Visible‐Light‐Induced Passerini Multicomponent Polymerization

Herein, we introduce an additive‐free visible‐light‐induced Passerini multicomponent polymerization (MCP) for the generation of high molar mass chains. In place of classical aldehydes (or ketones), highly reactive, in situ photogenerated thioaldehydes are exploited along with isocyanides and carboxylic acids. Prone to side reactions, the thioaldehyde moieties create a complex reaction environment which can be tamed by optimizing the synthetic conditions utilizing stochastic reaction path analysis, highlighting the potential of semi‐batch procedures. Once the complex MCP environment is understood, step‐growth polymers can be synthesized under mild reaction conditions which—after a Mumm rearrangement—result in the incorporation of thioester moieties directly into the polymer backbone, leading to soft matter materials that can be degraded by straightforward aminolysis or chain expanded by thiirane insertion.     

Enhancement in the rate of conversion of peptide Cys-Pro esters to peptide thioesters by structural modification

We previously reported that the peptide containing a Cys-Pro ester (CPE) moiety is spontaneously transformed into a peptide thioester via an N to S acyl shift followed by diketopiperazine formation. In an attempt to identify more reactive structures for the formation of a peptide thioester, we modified the CPE structure, in which the Pro residue in the CPE moiety was replaced with N-substituted glycine derivatives. These peptides were transformed into a peptide thioester more rapidly. Alternatively, the addition of an amino acid residue at the C-terminus of the CPE moiety also accelerated thioester formation.     

Specificity of acyl transfer from 2-mercaptobenzamide thioesters to the HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein

The HIV-1 nucleocapsid protein (NCp7) is a small, highly conserved protein with two zinc-binding domains that are essential for the protein's function. Molecules that bind to and inactivate NCp7 are currently being evaluated as new antiviral drugs. In particular, derivatives based on a 2-mercaptobenzamide thioester template have been shown to specifically eject zinc from the C-terminal zinc-binding domain (ZD2) of NCp7 via acyl transfer from the thioester to a cysteine sulfur. In this study, mutational analysis of the NCp7 amino acid sequence has been used to investigate the specificity of the interaction between ZD2 and a 2-mercaptobenzamide thioester compound using UV-vis spectroscopy and mass spectrometry to monitor the rate of metal ejection from NCp7 mutant peptides and sites of acylation, respectively. We were able to extend the previously reported mechanism of action of these thioester compounds to include a secondary S to N intramolecular acyl transfer that occurs after the primary acyl transfer from the thioester to a cysteine side chain in the protein. Structural models of the thioester/ZD2 complex were then examined to identify the most likely binding orientation. We determined that position x+1 (where x is Cys36) needs to be an aromatic residue for reactivity and a hydrogen-bond donor in position x+9 is important for optimal reactivity. A basic residue (lysine or arginine) is required at position x+2 for the correct fold, while a lysine residue is needed for reactivity involving S to N acyl transfer. We report highly specific interactions between 2-mercaptobenzamide thioester compounds and NCp7 that offer a structural basis for refining and designing new antiretroviral therapeutics, directed toward a target that is resistant to viral mutation.     

A Reaction of Triazoles with Thioesters to Produce β‐Sulfanyl Enamides by Insertion of an Enamine Moiety into the Sulfur–Carbonyl Bond

N‐Sulfonyl‐1,2,3‐triazoles react with thioesters in the presence of a rhodium(II) catalyst to produce β‐sulfanyl enamides in a stereoselective manner. The reaction proceeds through generation of an α‐imino rhodium carbene complex, nucleophilic addition of the sulfur atom of a thioester onto the carbenoid carbon atom, and subsequent intramolecular migration of the acyl group from the sulfur atom to the imino nitrogen atom. The method is successfully applied to a ring‐expansion reaction of thiolactones, thus leading to the formation of sulfur‐containing lactams.     

Precise Synthesis of Poly(thioester)s with Diverse Structures by Copolymerization of Cyclic Thioanhydrides and Episulfides Mediated by Organic Ammonium Salts

The precise synthesis of poly(thioester)s with diverse structures is still a significant challenge in the polymeric materials field. Herein, we report a novel approach to the synthesis of well‐defined poly(thioester)s by the controlled alternating copolymerization of cyclic thioanhydrides and episulfides induced by simple organic ammonium salts. Both the cation and anion have strong effects on the copolymerization. [PPN]OAc ([PPN]=bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium) with a bulky cation was proven to be efficient in initiating this polymerization, yielding poly(thioester)s with a completely alternating structure, controlled molecular weight, and narrow polydispersity. The poly(thioester) obtained from succinic thioanhydride and propylene sulfide is a typical semicrystalline material, possessing a high refractive index of up to 1.78. Because it uses readily available monomers, this method is expected to open up a new route to poly(thioester)s with diverse structures and properties.     

Theoretical Analysis of the Detailed Mechanism of Native Chemical Ligation Reactions

The method of native chemical ligation between an unprotected peptide α‐thioester and an N‐terminal cysteine–peptide to give a native peptide in aqueous solution is one of the most effective peptide ligation methods. In this work, a systematic theoretical study was carried out to fully understand the detailed mechanism of ligation. It was found that for the conventional native chemical ligation reaction between a peptide thioalkyl ester and a cysteine in combination with an added aryl thiol as catalyst, both the thiol‐thioester exchange step and the transthioesterification step proceed by an anionic concerted S_N2 displacement mechanism, whereas the intramolecular rearrangement proceeds by an addition–elimination mechanism, and the rate‐limiting step is the thiol‐thioester exchange step. The theoretical method was then extended to study the detailed mechanism of the auxiliary‐mediated peptide ligation between a peptide thiophenyl ester and an N‐2‐mercaptobenzyl peptide in which both the thiol‐thioester exchange step and intramolecular acyl‐transfer step proceed by a concerted S_N2‐type displacement mechanism. The energy barrier of the thiol‐thioester exchange step depends on the side‐chain steric hindrance of the C‐terminal amino acid, whereas that of the acyl‐transfer step depends on the side‐chain steric hindrance of the N‐terminal amino acid.     

Pyruvoyl, a novel amino protecting group on the solid phase peptide synthesis and the peptide condensation reaction

In one of the peptide condensation methods termed thioester method, an amino protecting group is required in the lysine side chain. In this study, to investigate the efficiency of the pyruvoyl group as an amino protecting group, we synthesized N^α-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl (Fmoc)-N^ε-pyruvoyl-lysine and introduced it into peptides and glycopeptides by the ordinary Fmoc-based solid phase peptide synthesis. The pyruvoyl peptide could be condensed with a peptide thioester by the thioester method, and this protecting group was easily removed by o-phenylenediamine treatment without significant side reactions.     

The use of a cysteinyl prolyl ester (CPE) autoactivating unit in peptide ligation reactions

A peptide containing a cysteinyl prolyl ester (CPE) moiety at the C-terminus (CPE peptide) is spontaneously transformed into a diketopiperazine thioester via an intramolecular N-S acyl shift reaction, followed by diketopiperazine formation. The CPE peptide can be ligated with a Cys-peptide in a one-pot procedure. The peptide diketopiperazine thioester can also be transformed into a peptide thioester by intermolecular thiol-thioester exchange with external thiol compounds such as sodium mercaptoethanesulfonate. Since CPE peptides can be prepared by standard Fmoc solid-phase synthesis, it is a versatile alternative to the peptide thioester, providing a flexible ligation strategy that promises to be useful in polypeptide synthesis.     

Protein thioester synthesis enabled by sortase

Proteins containing a C-terminal thioester are important intermediates in semisynthesis. Currently there is one main method for the synthesis of protein thioesters that relies upon the use of engineered inteins. Here we report a simple strategy, utilizing sortase A, for routine preparation of recombinant proteins containing a C-terminal (α)thioester. We used our method to prepare two different anthrax toxin cargo proteins: one containing an (α)thioester and another containing a D-polypeptide segment situated between two protein domains. We show that both variants can translocate through protective antigen pore. This new method to synthesize a protein thioester allows for interfacing of sortase-mediated ligation and native chemical ligation.     

The lyngbyatoxin biosynthetic assembly line: chain release by four-electron reduction of a dipeptidyl thioester to the corresponding alcohol

In comparison with the large number of nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) that release their peptide products by hydrolytic cleavage of the peptide carrier protein (PCP) bound thioester, there are relatively few NRPSs that have been shown to use a nicotinamide cofactor to reduce this PCP-peptidyl thioester to an aldehyde or imine moiety. This work describes the first example of a reductase domain within a NRPS scaffold shown to reduce a PCP-peptidyl thioester to the corresponding primary alcohol, via an aldehyde intermediate, using two equivalents of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). By employing a ketone mimic of the aldehyde intermediate, as well as a specifically deuterated NADPH, it was further demonstrated that the pro-S hydride of the cofactor is transferred to the re face of the carbonyl group.     

Divergent function in the crotonase superfamily: an anhydride intermediate in the reaction catalyzed by 3-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA hydrolase

3-Hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA hydrolase (HICH), a member of the enoyl-CoA (crotonase) superfamily, catalyzes the hydrolysis of 3-hydroxyisobutyryl-CoA to 3-hydroxyisobutyrate. Like other members of the superfamily, the sequence of HICH contains conserved sequences for an oxyanion hole that stabilizes anionic intermediates. In contrast to most members of the superfamily, the reaction catalyzed by HICH does not proceed via formation of a thioester enolate anion; instead, evidence based on substrate deuterium isotope effects, the reactivity of substrate analogues that cannot form thioester enolate anions, single-turnover experiments in H218O, and the kinetic phenotypes of site-directed mutants provide evidence for a mechanism involving the formation of an anhydride intermediate involving Glu143 in the active site. In the reactions catalyzed by many members of the superfamily, homologues of Glu143 abstract the alpha proton of the thioester substrate to generate the thioester enolate anion intermediate. Presumably, one or more of the anionic tetrahedral intermediates on the HICH reaction coordinate are stabilized by the oxyanion hole. Thus, we conclude that the conserved oxyanion hole in this superfamily can be used to stabilize a variety of anionic intermediates.     

Sequential peptide chemical ligation by the thioester method and extended chemical ligation

The sequential chemical ligation of peptide thioesters by a combination of the thioester method and extended chemical ligation using a photoremovable auxiliary, 2-mercapto-1-(2-nitrophenyl)ethyl group, is described. The thiazolidine ring was used as a protecting group for the N-terminal 1,2-aminoethanethiol moiety of the auxiliary in the middle peptide thioester. After the first thioester coupling, the thiazolidine ring was opened by treatment with O-methylhydroxylamine. Second coupling by extended chemical ligation followed by UV irradiation gave the target polypeptide.     

Simultaneous detection of cholyl adenylate and coenzyme A thioester utilizing liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

It has been proposed that acyl adenylate is first formed during activation of the carboxy group into the acyl CoA thioester, an intermediate in the formation of amino acid conjugates. Acyl CoA synthetases may be responsible for this acyl adenylate formation. Recently, we hypothesized the preferential formation of cholic acid adenylate, a major bile acid, preceding production of the corresponding CoA thioester in incubations with rat liver microsomal fractions. To verify this biosynthetic mechanism, monitoring of the incubation mixture of acyl adenylate together with both substrate and acyl CoA thioester is needed. We have developed a detection method for the simultaneous detection of these cholic acid derivatives utilizing liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The CoA thioester of cholic acid forms a chelation complex with the divalent cations remaining on the silica gel packed into the analytical column. Both the addition of a chelating agent, such as EDTA, to the mobile phase and an adjustment of the mobile phase pH to a weak alkaline effectively removed such chelate formation, producing a sharp CoA thioester peak. For a simultaneous mass spectrometric analysis of cholic acid, the corresponding adenylate and CoA thioester, the combined use of a 300 A particle diameter ODS column and 20 mM ammonium acetate buffer (pH 9.0)/2-propanol/acetonitrile as the mobile phase have been proved to be preferable. To avoid any degradation of the chemically unstable adenylate produced in the incubation, we employed a direct injection of the sample onto a preconcentration column. The obtained results indicated a high sensitivity of this method.     

Towards the total chemical synthesis of integral membrane proteins: a general method for the synthesis of hydrophobic peptide-thioester building blocks

Modification of a peptide-^αthioester with a sequence of six arginines on the thioester leaving group can render soluble all peptides derived from a polytopic integral membrane protein. This strategy greatly simplifies the synthesis of peptide-^αthioester building blocks for the total chemical synthesis of integral membrane proteins by native chemical ligation.     

Synthesis of Heavily Glycosylated Peptide αThioester

Erythropoietin (EPO) needs to be heavily glycosylated to exhibit its bioactivity in vivo. In order to synthesize heavily glycosylated EPO analogues, corresponding glycosylated peptide ^αthioesters are essential to prepare glycosylated whole EPO peptide backbones through native chemical ligation. After construction of the peptide ^αthioester corresponding to the 1–32 amino acid sequence in EPO, we aimed to incorporate three complex-type biantennary sialyloligosaccharides to this peptide ^αthioester by the haloacetamide method. The reaction afforded the desired heavily glycosylated peptide ^αthioester.     

Zn(NCN)单轴的负热膨胀性及机理研究

负热膨胀(NTE)是一种反常的物理现象, 已在合金和框架结构化合物等材料中被观察到, 但NTE材料的种类仍然有限. 本文合成了一种单轴NTE材料Zn(NCN), 该材料在c轴方向及在100~475 K下的热膨胀系数为-3.35×10^?6 K^?1, 而a轴和b轴方向则呈低热膨胀性, 体积具有低的热膨胀系数[6.13×10^?6 K^?1(100~475 K)]. 通过同步辐射X射线衍射、 扩展X射线吸收精细结构和拉曼光谱等方法, 研究了Zn(NCN)的NTE机理. 结果表明, Zn—N键具有明显的横向振动, 一些低频振动模Grüneisen参数为负值. 直接的实验证据表明, N=C=N的横向振动以及准刚性ZnN₄四面体的耦合旋转和扭摆导致了c轴方向的NTE.     

Thioester-isocyanides: versatile reagents for the synthesis of cycle-tail peptides

A novel class of reagents, thioester isocyanides, have been prepared and applied in the synthesis of peptide macrocycles. The isocyanide part of the molecule is deployed in a multicomponent macrocyclization step. This step is followed by chemoselective peptide ligation at the thioester part of the macrocycle. Our method can now be used for rapid assembly and evaluation of cycle-tail peptides.     

Fmoc-SPPS chemistry compatible approach for the generation of (glyco)peptide aryl thioesters

A new approach is described for the general Fmoc-based solid-phase synthesis of (glyco)peptide aryl thioesters. A peptide alkyl oxoester obtained by standard Fmoc-based chain elongation undergoes an O-to-S acyl shift, and is followed by alkyl thioester exchanges with a large excess of aryl thiol, affording the corresponding peptide aryl thioester. The newly developed methodology is useful for the chemical synthesis of post-translationally modified proteins because of its compatibility with standard Fmoc-SPPS conditions. In addition, the peptide aryl thioesters are essential intermediates for chemical synthesis of proteins by kinetically controlled convergent strategy.     

Modifying the Thioester Linkage Affects the Structure of the Acyl Carrier Protein

At the center of many complex biosynthetic pathways, the acyl carrier protein (ACP) shuttles substrates to appropriate enzymatic partners to produce fatty acids and polyketides. Carrier proteins covalently tether their cargo via a thioester linkage to a phosphopantetheine cofactor. Due to the labile nature of this linkage, chemoenzymatic methods have been developed that involve replacement of the thioester with a more stable amide or ester bond. We explored the importance of the thioester bond to the structure of the carrier protein by using solution NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Remarkably, the replacement of sulfur with other heteroatoms results in significant structural changes, thus suggesting more rigorous selections of isosteric substitutes is needed.     

Chemical synthesis of 23 kDa glycoprotein by repetitive segment condensation: a synthesis of MUC2 basal motif carrying multiple O-GalNAc moieties

Peptide thioester corresponding to a MUC2 tandem repeat unit, which retains seven GalNAc moieties, was prepared by the Fmoc method followed by the low TfOH treatment to remove benzyl groups at the carbohydrate portions. The glycosylated peptide thioester was then consecutively joined by the activation of a thioester group by silver ions to obtain a MUC2 tandem repeat model composed of 141 amino acids with 42 GalNAc moieties.