Solid-Phase Synthesis of Core 8 O-Glycan-Linked MUC5AC Glycopeptide

The benzyl-protected disaccharide building blocks of core 8 O-glycan (15a/15b) for glycopeptide were stereoselectively synthesized by two glycosidation reactions with the glycosyl fluoride method. The building blocks were utilized in the solid-phase synthesis of a glycopeptide carrying two O-glycans with the consensus sequence of the tandem-repeat domain of MUC5AC. The synthetic glycopeptide was detached from the resin with reagent K, and subsequent debenzylation under conditions of low-acidity TfOH afforded glycopeptide 2. The synthetic sample will be used as a suitable standard in studies of the physicochemical or immunochemical characterization of mucin glycoforms.     

Solid-phase synthesis of the glycopeptide of human glycophorin AM bearing the consecutive sialyl-T antigen

Fmoc solid-phase synthesis of the N-terminal glycopentapeptide of human glycophorin AM, bearing the consecutive sialyl-T antigen, was accomplished using glycosylated amino acid building blocks on a weakly acid-labile resin with high efficiency. The benzylated glycopeptide was treated with TMSOTf-thioanisole in TFA and then with aq NaHCO3 to afford the deprotected glycopeptide in good yield.     

Peptide and glycopeptide dendrimers. Part II

Recent progress in peptide and glycopeptide chemistry make the preparation of peptide and glycopeptide dendrimers of acceptable purity, with designed structural and immunochemical properties reliable. New methodologies using unprotected peptide building blocks have been developed to further increase the possibilities of their design and improve their preparation and separation. The sophisticated design of peptide and glycopeptide dendrimers has led to their use as antigens and immunogens, for serodiagnosis and other biochemical uses including drug delivery. Dendrimers bearing peptide with predetermined secondary structures are useful tools in protein de novo design. This article covers synthesis and applications of multiple antigen peptides (MAPs), multiple antigen glycopeptides (MAGs), multiple antigen peptides based on sequential oligopeptide carriers (MAP‐SOCs), glycodendrimers and template‐assembled synthetic proteins (TASPs). In part II the preparation of MAPs, and the utility of glycodendrimers and TASPs are discussed. Copyright © 1999 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Peptide and glycopeptide dendrimers. Part I

Recent progress in peptide and glycopeptide chemistry make the preparation of peptide and glycopeptide dendrimers of acceptable purity, with designed structural and immunochemical properties reliable. New methodologies using unprotected peptide building blocks have been developed to further increase possibilities of their design and improve their preparation and separation. Sophisticated design of peptide and glycopeptide dendrimers has led to their use as antigens and immunogens, for serodiagnosis and other biochemical uses including drug delivery. Dendrimers bearing peptide with predetermined secondary structures are useful tools in protein de novo design. This article covers synthesis and applications of multiple antigen peptides (MAPs), multiple antigen glycopeptides (MAGs), multiple antigen peptides based on sequential oligopeptide carriers (MAP‐SOCs), glycodendrimers and template‐assembled synthetic proteins (TASPs). Part I deals with the development of various structural forms of MAPs as well as their application as antigens, immunogens, and for immunodiagnostic and biochemical purposes. Copyright © 1999 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of tumor-associated glycopeptide antigens

Carbohydrates and peptides linked together in glycoproteins constitute important components of the molecular communication between cells in multicellular organisms. Cell morphogenesis and tumorigenesis are accompanied by changes in the glycoprotein profiles of the outer cell membranes. Glycopeptide fragments of glycoproteins that have altered structures in tumor cells are of interest as tumor-associated antigens for the distinction between normal cells and tumor cells. In contrast to glycoproteins isolated from biological sources, synthetic glycopeptides are obtained in pure form and exactly specified structures. The methods developed for the synthesis of glycopeptides with tumor-associated antigen structure are outlined in this article by means of a series of typical examples. Beginning with O-glycopeptides of the relatively simple alpha-O-galactosamine-serine/threonine (T(N)-antigen) type, glycopeptide antigens of increasing complexity are described. The review includes syntheses of the saccharide components, the glycosylation reactions to furnish the O-glycosyl amino acid building blocks, their selective C- and N-terminal deprotection and the use of these building blocks for glycopeptide syntheses both in solution and on the solid support. Particular attention is given to glycopeptides containing sialic acid residues, whose syntheses are demanding since reversible protection of the sialic carboxylic group is required. Synthetic methods for the construction of N-glycopeptides carrying the important cell adhesion ligands sialyl Lewis x and sialyl Lewis a antigen are also described. Strategies for the construction of glycopeptides of this type require methods compatible with the presence of the sialic acid residue, as well as with the acid-sensitivity of the fucoside bonds.     

A comparative study of different glycosylation methods for the synthesis of D-mannopyranosides of Nalpha-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline allyl ester

The synthesis of Nalpha-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-trans-4-hydroxy-4-O-[(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl)-alpha-d-mannopyranosyl]-l-proline allyl ester and Nalpha-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-trans-4-hydroxy-4-O-[(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzoyl)-alpha-d-mannopyranosyl]-l-proline allyl ester is described. Glycosylation using K?nigs-Knorr conditions with a benzoyl protected glycosyl donor provided the optimum method. Removal of the allyl ester gave two mannosylated building blocks suitable for solid phase glycopeptide synthesis.     

A facile route to dynamic glycopeptide libraries based on disulfide-linked sugar-peptide coupling

We report here that disulfide-linked dynamic glycopeptide libraries can be constructed from 1-thiosugar and cysteine-rich oligopeptide building blocks upon gentle air oxidation of a slightly basic (pH 7.8) aqueous solution thereof. A mixture of 1-thiogalactose and two oligopeptides H2N-CysGlyCysGly-CO2H and H2N-GlyCycCysGlyGly-CO2H, for example, affords a poorly HPLC-resolved disulfide library composed of various sugar-peptide conjugates and cyclic peptides, at least 10 of which can be identified by ESI mass spectrometry. The building components of disulfide members are exchangeable with each other in the presence of dithiothreitol as an initiator to allow dynamic equilibration. A preliminary SPR examination shows that the thiogalactose-derived library indeed contains active divalent galactoside species capable of cross-linking peanut lectin molecules.     

Role of the galactosyl moiety of collagen glycopeptides for T-cell stimulation in a model for rheumatoid arthritis

Two protected derivatives of beta-D-galactopyranosyl-5-hydroxy-L-lysine, in which HO-4 of galactose has been O-methylated or replaced by fluorine, have been prepared. The building blocks were incorporated at position 264 of the peptide fragment CII259-273 from type II collagen by solid-phase synthesis. The ability of these two glycopeptides, and two CII259-273 glycopeptides in which HO-4 of galactose was either unmodified or deoxygenated, to elicit responses from T-cell hybridomas obtained in a mouse model for rheumatoid arthritis was then determined. The hybridomas were all highly sensitive towards modifications at C-4 of the beta-D-galactosyl residue of CII259-273, highlighting the role of HO-4 as an important contact point for the T-cell receptor. Most likely, this glycopeptide hydroxyl group is involved in hydrogen bonding with the T-cell receptor.     

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of a MUC1 glycopeptide carrying non-natural sialyl TF-beta O-glycan

A MUC1 type of glycopeptide was synthesized by the 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) protocol using benzyl and benzylidene-protected beta-D-Gal-(1-->3)-beta-D-GalNAc-Ser/Thr (TF-beta: a stereoisomer of the Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen). The synthetic glycopeptide was released from the resin with reagent K, and the resulting benzylated glycopeptide was deprotected under conditions of low-acidity trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (TfOH). The glycopeptide carrying duplicate non-natural O-glycans was dominant in the products, but was accompanied by a considerable amount of the glycopeptide missing one of the O-glycans. In contrast, the native alpha-glycoside was relatively stable under the acidic debenzylation conditions as shown by a parallel experiment with the glycopeptide involving alpha-D-GalNAc-Ser/Thr linkage. Enzymatic glycosylation with CMP-NeuAc was successful with both natural and non-natural O-glycans of the synthetic glycopeptide.     

Principles of nanostructure design with protein building blocks

Currently there is increasing interest in nanostructures and their design. Nanostructure design involves the ability to predictably manipulate the properties of the self-assembly of autonomous units. Autonomous units have preferred conformational states. The units can be synthetic material science-based or derived from functional biological macromolecules. Autonomous biological building blocks with available structures provide an extremely rich and useful resource for design. For proteins, the structural databases contain large libraries of protein molecules and their building blocks with a range of shapes, surfaces, and chemical properties. The introduction of engineered synthetic residues or short peptides into these can expand the available chemical space and enhance the desired properties. Here we focus on the principles of nanostructure design with protein building blocks.     

Synthetic circuits,devices and modules

The aim of synthetic biology is to design artificial biological systems for novel applications. From an engineering perspective, construction of biological systems of defined functionality in a hierarchical way is fundamental to this emerging field. Here, we highlight some current advances on design of several basic building blocks in synthetic biology including the artificial gene control elements, synthetic circuits and their assemblies into devices and modules. Such engineered basic building blocks largely expand the synthetic toolbox and contribute to our understanding of the underlying design principles of living cells.     

Chemically reactive derivatives of gramicidin A for developing ion channel-based nanoprobes

Ion channel-forming peptides and proteins offer tremendous opportunities for fundamental and applied studies of function on individual molecules. An ongoing challenge in ion channel research is the lack of simple and accessible synthetic methods to engineer pores with tailored chemical and physical properties. This paper describes a practical synthetic route to rapidly generate C-terminally modified derivatives of gramicidin A (gA), an ion channel-forming peptide, through the use of two chemically reactive gA-based building blocks. These amine- and azide-containing building blocks can react readily with typical substrates for amidation and 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition ("click") reactions to present molecules with desired structure and functionality near the opening of a gA pore. These derivatives of gA are stable under typical aqueous conditions for ion channel recordings and retain characteristic single ion channel conductance properties in planar lipid bilayers. Additionally, the synthetic methods described here afford useful quantities of these gA derivatives in good purity and yield with minimal purification. We demonstrate that derivatives of gA can be used for studying, in situ, a change in conductance through a channel upon performing a "click" reaction on an azide moiety attached to the gA pore. We also demonstrate that these gA-based building blocks can be used to construct sensors for the recognition of specific protein-ligand binding interactions in solution. This widely accessible, enabling synthetic methodology represents a powerful new tool to study relationships between chemical structure and function on the single molecule level.     

An efficient Mitsunobu protocol for the one-pot synthesis of S-glycosyl amino-acid building blocks and their use in combinatorial spot synthesis of glycopeptide libraries

Complex glycosylation patterns on cell surfaces are involved in many fundamental biological processes like specific cell-cell interactions and signal transduction. Furthermore, the glycon part of glycopeptides and glycosylated proteins play a crucial role in numerous ligand-receptor interactions of biological significance. However, the distinct function of complex carbohydrate structures associated with cell surfaces and proteins is still only poorly understood at a molecular level with regard to specific carbohydrate-protein interaction. Here, we present an efficient Mitsunobu protocol for the convenient chemical one-pot preparation of S-glycosyl amino-acid building blocks suitable for automated combinatorial syntheses of highly glycosylated beta-peptides, which, in turn, can serve as potential mimics for complex oligosaccharides or for studying carbohydrate-protein interactions. The protocol also describes the use of the S-glycosyl amino-acid building blocks for combinatorial spot syntheses of glycopeptide libraries and can be used for the construction of other combinatorial peptide libraries as well. This is a procedure that can be completed in approximately 7 days.     

Stability of tubular structures based on beta-helical proteins: self-assembled versus polymerized nanoconstructs and wild-type versus mutated sequences

In this work we used atomistic molecular dynamics simulations to examine different aspects of tubular nanostructures constructed using protein building blocks with a beta-helical conformation. Initially, we considered two different natural protein building blocks, which were extracted from the protein data base, to compare the relative stabilities of the nanotubes obtained made of self-assembled and covalently linked repeats. Results show nanotubes constructed by linking building blocks through covalent bonds are very stable suggesting that the basic principles of polymer physics are valid when the repeating units are made of large fragments of proteins. In contrast, the stability of self-assembled nanostructures strongly depends on the attractive nonbonding interactions associated to building blocks aligned in a complementary manner. On the other hand, we investigated the ability of a conformationally constrained synthetic amino acid to enhance the stability of both self-assembled and polymerized nanotubes when it is used to substitute natural residues. Specifically, we considered 1-aminocyclopentane-1-caboxylic acid, which involves strong stereochemical constraints produced by the cyclopentane side chain. We found that the incorporation of this amino acid within the more flexible regions of the beta-helical building blocks is an excellent strategy to enhance the stability of the nanotubes. Thus, when a single mutation is performed in the loop region of the beta-helix, the bend architecture of the whole loop is stabilized since the conformational mobility is reduced not only at the mutated position but also at the adjacent positions.     

Novel Synthesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Glycosyl Amino Acids Using T3P<Superscript>®</Superscript>: Propylphosphonic Acid Cyclic Anhydride as Coupling Reagent

In this paper is presented a novel and simple synthetic pathway for obtaining new protected and unprotected N-glucosyl amino acids from 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl amine and Fmoc-l-amino acids. Three methodologies were evaluated, using the coupling reagents: N,N,N′,N′-Tetramethyl-O-(benzotriazol-1-yl)uronium tetrafluoroborate, diisopropylcarbodiimide and propylphosphonic acid cyclic anhydride. The obtained products using propylphosphonic acid cyclic anhydride showed less undesired species, easy purification and higher yields than the other two methodologies. Deprotection strategies widely used in solid phase peptide synthesis were applied to develop the synthetic pathway reported and achieve the final products. The protected and unprotected N-glucosyl amino acids were purified using solid phase extraction chromatography and characterized by high performance liquid Chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Different amino acids (Fmoc-l-Asp(OtBu)OH, Fmoc-l-Phe(OH) and Fmoc-l-Lys(Boc)-OH) have been employed to demonstrate the simple and reproducible coupling methodology using propylphosphonic acid cyclic anhydride. The results showed that new protected and unprotected N-glucosyl amino acids can be obtained with high purity and the methodology could be used with any Fmoc-amino acid. The methodology developed could be considered as a synthetic tool for obtaining building blocks for glycopeptide synthesis and potential drugs candidates based on glycoconjugates.     

Solid-phase route to Fmoc-protected cationic amino acid building blocks

Diamino acids are commonly found in bioactive compounds, yet only few are commercially available as building blocks for solid-phase peptide synthesis. In the present work a convenient, inexpensive route to multiple-charged amino acid building blocks with varying degree of hydrophobicity was developed. A versatile solid-phase protocol leading to selectively protected amino alcohol intermediates was followed by oxidation to yield the desired di- or polycationic amino acid building blocks in gram-scale amounts. The synthetic sequence comprises loading of (S)-1-(p-nosyl)aziridine-2-methanol onto a freshly prepared trityl bromide resin, followed by ring opening with an appropriate primary amine, on-resin N(β)-Boc protection of the resulting secondary amine, exchange of the N(α)-protecting group, cleavage from the resin, and finally oxidation in solution to yield the target γ-aza substituted building blocks having an Fmoc/Boc protection scheme. This strategy facilitates incorporation of multiple positive charges into the building blocks provided that the corresponding partially protected di- or polyamines are available. An array of compounds covering a wide variety of γ-aza substituted analogs of simple neutral amino acids as well as analogs displaying high bulkiness or polycationic side chains was prepared. Two building blocks were incorporated into peptide sequences using microwave-assisted solid-phase peptide synthesis confirming their general utility.     

Chemical synthesis and receptor binding of catfish somatostatin: a disulfide-bridged beta-D-Galp-(1-->3)-alpha-D-GalpNAc O-glycopeptide.

The glycopeptide hormone catfish somatostatin (somatostatin-22) has the amino acid sequence H-Asp-Asn-Thr-Val-Thr-Ser-Lys-Pro-Leu-Asn-Cys-Met-Asn-Tyr-Phe-Trp-Lys-Se r-Arg-Thr-Ala-Cys-OH; it includes a cyclic disulfide connecting the two Cys residues, and the major naturally occurring glycoform contains D-GalNAc and D-Gal O-glycosidically linked to Thr5. The linear sequence was assembled smoothly starting with an Fmoc-Cys(Trt)-PAC-PEG-PS support, using stepwise Fmoc solid-phase chemistry. In addition to the nonglycosylated peptide, two glycosylated forms of somatostatin-22 were accessed by incorporating as building blocks, respectively, Nalpha-Fmoc-Thr(Ac3-alpha-D-GalNAc)-OH and Nalpha-Fmoc-Thr(Ac4-beta-D-Gal-(1-->3)-Ac2-alpha-D-GalNAc)-O H. Acidolytic deprotection/cleavage of these peptidyl-resins with trifluoroacetic acid/scavenger cocktails gave the corresponding acetyl-protected glycopeptides with free sulfhydryl functions. Deacetylation, by methanolysis in the presence of catalytic sodium methoxide, was followed by mild oxidation at pH 7, mediated by Nalpha-dithiasuccinoyl (Dts)-glycine, to provide the desired monomeric cyclic disulfides. The purified peptides were tested for binding affinities to a panel of cloned human somatostatin receptor subtypes; in several cases, presence of the disaccharide moiety resulted in 2-fold tighter binding.     

放线菌来源的糖肽类抗生素的药学机制研究进展

糖肽类抗生素具有较好的抑制革兰氏阳性细菌生长的活性,临床上广泛用于治疗革兰氏阳性细菌导致的严重感染性疾病,也被认为是对抗这类顽固性病原菌的最后一道防线。随着耐药菌的不断涌现,糖肽类抗生素的应用越来越受到限制。本文针对糖肽类抗生素的结构特征与药效关系、生物学活性和病原菌对于它们的耐药机制,以及糖肽类抗生素的生物合成机制及其结构的合成生物学改造等方面进行了概述。最后,对糖肽类抗生素在应用中面临的问题进行了展望。     

Synthetic glycopeptides for the development of tumour-selective vaccines.

Based on structural information reported for the tumour-associated epithelial mucin MUC1, glycopeptides have been synthesized which contain tumour-associated saccharide antigens. such as the Thomsen-Friedenreich (T), TN or sialyl TN antigen. in combination with peptide sequences of the tandem repeat region of MUC1. Solid-phase syntheses have been carried out using N-Fmoc protected O-glycosyl serine and threonine building blocks and an allylic anchor which is stable to basic and acidic conditions, but can be cleaved under neutral conditions in a palladium(0)-catalysed allyl transfer reaction. In addition. a (2-3)sialyl T antigen threonine building block was prepared by a chemoenzymatic strategy and used in the synthesis of an N-terminal glycopeptide antigen of leukosialin (CD43). The proliferation of cytotoxic T cells could be induced using a construct consisting of a MUC1-glycopeptide antigen and a T cell epitope.     

Teicoplanin biosynthesis genes in Actinoplanes teichomyceticus

The genetic determinants for the biosynthesis of the glycopeptide antibiotic teicoplanin were identified. In order to isolate the corresponding gene cluster, oligonucleotides derived from highly conserved motifs in peptide synthetases were used. These synthetic probes, and gene fragments derived from the balhimycin gene cluster of Amycolatopsis mediterranei, led to the identification of the likely teicoplanin gene cluster centered on a region of ca. 110 kb from the genome of Actinoplanes teichomyceticus, the teicoplanin producer. Partial nucleotide sequences identified partial ORFs likely to encode two glycosyltransferases, three P-450 monooxygenases and one ABC transporter. The corresponding genes have been found in other glycopeptide gene clusters. Furthermore, upstream to the peptide synthetase region a segment was identified with a remarkable similarity to the vanHAX operon, conferring resistance to glycopeptides in enterococci. Thus, in contrast to the other glycopeptide producers thus far analyzed, in A. teichomyceticusthe genes for teicoplanin biosynthesis are closely linked to homologs of glycopeptide resistance commonly found in vancomycin-resistant enterococci.