Bacterial Synthesis of Nucleotides

General properties of bacterial nucleoside phosphotransferase were demonstrated. Nucleoside phosphotransferase activity was observed somewhere in cells, and the activity and the specificity for donor and product in this reaction are described to be due to the basic character of strains. Such aromatic phosphates as p-nitrophenylphosphate, phenylphosphate, benzylphosphate and the nucleotides were apparent to be useful for nucleotide synthesis, and the ability as donor did not always depend upon the energy consideration. The product specificity of this reaction was confirmed to correlate with nucleotide isomer added as donor; that is, the bacteria characterized to phosphorylate at 5′-position of nucleoside catalyzed the interconversion of phosphoryl or phosphate radical between 5′-nuclotides and those characterized to do at 3′(& 2′)-position of nucleoside catalyzed the interconversion of that between 3′(& 2′)-nucleotides. The phosphoryl or phosphate transfer reaction using nucleotide as donor is reversible but that using p-nitrophenylphosphate as donor is irreversible. The factors to get a good yield on the synthesis of 5′-inosinic acid were discussed, then the maximum yield was accounted to 80%.     

Bacterial Synthesis of Nucleotides

Inosine-5′, 2′(or 3′)-diphosphate was prepared by incubating 5′-IMP and p-nitrophenyl-phosphate with the bacteria characterized to phosphorylate at C_{3′ (&2′)}, or, on the contrary, by incubating 2′-IMP and a donor with the others capable of synthesizing 5′-nucleotide, via their phosphoryl transfer reactions.

Formation of the 5′, 2′(or 3′)-diphosphates of guanosine, cytidine, and uridine was also demonstrated to be carried out under the same relationship between nucleotide isomer as an acceptor and specificities of bacterial phosphotransferases, as observed in the phosphorylation of adenylic acid isomers, while 5′-dTMP was phosphorylated by both groups of bacteria.     

Acceptor Specificity Observed with Crude Preparation of Nucleoside Phosphotransferases

The acceptor specificities of bacterial nucleoside phosphotransferase were further investigated by phosphorylating various kinds of nucleoside analogues. The bacteria belonging to A group(5′-nucleotide former) specifically phosphorylated the primary alcohol at 5′-position of nucleosides and their analogues, such as adenine xyloside, psicofuranine and pseudouridine, while the others belonging to B group (3′(2′)-nucleotide former) the secondary alcohol at 3′(2′)-position. The phosphorylation at 5′-primary alcohol with the bacteria belonging to A group, however, was prohibited mainly by phosphoryl-or amino-radical at 3′-position, as observed in the case of 3′-nucleotide or amino-nucleoside (or puromycin), depending on the steric conformation around the 3′-position of acceptor. Besides, both types of nucleoside phosphotransferases were also able to phosphorylate nucleoside having a C-C-linkage between base and sugar moieties.     

Studies on Metabolic Pathway of NAD in Yeast

Quantitative studies on yeast 5′-nucIeotidase are presented.

K_m values for purine 5′-nucleotides were generally smaller than those for pyrimidine 5′-nucleotides and, among purine series, K_m value for 5′-AMP was the smallest, while their V values were almost same.

The enzyme activity was inhibited in the competitive type by bases, nucleosides, 3′- or 2′-nucleotides, and NMN and in the mixed type by NAD and NADP.

Base-, ribose-, 3′- or 5′-phosphate moiety of nucleoside and nucleotide had some effects on binding with enzyme; especially the structure of base moiety characterizes the K_m or K_i value.

The enzyme activity was accelerated by Ni⁺⁺ or Co⁺⁺, which increases V value but never affects K_m value.

The relationship between the structure of substrate and its affinity towards enzyme is discussed.     

Conformational study of ribonucleotides, 2′-deoxyribonucleotides,and arabinonucleotides by carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance

The geminal and vicinal ¹³C-³¹P coupling constants have been monitored, as a function of pH, for a series of uracil and cytosine 3′- and 5′-nucleotides with a ribose, arabinose, or 2′-deoxyribose sugar. Data were also obtained for two 3′,5′-diphosphates in the ribose and arabinose series. The geminal J(C5′-P5′) and J(C3′-P3′) couplings show only a small dependence on the ionization state of the phosphate, decreasing by < 0.5 Hz in the pH 5–7 range. For the ribose and arabinose 3′-nucleotides, the vicinal J(C4′-P3′) increase (up to 1.5 Hz) on secondary phosphate ionization in the pH 5–7 range, whereas their J(C2′-P3′) couplings decrease (up to 1.5 Hz) over the same pH range. In contrast for the 2′-deoxyribose molecules, both couplings decrease (～0.5 Hz) on phosphate ionization. The titration curves provide information about the influence of the sugar on the conformation about the C3′? O3′ bond. Some conformational trends could be rationalized by consideration of the sugar-puckerdependent contact interactions between the 3′-phosphate and the substituents on the furanose ring.     

Distribution and Properties of NAD Phosphorylating Reaction

Distribution of NAD phosphorylating reactions, phosphorylation through NAD kinase and phosphotransferase, was investigated. NAD kinase activity was distributed rather widely in bacteria, whereas phosphotransferase activity with p-NPP and NAD was limited to a few genera. Proteus mirabilis showed strong activity of phosphotransferase besides NAD kinase activity.

Partial purification of the phosphotransferase was attempted. The enzyme preparation possessed phosphatase activity as well as phosphotransferase activity. Phosphorylation of NAD proceeded maximally under the conditions below pH 4.0. Cu²⁺ showed stimulating effect on the activity. Besides p-NPP and phenylphosphate, various nucleotides, especially 2′ (or 3′) isomers, served as excellent phosphoryl donors, and various kinds of nucleosides and nucleotides were phosphorylated to form nucleoside monophosphates and nucleoside diphosphates.     

Synthesis and Structural Analysis of Oxadiazole Carboxamide Deoxyribonucleoside Analogs

Two novel C-linked oxadiazole carboxamide nucleosides 5-(2′-deoxy-3′,5′-β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole-5-carboxamide (1) and 5-(2′-deoxy-3′,5′-β-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazole-3-carboxamide (2) were successfully synthesized and characterized by X-ray crystallography. The crystallographic analysis shows that both unnatural nucleoside analogs 1 and 2 adapt the C2′-endo (“south”) conformation. The orientation of the oxadiazole carboxamide nucleobase moiety was determined as anti (conformer A) and high anti (conformer B) in the case of the nucleoside analog 1 whereas the syn conformation is adapted by the unnatural nucleoside 2. Furthermore, nucleoside analogs 1 and 2 were converted with high efficiency to corresponding nucleoside triphosphates through the combination chemo-enzymatic approach. Oxadiazole carboxamide deoxyribonucleoside analogs represent valuable tools to study DNA polymerase recognition, fidelity of nucleotide incorporation, and extension.

     

Correlation between the backbone and side chain conformations in 5′-nucleotides. The concept of a ‘rigid’ nucleotide conformation

Conformational energies of the 5′-adenosine monophosphate have been computed as a function of χ and ψ, of the torsion angles about the side-chain glycosyl C(1′)–N(9) and of the main-chain exocyclic C(4′)–C(5′) bonds by considering nonbonded, torsion, and electrostatic interactions. The two primary modes of sugar puckering, namely, C(2′)-endo and C(3′)-endo have been considered. The results indicate that there is a striking correlation between the conformations about the side-chain glyocsyl bond and the backbone C(4′)–C(5′) bond of the nucleotide unit. It is found that the anti and the Gauche–Gauche (gg), conformations about the glycosyl and the C(4′)–C(5′) bonds, respectively, are energetically the most favored conformations for 5′-adenine nucleotide irrespective of whether the puckering of the ribose is C(2′)-endo or C(3′)-endo. Calculations have also shown that the other common 5′-pyrimidine nucleotides will show similar preferences for the glycosyl and C(4′)–C(5′) bond conformations. These results are in remarkable agreement with the concept of the “rigid” nucleotide unit that has been developed from available data on mononucleotides and dinucleoside monophosphates. It is found that the conformational ‘rigidity’ in 5′-nucleotides compared with that of nucleosides is a consequence of, predominantly, the coulombic interactions between the negatively charged phosphate group and the base. The above result permits one to consider polynucleotide conformations in terms of a “rigid” C(2′)-endo or C(3′)-endo nucleotide unit with the major conformational changes being brought about by rotations about the P–O bonds linking the internucleotide phosphorus atom. IT is predicted that the anti and the gg conformations about the glycosyl and the C(4′)–C(5′) bonds would be strongly preferred in the mononucleotide components of different purine and pyrimidine coenzymes and also in the nucleotide phosphates like adenodine di- and triphosphates.     

Stereochemistry of Internucleotide Bond Formation by the H-Phosphonate Method. 1. Synthesis and 31P Nmr Analysis of 16 Diribonulceoside (3′-5′)-H-Phosphonates and the Corresponding Phosphorothioates

Sixteen diribonucleoside (3′-5′)-H-phosphonates were synthesized via condensation of the protected ribonucleoside 3′-H-phosphonates with nucleosides, and the influence of a nucleoside sequence on the observed stereoselectivity was analyzed. ₃₁P NMR spectroscopy was used to evaluate a relationship between chemical shift and absolute configuration at the phosphorous center of the H-phosphonate diesters as well as of the corresponding phosphorothioate diesters. Although for the most cases such correlation was found, there was however several exceptions to the rule where the relative positions of resonances arising from R _P and S _P diastereomers were reversed.     

Conformations of cyclic 2,3-nucleotides and 2,3-Cyclic-5-diphosphates. Interrelation between the phase angle of pseudorotation of the sugar and the torsions about the glycosyl C(1)-N and the backbone C(4)-C(5) bonds

Semiempirical potential energy calculations have been carried out for cyclic 2′,3′-nucleotides and their 5′-phosphorylated derivatives, which are the intermediates in the hydrolysis of RNA. Calculations have been performed for both purine and pyrimidine bases for the observed O(1′)-endo, O(1′)-exo and the unpuckered planar sugar ring conformations. It is found that the mode of sugar pucker largely determines the preferred conformations of these molecules. For cyclic 2′,3′-nucleotides themselves, the O(1′)-endo sugars show a preference for the syn glycosyl conformation while the O(1′)-exo sugars exclusively favor the anti conformation regardless of whether the base is a purine or pyrimidine. For the unpuckered planar sugar, the syn conformation is favored for purines and anti for pyrimidines. Both the gauche (+) (60°) and trans (180°) conformations about the C(4′)? C(5′) bond are favored for O(1′)-endo sugars, while the gauche (?) (300°) and trans (180°) are favored for O(1′)-exo sugars. On the contrary, the 5′-phosphorylated cyclic 2′,3′-nucleotides of both purines and pyrimidines show a preference for the anti-gauche (+) conformational combination about the glycosyl and C(4′)? C(5′) bonds for the O(1′)-endo sugars and the anti-trans combination for the O(1′)-exo sugars. The correlation between the phase angle of the sugar ring and the favored torsions about the glycosyl and the backbone C(4′)? C(5′) bonds as one traverses along the pseudorotational pathway of the sugar ring is examined.     

The Use of Nucleoside Phosphotransferase and (P) p-Nitrophenyl Phosphate in the Determination of the 5'-Linked Termini of Ribosomal RNA

A method for the identification of the 5′-linked termini of ribosomal RNA is described. The method involves the phosphorylation of the nucleosides released from the 5′-linked termini after hydrolysis of the ribonucleic acid chain with alkali. The radioactive 5′-nucleotide derivatives are formed by a nucleoside phosphotransferase mediated phosphoryl transfer from (³²P) p-nitrophenyl phosphate to the nucleosides. The sensitivity of the method allows the use of small amounts of ribosomal RNA.     

Theoretical drug design: 6-azauridine-5'-phosphate--its X-ray crystal structure, potential energy maps, and mechanism of inhibition of orotidine-5'-phosphate decarboxylase.

The cytostatic drug 6-azauridine is converted in vivo to 6-azauridine-5′-phosphate (z⁶Urd-5′-P), which blocks the enzyme orotidine-5′-phosphate decarboxylase (Ord-5′-Pdecase) and therefore inhibits the de novo production of uridine-5′-phosphate (Urd-5′-P). In order to relate the structure and function of z⁶Urd-5′-P, it was crystallized as trihydrate, space group P2₁2₁2₁ with a = 20.615 Å, b = 6.265 Å, c = 11.881 Å, and the structure established by Patterson methods. Atomic parameters were refined by full-matrix least-squares methods to R = 0.066 using 1638 counter measured x-ray data. The ribose of z⁶Urd-5′-P is in a twisted C(2′)-exo, C(3′)endo conformation, the heterocycle is in extreme anti position with angle N(6)-N(1)-C(1′)-O(4′) at 86.3°, and the orientation about the C(4′)-C(5′) bond is gauche, trans in contrast to gauche, gauche found for all the other 5′-ribonucleotides. Conformational energy calculations show that z⁶Urd-5′-P may adopt an extreme anti conformation not allowed to Urd-5′-P, and they also predict the same unusual trans, gauche conformation about the C(4′)-C(5′) bond in orotidine-5′-phosphate (Ord-5′-P) and in z⁶Urd-5′-P, which renders the distances O(2)…O(5′) in z⁶Urd-5′-P and O(7)…O(5′) in Ord-5′-P comparable. On this basis the function of z⁶Urd-5′-P as an Ord-5′-Pdecase inhibitor can be explained as being due to its structural similarity with the substrate Ord-5′-P and further clarifies the inhibitory action of 5′-nucleotides bearing the heterocycles oxipurinol, xanthine, or allopurinol [J. A. Fyfe, R. L. Miller, and T. A. Krenitsky, J. Biol. Chem. 248 , 3801 (1973)]. With this in mind, new inhibitors for Ord-5′-Pdecase may be designed.     

Metabolism of Pyridine Coenzymes in Microorganisms

NADP was enzymatically synthesized from NAD and p-nitrophenyl phosphate or nucleoside monophosphate with the enzyme preparation of Proteus mirabilis (IFO 3849). In this phosphotransferring reaction, ATP did not serve as phosphoryl donor.

In addition to NADP, an unidentified substance (Compound I) showing fluorescence with methyl ethyl ketone and having no coenzyme activity to glutamic dehydrogenase was synthesized. The yield of NADP was usually below 30 per cent of Compound I.

NADP was isolated from the reaction mixture and its coenzyme activity to some dehydrogenases was demonstrated.

A new derivative of NAD (Compound I) synthesized from NAD and p-nitrophenyl phosphate by the enzyme preparation of Proteus mirabilis (IFO 3849), was isolated from the reaction mixture.

After degradation of this compound with snake venom nucleotide pyrophosphatase, Compound III was obtained. 5′-NMN was phosphorylated to Compound IV by the same enzyme preparation of P. mirabilis. By the determination of chemical constituents and the degradation with phosphomonoesterases, Compounds III and IV were identified as nicotinamide riboside 2′(3′),5′-diphosphate, and Compound I was identified as NADP analog which was formed by phosphorylation at the 2′ or 3′ position of the nicotinamide ribose moiety, not at the 2′ position of adenosine moiety of NAD.     

Enzymatic preparation of nucleoside antibiotics

Microbial nucleoside transformation has been applied to the chemical process to produce biologically active nucleosides. Adenine arabinoside (ara-A), ribavirin, 2′-amino-2′-deoxyadenosine, 2′,3′-dideoxyinosine (ddI), and some other nucleosides with antiviral activity have been prepared through this process. Enterobacter aerogenes, Brevibacterium acetylicum, Erwinia herbicola, and Escherichia coli are selected as the best producers for their corresponding nucleosides. The transformation involves N-pentose transfer reaction. Inorganic phosphate was an essential co-factor to complete the reaction, and pentose 1-phosphate was isolated as an intermediate from the reaction mixture. Nucleoside phosphorylases were isolated from crude extract of the microorganisms and shown to be involved in the transformation. The transformation was catalyzed at a high temperature range of 50°C–65°C under the neutral pH range.     

Synthesis of 5′-Fluoro-5′-deoxy-and 5′-Amino-5′-Deoxytoyocamycin and Sangivamycin and Some Related Derivatives

Abstract

A series of 5′-substituted analogs of toyocamycin were prepared by condensation of silylated 4-amino-6-bromo-5-cyanopyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine with protected 5-azido-5-deoxy- or 5-fluoro-5-deoxyribofuranose followed by debromination and deblocking. Alternatively, 5′-azido-5′-deoxytoyocamycin was prepared by azidation of toyocamycin. Conversion of the 5-nitrile function of the toyocamycin derivatives into a carboxamide or a thiocarboxamide gave the corresponding analogs of sangivamycin or thiosangivamycin while reduction of the 5′-azido-5′-deoxy nucleosides provided 5′-amino-5′-deoxy derivatives.     

The occurrence of the syn-C3′ endo conformation and the distorted backbone conformations for C4′-C5′ and P-O5′ in oligo and polynucleotides

Abstract

The nucleoside constituents of nucleic acids prefer the anti conformation (1). When the sugar pucker is taken into account the nucleosides prefer the C2′endo-anti conformation. Of the nearly 300 nucleosides known, about 250 are in the anti conformation and 50 are in the syn-conformation, i.e., anti to syn conformation is 5:1. The nucleotide building blocks of nucleic acids show the same trend as nucleosides. Both the deoxy-guanosine and ribo- guanosine residues in nucleosides and nucleotides prefer the syn-C2′endo conformation with an intra-molecular hydrogen bond (for nucleosides) between the O5′- H and the N3 of the base and, a few syn-C3′endo conformations are also observed. Evidence is presented for the occurrence of the C3′endo-syn conformation for guanines in mis-paired double helical right-handed structures with the distorted sugar phosphate C4′-C5′ and P-O5′ bonds respectively, from g+ (gg) and g- to trans. Evidence is also provided for guanosine nucleotides in left-handed double-helical (Z-DNA) oligo and polynucleotides which has the same syn-C3′endo conformation and the distorted backbone sugar-phosphate bonds (C4′-C5′ and P- O5′) as in the earlier right-handed case.     

Binding interactions in a kinase active site modulate background ATP hydrolysis

Kinases play central roles in many cellular processes, transferring the terminal phosphate groups of nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) onto substrates. In the absence of substrates, kinases can also hydrolyse NTPs producing NDPs and inorganic phosphate. Hydrolysis is usually much less efficient than the native phosphoryl transfer reaction. This may be related to the fact that NTP hydrolysis is metabolically unfavorable as it unproductively consumes the cell's energy stores. It has been suggested that substrate interactions could drive changes in NTP binding pocket, activating catalysis only when substrates are present. Structural data show substrate-induced conformational rearrangements, however there is a lack of corresponding functional information. To better understand this phenomenon, we developed a suite of isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) kinetics methods to characterize ATP hydrolysis by the antibiotic resistance enzyme aminoglycoside-3′-phosphotransferase-IIIa (APH(3′)-IIIa). We measured K_m, k_cat, and product inhibition constants and single-turnover kinetics in the presence and absence of non-substrate aminoglycosides (nsAmgs) that are structurally similar to the native substrates. We found that the presence of an nsAmg increased the chemical step of cleaving the ATP γ-phosphate by at least 10- to 20-fold under single-turnover conditions, supporting the existence of interactions that link substrate binding to substantially enhanced catalytic rates. Our detailed kinetic data on the association and dissociation rates of nsAmgs and ADP shed light on the biophysical processes underlying the enzyme's Theorell-Chance reaction mechanism. Furthermore, they provide clues on how to design small-molecule effectors that could trigger efficient ATP hydrolysis and generate selective pressure against bacteria harboring the APH(3′)-IIIa.     

Synthesis of Novel 3′-Hydroxymethyl 5′-Deoxythreosyl Phosphonic Acid Nucleoside Analogues as Potent Antiviral Agents

A very efficient synthetic route to novel 3′-hydroxymethyl 5′-deoxythreosyl phosphonic acid nucleosides was described. The discovery of threosyl phosphonate nucleoside (PMDTA, EC₅₀ = 2.53 μM) as a potent antihuman immunodeficiency virus (anti-HIV) agent has led to the synthesis and biological evaluation of 3′-modified 5′-deoxy versions of the threosyl phosphonate nucleosides. 3′-Hydroxymethyl 5 ′-deoxythreosyl phosphonic acid nucleoside analogues 15, 19, 24, and 28 were synthesized from 1,3-dihydroxyacetone and tested for anti-HIV activity as well as cytotoxicity. The adenine analogue 19 exhibits moderate in vitro anti-HIV-1 activity (EC₅₀ = 10.2 μM).     

A 5′-amino analog of adenosine diphosphate

The synthesis and properties of the 5′-amino analog of adenosine diphosphate are described. The 5′-amino-5′-deoxyadenosine 5′-N-diphosphate (_NADP) is prepared from the previously described aminonucleoside triphosphate by the hexokinase catalyzed transfer of the terminal phosphoryl to glucose. The _NADP is stable in neutral or basic media, and is similar to natural ADP in chromatographic, electrophoretic, and spectrographic properties. Snake venom phosphodiesterase degrades _NADP to the monophosphate _NAMP, and acid degrades both _NADP and _NAMP to 5′-amino-5′-deoxyadenosine.     

Effects of 3′-C-Methylation on the Hydrolytic Stability and Hydroxyl pK a Values of Dinucleoside 2′,5′- and 3′,5′-Monophosphates

Abstract

The first-order rate constants for hydrolysis of 3′-C-methyluridylyl(2′,5′)- and -(3′,5′)adenosine and the corresponding native dinucleoside monophosphates (2′,5′- and 3′,5′-UpA) have been determined as a function of hydroxide-ion concentration (0.025 - 7 M) at 25°C. In addition to the effects on the hydrolytic stability of the compounds, the effects of the 3′-C-methyl substitution on the kinetically determined pK _a values for the sugar hydroxyls of the undine moiety are discussed.