueous salt solutions. Small angle X-ray scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and UV-vis spectroscopy were used to investigate the tertiary and secondary structure of lysozyme along with the corresponding activity in various solvation systems. At low non-aqueous solvent concentrations (high water content), the presence of solvents and salts generally maintained lysozyme in its native structure and enhanced its activity. Due to the presence of a net surface charge on lysozyme, electrostatic interactions in PIL-water systems and salt solutions enhanced lysozyme activity more than the specific hydrogen-bond interactions present in non-ionic molecular solvents. At higher solvent concentrations (lower water content), solvents with a propensity to exhibit the solvophobic effect, analogous to the hydrophobic effect in water, retained lysozyme native conformation and activity. This solvophobic effect was observed particularly for solvents which contained hydroxyl moieties. Preferential solvophobic effects along with bulky chemical structures were postulated to result in less

[The estimation of systemic chemotherapy treatment administered in breast cancer on lysozyme activity in tears--preliminary report].

Science.gov (United States)

Wojciechowska, Katarzyna; Jurowski, Piotr; Wieckowska-Szakiel, Marzena; Rózalska, Barbara

2012-01-01

Estimation of cytostatics influence used in breast cancer treatment on lysozyme activity in human tears depend on time of treatment. 8 women were treated at the base of chemotherapy schema: docetaxel with doxorubicin and 4 women treated with schema CMF: cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil. Lysozyme activity in tears was assessed by measurement of diameter zone of Micrococcus lysodeicticus growth inhibition. It was revealed that both chemotherapy schema caused statistically significant reduction of diameter zone of M. lysodeicticus growth inhibition, after first and second course of chemotherapy treatment. After second chemotherapy course CMF schema induced loss of lysozyme activity in patient's tears (zero mm of M. lysodeicticus diameter zone growth inhibition). Systemic chemotherapy administered in breast cancer induce reduction of lysozyme activity in tears, that may cause higher morbidity of ocular surface infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria.

Production of ultrafine particles of high-temperature tetragonal WO3 by dc arc discharge in Ar-O2 gases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guo Yumei; Murata, Norihiko; Ono, Kazuya; Okazaki, Tsugio

2005-01-01

Ultrafine particles of WO 3 are successfully produced by dc arc discharge in Ar-O 2 gases. Particle sizes are distributed from 10 nm to 1 μm depending on production conditions: gas pressure, collection position and discharge current. Observations of the cooled particles by electron microscopy indicate that the WO 3 particles are tetragonal, a phase that is usually only stable above 725 deg. C. The octahedral crystals are bounded by eight {1 0 1} faces and occasionally truncated by {1 0 0} and/or {0 0 1} faces. This method of producing WO 3 by dc arc discharge therefore affords a high-temperature phase that is preserved upon cooling to room temperature

Overexpression, purification and crystallization of the two C-terminal domains of the bifunctional cellulase ctCel9D-Cel44A from Clostridium thermocellum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Najmudin, Shabir; Guerreiro, Catarina I. P. D.; Ferreira, Luís M. A.; Romão, Maria J. C.; Fontes, Carlos M. G. A.; Prates, José A. M.

2005-01-01

The two C-terminal domains of the cellulase ctCel9D-Cel44A from C. thermocellum cellulosome have been crystallized in tetragonal space group P4 3 2 1 2 and X-ray diffraction data have been collected to 2.1 and 2.8 Å from native and seleno-l-methionine-derivative crystals, respectively. Clostridium thermocellum produces a highly organized multi-enzyme complex of cellulases and hemicellulases for the hydrolysis of plant cell-wall polysaccharides, which is termed the cellulosome. The bifunctional multi-modular cellulase ctCel9D-Cel44A is one of the largest components of the C. thermocellum cellulosome. The enzyme contains two internal catalytic domains belonging to glycoside hydrolase families 9 and 44. The C-terminus of this cellulase, comprising a polycystic kidney-disease module (PKD) and a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM44), has been crystallized. The crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4 3 2 1 2, containing a single molecule in the asymmetric unit. Native and seleno-l-methionine-derivative crystals diffracted to 2.1 and 2.8 Å, respectively

Tetragonal To Collapsed Tetragonal Phase Transition In BaFe2As2 and CaFe2As2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mittal, R.; Mishra, S. K.; Chaplot, S. L.; Ovsyannikov, S. V.; Trots, D. M.; Dubrovinsky, L.; Greenberg, E.; Su, Y.; Brueckel, Th.; Matsuishi, S.; Hosono, H.; Garbarino, G.

2010-01-01

Superconductivity in MFe 2 As 2 (M = Ba, Ca) compounds appears either at a critical doping level at ambient pressure or in the parent compound itself by application of pressure above a critical value. We report high pressure powder x-ray diffractions studies for these compounds at 300 K up to about 56 GPa using membrane diamond anvil cells. The measurements for BaFe 2 As 2 show a new tetragonal to collapsed tetragonal phase transition at about 22 GPa that remains stable upto 56 GPa. CaFe 2 As 2 is already known to transform to collapsed phase at 1.7 GPa at 300 K. Our measurements on CaFe 2 As 2 do not show any post collapsed phase transition on increase of pressure 50 GPa at 300 K. It is important to note that the transition in both compounds occurs when they are compressed to almost the same value of the unit cell volume and attain similar c t /a t ratios. We present a detailed analysis of the pressure dependence and structure phase transitions as well as equation of state in these important FeAs compounds that should be useful in the context of possible superconductivity in the collapsed phase.

Electro-optical properties of tetragonal KNbO 3

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Linear electro-optical tensor coefficients and optical susceptibility of tetragonal KNbO3 are calculated using a formalism based on bond charge theory. Results are in close agreement with the experimental data. The covalent Nb–O bonding network comprising the distorted NbO6 octahedral groups in the structure is found to ...

Covalent immobilization of lysozyme onto woven and knitted crimped polyethylene terephthalate grafts to minimize the adhesion of broad spectrum pathogens

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al Meslmani, Bassam M.; Mahmoud, Gihan F.; Leichtweiß, Thomas; Strehlow, Boris; Sommer, Frank O.; Lohoff, Michael D.; Bakowsky, Udo

2016-01-01

Graft-associated infections entirely determine the short-term patency of polyethylene terephthalate PET cardiovascular graft. We attempted to enzymatically inhibit the initial bacterial adhesion to PET grafts using lysozyme. Lysozyme was covalently immobilized onto woven and knitted forms of crimped PET grafts by the end-point method. Our figures of merit revealed lysozyme immobilization yield of 15.7 μg/cm"2, as determined by the Bradford assay. The activity of immobilized lysozyme on woven and knitted PET manifested 58.4% and 55.87% using Micrococcus lysodeikticus cells, respectively. Noteworthy, the adhesion of vein catheter-isolated Staphylococcus epidermidis decreased by 6- to 8-folds and of Staphylococcus aureus by 11- to 12-folds, while the Gram-negative Escherichia coli showed only a decrease by 3- to 4-folds. The anti-adhesion efficiency was specific for bacterial cells and no significant effect was observed on adhesion and growth of L929 cells. In conclusion, immobilization of lysozyme onto PET grafts can inhibit the graft-associated infection. - Highlights: • Lysozyme was covalently immobilized on crimped polyethylene terephthalate (PET). • The activity of immobilized lysozyme was meaningfully reduced. • The maintained activity significantly declined the adhesion of Gram-positive stains. • The enzymatic anti-adhesion efficiency reported lesser extent against Gram-negative. • The anti-bacterial activity displayed no significant effect on cells compatibility.

Covalent immobilization of lysozyme onto woven and knitted crimped polyethylene terephthalate grafts to minimize the adhesion of broad spectrum pathogens

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Al Meslmani, Bassam M., E-mail: almeslmanib@yahoo.com [Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Marburg University, Ketzerbach 63, 35037 Marburg (Germany); Mahmoud, Gihan F., E-mail: mahmoudg@staff.uni-marburg.de [Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Marburg University, Ketzerbach 63, 35037 Marburg (Germany); Department of Pharmaceutics and Industrial Pharmacy, Helwan University, Ain Helwan, 11795 Cairo (Egypt); Leichtweiß, Thomas, E-mail: Thomas.Leichtweiss@phys.Chemie.uni-giessen.de [Institute of Physical Chemistry, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 58, 35392 Giessen (Germany); Strehlow, Boris, E-mail: strehlo4@staff.uni-marburg.de [Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Marburg University, Ketzerbach 63, 35037 Marburg (Germany); Sommer, Frank O., E-mail: sommerf@med.uni-marburg.de [Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Marburg University, Hans Meerwein Str 2, 35032 Marburg (Germany); Lohoff, Michael D., E-mail: lohoff@med.uni-marburg.de [Institute for Medical Microbiology and Hospital Hygiene, Marburg University, Hans Meerwein Str 2, 35032 Marburg (Germany); Bakowsky, Udo, E-mail: ubakowsky@aol.com [Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biopharmaceutics, Marburg University, Ketzerbach 63, 35037 Marburg (Germany)

2016-01-01

Graft-associated infections entirely determine the short-term patency of polyethylene terephthalate PET cardiovascular graft. We attempted to enzymatically inhibit the initial bacterial adhesion to PET grafts using lysozyme. Lysozyme was covalently immobilized onto woven and knitted forms of crimped PET grafts by the end-point method. Our figures of merit revealed lysozyme immobilization yield of 15.7 μg/cm{sup 2}, as determined by the Bradford assay. The activity of immobilized lysozyme on woven and knitted PET manifested 58.4% and 55.87% using Micrococcus lysodeikticus cells, respectively. Noteworthy, the adhesion of vein catheter-isolated Staphylococcus epidermidis decreased by 6- to 8-folds and of Staphylococcus aureus by 11- to 12-folds, while the Gram-negative Escherichia coli showed only a decrease by 3- to 4-folds. The anti-adhesion efficiency was specific for bacterial cells and no significant effect was observed on adhesion and growth of L929 cells. In conclusion, immobilization of lysozyme onto PET grafts can inhibit the graft-associated infection. - Highlights: • Lysozyme was covalently immobilized on crimped polyethylene terephthalate (PET). • The activity of immobilized lysozyme was meaningfully reduced. • The maintained activity significantly declined the adhesion of Gram-positive stains. • The enzymatic anti-adhesion efficiency reported lesser extent against Gram-negative. • The anti-bacterial activity displayed no significant effect on cells compatibility.

Laser ablation of lysozyme with UV, visible and infrared femto- and nanosecond pulses

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schou, Jørgen; Canulescu, Stela; Matei, Andreea

Lysozyme is an interesting molecule for laser ablation of organic materials, because the ablation has been comprehensively studied, it is a medium heavy molecule with a mass of 14305 Da, which can be detected by standard techniques, and because it is used as a bactericidal protein in the food...... industry. Lysozyme molecules do not absorb energy for wavelengths above 310 nm, but nevertheless there is a strong mass loss by ablation for laser irradiation in the visible regime. The total ablation yield of lysozyme at 355 nm and at 2 J/cm2 is about 155 µg/pulse, possibly one of the highest ablation...... the ablation process for different wavelengths and time duration. Measurements for 6-7-ns laser ablation were carried out at DTU on Risø Campus, while measurements with pulses of 300 fs were carried out at the University of Naples in a similar setup. For all wavelengths except at nanosecond laser pulses at 355...

Production of Antimicrobial Films by Incorporation of Partially Purified Lysozyme into Biodegradable Films of Crude Exopolysaccharides Obtained from Aureobasidium pullulans Fermentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nilay Kandemir

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Antimicrobial films were produced by incorporating partially purified lysozyme into films of crude exopolysaccharides (59 % pullulan obtained from Aureobasidium pullulans fermentation. After film making, the films containing lysozyme at 100, 260, 520 and 780 μg/cm2 showed 23 to 70 % of their expected enzyme activities. The highest recovery of enzyme activity (65–70 % after the film making was obtained in films prepared by incorporating lysozyme at 260 μg/cm2 (1409 U/cm2. The incorporation of disodium EDTA×2H2O and sucrose did not affect the initial lysozyme activity of the films significantly. With or without the presence of disodium EDTA×2H2O at 52 or 520 μg/cm2, lysozyme activity showed sufficient stability in the films during 21 days of cold storage. However, the presence of sucrose at 10 mg/cm2 in the films caused the destabilization of part of enzyme activity (almost 35 % at the end of storage. The combinational incorporation of lysozyme at 780 μg/cm2 (4227 U/cm2 and disodium EDTA×2H2O at 520 μg/cm2 gave antimicrobial films effective on Escherichia coli. However, in the studied lysozyme concentration range the films did not show any antimicrobial activity against Lactobacillus plantarum. This study clearly showed that the partially purified lysozyme and crude exopolysaccharides from Aureobasidium pullulans may be used to obtain antimicrobial films to increase the safety of foods.

Positron annihilation studies in lysozyme and catalase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rohilla, Y.; Singh, K.P.; Roy Choudhury, S.; Jain, P.C.

1992-01-01

Positron annihilation studies have been carried out in two enzymes, lysozyme and catalase. Temperature dependence of the positron lifetimes in these two enzymes has been investigated. The results explained in terms of the free volume model and fluctuations between different conformational micro states of enzyme structures provide a new insight into the mechanism of bio-activity of these enzymes. (author). 15 refs., 4 figs

Raman mapping of mannitol/lysozyme particles produced via spray drying and single droplet drying

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pekka Pajander, Jari; Matero, Sanni Elina; Sloth, Jakob

2015-01-01

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a model protein on the solid state of a commonly used bulk agent in spray-dried formulations. METHODS: A series of lysozyme/mannitol formulations were spray-dried using a lab-scale spray dryer. Further, the surface temperature of drying droplet....../particles was monitored using the DRYING KINETICS ANALYZER™ (DKA) with controllable drying conditions mimicking the spray-drying process to estimate the drying kinetics of the lysozyme/mannitol formulations. The mannitol polymorphism and the spatial distribution of lysozyme in the particles were examined using X......-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) and Raman microscopy. Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis was used for analyzing the Raman microscopy data. RESULTS: XRPD results indicated that a mixture of β-mannitol and α-mannitol was produced in the spray-drying process which was supported by the Raman analysis...

Structural basis of protein oxidation resistance: a lysozyme study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marion Girod

Full Text Available Accumulation of oxidative damage in proteins correlates with aging since it can cause irreversible and progressive degeneration of almost all cellular functions. Apparently, native protein structures have evolved intrinsic resistance to oxidation since perfectly folded proteins are, by large most robust. Here we explore the structural basis of protein resistance to radiation-induced oxidation using chicken egg white lysozyme in the native and misfolded form. We study the differential resistance to oxidative damage of six different parts of native and misfolded lysozyme by a targeted tandem/mass spectrometry approach of its tryptic fragments. The decay of the amount of each lysozyme fragment with increasing radiation dose is found to be a two steps process, characterized by a double exponential evolution of their amounts: the first one can be largely attributed to oxidation of specific amino acids, while the second one corresponds to further degradation of the protein. By correlating these results to the structural parameters computed from molecular dynamics (MD simulations, we find the protein parts with increased root-mean-square deviation (RMSD to be more susceptible to modifications. In addition, involvement of amino acid side-chains in hydrogen bonds has a protective effect against oxidation Increased exposure to solvent of individual amino acid side chains correlates with high susceptibility to oxidative and other modifications like side chain fragmentation. Generally, while none of the structural parameters alone can account for the fate of peptides during radiation, together they provide an insight into the relationship between protein structure and susceptibility to oxidation.

Effects of prolonged running in the heat and cool environments on selected physiological parameters and salivary lysozyme responses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nur S. Ibrahim

2017-12-01

Conclusion: This study found similar lysozyme responses between both hot and cool trials. Thus, room/ambient temperature did not affect lysozyme responses among recreational athletes. Nevertheless, the selected physiological parameters were significantly affected by room temperature.

Lysozyme as an alternative to antibiotics improves growth performance and small intestinal morphology in nursery pigs.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, W T; Wells, J E

2013-07-01

Lysozyme is a 1,4-β-N-acetylmuramidase that has antimicrobial properties. The objective of this experiment was to determine if lysozyme in nursery diets improved growth performance and gastrointestinal health of pigs weaned from the sow at 24 d of age. Two replicates of 96 pigs (192 total; 96 males, 96 females) were weaned from the sow at 24 d of age, blocked by BW and gender, and then assigned to 1 of 24 pens (4 pigs/pen). Each block was randomly assigned 1 of 3 dietary treatments for 28 d: control (two 14-d phases), control + antibiotics (carbadox/copper sulfate), or control + lysozyme (100 mg/kg diet). Pigs were weighed and blood sampled on d 0, 14, and 28 of treatment. Blood was analyzed for plasma urea nitrogen (PUN) and IgA. At 28 d, pigs were killed, and samples of jejunum and ileum were collected and fixed for intestinal morphology measurements. An additional jejunum sample was taken from the 12 pigs with the median BW per treatment to determine transepithelial electrical resistance (TER). Pigs consuming antibiotics or lysozyme grew at a faster rate than control pigs (0.433 ± 0.009 and 0.421 ± 0.008 vs. 0.398 ± 0.008 kg/d, respectively; P 0.48), but G:F was improved in pigs consuming antibiotics or lysozyme (0.756 ± 0.014, 0.750 ± 0.021, and 0.695 ± 0.019 kg/kg; P 0.48). Dietary treatment did not affect TER (P > 0.37), but gilts had lower TER compared with barrows (P 0.53). However, jejunum villi height was increased and crypt depth was decreased in pigs consuming antibiotics or lysozyme (P pigs weaned from the sow at 24 d of age.

Grain size stabilization of tetragonal phase of zirconia in sputtered Zr-O cermet films

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hadavi, M. S.; Keshmiri, H.; Kompany, A.; Zhang, Q. C.

2005-01-01

In this research, thin films of Zr/ZrO 2 composites were deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering technique on Si and fused Silica substrates, and their structures were investigated by x-ray diffraction method. During the deposition of the cermet layers, a Zr metallic target was sputtered in a gas mixture of Ar and O 2 . By controlling of O 2 flow rate, the different metal volume fractions in the cermet layers were achieved. The optical response of the samples was studied using spectroscopy methods. Also the effect of vacuum annealing on the structures and the optical properties were studies. x-ray diffraction results indicated that the prepared samples were amorphous and vacuum annealing induced crystallization in the cermet films. This research also show that without doping, the tetragonal phase of Zirconia can be stabilized at a temperature lower than the normal transition temperature. This is g rain size stabilization a nd relates to the small size of the crystallizes. In order to study the electron diffraction in the selected area patterns, the samples were analysed by a high-resolution transmission microscope. The selected area patterns results showed that all of the as prepared samples were amorphous showing evidence of very small Zr crystallites immersed in a dielectric medium. The Sad results are in close agreement with those obtained by x-ray diffraction analysis

First-principles cluster variation calculations of tetragonal-cubic transition in ZrO2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mohri, Tetsuo; Chen, Ying; Kiyokane, Naoya

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► Cluster variation method is extended to study displacive transition. ► Electronic structure total energy calculations are performed on ZrO2. ► Tetragonal-cubic transition is studied within the framework of order -disorder transition. -- Abstract: It is attempted to extend the basic idea of continuous displacement cluster variation method (CDCVM) to the study of a displacive phase transition. As a preliminary study, we focus on cubic to tetragonal transition in ZrO 2 in which oxygen atoms on the cubic lattice are displaced alternatively in the opposite direction (upward and downward) along the tetragonal axis. Within the CDCVM, displaced atoms are regarded as different atomic species, and two distinguished atoms, A-oxygen (upward shifting) and B-oxygen (downward shifting), are introduced in the description of the free energy. FLAPW electronic structure total energy calculations are performed to extract effective interaction energies among displaced oxygen atoms, and by combing them with CDCVM, the transition temperature is calculated from the first-principles

Antimicrobial Membranes of Bio-Based PA 11 and HNTs Filled with Lysozyme Obtained by an Electrospinning Process

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valeria Bugatti

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Bio-based membranes were obtained using Polyamide 11 (PA11 from renewable sources and a nano-hybrid composed of halloysite nanotubes (HNTs filled with lysozyme (50 wt % of lysozyme, as a natural antimicrobial molecule. Composites were prepared using an electrospinning process, varying the nano-hybrid loading (i.e., 1.0, 2.5, 5.0 wt %. The morphology of the membranes was investigated through SEM analysis and there was found to be a narrow average fiber diameter (0.3–0.5 μm. The mechanical properties were analyzed and correlated to the nano-hybrid content. Controlled release of lysozyme was followed using UV spectrophotometry and the release kinetics were found to be dependent on HNTs–lysozyme loading. The experimental results were analyzed by a modified Gallagher–Corrigan model. The application of the produced membranes, as bio-based pads, for extending the shelf life of chicken slices has been tested and evaluated.

X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of tetragonal Mn72Ge28 epitaxial thin film

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Jinhyeok; Mizuguchi, Masaki; Inami, Nobuhito; Ueno, Tetsuro; Ueda, Shigenori; Takanashi, Koki

2018-04-01

An epitaxially grown Mn72Ge28 film with a tetragonal crystal structure was fabricated. It was clarified that the film had a perpendicular magnetization and a high perpendicular magnetic anisotropy energy of 14.3 Merg/cm3. The electronic structure was investigated by X-ray magnetic circular dichroism and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The obtained X-ray magnetic circular dichroism spectrum revealed that the Mn orbital magnetic moment governed the magnetocrystalline anisotropy of the Mn72Ge28 film. A doublet structure was observed for the Mn 2p3/2 peak of hard X-ray photoelectron spectrum, indicating the spin exchange interaction between the 2p core-hole and 3d valence electrons.

Combined pulmonary involvement in hereditary lysozyme amyloidosis with associated pulmonary sarcoidosis: a case report.

Science.gov (United States)

McCarthy, Cormac; Deegan, Alexander P; Garvey, John F; McDonnell, Timothy J

2013-12-17

Sarcoidosis is a multisystem inflammatory disorder of unknown cause which can affect any organ system. Autosomal dominant lysozyme amyloidosis is a very rare form of hereditary amyloidosis. The Arg64 variant is extraordinarily rare with each family showing a particular pattern of organ involvement, however while Sicca syndrome, gastrointestinal involvement and renal failure are common, lymph node involvement is very rare. In this case report we describe the first reported case of sarcoidosis in association with hereditary lysozyme amyloidosis.

Tetragonal zirconia quantum dots in silica matrix prepared by a modified sol-gel protocol

Science.gov (United States)

Verma, Surbhi; Rani, Saruchi; Kumar, Sushil

2018-05-01

Tetragonal zirconia quantum dots (t-ZrO2 QDs) in silica matrix with different compositions ( x)ZrO2-(100 - x)SiO2 were fabricated by a modified sol-gel protocol. Acetylacetone was added as a chelating agent to zirconium propoxide to avoid precipitation. The powders as well as thin films were given thermal treatment at 650, 875 and 1100 °C for 4 h. The silica matrix remained amorphous after thermal treatment and acted as an inert support for zirconia quantum dots. The tetragonal zirconia embedded in silica matrix transformed into monoclinic form due to thermal treatment ≥ 1100 °C. The stability of tetragonal phase of zirconia is found to enhance with increase in silica content. A homogenous dispersion of t-ZrO2 QDs in silica matrix was indicated by the mapping of Zr, Si and O elements obtained from scanning electron microscope with energy dispersive X-ray analyser. The transmission electron images confirmed the formation of tetragonal zirconia quantum dots embedded in silica. The optical band gap of zirconia QDs (3.65-5.58 eV) was found to increase with increase in zirconia content in silica. The red shift of PL emission has been exhibited with increase in zirconia content in silica.

Crystal structures of copper(II) chloride, copper(II) bromide, and copper(II) nitrate complexes with pyridine-2-carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazone

Science.gov (United States)

Chumakov, Yu. M.; Tsapkov, V. I.; Jeanneau, E.; Bairac, N. N.; Bocelli, G.; Poirier, D.; Roy, J.; Gulea, A. P.

2008-09-01

The crystal structures of chloro-(2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazono)copper dimethyl sulfoxide solvate ( I), bromo-(2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazono)copper ( II), and (2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazono)copper(II) nitrate dimethyl sulfoxide solvate ( III) are determined using X-ray diffraction. In the crystals, complexes I and II form centrosymmetric dimers in which the thiosemicarbazone sulfur atom serves as a bridge and occupies the fifth coordination site of the copper atom of the neighboring complex related to the initial complex through the center of symmetry. In both cases, the coordination polyhedron of the complexing ion is a distorted tetragonal bipyramid. Complex III in the crystal structure forms polymer chains in which the copper atom of one complex forms the coordination bond with the thicarbamide nitrogen atom of the neighboring complex. In this structure, the coordination polyhedron of the central atom is an elongated tetragonal bipyramid. It is established that complexes I III at a concentration of 10-5 mol/l selectively inhibit the growth of 60 to 90 percent of the cancer tumor cells of the human myeloid leukemia (HL-60).

Crystal structures of copper(II) chloride, copper(II) bromide, and copper(II) nitrate complexes with pyridine-2-carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazone

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chumakov, Yu. M.; Tsapkov, V. I.; Jeanneau, E.; Bairac, N. N.; Bocelli, G.; Poirier, D.; Roy, J.; Gulea, A. P.

2008-01-01

The crystal structures of chloro-(2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazono)copper dimethyl sulfoxide solvate (I), bromo-(2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazono)copper (II), and (2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazono)copper(II) nitrate dimethyl sulfoxide solvate (III) are determined using X-ray diffraction. In the crystals, complexes I and II form centrosymmetric dimers in which the thiosemicarbazone sulfur atom serves as a bridge and occupies the fifth coordination site of the copper atom of the neighboring complex related to the initial complex through the center of symmetry. In both cases, the coordination polyhedron of the complexing ion is a distorted tetragonal bipyramid. Complex III in the crystal structure forms polymer chains in which the copper atom of one complex forms the coordination bond with the thicarbamide nitrogen atom of the neighboring complex. In this structure, the coordination polyhedron of the central atom is an elongated tetragonal bipyramid. It is established that complexes I-III at a concentration of 10 -5 mol/l selectively inhibit the growth of 60 to 90 percent of the cancer tumor cells of the human myeloid leukemia (HL-60).

Crystal structures of copper(II) chloride, copper(II) bromide, and copper(II) nitrate complexes with pyridine-2-carbaldehyde thiosemicarbazone

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chumakov, Yu. M., E-mail: chumakov.xray@phys.asm.md [Academy of Sciences of Moldova, Institute of Applied Physics (Moldova, Republic of); Tsapkov, V. I. [State University of Moldova (Moldova, Republic of); Jeanneau, E. [Universite Claude Bernard, Laboratoire des Multimateriaux et Interfaces (France); Bairac, N. N. [State University of Moldova (Moldova, Republic of); Bocelli, G. [National Research Council (IMEM-CNR), Institute of Materials for Electronics and Magnetism (Italy); Poirier, D.; Roy, J. [Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Quebec (CHUQ) (Canada); Gulea, A. P. [State University of Moldova (Moldova, Republic of)

2008-09-15

The crystal structures of chloro-(2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazono)copper dimethyl sulfoxide solvate (I), bromo-(2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazono)copper (II), and (2-formylpyridinethiosemicarbazono)copper(II) nitrate dimethyl sulfoxide solvate (III) are determined using X-ray diffraction. In the crystals, complexes I and II form centrosymmetric dimers in which the thiosemicarbazone sulfur atom serves as a bridge and occupies the fifth coordination site of the copper atom of the neighboring complex related to the initial complex through the center of symmetry. In both cases, the coordination polyhedron of the complexing ion is a distorted tetragonal bipyramid. Complex III in the crystal structure forms polymer chains in which the copper atom of one complex forms the coordination bond with the thicarbamide nitrogen atom of the neighboring complex. In this structure, the coordination polyhedron of the central atom is an elongated tetragonal bipyramid. It is established that complexes I-III at a concentration of 10{sup -5} mol/l selectively inhibit the growth of 60 to 90 percent of the cancer tumor cells of the human myeloid leukemia (HL-60).

Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of plant S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (Lupinus luteus)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brzezinski, Krzysztof [Center for Biocrystallographic Research, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan (Poland); Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznan (Poland); Bujacz, Grzegorz [Center for Biocrystallographic Research, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan (Poland); Faculty of Food Chemistry and Biotechnology, Technical University of Lodz (Poland); Jaskolski, Mariusz, E-mail: mariuszj@amu.edu.pl [Center for Biocrystallographic Research, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznan (Poland); Department of Crystallography, Faculty of Chemistry, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznan (Poland)

2008-07-01

Single crystals of recombinant S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase from L. luteus in complex with adenosine diffract X-rays to 1.17 Å resolution at 100 K. The crystals are tetragonal, space group P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2, and contain one copy of the dimeric enzyme in the asymmetric unit. By degrading S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine, which is a byproduct of S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent methylation reactions, S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHase) acts as a regulator of cellular methylation processes. S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase from the leguminose plant yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus), LlSAHase, which is composed of 485 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 55 kDa, has been cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Crystals of LlSAHase in complex with adenosine were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using 20%(w/v) PEG 4000 and 10%(v/v) 2-propanol as precipitants in 0.1 M Tris–HCl buffer pH 8.0. The crystals were tetragonal, space group P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2, with unit-cell parameters a = 122.4, c = 126.5 Å and contained two protein molecules in the asymmetric unit, corresponding to the functional dimeric form of the enzyme. Atomic resolution (1.17 Å) X-ray diffraction data have been collected using synchrotron radiation.

Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of plant S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (Lupinus luteus)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brzezinski, Krzysztof; Bujacz, Grzegorz; Jaskolski, Mariusz

2008-01-01

Single crystals of recombinant S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase from L. luteus in complex with adenosine diffract X-rays to 1.17 Å resolution at 100 K. The crystals are tetragonal, space group P4 3 2 1 2, and contain one copy of the dimeric enzyme in the asymmetric unit. By degrading S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine, which is a byproduct of S-adenosyl-l-methionine-dependent methylation reactions, S-adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase (SAHase) acts as a regulator of cellular methylation processes. S-Adenosyl-l-homocysteine hydrolase from the leguminose plant yellow lupin (Lupinus luteus), LlSAHase, which is composed of 485 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 55 kDa, has been cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Crystals of LlSAHase in complex with adenosine were obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using 20%(w/v) PEG 4000 and 10%(v/v) 2-propanol as precipitants in 0.1 M Tris–HCl buffer pH 8.0. The crystals were tetragonal, space group P4 3 2 1 2, with unit-cell parameters a = 122.4, c = 126.5 Å and contained two protein molecules in the asymmetric unit, corresponding to the functional dimeric form of the enzyme. Atomic resolution (1.17 Å) X-ray diffraction data have been collected using synchrotron radiation

Complex coacervate core micelles with a lysozyme-modified corona

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Danial, Maarten; Klok, Harm-Anton; Norde, Willem; Stuart, Martien A. Cohen

2007-01-01

This paper describes the preparation, characterization, and enzymatic activity of complex coacervate core micelles (C3Ms) composed of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(N-methyl-2-vinyl pyridinium iodide)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PQ2VP-PEO) to which the antibacterial enzyme lysozyme is end-attached.

Tetragonal BiFeO{sub 3} on yttria-stabilized zirconia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Heng-Jui [Department of Materials Science Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan (China); Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan (China); Du, Yu-Hao [Department of Materials Science Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan (China); Gao, Peng; Ikuhara, Yuichi [Institute of Engineering Innovation, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656 (Japan); Huang, Yen-Chin; Chen, Yi-Chun [Department of Physics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan 70101, Taiwan (China); Chen, Hsiao-Wen; Liu, Hsiang-Lin [Department of Physics, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan (China); He, Qing [Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE (United Kingdom); Chu, Ying-Hao, E-mail: yhc@nctu.edu.tw [Department of Materials Science Engineering, National Chiao Tung University, Hsinchu 30010, Taiwan (China); Institute of Physics, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan (China)

2015-11-01

High structural susceptibility of multiferroic BiFeO{sub 3} (BFO) makes it a potential replacement of current Pb-based piezoelectrics. In this study, a tetragonal phase is identified based on a combination of x-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electronic microscopy, x-ray absorption spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy when BFO is grown on yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrates. To distinguish the discrepancy between this tetragonal phase and common cases of monoclinic BFO, piezoelectric force microscopy images and optical property are also performed. It shows a lower electrostatic energy of ferroelectric domains and a large reduction of band gap for BFO grown on YSZ substrate comparing to the well-known one grown on LaAlO{sub 3} substrate. Our findings in this work can provide more insights to understand the structural diversity of multiferroic BFO system for further applications.

Expression and Activity of Lysozyme in Apis Mellifera Carnica Brood Infested with Varroa Destructor

OpenAIRE

Zaobidna Ewa A.; Żółtowska Krystyna; Łopieńska-Biernat Elżbieta

2017-01-01

Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite that attacks the honey bee, and previous studies have suggested that parasitosis caused by this mite is accompanied by immunosuppresion in the host. In this study, the effect of mite infestation on the expression of the lysozyme-1 (lys-1) gene and lysozyme activity in Apis mellifera carnica was determined. The experiment was carried out on the five developmental stages of honey bee workers and drones. Developmental and gender-related differences in gene e...

Approach for growth of high-quality and large protein crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matsumura, Hiroyoshi, E-mail: matsumura@chem.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); JST (Japan); SOSHO Inc., Osaka 541-0053 (Japan); Sugiyama, Shigeru; Hirose, Mika; Kakinouchi, Keisuke; Maruyama, Mihoko; Murai, Ryota [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); JST (Japan); Adachi, Hiroaki; Takano, Kazufumi [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); JST (Japan); SOSHO Inc., Osaka 541-0053 (Japan); Murakami, Satoshi [JST (Japan); SOSHO Inc., Osaka 541-0053 (Japan); Graduate School of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8501 (Japan); Mori, Yusuke; Inoue, Tsuyoshi [Graduate School of Engineering, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871 (Japan); JST (Japan); SOSHO Inc., Osaka 541-0053 (Japan)

2011-01-01

Three crystallization methods, including crystallization in the presence of a semi-solid agarose gel, top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) and a large-scale hanging-drop method, have previously been presented. In this study, crystallization has been further evaluated in the presence of a semi-solid agarose gel by crystallizing additional proteins. A novel crystallization method combining TSSG and the large-scale hanging-drop method has also been developed. Three crystallization methods for growing large high-quality protein crystals, i.e. crystallization in the presence of a semi-solid agarose gel, top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) and a large-scale hanging-drop method, have previously been presented. In this study the effectiveness of crystallization in the presence of a semi-solid agarose gel has been further evaluated by crystallizing additional proteins in the presence of 2.0% (w/v) agarose gel, resulting in complete gelification with high mechanical strength. In TSSG the seed crystals are hung by a seed holder protruding from the top of the growth vessel to prevent polycrystallization. In the large-scale hanging-drop method, a cut pipette tip was used to maintain large-scale droplets consisting of protein–precipitant solution. Here a novel crystallization method that combines TSSG and the large-scale hanging-drop method is reported. A large and single crystal of lysozyme was obtained by this method.

Spectroscopic properties of Fe2+ ions at tetragonal sites-Crystal field effects and microscopic modeling of spin Hamiltonian parameters for Fe2+ (S=2) ions in K2FeF4 and K2ZnF4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rudowicz, C.; Piwowarska, D.

2011-01-01

Magnetic and spectroscopic properties of the planar antiferromagnet K 2 FeF 4 are determined by the Fe 2+ ions at tetragonal sites. The two-dimensional easy-plane anisotropy exhibited by K 2 FeF 4 is due to the zero field splitting (ZFS) terms arising from the orbital singlet ground state of Fe 2+ ions with the spin S=2. To provide insight into the single-ion magnetic anisotropy of K 2 FeF 4 , the crystal field theory and the microscopic spin Hamiltonian (MSH) approach based on the tensor method is adopted. Survey of available experimental data on the crystal field energy levels and free-ion parameters for Fe 2+ ions in K 2 FeF 4 and related compounds is carried out to provide input for microscopic modeling of the ZFS parameters and the Zeeman electronic ones. The ZFS parameters are expressed in the extended Stevens notation and include contributions up to the fourth-order using as perturbation the spin-orbit and electronic spin-spin couplings within the tetragonal crystal field states of the ground 5 D multiplet. Modeling of the ZFS parameters and the Zeeman electronic ones is carried out. Variation of these parameters is studied taking into account reasonable ranges of the microscopic ones, i.e. the spin-orbit and spin-spin coupling constants, and the energy level splittings, suitable for Fe 2+ ions in K 2 FeF 4 and Fe 2+ :K 2 ZnF 4 . Conversions between the ZFS parameters in the extended Stevens notation and the conventional ones are considered to enable comparison with the data of others. Comparative analysis of the MSH formulas derived earlier and our more complete ones indicates the importance of terms omitted earlier as well as the fourth-order ZFS parameters and the spin-spin coupling related contributions. The results may be useful also for Fe 2+ ions at axial symmetry sites in related systems, i.e. Fe:K 2 MnF 4 , Rb 2 Co 1-x Fe x F 4 , Fe 2+ :Rb 2 CrCl 4 , and Fe 2+ :Rb 2 ZnCl 4 . - Highlights: → Truncated zero field splitting (ZFS) terms for Fe 2+ in K

Overexpression, purification and crystallization of the two C-terminal domains of the bifunctional cellulase ctCel9D-Cel44A from Clostridium thermocellum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Najmudin, Shabir [REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, FCT-UNL, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Guerreiro, Catarina I. P. D.; Ferreira, Luís M. A. [CIISA - Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa (Portugal); Romão, Maria J. C. [REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, FCT-UNL, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal); Fontes, Carlos M. G. A.; Prates, José A. M., E-mail: japrates@fmv.utl.pt [CIISA - Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Técnica de Lisboa, Avenida da Universidade Técnica, 1300-477 Lisboa (Portugal); REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química, FCT-UNL, 2829-516 Caparica (Portugal)

2005-12-01

The two C-terminal domains of the cellulase ctCel9D-Cel44A from C. thermocellum cellulosome have been crystallized in tetragonal space group P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2 and X-ray diffraction data have been collected to 2.1 and 2.8 Å from native and seleno-l-methionine-derivative crystals, respectively. Clostridium thermocellum produces a highly organized multi-enzyme complex of cellulases and hemicellulases for the hydrolysis of plant cell-wall polysaccharides, which is termed the cellulosome. The bifunctional multi-modular cellulase ctCel9D-Cel44A is one of the largest components of the C. thermocellum cellulosome. The enzyme contains two internal catalytic domains belonging to glycoside hydrolase families 9 and 44. The C-terminus of this cellulase, comprising a polycystic kidney-disease module (PKD) and a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM44), has been crystallized. The crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2, containing a single molecule in the asymmetric unit. Native and seleno-l-methionine-derivative crystals diffracted to 2.1 and 2.8 Å, respectively.

Crystallization and preliminary characterization of three different crystal forms of human saposin C heterologously expressed in Pichia pastoris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz-Heienbrok, Robert; Remmel, Natascha; Klingenstein, R.; Rossocha, Maksim; Sandhoff, Konrad; Saenger, Wolfram; Maier, Timm

2006-01-01

Three different crystal forms were obtained of human saposin C. The structures could not be determined by molecular replacement using known solution structures of the protein as search models, supporting the notion of a highly flexible protein. The amphiphilic saposin proteins (A, B, C and D) act at the lipid–water interface in lysosomes, mediating the hydrolysis of membrane building blocks by water-soluble exohydrolases. Human saposin C activates glucocerebrosidase and β-galactosylceramidase. The protein has been expressed in Pichia pastoris, purified and crystallized in three different crystal forms, diffracting to a maximum resolution of 2.5 Å. Hexagonal crystals grew from 2-propanol-containing solution and contain a single molecule in the asymmetric unit according to the Matthews coefficient. Orthorhombic and tetragonal crystals were both obtained with pentaerythritol ethoxylate and are predicted to contain two molecules in the asymmetric unit. Attempts to determine the respective crystal structures by molecular replacement using either the known NMR structure of human saposin C or a related crystal structure as search models have so far failed. The failure of the molecular-replacement method is attributed to conformational changes of the protein, which are known to be required for its biological activity. Crystal structures of human saposin C therefore might be the key to mapping out the conformational trajectory of saposin-like proteins

Modeling growth of Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris DSM 3922 type strain vegetative cells in the apple juice with nisin and lysozyme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Celenk Molva

2017-05-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the effect of storage temperature on A. acidoterrestris DSM 3922 cells (105 CFU/mL was examined during growth in reconstituted apple juice (pH 3.8, °Brix 11.3 containing nisin (0–100 IU/mL and lysozyme (0–100 mg/L. The growth curves were obtained at three temperatures of 27, 35 and 43 °C using absorbance data (OD600 nm. Based on the results, the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs of nisin were found as 10 IU/mL at all tested temperatures. On the other hand, increasing the temperature decreased the amount of lysozyme for growth inhibition. The MICs of lysozyme were found as 10, 2.5 and 1.25 mg/L at 27, 35 and 43 °C, respectively. At selected non-inhibitory doses, nisin (1.25–5 IU/mL and lysozyme (0.3–2.5 mg/L prolonged the lag time compared to the controls at the corresponding temperatures. In addition, there was a strong linear relationship between the lag time and lysozyme concentrations at 27 and 35 °C (R2 > 0.98. The results of this study demonstrated that both nisin and lysozyme could be used to inhibit the growth of A. acidoterrestris cells in the apple juice. The results also indicated that the growth parameters were variable depending on the storage temperature and the type of the antimicrobial agent used in the apple juice.

Pulsed laser deposition of the lysozyme protein: an unexpected “Inverse MAPLE” process

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schou, Jørgen; Matei, Andreea; Constantinescu, Catalin

2012-01-01

Films of organic materials are commonly deposited by laser assisted methods, such as MAPLE (matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation), where a few percent of the film material in the target is protected by a light-absorbing volatile matrix. Another possibility is to irradiate the dry organic...... the ejection and deposition of lysozyme. This can be called an “inverse MAPLE” process, since the ratio of “matrix” to film material in the target is 10:90, which is inverse of the typical MAPLE process where the film material is dissolved in the matrix down to several wt.%. Lysozyme is a well-known protein...

The state of immunological reactivity and nonspecific protection factor (lysozyme in children with reactive arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vladimir Savvo

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Aim. An improvement of diagnostics and prognostication of ReA clinical course in children on the base of studying the immunological reactivity and non-specific protection factor (lysozyme.Materials and methods. Examination of children took place in the municipal children’s cardiorheumatologic department of MHPI “Kharkov municipal children’s clinical hospital № 24" and municipal children’s polyclinic of the Kharkov city (№ 1, 2, 7, 12, 13, 14, 23.40 children with ReA underwent immunological examinations, detection of sIgA in the saliva and lysozyme in the blood serum in acute period and in 9–12 months after the beginning of disease. 19 children (47,5 % – 2–6 years old, 21 children (52,5 %. – 7–14 years old. Boys – 22 (55,0 %, girls – 18 (45,0 %. The mean age of children in group was 7,2±0,32. The control group included 32 healthy children. The mean age of children in group was 7,4±0,54.The ReA diagnosis was set according to the order of Ukrainian MHP of 19.07.2005 № 362 “Protocol of diagnostics and treatment of disease of musculoskeletal system and connective tissue in children ICD-D М00-М25 arthropathies”.Immunological examinations included the study of indices of cellular, humoral, monocytic-phagocytic links of immunity, content of cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, detection of sIgA and index of nonspecific protection factor (lysozyme.Assessment of results of researches was carried out using STATISTICА program for Windows (version 10.0, Microsoft Excel 2012, MATLAB 2015a.Results. In the ReA acute period in children was observed depression of T-system on the background of activation of immunity B-system as the reliable decrease of СD8, СD25 and increase of СD21. There was revealed an increase of IL-6, increase of phagocytic number, spontaneous NBT-test and spontaneous neutrophils activity index.The sIgA level reliably exceeded the standard. At determination of lysozyme the blood serum of patients with ReA in acute

Hierarchical Conformational Analysis of Native Lysozyme Based on Sub-Millisecond Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kai Wang

Full Text Available Hierarchical organization of free energy landscape (FEL for native globular proteins has been widely accepted by the biophysics community. However, FEL of native proteins is usually projected onto one or a few dimensions. Here we generated collectively 0.2 milli-second molecular dynamics simulation trajectories in explicit solvent for hen egg white lysozyme (HEWL, and carried out detailed conformational analysis based on backbone torsional degrees of freedom (DOF. Our results demonstrated that at micro-second and coarser temporal resolutions, FEL of HEWL exhibits hub-like topology with crystal structures occupying the dominant structural ensemble that serves as the hub of conformational transitions. However, at 100 ns and finer temporal resolutions, conformational substates of HEWL exhibit network-like topology, crystal structures are associated with kinetic traps that are important but not dominant ensembles. Backbone torsional state transitions on time scales ranging from nanoseconds to beyond microseconds were found to be associated with various types of molecular interactions. Even at nanoseconds temporal resolution, the number of conformational substates that are of statistical significance is quite limited. These observations suggest that detailed analysis of conformational substates at multiple temporal resolutions is both important and feasible. Transition state ensembles among various conformational substates at microsecond temporal resolution were observed to be considerably disordered. Life times of these transition state ensembles are found to be nearly independent of the time scales of the participating torsional DOFs.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of Murraya koenigii trypsin inhibitor

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shee, Chandan [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India); Singh, Tej P. [Department of Biophysics, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 100 029 (India); Kumar, Pravindra, E-mail: kumarfbs@iitr.ernet.in; Sharma, Ashwani K., E-mail: kumarfbs@iitr.ernet.in [Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247 667 (India)

2007-04-01

A Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor purified from the seeds of Murraya koenigii has been crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 8000 as the precipitating agent. A Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitor purified from the seeds of Murraya koenigii has been crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 8000 as the precipitating agent. The crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 75.8, c = 150.9 Å. The crystals contain two molecules in the asymmetric unit with a V{sub M} value of 2.5 Å{sup 3} Da{sup −1}. Diffraction was observed to 2.65 Å resolution and a complete data set was collected to 2.9 Å resolution.

Study on effect of cubic- and tetragonal phased BaTiO{sub 3} on the electrical and thermal properties of polymeric nanocomposites

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thanki, A.A.; Goyal, R.K., E-mail: rkgoyal72@yahoo.co.in

2016-11-01

Polymer matrix nanocomposites based on polycarbonate (PC) and nanosized-cubic/tetragonal phases of barium titanate (BaTiO{sub 3}) were fabricated using a solution method followed by hot pressing. The content of both cubic- and tetragonal phased BaTiO{sub 3} was varied from 0 to 50 wt%. For a given weight fraction, the dielectric constant of the nanocomposites containing tetragonal BaTiO{sub 3} is more than those of cubic BaTiO{sub 3} filled nanocomposites. Moreover, cubic BaTiO{sub 3}/PC nanocomposites showed significantly lower dissipation factor than those of tetragonal BaTiO{sub 3}/PC nanocomposites. The dielectric constant of the nanocomposites was found to be frequency-independent. The microhardness of the nanocomposites increased with increase in the BaTiO{sub 3} content (both cubic- and tetragonal-phased) compared to the pure matrix. Scanning electron microscopy showed better dispersion and good interaction of the tetragonal BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles in the matrix. The addition of cubic BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles significantly reduced the thermal stability of the nanocomposites compared to matrix while the addition of tetragonal BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles decreased it slightly. The glass transition temperature of the cubic BaTiO{sub 3}/PC nanocomposites decreased significantly, whereas it reduced slightly for the tetragonal BaTiO{sub 3}/PC nanocomposites. - Highlights: • The effect of cubic-BaTiO{sub 3} and tetragonal-BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles were studied. • Cubic-BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles showed better microhardness. • Tetragonal-BaTiO{sub 3} nanoparticles showed better dielectric and thermal properties. • Frequency independent dielectric constants of the nanocomposites were observed.

In-situ observation of domain wall motion in Pb(In{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3}-Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-PbTiO{sub 3} crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, Dabin; Cai, Changlong [Laboratory of Thin Film Techniques and Optical Test, Xi' an Technological University, Xi' an 710032 (China); Li, Zhenrong, E-mail: zhrli@mail.xjtu.edu.cn; Li, Fei; Xu, Zhuo [Electronic Materials Research Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Education Ministry and International Center for Dielectric Research, Xi' an Jiaotong University, Xi' an 710049 (China); Zhang, Shujun, E-mail: soz1@psu.edu [Materials Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802 (United States); Cheng, Yaojin [Science and Technology on Low-Light-Level Night Vision Laboratory, Xi' an 710065 (China)

2014-07-21

Various domain structures, including wave-like domains, mixed needle-like and laminar domains, typical embedded 90° and 180° domains, have been observed in unpoled rhombohedral, monoclinic, and tetragonal Pb(In{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3}-Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-PbTiO{sub 3} (PIN-PMN-PT) crystals by polarizing light microscope; while in poled tetragonal crystals, the parallel 180° domains were reversed and only vertical 90° domain walls were observed. For 0.24PIN-0.42PMN-0.34PT crystals with morphotropic phase boundary composition, the domain wall motion was in-situ observed as a function of applied electric field along crystallographic [100] direction. With increasing the electric field from 0 to 12 kV/cm, the rhombohedral (R) domains were found to change to monoclinic (M) domains and then to tetragonal (T) domains. The electric field-induced phase transition was also confirmed by X-ray diffraction and the temperature-dependent dielectric behavior.

Praseodymium valency from crystal structure in Pr-Ba-Cu-O and (Y-Pr)-Ba-Cu-O single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collin, G.; Albouy, P.A.; Monod, P.; Ribault, M.

1990-01-01

The substitution of Pr to Y leads to materials with a general formula (Y 1-v Pr v ) (Ba 2-x Pr x ) (Cu 3-y vac y ) O 6+x/2-y+z and with a structural transition around v + x' ∼ 0.5. For v + x 0.5 the crystals are tetragonal, La 1.5 Ba 1.5 Cu 3 O 7±z type, with the characteristic tri-twinning of this phase. The Pr valency, in the range 3-3.2 + depending on preparation conditions, is determined from interatomic distances. Orthorhombic crystals of Pr Ba Cu O prepared at high temperatures exhibit a high amount of defects, y ∼ 0.25 on the Cu(1) site and are semiconductors with a T -1/4 activation law attributed to the praseodymium valence fluctuation

[Partially unfolded state of lysozyme with a developed secondary structure in dimethylsulfoxide].

Science.gov (United States)

Timchenko, A A; Kirkitadze, M D; Prokhorov, D A; Potekhin, S A; Serdiuk, I N

1996-06-01

The conformation of a chicken egg lysozyme molecule (dimensions, stoichiometry of its associates, and the degree of helicity) in DMSO was studied by small-angle neutron scattering, dynamic light scattering, and optical rotatory dispersion in the visible region of the spectrum. At high DMSO concentrations (70%), the protein was shown to exist as a dimer. The monomer molecules in the dimer adopt a partially unfolded conformation, with dimensions substantially greater than those in the native state and a high content of secondary structure (the degree of helicity is close to that of native lysozyme). This approach provides a unique possibility to assess the compactness of molecules in associates, which may be very useful in studying protein self-organization.

Electromagnetic Fields Effects on the Secondary Structure of Lysozyme and Bioprotective Effectiveness of Trehalose

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emanuele Calabrò

2012-01-01

Full Text Available FTIR spectroscopy was used to investigate the effects of extremely low frequency (50 Hz electromagnetic field and of microwaves at 900 MHz on the secondary structure of a typical protein, the lysozyme, evaluating the bioprotective effectiveness of trehalose. Lysozyme in D2O solution (60 mg/ml was exposed to 50 Hz frequency electromagnetic field at 180 μT. The FTIR spectra indicated an increase of CH2 group at 1921 and 1853 cm−1 after 3 h of exposure. Such effect was not observed after the addition of trehalose (150 mg/mL at the same exposure conditions. Lysozyme dissolved in D2O at the concentration of 100 mg/mL was exposed up to 4 h to 900 MHz mobile phone microwaves at 25 mA/m. A significant increase in intensity of the amide I vibration band in the secondary structure of the protein was observed after 4 h exposure to microwaves. This effect was inhibited by the presence of trehalose at the concentration of 150 mg/mL. Fourier self-deconvolution spectral analysis of lysozyme in D2O solution after exposure to microwaves revealed an increase in intensity of the conformational components of amide I mode, particularly of β-sheet and turn that can be attributed to disorder and unfolding processes of the protein.

Fibrous polymer grafted magnetic chitosan beads with strong poly(cation-exchange) groups for single step purification of lysozyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Bayramoglu, Gulay; Tekinay, Turgay; Ozalp, V Cengiz; Arica, M Yakup

2015-05-15

Lysozyme is an important polypetide used in medical and food applications. We report a novel magnetic strong cation exchange beads for efficient purification of lysozyme from chicken egg white. Magnetic chitosan (MCHT) beads were synthesized via phase inversion method, and then grafted with poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (p(GMA)) via the surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP). Epoxy groups of the grafted polymer, were modified into strong cation-exchange groups (i.e., sulfonate groups) in the presence of sodium sulfite. The MCTH and MCTH-g-p(GMA)-SO3H beads were characterized by ATR-FTIR, SEM, and VSM. The sulphonate groups content of the modified MCTH-g-p(GMA)-4 beads was found to be 0.53mmolg(-1) of beads by the potentiometric titration method. The MCTH-g-p(GMA)-SO3H beads were first used as an ion-exchange support for adsorption of lysozyme from aqueous solution. The influence of different experimental parameters such as pH, contact time, and temperature on the adsorption process was evaluated. The maximum adsorption capacity was found to be 208.7mgg(-1) beads. Adsorption of lysozyme on the MCTH-g-p(GMA)-SO3H beads fitted to Langmuir isotherm model and followed the pseudo second-order kinetic. More than 93% of the adsorbed lysozyme was desorbed using Na2CO3 solution (pH 11.0). The purity of the lysozyme was checked by HPLC and SDS gel electrophoresis. In addition, the MCTH-g-p(GMA)-SO3H beads prepared in this work showed promising potential for separation of various anionic molecules. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Crystal orientation mapping applied to the Y-TZP/WC composite

CERN Document Server

Faryna, M; Sztwiertnia, K

2002-01-01

Crystal orientation measurements made by electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD) in the scanning electron microscope (SEM) and microscopic observations provided the basis for a quantitative investigation of microstructure in an yttria stabilized, tetragonal zirconia-based (Y-TZP) composite. Automatic crystal orientation mapping (ACOM) in a SEM can be preferable to transmission electron microscopy (TEM) for microstructural characterization, since no sample thinning is required, extensive crystal data is already available, and the analysis area is greatly increased. A composite with a 20 vol.% tungsten carbide (WC) content was chosen since it revealed crystal relationships between the matrix and carbide phase already established by TEM analysis. However, this composite was difficult to investigate in the EBSD/ SEM since it is non-conductive, the Y-TZP grain size is of the order of the system resolution, and the sample surface, though carefully prepared, reveals a distinctive microtopography. In this paper, so...

Multiple I-Type Lysozymes in the Hydrothermal Vent Mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus and Their Role in Symbiotic Plasticity.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Camille Detree

Full Text Available The aim of this study was first to identify lysozymes paralogs in the deep sea mussel Bathymodiolus azoricus then to measure their relative expression or activity in different tissue or conditions. B. azoricus is a bivalve that lives close to hydrothermal chimney in the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR. They harbour in specialized gill cells two types of endosymbiont (gram-bacteria: sulphide oxidizing bacteria (SOX and methanotrophic bacteria (MOX. This association is thought to be ruled by specific mechanism or actors of regulation to deal with the presence of symbiont but these mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we focused on the implication of lysozyme, a bactericidal enzyme, in this endosymbiosis. The relative expression of Ba-lysozymes paralogs and the global anti-microbial activity, were measured in natural population (Lucky Strike--1700 m, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and in in situ experimental conditions. B. azoricus individuals were moved away from the hydrothermal fluid to induce a loss of symbiont. Then after 6 days some mussels were brought back to the mussel bed to induce a re-acquisition of symbiotic bacteria. Results show the presence of 6 paralogs in B. azoricus. In absence of symbionts, 3 paralogs are up-regulated while others are not differentially expressed. Moreover the global activity of lysozyme is increasing with the loss of symbiont. All together these results suggest that lysozyme may play a crucial role in symbiont regulation.

Fast high-pressure freezing of protein crystals in their mother liquor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burkhardt, Anja; Warmer, Martin; Panneerselvam, Saravanan; Wagner, Armin; Zouni, Athina; Glöckner, Carina; Reimer, Rudolph; Hohenberg, Heinrich; Meents, Alke

2012-01-01

Protein crystals were vitrified using high-pressure freezing in their mother liquor at 210 MPa and 77 K without cryoprotectants or oil coating. The method was successfully applied to photosystem II, which is representative of a membrane protein with a large unit cell and weak crystal contacts. High-pressure freezing (HPF) is a method which allows sample vitrification without cryoprotectants. In the present work, protein crystals were cooled to cryogenic temperatures at a pressure of 210 MPa. In contrast to other HPF methods published to date in the field of cryocrystallography, this protocol involves rapid sample cooling using a standard HPF device. The fast cooling rates allow HPF of protein crystals directly in their mother liquor without the need for cryoprotectants or external reagents. HPF was first attempted with hen egg-white lysozyme and cubic insulin crystals, yielding good to excellent diffraction quality. Non-cryoprotected crystals of the membrane protein photosystem II have been successfully cryocooled for the first time. This indicates that the presented HPF method is well suited to the vitrification of challenging systems with large unit cells and weak crystal contacts

Preliminary X-ray analysis of twinned crystals of sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase from Halorhodospira halochoris

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kallio, Juha Pekka; Jänis, Janne; Nyyssölä, Antti; Hakulinen, Nina; Rouvinen, Juha

2009-01-01

The crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase from H. halochoris is reported. Sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase (EC 2.1.1.157) is an enzyme from the extremely halophilic anaerobic bacterium Halorhodospira halochoris. This enzyme catalyzes the twofold methylation of sarcosine to betaine, with S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet) as the methyl-group donor. This study presents the crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of recombinant sarcosine dimethylglycine methyltransferase produced in Escherichia coli. Mass spectroscopy was used to determine the purity and homogeneity of the enzyme material. Two different crystal forms, which initially appeared to be hexagonal and tetragonal, were obtained. However, on analyzing the diffraction data it was discovered that both crystal forms were pseudo-merohedrally twinned. The true crystal systems were monoclinic and orthorhombic. The monoclinic crystal diffracted to a maximum of 2.15 Å resolution and the orthorhombic crystal diffracted to 1.8 Å resolution

Shape-Evolution Control of hybrid perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 crystals via solvothermal synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Baohua; Guo, Fuqiang; Yang, Lianhong; Jia, Xiuling; Liu, Bin; Xie, Zili; Chen, Dunjun; Lu, Hai; Zhang, Rong; Zheng, Youdou

2017-02-01

We systematically synthesized CH3NH3PbI3 crystals using solvothermal process, and the reaction conditions such as concentration of the precursor, temperature, time, and lead source have been comprehensively investigated to obtain shape-controlled CH3NH3PbI3 crystals. The results showed that the CH3NH3PbI3 crystals exhibit tetragonal phase and the crystals change from nanoparticles to hopper-faced cuboids. Photoluminescence spectra of the crystals obtained with different lead sources show a blue shift due to the presence of defects in the crystals, and the peak intensity is very sensitive to the lead sources. Moreover, impurities (undesirable byproducts and excess components like HI or CH3NH2) presented during crystal growth can result in hopper growth.

Isolation and partial purification of lysozyme from saliva of Bali Cattle ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

SND

2012-01-26

Jan 26, 2012 ... 2Faculty of Mathematics and Life Sciences, Mataram University, Jl. Majapahit No. ... The method adopted for isolation of the lysozyme was from Su and ... Vis spectrophotometer (Shimadzu UV-160, Japan) using a BSA.

Crystal Growth and Characterization of (Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3-BaTiO3 Single Crystals Obtained by a Top-Seeded Solution Growth Method under High-Pressure Oxygen Atmosphere

Science.gov (United States)

Onozuka, Hiroaki; Kitanaka, Yuuki; Noguchi, Yuji; Miyayama, Masaru

2011-09-01

A single crystal of ferroelectric 0.88(Bi,Na)TiO3-0.12BaTiO3 (BNT-BT) solid solution with tetragonal P4mm structure was grown by a top-seeded solution growth (TSSG) method at a high oxygen pressure (PO2 ) of 0.9 MPa. The crystals exhibited a large remanent polarization (Pr) of 54 µC/cm2, which leads to a spontaneous polarization estimated to be 54 µC/cm2. The large Pr compared with that of crystals grown at PO2 = 0.1 MPa is suggested to originate from a low oxygen vacancy concentration. The high-PO2 TSSG method is demonstrated to be effective for obtaining large-sized, high-quality BNT-BT crystals.

EPR and optical absorption studies of paramagnetic molecular ion (VO2+) in Lithium Sodium Acid Phthalate single crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Subbulakshmi, N.; Kumar, M. Saravana; Sheela, K. Juliet; Krishnan, S. Radha; Shanmugam, V. M.; Subramanian, P.

2017-12-01

Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopic studies of VO2+ ions as paramagnetic impurity in Lithium Sodium Acid Phthalate (LiNaP) single crystal have been done at room temperature on X-Band microwave frequency. The lattice parameter values are obtained for the chosen system from Single crystal X-ray diffraction study. Among the number of hyperfine lines in the EPR spectra only two sets are reported from EPR data. The principal values of g and A tensors are evaluated for the two different VO2+ sites I and II. They possess the crystalline field around the VO2+ as orthorhombic. Site II VO2+ ion is identified as substitutional in place of Na1 location and the other site I is identified as interstitial location. For both sites in LiNaP, VO2+ are identified in octahedral coordination with tetragonal distortion as seen from the spin Hamiltonian parameter values. The ground state of vanadyl ion in the LiNaP single crystal is dxy. Using optical absorption data the octahedral and tetragonal parameters are calculated. By correlating EPR and optical data, the molecular orbital bonding parameters have been discussed for both sites.

Tetragonal Ce-based Ce-Sm(Fe, Co, Ti){sub 12} alloys for permanent magnets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martin-Cid, Andres; Salazar, Daniel [BCMaterials, Bizkaia Science and Tecnology Park, 48160 Derio (Spain); Gabay, Aleksandr M.; Hadjipanayis, George C. [Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, 19716 (United States); Barandiaran, Jose Manuel [BCMaterials, Bizkaia Science and Tecnology Park, 48160 Derio (Spain); Department of Electricity and Electronics, University Basque Country (UPV/EHU), 48080 Bilbao (Spain)

2016-12-15

Abundance and relatively low cost of Ce provide a great incentive for its use in rare-earth permanent magnets. It has been recently reported that the tetragonal Ce(Fe,Co,Ti)12 compounds may exhibit application-worthy intrinsic magnetic properties. In this work the effect of the α-Fe phase formation due to the evaporation of Sm during alloy fabrication has been studied, as a previous step in the attempt to convert the intrinsic magnetic properties into functional properties of a permanent magnet. Ce{sub 0.5}Sm{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 9}Co{sub 2}Ti alloys based on the ThMn12-type crystal structure have been synthesized via melt-spinning with different Sm content. Coercive fields between 2.8 and 1.4 kOe have been found for α-Fe phase contents between 8 and 46% in volume, showing the influence of the α-Fe phase on the coercivity and exchange coupling between the hard and soft phase. (copyright 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH and Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Label-Free Aptasensor for Lysozyme Detection Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dionisia Ortiz-Aguayo

2018-01-01

Full Text Available This research develops a label-free aptamer biosensor (aptasensor based on graphite-epoxy composite electrodes (GECs for the detection of lysozyme protein using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS technique. The chosen immobilization technique was based on covalent bonding using carbodiimide chemistry; for this purpose, carboxylic moieties were first generated on the graphite by electrochemical grafting. The detection was performed using [Fe(CN6]3−/[Fe(CN6]4− as redox probe. After recording the frequency response, values were fitted to its electric model using the principle of equivalent circuits. The aptasensor showed a linear response up to 5 µM for lysozyme and a limit of detection of 1.67 µM. The sensitivity of the established method was 0.090 µM−1 in relative charge transfer resistance values. The interference response by main proteins, such as bovine serum albumin and cytochrome c, has been also characterized. To finally verify the performance of the developed aptasensor, it was applied to wine analysis.

Label-Free Aptasensor for Lysozyme Detection Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy.

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz-Aguayo, Dionisia; Del Valle, Manel

2018-01-26

This research develops a label-free aptamer biosensor (aptasensor) based on graphite-epoxy composite electrodes (GECs) for the detection of lysozyme protein using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) technique. The chosen immobilization technique was based on covalent bonding using carbodiimide chemistry; for this purpose, carboxylic moieties were first generated on the graphite by electrochemical grafting. The detection was performed using [Fe(CN)₆] 3- /[Fe(CN)₆] 4- as redox probe. After recording the frequency response, values were fitted to its electric model using the principle of equivalent circuits. The aptasensor showed a linear response up to 5 µM for lysozyme and a limit of detection of 1.67 µM. The sensitivity of the established method was 0.090 µM -1 in relative charge transfer resistance values. The interference response by main proteins, such as bovine serum albumin and cytochrome c, has been also characterized. To finally verify the performance of the developed aptasensor, it was applied to wine analysis.

Complexation of lysozyme with adsorbed PtBS-b-SCPI block polyelectrolyte micelles on silver surface.

Science.gov (United States)

Papagiannopoulos, Aristeidis; Christoulaki, Anastasia; Spiliopoulos, Nikolaos; Vradis, Alexandros; Toprakcioglu, Chris; Pispas, Stergios

2015-01-20

We present a study of the interaction of the positively charged model protein lysozyme with the negatively charged amphiphilic diblock polyelectrolyte micelles of poly(tert-butylstyrene-b-sodium (sulfamate/carboxylate)isoprene) (PtBS-b-SCPI) on the silver/water interface. The adsorption kinetics are monitored by surface plasmon resonance, and the surface morphology is probed by atomic force microscopy. The micellar adsorption is described by stretched-exponential kinetics, and the micellar layer morphology shows that the micelles do not lose their integrity upon adsorption. The complexation of lysozyme with the adsorbed micellar layers depends on the micelles arrangement and density in the underlying layer, and lysozyme follows the local morphology of the underlying roughness. When the micellar adsorbed amount is small, the layers show low capacity in protein complexation and low resistance in loading. When the micellar adsorbed amount is high, the situation is reversed. The adsorbed layers both with or without added protein are found to be irreversibly adsorbed on the Ag surface.

Interaction of lysozyme with a tear film lipid layer model: A molecular dynamics simulation study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wizert, Alicja; Iskander, D Robert; Cwiklik, Lukasz

2017-12-01

The tear film is a thin multilayered structure covering the cornea. Its outermost layer is a lipid film underneath of which resides on an aqueous layer. This tear film lipid layer (TFLL) is itself a complex structure, formed by both polar and nonpolar lipids. It was recently suggested that due to tear film dynamics, TFLL contains inhomogeneities in the form of polar lipid aggregates. The aqueous phase of tear film contains lachrymal-origin proteins, whereby lysozyme is the most abundant. These proteins can alter TFLL properties, mainly by reducing its surface tension. However, a detailed nature of protein-lipid interactions in tear film is not known. We investigate the interactions of lysozyme with TFLL in molecular details by employing coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. We demonstrate that lysozyme, due to lateral restructuring of TFLL, is able to penetrate the tear lipid film embedded in inverse micellar aggregates. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effect of guar gum conjugation on functional, antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of egg white lysozyme.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamdani, Afshan Mumtaz; Wani, Idrees Ahmed; Bhat, Naseer Ahmad; Siddiqi, Raushid Ahmad

2018-02-01

This study was undertaken to analyze the effect of conjugation of egg-white lysozyme with guar gum. Lysozyme is an antimicrobial polypeptide that can be used for food preservation. Its antibacterial activity is limited to gram positive bacteria. Conjugation with polysaccharides like guar gum may broaden its activity against gram negatives. Conjugate was developed through Maillard reaction. Assays carried out included sugar estimation, SDS-PAGE, GPC, color, FT-IR, DSC, thermal stability, solubility, emulsifying, foaming and antioxidant activity. In addition, antimicrobial activity of the conjugate was determined against two gram positive (Staphyllococcus aureus and Enterococcus) and two gram negative pathogens (E. coli and Salmonella). Results showed higher functional properties of lysozyme-guar gum conjugate. The antioxidant properties increased from 2.02-35.80% (Inhibition of DPPH) and 1.65-4.93AAE/g (reducing power) upon guar gum conjugation. Conjugate significantly inhibited gram negative bacteria and the antibacterial activity also increased significantly against gram positive pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

White shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) recombinant lysozyme has antibacterial activity against Gram negative bacteria: Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio parahemolyticus and Vibrio cholerae.

Science.gov (United States)

de-la-Re-Vega, Enrique; García-Galaz, Alfonso; Díaz-Cinco, Martha E; Sotelo-Mundo, Rogerio R

2006-03-01

C-type lysozyme has been described as an antibacterial component of the shrimp innate defence system. We determined quantitatively the antibacterial activity of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) recombinant lysozyme against three Gram negative bacteria: Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio parahemolyticus and Vibrio cholerae, using a turbidimetric assay with live bacteria and differential bacterial viable count after interaction with the protein. In conclusion, the antibacterial activity of recombinant shrimp lysozyme against Vibrio sp. is at least equal to the values against the Gram positive M. luteus and more active against the shrimp pathogens V. alginolyticus and V. parahemolyticus.

Mechanical properties and dependence with temperature of tetragonal polycrystalline zirconia materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Orange, G.

1986-01-01

Polycrystalline zirconia materials with a high content of metastable tetragonal phase have been obtained by pressureless sintering from experimental powders. Mechanical properties have been determined at room temperature and compared with similar materials. The fracture strength (σ /SUB f/ ) and fracture toughness (K /SUB 1c/ ) temperature dependence has been studied, in air environment up to 1000 0 C. Microstructure was studied by SEM examinations of fracture faces and TEM observations. Fracture toughness (of about 10 MPa √m at room temperature) decreases from 200 0 C to 800 0 C. The critical temperature (T /SUB c/ ) is estimated at 600 0 C. We observe an important decreases of fracture strength at 200 0 C. These mechanical properties are discussed on the basis of the stability of the tetragonal phase depending on additive content, grain size and temperature

Expression of T4 Lysozyme Gene (gene e) in Streptococcus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

pL2 plasmid isolated from E. coli was introduced into S. salivarius subsp. thermophilus and Lactococcus lactis cells by electro-transformation. The lysozyme enzymes expressing by these bacteria were found to be active on Micrococcus luteus cells and thereby preventing their growth on assay plates. Thermostability of ...

Electron loss from multiply protonated lysozyme ions in high energy collisions with molecular oxygen

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hvelplund, P; Nielsen, SB; Sørensen, M

2001-01-01

We report on the electron loss from multiply protonated lysozyme ions Lys-Hn(n)+ (n = 7 - 17) and the concomitant formation of Lys-Hn(n+1)+. in high-energy collisions with molecular oxygen (laboratory kinetic energy = 50 x n keV). The cross section for electron loss increases with the charge state...... of the precursor from n = 7 to n = 11 and then remains constant when n increases further. The absolute size of the cross section ranges from 100 to 200 A2. The electron loss is modeled as an electron transfer process between lysozyme cations and molecular oxygen....

Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of biotin protein ligase from Staphylococcus aureus.

Science.gov (United States)

Pendini, Nicole R; Polyak, Steve W; Booker, Grant W; Wallace, John C; Wilce, Matthew C J

2008-06-01

Biotin protein ligase from Staphylococcus aureus catalyses the biotinylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and pyruvate carboxylase. Recombinant biotin protein ligase from S. aureus has been cloned, expressed and purified. Crystals were grown using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 8000 as the precipitant at 295 K. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.3 A resolution from crystals using synchrotron X-ray radiation at 100 K. The diffraction was consistent with the tetragonal space group P4(2)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 93.665, c = 131.95.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray analysis of the C-terminal fragment of PorM, a subunit of the Porphyromonas gingivalis type IX secretion system

OpenAIRE

Stathopulos, Julien; Cambillau, Christian; Cascales, Eric; Roussel, Alain; Leone, Philippe

2015-01-01

Crystals of the C-terminal part of PorM obtained by limited proteolysis of the purified recombinant protein and grown from PEG solutions were tetragonal (space group P43212) and diffracted to 2.85 Å resolution.

Purification and Characterization of Recombinant Human Lysozyme from Eggs of Transgenic Chickens.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hanyu Wu

Full Text Available Transgenic chickens as bioreactors have several advantages, such as the simple establishment procedure, correct glycosylation profile of expressed proteins, etc. Lysozyme is widely used in food industry, livestock farming, and medical field as a replacement of antibiotics because of its antibacterial and complement system-modulating activity. In this study, we used RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence to detect the expression of recombinant human lysozyme (rhLY in the transgenic chicken. We demonstrated that the transgene of rhLY was genetically stable across different generations. We next optimized the purification procedure of rhLY from the transgenic eggs by utilizing two steps of cation-exchange chromatography and one gel-filtration chromatography. About 6 mg rhLY with the purity exceeding 90% was obtained from ten eggs, and the purification efficiency was about 75%. The purified rhLY had similar physicochemical and biological properties in molecular mass and antibacterial activity compared to the commercial human lysozyme. Additionally, both of them exhibited thermal stability at 60°C and tolerated an extensive pH range of 2 to 11. In conclusion, our study proved that the transgenic chickens we have previously generated were genetically stable and suitable for the production of active rhLY. We also provided a pipeline for purifying the recombinant proteins from transgenic eggs, which could be useful for other studies.

Studies on isolation and partial purification of lysozyme from egg ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-01-05

Jan 5, 2009 ... nine species of lovebirds, and many different colour var- ieties. Their scientific name Agapornis comes from the. Greek Agapa meaning, “Love” and ornis meaning “bird”. This paper describes the isolation, partial purification and determination of molecular weight of lysozyme of Agapor- nis sp. egg white.

Molecular Insight into Human Lysozyme and Its Ability to Form Amyloid Fibrils in High Concentrations of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate: A View from Molecular Dynamics Simulations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majid Jafari

Full Text Available Changes in the tertiary structure of proteins and the resultant fibrillary aggregation could result in fatal heredity diseases, such as lysozyme systemic amyloidosis. Human lysozyme is a globular protein with antimicrobial properties with tendencies to fibrillate and hence is known as a fibril-forming protein. Therefore, its behavior under different ambient conditions is of great importance. In this study, we conducted two 500000 ps molecular dynamics (MD simulations of human lysozyme in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS at two ambient temperatures. To achieve comparative results, we also performed two 500000 ps human lysozyme MD simulations in pure water as controls. The aim of this study was to provide further molecular insight into all interactions in the lysozyme-SDS complexes and to provide a perspective on the ability of human lysozyme to form amyloid fibrils in the presence of SDS surfactant molecules. SDS, which is an anionic detergent, contains a hydrophobic tail with 12 carbon atoms and a negatively charged head group. The SDS surfactant is known to be a stabilizer for helical structures above the critical micelle concentration (CMC [1]. During the 500000 ps MD simulations, the helical structures were maintained by the SDS surfactant above its CMC at 300 K, while at 370 K, human lysozyme lost most of its helices and gained β-sheets. Therefore, we suggest that future studies investigate the β-amyloid formation of human lysozyme at SDS concentrations above the CMC and at high temperatures.

Perovskite phases in the systems Asup(II)O-UO/sub 3/. 1. Tetragonal perovskite Ba/sub 2/Basub(7/8)vacantsub(1/8)UO/sub 5/sub(7/8)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Griffiths, A J; Kemmler-Sack, S [Tuebingen Univ. (Germany, F.R.)

1979-10-01

The new tetragonal compound Ba/sub 2/Basub(7/8)vacantsub(1/8)UO/sub 5/sub(7/8) (a = 2 x 6.31/sub 2/ A; c = 2 x 8.76/sub 7/ A) has been found besides Ba/sub 3/UO/sub 6/ (triclinic) in the BaO-UO/sub 3/ system. It crystallizes with a superstructure of perovskite type. The differences in properties between Ba/sub 3/UO/sub 6/ and Ba/sub 2/Basub(7/8)vacantsub(1/8) UO/sub 5/sub(7/8) are discussed.

Prophenoloxidase system, lysozyme and protease inhibitor distribution in the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Pabic, Charles; Safi, Georges; Serpentini, Antoine; Lebel, Jean-Marc; Robin, Jean-Paul; Koueta, Noussithé

2014-01-01

The immune system of cephalopods remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to determine the specific activity of immune enzymes in epithelial barriers, circulatory and digestive systems of the common cuttlefish Sepia officinalis. Three enzyme groups with putative functions in immunity were investigated: phenoloxidases (POs), lysozymes and protease inhibitors (PIs). Consistent with a role in immunity, highest PO activities were found in the integument as well as the respiratory and circulatory organs under zymogenic (proPO) and active form. Surprisingly, high PO activities were also found in the digestive gland and its appendages. Similarly, high lysozyme activities were detected in the integument and circulatory organs, but also in the posterior salivary glands, highlighting the implication of this antibacterial enzyme group in most tissues exposed to the environment but also within the circulatory system. Albeit highest in digestive organs, the ubiquitous detection of PI activity in assayed compartments suggests immune function(s) in a wide range of tissues. Our study reports proPO/PO, lysozyme and PI distributions in S. officinalis body compartments for the first time, and thus provides the fundamental basis for a better understanding of the humoral immune system in cephalopods as well as invertebrates. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The extracytoplasmic function sigma factor SigV plays a key role in the original model of lysozyme resistance and virulence of Enterococcus faecalis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Le Jeune

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Enterococcus faecalis is one of the leading agents of nosocomial infections. To cause diseases, pathogens or opportunistic bacteria have to adapt and survive to the defense systems encountered in the host. One of the most important compounds of the host innate defense response against invading microorganisms is lysozyme. It is found in a wide variety of body fluids, as well as in cells of the innate immune system. Lysozyme could act either as a muramidase and/or as a cationic antimicrobial peptide. Like Staphylococcus aureus, E. faecalis is one of the few bacteria that are completely lysozyme resistant. RESULTS: This study revealed that oatA (O-acetyl transferase and dlt (D-Alanylation of lipoteicoic acids genes contribute only partly to the lysozyme resistance of E. faecalis and that a specific transcriptional regulator, the extracytoplasmic function SigV sigma factor plays a key role in this event. Indeed, the sigV single mutant is as sensitive as the oatA/dltA double mutant, and the sigV/oatA/dltA triple mutant displays the highest level of lysozyme sensitivity suggesting synergistic effects of these genes. In S. aureus, mutation of both oatA and dlt genes abolishes completely the lysozyme resistance, whereas this is not the case in E. faecalis. Interestingly SigV does not control neither oatA nor dlt genes. Moreover, the sigV mutants clearly showed a reduced capacity to colonize host tissues, as they are significantly less recovered than the parental JH2-2 strain from organs of mice subjected to intravenous or urinary tract infections. CONCLUSIONS: This work led to the discovery of an original model of lysozyme resistance mechanism which is obviously more complex than those described for other Gram positive pathogens. Moreover, our data provide evidences for a direct link between lysozyme resistance and virulence of E. faecalis.

Linear electro-optical properties of tetragonal BaTiO 3

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Linear optical susceptibility and clamped linear electro-optical tensor coefficients of tetragonal BaTiO3 are calculated using a formalism based on bond charge theory. Calculated values are in close agreement with experimental data. The covalent Ti–O bonds constituting distorted TiO6 octahedral groups are found to be ...

Purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of biotin protein ligase from Staphylococcus aureus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pendini, Nicole R.; Polyak, Steve W.; Booker, Grant W.; Wallace, John C.; Wilce, Matthew C. J.

2008-01-01

The biotin protein ligase from S. aureus has been overexpressed in E. coli, purified, crystallized by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method and analysed using X-ray diffraction. Biotin protein ligase from Staphylococcus aureus catalyses the biotinylation of acetyl-CoA carboxylase and pyruvate carboxylase. Recombinant biotin protein ligase from S. aureus has been cloned, expressed and purified. Crystals were grown using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method using PEG 8000 as the precipitant at 295 K. X-ray diffraction data were collected to 2.3 Å resolution from crystals using synchrotron X-ray radiation at 100 K. The diffraction was consistent with the tetragonal space group P4 2 2 1 2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 93.665, c = 131.95

Laser scattering in a hanging drop vapor diffusion apparatus for protein crystal growth in a microgravity environment

Science.gov (United States)

Casay, G. A.; Wilson, W. W.

1992-01-01

One type of hardware used to grow protein crystals in the microgravity environment aboard the U.S. Space Shuttle is a hanging drop vapor diffusion apparatus (HDVDA). In order to optimize crystal growth conditions, dynamic control of the HDVDA is desirable. A critical component in the dynamically controlled system is a detector for protein nucleation. We have constructed a laser scattering detector for the HDVDA capable of detecting the nucleation stage. The detector was successfully tested for several scatterers differing in size using dynamic light scattering techniques. In addition, the ability to detect protein nucleation using the HDVDA was demonstrated for lysozyme.

Unique Optical Properties of Methylammonium Lead Iodide Nanocrystals Below the Bulk Tetragonal-Orthorhombic Phase Transition.

Science.gov (United States)

Diroll, Benjamin T; Guo, Peijun; Schaller, Richard D

2018-02-14

Methylammonium (MA) and formamidinium (FA) lead halides are widely studied for their potential as low-cost, high-performance optoelectronic materials. Here, we present measurements of visible and IR absorption, steady state, and time-resolved photoluminescence from 300 K to cryogenic temperatures. Whereas FAPbI 3 nanocrystals (NCs) are found to behave in a very similar manner to reported bulk behavior, colloidal nanocrystals of MAPbI 3 show a departure from the low-temperature optical behavior of the bulk material. Using photoluminescence, visible, and infrared absorption measurements, we demonstrate that unlike single crystals and polycrystalline films NCs of MAPbI 3 do not undergo optical changes associated with the bulk tetragonal-to-orthorhombic phase transition, which occurs near 160 K. We find no evidence of frozen organic cation rotation to as low as 80 K or altered exciton binding energy to as low as 3 K in MAPbI 3 NCs. Similar results are obtained in MAPbI 3 NCs ranging from 20 to over 100 nm and in morphologies including cubes and plates. Colloidal MAPbI 3 NCs therefore offer a window into the properties of the solar-relevant, room-temperature phase of MAPbI 3 at temperatures inaccessible with single crystals or polycrystalline samples. Exploiting this phenomenon, these measurements reveal the existence of an optically passive photoexcited state close to the band edge and persistent slow Auger recombination at low temperature.

Phase transitions and electrical characterizations of (K 0.5Na 0.5) 2x(Sr 0.6Ba 0.4) 5-xNb 10O 30 (KNSBN) ceramics with 'unfilled' and 'filled' tetragonal tungsten-bronze (TTB) crystal structure

KAUST Repository

Yao, Yingbang

2012-12-01

Alkali-doped strontium barium niobate (K 0.5Na 0.5) 2x(Sr 0.6Ba 0.4) 5-xNb 10O 30 (KNSBN) ceramics has been prepared by a conventional solid-state reaction method. The alkali-dopant concentration x has been varied from 0.24 to 1.15 so that the crystal structure was transformed from \\'unfilled\\' to \\'filled\\' tetragonal tungsten-bronze (TTB) structure. Apart from the change in the structural properties, the effects of the alkali-dopants on the phase transition as well as ferroelectric, piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties have also been investigated. Phase transitions have been studied in the temperature range of -200°C to 350°C. The origins of these phase transitions are discussed. The addition of the alkali-dopants enhances the ferroelectric, piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties of the KNSBN ceramics. Alkali-doping also favors abnormal grain growth and thus results in a porous microstructure, which might contribute to the enhancement of the pyroelectric performance. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Phase transitions and electrical characterizations of (K 0.5Na 0.5) 2x(Sr 0.6Ba 0.4) 5-xNb 10O 30 (KNSBN) ceramics with 'unfilled' and 'filled' tetragonal tungsten-bronze (TTB) crystal structure

KAUST Repository

Yao, Yingbang; Mak, C. L.; Ploss, Bernd

2012-01-01

Alkali-doped strontium barium niobate (K 0.5Na 0.5) 2x(Sr 0.6Ba 0.4) 5-xNb 10O 30 (KNSBN) ceramics has been prepared by a conventional solid-state reaction method. The alkali-dopant concentration x has been varied from 0.24 to 1.15 so that the crystal structure was transformed from 'unfilled' to 'filled' tetragonal tungsten-bronze (TTB) structure. Apart from the change in the structural properties, the effects of the alkali-dopants on the phase transition as well as ferroelectric, piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties have also been investigated. Phase transitions have been studied in the temperature range of -200°C to 350°C. The origins of these phase transitions are discussed. The addition of the alkali-dopants enhances the ferroelectric, piezoelectric and pyroelectric properties of the KNSBN ceramics. Alkali-doping also favors abnormal grain growth and thus results in a porous microstructure, which might contribute to the enhancement of the pyroelectric performance. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.

Crystallization and preliminary diffraction studies of CBM3b of cellobiohydrolase 9A from Clostridium thermocellum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jindou, Sadanari [Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University 69978 (Israel); Petkun, Svetlana [Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University 69978 (Israel); The Daniella Rich Institute for Structural Biology, Tel Aviv University 69978 (Israel); Shimon, Linda [Department of Chemical Research Support, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100 (Israel); Bayer, Edward A. [Department of Biological Chemistry, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100 (Israel); Lamed, Raphael; Frolow, Felix, E-mail: mbfrolow@post.tau.ac.il [Department of Molecular Microbiology and Biotechnology, Tel Aviv University 69978 (Israel); The Daniella Rich Institute for Structural Biology, Tel Aviv University 69978 (Israel)

2007-12-01

The cloning, expression, purification and crystallization of the CBM3b module of cellobiohydrolase 9A from C. thermocellum is described. The crystals diffract to 2.68 Å. Family 3 carbohydrate-binding modules (CBM3s) are associated with the scaffoldin subunit of the multi-enzyme cellulosome complex and with the family 9 glycoside hydrolases, which are multimodular enzymes that act on plant cell-wall polysaccharides, notably cellulose. Here, the crystallization of CBM3b from cellobiohydrolase 9A is reported. The crystals are tetragonal and belong to space group P4{sub 1} or P4{sub 3}. X-ray diffraction data for CBM3b have been collected to 2.68 Å resolution on beamline ID14-4 at the ESRF.

Evaluation of lysozyme, complement C3, and total protein in different developmental stages of Caspian kutum (Rutilus frisii kutum K.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdollahi Razieh

2016-03-01

Full Text Available In this study, non–specific immune parameters in fertilized eggs, eyed embryos, larvae 10, 25, 50, 60, and 70 days post hatch (DPH, and female broodstock of Caspian kutum, Rutilus frisii kutum (Kamensky, were evaluated. The lysozyme activity, complement C3, and total protein levels were measured with the turbidimetric, immunoturbidimetric, and Bradford methods, respectively. The results showed that lysozyme levels decreased from levels noted in the fertilized eggs until the larvae were 10 days old. Subsequently, significant increases in lysozyme levels were observed until 70 DPH. An increasing trend of complement component C3 was noted from the levels in fertilized eggs to 10 DPH, following which it decreased significantly. Total protein levels differed significantly in early developmental stages of Caspian kutum. The higher values of complement component C3 than of lysozyme in the early life stages could be indicative of the former’s more fundamental role.

Resonance scattering spectra of micrococcus lysodeikticus and its application to assay of lysozyme activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang, Zhi-Liang; Huang, Guo-Xia

2007-02-01

Several methods, including turbidimetric and colorimetric methods, have been reported for the detection of lysozyme activity. However, there is no report about the resonance scattering spectral (RSS) assay, which is based on the catalytic effect of lysozyme on the hydrolysis of micrococcus lysodeikticus (ML) and its resonance scattering effect. ML has 5 resonance scattering peaks at 360 400, 420, 470, and 520 nm with the strongest one at 470 nm. The concentration of ML in the range of 2.0x10(6)-9.3x10(8) cells/ml is proportional to the RS intensity at 470 nm (I(470 nm)). A new catalytic RSS method has been proposed for 0.24-40.0 U/ml (or 0.012-2.0 mug/ml) lysozyme activity, with a detection limit (3sigma) of 0.014 U/ml (or 0.0007 microg/ml). Saliva samples were assayed by this method, and it is in agreement with the results of turbidimetric method. The slope, intercept and the correlation coefficient of the regression analysis of the 2 assays were 0.9665, -87.50, and 0.9973, respectively. The assay has high sensitivity and simplicity.

Crystallization of a 79 kDa fragment of the hook protein FlgE from Campylobacter jejuni

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kido, Yasuji; Yoon, Young-Ho; Samatey, Fadel A.

2011-01-01

A 79 kDa fragment of FlgE from C. jejuni has been crystallized. A 79 kDa fragment of the bacterial flagellar hook protein FlgE from Campylobacter jejuni was cloned, overexpressed, purified and crystallized. Two different crystal forms were obtained. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction data showed that the first crystal form, which diffracted to 4.9 Å resolution, belonged to the tetragonal crystal system, with space group I4 1 22 and unit-cell parameters a = b = 186.2, c = 386.6 Å, α = β = γ = 90°. The second crystal form diffracted to 2.5 Å resolution and belonged to the monoclinic crystal system, with space group P2 1 and unit-cell parameters a = 75.7, b = 173.8, c = 150.8 Å, α = γ = 90, β = 106.5°. SeMet protein was also overexpressed, purified and crystallized, and a 2.6 Å resolution MAD data set was collected

Ferroelectric lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate single crystals for ultrasonic hydrophone applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lau, S.T.; Lam, K.H.; Chan, H.L.W.; Choy, C.L.; Luo, H.S.; Yin, Q.R.; Yin, Z.W.

2004-01-01

Ferroelectric lead magnesium niobate-lead titanate (PMN-PT) single crystals with a composition around the rhombohedral-tetragonal morphotropic phase boundary (65 mol% of PMN) were used to fabricate single-element needle-type hydrophones for measuring the spatial and temporal characteristics of medical ultrasonic transducers. PMN-PT single crystal was grown by a modified Bridgman method. Discs (0.5 mm thick) with normal along the direction were cut and then poled by a dc field in the thickness direction. The single crystal has a high relative permittivity (ε r ∼4000) making it appropriate for small area hydrophone applications. Single-element needle-type hydrophones with this material as the sensing element have been fabricated and characterized. The hydrophones have flat frequency response and good receiving sensitivity over certain frequency range in the megahertz region

Off-center Jahn-Teller ion: coupled polar and tetragonal deformations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vikhnin, V.S.; Sochava, L.S.

1979-01-01

Models of the off-center Jahn-Teller ions are considered, i.e. Ni + in SrO and Cu 27 in SrO studied earlier. Models of the off-center Jahn-Teller ion are proposed, in which mutual effect of dipole-active deformations conditioning off-centering and the Jahn-Teller tetragonal deformations takes place. Manifestations of a new type of multipit potential XY 24 of an off-center ion are considered. The Jahn-Teller effect (JTE) is studied for a duplicate in cubic environment, unharmonism of the fourth order being taken into account. In such a model of Exe of JTE, the position and quantity of minima of adiabatic potential are changed as compared with Exe of JTE taking account of unharmonism of the third order or the square Jahn-Teller interaction. While using models of the off-center Jahn-Teller ion which take account of the effect of two tetragonal Jahn-Teller deformations occurring in the Exe problem considering unharmonism of the fourth order produced on dipole-active deformations, it becomes possible to explain the experiment for SrO:Ni +

Influence of surface treatment of yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal with hot isostatic pressing on cyclic fatigue strength.

Science.gov (United States)

Iijima, Toshihiko; Homma, Shinya; Sekine, Hideshi; Sasaki, Hodaka; Yajima, Yasutomo; Yoshinari, Masao

2013-01-01

Hot isostatic pressing processed yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (HIP Y-TZP) has the potential for application to implants due to its high mechanical performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of surface treatment of HIP Y-TZP on cyclic fatigue strength. HIP Y-TZP specimens were subjected to different surface treatments. Biaxial flexural strength was determined by both static and cyclic fatigue testing. In the cyclic fatigue test, the load was applied at a frequency of 10 Hz for 10(6) cycles in distilled water at 37°C. The surface morphology, roughness, and crystal phase of the surfaces were also evaluated. The cyclic fatigue strength (888 MPa) of HIP Y-TZP with sandblasting and acid-etching was more than twice that of Y-TZP as specified in ISO 13356 for surgical implants (320 MPa), indicating the clinical potential of this material.

Lysozyme as an alternative to antibiotics improves growth performance and tumor necrosis factor-a levels during an indirect immune challenge

Science.gov (United States)

Lysozyme is a 1,4-ß-N-acetylmuramidase that has antimicrobial properties. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of lysozyme and antibiotics on growth performance and immune response during an indirect disease challenge. Two replicates of 720 pigs each were weaned from the sow at ...

Crystal orientation dependence of the optical bandgap of (1 - x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wan Xinming; Zhao Xiangyong; Chan, H.L.W.; Choy, C.L.; Luo Haosu

2005-01-01

The transmission spectra of rhombohedral 0.71Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3 )O 3 -0.29PbTiO 3 (PMN-0.29PT) and tetragonal PMN-0.38PT single crystals were obtained in the main crystallographic directions , and . The absorption coefficients were computed and the optical bandgaps were calculated in both direct and indirect transitions. The energy of phonons contributing in the indirect transition was also calculated. For PMN-0.38PT single crystal in all the three directions, the values of direct bandgaps E gd are all slightly lower than those of PMN-0.29PT single crystal, while the indirect bandgaps E gi are all higher. For different crystallographic directions, the values of E gi for -direction are lower compared with and directions, both for PMN-0.29PT and PMN-0.38PT single crystals. Some discussions about the B-site cation d-orbits and the O-anion 2p orbits that determine the basic energy level of the single crystals are presented. The optical transition mechanism was also discussed

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of mouse galectin-4 N-terminal carbohydrate recognition domain in complex with lactose

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krejčiříková, Veronika; Fábry, Milan; Marková, Vladimíra; Malý, Petr; Řezáčová, Pavlína; Brynda, Jiří

2008-01-01

Mouse galectin-4 carbohydrate binding domain was overexpressed in E. coli and crystallized in the presence of lactose. The crystals belong to tetragonal space group P42 1 2 and diffraction data were collected to 2.1 Å resolution. Galectin-4 is thought to play a role in the process of tumour conversion of cells of the alimentary tract and the breast tissue; however, its exact function remains unknown. With the aim of elucidating the structural basis of mouse galectin-4 (mGal-4) binding specificity, we have undertaken X-ray analysis of the N-terminal domain, CRD1, of mGal-4 in complex with lactose (the basic building block of known galectin-4 carbohydrate ligands). Crystals of CRD1 in complex with lactose were obtained using vapour-diffusion techniques. The crystals belong to tetragonal space group P42 1 2 with unit-cell parameters a = 91.1, b = 91.16, c = 57.10 Å and preliminary X-ray diffraction data were collected to 3.2 Å resolution. An optimized crystallization procedure and cryocooling protocol allowed us to extend resolution to 2.1 Å. Structure refinement is currently under way; the initial electron-density maps clearly show non-protein electron density in the vicinity of the carbohydrate binding site, indicating the presence of one lactose molecule. The structure will help to improve understanding of the binding specificity and function of the potential colon cancer marker galectin-4

ICCG-10: International Conference on Crystal Growth (10th) Held in San Diego, California on August 16-21, 1992. Oral Presentation Abstracts.

Science.gov (United States)

1992-10-01

D.J nt1 , A. L FrlPP. W. J. Debnam. Jir., a. A. Woodell and W. L Kw. S. A. Payne. W. F. Kruplke. L D. DeLoach. L K. Smith and J. R. Nerayanan B. Tassano...Inst. of Blo. Molec & Cell CNRS. France 9:30 Morphological Properties of CV0 AIN Films 9:30 * Growth and Dissolution Kinetics of Lysozyme Crystals R...Huntsvile. USA Physiochemie des Materltnc. France 10:00 COFFEE BREAK 10:00 Nucleation Phenomena in Crystallization of Satellite Tobacco Mosi Virus

Spectroscopic determination of lysozyme conformational changes in the presence of trehalose and guanidine.

Science.gov (United States)

Barreca, Davide; Laganà, Giuseppina; Ficarra, Silvana; Gattuso, Giuseppe; Magazù, Salvatore; La Torre, Roberto; Tellone, Ester; Bellocco, Ersilia

2013-06-01

The bioprotective action of the disaccharide trehalose has been studied against the well-known denaturating agent, guanidine hydrochloride. The results indicated a direct influence of trehalose on both enzymatic activity and conformational changes of lysozyme, as shown by the decrease of the inactivation rate constant of about 1.48-fold and the loss of α-helix structure of lysozyme. In addition, ESI-MS hydrogen-deuterium (H/D) exchange experiments allowed us to correlate the structural and dynamic features of the protein in the presence of the two additives, highlighting as trehalose remarkably influenced this exchange by decreasing local protein environment changes and solvent accessibility to the amide peptide backbone, as further evidenced by circular dichroism and (1)H NMR measurements.

Lysozyme-magnesium aluminum silicate microparticles: Molecular interaction, bioactivity and release studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kanjanakawinkul, Watchara; Medlicott, Natalie J.; Rades, Thomas

2015-01-01

The objectives of this study were to investigate the adsorption behavior of lysozyme (LSZ) onto magnesium aluminum silicate (MAS) at various pHs and to characterize the LSZ–MAS microparticles obtained from the molecular interaction between LSZ and MAS. The results showed that LSZ could be bound...

A microporous potassium vanadyl phosphate analogue of mahnertite. Hydrothermal synthesis and crystal structure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yakubovich, Olga V.; Russian Academy of Science, Moscow; Steele, Ian M.; Kiriukhina, Galina V.; Dimitrova, Olga V.

2015-01-01

The novel phase K 2.5 Cu 5 Cl(PO 4 ) 4 (OH) 0.5 (VO 2 ).H 2 O was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis at 553 K. Its crystal structure was determined using low-temperature (100 K) single-crystal synchrotron diffraction data and refined against F 2 to R = 0.035. The compound crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4/mmm, with unit-cell parameters a =9.8120(8), c = 19.954(1) Aa, V = 1921.1(2) Aa 3 , and Z = 4. Both symmetrically independent Cu 2+ sites show elongated square-pyramidal coordination. The V 5+ ions reside in strongly distorted five-vertex VO 5 polyhedra with 50% occupancy. The structure is based on a 3D anionic framework built from Cu- and V-centered five-vertex polyhedra and PO 4 tetrahedra. Channels in the [100] and [010] directions accommodate large K atoms and H 2 O molecules. The compound is a new structural representative of the topology shown by the lavendulan group of copper arsenate and phosphate minerals. Their tetragonal or pseudotetragonal crystal structures are characterized by two types of 2D slabs alternating along one axis of their unit cells. One slab, described by the formula [Cu 4 X(TO 4 ) 4 ] 8 (where X = Cl, O and T = As, P), is common to all phases, whereas the slab content of the other set differs among the group members. We suggest interpreting this family of compounds in terms of the modular concept and also consider the synthetic phase Ba(VO)Cu 4 (PO 4 ) 4 as a simplest member of this polysomatic series.

Growth and characterization of lead-free (K,Na)NbO3-based piezoelectric single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Hairui

2016-01-01

) For individual elements, segregation coefficients highly rely on the initial concentration in the liquid solution. The systematic discussion in this work contributes to future composition design in KNN-based crystals. (ii) A competition between elements occupied on the same lattice site was found. (iii) The very low Li segregation coefficient in the KNN matrix is importantly responsible for the occurrence of a secondary phase with the tetragonal tungsten bronze structure. (iv) The observed optically-cloudy regions in as-grown KNN-based single crystals decrease the electrical response and can be reduced by thermal treatment with slow cooling. In the second part of the thesis we used three approaches to enhance the piezoelectric and ferroelectric behavior of KNN-based single crystals, which is shown in Chapter 5. Chemical substitution with Ta or Sb ions indicates that enhanced electromechanical response is achieved when the orthorhombic-tetragonal phase transition temperature is in the proximity of room temperature, as previously reported for polycrystalline ceramics. Thermal treatment in pure O 2 atmosphere resulted in a twofold increase of the piezoelectric coefficient and ferroelectric parameters (maximum and remanent polarization) of a (K,Na,Li)(Ta,Nb,Sb)O 3 single crystal. The up-to-date highest room-temperature piezoelectric coefficient in annealed KNN-based single crystals of 732 pC/N was obtained, which is attributed to the lower defect concentration after the thermal treatment. The third approach, doping with a small amount of transition metal Mn ions in (K,Na,Li)(Ta,Nb)O 3 single crystals, is also presented. Orientation dependence of electromechanical properties in Chapter 6 indicates that high maximum polarization, remanent polarization, coercive field, maximum strain, and negative strain were observed when the electric field was applied along one of the spontaneous polarization vectors in both tetragonal and orthorhombic phases. This is related to the effect

Shape of growing crystals of primary phases in autectic alloys of Fe - Fe2B and Ni - Ni3B systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tavadze, F.N.; Garibashvili, V.I.; Nakaidze, Sh.G.

1983-01-01

Shapes of Fe 2 B and Ni 3 B crystal growth in eutectic Fe-B and Ni-B system alloys are considered. Iron hemiboride primary crystals take the form of a plane-face phase boundary and inherit a tetragonal prismatic lattice. After the crystal attains the critical size the dendritic branching occurs resulting in formation of a typical sceleton dendrite. Comparison of data obtained with entropy of melting for Fe 2 B and Ni 3 B borides shows that FeB crystals during the growth should take the spherical form. It is stated that the shape of growing crystals in Fe-Fe 2 B and Ni-Ni 2 B eutectic colonies is determined by the shape of borides

Calculations of single crystal elastic constants for yttria partially stabilised zirconia from powder diffraction data

Science.gov (United States)

Lunt, A. J. G.; Xie, M. Y.; Baimpas, N.; Zhang, S. Y.; Kabra, S.; Kelleher, J.; Neo, T. K.; Korsunsky, A. M.

2014-08-01

Yttria Stabilised Zirconia (YSZ) is a tough, phase-transforming ceramic that finds use in a wide range of commercial applications from dental prostheses to thermal barrier coatings. Micromechanical modelling of phase transformation can deliver reliable predictions in terms of the influence of temperature and stress. However, models must rely on the accurate knowledge of single crystal elastic stiffness constants. Some techniques for elastic stiffness determination are well-established. The most popular of these involve exploiting frequency shifts and phase velocities of acoustic waves. However, the application of these techniques to YSZ can be problematic due to the micro-twinning observed in larger crystals. Here, we propose an alternative approach based on selective elastic strain sampling (e.g., by diffraction) of grain ensembles sharing certain orientation, and the prediction of the same quantities by polycrystalline modelling, for example, the Reuss or Voigt average. The inverse problem arises consisting of adjusting the single crystal stiffness matrix to match the polycrystal predictions to observations. In the present model-matching study, we sought to determine the single crystal stiffness matrix of tetragonal YSZ using the results of time-of-flight neutron diffraction obtained from an in situ compression experiment and Finite Element modelling of the deformation of polycrystalline tetragonal YSZ. The best match between the model predictions and observations was obtained for the optimized stiffness values of C11 = 451, C33 = 302, C44 = 39, C66 = 82, C12 = 240, and C13 = 50 (units: GPa). Considering the significant amount of scatter in the published literature data, our result appears reasonably consistent.

Fundamental absorption edge of CdP2 single crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bondar', G.I.; Koval', V.S.; Kurik, M.V.

1986-01-01

Fundamental absorption edge of tetragonal CdP 2 crystals is investigated within the temperature range of 4.2-293 K. The crystals are grown by the Bridgman methods and resublimation methods and possess different degree of perfection and purity. In perfect CdP 2 crystals with small concentration of impurities in the region of K > 20 cm -1 the shape of the absorption edge spectrum is described by the Urbach rule. The Urbach rule parameters are defined. The electron-phonon interaction is shown to be the determinant at K > 20 cm -1 and the direct vertical transition is observed. A slight additional absorption with maximum at 2.163 eV within the range of K -1 and at T ≤ 50 is associated with transition from shallow acceptor level to the conduction zone. The impurity leads to the shift of the fundamental absorption edge to the long-wavelength side and diffusion of electrons on impurities is resulted

A simplified counter diffusion method combined with a 1D simulation program for optimizing crystallization conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Hiroaki; Inaka, Koji; Sugiyama, Shigeru; Takahashi, Sachiko; Sano, Satoshi; Sato, Masaru; Yoshitomi, Susumu

2004-01-01

We developed a new protein crystallization method has been developed using a simplified counter-diffusion method for optimizing crystallization condition. It is composed of only a single capillary, the gel in the silicon tube and the screw-top test tube, which are readily available in the laboratory. The one capillary can continuously scan a wide range of crystallization conditions (combination of the concentrations of the precipitant and the protein) unless crystallization occurs, which means that it corresponds to many drops in the vapor-diffusion method. The amount of the precipitant and the protein solutions can be much less than in conventional methods. In this study, lysozyme and alpha-amylase were used as model proteins for demonstrating the efficiency of this method. In addition, one-dimensional (1-D) simulations of the crystal growth were performed based on the 1-D diffusion model. The optimized conditions can be applied to the initial crystallization conditions for both other counter-diffusion methods with the Granada Crystallization Box (GCB) and for the vapor-diffusion method after some modification.

Spall strength, dynamic elastic limit and fracture of ittrya dopped tetragonal zirconia

Science.gov (United States)

Milyavskiy, Vladimir; Savinykh, Andrey; Schlothauer, Thomas; Lukin, Evgeny; Akopov, Felix

2013-06-01

Specimens of the ceramics based on zirconia partially stabilized by yttrium oxide of the composition of 97 mol % ZrO2 + 3 mol % Y2O3 were prepared. The densities of the specimens were 5.79 and 6.01 g/cc. The ceramics mainly have the tetragonal structure (93-98 wt. % of t-ZrO2) . The mechanical action on the ceramic activates the transformation of the tetragonal phase into the monoclinic one: at the abrasive cutting or at the fracture by hammer shock, the content of the monoclinic phase is increasing. The same trend was observed in the specimens, recovered after stepwise shock compression up to 36, 52 and 99 GPa. It was found that shock compression do not initiates tetragonal-monoclinic phase transition directly, and this transition is caused by the destruction. Recovered specimens do not reveal any traces of the phase change which was observed by Mashimo et al. under the pressures 30-35 GPa (J. Appl. Phys. 1995. V. 77. P. 5069). Recording of the profiles of the free surface velocity of the specimens during single-stage shock compression allowed us to determine the dynamic elastic limit, as well as spall strength of the material versus maximal shock stress. In addition, the ceramics were subjected to the action of low temperatures. There were no significant changes in the specimens recovered after storage in liquid nitrogen and helium. The work was supported by The State Atomic Energy Corporation ROSATOM.

Clearing of suspensions of Micrococcus lysodeikticus catalysed by lysozymes from hen, goose, and turkey egg whites, human milk, and phage T4. Assessment of potential as signal generators for homogeneous enzyme immunoassays for urinary steroids.

Science.gov (United States)

Cooke, Delwyn G; Blackwell, Leonard F

2007-01-01

Lysozymes (3.2.1.17) from goose (Anser anser) egg white, turkey (Melagris gallopavo) egg white, phage T4 and human milk were compared with hen egg white lysozyme in their ability to clear a suspension of Micrococcus lysodeikticus. All of the lysozymes, except hen egg white lysozyme, catalysed the clearing of the Micrococcus lysodeikticus suspension in a biphasic fashion. Compared to hen egg white lysozyme, the total absorbance or transmission change over 5 and 20 minutes was less in all cases, except for human lysozyme. Human lysozyme was, therefore, a potential alternative, more rapid signal generator for the measurement of urinary estrone glucuronide excretion rates because of its structural similarity to hen egg white lysozyme. The apparent K(M) values for hen egg white lysozyme increased with the enzyme concentration.

Chronopotentiometric sensing of specific interactions between lysozyme and the DNA aptamer

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Ostatná, Veronika; Vargová, Veronika; Kekedy-Nagy, L.; Černocká, Hana; Ferapontova, E.E.

2017-01-01

Roč. 114, APR2017 (2017), s. 42-47 ISSN 1567-5394 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA13-00956S Institutional support: RVO:68081707 Keywords : self-assembled monolayers * protein interactions * lysozyme Subject RIV: CE - Biochemistry OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology Impact factor: 3.346, year: 2016

Magnetic cation exchange isolation of lysozyme from native hen egg white

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Šafařík, Ivo; Maděrová, Zdeňka; Tokar, O.; Šafaříková, Miroslava

2007-01-01

Roč. 45, - (2007), s. 355-359 ISSN 1330-9862 R&D Projects: GA MŠk(CZ) 1P05OC053 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60870520 Keywords : magnetic separation * lysozyme * hen egg white Subject RIV: EI - Biotechnology ; Bionics Impact factor: 0.906, year: 2007

Lysozyme complexes with thermo- and pH-responsive PNIPAM-b-PAA block copolymer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pippa, Natassa [National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy (Greece); Meristoudi, Anastasia; Pispas, Stergios, E-mail: pispas@eie.gr [National Hellenic Research Foundation, Theoretical and Physical Chemistry Institute (Greece); Demetzos, Costas [National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy (Greece)

2017-02-15

Lysozyme is an enzyme responsible for the damage of bacterial cell walls and is abundant in a number of secretions such as tears and human milk. In the present study, we investigated the structure, the physicochemical characteristics, and the temperature-responsiveness of lysozyme complexes with poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-b-poly(acrylic acid) block polyelectrolyte in aqueous media. A gamut of light-scattering techniques and fluorescence spectroscopy were used in order to examine the complexation process, as well as the structure, solution behavior, and temperature response of the nanosized complexes. The concentration of copolymer polyelectrolyte was kept constant. The values of the scattering intensity, I{sub 90}, which is proportional to the mass of the species in solution, increased gradually as a function of C{sub LYS,} providing proof of the occurring complexation, while the size of the nanostructures decreased. The structure of the complexes became more open as the C{sub LYS} increased. The increase of the salinity did not affect the structural characteristics of the supramolecular nanoparticulate aggregates. On the other hand, the physicochemical and structural characteristics of the complexes changed upon increasing temperature, and the changes depended on the initial ratio block polyelectrolyte/lysozyme. The knowledge on developing block polyelectrolyte/protein complexes through electrostatic interactions, obtained from this investigation, may be applied to the design of nutraceuticals.

Purification of Egg White Lysozyme from Indonesian Kampung Chicken and Ducks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. Wulandari

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Egg white lysozyme (EWL has considerably a wide functional protein exhibiting antibacterial activity mainly against Gram-positive bacteria. The EWL is widely applied in food industry and is considerably safe. Despite its high potency, EWL of Indonesian poultry has never been studied and exploited. This study was aimed to purify EWL from two Indonesian poultry: kampung chicken and Cihateup duck, and compared to egg of commercial laying hens. The eggs in this study were obtained from field laboratory of Faculty of Animal Science, Bogor Agricultural University (IPB and classified in AA quality based on the interior quality. First attempt to purify the EWL was performed by using ethanol precipitation yielding purified EWL which was still contaminated by other proteins, hence designated as partially purified EWL. Final concentrations of partially purified EWL of kampung chicken, commercial laying hens, and Cihateup duck were about 5800, 5400, and 5500 μg/mL, respectively. To confirm whether the use of ethanol in the purification affecting EWL antibacterial activities, the activities were examined against Staphylococcus aureus. It demonstrated that the partially purified EWL exhibited ability to inhibit S. aureus at 6 and 26 h suggesting that the method was feasible as it did not interfere EWL antibacterial activities. Yet, based on SDS-Page, purity was the issue in ethanol precipitation method. Further attempt using ion exchange chromatography at pH 10 successfully purified lysozyme as indicated by a single band corresponding to lysozyme size (~14 kD free from bands of other proteins. Altogether, a single step of ion exchange chromatography is sufficient and promising to isolate EWL from Indonesian poultry for various industrial purposes.

Ferroelasticity of t'-zirconia. 1: High-voltage electron microscopy studies of the microstructure in polydomain tetragonal zirconia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baither, D.; Baufeld, B.; Messerschmidt, U.; Foitzik, A.H.; Ruehle, M.

1997-01-01

The microstructure of polydomain tetragonal zirconia (t'-ZrO 2 ), i.e., a ZrO 2 modification exhibiting ferroelastic behavior, is studied by high-voltage electron microscopy. This material consists of three domain variants of the tetragonal phase with their c-axes nearly orthogonal to each other. Always two variants of these platelike domains are alternately arranged, forming elongated regular colonies. Hence, in both variants the common habit plane of the domains is a {110} twin plane. The colonies are of columnar shape with a longitudinal axis. They are bound by {110} planes, too, which are twin planes for the domains in the contiguous colonies. Owing to their particular structure and the helical arrangement of the adjoining colonies, the material remains coherent and pseudocubic over large macroscopic regions, although it is formed by different tetragonal domains

Anisotropy of the Coulomb Interaction between Folded Proteins: Consequences for Mesoscopic Aggregation of Lysozyme

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Ho Yin; Lankevich, Vladimir; Vekilov, Peter G.; Lubchenko, Vassiliy

2012-01-01

Toward quantitative description of protein aggregation, we develop a computationally efficient method to evaluate the potential of mean force between two folded protein molecules that allows for complete sampling of their mutual orientation. Our model is valid at moderate ionic strengths and accounts for the actual charge distribution on the surface of the molecules, the dielectric discontinuity at the protein-solvent interface, and the possibility of protonation or deprotonation of surface residues induced by the electric field due to the other protein molecule. We apply the model to the protein lysozyme, whose solutions exhibit both mesoscopic clusters of protein-rich liquid and liquid-liquid separation; the former requires that protein form complexes with typical lifetimes of approximately milliseconds. We find the electrostatic repulsion is typically lower than the prediction of the Derjaguin-Landau-Verwey-Overbeek theory. The Coulomb interaction in the lowest-energy docking configuration is nonrepulsive, despite the high positive charge on the molecules. Typical docking configurations barely involve protonation or deprotonation of surface residues. The obtained potential of mean force between folded lysozyme molecules is consistent with the location of the liquid-liquid coexistence, but produces dimers that are too short-lived for clusters to exist, suggesting lysozyme undergoes conformational changes during cluster formation. PMID:22768950

Complex formation in mixtures of lysozyme-stabilized emulsions and human saliva

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Silletti, E.; Vingerhoeds, M.H.; Norde, W.; Aken, van G.A.

2007-01-01

In this paper, we studied the interaction between human unstimulated saliva and lysozyme-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions (10 wt/wt% oil phase, 10 mM NaCl, pH 6.7), to reveal the driving force for flocculation of these emulsions. Confocal scanning laser microscopy (CSLM) showed formation of

Crystal twinning of human MD-2 recognizing endotoxin cores of lipopolysaccharide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ohto, Umeharu; Satow, Yoshinori

2008-01-01

Twinned crystals of humaan MD-2 are transformed into single crystals with cryoprotectant optimization. Twinning of crystals causes overlapping of two or more reciprocal lattice points, and hence structure amplitudes for a single crystalline domain are hardly obtained from X-ray diffraction intensities. MD-2 protein forms a stable complex with Toll-like receptor 4 and recognizes bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Excessive immune responses activated by LPS cause septic shocks. Saccharide-trimmed human MD-2 crystallizes in the tetragonal form with apparent Laue symmetry of 4/mmm, and diffraction intensities from these crystals indicate crystal twinning. The crystal consists of two different domains, A and B. The c A axis of domain A coincides with the c B axis of domain B with a smaller lattice, and the a A axis corresponds to the (a B + b B ) axis. This twinning severely imposes difficulty in structure determination. Through optimization of cryoprotectant, domain A was thoroughly transformed into domain B. The crystal containing only domain B is in space group P4 1 2 1 2 with one MD-2 molecule in the asymmetric unit. The structure of this form of MD-2 as well as its complex with antiendotoxic lipid IVa was successfully determined using the multiple isomorphous replacement method

Growth, crystal structure, spectral properties and laser performance of Yb3+:NaLu(MoO4)2 crystal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu, Yi; Zhang, Lizhen; Huang, Yisheng; Lin, Zhoubin; Wang, Guofu

2013-01-01

A double molybdate Yb 3+ :NaLu(MoO 4 ) 2 crystal was successfully grown from a flux of Na 2 Mo 2 O 7 by the top-seeded solution growth method, for the first time to our knowledge. The crystal belongs to the tetragonal system with space group I4 1 /a, and the unit-cell parameters are a = b = 5.159 Å, c = 11.246 Å. Na and Lu atoms co-occupy the same lattice site, which leads to the disordered structure of NaLu(MoO 4 ) 2 crystal. The thermal expansion coefficients of the crystal are 1.35 × 10 −5 K −1 along the c-axis, and 1.01 × 10 −5 K −1 along the a-axis. The full-width at half-maximum of the emission bands are 67 nm for the σ-polarization and 50 nm for the π-polarization at about 1020 nm. The maximum emission cross-sections for the σ- and π-polarizations are 2.79 × 10 −20 cm 2 and 2.94 × 10 −20 cm 2 , respectively. 0.3 W output power at 1025 nm was obtained at an absorbed pump power of 1.7 W, with a slope efficiency of 24%. (paper)

Growth, crystal structure, spectral properties and laser performance of Yb3+:NaLu(MoO4)2 crystal

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Yi; Zhang, Lizhen; Huang, Yisheng; Lin, Zhoubin; Wang, Guofu

2013-10-01

A double molybdate Yb3+:NaLu(MoO4)2 crystal was successfully grown from a flux of Na2Mo2O7 by the top-seeded solution growth method, for the first time to our knowledge. The crystal belongs to the tetragonal system with space group I41/a, and the unit-cell parameters are a = b = 5.159 Å, c = 11.246 Å. Na and Lu atoms co-occupy the same lattice site, which leads to the disordered structure of NaLu(MoO4)2 crystal. The thermal expansion coefficients of the crystal are 1.35 × 10-5 K-1 along the c-axis, and 1.01 × 10-5 K-1 along the a-axis. The full-width at half-maximum of the emission bands are 67 nm for the σ-polarization and 50 nm for the π-polarization at about 1020 nm. The maximum emission cross-sections for the σ- and π-polarizations are 2.79 × 10-20 cm2 and 2.94 × 10-20 cm2, respectively. 0.3 W output power at 1025 nm was obtained at an absorbed pump power of 1.7 W, with a slope efficiency of 24%.

Growth and characterization of lead-free (K,Na)NbO{sub 3}-based piezoelectric single crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Hairui

2016-10-19

: (i) For individual elements, segregation coefficients highly rely on the initial concentration in the liquid solution. The systematic discussion in this work contributes to future composition design in KNN-based crystals. (ii) A competition between elements occupied on the same lattice site was found. (iii) The very low Li segregation coefficient in the KNN matrix is importantly responsible for the occurrence of a secondary phase with the tetragonal tungsten bronze structure. (iv) The observed optically-cloudy regions in as-grown KNN-based single crystals decrease the electrical response and can be reduced by thermal treatment with slow cooling. In the second part of the thesis we used three approaches to enhance the piezoelectric and ferroelectric behavior of KNN-based single crystals, which is shown in Chapter 5. Chemical substitution with Ta or Sb ions indicates that enhanced electromechanical response is achieved when the orthorhombic-tetragonal phase transition temperature is in the proximity of room temperature, as previously reported for polycrystalline ceramics. Thermal treatment in pure O{sub 2} atmosphere resulted in a twofold increase of the piezoelectric coefficient and ferroelectric parameters (maximum and remanent polarization) of a (K,Na,Li)(Ta,Nb,Sb)O{sub 3} single crystal. The up-to-date highest room-temperature piezoelectric coefficient in annealed KNN-based single crystals of 732 pC/N was obtained, which is attributed to the lower defect concentration after the thermal treatment. The third approach, doping with a small amount of transition metal Mn ions in (K,Na,Li)(Ta,Nb)O{sub 3} single crystals, is also presented. Orientation dependence of electromechanical properties in Chapter 6 indicates that high maximum polarization, remanent polarization, coercive field, maximum strain, and negative strain were observed when the electric field was applied along one of the spontaneous polarization vectors in both tetragonal and orthorhombic phases. This is

Complex nature of serum lysozyme activity: evidence of thermolability in inflammatory bowel disease

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ward, M; Mitchell, W D; Eastwood, M [Western General Hospital, Edinburgh (UK)

1978-01-01

In patients with Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, alterations in serum storage temperature produced significant changes in serum lysozyme activity (SLA) as measured by the lysoplate method. This was not the case in healthy controls or in a group with other gastrointestinal disorders. Electrophoretic separation of serum revealed two components of lysozyme-type lytic activity but only one in extracts of gut mucosa, leucocytes, and egg white. The major lytic component of serum migrated towards the cathode and reacted with specific antilysozyme serum, but the minor component which migrated towards the anode did not. Although the cause of this anionic lytic activity is uncertain, it contributes to total serum activity as estimated by any method utilizing the lysis of Micrococcus lysodeikticus, and may possibly be related to the observed thermolability.

A quantum-chemical study of oxygen-vacancy defects in PbTiO3 crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stashans, Arvids; Serrano, Sheyla; Medina, Paul

2006-01-01

Investigation of an oxygen vacancy and F center in the cubic and tetragonal lattices of PbTiO 3 crystals is done by means of quantum-chemical simulations. Displacements of defect-surrounding atoms, electronic and optical properties, lattice relaxation energies and some new effects due to the defects presence are reported and analyzed. A comparison with similar studies is made and conclusions are drawn on the basis of the obtained results

Improvement of wine aromatic quality using mixtures of lysozyme and dimethyl dicarbonate, with low SO2 concentration.

Science.gov (United States)

Nieto-Rojo, Rodrigo; Luquin, Asuncion; Ancín-Azpilicueta, Carmen

2015-01-01

The use of sulphur dioxide (SO2) in the treatment of foodstuffs presents some problems as it could lead to pseudo-allergies in some people. The aim of this research work was to study the addition of different preservative mixtures and their influence on the concentration of volatile compounds and sensorial quality in wine. To do so, vinifications were carried out using Garnacha must to which lysozyme, dimethyl dicarbonate (DMDC) and mixtures of these with SO2 were added at different doses (25 and 50 mg l(-1)). The results were compared with a control sample to which only SO2 had been added (50 mg l(-1)). In general, mixtures of SO2 with lysozyme and DMDC favoured the formation of volatile compounds in the wines. Wines obtained from the mixtures of lysozyme and DMDC with 25 mg l(-1) of SO2 had better sensorial quality than the wines obtained with 50 mg l(-1) as the only preservative used.

Effects of mannose, fructose, and fucose on the structure, stability, and hydration of lysozyme in aqueous solution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rahim, Abdoul; Peters, Günther H.J.; Jalkanen, Karl J.

2013-01-01

The bio-protective properties of monosaccharaides, namely mannose, fructose and fucose, on the stability and dynamical properties of the NMR determined hen egg-white lysozyme structure have been investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations at room temperature in aqueous solution and in...... of the solvent and sugar distributions around lysozyme was used to investigate the interfacial solvent and sugar structure near the protein surface.......The bio-protective properties of monosaccharaides, namely mannose, fructose and fucose, on the stability and dynamical properties of the NMR determined hen egg-white lysozyme structure have been investigated by means of molecular dynamics simulations at room temperature in aqueous solution and in 7...... and 13 wt % concentrations of the three sugars. Results are discussed in the framework of the bio-protective phenomena. The three sugars show similar bio-protective behaviours at room temperature (300 K) in the concentration range studied as shown by the small RMSDs of the resulting MD structures from...

Leukocytes respiratory burst and lysozyme level in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus Holmberg, 1887

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JS. Abreu

Full Text Available Innate immune responses are useful to determine the health status of fish and to evaluate the effect of immunomodulatory substances in fish farming. Leukocytes respiratory burst was measured in pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus using chemiluminescence assay and nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT reduction assay. The nitroblue tetrazolium reduction seemed more adequate than chemiluminescence assay for leukocytes oxidative burst determination, since it was difficult to isolate the blood leucocytes for chemiluminescence assay. Plasma and serum lysozyme were measured using a turbidimetric assay. The heating of serum and plasma samples (56 ºC for 30 minutes for complement system inactivation darkened the plasma samples and interfered in the results. The lysozyme activity in serum was higher than in plasma, suggesting that serum samples are more appropriate for the analysis. This study established protocols that can be useful tools in the study of immune mechanisms of the tropical fish pacu.

Effect of antimony incorporation on structural properties of CuInS2 crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben Rabeh, M.; Chaglabou, N.; Kanzari, M.

2010-01-01

CuInS 2 (CIS) single crystals doped with 1, 2, 3 and 4 atomic percent (at.%) of antimony (Sb) were grown by the horizontal Bridgman method. The effect of Sb doping on the structural properties of CIS crystal was studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and PL measurements. X-ray diffraction data suggests that the doping of Sb in the CIS single crystals does not affect the tetragonal (chalcopyrite) crystal structure and exhibited a (1 1 2) preferred orientation. In addition, with increasing Sb concentration, the X-ray diffraction analysis show that Sb doped CIS crystals are more crystallized and the diffraction peaks of the CuInS 2 phase were more pronounced in particular the (1 1 2) plane. EDAX study revealed that Sb atoms can occupy the indium site and/or occupying the sulfur site to make an acceptor. PL spectra of undoped and Sb doped CIS crystals show two emission peaks at 1.52 and 1.62 eV, respectively which decreased with increasing atomic percent antimony. Sb doped CIS crystals show p-type conductivity.

The crystal structure and morphology of NiO-YSZ composite that prepared from local zircon concentrate of Bangka Island

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rahmawati, F., E-mail: fitria@mipa.uns.ac.id; Apriyani, K.; Heraldy, E. [Research Group of Solid State Chemistry & Catalysis, Department of Chemistry, Sebelas Maret University, Jl. Ir. Sutami 36A Kentingan Surakarta (Indonesia); Soepriyanto, S. [Department of Metallurgical Engineering, Faculty of Mining and Petroleum Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jl. Ganesha 10 Bandung 40132 (Indonesia)

2016-03-29

In order to increase the economic value of local zircon concentrate from Bangka Island, NiO-YSZ was synthesized from Zirconia, ZrO{sub 2} that was prepared from local zircon concentrate. The NiO-YSZ composite was synthesized by solid state reaction method. XRD analysis equipped with Le Bail refinement was carried out to analyze the crystal structure and cell parameters of the prepared materials. The result showed that zirconia was crystallized in tetragonal structure with a space group of P42/NMC. Yttria-Stabilized-Zirconia (YSZ) was prepared by doping 8% mol yttrium oxide into zirconia and then sintered at 1250°C for 3 hours. Doping of 8% mol Yttria allowed phase transformation of zirconia from tetragonal into the cubic structure. Meanwhile, the composite of NiO-YSZ consists of two crystalline phases, i.e. the NiO with cubic structure and the YSZ with cubic structure. SEM analysis of the prepared materials shows that the addition of NiO into YSZ allows the morphology to become more roughness with larger grain size.

Relationship between salivary immunoglobulin a, lactoferrin and lysozyme flow rates and lifestyle factors in Japanese children: a cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ide, Momo; Saruta, Juri; To, Masahiro; Yamamoto, Yuko; Sugimoto, Masahiro; Fuchida, Shinya; Yokoyama, Mina; Kimoto, Shigenari; Tsukinoki, Keiichi

2016-10-01

The antimicrobial substances in saliva contribute to the maintenance of both oral health and overall health of the body. Therefore, the associations among immunoglobulin A (IgA), lactoferrin and lysozyme flow rates in the saliva of children, and their relationships with the physical attributes and lifestyle factors of children, were examined. Saliva was collected from 90 children who visited the Kanagawa Dental University Hospital Pediatric Dentistry, and questionnaires were completed by guardians. IgA, lactoferrin and lysozyme concentrations were measured in the saliva samples using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs). The IgA flow rate in saliva increased as age, height and weight increased. A correlation was found between lactoferrin and lysozyme flow rates. When the antimicrobial substance flow rates in the saliva were divided into two groups of 22 children each based on the highest and lowest quartiles, children with either a low or high IgA flow rate also had a high or low lactoferrin flow rate, respectively. The same pattern was observed for lactoferrin and lysozyme flow rates. There is a high probability that the IgA flow rate in the saliva of children reflects and corresponds to the developmental status of immune function as the child ages and increases in height and weight. The flow rates of lactoferrin and lysozyme were correlated in children. In addition, regarding lifestyle factors, the duration of sleep and lactoferrin flow rate were also related.

Specific delivery of captopril to the kidney with the prodrug captopril-lysozyme

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kok, R.J; Moolenaar, Frits; de Zeeuw, D; Meijer, D.K F

Low-molecular-weight proteins (LMWPs) accumulate in the proximal tubular cells of the kidney, which makes these proteins interesting tools for renal drug targeting. We studied this approach using the LMWP lysozyme as a carrier for the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor captopril. Captopril was

Antimicrobial lysozyme-containing starch microgel to target and inhibit amylase-producing microorganisms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Li, Y.; Kadam, S.; Abee, T.; Slaghek, T.M.; Timmermans, J.W.; Cohen Stuart, M.A.; Norde, W.; Kleijn, M.J.

2012-01-01

The aim of this study is to determine the release of lysozyme from oxidized starch microgels and subsequently test its antimicrobial activity. The gels are made of oxidized potato starch polymers, which are chemically cross-linked by sodium trimetaphosphate (STMP). The microgel is negatively charged

Preparation and crystal structure of SrCu/sub 2/Sb/sub 2/ and SrZnBi/sub 2/

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cordier, G; Eisenmann, B; Schaefer, H [Technische Hochschule Darmstadt (Germany, F.R.). Fachbereich Anorganische Chemie und Kernchemie

1976-10-01

SrCu/sub 2/Sb/sub 2/ and SrZnBi/sub 2/ have been prepared and analytically and structurally characterized. SrCu/sub 2/Sb/sub 2/ crystallizes tetragonal in the CaBe/sub 2/Ge/sub 2/ structure type. SrZnBi/sub 2/ has its own structure type. In both structures the transition metal atoms form with the semimetal atoms tetragonal pyramids, which are connected by common edges of the basis to twodimensional sheets. These sheets are separated in the case of SrCu/sub 2/Sb/sub 2/ by single sheets of strontium atoms, in the case of SrZnBi/sub 2/ by double sheets of strontium atoms in which fourfold nets of Bi atoms are located.

Crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of Axe2, an acetylxylan esterase from Geobacillus stearothermophilus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lansky, Shifra; Alalouf, Onit; Solomon, Vered; Alhassid, Anat; Govada, Lata; Chayan, Naomi E.; Belrhali, Hassan; Shoham, Yuval; Shoham, Gil

2013-01-01

The serine acetylxylan esterase from G. stearothermophilus (Axe2) has been crystallized in the tetragonal space group I422. Complete diffraction data sets have been measured for the selenomethionine derivative (SAD data, 1.70 Å resolution) and the wild-type enzyme (1.85 Å resolution) to be used for a full three-dimensional structural analysis of the Axe2 protein. Acetylxylan esterases are part of the hemi-cellulolytic system of many microorganisms which utilize plant biomass for growth. Xylans, which are polymeric sugars that constitute a significant part of the plant biomass, are usually substituted with acetyl side groups attached at position 2 or 3 of the xylose backbone units. Acetylxylan esterases hydrolyse the ester linkages of the xylan acetyl groups and thus improve the ability of main-chain hydrolysing enzymes to break down the sugar backbone units. As such, these enzymes play an important part in the hemi-cellulolytic utilization system of many microorganisms that use plant biomass for growth. Interest in the biochemical characterization and structural analysis of these enzymes stems from their numerous potential biotechnological applications. An acetylxylan esterase (Axe2) of this type from Geobacillus stearothermophilus T-6 has recently been cloned, overexpressed, purified, biochemically characterized and crystallized. One of the crystal forms obtained (RB1) belonged to the tetragonal space group I422, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 110.2, c = 213.1 Å. A full diffraction data set was collected to 1.85 Å resolution from flash-cooled crystals of the wild-type enzyme at 100 K using synchrotron radiation. A selenomethionine derivative of Axe2 has also been prepared and crystallized for single-wavelength anomalous diffraction experiments. The crystals of the selenomethionine-derivatized Axe2 appeared to be isomorphous to those of the wild-type enzyme and enabled the measurement of a full 1.85 Å resolution diffraction data set at the selenium

High pressure synthesis, crystal growth and magnetic properties of TiOF

Science.gov (United States)

Cumby, J.; Burchell, M. B.; Attfield, J. P.

2018-06-01

Polycrystalline samples of TiOF have been prepared at 1300 °C and 8 GPa, with small single crystals grown at the same conditions. The crystal structure remains tetragonal rutile-type down to at least 90 K (space group P42/mnm, a = 4.6533 (2) Å and c = 3.0143 (2) Å at 90 K) and the Ti(O,F)6 octahedra are slightly compressed, consistent with Jahn-Teller distortion of 3d1 Ti3+. Diffuse scattering reveals disordered structural correlations that may arise from local cis-order of oxide anions driven by covalency. TiOF is paramagnetic down to 5 K and observation of a small paramagnetic moment and a substantial Pauli term indicates that the d-electrons are partially delocalised.

Application Of Empirical Phase Diagrams For Multidimensional Data Visualization Of High Throughput Microbatch Crystallization Experiments.

Science.gov (United States)

Klijn, Marieke E; Hubbuch, Jürgen

2018-04-27

Protein phase diagrams are a tool to investigate cause and consequence of solution conditions on protein phase behavior. The effects are scored according to aggregation morphologies such as crystals or amorphous precipitates. Solution conditions affect morphological features, such as crystal size, as well as kinetic features, such as crystal growth time. Common used data visualization techniques include individual line graphs or symbols-based phase diagrams. These techniques have limitations in terms of handling large datasets, comprehensiveness or completeness. To eliminate these limitations, morphological and kinetic features obtained from crystallization images generated with high throughput microbatch experiments have been visualized with radar charts in combination with the empirical phase diagram (EPD) method. Morphological features (crystal size, shape, and number, as well as precipitate size) and kinetic features (crystal and precipitate onset and growth time) are extracted for 768 solutions with varying chicken egg white lysozyme concentration, salt type, ionic strength and pH. Image-based aggregation morphology and kinetic features were compiled into a single and easily interpretable figure, thereby showing that the EPD method can support high throughput crystallization experiments in its data amount as well as its data complexity. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of the catalytic domain of a novel chitinase, a member of GH family 23, from the moderately thermophilic bacterium Ralstonia sp. A-471

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Okazaki, Nobuo; Arimori, Takao; Nakazawa, Masami; Miyatake, Kazutaka; Ueda, Mitsuhiro; Tamada, Taro

2011-01-01

The catalytic domain of a novel chitinase, which is a member of GH family 23, from the moderately thermophilic bacterium Ralstonia sp. A-471 was crystallized and diffraction data were collected to 1.85 Å resolution. Chitinase from the moderately thermophilic bacterium Ralstonia sp. A-471 (Ra-ChiC) is divided into two domains: a chitin-binding domain (residues 36–80) and a catalytic domain (residues 103–252). Although the catalytic domain of Ra-ChiC has homology to goose-type lysozyme, Ra-ChiC does not show lysozyme activity but does show chitinase activity. The catalytic domain with part of an interdomain loop (Ra-ChiC 89–252 ) was crystallized under several different conditions using polyethylene glycol as a precipitant. The crystals diffracted to 1.85 Å resolution and belonged to space group P6 1 22 or P6 5 22, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 100, c = 243 Å. The calculated Matthews coefficient was approximately 3.2, 2.4 or 1.9 Å 3 Da −1 assuming the presence of three, four or five Ra-ChiC 89–252 molecules in the asymmetric unit, respectively

Development of the mercury iodide semiconductor crystal for application as a radiation detector

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martins, Joao Francisco Trencher

2011-01-01

In this work, the establishment of a technique for HgI growth and preparation of crystals, for use as room temperature radiation semiconductor detectors is described. Three methods of crystal growth were studied while developing this work: physical vapor transport (PVT); saturated solution of HgI 2 , using two different solvents; (a) dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and (b) acetone, and the Bridgman method. In order to evaluate the obtained crystals by the three methods, systematic measurements were carried out for determining the stoichiometry, structure, orientation, surface morphology and impurity of the crystal. The influence of these physical chemical properties on the crystals development was studied, evaluating their performance as radiation detectors. The X-ray diffractograms indicated that the crystals were, preferentially, oriented in the (001) e (101) directions with tetragonal structure for all crystals. Nevertheless, morphology with a smaller deformation level was observed for the crystal obtained by the PVT technique, comparing to other methods. Uniformity on the surface layer of the PVT crystal was detected, while clear incrustations of elements distinct from the crystal could be viewed on the DMSO crystal surface. The best results as to radiation response were found for the crystal grown by physical vapor transport. Significant improvement in the HgI z2 radiation detector performance was achieved for purer crystals, growing the crystal twice by PVT technique. (author)

A microporous potassium vanadyl phosphate analogue of mahnertite. Hydrothermal synthesis and crystal structure

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yakubovich, Olga V. [M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State Univ. (Russian Federation). Dept. of Crystallography; Russian Academy of Science, Moscow (Russian Federation). Inst. of Geology of Deposits, Petrography, Mineralogy and Geochemistry; Steele, Ian M. [Notre Dame Univ., IN (United States). Notre Dame Integrated Imaging Facility; Kiriukhina, Galina V.; Dimitrova, Olga V. [M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State Univ. (Russian Federation). Dept. of Crystallography

2015-09-01

The novel phase K{sub 2.5}Cu{sub 5}Cl(PO{sub 4}){sub 4}(OH){sub 0.5}(VO{sub 2}).H{sub 2}O was prepared by hydrothermal synthesis at 553 K. Its crystal structure was determined using low-temperature (100 K) single-crystal synchrotron diffraction data and refined against F{sup 2} to R = 0.035. The compound crystallizes in the tetragonal space group I4/mmm, with unit-cell parameters a =9.8120(8), c = 19.954(1) Aa, V = 1921.1(2) Aa{sup 3}, and Z = 4. Both symmetrically independent Cu{sup 2+} sites show elongated square-pyramidal coordination. The V{sup 5+} ions reside in strongly distorted five-vertex VO{sub 5} polyhedra with 50% occupancy. The structure is based on a 3D anionic framework built from Cu- and V-centered five-vertex polyhedra and PO{sub 4} tetrahedra. Channels in the [100] and [010] directions accommodate large K atoms and H{sub 2}O molecules. The compound is a new structural representative of the topology shown by the lavendulan group of copper arsenate and phosphate minerals. Their tetragonal or pseudotetragonal crystal structures are characterized by two types of 2D slabs alternating along one axis of their unit cells. One slab, described by the formula [Cu{sub 4}X(TO{sub 4}){sub 4}]{sub 8} (where X = Cl, O and T = As, P), is common to all phases, whereas the slab content of the other set differs among the group members. We suggest interpreting this family of compounds in terms of the modular concept and also consider the synthetic phase Ba(VO)Cu{sub 4}(PO{sub 4}){sub 4} as a simplest member of this polysomatic series.

Overexpression, purification and crystallization of a choline-binding protein CbpI from Streptococcus pneumoniae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paterson, Neil G.; Riboldi-Tunicliffe, Alan; Mitchell, Timothy J.; Isaacs, Neil W.

2006-01-01

The choline-binding protein CbpI from S. pneumoniae has been purified and crystallized and diffraction data have been collected to 3.5 Å resolution. The choline-binding protein CbpI from Streptococcus pneumoniae is a 23.4 kDa protein with no known function. The protein has been successfully purified initially using Ni–NTA chromatography and to homogeneity using Q-Sepharose ion-exchange resin as an affinity column. CbpI was crystallized using PEG 3350 as a precipitant and X-ray crystallographic analysis showed that the crystals belonged to the tetragonal space group P4, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 83.31, c = 80.29 Å, α = β = γ = 90°. The crystal contains two molecules in the asymmetric unit with a solvent content of 55.7% (V M = 2.77 Å 3 Da −1 ) and shows a diffraction limit of 3.5 Å

Overexpression, purification and crystallization of a choline-binding protein CbpI from Streptococcus pneumoniae

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paterson, Neil G., E-mail: neison@chem.gla.ac.uk; Riboldi-Tunicliffe, Alan [Department of Chemistry and WestCHEM, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre (GBRC), University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA,Scotland (United Kingdom); Mitchell, Timothy J. [Division of Infection and Immunity (IBLS), Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre (GBRC), University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA,Scotland (United Kingdom); Isaacs, Neil W. [Department of Chemistry and WestCHEM, Glasgow Biomedical Research Centre (GBRC), University of Glasgow, 120 University Place, Glasgow G12 8TA,Scotland (United Kingdom)

2006-07-01

The choline-binding protein CbpI from S. pneumoniae has been purified and crystallized and diffraction data have been collected to 3.5 Å resolution. The choline-binding protein CbpI from Streptococcus pneumoniae is a 23.4 kDa protein with no known function. The protein has been successfully purified initially using Ni–NTA chromatography and to homogeneity using Q-Sepharose ion-exchange resin as an affinity column. CbpI was crystallized using PEG 3350 as a precipitant and X-ray crystallographic analysis showed that the crystals belonged to the tetragonal space group P4, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 83.31, c = 80.29 Å, α = β = γ = 90°. The crystal contains two molecules in the asymmetric unit with a solvent content of 55.7% (V{sub M} = 2.77 Å{sup 3} Da{sup −1}) and shows a diffraction limit of 3.5 Å.

Calculations of single crystal elastic constants for yttria partially stabilised zirconia from powder diffraction data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lunt, A. J. G., E-mail: alexander.lunt@eng.ox.ac.uk; Xie, M. Y.; Baimpas, N.; Korsunsky, A. M. [Department of Engineering Science, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PJ (United Kingdom); Zhang, S. Y.; Kabra, S.; Kelleher, J. [ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell, Oxford OX11 0QX (United Kingdom); Neo, T. K. [Specialist Dental Group, Mount Elizabeth Orchard, 3 Mount Elizabeth, #08-03/08-08/08-10, Singapore 228510 (Singapore)

2014-08-07

Yttria Stabilised Zirconia (YSZ) is a tough, phase-transforming ceramic that finds use in a wide range of commercial applications from dental prostheses to thermal barrier coatings. Micromechanical modelling of phase transformation can deliver reliable predictions in terms of the influence of temperature and stress. However, models must rely on the accurate knowledge of single crystal elastic stiffness constants. Some techniques for elastic stiffness determination are well-established. The most popular of these involve exploiting frequency shifts and phase velocities of acoustic waves. However, the application of these techniques to YSZ can be problematic due to the micro-twinning observed in larger crystals. Here, we propose an alternative approach based on selective elastic strain sampling (e.g., by diffraction) of grain ensembles sharing certain orientation, and the prediction of the same quantities by polycrystalline modelling, for example, the Reuss or Voigt average. The inverse problem arises consisting of adjusting the single crystal stiffness matrix to match the polycrystal predictions to observations. In the present model-matching study, we sought to determine the single crystal stiffness matrix of tetragonal YSZ using the results of time-of-flight neutron diffraction obtained from an in situ compression experiment and Finite Element modelling of the deformation of polycrystalline tetragonal YSZ. The best match between the model predictions and observations was obtained for the optimized stiffness values of C11 = 451, C33 = 302, C44 = 39, C66 = 82, C12 = 240, and C13 = 50 (units: GPa). Considering the significant amount of scatter in the published literature data, our result appears reasonably consistent.

Complete titanium substitution by boron in a tetragonal prism: exploring the complex boride series Ti(3-x)Ru(5-y)Ir(y)B(2+x) (0 ≤ x ≤ 1 and 1 theory.

Science.gov (United States)

Fokwa, Boniface P T; Hermus, Martin

2011-04-18

Polycrystalline samples and single crystals of four members of the new complex boride series Ti(3-x)Ru(5-y)Ir(y)B(2+x) (0 ≤ x ≤ 1 and 1 X-ray diffraction as well as energy- and wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analyses. They crystallize with the tetragonal Ti(3)Co(5)B(2) structure type in space group P4/mbm (No. 127). Tetragonal prisms of Ru/Ir atoms are filled with titanium in the boron-poorest phase (Ti(3)Ru(2.9)Ir(2.1)B(2)). Gradual substitution of titanium by boron then results in the successive filling of this site by a Ti/B mixture en route to the complete boron occupation, leading to the boron-richest phase (Ti(2)Ru(2.8)Ir(2.2)B(3)). Furthermore, both ruthenium and iridium share two sites in these structures, but a clear Ru/Ir site preference is found. First-principles density functional theory calculations (Vienna ab initio simulation package) on appropriate structural models (using a supercell approach) have provided more evidence on the stability of the boron-richest and -poorest phases, and the calculated lattice parameters corroborate very well with the experimentally found ones. Linear muffin-tin orbital atomic sphere approximation calculations further supported these findings through crystal orbital Hamilton population bonding analyses, which also show that the Ru/Ir-B and Ru/Ir-Ti heteroatomic interactions are mainly responsible for the structural stability of these compounds. Furthermore, some stable and unstable phases of this complex series could be predicted using the rigid-band model. According to the density of states analyses, all phases should be metallic conductors, as was expected from these metal-rich borides.

Effect of antimony incorporation on structural properties of CuInS{sub 2} crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ben Rabeh, M., E-mail: mohamedbenrabeh@yahoo.f [Laboratoire de Photovoltaique et Materiaux Semi-Conducteurs - ENIT BP 37, Le belvedere, 1002 Tunis (Tunisia); Chaglabou, N., E-mail: nadia_chaglabou@yahoo.f [Laboratoire de Photovoltaique et Materiaux Semi-Conducteurs - ENIT BP 37, Le belvedere, 1002 Tunis (Tunisia); Kanzari, M., E-mail: Mounir.Kanzari@ipeit.rnu.t [Laboratoire de Photovoltaique et Materiaux Semi-Conducteurs - ENIT BP 37, Le belvedere, 1002 Tunis (Tunisia)

2010-02-15

CuInS{sub 2} (CIS) single crystals doped with 1, 2, 3 and 4 atomic percent (at.%) of antimony (Sb) were grown by the horizontal Bridgman method. The effect of Sb doping on the structural properties of CIS crystal was studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and PL measurements. X-ray diffraction data suggests that the doping of Sb in the CIS single crystals does not affect the tetragonal (chalcopyrite) crystal structure and exhibited a (1 1 2) preferred orientation. In addition, with increasing Sb concentration, the X-ray diffraction analysis show that Sb doped CIS crystals are more crystallized and the diffraction peaks of the CuInS{sub 2} phase were more pronounced in particular the (1 1 2) plane. EDAX study revealed that Sb atoms can occupy the indium site and/or occupying the sulfur site to make an acceptor. PL spectra of undoped and Sb doped CIS crystals show two emission peaks at 1.52 and 1.62 eV, respectively which decreased with increasing atomic percent antimony. Sb doped CIS crystals show p-type conductivity.

Crystal growth by Bridgman and Czochralski method of the ferromagnetic quantum critical material YbNi4P2

Science.gov (United States)

Kliemt, K.; Krellner, C.

2016-09-01

The tetragonal YbNi4P2 is one of the rare examples of compounds that allow the investigation of a ferromagnetic quantum critical point. We report in detail on two different methods which have been used to grow YbNi4P2 single crystals from a self-flux. The first, a modified Bridgman method, using a closed crucible system yields needle-shaped single crystals oriented along the [001]-direction. The second method, the Czochralski growth from a levitating melt, yields large single crystals which can be cut in any desired orientation. With this crucible-free method, samples without flux inclusions and a resistivity ratio at 1.8 K of RR1.8K = 17 have been grown.

The contribution of polystyrene nanospheres towards the crystallization of proteins.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johanna M Kallio

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Protein crystallization is a slow process of trial and error and limits the amount of solved protein structures. Search of a universal heterogeneous nucleant is an effort to facilitate crystallizability of proteins. METHODOLOGY: The effect of polystyrene nanospheres on protein crystallization were tested with three commercial proteins: lysozyme, xylanase, xylose isomerase, and with five research target proteins: hydrophobins HFBI and HFBII, laccase, sarcosine dimethylglycine N-methyltransferase (SDMT, and anti-testosterone Fab fragment 5F2. The use of nanospheres both in screening and as an additive for known crystallization conditions was studied. In screening, the addition of an aqueous solution of nanosphere to the crystallization drop had a significant positive effect on crystallization success in comparison to the control screen. As an additive in hydrophobin crystallization, the nanospheres altered the crystal packing, most likely due to the amphiphilic nature of hydrophobins. In the case of laccase, nanospheres could be used as an alternative for streak-seeding, which insofar had remained the only technique to produce high-diffracting crystals. With methyltransferase SDMT the nanospheres, used also as an additive, produced fewer, larger crystals in less time. Nanospheres, combined with the streak-seeding method, produced single 5F2 Fab crystals in shorter equilibration times. CONCLUSIONS: All in all, the use of nanospheres in protein crystallization proved to be beneficial, both when screening new crystallization conditions to promote nucleation and when used as an additive to produce better quality crystals, faster. The polystyrene nanospheres are easy to use, commercially available and close to being inert, as even with amphiphilic proteins only the crystal packing is altered and the nanospheres do not interfere with the structure and function of the protein.

Complexation of lysozyme with sodium caseinate and micellar casein in aqueous buffered solutions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Antonov, Y.A.; Moldenaers, P.; Cardinaels, R.M.

We present an extended structural and morphological study of the complexation of lysozyme (Lys) with sodium caseinate (SC) and micellar casein (MC) by means of turbidity measurements, phase analysis, dynamic, static and electrophoretic light scattering, bright-field and confocal laser scanning

Zero-order release of lysozyme from (poly)ethylene glycol)/poly(butylene terephthalate) matrices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bezemer, J.M.; Radersma, R.; Grijpma, Dirk W.; Dijkstra, Pieter J.; Feijen, Jan; van Blitterswijk, Clemens

2000-01-01

Protein release from a series of biodegradable poly(ether ester) multiblock copolymers, based on poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) and poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) was investigated. Lysozyme-containing PEG/PBT films and microspheres were prepared using an emulsion technique. Proteins were

Crystallization of a flavodoxin involved in nitrogen fixation in Rhodobacter capsulatus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pérez-Dorado, Inmaculada [Grupo de Cristalografía Macromolecular y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Química-Física Rocasolano, CSIC, Serrano 119, 28006 Madrid (Spain); Bortolotti, Ana; Cortez, Néstor [Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (Universidad Nacional de Rosario y CONICET), Suipacha 531, S2002LRK Rosario (Argentina); Hermoso, Juan A., E-mail: xjuan@iqfr.csic.es [Grupo de Cristalografía Macromolecular y Biología Estructural, Instituto de Química-Física Rocasolano, CSIC, Serrano 119, 28006 Madrid (Spain)

2008-05-01

The flavodoxin NifF from R. capsulatus, a candidate for nitrogenase reduction during nitrogen fixation, has been crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. Preliminary X-ray data processing at 2.17 Å resolution allowed determination of the crystal system and unit-cell parameters. Flavodoxins are small electron-transfer proteins that contain one molecule of noncovalently bound flavin mononucleotide (FMN). The flavodoxin NifF from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus is reduced by one electron from ferredoxin/flavodoxin:NADP(H) reductase and was postulated to be an electron donor to nitrogenase in vivo. NifF was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and concentrated for crystallization using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 291 K. Crystals grew from a mixture of PEG 3350 and PEG 400 at pH 5.5 and belong to the tetragonal space group P4{sub 1}2{sub 1}2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 66.49, c = 121.32 Å. X-ray data sets have been collected to 2.17 Å resolution.

Crystallization of a flavodoxin involved in nitrogen fixation in Rhodobacter capsulatus

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pérez-Dorado, Inmaculada; Bortolotti, Ana; Cortez, Néstor; Hermoso, Juan A.

2008-01-01

The flavodoxin NifF from R. capsulatus, a candidate for nitrogenase reduction during nitrogen fixation, has been crystallized using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method. Preliminary X-ray data processing at 2.17 Å resolution allowed determination of the crystal system and unit-cell parameters. Flavodoxins are small electron-transfer proteins that contain one molecule of noncovalently bound flavin mononucleotide (FMN). The flavodoxin NifF from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus is reduced by one electron from ferredoxin/flavodoxin:NADP(H) reductase and was postulated to be an electron donor to nitrogenase in vivo. NifF was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and concentrated for crystallization using the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method at 291 K. Crystals grew from a mixture of PEG 3350 and PEG 400 at pH 5.5 and belong to the tetragonal space group P4 1 2 1 2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 66.49, c = 121.32 Å. X-ray data sets have been collected to 2.17 Å resolution

[ACID-BASE MODULATION OF LYSOZYME ACTIVITY IN MEDIUM FOR CULTIVATION OF ENTEROBACTERIA].

Science.gov (United States)

Andryuschenko, S V; Perunova, N B

2015-01-01

Determination of modulating effect of acid-base state of medium for cultivation of enterobacteria on activity of C-type lysozyme. Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) strain for protein expression, Escherichia coli K12 MG1655 model strain, Escherichia coli No. 242 strain, isolated from intestine biotope; 2 Klebsiella pneumoniae strains, one of those contained plasmid homologue of periplasmatic lysozyme inhibitor gene pliC; 1 typical Salmonella enterica ATCC 14028 strain and a Micrococcus luteus ATCC 15307 strain as a control--served as material for the study. The bacteria were cultivated for 24 hours in 2 ml of liquid medium LB at 37 degrees C, 250 rpm. Determination of antilysozyme activity (ALA) was carried out by a photonepehlometrical method according to O.V. Bukharin et al. (1999) with alterations. All the studied microorganisms, including Micrococcus luteus, at the specified conditions 24 hours after cultivation were established to change the pH of the liquid nutrient medium LB from the initial value of 6.6 ± 0.1 to 8.2 ± 0.2 units. ALA determination in the cultivation medium without buffer correction was accompanied by a decline of lysozyme activity at an order of magnitude. The effect was absent during ALA measurement by a standard technique. The local shift of acid-base state of biotope under the conditions of buffer system insufficiency results in a reversible alteration of antimicrobial activity of muramidase, that among other non-specific factors of the environment determines the background of interactions on the level of associative symbiosis. This aspect should be taken into consideration during development of models, that are close to real conditions of microsymbiocenotical interactions.

Tetragonal CuO: End member of the 3d transition metal monoxides

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Siemons, W.; Koster, Gertjan; Blank, David H.A.; Hammond, Robert H.; Geballe, Theodore H.; Beasley, Malcolm R.

2009-01-01

Monoclinic CuO is anomalous both structurally as well as electronically in the 3d transition metal oxide series. All the others have the cubic rocksalt structure. Here we report the synthesis and electronic property determination of a tetragonal (elongated rocksalt) form of CuO created using an

Effect of crystal alignment on the remanence of sintered NdFeB magnets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kawai, T.; Ma, B.M.; Sankar, S.G.; Wallace, W.E.

1990-01-01

Nd 15.4 Fe 77.8 B 6.8 magnets of various degrees of crystal alignment have been prepared by the conventional powder metallurgy technique. The alignment of these magnets have been determined by x-ray diffraction and fitting the standard deviation of a Gaussian distribution for the relative intensity versus the angle between the normals of (hkl) and the tetragonal c axis. The standard deviation is a good indicator for crystal alignment. An aligning field of 8 kOe is found to be essential to obtain a well-aligned NdFeB magnet. The remanence of sintered magnets is directly affected by the crystal alignment. Furthermore, the effect of crystal alignment on the remanence follows the theoretical prediction of the Stoner--Wohlfarth model. Below the spin reorientation temperature, the effect of crystal alignment on the shape of hysteresis loop becomes more significant. The remanences extrapolated from first and second quadrant of the hysteresis loops have been found to be consistent with the prediction of Stoner--Wohlfarth model

Crystal growth and magnetic properties of spinel (Co,Mn)3O4

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, Sun Hee; Kim, Ill Won; Jeong, Yoon Hee; Koo, Tae Yeong

2012-04-01

Single crystals of cubic and tetragonal spinel Co3-xMnxO4 (x=1.0 and 1.5) were successfully grown using a solvent evaporation method with PbF2 flux. Single crystals in octahedral shape with a size of about 4 mm on edge were obtained from 100 cm3 Pt crucibles. Ferrimagnetic transitions were detected at 170 K and 160 K from the measurements of temperature dependent magnetization and specific heat of Co2MnO4 and Co1.5Mn1.5O4, respectively. Low temperature field-dependent magnetization curves give a strong indication of the non-collinear spin structure, offering an insulating Co3-xMnxO4 system as a possible candidate for examining the multiferroicity.

Neutron diffraction investigation of the crystal and molecular structure of the anisotropic superconductor Hg3AsF6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schultz, A.J.; Williams, J.M.; Miro, N.D.; MacDiarmid, A.G.; Heeger, A.J.

1978-01-01

The crystal and molecular structure of Hg 3 AsF 6 has been investigated by single-crystal neutron diffraction. This metallic compound crystallizes in the body-centered tetragonal space group I4 1 /amd with cell dimensions of a = 7.549 (5) A and c = 12.390 (9) A. The crystal structure consists of two orthogonal and nonintersecting linear chains of Hg/sup 0.33+/ cations passing through a lattice of octahedral AsF 6 - anions. The intrachain Hg--Hg distance of 2.64 (2) A is derived from planes of diffuse scattering normal to a* and b*. Since the a and b axis lattice constants are not simple multiples of the Hg--Hg intrachain distance, the mercury chains are incommensurate with the tetragonal lattice; hence we have the apparent formula Hg 2 . 86 AsF 6 . These results are in essential agreement with a previously reported x-ray diffraction study. However, from the neutron diffraction data, we have established that the Hg chains are not strictly one-dimensional. The maximum room-temperature deviation from the chain axis is 0.07 (1) A with neighboring chains distorted away from each other. The closest interchain Hg--Hg contact is 3.24 (2) A. Furthermore, analytical data consistently indicate a stoichiometric empirical formula of Hg 3 AsF 6 . These results together with precise density measurements imply that the incommensurate structure is stabilized by anion vacancies, such that there are four formula weights of Hg 2 . 86 (AsF 6 ) 0 . 953 per unit cell. 4 tables, 2 figures

Pluronic-lysozyme conjugates as anti-adhesive and antibacterial bifunctional polymers for surface coating

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Muszanska, A.K.; Busscher, H.J.; Herrmann, A.; Mei, van der H.C.; Norde, W.

2011-01-01

This paper describes the preparation and characterization of polymer protein conjugates composed of a synthetic triblock copolymer with a central polypropylene oxide (PPO) block and two terminal polyethylene oxide (PEO) segments, Pluronic F-127, and the antibacterial enzyme lysozyme attached to the

A unified picture of the crystal structures of metals

Science.gov (United States)

Söderlind, Per; Eriksson, Olle; Johansson, Börje; Wills, J. M.; Boring, A. M.

1995-04-01

THE crystal structures of the light actinides have intrigued physicists and chemists for several decades1. Simple metals and transition metals have close-packed, high-symmetry structures, such as body-centred cubic, face-centred cubic and hexagonal close packing. In contrast, the structures of the light actinides are very loosely packed and of low symmetry-tetragonal, orthorhombic and monoclinic. To understand these differences, we have performed total-energy calculations, as a function of volume, for both high-and low-symmetry structures of a simple metal (aluminium), a non-magnetic transition metal (niobium), a ferromagnetic transition metal (iron) and a light actinide (uranium). We find that the crystal structure of all of these metals is determined by the balance between electrostatic (Madelung) interactions, which favour high symmetry, and a Peierls distortion of the crystal lattice, which favours low symmetry. We show that simple metals and transition metals can adopt low-symmetry structures on expansion of the lattice; and we predict that, conversely, the light actinides will undergo transitions to structures of higher symmetry on compression.

A unified picture of the crystal structures of metals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soederlind, P.; Eriksson, O.; Johansson, B.; Wills, J.M.; Boring, A.M.

1995-01-01

The crystal structures of the light actinides have intrigued physicists and chemists for several decades. Simple metals and transition metals have close-packed, high-symmetry structures, such as body-centred cubic, face-centred cubic hexagonal close packing. In contrast, the structures of the light actinides are very loosely packed and of low symmetry -tetragonal, orthorhombic and monoclinic. To understand these differences, we have have performed total-energy calculations, as a function of volume, for both high- and low-symmetry structures of a simple metal (aluminium), a non-magnetic transition metal (niobium), a ferromagnetic transition metal (iron) and a light actinide (uranium). We find that the crystal structure of all these metals is determined by the balance between electrostatic (Madelung) interactions, which favour high symmetry, and a Peierls distortion of the crystal lattice, which favours low symmetry. We show that simple metals and transition metals can adopt low-symmetry structures on expansion of the lattice; and we predict that, conversely, the light actinides will undergo transitions to structures of higher symmetry on compression. (author)

Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the proliferation-associated protein Ebp1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kowalinski, Eva; Bange, Gert; Wild, Klemens; Sinning, Irmgard

2007-01-01

Preliminary X-ray analysis of the proliferation-associated protein Ebp1 from Homo sapiens is provided. ErbB-3-binding protein 1 (Ebp1) is a member of the family of proliferation-associated 2G4 proteins (PA2G4s) and plays a role in cellular growth and differentiation. Ligand-induced activation of the transmembrane receptor ErbB3 leads to dissociation of Ebp1 from the receptor in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. The non-associated protein is involved in transcriptional and translational regulation in the cell. Here, the overexpression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of Ebp1 from Homo sapiens are reported. Initially observed crystals were improved by serial seeding to single crystals suitable for data collection. The optimized crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4 1 2 1 2 or P4 3 2 1 2 and diffracted to a resolution of 1.6 Å

Expression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic analysis of the proliferation-associated protein Ebp1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kowalinski, Eva; Bange, Gert; Wild, Klemens; Sinning, Irmgard, E-mail: irmi.sinning@bzh.uni-heidelberg.de [Heidelberg University Biochemistry Center, INF 328, D-69120 Heidelberg (Germany)

2007-09-01

Preliminary X-ray analysis of the proliferation-associated protein Ebp1 from Homo sapiens is provided. ErbB-3-binding protein 1 (Ebp1) is a member of the family of proliferation-associated 2G4 proteins (PA2G4s) and plays a role in cellular growth and differentiation. Ligand-induced activation of the transmembrane receptor ErbB3 leads to dissociation of Ebp1 from the receptor in a phosphorylation-dependent manner. The non-associated protein is involved in transcriptional and translational regulation in the cell. Here, the overexpression, purification, crystallization and preliminary crystallographic studies of Ebp1 from Homo sapiens are reported. Initially observed crystals were improved by serial seeding to single crystals suitable for data collection. The optimized crystals belong to the tetragonal space group P4{sub 1}2{sub 1}2 or P4{sub 3}2{sub 1}2 and diffracted to a resolution of 1.6 Å.

Newly identified invertebrate-type lysozyme (Splys-i) in mud crab (Scylla paramamosain) exhibiting muramidase-deficient antimicrobial activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Jian; Zhao, Shu; Fang, Wen-Hong; Zhou, Jun-Fang; Zhang, Jing-Xiao; Ma, Hongyu; Lan, Jiang-Feng; Li, Xin-Cang

2017-09-01

Lysozymes are widely distributed immune effectors exerting muramidase activity against the peptidoglycan of the bacterial cell wall to trigger cell lysis. However, some invertebrate-type (i-type) lysozymes deficient of muramidase activity still exhibit antimicrobial activity. To date, the mechanism underlying the antimicrobial effect of muramidase-deficient i-type lysozymes remains unclear. Accordingly, this study characterized a novel i-type lysozyme, Splys-i, in the mud crab Scylla paramamosain. Splys-i shared the highest identity with the Litopenaeus vannamei i-type lysozyme (Lvlys-i2, 54% identity) at the amino acid level. Alignment analysis and 3D structure comparison show that Splys-i may be a muramidase-deficient i-type lysozyme because it lacks the two conserved catalytic residues (Glu and Asp) that are necessary for muramidase activity. Splys-i is mainly distributed in the intestine, stomach, gills, hepatopancreas, and hemocytes, and it is upregulated by Vibrio harveyi or Staphylococcus aureus challenge. Recombinant Splys-i protein (rSplys-i) can inhibit the growth of Gram-negative bacteria (V. harveyi, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio parahemolyticus, and Escherichia coli), Gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus megaterium), and the fungus Candida albicans to varying degrees. In this study, two binding assays and a bacterial agglutination assay were conducted to elucidate the potential antimicrobial mechanisms of Splys-i. Results demonstrated that rSplys-i could bind to all nine aforementioned microorganisms. It also exhibited a strong binding activity to lipopolysaccharide from E. coli and lipoteichoic acid and peptidoglycan (PGN) from S. aureus but a weak binding activity to PGN from B. subtilis and β-glucan from fungi. Moreover, rSplys-i could agglutinate these nine types of microorganisms in the presence of Ca 2+ at different protein concentrations. These results suggest that the binding activity and its triggered

A quantum-chemical study of oxygen-vacancy defects in PbTiO{sub 3} crystals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stashans, Arvids [Laboratorio de Fisica, Escuela de Electronica y Telecomunicaciones, Universidad Tecnica Particular de Loja, Apartado 11-01-608, Loja (Ecuador)]. E-mail: arvids@utpl.edu.ec; Serrano, Sheyla [Centro de Investigacion en Fisica de Materia Condensada, Corporacion de Fisica Fundamental y Aplicada, Apartado 17-12-637, Quito (Ecuador); Escuela de Ingenierias, Universidad Politecnica Salesiana, Campus Sur, Rumichaca s/n y Moran Valverde, Apartado 17-12-536, Quito (Ecuador); Medina, Paul [Centro de Investigacion en Fisica de Materia Condensada, Corporacion de Fisica Fundamental y Aplicada, Apartado 17-12-637, Quito (Ecuador)

2006-05-31

Investigation of an oxygen vacancy and F center in the cubic and tetragonal lattices of PbTiO{sub 3} crystals is done by means of quantum-chemical simulations. Displacements of defect-surrounding atoms, electronic and optical properties, lattice relaxation energies and some new effects due to the defects presence are reported and analyzed. A comparison with similar studies is made and conclusions are drawn on the basis of the obtained results.

Influence of the ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide on amyloid fibrillogenesis in lysozyme: Evidence from photophysical and imaging studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Basu, Anirban; Bhattacharya, Subhash Chandra; Kumar, Gopinatha Suresh

2018-02-01

Many proteins can abnormally fold to form pathological amyloid deposits/aggregates that are responsible for various degenerative disorders called amyloidosis. Here we have examined the anti-amyloidogenic potency of an ionic liquid, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide, using lysozyme as a model system. Thioflavin T fluorescence assay demonstrated that the ionic liquid suppressed the formation of lysozyme fibrils significantly. This observation was further confirmed by the Congo red assay. Fluorescence microscopy, intrinsic fluorescence studies, nile red fluorescence assay, ANS binding assay and circular dichroism studies also testified diminishing of the fibrillogenesis in the presence of ionic liquid. Formation of amyloid fibrils was also characterized by α to β conformational transition. From far-UV circular dichroism studies it was observed that the β-sheet content of the lysozyme samples decreased in the presence of the ionic liquid which in turn implied that fibrillogenesis was supressed by the ionic liquid. Atomic force microscopy imaging unequivocally established that the ionic liquid attenuated fibrillogenesis in lysozyme. These results may be useful for the development of more effective therapeutics for amyloidosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structural basis for the appearance of a molten globule state in chimeric molecules derived from lysozyme and alpha-lactalbumin.

Science.gov (United States)

Joniau, M; Haezebrouck, P; Noyelle, K; Van Dael, H

2001-07-01

The problem as to why alpha-lactalbumin, in the absence of Ca(2+), forms a molten globule intermediate, in contrast to its structural homologue lysozyme, has been addressed by the construction of chimeras of human lysozyme in which either the Ca(2+)-binding loop or a part of helix C of bovine alpha-lactalbumin were transplanted. Previously, we have shown that the introduction of both structural elements together in the lysozyme matrix causes the apo form of the resulting chimera to display molten globule behavior during the course of thermal denaturation. In this article, we demonstrate that this molten globule character is not correlated with the Ca(2+)-binding loop. Also, the Del 101 mutant in which Arg101 was deleted to simulate the alpha-lactalbumin conformation of the connecting loop between helix C and helix D, does not show a stable equilibrium intermediate. Rather, the molten globule character of the chimeras has to be related with a specific part of helix C. More particularly, attention is drawn to the four hydrophobic side-chains I93, V96, I99, and L100, the lysozyme counterparts of which are constituted of less bulky valines and alanine. Our observations are discussed in terms of decreased stability of the native form and increased stability of the intermediate molten globule. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Atomistic studies of cation transport in tetragonal ZrO2 during zirconium corrosion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bai, Xian-Ming; Zhang, Yongfeng; Tonks, Michael R.

2015-01-01

Zirconium alloys are the major fuel cladding materials in current reactors. The water-side corrosion is a significant degradation mechanism of these alloys. During corrosion, the transport of oxidizing species in zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) determines the corrosion kinetics. Previously, it has been argued that the outward diffusion of cations is important for forming protective oxides. In this work, the migration of Zr defects in tetragonal ZrO 2 is studied with temperature accelerated dynamics and molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that Zr interstitials have anisotropic diffusion and migrate preferentially along the [001] or c direction in tetragonal ZrO 2 . The compressive stresses can increase the Zr interstitial migration barrier significantly. The migration of Zr interstitials at a grain boundary is much slower than in a bulk oxide. The implications of these atomistic simulation results in the Zr corrosion are discussed. (authors)

Targeting the human lysozyme gene on bovine αs1- casein gene ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Targeting an exogenous gene into a favorable gene locus and for expression under endogenous regulators is an ideal method in mammary gland bioreactor research. For this purpose, a gene targeting vector was constructed to targeting the human lysozyme gene on bovine αs1-casein gene locus. In this case, the ...

Targeting the human lysozyme gene on bovine αs1- casein gene ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ajl yemi

2011-11-28

Nov 28, 2011 ... Targeting an exogenous gene into a favorable gene locus and for expression under endogenous regulators is ... case, the expression of human lysozyme could be regulated by the endogenous cis-element of αs1- casein gene in .... Mouse mammary epithelial C127 cells (Cell Bank, Chinese. Academy of ...

Label-Free Aptasensor for Lysozyme Detection Using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

OpenAIRE

Dionisia Ortiz-Aguayo; Manel del Valle

2018-01-01

This research develops a label-free aptamer biosensor (aptasensor) based on graphite-epoxy composite electrodes (GECs) for the detection of lysozyme protein using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) technique. The chosen immobilization technique was based on covalent bonding using carbodiimide chemistry; for this purpose, carboxylic moieties were first generated on the graphite by electrochemical grafting. The detection was performed using [Fe(CN)6]3−/[Fe(CN)6]4− as redox probe. Afte...

The influence of high hydrostatic pressure on lattice parameters of a single crystal of BaTiO3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malinowski, M.; Lukaszewicz, K.; Asbrink, S.

1986-01-01

The lattice parameters of a single crystal of BaTiO 3 have been measured under high hydrostatic pressure up to 5 GPa using a diamond-anvil high-pressure cell of a new design. The lattice becomes cubic at 2.08(8) GPa and stays cubic at higher pressures. The pressure dependence of the tetragonal-cubic transition temperature is estimated to be -46 K GPa -1 . (orig.)

Four crystal forms of a Bence-Jones protein

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Makino, Debora L.; Henschen-Edman, Agnes H.; McPherson, Alexander

2004-01-01

Four crystal forms have been grown and characterized by X-ray diffraction of a Bence-Jones protein collected from the urine of a multiple myeloma patient more than 40 y ago. The trigonal crystal form may shed some light on the formation of fibrils common to certain storage diseases. Four crystal forms have been grown and characterized by X-ray diffraction of a Bence-Jones protein collected from the urine of a multiple myeloma patient more than 40 years ago. Closely related tetragonal and orthorhombic forms belonging to space groups P4 3 2 1 2 and P2 1 2 1 2 1 , with unit-cell parameters a = b = 68.7, c = 182.1 and a = 67.7, b = 69.4, c = 87.3 Å, diffract to 1.5 and 1.9 Å, respectively. Two closely related trigonal forms, both belonging to space group P3 1 21 with unit-cell parameters a = b = 154.3 Å but differing by a doubling of the c axis, one 46.9 Å and the other 94.0 Å, diffract to 2.9 and 2.6 Å resolution, respectively. The trigonal crystal of short c-axis length shows a positive indication of twinning. The trigonal crystal of longer c axis, which appeared only after eight months of incubation at room temperature, is likely to be composed of proteolytically degraded molecules and unlike the other crystal forms contains two entire Bence-Jones dimers in the asymmetric unit. This latter crystal form may shed some light on the formation of fibrils common to certain storage diseases

A convenient tool for gas derivatization using fine-needle capillary mounting for protein crystals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mizuno, Nobuhiro; Makino, Masatomo; Kumasaka, Takashi

2013-01-01

A convenient gas-derivatization tool for protein crystals is presented in combination with a fine-needle capillary and a gas-pressure regulator. Gas derivatization of protein crystals is useful not only to analyse gas-binding proteins but also to solve the phase problem of X-ray crystallography by using noble gases. However, the gas pressurization tools for these experiments are often elaborate and need to release the gas before flash-cooling. To simplify this step, a procedure using a fine-needle capillary to mount and flash-cool protein crystals under the pressurization of gases has been developed. After the crystals are picked up with the capillary, the capillary is sealed with an adhesive and then connected directly to a gas regulator. The quality of the diffraction data using this method is comparable with that of data from conventional pressurization procedures. The preparation of xenon-derivatives of hen egg-white lysozyme using this method was a success. In the derivatives, two new xenon binding sites were found and one of their sites vanished by releasing the gas. This observation shows the availability of flash-cooling under gas pressurization. This procedure is simple and useful for preparing gas-derivative crystals

Neutron structural biology

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Niimura, Nobuo [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Tokai Research Establishment

1998-03-01

Neutron diffraction provides an experimental method of directly locating hydrogen atoms in protein which play important roles in physiological functions. However, there are relatively few examples of neutron crystallography in biology since it takes a lot of time to collect a sufficient number of Bragg reflections due to the low flux of neutrons illuminating the sample. In order to overcome the flux problem, we have successfully developed the neutron IP, where the neutron converter, {sup 6}Li or Gd, was mixed with a photostimulated luminescence material on flexible plastic support. Neutron Laue diffraction 2A data from tetragonal lysozyme were collected for 10 days with neutron imaging plates, and 960 hydrogen atoms in the molecule and 157 bound water molecules were identified. These results explain the proposed hydrolysis mechanism of the sugar by the lysozyme molecule and that lysozyme is less active at pH7.0. (author)

Capillary crystallization and molecular-replacement solution of haemoglobin II from the clam Lucina pectinata

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