Chemical Synthesis of Diubiquitin‐Based Photoaffinity Probes for Selectively Profiling Ubiquitin‐Binding Proteins

Biochemical studies of cellular processes involving polyubiquitin have gained increasing attention. More tools are needed to identify ubiquitin (Ub)‐binding proteins. We report diazirine‐based photoaffinity probes that can capture Ub‐binding proteins in cell lysates, and show that diazirines are preferable to aryl azides as the photo‐crosslinking group, since they decrease non‐selective capture. Photoaffinity probes containing at least two Ub units were required to effectively capture Ub‐binding proteins. Different capture selectivity was observed for probes containing diubiquitin moieties with different types of linkages, thus indicating the potential to develop linkage‐dependent probes for selectively profiling Ub‐binding proteins under various cellular conditions.     

携异戊烯基光亲和化学探针的合成和应用

应用“一锅法”耦连反应为关键步骤合成了3个同时含有异戊烯链和叠氮基团的光亲和探针分子。在光照条件下这些化合物和酿酒酵母总蛋白反应后,经过点击反应与含有生物素的报告分子连接,再进行亲和素印迹分析,初步表明它们可作为钓取与异戊烯链相互作用蛋白的化学探针。     

o‐Fluorination of Aromatic Azides Yields Improved Azido‐Based Fluorescent Probes for Hydrogen Sulfide: Synthesis,Spectra, and Bioimaging

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is an endogenously produced gaseous signaling molecule with multiple biological functions. To visualize the endogenous in situ production of H₂S in real time, new coumarin‐ and boron‐dipyrromethene‐based fluorescent turn‐on probes were developed for fast sensing of H₂S in aqueous buffer and in living cells. Introduction of a fluoro group in the ortho position of the aromatic azide can lead to a greater than twofold increase in the rate of reaction with H₂S. On the basis of o‐fluorinated aromatic azides, fluorescent probes with high sensitivity and selectivity toward H₂S over other biologically relevant species were designed and synthesized. The probes can be used to in situ to visualize exogenous H₂S and D ‐cysteine‐dependent endogenously produced H₂S in living cells, which makes them promising tools for potential applications in H₂S biology.     

Furoxan‐Bearing Micelles for Nitric Oxide Delivery

Furoxans, or 1,2,5‐oxadiazole‐N‐oxides, are a class of nitric oxide (NO)‐donating compounds that release NO in response to thiol‐containing molecules. In this study, polymeric micelles bearing furoxan moieties are prepared from an amphiphilic block copolymer consisting of a hydrophobic furoxan‐bearing block and a hydrophilic poly(N‐acryloylmorpholine) block. The block copolymer is prepared using a combination of the reversible addition–fragmentation chain transfer polymerization and the copper‐catalyzed Huisgen cycloaddition techniques. The block copolymers form spherical micelles with a diameter of 50 nm by self‐assembly in water. The micelles release NO in response to cysteine and show improved stability against hydrolytic decomposition. Furthermore, the micelles show a synergistic anti‐proliferative effect with ibuprofen in human colon cancer cells.

     

Graphene Oxide Protected Nucleic Acid Probes for Bioanalysis and Biomedicine

Recently, the binding ability of DNA on GO and resulting nuclease resistance have attracted increasing attention, leading to new applications both in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, nucleic acids absorbed on GO can be effectively protected from enzymatic degradation and biological interference in complicated samples, making it useful for targeted delivery, gene regulation, intracellular detection and imaging with high uptake efficiencies, high intracellular stability, and very low toxicity. In vitro, the adsorption of ssDNA on GO surface and desorption of dsDNA or well‐folded ssDNA from GO surface result in the protection and deprotection of DNA from nucleic digestion, respectively, which has led to target‐triggered cyclic enzymatic amplification methods (CEAM) for amplified detection of analytes with sensitivity 2–3 orders of magnitude higher than that of 1:1 binding strategies. This Concept article explores some of the latest developments in this field.     

The Significance of Lewis Acid Sites for the Selective Catalytic Reduction of Nitric Oxide on Vanadium‐Based Catalysts

The long debated reaction mechanisms of the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitric oxide with ammonia (NH₃) on vanadium‐based catalysts rely on the involvement of Brønsted or Lewis acid sites. This issue has been clearly elucidated using a combination of transient perturbations of the catalyst environment with operando time‐resolved spectroscopy to obtain unique molecular level insights. Nitric oxide reacts predominantly with NH₃ coordinated to Lewis sites on vanadia on tungsta–titania (V₂O₅‐WO₃‐TiO₂), while Brønsted sites are not involved in the catalytic cycle. The Lewis site is a mono‐oxo vanadyl group that reduces only in the presence of both nitric oxide and NH₃. We were also able to verify the formation of the nitrosamide (NH₂NO) intermediate, which forms in tandem with vanadium reduction, and thus the entire mechanism of SCR. Our experimental approach, demonstrated in the specific case of SCR, promises to progress the understanding of chemical reactions of technological relevance.     

A Photoaffinity Displacement Assay and Probes to Study the Cyclin‐Dependent Kinase Family

The CDK family plays a crucial role in the control of the cell cycle. Dysregulation and mutation of the CDKs has been implicated in cancer and the CDKs have been investigated extensively as potential therapeutic targets. Selective inhibition of specific isoforms of the CDKs is crucial to achieve therapeutic effect while minimising toxicity. We present a group of photoaffinity probes designed to bind to the family of CDKs. The site of crosslinking of the optimised probe, as well as its ability to enrich members of the CDK family from cell lysates, was investigated. In a proof of concept study, we subsequently developed a photoaffinity probe‐based competition assay to profile CDK inhibitors. We anticipate that this approach will be widely applicable to the study of small molecule binding to protein families of interest.     

Synthesis,Characterization, and Pharmacological Evaluation of Some New Pteridine‐Based Heterocycles as Antimicrobial Agents

Considering pteridine as a worthy structure for improving probes of magnificent therapeutic potentials, some new pteridine conjugates were synthesized by aminomethylation of benzopteridinethione with a variety of primary aromatic amines and formaldehyde solution (37%) through the Mannich reaction. The proposed mechanism of formation of the synthesized compounds was discussed, and the structure of the newly synthesized compounds was elucidated on the basis of their IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, mass spectral, and elemental analyses. Furthermore, some selected compounds were evaluated in vitro for their antimicrobial activities; the preliminary data stated that the majority of the tested compounds exhibited significant antimicrobial activity. Analogues 22 , 23 , 20 , 19 , 24 , and 15 were found to be the most potent against all the tested microorganisms.     

A General Procedure for Synthesis of NG-Alkyl,and NG-Aryl-L-Arginines as Potential Nitric Oxide Synthase inhibitors

A general procedure for the synthesis of N^G-alkyl, and N^G-aryl-L -arginines with relatively high overall yield is reported. The key step involved the coupling of protected L -ornithine 4 with isothiourea 7 to give the fully protected N^G-aryl-L -arginine derivative 8 . Subsequent deprotection of 8 in acidic condition provided the final target compound 9 with an overall yield of more than 80%.     

Activity‐Based Probes for 15‐Lipoxygenase‐1

Human 15‐lipoxygenase‐1 (15‐LOX‐1) plays an important role in several inflammatory lung diseases, such as asthma, COPD, and chronic bronchitis, as well as various CNS diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and stroke. Activity‐based probes of 15‐LOX‐1 are required to explore the role of this enzyme further and to enable drug discovery. In this study, we developed a 15‐LOX‐1 activity‐based probe for the efficient activity‐based labeling of recombinant 15‐LOX‐1. 15‐LOX‐1‐dependent labeling in cell lysates and tissue samples was also possible. To mimic the natural substrate of the enzyme, we designed activity‐based probes that covalently bind to the active enzyme and include a terminal alkene as a chemical reporter for the bioorthogonal linkage of a detectable functionality through an oxidative Heck reaction. The activity‐based labeling of 15‐LOX‐1 should enable the investigation and identification of this enzyme in complex biological samples, thus opening up completely new opportunities for drug discovery.     

Nickel Hexacyanoferrate‐Based Sensor Electrode for the Detection of Nitric Oxide at Low Potentials

Recently transition metal hexacyanoferrates, analogues of Prussian Blue, have found application in electroanalysis for the detection of biologically relevant species. Our study describes the development of a novel electrode based on nickel hexacyanoferrate (NiHCF) for the sensorial NO determination. A NiHCF layer was deposited on platinum by cyclic voltammetry in a solution of nickel (II) chloride and potassium hexacyanoferrate (III). The electrode was found to be active for NO reduction. The interaction with the radical was studied voltammetrically within the range from 0 V up to +0.4 V vs. Ag/AgCl/1 M KCl. The most appropriate potential for an amperometric detection was determined to be +0.25 V due to the advantageous signal/noise ratio. The sensitivity of the electrodes was found to be 2.0–2.3 A M^?1 cm^?2. The sensor response of the most important interferents for NO analysis, hydrogen peroxide, ascorbic acid and nitrite, was measured and determined to be sufficiently low.     

Toward Fluorescence‐Based High‐Throughput Screening for Enantiomeric Excess in Amines and Amino Acid Derivatives

A highly accurate and reliable screening method for enantiomeric excess of amine derivatives in the presence of water is reported. The fluorescence‐based screening system has been realized by self‐assembly of chiral diol‐type dyes (BINOL, VANOL and VAPOL), 2‐formylphenylboronic acid, and chiral amines forming iminoboronate esters. The structure and chirality of the amine analytes determine the stability of the diastereomeric iminoboronate esters, which in turn display differential fluorescence. The fluorescence signal reflects the enantiomeric purity of the chiral amines and was utilized in high‐throughput arrays. The arrays were able to recognize enantiomeric excess of amines, amino esters, and amino alcohols. In addition to qualitative analysis, quantitative experiments were successfully performed. Studies of the role of additives such as water or citrate were carried out to gain insight into the stability of the iminoboronate esters. It is shown that the above additives destabilize less stable esters while the stable esters remain unchanged. Thus, the presence of water and citrate leads to increased difference between the diastereomeric iminoboronates and contributes to the enantiodiscrimination of the chiral amines.     

检测生理内源性一氧化氮分子探针的研究及应用进展

本文介绍和评述了荧光光度法、化学发光法、分光度度法、电化学和电子自旋共振光谱法中的分子探针及在检测生理内源性一氧化氮的应用及研究进展。引用文献42篇。     

Coumarin‐Based Fluorogenic Probes for No‐Wash Protein Labeling

A fluorescent protein‐labeling strategy was developed in which a protein of interest (POI) is genetically tagged with a short peptide sequence presenting two Cys residues that can selectively react with synthetic fluorogenic reagents. These fluorogens comprise a fluorophore and two maleimide groups that quench fluorescence until they both undergo thiol addition during the labeling reaction. Novel fluorogens were prepared and kinetically characterized to demonstrate the importance of a methoxy substituent on the maleimide in suppressing reactivity with glutathione, an intracellular thiol, while maintaining reactivity with the dithiol tag. This system allows the rapid and specific labeling of intracellular POIs.