A comparative conformational study of thymidylyl(3'----5')-thymidine, thymidylyl(3'----5')-5'-thio-5'- deoxythymidine and thymidinylacetamido-[3'(O)----5'(C)]-5'-deoxythymidine

A comparative 270 MHz NMR spectroscopic study on the solution structure of the dimer d(TpT) 1, and its two analogues, namely, d(TpST) 2, and NH2d(TcmT) 4 has been reported. Analysis of chemical shifts and coupling constants indicate that: (i) The sugar moieties of the constituent nucleotides are not affected by modification of the internucleotide linkages and adopt preferentially an S-type conformation. (ii) The C4'-C5' bond in the pT part of the modified dimers 2 and 4 shows a large conformational freedom (gamma+ = 32% and 35%, respectively) compared to 1 (gamma+ = 75%). (iii) The population of the trans conformer about C5'-O5' is less important in d(TpST) 2 compared to d(TpT) 1. (iv) The C3'-O3' bond in 2 adopts a trans conformation as in 1. (v) The glycosidic bonds in the modified dimers 2 and 4 showed preferential syn conformation. UV and CD data show that the modified dimers 2 and 4 have poor tendency to stack intramolecularly, they also base pair less efficiently with d(ApA) as compared to d(TpT) 1.     

Synthesis and antiviral activity assay of novel (E)-3',5'-diamino-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2',3',5'-trideoxyuridine

(E)-3',5'-diamino-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2',3',5'-trideoxyuridine (5), the diamino analogue of BVDU (1), was synthesized from BVDU. In contrast with BVDU, compound 5 did not show activity against herpes simplex virus or varicella-zoster virus.     

Steric and charge factors in the resistance of uridylyl(3' - 5')N6-(N-threonylcarbonyl)adenosine to venom phosphodiesterase hydrolysis.

The contribution of steric and negative charge factors to the resistance of uridylyl(3' - 5')N6-(N-threonylcarbonyl)adenosine to venom phosphodiesterase was investigated. The hydrolysis rates of uridylyl(3'-5')N6-(N-threonylcarbonyl)-adenosine, its model derivatives, methyl ester and O-benzyl ester, together with unmodified uridyly (3'-5')adenosine, were studied. It was found that the contribution of both factors is of the same order. The steric inhibition of digestion is distinctly higher than that confirmed by N6-(delta2-isopentenyl)adenosine [1], which is ascribed to the rigid conformation of the threonylcarbonyladenosine side chain.     

Ksp632I, a novel class-IIS restriction endonuclease from Kluyvera sp. strain 632 with the asymmetric hexanucleotide recognition sequence: 5'-CTCTTC(N)1-3' 3'-GAGAAG(N)4-5'

A new class-IIS restriction endonuclease, Ksp632I, with novel sequence specificity has been discovered in a non-pathogenic species of Kluyvera. The presence of only a single site-specific activity in this Kluyvera sp. strain 632 enables Ksp632I to be isolated in highly purified form free of contaminating nucleases. Ksp632I recognition sites and cleavage positions were deduced using experimental and computer-assisted mapping and sequencing. The cleavage specificity corresponds to the sequence 5'-CTCTTCN decreases NNN-N-3' 3'-GAGAAGN-NNN increases N-5'. The enzyme recognizes an asymmetric hexanucleotide sequence and cleaves in the presence of Mg2+ ions specific phosphodiester bonds in both DNA strands, 1 and 4 nucleotides distal to the recognition sequence. The staggered cuts generate 5'-protruding ends with single-stranded 5'-phosphorylated trinucleotides. Several slow cleavage sites for Ksp632I were observed on lambda cI857Sam7 DNA. Ksp632I may complement other class-IIS enzymes in the universal restriction approach and may serve as a tool for generating defined unidirectional deletions or insertions.     

Catabolism of capped (3'-5')- and (2'-5')-adenylates in rat liver nuclei

We describe studies concerning the ability of a nuclear dinucleoside triphosphatase to act as a decapping enzyme in RNA catabolism. The enzymatic release of GMP from the Gp3A moiety was determined in the capped RNA model compounds Gp3A3'pA, Gp3A3'pA-isoprop and Gp3A2'pA in isolated rat liver nuclei; i.e., in the environment in which the dinucleoside triphosphatase operates in vivo. The Gp3A cap moiety is hydrolyzed in (3'-5') linked nucleotides only, whereas an extension of the Gp3A in the 2'-direction prevents the nuclear triphosphatase to operate.     

(2')3',5'-Bisphosphate nucleotidase

(2')3',5'-Bisphosphate nucleotidase has been prepared in electrophoretically homogeneous form from guinea pig liver. The enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of the 2'- or 3'-phosphate from the appropriate nucleoside 2',5'- and 3',5'-bisphosphates and is active with 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate and with coenzyme A but not with ATP. The 40,000-dalton protein is a monomer that requires Mg2+ for activity.     

Synthesis of 5'(3')-O-amino nucleosides

Synthetic methods leading to 5'(3')-O-amino nucleosides have been developed in an effort to prepare derivatives that may have antitumor or antiviral activities. They are based on ring opening of O2,5'-cyclonucleosides with the N-protected hydroxylamines and dehydrative coupling of 5'(3')-O-unprotected nucleosides with N-hydroxyphthalimide.     

Inhibition of thymidine kinase by P1-(adenosine-5')-P5-(thymidine-5')-pentaphosphate

Potential bisubstrate analogs, with adenosine and thymidine joined at their 5' positions by polyphosphoryl linkages of varying lengths (ApndT, where n = the number of phosphoryl groups), were examined as inhibitors of cytosolic thymidine kinase from blast cells of patients with acute myelocytic leukemia. Ki values were 1.2 microM for Ap3dT, 0.31 microM for Ap4dT, 0.12 microM for Ap5dT, and 0.19 microM for Ap6dT. The best inhibitor of the cytosolic enzyme, Ap5dT, was somewhat less effective as an inhibitor of the mitochondrial enzyme (Ki = 0.50 microM). In addition to their inhibitory modes of binding by the cytosolic enzyme, these compounds were bound at considerably lower concentrations (Kd = 0.029 microM for Ap4dT, 0.0025 microM for Ap5dT, and 0.0027 microM for Ap4dT), in such a way as to protect the cytosolic enzyme from thermal inactivation at 37 degrees C in the absence of substrates.     

Activation of 2-5A-dependent RNase by analogs of 2-5A (5'-O-triphosphoryladenylyl(2'----5')adenylyl(2'----5')adenosine ) using 2',5'-tetraadenylate (core)-cellulose

A variety of 2-5A (px(A2'p)nA; x = 2 or 3, n greater than or equal to 2) analogs were assayed for their abilities to activate murine 2-5A-dependent RNase (subsequently "the nuclease") using a recently developed method. This technique consists of immobilizing and partially purifying the nuclease using core-cellulose [A2'p)3A-cellulose) and then monitoring the breakdown of poly(U)-3'-[32P]Cp into acid-soluble fragments. Several 5'-adenosinecapped analogs of 2-5A (containing a tetra-, tri-, or diphosphate) were analyzed, and it was found that reducing the number of phosphoryl groups between the 5' to 5'-diadenosine linkages resulted in a progressive loss of activity. Because A5' pppp(A2'p)3A was a potent activator of the nuclease yet stable during the assay these results suggested that a free 5'-phosphoryl group may not be required for the activation of the nuclease. A number of 8-bromoadenosine-substituted analogs of 2-5A were also studied. Curiously, the brominations decreased the activities of the 5'-di- and triphosphorylated molecules while substantially increasing the activities of the 5'-monophosphorylated species. The results indicated that a tri- or diphosphate moiety on the 5'-end of 2-5A or the presence of ATP is not absolutely required for the nuclease to be active. Furthermore, the ATP analog, beta, gamma-methylene ATP, did not inhibit the activity of the nuclease. Finally, a 3',5'-phosphodiester linkage isomer of 2-5A and a 3'-deoxy (cordycepin) analog of 2-5A were tested, and both were found to be completely without activity.