Tuning the Product Spectrum of a Glycoside Hydrolase Enzyme by a Combination of Site-Directed Mutagenesis and Tyrosine-Specific Chemical Modification

Selective chemical modification of proteins plays a pivotal role for the rational design of enzymes with novel and specific functionalities. In this study, a strategic combination of genetic and chemical engineering paves the way for systematic construction of biocatalysts by tuning the product spectrum of a levansucrase from Bacillus megaterium (Bm-LS), which typically produces small levan-like oligosaccharides. The implementation of site-directed mutagenesis followed by a tyrosine-specific modification enabled control of the product synthesis: depending on the position, the modification provoked either enrichment of short oligosaccharides (up to 800 % in some cases) or triggered the formation of high molecular weight polymer. The chemical modification can recover polymerization ability in variants with defective oligosaccharide binding motifs. Molecular dynamic (MD) simulations provided insights into the effect of modifying non-native tyrosine residues on product specificity.     

A DIRECT ROUTE TO ORTHO-HYDROXY PHENYL DITHIOPHOSPHINIC ACIDS

Abstract

Through a direct and selective deprotection of 1 (R=methyl) with boron tribromide substituted o-hydroxy-dithiophosphinic acid 1 was prepared under mild conditions in excellent yield.     

Editorial

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC -     

Synthesis of 1‐silacyclopent‐2‐ene derivatives using 1,2‐hydroboration, 1,1‐organoboration and protodeborylation

The reaction of di(alkyn‐1‐yl)vinylsilanes R¹(H₂C═CH)Si(C≡C―R)₂ (R¹ = Me ( 1 ), Ph ( 2 ); R = Bu (a), Ph (b), Me₂HSi (c)) at 25°C with 1 equiv. of 9‐borabicyclo[3.3.1]nonane (9‐BBN) affords 1‐silacyclopent‐2‐ene derivatives ( 3a , 3b , 3c , 4a , 4b ), bearing one Si―C≡C―R function readily available for further transformations. These compounds are formed by consecutive 1,2‐hydroboration followed by intramolecular 1,1‐carboboration. Treated with a further equivalent of 9‐BBN in benzene they are converted at relatively high temperature (80–100°C) into 1‐alkenyl‐1‐silacyclopent‐2‐ene derivatives ( 5a , 5b 6a , 6b ) as a result of 1,2‐hydroboration of the Si―C≡C―R function. Protodeborylation of the 9‐BBN‐substituted 1‐silacyclopent‐2‐ene derivatives 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , using acetic acid in excess, proceeds smoothly to give the novel 1‐silacyclopent‐2‐ene ( 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 ). The solution‐state structural assignment of all new compounds, i.e. di(alkyn‐1‐yl)vinylsilanes and 1‐silacyclopent‐2‐ene derivatives, was carried out using multinuclear magnetic resonance techniques (¹H, ¹³C, ¹¹B, ²⁹Si NMR). The gas phase structures of some examples were calculated and optimized by density functional theory methods (B3LYP/6‐311+G/(d,p) level of theory), and ²⁹Si NMR parameters were calculated (chemical shifts δ²⁹Si and coupling constants ⁿJ(²⁹Si,¹³C)). Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Highly Conjugated π-Systems Arising from Cannibalistic Hexadehydro-Diels–Alder Couplings: Cleavage of C−C Single and Triple Bonds

We have investigated the cannibalistic self-trapping reaction of an ortho-benzyne derivative generated from 1,11-bis(p-tolyl)undeca-1,3,8,10-tetrayne in an HDDA reaction. Without adding any specific trapping agent, the highly reactive benzyne is trapped by another bisdiyne molecule in at least three different modes. We have isolated and characterized the resulting products and performed high-level calculations concerning the reaction mechanism. During the cannibalistic self-trapping process, either a C≡C triple bond or an sp–sp³ C−C single bond is cleaved. Up to seven rings and nine C−C bonds are formed starting from two 1,11-bis(p-tolyl)undeca-1,3,8,10-tetrayne molecules. Our experiments and calculations provide considerable insight into the variety of reaction pathways which the ortho-benzyne derivative, generated from a bisdiyne, can take when reacting with another bisdiyne molecule.     

Triggering the Directional Selectivity of a Ring‐Closure Reaction Leads to Pyridoazacarbazoles with Anticancer Properties

We herein describe a facile and versatile synthetic route to the tetracyclic system of 6‐substituted 5,6‐dihydro‐11H‐pyrido[3,2‐i]‐1‐azacarbazoles with promising anticancer properties. These derivatives are built up by an elegant one‐step base‐catalyzed synthetic procedure from commercially available building blocks. One additional step provides the corresponding skeleton hitherto unknown in the literature. The possibility to synthesize a large library of compounds with various substitution patterns utilizing this method underlines the importance of this synthetic procedure.     

NIR Light-Induced ATRP for Synthesis of Block Copolymers Comprising UV-Absorbing Moieties

NIR exposure at 790 nm activated photopolymerization of monomers comprising UV-absorbing moieties by using [Cu^II/(TPMA)]Br₂ (TPMA=tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) in the ppm range and an alkyl bromide as initiator. Some of them comprised structural elements selected either from those showing proton transfer or photocycloaddition upon UV excitation. Polymers obtained comprise living end groups serving as macroinitiator for controlled synthesis of block copolymers with relatively narrow molecular weight distributions. Chromatographic results indicated formation of block copolymers produced by this synthetic approach. Free-radical polymerization of monomers pursued for comparison exhibited the expected broader dispersity of molecular weight compared to photo-ATRP. Polymerization of these monomers by UV photo-ATRP failed on the contrary to NIR photo-ATRP demonstrating the UV-filter function of the monomers. This work conclusively provides a new approach for the polymerization of monomers comprising UV-absorbing moieties through photo-ATRP in the NIR region. This occurred in a simple and efficient pathway. However, studies also showed that not all monomers chosen successfully proceeded in the NIR photo-ATRP protocol.     

Crystal Structure of LiRh-type IrZn Determined by Powder X-ray and Selected Area Electron Diffraction

The LiRh-type crystal structure of the equiatomic intermetallic compound IrZn turns out to be a competitor to the otherwise energetically favored CsCl-type structures of congeneric transition metal zinc phases, thus enlightening the structural impact of element-specific factors beyond the Hume-Rothery concept.     

Editorial

JPC – Journal of Planar Chromatography – Modern TLC -