We report the analysis and characterization of natural and modified oligonucleotides by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). The present technology was highly improved for this class of compounds by using a new matrix, 2,4,6-trihydroxy acetophenone, together with di- and triammonium salts of organic or inorganic acids to suppress peak broadening due to multiple ion adducts. This methodology can be used in combination with time dependent degradation of oligonucleotides by exonucleases as powerful tool to determine sequence compositions.

Caries is the most common disease in the world. Great efforts have been undertaken for prevention and to identify a regenerative treatment solution for dental caries. Self-assembling β-sheet forming peptides have previously shown to form 3-dimensional fiber networks supporting tissue regeneration. In particular, the self-assembling peptide P-4 has shown potential in the treatment and prevention of dental caries. It has previously been shown that application of monomeric P-4 solution to early carious lesions can increase net mineral gain by forming de novo hydroxyapatite crystals. The hypothesis for the mode of action was that monomeric self-assembling peptide P-4 diffuses into the subsurface lesion body and assembles therein into higher order fibrils, facilitating mineralization of the subsurface volume by mimicking the natural biomineralization of the tooth enamel, and it remains within the lesion body as a scaffold built-in by the newly formed hydroxyapatite. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanism of action of the self-assembling peptide P-4 supporting mineralization of carious enamel. By various analytical methods, it could be shown that the self-assembling peptide P-4 diffuses into the subsurface lesion, assembles into higher formed aggregates throughout the whole volume of the lesion, and supports nucleation of de novo hydroxyapatite nanocrystals and consequently results in increased mineral density within the subsurface carious lesion. The results showed that the application of self-assembling peptide P-4 can facilitate the subsurface regeneration of the enamel lesion by supporting de novo mineralization in a similar mode of action as has been shown for the natural formation of dental enamel.

Block copolymer vesicles can be turned into nanoreactors when a catalyst is encapsulated in these hollow nanostructures. However the membranes of these polymersomes are most often impermeable to small organic molecules, while applications as nanoreactor, as artificial organelles, or as drug-delivery devices require an exchange of substances between the outside and the inside of polymersomes. Here, a simple and versatile method is presented to render polymersomes semipermeable. It does not require complex membrane proteins or pose requirements on the chemical nature of the polymers. Vesicles made from three different amphiphilic block copolymers (α,ω-hydroxy-end-capped poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline) (PMOXA-b-PDMS-b-PMOXA), α,ω-acrylate-end-capped PMOXA-b-PDMS-b-PMOXA, and poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(butadiene) (PEO-b-PB)) were reacted with externally added 2-hydroxy-4'-2-(hydroxyethoxy)-2-methylpropiophenone under UV-irradiation. The photoreactive compound incorporated into the block copolymer membranes independently of their chemical nature or the presence of double bonds. This treatment of polymersomes resulted in substantial increase in permeability for organic compounds while not disturbing the size and the shape of the vesicles. Permeability was assessed by encapsulating horseradish peroxidase into vesicles and measuring the accessibility of substrates to the enzyme. The permeability of photoreacted polymersomes for ABTS, AEC, pyrogallol, and TMB was determined to be between 1.9 and 38.2 nm s(-1). It correlated with the hydrophobicity of the compounds. Moreover, fluorescent dyes were released at higher rates from permeabilized polymersomes compared to unmodified ones. The permeabilized nanoreactors retained their ability to protect encapsulated biocatalysts from degradation by proteases.

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A new chemical vapour deposition setup for the generation of anti-adhesive coatings on Si stamps used in nanoimprint lithography has been developed. This is suitable for controlled co-evaporation of more than one type of silane by directly injecting a premixed silane into an evacuated deposition reactor through a septum. This process was found to be very flexible and resulted in reproducible coatings. A surface coated with a mixture of mono-and trichlorosilanes shows a higher water contact angle than those of individual coatings, which is attributed to the interaction between the two types of silane molecules. In addition, the influence of process parameters, e.g. water content, temperature and number of imprints, on the coating quality will be discussed.

Abstract:In view of the chiral nature of many bio-molecules (and all bio-macromolecules), most of therapeutically active compounds which target these molecules need to be chiral and "good handed" to be effective. In addition to asymmetric synthetic and separation methodologies, enantioselective chemical sensors, able to distinguish between two enantiomers of the same molecule, are of relevance. In order to design these sensing tools, two major classes of enantioselective layers have been developed. The first is based on molecularly imprinted polymers which are produced (polymerized) in the presence of their target, thus the polymeric material keep in "memory" the size and the shape of this molecule and the system could be used for sensing (not reviewed here). The second approach makes use of sensitive layers containing chiral macrocyclic receptors able of stereoselective molecular recognition; these receptors are mainly based on cyclodextrins. In this contribution, are reviewed achievements in the use of native or chemically modified cyclodextrins for chiral sensing purposes (at interfaces). Potentialities of other chiral macrocycles based on calixarenes, calix-resorcinarenes or crown-ethers as supramolecular receptors for enantioselective sensing are discussed.

Laccases (Lac) are oxidizing enzymes with a broad range of applications, for example, in soil remediation, as bleaching agent in the textile industry, and for cosmetics. Protecting the enzyme against degradation and inhibition is of great importance for many of these applications. Polymer vesicles (polymersomes) from poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)-block-poly(dimethylsiloxane)-block-poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PNVP-b-PDMS-b-PNVP) triblock copolymers were prepared and investigated as intrinsically semipermeable nanoreactors for Lac. The block copolymers allow oxygen to enter and reactive oxygen species (ROS) to leave the polymersomes. EPR spectroscopy proved that Lac can generate ROS. They could diffuse out of the polymersome and oxidize an aromatic substrate outside the vesicles. Michaelis-Menten constants Km between 60 and 143 μM and turn over numbers kcat of 0.11 to 0.18 s(-1) were determined for Lac in the nanoreactors. The molecular weight and the PDMS-to-PNVP ratio of the block copolymers influenced these apparent Michaelis-Menten parameters. Encapsulation of Lac in the polymersomes significantly protected the enzyme against enzymatic degradation and against small inhibitors: proteinase K caused 90% less degradation and the inhibitor sodium azide did not affect the enzyme's activity. Therefore, these polymer nanoreactors are an effective means to stabilize laccase.

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