A genetically encoded fluorescent amino acid

The fluorescent amino acid l-(7-hydroxycoumarin-4-yl) ethylglycine 1 has been genetically encoded in E. coli in response to the amber TAG codon. Because of its high fluorescence quantum yield, relatively large Stoke's shift, and sensitivity to both pH and polarity, this amino acid should provide a useful probe of protein localization and trafficking, protein conformation changes, and protein-protein interactions.     

A genetically encoded photocaged amino acid

We have developed a second orthogonal tRNA/synthetase pair for use in yeast based on the Escherichia coli tRNALeu/leucyl tRNA-synthetase pair. Using a novel genetic selection, we have identified a series of synthetase mutants that selectively charge the amber suppresor tRNA with the C8 amino acid, alpha-aminocaprylic acid, and the photocaged amino acid, o-nitrobenzyl cysteine, allowing them to be inserted into proteins in yeast in response to the amber nonsense codon, TAG.     

A genetically encoded metallocene containing amino acid

Redox active amino acids, cofactors, and metal ions are involved in a large number of catalytic, electron transfer, and regulatory processes in biology. Consequently, the ability to engineer redox active centers at defined sites in proteins would facilitate both the study and manipulation of a wide range of biological processes. Recently, we demonstrated that the redox active amino acid 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine could be efficiently and selectively incorporated into proteins in Escherichia coli using a nonsense codon and a corresponding orthogonal tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase pair. We now report that ferrocene derivative 1 can be genetically encoded in Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) in good yield in response to the amber codon, TAG.     

Reactivity of amino acid nucleoside phosphoramidates: a mechanistic quantum chemical study

Recent experimental evidence (Maiti et al. Chem.-Eur. J., submitted) indicates that hydrolysis of nucleoside phosphoramidates is subjected to anchimeric influence by carboxyl moieties in the leaving group but also by the base in the nucleotide. A quantum chemical analysis of these findings is presented. First the intrinsic hydrolysis mechanism is investigated for simplified model compounds, and then both amino acid and nucleoside substituents are included. It is found that hydrolysis is assisted by the α-carboxyl group via formation of a five-membered intermediate and that the barrier for the reaction of this intermediate toward the product state can be influenced by the nucleobase. The adenine base protonated on N3 interacts with the transition state and considerably lowers the barrier for hydrolysis. The influence of several base modifications is explained by calculating the pK(a) for protonation on N3.     

Synthesis of bispecific antibodies using genetically encoded unnatural amino acids

Bispecific antibodies were constructed using genetically encoded unnatural amino acids with orthogonal chemical reactivity. A two-step process afforded homogeneous products in excellent yield. Using this approach, we synthesized an anti-HER2/anti-CD3 bispecific antibody, which efficiently cross-linked HER2+ cells and CD3+ cells. In vitro effector-cell mediated cytotoxicity was observed at picomolar concentrations.     

Enantiospecific synthesis of genetically encodable fluorescent unnatural amino acid L-3-(6-acetylnaphthalen-2-ylamino)-2-aminopropanoic acid

Fluorescent unnatural amino acids (UAAs), when genetically incorporated into proteins, can provide unique advantages for imaging biological processes in vivo. Synthesis of optically pure L-enantiomer of fluorescent UAAs is crucial for their effective application in live cells. An efficient six-step synthesis of L-3-(6-acetylnaphthalen-2-ylamino)-2-aminopropanoic acid (L-Anap), a genetically encodable and polarity-sensitive fluorescent UAA, has been developed. The synthesis takes advantage of a high-yield and enantiospecific Fukuyama-Mitsunobu reaction as the key transformation.     

Biosynthesis of a fluorescent protein with extreme pseudo-Stokes shift by introducing a genetically encoded non-natural amino acid outside the fluorophore

A novel kind of fluorescent protein relying on the intramolecular interplay between two different fluorophores, one of chemical origin and one of biological origin, was developed. The fluorescent non-natural amino acid l-(7-hydroxycoumarin-4-yl)ethylglycine was site-specifically incorporated into the recombinant enhanced cyan fluorescent protein (eCFP) at a permissible surface position ～20 ? away from the protein fluorophore using amber suppression in Escherichia coli with an engineered cognate Methanococcus jannaschii tRNA synthetase. The resulting eCFP(Cou) exhibited almost quantitative intramolecular Fo?rster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between its two fluorophores, showing brilliant cyan emission at 476 nm upon excitation in the near-UV at 365 nm (a wavelength easily accessible via conventional laboratory UV sources), in contrast to its natural counterpart. Thus, this fluorescent protein with unprecedented spectroscopic properties reveals an extreme apparent Stokes shift of ～110 nm between the absorption wavelength of the coumaryl group and the emission wavelength of eCFP.     

Reactivity trends of cobalt(III) complexes towards various amino acids based on the properties of the amino acid alkyl chains

The reactivity of the cobalt(III) complexes dichlorido[tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine]cobalt(III) chloride, [CoCl₂(tren)]Cl, and dichlorido(triethylenetetramine)cobalt(III) chloride, [CoCl₂(trien)]Cl, towards different amino acids (l ‐proline, l ‐asparagine, l ‐histidine and l ‐aspartic acid) was explored in detail. This study presents the crystal structures of three amino acidate cobalt(III) complexes, namely, (l ‐prolinato‐κ²N,O)[tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine‐κ⁴N,N′,N′′,N′′′]cobalt(III) diiodide monohydrate, [Co(C₅H₈NO₂)(C₆H₁₈N₄)]I₂·H₂O, I , (l ‐asparaginato‐κ²N,O)[tris(2‐aminoethyl)amine‐κ⁴N,N′,N′′,N′′′]cobalt(III) chloride perchlorate, [Co(C₄H₇N₂O₃)(C₆H₁₈N₄)](Cl)(ClO₄), II , and (l ‐prolinato‐κ²N,O)(triethylenetetramine‐κ⁴N,N′,N′′,N′′′)cobalt(III) chloride perchlorate, [Co(C₄H₇N₂O₃)(C₆H₁₈N₄)](Cl)(ClO₄), V . The syntheses of the complexes were followed by characterization using UV–Vis spectroscopy of the reaction mixtures and the initial rates of reaction were obtained by calculating the slopes of absorbance versus time plots. The initial rates suggest a stronger reactivity and hence greater affinity of the cobalt(III) complexes towards basic amino acids. The biocompatibility of the complexes was also assessed by evaluating the cytotoxicity of the complexes on cultured normal human fibroblast cells (WS1) in vitro. The compounds were found to be nontoxic after 24 h of incubation at concentrations up to 25 mM.     

Protein glycoengineering enabled by the versatile synthesis of aminooxy glycans and the genetically encoded aldehyde tag

Homogeneously glycosylated proteins are important targets for fundamental research and for biopharmaceutical development. The use of unnatural protein-glycan linkages bearing structural similarity to their native counterparts can accelerate the synthesis of glycoengineered proteins. Here we report an approach toward generating homogeneously glycosylated proteins that involves chemical attachment of aminooxy glycans to recombinantly produced proteins via oxime linkages. We employed the recently introduced aldehyde tag method to obtain a recombinant protein with the aldehyde-bearing formylglycine residue at a specific site. Complex aminooxy glycans were synthesized using a new route that features N-pentenoyl hydroxamates as key intermediates that can be readily elaborated chemically and enzymatically. We demonstrated the method by constructing site-specifically glycosylated variants of the human growth hormone.     

Reactivity of dehydroacetic acid in organic synthesis

This review reports the reactivity of dehydroacetic acid, which considered to be a very reactive organic compound. The structure of the title compound was investigated. The condensation reactions with primary amines led to the preparation of a variety of heterocyclic ring systems, including bispyran, pyrazole, thiazole, pyridine, pyrimidine, thiazine, thiazepine, and diazepine ring systems. On the other hand, the condensation reaction with aldehydes led to the formation of 1,5-benzodiazepines, pyran, and pyranopyran heterocyclic ring systems. The reaction mechanisms were discussed. The bibliography includes 130 references.     

A novel genetically encoded fluorescent protein as a Cu(I) indicator

We constructed the copper(I)-binding domain of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) CDC 1551 (residues 1-162) between cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), and formed a novel genetically encoded fluorescent copper(I) responsive protein (PMtb). The sensitivity and selectivity to copper(I) of the PMtb was sought. The experiments showed that the copper(I)-binding domain of the PMtb was highly sensitive and selective towards copper(I).     

Enantioselective synthesis and application of the highly fluorescent and environment-sensitive amino acid 6-(2-dimethylaminonaphthoyl) alanine (DANA)

6-(2-Dimethylaminonaphthoyl) alanine (DANA) was prepared via an enantioselective synthesis and incorporated into the S-peptide of RNase S establishing the large changes in fluorescence that can occur upon peptide-protein interaction.