Interactions between co-expressed <Emphasis Type="Italic">Arabidopsis</Emphasis> sucrose transporters in the split-ubiquitin system

Background  

The Arabidopsis genome contains nine sucrose transporter paralogs falling into three clades: SUT1-like, SUT2 and SUT4. The carriers differ in their kinetic properties. Many transport proteins are known to exist as oligomers. The yeast-based split ubiquitin system can be used to analyze the ability of membrane proteins to interact.     

Application of capillary electrophoresis with field-amplified sample injection for the detection of new adrenoreceptor antagonist enantiomers in plasma in the low ng/mL concentration range

Throughout the separation of chiral basic drugs by capillary electrophoresis (CE) with neutral hydroxypropyl-beta-cyclodextrin (HP-beta-CD) as chiral selector, the sensitivity of detection has been improved by using field-amplified sample injection (FASI). In the present work, this on-line stacking method has been used to detect low ng/mL levels of cationic enantiomers of a new adrenoreceptor antagonist in plasma. A systematic study of the parameters affecting on-line concentration of these enantiomers (nature of the preinjection plug, composition of sample solvent, injection times of water and sample plugs) has been performed enabling the detection sensitivity of antagonist enantiomers to be improved by 180 times compared with usual hydrodynamic injection. The quantification of each adrenoreceptor antagonist enantiomer in plasma samples was then performed in the 2-100 ng/mL (or 8-400 nM) concentration range after a solid-phase extraction step. Using this FASI-CE-UV procedure, the limit of quantification (LOQ) for each enantiomer was in the low ng/mL concentration range (3 ng/mL or 10 nM).     

Asymmetric Syntheses of 2‐(1‐Aminoethyl)phenols

Three different routes were probed for the synthesis of enantiomerically enriched 2‐(1‐aminoethyl)phenols and their methyl ethers. The first route centers on diastereoselective nucleophile addition to chiral imines. The second route has as key steps the enantioselective reduction of a ketone followed by nucleophilic substitution, and the third route involves a diastereoselective imine reduction. The efficiency of the approach depends on the substrate substitution pattern. All three methods work well for the parent compound 2‐(1‐aminoethyl)phenol ( 1 ) but the third route is the most efficient, providing the compound with >96% enantiomer excess in three steps with an overall yield of 71%. Conversely, for the ortho‐methyl analogue 2 , the first method is best. For the t‐Bu‐substituted analogue 3 , only moderate enantiomeric enrichment was achieved.     

Lithiation of functionalized fluoroquinolines: synthesis of dihalo-2-phenylquinoline-4-carboxamides and in vitro evaluation as NK-3 receptor ligands for medical imaging studies

Fluoroiodo-2-phenylquinoline-4-carboxamides, analogues of NK-3 antagonist SB 223412, were synthesized and evaluated as NK-3 ligands with the aim of developing radioligands suitable for both Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) studies. The key step utilizes metalation directed by the fluorine atom for iodination of the quinoline ring.     

A New Route to Thio- and Selenosulfonates from Disulfides and Diselenides. Application to the Synthesis of New Thio- and Selenoesters of Triflic Acid

Alkyl and aryl trifluoromethanethiosulfonates(1) (or selenosulfonates) were prepared in one step either from alkyl and aryl sulfenyl (or selenenyl) chlorides and sodium trifluoromethanesulfinate (3) or, more generally, from disulfides (or diselenides), 3, and bromine. The second method involved trifluoromethanesulfonyl bromide as key intermediate. Benzenethiosulfonates were obtained in a similar way from disulfides, benzenesulfinate, and bromine but benzeneselenosulfonates could not be obtained by the same method from diselenides.     

The first aminoacylase-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of aromatic beta-amino acids

The first aminoacylase-catalyzed enantioselective synthesis of aromatic beta-amino acids is reported. The presence of an N-chloroacetyl group as acyl group in the substrate as well as the use of porcine kidney acylase I as a suitable enzyme component are prerequisites for this resolution process whereby optically active beta-amino acids are formed with high enantioselectivities of >98% ee.     

Binuclear manganese compounds of potential biological significance. 1. Syntheses and structural,magnetic, and electrochemical properties of dimanganese(II) and -(II,III) complexes of a bridging unsymmetrical phenolate ligand

Reactions of the unsymmetrical phenol ligand 2-(bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl)-6-((2-pyridylmethyl)(benzyl)aminomethyl)-4-methylphenol with Mn(OAc)(2).4H(2)O or Mn(H(2)O)(6)(ClO(4))(2) in the presence of NaOBz affords the dimanganese(II) complexes 1(CH(3)OH), [Mn(2)(L)(OAc)(2)(CH(3)OH)](ClO(4)), and 2(H(2)O), [Mn(2)(L)(OBz)(2)(H(2)O)](ClO(4)), respectively. On the other hand, reaction of the ligand with hydrated manganese(III) acetate furnishes the mixed-valent derivative 3(H(2)O), [Mn(2)(L)(OAc)(2)(H(2)O)](ClO(4))( 2). The three complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography. 1(CH(3)OH) crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/c, with a = 10.9215(6) A, b = 20.2318(12) A, c = 19.1354(12) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 97.5310(10) degrees, gamma = 90 degrees, V = 4191.7 A(3), and Z = 4. 2(H(2)O) crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/n, with a = 10.9215(6) A, b = 20.2318(12) A, c = 19.1354(12) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 97.5310(10) degrees, gamma = 90 degrees, V = 4191.7 A(3), and Z = 4. 3(H(2)O) crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P2(1)/c, with a = 11.144(6) A, b = 18.737(10) A, c = 23.949(13) A, alpha = 90 degrees, beta = 95.910(10) degrees, gamma = 90 degrees, V = 4974(5) A(3), and Z = 4. Magnetic measurements revealed that the three compounds exhibit very similar magnetic exchange interactions -J = 4.3(3) cm(-)(1). They were used to establish tentative magneto-structural correlations which show that for the dimanganese(II) complexes -J decreases when the Mn-O(phenoxo) distance increases as expected from orbital overlap considerations. For the dimanganese(II,III) complexes, crystallographic results show that the Mn(II)-O(phenoxo) and Mn(III)-O(phenoxo) bond lengths are inversely correlated. An interesting magneto-structural correlation is found between -J and the difference between these bond lengths, delta(Mn)(-)(O) = d(Mn)()II(-)(O) - d(Mn)()III(-)(O): the smaller this difference, the larger -J. Electrochemical studies show that the mixed-valence state is favored in 1-3 by ca. 100 mV with respect to analogous complexes of symmetrical ligands, owing to the asymmetry of the electron density as found in the analogous diiron complexes.     

Design, synthesis, and cytotoxic activity of Michael acceptors and enol esters in the benzo[b]acronycine series

A series of 2-acyl-6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-3,14-dihydro-7H-benzo[b]pyrano[3,2-h]acridin-7-ones (4-6) was prepared by treatment of 6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-3,14-dihydro-7H-benzo[b]pyrano[3,2-h]acridin-7-one (3) with an excess of an appropriate acyl chloride in the presence of aluminum chloride. Treatment of (+/-)-cis-1-hydroxy-2-acyloxy-6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-1,2,3,14-tetrahydro-7H-benzo[b]pyrano[3,2-h]acridin-7-ones (9, 10) or (+/-)-cis-1,2-diacyloxy-6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-1,2,3,14-tetrahydro-7H-benzo[b]pyrano[3,2-h]acridin-7-ones (2, 11) with hydrochloric acid gave the corresponding 2-acyloxy-6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-3,14-dihydro-7H-benzo[b]pyrano[3,2-h]acridin-7-ones, exemplified by acetate 7 and butyrate 8. None of the Michael acceptors 4-6 showed significant antiproliferative activity. Enol esters 7 and 8 were markedly cytotoxic toward L1210 leukemia cells, with IC50 values within the same range of magnitude as (+/-)-cis-1,2-diacetoxy-6-methoxy-3,3,14-trimethyl-1,2,3,14-tetrahydro-7H-benzo[b]pyrano[3,2-h]acridin-7-one (S23906-1), currently under phase I clinical trials. In contrast with S23906-1, enol esters 7 and 8 were not reactive toward purified DNA.     

Immobilization of a photosystem ii submembrane fraction in a glutaraldehyde cross-linked matrix

A wide range of immobilization procedures have been shown to stabilize the functions of photosynthetic materials. The purpose of this work was to determine if the above procedures can be applied to submembrane fractions. Triton X-100-derived photosystem II submembrane fractions isolated from spinach were immobilized in a glutaraldehyde cross-linked albumin matrix. The optimal conditions were obtained in presence of 1 mM NaCl and 5 mM MgCl₂. The treated membranes were less affected by long-term storage at 4°C, high pH and temperature, and strong light exposure. The results are discussed in terms of a diffusion barrier resulting from the immobilization matrix.     

The first structural characterisation of a group 2 metal alkylperoxide complex: comments on the cleavage of dioxygen by magnesium alkyl complexes

A new high-yield synthesis of [(PhCH(2))(2)Mg(thf)(2)] and [[(PhCH(2))CH(3)Mg(thf)](2)] via benzylpotassium has allowed a simple entry into benzylmagnesium coordination chemistry. The syntheses and X-ray crystal structures of both [(eta(2)-Me(2)NCH(2)CH(2)NMe(2))Mg(CH(2)Ph)(2)] and [eta(2)-HC[C(CH(3))NAr'](2)Mg(CH(2)Ph)(thf)] (Ar'=2,6-diisopropylphenyl) are reported. The latter beta-diketiminate complex reacts with dioxygen to provide a 1:2 mixture of dimeric benzylperoxo and benzyloxo complexes. The benzylperoxo complex [[eta(2)-HC[C(CH(3))NAr'](2)Mg(mu-eta(2):eta(1)-OOCH(2)Ph)](2)] is the first example of a structurally characterised Group 2 metal-alkylperoxo complex and contains the benzylperoxo ligands in an unusual mu-eta(2):eta(1)-coordination mode, linking the two five-coordinate magnesium centres. The O[bond]O separation in the benzylperoxo ligands is 1.44(2) A. Reaction of the benzylperoxo/benzyloxo complex mixture with further [eta(2)-HC[C(CH(3))NAr'](2)Mg(CH(2)Ph)(thf)] results in complete conversion of the benzylperoxo species into the benzyloxo complex. This reaction, therefore, establishes the cleavage of dioxygen by this system as a two-step process that involves initial oxygen insertion into the Mg[bond]CH(2)Ph bond followed by O[bond]O/Mg[bond]C sigma-bond metathesis of the resulting benzylperoxo ligand with a second Mg[bond]CH(2)Ph bond. The formation of a 1:2 mixture of the benzylperoxo and benzyloxo species indicates that the rate of the insertion is faster than that of the metathesis, and this is shown to be consistent with a radical mechanism for the insertion process.