Syntheses and spectroscopic properties of α- and β-phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines

The widely used partial synthesis of phospholipids via deacylation of naturally occurring phospholipids, followed by reacylation with fatty acid anhydrides, is accompanied by phosphoryl migration. The resulting mixture of α- and β-phospholipids was separated by short-column chromatography. Milder acylation procedures in which no phosphoryl migration occurs, were developed. 1,2-Dilinoleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine was prepared in 50% yield by acylation of sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (GPC) with N-linoleoylimidazole. Detailed NMR and infrared spectra of α- and β-phosphatidylcholines (PCs) and -ethanolamines (PEs) are reported and the differences between isomers discussed.     

Syntheses of novel β-carboline derivatives and the activities against five tumor-cell lines

A series of β-carbolines possessing the aryl group at C-1 position has been synthesized from tryptophan. The newly synthesized compounds were screened for their in vitro anticancer activity against various human cancer cell lines by MTT assay. Some of them exhibited anticancer activity with IC₅₀ values lower than 10 μM outdistanced the cisplatin level. Structure–activity relationship reveals that the alcohol substituents at C-3 position played an important role in inhibition activity.     

Syntheses of α- and β-Glycosyl Donors with a Disaccharide β-D-Gal-(1→3)-D-GalNAc Backbone

The synthesis of thioglycoside glycosyl donors with a disaccharide -D-Gal-(1 3)-D-GalNAc backbone was studied using the glycosylation of a series of suitably protected 3-monohydroxy- and 3,4-dihydroxyderivatives of phenyl 2-azido-2-deoxy-1-thio-- and 1-thio--D-galactopyranosides by galactosyl bromide, fluoride, and trichloroacetimidate. In the reaction with the monohydroxylated glycosyl acceptor, the process of intermolecular transfer of thiophenyl group from the glycosyl acceptor onto the cation formed from the molecule of glycosyl donor dominated. When glycosylating 3,4-diol under the same conditions, the product of the thiophenyl group transfer dominated or the undesired (1 4), rather than (1 3)-linked, disaccharide product formed. The aglycon transfer was excluded when 4-nitrophenylthio group was substituted for phenylthio group in the galactosyl acceptor molecule. This led to the target disaccharide, 4-nitrophenyl 2-azido-4,6-O-benzylidene-2-deoxy-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl--D-galactopyranosyl)-1-thio--D-galactopyranoside, in 57% yield. This disaccharide product bears nonparticipating azido group in position 2 of galactosamine and can hence be used to form -glycoside bond. Azido group and the aglycon nitro group were simultaneously reduced in this product and then trichloroacetylated, which led to the -glycosyl donor, 4-trichloroacetamidophenyl 4,6-di-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-3-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl--D-galactopyranosyl)-1-thio-2-trichloroacetamido--D-galactopyranoside, in 62% yield. The resulting glycosyl donor was used in the synthesis of tetrasaccharide asialo-GM₁.     

“One-Pot” Syntheses of Malondialdehyde Adducts of Nucleosides

Short, “one-pot” syntheses of malondialdehyde adducts of deoxyguanosine, deoxyadenosine, and deoxycytidine are described. These syntheses proceed in improved yield and easier purification than previous syntheses and are well suited for the preparation of isotopically labeled nucleoside adducts for biomarker and metabolic studies.     

Syntheses of α-tocopheryl glycosides by glucosidases

Enzymatic syntheses of water-soluble alpha-tocopheryl glycosides were carried out in di-isopropyl ether using amyloglucosidase from Rhizopus mold or beta-glucosidase isolated from sweet almond. Optimum conditions for the amyloglucosidase were: alpha-tocopherol 0.5 mmol, D-glucose 0.5 mmol, 400 activity unit (AU) amyloglucosidase, 0.2 mM pH 7 phosphate buffer and 72 h; and for the beta-glucosidase: alpha-tocopherol 0.5 mmol, D: -glucose 0.5 mmol, 110 AU beta-glucosidase, 0.1 mM pH 6 phosphate buffer and 72 h. Out of 11 carbohydrates employed, amyloglucosidase reacted only with D-glucose to give 50% of 6-O-(alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)alpha-tocopherol. However, the beta-glucosidase gave 6-O-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)alpha-tocopherol, 6-O-(alpha-D-galactopyranosyl)alpha-tocopherol, 6-O-(beta-D-galactopyranosyl)alpha-tocopherol, 6-O-(alpha-D-mannopyranosyl)alpha-tocopherol and 6-O-(beta-D-mannopyranosyl)alpha-tocopherol in yields ranging from 10-25%. Water solubility of 6-O-(alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)alpha-tocopherol was 26 g/l at 25 degrees C. alpha-Tocopheryl glycosides showed antioxidant activities with IC(50) values from 0.5 to 1 mM and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity with IC(50) values from 1.3 to 2.6 mM.     

Syntheses ofγ-fluoro-α-amino acids

Summary Methods for the synthesis of racemic and optically active title compounds are presented. Key step of these four-step procedures is the alkylation with 1-bromo-2-fluoroalkanes of glycine-ester-derived imines in anhydrous medium using lithium diisopropylamide as a base at low temperature or phase transfer catalyzed alkylation with 50% NaOH and triethylbenzylammoniumchloride as the phase transfer catalyst, respectively. Subsequent three-step deprotection gave the free acids in 13–33% overall yield. Deracemization of-fluoro--aminobutyric acid methyl and ethyl esters with-chymotrypsin was shown to give the (–)-enantiomers of the esters and (+)--fluoro--aminobutyric acid in >98% ee, while from thetert-butylester the opposite stereochemical result was observed giving the (–)-acid with 88% ee. Optically active-fluoro--amino acids were synthesized alternatively by phase transfer catalysis with N-benzyl-cinchonium chloride or using an auxiliary-directed asymmetric alkylation of the imine derived from (R)-(+)-camphor or (R)-(+)-2-hydroxypinan-3-one. These processes gave different enantiomers of-fluoro--aminobutyric acid via a monomeric lithium enolate in the first or a dimeric lithium enolate in the second case, respectively. The enantiomeric excess can be improved by lithium/magnesium exchange.     

Enzymatic β-galactosidation of β-xylopyranosides

Summary The disaccharides formed by enzymatic transfer of the -D-galactopyranosyl residue fromo-nitrophenyl -d-galactopyranoside to -d-xylopyranosides have been identified. The influence of different factors on the yields of the disaccharides obtained was evaluated. Significant changes in selectivity were observed when -galactosidase fromE. coli was used instead of -galactosidase fromA. oryzae.     

Syntheses of hydroxybenzyl-α-glucosides by amyloglucosidase-catalyzed transglycosylation

Glycosides were synthesized from soluble starch and hydroxybenzylalcohols (o, m and p) by the transglycosylation activity of amyloglucosidase from Rhizopus sp. in a water system. The synthesized glycosides were identified as hydroxybenzyl--glucosides, of which one molecule of hydroxybenzylalcohol was bound to 1-OH of glucose. The transglycosylation reaction was performed in a reaction system containing 50 mg starch, 50 mg hydroxybenzylalcohol, and 10 units of enzyme in pH 5.0 at 45°C. The glycoside was rapidly hydrolyzed to glucose and hydroxybenzylalcohol by the -glucosidase.     

Syntheses of α-Tocopherol and Vitamin K1

α-Tocopherol and vitamin K₁ were synthesized by using 3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexa- decane-1,3-diol instead of phytols.     

Syntheses of α and γ-BHC Alkylthio Analogs

Meso-(1245/36)-1,2,4,5,6-pentachloro-3-methylthiocyclohexane, and (124/356)-1,2,4,5,6-pentachloro-3-methylthio and ethylthiocyclohexanes were prepared from (1234/56)-1,4,5,6-tetrachloro-2,3-epoxycyclohexane (α-BTC cis-epoxide).     

Syntheses of 2″,3″-Dideoxy-L-Glycero-Pentofuranosyl C-Nucleosides

Abstract

2′,3′ -Dideoxy-L-C-nucleosides, 4-amino-8-(2,3-dideoxy-L-glyceropento-furanosyl)pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazines (9 and 10), 4-amino-7-(2,3-dideoxy-L-glycero-pentofuranosyl)-3H,5H-pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines (17 and 18), 7-(2,3-dideoxy-L-glyceropentofuranosyl)-4-oxo-3H,5H-pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines (23 and 24) and 2,4-diamino-5-(2,3-dideoxy-L-glyceropentofuranosyl)pyrimidines (28 and 29) have been synthesized from L-gulonic γ-lactone 1.     

Supersensitivity of Escherichia coli Cells to Several β-Lactam Antibiotics Caused by Rod− Morphology Mutations at the mrd Gene Cluster

Two kinds of spherical mutants, mrdA and mrdB mutants, have been isolated from Escherichia coli strain K12. The mrdA mutants have thermosensitive penicillin-binding protein 2, while the mrdB mutants have normal penicillin-binding proteins. Both kinds of mutants form spherical cells at 42°C and are resistant to the amidinopenicillin, mecillinam, at the same temperature. The two mutations have been mapped very close to lip at 14.2 min (revised chromosome linkage map, 1980) on the E. coli chromosome. Both mutations cause supersensitivities of cell growth to various β-lactam antibiotics, such as ampicillin, cephalexin, cefoxitin and nocardicin A at 42°C.     

Expression of the β-subunit of β-conglycinin in seeds of transgenic plants

Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) seeds contain the storage protein -conglycinin, encoded by a multigene family. -Conglycinin consists of three subunits; , , and . A genomic clone for a -subunit of -conglycinin has been characterized by restriction-enzyme mapping and hybrid selected in-vitro translation followed by immunoprecipitation. In order to determine the developmental regulation of this -subunit gene, its expression was studied in seeds of transgenic petunia (Petunia hybrida) and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) plants. The -subunit expressed in seeds of petunia and tobacco was recognized by anti--conglycinin serum at a relative molecular mass of 53 000, equivalent to that of the native protein. Separation of the petunia-seed proteins by isoelectric focusing followed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblot analysis showed that multiple isoelectric forms of the -subunit were produced. There was approximately a twofold variation in the accumulation of the -subunit protein in the mature seeds of transgenic petunia plants, each containing a single -subunit gene. However, the level of protein accumulation in mature seeds and the amount of -subunit mRNA in developing seeds was not correlated. Accumulation of the -subunit protein in transgenic seeds was less than the -subunit protein that accumulated in transgenic petunia seeds containing a single -subunit gene and less than the amount of the -subunit in mature soybean seeds which contain 8–13 -subunit genes. In transgenic tobacco plants, the accumulation of the -subunit protein in seeds was generally well correlated with the number of genes that were incorporated in the different transformants.Abbreviations kb kilobase - kDa kilodalton - M_r relative molecular mass - SDS-PAGE sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis     

Possible Identity of β-Xylosidase and β-Glucosidase of Chaetomium trilaterale

The nature of the active site of Chaetomium trilaterale β-xylosidase catalyzing the hydrolysis of β-d-glucopyranoside and β-d-xylopyranoside was investigated by kinetic methods. On experiments with mixed substrates, such as phenyl β-d-xylopyranoside and phenyl β-d-glucopyranoside, the kinetic features agreed very closely with those features theoretically predicted for a single active site of the same enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of these two kinds of substrates.

Both the β-glucosidase and β-xylosidase activities were strongly inhibited by glucono-1,5-lactone and nojirimycin (5-amino-5-deoxy-d-glucopyranose). β-Xylosidase activity was inhibited non-competitively by the two inhibitors, but β-glucosidase activity was competitive. Methyl β-d-xylopyranoside, methyl β-d-glucopyranoside, 1-thiophenyl β-d-xylopyranoside, and 1-thiophenyl β-d-glucopyranoside poorly inhibited both activities. Methyl β-d-xylopyranoside inhibited the β-xylosidase activity competitively but the β-glucosidase activity was non-competitive, whereas methyl β-d-glucopyranoside inhibited the β-xylosidase activity non-competitively but the β-glucosidase activity was competitive. 1-Thiophenyl β-d-xylopyranoside and 1-thiophenyl β-d-glucopyranoside behaved as competitive inhibitors.

From these results, it was concluded that the β-xylosidase and β-glucosidase activities reside in one catalytic site, and this suggests that there might be two kinetically distinct binding sites in the active center of the same enzyme.     

Prediction of β-Turns

Kohonen's self-organization model, a neural network model, is applied to predict the β-turns in proteins. There are 455 β-turn tetrapeptides and 3807 non-β-turn tetrapeptides in the training database. The rates of correct prediction for the 110 β-turn tetrapeptides and 30,229 non-β-turn tetrapeptides in the testing database are 81.8% and 90.7%, respectively. The high quality of prediction of neural network model implies that the residue-coupled effect along a polypeptide chain is important for the formation of reversal turns, such as β-turns, during the process of protein folding.     

Synthesis of β-Tubanol

Synthesis of β-tubanol (VIa) was achieved by the bromination of dihydro-β-tubanol acetate (VIIb) followed by dehydrobromination and the subsequent hydrolysis. 2,2-Dimethyl-5-hydroxy-chromanone as well as its derivatives (IV) and the corresponding chromanols (V) and chromans (VII) were also prepared.