Hydrophobic derivatives of 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucitol-6-phosphate: a new type of D-glucosamine-6-phosphate synthase inhibitors with antifungal action

Several N-acyl and ester derivatives of 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-glucitol-6-phosphate (ADGP) have been synthesised and tested as inhibitors of fungal enzymes involved in early steps of chitin biosynthesis and for antifungal activity. All the tested derivatives were found to be much poorer inhibitors of the enzyme, D-glucosamine-6-phosphate (GlcN-6-P) synthase, than the parent compound but some of them exhibited much better antifungal activity. MIC values for the investigated compounds ranged between 10 mg mL(-1), found for ADGP and 0.3 mg mL(-1) for the most active derivative, namely ADGP dimethyl ester. Increased affinity of ADGP derivatives to the artificial immobilised cell membrane was correlated with their enhanced ability to be taken up by fungal cells by free diffusion. It was found that some of the examined derivatives behaved as 'pro-drugs' and after internalisation were converted into ADGP in the cell-free extract. This conversion was relatively rapid for ADGP esters but very slow for N-acyl derivatives. Results of our studies demonstrate a possibility of design and preparation of GlcN-6-P synthase inhibitors exhibiting antifungal activity.     

Synthesis of ethyl 2-acetamido-6-S-(5-amino-5-deoxy-beta-D- arabinopyranosyl)-2-deoxy-1,6-dithio-beta-D-glucopyranoside: a sulfur-linked 5-amino-5-deoxyglycopyranosyl disaccharide

A novel pseudo-disaccharide having an imino sugar residue at the non-reducing end, namely, a sulfur-linked 5-amino-5-deoxyglycopyranosyl disaccharide, which is a potential specific inhibitor for glycosidases that recognize not only the glycosidic linkage but also the aglycone moiety, was synthesized. Glycosidation of N-Boc-5-amino-5-deoxy-D-arabinose with ethyl 2-acetamido-3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-1,6-dithio-beta-D- glucopyranoside in the presence of TsOH gave exclusively the corresponding 1,2-cis-linked thioglycoside. The interglycosidic linkage proved stable enough under conditions for the deprotection of the N-Boc group with TFA. This pseudodisaccharide was unstable at pH > 5, but stable at lower pH. The sulfur-linked 5-amino-5-deoxyglycopyranosyl disaccharide was shown to be formed from 5-amino-5-deoxy-D-arabinose and ethyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-1,6-dithio-beta-D-glucopyranoside in an acidic buffer solution.     

Synthesis of a 2-acetamido-5-amino-2,5-dideoxy-d-xylopyranosyl derivative

2-Acetamido-5-amino-2,5-dideoxy-d-xylopyranosyl hydrogensulfite (11) has been synthesized from benzyl 2-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)-2-deoxy-5,6-O-isopro-pylidene-β-d-glucofuranoside (1). O-Deisopropylidenation of 1 gave the triol 2, which was converted, via oxidative cleavage at C-5-C-6 and subsequent reduction, into the related benzyl β-d-xylofuranoside derivative (3). Catalytic reduction of benzyl 2-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)-2-deoxy-5-O-tosyl-β-d-xylofuranoside, derived from 3 by selective tosylation, and subsequent N-acetylation, afforded benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5-O-tosyl-β-d-xylofuranoside, which was treated with sodium azide to give the corresponding 5-azido derivative (6). (Tetrahydropyran-2-yl)ation of the product formed by hydrolysis of 6 gave 2-acetamido-5-azido-2,5-dideoxy-1,3- di-O-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl)-d-xylofuranose (9). Treatment of 2-acetamido-5-amino-2,5-dideoxy-1,3-di-O-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl)-d-xylofuranose, derived from 9 by reduction, with sulfur dioxide in water gave 11. Hydrogenation of 6 and subsequent acetylation yielded 3-acetamido-4,5-diacetoxy-1-acetyl-xylo-piperidine. Evidence in support of the structures assigned to the new derivatives is presented.     

Antimicrobial activity of some 2-amino-5-subsituted pyridine derivatives

A series of 2-amino-5-substituted pyridine derivatives were prepared and evaluated against phytopathogenic fungi and bacteria under laboratory conditions. Position 4 on the pyridine ring has notable fungicidal and bactericidal activity, greater than position 3 and/or position 6. Reaction of 1-hydroxymethyl benzotriazole with the amino group of the pyridine ring gave better fungicidal activity than substitution on the carbon of the pyridine ring (compound 4 versus 1c). Replacing the benzotriazole moiety with thiophenol exhibited the strongest fungicidal and bactericidal activity in this series (compound 3).     

2-Deoxyribose 5-phosphate aldolase: Genetic analyses of structure

A total of 33 mutant strains of Salmonella typhimurium deficient in deoxyribose 5-phosphate activity have been isolated and characterized as missense or nonsense. Three-factor transductional analyses of the mutants were used to construct a fine structure map of the deoC gene, which codes for a peptide of 28,500 molecular weight. An unusual clustering of the missense mutants was observed, where 75% of all the missense mutants mapped in an area which corresponds to 19% of the total gene length. It is suggested that this area of the protein is particularly sensitive to amino acid replacements but that other areas of the protein are reasonably tolerant of such changes. Nonsense mutations are found scattered throughout the gene. This is expected since the carboxyl-terminal tyrosine is essential for enzymatic activity.     

Synthesis of a 2-acetamido-5-amino-2,5-dideoxy- -xylopyranosyl derivative

2-Acetamido-5-amino-2,5-dideoxy- -xylopyranosyl hydrogensulfite (11) has been synthesized from benzyl 2-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)-2-deoxy-5,6-O-isopro-pylidene-β- -glucofuranoside (1). O-Deisopropylidenation of 1 gave the triol 2, which was converted, via oxidative cleavage at C-5-C-6 and subsequent reduction, into the related benzyl β- -xylofuranoside derivative (3). Catalytic reduction of benzyl 2-(benzyloxycarbonylamino)-2-deoxy-5-O-tosyl-β- -xylofuranoside, derived from 3 by selective tosylation, and subsequent N-acetylation, afforded benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-5-O-tosyl-β- -xylofuranoside, which was treated with sodium azide to give the corresponding 5-azido derivative (6). (Tetrahydropyran-2-yl)ation of the product formed by hydrolysis of 6 gave 2-acetamido-5-azido-2,5-dideoxy-1,3- di-O-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl)- -xylofuranose (9). Treatment of 2-acetamido-5-amino-2,5-dideoxy-1,3-di-O-(tetrahydropyran-2-yl)- -xylofuranose, derived from 9 by reduction, with sulfur dioxide in water gave 11. Hydrogenation of 6 and subsequent acetylation yielded 3-acetamido-4,5-diacetoxy-1-acetyl-xylo-piperidine. Evidence in support of the structures assigned to the new derivatives is presented.     

Transport of 2-methyl-4-amino-5-hydroxymethylpyrimidine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The transport of 2-methyl-4-amino-5-hydroxymethylpyrimidine (hydroxymethylpyrimidine) was studied in resting cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Hydroxymethylpyrimidine uptake was an energy- and temperature-dependent process which has an optimal pH at 4.5. The apparent Km for hydroxymethylpyrimidine uptake was 0.37 microM, and the uptake was inhibited by 2-methyl-4-amino-5-aminomethylpyrimidine, thiamin and pyrithiamin. Furthermore, hydroxymethylpyrimidine uptake was inhibited by 4-azido-2-nitrobenzoylthiamin, a specific and irreversible inhibitor of the yeast thiamin transport system and it was greatly impaired in the thiamin transport mutant of S. cerevisiae. Thus, hydroxymethylpyrimidine is taken up by a common transport system with thiamin in S. cerevisiae, but in contrast to thiamin transport, accumulated hydroxymethylpyrimidine is released from yeast cells showing an overshoot phenomenon.     

Synthesis and antibacterial activities of 5-hydroxy-4-amino-2(5H)-furanones

Starting from the mucohalogen acids 1a and b 5-hydroxy-2(5H)-furanones 2a-h have been prepared and tested. These novel 4-amino-5-hydroxy 2(5H)-furananones have shown a broad antibiotic activity against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853 in the micromolar range. A one step synthesis from mucohalogen acids towards the antibacterials 2a-h was developed, in which the target was obtained from 1a and b under reflux in toluene in presence of a catalytic amount of sulfuric acid. The derivatives 2b and c displayed a MIC and MBC of 4/8mug/ml, against Staphylococcus aureus with a selectivity towards the resistant strains.