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Biomedical subjects

Fujio Mizukami

Publications and source records attributed to Fujio Mizukami.

17 recordsLinked to original sources

Effective immobilization of subunit protein in mesoporous silica modified with ethanol.

Ethoxylated FSM-type mesoporous silica (folded-sheet mesoporous material) with a pore diameter of 6.2 nm (FSM6.2) remarkably enhances rigidly of the structure in aqueous solutions. The esterified material could be used successfully as an adsorbent to accommodate subunit protein, methemoglobin (Fe(3+)). Furthermore, methemoglobin (Fe(3+)) in the pores of ethoxy-FSM is maintained a peroxidase activity similar to the native, indicating methemoglobin retains its fore subunit structure in the pores of FSM6.2.

Adsorption↗

A reactivity index study to monitor the role of solvation on the interaction of the chromophores with amino-functional silanol surface for colorimetric sensors.

Amino-functional silanol surface are mostly used for the immobilization of inorganic ions, molecules, organic or biochemical molecules onto the mesopore surface. In analytical chemistry, the metal ion uptake was visualized through colorimetric sensors using chromophore molecules. One needs to know the structure-property correlation between the chromophore and silylating agent while choosing chromophore, which is very important to design the sensors. We have used two chromophores representative of hydrophobic and hydrophilic type. We used density functional calculation on all the interacting molecules in both the unsolvated phase and solvated medium within the domain of hard soft acid base principle (HSAB) to look at the localized activity of the interacting atoms of these reacting molecules to formulate a priori rule to choose of the best chromophore. We have as well postulated the mechanism of interaction between chromophore and the silylating agent. The results were compared with experiment and it is observed that solvation plays a detrimental role in the binding of chromophore with silylating agent. The results also show that, the range of reactivity index can be used as a suitable property to scale activity of chromophore molecules suitable for the sensing process. It is observed that the hydrophobic chromophore binds stronger with both the metal and the silylating agent; whereas for the hydrophilic one, it binds only with the silylating agent when solvated and in all cases the metal ion binding is weaker compared to that of the hydrophobic one.

Algorithms↗

A novel protein refolding method using a zeolite.

We have succeeded in developing a simple and effective protein refolding method using the inorganic catalyst, beta-zeolite. The method involves the adsorption of proteins solubilized with 6M guanidine hydrochloride from inclusion body (IB) preparations onto the zeolite. The denaturant is then removed, and the proteins in the IBs are released from the zeolite with polyoxyethylene detergent and salt. All of the IBs tested (11 different species) were successfully refolded under these conditions. The refolded proteins are biochemically active, and NMR analysis of one of the proteins (replication protein A 8) supports the conclusion that correct refolding does occur. Based on these results, we discuss the refolding mechanism.

Animals↗

General and simple approach for control cage and cylindrical mesopores, and thermal/hydrothermal stable frameworks.

Highly ordered cage and cylindrical mesoporeous silica monoliths (HOM) with 2- and 3-dimensional (2D and 3D, respectively) structures, mesopore/micropore volumes, and thick-walled frameworks were successfully fabricated by instant direct templating of lyotropic phases of copolymer (EO(m)-PO(n)-EO(m)) surfactants. Large cage-like pores with uniform constriction sizes up to 10 nm and open cylindrical channel-like mesopores can be easily achieved by this simple and efficient synthesis design. Our results show that the cage-like pores could be fabricated at relatively lower copolymer concentrations used in the lyotropic phase domains at copolymer/TMOS ratios of 35 wt %. These ordered cage pore architectures underwent transition to open-cylindrical pores by increasing the copolymer concentration. High EO/PO block copolymers, in general, were crucially affected on the increase of the interior cavity sizes and on the stability of the cage mesopore characters. However, for F108 (EO(141)PO(44)EO(141)) systems, the fabrication of ordered and stable cage pore monoliths was achieved with significantly higher copolymer concentrations up to 90 wt %. Interestingly, the effective copolymer molecular nature was also observed in the ability to design various ordered mesophase geometries in large domain sizes. Our findings here show evidence that the synthetic strategy provides realistic control over a wide range of mesostructured phase geometries and their extended long-range ordering in the final replicas of the silica monolith frameworks. In addition, the HOM silica monoliths exhibited considerable structural stability against higher thermal temperature (up to 1000 degrees C) and longer hydrothermal treatment times under boiling water and steam. The remarkable structural findings of 3D frameworks, transparent monoliths, and micropores combined with large cage- and cylindrical-like mesopores are expected to find promising uses in materials chemistry.

Journal Article↗

Effects of water on the structure and bonding of resorcinol in the interlayer of montmorillonite nanocomposite: a periodic first principle study.

Resorcinol forms a novel nanocomposite in the interlayer of montmorillonite. This resorcinol oligomer is stable inside the clay matrixes even above the boiling point of the monomer. A periodic ab initio calculation was performed with hydrated and nonhydrated montmorillonite before and after intercalation of resorcinol. For the most feasible dimer and tetramer shaped oligomer of resorcinol, the intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonding feasibility has been tested using the DFT-BLYP approach and the DNP basis set in the gas phase and in the presence of aqueous solvent. After locating the active site through Fukui functions within the helm of the hard-soft acid-base principle, the relative nucleophilicity of the active cation sites in their hydrated state has been calculated. A novel quantitative scale in terms of the relative nucleophilicity and electrophilicity of the interacting resorcinol oligomers before and after solvation is proposed. Besides that, a comparison with a hydration situation and also the strength of the hydrogen bridges have been evaluated using mainly the dimer and cyclic tetramer type oligomers of resorcinol. Using periodic ab initio calculations, the formation mechanism was traced by the following two ways: (1) resorcinol molecules combine without any interaction with water or (2) resorcinol oligomerizes through water. Both the mechanism is compared and the effect of water on the process is elucidated. The results show that resorcinol molecules combine after hydration only and hence they are stable at higher temperature. The fittings of the oligomers were also tested as well by periodic calculation to compare the stability of the oligomers inside the newly formed clay nanocomposite.

Journal Article↗

Structure-property relationship in py-hexahydrocinchonidine diastereomers: ab initio and NMR study.

Two py-hexahydrocinchonidine diastereomers were selectively obtained in the heterogeneous catalytic hydrogenation of cinchonidine over supported Pt catalyst. The two isolated compounds when used as chiral base catalysts in the Michael addition of a beta-keto ester to methyl vinyl ketone gave products of opposite configuration in excess. To trace the reason of this behavior, in the present study, the structures of the two diastereomers were fully optimized by ab initio quantum chemical calculation. These results were then compared with several nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY) signal intensities from the spectra of the two compounds. Further we performed a conformational search on all the optimized geometries independently for the two flexible torsional angles, which are linking the quinuclidine and tetrahydroquinoline moieties present in these molecules. This study allowed us to propose the configuration of the C(4)(') chiral center. Thus, the product mixture resulted in the hydrogenation of cinchonidine containing the 4'-(S)-diastereomer in excess (de = 20%). According to the computation results the 4'-(S)-diastereomer is more stable than the 4'-(R)-diastereomer. The 4'-(S)-conformer obtained by computation has lower electronic energy than the structures obtained for the 4'-(R)-diastereomer, which may explain the excess formation of the first one. The results of the Michael addition catalyzed by these diastereomers were interpreted on the basis of these conclusions.

Catalysis↗

Applications of zeolite inorganic composites in biotechnology: current state and perspectives.

The purpose of this short review is to introduce applications of inorganic composites, zeolites, in biotechnology. Although inorganic chemistry is generally considered distant from biotechnology, the two could be harmoniously integrated for biopolymer chromatography. New chromatographic carriers have been developed based on principles differing from those underlying conventional chromatography. Some can be used for the purification of proteins according to novel physicochemical principles, according to their isoelectric point (pI), molecular weight and shape. The amount of protein adsorbed is related to the pore size of the composites, which can recognize biomolecules with reference to these three parameters. Proteins adsorbed at their pI have been found to be desorbed at the pI by polyethylene glycol, but not by high ionic medium (NaCl), SDS, non-ionic detergents, ATP or urea. Therefore, inorganic composites synthesized in consideration of pore size and three-dimensional structure are suitable as new chromatographic carriers. Selective fractionation of biomaterials including proteins and nucleic acids should provide useful information regarding whether conjugated proteins in a precipitated state can be separated on net charge and whether cells can be directly fractionated in future.

Adsorption↗

A method for the molecular imprinting of hemoglobin on silica surfaces using silanes.

A new molecular imprinting technique using covalently immobilized hemoglobin (Hb) is described for creating Hb-specific recognition cavities on silica. Two kinds of organic silane (3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane: APTMS, and trimethoxypropylsilane: TMPS) were polymerized on a surface of porous silica after the Hb template was covalently immobilized by forming imine bonds, and their influence was analyzed. The results showed that not only the silane amount but also the relative proportions play an important role in protein imprinting. Pore size distribution on Hb imprinted silica was determined by nitrogen adsorption/desorption after removing the template Hb. The Hb-imprinted silica using covalently immobilized Hb (MIPi) as a template proved superior to silica using free Hb (MIPf) regarding displacement of template Hb, and selective re-adsorption as compared with other non-template proteins. The results suggested the capacity for selective adsorption of MIPi to be not only based on the isoelectric point (pI) and protein molecular weight, but also the characteristics of protein recognition cavities imprinted on base silica.

Adsorption↗

Structure and property correlation for Ag deposition on alpha-Al2O3--a first principle study.

The nature of bonding at the interface between deposited silver and (001) surface of alpha-Al2O3 for both Al-terminated and OH-terminated has been investigated using a periodic ab initio method. Substantial inter-planar relaxations within the alumina were found at both the interfaces and the bulk. The periodic calculation with Ag deposition shows that 10% of Ag loading on alumina results maximum stability. Now, this is known that, the clean alumina surface only exists at UHV condition and normally the alumina surface prefers to stay hydroxylated. We have therefore compared the silver bonding over hydroxylated alumina surface and confirmed the fact that the hydroxylated surface binds silver weakly in comparison to the clean surface and it recommends that the silver cluster over the hydroxylated surface begins to join in to form three-dimensional nuclei. The deposited Ag forms a cluster on top of the alumina surface. The Ag atomic packing was monitored to rationalize the role of packing on activity of silver. Three low-index Ag surfaces (100), (110) and (111) are investigated via the ab initio density functional calculations with ultrasoft potentials. We have monitored the relation between Ag atomic packing and its electronic properties. The results show that the structural and electronic property of Ag deposited on alumina surface depends significantly on atomic packing. Ag110 over clean alumina surface shows highest surface energy and smallest work function, whereas for the OH-terminated surface it is the Ag111. The results are discussed in view of the existing experimental data and models of metal-oxide interface.

Aluminum Oxide↗

Effect of exchangeable cation on the swelling property of 2:1 dioctahedral smectite--a periodic first principle study.

We used both localized and periodic calculations on a series of monovalent (Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+) and divalent (Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+) cations to monitor their effect on the swelling of clays. The activity order obtained for the exchangeable cations among all the monovalent and divalent series studied: Ca2+ > Sr2+ > Mg2+ > Rb+ > Ba2+ > Na+ > Li+ > Cs+ > K+. We have shown that, in case of dioctahedral smectite, the hydroxyl groups play a major role in their interaction with water and other polar molecules in the presence of an interlayer cation. We studied both type of clays, with a different surface structure and with/without water using a periodic calculation. Interlayer cations and charged 2:1 clay surfaces interact strongly with polar solvents; when it is in an aqueous medium, clay expands and the phenomenon is known as crystalline swelling. The extent of swelling is controlled by a balance between relatively strong swelling forces and electrostatic forces of attraction between the negatively charged phyllosilicate layer and the positively charged interlayer cation. We have calculated the solvation energy at the first hydration shell of an exchangeable cation, but the results do not correspond directly to the experimental d-spacing values. A novel quantitative scale is proposed with the numbers generated by the relative nucleophilicity of the active cation sites in their hydrated state through Fukui functions within the helm of the hard soft acid base principle. The solvation effect thus measured show a perfect match with experiment, which proposes that the reactivity index calculation with a first hydration shell could rationalize the swelling mechanism for exchangeable cations. The conformers after electron donation or acceptance propose the swelling mechanism for monovalent and divalent cations.

Journal Article↗

Zeolites as new chromatographic carriers for proteins--easy recovery of proteins adsorbed on zeolites by polyethylene glycol.

Zeolites are able to adsorb proteins on their surface and might be suitable as a new type of chromatographic carrier material for proteins and for their conjugates (Matsui et al., Chem. Eur. J. 7 (2001) 1555-1560). Interestingly, maximum adsorption was observed at the isoelectric point (pI) of each protein. The current study was performed to investigate the desorption of proteins from the zeolites at pI. Proteins adsorbed to zeolites could be desorbed at pI by polyethylene glycol (PEG), but not by conventional eluents. The eluted proteins still retained their activities. The zeolite Na-BEA was an especially good composite for desorption by PEG. Using this method for the adsorption and desorption of proteins at pI, we succeeded in separating various proteins. The application of zeolites to biochemistry and biotechnology is also discussed.

Adsorption↗

2,3,7,8-Tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin can be successfully decomposed over 2:1 dioctahedral smectite-a reactivity index study.

2:1 Dioctahedral smectite family has shown its capability to decompose 2,3,7,8-tetrachloro dibenzo-p-dioxin (TeCDD) using the active hydroxyl hydrogen attached with the central octahedral aluminum, as monitored using density functional theory (DFT). From the values of the local softness and the charge on the hydrogen atom of the bridging/structural (occurring on the surface) hydroxyl attached to octahedral/tetrahedral metal site present in smectite used as a first approximation to the local hardness, it is concluded that the local acidities of the inorganic material systems are dependent on several characteristics which are of importance within the framework of hard-soft acid-base (HSAB) principle. The first step in this process of decomposition is the abstraction of chlorine bound to TeCDD using surface hydrogen of smectites. This results in non-chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (NCDD), which is less toxic than TeCDD. The second step is the formation of a dative bond between oxygen of NCDD and hydroxyl proton of smectite, with the breaking of Cz.sbnd;O bond of NCDD. The reaction mechanism is postulated within the helm of DFT using Fukui functions for all possible chlorinated and non-chlorinated dioxin varieties along with clay clusters. The material is identified to act for the decomposition of dioxin.

Computer-Aided Design↗

A one-step conversion of benzene to phenol with a palladium membrane.

Existing phenol production processes tend to be energy-consuming and produce unwanted by-products. We report an efficient process using a shell-and-tube reactor, in which a gaseous mixture of benzene and oxygen is fed into a porous alumina tube coated with a palladium thin layer and hydrogen is fed into the shell. Hydrogen dissociated on the palladium layer surface permeates onto the back and reacts with oxygen to give active oxygen species, which attack benzene to produce phenol. This one-step process attained phenol formation selectivities of 80 to 97% at benzene conversions of 2 to 16% below 250 degrees C (phenol yield: 1.5 kilograms per kilogram of catalyst per hour at 150 degrees C).

Journal Article↗

Encapsulation of myoglobin with a mesoporous silicate results in new capabilities.

A metmyoglobin (Fe3+), an oxidized form of myoglobin (Fe2+), was confined in nanospaces of about 4 nm in diameter in mesoporous silica (FSM; folded-sheet mesoporous material), forming a metmyoglobin (Fe3+)-FSM nanoconjugate. The spectral characteristics of metmyoglobin (Fe3+)- and myoglobin (Fe2+)-FSM show an absorption curve quite similar to that of native metmyoglobin, indicating that myoglobin retains its higher-order structure in the pores of FSM. The metmyoglobin (Fe3+)-FSM conjugate had not only a peroxidase-like activity in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (a hydrogen acceptor) and 2,2-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline)-6-sulfomic acid (ABTS) or guaiacol (a hydrogen donor) but also an advanced molecular recognition ability enabling it to distinguish between ABTS and guaiacol. Furthermore, the metmyoglobin (Fe3+)-FSM showed the peroxidase-like activity even in an organic media using benzoyl peroxide as the hydrogen acceptor and leucocrystal violet as the hydrogen donor. The simple immobilization of metmyoglobin (Fe3+) into FSM results in enhanced catalytic activity in organic media compared to that of native metmyoglobin (Fe3+).

Adsorption↗