Glycosylation Step Research Articles

One-pot iterative glycosylations toward a tetrasaccharide related to the O-specific polysaccharide from Escherichia coli O132

An efficient synthetic strategy has been developed for the synthesis of a tetrasaccharide related to the O-specific polysaccharide from Escherichia coli O132 as their 2-aminoethyl glycosides in a very good yield by adopting sequential glycosylation followed by in-situ removal of the p-methoxybenzyl (PMB) group in the same reaction pot. Furthermore, the synthetic route was adapted by carrying out three stereoselective iterative glycosylations followed by in situ removal of the PMB group in one pot. The stereochemical outcomes of all the glycosylation steps were excellent with satisfactory yields.

Weinreb Amide Approach to the Practical Synthesis of a Key Remdesivir Intermediate.

Currently, remdesivir is the first and only FDA-approved antiviral drug for COVID-19 treatment. Adequate supplies of remdesivir are highly warranted to cope with this global public health crisis. Herein, we report a Weinreb amide approach for preparing the key intermediate of remdesivir in the glycosylation step where overaddition side reactions are eliminated. Starting from 2,3,5-tri-O-benzyl-d-ribonolactone, the preferred route consisting of three sequential steps (Weinreb amidation, O-TMS protection, and Grignard addition) enables a high-yield (65%) synthesis of this intermediate at a kilogram scale. In particular, the undesirable PhMgCl used in previous methods was successfully replaced by MeMgBr. This approach proved to be suitable for the scalable production of the key remdesivir intermediate.

Specific decorations of 17-hydroxygeranyllinalool diterpene glycosides solve the autotoxicity problem of chemical defense inNicotiana attenuata

The native diploid tobacco Nicotiana attenuata produces abundant, potent anti-herbivore defense metabolites known as 17-hydroxygeranyllinalool diterpene glycosides (HGL-DTGs) whose glycosylation and malonylation biosynthetic steps are regulated by jasmonate signaling. To characterize the biosynthetic pathway of HGL-DTGs, we conducted a genome-wide analysis of uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferases (UGTs) and identified 107 family-1 UGT members. The transcript levels of three UGTs were highly correlated with the transcript levels two key HGL-DTG biosynthetic genes: geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (NaGGPPS) and geranyllinalool synthase (NaGLS). NaGLS’s role in HGL-DTG biosynthesis was confirmed by virus-induced gene silencing. Silencing the Uridine diphosphate (UDP)-rhamnosyltransferase gene UGT91T1 demonstrated its role in the rhamnosylation of HGL-DTGs. In vitro enzyme assays revealed that UGT74P3 and UGT74P4 use UDP-glucose for the glucosylation of 17-hydroxygeranyllinalool (17-HGL) to lyciumoside I. Plants with stable silencing of UGT74P3 and UGT74P5 were severely developmentally deformed, pointing to a phytotoxic effect of the aglycone. The application of synthetic 17-HGL and silencing of the UGTs in HGL-DTG-free plants confirmed this phytotoxic effect. Feeding assays with tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) larvae revealed the defensive functions of the glucosylation and rhamnosylation steps in HGL-DTG biosynthesis. Glucosylation of 17-HGL is therefore a critical step that contributes to the resulting metabolites’ defensive function and solves the autotoxicity problem of this potent chemical defense.

QM/MM Study of the Catalytic Reaction of Myrosinase; Importance of Assigning Proper Protonation States of Active-Site Residues.

Myrosinase from Sinapis alba hydrolyzes glycosidic bonds of β-d-S-glucosides. The enzyme shows an enhanced activity in the presence of l-ascorbic acid. In this work, we employed combined quantum mechanical and molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations and molecular dynamics simulations to study the catalytic reaction of wild-type myrosinase and its E464A, Q187A, and Q187E mutants. Test calculations show that a proper QM region to study the myrosinase reaction must contain the whole substrate, models of Gln-187, Glu-409, Gln-39, His-141, Asn-186, Tyr-330, Glu-464, Arg-259, and a water molecule. Furthermore, to make the deglycosylation step possible, Arg-259 must be charged, Glu-464 must be protonated on OE2, and His-141 must be protonated on the NE2 atom. The results indicate that assigning proper protonation states of the residues is more important than the size of the model QM system. Our model reproduces the anomeric retaining characteristic of myrosinase and also reproduces the experimental fact that ascorbate increases the rate of the reaction. A water molecule in the active site, positioned by Gln-187, helps the aglycon moiety of the substrate to stabilize the buildup of negative charge during the glycosylation reaction and this in turn makes the moiety a better leaving group. The water molecule also lowers the glycosylation barrier by ∼9 kcal/mol. The results indicate that the Q187E and E464A mutants but not the Q187A mutant can perform the glycosylation step. However, the energy profiles for the deglycosylation step of the mutants are not similar to that of the wild-type enzyme. The Glu-464 residue lowers the barriers of the glycosylation and deglycosylation steps. The ascorbate ion can act as a general base in the reaction of the wild-type enzyme only if the Glu-464 and His-141 residues are properly protonated.

Glycoside hydrolase family 5: structural snapshots highlighting the involvement of two conserved residues in catalysis

The ability of retaining glycoside hydrolases (GHs) to transglycosylate is inherent to the double-displacement mechanism. Studying reaction intermediates, such as the glycosyl-enzyme intermediate (GEI) and the Michaelis complex, could provide valuable information to better understand the molecular factors governing the catalytic mechanism. Here, the GEI structure of RBcel1, an endo-1,4-β-glucanase of the GH5 family endowed with transglycosylase activity, is reported. It is the first structure of a GH5 enzyme covalently bound to a natural oligosaccharide with the two catalytic glutamate residues present. The structure of the variant RBcel1_E135A in complex with cellotriose is also reported, allowing a description of the entire binding cleft of RBcel1. Taken together, the structures deliver different snapshots of the double-displacement mechanism. The structural analysis revealed a significant movement of the nucleophilic glutamate residue during the reaction. Enzymatic assays indicated that, as expected, the acid/base glutamate residue is crucial for the glycosylation step and partly contributes to deglycosylation. Moreover, a conserved tyrosine residue in the -1 subsite, Tyr201, plays a determinant role in both the glycosylation and deglycosylation steps, since the GEI was trapped in the RBcel1_Y201F variant. The approach used to obtain the GEI presented here could easily be transposed to other retaining GHs in clan GH-A.

Substrate specificities and reaction kinetics of the yeast oligosaccharyltransferase isoforms

Oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) catalyzes the central step in N-linked protein glycosylation, the transfer of a preassembled oligosaccharide from its lipid carrier onto asparagine residues of secretory proteins. The prototypic hetero-octameric OST complex from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae exists as two isoforms that contain either Ost3p or Ost6p, both noncatalytic subunits. These two OST complexes have different protein substrate specificities in vivo. However, their detailed biochemical mechanisms and the basis for their different specificities are not clear. The two OST complexes were purified from genetically engineered strains expressing only one isoform. The kinetic properties and substrate specificities were characterized using a quantitative in vitro glycosylation assay with short peptides and different synthetic lipid-linked oligosaccharide (LLO) substrates. We found that the peptide sequence close to the glycosylation sequon affected peptide affinity and turnover rate. The length of the lipid moiety affected LLO affinity, while the lipid double-bond stereochemistry had a greater influence on LLO turnover rates. The two OST complexes had similar affinities for both the peptide and LLO substrates but showed significantly different turnover rates. These data provide the basis for a functional analysis of the Ost3p and Ost6p subunits.

NFAT5 promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma progression in a hyperosmotic environment

AbstractEpidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is highly expressed in several types of cancer cells including oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). EGF/EGFR signaling is recognized as an important molecular target in cancer therapy. However, cancer cells often become tolerant to EGF/EGFR signaling-targeted therapies. In the tumor microenvironment, the tumor incites inflammation and the inflammation-derived cytokines make a considerable impact on cancer development. In addition, hyperosmolarity is also induced, but the role of osmotic stress in cancer development has not been fully understood. This study demonstrates molecular insights into hyperosmolarity effect on OSCC development and shows that NFAT5 transcription factor plays an important functional role in enhancing the oral cancer cell proliferation by inducing the EGFR translocation from the endoplasmic reticulum to the plasma membrane through increase the expression of DPAGT1, an essential enzyme for catalyzing the first committed step of N-linked protein glycosylation. These results suggest that hyperosmolarity-induced intra-nuclear translocation of NFAT5 essential for DPAGT1 activation and EGFR subcellular translocation responsible for OSCC tumor progression.This study demonstrates that NFAT5 promotes oral squamous cell carcinoma progression in the hyperosmotic environment through increased expression of DPAGT1, an essential enzyme for protein glycosylation, and altered EGFR subcellular localization from the cytoplasm to the plasma membrane in tumor cells.

Uncoupling the hydrolysis of lipid-linked oligosaccharide from the oligosaccharyl transfer reaction by point mutations in yeast oligosaccharyltransferase

Oligosaccharyltransferase (OST) is responsible for the first step in the N-linked glycosylation, transferring an oligosaccharide chain onto asparagine residues to create glycoproteins. In the absence of an acceptor asparagine, OST hydrolyzes the oligosaccharide donor, releasing free N-glycans (FNGs) into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Here, we established a purification method for mutated OSTs using a high-affinity epitope tag attached to the catalytic subunit Stt3, from yeast cells co-expressing the WT OST to support growth. The purified OST protein with mutations is useful for wide-ranging biochemical experiments. We assessed the effects of mutations in the Stt3 subunit on the two enzymatic activities in vitro, as well as their effects on the N-glycan attachment and FNG content levels in yeast cells. We found that mutations in the first DXD motif increased the FNG generation activity relative to the oligosaccharyl transfer activity, both in vitro and in vivo, whereas mutations in the DK motif had the opposite effect; the decoupling of the two activities may facilitate future deconvolution of the reaction mechanism. The isolation of the mutated OSTs also enabled us to identify different enzymatic properties in OST complexes containing either the Ost3 or Ost6 subunit and to find a 15-residue peptide as a better-quality substrate than shorter peptides. This toolbox of mutants, substrates, and methods will be useful for investigations of the molecular basis and physiological roles of the OST enzymes in yeast and other organisms.

Insight into the Catalytic Mechanism of GH11 Xylanase: Computational Analysis of Substrate Distortion Based on a Neutron Structure.

The reaction mechanism of biomass decomposition by xylanases remains the subject of debate. To clarify the mechanism we investigated the glycosylation step of GH11 xylanase, an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of lignocellulosic hemicellulose (xylan). Making use of a recent neutron crystal structure, which revealed the protonation states of relevant residues, we used ab initio quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations to determine the detailed reaction mechanism of the glycosylation step. In particular, our focus is on the controversial question of whether or not an oxocarbenium ion intermediate is formed on the reaction pathway. The calculations support the validity of a basic retaining mechanism within a double-displacement scheme. The estimated free energy barrier of this reaction is ∼18 kcal/mol with QM/MM-CCSD(T)/6-31(+)G**//MP2/6-31+G**/AMBER calculations, and the rate-determining step of the glycosylation is scission of the glycosidic bond after proton transfer from the acidic Glu177. The estimated lifetime of the oxocarbenium ion intermediate (on the order of tens of ps) and the secondary kinetic isotope effect suggest that there is no accumulation of this intermediate on the reaction path, although the intermediate can be transiently formed. In the enzyme-substrate (ES) complex, the carbohydrate structure of the xylose residue at the -1 subsite has a rather distorted (skewed) geometry, and this xylose unit at the active site has an apparent half-chair conformation when the oxocarbenium ion intermediate is formed. The major catalytic role of the protein environment is to orient residues that take part in the initial proton transfer. Because of a fine alignment of catalytic residues, the enzyme can accelerate the glycosylation reaction without paying a reorganization energy penalty.

Synthesis of a common pentasaccharide moiety of diplasteriosides A and B belong to starfish asterosaponins isolated from the Diplasterias brucei

Bearing the pentasaccharide moiety of diplasteriosides A and B, new asterosaponins isolated from the Antarctic Diplasterias brucei starfish showing potent cytotoxic activity against the different human cancer cell lines, has been synthesized as their p-methoxyphenyl (PMP) glycosides. A one-pot sequential glycosylation-deprotection strategy has been adopted for the construction of the pentasaccharide derivative, which was then transformed into target compound after global deprotection. The synthetic method relies on the use of Fmoc carbonate as an orthogonal protecting group which can be removed and the product subsequently glycosylated to reduce the number of reaction steps significantly. Here H2SO4–silica has been used alternatively as a Bronsted acid catalyst for all glycosylation reactions. All the glycosylation steps are high yielding and stereoselective.

Convergent synthesis of a pentasaccharide corresponding to the cell wall O-polysaccharide of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O115

A pentasaccharide corresponding to the cell wall O-polysaccharide of the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O115 has been synthesized using a convergent block glycosylation strategy in satisfactory yield. The synthetic strategy involves several stereoselective glycosylation steps, in which a remote picolinoyl group at C-3 mediated hydrogen bond acceptor aglycon delivery approach for the beta-linked L-rhamnosylation is worth mentioning. An orthogonal glycosylation approach has also been adopted for the preparation of a thioglycoside disaccharide derivative, which was used in the block synthesis. Perchloric acid supported over silica (HClO4–SiO2) has been used as a solid acid catalyst for the activation of glycosyl trichloroacetimidate derivative as well as in the thioglycoside activations. The d-galacturonic acid moiety in the molecules was incorporated by linking a d-galactose unit in appropriate glycosyl linkage followed by a late stage TEMPO mediated regioselective oxidation of the primary hydroxyl group using diacetoxyiodo benzene (DAIB). All intermediate glycosylations were high yielding with satisfactory stereo outcome.

Chemical synthesis of human milk oligosaccharides: lacto-N-neohexaose (Galβ1 → 4GlcNAcβ1→)2 3,6Galβ1 → 4Glc.

The first chemical synthesis of lacto-N-neohexaose (LNnH) has been completed using a convergent synthetic strategy. The reaction conditions and donor-acceptor combinations have been carefully refined to minimize side reactions and achieve high yields in all glycosylation steps. Lacto-N-neotetraose, another common human milk oligosaccharide, was also synthesized en route to the target LNnH.

Unveiling the Dynamical and Structural Features That Determine the Orientation of the Acceptor Substrate in the Landomycin Glycosyltransferase LanGT2 and Its Variant with C-Glycosylation Activity.

Many bioactive compounds are O-glycosylated metabolites; however, the hydrolytic sensitivity of O-glycosidic linkage limits their therapeutic applications. Enzymatically and chemically stable C-glycosidic bonds are thought of as a potential solution to overcome this problem, although the insufficient information about the structural preferences and interactions that distinguish the C- from the O-glycosylation reactions has hindered the development of enzyme engineering strategies. Thus, in this work, the O-glycosyltransferase LanGT2 (O-LanGT2) and its engineered C-C bond-forming variant (C-LanGT2), which catalyze the initial glycosylation step in the biosynthesis of the antibiotic landomycin A, were studied by means of all-atom Molecular Dynamics simulations. Our results indicate that precise positioning of the acceptor substrate tetrangulol (TET) seems to be determined by the flexibility of the loop 51-62, which gives rise to slightly different secondary structural elements that modulate the interactions between this loop and TET. In O-LanGT2, the most notable interactions between TET and the loop 51-62 involve R59 and A62, whereas in C-LanGT2 they involve A8, I58, and I62. Although A8 is not part of the loop 51-62, it turns out to be key to the binding mode exhibited by TET in C-LanGT2. Thus, the TET-A62 (O-LanGT2) and TET-A8 (C-LanGT2) interactions appear to be critical to accomplish the O- and the C-glycosidic bond specificity, respectively. Finally, all results together shed light on the molecular basis governing the O- and C-bond specificity, revealing that the underlying molecular mechanism that tunes the orientation of TET at its binding pocket involves hydrophobic interactions.

Candida albicans; exploring glycosylation pathway in the search of targets for antimicrobial agents and yeast to hyphae transition.

Microbial cell wall is mostly synthesized by the glycosylated proteins with the distinct enzymatic activity. In this review we have concentrated on the description of the certain steps of glycosylation and their effect on the cell wall integrity and yeast to hyphae transition, the process enhancing the pathogenic properties of C.albicans. The glycoproteins play an invaluable role in C. albicans virulence and they modulate adhesive, invasive, morphogenetic and immune stimulating properties of the pathogen as well as its susceptibility to the antifungal agents. Therefore, understanding of C. albicans glycobiology might let us expand the arsenal in the war against fungal enemies. The early stages of N-, O-glycans and GPI-anchor synthesis requires dolichol - the lipid carrier of sugar residues. Diminished supply of dolichol causes series of defects in C. albicans cells, among which aberrant protein glycosylation is the most evident. Furthermore, the relations between the cell wall composition and integrity, resistance to some antifungal and cell wall disturbing agents and dolichol dependent glycosylation are observed. Moreover relevance of these reactions for the morphological differentiation of C.albicans is described.

P6302GALNT4 enhances monocyte adherence and chemotaxis by regulating PSGL1 O-glycosylation in patients with acute coronary syndrome

Abstract Background GalNAc-T4 (GALNT4), a member of N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferases family, which transfers GalNAc to Serine and Threonine residues in the initial step of O-linked protein glycosylation. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have predicted that GALNT4 gene play a causal role in the susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases, whereas the precise mechanisms of it in acute coronary disease (ACS) is unknown. Purpose In this study, we sought to determine the role of GALNT4 in regulating monocytes with ACS and the underlying mechanisms. Methods and results The expression of GALNT4 mRNA was significantly elevated in patience with STEMI (n=50) compare with stable coronary heart disease (SCHD) (n=50) and controls (n=50) (Clinicaltrial.gov: NCT 03335514). Moreover, GALNT4 siRNA knockdown suppressed monocytes adherence under static and flow condition with P-selectin stimulation, as well as chemotaxis triggered by monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1). In contrast, adenovirus mediated GALNT4 overexpression enhanced monocytes adherence and chemotaxis. Furthermore, vicia villosa lectin (VVL) pull down and PSGL1 immunoprecipitation assays showed that GALNT4 overexpression increased VVL binding to PSGL-1 and P-selectin induce phosphorylation of Akt and mTOR. Conversely, knockdown of GALNT4 decreased VVL binding and attenuated the activity of Akt /mTOR. Additionally, mTOR inhibitor rapamycin blocked these effects of GALNT4 overexpression on monocytes. Conclusion Expression of GALNT4 was increased in patience with ACS, GALNT4 overexpression enhances the adherence and chemotaxis of monocytes via modifying O-glycosylation of PSGL-1 and activity Akt/mTOR pathway. These findings suggest that GALNT4 may be a potential therapeutic target for ACS. Acknowledgement/Funding The National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81100220 and No. 81770340)

Lysine Mutation of the Claw-Arm-Like Loop Accelerates Catalysis by Cellobiohydrolases.

Searching for viable strategies to accelerate the catalytic cycle of glycoside hydrolase family 7 (GH7) cellobiohydrolase I (CBHI)-the workhorse cellulose-degrading enzymes, we have performed a total of 12-μs molecular dynamics simulations on GH7 CBHI, which brought to light a new mechanism for cellobiose expulsion, coined "claw-arm" action. The loop flanking the product binding site plays the role of a flexible "arm" extending toward cellobiose, and residue Thr389 of this loop acts as a "claw" that captures cellobiose. Five mutations of residue Thr389 were considered to enhance the loop-cellobiose interaction. The lysine mutant was found to significantly accelerate cellobiose expulsion and facilitate polysaccharide-chain translocation. Lysine mutation of Thr393 in Talaromyces emersonii CBHI (TeCel7A) performed similarly. Lysine approaches the catalytic area and stabilizes the Michaelis complex, potentially affecting glycosylation, the rate-limiting step of the catalytic cycle. QM/MM calculations indicate that lysine replacement diminishes the barrier against proton transfer, the crucial step of glycosylation, by 2.3 kcal/mol. Experimental validation was performed using the full-length wild-type (WT) of TeCel7A and its mutants, recombinantly expressed in Pichia pastoris, to degrade the substrates. Compared with the WT, the lysine mutant revealed an associated higher enzymatic reaction rate. Furthermore, cellobiose yield was also increased by lysine mutation, indicating that dissociation of the enzyme from cellulose was accelerated, which largely stems from the enhanced flexibility of the "arm". The present work is envisioned to help design strategies for improving enzymatic activity, while decreasing enzyme cost.

Synthesis and Conformation of Pentopyranoside Nucleoside Phosphonates.

In contrast to natural nucleosides, where the nucleobase is positioned at the anomeric center, we report the synthesis of pentopyranoside nucleosides with a phosphonate functionality at the 1'-anomeric oxygen. Starting from l-arabinose, key functionalized l- glycero- and l- erythro-pentopyranose carbohydrate synthons were prepared and further elaborated into the final six-membered ring nucleosides via nucleobase incorporation and phosphonomethylation reactions. NMR analysis demonstrated that these nucleoside phosphonates exist in solution as conformers predominantly adopting a chair structure in which the base moiety is equatorially positioned. Such conformation prevents unfavorable 1,3-diaxial steric and electronic interactions. Notably, the stereochemical outcome of the Vorbrüggen glycosylation step utilized en route to the thymine analogue clearly suggests the absence of anchimeric assistance, as opposed to what is usually observed during nucleoside synthesis using protected furanose precursors. The finding that the diphosphates of the compounds developed in this study are recognized by DNA polymerases is important in view of the future selection of artificial genetic systems and dedicated polymerases as well as applications in therapy.

Comparing Hydrolysis and Transglycosylation Reactions Catalyzed by Thermus thermophilus β-Glycosidase. A Combined MD and QM/MM Study.

The synthesis of oligosaccharides and other carbohydrate derivatives is of relevance for the advancement of glycosciences both at the fundamental and applied level. For many years, glycosyl hydrolases (GHs) have been explored to catalyze the synthesis of glycosidic bonds. In particular, retaining GHs can catalyze a transglycosylation (T) reaction that competes with hydrolysis (H). This has been done either employing controlled conditions in wild type GHs or by engineering new mutants. The goal, which is to increase the T/H ratio, has been achieved with moderate success in several cases despite the fact that the molecular basis for T/H modulation are unclear. Here we have used QM(DFT)/MM calculations to compare the glycosylation, hydrolysis and transglycosylation steps catalyzed by wild type Thermus thermophilus β-glycosidase (family GH1), a retaining glycosyl hydrolase for which a transglycosylation yield of 36% has been determined experimentally. The three transition states have a strong oxocarbenium character and ring conformations between 4H3 and 4E. The atomic charges at the transition states for hydrolysis and transglycosylation are very similar, except for the more negative charge of the oxygen atom of water when compared to that of the acceptor Glc. The glycosylation transition state has a stronger SN2 character than the deglycosylation ones and the proton transfer is less advanced. At the QM(PBE0/TZVP)/MM level, the TS for transglycosylation has shorter O4GLC-C1FUC (forming bond) distance and longer OE2GLU338-C1FUC (breaking) distance than the hydrolysis one, although the HACC proton is closer to the Glu164 base in the hydrolysis TS. The QM(SCC-DFTB)/MM free energy maxima show the inverted situation, although the hydrolysis TS presents significant structural fluctuations. The 3-OHGLC group of the acceptor Glc (transglycosylation) and WAT432 (neighbor water in hydrolysis) are identified to stabilize the oxocarbenium transition states through interaction with O5FUC and O4FUC. The analysis of interaction suggests that perturbing the Glu392-Fuc interaction could increase the T/H ratio, either by direct mutation of this residue or indirectly as reported experimentally in the Asn390I and Phe401S cases. The molecular understanding of similarities and differences between hydrolysis and transglycosylation steps may be of help in the design of new biocatalysts for glycan synthesis.

Type IV Pilin Post-Translational Modifications Modulate Material Properties of Bacterial Colonies

Bacterial type 4 pili (T4P) are extracellular polymers that initiate the formation of microcolonies and biofilms. T4P continuously elongate and retract. These pilus dynamics crucially affect the local order, shape, and fluidity of microcolonies. The major pilin subunit of the T4P bears multiple post-translational modifications. By interfering with different steps of the pilin glycosylation and phosphoform modification pathways, we investigated the effect of pilin post-translational modification on the shape and dynamics of microcolonies formed by Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Deleting the phosphotransferase responsible for phosphoethanolamine modification at residue serine 68 inhibits shape relaxations of microcolonies after perturbation and causes bacteria carrying the phosphoform modification to segregate to the surface of mixed colonies. We relate these mesoscopic phenotypes to increased attractive forces generated by T4P between cells. Moreover, by deleting genes responsible for the pilin glycan structure, we show that the number of saccharides attached at residue serine 63 affects the ratio between surface tension and viscosity and cause sorting between bacteria carrying different pilin glycoforms. We conclude that different pilin post-translational modifications moderately affect the attractive forces between bacteria but have severe effects on the material properties of microcolonies.

Stereoselective N-glycosylation with N4-acyl cytosines and efficient synthesis of gemcitabine

Through systematical comparison of various N4-protected cytosine derivatives in the glycosylation step of gemcitabine synthesis, highly beta-stereoselective and high yielding TBAI catalyzed N-glycosylation was achieved with N4-Bz cytosine and anomeric mixture of 2,2‘-difluororibose mesylate donor. The subsequent global deprotection gave gemcitabine efficiently. Meanwhile, the anomeric chloride intermediate and fluoride-displaced side products of this N-glycosylation were identified, too. This new glycosylation method reveals the importance of N4-protection in the stereoselective preparation of pyrimidine nucleoside, also provides a potential alternative to current industrial process to gemcitabine.