Bernhard Brutschy

ANTI-HYDROGEN BOND BETWEEN CHLOROFORM AND FLUOROBENZENE

Abstract Accurate theoretical calculations (ab initio MP2/6-31G * counterpoise-corrected gradient optimization, harmonic and anharmonic vibrational analysis) on the fluorobenzene⋯chloroform complex predict a new type of bonding, termed the anti-hydrogen bond. This bond distinguishes itself by the contraction of the C–H bond of chloroform and a blue shift of the corresponding stretching frequency, i.e. features opposite to those characteristic for a hydrogen bond. The predicted blue shift was confirmed experimentally by double-resonance infrared ion-depletion spectroscopy. The calculated blue shift of the chloroform C–H stretching frequency (12 cm −1 ) agrees with the experimental value of 14 cm −1 . The anti-hydrogen bond originates from the dispersive interaction between molecules (contrary to the hydrogen bond which is of electrostatic origin). It plays a significant role in benzene-containing molecular clusters and is expected to be of consequence for the structure of biomolecules.

The Influence of Densely Organized Maltose Shells on the Biological Properties of Poly(propylene imine) Dendrimers: New Effects Dependent on Hydrogen Bonding

Maltose-modified poly(propylene imine) (PPI) dendrimers were synthesized by reductive amination of unmodified second- to fifth-generation PPI dendrimers in the presence of excess maltose. The dendrimers were characterized by using (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and IR spectroscopies; laser-induced liquid beam ionization/desorption mass spectrometry; dynamic light scattering analyses; and polyelectrolyte titration. Their scaffolds have enhanced molecular rigidity and their outer spheres, at which two maltose units are bonded to the former primary amino groups on the surface, have hydrogen-bond-forming properties. Furthermore, the structural features reveal the presence of a dense shell. Experiments involving encapsulation (1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid) and biological properties (hemolysis and interactions with human serum albumin (HSA) and prion peptide 185-208) were performed to compare the modified with the unmodified dendrimers. These experiments gave the following results: 1) The modified dendrimers entrapped a low-molecular-weight fluorescent dye by means of a dendritic box effect, in contrast to the interfacial uptake characteristic of the unmodified PPI dendrimers. 2) Both low- and high-generation dendrimers containing maltose units showed markedly reduced toxicity. 3) The desirable features of bio-interactions depended on the generation of the dendrimer; they were retained after maltose substitution, but were now mainly governed by nonspecific hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the maltose units. The modified dendrimers interacted with HSA as strongly as the parent compounds and appeared to have potential use as antiprion agents. These improvements will initiate the development of the next platform of glycodendrimers in which apparently contrary properties can be combined, and this will enable, for example, therapeutic products such as more efficient and less toxic antiamyloid agents to be synthesized.

A New Way To Detect Noncovalently Bonded Complexes of Biomolecules from Liquid Micro-Droplets by Laser Mass Spectrometry

A new version of laser mass-spectrometry is presented, which allows the quantitative analysis of specific biocomplexes in native solution. On-demand micro droplets, injected into vacuum, are irradiated by mid IR-laser pulses. Above a certain intensity threshold they explode due to the transmitted energy, setting free a fraction of the charged biomolecules which are then mass-analyzed. Amounts of analyte in the attomolar range may be detected with the ion intensity being linear over a wide range of molarity. Evidence is given that this method is soft, tolerant against various buffers, reflects properties of the liquid phase, and suitable for studying noncovalently bonded specific complexes. This is highlighted by results from antibiotics specifically binding into the minor groove of duplex DNA.

Subunit mass fingerprinting of mitochondrial complex I.

We have employed laser induced liquid bead ion desorption (LILBID) mass spectrometry to determine the total mass and to study the subunit composition of respiratory chain complex I from Yarrowia lipolytica. Using 5-10 pmol of purified complex I, we could assign all 40 known subunits of this membrane bound multiprotein complex to peaks in LILBID subunit fingerprint spectra by comparing predicted protein masses to observed ion masses. Notably, even the highly hydrophobic subunits encoded by the mitochondrial genome were easily detectable. Moreover, the LILBID approach allowed us to spot and correct several errors in the genome-derived protein sequences of complex I subunits. Typically, the masses of the individual subunits as determined by LILBID mass spectrometry were within 100 Da of the predicted values. For the first time, we demonstrate that LILBID spectrometry can be successfully applied to a complex I band eluted from a blue-native polyacrylamide gel, making small amounts of large multiprotein complexes accessible for subunit mass fingerprint analysis even if they are membrane bound. Thus, the LILBID subunit mass fingerprint method will be of great value for efficient proteomic analysis of complex I and its assembly intermediates, as well as of other water soluble and membrane bound multiprotein complexes.

A tridecameric c ring of the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase from the thermoalkaliphilic Bacillus sp. strain TA2.A1 facilitates ATP synthesis at low electrochemical proton potential

Despite the thermodynamic problem imposed on alkaliphilic bacteria of synthesizing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) against a large inverted pH gradient and consequently a low electrochemical proton potential, these bacteria still utilize a proton‐coupled F1Fo‐ATP synthase to synthesize ATP. One potential solution to this apparent thermodynamic problem would be the operation of a larger oligomeric c ring, which would raise the ion to ATP ratio, thus facilitating the conversion of a low electrochemical potential into a significant phosphorylation potential. To address this hypothesis, we have purified the oligomeric c ring from the thermoalkaliphilic bacterium Bacillus sp. strain TA2.A1 and determined the number of c‐subunits using a novel mass spectrometry method, termed ‘laser‐induced liquid bead ion desorption’ (LILBID). This technique allows the mass determination of non‐covalently assembled, detergent‐solubilized membrane protein complexes, and hence enables an accurate determination of c ring stoichiometries. We show that the Bacillus sp. strain TA2.A1 ATP synthase harbours a tridecameric c ring. The operation of a c ring with 13 subunits renders the thermodynamic problem of ATP synthesis at alkaline pH less severe and may represent a strategy for ATP synthesis at low electrochemical potential.

A NEW METHOD OF LASER DESORPTION MASS SPECTROMETRY FOR THE STUDY OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES

Abstract Using laser induced liquid beam ionization/desorption (LILBID), studies on gramicidin D and lysozyme are presented. The mass spectra of gramicidin D in methanol and ethanol show a charge state distribution ranging from 2+ to 2− for the monomeric species, with a solvent dependent low-intensity peak in the mass-to-charge region corresponding to the singly charged gramicidin dimer. In solution, mixtures of gramicidin and CsI form different peptide-salt complexes with a molar mass depending on salt concentration. Lysozyme dissolved in alcohol-water mixtures shows a charge state distribution varying from 1+ to 5+, with the specific maximum and the association state depending on the solvent. Some comments are made on the analysis of non-covalently bound biological complexes by use of this method. Potentially, LILBID could become a sensitive new tool for the screening of weak molecular interactions.

A scaffold of accessory subunits links the peripheral arm and the distal proton-pumping module of mitochondrial complex I

Mitochondrial NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is a very large membrane protein complex with a central function in energy metabolism. Complex I from the aerobic yeast Yarrowia lipolytica comprises 14 central subunits that harbour the bioenergetic core functions and at least 28 accessory subunits. Despite progress in structure determination, the position of individual accessory subunits in the enzyme complex remains largely unknown. Proteomic analysis of subcomplex Iδ revealed that it lacked eleven subunits, including the central subunits ND1 and ND3 forming the interface between the peripheral and the membrane arm in bacterial complex I. This unexpected observation provided insight into the structural organization of the connection between the two major parts of mitochondrial complex I. Combining recent structural information, biochemical evidence on the assignment of individual subunits to the subdomains of complex I and sequence-based predictions for the targeting of subunits to different mitochondrial compartments, we derived a model for the arrangement of the subunits in the membrane arm of mitochondrial complex I.

Anisole-(H2O)n(n=1–3) complexes: An experimental and theoretical investigation of the modulation of optimal structures, binding energies, and vibrational spectra in both the ground and first excited states

We present the results obtained from spectroscopic investigations and quantum chemical calculations of the interaction of anisole (methoxybenzene) with small water clusters. The experiments have been carried out using resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) and IR-UV double-resonance vibrational spectroscopy (IR/R2PI) in the region of the OH stretches. Apart from the vibrational spectra of the water moiety in the clusters, their intermolecular vibrations in the electronically excited S1 state are identified by IR/R2PI hole burning spectroscopy and assigned according to the vibrations calculated for the S1 state and compared with the vibrations calculated for the S0 state. The calculations for the S0 state were carried out at the second order Moller-Plesset level of theory using both the 6-31+G* and aug-cc-pVDZ basis sets and for the S1 state at the configuration interaction singles (CIS) level with the 6-31+G* basis set. In the electronic ground state (S0), the interaction of a water monomer to anisole is m...

Three-dimensional Structure of A1A0 ATP Synthase from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Pyrococcus furiosus by Electron Microscopy

The archaeal ATP synthase is a multisubunit complex that consists of a catalytic A1 part and a transmembrane, ion translocation domain A0. The A1A0 complex from the hyperthermophile Pyrococcus furiosus was isolated. Mass analysis of the complex by laser-induced liquid bead ion desorption (LILBID) indicated a size of 730 ± 10 kDa. A three-dimensional map was generated by electron microscopy from negatively stained images. The map at a resolution of 2.3 nm shows the A1 and A0 domain, connected by a central stalk and two peripheral stalks, one of which is connected to A0, and both connected to A1 via prominent knobs. X-ray structures of subunits from related proteins were fitted to the map. On the basis of the fitting and the LILBID analysis, a structural model is presented with the stoichiometry A3B3CDE2FH2ac10.

Hydrogen bonding in (substituted benzene)·(water)n clusters with n≤4

Abstract Infrared ion-depletion spectroscopy, a double resonance method combining vibrational predissociation with resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) spectroscopy, has been applied to study mixed clusters of the type (substituted benzene)·(H 2 O) n with n ≤4. The UV chromophores were p -difluorobenzene, fluorobenzene, benzene, toluene, p -xylene and anisole. From the IR depletion spectra in the region of the OH stretching vibrations it could be shown that the water molecules are attached as subclusters to the chromophores. Size and configuration of the subclusters could be deduced from the IR depletion spectra. In the anisole·(H 2 O) 1 and 2 complexes the water clusters form an ordinary hydrogen bond to the oxygen atom of the methoxy group. In all other mixed complexes a π-hydrogen bond is formed between one of the free OH groups of a water subcluster and the π-system of the chromophore. According to the strength of this interaction the frequency of the respective absorption band exhibits a characteristic red-shift which could be related to the total atomic charges in the aromatic ring.