Structural analysis of two glycosphingolipids from the lipopolysaccharide-lacking bacterium Sphingomonas capsulata.

Two glycosphingolipids, GSL-1 and GSL-3, were isolated from Sphingomonas capsulata and studied by methylation analysis, laser desorption mass spectrometry, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, including two-dimensional 1H,1H COSY and heteronuclear 13C,1H COSY experiments. GSL-1 and GSL-3 differ in their carbohydrate part, their structures being alpha-D-GlcpA-(1-->1)-Cer and alpha-D-Galp-(1-->6)-alpha-D-GlcpN-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GlcpA(1-- >1)Cer, respectively. Variations occur in the ceramide of GSL-1 and GSL-3, both having the same long-chain bases, erythro-2-amino-1, 3-octadecanediol (sphinganine), (13Z)-erythro-2-amino-13-eicosene-1, 3-diol and (13Z)-erythro-2-amino-13,14-methylene-1,3-eicosanediol, in the ratios 2.6 : 1 : 3.5 in GSL-1 and 1 : 1.2 : 1.5 in GSL-3. All bases are quantitatively substituted by amide-linked (S)-2-hydroxymyristic acid.     

Somatic antigens of pseudomonads: structure of the O-specific polysaccharide of Pseudomonas fluorescens IMV 2366 (biovar C)

The O-specific polysaccharide of P. fluorescens IMV 2366 was studied by sugar and methylation analyses along with 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, including 2D gsCOSY, TOCSY, gsNOESY, H-detected 1H,(13)C gsHSQC, HMQC-TOCSY, and gsHMBC experiments. The polysaccharide contains L-rhamnose, 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-D-galactose (D-FucNAc) and 3-acylamido-3,6-dideoxy-D-glucose (D-Qui3NAcyl, where Acyl is 3-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-5-oxoprolyl). The structure 1 of the polysaccharide was found to be similar to the structure 2 of a 6-deoxy-L-talose (L-6dTal)-containing O-specific polysaccharide of a non-classified P. fluorescens strain, 361, studied earlier [Khomenko, V. A.; Naberezhnykh, G. A.; Isakov, V. V.; Solov'eva, T. F.; Ovodov, Y. S.; Knirel, Y. A.; Vinogradov, E. V. Bioorg. Khim. 1986, 12, 1641-1648; Naberezhnykh, G. A.; Khomenko, V. A.; Isakov, V. V., El'kin, Y. N.; Solov'eva, T. F.; Ovodov, Y. S. Bioorg. Khim. 1987, 13, 1428-1429]. --> 2)-beta-D-Quip3NAcyl-(1 --> 3)-alpha-L-Rhap-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-FucpNAc-(1 --> 1. --> 4)-beta-D-Quip3NAcyl-(1 --> 3)-alpha-L-6dTalp4Ac-(1 --> 3)-alpha-D-FucpNAc-(1 -->2.     

Chemical structure and function of glycosphingolipids of Sphingomonas spp and their distribution among members of the α-4 subclass of Proteobacteria

Sphingomonas spp are phylogenetically placed in the α-4 subclass of Proteobacteria. They have glycosphingolipids (GSL) in their membranes instead of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as in other Gram-negative bacteria. S. paucimobilis, the type species of the genus, has GSL-1, which contains only glucuronic acid (GlcA) as a sugar moiety, and GSL-4A, which contains a tetrasaccharide including GlcA. GSL-1 and GSL-4A form the outer membrane of S. paucimobilis with outer membrane proteins and phospholipids. In the outer membrane, GSLs are assumed to locate and function as does the LPS of other Gram-negative bacteria. Sphingomonas spp closely related to the type species contain both GSL-1 and the oligosaccharide-type GSL such as GSL-4A, but other Sphingomonas spp and other genera in the α-4 subclass of Proteobacteria contain only GSL-1. Structural variations of fatty acids and dihydrosphingosines in the GSL-1 are presented. Received 19 April 1999/ Accepted in revised form 18 June 1999     

Synthesis and bioevaluation of ω-N-amino analogs of B13

Novel ω-N-amino analogs of B13 (Class E) were designed, synthesized and tested as inhibitors of acid ceramidase (ACDase) and potential anticancer agents deprived of unwanted lysosomal destabilization and ACDase proteolytic degradation properties of LCL204 [Szulc, Z. M.; Mayroo, N.; Bai, A.; Bielawski, J.; Liu, X.; Norris, J. S.; Hannun, Y. A.; Bielawska, A. Bioorg. Med. Chem. 2008, 16, 1015].Representative analog LCL464, (1R,2R)-2-N-(12′-N,N-dimethylaminododecanoyl amino)-1-(4″-nitrophenyl)-1,3-propandiol, inhibited ACDase activity in vitro, with a similar potency as B13 but higher than LCL204. LCL464 caused an early inhibition of this enzyme at a cellular level corresponding to decrease of sphingosine and specific increase of C₁₄- and C₁₆-ceramide. LCL464 did not induce lysosomal destabilization nor degradation of ACDase, showed increased cell death demonstrating inherent anticancer activity in a wide range of different cancer cell lines, and induction of apoptosis via executioner caspases activation. LCL464 represents a novel structural lead as chemotherapeutic agent acting via the inhibition of ACDase.     

Stereoselective synthesis of 1,1'-linked alpha-l-lyxopyranosyl beta-d-glucopyranoside, the proposed biosynthetic precursor of the FG ring system of avilamycins

The non-reducing disaccharide beta-d-Glcp-(1<-->1)-alpha-L-Lyxp1 had been proposed to be an early intermediate during the biosynthesis of avilamycin A [Boll, R.; Hofmann, C.; Heitmann, B.; Hauser, G.; Glaser, S.; Koslowski, T.; Friedrich, T.; Bechthold, A. J. Biol. Chem.2006, 281, 14756-14763]. This work describes a comparison of two strategies for the synthesis of 1 and its 2-amino-2-deoxy analog with either the glucose or the lyxose moiety acting as the glycosyl donor. The best results in terms of stereoselectivity and yield were obtained with 2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-alpha-L-lyxopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate 13. Reaction of 13 with 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-D-glucopyranose gave the disaccharide as mixture of 1beta,1'alpha and 1beta,1'beta isomers in a ratio of 10:1 and a yield of 50%. Reaction of 13 and 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-azido-2-deoxy-D-glucopyranose yielded the desired 1beta,1'alpha disaccharide as a single isomer in 72% yield. Interestingly, the formation of alpha-glucosides was not observed in any case, regardless of the use of glucose as glycosyl donor or acceptor.     

Synthesis and identification in bacterial lipopolysaccharides of 5,7-diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto- and -D-glycero-D-talo-non-2-ulosonic acids

5,7-Diacetamido-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto- and -D-glycero-D-talo-non-2-ulosonic acids were synthesized by condensation of 2,4-diacetamido-2,4,6-trideoxy-D-mannose with oxalacetic acid. Comparison of the 1H and 13C NMR data and the specific optical rotation values of these monosaccharides and the corresponding L-glycero-D-galacto and L-glycero-D-talo isomers synthesized earlier [Tsvetkov, Y. E.; Shashkov, A. S.; Knirel, Y. A.; Backinowsky, L. V.; Z?hringer, U. Mendeleev Commun. 2000, 90-92] with data of the natural compounds enabled the identification in bacterial lipopolysaccharides of derivatives of 5,7-diamino-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-D-glycero-D-galacto-non-2-ulosonic (legionaminic) acid and epimers of legionaminic acid at C-4 and C-8.     

Complement Activation by Bacterial Surface Glycolipids: A Study with Planar Bilayer Membranes

Planar asymmetric glycolipid/phospholipid bilayer membranes were used as a reconstitution model of the lipid matrix of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria to study complement (C) activation by various bacterial surface glycolipids with the aim of defining the C activation pathway. As glycolipids the lipopolysaccharides of Salmonella enterica serovar Minnesota R mutant strains R595 (Re LPS) and R4 (Rd₂ LPS), pentaacyl lipid A from the LPS of the Escherichia coli Re mutant F515, and glycosphingolipid GSL-1 of Sphingomonas paucimobilis IAM 12576 were used. Methylester and carboxyl-reduced derivatives of GSL-1 were used to elucidate the role of the carboxyl group as common functional group of LPS and GSL-1 for C activation. The formation of lytic pores was monitored via the measurement of changes in membrane current. For all glycolipids we observed a considerable increase in membrane current soon after addition of whole human serum due to the formation of lytic pores in the membranes. Pore formation was dependent on the presence of C9, indicating that the observed current changes were due to C activation. We found that in our reconstitution system of the outer membrane lipid A, Re LPS, and Rd₂ LPS activated the classical pathway, the activation being independent of specific anti-LPS antibodies. In contrast, GSL-1 and the methylester derivative of GSL-1 activated the alternative pathway even at the low serum concentrations used in this study (about 0.2% v/v). Interestingly, the carboxyl reduced GSL-1 activated the classical pathway. Received: 16 July 1998/Revised: 28 October 1998     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 1,3-oxathiolane 5-azapyrimidine, 6-azapyrimidine, and fluorosubstituted 3-deazapyrimidine nucleosides

(2R,5S)-5-Amino-2-[2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl]- 1,2,4-triazine-3(2H)-one (8) and (2R,5R)-5-amino-2-[2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl]-1,2,4-tr iazine-3(2H)-one (9) have been synthesized via a multi-step procedure from 6-azauridine. (2R,5S)-4-Amino-1-[2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl]-1,3, 5-triazine-2(1H)-one (11) and (2R,5R)-4-amino-1-[2-(hydroxymethyl)-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl]- 1,3,5-triazine-2(1H)-one (12), and the fluorosubstituted 3-deazanucleosides (19-24) have been synthesized by the transglycosylation of (2R,5S)-1-[2-[[(tert-butyldiphenylsilyl) oxy]methyl]-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl] cytosine (2) with silylated 5-azacytosine and the corresponding silylated fluorosubstituted 3-deazacytosines, respectively, in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate as the catalyst in anhydrous dichloroethane, followed by deprotection of the blocking groups. These compounds were tested in vitro for cytotoxicity against L1210, B16F10, and CCRF-CEM tumor cell lines and for antiviral activity against HIV-1 and HBV.     

Structure of the O-polysaccharide of Idiomarina zobellii KMM 231T containing two unusual amino sugars with the free amino group, 4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-D-glucose and 2-amino-2-deoxy-L-guluronic acid

Mild acid degradation of the lipopolysaccharide of the bacterium Idiomarina zobellii, type strain KMM 231T, with aq 2% HOAc at 100 degrees C, yielded an oligosaccharide, which represents one repeating unit of the O-polysaccharide. A polysaccharide was obtained by mild base degradation of the lipopolysaccharide. The following structure of the O-polysaccharide was elucidated by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy of the oligosaccharide and base-degraded lipopolysaccharide, including COSY, TOCSY, ROESY, 1H, 13C HSQC, HSQC-TOCSY and HMBC experiments: [-->3)-alpha-D-Quip4N-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GlcpA-(1-->6)-alpha-D-GlcpNAc-(1-->4)-alpha-L-GulpNA-(1-->3)-beta-D-FucpNAc-(1-->] The O-polysaccharide is distinguished by the presence of two unusual amino sugars, 4-amino-4,6-dideoxy-D-glucose (D-Qui4N) and 2-amino-2-deoxy-L-guluronic acid (L-GulNA), both having the free amino group. The unexpectedly high acid lability of the glycosidic linkage of 2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-D-galactose (D-FucNAc) could be associated with the presence of a free amino group adjacent to the site of attachment of FucNAc to Qui4N.     

Structural analysis of lipopolysaccharide oligosaccharide epitopes expressed by non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae strain 176

The structure of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae strain 176 has been investigated. Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry (ESIMS) on O-deacylated LPS (LPS-OH) and core oligosaccharide (OS) samples obtained after mild-acid hydrolysis of LPS provided information on the composition and relative abundance of the glycoforms. ESIMS tandem-mass spectrometry on LPS-OH confirmed the presence of minor sialylated and disialylated glycoforms. Oligosaccharide samples were studied in detail using high-field NMR techniques. It was found that the LPS contains the common inner-core element of H. influenzae, L-alpha-D-Hepp-(1-->2)-[PEtn-->6]-L-alpha-D-Hepp-(1-->3)-[beta-D-Glcp-(1-->4)]-L-alpha-D-Hepp-(1-->5)-[PPEtn-->4]-alpha-Kdop-(2-->6)-Lipid A having glycosyl substitution at the O-3 position of the terminal heptose as recently observed for non-typeable H. influenzae strain 486 [M?nsson, M.; Bauer, S. H. J.; Hood, D. W.; Richards, J. C.; Moxon, E. R.; Schweda, E. K. H., Eur. J. Biochem. 2001, 268, 2148--2159]. The following LPS structures were identified as the major glycoforms, the most significant being indicated with an asterisk (*) (glycoforms are partly substituted with Gly at the terminal Hep):     

The structure of the O-specific polysaccharide chain of the Shewanella algae BrY lipopolysaccharide

An acidic O-specific polysaccharide was obtained by mild acid degradation of the Shewanella algae strain BrY lipopolysaccharide and was found to contain L-rhamnose, 2-acetamido-4-[D-3-hydroxybutyramido)]-2,4,6-trideoxy-D-glucose (D-BacNAc4NHbu), and 2-amino-2,6-dideoxy-L-galactose, N-acylated by the 4-carboxyl group of L-malic acid (L-malyl-(4-->2)-alpha-L-FucN) in the ratio 2:1:1. 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy was applied to the intact polysaccharide, and the following structure of the repeating unit was established:-3)-alpha-D-BacNAc4NHbu-(1-->3)-alpha-L-Rha-(1-->2)-alpha-L-Rha-(1-->2)-L-malyl-(4-->2)-alpha-L-FucN-(1-. The repeating unit includes linkage via the residue of malic acid, reported here for the first time as a component of bacterial polysaccharides.     

Occurrence of an alpha-galacturonosyl-ceramide in the dioxin-degrading bacterium Sphingomonas wittichii

The chemical structure of two glycosphingolipids (GSLs) found in the dioxin-degrading bacterium Sphingomonas wittichii strain RW1 was investigated by means of mass spectrometry and (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. One of the GSLs was alpha-D-glucuronosyl-ceramide, commonly present in Sphingomonas spp., and the other was proved to be alpha-D-galacturonosyl-ceramide, whose sugar configuration has not been reported before. In both GSLs the ceramide portion was composed of myristic acid or 2-hydroxy-myristic acid as the fatty acid, and 2-amino-1,3-octadecanediol or 2-amino-cis-13,14-methylene-1,3-eicosanediol as the dihydrosphingosine.     

Neolignan glycosides from Symplocos caudata

A phytochemical investigation of the roots of Symplocos caudata Wall (Symplocaceae) resulted in isolation and characterization of four optical isomers of a neolignan glycoside (1-4), a lignan lactone glycoside (5), a phenylpropanoid glycoside (6), as well as two known compounds (7, 8). Their structures were elucidated as (7S,8S)-threo-7,9,9'-trihydroxy-3,3'-dimethoxy-8-O-4'-neolignan-4-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (1), (7R,8R)-threo-7,9,9'-trihydroxy-3,3'-dimethoxy-8-O-4'-neolignan-4-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (2), (7R,8S)-erythro-7,9,9'-trihydroxy-3,3'-dimethoxy-8-O-4'-neolignan-4-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (3), (7S,8R)-erythro-7,9,9'-trihydroxy-3,3'-dimethoxy-8-O-4'-neolignan-4-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (4), 8R,8'R-matairesinol-4-O-beta-d-xylopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside (5), 1-O-[beta-d-xylopyranosyl-(1-->6)-O-beta-d-glucopyranosyl]-2,6-dimethoxy-4-propenyl-phenol (6), matairesinoside (7), and (R)-1-O-(beta-d-glucopyranosyl)-2-[2-methoxy-4-(omega-hydroxypropyl)-phenoxyl]-propan-3-ol (8) on the basis of spectroscopic data (1D and 2D NMR, MS and CD) and chemical evidence.     

Pyruvated galactose and oligosaccharides from Erwinia chrysanthemi Ech6 extracellular polysaccharide

The acidic extracellular polysaccharide of Ech6 was depolymerized by fuming HCl. The pyruvated sugars were isolated and characterized by methods that included a combination of low-pressure gel-filtration and high-pH anion-exchange chromatographies, methylation linkage analyses, mass (GC-MS and MALDI-TOF MS) and 1H NMR (1D and 2D) spectroscopies. The following pyruvated sugars were obtained: 4,6-O-(1-carboxyethylidene)-D-Galp; 4,6-O-(1-carboxyethylidene)- alpha-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-GlcAp-(1-->3)-D-Galp; 4,6-O-(1-carboxyethylidene)-alpha-D-Galp-(1-->4)-alpha-D-GlcAp- (1-->3)-alpha-D-Galp-(1-->3)-L-Fucp; 4,6-O-(1-carboxyethylidene)-alpha-D-Galp-(1-->4)-beta-D-GlcAp-(1-->3) -alpha-D-Galp-(1-->3)-L-[beta-D-Glcp-(1-->4)]-Fucp. These oligosaccharides present potential haptenes for the development of specific antibodies and confirm the partial structure proposed previously for the extracellular polysaccharide from Erwinia chrysanthemi Ech6 [Yang, B. Y.; Gray, J. S. S.; Montgomery, R. Int. J. Biol. Macromol., 1994, 16, 306-312].     

Synthesis and conformational analysis of the repeating units of bacterial spore peptidoglycan

Deprotection of the fully blocked disacharide allyl O-(2-amino-4,6-O-benzylidene-3-O-[(R)-1-carboxyethyl]-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-1',2-lactam)-(1-->4)-2-acetamido-3,6-di-O-benzyl-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucopyranoside by selective de-O-allylation and parallel removal of the benzylidene and O-benzyl groups is described. The resulting beta-muramyl lactam-(1-->4)-GlcNAc disaccharide is characterised as the per-O-acetylated derivative by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and X-ray structure analysis. Conformational analysis about glycosidic bond of repeating units of bacterial spore cortex is based on experimental data and molecular modelling.     

Two new beta-strand mimics

In a previous report, Nowick and co-workers described beta-strand mimic A, which duplicates the structure and hydrogen-bonding pattern of one edge of a tetrapeptide in a beta-strand conformation (Nowick, J. S.; Pairish, M.; Lee, I. Q.; Holmes, D. L.; Ziller, J. W. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 1997, 119, 5413). Beta-strand mimic A is composed of a 5-amino-2-methoxybenzoic acid unit linked to a 5-hydrazino-2-methoxybenzamide unit by means of an acylhydrazine group. This paper introduces two related beta-strand mimics (B and C) and reports their comparison to beta-strand mimic A. Beta-strand mimic B is composed of a 5-amino-2-methoxybenzoic acid unit linked by a diacylhydrazine group to a fumaramide unit; beta-strand mimic C is composed of a 5-amino-2-methoxybenzoic acid unit linked by a diacylhydrazine group to a peptide. Beta-strand mimics A-C were connected to tripeptide (Phe-Ile-Leu) groups by means of 1,2-diaminoethane diurea turn units to form artificial beta-sheets 1-3. 1H NMR studies, involving ROESY, chemical shift, coupling constant, and variable temperature experiments, reveal that 1-3 adopt hydrogen-bonded antiparallel beta-sheet conformations and establish that all three templates are viable beta-strand mimics.     

Confirmation of the anomeric structure of galacturonic acid in the galacturonosyl-ceramide of Sphingomonas yanoikuyae

The anomeric structure of glycosphingolipids significantly influences their activity to stimulate natural killer T cells. In this study the chemical structure of the galacturonosyl-ceramide in Sphingomonas yanoikuyae, designated GSL-1'sy, was re-examined to prove the anomeric structure of the Dgalacturonic acid (GalA) in the lipid, which was reported as beta-configuration by Naka et al., but was suggested as alpha-configuration in our preliminary study. GSL-1'sy was purified from the bacterial cells with the same procedure as Naka et al. The 1H-NMR analysis of GSL-1'sy revealed that the coupling constant of the anomeric proton of GalA was 3.0 Hz, indicating that GalA in GSL-1'sy is alpha-anomer, the configuration active for the stimulation of natural killer T cells.     

Design and synthesis of novel chloramphenicol amine derivatives as potent aminopeptidase N (APN/CD13) inhibitors

Herein we report a series of novel chloramphenicol amine derivatives as aminopeptidase N (APN)/CD13 inhibitors. All compounds were synthesized starting from commercially available (1S,2S)-2-amino-1-(4-nitrophenyl) propane-1,3-diol. The preliminary biological screening showed that some compounds exhibited potent inhibitory activity against APN. It should be noted that one compound, 13b (IC₅₀ = 7.1 μM), possess similar APN inhibitory activity compared with Bestatin (IC₅₀ = 3.0 μM).