A structural and energetics analysis of the binding of a series of N-acetylneuraminic-acid-based inhibitors to influenza virus sialidase

Summary A molecular dynamics/energy-minimisation protocol has been used to analyse the structural and energetic effects of functional group substitution on the binding of a series of C4-modified 2-deoxy-2,3-didehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid inhibitors to influenza virus sialidase. Based on the crystal structure of sialidase, a conformational searching protocol, incorporating multiple randomisation steps in a molecular dynamics simulation was used to generate a range of minimum-energy structures. The calculations were useful for predicting the number, location, and orientation of structural water molecules within protein-ligand complexes. Relative binding energies were calculated for the series of complexes using several empirical molecular modelling approaches. Energies were computed using molecular-mechanics-derived interactions as the sum of pairwise atomic nonbonded energies, and in a more rigorous manner including solvation effects as the change in total electrostatic energy of complexation, using a continuum-electrostatics (CE) approach. The CE approach exhibited the superior correlation with observed affinities. Both methods showed definite trends in observed and calculated binding affinities; in both cases inhibitors with a positively charged C4 substituent formed the tightest binding to the enzyme, as observed experimentally.This paper is based on a presentation given at the 14th Molecular Graphics and Modelling Society Conference, held in Cairns, Australia, August 27–September 1, 1995.Presently on a visiting postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Biomolecular Structure, Glaxo Research & Development Ltd, Greenford, Middlesex UB6 OHE, U.K.     

Zur Synthese sulfonierter Derivate von 2-Amino-p-xylol

Synthese of sulfonated derivatives of 2-amino-p-xylene Sulfonation of 2-amino-p-xylene (2) gave 2-amino-p-xylene-5-sulfonic acid (1) . The 2-amino-p-xylene-6-sulfonic acid (3) was prepared via three routes: (1) sulfonation of 2-amino-5-chloro-p-xylene (19) to 5-amino-2-chloro-p-xylene-3-sulfonic acid (20) followed by hydrogenolysis; (2) sulfur dioxide treatment of the diazonium salt derived from 2-amino-6-nitro-p-xylene (21) to 2-nitro-p-xylene-6-sulfonyl chloride (11) followed by hydrolysis to 2-nitro-p-xylene-6-sulfonic acid (4) and Béchamp reduction; (3) Béchamp reduction of 2-chloro-3-nitro-p-xylene-5-sulfonic acid (13) to 3-amino-2-chloro-p-xylene-5-sulfonic acid (16) and subsequent hydrogenolysis. Catalytic reduction of 13 in aqueous sodium carbonate solution gave mixtures of 3 and 16 . 2-Amino-p-xylene-3-sulfonic acid (27) was synthesized via two routes: (1) reaction of 19 with sulfamic acid to 2-amino-5-chloro-p-xylene-3-sulfonic acid (26) followed by hydrogenolysis; (2) sulfur dioxide treatment of the diazonium salt derived from 2-amino-3-nitro-p-xylene (28) to 2-nitro-p-xylene-3-sulfonyl chloride (12) , hydrolysis to 2-nitro-p-xylene-3-sulfonic acid (7) and Béchamp reduction.     

Electronic and Steric Influence of Axial and Equatorial Ligands in Vitamin B12 Model Complexes Derived from Cobaloxime: Electrochemical and 59Co-NMR Studies

In four series of strictly related organocobalt complexes, derived from cobaloximes by replacement of the O…H…O with O…-BF₂…O and/or (CH₂)₃ groups, the trends of ⁵⁹Co-NMR shielding and electrochemical data are discussed. A largely parallel behaviour of the plots of E_1/2(I) values for the first Co(III)/Co(II) electron transfer vs. the ₅₉Co chemical shifts reflects the similar sensitivity of the two parameters to a change in electron affinity of the central metal ion due to a variation of the organic group R. E_1/2(II) values for the second Co(II)/CO(I) electron transfer are less sensitive to the change of R, but the trend of the plot vs. δ(₅₉Co) is still parallel in the four series. Consistent deviations from a roughly linear dependence of E_1/2(I) on pK_a of the hydrocarbon acid corresponding to R, on Taft constant s?_* and on ⁵⁹Co shielding are noticed for the isopropyl derivatives and attributed to a steric effect. This was confirmed in a series of R? Co(DMG)pyridine complexes in which ⁵⁹Co shielding decreases steadily with increasing steric parameter E_s (Taft) of the alkyl group. There is experimental evidence from X-ray data that δ(⁵⁹Co) decreases with an increase of the Co? C bond length, illustrating steric hindrance in alkyl coordination to be responsible for the decreased shielding of the ⁵⁹Co nucleus. The relative displacements of the graphic displays for the different series reflect the effect of changes in electron affinity of the redox center, due to the equatorial ligand, which, in turn, is caused by variations in the electron-withdrawing power due to the introduction of the BF₂ group and by the change from ?2 to ?1 valence of the (CH₂)₃-capped ligands.     

Case Study: Doping Substances in Equestrian Food Supplements

In the course of investigations on equestrian supplemental products for the presence of doping substances, two products were found to contain forbidden substances. As reported earlier a plant extract (Mexican cactus extract) named “Energy 5” contained the anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) stanozolol, 17β-hydroxy-17α-methyl-5α-androstane-3β-ol (3β,5α-THMT) as well as mestanolone not declared on the label. In the present study, a product called “Super Kalm Paste” was tested. Analysis by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) revealed that the preparation contained the class I anti-arrhythmics quinine (trade names Kinidin^TM, Durules) and cinchonine. The samples were prepared according to a sample preparation procedure established for anabolic steroids in nutritional supplements for humans. The sample treatment comprised the extraction and purification of the analytes as well as the chemical conversion with N-methyl-N-trimethylsilyl-trifluoracetamide (MSTFA) to yield the trimethylsilyl (TMS)-derivatives. To verify whether the administration of such products could lead to positive doping tests, a pilot excretion study on “Energy 5” was conducted with two geldings, and urine samples were collected. Gas chromatography - high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) after solid phase extraction and mixed derivatisation has demonstrated the presence of the stanozolol metabolite 16β-hydroxy-stanozolol in urine samples after “Energy 5” application.     

Hall effect of noncrystalline Zr−Cu films

Quench condensed Zr _x Cu_1–x films offer a wide concentration range (0.1x0.9) for measurements of the Hall coefficientR _H of amorphous Zr–Cu alloys.R _H changes sign as a function of composition, from negative to positive, as the Zr concentration is increased. The sign change is observed in a narrow concentration range at aboutx=0.22, without any peculiarity of the conductivity at this crossover concentration. The Hall coefficient of the unannealed Zr-rich films is nearly independent of temperature. However, both, the values ofR _H and of the temperature dependence ofR _H change with a heat treatment well below the crystallization temperature. This is most obvious for the films with a composition close to the cross-over concentration.Dedicated to B. Mühlschlegel on the occasion of his 60th birthday