Oxidation of heme to beta- and delta-biliverdin by Pseudomonas aeruginosa heme oxygenase as a consequence of an unusual seating of the heme

The origin of the unusual regioselectivity of heme oxygenation, i.e. the oxidation of heme to delta-biliverdin (70%) and beta-biliverdin (30%), that is exhibited by heme oxygenase from Pseudomonas aeruginosa (pa-HO) has been studied by (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and resonance Raman spectroscopies. Whereas resonance Raman indicates that the heme-iron ligation in pa-HO is homologous to that observed in previously studied alpha-hydroxylating heme oxygenases, the NMR spectroscopic studies suggest that the heme in this enzyme is seated in a manner that is distinct from that observed for all other alpha-hydroxylating heme oxygenase enzymes for which a structure is known. In pa-HO, the heme is rotated in-plane approximately 110 degrees, so the delta-meso-carbon of the major orientational isomer is located within the HO-fold in the place where the alpha-hydroxylating enzymes typically place the alpha-meso-carbon. The unusual heme seating displayed by pa-HO places the heme propionates so that these groups point in the direction of the solvent-exposed heme edge and appears to originate in large part from the absence of stabilizing interactions between the polypeptide and the heme propionates, which are typically found in alpha-hydroxylating heme oxygenase enzymes. These interactions typically involve Lys-16 and Tyr-112, in Neisseriae meningitidis HO, and Lys-16 and Tyr-134, in human and rat HO-1. The corresponding residues in pa-HO are Asn-19 and Phe-117, respectively. In agreement with this hypothesis, we found that the Asn-19 Lys/Phe-117 Tyr double mutant of pa-HO exists as a mixture of molecules exhibiting two distinct heme seatings; one seating is identical to that exhibited by wild-type pa-HO, whereas the alternative seating is very similar to that typical of alpha-hydroxylating heme oxygenase enzymes and is related to the wild-type seating by approximately 110 degrees in-plane rotation of the heme. Furthermore, each of these heme seatings in the pa-HO double mutant gives rise to a subset of two heme isomeric orientations that are related to each other by 180 degrees rotation about the alpha-gamma-meso-axis. The coexistence of these molecules in solution, in the proportions suggested by the corresponding area under the peaks in the (1)H NMR spectrum, explains the unusual regioselectivity of heme oxygenation observed with the double mutant, which we found produces alpha- (55%), delta- (35%), and beta-biliverdin (10%). Alpha-biliverdin is obtained by oxidation of the heme seated similar to that of alpha-hydroxylating enzymes, whereas beta- and delta-biliverdin are formed from the oxidation of heme seated as in wild-type pa-HO.     

Diels-Alder reaction of optically active (E)-γ-keto-α,β-unsaturated p-tolylsulfoxides with cyclopentadiene

The Diels-Alder reaction of enantiomerically pure (E)-γ-keto-α,β-unsaturated p-tolylsulphoxides 3 with cyclopentadiene give four easily separable diastereomers. The effect of several Lewis acids on the reaction was studied, finding a high endo selectivity with respect to the carbonyl group and moderate π-diastereoselectivity using BF₃·Et₂O as catalyst. The reactivity of compounds 3 as well as their endo selectivity are both higher than those observed for the corresponding (E)-3-sulfinylacrylates.     

Comparative enantioseparations with native beta-cyclodextrin,randomly acetylated beta-cyclodextrin and heptakis-(2,3-di-O-acetyl)-beta-cyclodextrin in capillary electrophoresis

Comparative enantioseparations were performed with three neutral cyclodextrins (CDs) in capillary electrophoresis (CE). In particular, native beta-CD was compared with single component heptakis(2,3-di-O-acetyl)-beta-CD (HDA-beta-CD) and randomly acetylated beta-CD (Ac-beta-CD) with the emphasis on the enantiomer migration order. The opposite affinity of the enantiomers of several chiral analytes was observed towards native beta-CD and its acetylated derivatives. The enantiomer affinity pattern of some chiral analytes was also opposite towards the two acetylated derivatives of beta-CD. In the case of the chiral drug clenbuterol (CL) an attempt was made to evaluate the possible structural reasons of the affinity reversal using one- and two-dimensional as well as transverse rotating frame nuclear Overhauser effect spectroscopy (ROESY). Significant differences were observed between the structure of the CL complexes with beta-CD and HDA-beta-CD.     

Combined use of liquid chromatography-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the characterization of an acarbose degradation product

Directly coupled LC-MS and LC-NMR were applied to identify and structurally characterize an acarbose degradation product A in acidic media. A comparative analysis of the stop-flow LC-NMR (1H and TOCSY) and LC-MS data provided evidence that A is structurally related to acarbose, differing from the parent compound in a number of subunits present in the molecule. Spectral analysis revealed that A was the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor amylostatin XG. Complementary information obtained from the two methods led to the structural elucidation of A which was later corroborated by high-resolution NMR spectroscopy of the isolated molecule.     

Influence of organic and inorganic arsenicals on glucose uptake in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells.

The effect of organic (oxophenylarsine; PhAsO) and inorganic (arsenite) arsenicals on the availability of glucose to Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells was investigated. The MDCK cells revealed stereospecific D-glucose uptake which was inhibited by both arsenicals in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. After 10 min (37 degrees C), the effects on D-glucose and 2-deoxy-D-glucose accumulation were analogous, suggesting an impaired hexose uptake. With arsenite, 0.5-1 mmol dm-3 were required for half-maximum inhibition (IC50), whereas PhAsO inhibited glucose uptake in the micromolar range (IC50 5-30 mumol dm-3). Under these conditions neither cell morphology nor cellular viability was affected. After 60 min, however, the inhibition of glucose utilization was paralleled by the formation of blebs, detachment of the monolayer and a loss of cellular viability as confirmed by dye exclusion, lactate dehydrogenase and potassium release. It is concluded that inhibition of glucose uptake may contribute to the acute toxicity, especially of organic arsenicals, by further aggravating the depletion of intracellular carbohydrates.     

Pigment-Protein Interactions in the Antenna-Reaction Center Complex of Heliobacillus mobilis

Membrane fragments of Heliobacillus (Hc.) mobilis were characterized using resonance Raman (RR) spectroscopy in order to determine the configuration of the neurosporene carotenoid, the pigment-protein interactions of the bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) g molecules, and the Chl a-like chlorin pigments present in the antenna-reaction center complex constituting the photosynthetic apparatus. Using 363.8 nm excitation, the Raman contributions of the BChl g molecules were selectively resonantly enhanced over those of the carotenoid and the Chl a-like chlorin pigments. The RR spectrum of BChl g in these membranes excited at 363.8 nm exhibits bands at 1614 and 1688 cm^?1, which correspond to a C_aC_m methine bridge stretching mode and a keto carbonyl group stretching mode, respectively. Both of these bands are 16 cm^?1 wide (full width at half maximum, FWHM), indicating that a sole population of BChl g molecules is being enhanced at this excitation wavelength. The observed frequency of the C_aC_m stretching mode (1614 cm^?1) indicates that the bulk of BChl g molecules is pentacoordinated with only one axial ligand to the central Mg atom while that of the keto carbonyl stretching mode (1668 cm^?1) indicates that these groups are engaged in a hydrogen bond. This homogeneous population of BChl g molecules bound to the heliobacterial core polypeptides is in contrast to the heterogeneous population of Chl a molecules bound to the core polypeptides of the reaction center of photosystem I of Synechocystis 6803 as observed by the inhomogeneously broadened C₉ keto carbonyl band in its RR spectrum. The RR spectrum of the Chl a-like chlorin pigments in Hc. mobilis excited at 441.6 nm exhibits a broad keto carbonyl band (43 cm^?1 FWHM) with components at 1665, 1683 and 1695 cm^?1, indicating several populations of these pigments differing in their protein interactions at the level of the keto carbonyl group. Fourier transform (FT) pre-RR spectroscopic measurements of intact whole cells and membrane fragments at room temperature using 1064 nm excitation indicate that high quality vibrational spectra of the BChl g molecules can be obtained with no photodegradation. Low-temperature FT Raman spectra excited at 1064 nm reveals an inhomogeneously broadened 1665 cm^?1 band corresponding to the C₉ keto carbonyl stretching mode. Spectral deconvolution and second derivative analysis of this band reveal that it is comprised of components at 1665, 1682 and 1695 cm^?1, the latter two most likely arising from BChl g photoconversion products. Excitation using 885 nm to enhance the preresonance effect of the BChl g molecules yields an FT Raman spectrum where the keto carbonyl band at 1665 cm^?1 is narrow, as is the case in the Soret RR spectra, reflecting a sole population of BChl g molecules, which are engaged in an H bond. The RR spectrum of the neurosporene molecule in Hc. mobilis membranes excited at 496.5 nm is compared to that of 1,2-dihydroneurosporene bound in a cis configuration in reaction centers of Rhodopseudomona viridis and to that of the same carotenoid in its all-trans configuration extracted from these reaction centers in the presence of light. The similarity of this latter RR spectrum with that of neurosporene in the Hc. mobilis membranes indicates that it is bound in an all-trans configuration.     

1,2-fused pyrimidines. V. Synthesis of 1-alkyl or phenyl-2H-dipyrido-[1,2-a:2′,3′-d]pyrimidine-2,5(1H)-diones

The reaction of 2-[(N-acyl, N-alkyl or phenyl)amino]-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones 8a-g with the N,N-dimethylformamide/phosphorus oxychloride Vilsmeier reagent 1 (95°, 90 minutes) afforded 1-alkyl or phenyl-2H-dipyrido[1,2-a:2′,3′-d]pyrimidine-2,5(1H)^?diones, 3-alkyl substituted or not, 10a-g . The starting compounds 8 were prepared by treating 2-amino-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones N-alkyl substituted 7a,b or N-phenyl substituted 4 with excess anhydrides (130°, 7 hours) when the 2-(alkylamino) derivatives 7 were used in the reaction, compounds 8 were obtained along with very small amounts of 3-acyl-2-(alkylamino)-4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones 9 .     

Dynamics of heart rate

Heart rate oscillates on several different time scales and has long-term variability in the form of 1/f noise. The physiological control of heart rate is briefly reviewed, and several typical patterns of heart rate variability, in health and sickness, are described. Considered briefly are some possible dynamical mechanisms for heart rate variability.     

The Chemistry of Coumarin Derivatives. Part 5. Unusual course of the reaction of 4-hydroxycoumarin and aliphatic aldehydes

The reaction of 4-hydroxycoumarin and certain aliphatic aldehydes affords 1:1 or complex 2:2 adducts besides (or in place) of the expected 2:1 bis(coumarin) adducts. Reaction with heptanal, cyclohexanecarbaldehyde, and pivalaldehyde are reported as representative. The structure of the reaction products was established by spectroscopical techniques, including X-ray analysis, and their formation was mechanistically rationalized. Some of the 1:1 adducts are synthetically useful for the preparation of 3-alkyl-4-hydroxycoumarins.     

Identification of fentanyl, alfentanil, sufentanil, remifentanil and their major metabolites in human urine by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for doping control purposes

Since January 2005, the list of prohibited substances established by the World Anti-Doping Agency prohibits the opioid agent fentanyl as well as its related drugs in professional and amateur sports. Fast, reliable and robust analytical assays are required that allow the sensitive determination of these compounds or respective metabolites in human urine, and liquid chromatography interfaced to mass spectrometry has proven to be a suitable and powerful tool for drug testing for several years. A screening and confirmation method was developed that enables the identification of fentanyl, alfentanil, remifentanil and sufentanil as well as their N-dealkylated or de-esterified metabolites utilizing solid-phase extraction of a 2 mL urine aliquot followed by LC-electrospray-MS/MS analysis. The procedure was validated in terms of recovery (95.8-104.9%), lower limit of detection (0.5 ng mL-1), specificity and interday precision (3.9-19.8%) for the four opioid drugs and the metabolic product norfentanyl. In addition, the mass spectrometric behavior of fentanyl after electrospray ionization and collision-induced dissociation was studied by synthesis and analysis of structurally related compounds, and dissociation pathways were proposed allowing the characterization of target analytes and corresponding metabolites.