Streptomyces Serine Protease (DHP-A) as a New Biocatalyst Capable of Forming Chiral Intermediates of 1,4-Dihydropyridine Calcium Antagonists

Streptomyces viridosporus A-914 was screened as a producer of an enzyme to effectively form chiral intermediates of 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium antagonists. The supernatant liquid of the growing culture of this strain exhibited high activity for enantioselective hydrolysis of prochiral 1,4-dihydropyridine diesters to the corresponding (4R) half esters. The responsible enzyme (termed DHP-A) was purified to apparent homogeneity and characterized. Cloning and sequence analysis of the gene for DHP-A (dhpA) revealed that the enzyme was a serine protease that is highly similar in both structural and enzymatic feature to SAM-P45, which is known as a target enzyme of Streptomyces subtilisin inhibitor (SSI), from Streptomyces albogriseolus. In a batch reaction test, DHP-A produced a higher yield of a chiral intermediate of 1,4-dihydropyridine than the commercially available protease P6. Homologous or heterologous expression of dhpA resulted in overproduction of the enzyme in culture supernatants, with 2.4- to 4.2-fold higher specific activities than in the parent S. viridosporus A-914. This indicates that DHP-A is suitable for use in reactions forming chiral intermediates of calcium antagonists and suggests the feasibility of developing DHP-A as a new commercial enzyme for use in the chiral drug industry.     

Enantiomeric separation by HPLC of 1,4-dihydropyridines with vancomycin as chiral selector

The macrocyclic antibiotics represent a relatively new class of chiral selectors in CE, HPLC, and TLC. We have examined the use of the macrocyclic antibiotic vancomycin as a chiral selector in HPLC for the separation of 1,4-dihydropyridines (DHPs) calcium antagonists (CAs). Chromatographic data of six 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers obtained on the vancomycin chiral stationary phase (Chirobiotic V) were compared with those obtained on an alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) HPLC stationary phase. Optimization of pH and organic modifier was carried out in order to modulate the retention properties of each system. All chiral neutral DHPs were resolved on the AGP column, whereas on Chirobiotic V only basic DHPs showed a split peak. The analytical chromatographic procedure on Chirobiotic V proved suitable for semipreparative separation, since the separation factor on the analytical column was high enough to obtain pure enantiomers with high yields.     

Enhancement of Lignin Degradation in Streptomyces spp. by Protoplast Fusion

Protoplast fusion was investigated as a technique for genetically manipulating two lignin-degrading Streptomyces strains, Streptomyces viridosporus T7A and Streptomyces setonii 75Vi2. Four of 19 recombinants tested showed enhanced production of acid-precipitable polymeric lignin (APPL), producing 155 to 264% more APPL from corn stover lignocellulose than was produced by the wild-type S. viridosporus T7A. APPLs are lignin degradation intermediates known to be potentially valuable chemical products produced by bioconversion of lignin with Streptomyces spp. The prospects of utilizing protoplast fusion to construct APPL-overproducing Streptomyces strains was considered especially promising.     

Production of an extracellular polyethylene-degrading enzyme(s) by Streptomyces species.

Extracellular culture concentrates were prepared from Streptomyces viridosporus T7A, Streptomyces badius 252, and Streptomyces setonii 75Vi2 shake flask cultures. Ten-day-heat-treated (70 degrees C) starch-polyethylene degradable plastic films were incubated with shaking with active or inactive enzyme for 3 weeks (37 degrees C). Active enzyme illustrated changes in the films' Fourier transform infrared spectra, mechanical properties, and polyethylene molecular weight distributions.     

Production of an extracellular polyethylene-degrading enzyme(s) by Streptomyces species.

Extracellular culture concentrates were prepared from Streptomyces viridosporus T7A, Streptomyces badius 252, and Streptomyces setonii 75Vi2 shake flask cultures. Ten-day-heat-treated (70 degrees C) starch-polyethylene degradable plastic films were incubated with shaking with active or inactive enzyme for 3 weeks (37 degrees C). Active enzyme illustrated changes in the films' Fourier transform infrared spectra, mechanical properties, and polyethylene molecular weight distributions.     

Stereoselectivity in β-cyclodextrin complexation of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives

Structure–interaction relationships, stereoselectivity, and solubility enhancement in inclusion compexation of β-cyclodextrins (CDs) with some racemic and enantiomerically pure 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives (DHPs) were investigated. 1:1 and 1:2 (mole ratio) complexes were prepared and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), MS-FAB spectrometry, ¹H-NMR spectroscopy, water and phase solubility. The solubility studies have revealed different complexation equilibria for optically pure DHP enantiomers, and corresponding racemic mixtures in water solutions. By means of ¹H-NMR chemical shift measurements, the inclusion of aromatic fragments of racemic and enantiomerically pure DHP molecules within the cavities of different CDs was elucidated. Considerable stereoselectivity in complexation interactions was observed. The results indicate the potential use of cyclodextrins as chiral selectors for enantiomeric resolution of 1,4-DHP calcium antagonists. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Production and Characterization of Polymeric Lignin Degradation Intermediates from Two Different Streptomyces spp

Previous investigations have identified a quantitatively major intermediate of lignin degradation by Streptomyces viridosporus. The intermediate, a modified lignin polymer, acid-precipitable polymeric lignin (APPL), is released as a water-soluble catabolite and has been recovered in amounts equivalent to 30% of the lignin originally present in a corn stover lignocellulose substrate after degradation by this actinomycete. In the present work, APPLs were collected at various time intervals from cultures of two highly ligninolytic Streptomyces sp. strains, S. viridosporus T7A and S. badius 252, growing on corn stover lignocellulose. APPL production was measured over time, and the chemistry of APPLs produced by each organism after different time intervals was compared. Chemical characterizations included assays for lignin, carbohydrate, and ash contents, molecular weight distributions by gel permeation chromatography, and chemical degradation analyses by permanganate oxidation, acidolysis, and alkaline ester hydrolysis. Differences between the organisms were observed in the cultural conditions required for APPL production and in the time courses of APPL accumulation. S. viridosporus produced APPL in solid-state fermentation over a 6- to 8-week incubation period, whereas S. badius produced as much or more APPL, but only in liquid culture and over a 7- to 8-day incubation period. The chemistry of the APPLs produced also differed. S. viridosporus APPL was more lignin-like than that of S. badius and was slowly modified further over time, although no change in molecular weight distribution over time was observed. In contrast, S. badius APPL was less lignin-like and increased substantially in average molecular weight over time. Results indicated that differing mechanisms of lignin metabolism may exist in these two Streptomyces sp. strains. S. viridosporus APPL probably originates from the heart of the lignin and is released largely as the result of beta-ether cleavage and other oxidative reactions. S. badius APPL probably originates in the same manner; however, after release as a water-soluble catabolite, lower-molecular-weight intermediates of lignin degradation are repolymerized with APPL in a reaction catalyzed by an extracellular phenol oxidase. The chemical analyses and the presence of extracellular phenol oxidase in S. badius, but not in S. viridosporus, support this conclusion.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of enantiopure 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives

1,4-Dihydropyridines possess a broad range of biological activities, such as the ability to control the influx of calcium into cells, as well as neuroprotective, antineurodegenerative, cognition and memory enhancing, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and many other properties. Chirality plays an important role in the biological activity of 1,4-dihydropyridines. The chemoenzymatic synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives in enantiopure form as the key intermediates for the synthesis of enantiopure drugs and chiral analogues of symmetrical drugs has become an advantageous alternative to the other synthetic methods. Hydrolytic enzymes, as efficient chemo-, regio- and stereoselective biocatalysts have been successfully applied for the asymmetrisation or kinetic resolution of various 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives. Several synthetic strategies to overcome the inactivity of hydrolytic enzymes towards 1,4-dihydropyridine carboxylic acids have been developed during the last decade, often based on the introduction of a spacer between an enzymatically labile group and the 1,4-DHP nucleus. Good to excellent enantioselectivities can be obtained by careful optimisation of the reaction temperature and the organic (co)solvent used in the enzymatic transformations.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of enantiopure 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives

1,4-Dihydropyridines possess a broad range of biological activities, such as the ability to control the influx of calcium into cells, as well as neuroprotective, antineurodegenerative, cognition and memory enhancing, anti-inflammatory, antiviral and many other properties. Chirality plays an important role in the biological activity of 1,4-dihydropyridines. The chemoenzymatic synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives in enantiopure form as the key intermediates for the synthesis of enantiopure drugs and chiral analogues of symmetrical drugs has become an advantageous alternative to the other synthetic methods. Hydrolytic enzymes, as efficient chemo-, regio- and stereoselective biocatalysts have been successfully applied for the asymmetrisation or kinetic resolution of various 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives. Several synthetic strategies to overcome the inactivity of hydrolytic enzymes towards 1,4-dihydropyridine carboxylic acids have been developed during the last decade, often based on the introduction of a spacer between an enzymatically labile group and the 1,4-DHP nucleus. Good to excellent enantioselectivities can be obtained by careful optimisation of the reaction temperature and the organic (co)solvent used in the enzymatic transformations.     

The effects of dihydropyridine calcium antagonists on heme biosynthesis in chick embryo liver cell culture

A variety of 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium antagonists were tested for porphyrinogenic activity in chick embryo liver cell culture. 3,5-Dimethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydro-2, 6-dimethyl-4-(ortho-nitrophenyl)pyridine (nifedipine) was shown to be a potent porphyrinogenic agent. This activity was shared by a number of related analogues, viz., the 4-phenyl, 4-(meta-nitrophenyl), 4-(para-nitrophenyl), 4-(ortho-methoxyphenyl), 4-(meta-trifluoromethylphenyl), and 4-(para-trifluoromethylphenyl) analogues and nitrendipine; nicardipine exhibited very weak activity. The porphyrinogenic potency of the 1,4-dihydropyridines did not parallel their calcium antagonist activity. Nifedipine did not exhibit ferrochelatase-lowering activity in chick embryo liver cell culture and uroporphyrin and heptacarboxylic acid porphyrin were the major porphyrins to accumulate. Nifedipine did not cause suicidal destruction of cytochrome P-450 in chick embryo hepatic microsomes. Because nifedipine possesses comparable porphyrinogenic activity to sodium secobarbital in chick embryo liver cell culture, caution is required if nifedipine or related drugs are administered to patients with hereditary hepatic porphyria.     

1,4-Dihydropyridine derivatives as calcium channel modulators: the role of 3-methoxy-flavone moiety

It was earlier recognized that calcium antagonists, and in particular 1,4-dihydropyridines, exhibited distinct cardiovascular profiles. In addition two different splice variants of the L-type calcium channel were found in vascular and cardiac tissues. In this study, novel substituted 1,4-dihydropyridines with a 3-methoxy-flavone moiety were synthesized and structural modifications of the substituents in the dihydropyridine ring of nifedipine were carried out in order to find tissue specific compounds. The negative inotropic, chronotropic and vasorelaxant effects were investigated on guinea-pig left, right atria and aortic strips, respectively. The introduction of an heteroaromatic ring in 4-position of the 1,4-dihydropyridine nucleus led to compounds selective for cardiac tissues. Moreover, different residues in the 1,4-dihydropyridine ring could modulate the chronotropic versus inotropic activity.     

Obtaining antibodies to 1,4-Dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonists

Immunization of rabbits with amlodipine conjugated with horseradish peroxidase resulted in raising polyclonal antibodies that allowed group determination of 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonists in aqueous solutions by ELISA with a sensitivity of 0.1 to 1.0 ng/ml for amlodipine, felodipine, nifedipine, and isradipine.     

1,4-Dihydropyridines as calcium channel ligands and privileged structures

1. The 1,4-dihydropyridine nucleus serves as the scaffold for important cardiovascular drugs—calcium antagonists—including nifedipine, nitrendipine, amlodipine, and nisoldipine, which exert their antihypertensive and antianginal actions through actions at voltage-gated calcium channels of the Ca_V1 (L-type) class.2. These drugs act at a specific receptor site for which defined structure-activity relationships exist, including stereoselectivity.3. Despite the widespread occurrence of the Ca_V1 class of channel, the calcium antagonists exhibit significant selectivity of action in the cardiovascular system. This selectivity arises from a number of factors including subtype of channel, state-dependent interactions, pharmacokinetics, and mode of calcium mobilization.4. The 1,4-dihydropyridine nucleus is also a privileged structure or scaffold that can, when appropriately decorated substituents, interact at diverse receptors and ion channels, including potassium and sodium channels and receptors of the G-protein class.     

Subcellular distribution of the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor in rabbit skeletal muscle in situ: an immunofluorescence and immunocolloidal gold- labeling study

The subcellular distribution of the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor was determined in rabbit skeletal muscle in situ by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. Longitudinal and transverse cryosections (5-8 microns) of rabbit gracilis muscle were labeled with monoclonal antibodies specific against either the alpha 1-subunit (170,000-D polypeptide) or the beta-subunit (52,000-D polypeptide) of the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor by immunofluorescence labeling. In longitudinal sections, specific labeling was present only near the interface between the A- and I-band regions of the sarcomeres. In transverse sections, specific labeling showed a hexagonal staining pattern within each myofiber however, the relative staining intensity of the type II (fast) fibers was judged to be three- to fourfold higher than that of the type I (slow) fibers. Specific immunofluorescence labeling of the sarcolemma was not observed in either longitudinal or transverse sections. These results are consistent with the idea that the alpha 1-subunit and the beta-subunit of the purified 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor are densely distributed in the transverse tubular membrane. Immunoelectron microscopical localization with a monoclonal antibody to the alpha 1-subunit of the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor showed that the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor is densely distributed in the transverse tubular membrane. Approximately half of these were distributed in close proximity to the junctional region between the transverse tubules and the terminal cisternae. Specific labeling was also present in discrete foci in the subsarcolemmal region of the myofibers. The size and the nonrandom distribution of these foci in the subsarcolemmal region support the possibility that they correspond to invaginations from the sarcolemma called caveolae. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that the 1,4-dihydropyridine receptor in skeletal muscle is localized to the transverse tubular membrane and discrete foci in the subsarcolemmal region, possibly caveolae but absent from the lateral portion of the sarcolemma.     

Heterogeneity of calcium channel agonist binding sites in the coronary artery

The binding properties (3H) BAY k 8644 a 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel agonist were studied in the subcellular membrane fraction isolated from the coronary artery by differential centrifugation. The specific binding of (3H) BAY k 8644 to microsomal membranes of the coronary smooth muscle was rapid, saturable, reversible and of both high and low affinity. The dissociation constants obtained from Scatchard analysis with (3H) BAY k 8644 and nitrendipine were 0.60 +/- 0.02 nmol.l-1 and 9.1 +/- 0.1 nmol.l-1 for the high and low affinity binding site respectively and the estimated maximal numbers of binding sites in the plasma membrane fraction were 0.76 +/- 0.02 and 3.15 +/- 0.18 pmol.mg-1 of protein respectively. The substituted dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonists nitrendipine and nifedipine competitively inhibited specific (3H)BAY k 8644 binding suggesting a common high affinity 1,4-dihydropyridine binding site in the coronary microsomal fraction for calcium channel activator and antagonists. The low affinity agonist binding sites were significantly inhibited by adding nucleoside carrier inhibitors, 2-deoxyadenosine and dipyridamole, and by -SH alkylating agent N-ethylmaleimide. The results suggests that the coronary artery contains both high and low affinity calcium channel binding sites (in a 1:5 ratio) with the low affinity calcium channel agonist binding sites being associated with nucleoside carrier and/or with-SH groups.     

Asymmetric synthesis and biological evaluations of (+)- and (-)-6-dimethoxymethyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3-carboxylic acid derivatives blocking N-type calcium channels

An efficient asymmetric synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives is described. The key step is the stereoselective Michael addition using t-butyl ester of l-valine as a chiral auxiliary to achieve good ee (>95% for all the tested experiments) and moderate yield. With this method, (+)-4-(3-chlorophenyl)-6-dimethoxymethyl-2-methyl-1,4-dihydropyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid cinnamyl ester was obtained and was characterized as a promising N-type calcium channel blocker with improved selectivity over L-type compared to its (−)- and racemic isomers.     

Cloning and expression of a lignin peroxidase gene from Streptomyces viridosporus in Streptomyces lividans.

A lignin peroxidase gene was cloned from Streptomyces viridosporus T7A into Streptomyces lividans TK64 in plasmid pIJ702. BglII-digested genomic DNA (4-10 kb) of S. viridosporus was shotgun-cloned into S. lividans after insertion into the melanin (mel+) gene of pIJ702. Transformants expressing pIJ702 with insert DNA were selected based upon the appearance of thiostrepton resistant (tsrr)/mel-colonies on regeneration medium. Lignin peroxidase-expressing clones were isolated from this population by screening of transformants on a tsr-poly B-411 dye agar medium. In the presence of H2O2 excreted by S. lividans, colonies of lignin peroxidase-expressing clones decolorized the dye. Among 1000 transformants screened, 2 dye-decolorizing clones were found. One, pIJ702/TK64.1 (TK64.1), was further characterized. TK64.1 expressed significant extracellular 2,4-dichlorophenol (2.4-DCP) peroxidase activity (= assay for S. viridosporus lignin peroxidase). Under the cultural conditions employed, plasmidless S. lividans TK64 had a low background level of 2.4-DCP oxidizing activity. TK64.1 excreted an extracellular peroxidase not observed in S. lividans TK64, but similar to S. viridosporus lignin peroxidase ALip-P3, as shown by activity stain assays on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels. The gene was located on a 4 kb fragment of S. viridosporus genomic DNA. When peroxidase-encoding plasmid, pIJ702.LP, was purified and used to transform three different S. lividans strains (TK64, TK23, TK24), all transformants tested decolorized poly B-411. When grown on lignocellulose in solid state processes, genetically engineered S. lividans TK64.1 degraded the lignocellulose slightly better than did S. lividans TK64. This is the first report of the cloning of a bacterial gene coding for a lignin-degrading enzyme.     

Purification and properties of mycodextranase from Streptomyces sp. J-13-3.

An enzyme hydrolyzing nigeran (alternating alpha-1,3- and alpha-1,4-linked glucan) was purified from the culture filtrate of Streptomyces sp. J-13-3, which lysed the cell wall of Aspergillus niger, by percipitation with ammonium sulfate and column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephadex A-50, CM-Sephadex C-50, chromatofocusing, and Sephadex G-100. The final preparation was homogenous in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). The molecular weight of the enzyme was 68,000 by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration. The optimum pH and temperature for the enzyme activity were 6.0 and 50 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the pH range from 6.0 to 8.0 and up to 50 degrees C. The enzyme activity was inhibited significantly by Hg+, Hg2+, and p-chloromercuribenzoic acid. The Km (mg/ml) for nigeran was 3.33. The enzyme specifically hydrolyzed nigeran into nigerose and nigeran tetrasaccharide by an endo-type of action, indicating it to be a mycodextranase (EC 3.2.1.61) that splits only the alpha-1,4-glucosidic linkages in nigeran.     

Ca2+ channels in chick neural retina cells characterized by 1,4-dihydropyridine antagonists and activators

The voltage-sensitive calcium channel in cultured chick neural retina cells was characterized by the actions of the enantiomers of Bay K 8644 and 202-791 and other 1,4-dihydropyridines. These cells showed time- and voltage-dependent Ca2+ uptake that was stimulated by K+ depolarization and blocked by the inorganic calcium channel blockers Cd2+ and Co2+. A small fraction only (15% maximum) of the uptake was inactivated by predepolarization of the cells with 80 mM K+. Ca2+ uptake was sensitive to the 1,4-dihydropyridine calcium channel antagonists and activators. (S)-Bay K 8644 and (S)-202-791 stimulated the Ca2+ uptake, and (R)-Bay K 8644 and (R)-202-791 as well as nitrendipine and PN 200-110 inhibited Ca2+ uptake stimulated by K+ depolarization or channel activators. The K+ depolarization-stimulated uptake was inhibited by 90%, but the activator-stimulated uptake was completely blocked by the 1,4-dihydropyridine antagonists. The potencies of these agents as inhibitors of Ca2+ uptake were significantly lower than the binding affinities in membrane preparations from the same cells or their binding and pharmacologic affinities in vascular smooth muscle. K+ depolarization or (S)-Bay K 8644 induced 45Ca2+ uptake was not observed in a glial cell culture. [3H]Nitrendipine and [3H]PN 200-110 bound to membrane preparations of the cells consistent with the presence of a single type of high affinity binding site.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)