Epitope Targeting of Tertiary Protein Structure Enables Target‐Guided Synthesis of a Potent In‐Cell Inhibitor of Botulinum Neurotoxin

Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) serotype A is the most lethal known toxin and has an occluded structure, which prevents direct inhibition of its active site before it enters the cytosol. Target‐guided synthesis by in situ click chemistry is combined with synthetic epitope targeting to exploit the tertiary structure of the BoNT protein as a landscape for assembling a competitive inhibitor. A substrate‐mimicking peptide macrocycle is used as a direct inhibitor of BoNT. An epitope‐targeting in situ click screen is utilized to identify a second peptide macrocycle ligand that binds to an epitope that, in the folded BoNT structure, is active‐site‐adjacent. A second in situ click screen identifies a molecular bridge between the two macrocycles. The resulting divalent inhibitor exhibits an in vitro inhibition constant of 165 pM against the BoNT/A catalytic chain. The inhibitor is carried into cells by the intact holotoxin, and demonstrates protection and rescue of BoNT intoxication in a human neuron model.     

Selective Reduction of Conjugated Ethylenic Linkage in the Presence of Ion-Exchange Resin Bound Borohydride

The use of crosslinked polystyrene anion-exchange resin as a support for borohydride ions made it possible to reduce conjugated olefinic bonds selectively under very mild conditions. The isolation of the reduced products by a simple filtration and evaporation process is another interesting feature of this reaction.     

Leucine pools in Escherichia coli biofilm discovered by Raman imaging

In structured communities of bacteria known as biofilms, a variety of biomolecules have been shown to play a unique role as signals and/or regulators in biofilm formation. Here, we report that high levels of the amino acid leucine (leucine pool) were detected, for the first time, within microcolonies in a 30‐h‐old Escherichia coli biofilm by Raman imaging. Localization of leucine revealed by multifrequency Raman images indicates leucine accumulation during the early stage of the E. coli biofilm formation, which may have resulted from physiological environment‐specific metabolic adaptation. We demonstrate that our label‐free Raman imaging method provides a useful platform for directly identifying still unknown natural products produced in biofilms as well as for visualizing heterogeneous distributions of biofilm constituents in situ. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of a sulfonium ion analogue of the glycosidase inhibitor swainsonine

The synthesis of a bicyclic sulfonium ion analogue of a naturally occurring indolizidine alkaloid, swainsonine, in which the bridgehead nitrogen atom is replaced by a sulfonium ion, has been achieved by a multistep synthesis starting from (2S,3S,4R)-2,3-dibenzyloxy-4-formaldehyde-thiolane. The synthetic strategy relies on the intramolecular displacement of a leaving group on a pendant acyclic chain by a cyclic thioether. This bicyclic sulfonium salt provides a candidate with which to further probe the hypothesis that a sulfonium salt carrying a permanent positive charge would be an effective glycosidase inhibitor.     

Aromatic core modified decaphyrins with the largest two-photon absorption cross-sections: syntheses and characterization

[structure: see text] Core-modified aromatic decaphyrins with 42pi conjugated electrons exhibit the highest two-photon absorption cross-section value (sigma(2) = 108,000 GM) known for any organic molecule, suggesting possible device applications in the field of nonlinear optics.     

Impairing effect of fibrinogen on the mono-/bi-layer form of bovine lung surfactant

Lung surfactant (LS), a lipid–protein mixture responsible for alveolar stability, is inhibited by serum proteins leaked into the lungs in disease. Interaction of bovine lipid extract surfactant (BLES), a clinical replacement lung surfactant, with serum protein fibrinogen (Fbg) was studied employing various structural and biophysical techniques in adsorbed films and bulk bilayer dispersions. Surface tension area isotherms of the adsorbed films revealed the suppression of interfacial activity of BLES by Fbg (adsorption and surface tension reduction). Fbg, predominantly associated with the fluid phase of BLES films, resulted in the aggregation of the gel lipid domains as evidenced by atomic force microscopy. BLES bilayer dispersion showed phase transition from a diffused gel to liquid–crystalline phase in the temperature range 10–35 °C as studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Fbg resulted in the shift of peak to a higher transition temperature for the maximal heat flow (T _max) of BLES dispersions. Combined Raman and FTIR spectral studies of the BLES/Fbg dispersions revealed that Fbg altered the –CH₂–, –CH₃, and –PO₄ ^? vibrational modes of the phospholipids present in BLES, suggesting the condensing and dehydrating effect of the protein on surfactant. Studies suggest that Fbg, by directly interacting with the gel lipids in LS in bulk dispersions, alter the packing of the films formed at the interface, and can be used as a specific model for lung disease.     

Molecular Intercalation and Electronic Two Dimensionality in Layered Hybrid Perovskites

In layered hybrid perovskites, such as (BA)₂PbI₄ (BA=C₄H₉NH₃), electrons and holes are considered to be confined in atomically thin two dimensional (2D) Pb–I inorganic layers. These inorganic layers are electronically isolated from each other in the third dimension by the insulating organic layers. Herein we report our experimental findings that suggest the presence of electronic interaction between the inorganic layers in some parts of the single crystals. The extent of this interaction is reversibly tuned by intercalation of organic and inorganic molecules in the layered perovskite single crystals. Consequently, optical absorption and emission properties switch reversibly with intercalation. Furthermore, increasing the distance between inorganic layers by increasing the length of the organic spacer cations systematically decreases these electronic interactions. This finding that the parts of the layered hybrid perovskites are not strictly electronically 2D is critical for understanding the electronic, optical, and optoelectronic properties of these technologically important materials.     

A Retro-Diels Alder route to Tetramethyldisilene Me2Si=SiMe2 revisited: Flow Pyrolysis of 1,1,2,2-Tetramethyl-1,2-disilacyclohex-4-ene

Reinvestigation of the flow pyrolysis of 1,1,2,2-tetramethyl-1,2-disilacyclohex-4-ene did not identify conditions under which the retro-Diels Alder reaction was the exclusive process. Extrusion of Me₂Si=SiMe₂was confirmed, but dimerization of directly extruded Me₂Si: contributes significantly to its formation. Rearrangement of 1,1,2,2-tetramethyl-1,2-disilacyclohex-4-ene to 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-disilacyclohex-4-ene is a major process under a variety of conditions. Computational studies reduced the number of viable pathways. Both experimental and computational results point to stepwise extrusion of Me₂Si=SiMe₂ via a diradical intermediate and to linkage by one or more common intermediates of the extrusion pathway and the pathway leading to rearranged disilacyclohexene. Such a mechanism receives support from the formation of 1,2- and 1,3-disilacyclohex-4-enes, that is both the Diels-Alder product and the rearrangement product, in the addition of Me₂Si=SiMe₂ to butadiene. Dedicated to Professor Mitsuo Kira on the occasion of his being honored for his inspiring work as the recipient of the 2005 Wacker Silicon Award.     

Synthesis and conformational analysis of bicyclic sulfonium salts. Structures related to the glycosidase inhibitor australine

The syntheses of eight sulfonium compounds with structures related to the naturally occurring pyrrolizidine alkaloid, australine, in which the bridgehead nitrogen atom is replaced by a sulfonium ion, are described. The synthetic strategy relies on the intramolecular attack of a cyclic thioether across a terminal double bond in the presence of a suitable electrophile. We postulate that these compounds, having a permanent positive charge on the sulfur atom, will mimic the highly unstable oxacarbenium ion transition state in a glycosidase-catalyzed hydrolysis reaction. The conformational preferences of these compounds, based on analysis of 1H-1H vicinal coupling constants and 1D-NOESY data, are attributed to both steric and electrostatic interactions. These compounds will be used in the study of structure-activity relationships with glycosidase enzymes.     

Transition metal complexes with a polydentate Schiff base derived from 3-formylsalicylic acid and 1,2-bis(o-aminophenylthio)ethane

The reaction of 3-formylsalicylic acid with 1,2-bis(o-aminophenylthio)ethane yielded a Schiff base with eight donor centres N₂S₂O₄ of which the inner compartment is of an N₂S₂O₂ type and the outer is of the O₂O₂ type. The base forms several mononuclear homo- and hetero-dinuclear complexes: e.g. mononuclear Cu^II, Ni^II and dinuclear Cu^II, Ni^II, UO₂ ^VI complexes. Hetero-dinuclear complexes {[M]M}, where M = the inner metal ion Cu^II, Ni^II and M = the outer metal ion Pd^II, UO₂ ^VI are also reported. The complexes were characterised by elemental analyses, spectral, thermal and magnetic measurements. Dicopper and dinickel complexes exhibit subnormal magnetic moments showing spin pairing between two metal centres, via the phenolato oxygen, whereas other mono-copper and mono-nickel complexes (both mononuclear and hetero-dinuclear) show the expected magnetic behaviour for 1e and 2e, respectively. The e.s.r. spectra of copper complexes also support the above behaviour.