The Thioesterase of the Erythromycin-Producing Polyketide Synthase: Influence of Acyl Chain Structure on the Mode of Release of Substrate Analogues from the Acyl Enzyme Intermediates

The production of genetically engineered polyketides depends critically on thioesterase activity for product release. In vitro studies with the thioesterase from the erythromycin polyketide synthase (PKS) have demonstrated that the ability of this enzyme to act as a universal decoupler is limited, but stereochemical variation is readily tolerated. Synthetic analogues with all four stereochemical configurations of the natural substrate's 2-methyl-3-hydroxy substitution pattern ( 1 – 4 ; X=p-nitrophenoxy) were substrates for the enzyme.     

Modular Bidentate Hybrid NHC‐Thioether Ligands for the Stabilization of Palladium Nanoparticles in Various Solvents

The synthesis of four different bidentate hybrid NHC‐thioether ligands is presented. The corresponding palladium nanoparticles are stable in various solvents, depending on the ligand used, and show high chemoselectivity in the hydrogenation of olefins. The solubility of the nanoparticles can be switched multiple times depending on the pH value of the solvent. XPS analysis (which shows a subtle shift in the binding energy) was identified as a convenient tool to establish the binding mode of NHC ligands.     

A Stable Cyclic (R2SnAu)3 Anion Having In-Plane σ-Möbius Aromaticity

A cyclic (R₂SnAu)₃ anion ( 3⁻ , R₂Sn=2,2,5,5-tetrakis(trimethylsilyl)-1-stannacyclopentane-1,1-diyl) has been synthesized as a stable blue salt with K⁺(THF)₆ through the reaction of stable dialkylstannylene 1 with R′₃PAuCl (R′=Et, Ph) followed by the reduction with KC₈. Crystallographic and NMR analysis shows that the six-membered (SnAu)₃ ring of 3⁻ is planar and highly symmetric with an equal distance of six Au−Sn bonds. A UV/Vis spectrum of 3⁻ in hexane reveals an intense absorption maximum at 598 nm. While cyclic Au₃⁻ with four valence electrons is known as unstable anti-aromatic anion, 3⁻ with three divalent tin ligands is stable σ aromatic anion with an unprecedented Möbius orbital array as predicted by the perturbation MO and CCSD analysis of 3⁻ .     

Performance of multiple docking and refinement methods in the pose prediction D3R prospective Grand Challenge 2016

We describe the performance of multiple pose prediction methods for the D3R 2016 Grand Challenge. The pose prediction challenge includes 36 ligands, which represent 4 chemotypes and some miscellaneous structures against the FXR ligand binding domain. In this study we use a mix of fully automated methods as well as human-guided methods with considerations of both the challenge data and publicly available data. The methods include ensemble docking, colony entropy pose prediction, target selection by molecular similarity, molecular dynamics guided pose refinement, and pose selection by visual inspection. We evaluated the success of our predictions by method, chemotype, and relevance of publicly available data. For the overall data set, ensemble docking, visual inspection, and molecular dynamics guided pose prediction performed the best with overall mean RMSDs of 2.4, 2.2, and 2.2 Å respectively. For several individual challenge molecules, the best performing method is evaluated in light of that particular ligand. We also describe the protein, ligand, and public information data preparations that are typical of our binding mode prediction workflow.     

Synthesis and neurotropic activity of silyl propargyl alcohols and sulfides

New silicon derivatives of hetaryl propargyl sulfides and propargyl alcohols were synthesized using phase‐transfer catalytic and organometallic methods. These compounds were tested for acute toxicity and neurotropic activity in the pentylenetetrazole test, and for phenamine hypothermia, phenamine hyperactivity and passive avoidance response tests. We have found that the silyl propargyl alcohols and sulfides are low toxicity compounds, the LD₅₀ being 700–1300 mg kg^?1. In the PAR test, the synthesized compounds exerted some memory‐improving activity. For di‐1‐(3‐methyl‐3‐hydroxybutyn‐1‐yl)methyl(3‐iodopropyl)silane ( 16 ) the effect was statistically significant and amounted to 250% of the control level. In the pentylenetetrazole test, all compounds possessed anticonvulsant activity, the most active compounds being 3‐(benzoxazolylthio)‐1‐propynyl(trimethyl)silane ( 6 ) and di‐[2‐(1‐hydroxycyclohexyl)ethynyl]methyl(3‐iodopropyl)silane ( 17 ). The phenamine‐induced hyperactivity was significantly elevated after treatment with (3‐trimethylsilyl‐2‐propynyl)thiobenzene ( 1 ) or di‐[1‐(3‐methyl‐3‐hydroxybutyn‐1‐yl)diphenylsilane ( 12 ). Our data show that these silicon derivatives of hetaryl propargyl sulfides and propargyl alcohols possess certain memory improving and anticonvulsant activity that should be studied in detail to evaluate the receptor systems involved. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.