Crystallographic analysis of an 8-mer p53 peptide analogue complexed with MDM2

The most potent inhibitor of the p53-MDM2 interaction reported to date is an 8-mer p53 peptide analogue (Novartis peptide), which contains 6-chlorotryptophane (Cl-Trp) and phosphonomethylphenylalanine (Pmp) as key residues for the enhanced activity. We report here a crystal structure of the co-complex between MDM2 and the Novartis peptide solved at 1.8 A resolution. The structural basis for the role of the two aromatic residues are delineated by comparing the present structure with crystal structures of the MDM2 co-complex bound to other inhibitors including the wt-p53 peptide itself.     

Interaction between the Heme and a G-Quartet in a Heme-DNA Complex

The structure of a complex between heme(Fe(3+)) and a parallel G-quadruplex DNA formed from a single repeat sequence of the human telomere, d(TTAGGG), has been characterized by (1)H NMR. The study demonstrated that the heme(Fe(3+)) is sandwiched between the 3'-terminal G-quartets of the G-quadruplex DNA. Hence, the net +1 charge of the heme(Fe(3+)) in the complex is surrounded by the eight carbonyl oxygen atoms of the G-quartets. Interaction between the heme Fe(3+) and G-quartets in the complex was clearly manifested in the solvent (1)H/(2)H isotope effect on the NMR parameters of paramagnetically shifted heme methyl proton signals, and interaction of the heme Fe(3+) with the eight carbonyl oxygen atoms of the two G-quartets was shown to provide a strong and axially symmetric ligand field surrounding the heme Fe(3+), yielding a heme(Fe(3+)) low-spin species with a highly symmetric heme electronic structure. This finding provides new insights as to the design of the molecular architecture and functional properties of various heme-DNA complexes.     

A mass spectrometric method to determine activities of enzymes involved in polyamine catabolism

An analytical method for the determination of three polyamines (putrescine, spermidine, and spermine) and five acetylpolyamines [N¹-acetylspermidine (N¹AcSpd), N⁸-acetylspermidine (N⁸AcSpd), N¹-acetylspermine, N¹,N⁸-diacetylspermidine, and N¹,N¹²-diacetylspermine] involved in the polyamine catabolic pathway has been developed using a hybrid tandem mass spectrometer. Heptafluorobutyryl (HFB) derivatives of these compounds and respective internal standards labeled with stable isotopes were analyzed simultaneously by TOF MS, based on peak areas appearing at appropriate m/z values. The isomers, N¹AcSpd and N⁸AcSpd were determined from their fragment ions, the acetylamidopropyl and acetylamidobutyl groups, respectively, using MS/MS with ¹³C₂-N¹AcSpd and ¹³C₂-N⁸AcSpd which have the ¹³C₂-acetyl group as an internal standard. The TOF MS method was successfully applied to measure the activity of enzymes involved in polyamine catabolic pathways, namely N¹-acetylpolyamine oxidase (APAO), spermine oxidase (SMO), and spermidine/spermine N¹-acetyltransferase (SSAT). The following natural substrates and products labeled with stable isotopes considering the application to biological samples were identified; for APAO, [4,9,12-¹⁵N₃]-N¹-acetylspermine and [1,4,8-¹⁵N₃]spermidine (¹⁵N₃-Spd), respectively; for SMO, [1,4,8,12-¹⁵N₄]spermine and ¹⁵N₃-Spd, respectively; and for SSAT, ¹⁵N₃-Spd and [1,4,8-¹⁵N₃]-N¹-acetylspermidine, respectively.     

Preorganized, cone-conformational calix[4]arene possessing four propylenephosphonic acids with high extraction ability and separation efficiency for trivalent rare earth elements

p-t-Octylcalix[4]arene with tetraphosphonic acid at lower rim in cone conformation has been designed and synthesized as a new extraction reagent to investigate the extraction behavior of the nine trivalent rare earth elements: La, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Ho, Y, and Er. The extraction of rare earth metals with the present extractant occurs by a simple ion-exchange mechanism. The stoichiometry of the extractant to rare earth metal ion was determined to be 2:1 based on the extraction equation, half pH values, pH_1/2, and the difference in the values of the extraction equilibrium constants of nine trivalent rare earth elements and separation factors between adjacent rare earth elements. This allowed for comparison of the estimated extraction efficiency and selectivity. The present extractant exhibited extremely high extractability and sufficiently high separation efficiency of rare earth metals, compared with calix[4]arene tetraphosphonic acid at upper rim, calix[4]arene tetraacetic acid at lower rim as previously reported and the commercial extraction reagent. This results was attributed to size and multidentate effects based on the preorganized cyclic structure of calix[4]arene and to the original selectivity of functional group for heavier rare earth elements.     

Chiral separation of enantiomeric 1,2-diamines using molecular imprinting method and selectivity enhancement by addition of achiral primary amines into eluents.

The imprinted polymers based on a transient complex formation between methacrylic acid and template molecules were prepared by using methacrylic acid and ethylene dimethacrylate as a cross-linking agent. The template molecules used were (R,R)-cyclohexanediamine (1), (S,S)-1,2-diphenylethylenediamine (2) and (S)-1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine (3). Another group of templates were those in which the amino group of these templates had been substituted by the hydroxy group: (R,R)-1,2-cyclohexanediol (4) and (S,S)-hydrobenzoin (5). Racemic 2 was separated by the polymer prepared with template 2 (P2) and that with template 1 (P1). Template 2 is larger than template 1 in steric bulkiness, but P1 was effective for the enantiomer separation of racemic 2. P1 was not effective for the separation of racemic 4. Enantioselectivity observed in racemic 2 in P2 was higher than that in racemic 1 in P1. P2 has no definite predetermined shape for solute 1, but it was capable of separating racemic 1. This separation should be thus ascribed to the orientation of at least two carbonyl groups reflecting the conformation of template 2 in P2 cavity. Racemic 5, having the same configuration of the two bulky phenyl groups as that of solute 2, was separated in P2. When the primary amines such as propylamine, cyclohexylamine and 1-adamantanamine were added into the acetic acid-methanol mixtures as eluents, both enantioselectivity and retentivity for racemic 2 were enhanced along with the remarkable peak tailing.     

Scandium Triflate–Promoted Addition of Organozinc Reagents to Benzaldiminetricarbonylchromium Derivatives

The reaction of benzaldiminetricarbonylchromium derivatives with organozinc reagents in the presence of scandium triflate afforded a single diastereomer of the corresponding amine complex exclusively. Even in the case of benzaldiminetricarbonylchromium having an m‐substituent of the aromatic ring, one diastereomer was obtained using the o‐TMS‐protected chromium complex. The TMS group and the chromium moiety were easily removed and the benzyl group was deprotected using HOOH and Pd to afford the corresponding amine.