A Series of Potent CREBBP Bromodomain Ligands Reveals an Induced‐Fit Pocket Stabilized by a Cation–π Interaction

The benzoxazinone and dihydroquinoxalinone fragments were employed as novel acetyl lysine mimics in the development of CREBBP bromodomain ligands. While the benzoxazinone series showed low affinity for the CREBBP bromodomain, expansion of the dihydroquinoxalinone series resulted in the first potent inhibitors of a bromodomain outside the BET family. Structural and computational studies reveal that an internal hydrogen bond stabilizes the protein‐bound conformation of the dihydroquinoxalinone series. The side chain of this series binds in an induced‐fit pocket forming a cation–π interaction with R1173 of CREBBP. The most potent compound inhibits binding of CREBBP to chromatin in U2OS cells.     

Induced‐Fit Mechanism in Class I Terpene Cyclases

We present crystallographic and functional data of selina‐4(15),7(11)‐diene synthase (SdS) from Streptomyces pristinaespiralis in its open and closed (ligand‐bound) conformation. We could identify an induced‐fit mechanism by elucidating a rearrangement of the G1/2 helix‐break motif upon substrate binding. This rearrangement highlights a novel effector triad comprising the pyrophosphate sensor Arg178, the linker Asp181, and the effector Gly182‐O. This structural motif is strictly conserved in class I terpene cyclases from bacteria, fungi, and plants, including epi‐isozizaene synthase (3KB9), aristolochene synthase (4KUX), bornyl diphosphate synthase (1N20), limonene synthase (2ONG), 5‐epi‐aristolochene synthase (5EAT), and taxa‐4(5),11(12)‐diene synthase (3P5R). An elaborate structure‐based mutagenesis in combination with analysis of the distinct product spectra confirmed the mechanistic models of carbocation formation and stabilization in SdS.     

Elucidation of Pseurotin Biosynthetic Pathway Points to Trans‐Acting C‐Methyltransferase: Generation of Chemical Diversity

Pseurotins comprise a family of structurally related Aspergillal natural products having interesting bioactivity. However, little is known about the biosynthetic steps involved in the formation of their complex chemical features. Systematic deletion of the pseurotin biosynthetic genes in A. fumigatus and in vivo and in vitro characterization of the tailoring enzymes to determine the biosynthetic intermediates, and the gene products responsible for the formation of each intermediate, are described. Thus, the main biosynthetic steps leading to the formation of pseurotin A from the predominant precursor, azaspirene, were elucidated. The study revealed the combinatorial nature of the biosynthesis of the pseurotin family of compounds and the intermediates. Most interestingly, we report the first identification of an epoxidase C‐methyltransferase bifunctional fusion protein PsoF which appears to methylate the nascent polyketide backbone carbon atom in trans.     

Extended Reaction Scope of Thiamine Diphosphate Dependent Cyclohexane‐1,2‐dione Hydrolase: From CC Bond Cleavage to CC Bond Ligation

ThDP‐dependent cyclohexane‐1,2‐dione hydrolase (CDH) catalyzes the C? C bond cleavage of cyclohexane‐1,2‐dione to 6‐oxohexanoate, and the asymmetric benzoin condensation between benzaldehyde and pyruvate. One of the two reactivities of CDH was selectively knocked down by mutation experiments. CDH‐H28A is much less able to catalyze the C? C bond formation, while the ability for C? C bond cleavage is still intact. The double variant CDH‐H28A/N484A shows the opposite behavior and catalyzes the addition of pyruvate to cyclohexane‐1,2‐dione, resulting in the formation of a tertiary alcohol. Several acyloins of tertiary alcohols are formed with 54–94 % enantiomeric excess. In addition to pyruvate, methyl pyruvate and butane‐2,3‐dione are alternative donor substrates for C? C bond formation. Thus, the very rare aldehyde–ketone cross‐benzoin reaction has been solved by design of an enzyme variant.     

Experimental and Computational Evidence for the Mechanism of Intradiol Catechol Dioxygenation by Non‐Heme Iron(III) Complexes

Catechol intradiol dioxygenation is a unique reaction catalyzed by iron‐dependent enzymes and non‐heme iron(III) complexes. The mechanism by which these systems activate dioxygen in this important metabolic process remains controversial. Using a combination of kinetic measurements and computational modelling of multiple iron(III) catecholato complexes, we have elucidated the catechol cleavage mechanism and show that oxygen binds the iron center by partial dissociation of the substrate from the iron complex. The iron(III) superoxide complex that is formed subsequently attacks the carbon atom of the substrate by a rate‐determining C?O bond formation step.     

Engineering the Donor Selectivity of D‐Fructose‐6‐Phosphate Aldolase for Biocatalytic Asymmetric Cross‐Aldol Additions of Glycolaldehyde

D ‐Fructose‐6‐phosphate aldolase (FSA) is a unique catalyst for asymmetric cross‐aldol additions of glycolaldehyde. A combination of a structure‐guided approach of saturation mutagenesis, site‐directed mutagenesis, and computational modeling was applied to construct a set of FSA variants that improved the catalytic efficiency towards glycolaldehyde dimerization up to 1800‐fold. A combination of mutations in positions L107, A129, and A165 provided a toolbox of FSA variants that expand the synthetic possibilities towards the preparation of aldose‐like carbohydrate compounds. The new FSA variants were applied as highly efficient catalysts for cross‐aldol additions of glycolaldehyde to N‐carbobenzyloxyaminoaldehydes to furnish between 80–98 % aldol adduct under optimized reaction conditions. Donor competition experiments showed high selectivity for glycolaldehyde relative to dihydroxyacetone or hydroxyacetone. These results demonstrate the exceptional malleability of the active site in FSA, which can be remodeled to accept a wide spectrum of donor and acceptor substrates with high efficiency and selectivity.     

Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics Studies on the Mechanism of Action of Cofactor Pyridoxal 5′‐Phosphate in Ornithine 4,5‐Aminomutase

A computational study was performed on the experimentally elusive cyclisation step in the cofactor pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate (PLP)‐dependent D ‐ornithine 4,5‐aminomutase (OAM)‐catalysed reaction. Calculations using both model systems and a combined quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics approach suggest that regulation of the cyclic radical intermediate is achieved through the synergy of the intrinsic catalytic power of cofactor PLP and the active site of the enzyme. The captodative effect of PLP is balanced by an enzyme active site that controls the deprotonation of both the pyridine nitrogen atom (N1) and the Schiff‐base nitrogen atom (N2). Furthermore, electrostatic interactions between the terminal carboxylate and amino groups of the substrate and Arg297 and Glu81 impose substantial “strain” energy on the orientation of the cyclic intermediate to control its trajectory. In addition the “strain” energy, which appears to be sensitive to both the number of carbon atoms in the substrate/analogue and the position of the radical intermediates, may play a key role in controlling the transition of the enzyme from the closed to the open state. Our results provide new insights into several aspects of the radical mechanism in aminomutase catalysis and broaden our understanding of cofactor PLP‐dependent reactions.     

磁性聚合物微球固定化青霉素G酰化酶制备光学纯(S)-2-氯苯甘氨酸

通过反相悬浮聚合法制备了超顺磁性环氧聚合物微球用于固定化青霉素G酰化酶,利用磁性固定化酶催化N-苯乙酰-(R,S)-2-氯苯甘氨酸进行不对称水解反应,制备出(S)-2-氯苯甘氨酸单一对映体。磁性固定化酶催化水解反应的适宜条件为:底物浓度100 mg·m L-1,反应温度和时间30℃和12 h,反应溶液p H 8.0。在此条件下,N-苯乙酰-(R,S)-2-氯苯甘氨酸的转化率为48.8%,产物(S)-2-氯苯甘氨酸的对映体过量值eep达99.4%。磁场下回收磁性固定化青霉素G酰化酶,重复使用6次,底物的转化率和产物的对映体过量值分别为47.8%和91.4%。     

农产品中三唑磷农药残留化学发光酶免疫分析方法研究

运用棋盘法确定直接竞争CLEIA法抗体和酶标半抗原的最适工作浓度,以4-(咪唑-1-基)苯酚(4-IMP)作为增强剂,运用L25(56)正交设计实验优化增敏液配方,建立了农产品中三唑磷农药残留的化学发光酶免疫分析方法。优化的最适工作条件:抗体包被浓度为2.0μg/mL,酶标半抗原浓度为0.006μg/mL;增敏液最佳配方为:6.4%DMF,0.01 mmol/L pH 9.0的Tris-HCl缓冲液,0.6 mmol/L鲁米诺,2 mmol/L H2O2,1 mmol/L 4-IMP。优化后方法灵敏度为0.489 ng/mL,线性范围为0.16~20.00 ng/mL,相关系数为0.996 4。该方法能实现对苹果、节瓜、大米、柑橘、荔枝及甘蓝等样品中三唑磷残留的快速、灵敏检测,加标回收率为82.8%~118.4%,与GC-MS法的相关性(r2)为0.957。结果表明,该方法可用于农产品中三唑磷农药的快速筛查。