Other Chemistry Commons^™

Carbon Oxidation State In Microbial Polar Lipids Suggests Adaptation To Hot Spring Temperature And Redox Gradients, Grayson M. Boyer, Florence Schubotz, Roger E. Summons, Jade Woods, Everett L. Shock

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

The influence of oxidation-reduction (redox) potential on the expression of biomolecules is a topic of ongoing exploration in geobiology. In this study, we investigate the novel possibility that structures and compositions of lipids produced by microbial communities are sensitive to environmental redox conditions. We extracted lipids from microbial biomass collected along the thermal and redox gradients of four alkaline hot springs in Yellowstone National Park (YNP) and investigated patterns in the average oxidation state of carbon (Z_C), a metric calculated from the chemical formulae of lipid structures. Carbon in intact polar lipids (IPLs) and their alkyl chains becomes …

Surface Modification Of Silicon Nanowire Based Field Effect Transistors With Stimuli Responsive Polymer Brushes For Biosensing Applications, Stephanie Klinghammer, Sebastian Rauch, Sebastian Pregl, Petra Uhlmann, Larysa Baraban, Gianaurelio Cuniberti

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

We demonstrate the functionalization of silicon nanowire based field effect transistors (SiNW FETs) FETs with stimuli-responsive polymer brushes of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAM) and poly(acrylic acid) (PAA). Surface functionalization was confirmed by atomic force microscopy, contact angle measurements, and verified electrically using a silicon nanowire based field effect transistor sensor device. For thermo-responsive PNIPAAM, the physicochemical properties (i.e., a reversible phase transition, wettability) were induced by crossing the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of about 32 ◦C. Taking advantage of this property, osteosarcomic SaoS-2 cells were cultured on PNIPAAM-modified sensors at temperatures above the LCST, and completely detached by simply cooling. Next, …

Rapid And Accurate Determination Of Atomistic Rna Dynamic Ensemble Models Using Nmr And Structure Prediction, Honglue Shi, Atul Rangadurai, Hala Abou Assi, Rohit Roy, David A. Case, Daniel Herschlag, Joseph D. Yesselman, Hashim M. Al-Hashimi

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Biomolecules form dynamic ensembles of many inter-converting conformations which are key for understanding how they fold and function. However, determining ensembles is challenging because the information required to specify atomic structures for thousands of conformations far exceeds that of experimental measurements. We addressed this data gap and dramatically simplified and accelerated RNA ensemble determination by using structure prediction tools that leverage the growing database of RNA structures to generate a con- formation library. Refinement of this library with NMR residual dipolar couplings provided an atomistic ensemble model for HIV-1 TAR, and the model accuracy was independently sup- ported by comparisons …

A Luminescence-Based System For Identification Of Genetically Encodable Inhibitors Of Protein Aggregation, Travis J. Nelson, Shuo Liang, Cliff I. Stains

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Molecules that disrupt protein aggregation represent potential tool compounds for the investigation of numerous human disease states. However, the identification of small molecules capable of disrupting protein aggregation has proven challenging. Larger biomolecules such as antibodies and proteins are promising alternatives due to their increased size. Despite the promise of protein-based inhibitors, generalizable assays are needed to more readily identify proteins capable of inhibiting aggregation. Herein, we utilize our previously reported self- assembling NanoLuc luciferase fragments to engineer a platform in which both detection reagents are expressed from the same plasmid, enabling facile co-transformation with a genetically encodable inhibitor. This …

Constructing Stable And Potentially High-Performance Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Perovskites With “Unstable” Cations, Qing Yang, Menghao Wu, Xiao Cheng Zeng

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

A new family of functional hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) is theoretically designed based on the following chemical+ insights: when a proton is adhered to molecules like water or ethanol, the newly formed larger-sized cations (e.g., H5O2 ,++ C2H5OH2 , and CH3SH ) entail low electron affinities mimicking superalkalis; they are conjugated acids of weak bases that cannot survive in solution, while their chemistry behavior in the HOIP frameworks, however, may be markedly different due to greatly enhanced cohesive energies of the proton, which facilitate the formation of new HOIPs. First-principles computations show that the putative formation reactions for these newly …

Domain Wall Conduction In Calcium-Modified Lead Titanate For Polarization Tunable Photovoltaic Devices, Chong-Xin Qian, Hong-Jian Hong-Jian, Qiang Zhang, Jiawei He, Zi-Xuan Chen, Ming-Zi Wang, Xiao Cheng Zeng

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Ferroelectric domain wall (DW) conduction, confirmed in recent experiments, has attracted intense attention due to its promising applications in optoelec- tronic devices. Herein, we provide theoretical evidence of electric conduction in Pb0.8Ca0.2TiO3 (PCT) DWs. The separation of charge accumulation in DWs, corresponding to the electronic conduction-band minimum (CBM) and valence-band maximum (VBM), weakens the tendency for the electron-hole recombination, thereby providing more efficient channels for charge transfer. We fabricate PCT-based functional photovoltaic devices with polarization tunable charge transfer to exploit the combined conduction and ferroelectric properties of the DW. The photovoltaic performance of the devices can be regu- lated by …

Mechanistic Insights Into The Acetate-Accelerated Synthesis Of Crystalline Ceria Nanoparticles, Tamra J Fisher, Deepa Choudhry, Kaitlynn Derr, Soodabeh Azadehranjbar, Dan Stasko, Chin Li Cheung

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Recent increasing uses of ceria in research and industrial applications have fostered continuing developments of efficient routes to synthesize the material. Here we report our investigation of the effects and the mechanistic roles of lithium acetate to accelerate the growth of crystalline ceria nanoparticles in ozone-mediated synthesis. By increasing the mole ratio of the acetate to cerium nitrate in the reactions, the reaction yields of ceria nanoparticles were observed to increase from ca. 10% to up to over 90% by cerium content in 30 min reactions. Microscopy images and Raman spectra of the assynthesized nanoparticles revealed that increasing the acetate …

A Click-Based Modular Approach To Introduction Of Peroxides Onto Molecules And Nanostructures, Alissa Horn, Patrick H. Dussault

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Copper-promoted azide/alkyne cycloadditions (CuAAC) are explored as a tool for modular introduction of peroxides onto molecules and nanomaterials. Dialkyl peroxide-substituted alkynes undergo Cu(I)- promoted reaction with azides in either organic or biphasic media to furnish peroxide-substituted 1,2,3- triazoles. Heterolytic fragmentation of the peroxide to an aldehyde, a side reaction that appears to be related to the formation of the triazole, can be suppressed by use of excess alkyne, the presence of triethylsilane, or by use of iodoalkyne substrates. Complementary reactions of simple alkynes with azidosubstituted peroxides are much less efficient. Click reactions of alkynyl peroxyacetals are also reported; reductive fragmentation …

Agbis2 As A Low-Cost And Eco-Friendly All-Inorganic Photovoltaic Material: Nanoscale Morphology– Property Relationship†, Ming-Gang Ju, Jun Dai, Liang Ma, Yuanyuan Zhou, Xiao Cheng Zeng

Department of Chemistry: Faculty Publications

Solar cells made of low-cost solution-processed all-inorganic materials are a promising alternative to conventional solar cells made of high-temperature processed inorganic materials, especially because many high-temperature processed inorganic materials contain toxic element(s) such as lead or cadmium (e.g., CsPbI₃ perovskite, PbS, CdTe and CdS(Se)). AgBiS₂ nanocrystals, consisting of earth-abundant elements but without lead and cadmium, have already emerged as a promising candidate in highperformance solar cells. However, the nanoscale morphology–optoelectronic property relationship for AgBiS₂ nanocrystals is still largely unknown. Herein, we investigate the electronic properties of various AgBiS₂ nanocrystals by using first-principles computation. We show that …

Antifungal Defense Molecules From Bacterial Symbionts Of North American Trachymyrmex Ants, Georgia Scherer

CMC Senior Theses

Defensive symbioses, in which microbes provide molecular defenses for an animal host, hold great potential as untapped sources of therapeutically useful antibiotics. Fungus-growing ants use antifungal defenses from bacterial symbionts to suppress pathogenic fungi in their nests. Preliminary chemical investigations of symbiotic bacteria from this large family of ants have uncovered novel antifungal molecules with therapeutic potential, such as dentigerumycin and selvamicin.

In this study, the bacterial symbionts of North American Trachymyrmex fungus-growing ants are investigated for antifungal molecules. Plate-based bioassays using ecologically-relevant fungal pathogens confirmed that these bacteria have antifungal activity. In order to purify and identify the antifungal …

Cu(Ii) Phenanthroline-Phenazine Complexes Dysregulate Mitochondrial Function And Stimulate Apoptosis, Garret Rochford, Zara Molphy, Kevin Kavanagh, Malachy Mccann, Michael Devereux, Andrew Kellett, Orla L. Howe

Articles

Herein we report an in-depth study on the cytotoxic mechanism of action of four developmental cytotoxic copper(II) complexes: [Cu(phen)2]2+ (Cu-Phen); [Cu(DPQ)(Phen)]2+ (Cu-DPQ-Phen); [Cu(DPPZ)(Phen)]2+; and [Cu(DPPN)(Phen)]2+ (where Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline, DPQ = dipyrido[3,2-f:20,30-h]quinoxaline, DPPZ = dipyrido[3,2-a:20,30-c]phenazine, and DPPN = benzo[i]dipyrido[3,2-a:20,30-c]phenazine). This complex class is known for its DNA intercalative properties and recent evidence—derived from an in vivo proteomic study—supports the potential targeting of mitochondrial function. Therefore, we focused on mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis related to cytotoxic activity and the potential impact these agents have on mitochondrial function. The Cu(II) complexes demonstrated superior activity regardless of aromatic extension within the phenazine ligand to the …

Synthesis And Evaluation Of Nebraska Red Derivatives For Protein Labeling Studies, Lauren Lesiak

Honors Program: Senior Projects (Public)

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a vital role in cell signaling, and imaging the internalization of these proteins will allow for better understand of protein trafficking within the cell, as well as identification of potential drug targets. However, there is a need for further development of fluorescent protein labels that are able to effectively monitor GPCR internalization in the near-infrared (NIR) range. We recently described a series of NIR fluorophores in which a phosphinate functionality is inserted at the bridging position of the xanthene scaffold, called the Nebraska Red (NR) dye series. These dyes are attractive reagents for the imaging …