Latest ArticlesHerein, we report the facile conjugation between proteins and water-soluble [60]fullerene derivatives (DC60) under native conditions using SpyTag as a reactive handle. Water-soluble [60]fullerene derivatives were first prepared via sequential Bingel-Hirsch reaction and pclickedq with SpyTag to give DC60-SpyTag for native conjugation with proteins by the highly efficient SpyTag-SpyCatcher chemistry. The bioconjugation was confirmed by MALDI-TOF MS spectra and SDS-PAGE analysis. The TEM and UV-vis spectroscopic study further revealed that the DC60 could alter the optical performance and induce aggregation of the target proteins. It thus provides a general and robust method for modifying proteins with C60 derivatives and could potentially be adapted for native conjugation between proteins and other nonbiological motifs as well.
The strategy of adopting cheap precursors or abundant resources, which can be obtained directly from nature, is a simple and excellent method of introducing accessible research into environmentally friendly development. Moreover, this is also an urgent requirement for the sustainable development of green technology. Herein, we introduce a simplistic and expandable method to prepare metal-free biomass-derived nitrogen self-doped porous activation carbon (N-PAC) with large specific surface area (SBET = 1300.58 m2/g). Moreover, the manufactural electrocatalysts exhibit prominent oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance in all PH values. As compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst, the N-PAC/800 with a positive onset potential at 10 mA/cm2 (0.93 V), half-wave potential (0.87 V), and limiting current (6.34 mA/cm2) bring to light excellent catalytic stability, selectivity, and much-enhanced methanol tolerance. Furthermore, the prepared electrocatalysts possess considerable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) performance with a less onset potential of 0.218 V (acidic medium) and 0.271 V (alkaline medium) respectively, which can show similar catalytic activity across the whole pH range. Such bifunctional electrocatalyst, with excellent electrocatalytic properties, resource-rich, low cost, and environmental-friendly, hold a promising application in energy conversion and reserve.
Aptamer is an oligonucleotide chain with specific binding ability to protein and other targets, which is widely used in many fields. Because of its ability to screen the premise of unknown targets, it can be used to discover some novel tumor markers, i.e., membrane proteins that are specifically highly expressed on the surface of tumor cells. Tumor markers can be used in many fields such as early diagnosis and treatment, and a new type of tumor marker proved to be effective can significantly improve the therapeutic effect of such tumors. However, further characterization of newly acquired membrane proteins is essential for their clinical use as tumor markers. This review first briefly introduced the process of obtaining novel tumor markers from nucleic acid aptamers. Next, the commonly used protein characterization methods could be used as a technical means to identify membrane protein targets corresponding to tumor cell aptamers, to clarify the principles, advantages and disadvantages of various means, and to analyze the most suitable situations for various experimental methods. Finally, the outlook was made and the characterization methods that should be used in such experiments were summarized.
Polymeric nanomedicine is a promising and rapidly evolving field. Among the different polymeric carriers, polymeric micelle (PM) with nanoscale size exhibit potent physical and biological advantages including excellent solubility and pharmacokinetics, enhanced efficacy and lower toxicity. PM has garnered increasing interest in research and in the clinic. This review will highlight the clinical outcomes of several PM-based formulations, and further summarized their preparation methods, strengths and challenges.
Chirality is a fascinating and essential feature of life and highly associated with many significant pharmaceutical, chemical, and biological processes. The construction of chiral recognition platform is a hot research topic and challenging assignment. Herein, we report an electrochemical method by differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) for the enantioselective recognition of chiral drug propranolol (R/S-PPL) through a nanochannel platform based on the N-acetyl-L-cysteine functionalized Pillar[5]arenes derivative NALC-P5 and the porous polycarbonate membrane. The chiral discrimination depends on the difference in the supramolecular host-guest interaction between the chiral NALC-P5 and the R/S-PPL. The transmission rate of the R/S-PPL can be regulated in the nanochannel and we can achieve the selective transport of the chiral drugs. This simple electrochemical technique has potential applications as a general platform for the recognition of chiral molecules.
A convenient and regioselective sulfonylation/cyclization of 1,6-enynes with arylazo sulfones has been developed to access a series of sulfonylated γ-butyrolactams. The present reaction could be efficiently conducted under catalyst- and additive-free conditions, in which C—S and C—C bonds were selectively constructed in one-pot procedure.
The conversion of chemical feedstock materials into high value-added products accompanied with dehydrogenation is of great value in the chemical industry. However, the catalytic dehydrogenation reaction is inhibited by a limited number of expensive noble metal catalysts and lacks understanding of dehydrogenation mechanism. Here, we report the use of heterogeneous non-noble metal iron nanoparticles (NPs) incorporated mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon to investigate the dehydrogenation mechanism based on experiment observation and density functional theory (DFT) method. Fe NPs catalyst displays excellent performance in the dehydrogenation of 1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroquinoline (THQ) with 100% selectivity and 100% conversion for 10-12 h at room temperature. The calculated adsorption energy implies that THQ prefers to adsorb on Fe NPs as compared with absence of Fe NPs. What is more, the energy barrier of transition state is relatively low, illustrating the dehydrogenation is feasible. This work provides an atomic scale mechanism guidance for the catalytic dehydrogenation reaction and points out the direction for the design of new catalysts.
3D highly ordered silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) coated silica photonic crystal beads (Ag/SPCBs) were prepared and exploited as a novel surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate. The monodisperse and size-controlled SPCBs were prepared via self-assembly of silica nanoparticles process using a simple microfluidic device. Then the Ag/SPCBs were easily obtained by in situ growth of AgNPs onto the NH2-modified SPCBs. Field emitting scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) were used to characterize the Ag/SPCBs. The effect of silica nanoparticle size and AgNO3 concentration on the SERS performance of the resultant Ag/SPCBs substrate were discussed in detail. The results indicate that the Ag/SPCBs have highest SERS signals when silica nanoparticle size is 250 nm and AgNO3 concentration is 0.8 mg/mL. Using malachite green (MG) as model analyte, the Ag/SPCBs substrate displayed a high sensitivity and a wide linear range for MG. The well-designed Ag/SPCBs show high uniformity and excellent reproducibility, and can be used as an effective SERS substrate for sensitive assay application.
Fe3O4 is considered as a promising electrode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its low cost and high theoretical capacity (928 mAh/g). Nevertheless, the huge volume expansion and poor conductivity seriously hamper its practical applications. In this study, we use a facile hydrothermal reaction together with a post heat treatment to construct the three-dimensional heterostructured composite (Fe3O4/rGO) inwhich reduced graphene oxide sheets wraped the Fe3O4 submicron cubes as the conductive network. The electric conduction and electrode kinetics of lithium ion insertion/ extraction reaction of the composite is enhanced due to the assist of conductive rGO, and thus the Li-storage performance is obviously improved. The composite exhibits a reversible charge capacity of 772.1 mAh/g at the current density of 0.1 A/g, and the capacity retention reaches 70.3% after 400 cycles at 0.5 A/g, demonstrating obviously higher specific capacity and rate capability over the Fe3O4 submicron cubes without rGO, and much superior cycling stability to the parent Fe2O3 submicron cubes without rGO. On the other hand, as a synergic conductive carbon support, the flexible rGO plays an important role in buffering the large volume change during the repeated discharge/charge cycling.
Despite the promising prospect of small interfering RNA (siRNA) for the treatment of diverse diseases, it remains challenging to develop novel delivery materials to desired tissues and cells. In this study, a novel iron oxyhydroxide (FeOOH) nanoparticle (NP) whose surface was modified with branched polyether-imide (PEI) was developed to deliver siRNA into the cancer cells. It was demonstrated that PEI-FeOOH (PFeOOH) efficiently complexed siRNA, mediated effective cellular uptake and endosomal escape, thereby triggering robust gene silencing in vitro. In addition, PFeOOH/siRNA formulation loading with anti-RRM2 siRNA effectively inhibited the growth of tumor tissues, and exhibited excellent safety profiles in vivo. Therefore, this study conceptually provided a FeOOH-based nucleic acid delivery vesicle which can potentially use to achieve diagnosis and therapy simultaneously.
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