Factors Affecting MoO4(2-) Inhibitor Release from Zn2Al Based Layered Double Hydroxide and Their Implication in Protecting Hot Dip Galvanized Steel by Means of Organic Coatings.

Zn2Al/-layered double hydroxide (LDH) with intercalated MoO4(2-) was investigated as a potential source of soluble molybdate inhibitor in anticorrosion coatings for hot dip galvanized steel (HDG). The effect of solution pH, soluble chlorides, and carbonates on the release kinetics of the interleaved MoO4(2-) ions from the LDH powder immersed in solutions containing different anions was studied by X-ray diffraction, in situ attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES). The effect of the solution composition on the total release and the release kinetics was demonstrated. Less than 30% of the total amount of the intercalated MoO4(2-) was released after 24 h of the immersion in neutral 0.005-0.5 M NaCl and 0.1 M NaNO3 solutions whereas the complete release of MoO4(2-) was observed after 1 h in 0.1 M NaHCO3 or Na2SO4 and in alkaline solutions. The in situ ATR-IR experiments and quantification of the released soluble species by ICP-AES demonstrated the release by an anion exchange in neutral solutions and by the dissolution of Zn2Al/-LDH in alkaline solutions. The anion exchange kinetics with monovalent anions was described by the reaction order n = 0.35 ± 0.05 suggesting the diffusion control; for divalent anions, n = 0.70 ± 0.06 suggested the control by a surface reaction. Dissolution of Zn from coated HDG with and without Zn2Al/-MoO4(2-) fillers, leaching of MoO4(2-) from the coating, and the electrochemical impedance spectroscopy response of the coated systems were measured during the immersion in 0.5 M NaCl solutions with and without 0.1 M NaHCO3. Without carbonates, the release of soluble MoO4(2-) was delayed for 24 h with no inhibiting effect whereas with 0.1 M NaHCO3 the immediate release was accompanied by the immediate and strong inhibiting effect on Zn dissolution. The concept of controlling the inhibition performance of LDH hybrid coatings by means of the environment composition is discussed.

Structure and Volta potential of lipid multilayers: effect of X-ray irradiation.

The effect of hard X-ray radiation on the structure and electrostatics of solid-supported lipid multilayer membranes is investigated using a scanning Kelvin probe (SKP) integrated with a high-energy synchrotron beamline to enable in situ measurements of the membranes' local Volta potential (V(p)) during X-ray structural characterization. The undulator radiation employed does not induce any detectable structural damage, but the V(p) of both bare and lipid-modified substrates is found to undergo strong radiation-induced shifts, almost immediately after X-ray exposure. Sample regions that are macroscopically distant (~cm) from the irradiated region experience an exponential V(p) growth with a characteristic time constant of several minutes. The V(p) variations occurring upon periodic on/off X-ray beam switching are fully or partially reversible depending on the location and time-scale of the SKP measurement. The general relevance of these findings for synchrotron-based characterization of biomolecular thin films is critically reviewed.

Surface-sensitive reflection-mode EXAFS from layered sample systems: the influence of surface and interface roughness.

The calculation of reflection-mode grazing-incidence X-ray absorption spectra from single surfaces and (multi-)layered systems is studied here. In particular, the influence of the surface and interface roughness was investigated in detail. Simulations of grazing-incidence reflection-mode EXAFS spectra using a simple Fresnel theory neglecting any effect of roughness are compared with the Névot-Croce model and the elaborated distorted-wave Born approximation which both include surface and interface roughness. Data are presented for clean gold surfaces, where the strong influence of the surface roughness on the resulting spectra is demonstrated. Furthermore, in the case of layered systems, the influence of both the outer (air or vacuum side) surface roughness and the inner interface roughness on the reflection-mode EXAFS spectra is evaluated. The practical consequences of the observed correlations are discussed, and a quantitative data analysis of a copper sample that was oxidized in ambient air for several months is shown, including the evaluation of specular reflectivity profiles at fixed energy.

Eu oxidation state in fluorozirconate-based glass ceramics.

The influence of InF(3) doping and remelting on Eu-doped fluorozirconate-based glass ceramics was investigated using near-edge x-ray absorption and optical spectroscopy. It was found that the addition of InF(3) to the melt decreases the Eu(2+)Eu(3+) mole ratio, while remelting leads to a significant change in the Eu(2+)Eu(3+) ratio in favor of Eu(2+). Photoluminescence spectroscopy shows that additional annealing steps lead to the formation of BaCl(2) nanoparticles in the glass. In as-made glass ceramics containing InF(3), a phase transition of the nanoparticles from hexagonal to orthorhombic structure is observed. This phase transition is not observed in the remelted glasses studied here.

Optimized method for the determination of 25 polychlorinated biphenyls in water samples using stir bar sorptive extraction followed by thermodesorption-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

An optimized method using stir bar sorptive extraction (SBSE) for the determination of 25 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from water samples among them three of the most toxic coplanar PCBs (PCB 77, PCB 126 and PCB 169) was developed. Since the investigated PCBs comprise all steps of chlorination (from PCB 1 as monochlorobiphenyl to PCB 209 as decachlorobiphenyl) the results should be representative for the total class of the 209 PCB congeners. For 8 ml spiked water samples with 2 ml methanol addition and 2 h exposure time of stir bars recoveries between 28% (PCB 209) and 93% (PCB 1, PCB 52, PCB 77) were found. Detection limits between 0.05 ng/l and 0.15 ng/l were calculated for the combination of SBSE and thermodesorption-GC/MS. The procedure was applied to the investigation of groundwater and river water samples from the industrial region of Bitterfeld northern Leipzig, Germany.

A new cell for temperature-dependent X-ray absorption spectroscopy of liquid solutions: application to PbBr2 solutions in diethylene glycol.

An in situ cell has been constructed for temperature-dependent X-ray absorption experiments (EXAFS and XANES) of lead bromine (PbBr2) solutions in diethylene glycol in the temperature range from room temperature up to about 433 K. The solution is kept in a thermostated container made of carbon-reinforced teflon between two thin chemically inert quartz glass windows with a high transmission for hard X-rays. The construction of the cell ensures that these X-ray windows are thermalized so that any possible precipitation of solid products from the solution is inhibited. The cell consists mainly of two hermetically sealed teflon containers for the thermostating fluid (silicon oil) that were fitted together in such a way that a small and variable volume (approximately 2-4 cm3) for the liquid under investigation was achieved. A small thermocouple in a glass enclosure was placed in the solution to maintain temperature control and feedback to the thermostat. The cell design and its performance for temperature-dependent in situ investigations with X-rays are reported. Some preliminary results obtained for PbBr2 solutions in diethylene glycol are given.

Chlorobenzenes and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) in the atmosphere of Bitterfeld and Leipzig (Germany).

Concentrations of tetrachlorobenzenes, pentachlorobenzene, hexachlorobenzene and alpha-, beta-, gamma- and delta-HCH in air and deposition were measured at three different contaminated sites in Greppin, Roitzsch (both near Bitterfeld) and Leipzig during five time intervals of 14 days in the summer months of 1998. The mean values of the chlorobenzene concentrations (gas phase and particle bound portions) over the whole sampling time were 0.11 ng/Nm3 (Leipzig), 0.17 ng/Nm3 (Roitzsch) and 0.37 ng/Nm3 (Greppin), the mean values of the HCH concentrations were 0.22 ng/Nm3 (Leipzig), 0.31 ng/Nm3 (Roitzsch) and 0.69 ng/Nm3 (Greppin). This increase of the concentration values from Leipzig over Roitzsch to Greppin indicates the influences of industrial waste sites in the Bitterfeld region on the atmospheric environment. The significantly higher values of hexachlorobenzene, alpha- and beta-HCH in Greppin are probably caused by emissions from the former chemical plant Bitterfeld-Wolfen and the landfill 'Antonie' near Greppin. Compared with literature data from other industrial impacted areas the measured air concentration and deposition values are relatively low.

Posttranslational mitochondrial protein import in a homologous yeast in vitro system.

Posttranslational import of preproteins into mitochondria has been reported to be inefficient in a homologous yeast in vitro system, suggesting a requirement for coupling of protein synthesis and import. We have characterized a homologous yeast in vitro system which allows posttranslational mitochondrial import of preproteins. The efficiency is comparable to that of the heterologous system with rabbit reticulocyte lysate and isolated yeast mitochondria. Import in the homologous system depends on mitochondrial surface receptors, a membrane potential and the matrix heat shock protein Hsp70. Import is not blocked by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, but is impaired by induction of stable folding in preproteins. Our studies demonstrate a posttranslational translocation mechanism in the homologous system, strongly supporting the validity of conclusions drawn from the widely used heterologous import system.

Identification of the essential yeast protein MIM17, an integral mitochondrial inner membrane protein involved in protein import.

We analyzed four Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutants defective in mitochondrial protein import and found that they are complemented by a novel gene encoding a 17 kDa protein. The protein is integrally located in the mitochondrial inner membrane and is termed MIM17. It shows significant homology to MIM23/Mas6p, a previously identified mitochondrial inner membrane protein required for the import of preproteins. Like MIM23, the precursor of MIM17 is synthesized without a presequence. A deletion of MIM17 is lethal. MIM17 thus joins the small group of mitochondrial proteins that are essential for the viability of yeast. We propose that MIM17 is an essential component of the preprotein import machinery of the mitochondrial inner membrane.

The polytopic mitochondrial inner membrane proteins MIM17 and MIM23 operate at the same preprotein import site.

Three proteins of the mitochondrial inner membrane are known that are essential for the viability of yeast and seem to be involved in import of preproteins; the integral membrane proteins MIM17 and MIM23 and the peripheral membrane protein MIM44, MIM17 and MIM23 are homologous to each other in their hydrophobic domain, expose their termini to the intermembrane space, and span the inner membrane up to four times, each. A preprotein in transit across the mitochondrial membrane is specifically cross-linked to MIM17, MIM23, MIM44, and matrix hsp70. We conclude that MIM17 and MIM23 are integral parts of a preprotein translocation channel and cooperate with MIM44 and hsp70 at the same protein import site.

Biogenesis of the mitochondrial receptor complex. Two receptors are required for binding of MOM38 to the outer membrane surface.

Targeting of preproteins to mitochondria is mediated by the receptor complex in the outer membrane that contains two import receptors and the general insertion pore with MOM38 (38-kDa mitochondrial outer membrane protein) as major constituent. As all components of the receptor complex have to be imported from the cytosol themselves, the specificity of their targeting is fundamental for the correct assembly of mitochondria. None of the receptors is involved in its own import; the precursor of the main receptor MOM19 is even targeted without any surface receptor but directly assembles with MOM38. We report that import of the precursor of MOM38 strictly depended on surface receptors. The import followed a new highly selective mechanism in that both receptors together were needed for the specific binding of the preprotein to the outer membrane surface, which was followed by its assembly into the receptor complex. These findings suggest that targeting of the mitochondrial targeting components involves a complex system of mutual specificity control, ensuring a selective assembly of the components into preexisting import sites.

Identification of MIM23, a putative component of the protein import machinery of the mitochondrial inner membrane.

A screening for yeast mutants impaired in mitochondrial protein import led to the identification of two genes (MPII and MPI2) encoding the essential components MIM44 and MIM17 of the inner membrane import machinery. We analyzed twelve additional mutants obtained in the screening and found two further complementation groups. One group represents mutants of SSC1, the gene encoding mitochondrial hsp70, an essential matrix protein required for protein import across the inner membrane. The second complementation group represents mutants of a new gene (MP13) encoding a 23 kDa integral inner membrane protein (MIM23). MIM23 is synthesized without a presequence, and its import to the inner membrane requires a membrane potential. MIM23 contains a domain homologous to half of MIM17. We speculate that MIM23 is a new member of the protein import machinery of the mitochondrial inner membrane.

The mitochondrial receptor complex: a central role of MOM22 in mediating preprotein transfer from receptors to the general insertion pore.

The receptor complex in the mitochondrial outer membrane, which consists of at least seven different proteins, is responsible for the recognition and translocation of cytosolically synthesized preproteins. Two of its subunits, MOM19 and MOM72, function as surface receptors for preproteins. Four other subunits (MOM38, MOM30, MOM8, and MOM7) have been suggested to constitute the general insertion pore (GIP). Here we report on the structure and function of MOM22. MOM22 is anchored in the outer membrane by a single transmembrane segment. The highly negatively charged N-terminal domain is exposed to the cytosol and the C-terminal domain to the intermembrane space. MOM22 appears to be a central component of the receptor complex, required for the transfer of preproteins from the receptors to the GIP. We speculate that the negatively charged domain of MOM22 is involved in the transfer of positively charged signal sequences of preproteins.

Insertion of MOM22 into the mitochondrial outer membrane strictly depends on surface receptors.

Targeting of preproteins to mitochondria and their translocation across the outer membrane are mediated by the mitochondrial receptor complex. This protein complex contains the import receptors MOM19 and MOM72 and the general insertion pore GIP. All seven components of the receptor complex are synthesized in the cytosol and thus have to be targeted to the mitochondria themselves. Here we investigated the import pathway of the precursor of MOM22 into the outer membrane. In contrast to other mitochondrial preproteins studied so far, the import of MOM22 absolutely depended on the presence of surface receptors. In fact, both receptors MOM19 and MOM72 were involved in its import pathway. The targeting of MOM22 to mitochondria is thus highly specific and controlled.

Mapping of the protein import machinery in the mitochondrial outer membrane by crosslinking of translocation intermediates.

Mitochondria contain a complex machinery for the import of nuclear-encoded proteins. Receptor proteins exposed on the outer membrane surface are required for the specific binding of precursor proteins to mitochondria, either by binding of cytosolic signal recognition factors or by direct recognition of the precursor polypeptides. Subsequently, the precursors are inserted into the outer membrane at the general insertion site GIP (general insertion protein). Here we report the analysis of receptors and GIP by crosslinking of translocation intermediates and by coimmunoprecipitation. Surface-accumulated precursors were crosslinked to the receptors MOM19 and MOM72, suggesting a direct interaction of preproteins with surface receptors. We identified three novel mitochondrial outer membrane proteins, MOM7, MOM8, and MOM30 that, together with the previously identified MOM38, seem to form the GIP site and are present in the mitochondrial receptor complex.

Fructosylvaline. A simple model of the N-terminal residue of human haemoglobin A1c.

The phenylhydrazone of N-[D-fructosyl-(1)]-L-valine (1-deoxy-L-valine-D-fructose) was synthesized. The hydrazone was shown to exist in open form in basic solution and in closed form in acidic solution. The findings have bearings upon the discussion of the reaction of human haemoglobin A1c with phenylhydrazine.