Thiosugars. XII. Synthesis of New 3′‐O‐Substituted 2′,5′‐Anhydro‐2′‐thio‐α‐d‐pentofuranosyl Nucleoside Analogues

Methyl 2,5‐anhydro‐3‐O‐(2‐methoxyethyl)‐2‐thio‐β‐d‐arabinofuranoside and methyl 2,5‐anhydro‐3‐O‐(2‐fluorobenzyl)‐2‐thio‐α‐d‐lyxofuranoside were transformed into the corresponding uridine, thymidine, cytidine and adenosine analogues, which exclusively exhibited the α‐configuration irrespective of the anomeric configuration of the donor. The structure, configuration, and conformation of the products was elucidated by X‐ray structure analyses. The nucleoside analogues were tested for antiviral activities.     

Design,Efficient Synthesis,and Anti‐HIV Activity of 4′‐C‐Cyano‐ and 4′‐C‐Ethynyl‐2′‐deoxy Purine Nucleosides

Some 4′‐C‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxy purine nucleosides showed the most potent anti‐HIV activity among the series of 4′‐C‐substituted 2′‐deoxynucleosides whose 4′‐C‐substituents were methyl, ethyl, ethynyl and so on. Our hypothesis is that the smaller the substituent at the C‐4′ position they have, the more acceptable biological activity they show. Thus, 4′‐C‐cyano‐2′‐deoxy purine nucleosides, whose substituent is smaller than the ethynyl group, will have more potent antiviral activity. To prove our hypothesis, we planned to develop an efficient synthesis of 4′‐C‐cyano‐2′‐deoxy purine nucleosides (4′‐CNdNs) and 4′‐C‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxy purine nucleosides (4′‐EdNs). Consequently, we succeeded in developing an efficient synthesis of six 2′‐deoxy purine nucleosides bearing either a cyano or an ethynyl group at the C‐4′ position of the sugar moiety from 2′‐deoxyadenosine and 2,6‐diaminopurine 2′‐deoxyriboside. Unfortunately, 4′‐C‐cyano derivatives showed lower activity against HIV‐1, and two 4′‐C‐ethynyl derivatives suggested high toxicity in vivo.     

Improved and Reliable Synthesis of 3′‐Azido‐2′,3′‐dideoxyguanosine Derivatives

An improved synthesis of N²‐protected‐3′‐azido‐2′,3′‐dideoxyguanosine 20 and 23 is described. Deoxygenation of 2′‐O‐alkyl (and/or aryl) sulfonyl‐5′‐dimethoxytritylguanosine coupled with [1,2]‐hydride shift rearrangement gave protected 9‐(2‐deoxy‐threo‐pentofuranosyl)guanines ( 10 , 12 and 16 ). This rearrangement was accomplished in high yield with a high degree of stereoselectivity using lithium triisobutylborohydride (l‐Selectride®). Compounds 10 , 12 and 16 were transformed into 3′‐O‐mesylates ( 18 and 21 ), which can be used for 3′‐substitution. The 3′‐azido nucleosides were obtained by treatment of 18 and 21 with lithium azide. This procedure is reproducible with a good overall yield.     

The amino acid sequence of cytochrome c′ from Alcaligenes sp. N.C.I.B. 11015

The amino acid sequence of the cytochrome c' from Alcaligenes sp. N.C.I.B. 11015 (Iwasaki's ;Pseudomonas denitrificans') has been determined. This organism is the only non-photosynthetic bacterium in which the protein has been found. The protein consists of a single polypeptide chain of 127 residues, with a single haem covalently attached to two cysteines. Unlike normal cytochromes c, the haem attachment site is very close to the C-terminus. The amino acid sequence around the haem attachment site is very similar to that of Chromatium vinosum D cytochrome c'. Detailed evidence for the amino acid sequence of the protein has been deposited as Supplementary Publication SUP 50022 at the British Library (Lending Division), (formerly the National Lending Library for Science and Technology), Boston Spa, Yorks. LS23 7BQ, U.K., from whom copies may be obtained on the terms given in Biochem. J. (1973) 131, 5.     

Increased Cytotoxicity of 2′,2′‐Difluoro‐2′‐Deoxycytidine in Human Leukemic Cell‐Lines After a Preincubation with Cyclopentenyl Cytosine

The in vitro modulating effect of Cyclopentenyl cytosine (CPEC) on the metabolism of gemcitabine was studied in lymphocytic and myeloid leukemic cell‐lines. In MOLT‐3 cells, that were pretreated with CPEC, the incorporation of 2′,2′‐difluoro‐2′‐deoxycytidine triphosphate (dFdCTP) into DNA was significantly increased by 57–99% in comparison with cells that were only treated with gemcitabine. The increased incorporation of dFdCTP into DNA in CPEC pretreated cells was paralleled by an increase in apoptotic and necrotic cells of 17–34%. In HL‐60 cells that were preincubated with CPEC, increased concentrations of the mono‐/di‐ and triphosphate form of gemcitabine were observed, as well as an increased incorporation of dFdCTP into DNA (+ 773%). This increased incorporation was paralleled by a significant increase in apoptosis and necrosis. We conclude that CPEC enhances the incorporation of dFdCTP into DNA and thus increases the cytotoxicity of gemcitabine in lymphocytic and myeloid leukemic cell‐lines.     

Synthesis of D‐Altritol Nucleosides with a 3′‐O‐Tert‐Butyldimethylsilyl Protecting Group

Four D‐altritol nucleosides with a 3′‐O‐tert‐butyldimethylsilyl protecting group are synthesized (base moieties are adenine, guanine, thymine and 5‐methylcytosine). The nucleosides are obtained by ring opening reaction of 1,5:2,3‐dianhydro‐4,6‐O‐benzylidene‐D‐allitol. Optimal reaction circumstances (NaH, LiH, DBU, phase transfer, microwave irridation) for the introduction of the heterocycles are base‐specific. For the introduction of the 3′‐O‐silyl protecting group, long reaction times and several equivalents of tert‐butyldimethylsilyl chloride are needed.     

N2-Substituted-2′-deoxyguanosine 5′-Triphosphates as Substrates for E. coli DNA Polymerase I

Abstract

Several N²-alkyl and N²-phenyl 2′-deoxyguanosine 5′-triphosphates and 2-bromo-2′-deoxyinosine 5′-triphosphate were synthesized and tested as substrates for E. coli DNA polymerase I with a template: primer system requiring incorporation of 85 nucleotides. N²-Methyl-dGTP and N²-ethyl-dGTP were found to be efficiently incorporated in place of dGTP to give full length product. N²-n-Hexyl-dGTP supported limited full length synthesis at high concentration, but N²-phenyl- and N²-(p-n-butylphenyl)-dGTP were poor substrates. 2-Bromo-2′-deoxyinosine 5′-triphosphate was a good substrate for pol I, and it was a replacement only for dGTP. Melting temperatures of oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing N²-alkyl-dG residues, annealed to complementary single stranded DNA, were lower than that of the normal oligomer.     

Fluorinated N,N′-diarylureas as AMPK activators

Adenosine monophosphate-activated kinase (AMPK) plays a central role in regulating energy homeostasis in eukaryotic cells. AMPK also regulates lipid synthesis by inhibiting acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) and regulates mTOR signaling by activating TSC2. Due to its important roles in cell metabolism, AMPK is an attractive target for metabolic diseases, such as type II diabetes and obesity. AMPK activators, such as metformin, that are used for diabetes treatment are also effective anticancer agents. However, the efficacies of many known AMPK activators are relatively low. For example, metformin activates AMPK at millimolar levels. In this study, we identified a novel family of AMPK activators, namely fluorinated N,N′-diarylureas, that activate AMPK at 1–3 μM concentrations. These novel agents strongly inhibit the proliferation of colon cancer cells. We studied the potential mechanisms of these agents, performed a structure–activity relationship (SAR) study and identified several fluorinated N,N′-diarylureas as potent AMPK activators.     

Syntheses and antitumor activities of N′1,N′3-dialkyl-N′1,N′3-di-(alkylcarbonothioyl) malonohydrazide: The discovery of elesclomol

A series of N′¹,N′³-dialkyl-N′¹,N′³-di(alkylcarbonothioyl) malonohydrazides have been designed and synthesized as anticancer agents by targeting oxidative stress and Hsp70 induction. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies lead to the discovery of STA-4783 (elesclomol), a novel small molecule that has been evaluated in a number of clinical trials as an anticancer agent in combination with Taxol.     

Overweight and obesity among foreign‐born and U.S.‐born Hispanics

Abstract

In this study, data from the New Immigrant Survey and the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey are combined to examine patterns of overweight and obesity among U.S.‐born and foreign‐born Hispanics. Results indicate that, after using height and weight measures adjusted for self‐reporting bias, foreign‐born Hispanic men and women have substantially lower likelihoods of being overweight and obese than the U.S.‐born. However, both likelihoods increase as years in the U.S. accumulate for the foreign‐born. Controls for smoking behavior, physical activity, and the degree of dietary change do not reduce the strength of the positive relationship between years in the U.S. and overweight/obesity.     

Regioselective Synthesis of Indazole N 1‐ and N 2‐(β‐d‐Ribonucleosides)

The regioselective synthesis of 4‐nitroindazole N ¹‐ and N ²‐(β‐d‐ribonucleosides) (8, 9, 1b and 2b) is described. The N ¹‐regioisomers are formed under thermodynamic control of the glycosylation reaction [fusion reaction or Silyl Hilbert‐Johnson glycosylation for 48 h (66%)], while the kinetic control (Silyl Hilbert‐Johnson glycosylation for 5 h) afforded only the N ²‐isomer (64%). The structures of the nucleosides 1b and 2b were assigned by single crystal X‐ray analyses. The 4‐amino‐N ¹‐(β‐d‐ribofuranosyl)‐1H‐indazole (3b) was obtained from the nitro nucleoside 1b by catalytic hydrogenation. Compound 3b shows fluorescence while the 4‐nitroindazole nucleosides 1b and 2b do not possess this property.     

I. THE EXPRESSION OF INSTABILITY IN N. TABACUM × N. PLUMBAGINIFOLIA

Moav , Rom (Hebrew U., Jerusalem), and D. R. Cameron . Genetic instability in Nicotiana hybrids. I. The expression of instability in N. tabacum × N. plumbaginifolia. Amer. Jour. Bot. 47(2): 87—93. 1960.—N. tabacum (n = 24) and N. plumbaginifolia (n=10) are distantly related species both from morphological and cytological points of view. Hybrids of these species with various genome dosages have exhibited somatic variegation when plumbaginifolia dominant characters were superimposed on an appropriate tabacum genetic background. Five loci were studied in this respect: Wh and Tg—for flower coloration; Ws—for chlorophyll production; Kl—for pollen abortion and Bs—for black shank resistance. All 5 were found to be unstable. Backcross progenies of the sesquidiploid hybrid (tbc-tbc-pbg) to tabacum showed a marked increase in intensity of variegation. This has been attributed to the breaking up of the plumbaginifolia genome into individual chromosomes. The evidence indicates that variegation was due to somatic chromosomal aberrations which probably characterized all the plumbaginifolia chromosomes. An hypothesis regarding the heterogeneity of F₁ hybrids of distantly related homozygous species is outlined and the occurrence of instability due to hybridization in other Nicotiana hybrids is discussed.     

Stereoselective and driving-force-dependent photoinduced electron-transfer reactions of zinc myoglobin with optically active N,N′-dimethylcinchoninium and N,N′-dimethylcinchonidinium ions

In order to understand the detailed mechanism of the stereoselective photoinduced electron-transfer (ET) reactions of zinc-substituted myoglobin (ZnMb) with optically active molecules by flash photolysis, we designed and prepared new optically active agents, such as N,N′-dimethylcinchoninium diiodide ([MCN]I₂) and N,N′-dimethylcinchonidinium diiodide ([MCD]I₂). The photoexcited triplet state of ZnMb, ³(ZnMb)*, was successfully quenched by [MCN]²⁺ and [MCD]²⁺ ions to form the radical pair of ZnMb cation (ZnMb^·+) and reduced [MCN]^·+ and [MCD]^·+, followed by a thermal back ET reaction to the ground state. The rate constants (k _q) for the ET quenching at 25 °C were obtained as k _q(MCN)=(1.9±0.1)×10⁶ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ and k _q(MCD)=(3.0±0.2)×10⁶ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively. The ratio of k _q(MCD)/k _q(MCN)=1.6 indicates that the [MCD]²⁺ preferentially quenches ³(ZnMb)*. The second-order rate constants (k _b) for the thermal back ET reaction from [MCN]^·+ and [MCD]^·+ to ZnMb^·+ at 25 °C were k _b(MCN)=(0.79±0.04)×10⁸ M⁻¹ s⁻¹ and k _b(MCD)=(1.0±0.1)×10⁸ M⁻¹ s⁻¹, respectively, and the selectivity was k _q(MCD)/k _q(MCN)=1.3. Both quenching and thermal back ET reactions are controlled by the ET step. In the quenching reaction, the energy differences of ΔΔH ^≠(MCD–MCN) and ΔΔS ^≠(MCD–MCN) at 25 °C were obtained as −1.1 and 0 kJ mol⁻¹, respectively. On the other hand, ΔΔH ^≠(MCD–MCN)=11±2 kJ mol⁻¹ and TΔΔS ^≠(MCD–MCN)=−10±2 kJ mol⁻¹ were given in the thermal back ET reaction. The highest stereoselectivity of 1.7 for [MCD]^·+ found at low temperature (10 °C) was due to the ΔΔS ^≠ value obtained in the thermal back ET reaction. Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available for this article at and is accessible for authorized users.     

Production of N,N′-diacetylchitobiose from chitin using temperature-sensitive chitinolytic enzyme preparations of Aeromonas sp. GJ-18

Summary N,N′-diacetylchitobiose was produced from chitin as a major hydrolytic product by controlling the ratio of β-N-acetylglucosaminidase to N,N′-diacetylchitobiohydrolase activities in the crude enzyme preparation of Aeromonas sp. GJ-18. When the enzyme preparation was preincubated at 50 °C, β-N-acetylglucosaminidase was nearly inactivated, while the N,N′-diacetylchitobiohydrolase was still active. Thus, the composition of chitin oligosaccharides depended on the preincubation temperature of the crude enzyme preparations. Typically, after 7 days of incubation with the substrate chitin, 78.9 and 56.6% of N,N′-diacetylchitobiose yields were obtained from swollen α-chitin and powdered β-chitin, respectively, with enzyme preparations that had been pretreated at 50 °C for 60 min.     

Cytokinin-like activity of N′-substituted N-phenylureas

We have synthesized 14 N-phenylurea derivatives, differing in theheterocyclic portion linked in N-position, and tested theircytokinin-like activity. Three different bioassays were used: the chlorophylllevel determination test, the bioassay for the expression of hormone-inducedchimeric Pg5-GUS gene and the tomato regeneration test, in which1,2-benzisoxazole-3-acetic acid (BOAA) was utilized as auxin. Thecytokinin-likeactivity showed by three of these compounds in the regeneration assay seems tobe related to their different heterocyclic nature. Results obtained indicatethat the N-phenyl-N-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-ylurea (compound 4), an isomer ofN-phenyl-N-1,2,3-thiadiazol-5-ylurea (thidiazuron, TDZ), in the absenceof auxin induces shoot regeneration in the 34,2% of the explantscultured; theN-phenyl-N-(3-chloro-1,2-benzisothiazol-7-yl) urea (compound 10),structurally different from TDZ, in the absence of auxin induces shootregeneration in the 25,9% of explants, significantly lower than that ofTDZ (68,8%). N-phenyl-N-benzothiazol-6-ylurea (compound 13),structurally different from TDZ, in the absence of auxin induces the99,5% of shoot regeneration, significantly different from that of theother substances. The addition of auxin in the cotyledon regeneration assayreduces the differences. The compound 13 could be considered a new phenylureaderivative with a highly specific cytokinin-like activity.     

Novel Types of N6,2′-Cyclonucleosides

Abstract

Upon oxidation followed by treatment with hydroxylamine, the 3′,5′-diblocked uridine 1 gave the expected oxime 2 together with the N⁶,2′.cyclonucleoside 3 formed by nucleophilic attack of hydroxylamine at both C-6 and C-2′ positions. Reduction of 2 took place predominantly from the α face and the major D-arabino compound obtained gave the cyclonucleosides, 7 via Michael type addition. The structures of the novel cyclonucleosides, particularly their configuration at C-6 were established by X-ray diffraction.     

N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole-induced diketopiperazine formation in aqueous solution in the presence of adenosine-5′-monophosphate

Summary 3(2)-O-glycyl-adenosine-5-monophosphate is an intermediate in the conversion of N-[imidazolyl-(1)-carbonyl]-glycine to diketopiperazine in the presence of adenosine-5-monophosphate. The significance of these observations to prebiotic chemistry is discussed.Abbreviations AMP adenosine-5-monophosphate - A adenosine     

Dr. Heinz rogoll‐70 Jahre

The wheat crop remains vulnerable to all three rust diseases (leaf rust, stem rust and yellow rust) caused by Puccinia spp. according to the prevalence of the pathogen in different wheat-growing areas worldwide. Stripe rust or yellow rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici is the most significant rust pathogen which prefers cool, moist areas and highlands. The pathogen is recognised as responsible for huge production losses in wheat. Genetic variation in pathogen makes its control difficult. Therefore, resistance against all the races of the pathogen known as durable or race-non-specific resistance is preferred. The present study was carried out to identify durable resistance against stripe rust in selected wheat cultivars from Pakistan through seedling testing, field evaluation at adult stage, morphological marker studies and marker-assisted selection. Results revealed that 4% of the cultivars were resistant at the seedling stage while the rest were susceptible or intermediate. To confirm their field resistance, the same cultivars were evaluated under field conditions at Cereal Crops Research Institute Pirsabak (located in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, KP) a hot spot of stripe rust in Pakistan. Observations exhibited that at the adult stage 4% of the cultivars were resistant, 70% intermediate or moderately resistant while the others were highly susceptible. Leaf tip necrosis was observed in 30% of the cultivars. Wheat cultivars showing susceptibility at the seedling stage were highly to moderately resistant at adult stage showing durable resistance. For further validation, morphological markers were also observed in cultivars indicating the presence of Yr18/Lr34 gene. Eleven cultivars (C-518, Mexipak, Kohinoor-83, Faisalabad-83, Zardana-93, Shahkar-95, Moomal-2002, Wattan-94, Pasban-90, Kiran-95, and Haider-2000) were identified, having durable or race non-specific resistance against stripe rust. These cultivars can further be utilised in wheat breeding programmes for deploying durable resistance to attain long lasting control against stripe rust.     

The oxidation of N,N′-bis(4-aminophenyl)-N,N′-dimethylethylenediamine (BED) by rat liver

We have examined the oxidation of N,N′-bis(4-aminophenyl)-N,N′-dimethylethylenediamine (BED) by tissue homogenates and fractions of liver homogenates. We find that this agent both gives osmiophilic deposits in tissue blocks and readily increases the uptake of oxygen by hepatic homogenates. The highest activity was in the mitochondrial and, next, in the microsomal fractions. Kinetic evidence indicates that the former represents two enzymatic activities while the latter is only a single site. The activity was greatest in the outer membrane of the mitochondria, in agreement with electron micrographic studies and in the rough microsomal fraction. Further, it was very sensitive to both formaldehyde and detergents. The activity was not well associated with either monamine oxidase (benzylamine substrate) or xanthine oxidase activities. Activity was observed in a large number of tissues.