Preparation of new halogenated diphenyl pyrazine analogs in Escherichia coli by a mono-module fungal nonribosomal peptide synthetase from Penicillium herquei

Pyrazines are important structures widely found in many known drugs. The biological approaches for their synthesis were poorly applied. Herein, microbial production of several halogenated diphenyl pyrazines is reported. These compounds are accumulated via feeding corresponding precursor analogs to Escherichia coli expressing a fungal non-ribosomal peptide synthetase HqlA. Substrate specificity of HqlA was also determined by comparing substrate incorporation efficiencies. HqlA requires a C4-hydroxyl in the substrate and can tolerate certain degrees of size change on the substitution at the carbon next to the hydroxyl group.     

三重比光谱导数法同时测定氨基酸注射液中的三种芳香氨基酸

采用三重-比光谱导数分光光度法同时测定氨基酸注射液中的3种芳香氨基酸,讨论了测定酪氨酸、苯丙氨酸和色氨酸的实验条件.实验结果表明,在pH 7.4的NaH2PO4-NaOH缓冲溶液中,3种氨基酸的线性范围分别为:酪氨酸2.0×10-6～2.8×10-5 mol/L,苯丙氨酸2.0×10-5 ～1.6×10-3 mol/L,色氨酸4.0×10-7～1.6×10-6 mol/L.回收率在95%～105%之间.     

A theoretical study on the quenching mechanisms of triplet state riboflavin by tryptophan and tyrosine

The reactions of tryptophan (Trp) and tyrosine (Tyr) with endogenous photosensitizer riboflavin (RF) have gained much interest for their crucial roles in various photobiological processes. In this paper, the quenching mechanisms of triplet state RF by Trp and Tyr have been explored employing density functional theory calculations. It is revealed that the H-atom transfer reaction from Trp and Tyr to triplet state RF is more favorable on thermodynamic grounds compared with direct energy transfer or direct electron transfer pathways. During the photosensitization, RF can photogenerate various reactive oxygen species (ROS) as intermediates, while the present study provides some deeper insights into the photosensitizing behaviors of triplet state RF by reacting directly with Trp and Tyr.     

Simultaneous determination of tyrosine and tryptophan by mesoporous silica nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode using H-point standard addition method

A simple, selective and sensitive sensor based on mesoporous silica nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode (MSNs/CPE) is introduced for electrochemical determination of tyrosine (Tyr) and tryptophan (Trp). Compared with the unmodified electrode and commercial SiO₂ modified electrode (SiO₂/CPE), the oxidation peak current significantly improved for both amino acids. Under optimized experimental conditions, the oxidation peak current of Trp was linear over a concentration range of 5.0 × 10⁻⁸ to 4.0 × 10⁻⁴ M with a detection limit of 3.4 × 10⁻⁸ M. The oxidation peak current of Tyr was linear over a concentration range from 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ to 6.0 × 10⁻⁴ M with a detection limit of 1.5 × 10⁻⁷ M. For simultaneous determination Trp and Tyr, H-point standard addition method was applied to resolve the overlapping of differential pulse voltammetric peaks of Trp and Tyr. The results showed that the method was successfully applied to the simultaneous determination of Trp and Tyr in some synthetic samples. Moreover, the applicability of the method was demonstrated by the recovery tests of Trp and Tyr in artificial urine.     

Direct C2-trifluoromethylation of indole derivatives catalyzed by copper acetate

Direct C2-selective trifluoromethylation of indole derivatives was achieved with Togni’s hypervalent iodine reagent and CuOAc as a catalyst in MeOH under mild conditions, affording the desired C2-trifluoromethylated indoles in good yield (up to 90%).     

Novel sesquiterpenoids as tyrosine kinase inhibitors produced by Stachybotrys chortarum

In the course of screening for small-molecule inhibitors to Tyrosine kinase receptor seven novel K-76 derivatives (1-7) have been isolated from the fungal culture of Stachybotrys chortarum. The structures were elucidated by extensive mono- and bi- dimensional spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.     

The facile synthesis of a series of tryptophan derivatives

This study reports a facile method for the synthesis of a variety of 5- and 6-substituted tryptophan derivatives that are difficult to prepare using alternative enzymatic approaches. Acylation of an activated amino acid, derived from serine in situ, is coupled with an enzymatic resolution step to furnish enantiopure analogues bearing a range of electron withdrawing and releasing substituents. Isolation of a dehydroalanine derivative as a by-product from some reactions provides some insights into the likely mechanism of the reaction.     

Two Distinct Substrate Binding Modes for the Normal and Reverse Prenylation of Hapalindoles by the Prenyltransferase AmbP3

The cyanobacterial prenyltransferase AmbP3 catalyzes the reverse prenylation of the tetracyclic indole alkaloid hapalindole U at its C‐2 position. Interestingly, AmbP3 also accepts hapalindole A, a halogenated C‐10 epimer of hapalindole U, and catalyzes normal prenylation at its C‐2 position. The comparison of the two ternary crystal structures, AmbP3‐DMSPP/hapalindole U and AmbP3‐DMSPP/hapalindole A, at 1.65–2.00 Å resolution revealed two distinct orientations for the substrate binding that define reverse or normal prenylation. The tolerance of the enzyme for these altered orientations is attributed to the hydrophobicity of the substrate binding pocket and the plasticity of the amino acids surrounding the allyl group of the prenyl donor. This is the first study to provide the intimate structural basis for the normal and reverse prenylations catalyzed by a single enzyme, and it offers novel insight into the engineered biosynthesis of prenylated natural products.     

Enzymatic enantioselective reduction of α-ketoesters by a thermostable 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase from Bacteroides fragilis

A thermostable 7α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (7-HSDH) from Bacteroides fragilis ATCC 25285 was cloned and over-expressed in E. coli, and its substrate specificity and stereoselectivity toward reduction of various ketones were examined. This alcohol dehydrogenase was active toward a series of aromatic and bulky aliphatic α-ketoesters. The substituents at the phenyl ring of aromatic α-ketoesters greatly affected the activity, but their effects on enantioselectivity were minimal. The synthetic application of this enzyme was then demonstrated through the preparation of a few α-hydroxy carboxylic acid esters of pharmaceutical interest.     

Electrochemical behavior of tryptophan and its derivatives at a glassy carbon electrode modified with hemin

The electrochemical behavior of tryptophan (Trp) and its derivatives, such as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-hydroxy-indole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) and glycyl-tryptophan (Gly-Trp) peptide at a glassy carbon electrode modified with hemin (hemin/GC electrode) by electropolymerization have been investigated in detail. The results showed that the hemin/GC electrode would catalyze the electrochemical oxidation of Trp and its derivatives, based on which a differential pulse voltammetric procedure has been proposed for determination of Trp and its derivatives. Meanwhile, the electrochemical reaction mechanism for these compounds at hemin/GC electrode has been also investigated, and the results indicated that a two electron and two proton transfer was involved in the electrode reaction process.     

An efficient one-pot reaction of indoles, nitroacetate, and paraformaldehyde for the synthesis of tryptophan derivatives

An efficient method for the synthesis of tryptophan analogues has been developed via one-pot reaction of commercial available indoles, ethyl nitroacetate, and paraformaldehyde in the presence of molecular sieves. The reaction provided tryptophan nitro-precursors in moderate to good yields, which were further converted to α-hydroxymethylated tryptophan derivatives catalyzed by DABCO in high yields.     

Short range photoinduced electron transfer in proteins: QM-MM simulations of tryptophan and flavin fluorescence quenching in proteins

Hybrid quantum mechanical-molecular mechanics (dynamics) were performed on flavin reductase (Fre) and flavodoxin reductase (Fdr), both from Escherichia coli. Each was complexed with riboflavin (Rbf) or flavin mononucleotide (FMN). During 50 ps trajectories, the relative energies of the fluorescing state (S₁) of the isoalloxazine ring and the lowest charge transfer state (CT) were assessed to aid prediction of fluorescence lifetimes that are shortened due to quenching by electron transfer from tyrosine. The simulations for the four cases display a wide range in CT–S₁ energy gap caused by the presence of phosphate, other charged and polar residues, water, and by intermolecular separation between donor and acceptor. This suggests that the Gibbs energy change (ΔG₀) and reorganization energy (λ) for the electron transfer may differ in different flavoproteins.     

Stereoselective aldol reactions of dihydroxyacetone derivatives catalyzed by chiral Zn2+ complexes

The direct aldol reaction between a protected dihydroxyacetone derivative and 4-nitrobenzaldehyde catalyzed by chiral Zn²⁺ complexes of 1-(n-carboxylalkyl)-7-aminoacyl-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane is reported. New Zn²⁺ complexes containing l-histidine and carboxylalkyl chains that mimic a class II aldolase, carboxypeptidase A and a serine protease were designed and synthesized. Syn-aldol products were mainly formed by an aldol reaction of acetonide-protected dihydroxyacetone with benzaldehydes and other benzaldehydes in N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP)/alcohol (MeOH, EtOH or 2-PrOH) in good yields with a high degree of diastereo- and enantioselectivity (56%～quant., 57～>99% ee). Mechanistic aspect based on ESI-HRMS, elemental analysis and pH titrations of model ligands is also discussed.     

Michael additions of primary and secondary amines to acrylonitrile catalyzed by lipases

The present Letter details our findings on the lipase-catalyzed Michael reactions between primary or secondary amines and acrylonitrile. Several lipases were evaluated, and good results were obtained leading to the formation of Michael adducts in shorter reaction times than the uncatalyzed reactions.     

Synthesis and applications of C2-symmetric guanidine bases

The preparation of the tetracyclic C₂-symmetric guanidinium salts 5 and 11-13 is reported together with their application to enantioselective transformations.     

化学发光法同时测定色氨酸和半胱氨酸的研究

基于色氨酸和半胱氨酸对Ru(pheo)32 -Ce(Ⅳ)体系化学发光的增强作用及其发光动力学性质的显著差别,提出了一种化学发光法同时测定这两种氨基酸的新方法.在优化的实验条件下,该方法测定色氨酸和半胱氨酸的线性范围分别为0.05～2.0 μg/mL和0.05～3.0 μg/mL,检出限分别为0.03 μg/mL和0.02 μg/mL.将其应用于合成样品中两种氨基酸的同时测定.结合文献提出了可能的化学发光反应机理.     

Regioselective biocatalytic hydrolysis of (E,Z)-2-methyl-2-butenenitrile for production of (E)-2-methyl-2-butenoic acid

Acidovorax facilis 72W nitrilase catalyzed the regioselective hydrolysis of (E,Z)-2-methyl-2-butenenitrile, producing only (E)-2-methyl-2-butenoic acid with no detectable conversion of (Z)-2-methyl-2-butenenitrile. (E)-2-Methyl-2-butenoic acid, produced in aqueous solution as the ammonium salt, was readily separated from (Z)-2-methyl-2-butenenitrile, and isolated in high yield and purity. The combination of nitrile hydratase and amidase activities of several Comamonas testosteroni strains were also highly regioselective for the production of (E)-2-methyl-2-butenoic acid from (E,Z)-2-methyl-2-butenenitrile.     

Enzymatic glucosylation of unnatural naphthols by a promiscuous glycosyltransferase from Aloe arborescens

Enzymatic glucosylation of unnatural products by natural glycosyltransferases (GTs) has great potential in creating novel and bioactive glucosides. A new GT (AaGT3) from Aloe arborescens exhibited catalytic promiscuity and high efficiency to diverse unnatural naphthols. By combing the substrate flexibility and catalytic reversibility of AaGT3, a cost-effective enzymatic approach to novel and bioactive unnatural glucosides was established. These studies indicate the significant potential of promiscuous natural GTs in synthesis of unnatural bioactive glucosides in drug discovery.     

Separation of tyrosine enantiomer derivatives by capillary electrophoresis with light-emitting diode-induced fluorescence detection

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) coupled with fiber-optic light-emitting diode-induced fluorescence detection has been developed for the separation of tyrosine (Tyr) enantiomers. R(−)-4-(3-isothiocyanatopyrrolidin-1-yl)-7-(N,N-dimethylaminosulfonyl)-2,1,3-benzoxadiazole was used as a chiral fluorescence tagged reagent for derivatization of Tyr. The effect of pH, running buffer concentration and applied voltage on enantioselectivity has been investigated. The optimum CE conditions are 15 mmol/L borate running buffer (pH 10.5) and 14-kV applied voltage. Good reproducibility was obtained with coefficient of variation (n = 7) of migration time and peak area less than 0.2 and 2.0%, respectively. The limits of detection of d- and l-Tyr derivatives were 2.9 and 2.2 μmol/L (S/N = 3), respectively. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the determination of Tyr in a commercial amino acid oral solution.     

Wittig reaction of glycosyl phosphonium salts: a stereoselective route to C-disaccharides and C,O-trisaccharides

C-Disaccharides and C,O-trisaccharides, with a quaternary anomeric center, were prepared in good yields and excellent stereoselectivity by a route involving the Wittig reaction of glycosyl phosphonium salts and hydrogenation or glycosidation of exo-glycals as key steps.