Acta chemica Scandinavica. Series B: Organic chemistry and biochemistry最新文献

Fluorescent derivatives of horseradish peroxidase C were prepared by replacing protoheme by protoporphyrin or mesoporphyrin. Calculations according to Förster on energy transfer allowed the determination of the distances of greater than 2.2 nm between tryptophan and porphyrin (heme) and greater than 2 nm between tryptophan and substrate-binding site. The modification of the single tryptophan with 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzyl bromide (Koshland's reagent) did not affect the enzyme's activity towards hydrogen peroxide or ascorbate. Modified and unmodified peroxidase showed the same affinity for aromatic substrates.

The hexapeptide Boc-Asp-Asp-Tyr-Arg-Gln-Lys-OMe is assembled by stepwise synthesis in solution with an overall yield of 44%. N alpha-boc-amino acids, protected with benzyl or benzyloxycarbonyl groups in the side-chains, are coupled as active estes of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole in mixtures of dichloromethane and N,N-dimethylformamide. N alpha-deprotection is accomplished with trifluoroacetic acid. Finally, hydrogenation with palladium on charcoal and ammonium formate produces the pure hexapeptide. A new one-pot synthesis of Boc-Arg(Z2) is described, and the use of this derivative in peptide coupling is studied. The synthetic peptide was coupled to BSA and used in direct immunication of rabbits.

The bicyclic 3-isoxazolol amino acids (RS)-3-hydroxy-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[4,5-c]pyridine-4-carboxylic acid (5, 4-HPCA) and (RS)-3-hydroxy-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[4,5-c]pyridine-6-carboxylic acid (11, 6-HPCA) were synthesized as model compounds for studies of the structural requirements of central excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter receptors. 4-HPCA was synthesized via introduction of a methoxycarbonyl group into the 4-position of the lithiated N-nitroso intermediate 1. The key reaction in the synthesis of 6-HPCA is an intramolecular N-alkylation of the appropriately substituted acetamidomalonate derivative 7 using sodium hydride as a base. On the basis of the pKA values for 4-HPCA the existence of an intramolecular hydrogen bond in the zwitterionic form of this amino acid is proposed. 6-HPCA was shown by 1H NMR spectroscopy to adopt preferentially a conformation with the carboxylate group in an equatorial position. 4- and 6-HPCA were tested as agonists and antagonists at excitatory amino acid receptors on neurones in the cat spinal cord using microelectrophoretic techniques. Neither compound showed significant effects at these receptors.

Distamycin A analogues 5a-f (R = CnH2n+1, n = 0-5) were synthesized using our previous strategy with some improved modifications and screened for their effects on herpes simplex virus (HSV-1). Virus yield assays show that 5a-5d were potent antiviral agents whereas 5e and 5f had lower activity. Considerable cellular toxicity was however observed for 5a-5c. Thus 5d combining significant antiviral activity with moderate cellular toxicity seems to be the most promising derivative in this series.

The variation in amino acid sequence, in a set of bradykinin potentiating pentapeptides, is described by three variables per amino acid position. The variables were derived from a principal components analysis of a property matrix for the 20 coded amino acids. The resulting structure descriptor matrix describes the observed activity of the peptides to 97% by means of a multivariate partial least squares (PLS) model. It is demonstrated that this quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) can be used to predict the activity of new peptide analogs.

Essential differences are demonstrated between bilirubin binding to rat serum proteins and to albumin in human serum. Acidimetric titration of rat serum with and without added bilirubin shows that binding of bilirubin acid in the range of pH from 6.8 to 8.8 takes place with release of less than one hydrogen ion per molecule of bound bilirubin. With human serum, two hydrogen ions are released, indicating binding of bilirubin dianion. The binding equilibrium of N-[4-[(4-aminophenyl)-sulfonyl]phenyl]-acetamide (MADDS) to rat serum albumin is influenced slightly by cobinding of bilirubin whereas MADDS and bilirubin bind competitively to human serum albumin. Finally, the rate of oxidation of bilirubin with hydrogen peroxide and peroxidase is decreased moderately by addition of rat serum albumin and strongly by the human protein, indicating that biliribin in its complex with rat serum albumin is subject to oxidation while the complex with human serum albumin is protected. These differences should be considered when rats are used as a model in experimental studies aiming at prevention of bilirubin encephalopathy in human neonates.

The 1H NMR spectra of carp parvalbumin saturated with Ca2+, Cd2+, La3+ and Lu3+ were compared, using 2D 1H NMR techniques as well as conventional 1H NMR spectra. The Ca2+ and Cd2+ saturated parvalbumin (with both high affinity Ca2+-binding sites occupied) gave rise to very similar spectra. This shows that these two species have almost identical protein conformations. The 1H NMR spectrum from the Ln3+ saturated parvalbumins deviated from the other two and it was therefore concluded that Cd2+ is a better probe for Ca2+ than Ln3+ in parvalbumin and probably also for related calcium binding proteins. The addition of excess of divalent metal ions, such as Mg2+ or Ca2+, causes small changes in the chemical shift of some methyl resonances. This is presumably caused by binding of these metal ions to a third site close to the CD site which is made up of the carboxylic groups from Glu 60 and Asp 61.

Three 3-C-hydroxymethylpentoses with the D-ribo-, D-xylo and L-lyxo-configurations, were synthesised via nitromethane addition for the first two and 1,3-dithiane addition for the last one, to appropriate 3-ulose derivatives. 3-C-Hydroxy-methyl-L-lyxose is identical with a monosaccharide component previously isolated from hydrolysates of the phase I Coxiella burnetii lipopolysaccharide.

The synthesis of acyclovir-phospholipid conjugate (2) is reported through an unambiguous one-step preparation of L-alpha-dimyristoyl phosphatidic acid triethylammonium salt (5). The biological activity of 2 as an antiviral drug has also been investigated.