TESTING 51


Figure 4: Substituting hydrogen with deuterium strengthens the chemical bond of a molecule.


involves specialised adaptation of biotechnological approaches, including cloning, to produce proteins, usually using E. coli bacteria.


Partially deuterated proteins are


produced for small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) for structure/function investigations. For example, studying the binding behaviour of some key proteins associated with diseases including cancers and neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s, and investigation of the structure of milk protein and how it affects nutritional diseases. Triple labelled (2H/15N/13C) proteins are also produced for NMR-studies such as the solid-state structure of fungal amyloid proteins that are related in structure to proteins that deposit in organs or tissues due to their poor solubility in water, disrupting the normal function of these tissues. In addition, the NDF produces deuterated native biopolymers, using different bacteria and yeast. These


Intact Radiotracer remaining 0% N CI O N N PBR111-d4 100% D O CI O N


Figure 5: Deuteration (shown in green) of the section of the molecule near the radiolabel (shown in red) increases the metabolic stability of the neuroinflammation imaging agent PBR111 (radiotracer).6


September 2019 PERSONAL CARE ASIA PACIFIC N PBR111 D D D 18F N O 0%


biopolymers are environmentally friendly and are used as bioplastic in biomedical applications. The deuteration of these biopolymers allowed the development of the use of deuteration and synchrotron infra-red spectroscopy as a method to probe phase separation of polymers when they are blended together to achieve better physical properties (e.g., elasticity). The same technique can be used to study the phase separation or aggregation of materials in colloidal mixture or to probe excipients in matrices such as creams. Deuterated cellulose has also been produced to facilitate studies of the binding of molecules, such as antibodies and enzymes, on papers which would facilitate cheap paper-based biosensors and medical diagnostics.


Chemical deuteration


Chemical deuteration involves deuterating molecules by exposing them to D2 temperatures and pressures, in the


O at high


presence of a metal catalyst. If required, compounds can then be synthesised from the deuterated building blocks using organic chemistry techniques. The chemical deuteration facility at NDF consists of four labs (Fig 3) that are fully equipped for the synthesis, purification and characterisation of deuterated molecules. NDF provides a certificate of analysis for each deuterated product produced by the facility for the user.


Chemical deuteration research activity Molecules deuterated by the chemical deuteration technique include lubricants, detergents, lipids, sugars, and other small organic molecules. These are relevant to applications in health (treatment and diagnosis), cosmetics, molecular electronics, lipid digestion, energy and storage materials and high-technology communications industries. Deuterated trehalose and sucrose


produced by the NDF and neutron membrane diffraction undertaken in


Intact Radiotracer remaining 100% 18F


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