Utilization and transport of l-arabinose by non-Saccharomyces yeasts

l-Arabinose is one of the sugars found in hemicellulose, a major component of plant cell walls. The ability to convert l-arabinose to ethanol would improve the economics of biomass to ethanol fermentations. One of the limitations for l-arabinose fermentation in the current engineered Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains is poor transport of the sugar. To better understand l-arabinose transport and use in yeasts and to identify a source for efficient l-arabinose transporters, 165 non-Saccharomyces yeast strains were studied. These yeast strains were arranged into six groups based on the minimum time required to utilize 20 g/L of l-arabinose. Initial transport rates of l-arabinose were determined for several species and a more comprehensive transport study was done in four selected species. Detailed transport kinetics in Arxula adeninivorans suggested both low and high affinity components while Debaryomyces hansenii var. fabryii, Kluyveromyces marxianus and Pichia guilliermondii possessed a single component, high affinity active transport systems.     

N-glycyl-β-glycopyranosylamines, derivatives of mono- and disaccharides, and their use for the preparation of carboxylic acid glycoconjugates

A convenient preparative procedure was developed for the synthesis ofN-glycyl-β-glycopyranosylamines, derivatives of monosaccharides (d-galactose,d-mannose,l-fucose, andN-acetyl-d-glucosamine) and disaccharides (lactose, melibiose, cellobiose, and maltose). These compounds were demonstrated to be useful for the preparation of glycoconjugates of biologically active compounds containing the carboxy group (nicotinic, orotic, kynurenic, and indoleacetic acids). Synthetic pathways were developed for conversions ofN-glycyl-β-glycopyranosylamines into derivatives containing the carboxy group with the use of malonic andl-tartaric acid derivatives. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1461–1466, August, 2000.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-Bromoacetyl-β-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">D</Emphasis>-glycopyranosylamines in the synthesis of glycoconjugates of nitrogen-containing physiologically active compounds

A series of nitrogen-containing physiologically active compounds underwent smooth N-monoalkylation with N-bromoacetyl-β-glycopyranosylamines derived from N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and lactose. This reaction was demonstrated to be promising for the introduction of carbohydrate residues into heterocyclic compounds, viz., pyridine, imidazole, pyrimidinetrione, carboline, and piperazine derivatives, and into an amino acid, 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan, which is unstable in alkaline media. Dedicated to Academician N. K. Kochetkov on the occasion of his 90th birthday. __________ Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 5, pp. 1256–1259, May, 2005.     

Synthesis and crystal structure of 2-nitroxyethyl nicotinate and its complex with PdCl2

The reaction of nicotinoyl chloride with ethylene glycol mononitrate yielded the previously unknown 2-nitroxyethyl nicotinate. The resulting ester was used as a ligand in the reaction with PdCl₂ for preparing a new complex,trans-bis(2-nitroxyethyl nicotinate-N)dichloropalladium(ii). The structures of the ligand and the complex were established by X-ray structural analysis. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 527–530, March, 1998.     

Glycoconjugates of amines: alkylation of primary and secondary amines withN-chloroacetyl-β-glycopyranosylamines

Efficient monoalkylation of a series of primary and secondary amines was demonstrated with the use ofN-chloroacetylglycosylamines derived fromd-glucose,d-galactose,d-mannose,N-acetyl-d-glucosamine, and lactose. The reaction was shown to be useful for incorporation of carbohydrate residues into physiologically active compounds. Glycoconjugates of some derivatives of piperazine, 2-phenylethylamine, tryptamine, and important biogenic amines (norephedrine, octopamine, dopamine) were prepared. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya. No. 6, pp. 1244–1247, June, 1998.     

Amino Acid Derivatives,IV [1]: Synthesis and Antiviral Evaluation of New α-Amino Acid Esters Bearing Methyl β-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-Ribofuranoside Side Chain

Summary. Methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribofuranoside was synthesized and oxidized with HIO₄ to afford the corresponding carboxylic acid. The latter was coupled with the appropriate acylated amino acids in the presence of HOBt and DDC as coupling reagents to give the corresponding amides. The methyl acetate derivative was hydrolyzed with 2 N KOH/MeOH to the corresponding carboxylic acid, which was coupled with l-glycine methyl ester to furnish the amide. Deprotection was carried out with 70% AcOH at reflux temperature. The prepared glycopeptides were tested for antiviral activity against Herpes Simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) and hepatitis-A virus (HAV). The plaque reduction infectivity assay was used to determine virus count reduction as a result of treatment with tested compounds.     

Separation ofN-carbamoyl aspartate andl-dihydroorotate from serum by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection

Summary A high-performance liquid chromatographic method, with 9-anthryldiazomethane as derivatizing agent, has been developed for the simultaneous determination ofN-carbamoyl aspartate andl-dihydroorotate in serum. Sample preparation for 1 mL serum was by simple liquid-liquid extraction and then derivatization. The compounds were separated on a Luna C18(2) column by use of a gradient prepared from acetonitrile and 10 mM sodium acetate buffer, pH 6.0, and fluorimetric detection was performed at excitation and emission wavelengths of 365 nm and 412 nm, respectively. The response was found to be linearly dependent on concentration between 0.8 and 60 μg mL⁻¹ forl-dihydrooratate and between 0.9 and 90 μg mL⁻¹ forN-carbamoyl aspartate; the mean recovery rates were 50 and 51%, respectively. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.33 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.6 μg mL⁻¹, respectively, forl-dihydroorotate and 0.4 μg mL⁻¹ and 0.7 μg mL⁻¹ forN-carbamoyl aspartate. This method can be used to assess accumulation ofN-carbamoyl aspartate andl-dihydroorotate in body fluids in situations where cellular pyrimidine de novo synthesis is impaired.     

Synthesis and characterization of a functionalized amphiphilic diblock copolymer: MePEG-b-poly(DL-lactide-co-RS-β-malic acid)

A class of novel amphiphilic diblock copolymer of MePEG-b-poly(DL-lactide-co-RS-β-malic acid) has been synthesized via the hydrogenation over palladium on charcoal of MePEG-b-poly(DL-lactide-co-RS-β-benzyl malolactonate), which was prepared by ring-opening copolymerization of DL-lactide and RS-β-benzyl malolactonate (MABz) using methyl-polyethylene glycol (MePEG) as the initiator and stannous octoate as the catalyst. The influence of copolymerization temperature, reaction time, macro-initiator (MePEG-5000) proportion and monomer ratio was studied. Gel permeation chromatography measurements revealed that the molecular weight decreased with increasing MABz feeding dose. The configurational structures of the protected and de-protected copolymers were determined by ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ¹H NMR and Fourier transform infrared. A water-swollen core of the nanospheres formed from the de-protected copolymer was discovered by transmission electron microscopy measurement. Additionally, the degradation experiments indicated that more hydrophilic malic acid content led to higher degradation rate.     

Chiral discrimination ofN-(dansyl)-dl-amino acids on human serum albumin stationary phase: Effect of a mobile phase modifier

Summary The effect of perchlorate anion as mobile phase modifier on the separation factor, α, forN-(dansyl)-dl-norvaline andN-(dansyl)-dl-tryptophan on a human serum albumin (HSA) column was studied by varying the concentration,c, of the chaotropic agent and the column temperatureT. Gibbs-Helmholtz parameters Δ(ΔH) and Δ(ΔS) between thed andl enantiomers were determined from linear van't Hoff plots of lnα against 1/T. Thermodynamic results indicated that the enhancement of the separation factor observed asc was increased was enthalpically controlled owing to stereoselective H-bonding interactions. Such behavior was used to optimize the chromatographic conditions for separation ofN-(dansyl)-amino acids on HSA.     

Synthesis of N-glycoconjugates of glycyrrhetic acid

New N-glycoconjugates that are analogs of glycyrrhizic acid were synthesized by condensation of α-L-rhamnopyranosylamine and β-D-lactosylamine with acid succinate and phthalate of glycyrrhetic acid methyl ester using N,N′-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide (DCC) or DCC-N-hydroxybenzotriazole. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 1, pp. 54–56, January–February, 2006.     

The synthesis ofN-acetyl-β-l-fucosamine-1-phosphate and uridine 5′-diphospho-N-acetyl-β-l-fucosamine

Uridine 5′-(2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-β-l-galactopyranosyl) diphosphate (uridine 5′-diphospho-N-acetyl-β-l-fucosamine) was synthesized. The key intermediate, 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-azido-2,6-dideoxy-β-l-galactopyranosyl dibenzyl phosphate, was prepared by a previously unknown reaction of cesium dibenzyl phosphate with the corresponding α-glycosyl nitrate and was then converted into theN-acetylated glycosyl phosphate and nucleoside diphosphate sugarsvia 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-amino-2,6-dideoxy-β-l-galactopyranosyl phosphate using mildN-acetylation andO-deacetylation as the last synthetic steps. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 1919–1923, November, 2000.     

Complexation equilibrium in a substrate- MgCl2(CaCl2)-Pd/C catalytic system and the influence of its position on asymmetric induction in hydrogenation ofN-acetyl-dehydrophenylalanyl-S-proline

The role of Ca and Mg salts as promoters of asymmetric induction in hydrogenation ofN-acetyl-dehydrophenylalanyl-S-proline in a substrate— MX₂—Pd/C catalytic system was studied. The data of potentiometric titration,¹H NMR spectroscopy, and the value of diastereomeric excess (de) of the resultingN-acetyl-R-phenylalanyl-S-proline indicate the complexation of the substrate with calcium and magnesium chlorides in an alcoholic solution. Ionization and equilibrium constants of the complex were determined. Excess salt shifts the equilibrium toward the complex formation, which increasesde up to 70 %.Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 8, pp. 1964–1967, August, 1996.     

Solvent Effects on the Protonation Constants of Some <Emphasis Type="Italic">α</Emphasis>-Amino Acid Esters in 1,4-Dioxane–Water Mixtures

The stoichiometric protonation constants of some α-amino acid esters (glycine methyl ester, glycine t-butyl ester, l-valine methyl ester, l-valine ethyl ester, l-valine t-butyl ester, l-serine methyl ester, l-serine ethyl ester, l-leucine methyl ester, l-leucine ethyl ester, l-leucine t-butyl ester, l-alanine methyl ester, l-alanine benzyl ester, l-phenylalanine methyl ester, l-phenylalanine ethyl ester, and l-phenylalanine t-butyl ester) in water and 20%, 40%, and 60% (v/v) 1,4-dioxane–water mixtures have been determined at an ionic strength of 0.10 mol⋅L⁻¹ NaCl and at 25.0±0.1 °C under a nitrogen atmosphere. A potentiometric method was used and the calculation of the protonation constants has been carried out using the BEST computer program. The results were discussed in terms of macroscopic properties of the mixed solvent. The stoichiometric protonation constants were influenced by changes in solvent composition and their variations were discussed in terms of preferential solvation. Also, knowledge the protonation constant of α-amino acid esters will be helpful when determining the microscopic equilibrium constants of their corresponding amino acids.     

Synthesis of 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-gluco(galacto)pyranosylcaprolactams and 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-gluco(galacto) pyranosylpyrrolidones

A new synthesis of certain lactam-containing N-glycosides was developed. 2,3,4,6-Tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-gluco(galacto)pyranosylcaprolactams and 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-β-D-gluco(galacto)pyranosylpyrrolidones were synthesized by condensation at room temperature of acetobromoglucose and acetobromogalactose with ɛ-caprolactams and α-pyrrolidone. __________ Translated from Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 105–106, March–April, 2006.     

IR and <Superscript>31</Superscript>P NMR spectroscopic study of complexation of carbamoyl methyl phosphinates with U<Superscript>VI</Superscript> and Th<Superscript>IV</Superscript> in nitric acid solutions

The composition of complexes formed upon the extraction of U^VI and Th^IV nitrates with O-n-nonyl(N,N-dibutylcarbamoylmethyl) methyl phosphinate (L) from solutions of nitric acid without additional solvent was determined by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy. The structures of the complexes formed were studied by IR spectroscopy. Uranium(VI) is extracted from 3 and 5 M solutions of HNO₃ as the [UO₂(L)₂(NO₃)₂] complex, while thorium(IV) is extracted from 5 M HNO₃ as the [Th(L)₃(NO₃)₃]⁺·NO ₃ ⁻ complex. In both cases, ligand L has bidentate coordination. Ligand L contacts with 3 and 5 M nitric acid to form adducts L·HNO₃ and L· (HNO₃)₂, respectively. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2460–2464, November, 2005.     

Unexpected transformation of methyl 3,6-anhydro-2,7-dideoxy-7-iodo-4,5-O-isopropylidene-D -allo-heptonate in the dehydroiodination reaction with 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene

The reaction of methyl 3,6-anhydro-2,7-dideoxy-7-iodo-4,5-O-isopropylidene-D-allo-heptonate with 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]undec-7-ene affords methyl 3,6-anhydro-2,7-dideoxy-4,5-O-isopropylidene-D-ribo-hept-6-enonate, which undergoes the previously unknown rearrangement into a 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxole derivative. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 2610–2613, November, 2005.     

Solid state electrochemical of the erbium hexacyanoferrate-modified carbon ceramic electrode and its electrocatalytic oxidation of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-cysteine

A kind of erbium hexacyanoferrate (ErHCF)-modified carbon ceramic electrodes (CCEs) fabricated by mechanically attaching ErHCF samples to the surface of CCEs derived from sol–gel technique was proposed. The resulting modified electrodes exhibit well-defined redox responses with the formal potential of +0.215 V [vs saturated calomel electrode (SCE)] at a scan rate of 20 mV s⁻¹ in 0.5 M KCl (pH 7) solution. The voltammetric characteristics of the ErHCF-modified CCEs were investigated by voltammetry. Attractively, the ErHCF-modified CCEs presented good electrocatalytic activity with a marked decrease in the overvoltage about 400 mV for l-cysteine oxidation. The calibration plot for l-cysteine determination was linear at 5.0 × 10⁻⁶–1.3 × 10⁻⁴ M with a linear regression equation of I(A) = 0.558 + 0.148c (μM) (R ² = 0.9989, n = 20), and the detection limit was 2 × 10⁻⁶ M (S/N = 3). At last, the ErHCF-modified CCEs were used for amperometric detection of l-cysteine in real samples.     

NMR and photo-CIDNP investigations of the glycyrrhizinic acid micelles influence on solubilized molecules

It was found that photolysis of N-acyl anthranilic acid methyl ester is very sensitive to solvent nature. This sensitivity was connected with the equilibrium between intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonding. Also it has been established the glycyrrhizinic acid micelle formation in water-methanol mixture with CMC about 0.5–1 mM. Solubilization of N-acyl anthranilic acid methyl ester in glycyrrhizinic acid micelles decreases photoreaction efficiency comparing with the homogeneous solvent.     

Synthesis and physicochemical study of Ni<Superscript>II</Superscript> complexes with tetradentate acyclic and macrocyclic N<Subscript>2</Subscript>S<Subscript>2</Subscript> ligands as thiosalen analogs

N,N’-Polymethylenebis(thiosalicylidene)iminate and macrocyclic dithiadiazadibenzocycloalkadiene complexes of nickel(II) were synthesized and their electrochemical and spectroscopic properties were studied. Dithiadiazadibenzocycloalkadiene complexes containing two DMSO molecules coordinated to Ni²⁺ and two outer-sphere ClO₄ ⁻ anions were synthesized by the reaction of the corresponding macrocyclic ligands with Ni(ClO₄)₂·6H₂O. The structure of 3,6-dithia-10,14-diazadibenzo[a,g]cyclopentadeca-9,14-dienylnickel(II)[bis(dimethyl sulfoxide) bis-perchlorate] was established by X-ray diffraction. The UV-Vis spectroscopic data are consistent with octahedral structures of diiminobis(sulfide) complexes, a square-planar structure of the thiosalen complex, and distorted tetrahedral structures of other diiminodithiolate complexes. The reaction of S-tert-butylthiosalicylaldehyde with hydrazine hydrate afforded di(ortho-tert-butylthiobenzal)azine. The reaction of the latter with anhydrous NiCl₂ produced a colored complex with the simplest molecular formula Ni(C₁₆H₁₂N₂S₂) in 15% yield. Semiempirical PM3(tm) calculations and the results of UV-Vis, ESR, and ¹H NMR spectroscopy demonstrate that this complex has most probably a dimeric structure, in which two Ni centers adopt a nearly square-planar configuration. The complexes are clearly divided into two types according to their electrochemical behavior in DMF solutions. The type 1 is characterized by reversibility of the first reduction steps. The type 2 is characterized by irreversible two-electron reduction as the first step accompanied by deposition of Ni metal on the electrode surface. Rapid electrochemically initiated alkylation occurs in the presence of various alkylating agents (BuⁿI, BuⁿBr, (DmgH)₂CoCH₃) in a solution of complex 1 in DMF.__________Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 169–183, January, 2005.     

Stereoselective synthesis of triterpene 2-deoxy-α-d-lyxo-hexopyranosides

2-Deoxy-α-d-lyxo-hexopyranosides of 18β-glycyrrhetic acid, its 11-deoxo derivative and allobetulin were synthesized by glycosylation of oleonane-type triterpene alcohols withd-galactal acetate in the presence ofN-iodosuccinimide followed by deiodination and deprotection. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 596–600. March, 1997.