The hydrothermolysis of cellobiose and its reaction-product d-glucose

The hydrothermolysis of cellobiose in the range 180–249° has been studied. Kinetic analysis of the reaction showed that 60% of the cellobiose is converted into d-glucose, and 40% into other products. The rate (k₁) of cellobiose disintegration is approximately eight times that (k₂) of d-glucose. Thus, hydrothermolysis differs from acidic hydrolysis. Hydrothermolysis is not dependent on pH, at least in the range 3–7.     

Effects of various conditions on the alkaline degradation of d-fructose and d-glucose

Dilute solutions of d-fructose and d-glucose undergo alkaline degradation, and, at temperatures in the range of 30–70°, almost two moles of alkali are consumed per mole of the carbohydrate. The degradation is partly guided by the dielectric constant of the medium; such additives as acetone and urea have specific effects where the reactions are not essentially guided by the medium dielectric. Acetone and urea presumably form complexes with the carbohydrates; this is revealed for the former by the formation of a dark red solution having a spectral band at 320 nm, like that observed earlier in the presence of ethylenediamine.     

Electrokinetic studies of the testosterone-aqueous d-glucose interface

Electro-osmosis and streaming-potential measurements were made across a testosterone-plug membrane, using water and aqueous solutions of d-glucose as permeants. The electrophoretic velocity of testosterone particles dispersed in these solutions was also measured, experiments being confined to the range where linear flux-force relationships hold. Phenomenological coefficients were evaluated by using these linear relations, and the results analyzed inthe light of the thermodynamics of irreversible processes. Saxen's relationship holds between electro-osmosis and streaming potential. Concentration dependence of the various phenomenological coefficients was also examined. Cross-phenomenological coefficients were found to decrease with increase in the concentration of d-glucose solutions. The results are explained on the basis of strong hydrogen-bonding between d-glucose and the surrounding water molecules. Such membrane parameters as pore size, average number of pores, and the membrane constant were evaluated. Electro-osmotic and electrophoretic data were used to estimate the zeta potential, in order to characterize the membrane-permeant interface. The dependence of the zeta potential on the concentration was also examined.     

Laser-raman study of solute-solvent interactions in aqueous solutions of d-fructose, d-glucose,and sucrose

The solute-solvent interactions of d-fructose, d-glucose, and sucrose in aqueous solution were studied by comparison of characteristic, Raman of the water and the sugar components. Shifts in frequency and intensity were observed in both the bending and the stretching regions of CH₂ and H₂O. The ratios of integrated, Raman intensities I(CH₂)/I(H₂O) of the CH₂ peak and the H₂O bending band, and I(CH)/I(OH) of the C-H stretching line to O-H stretching band were determined. Their evolutions in terms of mass-concentration display discontinuities at specific concentrations for each of the three sugars. These breaks were interpreted as changes in the hydrogen bonding of the various species.     

Transport-associated phosphorylation of 2-deoxy-d-glucose in Saccharomyces fragilis

2-Deoxy-d-glucose transport and metabolism was studied in Saccharomyces fragilis. Inside the cells four phosphorylated and three non-phosphorylated derivatives were found and identified. Accumulation of phosphorylated 2-deoxyglucose derivatives was balanced by a concomitant decrease of cellular ATP, orthophosphate and polyphosphates.The free sugar was concentrated against a concentration gradient, contradicting facilitated diffusion. Pulse labeling experiments revealed transport-associated phosphorylation.Theoretical considerations and analysis of the effects of iodoacetate showed that an intracellular hexokinase activity was not involved in 2-deoxyglucose phosphorylation, although this sugar is a good substrate for the enzyme in in vitro experiments.     

Synthesis of 4-deoxy-d-xylo-hexose and 4-azido-4-deoxy-d-glucose and their effects on lactose synthase

Syntheses are reported of 4-deoxy-d-xylo-hexose and 4-azido-4-deoxy-d-glucose as potential inhibitors for lactose synthase [uridine 5′-(α-d-galactopyranosyl pyrophosphate):d-glucose 4-β-d-galactopyranosyltransferase, EC 2.4.1.22]. These syntheses involved SN2 displacement of the 4-methylsulfonyloxy group of methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-4-O-methylsulfonyl-α-d-galactopyranoside by iodide and azide ions. In both cases, inversion in configuration was observed. The resulting intermediates, methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-deoxy-4-iodo-α-d-glucopyranoside and methyl 4-azido-2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-deoxy-α-d-glucopyranoside, were obtained in crystalline form. Both 4-deoxy-d-xylo-hexose and 4-azido-4-deoxy-d-glucose were found to be inhibitors for lactose synthase in the presence of α-lactalbumin, but had no effect in the absence of α-lactalbumin. Both d-glucose analogues bind to the enzyme system far more weakly than d-glucose, suggesting that the recognition of the 4-OH group of the acceptor substrate is an important factor in binding.     

Conformational studies on synthetic polypeptides: poly (d-phenylglycine) and poly(d-cyclohexylglycine)

Poly(d-phenylglycine) and poly(d-cyclohexylglycine) containing phenyl and cyclohexyl rings bound to the α-carbon of the polypeptide chain, have been synthesized. Circular dichroism measurements show that both polymers undergo a conformational transition from the random-coil form to an ordered form, upon addition of water, ethanol or trifluoroethanol to sulphuric acid solutions. Solid state measurements indicate that the ordered structures of poly(d-phenylglycine) and poly(d-cyclohexylglycine) are of the β-type. While for the former the antiparallel arrangement is predominant, for the latter there seems to be a greater tendency towards the parallel form. The ordered form of poly(d-cyclohexylglycine) is slightly more stable than the corresponding form of poly(d-phenylglycine) in all the above solvent systems. This can be interpreted in terms of stronger non covalent bond formation in the former polypeptide. Our results have been compared with literature on poly(l-phenylalanine) and poly(l-cyclohexylalanine).     

An enzymic synthesis of purine d-Arabinonucleosides

A method is described for the synthesis of purine d-arabinonucleosides that uses purine bases and 2,2′-anhydro-(1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine), AraC-an, as the starting materials. AraC-an was chosen as the precursor to the d-arabinosyl donor, because it is more readily available than any of the products that may be sequentially derived from it, namely, 1-β-d-arabinofuranosylcytosine (AraC), 1-β-d-arabinofuranosyluracil (AraU), and α-d-arabinofuranosyl-1-phosphate (Araf 1-P), a d-arabinofuranosyl donor. Four reactions were involved in the overall process; (a) AraC-an was nonenzymically hydrolyzed at alkaline pH to AraC which was then (b) deaminated by cytidine deaminase to AraU, a nucleoside, (c) phosphorylyzed by uridine phosphorylase to Araf 1-P, and (d) this ester caused to react with a purine base to afford a purine d-arabinonucleoside, the reaction being catalyzed by purine nucleoside phosphorylase. All four reactions occurred in situ, the first and second being performed sequentially, whereas the third and fourth were combined in a single step. The three enzyme catalysts were purified from Escherichia coli. The efficiency of the method is exemplified by the synthesis of the d-arabinonucleosides of 2,6-diaminopurine and adenine; the overall yields, based on AraC-an, were 60 and 80%, respectively.     

The biguanide inhibition of d-glucose transport in membrane vesicles from small intestinal brush borders

Biguanides inhibit d-glucose uptake in vesicles from small-intestinal brush border membranes. Evidence is presented that this inhibition is due to a reduced concentration of Na⁺ in the microenvironment of the carrier(s) for d-glucose. Biguanides do not inhibit the uptake of either d-fructose or l-glucose.     

Bacterial biosynthesis of cellulose from d-glucose or glycerol precursors labelled with deuterium

d-Glucose and glycerol precursors randomly labelled with deuterium were prepared and used for the biosynthesis of bacterial cellulose by Acetobacter xylinum. The materials obtained were converted into triacetate derivatives and analysed by 250 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance.Labelling percentages on each position are reported. The weighted addition of combinations of different ²H or ¹H sites for mixtures of multiple labelled compounds was performed by means of an N.M.R. spectrum simulation program according to different hypotheses. The nonrandom nature of the results showed the importance of exchange phenomena and of the biosynthetic pathways which take place during cellulose biosynthesis.While showing less favourable properties than ¹³C enrichment, deuterium labelling can nevertheless lead to significant results (in particular if one is dealing with labelled fragments of precursors incorporated partly or totally into a final molecule), particularly in view of the easy preparation of deuterated compounds by catalytic exchange.     

O-Benzylated thio sugars. Derivatives of 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-d-galactopyranose suitable for use in oligosaccharide synthesis

The 4-O-benzoyl (15a) 4-O-p-nitrobenzoyl (15b) derivatives of 2,3, 6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-d-galactopyranose were synthesized from allyl 2,6-di-O-benzyl-α-d-galactopyranoside (1). In the first stage of the synthesis the 3-position of 1 was benzylated by an indirect route, and also by the direct reaction (preferred) of benzyl bromide with the 3,4-O-dibutylstannylene intermediate 7. The product 6 was sequentially isomerized (allyl → 1-propenyl), acylated at the 4-position, and hydrolyzed. The free sultars 11a and 11b were converted into the thio sugars by a standard sequence involving formation of the glycosyl halides 13a and 13b and the reaction of these with appropriate sulfur nucleophiles. A third derivative (29) of 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-d-galactopyranose, having a 4-O-allyl protecting group, was similarly made from the corresponding normal sugar 25. The key intermediate 22, precursor to 25, was prepared by two routes from methyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzoyl-α-d-galactopyranoside (17).     

Mechanism of neomycin stimulation of d-glucose uptake in rabbit intestinal brush border membrane

In order to study the effect of the antibiotic neomycin on the intestinal epithelium, d-glucose was used as a probe molecule and its transport into rabbit brush border membrane vesicles was measured by a rapid filtration method. Treatment of the epithelium with neomycin sulfate prior to the preparation of the brush border membrane enhanced the d-glucose uptake, whereas neutral N-acetylated neomycin did not. This action of neomycin was related to its polycationic character and not to its bactericidal action. No significant difference could be demonstrated between the protein content or disaccharidase-specific activities of the brush border fractions from treated or non-treated intestines. Electrophoretic protein patterns of SDS-solubilized membrane were not significantly different after neomycin treatment. To gain more information on the mechanism involved in the stimulation of d-glucose transport, experiments were conducted on phosphatidyl glycerol artificial membranes and the results compared with those obtained with brush border membrane. At a concentration of 10^?7 M, neomycin decreased the nonactin-induced K⁺ conductance by a factor of approx. 100. The membrane conductance was linearly dependent on the neomycin concentration and the conductance in 10^?2 M KCl was 10 times that in 10^?3 M KCl. The valence of neomycin was estimated, from the slope of these curves, to be between 6 and 4. In contrast, acetylated neomycin had no effect on the nonactin-induced K⁺ membrane conductance. Therefore, the effect of neomycin on artificial membrane is related to its 4 to 6 positive charges. It is proposed that the stimulation of sugar transport in brush border membrane is related to screening of the membrane negative charges by the positively-charged neomycin. Accumulation of anions at the membrane surface then occurs and their diffusion into the intravesicular space would increase the transmembrane potential which, in turn, stimulates the entry of d-glucose.     

Synthesis of 4-O- and 6-O-(2′-iodoethyl)-d-glucose

O-Allylation of 1,2,3,6-tetra-O-acetyl--glucopyranose followed by an ozonation/reduction sequence gave the 4-hydroxyethyl derivative. This hydroxyethyl substituent was also introduced at C-6, starting from 1,2:3,5-bis(O-methylidene)-α--glucofuranose using an alkylation/reduction sequence. These 4- and 6-O-hydroxyethyl derivatives were then converted to the title compounds by iodination followed by deprotection. Noteworthy is the particular stability of the carbon–iodine bond in these ethers, a prerequisite for their potential use in Single Photon Emitted Computed Tomography medical imaging (SPECT).     

Mode of action of a xylanase and its significance for the structural investigation of the branched l-arabino-d-glucurono-d-xylan from redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)

The substitution pattern of the water-soluble l-arabino-(4-O-methyl-d-glucurono)-d-xylan from redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) has been studied by enzymic degradation. Exhaustive hydrolysis by an endo-xylanase (EC 3.2.1.8) from a Basidiomycete Sporotrichum dimorphosporum left a residue accounting for 20% of the original d-xylan. In the dialyzable material, oligosaccharides having arabinose or 4-O-methylglucuronic acid residues attached to the non-reducing d-xylosyl end-group of xylobiose or xylotriose, respectively, were the smallest branched oligomers released. Action of the xylanase appears to involve a region of the polysaccharide backbone having three xylosyl residues. A mode of action is proposed that requires unsubstituted hydroxyl groups at C-2, C-3, and C-2′ of a xylobiosyl residue. The binding site seems to correspond to a shallow cavity. The composition and structure of the final residue of attack shows that the enzyme has no action when the xylosyl residues branched through O-2 are separated by only one, unsubstituted xylose residue. This pattern of action, the nature of the dialyzable products, and the production of a final residue in which the substituents are accumulated, suggest that the arabinosyl and glucosyl-uronic groups are irregularly distributed on the main chain of the xylan from redwood and that in some regions they are in close vicinity when not actually on adjacent xylosyl residues.     

Phlorizin as a probe of the small-intestinal Na+,d-glucose cotransporter. A model

(1)‘Uptake’ of phlorizin by intestinal brush border membrane vesicles is stimulated, much as that of d-glucose, by the simultaneous presence of Na_out⁺ and $\text{Δψ?0}$. However, phlorizin contrary to d-glucose, fulfills all criteria of a non-translocated ligand (i.e., of a fully competitive inhibitor) of the Na⁺,d-glucose cotransporter. (2) The stoicheiometry of Na⁺/phlorizin binding is 1, as shown by a Hill coefficient of approx. 1 in the Na_out⁺-dependence of phlorizin binding. (3) The preferred order of binding at $\text{Δψ?0}$ is Na⁺ first, phlorizin second (4) The velocity of association of phlorizin to the cotransporter, but not the velocity of its dissociation therefrom, responds to Δψ. These observations while agreeing with the effect of $\text{Δψ?0}$ on the $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>d</mtext>}}$ of phlorizin binding in the steady-state time range, also confirm that the mobile part of the cotransporter bears a negative charge of 1. (5) A model is proposed describing the Na⁺,Δψ-dependent interaction of phlorizin with the cotransporter and agreeing with a more general model of Na⁺,d-glucose cotransport. (6) The $\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>on</mtext>}}$, $\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>off</mtext>}}$ and $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>d</mtext>}}$ constants of phlorizin interaction with the Na⁺,d-glucose cotransporter are smaller in the kidney than in the small-intestinal brush border membrane, which results in a number of quantitative differences in the overall behaviour of the two systems.     

Metabolism of 2-deoxy-d-glucose by baker's yeast. VI. A study on cell wall mannan

The incorporation of 2-deoxy-d-glucose into cell wall mannan of growing Saccharomyces cerevisiae proceeded continuously during culture growth and followed the cell multiplication. About 10% of mannan labelled with deoxyglucose was concurrently released into the medium. The distribution of deoxyglucose between the side-chains and the main chain of mannan has been established. Approximately 90% of deoxyglucose present in the polysaccharide was bound in the side-chains and only 10% was located in the (1 å 6)-linked main chain. This result suggested that deoxyglucose metabolites serving as glycosyl donors in mannan biosynthesis were much worse substrates for the enzyme(s) responsible for the formation of the main chain of the polysaccharide than for the mannosyl transferases involved in the formation of the mannan side-chains. Degradation of deoxyglucose-containing mannan by α-mannosidase of Arthrobacter GJM-1 stopped at the deoxyglucosyl residues.     

A simple preparation of 2-(acylamino)-2-deoxy-3,4:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-aldehydo-d-glucose dimethyl and dibenzyl acetal

When treated with a large excess of 2,2-dimethoxypropane or 2,2-dibenzyloxypropane in 1,4-dioxane solution in the presence of p-toluenesulfonic acid,2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-glucose and 2-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)-2-deoxy-d-glucose yield the corresponding 3,4:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-aldehydo-d-glucose dimethyl or dibenzyl acetal in good yield.     

Interactions between Na+-dependent uptake of d-glucose,phosphate and l-alanine in rat renal brush border membrane vesicles

d-Glucose decreases phosphate reabsorption in rat proximal tubule. It is also postulated that some amino acids interact with phosphate reabsorption. To investigate the mechanism of these interactions, phosphate, d-glucose and l-alanine transport kinetics were measured in brush border membrane vesicles isolated from superficial rat kidney cortex by the calcium precipitation technique. At pH 7.4, Na⁺-dependent phosphate transport was inhibited in the presence of either d-glucose (39 mM) or l-alanine (2.4 mM). In this model, with d-glucose or with l-alanine the $\text{V}$ value of the phosphate uptake was decreased, whereas the apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ for the phosphate uptake was not affected. However, some inhibition of phosphate transport was observed in the presence of l-glucose, d-alanine or d-glucose after phlorizin preincubation. A 30% Na⁺-dependent l-alanine (0.1 mM) transport inhibition was observed in the presence of 5 mM phosphate. d-Glucose (1 mM) was also inhibited by 20% when 5 mM phosphate was added to incubation medium. According to several authors, in our model, d-glucose decreased the l-alanine transport and vice versa. Moreover, when the membrane potential was abolished, a clear inhibition of d-glucose by l-alanine persisted. These multiple interactions could be explained by the accelerated dissipation of the Na⁺ gradient insofar as the rate of the Na⁺ uptake was increased with d-glucose, l-alanine or phosphate and since the absence of variations in membrane potential did not suppress these inhibitions.     

Isolation and some properties of extracellular d-glucosyltransferases and d-fructosyltransferases from Streptococcus mutans serotypes c, e, and f

Extracellular d-glucosyltransferases (GTase) and d-fructosyltransferases (FTase) were isolated from Streptococcus mutans IB (serotype c), B14 (e), and OMZ175 (f) by chromatofocusing, followed by hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The GTases isolated from serotypes c, e, and f are basic proteins (pI 7.4). The serotype c and e enzymes have two protein components having M_r 173 000 and 158 000 and the enzyme of the serotype f one component having M_r 156 000. The GTases of all the serotypes showed a K_m value for sucrose of 10–14mm and an optimum pH 5.5–6.0 for enzyme activity, and their activities were enhanced by the presence of primer Dextran T10. The α-d-glucans synthesized by the purified GTases are water soluble and primarily consist of (1→6)-α-d-glucosidic linkage (41–66 mol/100 mol) and α-d-(1→3,6)-branch linkage (6–20 mol/100 mol), but significant proportions of α-d-(1→3), α-d-(1→4), and α-d-(1→3,4) linkages (11, 6, and 14 mol/100 mol, respectively) were detected in the serotype c α-d-glucan. The isolated FTases of the serotypes c, e, and f are acidic enzymes (pI 4.6) and consist of two components having M_r 84 000 and 76 000 for the serotype c enzyme, and 106 000 and 84 000 for the serotypes e and f enzymes, respectively. The K_m value for sucrose was 6, 10, and 17mm for the serotypes c, e, and f enzymes, respectively, and the optimum pH of enzymic activity 5.5–6.0. Reactivity with Concanavalin A, susceptibility to acid hydrolysis, and paper chromatography of the hydrolyzates suggested that the water-soluble β-d-fructans synthesized by the purified FTases were of the inulin-type and had chemical structures somewhat different among the serotypes.     

Aromatic and heterocyclic 1-C-substituted derivatives of 1,5-anhydro-d-glucitol

Reaction of anomeric 1-O-acyl and 1-halide derivatives of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-d-glucose with anisole, ferrocene, thiophene, furan, and 1,3,5-tri-methoxybenzene in the presence of a Lewis acid gives the corresponding C-β-d-glucopyranosyl derivatives.