Alcohol Acceptors Research Articles

Improved Transferase/Hydrolase Ratio through Rational Design of a Family 1 β-Glucosidase from Thermotoga neapolitana

Alkyl glycosides are attractive surfactants because of their high surface activity and good biodegradability and can be produced from renewable resources. Through enzymatic catalysis, one can obtain well-defined alkyl glycosides, something that is very difficult to do using conventional chemistry. However, there is a need for better enzymes to get a commercially feasible process. A thermostable β-glucosidase from the well-studied glycoside hydrolase family 1 from Thermotoga neapolitana, TnBgl1A, was mutated in an attempt to improve its value for synthesis of alkyl glycosides. This was done by rational design using prior knowledge from structural homologues together with a recently generated model of the enzyme in question. Three out of four studied mutations increased the hydrolytic reaction rate in an aqueous environment, while none displayed this property in the presence of an alcohol acceptor. This shows that even if the enzyme resides in a separate aqueous phase, the presence of an organic solvent has a great influence. We could also show that a single amino acid replacement in a less studied part of the aglycone subsite, N220F, improves the specificity for transglycosylation 7-fold and thereby increases the potential yield of alkyl glycoside from 17% to 58%.

Enzymatic synthesis of phosphatidylserine using bile salt mixed micelles

Phosphatidylserine (PS) rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids of the n-3 series was obtained by enzymatic synthesis with phospholipase D (PLD) and a marine lipid extract as substrate. Synthesis was performed using mixed micelles composed of either sodium deoxycholate (SDC) or sodium cholate (SC). To limit the use of surfactant and to monitor the performance of PLD, the mixed micelles were characterized both in terms of bile salt/lipid molar ratio in the aggregates and of mean diameter. A fractional factorial experiment was selected to study the effect of pH, temperature, enzyme, L-serine concentrations, bile salt/lipid molar ratio and Ca2+ content (in the case of SC only) on PS synthesis. The amount of L-serine was the main factor governing the equilibrium between transphosphatidylation and hydrolysis reaction. Increasing the bile salt/lipid molar ratio decreased PS synthesis yield. In contrast, pH (6.5–8) and temperature (35–45°C) did not affect PLD activity in the tested conditions. This statistical approach allowed determining a combination of parameters (pH, temperature, bile salt/lipid molar ratio, enzyme and alcohol acceptor concentrations) for PS synthesis. After 24h, the transphosphatidylation reaction led to 57±2% and 56±3% of PS in the phospholipid mixtures with SDC and SC, respectively. In both cases, about 10% of phosphatidic acid was present as a side-product. On the whole, this work provided fundamental basis for a possible development of enzymatic PLD technology using food-grade emulsifiers to produce PS complying with industrial constraints for nutritional applications.

An α-selective, visible light photocatalytic glycosylation of alcohols with selenoglycosides

Exceptionally mild procedures for the visible light photocatalytic activation of selenoglycoside donors in the presence of alcohol acceptors have been developed. This process is demonstrated with both 1-phenylselenyl-2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl glucoside (1) and 1-phenylselenyl-2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl galactoside (2). Catalysis is effected with both metal (Ru(bpy)3) and organocatalysts (diphenyldiselenide). Reactions afford, in all cases, primarily the α-anomers with selectivities that vary with solvent. This represents the first example of a visible light-promoted O-glycosylation.

Biochemical characteristics of a novel vegetative tissue geraniol acetyltransferase from a monoterpene oil grass (Palmarosa, Cymbopogon martinii var. Motia) leaf

Plants synthesize volatile alcohol esters on environmental insult or as metabolic induction during flower/fruit development. However, essential oil plants constitutively produce them as the oil constituents. Their synthesis is catalyzed by BAHD family enzymes called alcohol acyltransferases (AATs). However, no AAT has been characterized from plant foliage synthesizing acyclic monoterpenoids containing essential oils. Therefore, we have purified and biochemically characterized a geraniol: acetyl coenzyme A acetyltransferase (GAAT) from Palmarosa aroma grass (Cymbopogon martinii) leaf. MALDI-assisted proteomic study of the 43kDa monomeric enzyme revealed its sequence motif novelties e.g. relaxed conservation at Phe and Trp in DFGWG’. This suggests permissiveness of variations in the conserved motif without loss of catalytic ability. Also, some new conserved/semi-conserved motifs of AATs were recognized. The GAAT kcat/Km values (300–700M−1s−1) were low (a generic characteristic for secondary metabolism enzyme) but higher than those of some floral AATs. Wide substrate acceptability for catalyzing acetylation of diverse primary alcohols (chain of ≥C6) implied its catalytic description as a ‘primary aliphatic alcohol acetyltransferase’. It signifies metabolic ability to deliver diverse aroma esters, should the acceptor alcohols be available in planta. To our knowledge, this is the first report of detailed kinetics of a vegetal monoterpenol acyltransferase.

Characterization and application of an acidophilic and thermostable β-glucosidase from Thermofilum pendens

The gene encoding a β-glucosidase from the archaeon Thermofilum pendens (Tpbgl) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified recombinant enzyme had a molecular mass of 77.8kDa and released glucose or mannose from p-nitrophenyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (pNPG), cellobiose, mannobiose, and genistin. Peak Tpbgl activity was detected at 90°C, and 50% activity remained after incubation for 60min at 95°C. The optimal pH for pNPG hydrolysis was 3.5. When the enzyme was incubated with pNPG in the presence of ethanol and propanol, the glucose moiety was transferred to acceptor alcohols. Tpbgl is the archaeal β-glucosidase from glucoside hydrolase family 3 and found to be most heat stable under extremely acidic conditions (pH 3.5). The kinetic parameters revealed that Tpbgl had the highest catalytic efficiency toward pNPG (kcat/Km=3.05) with strong substrate affinity for such natural substrates as cellobiose (Km=0.149) and mannobiose (Km=0.147). Genistin solubilized in 10-40% DMSO was hydrolyzed to genistein with nearly 99% conversion, indicating that high concentrations of the water-insoluble isoflavone glycoside can be treated by the enzyme. Our results indicate that Tpbgl has great potential in cellulose saccharification and the glucoside hydrolysis of natural compounds.

Gold-Catalyzed Synthesis of 2-Deoxy Glycosides Using S-But-3-ynyl Thioglycoside Donors

A mild and atom-economic gold(I)-catalyzed glycosylation for stereoselective synthesis of 2-deoxy α-glycosides using bench-stable 2-deoxy S-But-3-ynyl thioglycoside donors has been described. Under optimal conditions, 2-deoxy and 2,6-dideoxy thioglycoside donors were able to react with a variety of primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohol acceptors to afford α-selective glycosides in good to excellent yields.

New cardiolipin analogs synthesized by phospholipase D-catalyzed transphosphatidylation

Cardiolipin (CL) and related diphosphatidyl lipids are hardly accessible because of the complexity of their chemical synthesis. In the present paper, the transphosphatidylation reaction catalyzed by phospholipase D (PLD) from Streptomyces sp. has been proven as an alternative enzyme-assisted strategy for the synthesis of new CL analogs. The formation of this type of compounds from phosphatidylcholine was compared for a series of N- and C2-substituted ethanolamine derivatives as well as non-charged alcohols such as glycerol and ethylene glycol. The rapid exchange of the choline head group by ethanolamine derivatives having a low molecular volume (diethanolamine and serinol) gave rise to an efficient production of the corresponding CL analogs. In contrast, the yields were comparably low in the reaction with bulky nitrogenous acceptor alcohols (triethanolamine, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, tetrakis(hydroxyethyl)ammonium) or the non-charged alcohols. Therefore, a strong dependence of the conversion of the monophosphatidyl to the diphosphatidyl compound on steric parameters and the head group charge was concluded. The enzyme-assisted strategy was used for the preparation of purified diphosphatidyldiethanolamine and diphosphatidylserinol.

Mechanistic studies on a sulfoxide transfer reaction mediated by diphenyl sulfoxide/triflic anhydride.

Sulfoxides are frequently used in organic synthesis as chiral auxiliaries and reagents to mediate a wide variety of chemical transformations. For example, diphenyl sulfoxide and triflic anhydride can be used to activate a wide range of glycosyl donors including hemiacetals, glycals and thioglycosides. In this way, an alcohol, enol or sulfide is converted into a good leaving group for subsequent reaction with an acceptor alcohol. However, reaction of diphenyl sulfoxide and triflic anhydride with oxathiane-based thioglycosides, and other oxathianes, leads to a different process in which the thioglycoside is oxidised to a sulfoxide. This unexpected oxidation reaction is very stereoselective and proceeds under anhydrous conditions in which the diphenyl sulfoxide acts both as oxidant and as the source of the oxygen atom. Isotopic labelling experiments support a reaction mechanism that involves the formation of oxodisulfonium (S-O-S) dication intermediates. These intermediates undergo oxygen-exchange reactions with other sulfoxides and also allow interconversion of axial and equatorial sulfoxides in oxathiane rings. The reversibility of the oxygen-exchange reaction suggests that the stereochemical outcome of the oxidation reaction may be under thermodynamic control, which potentially presents a novel strategy for the stereoselective synthesis of sulfoxides.

Synthesis of Novel Oligosaccharides Based on 1,4-Dioxanyloxy 3-Oxasugars

The synthesis of a new family of di and tri-3-oxaoligosaccharides based on the 1,4-dioxanyloxy or 3-oxapseudosugar moiety is described. The approach involved the glycosylation of trichloroacetamidate donors with acceptor alcohols to provide 3-oxadi- and trisaccharides. In all cases, the glycosylation was highly stereoselective providing the 1? anomers exclusively. © 2012 The Japan Institute of Heterocyclic Chemistry.

Using In(III) as a promoter for glycosylation

InCl 3, InBr 3, and In(OTf) 3 were tested as promoters in the preparation of glycosides from trichloroacetimidate precursors. A range of protecting groups and of alcohol acceptors were used to determine the versatility of these promoters. Disaccharide formation was demonstrated. In most cases, the In(III) compounds were shown to promote glycosylation better than the widely used promoter BF 3·OEt 2.

Reactivity switching and selective activation of C-1 or C-3 in 2,3-unsaturated thioglycosides

Reactivity switching and selective activation of C-1 or C-3 in 2,3-unsaturated thioglycosides, namely, 2,3-dideoxy-1-thio-d-hex-2-enopyranosides are reported. The reactivity switching allowed activation of either C-1 or C-3, with the use of either N-iodosuccinimide (NIS)/triflic acid (TfOH) or TfOH alone. C-1 glycosylation with alcohol acceptors occurred in the presence of NIS/TfOH, without the acceptors reacting at C-3. On the other hand, reaction of 2,3-unsaturated thioglycosides with alcohols mediated by triflic acid led to transposition of C-1 ethylthio-moiety to C-3 intramolecularly, to form 3-ethylthio-glycals. Resulting glycals underwent glycosylation with alcohols to afford 3-ethylthio-2-deoxy glycosides. However, when thiol was used as an acceptor, only a stereoselective addition at C-3 resulted, so as to form C-1, C-3 dithio-substituted 2-deoxypyranosides.

The transphosphatidylation potential of a membrane-bound phospholipase D from poppy seedlings

Plant phospholipases D (PLDs) occur in a large variety of isoenzymes, which differ in Ca 2+ ion requirement, phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP 2) activation and substrate selectivity. In the present study a membrane-bound PLD has been identified in the microsomal fractions of poppy seedlings ( Papaver somniferum). The maximum PLD activity is found after 2 days of germination in endosperms and after 3 days in developing seedlings. In contrast to the four poppy PLD isoenzymes described hitherto, the membrane-bound form is active at lower Ca 2+ ion concentrations (in the micromolar instead of millimolar range) and needs PIP 2 for hydrolytic activity. Remarkable differences are also observed in head group exchange reactions. The reaction rates of the transphosphatidylation of phosphatidylcholine by various acceptor alcohols follow the sequence glycerol > serine > myo-inositol > ethanolamine, whereas ethanolamine is preferred by most other PLDs. Despite the biocatalytic differences, the membrane-bound PLD interacts with polyclonal antibodies raised against α-type PLD, which reveals some structural similarities between these two enzymes.

Effect of frying time on free fatty acid generation and esterification rate in Aspergillus sp.-catalyzed transesterification of cottonseed oil

The present study was carried out to examine the effect of different frying times of edible oil on the extent of transesterification catalyzed by the whole-cell biocatalyst, Aspergillus (RBD01). Cottonseed oil was chosen as a conventional and cost-effective edible oil used commercially in India. The results showed that increased frying time of the oil decreased the extent of the transesterification reaction and hence alkyl ester production. Nearly complete (>98%) transesterification to ethyl alcohol was observed with used oil containing a free fatty acid (FFA) content of 3.7%, whereas beyond an FFA content of 4.0% the yield was reduced. Biocatalyzed hydrolysis (in the absence of the ethyl alcohol acceptor) of used frying oil resulted in decreasing yield of FFA from 84.0% to 27.6% with increasing frying time. With fried oil capable of a hydrolysis yield of 82–41% FFA, transesterification reactions were nearly complete. With the lower hydrolysis yields of 38–27% FFA, the transesterified ethyl ester yield decreased to 61–51%. These observations indicate that factors other than the presence of FFA and moisture influence the biocatalytic transesterification of used cooking oils.

β-Selective Arabinofuranosylation Using a 2,3-O-Xylylene-Protected Donor

Reported is a novel stereoselective beta-arabinofuranosylation that makes use of a conformationally restricted 2,3-O-xylylene-protected arabinofuranosyl donor. Optimization of the reaction conditions showed that factors including the structure of the acceptor alcohol, substrate concentration, and protecting group on O-5 of the donor affect the stereochemical outcome of the glycosylation. To demonstrate the utility of the methodology, the synthesis of an oligosaccharide fragment from the mycobacterial cell wall polysaccharide lipoarabinomannan was carried out.

Assay format as a critical success factor for identification of novel inhibitor chemotypes of tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase from high-throughput screening.

The tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) isozyme is centrally involved in the control of normal skeletal mineralization and pathophysiological abnormalities that lead to disease states such as hypophosphatasia, osteoarthritis, ankylosis and vascular calcification. TNAP acts in concert with the nucleoside triphosphate pyrophosphohydrolase-1 (NPP1) and the Ankylosis protein to regulate the extracellular concentrations of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi), a potent inhibitor of mineralization. In this review we describe the serial development of two miniaturized high-throughput screens (HTS) for TNAP inhibitors that differ in both signal generation and detection formats, but more critically in the concentrations of a terminal alcohol acceptor used. These assay improvements allowed the rescue of the initially unsuccessful screening campaign against a large small molecule chemical library, but moreover enabled the discovery of several unique classes of molecules with distinct mechanisms of action and selectivity against the related placental (PLAP) and intestinal (IAP) alkaline phosphatase isozymes. This illustrates the underappreciated impact of the underlying fundamental assay configuration on screening success, beyond mere signal generation and detection formats.

Benzyne arylation of oxathiane glycosyl donors

The arylation of bicyclic oxathiane glycosyl donors has been achieved using benzyne generated in situ from 1-aminobenzotriazole (1-ABT) and lead tetraacetate. Following sulfur arylation, glycosylation of acetate ions proceeded with high levels of stereoselectivity to afford α-glycosyl acetates in a ‘one-pot’ reaction, even in the presence of alternative acceptor alcohols.

Improvements in enzymatic preparation of alkyl glycosides

Three glycosides of middle chain aliphatic alcohols (hexanol and heptanol) were prepared by enzymatic glycosidation. The preparation of hexyl β-D-glucopyranoside was achieved in moderate yields via reverse hydrolysis catalysed by defatted meals from almond, apricot, and peach kernels. The apricot meal as a cheap source of β-glucosidase was found to have catalytic efficiency resembling to that of the almond meal. Hexyl and heptyl β-D-galactopyranosides were prepared from D-lactose by transgalactosidation catalysed by commercial β-galactosidases from <I>Aspergillus oryzae</I> in two-phase system. The improvement of the product yields was achieved by a simple replacement of the organic phase (serving as a pool of acceptor alcohol and extracted product) with a fresh portion of the acceptor.

Convertible Formation of Different Glycoside Using Molecular Iodine

The observation of convertible formation between 2-deoxy-2-iodo-O-glycosides and 2,3-unsaturated glycoside was described. The selective formation of 2-deoxy-2-iodo-O-glycosides was found from the reaction of D -glucal with iodine in the excess alcohol acceptor or the addition of ceric ammonium nitrate as additive while the addition of a stoichiometric amount of alcohol in solvent favored 2,3-unsaturated glycosides formation.

Glycosylation Using Unprotected Alkynyl Donors

Gold(III) activation of unprotected propargyl glycosyl donors has been shown to be effective for the synthesis of saccharides. Terminal propargyl glycosides of glucose, galactose, and mannose required heating at reflux in acetonitrile with 5% AuCl(3) for reaction with various primary alcohol acceptors, the latter used in 10-fold molar excess relative to donor. Donors containing the 2-butynyl group were more reactive, giving good yields of glycoside products at lower temperatures. Secondary alcohols could also be used but with diminished efficiency. The propargylic family of donors is especially convenient because they can be easily prepared on large scale by Fischer glycosylation and stored indefinitely before chemoselective activation by the catalyst.

Sialylation using N-glycolylneuraminyl phosphite donors to synthesize Neu5Gc-containing glycans

Efficient sialylations using N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) phosphite donors having an acetyl or benzyl group on the glycolyl moiety are described in the synthesis of Neu5Gc-containing glycans. Both phosphite donors 1 and 2 were readily coupled with primary and secondary acceptor alcohols in propionitrile at −78 °C to provide the desired glycosides with good α-selectivities.