The effect ofpH on thermal stability of globular proteins

In this study we try to re-analyze thepH dependence of thermal stability of small globular proteins. From the thermodynamic point of view a long series of calorimetric and spectroscopic investigations has shown that the decreased stability in very acidic conditions can be ascribed to entropic effects. The same conclusion is reached, from a microscopic point of view, by assuming that a binding of protons on equal and noninteracting sites takes place as a consequence of unfolding process. By linking the conformational unfolding equilibrium to the proton binding equilibrium, a model is developed that is able to describe the dependence on thepH of the thermal denaturation processes of small globular protiens. The application of the model to hen lysozyme and T4 lysozyme correctly accounts for the experimental results.     

Agnatasterone A and B,Unusual Pregnane Steroids Isolated from the North-East Atlantic Sponge Axinella agnata

Two novel pregnatrienolones isolated in very small amounts from the North-East-Atlantic demosponge Axinella agnata (Tetractinomorpha, Axinellida) are unique in having C(2)?C(3) (or C(3)?C(4)), C(7)?C(8), and C(16)?C(17) bonds and a 12β-OH group which, being strongly H-bonded to a 20-keto group, resists acylation. ¹H- and ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy of the steroids and of products of their selective epoxidation or reduction allow us to propose the structures (+)-12β-hydroxy-5α-pregna-2,7,16-trien-20-one ( = agnatasterone A, (+)- 1 ), and (+)-12β-hydroxy-5α-pregna-3,7,16-trien-20-one ( = agnatasterone B. (+)- 5 ), for the two steroids with minimal recourse to model compounds.     

Photolysis and Thermolysis of N-Alkoxycarbonyl-α-diazoamide Acetals

In the photoysis and thermolysis of 1-phenyl-2,2-dimethoxy-2-(N-alkoxycarbonylamino)-diazoethanes the presence of the N-alkoxyearbonylamino substituent is of fundamental importance. In both cases the carbene intermediate, through intramolecular addition to carbonyl oxygen, gives, as main products, oxazole derivatives. In the thermolysis, especially at relatively low temperature (160°), the diazoamide acetals in part cyclize to form triazole derivatives.     

Novel Aplysinopsin-Type Alkaloids from Scleractinian Corals of the Family Dendrophylliidae of the Mediterranean and the Philippines. Configurational-assignment criteria,stereospecific synthesis,and photoisomerization

From the scleractinian coral Tubastraea sp. (Dendrophylliidae) collected at Palawan, Philippines, 3′-deimino-3′-oxoaplysinopsin ( 4 ) and 6-bromo-3′-deimino-3′-oxoaplysinopsin ( 6 ) are now isolated as 5:2 mixtures of (E/Z) stereoisomers. The 3′-deimino-2′,4′-bis(demethyl)-3′-oxoaplysinopsin ( 7 ) and 6-bromo-3′-demino-2′,4-bis(demethyl)-3′-oxoaplysinopsin ( 5 ) are isolated as 2:3 and 1:1 (E/Z) mixtures, respectively, from another dendrophylliid, Leptopsammia pruvoti, collected near Marseille, Mediterranean coast of France. Larger amounts of these and related compounds, needed for a full structural determination, are obtained by synthesis. Thus, condensations of indol-3-carboxaldehyde (9) or of its 6-bromo derivative 14 with hydantoin (15) , 3-methylhydantoin (11) , or 1,3dimethylhydantoin (10) give the prevalent natural aplysinopsins with high stereospecificity. The minor stereoisomers (Z)- 4 , (Z)- 6 , (E)- 7 , and (E)- 5 are obtained by (E/Z) photoisomerization under UV light of the condensation mixtures. The configuration is assigned from larger H? C(8)/C(5′) ¹H, ¹³C couplings in the (E) than in the (Z) isomer, and, in the case of 4 and 6 , from NOE enhancement at Me? N(2′) on irradiation at H? C(8). The stereospecificity of the condensations is attributed to steric inhibition to planarity in the rate-limiting transition states, due to N(2′)/H? C(2) repulsion with (Z)- 4 and (Z)- 6 , or to C(5′)?O/H? C(2) repulsion with (E)–7 or (E)- 5 . As the aplysinopsins undergo (E/Z ) phostoisomerization also under the daylight conditions of the laboratory, their isomeric composition in nature can not be presently assessed.     

Structural characterization of a p-acetylphenylalanyl aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase

It has been recently shown that orthogonal tRNA/aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase pairs can be evolved to allow genetic incorporation of unnatural amino acids into proteins in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. Here we describe the crystal structure of an evolved aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase that charges the unnatural amino acid p-acetylphenylalanine. Molecular recognition is due to altered hydrogen bonding and packing interactions with bound substrate that result from changes in both side-chain and backbone conformation.     

Conformational Studies of Marine Polyhalogenated α-Chamigrenes Using Temperature-dependent NMR spectra inverted-chair and twist-boat cyclohexane moieties in the presence of an axial halogen atom at C(8)

α-Chamigren-3-one (+) -8 bearing an axial CI-atom at C(8) exists as a largely dominant conformer with Me—C(5) at the envelope-shaped enone ring pointing away from CI_ax?C(8) at the cyclohexane ring (= B) in the ‘normal’ chair conformation, as shown by ¹H-NMR. In contrast, the α-chamigren-3-ols (+) -9 and (+) -10 , obtained from hydride reduction of (+) -8 , show a temperature-dependent equilibrium of conformers where the major conformers have ring B in the inverted-chair (and twist-boat for (+) -9 ) conformation to avoid repulsions between Me?C(5) and CI_ax–C(8) (Scheme 1). This is in agreement with the conformation of the epoxidation product (+) -12 of (+) -9 where Me–C(5) is pushed away from CI_ax–C(8) in a ring-B chair similar to that of (+) -8 (Scheme 2). Introduction of a pseudoequatorial Br-atom at C(2) of (+) -8 , as in enone (+) -15 (Scheme 3), does not affect the conformation; but a pseudoaxial Br? C(2) experiences repulsive interactions with H_eq–C(7), as shown by the ¹H-NMR data of the isomeric enone (+) -16 where the ‘normal’-chair conformer Cβ -16 is in an equilibrium with the inverted chair conformer ICβ -16 (Scheme 3). These results and the accompanying paper allow a unifying view on the conformational behavior of marine polyhalogenated α-chamigrenes. This view is supported by the acid-induced isomerization of α-chamigrene (+) -9 (inverted chair) to β-chamigrene (+) -17 (‘normal’ chair; Scheme 4), the driving force being the lesser space requirement of CH₂?C(5) than of Me–C(5). This explains why β-chamigrenes are so common in nature.     

Unexpected products via singlet oxygen oxygenation of functionalized 5,6-dihydro-1,4-oxathiins

[formula: see text] Single oxygen oxygenation of 5,6-dihydro-1,4-oxathiins substituted at C-3 with an electron-withdrawing group leads stereoselectively to ketosulfoxides 5 and 6, instead of the expected dicarbonyl compounds 3. A mechanism involving an unprecedented intramolecular rearrangement of the corresponding dioxetanes 2 is proposed.     

Conformational Studies of Marine Polyhalogenated α-Chamigrenes Using Temperature-Dependent NMR Spectra. Cyclohexene-ring flipping and rigid-chair cyclohexane ring in the presence of equatorial halogen atoms at C(8) and C(9)

Temperature-dependent NMR spectra indicate that the α-chamigren-3-ones (?) -11 , (+) -12 , (+) -14 (?) -15 , (+) -16, 18 , and 19 bearing equatorial halogen atoms at C(8) and C(9) undergo slow conformational flipping of the envelope-shaped enone ring, while the cyclohexane ring is maintained in the chair conformation. The α-chamigren-3-ols (+) -20 and (+) -21 , obtained by hydride reduction of (+) -12 , behave similarly, with slow half-chair inversion of the cyclohexenol ring. In each case, both conformers are about equally populated and detectable by NMR, except in the case of (+) -15 , where repulsive interactions between Br? C(2) and H_eq?C(7) make the population of the conformer 15b with Me—C(5) faced to H_ax?C(10) so low that it escapes direct ¹H-NMR detection. The energy barriers to these conformational motions are viewed to arise mainly from repulsive interactions between Me—C(5) and the axial H-atoms at C(8) and C(10), while, contrary to previous beliefs, no twist-boat conformations of the cyclohexane ring intervene. Similar conclusions hold for the 4,5-epoxides of both (?) -6 and (+) -7 . Clean Jones oxidatio of (?) -2 to 17 , where the CH₂?C(5) bond is maintained, and acid dehydration-isomerization of the α-chamigrene (+) -21 to the β-chamigrene (+) -24 , reflect the special stability of β-chamigrenes, providing a reason for their frequent occurrence in nature.