Starch derivatives of high degree of functionalization. 1. Effective, homogeneous synthesis of p-toluenesulfonyl (tosyl) starch with a new functionalization pattern

Pure p-toluenesulfonyl (tosyl) starch with an insignificant formation of chlorodeoxy groups was prepared by reacting starch dissolved in the solvent system N,N-dimethyl acetamide in combination with LiCl. Interestingly, the viscosity of the starch dissolved in the solvent system increases with the increasing amount of LiCl. The tosyl starch samples obtained were characterized by means of elemental analysis, FITR and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The degree of substitution (DS_Tos) of the products can be controlled in range from 0.4 to 2.0 by adjusting the molar ratio of tosyl chloride per anhydroglucose unit up to 6.0 mol/mol. The tosyl starch samples are readily soluble in various organic solvents. As revealed by means of ¹³C NMR analysis as well as by analysis of the corresponding 6-iodo-6-deoxy derivatives, a faster tosylation at position 2 than at positions 6 and 3 takes place. The thermal stability of tosyl starch increases with increasing DS_Tos and degradation starts at 166°C for the sample of DS_Tos of 0.61. The remaining OH groups of tosyl starch are reactive and can be additionally modified by acetylation reactions.     

Side reaction of pyrenylalanine-peptides containing NG-tosylarginine during detosylation with hydrogen fluoride

Formation of by-products of pyrenylalanine-peptides was observed during the cleavage of a tosyl group in pyrenylalanine-peptides containing an Arg(Tos) residue with HF. NMR and fluorescence experiments showed that by-products were compounds in which a pyrenyl group was modified with a tosyl group(s). The side reaction was little suppressed by the addition of usual scavengers such as anisole, 1,2-ethanedithiol, thioanisole and p-cresol. Under the conditions used for the cleavage of N alpha-Boc group, i.e., trifluoroacetic acid or 4 M HCl in dioxane, the pyrenylalanine residue was stable. No side reaction was, furthermore, observed in the reductive cleavage with sodium in liquid ammonia. These results suggest that the side reaction may be due to an electrophilic attack of tosyl cations to the electron-rich pyrenyl group in the pyrenylalanine residue under the HF-mediated acidic conditions.     

Exclusive and complete introduction of amino groups and their N-sulfo and N-carboxymethyl groups into the 6-position of cellulose without the use of protecting groups

A new regioselective synthesis of 6-amino-6-deoxycellulose with a DS 1.0 (degree of substitution) at C-6, and its 6-N-sulfonated and its 6-N-carboxymethylated derivatives, without using protecting groups is described in this paper. The reaction conditions were optimized for preparing cellulose tosylate with full tosylation at C-6 and partial tosylation at C-2 and C-3. The nucleophilic substitution (S(N)) reaction of the tosyl group by NaN(3) at low temperature of 50 degrees C in Me(2)SO was achieved completely at C-6, whereas the tosyl groups at C-2 and C-3 were not displaced. In contrast to this, at 100 degrees C the tosyl groups at C-6, and also those at C-2 and C-3, were replaced by azido groups. This regioselective reaction that depends on temperature makes it possible to reach a selective and quantitative S(N) reaction at C-6 at low temperatures. In the subsequent reduction step with LiAlH(4), the azido group at C-6 was reduced to the amino group, and the tosyl groups at C-2 and C-3 were simultaneously completely removed. Also reported is a temperature-dependent, regioselective and complete iodination by nucleophilic substitution of the tosyl group at C-6 at 60 degrees C. At higher temperatures from 75 to 130 degrees C, substitution is also observed to occur at C-2. The selective iodination at 60 degrees C was employed to confirm the complete tosylation at C-6 of cellulose. The reaction products were identified by four different independent quantitative methods, namely 13C NMR, elemental analysis, ESCA, and fluorescence spectroscopy. 6-N-Sulfonated and 6-N-carboxymethylated cellulose derivatives were also synthesized. The new derivatives are potent candidates for structure-function studies, e.g., studies in relation to regioselectively 2-N-sulfonated and 2-N-carboxymethylated chitosan derivatives.     

Inhibition by 6-O-tosyl galactosides of beta-galactoside phosphorylation and transport by the lactose phosphotransferase system of Staphylococcus aureus.

The effect of various galactose derivatives, substituted at C-6, on the phosphoenolpyruvate:beta-galactoside phosphotransferase system of Staphylococcus aureus was studied. Cells were grown by an improved procedure, which resulted in a 5- to 10-fold increase in cell yield. The four protein components of the system were separated. A membrane fraction containing negligible levels of the soluble components was prepared by alternate cycles of sonic treatment and differential centrifugation. The in vitro system reconstituted from these fractions was used to test the ability of the galactose derivatives to inhibit the phosphorylation of lactose analogs, under conditions where the membrane-bound component, Enzyme IIlac, was rate limiting. Derivaites in which the hydroxyl group of C-6 was missing, or replaced by a fluoro, O-methyl, or carboxyl group had no affinity for Enzyme IIlac, as judged by their inability to inhibit phosphorylation. Surprisingly, derivatives containing arylsulfonyl groups at C-6 were potent inhibitors; the O-tosyl compound has an apparent affinity five times that of galactose. The arylsulfonyl substitution in an absolute requirement; neither O-benzyl or O-methanesulfonyl derivatives were inhibitory. The specificity of the inhibition by tosyl derivatives parallels that of unsubstituted substrates; tosyl galactosides of the beta configuration were inhibitory, but those of the alpha configuration were not. The tosyl derivatives also strongly inhibited the uptake of lactose analogs into whole cells; the requirement for the arylsulfonyl moiety was again observed. The chemical analogy between the tosyl galactosides and possible intermediates in the transport-phosphorylation step catalyzed by Enzyme IIlac provides a possible explanation for the unexpected properties of these derivatives.     

Structural aspects of thrombin specificity.

Computer-assisted comparisons were made of the X-ray coordinates of all homologous atoms in the serine protease derivatives tosyl chymotrypsin Aα, tosyl elastase, and diisopropylphosphoryl trypsin. The results provided further quantitative support for the belief that sequence homology in proteins results in close similarity of conformation. On this basis, inferences were drawn about the three-dimensional structure of the serine protease thrombin, for which atomic coordinates have not yet been determined experimentally. Further, it was concluded that the unique specificity of thrombin, i.e., its selective cleavage of certain ArgGly bonds in fibrinogen, is unlikely to be due to the insertions in the amino acid sequence of thrombin or to differences in sequence in the region of the active site and binding pocket. It is possible, however, that the elongated A chain appended to thrombin may be a source of this specificity.     

Fabrication and characterization of tosyl‐activated magnetic and nonmagnetic monodisperse microspheres for use in microfluic‐based ferritin immunoassay

This article describes the preparation of tosyl‐activated nonmagnetic poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐glycidyl methacrylate) [P(HEMA‐GMA)] microspheres by dispersion polymerization and tosyl‐activated magnetic poly(2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate‐co‐ethylene dimethacrylate) [P(HEMA‐EDMA)] microspheres by multistep swelling polymerization method and precipitation of iron oxide inside the pores. These new approaches show that monodisperse microspheres, 2.3 µm, respectively 4.1 µm, in diameter can be produced in high yields avoiding aggregation and with the advantage of being free of aromatic moieties. To demonstrate their potential for diagnostic applications, both types of microparticles have been coated with capture and detection antibodies (DAs), respectively. Immunoassay protocols have then been developed for the dosage of ferritin using an automated affinity platform combining microchannel chips and electrochemical detection. The assay performance using the above magnetic microspheres has been compared with that obtained with commercial tosyl‐activated beads. Finally, the possibility to combine functionalized magnetic and nonmagnetic microspheres has been evaluated in view of amplifying the number of enzymatic labels in the immuno‐complex. At a ferritin concentration of 119.6 ng/mL, a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 150.5 is obtained using 0.2 mg/mL of anti‐ferritin‐coated P(HEMA‐GMA)‐DA microspheres against a value of 158.8 using free DA in solution. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 29: 532–542, 2013     

The atomic structure of crystalline porcine pancreatic elastase at 2.5 A resolution: comparisons with the structure of alpha-chymotrypsin

Three isomorphous heavy-atom derivatives have been used to calculate a 2.5 Å resolution electron density map of tosyl-elastase at pH 5.0, from which an accurate atomic model has been constructed. Atomic co-ordinates measured from this model have been refined using model building, real-space refinement and energy minimization programs. The three-dimensional conformation of the polypeptide chain is described in terms of conformational angles, hydrogen-bonding networks and the environment of different types of amino acid side-chain.Difference Fourier calculation of the high resolution structure of native elastase at pH 5.0 shows it to be virtually identical to that of the tosyl derivative, except near the tosyl group. The conformation of the catalytically important residues in native elastase is very similar to that of native α-chymotrypsin, except for the orientation of the active centre serine oxygen. The significance of important structural similarities and differences between these two enzymes is discussed.Elastase contains 25 internal water molecules which play an important role in stabilizing the active conformation of the enzyme. Many of these water molecules are in identical positions to those found in the interior of α-chymotrypsin     

Protease Inhibitors Cause Necrotic Cell Death in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii by Inducing the Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species

Protease inhibitors affecting the activity of the proteasome were reported to induce programmed cell death (apoptosis) in some mammalian cell lines. Proteasome activity can be suppressed by specific peptide derivatives and by N‐tosyl‐lysine‐chloromethyl‐ketone (TLCK) and N‐tosyl‐phenylalanine‐chloromethyl‐ketone (TPCK), which affect the trypsine‐ and chymotrypsine‐like activities of the proteasome, respectively. Particularly TLCK and TPCK caused necrotic cell death in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. As a control, the effects of these protease inhibitors on the survival of human WISH cells were also studied. Bleaching of the Chlamydomonas cells after addition of TLCK or TPCK indicated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were involved in this process. Indeed, increased levels of ROS were detected in Chlamydomonas cells treated with TLCK or TPCK. Furthermore, cell death induced by these protease inhibitors was accelerated by illumination and prevented or slowed down by scavengers of ROS.     

5′-C-Tosyloxyalkylnucleosides. Models for Oligonucleotide Coupling with Nucleophiles

Abstract

5′-C-substituted nucleosides with an hydroxyalkyl chain are synthesized. The stereochemistry of the new stereogenic center is defined. After introduction of a tosyl group, dimer models are prepared to evaluate the conjugation with amines used as nucleophiles.     

A new method for introducing amidate linkages in oligonucleotides using phosphoramidite chemistry.

Cyanoethyl-protected phosphotriester links in oligonucleotides made with standard pophosporamidite chemistry were converted to pbosphoramidate linkages during oligonucleotide synthesis on solid support. The cyanoethyl group was removed with piperidine, and the resulting phosphodiester was activated with p-tosyl chloride. An amine nucleophile displaced the tosyl to yield a phosphoramidate linkage.     

A mild and selective cleavage of trityl ethers by CBr4-MeOH

Trityl ethers are selectively deprotected to the corresponding alcohols in high yields by CBr4 in refluxing methanol under neutral reaction conditions. Other hydroxyl protecting groups like isopropylidene, allyl, benzyl, acetyl, benzoyl, methyl, tosyl, prenyl, propargyl, tert-butyldiphenylsilyl and p-methoxybenzyl ethers are unaffected.     

One-step synthesis of N-protected glycosylamines from sugar hemiacetals

Protected pentofuranose, hexofuranose and hexopyranose hemiacetals were found to react efficiently with amines carrying a deactivating group (alkoxycarbonyl, tosyl or phosphoryl group) in the presence of a Lewis acid to give the corresponding, stable glycosylamines. Such glycosylamine derivatives are useful substrates for further elaboration into nitrogen-containing natural products and carbohydrate mimetics.     

A photoreactive competitive inhibitor of the human lysosomal neuraminidase in cultured skin fibroblasts

A photoreactive, potent, competitive inhibitor of the human lysosomal neuraminidase in cultured skin fibroblasts has been prepared. The starting material, 2,3 dehydro-N-acetyl neuraminic acid methyl ester, was selectively tosylated at the C-9 position with tosyl chloride and subsequently peracetylated with acetic anhydride. The tosyl group was displaced with potassium thio acetate in dimethylformamide at 60 degrees C for 80 min. 4-fluoro-3-nitrophenylazide was incorporated by reaction with the thio acetate product and equimolar sodium methoxide in methanol followed by reacetylation. Base hydrolysis gave the final product, 9-S-(4-azido-2-nitrophenyl)-5-acetamido-2,6 anhydro-2,3,5,9-tetradeoxy-9-thio-D-glycero-D-galacto-non-2-enonic acid (W5). The yields at each step were 50-70%. Competitive inhibition kinetics were observed when W5 was tested with the fibroblast neuraminidase using 4-methylumbelliferyl-N-acetyl-neuraminic acid as substrate giving an apparent Ki of about 10 microM. These results suggest that the terminal hydroxyl group at C-9 may not be important in the recognition and binding of the substrate by the enzyme. Also, the compounds prepared here may be useful as photoaffinity probes or ligands for affinity chromatography for purification.     

Synthesis of 2'-deuterio and 3'-deuterio cytidine 5'-diphosphate

2'-2H- and 3'-2H-CDP were synthesized from 5'-MMT-3'-O-TBDMS and 2',5'-O-diTBDMS cytidine derivatives, respectively, by oxidation followed by acidic removal of 5'-protection, reduction with [NaBD(OAc)3] and finally displacement of a tosyl group by pyrophosphate.     

IDENTIFICATION AND PARTIAL CHARACTERIZATION OF PROTEASES IN LARVAL PREPARATIONS OF THE CEREAL LEAF BEETLE (Oulema melanopus,CHRYSOMELIDAE, COLEOPTERA)

We determined some biochemical properties of Oulema melanopus larval gut proteases. We found adult midgut enzyme preparations yielded results similar to whole‐larval preparations, permitting studies of the very small whole‐larval preparations. Protein preparations were analyzed using FITC–casein as a substrate. Acidic pH is optimal for proteolytic activity (range 3.0–4.0). Cysteine protease activity increased at acidic pH and in the presence of β‐mercaptoethanol. Protease activities at all pH values were maximal at 45°C. Enzyme activity in larval preparations was inhibited by addition of Fe²⁺, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Zn²⁺, and K⁺ (10 mM). Fe²⁺ and Zn²⁺ significantly decreased enzyme activity at all pH values, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ at pH 6.2 and Mg²⁺ at pH 4.0. Inhibitors, including pepstatin A, showed the greatest inhibition at pH 4.0; phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, N‐p‐tosyl‐l‐phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone at pH 6.2; and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, N_α‐tosyl‐l‐lysine chloromethyl ketone hydrochloride, N‐p‐tosyl‐l‐phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone, trans‐epoxysuccinyl‐l‐leucylamido‐(4‐guanidino) butane at pH of 7.6. Inhibition assays indicated that cysteine, aspartyl (cathepsin D), serine (trypsin, chymotrypsin‐like) proteases and metalloproteases act in cereal leaf beetle digestion.     

Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors. Arylsulfonylureido-and Arylureido-Substituted Aromatic and Heterocyclic Sulfonamides: Towards Selective Inhibitors of Carbonic Anhydrase Isozyme I

Abstract

Reaction of twenty aromatic/heterocyclic sulfonamides containing a free amino, imino, hydra-zino or hydroxyl group, with tosyl isocyanate or 3,4-dichlorophenyl isocyanate afforded two series of derivatives containing arylsulfonylureido or diarylureido moieties in their molecule respectively. The new derivatives were assayed as inhibitors of three carbonic anhydrase (CA) isozymes, CA I, II (cytosolic forms) and IV (membrane-bound form). Potent inhibition was observed against all three isozymes but especially against CA I, which is generally 10-75 times less susceptible to inhibition by the classical sulfonamides in clinical use as compared to the other major red cell isozyme, CA II, or the membrane-bound one, CA IV. The derivatives obtained from tosyl isocyanate were generally more potent than the corresponding ones obtained from 3,4-dichlorophenyl isocyanate. This is the first reported example of selective inhibition of CA I and might lead to more selective drugs/diagnostic agents from this class of pharmacologically relevant compounds.     

Synthesis of 12-mono- and di-substituted 8-aza-11-oxasteroids

The synthesis of unsaturated derivatives of 8-aza-11-oxa-17-oxo-gonane and D-homo-gonane carrying one or two functional substituents at C-12 is reported. The key step for the construction of the heterosteroid skeleton was the cyclocondensation reaction of aldol adducts 1, derived from 1,3-cycloalkanediones and diethyl 2-oxo-malonate, with tosyl chloride and isoquinoline.     

Unexpected reaction of beta-cyclodextrin tosylate with pyrrolidinones

Substitution reactions of 6I-O-p-tolylsulfonylcyclomaltoheptaose with alkyl- and arylamines in 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidinone and various pyrrolidinones were investigated. An unexpected reaction of the tosyl group with pyrrolidinones was observed resulting in products deriving from nucleophilic attack by the lactam carbonyl oxygen and further opening of the heterocyclic ring. The new compounds have been fully characterized by ESIMS and NMR analyses.     

Studies on epimeric D-xylo-and D-lyxo-tetritol-1-yl-2-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazoles. Synthesis and anomeric configuration of 4-(alpha-and beta-D-threofuranosyl)-2-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole C-nucleoside analogs

Treatment of 4-(D-xylo-tetritol-1-yl)-2-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole (1) with one mole equivalent of tosyl chloride in pyridine solution, afforded the C-nucleoside analog; 4-(beta-D-threofuranosyl)-2-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole (2) in 55% yield, as well as the byproduct 4-(4-chloro-4-deoxy-D-xylo-tetritol-1-yl)-2-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazo le (4). Treatment of the epimeric 4-(D-lyxo-tetritol-1-yl)-2-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole (6) with tosyl chloride in pyridine solution afforded the anomeric C-nucleoside analog; 4-(alpha-D-threofuranosyl)-2-phenyl-2H-1,2,3-triazole (7) in 29% yield, as well as the byproduct 4-(4-chloro-4-deoxy-D-lyxo-tetritol-1-yl)-2-phenyl-2H-1,2,3- triazole (9). Similar treatment of 1 and 6 with trifluoromethanesulfonyl chloride in pyridine solution afforded 2 and 7, respectively. The structure and anomeric configuration of these compounds were determined by acetylation, NMR, NOE, and circular dichroism spectroscopy, as well as mass spectrometry.     

Effect of an extract of nereis virens on mammalian spermatozoa

Epididymal sperm of the mouse, rat, and guinea pig and ejaculated sperm of rabbits are cleaved at the head-tail junction by an extract of Nereis virens. Annelids are extracted with water and the extract is purified by ion exchange chromatography. Electron microscopy shows that the extract acts on the filaments connecting the capitulum of the tail with the basal plate lining the nuclear envelope. Following detachment, the basal plate remains with the head. The extract contains proteases as indicated by hydrolysis of tosyl arginine methyl ester (TAME), benzoyl arginine ethyl ester (BAEE), and Azocoll, a general protease substrate. The hydrolysis of TAME is inhibited by tosyl lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), a trypsin inhibitor, but TLCK does not prevent head-tail separation by the Nereis extract. Similarly tosyl phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), a chymotrypsin inhibitor, and phosphoramidon and leucyltryptophan, both thermolysin and acrolysin inhibitors — singly or in combination — do not prevent hydrolysis of Azocoll. Head-tail separation activity of the extract was inhibited by dithiothreitol, which reduces disulfide bonds, and phenylmethyl sulfonyl fluoride, an inhibitor of serine proteases. These results indicate that the extract is a mixture of proteases, one being a serine protease similar to trypsin. Digestion of the connecting filaments with the pure proteases, trypsin and Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease, has yielded the following information on the proteins of the filaments. The accessibility of arginine and/or lysine peptide bonds to enzyme action is highest in rat sperm filaments, whereas those in the filaments of mouse, rabbit, and guinea pig sperm are less accessible than in the rat. Another possibility is that the total content of arginine and/or lysine varies between the species. The most dramatic difference is the enzymatic action on glutamyl peptide bonds of the filaments, the order being: mouse 〉 rat 〉 rabbit, with guinea pig sperm filaments completely resistant over the time course of the experiment.