Microbial conversion of solasodine to 1-androstene-3,17-dione (AD), a key intermediate for androgen synthesis

The spirosolane side chain of solasodine has been cleaved by cholesterol preinduced Mycobacterium sp. NRRL B-3805 to yield 1-androstene-3,17-dione (AD), a key intermediate for the synthesis of androgenic drugs. Conversion up to 34% has been recorded in shake flask culture after 192 h incubation period using dimethyl-formamide as carrier for solasodine addition.     

Microbial production of isoquinoline from indene

A purified microbial isolate, identified as a strain of Rhodococcus sp., metabolized indene primarily to iso quinoline and lesser amounts of indandiol and indanone. Isoquinoline production was dependent on the presence of microbial culture, indene, and ammonium ions as the source of nitrogen in the molecule. The ability to produce isoquinoline was induced by growth on benzene or naphthalene and by the presence of indene itself. The culture produced compounds tentatively identified as 3-methylisoquinoline and 3-ethylisoquinoline from 2-methylindene and from 2-ethylindene, respectively. Deuterated indene was converted to deuterated isoquinoline, deuterated indanone, and deuterated indandiol. Experiments with [15N]ammonium nitrate and ammonium [15N]nitrate confirmed ammonium as the source of nitrogen in the isoquinoline products.     

1-O-benzyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycerol: a key intermediate for synthesis of ether glycerolipids.

A new scheme for synthesis of saturated 1-O-alkyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycerolipids is described. The reductive cleavage of 2-O-methyl-1,3-O,O-benzylideneglycerol with BH3.THF complex leads to 1-O-benzyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycerol, which is a key in intermediate for the facile preparation of 1-O-alkyl-2-O-methyl-rac-glycerol and derivatives.     

An improved synthesis of a key intermediate for (+)-biotin from D-mannose

An efficient and reproducible process for the synthesis of methyl 2,3,4,5-tetradeoxy-7,8-O-isopropylidene-D-arabino-nanonate (2), a key intermediate in the total synthesis of (+)-biotin (1), starting from readily available D-mannose is described. The crucial part of this synthesis was the development of a practical route to a novel O-benzyl protected unsaturated ester methyl (benzyl 5,6,7,8-tetradeoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-lyxo-nona-5,7-dienofuranosid) uronate (7), allowing the one-step preparation of hydroxy ester methyl 5,6,7,8-tetradeoxy-2,3-O-isopropylidene-alpha-D-lyxo-nanofuranuronate (8) by the catalytic debenzylation and hydrogenation over palladium on carbon catalyst. This procedure requires no chromatographic purification, which makes it ideal for synthetic preparation on an industrial scale.     

Directed evolution of an esterase for the stereoselective resolution of a key intermediate in the synthesis of epothilones

The directed evolution of an esterase from Pseudomonas fluorescens using the mutator strain Epicurian coli XL1-Red was investigated. Mutants were assayed for their ability to hydrolyze a sterically hindered 3-hydroxy ester, which can serve as a building block in the synthesis of epothilones. Screening was performed by plating esterase producing colonies derived from mutation cycles onto minimal media agar plates containing indicator substances (neutral red and crystal violet). Esterase-catalyzed hydrolysis of the 3-hydroxy ester (ethyl or glycerol ester) was detected by the formation of a red color due to a pH decrease caused by the released acid. Esterases isolated from positive clones were used in preparative biotransformations of the ethyl ester. One variant containing two mutations (A209D and L181V) stereoselectively hydrolyzed the ethyl ester resulting in 25% ee for the remaining ester.     

Engineering Escherichia coli for the synthesis of taxadiene, a key intermediate in the biosynthesis of taxol.

Taxadiene, the key intermediate of paclitaxel (Taxol) biosynthesis, has been prepared enzymatically from isopentenyl diphosphate in cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli by overexpressing genes encoding isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase, geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase and taxadiene synthase. In addition, by the expression of three genes encoding four enzymes on the terpene biosynthetic pathway in a single strain of E. coli, taxadiene can be conveniently synthesized in vivo, at the unoptimized yield of 1.3mg per liter of cell culture. The success of both in vitro and in vivo synthesis of taxadiene bodes well for the future production of taxoids by non-paclitaxel producing organisms through pathway engineering.     

Practical synthesis of D-cyclopent-2-enone, the key intermediate of carbocyclic nucleosides

An efficient and practical method for the synthesis of (4R,5R)-4,5-O-isopropylidene-cyclopent-2-enone was developed from D-ribose by using a ring-closing metathesis reaction.     

Microbial conversion of glycerol to 1,3-propanediol

Abstract: Glycerol produced by cleavage of natural fats can microbially be converted to 1,3-propanediol (PD) by Citrobacter, Klebsiella and Clostridia strains. The fermentation by C. butyricum , product recovery and purification has been investigated in detail up to the 2 m³ scale. Estimation of product costs for a 10,000 t/a plant indicates that the microbial process is obviously more attractive than the chemical route. Presently, 1,3-propanediol has only a low market volume; however, its use for special polycondensates, in particular polyesters, could reduce glycerol surpluses and make plastics a easily biodegradable part of natural cycles.     

单萜类化合物的微生物合成

单萜类化合物是萜类化合物的一种,一般具有挥发性和较强的香气,部分单萜还具有抗氧化、抗菌、抗炎等生理活性,是医药、食品和化妆品工业的重要原料.近年来,利用微生物异源合成单萜类化合物的研究引起了科研人员的广泛关注,但因产量低、生产成本高等限制了其大规模应用.合成生物学的迅猛发展为微生物生产单萜类化合物提供了新的手段,通过改...     

Demonstration of a cyclic pyrophosphate intermediate in the enzymatic conversion of neryl pyrophosphate to borneol

A soluble enzyme preparation obtained from young sage (Salvia officinalis) leaves catalyzes the conversion of neryl pyrophosphate to (+)-borneol and the oxidation of (+)-borneol to (+)-camphor. Attempts to purify the borneol synthetase activity by gel permeation column chromatography resulted in the apparent loss of catalytic capability; however, subsequent recombination of column fractions demonstrated that two separable enzymatic activities were required for the conversion of neryl pyrophosphate to borneol. Several lines of evidence indicated that a water-soluble, dialyzable intermediate was involved in this transformation. The intermediate was isolated and subsequently identified as bornyl pyrophosphate by direct chromatographic analysis and by the preparation of derivatives and chromatographic analysis of both the hydrogenolysis (LiAlH₄) and enzymatic hydrolysis products of bornyl pyrophosphate. The results presented indicate that borneol is derived by cyclization of neryl pyrophosphate to bornyl pyrophosphate, followed by hydrolysis. This is the first demonstration of a cyclic pyrophosphorylated intermediate in the biosynthesis of bicyclic monoterpenes.     

Enzymatic resolution of 3-(3-indolyl)butyric acid: a key intermediate for indolmycin synthesis

Both enantiomers of 3-(3-indolyl)butyric acid, a key intermediate of indolmycin, were successfully prepared by lipase-catalysed enantioselective hydrolysis. Of the enzymes examined, Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase (lipase AK) showed the best enantioselectivity and highest reactivity for the hydrolysis of (±)-trifluoroethyl 3-(3-indolyl)butyrate. Under optimal conditions, optical resolution was completed in one enzyme-catalysed step, the S-acid and unreacted R-ester being obtained in high optical purity.     

A facile synthesis of cis-4-amino-2-cyclopentene-1-methanol, a key intermediate for the synthesis of carbocyclic nucleosides

A number of carbocyclic nucleosides can be synthesized from (+/-)-cis-4-amino-2-cyclopentene-1-methanol (3). Carbocyclic amino alcohol 3 is a key intermediate that makes possible the efficient synthesis of the carbocyclic nucleosides. In this study we wish to report an efficient synthesis of carbocyclic amino alcohol 3 from inexpensive and readily available starting material. The synthetic route employed cyclopentadiene (4) as a starting material and proceeded in 38% overall yield through 6 steps involving a hetero Diels-Alder reaction and an aza-Claisen rearrangement.     

Mutants in dolichol synthesis: conversion of polyprenol to dolichol appears to be a rate-limiting step in dolichol synthesis

Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells of the Lec9 recessive complementationgroup display a distinctive profile of resistance to a varietyof toxic lectins. In addition, they accumulate cis--unsaturatedpolyprenol and use mainly polyprenol rather than dolichol tosynthesize the glycosylated lipids used in asparagine-linkedglycosylation of proteins. The primary defect in these cellsis thought to result from a deficiency in polyprenol reductaseactivity. Three new mutants were isolated and determined tohave qualitatively, although not quantitatively, similar lectinresistance profiles to Lec9 cells. Two of these mutants (Abr^Rand Ric^R) also contained polyprenol rather than dolichol. Thelectin resistance profile of an independent mutant which accumulatespolyprenol, F2A8, was also found to be qualitatively similarto the Lec9 pattern. The relationship among these mutants wasanalysed in more detail by construction of cell—cell hybrids.Lectin resistance profiles of the hybrids demonstrated thatAbr^R, Ric^R and F2A8 fell into the Lec9 complementation group.Analysis of prenols in the hybrids also showed that F2A8 wasa member of the Lec9 group. Surprisingly, a significant fractionof the prenols found in Lec9 Parent hybrids was polyprenol(up to 30% of the neutral fraction), whereas the prenols foundin Parent Parent hybrids were nearly exclusively dolichol(97% of the neutral lipid fraction). Therefore, reduction ofpolyprenol to dolichol appears to be a rate-limiting step inthe synthesis of dolichol since hybrids with differing numbersof wild-type alleles can be biochemically distinguished. CHO cells dolichol lectins mutants polyprenol reductase     

Microbial conversion of sterols

By preselection of microorganisms which preferentially attack the side chain of cholesterol we have been able to isolate a mutant of Corynebacterium spec. Chol 73 which forms 20-carboxy-pregna-1,4-dien-3-one (BNC) from cholesterol in nearly quantitative yields. The structure of this compound has been established by means of¹³C NMR-,¹H NMR and CD spectroscopy.Dedicated to Dr. Bruno Werdelmann     

Homocysteine and lipids: S-Adenosyl methionine as a key intermediate

An association between hyperlipidemia and hyperhomocysteinemia (HHCY) has been suggested. This link is clinically important in management of vascular risk factors especially in elderly people and patients with metabolic syndrome. Higher plasma homocysteine (Hcy) was associated with lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol level. Moreover, HHCY was associated with disturbed plasma lipids or fatty liver. It seems that hypomethylation associated with HHCY is responsible for lipid accumulation in tissues. Decreased methyl group will decrease the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine, a major phospholipid required for very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) assembly and homeostasis. The effect of Hcy on HDL-cholesterol is probably related to inhibiting enzymes or molecules participating in HDL-particle assembly.     

Hydroxylamine is a vasorelaxant and a possible intermediate in the oxidative conversion of L-arginine to nitric oxide

Our objective was to determine whether hydroxylamine is a possible intermediate in the oxidative conversion of L-arginine to nitric oxide. Vasorelaxation by hydroxylamine is known to be mediated by nitric oxide. The vasorelaxant properties of hydroxylamine were examined using rat aortic rings and an isolated rat lung perfusion model. Hydroxylamine and acetylcholine were equally effective in relaxing norepinephrine-contracted intact aortic rings, whereas only hydroxylamine relaxed aortic rings with endothelium removed. This endothelium-independent vasorelaxation by hydroxylamine indicated that the hydroxylamine-converting enzyme is not localized solely within endothelial cells. Catalase, an enzyme known to oxidize hydroxylamine to nitric oxide, was present in homogenates of intact and endothelium-denuded rings. Cyanamide, another catalase substrate and a known precursor of nitroxyl (HNO), was not a vasorelaxant of aortic rings or of isolated, hypoxia-constricted lungs. These results suggest that free nitroxyl is not an intermediate in the oxidation of hydroxylamine to nitric oxide. An overall pathway for the oxidative conversion of L-arginine through an hydroxylamine intermediate to nitric oxide is proposed.