Switch, multifunctional

Nuoffer, C. and Balch, W. E. GTPases multifunctional molecular switches regulating vesicular traffic. Annu. Rev. Biochem. 63 949-990,1994. 

The expected contribution of catalysis in this area will derive both from the availability, at low processing costs, of new monomers obtained from biomasses and from the development of an optimized combination of biotechnology processes with classical and new biocatalytic processes. Research priorities for catalysis in the area of polymers from renewable materials for packaging, furniture, domestic water purification and recycling include the need to develop novel catalysts, e.g., for functionalization of polymeric and dendrimeric materials, with side-chain photoactive molecular switches (to be used as smart materials), or the development of multifunctional materials, combining, for example, nanofiltration with catalytic reactivity. 

In the future the development of multifunctional systems allowing the switching between CE, CEC, pressure supported CEC and LC modes can be expected and tailor made conditions for each separation can be selected. The breakthrough of pressure supported CEC for enantiomer separation awaits adequate electrophoresis systems to become commercially available. 

Nonlinear optical phenyldiazo chromophores, (II), and (IE), were prepared by Gharavi [4] and Lindsey [5], respectively, and used as multifunctional optical switches. 

Cyclic AMP serves as an intracellular messenger in the transduction of many hormonal and sensory stimuli. Cyclic AMP switches on protein kinase A (PKA), a major multifunctional kinase, by binding to the regulatory subunit of the enzyme, thereby releasing the active catalytic subunits of PKA. In the absence of cAMP, the catalytic sites of PKA are occupied... 

Harvey, M.C. Stearns, S.D. HPLC Sample Injection and Column-Switching Using a 10-Port Multifunctional Valve, Am. Lab. 14, 68 (1982). 

Furthermore, metals present additional intrinsic properties, such as redox reversibility, magnetism and luminescence. It is, therefore, possible to take benefit from these peculiarities for the design of redox-controlled NLO switches as illustrated in this chapter or for the elaboration of materials combining two or more properties. This latter field of research is in its infancy but it is possible to anticipate many improvements in the future for the elaboration of multifunctional molecular material optimising simultaneously all the wonderful capacities of metals. 

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