Stereocontrolled synthesis of iminocyclitols with an ether bridge

Nor-tropane related bicyclic (6+5) iminocyclitols with an ether bridge and different substituents (hydroxymethyl, aminomethyl, and aminoethyl) on C-1 are prepared starting from a β-d-psicofuranosyl cyanide. The method involves an internal nucleophilic attack of a stabilized amide ion on a 5-mesyloxy derivative. The intermediate N-acetyl O-protected iminocyclitols present atropoisomerism due to restricted rotation of the N-CO amido bond. Conformational aspects of the prepared compounds are discussed.     

Efficient synthesis of a side-chain extended diaminodiacid for solid-phase synthesis of peptide disulfide bond mimics

Solid-phase incorporation of diaminodiacids is one of the most effective approaches for synthesis of peptide disulfide bond mimics. One of a limitation of current diaminodiacid toolbox is that only four-atom linkage mimics are available that may not fully meet the activity optimization requirement. In this work, we developed a new diaminodiacid that contains a five-atom thioether (C–C–S–C–C) bridge for the first time. With this diaminodiacid in hand, we successfully obtained oxytocin containing new disulfide bond mimic by solid phase peptide synthesis.     

General synthesis of unsymmetrical norbornane scaffolds as inducers for hydrogen bond interactions in peptides

Starting from readily accessible endo-cis-(2S,3R)-norbornene dicarboxylic acid benzyl monoester, a general and efficient synthetic approach toward unsymmetrical two-stranded peptidic structures was developed. In these structures the peptide strands are oriented in a parallel geometry. Their synthesis is easily applicable to a variety of amino acids and peptides. Specifically, a norbornane template as molecular scaffold induces hydrogen bonding between the adjacent peptide strands. The specific hydrogen bonding patterns between these strands were revealed by detailed NMR analysis including TOCSY/NOE experiments.     

Synthesis of Copper(I) catenanes incorporating a disulfide bridge and their deposition on a gold surface

The synthesis of two coordinating catenates with the ability to undergo surface-confined chemistry is described. For each catenate, one of the rings includes a 2,9-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline unit as a coordinating moiety and a disulfide bridge, which allows adsorption of the catenate onto a gold surface, thus going from a molecular catenate to a [gold-adsorbed] species in which gold atoms are elements of one of the rings.     

Semisynthesis of an analogue of antitumor bicyclic hexapeptide RA-VII by fixing the Ala-2/Tyr-3 bond to Cis by incorporating a triazole cis-amide bond surrogate

We prepared an analogue of an antitumor bicyclic hexapeptide RA-VII whose amide configuration between residues 2 and 3 was fixed to cis by incorporating a triazole cis-amide bond surrogate. This analogue was shown, by NMR studies, to take almost the same conformation as that of the minor conformer of RA-VII. It showed no cytotoxic activity.     

Design, synthesis and protein-targeting properties of thioether-linked hydrogen bond surrogate helices

Appropriately-placed hydrogen bond surrogates have been demonstrated to efficiently nucleate helical conformations. Herein we describe an efficient method for the synthesis of thioether-based hydrogen bond surrogate (teHBS) helices. A teHBS helix is shown to adopt a stable conformation and target its cognate protein receptor with high affinity.     

A novel salt bridge mechanism highlights the need for nonmobile proton conditions to promote disulfide bond cleavage in protonated peptides under low-energy collisional activation

The gas-phase fragmentation mechanisms of small models for peptides containing intermolecular disulfide links have been studied using a combination of tandem mass spectrometry experiments, isotopic labeling, structural labeling, accurate mass measurements of product ions, and theoretical calculations (at the MP2/6-311 + G(2d,p)//B3LYP/3-21G(d) level of theory). Cystine and its C-terminal derivatives were observed to fragment via a range of pathways, including loss of neutral molecules, amide bond cleavage, and S-S and C-S bond cleavages. Various mechanisms were considered to rationalize S-S and C-S bond cleavage processes, including charge directed neighboring group processes and nonmobile proton salt bridge mechanism. Three low-energy fragmentation pathways were identified from theoretical calculations on cystine N-methyl amide: (1) S-S bond cleavage dominated by a neighboring group process involving the C-terminal amide N to form either a protonated cysteine derivative or protonated sulfenyl amide product ion (44.3 kcal mol(-1)); (2) C-S bond cleavage via a salt bridge mechanism, involving abstraction of the alpha-hydrogen by the N-terminal amino group to form a protonated thiocysteine derivative (35.0 kcal mol(-1)); and (3) C-S bond cleavage via a Grob-like fragmentation process in which the nucleophilic N-terminal amino group forms a protonated dithiazolidine (57.9 kcal mol(-1)). Interestingly, C-S bond cleavage by neighboring group processes have high activation barriers (63.1 kcal mol(-1)) and are thus not expected to be accessible during low-energy CID experiments. In comparison to the energetics of simple amide bond cleavage, these S-S and C-S bond cleavage reactions are higher in energy, which helps rationalize why bond cleavage processes involving the disulfide bond are rarely observed for low-energy CID of peptides with mobile proton(s) containing intermolecular disulfide bonds. On the other hand, the absence of a mobile proton appears to "switch on" disulfide bond cleavage reactions, which can be rationalized by the salt bridge mechanism. This potentially has important ramifications in explaining the prevalence of disulfide bond cleavage in singly protonated peptides under MALDI conditions.     

The role of the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor in photodynamic activity of certain pyropheophorbide ether photosensitizers: albumin site II as a surrogate marker for activity

A study has been carried out to define the importance of the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) as a binding site for a series of chlorin-type photosensitizers, pyropheophorbide-a ethers, the subject of a previous quantitative structure-activity relationship study by us. The effects of the PBR ligand PK11195 on the photodynamic activity have been determined in vivo for certain members of this series of alkyl-substituted ethers: two of the most active derivatives (hexyl and heptyl), the least active derivative (dodecyl [C12]) and one of intermediate activity (octyl [C8]). The photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect was inhibited by PK11195 for both of the most active derivatives, but no effect on PDT activity was found for the less active C12 or C8 ethers. The inhibitory effects of PK11195 were predicted by the binding of only the active derivatives to the benzodiazepine site on albumin, ie. human serum albumin (HSA)-Site II. Thus, as with certain other types of photosensitizers, it has been demonstrated with this series of pyropheophorbide ethers that in vitro binding to HSA-Site II is a predictor of both optimal in vivo activity and binding to the PBR in vivo.     

Methoxy-resorufin ether as an electrochemically active biological probe for cytochrome P450 O-demethylation

This paper describes the utilisation of methoxy-resorufin ether as an electrochemical probe for studying cytochrome P450 CYP6G1. Methoxy-resorufin ether is well established as a versatile substrate for cytochrome P450, as its demethylated product, resorufin, is a fluorophore. We show that in addition to these established properties, methoxy-resorufin ether also exhibits reversible two electron transfer on glassy carbon and edge plane graphite electrodes. Cyclic voltammetry measurements and differential pulse voltammetry measurements show that methoxy-resorufin ether can be easily detected at low concentrations (down to 200 nM) in a conventional three electrode electrochemical cell. These properties of methoxy-resorufin ether mean that it could be used as an electrochemical probe, to follow the rate of its demethylation by CYP6G1. We show that electrochemical measurements could discriminate between the enzyme activity of protein microsomes taken from two strains of Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly).     

1,2,3-Triazoles as peptide bond isosteres: synthesis and biological evaluation of cyclotetrapeptide mimics

Since the discovery of Cu(I)-catalysed click chemistry, the field of peptidomimetics has expanded to include 1,4-connected 1,2,3-triazoles as useful peptide bond isosteres. Here, we report the synthesis of triazole-containing analogues of the naturally occurring tyrosinase inhibitor cyclo-[Pro-Val-Pro-Tyr] and show that the analogues retain enzyme inhibitory activity, demonstrating the effectiveness of a 1,4-connected 1,2,3-triazole as a trans peptide bond isostere.     

Chemical synthesis and biological activity of analogues of the lantibiotic epilancin 15X

Lantibiotics are a large family of antibacterial peptide natural products containing multiple post-translational modifications, including the thioether structures lanthionine and methyllanthionine. Efforts to probe structure-activity relationships and engineer improved pharmacological properties have driven the development of new methods to produce non-natural analogues of these compounds. In this study, solid-supported chemical synthesis was used to produce analogues of the potent lantibiotic epilancin 15X, in order to assess the importance of several N-terminal post-translational modifications for biological activity. Surprisingly, substitution of these moieties, including the unusual N-terminal D-lactyl moiety, resulted in relatively small changes in the antimicrobial activity and pore-forming ability of the peptides.     

Rapid sequencing and disulfide mapping of peptides containing disulfide bonds by using 1,5-diaminonaphthalene as a reductive matrix

MS/MS is indispensable for the amino acid sequencing of peptides. However, its use is limited for peptides containing disulfide bonds. We have applied the reducing properties of 1,5-diaminonaphthalene (1,5-DAN) as a MALDI matrix to amino acid sequencing and disulfide bond mapping of human urotensin II possessing one disulfide bond, and human guanylin possessing two disulfide bonds. 1,5-DAN was used in the same manner as the usual MALDI matrices without any pre-treatment of the peptide, and MS/MS was performed using a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization quadrupole ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI QIT TOFMS). The results demonstrated that MS/MS of the molecular ions reduced by 1,5-DAN provided a series of significant b-/y-product ions. All 11 amino acid residues of urotensin II were identified using 1,5-DAN, while only 5 out of 11 residues were identified using 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB); similarly 11 out of 15 amino acid residues of guanylin were identified using 1,5-DAN, while only three were identified using DHB. In addition, comparison of the theoretical and measured values of the mass differences between corresponding MS/MS product ions using 1,5-DAN and DHB narrowed down the possible disulfide bond arrangement candidates. Consequently, 1,5-DAN as a reductive matrix facilitates rapid amino acid sequencing and disulfide mapping for peptides containing disulfide bonds.     

Counting sulfhydryls and disulfide bonds in peptides and proteins using mercurial ions as an MS-tag

Organic mercurial compounds are the most specific and sensitive reagents for reaction with the sulfhydryl groups (SHs) in peptides and proteins because of the strong mercury-sulfur affinity. Using the monofunctional organic mercury ion RHg(+) as a mass spectrometry (MS)-tag has the advantages of reacting with one sulfhydryl group, offering definite mass shift, and especially stable and characteristic nonradioactive isotopic distribution. Mass spectrometric analysis of derivatized sulfhydryls in peptides/proteins is thus an alternative for precisely counting the number of sulfhydryl groups and disulfide bonds (SS). Here the tags used include monomethylmercury chloride, monoethylmercury chloride, and 4-(hydroxymercuri) benzoic acid. The feasibility of this strategy is demonstrated using HPLC/ESI-MS to count SHs and SS in model peptides/proteins, i.e., glutathione, phytochelatins, lysozyme and beta-lactoglobulin, which contain increasing SHs and various SS linkages.     

A novel open-chain nononic acid linked by an ether bond to glucose as a polysaccharide constituent

A novel sugar constituent was isolated from the heteropolysaccharide excreted by Streptococcus thermophilus 8 S when grown in skimmed milk. The structure and absolute configuration were determined by means of chemical analysis, mass spectrometry, NMR spectroscopy, along with molecular dynamics simulations, and was shown to be 6-O-(3',9'-dideoxy-D-threo-D-altro-nononic acid-2'-yl)-D-glucopyranose.     

Design and construction of an open multistranded beta-sheet polypeptide stabilized by a disulfide bridge

The design and characterization of an open eight-stranded beta-sheet in a synthetic, 2-fold symmetric 70-residue peptide is described. The design strategy involves the generation of a 35-residue four-stranded beta-sheet peptide in which successive hairpins are nucleated by appropriately positioned (D)Pro-Xxx sequences. Oxidative dimerization using a single Cys residue positioned at the center of the C-terminal strand results in a disulfide-bridged eight-stranded structure. Nuclear Overhauser effects firmly establish an eight-stranded beta-sheet in methanol. In water, the outer strands are frayed, but a well-defined four-stranded beta-sheet stabilized by a disulfide bridge and a hydrophobic cluster is determined from NMR data. Comparison of the precursor peptide with the disulfide-bridged dimer reveals considerable enhancement of beta-sheet content in the latter, suggesting that the disulfide cross-link is an effective strategy for the stabilization of beta-sheets.     

The photochemistry of N-p-toluenesulfonyl peptides: the peptide bond as an electron donor

The scope of photobiological processes that involve absorbers within a protein matrix may be limited by the vulnerability of the peptide group to attack by highly reactive redox centers consequent upon electronic excitation. We have explored the nature of this vulnerability by undertaking comprehensive product analyses of aqueous photolysates of 12 N-p-toluenesulfonyl peptides with systematically selected structures. The results indicate that degradation includes a major pathway that is initiated by intramolecular electron transfer in which the peptide bond serves as electron donor, and the data support the likelihood of a relay process in dipeptide derivatives.     

Facile synthesis of chlorophyll analog possessing a disulfide bond and formation of self-assembled monolayer on gold surface

A chlorophyll analog forming self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on a gold surface was synthesized for the first time. 13(2)-(Demethoxycarbonyl)pheophorbide-a, which was converted from naturally occurring chlorophyll-a, was condensed with 2-hydroxyethyl disulfide to give a chlorin dyad linked by a disulfide bond. The chlorin analog was spontaneously immobilized on a gold substrate by soaking in an acetone solution of the dyad for 24 h. The resulting gold plate exhibited a visible absorption spectrum with about 420- and 675-nm maxima as the Soret and Qy peaks, respectively, indicating that chlorin pi-conjugates were modified on the gold substrate through Au-S bonding. Both visible absorption and fluorescence emission bands of the chlorin chromophores on the gold substrate were red-shifted compared with those of the synthesized chlorin dyad in a homogeneous acetone solution. The measured absorbance at the Soret maximum suggests that the chlorin chromophores on the gold plate were densely packed on a gold surface to form a SAM. Cathodic photocurrents were generated from SAMs of the chlorins on a gold substrate with irradiation of visible-lights above 400 nm. Photoinduced electron transfer from chlorins on the gold substrate to oxygen molecules in an electrolyte solution were attributed to the cathodic photocurrent generation.