蛋氨酸亚砜还原酶及其在白内障发生发展中的作用

蛋氨酸(Met)是生物体内很容易被氧化的氨基酸之一,氧化应激条件下,生成S型和R型蛋氨酸亚砜(MetO), 晶状体蛋白中MetO的增加与晶状体老化和白内障形成相关。生物体内存在着两种不同的蛋氨酸亚砜还原酶(Msr),即MsrA和B,分别能特异性地作用于自由或结合在蛋白质中的S-MetO和R-MetO,将MetO修复为Met,从而避免了蛋白质结构和功能的改变。在哺乳动物中,MsrA以单基因形式存在,而MsrB有3种异构体,分别为MsrB1,MsrB2和MsrB3,其中MsrB1是一个硒蛋白,又被称为硒蛋白R(SelR)。本文介绍了Msrs的基因表达、分布和亚细胞定位,比较了MsrA和MsrBs蛋白结构和催化机制的异同,讨论了晶状体蛋白Met残基的氧化与白内障形成和发展的关系。现有的这些研究结果表明Msrs作为一类特异性的抗氧化还原酶,通过对MetO的修复,在抑制晶状体的损伤方面发挥重要作用。此外,MsrB1作为一个硒蛋白受机体硒水平的调节,因此,通过补硒保持晶状体适当的硒浓度以维持MsrB1的活性,对白内障的形成和发展可能具有一定的预防作用。     

Kinetic resolution of phenyl methyl sulfoxides by mammalian methionine sulfoxide reductase A

Chiral sulfoxides are widely used in organic synthesis as chiral auxiliaries. There are numerous strategies for the preparation of enantiomerically pure sulfoxides, based either on the enantioselective oxidation of sulphides or the enantiospecific reduction of sulfoxides. For both cases, bioconversion techniques have been developed and proposed for large-scale synthesis. Methionine sulfoxide reductase enzymes (MsrA and MsrB) catalyse the stereoselective conversion of methionine sulfoxide to methionine. MsrA can also catalyse the reduction of other exogenous sulfoxides, including p-tolyl methyl sulfoxide. However, the stereoselectivity towards this type of substrate is not yet well characterized. The activity and enantioselectivity of MsrA toward several aryl methyl sulfoxides is presented in this paper.     

A Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe for Imaging of the Activity of Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase A in Cells

Methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) is an enzyme involved in redox balance and signaling, and its aberrant activity is implicated in a number of diseases (for example, Alzheimer's disease and cancer). Since there is no simple small molecule tool to monitor MsrA activity in real time in vivo, we aimed at developing one. We have designed a BODIPY‐based probe called (S)‐Sulfox‐1, which is equipped with a reactive sulfoxide moiety. Upon reduction with a model MsrA (E. coli), it exhibits a bathochromic shift in the fluorescence maximum. This feature was utilized for the real‐time ratiometric fluorescent imaging of MsrA activity in E. coli cells. Significantly, our probe is capable of capturing natural variations of the enzyme activity in vivo.     

Synthesis of Enantioenriched Sulfoxides by an Oxidation-Reduction Enzymatic Cascade

Chiral sulfoxides are versatile synthons and have gained a particular interest in asymmetric synthesis of active pharmaceutical and agrochemical ingredients. Herein, a linear oxidation–reduction bienzymatic cascade to synthesize chiral sulfoxides is reported. The extraordinarily stable and active vanadium-dependent chloroperoxidase from Curvularia inaequalis (CiVCPO) was used to oxidize sulfides into racemic sulfoxides, which were then converted to chiral sulfoxides by highly enantioselective methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) and B (MsrB) by kinetic resolution, respectively. The combinatorial cascade gave a broad range of structurally diverse sulfoxides with excellent optical purity (>99 % ee) with complementary chirality. The enzymatic cascade requires no NAD(P)H recycling, representing a facile method for chiral sulfoxide synthesis. Particularly, the envisioned enzymatic cascade not only allows CiVCPO to gain relevance in chiral sulfoxide synthesis, but also provides a powerful approach for (S)-sulfoxide synthesis; the latter case is significantly unexplored for heme-dependent peroxidases and peroxygenases.     

Stereospecific electrophoretically mediated microanalysis assay for methionine sulfoxide reductase enzymes

An electrophoretically mediated microanalysis assay (EMMA) for the determination of the stereoselective reduction of l-methionine sulfoxide diastereomers by methionine sulfoxide reductase enzymes was developed using fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-l-methionine sulfoxide as substrate. The separation of the diastereomers of Fmoc-l-methionine sulfoxide and the product Fmoc-l-methionine was achieved in a successive multiple ionic-polymer layer-coated capillary using a 50 mM Tris buffer, pH 8.0, containing 30 mM sodium dodecyl sulfate as background electrolyte and an applied voltage of 25 kV. 4-Aminobenzoic acid was employed as internal standard. An injection sequence of incubation buffer, enzyme, substrate, enzyme, and incubation buffer was selected. The assay was optimized with regard to mixing time and mixing voltage and subsequently applied for the analysis of stereoselective reduction of Fmoc-l-methionine-(S)-sulfoxide by human methionine sulfoxide reductase A and of the Fmoc-l-methionine-(R)-sulfoxide by human methionine sulfoxide reductase B. The Michaelis–Menten constant, K _m, and the maximum velocity, v _max, were determined. Essentially identical data were determined by the electrophoretically mediated microanalysis assay and the analysis of the samples by CE upon offline incubation. Furthermore, it was shown for the first time that Fmoc-methionine-(R)-sulfoxide is a substrate of human methionine sulfoxide reductase B.

Rapid method for quantifying the extent of methionine oxidation in intact calmodulin

We have developed a method for rapidly quantifying the extent to which the functionally important Met¹⁴⁴ and Met¹⁴⁵ residues near the C-terminus of calmodulin (CaM) are converted to the corresponding sulfoxides, Met(O). The method utilizes a whole protein collision-induced dissociation (CID) approach on an electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight (ESI-Q-TOF) mass spectrometer. Using standards of CaM oxidized by hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) or peroxynitrite (ONOO⁻), we demonstrated that CID fragmentation of the protein ions resulted in a series of C-terminal singly charged y₁–y₁₅ ions. Fragments larger than y₄ exhibited mass shifts of +16 or +32 Da, corresponding to oxidation of one or two methionines, respectively. To assess the extent of oxidative modification for Met¹⁴⁴ and Met¹⁴⁵ to Met(O), we averaged the ratio of intensities for y _n , y _n + 16, and y _n + 32 ions, where n = 6–9. By alternating MS and CID scans at low and high collision energies, this technique allowed us to rapidly determine both the distribution of intact CaM oxiforms and the extent of oxidative modification in the C-terminal region of the protein in a single run. We have applied the method to studies of the repair of fully oxidized CaM by methionine sulfoxide reductases (MsrA and MsrB), which normally function in concert to reduce the S and R stereoisomers of methionine sulfoxide. We found that repair of Met(O)¹⁴⁴ and Met(O)¹⁴⁵ did not go to completion, but was more efficient than average Met repair. Absence of complete repair is consistent with previous studies showing that accumulation of methionine sulfoxide in CaM can occur during aging (Gao, J.; Yin, D.; Yao, Y.; Williams, T. D.; Squier, T. C. Biochemistry 1998, 37, 9536–9548).     

Modelling the Inhibition of Selenoproteins by Small Molecules Using Cysteine and Selenocysteine Derivatives

Small molecule-based electrophilic compounds such as 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) and 1-chloro-4-nitrobenzene (CNB) are currently being used as inhibitors of cysteine- and selenocysteine-containing proteins. CDNB has been used extensively to determine the activity of glutathione S-transferase and to deplete glutathione (GSH) in mammalian cells. Also, CDNB has been shown to irreversibly inhibit thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), a selenoenzyme that catalyses the reduction of thioredoxin (Trx). Mammalian TrxR has a C-terminal active site motif, Gly-Cys-Sec-Gly, and both the cysteine and selenocysteine residues could be the targets of the electrophilic reagents. In this paper we report on the stability of a series of cysteine and selenocysteine derivatives that can be considered as models for the selenoenzyme–inhibitor complexes. We show that these derivatives react with H₂O₂ to generate the corresponding selenoxides, which undergo spontaneous elimination to produce dehydroalanine. In contrast, the cysteine derivatives are stable towards such elimination reactions. We also demonstrate, for the first time, that the arylselenium species eliminated from the selenocysteine derivatives exhibit significant redox activity by catalysing the reduction of H₂O₂ in the presence of GSH (GPx (glutathione peroxidase)-like activity), which suggests that such redox modulatory activity of selenium compounds may have a significant effect on the cellular redox state during the inhibition of selenoproteins.     

Loss of selenium from selenoproteins: conversion of selenocysteine to dehydroalanine in vitro

Characterization of reduced and alkylated rat selenoprotein P by mass spectrometry yielded selenopeptides from which one or more selenium atoms were missing. Predicted selenopeptide mass peaks were accompanied by peaks corresponding to the conversion of one or more selenocysteine residues to dehydroalanine(s). Experiments were carried out to determine whether this loss of selenium occurred in vitro. A selenopeptide was isolated that contained two selenocysteine residues that were both in selenide-sulfide linkages with cysteine residues. After the peptide had been reduced and alkylated, in addition to the predicted mass peak with both selenocysteine residues present, two mass peaks were detected at positions expected for conversion of one and two selenocysteine residues of this selenopeptide to dehydroalanine residues, which was confirmed by tandem mass spectrometry. Similar findings were obtained from a study of another selenoprotein, rat plasma glutathione peroxidase. These results indicate that selenium atoms are lost from selenoproteins during purification and characterization. The loss of selenium from selenoproteins is probably through the mechanism of oxidation of selenocysteine residue to selenoxide followed by syn-beta-elimination of selenenic acid during sample processing.     

Selenocysteine as a Substrate,an Inhibitor and a Mechanistic Probe for Bacterial and Fungal Iron-Dependent Sulfoxide Synthases

Sulfoxide synthases are non-heme iron enzymes that participate in the biosynthesis of thiohistidines, such as ergothioneine and ovothiol A. The sulfoxide synthase EgtB from Chloracidobacterium thermophilum (CthEgtB) catalyzes oxidative coupling between the side chains of N-α-trimethyl histidine (TMH) and cysteine (Cys) in a reaction that entails complete reduction of molecular oxygen, carbon–sulfur (C−S) and sulfur–oxygen (S−O) bond formation as well as carbon–hydrogen (C−H) bond cleavage. In this report, we show that CthEgtB and other bacterial sulfoxide synthases cannot efficiently accept selenocysteine (SeCys) as a substrate in place of cysteine. In contrast, the sulfoxide synthase from the filamentous fungus Chaetomium thermophilum (CthEgt1) catalyzes C−S and C−Se bond formation at almost equal efficiency. We discuss evidence suggesting that this functional difference between bacterial and fungal sulfoxide synthases emerges from different modes of oxygen activation.     

Rapid one-pot iterative diselenide–selenoester ligation using a novel coumarin-based photolabile protecting group

The development of an iterative one-pot peptide ligation strategy is described that capitalises on the rapid and efficient nature of the diselenide–selenoester ligation reaction, together with photodeselenisation chemistry. This ligation strategy hinged on the development of a novel photolabile protecting group for the side chain of selenocysteine, namely the 7-diethylamino-3-methyl coumarin (DEAMC) moiety. Deprotection of this DEAMC group can be effected in a mild, reagent-free manner using visible light (λ = 450 nm) without deleterious deselenisation of selenocysteine residues, thus enabling a subsequent ligation reaction without purification. The use of this DEAMC-protected selenocysteine in iterative DSL chemistry is highlighted through the efficient one-pot syntheses of 60- and 80-residue fragments of mucin-1 as well as apolipoprotein CIII in just 2–4 hours.

A method for the rapid one-pot iterative assembly of proteins via diselenide–selenoester ligation (DSL) chemistry is described that capitalises on a novel coumarin-based photolabile protecting group for selenocysteine.     

Observation and evaluation of the synchronous ligand atom pyramidal inversions in binuclear rhenium carbonyl halide complexes of disulphides and diselenides: an X-ray crystal structure of [Re2Br2(CO)6(C6H5CH2SeSeCH2C6H5)]

The dinuclear complexes [Re₂X₂(CO)₆(RCH₂EECH₂R)] (X = Cl or Br, R = Ph or Me₃Si, E = S or Se) have been prepared and characterized. A variable temperature ¹H NMR study on these complexes demonstrated the pyramidal atomic inversion process at the coordinated sulphur and selenium atoms. Total band-shape fittings were used to yield activation parameters for the rate process, in which the two sulphur or selenium atoms undergo synchronous or correlated inversion.     

New benzimidazole derivatives: Design,synthesis, docking,and biological evaluation

The aim of this study was to synthesize novel enaminonitrile derivatives starting from 2-aminobenzimidazole and utilize this derivative for the preparation of novel heterocyclic compounds and assess their function for biological activity screening. The key precursor N-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)carbonohydrazonoyl dicyanide (2) was prepared in pyridine by coupling of diazotized 2-aminobenzimidazole (1) with malononitrile. Compound 2 was subjected to react with various secondary amines such as piperidine, morpholine, piperazine, diphenylamine, N-methylglucamine, and diethanolamine in boiling ethanol to give the acrylonitriles (2Z)-2-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-3-amino-3-(piperidin-1-yl)acrylonitrile (3), (2Z)-2-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-3-amino-3-morpholinoacrylonitrile (4), (2Z)-2-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-3-amino-3-(piperazin-1-yl)acrylonitrile (5), (2Z)-2-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-3-amino-3-(diphenylamino)acrylonitrile (6), (2Z)-2-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-3-amino-3-(methyl((2S,3R,4R,5R)-2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexyl)amino)acrylonitrile (7), and (2Z)-2-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-3-amino-3-(bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)acrylonitrile (8), respectively. It has been found that the behaviour of nitrile derivative 2 towards hydrazine hydrate to the creation of 4-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-1H-pyrazole-3,5-diamine (9). The reaction of malononitrile with compound 2 in an ethanolic solution catalyzed with sodium ethoxide afforded 4-amino-1-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)-6-imino-1,6-dihydropyridazine-3,5-dicarbonitrile (11). Moreover, malononitrile reacted with 7 in a boiling ethanolic sodium ethoxide solution to give 2-(5-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-4-amino-6-(methyl((2S,3R,4R,5R)-2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexyl)amino)pyrimidin-2-yl)acetonitrile (14). Heating 7 in boiling acetic anhydride and pyridine afforded (2R,3R,4R,5S)-6-(((1E)-2-((1-acetyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-1-(N-acetylacetamido)-2-cyanovinyl)(methyl)amino)hexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentayl pentaacetate (15). When compound 15 is heated for a long time in refluxing DMF including a catalytic of TEA, cyclization occurs to give the corresponding (2R,3R,4R,5S)-6-((1-acetyl-3-((1-acetyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-4-amino-6-oxo-1,6-dihydropyridin-2-yl)(methyl)amino)hexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentayl pentaacetate (16). In addition, triethyl orthoformate was reacted with compound 7 in the presence of acetic anhydride to afford the corresponding ethoxymethyleneamino derivative (2R,3R,4R,5S)-6-(((1E)-2-((1-acetyl-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-2-cyano-1-(((E) ethoxymethylene)amino)vinyl)(methyl)amino)hexane-1,2,3,4,5-pentayl pentaacetate (17). Also, it has been found that heating a mixture of 7 with DMF/DMA in anhydrous xylene yielded compound (1E)-N'-((1E)-2-((1H-benzo[d]imidazol-2-yl)diazenyl)-2-cyano-1-(methyl((2S,3R,4R,5R)-2,3,4,5,6-pentahydroxyhexyl)amino)vinyl)-N,N-dimethylformimidamide (18). In addition, compound 7, when reacted with several acid anhydrides, allowed the matching phthalimide derivatives 19–26. The results showed that compound 14 has significantly higher ABTS and antitumor activities than the other compounds. Molecular modelling was also studied for compounds 22 and 24. The viability of four many cell lines—the African green monkey kidney epithelial cells (VERO), human breast adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7), human lung fibroblast cell line (WI-38), and human hepatocellular liver carcinoma cell line (HepG2) was examined to determine the antitumor activities of the newly synthesized compounds. Also, it was found that compounds 9, 11, 15, 16, 22, 23, 24 and 25 are strong against HepG2 cell lines, while 16, 22, and 25 are strong against WI-38 cell lines. Moreover, it was also found that compounds 16 and 22 are strong against VERO cell lines. On the other hand, compounds 7, 14, 15, 16, and 22 are strong while the rest of the other compounds are moderate against the MCF-7 cell line. The result of docking showed that compound 24 got stabilized inside the pocket with a very promising binding score of ? 8.12 through hydrogen bonds with Arg184 and Lys179, respectively.     

Influence of DMF-Induced Oxidative Stress on Membrane and Periplasmic Proteins in Paracoccus sp. SKG

The present study describes the N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF)-induced oxidative stress in Paracoccus sp. SKG. The oxidative stress was evaluated by analysing membrane and periplasmic proteins and K⁺ efflux, as well as by monitoring the activities of antioxidant enzymes like catalase, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione S-transferase (GST). The exposure of bacterial cells to a higher concentration of DMF resulted in the modification of membrane fatty acid composition which is accompanied by K⁺ efflux. Further, this oxidative stress resulted in increased periplasmic protein which can be attributed to the induction of GST and methionine sulphoxide reductase (Msr) enzymes under solvent stress. Paracoccus sp. SKG is tolerant to high concentrations of DMF up to 6 % (v/v) and its toxic effects. DMF concentration-dependent induction of GST and Msr activities advocates the significant role of these enzymes in the bacterial defence system. The present study provides information which helps us to understand the ROS scavenging machinery in bacteria. The high tolerance of Paracoccus sp. SKG to DMF can be efficiently explored for various bioremediation and biotransformation applications.     

HPLC-ICP-MS speciation of selenium in Se-cultivated Flammulina velutipes

Selenium is an essential micronutrient required at trace levels for human health, and dietary intake is the only source of selenium, which appears mainly in the form of selenocompounds. In this study, Flammulina velutipes was grown for 80 days in standard medium containing selenite, and the level of total selenium in the organism was then determined by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In Se-cultivated F. velutipes, selenium was mainly distributed in the water-soluble form and the content of soluble selenium-containing species in Se-cultivated F. velutipes was 47.10 mg kg⁻¹, accounted for 72.5% of the total selenium content. The water-soluble proteins in F. velutipes were extracted and precipitated by different ammonium sulfate saturation concentrations. Size-exclusion high performance liquid chromatography (SEC-HPLC) analysis of these proteins revealed the presence of at least six selenium-containing protein species, with molecular weights ranging from 9000 to 74,000 Da, Selenium-containing proteins represented about 7.0% of the total soluble selenium. The result of this study suggested that Se-cultivated F. velutipes could potentially be considered as a selenium supplement for human.     

Note on the contribution of a ring to the stability of conjugated molecules

The concept of E(G/R), the effect of a ring on the total π-electronic energy of a conjugated system has been introduced in previous work, and it has recently been shown that E(G/R) may sometimes be a complex-valued quantity. In the present paper, conditions under which E(G/R) is real or complex are determined. It is also demonstrated that Coulson-type integral formulas used for the calculation of E(G/R) reproduce only the real part of E(G/R).     

Die Reaktionen von Dimethylsulfoxid mit Molybdäntetrabromid und Molybdändibromid-dinitrosyl Die Kristallstruktur von [MoBr2(NO)2(OSMe2)2]

Reactions of Dimethyl Sulfoxide with Molybdenum Tetrabromide and Molybdenum Dibromide Dinitrosyl. Crystal Structure of [MoBr₂(NO)₂(OSMe₂)₂] In the cold molybdenum tetrabromide reacts with an equivalent amount of dimethyl sulfoxide forming the solvate [MoBr₄(OSMe₂)₂]; excess dimethyl sulfoxide yields [MoO₂Br₂(OSMe₂)₂] which is also obtained by other methods. Molybdenum dibromidedinitrosyl forms the solvate [MoBr₂(NO)₂(OSMe₂)₂] in the reaction with dimethyl sulfoxide. According to the i.r. spectra all complexes display O-coordination of the OSMe₂ molecules. [MoBr₂(NO)₂(OSMe₂)₂] crystallizes monoclinic in the space group P2₁/c with four formula units per unit cell. The cell dimensions are a = 1236, b = 892, c = 1305 pm, β = 95.2°. 1662 independent observed reflexions were used for refinement; R = 3.8%. The molybdenum atoms are six-coordinated, the O atoms of the dimethyl sulfoxide molecules are in trans-position to the nitrosyl ligands, which form linear groups Mo? N? O.     

Reactions involving alkynes and tungsten-tungsten triple bonds supported by alkoxide ligands

W₂(OR)₆L_n compounds [R = Bu^t n = 0; R = Prⁱ or Np (Np = neopentyl), L = py (py = pyridine) or HNMe₂, n = 2] react with alkynes (R′C-CR′) under mild conditions (hexane solutions, room temperature or below) to yield a variety of products depending upon the nature of the alkoxide, the alkyne and the mole ratio of the reactants. The products include alkylidyne complexes L_n(RO)₃W CR′ (n = 1 or 0) (Schrock et al., Organometallics 1985, 4, 74), alkyne adducts, W₂(OR)₆(py)_n(μ-C₂R′₂), alkylidyne-capped tritungsten complexes, W₃(μ₃-CR′)(OR)₉, and W₂(OR)₆(L)(μ-C₄R′₄) or W₂(OR)₆(μ-C₄R′₄) (μ²-C₂R′₂) compounds. Evidence for equilibria involving alkyne adducts and alkylidyne species is found for certain combinations of R and R′. (1) The alkylidyne complexes (Bu^tO)₃ WCMe and (py)₂(Pr_iO)₃ W CNMe₂ react with CO (1 atm 22°C, in hexane) to yield alkyne adducts W₂(OBu^t)₆(μ-C₂Me₂)(CO) and W₂[(OPrⁱ)₆(CO)₂(η²-C₂(NMe₂)₂], respectively. (2) The alkylidyne complexes [Pr_iO)₂(HNMe₂)(R′C)W(μ-OPr_i)]₂ react with alkynes R′CCR′ (> 2 equiv, hexane, 22°C) to give W₂(OPr_i)₆(μ-C₄R′₄)(η²-C₂R′₂) compound (R′ = Me or Et). (3) The alkyne adducts W₂(ONp)₆(py)_n(μ-C₂R′₂) (R′ = Et or Ph, n = 1; R′ = Me, n = 2) react with W₂(ONp)₆(py)₂ in a 1:2 mole ratio at 22°C in hexane to yield W₃(μ₃-CR′)(ONp)(₉ compounds. In related reactions involving 1,2-bishydrocarbyl-tetraalkoxides, W₂(CH₂R″)₂(OR)₄, and alkynes (R′CCR′) (2 equiv), alkyne adducts of formula W₂(CH₂R″)₂(η²-C₂R′₂)₂(OPrⁱ)₄ and W₂(CH₃)₂(μ-C₂R′₂)(OBu^t)₄(py), alkylidyne-bridged complexes HW₂(μ-CR″)(μ-C₄R′₄)(OPr_i)₄ and products of WW and CC metathesis have been isolated for various combinations of R, R′ and R″.     

Stereospecific capillary electrophoresis assays using pentapeptide substrates for the study of Aspergillus nidulans methionine sulfoxide reductase A and mutant enzymes

Stereospecific capillary electrophoresis‐based methods for the analysis of methionine sulfoxide [Met(O)]‐containing pentapeptides were developed in order to investigate the reduction of Met(O)‐containing peptide substrates by recombinant Aspergillus nidulans methionine sulfoxide reductase A (MsrA) as well as enzymes carrying mutations in position Glu99 and Asp134. The separation of the diastereomers of the N‐acetylated, C‐terminally 2,4‐dinitrophenyl (Dnp)‐labeled pentapeptides ac‐Lys‐Phe‐Met(O)‐Lys‐Lys‐Dnp, ac‐Lys‐Asp‐Met(O)‐Asn‐Lys‐Dnp and ac‐Lys‐Asn‐Met(O)‐Asp‐Lys‐Dnp was achieved in 50 mM Tris‐HCl buffers containing sulfated β‐CD in fused‐silica capillaries, while the diastereomer separation of ac‐Lys‐Asp‐Met(O)‐Asp‐Lys‐Dnp was achieved by sulfated β‐CD‐mediated MEKC. The methods were validated with regard to range, linearity, accuracy, limits of detection and quantitation as well as precision. Subsequently, the substrates were incubated with wild‐type MsrA and three mutants in the presence of dithiothreitol as reductant. Wild‐type MsrA displayed the highest activity towards all substrates compared to the mutants. Substitution of Glu99 by Gln resulted in the mutant with the lowest activity towards all substrates except for ac‐Lys‐Asn‐Met(O)‐Asp‐Lys‐Dnp, while replacement Asn for Asp134 lead to a higher activity towards ac‐Lys‐Asp‐Met(O)‐Asn‐Lys‐Dnp compared with the Glu99 mutant. The mutant with Glu instead of Asp134 was the most active among the mutant enzymes. Molecular modeling indicated that the conserved Glu99 residue is buried in the Met‐S‐(O) groove, which might contribute to the correct placing of substrates and, consequently, to the catalytic activity of MsrA, while Asp134 did not form hydrogen bonds with the substrates but only within the enzyme.     

Biochemical Aspects of Selenium Amino Acids and Selenium Peptides

Abstract

We discovered peculiar enzymes participating in selenium amino acid metabolism: selenocysteine β-lyase occurring in mammalian tissues and bacteria, and D-selenocystine α,β-lyase occurring in Clostridium sticklandii. We here describe enzymological properties and reaction mechanisms of these enzymes. We synthesized the selenocysteine analogues of Neurospora crassa copper metallothionein as well as four diastereoisomers of glutathione. Their physicochemical properties and reactivity with peroxides are also described.