Discovery and efficient synthesis of a biologically active alkaloid inspired by thiostrepton biosynthesis

Thiostrepton, a natural peptide macrocycle, is of great interest due to its structural complexity and numerous biological activities, including anti-bacterial, anti-tumor, and anti-plasmodial activities. The quinaldic acid (QA) moiety-containing side ring (loop 2) was proven to play an important role in carrying out these functions. Previously, we proposed biosynthetic logic for thiostrepton loop 2 and demonstrated the formation mechanism of QA. Herein, we report the discovery and efficient synthesis of a biologically active alkaloid, that is, a key intermediate involved in the thiostrepton biosynthetic pathway. A chemo-enzymatic method was performed to synthesize the molecule, and a series of analogs were prepared for bioassays, which included the examination of anti-bacterial and anti-tumor activities.     

Synthesis of a biologically active amide of the C-terminal tetrapeptide fragment of gastrin on a resin

Summary The solid-phase synthesis of the biologically active fragment of gastrin BOC-L-Try-L-Met-L-Asp-L-PheNH₂ has been carried out on a resin obtained by the copolymerization of styrene with divinyl benzene. The swellability of the resin used corresponded to a content of 0.5–0.8% of divinylbenzene in it.Khimiya Prirodnykh Soedinenii, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp. 120–123, 1968     

A novel method for purification of biologically active C-terminal fragment of human recombinant anti-mullerian hormone

Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) is one of the least studied members of transforming growth factor beta superfamily showing pro-apoptotic activity against cells positive for hormone type II receptor overexpressed by malignant cells in many cancer cases. Here, we propose an improved method for isolation of recombinant C-terminal AMH fragment (C-rAMH) to obtain homogeneous preparations of this protein with high biological activity. In contrast to our previously developed C-rAMH purification technology based on reversed-phase HPLC, the key stage of the new approach is hydrophobic interaction chromatography using Toyopearl Butyl-650S resin performed under more benign conditions. This modification of the previously developed method allowed highly purified C-rAMH to be obtained that is characterized by twice the specificity estimated as the ability to bind to the recombinant analog of AMH type II receptor and by significantly higher biological activity, that is, the ability to induce the death of target cells. Thus, we made the purification technology even more cost-effective and suitable for the production of drug forms based on C-rAMH.     

Synthesis of biologically active pyridazinoquinoxalines

The 2‐(1‐methylhydrazino)quinoxaline 4‐oxides 9a,b were converted into the pyridazino[3,4‐b]‐quinoxalines 10a,b,15a,b,22 and 1,2‐diazepino[3,4‐b]quinoxalines 29a‐c , which were further transformed into the 3‐substituted 1‐methylpyridazino[3,4‐b]quinoxalin‐4(1H)‐ones 5–8 .     

A conformational study of a biologically active conjugated syn-oxime

The conjugated system (E)-tiglaldoxime is the simplest example of a perillartine analog which exhibits sweetness with a taste potency greater than sucrose with almost no bitter aftertaste. In previous studies, the structure of this biologically active compound has been assumed to be planar with the C?C double bond trans to the C?N bond of the oxime moiety. In this article a conformational analysis of this molecule is reported. The results indicate that, although the trans conformer of the planar molecule is indeed the global minimum, other conformers lie within a few kilocalories of this minimum. Hence, other accessible conformations may be available for interaction with the receptor and, therefore, may be biologically active. The structural parameters obtained for this conjugated syn-oxime are nearly identical to those of (E)-acetaldoxime. This fact has implications for the transferability of these parameters to the more complicated perillartine analogs.     

Mass spectra of dalargin, a biologically active hexapeptide

Electrospray ionization mass spectra (MS and MS² of protonated molecules) of dalargin, hexapeptide used in medicine are presented and all of the fragment ions in MS² are assigned.     

Electrochemical studies of biologically active indolizines

The electrochemical behavior of indolizine ethers, esters, tosylates, sulfonates and other indolizine and azaindolizine derivatives has been investigated by cyclic voltammetry and preparative electrolysis. The cyclic voltammetric data show that the E° values, taken as the midpoints between the anodic and cathodic peak potentials, are sensitive to the identities of the substituents at C-1, C-2 and C-7 positions. The E° values have been correlated with the Hammett substituent parameters. As expected, low E° values are seen for electron donating substituents and higher E° values are seen for electron withdrawing substituents. The cyclic voltammograms of indolizine derivatives with an oxygen atom connected to the C-1 position exhibit a one-electron reversible oxidation and a further, less well-defined, one-electron irreversible oxidation at higher E° values. The cyclic voltammograms of indolizines with hydrogen atom or thienyl substituents connected to the C-1 position exhibit only a one-electron irreversible oxidation. Electrochemical bulk oxidations of indolizines with an oxygen atom at the C-1 position afforded oxoindolizinium salts in decent yields, whereas indolizines with a hydrogen atom at C-1 afforded 1,1′ dimers of indolizines as products in good yields. Bulk oxidation of 1-(α-hydroxybenzyl)-2,3-diphenylindolizine-7-carbonitrile afforded an unexpected ketone product in which the carbonyl group of the indolizine is connected at C-8 instead of at the C-1 position of the starting material. The findings described herein support our hypothesis that certain indolizine derivatives may inhibit lipid peroxidation by an electron transfer mechanism.     

Syntheses of biologically active sialosylglycerol derivatives

New sialosylglycerol derivatives were synthesized and found to inhibit the phospholipase A2 and C activities.     

Mass spectrometry of biologically active substances

The mass spectra of 2- and 4-iminobarbituric acid derivatives were studied in relation to the mass spectra of their oxygen analogs. It is shown that the pathways of fragmentation of the investigated compounds depend on the type of substituent attached to the C₅ atom, the position of the imino and oxo groups in the ring, and the specific mass-spectral properties. The fragmentation was studied by means of low-voltage mass spectrometry and deuterium labeling.See [1] for communication I.Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 6, pp. 813–817, June, 1978.     

Synthesis of new biologically active O-hydrometalatranes

Russian Journal of General Chemistry -     

Silyl modification of biologically active compounds

A series of derivatives of (1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-quinolyl)-, (1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-isoquinolyl)-, and (1,2,3,4-tetrahydrosila-2-isoquinolyl)acetic acid, which are structural analogs of glycine, were synthesized. The psychotropic activity and the acute toxicity of the compounds were studied.For Communication 3, see [6].Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga. Translated from Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, No. 2, pp. 270–274, February, 1997.     

Inedible mushrooms: a good source of biologically active substances

In the course of our investigation on biologically active substances from inedible mushrooms in Japan, Germany, and Vietnam, we studied the chemical constituents of 22 species belonging to five families: Scutigeraceae, Polyporaceae, Xylariaceae, Thelephoraceae, and Paxillaceae. Various types of chemical substances were purified and characterized based on the modern spectroscopic methods and also on chemical reactions. These metabolites have shown a broad activity in many biological systems, such as antimicrobial, nematicidal, inhibition of NO production, anti-human immunodeficiency virus, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and antioxidant activities. These isolated metabolites did not only show interesting activities, but also are employed as chemical markers supported for chemosystematics of these families. This review paper deals with the chemical constituents of 22 species, their biological activities, and also a discussion on chemosystematics.     

Experimental and in silico characterization of a biologically active inosose

Inositols have been recently reported to show a biological activity as inhibitors of both glycosidase and amyloid-β protein. After having harvested good crystals suitable for single crystal X-ray diffraction, we performed a comparison with the data inferred by means of a molecular dynamics simulation, based on the use of an appropriate Force Field coupled to the most performing charging scheme. This approach allowed a detailed analysis extended to ultra-fine details, such as atomic displacement parameters. It confirmed the good validity of a robust approach already tested by us in previous studies. A NMR analysis of the molecule in solution was also carried out, to compare the structural findings suggested by the X-ray analysis with the ones in solution and avoid confining them to the solid-state. In this framework, we investigated the above-mentioned inhibiting activity of a class of inososes, by means of a molecular docking investigation, which proved the suggested validity of the studied compound as inhibitor of the α-glucosidase.