Glycine Methyl Ester Research Articles

Identification of the pH sensor and activation by chemical modification of the ClC-2G Cl- channel.

Rabbit and human ClC-2G Cl- channels are voltage sensitive and activated by protein kinase A and low extracellular pH. The objective of the present study was to investigate the mechanism involved in acid activation of the ClC-2G Cl- channel and to determine which amino acid residues play a role in this acid activation. Channel open probability (Po) at +/-80 mV holding potentials increased fourfold in a concentration-dependent manner with extracellular H+ concentration (that is, extracellular pH, pHtrans), with an apparent acidic dissociation constant of pH 4.95 +/- 0.27. 1-Ethyl-3(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide-catalyzed amidation of the channel with glycine methyl ester increased Po threefold at pHtrans 7.4, at which the channel normally exhibits low Po. With extracellular pH reduction (protonation) or amidation, increased Po was due to a significant increase in open time constants and a significant decrease in closed time constants of the channel gating, and this effect was insensitive to applied voltage. With the use of site-directed mutagenesis, the extracellular region EELE (amino acids 416-419) was identified as the pH sensor and amino acid Glu-419 was found to play the key or predominant role in activation of the ClC-2G Cl- channel by extracellular acid.

AcetylformoinA Chemical Switch in the Formation of Colored Maillard Reaction Products from Hexoses and Primary and Secondary Amino Acids

Thermal treatment of a methanolic solution of N-(1-deoxy-d-fructos-1-yl)-l-proline and furan-2-carboxaldehyde led to the rapid formation of colored compounds, among which 4-hydroxy-2-methoxy-2-methyl-5-[(E)-(2-furyl)methylidene]methyl-2H-furan-3-one (1) could be identified as one of the main colored compounds by NMR, LC/MS, and UV−vis spectroscopy. Studies on its formation revealed that condensation of the hexose dehydration product acetylformoin (2a/2b) with furan-2-carboxaldehyde formed the labile 2,4-hydroxy-2-methyl-5-[(E)-(2-furyl)methylidene]methyl-2H-furan-3-one (3a/3b), which then reacts with methanol to the more stable colorant 1. Reacting furan-2-carboxaldehyde with N-(1-deoxy-d-fructos-1-yl)-l-alanine, however, completely stalled the formation of acetylformoin and, consequently, also of colorant 1. Further model studies revealed acetylformoin as a chemical switch in the Maillard reaction determining different reaction pathways in the presence of primary and secondary amino acids; for example, the reaction with glycine methyl ester and glycine revealed 2,4-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-1-methoxycarbonylmethyl- (4) and 2,4-dihydroxy-2,5-dimethyl-1-carboxymethyl -3-oxo-2H-pyrrole (5), respectively, whereas the reaction with l-proline resulted in the formation of pyrrolidino- (6) and bispyrrolidino-hexose-reductone (7). Dry heating of these amino reductones in the presence of furan-2-carboxaldehyde produced the colorants 2,4-dihydroxy-2-methyl-5-[(E)-(2-furyl)methylidene]methyl-1-methoxycarbonylmethyl-3-oxo-2H-pyrrole (8) from 4 and 3-hydroxy-4-[(E)-(2-furyl)methylidene] methyl-3-cyclopentene-1,2-dione (9) from 6 and 7. Quantitative studies revealed 3-hydroxy-4-methyl-3-cyclopentene-1,2-dione (10) and methylene-reductinic acid (11) as the key intermediates in the formation of colorant 9. Keywords: Acetylformoin; amino-hexose-reductones; pyrrolinone-reductone; colored compounds; Maillard reaction; nonenzymatic browning

Design and synthesis of double-stranded oligonucleotides containing reactive acylphosphate internucleotide groups

DNA duplex and dumbbells containing chemically active acylphosphate internucleotide groups were synthesized. To obtain these compounds the chemical ligation method was used. The acylphosphate group was inserted into a DNA duplex and dumbbells as a result of template-directed condensation of 5′-phosphate and especially introduced 3′-carboxy groups of oligonucleotides. 1-Ethyl-3-(3′-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC) was used as a condensing agent. Oligonucleotides containing a carboxy group were obtained by the interaction of their 3′-phosphate with glycine methyl ester under the action of EDC, followed by ester hydrolysis. The yields of acylphosphate-containing double-stranded oligonucleotides achieved 15–25% depending on the structure of their precursors. It was shown that these compounds are acylating agents and are efficiently cleaved in near-physiological conditions under the action of ethylenediamine or N-methylimidazole. These results indicate that double-stranded oligonucleotides carrying acylphosphate internucleotide groups could constitute new crosslinking reagents for affinity modification of DNA recognizing proteins.

Stereoselective synthesis of α,α′-bridged bis(α-alanine) derivatives

Stereoselective syntheses of α,α′-dimethylated C 2-C 4 alkylene-bridged bis(glycine) methyl esters are described. The products were further converted into N-Fmoc-protected bis(amino acids).

Lysine and arginine residues in the N-terminal 18% of apolipoprotein B are critical for its binding to microsomal triglyceride transfer protein.

Apolipoprotein B (apoB) and microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) are essential for the efficient assembly and secretion of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins. We have presented evidence for a high-affinity interaction between these proteins [Hussain, M. M., et al. (1997) Biochemistry 36, 13060-13067]. In this study, we used chemically modified low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and recombinant human apoB18 to identify amino acid residues in apoB that are critical for its interactions with MTP. Acetoacetylation of 74% of lysine residues and cyclohexanedione modification of 54% of arginine residues completely abolished the interactions between LDL and MTP. Regeneration of lysine and arginine residues by hydroxylamine treatment completely restored the binding of modified LDL to MTP. Carboxyethylation of all the histidine residues decreased, but did not abolish, apoB-MTP interactions. In contrast, glycine methyl ester modifications of aspartic and glutamic acid residues, up to 38-44%, had no effect on LDL-MTP interactions. Furthermore, modification of lysine and arginine, but not the aspartic and glutamic acid, residues in apoB18 also completely abolished its interactions with MTP. These studies indicated that lysine and arginine, but not aspartic and glutamic acid, residues are critical for apoB-MTP interactions, whereas histidine residues are not as critical. Since lysine and arginine residues in apoB are known to interact with the LDL receptors and heparin, we studied the effect of different glycosaminoglycans on apoB-MTP interactions. Glycosaminoglycans had no significant inhibitory effect on apoB-MTP interactions, suggesting that the lysine and arginine residues crucial for apoB-MTP interactions are different from those that interact with the LDL receptor and heparin. The lysine and arginine residues in apoB18 may directly interact with negatively charged residues in the MTP molecule, or they may function to maintain the conformation of the recognition site.

Is Arginine a Zwitterion in the Gas Phase?

Is Arginine a Zwitterion in the Gas Phase?

Site selectivity in the rhodium(II)-catalyzed reaction of α-diazoimides. Ligand and substituent effects

The product distribution obtained from Rh(II)-catalyzed decomposition of α-diazoimides derived from glycine methyl ester has been found to be selectively controlled by the proper choice of catalyst. When the reaction was carried out using perfluorinated ligands, the diazoimide cyclized to produce an isomünchnone dipole whose formation could be monitored by NMR spectroscopy. Reaction of the dipole with a trapping agent such as N-phenylmaleimide resulted in the isolation of a 1,3-dipolar cycloadduct in high yield. The product distribution changed dramatically when rhodium(II)-acetate was employed as the catalyst. The products obtained from this reaction were derived from an azabicyclic epoxide intermediate. The catalyst effect can be modulated by the addition of Sc(OTf)3 as a Lewis acid or by using nitromethane as the solvent. Changing the nature of the interacting carbonyl group had little effect on the cyclization pathways.

Physical Properties of Nonionomeric and Ionomeric Segmented Polyurethanes: Effect of Sulfonate, Carboxylate, and Quaternary Ammonium Ions in the Hard Segment

Polyurethane ionomers are of practical interest because of structural properties which result from ion pair interactions. In some ionomers, the ions are located in the backbone of the polymer, while in others, they are present in pendant groups. These variations, combined with variations in ion type can provide materials with a broad range of structures. In this work, derivatization chemistry was used to vary the ion type in sulfonated polyurethanes by attaching different amino acids (lysine, aspartic acid, glycine, and arginine methyl ester) as pendant moieties to the sulfonate groups, via sulfonamide linkages. While the modified materials had similar amino acid concentrations and molecular weights, they each displayed unique mechanical properties. Differential scanning calorimetry was used to investigate the structure of these polyurethanes and showed that the supramolecular structural elements (microphase domains) are disassembled upon heating. It was also shown that ammonium type cations undergo a first-order endothermic thermal transition in these materials at elevated temperatures. The superposition of ionomer character on the microphase-separated structure of segmented polyurethanes appears to add significantly to their range of mechanical behavior and could provide materials with new end use applications.

Solid-Phase Synthesis of 1,4-Benzodiazepine-2,5-diones. Library Preparation and Demonstration of Synthesis Generality

A general and expedient method has been developed for the solid-phase synthesis of 1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5-diones 1 from three commercially available components; anthranilic acids, α-amino esters, and alkylating agents. Reaction conditions have been developed to prepare either racemic compounds for lead identification efforts or optically pure compounds for lead optimization efforts. The incorporation of diverse functionality into the benzodiazepine products has also been demonstrated. On the basis of the scope and generality of the synthesis sequence, a library of 1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5-diones has been prepared from 11 alkylating agents, 12 anthranilic acids, and 19 α-amino esters (nine sets of enantiomeric pairs and glycine methyl ester hydrochloride). The library was prepared in a spatially separate format using a microtiter-based apparatus that is inexpensive and straightforward to construct from ordinary items found in an organic or bioorganic laboratory. The high quality of the 1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5-dione library has been demonstrated by evaluating representative compounds by HPLC analysis and 1H NMR.

Analysis of tissue plasminogen activator specificity using peptidyl fluorogenic substrates.

A series of 54 fluorogenic substrates have been synthesized and evaluated for tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) hydrolysis in an attempt to create efficient sensitive substrates for tPA and to investigate substrate structure-efficiency correlations. All substrates contain the 6-amino-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (ANSN) leaving group, Arg in the P1 position, various amino acids in the P2 and P3 positions, and various substituents in the sulfonamide moiety of the leaving group (P' position). The majority of substrates have relatively low K(M) values (< 100 microM), reaching as low as 2.6 microM, and reasonably high k(cat) values (up to 3.6 s(-1)). These substrates have higher affinity, higher hydrolysis rates, and higher efficiency for two-chain tPA than for the single-chain form of this enzyme. Analysis of the P3 structure influence on substrate efficiency demonstrates that compounds which contain D-isomers of N-blocked bulky amino acids, such as Phe, Leu, and Val, in this position are more efficient for tPA than substrates with N-unblocked small amino acids (Ser or Pro) in the P3 position. The second-order rate constants and k(cat) values for substrate hydrolysis increase with decreases in the P2 amino acid hydrophobicity in the following manner: Leu < Val and Gly < Ser < Pro. Substrates which contain an ANSN leaving group had a higher affinity for tPA than substrates with p-nitroaniline or 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin leaving groups. Analyses of substrate hydrolysis dependence on the substrate P' structure show that the k(cat) and the second-order rate constants increased with an increase in the size of monoalkyl substituent in the sulfonamide moiety, whereas substrates which contain either glycine methyl ester or a dialkyl group displayed the lowest efficiency for tPA. The substrate Boc-(p-F)Phe-Pro-Arg-ANSNHC2H5 allowed quantitation of tPA at a concentration as low as 1 pM, a concentration significantly lower than the plasma concentration of this protein. Evaluation of the activation of single-chain tPA by factor Xa demonstrates that prothrombinase is approximately 3-fold more efficient in activating sc-tPA than factor Xa alone, increasing the initial rate of activation from 0.0055 nM/s per 1 nM of factor Xa to 0.017 nM/s per 1 nM.

Identification of Domains on the Extrinsic 33-kDa Protein Possibly Involved in Electrostatic Interaction with Photosystem II Complex by Means of Chemical Modification

The extrinsic 33-kDa protein of photosystem II (PSII) was modified with various reagents, and the resulting proteins were checked for the ability to rebind to PSII and to reactivate oxygen evolution. While modification of more than eight carboxyl groups of aspartyl and glutamyl residues with glycine methyl ester did not affect the rebinding and reactivating capabilities, modification of amino groups of lysyl residues with either N-succinimidyl propionate or 2, 4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid or modification of guanidino groups of arginyl residues with 2,3-butanedione resulted in a loss of rebinding and reactivating capabilities of the 33-kDa protein. Moreover, the number of lysyl and arginyl residues susceptible to modification was significantly decreased when the protein was bound to PSII as compared with when it was free in solution, whereas the number of carboxyl groups modified was little affected. These results suggested that positive charges are important for the electrostatic interaction between the extrinsic 33-kDa protein and PSII intrinsic proteins, whereas negative charges on the protein do not contribute to such interaction. By a combination of protease digestion and mass spectroscopic analysis, the domains of lysyl residues accessible to N-succinimidyl propionate or 2,4, 6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid modification only when the 33-kDa protein is free in solution were determined to be Lys4, Lys20, Lys66-Lys76, Lys101, Lys105, Lys130, Lys159, Lys186, and Lys230-Lys236. These domains include those previously reported accessible to N-hydroxysuccinimidobiotin only in solution (Frankel and Bricker (1995) Biochemistry 34, 7492-7497), and may be important for the interaction of the 33-kDa protein with PSII intrinsic proteins.

Anti-angiogenic activity of ursodeoxycholic acid and its derivatives.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) and its derivatives were examined for anti-angiogenic activities by using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The presence of UDCA or its derivatives inhibited angiogenesis in a dose-dependent manner; the dose required for half-maximal inhibition (ID50) was 4 microg per CAM for UDCA. The conjugate forms of UDCA with glycine methyl ester (HS-1030), L-leucine benzyl ester (HS-1068) and L-leucine methyl ester (HS-1133) were showing ID50 of 0.09, 0.08 and 0.6 microg per CAM, respectively. Also, the effect of UDCA and its derivatives on the viability of calf pulmonary artery endothelial (CPAE) cells was examined. Among them, HS-1030 effectively reduced the viability of CPAE cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Based on these results, we speculated that HS-1030 might be a promising candidate as angiogenesis inhibitor for use in the management of diseases accompanied by uncontrolled angiogenesis including solid tumor.

Highly Practical Methodology for the Synthesis ofd- andl-α-Amino Acids,N-Protected α-Amino Acids, andN-Methyl-α-amino Acids

Full details are provided for an exceedingly practical method to synthesize d- and l-α-amino acids, N-protected α-amino acids, and N-methyl-α-amino acids, employing as a key step the asymmetric alkylation of pseudoephedrine glycinamide (1) or pseudoephedrine sarcosinamide (2). Practical procedures for the synthesis of 1 and 2 from pseudoephedrine and glycine methyl ester or sarcosine methyl ester, respectively, are presented. Optimum protocols for the enolization and subsequent alkylation of 1 and 2 are described. Alkylation reactions of 1 and 2 are found to be quite efficient with a wide range of alkyl halide substrates, and the products are formed with high diastereoselectivity. The products of these alkylation reactions are hydrolyzed efficiently and with little to no racemization simply by heating in water or water−dioxane mixtures. This protocol provides an exceedingly practical method for the preparation of salt-free α-amino acids of high enantiomeric purity. Alternatively, the alkylation products may be hydrolyzed in high yield and with little to no racemization by heating with aqueous sodium hydroxide. The alkaline hydrolyzate can then be treated with an acylating reagent to provide directly highly enantiomerically enriched N-protected derivatives such as N-Boc and N-Fmoc. Key features necessary for the successful execution of these experimental procedures are identified.

Synthesis, X-ray structure and alkali-metal binding properties of a new hexahomotriazacalix[3]arene

Hexahomotriazacalix [3] arene 1 has been synthesized by the reaction of 2,6-bis(chloromethyl)-4-methylphenol 6 with glycine methyl ester hydrochloride under high-dilution conditions. The crystal structure of 1 indicates that the macrocycle adopts a cone shape in the solid state with all three ester groups on the same side and within the cone of the macrocycle. In contrast with the calixarenes, macrocycle 1 exhibits only a modest degree of cupping. 1H NMR spectra indicate that the cone and partial cone isomers of 1 are rapidly interconverting in the NMR timescale at room temperature. Macrocycle 1 exhibits no significant extraction of alkali metal picrates from aqueous solution.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of mitomycin-tethered phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides.

Mitomycin C (1) is the prototypical bioreductive alkylating agent. Studies have shown that mitomycin C and its derivatives selectively alkylate guanine residues within di- and trinucleotide DNA sequences. This investigation sought to improve the selective DNA bonding properties of the mitomycins by coupling them with antisense oligodeoxynucleotides. Two procedures were developed that allowed the attachment of a phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide containing a hexylamino spacer at the 5' terminus with a C(10)-activated mitomycin. In the first procedure, decarbamoylation of 1 (NaOCH3/ benzene) afforded 10-decarbamoylmitomycin C (10), which was treated with either dimethyl sulfate or methylthiochloroformate and base to yield 10-decarbamoylporfiromycin (11) and N(1a)-[(methylthio)-carbonyl]-10-decarbamoylmitomycin C (12), respectively. Activation of the C(10) site in 11 and 12 with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole or with 1,1'-thiocarbonyldiimidazole provided the N(1a)-substituted mitomycin 10-decarbamoyl-10-O-carbonylimidazoles (5, 7) and 10-decarbamoyl-10-O-thiocarbonylimidazoles (6, 8), respectively. Compounds 5-8 were reacted with glycine methyl ester hydrochloride (17) and base in both methylene chloride and aqueous buffered solutions to determine the ease and efficiency in which these C(10)-activated mitomycin derivatives coupled to amines. It was found that 5-8 all reacted with 17 in methylene chloride to give the coupled products 18-21 but that improved amine coupling yields in water were observed for the 10-decarbamoyl-10-O-thiocarbonylimidazoles 6 and 8 as compared with the 10-decarbamoyl-10-O-carbonylimidazoles 5 and 7. This finding led to the coupling of the phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide, H2N(CH2)6-P(S)(OH)-GGCCCCGTG-GTGGCTCCAT (22) to 8. Compound 22 complemented a 19-base sequence in the translation initiation region of the human A-raf-1 gene. Use of excess 8 (28 equiv) with 22 gave only a 36% yield of the coupled product 23, which proved difficult to separate from 22. In the second procedure, phosphorothioate oligodexynucleotides that contained a hexylamino spacer at the 5'termini were coupled to 10-des(carbamoyloxy)-10-isothiocyanatoporfiromycin (9). Compound 9 was prepared in four steps from 11. Mesylation (methanesulfonyl chloride/pyridine) of 11 gave the C(10) mesylate 13, which was then treated with NaN3 (dimethylformamide, 90 degrees C) to give 10-des(carbamoyloxy)-10-azidoporfiromycin (14). Catalytic reduction (PtO2, H2) of 14 in pyridine afforded C(10) amine 15. Treatment of 15 with di-2-pyridyl thionocarbonate provided the desired 10-des(carbamoyloxy)-10-isothiocyanatoporfiromycin (9). Compound 9 readily coupled with 17 and base in both methylene chloride and aqueous buffered solutions to give 25. Use of the 5'hexylaminophosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides 32-35 in place of 17 gave the conjugated adducts 28-31, respectively, in a 12% to near-quantitative yield. The products were purified by semipreparative HPLC. Antisense agents 28-31 were designed to target a 30-base-long region from the coding region of the human FGFR1 gene. One adduct, 29, reduced the number of FGFR1 receptors in human aortic smooth cells for bFGF on the cell surface, which suggested down-regulation of FGFR1 gene expression. Further, 29 inhibited cultured human aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation and was less cytotoxic than porfiromycin (2). The biological assay data suggest that the phosphorothioate oligodexynucleotide porfiromycin conjugates may be more target selective and less toxic than either mitomycin or porfiromycin and thus be promising therapeutic agents.

Epoxyoxoene fatty esters: key intermediates for the synthesis of long-chain pyrrole and furan fatty esters

The reaction of epoxyoxoene fatty esters, methyl ( Z)-9,10-epoxy-13-oxo-( E)-11-octadecenoate ( 1) and methyl ( Z)-12,13-epoxy-9-oxo-( E)-10-octadecenoate ( 2), with glycine methyl ester in the presence of a basic resin was studied to establish if these compounds might be useful intermediates in the preparation of long-chain pyrrole fatty esters. Production of C 18 pyrrole fatty esters and fragmentation products with the pyrrole ring were isolated and identified in the reaction. In addition, furanoid derivatives with analogous structures were also detected and identified. Formation of these last compounds was induced by the basic resin and the same compounds were also produced in a reaction mixture incubated in the absence of the amino acid. The results found in this study show that epoxyoxoene fatty esters 1 and 2 may be used in the preparation of both long-chain pyrrole and furan fatty acids. Although their existence in nature is as yet unclear, the mass spectra results obtained in this study provide the basis for detection and identification of this type of long-chain pyrrole and furan fatty acids by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry.

Role of amino and carboxyl groups of cobrotoxin in the conformational stability and the interaction with acetylcholine receptor

To study the functional involvements of the common interaction of the Leu-1 alpha-amino group and Asp-58 in cobrotoxin, the lysine epsilon-amino groups of cobrotoxin were initially guanidinated with o-methylisourea. The alpha-amino group of Leu-1 was them modified with TNBS after the guanidination of cobrotoxin. Both modified derivatives displayed no significant changes in the secondary structure and antigenicity of cobrotoxin, whereas the binding affinity for nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) was pronouncedly decreased when Leu-1 was modified. Six out of seven free carboxyl groups and the remaining buried Glu-21 carboxyl group of cobrotoxin were modified with glycine methyl ester in the absence and presence of guanidine HCl, respectively. Alternation in the beta-sheet secondary structure of cobrotoxin was observed with the carboxyl-group modified derivatives, which caused a decrease in the binding activity of the toxin molecule to the antibody and nAChR. Moreover, modification of the Glu-21 carboxyl group of cobrotoxin further reduced the nAChR binding activity, while the antigenicity remained unchange. Thus, our results conclude that the Glu-21 residue and the common interaction of the terminal Leu-1 alpha-amino group and the Asp-58 carboxyl group are related to the nAChR-binding activity of cobrotoxin, and the free carboxyl groups in cobrotoxin are conformation-essential.

A novel approach to azasugars from vinyl glycine methyl ester via olefin metathesis

A novel strategy for the synthesis of azasugars from vinyl glycine methyl ester was designed, using an olefin metathesis as a key step. As a first test of this strategy, rac- trans-2-hydroxymethyl-3-hydroxypyrrolidine, which was isolated as the (2 R,3 S)-isomer from the legume Castanospermum australe, was synthesized.

Transglutaminase activity in enterocytes isolated from pig jejunum.

Polyamines appear to be involved in the turnover, growth and maintenance of intestinal mucosa integrity. Since polyamines could act -in part at least- through their incorporation into cellular proteins as catalyzed by transglutaminase, we have measured this enzyme activity in villus enterocytes isolated from pig jejunum and in homogenate derived from isolated cells. A part of putrescine, spermidine and spermine taken up by enterocytes is incorporated in TCA precipitable material derived from cells and this corresponds to the presence of transglutaminase activity in cellular homogenates. This activity which is time and substrate concentration dependent is strongly inhibited by the transglutaminase inhibitor glycine methyl ester. The capacity for de novo production of polyamines from L-arginine or L-glutamine is very limited in isolated enterocytes, and this coincided with a very low ornithine decarboxylase activity when compared with polyamine cell content. It is concluded that the main source of polyamines for pig enterocytes is extracellular and that exogenous polyamines are substrates for enterocyte transglutaminase.

The role of transglutaminase in the mechanism of action of tetanus toxin.

Tetanus toxin is a zinc-dependent metalloendoprotease that cleaves synaptobrevin, a polypeptide found in the membranes of synaptic vesicles. This action is thought to account for toxin-induced blockade of transmitter release. However, Facchiano and Luini (Fachiano, F., and Luini, A. (1992) J. Biol Chem. 267, 13267-13271) have proposed that tetanus toxin can stimulate transglutaminase, and Facchiano et al. (Facchiano, F., Benfenati, F., Valtorta, F., and Luini, A. (1993) J. Biol Chem. 268, 4588-4591) have further proposed that the stimulated enzyme produces cross-linking of synapsin. These actions might also account for toxin-induced blockade of exocytosis. Therefore, a series of experiments were performed to evaluate the possibility that tetanus toxin exerts its effects via transglutaminase. The results indicated that clostridial neurotoxins were poor substrates for the cross-linking effects of transglutaminase, and transglutaminase was a poor substrate for the proteolytic actions of tetanus toxin. In addition, at concentrations relevant to blockade of exocytosis, clostridial neurotoxins did not act on intact cells to stimulate transglutaminase, nor did they act on the isolated enzyme to stimulate cross-linking of putrescine and dimethylcasein. When used as competitive inhibitors of endogenous transglutaminase substrates, glycine methyl ester and monodansylcadaverine did not block toxin action. Furthermore, concentrations of calcium that were too low to support transglutaminase activity did not prevent toxin action. The data suggest that stimulation of transglutaminase is not the principal mechanism by which tetanus toxin blocks exocytosis in nerve cells.