The gene on chromosome 12 coding for the human protein HMGI-C has been cloned and partially sequenced. It consists of five exons, the first and last of which include long untranslated regions. The 5' UTR includes a (CA/T)n tract and a polymorphic (CT)n tract. Exons II, III and IV (87, 51 and 33 bp) are dispersed over > 30 kb. Exons I-III separately encode the three basic DNA binding domains ('A-T hooks'), exon IV encodes an 11 amino acid sequence characteristic of HMGI-C and absent from the human HMGI(Y) gene [Friedmann, M., Holth, L. T., Zoghbi, H. Y. and Reeves, R. (1993) Nucleic Acids Res., 21, 4259-4267], whilst exon V encodes the acidic C-terminal domain, which is subject to multiple phosphorylation. The HMGI-C gene is thus a striking example of the separation of functional protein elements into different coding exons.

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A convenient method for the synthesis of polyamides containing N-methylpyrrole (Py) and N-methylimidazole (Im) in solution has been developed. Most of the building blocks have been prepared by a haloform reaction in a simple way that column chromatography can be avoided. By use of the DCC/HOBT coupling reaction, the building blocks prepared have been effectively connected to construct a variety of subchains and polyamides without employing amino protection and deprotection. By use of the present method, an eight-ring polyamide, PyPyPyPygammaPyImImPybetaDp (gamma is gamma-aminobutyric acid, beta is beta-alanine, Dp is N, N-dimethylpropyldiamine), has been synthesized by the coupling of two four-ring subchains in one step.

Cotton fabric with excellent antibacterial durability was obtained when treated with chitosan-containing core-shell particles without any chemical binders. These amphiphilic nanosized particles with antibacterial chitosan shells covalently grafted onto polymer cores were prepared via a surfactant-free emulsion copolymerization in aqueous chitosan. Herein, two core-shell particles, one with poly (n-butyl acrylate) soft core and another with crosslinked poly(N-isopropylamide) hard core, were synthesized and applied to cotton fabric by a conventional pad-dry-cure process. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated quantitatively using a Shake Flask Method in which the reduction of the number of Staphylococcus aureus cells was counted. The results showed that treated fabric had an excellent antibacterial property with bacterial reduction higher than 99%. The antibacterial activity maintained at over 90% reduction level even after 50 times of home laundering. The fabric surface morphology as well as the effect of latex particles with different core flexibilities on fabric hand, air permeability, break tensile strength, and elongation was investigated.

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