Lamellar twinning explains the nearly racemic composition of chiral, single crystals of hexahelicene

Solvent etching of single crystals of hexahelicene grown from a racemic solution reveals an unusual layer-like pattern in which pure (+)- and pure (-)-layers alternate through the crystal; this arrangement results in a nearly racemic composition although the crystal is ostensibly chiral, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1). Etched crystals of enantiomerically pure hexahelicene display no such pattern. The two kinds of crystal are indistinguishable by x-ray diffraction.     

Biomolecular interactions at phospholipid-decorated surfaces of liquid crystals

The spontaneous assembly of phospholipids at planar interfaces between thermotropic liquid crystals and aqueous phases gives rise to patterned orientations of the liquid crystals that reflect the spatial and temporal organization of the phospholipids. Strong and weak specific-binding events involving proteins at these interfaces drive the reorganization of the phospholipids and trigger orientational transitions in the liquid crystals. Because these interfaces are fluid, processes involving the lateral organization of proteins (such as the formation of protein- and phospholipid-rich domains) are also readily imaged by the orientational response of the liquid crystal, as are stereospecific enzymatic events. These results provide principles for label-free monitoring of aqueous streams for molecular and biomolecular species without the need for complex instrumentation.     

香料烟结晶细胞超微结构、性质及分离方法研究

研究表明，香料烟株内结晶细胞是一类特化的含晶细胞，细胞内充满晶体，晶体形状似角锥状，质体等被挤到细胞边缘。叶片成熟过程中，结晶细胞超微结构发生变化，质体逐渐退化，胞基质逐渐干缩。结晶细胞与普通细胞相比有较高的钙含量，因此推测细胞内结晶体可能是一种钙盐结晶，但不排除结晶体可能含有尚未证实的有机物成分。同时，在试验中，初步摸索出了结晶细胞的分离方法。     

Heterogeneous and epitaxial nucleation of protein crystals on mineral surfaces

Fifty different mineral samples were tested as potential heterogeneous or epitaxial nucleants for four commonly crystallized proteins. It was found, by conventional protein crystallization techniques, that for each protein there was a set of mineral substrates that promoted nucleation of crystals at lower critical levels of supersaturation than required for spontaneous growth. Numerous examples, involving all four proteins, were observed of modification of crystal habit and, in some cases, unit cell properties promoted by the presence of the mineral nucleants. In at least one case, the growth of lysozyme on the mineral apophyllite, it was shown by lattice analysis and x-ray diffraction that the nucleation and growth of the protein crystal on the mineral was likely to involve a direct lattice match.     

Biological control of crystal texture: a widespread strategy for adapting crystal properties to function

Textures of calcite crystals from a variety of mineralized tissues belonging to organisms from four phyla were examined with high-resolution synchrotron x-ray radiation. Significant differences in coherence length and angular spread were observed between taxonomic groups. Crystals from polycrystalline skeletal ensembles were more perfect than those that function as single-crystal elements. Different anisotropic effects on crystal texture were observed for sea urchin and mollusk calcite crystals, whereas none was found for the foraminifer, Patellina, and the control calcite crystals. These results show that the manipulation of crystal texture in different organisms is under biological control and that crystal textures in some tissues are adapted to function. A better understanding of this apparently widespread biological phenomenon may provide new insights for improving synthetic crystal-containing materials.     

X-ray Laue Diffraction from Protein Crystals

In conventional x-ray diffraction experiments on single crystals, essentially monochromatic x-rays are used. If polychromatic x-rays derived from a synchrotron radiation spectrum are used, they generate a Laue diffraction pattern. Laue patterns from single crystals of macromolecules can be obtained in less-than 1 second, and significant radiation damage does not occur over the course of an exposure. Integrated intensities are obtained without rotation of the crystal, and individual structure factors may be extracted for most reflections. The Laue technique thus offers advantages for the recording of diffraction patterns from short-lived structural intermediates; that is, for time-resolved crystallography.     

Inhibition of cholesterol crystal formation by apolipoproteins in supersaturated model bile

Apolipoproteins A-1 and A-2 were purified from human plasma. At concentrations present in human bile these proteins prolonged the nucleation time of cholesterol monohydrate crystals when added to model systems of supersaturated bile. In contrast, apolipoprotein C-3 and other serum proteins did not have this effect. Also, when human gallbladder bile was fractionated by gel filtration chromatography, apolipoproteins A-1 and A-2 were among the proteins present in a fraction of bile enriched in potent inhibitors of cholesterol crystal nucleation. These findings suggest that apolipoproteins A-1 and A-2 in supersaturated human gallbladder bile could inhibit the rate of formation of solid cholesterol crystals and thus help to prevent spontaneous cholesterol gallstone formation in humans.     

水冬瓜体内草酸钙结晶分布及发育研究

水冬瓜(Idesia polycarpa var.vestita Diels)体内草酸钙结晶有晶簇和棱晶两种。晶簇只形成于薄壁组织的细胞中,其中有些含晶细胞是死细胞,有的则是生活细胞。棱晶的形成伴随着含晶细胞本身或相邻细胞细胞壁的木质化。冬季存在于芽中的晶簇,当春季萌芽时则消失,从而被再利用,故具有贮备钙及草酸根离子的作用。花药中的含晶细胞当花药成熟时解体,促使花药开裂。此外还发现,绝大多数含晶细胞的形成都与低温及植物组织代谢强度的降低有关。     

Bt杀虫晶体蛋白的研究概述

苏云金芽孢杆菌 (Bt)杀虫晶体蛋白对许多农业害虫有很高的活性。许多试验表明Bt晶体蛋白之间具有协同增效作用 ,蛋白的混配比单一的蛋白具有更高的活性。本文对Bt杀虫晶体蛋白分类方法、蛋白活性以及蛋白之间的协同作用进行综述。     

一株对鳞翅目蔬菜害虫具有广谱高毒力的新Bt菌株

从河北省土壤分离出苏云金芽胞杆菌(Bacillus thuringiensis,Bt)MB-15菌株,利用室内生物活性测定的方法,与Bt标准菌株HD-1的杀虫毒力进行比较,结果发现该菌株胞晶混合液对棉铃虫(Helicoverpaarmigera)、甜菜夜蛾(Spodoptera exigua)、小菜蛾(Plutella xylostella)、斜纹夜蛾(Spodoptera litura)和菜青虫(Pieris rapae)等5种鳞翅目蔬菜害虫的毒力均高于标准菌株Bt HD-1胞晶混合液。对发酵液各组分活性的分析发现,该菌株的上清液对胞晶混合物的杀虫活性有明显的增效作用。光学显微镜下观察该菌株伴胞晶体为菱形,SDS-PAGE分析显示其伴胞晶体主要由130.0 kDa和65.0 kDa两种晶体蛋白组成。利用PCR-RFLP对其杀虫基因型进行鉴定,结果表明该菌株含有cry1Ac、cry2Aa、cry1I和vip3Aa基因。推断该菌株是一株对鳞翅目蔬菜害虫的防治具有潜在的商业开发价值的Bt野生株。     

Structures from anomalous diffraction of native biological macromolecules

Crystal structure analyses for biological macromolecules without known structural relatives entail solving the crystallographic phase problem. Typical de novo phase evaluations depend on incorporating heavier atoms than those found natively; most commonly, multi- or single-wavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD or SAD) experiments exploit selenomethionyl proteins. Here, we realize routine structure determination using intrinsic anomalous scattering from native macromolecules. We devised robust procedures for enhancing the signal-to-noise ratio in the slight anomalous scattering from generic native structures by combining data measured from multiple crystals at lower-than-usual x-ray energy. Using this multicrystal SAD method (5 to 13 equivalent crystals), we determined structures at modest resolution (2.8 to 2.3 angstroms) for native proteins varying in size (127 to 1148 unique residues) and number of sulfur sites (3 to 28). With no requirement for heavy-atom incorporation, such experiments provide an attractive alternative to selenomethionyl SAD experiments.     

趋磁细菌磁小体合成相关蛋白的研究进展

趋磁细菌是一类能够沿着磁场方向运动的革兰氏阴性细菌的总称,其最显著的特征是能够在胞内合成特殊的原核细胞器——磁小体。磁小体是具有外膜包被、纳米级、在胞内成链状排列的Fe3O4或Fe3S4磁性颗粒,并且具有专属的形态、大小和排列。正是因为磁小体的这些特性使不同领域的科研工作者开发着趋磁细菌的应用。另外,磁小体可以作为生物矿化和原核生物形成膜细胞器的理想模型。趋磁细菌磁小体合成相关蛋白在磁小体囊泡的形成、铁的转运、成晶的控制以及胞内磁性颗粒的排列等过程中发挥作用。文中重点介绍了近年来发现的和趋磁细菌磁小体合成相关的蛋白,并对未来磁小体蛋白的研究进行了展望。     

4种石首鱼耳石形态特征的比较

比较研究了黄唇鱼Bahaba flavolabiata、大黄鱼Pseudosciaena crocea、丁氏(鱼或)Wak tingi和棘头梅童鱼Collichthyslucidus耳石的形态特征和微结构,总结了4种鱼耳石形态的异同鉴别特征.结果表明:矢耳石呈长圆形或者盾形,基叶、翼叶、后基叶、副基叶以及中央突均不发达,主凹槽明显且贯穿整个耳石,背面具数个圆形晶状突或尖形晶状突或两者兼有.星耳石翼叶较基叶发达,中央突发达,为粗壮突起,四周边缘分布有数量不等的叶形晶状突,为宽叶形或窄叶形.黄唇鱼、大黄鱼和棘头梅童鱼的微耳石略呈纺锤体形,丁氏(鱼或)的微耳石略呈长方形.矢耳石、星耳石和微耳石的平均长高比分别为1.259～1.890、1.332～1.531和0.643～0.716.矢耳石长占体长的比为4%～6%,矢耳石高占体长的比为2%～5%.矢耳石仅有1个中心核和1个原基,星耳石大部分具1个中心核和1个原基,但也有少数具有1个以上的中心核或原基.     

Atomic-level models of the bacterial carboxysome shell

The carboxysome is a bacterial microcompartment that functions as a simple organelle by sequestering enzymes involved in carbon fixation. The carboxysome shell is roughly 800 to 1400 angstroms in diameter and is assembled from several thousand protein subunits. Previous studies have revealed the three-dimensional structures of hexameric carboxysome shell proteins, which self-assemble into molecular layers that most likely constitute the facets of the polyhedral shell. Here, we report the three-dimensional structures of two proteins of previously unknown function, CcmL and OrfA (or CsoS4A), from the two known classes of carboxysomes, at resolutions of 2.4 and 2.15 angstroms. Both proteins assemble to form pentameric structures whose size and shape are compatible with formation of vertices in an icosahedral shell. Combining these pentamers with the hexamers previously elucidated gives two plausible, preliminary atomic models for the carboxysome shell.     

Molecular recognition at crystal interfaces

Nucleation, growth, and dissolution of crystals have been studied by stereochemical approach involving molecular recognition at interfaces. A methodology is described for using ;;tailor-made' additives designed to interact stereospecifically with crystal surfaces during growth and dissolution. This procedure was instrumental in controlling crystal morphology and in revising the concept of the structure and symmetry of solid solutions. Consequently, it was applied to the transformation of centrosymmetric single crystals into solid solutions with polar arrangement displaying second-harmonic generation and to the performance of asymmetric synthesis of guest molecules inside centrosymmetric host crystals. The method has led to a discovery of a new ;;relay' mechanism explaining the effect of solvent on crystal growth. Finally, it allowed for the design of auxiliary molecules that act as promoters or inhibitors of crystal nucleation that can be used to resolve enantiomers and crystallize desired polymorphs.     

Reactions of organ crystals with gases

Although reactions of molecular crystals are much more widespread than has been generally appreciated (53), the great sensitivity of their rates to seemingly trivial changes in molecular structure clearly provides a major stumbling block to the general utilization of such processes. A key to understanding the effects of structural changes has been provided by the demonstration of anisotropy of such reactions discussed in this article. It is recognized, however, that many factors in addition to those aspects of the crystal structure utilized in the discussion above may play a part in determining reactivity of crystalline solids with gases. The recent ready availability of crystal structure data for molecular crystals should lead to a more rapid development of the principles governing the packing of such crystals and their reactivity. The resulting control of such reactions should not only provide the means of causing them when they are desired, as, for example, for synthesis, but also the means of preventing them when they are to be avoided, as in the stabilization of pharmaceuticals. Finally, it appears that we have only just begun to exploit the potential reaction specificity and the exciting possibilities resulting from the unique symmetry properties of the crystalline state.     

The structure and symmetry of crystalline solid solutions: a general revision

Mixed single crystals composed of host and guest organic molecules of similar structures and shapes are shown to comprise sectors with different host-guest distributions and to have symmetries lower than that of the host crystal. These properties are determined by the structure of the guest and the surface structures of the crystal faces through which the guest molecules are occluded. This general concept is illustrated by studies of three mixed crystal systems,(E)-cinnamamide-(E)-2-thienylacrylamide, (E)-cinnamamide-(E)-3-thienylacrylamide, and(S)-asparagine-(S)-aspartic acid, with x-ray and neutron diffraction and solid-state photochemistry.     

Molecular switch for signal transduction: structural differences between active and inactive forms of protooncogenic ras proteins

Ras proteins participate as a molecular switch in the early steps of the signal transduction pathway that is associated with cell growth and differentiation. When the protein is in its GTP complexed form it is active in signal transduction, whereas it is inactive in its GDP complexed form. A comparison of eight three-dimensional structures of ras proteins in four different crystal lattices, five with a nonhydrolyzable GTP analog and three with GDP, reveals that the "on" and "off" states of the switch are distinguished by conformational differences that span a length of more than 40 A, and are induced by the gamma-phosphate. The most significant differences are localized in two regions: residues 30 to 38 (the switch I region) in the second loop and residues 60 to 76 (the switch II region) consisting of the fourth loop and the short alpha-helix that follows the loop. Both regions are highly exposed and form a continuous strip on the molecular surface most likely to be the recognition sites for the effector and receptor molecule(or molecules). The conformational differences also provide a structural basis for understanding the biological and biochemical changes of the proteins due to oncogenic mutations, autophosphorylation, and GTP hydrolysis, and for understanding the interactions with other proteins.     

Aragonite twinning in the molluscan bivalve hinge ligament

Molluscan bivalve hinge ligaments are composed of long needle-shaped aragonite crystals embedded in a protein matrix. These crystals are twinned and, in general, the twin forms a thin lamella through the center of the crystal.     

Negative Poisson's ratios for extreme states of matter

Negative Poisson's ratios are predicted for body-centered-cubic phases that likely exist in white dwarf cores and neutron star outer crusts, as well as those found for vacuumlike ion crystals, plasma dust crystals, and colloidal crystals (including certain virus crystals). The existence of this counterintuitive property, which means that a material laterally expands when stretched, is experimentally demonstrated for very low density crystals of trapped ions. At very high densities, the large predicted negative and positive Poisson's ratios might be important for understanding the asteroseismology of neutron stars and white dwarfs and the effect of stellar stresses on nuclear reaction rates. Giant Poisson's ratios are both predicted and observed for highly strained coulombic photonic crystals, suggesting possible applications of large, tunable Poisson's ratios for photonic crystal devices.