Identification of the Key Enzyme of Roseoflavin Biosynthesis

The bacteria Streptomyces davawensis and Streptomyces cinnabarinus produce roseoflavin, the only known natural riboflavin (vitamin B₂) analogue with antibiotic activity. Roseoflavin can be considered a natural antimetabolite and has been postulated to be biosynthesized from riboflavin via the key intermediate 8‐demethyl‐8‐aminoriboflavin (AF). The required site‐specific substitution of one of the methyl groups on the dimethylbenzene ring of riboflavin by an amino group (to give AF) is challenging. The pathway from riboflavin to AF has remained elusive, and the corresponding enzyme/s was/were unknown. Herein, we show by systematic gene deletion, heterologous gene expression, and biochemical studies that the enzyme specified by the gene BN159_7989 from S. davawensis is able to carry out a whole set of chemical reactions starting from riboflavin‐5′‐phosphate to give the final product 8‐demethyl‐8‐aminoriboflavin‐5′‐phosphate (AFP).     

Magnesocene‐Based Electrolytes: A New Class of Electrolytes for Magnesium Batteries

Unlike ferrocene, bis(η⁵‐cyclopentadienyl)magnesium (magnesocene, MgCp₂) is slightly dissociated in solvents, such as ethers, resulting in electrolyte solutions with low conductivity. MgCp₂/tetrahydrofuran solutions make possible reversible magnesium plating and stripping with low over‐potentials for many cycles. The Mg deposits appear with a cauliflower‐like morphology. IR and NMR spectroscopy confirm that the electrolyte is stable and not decomposed during prolonged cycling. The anodic stability limit is in the range of 1.5 V (at platinum) and 1.8 V versus Mg/Mg²⁺ (at stainless steel), which may be sufficient for low‐voltage cathode materials. MgCp₂ is a first example of a completely new class of halide‐free electrolytes, which may open up a new research direction for future magnesium metal and magnesium‐ion batteries.     

Hidden Hydride Transfer as a Decisive Mechanistic Step in the Reactions of the Unligated Gold Carbide [AuC]+ with Methane under Ambient Conditions

The reactivity of the cationic gold carbide [AuC]⁺ (bearing an electrophilic carbon atom) towards methane has been studied using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT‐ICR‐MS). The product pairs generated, that is, Au⁺/C₂H₄, [Au(C₂H₂)]⁺/H₂, and [C₂H₃]⁺/AuH, point to the breaking and making of C?H, C?C, and H?H bonds under single‐collision conditions. The mechanisms of these rather efficient reactions have been elucidated by high‐level quantum‐chemical calculations. As a major result, based on molecular orbital and NBO‐based charge analysis, an unprecedented hydride transfer from methane to the carbon atom of [AuC]⁺ has been identified as a key step. Also, the origin of this novel mechanistic scenario has been addressed. The mechanistic insights derived from this study may provide guidance for the rational design of carbon‐based catalysts.     

Structural and dynamical characterization of fibrils from a disease-associated alanine expansion domain using proteolysis and solid-state NMR spectroscopy

The nuclear poly(A) binding protein PABPN1 possesses a natural 10 alanine stretch that can be extended to 17 Ala by codon expansion. The expansions are associated with the disease oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy (OPMD), which is characterized histopathologically by intranuclear fibrillar deposits. Here, we have studied the Ala extended fibrillar N-terminal fragment of PABPN1, (N-(+7)Ala), comprising 152 amino acids. At natural abundance, cross-polarized 13C MAS NMR spectra are dominated by the three Ala signals with characteristic beta-sheet chemical shifts. In contrast, directly polarized 13C MAS spectra show a multitude of narrow lines, suggesting a large portion of highly mobile sites. Proteolytic cleavage of the protein combined with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry revealed a protease-resistant peptide encompassing residues 13/14 to 50-52 with the poly-Ala stretch in the center. Measurements of the 1H-13Calpha dipolar couplings of 13C/15N-labeled N-(+7)Ala revealed high order parameters of 0.77 for the poly-Ala stretch of the fibril, while the majority of the residues of N-(+7)Ala exhibited very low order parameters between 0.06 and 0.15. Only some Gly residues that are flanking the Ala-rich region had significant order parameters of 0.47. Thus, site-specific dynamic mapping represents a useful tool to identify the topology of fibrillar proteins.     

Metal-peptide frameworks (MPFs): "bioinspired" metal organic frameworks

Chiral metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted a growing interest for their potential use in energy technologies, asymmetric catalysis, chiral separation, and on a more basic level, the creation of new topologies in inorganic materials. The current paper is the first report on a peptide-based MOF, a metal peptide framework (MPF), constructed from an oligovaline peptide family developed earlier by our group (Mantion, A.; et al. Macromol. Biosci. 2007, 7, 208). We have used a simple oligopeptide, Z-(L-Val)2-L-Glu(OH)-OH, to grow porous copper and calcium MPFs. The MPFs form thanks to the self-assembling properties of the peptide and specific metal-peptide and metal-ammonia interactions. They are stable up to ca. 250 degrees C and have some internal porosity, which makes them a promising prototype for the further development of MPFs.     

The phenoxy/phenol/copper cation: a minimalistic model of bonding relations in active centers of mononuclear copper enzymes

The "bare" complex [Cu(PhOH)(PhO)](+) with a phenol (PhOH) and a phenoxy (PhO) ligand bound to copper is studied both experimentally and computationally. The binding energies and structure of this complex are probed by mass spectrometry, infrared multi-photon dissociation, and DFT calculations. Further, the monoligated complexes [Cu(PhO)](+) and [Cu(PhOH)](+) are investigated for comparison. DFT calculations on the [Cu(PhOH)(PhO)](+) complex predict that a phenolate anion interacts with copper(II) preferentially through the oxygen atom, and the bonding is associated with electron transfer to the metal center resulting in location of the unpaired electron at the aromatic moiety. Neutral phenol, on the other hand, interacts with copper preferentially through the aromatic ring. The same arrangements are also found in the monoligated complexes [Cu(PhO)](+) and [Cu(PhOH)](+). The calculations further indicate that the bond strength between the copper atom and the oxygen atom of the phenoxy radical is weakened by the presence of neutral phenol from 2.6 eV in bare [Cu(PhO)](+) to 2.1 eV in [Cu(PhOH)(PhO)](+).     

“Roll‐over” Cyclometalation of 2,2′‐Bipyridine Platinum(II) Complexes in the Gas Phase: A Combined Experimental and Computational Study

In a combined experimental/computational investigation, the gas‐phase behavior of cationic [Pt(bipy)(CH₃)((CH₃)₂S)]⁺ ( 1 ) (bipy=2,2′‐bipyridine) has been explored. Losses of CH₄ and (CH₃)₂S from 1 result in the formation of a cyclometalated 2,2′‐bipyrid‐3‐yl species [Pt(bipy?H)]⁺ ( 2 ). As to the mechanisms of ligand evaporation, detailed labeling experiments complemented by DFT‐based computations reveal that the reaction follows the mechanistically intriguing “roll‐over” cyclometalation path in the course of which a hydrogen atom from the C(3)‐position is combined with the Pt‐bound methyl group to produce CH₄. Activation of a C? H‐bond of the (CH₃)₂S ligand occurs as well, but is less favored (35 % versus 65 %) as compared to the C(3)? H bond activation of bipy. In addition, the thermal ion/molecule reactions of [Pt(bipy?H)]⁺ with (CH₃)₂S have been examined, and for the major pathway, that is, the dehydrogenative coupling of the two methyl groups to form C₂H₄, a mechanism is suggested that is compatible with the experimental and computational findings. A hallmark of the gas‐phase chemistry of [Pt(bipy?H)]⁺ with the incoming (CH₃)₂S ligand is the exchange of one (and only one) hydrogen atom of the bipy fragment with the C? H bonds of dimethylsulfide in a reversible “roll‐over” cyclometalation reaction. The Pt^II‐mediated conversion of (CH₃)₂S to C₂H₄ may serve as a model to obtain mechanistic insight in the dehydrosulfurization of sulfur‐containing hydrocarbons.     

The influence of densely organized maltose shells on the biological properties of poly(propylene imine) dendrimers: new effects dependent on hydrogen bonding

Maltose-modified poly(propylene imine) (PPI) dendrimers were synthesized by reductive amination of unmodified second- to fifth-generation PPI dendrimers in the presence of excess maltose. The dendrimers were characterized by using (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR, and IR spectroscopies; laser-induced liquid beam ionization/desorption mass spectrometry; dynamic light scattering analyses; and polyelectrolyte titration. Their scaffolds have enhanced molecular rigidity and their outer spheres, at which two maltose units are bonded to the former primary amino groups on the surface, have hydrogen-bond-forming properties. Furthermore, the structural features reveal the presence of a dense shell. Experiments involving encapsulation (1-anilinonaphthalene-8-sulfonic acid) and biological properties (hemolysis and interactions with human serum albumin (HSA) and prion peptide 185-208) were performed to compare the modified with the unmodified dendrimers. These experiments gave the following results: 1) The modified dendrimers entrapped a low-molecular-weight fluorescent dye by means of a dendritic box effect, in contrast to the interfacial uptake characteristic of the unmodified PPI dendrimers. 2) Both low- and high-generation dendrimers containing maltose units showed markedly reduced toxicity. 3) The desirable features of bio-interactions depended on the generation of the dendrimer; they were retained after maltose substitution, but were now mainly governed by nonspecific hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the maltose units. The modified dendrimers interacted with HSA as strongly as the parent compounds and appeared to have potential use as antiprion agents. These improvements will initiate the development of the next platform of glycodendrimers in which apparently contrary properties can be combined, and this will enable, for example, therapeutic products such as more efficient and less toxic antiamyloid agents to be synthesized.     

The homology of path spaces and Floer homology with conormal boundary conditions

We define the Floer complex for Hamiltonian orbits on the cotangent bundle of a compact manifold which satisfy non-local conormal boundary conditions. We prove that the homology of this chain complex is isomorphic to the singular homology of the natural path space associated to the boundary conditions. Dedicated to Felix E. Browder     

Antimicrobial activity of some new thioureides derived from 2-(4-chlorophenoxymethyl)benzoic acid

We report here the characterisation of eight newly synthesized thioureides of 2-(4-chlorophenoxymethyl)-benzoic acid and the evaluation of the in vitro antimicrobial activity of the new compounds against Gram-positive [Listeria monocytogenes,Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis], Gram-negative [Psedomonas aeruginosa,Escherichia coli, Salmonella enteritidis], as well as Candida spp., using both reference and clinical multidrug resistant strains to establish the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC)values. Our results showed that the tested compounds exhibited specific antimicrobial activities, both concerning the spectrum of antimicrobial activity and the corresponding MIC values, which ranged widely between 1024 and 32 mug/mL, depending on the nature and position of the substituents on the benzene ring. The most active compounds were N-[2-(4-chlorophenoxymethyl)-benzoyl]-N'-(2,6-dichlorophenyl)-thiourea (5 g) and N-[2-(4-chlorophenoxymethyl)-benzoyl]-N'-(4-bromophenyl)-thiourea (5h), which showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against enterobacterial strains (E. coli and S. enteritidis),P. aeruginosa, S. aureus and Candida spp. All the tested compounds except 5f were highly active against S. aureus (MIC=32 mug/mL), suggesting their possible use in the treatment of MRSA infections. Four of compounds also exhibited antifungal activity (MIC =256-32 microg/mL) against C. albicans, but L. monocytogenes as well as B. subtilis were resistant to all tested compounds. Our studies thus demonstrated that among other biological activities,the thioureides of 2-(4-chlorophenoxymethyl)-benzoic acid also exhibit selective and effective antimicrobial properties that could lead to the selection and use of these compounds as efficient antimicrobial agents, especially for the treatment of multidrug resistant infections.