Metabolism of peptide reporters in cell lysates and single cells

The stability of an Abl kinase substrate peptide in a cytosolic lysate and in single cells was characterized. In the cytosolic lysate, the starting peptide was metabolized at an average initial rate of 1.7 ± 0.3 zmol pg(-1) s(-1) with a t(1/2) of 1.3 min. Five different fragments formed over time; however, a dominant cleavage site was identified. Multiple rational design cycles were utilized to develop a lead peptide with a phenylalanine and alanine replaced by an (N-methyl)phenylalanine and isoleucine, respectively, to attain cytosolic peptidase resistance while maintaining Abl substrate efficacy. This lead peptide possessed a 15-fold greater lifetime in the cytosolic lysate while attaining a 7-fold improvement in k(cat) as an Abl kinase substrate compared to the starting peptide. However, when loaded into single cells, the starting peptide and lead peptide possessed nearly identical degradation rates and an altered pattern of fragmentation relative to that in cell lysates. Preferential accumulation of a fragment with cleavage at an Ala-Ala bond in single cells suggested that dissimilar peptidases act on the peptides in the lysate versus single cells. A design strategy for peptide stabilization, analogous to that demonstrated for the lysate, should be effective for stabilization in single cells.     

Design, Synthesis, Anticancer Pharmacology of Actinomycin D Analogues: 5,5' -MeSer2-ActD and 5,5' -MeAla2-ActD

Introduction Actinomycin D (ActD, Figure 1.), containing a planar phenoxazone ring and two cyclic pentapeptides, is one of the most intensely studied anticancer drugs and currently used to treat highly malignant tumors, such as Wilms' tumor and gestational choriocarcinoma. Although ActD possesses high antitumor activities, its clinical usefulness is limited by its extreme cytotoxicity. Thus, if the structure of ActD can be modified to reduce its cytotoxicity while retaining its activity, such an analogue would be a better antitumor drug. On the basis of X-ray crystal structures of the complexes between ActD and DNA[1], and our work [2], we designed and totally synthesized two ActD analogs 8a-b iii which both of the (L)-N-methyl-valine residues of ActD were replaced with LN-MeAla and L-N-MeSer, respectively. The anticancer pharmacology of the two analogs were examined. The result shows that the toxicity of the two analogs are higher than ActD and the antitumoe activity are lower than ActD, too.     

Micellar electrokinetic chromatography separations of dynorphin peptide analogs

Prodynorphin is a precursor that has multiple cleavage sites to release various dynorphin opioid peptides. The dynorphin analogs used in this study have 18 amino acid residues. A series of dynorphin-like peptides, differing by a single residue (alanine substitution) were assembled by Fmoc solid-phase procedures and purified by preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Separation of the Ala-scan dynorphin analogs was investigated by micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) employing anionic, cationic and zwitterionic surfactants. The role of electrostatic and hydrophobic forces in analyte-surfactant interactions is discussed with respect to the observed elution patterns. Separation of all dynorphin analogs by MEKC using a zwitterionic surfactant shows this technique to be powerful for separating closely related peptide species. It also demonstrates the potential for using MEKC for the prescreening of peptide libraries to determine their biological activity toward specific receptors. Results from the separation of dynorphin analogs by free solution and ion-pairing capillary electrophoresis are also presented.     

Synthesis of new gramine-type analogs of CC-1065

Preparation of two new analogs 5 and 6 of the antitumor antibiotic CC-1065 1 are described. These compounds represent structural modifications of the active analogs 3 and 2 respectively, in which the dienone A-unit has been replaced by the tricyclic achiral gramine unit 4 . Modest cytotoxicity was exhibited by compounds 5 and 6 .     

液相色谱-四极杆/飞行时间质谱法分析29种芬太尼类物质及其碎裂机理北大核心CSCD

芬太尼类物质品种繁多,自我国整类列管后,整类检测是该领域的重点和难点。该文详细研究了29种化合物的二级质谱碎片离子碎裂机理,总结出芬太尼类物质的碎裂规律和特点,为芬太尼物质的整类筛查检测提供参考。建立了分析29种芬太尼类物质的一级和二级质谱库的定性方法,建立了液相色谱-四极杆/飞行时间质谱(LC-QTOF-MS)检测29种芬太尼类物质的定量方法。药品和白色粉末类、蛋白质和乳饮料类样品经乙腈提取,含糖固体或粉末类、饮用水类、果蔬饮料类、保健饮料类、茶饮料类、酒类样品经10%乙腈水溶液提取,提取液经涡旋、离心和过膜后,采用Kinetex C18色谱柱(100 mm×2.1 mm,2.6μm)分离,以乙腈和0.08%甲酸水溶液为流动相进行梯度洗脱,采用四极杆/飞行时间质谱,在正离子模式下,外标法定量检测。结果表明,29种芬太尼类物质在1~20μg/L范围内线性关系良好,相关系数均大于0.995,检出限(LOQ)均为0.01 mg/kg,定量限(LOQ)均为0.05 mg/kg,在降糖药、露露、葡萄糖粉、珍露保健饮料和巧克力样品中3个加标水平平均回收率为85.2%~112.9%,相对标准偏差(RSD)为1.9%~19.8%(n=6)。该方法操作简单,耗时短,灵敏度高,稳定性好,检测品种覆盖范围广,适用于药品类、含糖固体或粉末类、饮料类、饮用水类和酒类等样品中29芬太尼类物质的定性和定量检测。     

氨基酸修饰壳聚糖对胆固醇的吸附作用

通过将不同脱乙酰度的壳聚糖粉末与戊二醛交联,再经苯丙氨酸和色氨酸修饰,得到了两种珠状壳聚糖吸附剂,并进而研究了有关吸附剂对胆因醇的吸附性能。实验表明,交联壳聚糖珠对ＣＨＯ的吸附能力比壳聚糖粉末降低,而经不同氨基酸修饰后的壳聚糖珠对ＣＨＯ吸附能力提高,用Ｐｈｅ修饰比用Ｔｒｙ修饰的珠吸附性能更好些。     

A comparison of bovine serum albumins, modified with a variety of carboxyl group agents, as stimulators of tissue-type plasminogen activator-catalyzed activation of plasminogen

Bovine serum albumins (BSA), modified with a variety of carboxyl group agents, stimulated the tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA)-catalyzed activation of human plasminogen. Modification with taurine (tau) and putrescine (put) provided the best stimulants. The tauBSA and putBSA were effective at a concentration of 5 micrograms/ml and enhanced the Lys-plasminogen activation by two-chain t-PA in a dose-dependent manner to a maximum of 44- to 46-fold at 200 micrograms/ml. The Km values for the activation of Glu-plasminogen by t-PA in the presence of tauBSA and putBSA (100 micrograms/ml) were 1.7 and 1.8 microM, while the kcat values were 0.059 and 0.062 s-1, respectively. T-PA was bound to both tauBSA and putBSA, which were immobilized on agarose beads, with KD values of 163 and 138 nM, respectively. The two modified BSAs were good substrates for plasmin and were hydrolyzed by the enzyme to small peptides. All of these modified BSA-related actions were inhibited by lysine analogs (e.g. tranexamic acid) which were adjusted to the concentrations required for the inhibition of the plasminogen (Kringle 1 domain) binding to fibrin. On the other hand, acetylation or succinylation of the amino groups of BSA was not effective, while alkylation of the thiol groups of this protein resulted in a moderate stimulation of the plasmin generation. The present results show that t-PA and plasminogen form complexes with certain charge-modified BSAs via their lysine-binding sites. The different stimulation potency of modified BSAs may provide a model for in vivo counterparts of fibrin.     

Core-shell silica nanoparticles synthesized for quantitative study of DNA cleavage by laser-induced fluorescence microscopy

Dye-doped silica nanoparticles (C dots) were synthesized in reverse microemulsions and used to quantitatively examine DNA cleavage in the presence of transition metal ions. The cores were synthesized as fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-doped silica nanoparticles and the shells' surfaces were modified with single-stranded DNA oligomers tagged with Cy5 fluorophores. DNA cleavage induced by heavy metal ions was estimated by comparing the fluorescence of Cy5 before and after reaction with metal ions. For this, a lab-built laser-induced fluorescence microscope equipped with a charge coupled device (CCD) camera, for imaging, and photomultiplier tube, for photon counting, was used. FITC fluorescence from the core was measured as an internal standard to compensate for possible loss of the beads during the treatment. The cleavage of DNA in air in the presence of Pb(2+), Cd(2+), and Hg(2+) at 1 ng/mL was found to be 14%, 6%, and 20%, respectively, and was significantly reduced to below 9% under N(2) gas, indicating that the main cleavage source was oxygen in air. The most significant DNA cleavage was observed with the addition of hydrogen peroxide. This analytical method using dye-doped C dots provided convenient handling and quantification of the estimation of metal-DNA interaction with a detection limit of 34.9 pmol/mL.     

Mass spectrometry in structural and stereochemical problems—CCXLIV : The influence of substituents and stereochemistry on the mass spectral fragmentation of progesterone

The complete high resolution mass spectra of progesterone (Δ⁴-pregnene-3,20-dione) and twenty-nine stereoisomers and alkyl substituted analogs have been analyzed with the aid of the recently developed computer program INTSUM. Progesterone analogs with “normal” configuration at the six chiral skeletal carbon atoms give rise to abundant ions corresponding to cleavage of the 1–2 and 3–4 bonds (ketene elimination), to cleavage of the 6–7 and 9–10 bonds (ring B cleavage), and to cleavage of the 13–17 and 15–16 bonds (partial ring D cleavage); these reactions are frequently followed by elimination of alkyl radicals. Alkyl groups at C-6 and C-10 exert a pronounced influence on the formation and fragmentation of the [M-ketene] ions. Reversal of configuration at C-10 increases the importance of ring B cleavage, whereas reversal at C-17 favors the partial cleavage of ring D. The fragmentation of 17-alkylprogesterones differs significantly from the general pattern, with acetyl loss (cleavage of the 17–20 bond) and partial ring D cleavage as the predominating reactions. Loss of ring D by cleavage of the 13–17 and 14–15 bonds is not an important reaction of progesterones. Direct interaction of the two ketonic functions was not observed.     

Insertion of an unnatural amino acid into the protein structure: preparation and properties of 3-fluorotyrosine-containing organophosphate hydrolase

Five Tyr residues present in the native organophosphate hydrolase (OPH) containing a hexahistidine tag at the N-terminus of the protein molecule (His₆-OPH) were replaced by fluorine-containing analogs using a biosynthetic approach. The modified enzyme had an extended pH-optimum of action shifted to acidic pH and an enhanced thermal stability in the alkaline pH region. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 2, pp. 357–361, February, 2006.     

Structure-activity relationships of alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) analogs: role of charged groups in alpha-hANP.

To determine whether the addition of a methylene unit in the side chain of the Asp or Arg residue in alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) influences its biological activity, analogs of alpha-hANP, [Glu13]-alpha-hANP (7-28) (1), [Aad13]-alpha-hANP (7-28) (2), and [Harn]-alpha-hANP(7-28) (where n is any possible combination of 11, 14 and 27) (3-9), where the original Asp or Arg residue was replaced by a homo-amino acid, were synthesized by the solid-phase synthesis method. All the analogs were evaluated for their receptor binding, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) accumulation activity in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), and for vasorelaxant activity employing rat aorta. 1 and 2 were 0.9 and 0.03 times as potent as alpha-hANP (7-28), respectively, in binding. Har-containing analogs (3-9) were as potent as alpha-hANP (7-28) in binding. Among the Har-containing analogs, [Har11,14]-alpha-hANP (7-28) (6) and [Har11,27]-alpha-hANP (7-28) (7) were remarkably vasorelaxant active, being 4.2 and 5.3 times potent than alpha-hANP (7-28), respectively, in spite of relatively lower cGMP accumulation activity in the case of 7. The roles of the chargeable amino acid residues in biological activity are discussed.     

The promotion of d-type ions during the low energy collision-induced dissociation of some cysteic acid-containing peptides

Low energy collisionally activated dissociations (CAD) of doubly protonated peptides incorporating cysteic acid and arginine residues have been studied. Deuterium labeling experiments have established that loss of the elements of H₂SO₃ occurs with cleavage of one CH bond and transfer of the hydrogen to a neutral fragment. Prominent d-type ions were observed corresponding to cleavage at the cysteic acid residue. The analysis of structural analogs suggested that the unexpectedly low energy requirement for this process is attributable to a charge-proximal process promoted by intra-ionic interaction of the arginine and cysteic acid side chains. CAD (in the collision hexapole of a tandem quadrupole instrument) of electrospray source-formed fragment ions established that the d-type ions can form via b-type ions; there was no evidence of formation via (a _n + 1) or (b _n — H₂SO₃) ions. The equivalent d-ion was observed, albeit with lesser abundance, when the cysteic acid residue was replaced by aspartic acid, but not by glutamic acid.     

Synthesis of New Phosphono Desmuramyldipeptide Analogs

Abstract

Muramyldipeptide (MDP) is the minimal bacterial cell wall moiety with imniunomodulating activity [I]. It is known that N-acetylglucosamine part is not essential lor immunomodulating activity and it can be replaced by phthalimido 01 adamantyl substituted side chains [2]. In our previous work we have modified the peptide backbone of phthaliniido-MDP analogs by introducing the phosphonamide 01 phosphinamide moiety at the end of the acyclic side chain or between Ala and Glu [3, 4]. We report the synthesis of phthalimido-MDP analog 2, where the o-carboxylic group of Glu is replaced by phosphonate moiety. Compound 1, which is orthogonally protected D,L-Abu(P), was prepared from benzyl 4-bromo-2-phthalimidobutyrate and triethyl phosphite. After removal of the phthalimide protecting group the obtained compound was coupled with Boc-L-Ah. Boc group was removed and the product was coupled with 5-phthalimidopentanoic acid to give 2. Both benzyl and ethyl protection can be selectively removed under mild conditions (catalytic hydrogenation. Nal).     

Mass Spectrometry Characterization of the Thermal Decomposition/Digestion (TDD) at Cysteine in Peptides and Proteins in the Condensed Phase

We report on the characterization by mass spectrometry (MS) of a rapid, reagentless and site-specific cleavage at the N-terminus of the amino acid cysteine (C) in peptides and proteins induced by the thermal decomposition at 220–250 °C for 10 s in solid samples. This thermally induced cleavage at C occurs under the same conditions and simultaneously to our previously reported thermally induced site-specific cleavage at the C-terminus of aspartic acid (D) (Zhang, S.; Basile, F. J. Proteome Res. 2007, 6, (5), 1700–1704). The C cleavage proceeds through cleavage of the nitrogen and α–carbon bond (N-terminus) of cysteine and produces modifications at the cleavage site with an amidation (−1 Da) of the N-terminal thermal decomposition product and a −32 Da mass change of the C-terminal thermal decomposition product, the latter yielding either an alanine or β-alanine residue at the N-terminus site. These modifications were confirmed by off-line thermal decomposition electrospray ionization (ESI)-MS, tandem MS (MS/MS) analyses and accurate mass measurements of standard peptides. Molecular oxygen was found to be required for the thermal decomposition and cleavage at C as it induced an initial cysteine thiol side chain oxidation to sulfinic acid. Similar to the thermally induced D cleavage, missed cleavages at C were also observed. The combined thermally induced digestion process at D and C, termed thermal decomposition/digestion (TDD), was observed on several model proteins tested under ambient conditions and the site-specificity of the method confirmed by MS/MS.     

Analysis of calcitonin and its analogues by capillary zone electrophoresis and matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Capillary zone electrophoretic (CZE) separations and mass spectrometric analysis of salmon calcitonin and related analogues were performed to generate electrophoresis and mass fingerprints for quality control of the recombinant polypeptide pharmaceutical salmon calcitonin. The calcitonins and their corresponding tryptic digests were successfully separated by CZE at low pH in fused silica capillaries dynamically modified with poly-cationic polymers. The poly-cationic modified inner surface of the fused silica capillaries generated a strong anionic electroosmotic flow (EOF). Analytes of negative, neutral, and positive charge were all swept through the capillary toward the positive electrode. Compared to Polybrene-coated capillaries, capillaries coated with PEI showed a markedly slower but much more stable electroosmotic flow. The migration order of the analytes was predicted by comparing approximate values of the charge to (molecular mass)2/3 ratios. The predicted migration order was confirmed by off-line analysis of CZE fractions with matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS).     

Site-specific radical directed dissociation of peptides at phosphorylated residues

Site-specific fragmentation of peptides at phosphorylated serine or threonine residues is demonstrated. This radical directed cleavage is accomplished by a two-step procedure. First the phosphate is replaced with naphthalenethiol using well established Michael Addition chemistry. Second, the modified peptide is electrosprayed and subjected to irradiation at 266 nm. Absorption at naphthalene causes homolytic cleavage of the connecting carbon-sulfur bond yielding a radical in the beta-position. Subsequent rearrangement cleaves the peptide backbone yielding a d-type fragment. This chemistry is generally applicable as demonstrated by experiments with several different peptides. Assignment of phosphorylation sites is greatly facilitated by this approach, particularly for peptides containing multiple serine or threonine residues.     

抗癌环肽药物放线菌素D新类似物的化学全合成研究

放线菌素D(Actinomycin D,AMD,其结构如Scheme 1所示)是肿瘤的临床治疗药物之一,用于小儿肾母细胞瘤(Wilm’s tumor)、恶性葡萄胎及妊娠绒毛膜上皮癌等一些恶性肿瘤的治疗,但由于毒性太大而限制了其应用范围。     

SYNTHESIS AND DETERMINATION OF THE BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES OF YEAST ALANINE tRNA ANALOGUES

The role of base modification in yeast tRNAAl(?) function in protein synthesis was examined by the use of unmodified tRNA analogues. Unmodified full length tRNAs, 5'-half tRNAs (nucleotides 1-35) and 3'-half tRNAs (nucleotides 37-75) were transcribed in vitro using T7-RNA polymerase. Unmodified tRNA half molecules were joined to normally modified half molecules (5'-half, nucleotides 1-36; 3'-half, nucleotides 36-75) by T4-RNA ligase. Using this method, we synthesized three analogues of yeast tRNAAl(?): (i) tRNAAl(?) which lacks base modifications in the 5'-half of the molecule; (ii) tRNAAl(?) which lacks base modifications in the 3'-half of the molecule; and (iii) tRNAAla completely lacking base modifications. We determined the biological activities of these analogues. In rat aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase reactions, the alanine acceptance activity decreased by 52%, 79% and 85% when modified bases were absent from the 5'-half molecule, the 3'-half molecule or the total molecule, respectively. In rabbit retic     

以枝形大分子聚酰胺-胺(PAMAM)为键合固定相的开管毛细管电色谱柱的制备及评价

用3-氨丙基三乙氧基硅烷(KH550)作偶联剂, 在毛细管内壁上逐步合成树枝形大分子聚酰胺-胺(PAMAM), 制得了1, 2和3代PAMAM键合的开管毛细管电色谱柱, 并对其性能进行了研究. 结果表明, 随着大分子代数的增加, 毛细管电渗流(EOF)逐步下降. 利用制得的1, 2和3代PAMAM修饰的开管毛细管电色谱柱对丙氨酸和脯氨酸的分离进行对比, 结果显示, 随着大分子PAMAM代数的增加, 分离度逐步增大, 丙氨酸和脯氨酸可在3代树枝状大分子PAMAM修饰的开管毛细管电色谱柱上达到基线分离. 采用非衍生化法和3代PAMAM修饰的开管毛细管电色谱柱成功地分析了精氨酸、 丙氨酸、 脯氨酸、 甲硫氨酸和组氨酸. 结果表明, 键合毛细管柱具有良好的重现性和稳定性.     

Porous covalent organic frameworks-improved solid phase microextraction ambient mass spectrometry for ultrasensitive analysis of tetrabromobisphenol-A analogs

Owing to frequent environmental monitoring of tetrabromobisphenol-A (TBBPA) analogs and their potential ecotoxicological effects on organisms, analysis of trace levels of TBBPA analogs with more non-polar and less water-soluble characteristics is of great significance for studying their environmental behaviors and toxic effects. Herein, a fast and sensitive technique is developed for directly detecting aqueous TBBPA analogs, including TBBPA mono(allyl ether) (TBBPA-MAE), TBBPA mono(2,3-dibromopropyl ether) (TBBPA-MDBPE), TBBPA mono(2-hydroxyethyl ether) (TBBPA-MHEE) and TBBPA mono(glycidyl ether) (TBBPA-MGE), by combining solid phase microextraction (SPME) based on porous covalent organic frameworks (Porous-COFs) with constant flow desorption ionization-mass spectrometry (CFDI-MS). As chromatographic separation is replaced by constant flow desorption, each sample can be analyzed within 7 min. The hierarchical porous structures (microporous, mesoporous and macroporous) of COFs lead to the enhanced mass transfer and the easier accessibility of active sites to TBBPA analogs, so that the extraction efficiency is 2.3–3.6 times higher than pure microporous COFs, and far superior to commercial coatings. The detection limit and quantification limit of this method are 0.1–1 and 0.4–3.2 ng/L, respectively. Ultra-trace levels of TBBPA analogs from 5.0 ng/L to 66 ng/L have been successfully detected in river and sea water samples, showing great potential for subsequent studies of their environmental behaviors and toxicological effects