SERS investigations of 2,3-dibromo-1,4-naphthoquinone on silver nanoparticles

Identifying Key Properties That Drive Redox Mediator Activity in Lactiplantibacillus Plantarum

Lactiplantibacillus plantarum is known to utilize exogenous small molecule quinone mediators to perform extracellular electron transfer (EET), allowing it to produce a detectable current in a bioelectrochemical system (BES). Utilization of quinone mediators by L. plantarum requires a type-II NADH dehydrogenase (Ndh2); however, structural variations in the core of 1,4-naphthoquinone EET mediators have shown to yield significantly different current outputs. Herein, we assembled a library of 40 quinone-based EET mediators to probe the important physicochemical properties and biochemical interactions responsible for Ndh2-dependent EET in L. plantarum. The library was designed with inspiration from naturally occurring metabolites, and assembly was focused on structural modifications that diversified polarity, reduction potential, and predicted free energy of binding to Ndh2 (ΔGcomp), as these properties are hypothesized to drive EET activity. In general, Ndh2-dependent EET activity in an iron(III) nanoparticle reduction assay significantly correlates to the mediator's polarity and ΔGcomp. Five mediators were analyzed in BESs with L. plantarum, and each generated Ndh2-dependent current over background signal. Importantly, an amine-containing mediator yielded incredibly stable current output over the course of the experiment (up to 5 days). These findings improve our understanding of structure-activity relationships for quinone-mediated EET and provide stable mediators for bioelectronic sensing applications.

TD-DFT, DFT, docking, MD simulations, and concentration-dependent SERS investigations of a bioactive trifluoromethyl derivative having human acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase in silver colloids

CONTEXT

Various concentrations of (E)-4-methoxy-N'-(2-(trifluoromethyl)benzylidene) benzohydrazide (EMT) adsorbed on colloidal silver nanoparticles were studied using SERS and results were compared to the normal Raman spectrum. DFT calculations were used to validate experimental findings. Theoretically, the structures of the EMT and EMT-Ag6 systems were optimized. The UV-Vis spectral analysis's red shift and lower intensity behavior show that EMT has chemisorbed onto Ag nanoparticles. Charge transfer (CT) from Ag to EMT is highlighted by FMO analysis. The CT interaction in EMT and EMT-Ag6 was further verified by MEP and Mulliken charge analyses. The EMT was adsorbed on Ag nanoparticles with tilted orientation and orientation changes with colloidal concentration, according to SERS spectrum analysis. Docking EMT with 4PQE and 5DYW binding affinities are found to be -9.7 and -8.1 kcal/mol. MD simulations give the competence of 5DYW-EMT and 4PQE-EMT in their intended binding interactions and their ability to establish enduring associations with the protein of interest.

METHODS

DFT was used to optimize the molecular structures of EMT and EMT-Ag6 using B3LYP/6-311++G* (LANL2DZ basis set for Ag). A molecular dynamics simulation study was conducted on the 4PQE-EMT and 5DYW-EMT systems using the Desmond software for 100 ns.

A Suzuki Approach to Quinone-Based Diarylethene Photochromes

Diarylethene photochromes show promise for use in advanced organic electronic and photonic materials with burgeoning considerations for biological applications; however, these compounds typically require UV light for photoswitching in at least one direction, thus limiting their appeal. We here introduce a naphthoquinone-based diarylethene that switches between open and closed forms with visible light. The synthesis of this quinone diarylethene relies on Suzuki methodology, allowing for the inclusion of functional groups not otherwise accessible with current synthetic routes.

Antiproliferative and proapoptotic activities of aza-annulated naphthoquinone analogs

1,4-Naphthoquinone derivatives have been widely documented with regard to their biological properties, and particularly their anticancer activities. In the 9,10-anthraquinone family, aza-annulation involving one of the carbonyl oxygen atoms has afforded more potent, possibly less toxic analogues. We recently carried out different modifications on the naphthoquinone skeleton to generate 3-chloro-2-amino- and 3-chloro-2-(N-acetamido)-1,4-naphthoquinone and 3,4-dihydrobenzo[f]quinoxalin-6(2H)-one derivatives. These three series of compounds were now tested against normal human fibroblasts and six human cancer cell lines. Some of the dihydrobenzoquinoxalinone derivatives were not only more potent than their 1,4-naphthoquinone counterparts, but also exhibited 10- to 14-fold selectivity between bladder carcinoma and normal cells and were equipotent with the non-selective reference drug used (etoposide). The fusion of an additional azaheterocycle to the 1,4-naphthoquinone nucleus modulates both the activity, selectivity and mechanism of action of the compounds. The electrochemical properties of selected compounds were evaluated in an attempt to correlate them with cytotoxic activity and mechanism of action. Finally, 3D-QSAR CoMFA and CoMSIA models were built on the AGS, J82, and HL-60 cell lines. The best models had values of r²_pred = 0.815; 0.823 and 0.925. The main structural relationships found, suggest that acetylation and alkylation of the amino group with large groups would be beneficial for cytotoxic activity.

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic investigations of 2-bromo-3-methylamino-1,4-naphthoquinone on silver nanoparticles

Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopic technique has been employed to investigate the orientation of 2-bromo-3-methylamino-1,4-naphthoquinone (BMANQ) on silver nanoparticles. Silver nanoparticles have been prepared by solution combustion method with citric acid as fuel. Silver nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). XRD and morphological results confirmed the nanocrystalline nature of the prepared silver nanoparticles. The observed intense CO stretching, CBr stretching and NH2 vibration suggests that the BMANQ molecule may be adsorbed in a 'stand-on' orientation to the silver surface. The calculated highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy show that charge transfer occurs within the molecule.

Interactions between the antifungal drug myclobutanil and gold and silver nanoparticles in Penicillium digitatum investigated by surface-enhanced Raman scattering

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of an antifungal reagent, myclobutanil (MCB), was performed on Au and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) to estimate the drug-release behaviors in fungal cells. A density functional theory (DFT) calculation was introduced to predict a favorable binding site of MCB to either the Ag or Au atom. Myclobutanil was presumed to bind more strongly to Au than to Ag in their most stable, optimized geometries of the N4 atom in its 1,2,4-triazole unit binding to the metal atom. Strong intensities were observed in the Ag SERS spectra only at acidic pH values, whereas the most prominent peaks in the Au SERS spectra of MCB matched quite well with those of 1,2,4-triazole regardless of pH conditions. The Raman spectral intensities of the MCB-assembled Ag and Au NPs decreased after treatment with either potato dextrose agar (PDA) or glutathione (GSH). Darkfield microscopy and confocal SERS were performed to analyze the MCB-assembled metal NPs inside Penicillium digitatum fungal cells. The results suggested that MCB was released from the metal NPs in the intracellular GSH in the fungi because we observed only fungal cell peaks.