Advances in targeted α-therapies have increased the interest in actinium (Ac), whose chemistry is poorly defined due to scarcity and radiological hazards. Challenges associated with characterizing Ac3+ chemistry are magnified by its 5f06d0 electronic configuration, which precludes the use of many spectroscopic methods amenable to small amounts of material and low concentrations (like EPR, UV–vis, fluorescence). In terms of nuclear spectroscopy, many actinium isotopes (225Ac and 227Ac) are equally “unfriendly” because the actinium α-, β-, and γ-emissions are difficult to resolve from the actinium daughters. To address these issues, we developed a method for isolating an actinium isotope (228Ac) whose nuclear properties are well-suited for γ-spectroscopy. This four-step procedure isolates 228Ra from naturally occurring 232Th. The relatively long-lived 228Ra (t 1/2 = 5.75(3) years) radioisotope subsequently decays to 228Ac. Because the 228Ac decay rate [t 1/2 = 6.15(2) h] is fast, 228Ac rapidly regenerates after being harvested from the 228Ra parent. The resulting 228Ac generator provides frequent and long-term access (of many years) to the spectroscopically “friendly” 228Ac radionuclide. We have demonstrated that the 228Ac product can be routinely “milked” from this generator on a daily basis, in chemically pure form, with high specific activity and in excellent yield (∼95%). Hence, in the same way that developing synthesis routes to new starting materials has advanced coordination chemistry for many metals by broadening access, this 228Ac generator has the potential to broaden actinium access for the inorganic community, facilitating the characterization of actinium chemical behavior.
Many bacteria use membrane-diffusible small molecule quorum signals to coordinate gene transcription in response to changes in cell density, known as quorum sensing (QS). Among these, acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL) are widely distributed in Proteobacteria and are involved in controlling the expression of virulence genes and biofilm formation in pathogens, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa. AHL molecules are specifically biosynthesized by the cognate LuxI type AHL synthases using S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and either acyl carrier protein (ACP)- or CoA-coupled fatty acids through a two-step reaction. Here, we characterize a CoA-dependent LuxI synthase from Rhodopseudomonas palustris that utilizes an aryl-CoA substrate that is environmentally derived, specifically p-coumaric acid. We leverage structures of this aryl-CoA-dependent synthase, along with our prior studies of an acyl-CoA-dependent synthase, to identify residues that confer substrate chain specificity in these enzymes. We test our predictions by carrying out biochemical, kinetic, and structural characterization of representative AHL signal synthases. Our studies provide an understanding of various AHL synthases that may be deployed in synthetic biological applications and inform on the design of specific small molecule therapeutics that can restrict virulence by targeting quorum signaling.
The americium-241 ( 241 Am) radioisotope has valuable nuclear properties that find broad industrial usage. Ensuring stable supplies of 241 Am is critical for supporting (and expanding) the existing 241 Am-application space and enabling emerging 241 Amtechnologies that are important for economic growth, energy, and national security. Unfortunately, the United States halted 241 Am production in 1984 and the existing inventory was depleted in the early 2000s. This situation recently changed when the U.S. Department of Energy Isotope Program established 241 Am recovery at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Today, large-scale quantities of 241 Am are now obtained using the Chloride Extraction and Actinide Recovery (CLEAR) process. This method uses a resin that has the di-(4-t-butylphenyl)-N,N-di-iso-butylcarbamoylmethylphosphine oxide (m-CMPO) extractant adsorbed on a resin bead to harvest 241 Am from plutonium-containing waste streams. To maintain and improve CLEAR processing of 241 Am, we have evaluated the extraction of 241 Am by m-CMPO as a function of three important processing relevant variables: (1) HCl concentration, (2) metal contaminant concentration, and (3) contact time. The performance of the m-CMPO resin was additionally compared against commercially available resins, namely, rare earth (RE) resin and a selected series of diglycolamide (DGA) resins. Our results suggested that the m-CMPO resin outperformed most of the commercially available alternatives. However, tetraoctyl-DGA (TODGA) and tetraethyl-hexyl-DGA (TEHDGA) prevailed on several fronts. The TODGA and TEHDGA resins quantitatively released 241 Am at low HCl concentrations (<0.5 M), were less susceptible to deleterious side effects from metal contaminants in the mobile phase and bound 241 Am faster. Based on these results, we concluded that 241 Am recovery yields have the potential to improve if TODGA or TEHDGA is used in place of m-CMPO for large-scale CLEAR processing of 241 Am.
Diversifying our ability to guard against emerging pathogenic threats is essential for keeping pace with global health challenges, including those presented by drug-resistant bacteria. Some modern diagnostic and therapeutic innovations...
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