Enzymatic synthesis of caged NADP cofactors: aqueous NADP photorelease and optical properties

The synthesis of caged NADP analogues 18, 19, and 20 has been accomplished by utilizing the transglycosidase activity of solubilized NAD glycohydrolase (porcine brain) to incorporate caged nicotinamides 2, 3, and 4 into NADP. The synthesis of several nicotinamides modified at the carboxamide with o-nitrobenzyl photolabile groups is demonstrated as well as their potential for enzymatic transglycosidation. These results further demonstrate the feasibility of direct enzymatic transglycosidation of sterically hindered substrates into NAD(P), although high nicotinamide analogue water solubility was found to be a necessary trait for yield enhancement with certain analogues. Caged analogues were surveyed under aqueous conditions for net NADP photorelease, while the UV and fluorescent properties of both analogues and their photobyproducts were assessed for compatibility with systems that rely on optical monitoring of enzyme activity. A highly water-soluble alpha-methyl-o-nitrobenzyl group 8 was developed for the synthesis of 20 in order to enhance net NADP photorelease. Compound 20 demonstrated a high 75% net NADP photoreleased without substantial UV optical blackening or fluorescent byproducts. Analogues 18 and 19 were shown by ESI/MALDI-MS to photogenerate primarily adducts of NADP with deleterious UV and fluorescent properties. Our work stresses the superior release properties conferred by alpha-methyl substitution on aqueous carboxamide photorelease from o-nitrobenzyl compounds.