Synthesis and Biological Activity of 6-Hydroxyguanidino-and 6-Hydroxyureidopurine And Their Ribonucleosides

Abstract

N ⁶ ?(1-hydroxyguanidino)purine IIa, and its 9-β-D-ribonucleoside derivative IIb were prepared by reacting at room temperature 6-hydroxyadenine Ia and 6-hydroxyadenosine Ib, with 1-guanyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole nitrate in DMF. Refluxing IIa and IIb in 95% ethanol gave N⁶?(1-hydroxyureido)purine and its ribonucleoside derivative respectively; the latter compound was also obtained by refluxing Ib with 1-guanyl-3,5-dimethylpyrazole nitrate in ethanol. The two base analogs were inactive against L1210 cells in vitro, but the nucleoside derivatives inhibited the growth of these cells by 50% at 5 × 10 ^-6 and 6 × 10^?7 M respectively. Compound IIb, at 200 mg/kg/day × 5, increased the life span of L1210-bearing DBA/2N mice by 57%. Cytofluorometric determinations showed that IIb inhibited cell growth in the G₂ phase of the cell cycle. also found to inhibit adenosine deaminase activity with a K_i = 3.47 μM.     

N-terminal Protein Processing: A Comparative Proteogenomic Analysis

N-terminal methionine excision (NME) and N-terminal acetylation (NTA) are two of the most common protein post-translational modifications. NME is a universally conserved activity and a highly specific mechanism across all life forms. NTA is very common in eukaryotes but occurs rarely in prokaryotes. By analyzing data sets from yeast, mammals and bacteria (including 112 million spectra from 57 bacterial species), the largest comparative proteogenomics study to date, it is shown that previous assumptions/perceptions about the specificity and purposes of NME are not entirely correct. Although NME, through the universal enzymatic specificity of the methionine aminopeptidases, results in the removal of the initiator Met in proteins when the second residue is Gly, Ala, Ser, Cys, Thr, Pro, or Val, the comparative genomic analyses suggest that this specificity may vary modestly in some organisms. In addition, the functional role of NME may be primarily to expose Ala and Ser rather than all seven of these residues. Although any of this group provide “stabilizing” N termini in the N-end rule, and de facto leave the remaining 13 amino acid types that are classed as “destabilizing” (in higher eukaryotes) protected by the initiator Met, the conservation of NME-substrate proteins through evolution suggests that the other five are not crucially important for proteins with these residues in the second position. They are apparently merely inconsequential players (their function is not affected by NME) that become exposed because their side chains are smaller or comparable to those of Ala and Ser. The importance of exposing mainly two amino acids at the N terminus, i.e. Ala and Ser, is unclear but may be related to NTA or other post-translational modifications. In this regard, these analyses also reveal that NTA is more prevalent in some prokaryotes than previously appreciated.Although methionine is used to initiate protein synthesis for essentially all proteins, it is subsequently removed in a large percentage of cases, either by cleavage of an N-terminal “signal ” peptide (as part of cellular translocation mechanisms or precursor activations) or by the action of specific methionine aminopeptidases (MetAPs). Approximately two-thirds of the proteins in any proteome are potential substrates for the latter N-terminal methionine excision (NME),¹ and MetAPs appear in all organisms from bacteria to eukaryotes (1). The second, or P2, amino acid in protein substrates is crucially important for NME because MetAP specificity mainly depends on the nature of this residue, a selectivity that is conserved across all species (1–5). These enzymes generally excise the N-terminal Met when the second residue is Gly, Ala, Ser, Thr, Cys, Pro, or Val (3, 6, 7), which are the amino acids smallest in size (based on radius of gyration of the side chain (8)). NME is a necessary process for proper cell functioning; it is included in the minimal genome set of eubacteria (9). Eukaryotes contain two MetAPs derived from a version in bacteria (MetAP1), and another found in archea (MetAP2) (11). Just as the deletion of MetAP eubacteria is lethal, the deletion of both MetAPs in yeast is also lethal (10).In 1988, Arfin and Bradshaw (2) observed that the specificity of NME coincided with that of the N-end rule (NER) (12, 13), a ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation process that is based on the recognition of N-terminal residues. The stabilizing residues for the NER include Gly, Ala, Ser, Cys, Thr, Pro, and Val and, with the exception of Met, the destabilizing residues are all found to be in the class of P2-residues that are not substrates for the MetAPs. This suggested that NME acts to release Met from proteins whose stability is unaffected by the NER creating at the same time a second class of proteins, who have the potential for regulated turnover downstream of the cotranslational processing, when, and if, the N-terminal Met is subsequently removed by a mechanism other than the cotranslational action of the MetAPs. However, despite extensive studies, this type of programmed protein turnover (requiring downstream removal of Met) has not been demonstrated to occur. An implication of this correlation is that exposing of the stabilizing residues may also contribute to increasing their lifetime.The stabilizing residues exposed by the action of the MetAPs can be further modified. The most extensive of these reactions is N-terminal acetylation (NTA), which can occur on as much as 70–80% of the mass of the soluble protein in eukaryotes. Although the specificity of the N-acetyltransferase (NAT) responsible is not as rigid as the MetAPs, the principal substrates in the stabilizing class are usually the four smallest residues (Gly, Ala, Ser, and Thr) (6, 14). A second class of NATs can also modify the retained Met when the adjacent residues are Asp, Glu or Asn (15). The functional importance of this modification (in either case) is not known although it has been suggested that it may exert a protective effect against spurious aminopeptidase cleavages. Recently, Hwang et al. (16) have extended the NER to include Nα-acetylated termini as also destabilizing thus providing another possible function for this modification. In contrast, to date, very few instances of Nα-acetylation have been observed in bacteria. Other modifications can also occur in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes although they are generally much more limited in scope.The specificity of the MetAPs suggest an apparent connection between NME and protein degradation. However, this connection has never been examined using high-throughput mass spectrometric data or a comparative genomics approach; thus it remains unclear whether exposing these stabilizing residues contributes to increasing protein half-life and thus represents a primary purpose of NME. (The connection between NME and NER in bacteria, which has an NER with a somewhat different profile (17), is even more obscure.) Recent studies provide some examples where disruption of NME via a single-residue substitution in the P2 position causes protein degradation (18–20); however, some of these experimental results are in conflict with the NER (13). Giglione et al. (20) have shown that NME triggers degradation of D2 protein in Caenorhabditis reinhardtii in the PSII complex after replacing the second (stabilizing) Thr residue by another amino acid to prevent NME. This replacement results in early degradation of D2 and instability of the PSII complex. From this, Giglione et al. (20) postulated that NME determines protein life-span via currently unknown machinery. However, because Bachmair et al. (12) classified Met as a stabilizing residue, it is not entirely clear why substituting one stabilizing residue (Met) by another one (Gly, Ala, Ser, Cys, Thr, Pro, or Val) should affect protein stability and the substitution may have other deleterious effects that are manifested in different ways.The logic for analyzing NME and NER is shown in Fig. 1. NME exposes 7 different residues as new N termini of proteins. The natural conclusion that has become a dogma of NME is that these seven residues are exposed for a functional reason. The broad scope of NME suggests a universal reason that surpasses any particular protein''s role. In turn the comparative genomics postulate (function suggests conservation) leads to the conclusion that the seven residues should be evolutionarily conserved at position P2 of proteins. However, because only two out of the seven residues are conserved, we argue that one of the two assumptions in Fig. 1A must be incorrect and put forth the alternative logic depicted in Fig. 1B, which matches our analysis across dozens of species. According to this logic, NME accomplishes the goal of exposing Ala and Ser by exposing all residues with side chains smaller or comparable in size to Ala and Ser (G, T, V, P, and C). These residues are thus inconsequential players that are not functionally important (and are not evolutionarily conserved) at P2.Open in a separate windowFig. 1.Two alternative cases for NME function. A, NME exposes seven residues to be new N termini of proteins. Because this is presumably for some functional reason, the conventional assumption is that all seven residues must have functional importance as N termini. By the comparative genomics postulate (as defined in the text), evolutionary conservation of all seven at P2 should be observed. If all of these residues are not conserved, one of the two assumptions must be incorrect; either not all seven residues are important or the comparative genomics postulate is invalid. B, Given that the comparative genomics postulate holds, and only two of the seven residues are of functional importance as N termini, then the other five residues are inconsequential players and only these two residues should be evolutionarily conserved.In this report, we examine the connection between the specificity of NME and stabilizing residues of NER. In doing so, data sets from bacteria (including 112 million mass spectrometric spectra from 57 species), yeast, and mammals, were analyzed for N-terminal peptides both with respect to the excision (or not) of initiator Met residues and the distribution of P2-residues. The results reveal a strong preference of Ala and Ser as P2-residues. However, this process does not appear to be linked to the NER other than being generally compatible with it. These studies also demonstrate a much greater than expected number of Nα-acetylation events in some bacteria.     

Ethane and n-pentane in exhaled breath are biomarkers of exposure not effect

The relationship of exhaled ethane and n-pentane to exhaled NO, carbonylated proteins, and indoor/outdoor atmospheric pollutants were examined in order to evaluate ethane and n-pentane as potential markers of airway inflammation and/or oxidative stress. Exhaled NO and carbonylated proteins were found to have no significant associations with either ethane (p = 0.96 and p = 0.81, respectively) or n-pentane (p = 0.44 and 0.28, respectively) when outliers were included. In the case where outliers were removed n-pentane was found to be inversely associated with carbonylated proteins. Exhaled hydrocarbons adjusted for indoor hydrocarbon concentrations were instead found to be positively associated with air pollutants (NO, NO₂ and CO), suggesting pollutant exposure is driving exhaled hydrocarbon concentrations. Given these findings, ethane and n-pentane do not appear to be markers of airway inflammation or oxidative stress.     

Electron tomography of Plasmodium falciparum merozoites reveals core cellular events that underpin erythrocyte invasion

Erythrocyte invasion by merozoites forms of the malaria parasite is a key step in the establishment of human malaria disease. To date, efforts to understand cellular events underpinning entry have been limited to insights from non‐human parasites, with no studies at sub‐micrometer resolution undertaken using the most virulent human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. This leaves our understanding of the dynamics of merozoite sub‐cellular compartments during infectionincomplete, in particular that of the secretory organelles. Using advances in P. falciparum merozoite isolation and new imaging techniques we present a three‐dimensional study of invasion using electron microscopy, cryo‐electron tomography and cryo‐X‐ray tomography. We describe the core architectural features of invasion and identify fusion between rhoptries at the commencement of invasion as a hitherto overlooked event that likely provides a critical step that initiates entry. Given the centrality of merozoite organelle proteins to vaccine development, these insights provide a mechanistic framework to understand therapeutic strategies targeted towards the cellular events of invasion.     

The conserved oligomeric Golgi complex is involved in penetration resistance of barley to the barley powdery mildew fungus

Membrane trafficking is vital to plant development and adaptation to the environment. It is suggested that post‐Golgi vesicles and multivesicular bodies are essential for plant defence against directly penetrating fungal parasites at the cell wall. However, the actual plant proteins involved in membrane transport for defence are largely unidentified. We applied a candidate gene approach and single cell transient‐induced gene silencing for the identification of membrane trafficking proteins of barley involved in the response to the fungal pathogen Blumeria graminis f.sp. hordei. This revealed potential components of vesicle tethering complexes [putative exocyst subunit HvEXO70F‐like and subunits of the conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex] and Golgi membrane trafficking (COPIγ coatomer and HvYPT1‐like RAB GTPase) as essential for resistance to fungal penetration into the host cell.     

Induction and Role of Indoleamine 2,3 Dioxygenase in Mouse Models of Influenza A Virus Infection

Influenza infection stimulates protective host immune responses but paradoxically enhances lung indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO) activity, an enzyme that suppresses helper/effector T cells and activates Foxp3-lineage regulatory CD4 T cells (Tregs). Influenza A/PR/8/34 (PR8) infection stimulated rapid elevation of IDO activity in lungs and lung-draining mediastinal lymph nodes (msLNs). Mice lacking intact IDO1 genes (IDO1-KO mice) exhibited significantly lower morbidity after sub-lethal PR8 infection, and genetic or pharmacologic IDO ablation led to much faster recovery after virus clearance. More robust influenza-specific effector CD8 T cell responses manifested in lungs of PR8-infected IDO1-KO mice, though virus clearance rates were unaffected by IDO ablation. Similar outcomes manifested in mice infected with a less virulent influenza A strain (X31). IDO induction in X31-infected lungs was dependent on IFN type II (IFNγ) signaling and was restricted to non-hematopoietic cells, while redundant IFN type 1 or type II signaling induced IDO exclusively in hematopoietic cells from msLNs. Memory T cells generated in X31-primed IDO1-KO mice protected mice from subsequent challenge with lethal doses of PR8 (100×LD₅₀). However recall T cell responses were less robust in lung interstitial tissues, and classic dominance of TCR Vβ8.3 chain usage amongst memory CD8⁺ T cells specific for influenza nucleoprotein (NP₃₆₆) did not manifest in IDO1-KO mice. Thus, influenza induced IDO activity in lungs enhanced morbidity, slowed recovery, restrained effector T cell responses in lungs and shaped memory T cell repertoire generation, but did not attenuate virus clearance during primary influenza A infection.     

Decrease in Formalin-Inactivated Respiratory Syncytial Virus (FI-RSV) Enhanced Disease with RSV G Glycoprotein Peptide Immunization in BALB/c Mice

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a high priority target for vaccine development. One concern in RSV vaccine development is that a non-live virus vaccine would predispose for enhanced disease similar to that seen with the formalin inactivated RSV (FI-RSV) vaccine. Since a mAb specific to RSV G protein can reduce pulmonary inflammation and eosinophilia seen after RSV infection of FI-RSV vaccinated mice, we hypothesized that RSV G peptides that induce antibodies with similar reactivity may limit enhanced disease after subunit or other non-live RSV vaccines. In support of this hypothesis, we show that FI-RSV vaccinated mice administered RSV G peptide vaccines had a significant reduction in enhanced disease after RSV challenge. These data support the importance of RSV G during infection to RSV disease pathogenesis and suggest that use of appropriately designed G peptide vaccines to reduce the risk of enhanced disease with non-live RSV vaccines merits further study.     

Cartilage-Specific Overexpression of ERRγ Results in Chondrodysplasia and Reduced Chondrocyte Proliferation

While the role of estrogen receptor-related receptor alpha (ERRα) in chondrogenesis has been investigated, the involvement of ERR gamma (ERRγ) has not been determined. To assess the effect of increased ERRγ activity on cartilage development in vivo, we generated two transgenic (Tg) lines overexpressing ERRγ2 via a chondrocyte-specific promoter; the two lines exhibited ∼3 and ∼5 fold increased ERRγ2 protein expression respectively in E14.5 Tg versus wild type (WT) limbs. On postnatal day seven (P7), we observed a 4–10% reduction in the size of the craniofacial, axial and appendicular skeletons in Tg versus WT mice. The reduction in bone length was already present at birth and did not appear to involve bones that are derived via intramembranous bone formation as the bones of the calvaria, clavicle, and the mandible developed normally. Histological analysis of P7 growth plates revealed a reduction in the length of the Tg versus WT growth plate, the majority of which was attributable to a reduced proliferative zone. The reduced proliferative zone paralleled a decrease in the number of Ki67-positive proliferating cells, with no significant change in apoptosis, and was accompanied by large cell-free swaths of cartilage matrix, which extended through multiple zones of the growth plate. Using a bioinformatics approach, we identified known chondrogenesis-associated genes with at least one predicted ERR binding site in their proximal promoters, as well as cell cycle regulators known to be regulated by ERRγ. Of the genes identified, Col2al, Agg, Pth1r, and Cdkn1b (p27) were significantly upregulated, suggesting that ERRγ2 negatively regulates chondrocyte proliferation and positively regulates matrix synthesis to coordinate growth plate height and organization.