Identification of 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate synthase as the molecular target for the antimicrobial action of (6s)-6-fluoroshikimate

(6S)-6-Fluoroshikimate has antimicrobial activity. The molecular basis of this effect had not been identified, but there was speculation that (6S)-6-fluoroshikimate is first converted in vivo into 2-fluorochorismate, which then could inhibit 4-amino-4-deoxychorismate synthase (ADCS). 2-Fluorochorismate was prepared from E-fluorophosphoenolpyruvate and erythose-4-phosphate by the sequential reactions of DAHP synthase, dehydroquinate synthase, dehydroquinase, shikimate dehydrogenase, EPSP synthase, and chorismate synthase. Inhibition studies on ADCS showed that it was inhibited rapidly and irreversibly by 2-fluorochorismate. Electrospray mass spectrometry of the inactivated enzyme showed an additional mass of 198 +/- 10 Da. A novel peptide of 1087.6 Da was identified in the HPLC trace for the tryptic digest of 2-fluorochorismate-inactivated ADCS. Sequencing of this peptide by MS/MS showed that the peptide corresponded to residues 272-279 with a modification of 206.1 Da on Lys-274. This observation is particularly exciting in the context of a recent proposal for the catalytic mechanism of ADCS.     

An investigation of catalytic activity in mixed metal oxide nanophase materials

We present preliminary evidence for catalytic activity by unsupported mixed metal oxide nanocrystalline materials. The results of this study show that a nanophase form of Li-MgO has begun to exhibit catalytic activity by 300 °C. This is at least 200 degrees below the temperature at which conventional Li-MgO catalysts exhibit comparable activity. Furthermore, at higher temperatures, the same nanophase composition shows enhanced activities and somewhat improved hydrocarbon selectivities over conventional Li-MgO catalysts.     

Gas-phase structures and mass spectra of binary pentafluorides

Most known non-radioactive pentafluorides have been examined by molecular-beam mass spectrometry and by the deflection of molecular beams in inhomogeneous electric fields. Extensive association of the vapors occurs for all but the lighter pentafluorides and the interhalogens. The interhalogen pentafluorides are strongly polar, consistent with the accepted C_4v symmetry. The transition-metal and Group V pentafluorides are all non-polar, except VF₅ and CrF₅ for which temperature-dependent polarity is observed. However, uncertainty exists as to whether these observations are applicable to monomeric pentafluorides in all cases. Mass-spectral cracking patterns are presented for all species.     

Polysulfonylamine. XLI. Ein Silber(I)-Hydrat ungewöhnlicher Zusammensetzung: Röntgenstrukturanalytische und thermochemische Charakterisierung von Tetrakis(dimesylamido)aquatetrasilber(I) [Ag4(N(SO2CH3)2}4(H2O)]

Polysulfonyl Amines. XLI. A Silver(I) Hydrate with an Unusual Composition: Characterization of Tetrakis(dimesylamido)aquatetrasilver(I) [Ag₄(N)SO₂CH₃)₂}₄(H₂O)] by X-Ray Diffraction and Thermal Analysis The title compound is obtained by crystallizing AgN(SO₂CH₃)₂ from water at room temperature. Crystallographic data (at ?95°C): Triclinic space group P1 , a = 864.6(4), b = 1 211.2(5), c = 1 399.1(5) pm, α = 90.97(3), β = 90.90(3), γ = 98.25(4)°, V = 1.4496 nm³, Z = 2, D_x = 2.608 Mg m^?3. The four independent silver atoms and the water molecule form zigzag chains Ag(1)-Ag(2)-(μ-H₂O)-Ag(3) …? Ag(4) …? Ag(1′) with distances Ag(1)-Ag(2) 309.7, Ag(2)-O(w) 241.8, O(w)-Ag(3) 241.4, Ag(3) …? Ag(4) 342.9, Ag(4) …? Ag(1′) 361.4 pm. The catenated silver atoms are further connected by the dimesylamide anions acting as tridentate bridging (α-O, N, ω-O)-ligands. The resulting strands are interconnected into layers through one O(S)-Ag′ contact (247 pm) and one hydrogen bond O(w)-H(l) …? O′(S) per repeating unit. Between the layers, a weak O(S) …? Ag″ interaction (271 ptn) and a hydrogen bond O(w)-H(2) …? O(S) per repeating unit are observed. The silver atoms Ag(l) to Ag(4) display the coordination numbers 5 [NO,Ag(2), distorted trigonal bipyramid], 5[NO₂,O(w)Ag(I), distorted trigonal bipyramid], 5[O₄,O(w), trigonal bipyramid], and 2 + 1 (N₂, li-near; plus a secondary Ag …? 0 contact). The dehydration of the title compound and a solid-solid phase transformation in anhydrous AgN(SO₂CH₃)₂, were quantitatively investigated by thermoconductometry and time- and temperature-resolved X-ray diffractometry (TXRD).     

Synthesis and pharmacological analysis of high affinity melatonin receptor ligands

We report the synthesis and radioligand binding analysis of a series of naphthalenic melatonin receptor ligands, N-[2-(7-alkoxy-2-methoxy-1-naphthyl)ethyl]propionamide. This series of ligands exhibits subpicomolar binding affinity to both MT1 and MT2 melatonin receptors expressed in chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells.     

Some biological transformations involving unsaturated linkages: the importance of charge separation and charge neutralization in enzyme catalysis

Current status of knowledge on the biological reduction of CC and CO is briefly reviewed. It is Argued that the crucial event in the reduction of CC is the addition of a proton to the more electron-rich terminal of the double bond to produce an electron-deficient species which is then neutralized through hydride transfer from NADPH. The activation for the reduction of a CO group may also be achieved by a related process in which the carbonyl oxygen is polarized by H-bonding to an acidic group on the enzyme, prior to hydride transfer from NAD(P)H.Thus with both these systems an early event in catalysis is the protonation of the substrate for which, normally, strong adds win be required. Since the groups available at the active-met of enzymes are weak acids, a mechanism through which powerful proton donating species could be transiently generated from them is proposed. The salient features of this mechanism may be enuinciatcd as follows: Let us consider the enzyme-substrate complex (A) in which an imidazolium group is about to play a role as a proton donating species. It is argued that rearrngement of initial complex(A)to the catalytic-complex(B), in which the negatively chared counter ion is removed away from the imidazolium cation, would transiently convert the latter group into a powerful proton danating species. the rearrangement (A)→(B) could occur through a protein conformational change or via a charge-relay system or a combination of both processes.     

Chrysomelidial by chromyl chloride oxidation: A revised structure for gastrolactone

Non-conjugated $\text{gem}$-dialkylated alkenes were oxidized to aldehydes in the presence of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl functional groups, providing a new synthesis of $\text{1}$ and a synthesis of $\text{2}$ that led to a revised structure for gastrolactone.     

RAMPED-UP NMR: multiplexed NMR-based screening for drug discovery

The crucial step in drug discovery is the identification of a lead compound from a vast chemical library by any number of screening techniques. NMR-based screening has the advantage of directly detecting binding of a compound to the target. The spectra resulting from these screens can also be very complex and difficult to analyze, making this an inefficient process. We present here a method, RAMPED-UP NMR, (Rapid Analysis and Multiplexing of Experimentally Discriminated Uniquely Labeled Proteins using NMR) which generates simple spectra which are easy to interpret and allows several proteins to be screened simultaneously. In this method, the proteins to be screened are uniquely labeled with one amino acid type. There are several benefits derived from this unique labeling strategy: the spectra are greatly simplified, resonances that are most likely to be affected by binding are the only ones observed, and peaks that yield little or no information upon binding are eliminated, allowing the analysis of multiple proteins easily and simultaneously. We demonstrate the ability of three different proteins to be analyzed simultaneously for binding to two different ligands. This method will have significant impact in the use of NMR spectroscopy for both the lead generation and lead optimization phases of drug discovery by its ability to increase screening throughput and the ability to examine selectivity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time in any format that multiple proteins can be screened in one tube.     

Analysis of organomercury compounds in sediments by capillary GC with atomic fluorescence detection

Analysis of methyl- and ethylmercury (MM and EM) halides in biological and environmental samples is generally performed by gas chromatography with electron capture detection. Tedious sample work-up protocols and poor chromatographic response (using packed columns) have, however, shown the need for the development of new methods in this field. This paper reports a sensitive method, free from these deficiencies, for the determination of methyl- and ethylmercury. The organomercury compounds (MM and EM) are first released from the sample matrix, by the combined action of acidic potassium bromide and cupric ions, and then extracted into dichloromethane. The initial extracts are subjected to thiosulfate clean-up and the organomercury species are isolated as their chloride derivatives by addition of cupric chloride, and subsequent extraction into a small volume of organic solvent. Capillary GC coupled with atomic fluorescence detection provided excellent separation efficiencies for methyl- and ethylmercury and proved to be a very selective and sensitive technique. The absolute detection limit for both MM and EM was found to be 0.2 pg.