Synthetische und NMR-spektroskopische Untersuchungen der Benzylaminaddition an N-Maleyl-aminosäurederivate

Summary During the addition of amines to maleylamino acids in general -amino derivatives are formed. In order to change the reactivity within the vinylogous maleyl system we introduced the -benzylester group into the starting compound N-(cis--carboxyacryloyl)-phenylalanine methylester1. The obtained benzylester2 is adding benzylamine in -position yielding N-benzyl--aspartyl(-benzyl)-phenylalanine methylester4. The addition reaction was investigated by¹H-NMR-spectroscopy. The structures of the compounds have been confirmed by elemental analysis, IR,¹H-NMR and¹³C-NMR spectroscopy.

     

质谱在肽和蛋白质序列分析中的应用

了解肽和蛋白质的序列对理解其功能具有重要意义，测定其序列也是当前生命 科学研究中的重要内容之一，质谱作为高灵敏度的测定分子结构的仪器，其高灵敏 度、广泛的适用性及快速性等特性使它具有很大潜力发展成为辅助传统测序方法的 新方法，并得到了广泛的关注。从离子活化方法（包括碰撞诱导解离CID、源后裂 解PSD、源内裂解ISD等）、衍生化作用以及氨基酸残基消除方式（高能活化产生亚 稳离子、化学降解、酶降解）等多个角度介绍了利用质谱分析多肽和蛋白质序列的 方法，并对其发展前景作出展望。     

Solid-phase synthesis of the cyclic lipononadepsipeptide [N-Mst(Ser1), d-Ser4, L-Thr6, L-Asp8, L-Thr9]syringotoxin

An optimized solid-phase strategy for the preparation of the cyclic lipononadepsipeptide [N-Mst(L-Ser1), D-Ser4, L-Thr6, L-Asp8, L-Thr9]syringotoxin is reported. The strategy is based on the use of a mild orthogonal protection scheme and the incorporation of the nonproteinogenic amino acid (Z)-Dhb into the peptide chain as the dipeptide Fmoc-Thr(tBu)-(Z)-Dhb-OH. The didehydrodipeptide was synthesized by a water-soluble carbodiimide-induced beta-elimination of a protected dipeptide containing a residue of Thr with its free hydroxy side chain unprotected.     

The cell-penetrating peptide TAT(48-60) induces a non-lamellar phase in DMPC membranes.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs) are short polycationic sequences that can translocate into cells without disintegrating the plasma membrane. CPPs are useful tools for delivering cargo, but their molecular mechanism of crossing the lipid bilayer remains unclear. Here we study the interaction of the HIV-derived CPP TAT (48-60) with model membranes by solid-state NMR spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The peptide induces a pronounced isotropic (31)P NMR signal in zwitterionic DMPC, but not in anionic DMPG bilayers. Octaarginine and to a lesser extent octalysine have the same effect, in contrast to other cationic amphiphilic membrane-active peptides. The observed non-lamellar lipid morphology is attributed to specific interactions of polycationic peptides with phosphocholine head groups, rather than to electrostatic interactions. Freeze-fracture electron microscopy indicates that TAT(48-60) induces the formation of rodlike, presumably inverted micelles in DMPC, which may represent intermediates during the translocation across eukaryotic membranes.     

Synthesis of branched oxime-linked peptide mimetics of the MUC1 containing a universal T-helper epitope

Our goal was to develop mimics of MUC1, highly immunogenic to induce an efficient immune response against the tumor-associated form of MUC1, and sufficiently different from the natural antigen to bypass the tolerance barrier in humans. With the aim of obtaining a well-defined peptide construct as a means of evoking the precise immune responses required in immunotherapy, we synthesized artificial mimics of the MUC1 protein composed of two MUC1 repeat units of inverse orientation and a universal T-helper epitope. To synthesize these heteromeric peptide constructs, we followed a convergent approach using chemoselective ligation based on oxime chemistry. A stem peptide was first synthesized bearing two orthogonally masked aldehydes. After successive deprotection, two oxime bonds can be specifically generated. The proposed strategy proved to be concise and robust, and allowed the synthesis of the tri-branched protein in a very satisfactory yield. The different constructs were tested for their ability to generate antibodies able to recognize the MUC1 protein.     

Relationship between the molecular structure of amino acids and dipeptides and thermal sublimation effects

This paper reports on our mass spectrometric study of sublimation of glycine and DL-alanyl-glycine (Ala-gly). The sublimation enthalpy of Ala-gly has been determined by generalization of the data obtained and the results of AM1 quantum-chemical calculations. A relationship has been found between the sublimation enthalpy (ΔH _subl), heat capacity (C _P), and the sum of bond lengths (Σn _i l _i ) in 17 α-amino acid and 9 dipeptide molecules. Correlations are suggested for evaluating ΔH _subl of amino acids and peptides.     

Structure and dynamics of self-assembled poly(ethylene glycol) based coiled-coil nano-objects.

Herein we describe the structure and dynamics of self-assembled nano-objects generated from poly(ethylene glycol) based (PEG-ylated) coiled-coil hybrid block copolymers. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments on spin-labeled samples provided a strong indication for a parallel alignment of the peptide helices in at least the dimeric coiled-coil nano-object and indicated that the PEG chains are folded rather closely around the peptide core of the nano-objects. The EPR results were supported by AFM studies, which revealed the presence of discrete nanosized objects in thin, spin cast films of the block copolymers on mica substrates. Since their size and structure may be engineered via directed mutations in the amino acid sequence, these nano-objects may be interesting building blocks for the development of supramolecular materials with various potential applications.     

Preparation and thermosensitivity of naturally occurring polypeptide poly(gamma-glutamic acid) derivatives modified by propyl groups

Poly(gamma-glutamic acid) (gamma-PGA) is a biosynthetic polymer, and the carboxyl groups are able to undergo a chemical modification. In this study, poly(alpha-propyl gamma-glutamate) (gamma-PGA propylate) was synthesized by the esterification of these carboxyl groups to yield a thermosensitive and biodegradable polymer. In aqueous solution, the gamma-PGA propylate can impart thermosensitivity by controlling the hydrophobic-hydrophilic balance of the gamma-PGA polymeric chains.     

Astragalus membranaceus ultrafine powder alleviates hyperuricemia by regulating the gut microbiome and reversing bile acid and adrenal hormone biosynthesis dysregulation

Ethnopharmacological relevanceMetabolic syndrome is closely related to the intestinal microbiota and disturbances in the host metabolome. Hyperuricemia (HUA), a manifestation of metabolic syndrome, can induce various cardiovascular diseases and gout, seriously affecting a patient’s quality of life. Astragalus membranaceus has a long history as a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine to treat kidney disease in China and East Asia.Materials and methodsWe compared the therapeutic effect of benzbromarone and two different doses Astragalus membranaceus ultrafine powder (AMUP) in rats with HUA. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometer was used to analyze the AMUP metabolism in the plasma, urine, and feces. Further, 16S ribosome RNA sequencing and feces metabolomic were performed to capture the variation of the gut microbiota and metabolites changes before and after drug administration.ResultsAMUP had a notable impact on reducing blood uric acid levels while protecting the liver and kidney. Drug metabolism analysis demonstrated that effective constituent flavonoids are distributed in the blood, whereas saponins remain in the intestine. Gut microbiota analysis showed that low-dose AMUP ameliorated HUA-induced gut dysbiosis by reducing the abundance of harmful bacteria and increasing that of some beneficial bacteria with anti-inflammatory properties, such as Clostridia, Lachnospiraceae, and Muribaculaceae. In addition, HUA-induced changes in metabolite contents in bile acid and adrenal hormone biosynthesis pathways were restored after treatment with AMUP.ConclusionLow-dose AMUP exerts remarkable therapeutic effects on HUA by regulating the gut microbiome and mediating gut metabolism pathways associated with uric acid excretion.