Molecular Recognition and Cooperative Binding Ability of Fluorescent Dyes by Bridged Bisβ-cyclodextrin)s Tethered with Aromatic Diamine

A novel bridged bis(β-cyclodextrin),m-phenylenediimino-bridged bis(6-imino-6-deoxy-β-cyclodextrin) (2), was synthesized by the reaction of m-phenylenediamine and 6-deoxy-6-formyl-β-cyclodextrin. The inclusion complexation behavior of the novel bridged bis(β-cyclodextrin) 2,as well as native β-cyclodextrin (1),p-phenylenediamino-bridged bis(6-amino-6-deoxy-β-cyclodextrin) (3) and 4,4'-bianilino-bridged bis(6-amino-6-deoxy-β-cyclodextrin) (4) with representative fluorescent dye molecules, i.e., acridine red (AR), neutral red (NR), Rhodamine B (RhB), ammonium 8-anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonate (ANS) and sodium 6-toluidino-2-naphthalenesulfonate (TNS), was investigated at 25 °C in aqueous phosphate buffer solution (pH 7.20) by means of fluorescence, and circular dichroism, as well as 2D NMR spectrometry. The spectrofluorometric titrations have been performed to calculate the complex stability constants (K_S) and Gibbs free energy changes (Δ G°) for the stoichiometric 1 : 1 inclusion complexation of 1–4 with fluorescent dye molecules. The results obtained demonstrated that bis(β-cyclodextrin)s 2–4 showed much higher affinities toward these guest dyesthan native β-cyclodextrin 1. Typically, dimer 2 displayed the highest binding ability upon inclusion complexation with ANS, affording 35 times higher K_S value than native β-cyclodextrin. The significantlyenhanced binding abilities of these bis(β-cyclodextrin)s are discussed from thebinding mode and viewpoints of size/shape-fit concept and multiple recognition mechanism.     

Chinolizine und Indolizine,XIV Umlagerungen von Heterocyclen,X Ringumwandlungen von 1-Acyl-2-hydroxy-4-chinolizinonen

By heating with ammonia or aniline 1-acyl-2-hydroxy-4-quinolizinones (1 a–e) are transformed to 4-hydroxy-5-(2-pyridyl)-2-pyridones (3 a–f), with4 a–d as minor sideproducts. The structure of the rearranged compound3 f was established by an independent synthesis starting with6 and7. The reaction of1 a, d with ethyl β-aminocrotonate (β-ACE) yields pyrono-quinolizinones8 a, b and pyronopyridones9 a, b as byproducts; the latter are obtained in high yield by reaction of3 a, b with β-ACE. The ringtransformation reaction cannot be extended to 1-methoxycarbonyl-quinolizinones, such as10; in this case 2-amino-4-quinolizinone11 is the main product of the reaction with ammonia.     

Synthesis of Novel Benzo-15-Crown-5-Tethered β-Cyclodextrins and Their Enhanced Molecular Binding Abilities by Alkali Metal Cation Coordination

Two novel benzo-15-crown-5 tethered β-cyclodextrins 1 and 2have been synthesized by coupling substituted benzo-15-crown-5 with correspondingβ-cyclodextrin derivatives. Their inclusion complexation behavior withrepresentative guests, such as cyclohexanol, cyclohexane carboxylic acid, cyclohexaneacetic acid, sodium cyclohexane carboxylate, and potassium cyclohexane carboxylate,was investigated in aqueous solution by means of fluorescence spectrometry. As compared with parent β-cyclodextrin, benzo-15-crown-5 tethered β-cyclodextrins 1–2 display significantly enhanced molecular binding abilities and selectivities towards model substrates, especially towards substrates containing alkali-metal cations. These results indicate that, bearing two recognition sites in a single molecule, these supramolecular architectures can strongly enhance the molecular binding ability of parent β-cyclodextrin by the cooperative binding of the β-cyclodextrin cavity and the crown ether moiety. Possessing a shorter linker, crown ether-β-cyclodextrin 2 shows much higher binding affinity with guest molecules than crown ether-β-cyclodextrin 1, which may be attributed to the binding size and molecular multiple recognition behavior between host and guest.     

The synthesis and molecular recognition study of β-cyclodextrin derivatives modified by spiro[2H-benzopyran-2,2′-indoline]

Introduction

Encapsulation of rifampicin by β-cyclodextrin and its methyl and hydroxy-propyl derivatives was studied in solid and solution phase.

Materials and Methods

The inclusion phenomenon was evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) analysis and fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and supplemented by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) spectroscopy. The host–guest stoichiometry (1:1) and stability constant were determined by solution calorimetry.

Results

The inclusion of drug was found to be exothermic process accompanied by small negative value of Gibbs free energy (ΔG°) and small positive value of entropy (ΔS°).

Conclusion

The magnitude of equilibrium constant (K) indicates that methyl-β-cyclodextrin has the best complex formation ability. Solubility, dissolution and partition coefficient studies also support the most effective behavior of methyl-β-cyclodextrin.     

Bi-directional Inclusion Complexation of Methylalkyl Viologens with β-Cyclodextrin and Naphthyl group-Tethered β-Cyclodextrins

Inclusion complexation of methylalkyl viologens(C₁C_nV²⁺; n = 7–10, 12) withmono-6-O-(2-sulfonato-6-naphthyl)-β-CD (1)and mono-6-O-(2-naphthyl)-β-CD (2) werestudied by steady-state and time-resolved fluorescencespectroscopies and compared with the binding of theviologens with native β-CD investigated by induced circulardichroism. The viologens form bimodal complexes with1 and 2, in which the bipyridinium group of theviologens is placed on the primary side (type I complex) andsecondary side (type II complex) of β-CD cavity, while thegroup is predominantly on the secondary side in complexeswith native β-CD. The microscopic binding constantsK_I and K _II were calculated from theanalysis of fluorescence data. The formation of the type Icomplexes with 1 and 2 appears to be largely dueto the charge–transfer interaction between the bipyridinium andnaphthyl groups in the complexes. This work shows thatthe location of the bipyridinium group in β-CDcomplexes and in the type II complexes of the viologens with1 and 2 depends little on the length of alkyl chainof the viologens.     

Crystal Structures of β-Cyclodextrin Complexes with Formic Acid and Acetic Acid

β-Cyclodextrin (β–CD)-formic acid (1) andβ-CD–acetic acid (2) inclusion complexes crystallizeas β-CD...0.3HCOOH...7.7H₂O andβ-CD...0.4CH₃COOH...7.7H₂O in themonoclinic space group P2₁ with comparable unit cell constants.Anisotropic refinement of atomic parameters against X-ray diffractiondata with F_o ² > 2σ (F_o ²) (986/8563 and 991/8358)converged at R-factors of 0.051 and 0.054 for 1 and 2,respectively. In both complexes, the β-CD molecularconformation, hydration pattern and crystal packing are similar,but the inclusion geometries of the guest molecules are different.The β-CD macrocycles adopt a ``round'' conformationstabilized by intramolecular, interglucose O3(n)...O2(n + 1)hydrogen bonds and their O6–H groups are systematically hydratedby water molecules. In the asymmetric unit, each complex contains oneβ-CD, 0.3 formic acid (or 0.4 acetic acid), and 7.7 water moleculesthat are distributed over 9 positions. Water sites located in theβ-CD cavity hydrogen bond to the guest molecule. In thecrystal lattice, β-CD molecules are packed in a typical ``herringbone'' fashion. In 1, the formic acid (occupancy 0.3) is entirely included in the β-CD cavity such that its C atom is shifted from the O4-plane center to the β-CD O6-side by 2.90 Å and C=O, C–-O bonds point to this side. In 2, the acetic acid (occupancy 0.4) is completely embedded in the β-CD cavity, in which the carboxylic C atom is displaced from the O4-plane centerto the β-CD O6-side by 0.87 Å; the C=O bond directsto the β-CD O6-side and makes an angle of 15°to the β-CD molecular axis. Furthermore, bothdimethyl-β-CD-acetic acid and β-CD-acetic acidcomplexes form a cage structure, showing that the small guestsenclosed entirely in the cavity either in β-CD or indimethyl-β-CD do not affect the packing of the host macrocycles.     

Oriented immobilisation of histidine-tagged protein and its application in exploring interactions between ligands and proteins

A method based on reaction with a diazonium salt was developed to immobilise oriented His-tagged protein onto silica gel. The binding efficiency of the phenylamine-group-coated gel was determined to be 65 %, providing a binding capacity of His-tagged protein up to the gram level. Using His-tagged β₂-adrenoceptor (β₂-AR) as a probe, we developed a new mathematical model to elucidate the interactions between the receptor and five ligands (methoxyphenamine, terbutaline, salbutamol, tulobuterol and fenoterol). These drugs proved to only have one type of binding site on the immobilised β₂-AR, yielding higher association constants and numbers of binding sites than random attachment assays. The association constants determined by the new model positively correlated to the values from a radioligand binding method, with a regression equation of y?=?1.75x???7.18 and a correlation coefficient of 0.9807. The oriented method resulted in a high binding capacity and quantitative immobilisation of the His-tagged protein. The proposed model can be used to determine the interactions between the ligands and the immobilised protein with the advantages of drug and time saving.

Systematic substitutions at BLIP position 50 result in changes in binding specificity for class A β-lactamases

Background

The production of β-lactamases by bacteria is the most common mechanism of resistance to the widely prescribed β-lactam antibiotics. β-lactamase inhibitory protein (BLIP) competitively inhibits class A β-lactamases via two binding loops that occlude the active site. It has been shown that BLIP Tyr50 is a specificity determinant in that substitutions at this position result in large differential changes in the relative affinity of BLIP for class A β-lactamases.

Results

In this study, the effect of systematic substitutions at BLIP position 50 on binding to class A β-lactamases was examined to further explore the role of BLIP Tyr50 in modulating specificity. The results indicate the sequence requirements at position 50 are widely different depending on the target β-lactamase. Stringent sequence requirements were observed at Tyr50 for binding Bacillus anthracis Bla1 while moderate requirements for binding TEM-1 and relaxed requirements for binding KPC-2 β-lactamase were seen. These findings cannot be easily rationalized based on the β-lactamase residues in direct contact with BLIP Tyr50 since they are identical for Bla1 and KPC-2 suggesting that differences in the BLIP-β-lactamase interface outside the local environment of Tyr50 influence the effect of substitutions.

Conclusions

Results from this study and previous studies suggest that substitutions at BLIP Tyr50 may induce changes at the interface outside its local environment and point to the complexity of predicting the impact of substitutions at a protein-protein interaction interface.

     

Synthesis of N-glycyl-β-glycopyranosyl amines,derivatives of natural oligosaccharides — glucose analogs of Lex antigen

Treatment of the natural tri-, tetra-, and pentasaccharides, β-d-Galp-(1→4)-[α-l-Fucp-(1→3)]-d-Glcp, α-l-Fucp-(1→2)-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-[α-l-Fucp-(1→3)]-d-Glcp, and α-l-Fucp-(1→2)-[α-d-GalNAcp-(1→3)]-β-d-Galp-(1→4)-[α-l-Fucp-(1→3)]-d-Glcp, which are glucose analogs of Le^x, with ammonium carbamate in aqueous methanol gave the corresponding β-glycopyranosyl amines. After their N-acylation with N-Z-glycine N-hydroxysuccinimidyl ester (Z is benzyloxycarbonyl) with subsequent hydrogenolytic removal of Z-group, corresponding N-glycyl-β-glycopyranosyl amines were obtained in yields up to 70%.     

Prolonged exposure of chromaffin cells to nitric oxide down-regulates the activity of soluble guanylyl cyclase and corresponding mRNA and protein levels

Background

Soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) is the main receptor for nitric oxide (NO) when the latter is produced at low concentrations. This enzyme exists mainly as a heterodimer consisting of one α and one β subunit and converts GTP to the second intracellular messenger cGMP. In turn, cGMP plays a key role in regulating several physiological processes in the nervous system. The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of a NO donor on sGC activity and its protein and subunit mRNA levels in a neural cell model.

Results

Continuous exposure of bovine adrenal chromaffin cells in culture to the nitric oxide donor, diethylenetriamine NONOate (DETA/NO), resulted in a lower capacity of the cells to synthesize cGMP in response to a subsequent NO stimulus. This effect was not prevented by an increase of intracellular reduced glutathione level. DETA/NO treatment decreased sGC subunit mRNA and β₁ subunit protein levels. Both sGC activity and β₁ subunit levels decreased more rapidly in chromaffin cells exposed to NO than in cells exposed to the protein synthesis inhibitor, cycloheximide, suggesting that NO decreases β₁ subunit stability. The presence of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) inhibitors effectively prevented the DETA/NO-induced down regulation of sGC subunit mRNA and partially inhibited the reduction in β₁ subunits.

Conclusions

These results suggest that activation of PKG mediates the drop in sGC subunit mRNA levels, and that NO down-regulates sGC activity by decreasing subunit mRNA levels through a cGMP-dependent mechanism, and by reducing β₁ subunit stability.     

Reaktionen mit phosphororganischen Verbindungen, 38. Mitt.: Zur Reaktivität von β-Cyanovinyl-triphenylphosphoniumbromid

β-Cyanovinyl-triphenylphosphonium bromide (1) rearranges to (2-cyano-1-phenylethyl)diphenylphosphine oxide (2) on treatment with alkali.1 reacts with NaN₃ to 5-triphenyl-phosphonium-1.2.3-triazole-ylide (3) and with cyclopentadiene to (5-cyano-bicyclo[2.2.1]hepten-2-yl-6)triphenylphosphonium bromide (4). Reaction of1 with thioamides leads to (α-cyano-β-amino-β-alkyl)-allyl-triphenylphosphonium hromides (6) together with [(2-alkyl-4-aminothiazolyl)-5-methyl]triphenylphosphonium bromides (5). (2-amino-3-imidazo[1.2—α]pyridinyl) methyl]triphenylphosphonium bromide (7) results from reaction of1 with 2-aminopyridine, [(2-amino-3-imidazo[1.2—α]pyrimidinyl)methyl]triphenylphosphonium bromides (8 and9) from 2-aminopyrimidine and 2-amino-4-6-dimethylpyrimidine resp.     

A rapid and sensitive fluorimetric β-galactosidase assay for coliform detection using chlorophenol red-β-d-galactopyranoside

We report on a new fluorimetric assay for β-galactosidase (β-gal) and faecal coliform bacteria that utilizes a long-wavelength dye, chlorophenol red-β-d-galactopyranoside (CPRG), that has been widely used for colorimetric assays. The novel feature of this new assay is the unexpected development of a large fluorescence response from liberated chorophenol red (CPR) upon complexation with poly-l-arginine (pR) in solution. The binding of CPR to pR occurs through the sulphonate group of CPR, causing formation of a charge-transfer complex and up to a 70-fold increase in emission intensity. A major advantage of the assay is the ability to utilize excitation and emission wavelengths in the red end of the spectrum, which avoids common interferences obtained when using UV-absorbing dyes such as 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-d-galactopyranoside. We provide data on the utility of CPRG as a fluorimetric reporter for both β-gal and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 and demonstrate optimized reaction conditions for rapid and sensitive detection of E. coli at a level of 1 colony-forming unit (cfu)/10 mL after 12 h of culture followed by a 1-h assay, which is below the regulatory limit for testing of recreational water. Figure

Beta-galacosidase an coliforms can be assayed with CPRG by for mina a fluorescent complex between chlorophenol red and polyarginine     

Carbohydrate recognition of symmetrical tripodal receptor type tris(2-aminoethyl)amine derivatives

Carbohydrate recognition of some bioactive symmetrical tripodal receptor type tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (TAEA) derivatives was investigated. In calorimetric experiments, the highest binding constant (Ka) of compound C (C₃₅H₄₉N₅O₄S) with methyl α-d-mannopyranoside was Ka = 858 M^?1 with 1:1 stoichiometry. Formation of hydrogen bonds in binding between symmetrical tripodal receptor type compound C and sugars was suggested by the large negative values of ?H° (=?34 to ?511 kJ mol^?1). In a comparison of each set of α- and β-anomers of some monosaccharides (methyl α/β-d-galactopyranoside, methyl α/β-d-glucopyranoside, and methyl α/β-l-fucopyranoside), compound C showed that the binding constant of β-anomer was larger than that of the corresponding α-anomer, indicating higher β-anomer selectivity. The calculated energy-minimized structure of the complex of compound C with guest methyl α-d-mannopyranoside is also presented. The experimental results obtained from this work indicated that symmetrical tripodal receptor type TAEA derivative C has a lectin-like carbohydrate recognition property.     

Synthesis of Au13(glutathionato)8@β-cyclodextrin nanoclusters and their use as a fluorescent probe for silver ions

Heating and drying of the mixture of glutathione-etched gold nanoparticles (Au-SG) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) results in the formation of β-CD-capped and glutathionate-protected Au₁₃ nanoclusters (Au₁₃(SG)₈@β-CD). Their particle size, composition, and number of gold atoms and the capping molecules were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence, UV–vis absorption, FT-IR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The fluorescence of these nanoclusters is specifically enhanced by the addition of Ag(I) ions to the aqueous solution. This effect was exploited to develop a selective and sensitive method for the fluorometric determination of Ag(I) in water in the concentration range between 0.5 nM and 0.1 μM, with a detection limit at 0.3 nM (at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3). Graphical Abstract

β-CD-capped Au₁₃ nanoclusters has been synthesized by heating and drying the mixture of glutathione-etched gold nanoparticles and β-CD. A simple, sensitive and selective FL sensing method for Ag⁺ in environmental water has developed using the Au nanoclusters.     

Investigating the hydrogen-bond acceptor site of the nicotinic pharmacophore model: a computational and experimental study using epibatidine-related molecular probes

The binding mode of nicotinic agonists has been thoroughly investigated in the last decades. It is now accepted that the charged amino group is bound by a cation-π interaction to a conserved tryptophan residue, and that the aromatic moiety is projected into a hydrophobic pocket deeply located inside the binding cleft. A hydrogen bond donor/acceptor, maybe a water molecule solvating this receptor subsite, contributes to further stabilize the nicotinic ligands. The position of this water molecule has been established by several X-ray structures of the acetylcholine-binding protein. In this study, we computationally analyzed the role of this water molecule as a putative hydrogen bond donor/acceptor moiety in the agonist binding site of the three most relevant heteromeric (α4β2, α3β4) and homomeric (α7) neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes. Our theoretical investigation made use of epibatidine 1 and deschloroepibatidine 2 as molecular probes, and was then extended to their analogues 3 and 4, which were subsequently synthesized and tested at the three target receptor subtypes. Although the pharmacological data for the new ligands 3 and 4 indicated a reduction of the affinity at the studied nAChRs with respect to reference agonists, a variation of the selectivity profile was clearly evidenced.     

Asteropsiside A and other asterosaponins from the starfish Asteropsis carinifera

Three asterosaponins were isolated from the tropical starfish Asteropsis carinifera: a new one, asteropsiside A, and two known ones, regularoside A and thornasteroside A. The structure of the new compound was established using 2D NMR spectroscopy and ESI mass spectrometry as the sodium salt of 3-O-sulfonato-(20E)-6-O-{β-d-fucopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-[β-d-quinovopyranosyl-(1→2)]-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-β-d-quinovopyranosyl}-3β,6α-dihydroxy-5α-cholesta-9(11),20(22)-dien-23-one. Regularoside A and thornasteroside A were shown to display the ability to inhibit the growth of the T-47D and RPMI-7951 tumor cell colonies in vitro.     

A β-Secretase (BACE1)-inhibiting C-Methylrotenoid Induced by Yeast Elicitation in Abronia nana Suspension Cultures

Suspension cultures of Abronia nana were established to produce C-methylisoflavones. Treatment of the A. nana cultures with yeast elicitor induced boeravinone E (1), with maximum induction at 24 h after elicitor treatment. Of the biotic and abiotic elicitors tested, yeast extract gave the strongest induction of 1. The IC₅₀ value of 1 against β-secretase (β-amyloid cleaving enzyme-1) was 5.57 μM. Other proteases such as trypsin, chymotrypsin, and elastase were not inhibited by concentrations up to 1.0 mM, indicating that inhibition of β-secretase was specific. 1 was noncompetitive in Dixon plot, and Ki value was 3.79 μM.     

Quantitative Analysis of Caffeoylquinic Acids and Styrylpyrones in Sweetia panamensis Bark by UPLC

Six secondary metabolites from the methanolic extract of Sweetia panamensis (Fabaceae) bark were isolated and characterised. Along with the pyrones desmethylangonine β-d-O-glucopyranoside and desmethylangonine β-d-O-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, already reported in this species, 5-O-caffeoylquinic acid (chlorogenic acid), 4-O-caffeoylquinic acid, 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid and the isoflavonoid 5-O-methylgenistein 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside were isolated for the first time from S. panamensis. Additionally, an LC-ESI-MS qualitative analysis was performed and an ultra performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) method was developed and validated for the determination of these compounds. The UPLC method was applied to the quantitative analysis of plant samples. Pyrones and caffeoylquinic acids resulted to be the main compounds in the extract; in particular desmethylangonine β-d-O-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside was the most abundant compound.     

X-ray structural analysis and antitumor activity of new salicylic acid derivatives

Tetrakis-, tris-, bis-, and mono salicylic acid derivatives 1–4 were synthesized by reaction of methyl 2-hydroxy benzoate (methyl salicylate) with 2,2-bis (hydroxymethyl) propane-1,3-diol (pentaerythritol) in the presence of sodium. Yields of different salicyloyloxy derivatives were changed by varying the molar ratios of reactants. For compounds 2 and 3, X-ray structure analysis was performed, as well as molecular energy minimization, to define their conformation in terms of their energy minima. Comparison of crystal and energy minimized structures for these two compounds (2 and 3) revealed that the intramolecular hydrogen bonds play an important role, stabilizing conformation of the most part of the molecule. The antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of the synthesized derivatives were evaluated in a series of in vitro tests, as well as 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 inhibition potency. Tetrakis salicyloyloxy derivative 1 expressed the highest antioxidant potency, tris salicyloyloxy derivative 2 was the best inhibitor of 17βHSD2 enzyme, while bis salicyloyloxy derivative 3 showed strong cytotoxicity against prostate and breast cancer cells with no cytotoxicity against healthy cells.     

Synthese von (5,10)-(7,8)-Bisepoxiden aus α- und β-4-Phenyl-1,2,4-triazolin-3,5-dion-Addukten von Vitamin D3 und Röntgenstrukturanalyse eines der Benzoylderivate

Oxidation of the α- and β-4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazolin-3,5-dione adducts of vitamin D₃ (2 and1) withMCPBA yields two diastereomeric mixtures of the (5,10)-(7,8)-dioxiranes3 a,3 b,3 c and4 a,4 b respectively. The corresponding benzoates5 a,5 b,6 a and6 b were prepared and the X-ray crystal structure of5 b was determined. This analysis proved5 b to be the (5R, 1 OS)-(7R, 8R)-dioxirane of the β-resp. (6S)-4-phenyl-1,2,4-triazolin-3,5-dione adduct1 of vitamin D₃.