Nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) are unique flavohemoproteins with various roles in mammalian physiology. Constitutive NOS catalysis is initiated by fast hydride transfer from NADPH, followed by slower structural rearrangements. We used a photoactive nanotrigger (NT) to study the initial electron transfer to FAD in native neuronal NOS (nNOS) catalysis. Molecular modeling and fluorescence spectroscopy showed that selective NT binding to NADPH sites close to FAD is able to override Phe1395 regulation. Ultrafast injection of electrons into the protein electron pathway by NT photoactivation through the use of a femtosecond laser pulse is thus possible. We show that calmodulin, required for NO synthesis by constitutive NOS, strongly promotes intramolecular electron flow (6.2-fold stimulation) by a mechanism involving proton transfer to the reduced FAD(-) site. Site-directed mutagenesis using the S1176A and S1176T mutants of nNOS supports this hypothesis. The NT synchronized the initiation of flavoenzyme catalysis, leading to the formation of NO, as detected by EPR. This NT is thus promising for time-resolved X-ray and other cellular applications.

A series of O,N-chelated vanadium(IV) oxo bis(phenolate) complexes (1a-i) have been prepared from [VOCl 2 -(THF) 2 ] and several ortho-amino-functionalized phenols in the presence of a base. The intermediates in the synthesis of these compounds are mono(phenolato)vanadate complexes, as was shown by the reaction of [VOCl 2 (THF) 2 ] with 1 equiv of HOC 6 H 2 (CH 2 NMe 2 ) 2 -2,6-Me-4 in the absence of base. This yielded [VOCl 2 (OC 6 H 2 (CH 2 NMe 2 )-2-Me-4-(CH 2 NHMe 2 )-6)] (2), in which the second amine function acts as an internal base, assisting in binding the formed equivalent of HCl. Complex 2 exists in the solid state as the dichlorovanadate(IV) species with the protonated amine function forming a three-centered intramolecular hydrogen bridge in which both a chloride atom and the oxygen atom of the phenolate ligand participate. EPR, UV-vis, and cyclic voltammetry analysis of the complexes with meta or para substituents (1a-g) on the aryloxy ring showed the hyperfine coupling constant, the HOMO-LUMO transition, and the oxidation potential, respectively, to be linearly related to the Hammett σ constants of the substituents on the monoanionic aryloxy ring. The oxidation potential shows a large dependence (dE ox /dσ ) 170 mV (per phenoxy ligand)) on the Hammett constant. Crystal data: 1a, orthorombic, Pbca, a ) 9.4321 (7)

Nitric oxide (NO) has been implicated in matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9)-dependent mobilization of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from bone marrow (BM). However, direct measurement of NO in the BM remained elusive due to its low in situ concentration and short lifetime. Using NO spin trapping and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy we give the first experimental confirmation of free NO radicals in rodent BM. NO production was quantified and attributed to enzymatic activity of NO synthases (NOS). Although endothelial NOS (eNOS) accounts for most (66%) of basal NO, we identified a significant contribution (23%) from inducible NOS (iNOS). Basal NO levels closely correlate with MMP9 bioavailability in BM of both hypertensive and control rats. Our observations support the hypothesis that inadequate mobilization of BM-derived stem and progenitor cells in hypertension results from impaired NOS/NO/MMP9 signalling in BM, a condition that may be corrected with pharmacological intervention.

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We investigate the low-frequency dielectric response of a dilute electron gas in a small spherical semiconductor particle. The flow of the electrons is described by hydrodynamic equations which incorporate the electrostatic interactions between the electrons in a self-consistent fashion. In the low-frequency regime, the dielectric loss is small and proportional to the frequency, despite substantial field penetration into the semiconductor. The loss remains small even for high doping levels due to effective cancellation between fieldinduced drift and diffusion. The model is used to estimate the complex dielectric constant of a system of weakly conducting nanosized semiconductor particles. The most prominent manifestation of spatial dispersion is that photoinduced changes in the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric constant are positive and of comparable magnitude. ͓S0163-1829͑98͒05548-9͔