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European lockdown a boon to seismologists checking Earth's vibrations  E&T Magazine

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Fossil believed to show squid-like creature attacking fish 200 million years ago  Aberdeen Evening Express

The bacterial type VI secretion system (T6SS) secretes many toxic effectors to gain advantage in interbacterial competition and for eukaryotic host infection. The cognate immunity proteins of these effectors protect bacteria from their own effectors. PldB is a T6SS trans-kingdom effector in Pseudomonas aeruginosa that can infect both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Three proteins, PA5086, PA5087 and PA5088, are employed to suppress the toxicity of PldB-family proteins. The structures of PA5087 and PA5088 have previously been reported, but the identification of further distinctions between these immunity proteins is needed. Here, the crystal structure of PA5086 is reported at 1.90 Å resolution. A structural comparison of the three PldB immunity proteins showed vast divergences in their electrostatic potential surfaces. This interesting phenomenon provides an explanation of the stockpiling mechanism of T6SS immunity proteins.

The enzyme 4-hydroxy-tetrahydrodipicolinate synthase (DapA) is involved in the production of lysine and precursor molecules for peptidoglycan synthesis. In a multistep reaction, DapA converts pyruvate and l-aspartate-4-semialdehyde to 4-hydroxy-2,3,4,5-tetrahydrodipicolinic acid. In many organisms, lysine binds allosterically to DapA, causing negative feedback, thus making the enzyme an important regulatory component of the pathway. Here, the 2.1 Å resolution crystal structure of DapA from the thermoacidophilic methanotroph Methylacidiphilum fumariolicum SolV is reported. The enzyme crystallized as a contaminant of a protein preparation from native biomass. Genome analysis reveals that M. fumariolicum SolV utilizes the recently discovered aminotransferase pathway for lysine biosynthesis. Phylogenetic analyses of the genes involved in this pathway shed new light on the distribution of this pathway across the three domains of life.

Solution structure of β-amylase 2 from Arabidopsis thaliana shows the role of the conserved N-terminus in enzyme tetramer formation.

Sample preparation within single-particle cryo-electron microscopy can still be a significant bottleneck, with issues in reproducibility, ice quality and sample loss. New approaches have recently been reported that use spraying or pin printing instead of the traditional blotting approach. Here, experience in the use of different nozzle designs and spraying regimes is reported together with their influence on the resulting spray and grid quality.

The crystal structure of the c-type cytochrome NirC from Pseudomonas aeruginosa has been determined and reveals the simultaneous presence of monomers and 3D domain-swapped dimers in the same asymmetric unit.

A new scaling program is presented with new features to support multi-sweep workflows and analysis within the DIALS software package.

Key structural biology experiments that have sought to elucidate how potassium ions permeate and pass through the selectivity filter of potassium ion channels are reviewed.

The crystal and solution SAXS structures of a fragment of human leucocyte common antigen-related protein show that it is less flexible than the homologous proteins tyrosine phosphatase receptors δ and σ.

Structures of the immunodominant protein P46 from M. hyopneumoniae has been determined by X-ray crystallography and it is shown that P46 can bind a diversity of oligosaccharides, particularly xylose, which exhibits a very high affinity for this protein. Structures of a monoclonal antibody, both alone and in complex with P46, that was raised against M. hyopnemoniae cells and specifically recognizes P46 are also reported.

Death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) was found to form a complex with purpurin and the crystal structure of the complex was determined. Purpurin may be a good lead compound for for the discovery of inhibitors of DAPK1.

Comparison of the structures of ClpC1-Ecumicin and ClpC1-Rufomycin reveals unique interaction relevant to the mode of action.

Rice AKR in the apo structure reveals the ordered open conformation and its key residues which form the substrate channel wall and determine its substrate preference for straight-chain aldehydes.

The redetermination of the crystal structure of barium oxidotellurate(IV) monohydrate allowed the localization of the hydrogen atoms that were not determined in the previous study [Nielsen, Hazell & Rasmussen (1971). Acta Chem. Scand. 25, 3037–3042], thus making an unambiguous assignment of the hydrogen-bonding scheme possible. The crystal structure shows a layered arrangement parallel to (001), consisting of edge-sharing [BaO6(H2O)] polyhedra and flanked by isolated [TeO3] trigonal pyramids on the top and bottom. O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds of medium strength link adjacent layers along [001].

The title compound, C13H10INO, is not planar as the dihedral angle between the planes of the two aryl rings is 44.5 (9)°. The configuration about the central C=N bond is E, and there is an intra­molecular O—H⋯N hydrogen bond which generates an S(6) ring. The mol­ecular packing is stabilized by weak C—H⋯π inter­actions. The structure was refined as a two-component inversion twin.

The title compound, [Co(NCS)2(C15H22N2O2)2] or C32H44CoN6O4S2, was prepared from cobalt(II) nitrate, benzyl carbazate and ammonium thio­cyanate in the presence of 4-hepta­none. The compound crystallizes with two centrosymmetric complexes in which the cobalt(II) atoms have a trans-CoO2N4 octa­hedral coordination geometry. In the crystal, N—H⋯S, C—H⋯S and C—H⋯.π contacts stack the complex mol­ecules along the b-axis direction.

6-Methyluracil, C5H6N2O2, exists in two crystalline phases: form (I), monoclinic, space group P21/c [Reck et al. (1988). Acta Cryst. A44, 417–421] and form (II), monoclinic, space group C2/c [Leonidov et al. (1993). Russ. J. Phys. Chem. 67, 2220–2223]. The structure of polymorph (II) has been redetermined providing a significant increase in the precision of the derived geometric parameters. In the crystal, mol­ecules form ribbons approximately running parallel to the c-axis direction through N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The radical differences observed between the crystal packing of the two polymorphs may be responsible in form (II) for an increase in the contribution of the polar canonical forms C—(O−)=N—H+ relative to the neutral canonical form C(=O)—N—H induced by hydrogen-bonding inter­actions.

In the title compound, [Ba(C10H20O5)2][Zn(NCS)4], the 15-crown-5 mol­ecules are disordered over two positions with site occupancies of 0.706 (4) and 0.294 (4). The Ba2+ ions are sandwiched between the 15-crown-5 rings and Zn2+ ions are surrounded by four N atoms from the thio­cyanate ligands in a distorted tetra­hedral geometry. The crystal studied was refined as an inversion twin.

The mol­ecular structure of the title compound, C18H15ISi, which crystallizes in the space group C2/c, does not exhibit any unusual features. Two weak C—H⋯π inter­actions may help to consolidate the packing. The present structure is not isostructural with the known Ph3SiX (X = F, Cl or Br) compounds.

In the title compound, C11H10N2OS, the dihedral angle between the thio­phene and pyridine rings is 77.79 (8)°. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds generate R22(10) loops. The dimers are reinforced by pairs of C—H⋯N inter­actions and C—H⋯O inter­actions link the dimers into [010] chains.

While the crystal structure analysis of the title compound, C26H38O15, a synthetic derivative of sucrose, was originally reported 40 years ago [Drew et al. (1979). Carbohydr. Res. 71, 35–42], the present work has allowed for the determination of its absolute configuration through the application of resonant scattering techniques.

The title compound, C6Cl4I2·C6H6, crystallizes from benzene solution as cube-shaped crystals in the triclinic space group Poverline{1} with Z = 1. The asymmetric unit of the crystal structure contains one half of each mol­ecule. In the crystal, the benzene ring is almost orthogonal to the perhalo­benzene ring and the mol­ecules are linked by C—I⋯π inter­actions, with a close contact between the iodine atom and the benzene ring of 3.412 (1) Å.

In the title compound, [Cd(C10H8O4)(H2O)2)]n, the CdII cation is coordinated in a distorted trigonal–prismatic fashion. 3-(4-Carb­oxy­phen­yl)propionate (cpp) ligands connect the CdII cations into zigzag [Cd(cpp)(H2O)2)]n coordination polymer chains, which are oriented parallel to [101]. The chains aggregate into supra­molecular layers oriented parallel to (10overline{1}) by means of O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding between bound water mol­ecules and ligating cpp carboxyl­ate O atoms. The layers stack in an ABAB pattern along [100] via other O—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding mechanisms also involving the bound water mol­ecules. The crystal studied was an inversion twin.

The title compound, C31H30O6, was obtained by protecting the six hy­droxy groups of apogossypol by acetalization with di­chloro­methane. The mol­ecule has a bridging dioxepine unit which hinders the rotation around the 2,2'-inter­naphthyl bond. The dihedral angle between the naphthyl units is 55.73 (3)°. In the crystal, very weak C—H⋯O inter­actions may help to consolidate the packing.

In the title compound, [Pd(C10H24N4)]I2·H2O, the PdII ion is four-coordinated in a slightly distorted square-planar coordination environment defined by four N atoms from a 1,4,8,11-tetra­aza­cyclo­tetra­decane ligand. The cationic complex, two I− anions and the solvent water mol­ecule are linked through inter­molecular hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional network structure.

In the title compound, C16H16Cl2N2O2S, the pyrazole ring has an envelope conformation with the C atom bearing the phenyl ring being the flap. The dihedral angles between the central pyrazole ring (all atoms) and pendant thio­phene and phenyl rings are 2.00 (14) and 81.49 (12)°, respectively. In the crystal, weak C—H⋯O, Cl⋯π and π–π stacking inter­actions link the mol­ecules into a three-dimensional network.

In the title compound, C7H4N2O3S, the dihedral angle between the fused ring system (r.m.s. deviation = 0.008 Å) and the nitro group at the 6-position is 7.3 (2)°. In the crystal, bifurcated N—H⋯(O,O) hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into [010] chains. The chains are cross-linked by π–π stacking inter­actions to form (001) sheets.

The title compound, d-(+)-glucosa­mmonium potassium tetra­thio­cyanato­cobaltate(II) dihydrate, K(C6H14NO5)[Co(NCS)4]·2H2O or (GlcNH)(K)[Co(NCS)4]·2H2O, has been obtained as a side product of an incomplete salt metathesis reaction of d-(+)-glucosa­mine hydro­chloride (GlcN·HCl) and K2[Co(NCS)4]. The asymmetric unit contains a d-(+)-glucos­ammonium cation, a potassium cation, a tetra­iso­thio­cyanato­cobalt(II) complex anion and two water mol­ecules. The water mol­ecules coordinate to the potassium cation, which is further coordinated via three short K+⋯SCN− contacts involving three [Co(NCS)4]2− complex anions and via three O atoms of two d-(+)-glucosa­mmonium cations, leading to an overall eightfold coordination around the potassium cation. Hydrogen-bonding inter­actions between the building blocks consolidate the three-dimensional arrangement.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C8H15N3S, contains two independent mol­ecules. In both mol­ecules, the seven-membered cyclo­heptane ring adopts a chair conformation. An intra­molecular N—H⋯N hydrogen bond is observed in both mol­ecules, forming S(5) graph-set motifs. In the crystal, the two independent mol­ecules are connected through N—H⋯S hydrogen bonds, forming dimers which are in turn further connected by N—H⋯S hydrogen bonds into chains along [010].

The title structure, C12H8Cl2O2, is a putative metabolite of 3,5-di­chloro­biphenyl (PCB 14). The dihedral angle between the two benzene rings of the title compounds is 58.86 (4)°. In the crystal, it displays intra- and inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding and inter­molecular O—H⋯Cl hydrogen⋯chlorine inter­actions. The inter­molecular inter­actions form a two-dimensional network parallel to (010).

Crystallization from a 20-year-old commercial source of 3-ethyl-4-methyl-3-pyrrolin-2-one afforded 1:1 co-crystals of this compound (C7H11NO) with its oxidized derivative, 3-ethyl-4-methyl-3-pyrroline-2,5-dione (C7H9NO2). The compound crystallizes in the space group Poverline{1}, with two mol­ecules of each species in the asymmetric unit. These four mol­ecules form a hydrogen-bonded tetra­mer with a dimer of 3-ethyl-4-methyl-3-pyrrolin-2-one as the core flanked by one mol­ecule of the dione on each side.

The solid-state structural analysis of the title compound [systematic name: 5,11-disulfanylidene-4,6,10,12-tetrakis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)-4,6,10,12-tetraazatricyclo[7.3.0.03,7]dodeca-1(9),3(7)-diene-2,8-dione], C44H44N4O2S2 [+solvent], reveals that the mol­ecule crystallizes in a highly symmetric cubic space group so that one quarter of the mol­ecule is crystallographically unique, the mol­ecule lying on special positions (two mirror planes, two twofold axes and a center of inversion). The crystal structure exhibits large cavities of 193 Å3 accounting for 7.3% of the total unit-cell volume. These cavities contain residual density peaks but it was not possible to unambiguously identify the solvent therein. The contribution of the disordered solvent mol­ecules to the scattering was removed using a solvent mask and is not included in the reported mol­ecular weight. No classical hydrogen bonds are observed between the main mol­ecules.

The title complex, [Os3(C2H4N)H(CO)10] or [Os3(CO)10(μ-H)(μ-HN=C—CH3-1κN:2κC)], was synthesized in 41.6% yield by reactions between Os3(CO)11(CH3CN) and 2,4,6-tri­methyl­hexa­hydro-1,3,5-triazine. The central osmium triangle has two OsI atoms bridged by a hydride ligand and a μ-HN= C—CH3-1κN:2κC triazine fragment. Three CO ligands complete the coordination sphere around each OsI atom, while the remaining Os0 atom has four CO ligands. Each Os atom exhibits a pseudo-octa­hedral coordination environment, discounting the bridging Os—Os bond.

The title com­pound, C34H24O4S·0.5CH2Cl2, crystallizes with two independent mol­ecules and one di­chloro­methane solvent mol­ecule in the asymmetric unit. The crystal packing is consolidated by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

In the title compound, C22H25NO5·H2O, the ten-membered ring displays an approximate chair–chair conformation, whereas the five-membered furan ring has an envelope conformation, with the C atom of the methine group adjacent to the spiro C atom as the flap. The isoxazole ring is almost planar and its plane is slightly inclined to the plane of the attached phenyl ring. The mean plane of the furan ring is nearly perpendicular to that of the isoxazole ring, as indicated by the dihedral angle between them of 89.39 (12)°. In the crystal, the organic mol­ecules are linked into [010] chains by O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The water mol­ecule forms O—H⋯O and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds and a weak C—H⋯O inter­action is also observed. Together, these lead to a three-dimensional network.

The title compound, C12H11N3O2S, was synthesized by a condensation reaction of 2-acetyl­indan-1,3-dione and thio­semicarbazide in ethanol in the presence of glacial acetic acid. The mol­ecule adopts a thio­ketone form. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of 1H-inden-1,3(2H)-dione and hydrazinecarbo­thio­amide units is 86.32 (7)°. Weak intra­molecular N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds are observed. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via pairs of weak inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers. The dimers are further linked into a three-dimensional network through N—H⋯S and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, and π–π inter­actions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.5619 (10)–3.9712 (9) Å].

The title 1,3,4-oxa­diazole derivative crystallizes as a hemihydrate, C8H6N2O2S·0.5H2O, with the water mol­ecule located on a twofold rotation axis. The 1,3,4-oxa­diazole mol­ecule is essentially planar, the r.m.s. deviation of the non-H atoms being 0.0443 Å. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of the phenyl and oxa­diazole rings is 6.101 (17)°. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked via O—H⋯S and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds involving the water mol­ecule, the N—H group and the thione S atom into undulating ribbons. Additional π–π inter­actions generate a two-dimensional supra­molecular framework extending parallel to (001).

Single crystals of rubidium tetra­fluorido­bromate(III), RbBrF4, were grown by melting and recrystallizing RbBrF4 from its melt. This is the first determination of the crystal structure of RbBrF4 using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. We confirmed that the structure contains square-planar [BrF4]− anions and rubidium cations that are coordinated by F atoms in a square-anti­prismatic manner. The compound crystallizes in the KBrF4 structure type. Atomic coordinates and bond lengths and angles were determined with higher precision than in a previous report based on powder X-ray diffraction data [Ivlev et al. (2015). Z. Anorg. Allg. Chem. 641, 2593–2598].

The title compound, C12H10N2O2S, was synthesized via the acid-catalyzed condensation of 4-nitro­aniline and 5-methyl-2-thio­phene­carboxaldehyde in a methanol–water solution. The dihedral angle between the benzene and thio­phene rings is 54.62 (3)°. No directional inter­actions could be identified in the extended structure.

The structure of the title compound, [Os(C6HF4S)4{P(C6H5)3}], has been previously reported [Arroyo et al. (1994). J. Chem. Soc. Dalton Trans. pp. 1819–1824], in the space group Poverline{1}. We have now obtained a monoclinic polymorph for this compound, crystallized from ethanol, while the previous form was obtained from a hexa­ne/chloro­form mixture. The mol­ecular structure is based on a trigonal–bipyramidal OsIV coordination geometry, close to that observed previously in the triclinic form.