Activity of artificial mutant variants of human growth hormone deficient in a disulfide bond between Cys53 and Cys165

In order to understand the role of Cys53 and Cys165 of human growth hormone (hGH) in receptor-binding and biological activity, artificial mutant variants of hGH were prepared in Escherichia coli by in vitro mutagenesis. Variants of hGH were constructed by replacement of Cys165 with Ala ([Ala165]hGH) or Ser ([Ser165]hGH), by replacement of Cys53 with Ala ([Ala53]hGH), by replacement of Cys53 and Cys165 with Ala ([Ala53, Ala165]hGH), or by replacement of Cys53 with Ala and Cys165 with Ser ([Ala53,Ser165]hGH). All of the variants constructed as well as reduced hGH exhibited less biological activity than that of intact hGH, and the decreases in biological activity were almost equal, as measured by a sensitive biological assay for growth hormone: adipose conversion assay using 3T3-F442A cells. These variants also showed less receptor-binding activity than that of intact hGH. These results suggest that it is possible neither the residue Cys53 nor Cys165 is directly involved in the receptor binding, and that the disulfide bridge between Cys53 and Cys165 in hGH may not always be crucial for the biological activity, though necessary to express full hGH activity.     

Studies of nucleosides and nucleotides—LXXIV: Purine cyclonucleosides—34 a new method for the synthesis of 2'-substituted 2'-deoxyadenosines

8,2'-O-Cycloadenosine was protected at 3' and 5'-OHs with acetyl groups and cleaved using liq. H₂S. Subsequent dethiolation and mesylation gave 2'-O-mesyl-3',5'-di-O-acetyl-arabinosyladenine (6). When 6 or its deacetylated parent compound (7) was heated with sodium azide in DMF, 3'-azido-3'-deoxyxylofuranosyladenine (9) was the only product. The cyclonucleoside was then protected with tetrahydropyranyl groups and subjected to a similar series of reactions as above to give 2'-O-mesyl-3',5'-di-O-tetrahydropyranylarabinosyladenine (14). The compound 14 was heated with sodium azide after which acidic deprotection afforded 2'-azido-2'-deoxyadenosine (16). Hydrogenation of 16 gave 2'-amino-2'-deoxyadenosine (18). 2'-Chloro-2'-deoxyadenosine (19) was also obtained by treatment of 14 with lithium chloride and subsequent deprotection. UV, IR and NMR spectral data of these compounds are described.     

Chemical synthesis of the 5-́half molecule of E.coli tRNA2GLY

A tritriacontanucleotide which has the sequence of the 5$\text{-}\text{?}$half molecule of E.coli glycine tRNA₂, was synthesized by the phosphotriester method involving p-anisidate protection for the 3$\text{-}\text{?}$phosphate ends. Di- and trinucleotide units were prepared from 5$\text{-}\text{?}$dimethoxytrityl-2$\text{-}\text{?}$O-tetrahydrofuranyl-3?-O-(o-chlorophenyl)phosphoryl derivatives of uridine, N-benzoylcytidine, N-benzolyadenosine and N-iso-butyrylguanosine by condensation with 3$\text{,}\text{?}$5$\text{-}\text{?}$unprotected nucleosides followed by phosphorylation to give 3$\text{-}\text{?}$phosphodiester blocks. The 3$\text{-}\text{?}$terminal dimers and trimers were synthesized by using 3$\text{-}\text{?}$(o- chlorophenyl)phosphoro-p-anisidates instead of 3?,5?-unprotected nucleosides. The 3?-phosphodiesters of oligonucleotides with a chain length of larger than 5 were obtained by removal of the 3?-phosphoro-p-anisidate with isoamyl nitrite. The 5$\text{-}\text{?}$dimethoxytrityl group was removed by treatment with zinc bromide under anhydrous conditions. Fragments were designed to use common dimer blocks and to reduce the step for 5$\text{-}\text{?}$deblocking of larger fragments. Finally a 3$\text{-}\text{?}$phosphodiester block with a chain length of 20 was condensed with a 5$\text{-}\text{?}$OH component (tridecanucleotide). The fully protected 33 mer was deblocked and purified by chromatography. The structural integrity of the product was confirmed by mobility shift analysis and complete digestion with RNase T2.     

New condensing reagents for stereospecific synthesis of dinucleoside monophosphate aryl esters

Condensation of 5′-O-dimethoxytritylnucleoside 3′-O-(o-chlorophenyl) phosphates and 3′-O-benzoylnucleosides with a new condensing reagent, 2,4,6-triisopropylbenzenesulfonyl 5-(pyridin-2-yl) tetrazolide gave o-chlorophenyl ester of protected dinucleoside monophosphates which had a stereospecific configuration. The corresponding mesitylenesulfonyl derivative gave similar results.     

Effect of poly(butylene succinate) crystals on spherulitic growth of poly(ethylene oxide) in binary blends of the two substances

The effects of the lamellar growth direction, extinction rings, and spherulitic boundaries of poly(butylene succinate) (PBSU) on the spherulitic growth of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) were investigated in miscible blends of the two crystalline polymers. In the crystallization process from a homogeneous melt, PBSU first developed volume‐filling spherulites, and then PEO spherulites nucleated and grew inside the PBSU spherulites. The lamellar growth direction of PEO was identical with that of PBSU even when the PBSU content was about 5 wt %. PEO, which intrinsically does not exhibit banded spherulites, showed apparent extinction rings inside the banded spherulites of PBSU. The growth rate of a PEO spherulite, G_PEO, was influenced not only by the blend composition and the crystallization temperature of PEO, but also by the growth direction with respect to PBSU lamellae, the boundaries of PBSU spherulites, and the crystallization temperature of PBSU, T_PBSU. The value of G_PEO first increased with decreasing T_PBSU when a PEO spherulite grew inside a single PBSU spherulite. Then, G_PEO decreased when T_PBSU was further decreased and a PEO spherulite grew through many tiny PBSU spherulites. This behavior was discussed based on the aforementioned factors affecting G_PEO. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 47: 539–547, 2009