NMR Spectroscopy In Conjunction Research Articles

Microbial Transformation of the Sesquiterpene Lactone, Vulgarin, by Aspergillus niger.

The biotransformation of vulgarin (1), an eudesmanolides-type sesquiterpene lactone obtained from Artemisia judaica, by the microorganism, Aspergillus niger, was carried out to give three more polar metabolites; 1-epi-tetrahydrovulgarin (1α,4α-dihydroxy-5αH,6,11βH-eudesman-6,12-olide (2), 20% yield, 1α,4α-dihydroxyeudesm-2-en-5αH,6,11βH-6,12-olide (3a), 10% yield, and C-1 epimeric mixture (3a, b), 4% yield, in a ratio of 4:1, 3a/3b. The structures of vulgarin and its metabolites were elucidated by 1 and 2D NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with HRESIMS. Metabolites (3a) and (3b) are epimers, and they are reported here for the first time as new metabolites obtained by biotransformation by selective reduction at C-1. Vulgarin and its metabolites were evaluated as anti-inflammatory agents using the human cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitory assay. The obtained data showed that (1) exhibited a good preferential inhibitory activity towards COX-2 (IC50 = 07.21 ± 0.10) and had a moderate effect on COX-1 (IC50 = 11.32 ± 0.24). Meanwhile, its metabolite (3a) retained a selective inhibitory activity against COX-1 (IC50 = 15.70 ± 0.51). In conclusion, the results of this study revealed the necessity of the presence α, β unsaturated carbonyl group in (1) for better COX-2 inhibitory activity. On the other hand, the selectivity of (1) as COX-1 inhibitor may be enhanced via the reduction of C-1 carbonyl group.

Differential Effects of Chronic Ethanol Use on Mouse Neuronal and Astroglial Metabolic Activity.

Chronic alcohol use disorder, a major risk factor for the development of neuropsychiatric disorders including addiction to other substances, is associated with several neuropathology including perturbed neuronal and glial activities in the brain. It affects carbon metabolism in specific brain regions, and perturbs neuro-metabolite homeostasis in neuronal and glial cells. Alcohol induced changes in the brain neurochemical profile accompany the negative emotional state associated with dysregulated reward and sensitized stress response to withdrawal. However, the underlying alterations in neuro-astroglial activities and neurochemical dysregulations in brain regions after chronic alcohol use are poorly understood. This study evaluates the impact of chronic ethanol use on the regional neuro-astroglial metabolic activityusing 1H-[13C]-NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with infusion of [1,6-13C2]glucose and sodium [2-13C]acetate, respectively, after 48h of abstinence. Besides establishing detailed 13C labeling of neuro-metabolites in a brain region-specific manner, our results show chronic ethanol induced-cognitive deficits along with a reduction in total glucose oxidation rates in the hippocampus and striatum. Furthermore, using [2-13C]acetate infusion, we showed an alcohol-induced increase in astroglial metabolic activity in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Interestingly, increased astroglia activity in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex was associated with a differential expression of monocarboxylic acid transporters that are regulating acetate uptake and metabolism in the brain.

New neuroprotective sesquiterpene lactate esters from carotol biotransformation

Biotransformation of carotol (1), the major sesquiterpenoid of carrot fruit essential oil, by Rhizopus oryzae yielded two new lactate derivatives: 9α-hydroxydaucol-9-lactate (2) and 9α-hydroxydaucol-3,9-dilactate (3). The structures of 1-3 were characterized by 1 & 2D NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with HR-ESIMS. Cholinergic deficiency and neuroinflammation are key detrimental processes involved in the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study demonstrated that compounds 1-3 in addition to the essential oil showed considerable in-vitro inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX), and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). Metabolite 2 showed improved inhibitory activities (9.03, 0.56, and 0.64 μM) against COX-2, 5-LOX, and BChE enzymes, compared to the parent compound, carotol 1 (82.57, 2.11, and 0.74 μM, respectively). The results were correlated to the in-silico binding interactions with the proteins of these enzymes by molecular docking. Carrot essential oil and carotol derivatives are suggested by this study as a potential treatment for neurodegenerative disease associated with neuroinflammation.

Chronic lead exposure disrupts neurometabolic activity in mouse brain: An ex vivo1H-[13C]-NMR study

Lead poisoning has been identified as a problem in adults as well as in children. Chronic exposure to lead has been implicated in neurological disorders such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease. In the present study, we evaluated the impact of chronic lead exposure on cerebral glutamatergic and GABAergic metabolic activity in mice. C57BL6 mice were provided lead acetate in drinking water for two months. The regional cerebral metabolic activity was measured using 1H-[13C]-NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with infusion of [1,6-13C2]glucose. The blood Pb2+ increased significantly in lead acetate treated mice. Concomitantly, there was a significant reduction in the forelimb strength. The level of myo-inositol was elevated in the cerebral cortex of mice chronically exposed to lead. The glutamatergic neurometabolic activity was found to be reduced following chronic lead exposure in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and striatum. In contrast, the GABAergic fluxes were impaired in the hippocampus and thalamus only. The metabolic fluxes in the cerebellum were unperturbed to Pb2+ toxicity. In conclusion, we report that chronic lead exposure in mice leads to an impairment in forelimb strength, and a perturbation in neurometabolism in brain regions involving cognition and movement.

Structure and Reactivity of [Ru-Al] and [Ru-Sn] Heterobimetallic PPh3-Based Complexes.

Treatment of [Ru(PPh3)(C6H4PPh2)2H][Li(THF)2] with AlMe2Cl and SnMe3Cl leads to elimination of LiCl and CH4 and formation of the heterobimetallic complexes [Ru(C6H4PPh2)2{PPh2C6H4AlMe(THF)}H] 5 and [Ru(PPh3)(C6H4PPh2)(PPh2C6H4SnMe2)] 6, respectively. The pathways to 5 and 6 have been probed by variable temperature NMR studies, together with input from DFT calculations. Complete reaction of H2 occurs with 5 at 60 °C and with 6 at room temperature to yield the spectroscopically characterized trihydride complexes [Ru(PPh2)2{PPh2C6H4AlMe}H3] 7 and [Ru(PPh2)2{PPh2C6H4SnMe2}H3] 8. In the presence of CO, 6 forms the acylated phosphine complex, [Ru(CO)2(C(O)C6H4PPh2)(PPh2C6H4SnMe2)] 9, through a series of intermediates that were identified by NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with 13CO labeling. Complex 6 undergoes addition and substitution reactions with the N-heterocyclic carbene 1,3,4,5-tetramethylimidazol-2-ylidene (IMe4) to give [Ru(IMe4)2(PPh2C6H4)(PPh2C6H4SnMe2)] 10, which converted via rare N-Me group C–H activation to [Ru(IMe4)(PPh3)(IMe4)′(PPh2C6H4SnMe2)] 11 upon heating at 60 °C and to a mixture of [Ru(IMe4)2(IMe4)′(PPh2C6H4SnMe2)] 12 and [Ru(PPh3)(PPh2C6H4)(IMe4-SnMe2)′] 13 at 120 °C.

Contrasting Photochemical and Thermal Catalysis by Ruthenium Arsine Complexes Revealed by Parahydrogen Enhanced NMR Spectroscopy

AbstractThe thermal and photochemical reactivity of Ru(CO)3(dpae) (1) and Ru(CO)2(dpae)(PPh3) (2) towards H2 and diphenylacetylene is described. These reactions are monitored by NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with the parahydrogen induced polarisation (PHIP) effect, spatially resolved chemical shift imaging and the Only Parahydrogen Spectroscopy (OPSY) signal filtering method. The results are supported by DFT. The thermal and photochemical reactions of 1 with H2 proceed by CO loss and form Ru(H)2(CO)2(dpae) (3). 1 catalyses the formation of 1,2 diphenylethane, cis‐ and trans‐stilbene, and 1,2,3,4 tetraphenylbutadiene under 325 nm irradiation at 295 K in a reaction where Ru(CO)2(dpae)(η2‐CHPh=CPhCPh=CHPh) forms. When the same reaction is monitored under thermal conditions at 333 K the η2‐diene complex is no longer detected but hydride containing Ru(CHPhCH2Ph)(H)(CO)2(dpae) and Ru(CO)2(dpae)(trans‐stilbene) are seen. For 1, the photochemical promotion of hydrogenation through 325 nm irradiation results in an approximate 5.5‐fold increase in turnover at 333 K when compared to no irradiation. In contrast, 2 reacts thermally with H2 at 295 K through PPh3 and CO loss with both Ru(H)2(CO)(dpae)(solvent) and 3 being detected. Under irradiation, CO loss dominates and two isomers of Ru(H)2(CO)(dpae)(PPh3) form. While 2 forms the same 4 organic products at 295 K and a second isomer of Ru(CHPhCH2Ph)(H)(CO)2(dpae) alongside the diene complex no photochemical promotion of hydrogenation is observed.

Enhanced characterization of yeast hydrolysate combining acid digestion and 1D‐1H NMR targeted profiling

AbstractYeast extract, or autolysate, is a required component for many cell‐culture media, but its exact constituents and benefits are unknown. Yeast extract contains a diverse assortment of metabolites, often present in complex forms (eg, polypeptides and polynucleotides). This study employs one‐dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1D‐1H NMR) spectroscopy to analyze free (ie, readily available) components present in commercially available yeast autolysate. The product is monitored while further subjected to acid hydrolysis, allowing for a more robust understanding of the exact components present, particularly those contained in complex forms. The amino acids and glucose compounds behaved as expected based on other acid hydrolysis studies, and were modelled similarly. Parameter estimation was in strong agreement with pre‐hydrolysis targeted 1D‐1H NMR profiling. This analysis was expanded to components not as thoroughly investigated and was especially applicable to nucleic compounds. Acid hydrolysis revealed that the yeast extract was approximately 5.4% nucleic material by weight, mostly composed of adenosine, and largely provided by RNA due to the presence of uracil and lack of thymidine. Choline‐containing compounds were also positively identified with an observable increase of free choline during hydrolysis. 1D‐1H NMR spectroscopy allowed for the simultaneous monitoring of a significant number of yeast‐extract metabolites, some of which were previously unreported. Utilizing 1D‐1H NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with acid hydrolysis led to a more complete view of the compounds present, and accounted for an additional 24% of the yeast‐extract mass.

Supramolecular Modulation of Hybrid Perovskite Solar Cells via Bifunctional Halogen Bonding Revealed by Two-Dimensional 19F Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy.

There has been an ongoing effort to overcome the limitations associated with the stability of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells by using different organic agents as additives to the perovskite formulations. The functionality of organic additives has been predominantly limited to exploiting hydrogen-bonding interactions, while the relevant atomic-level binding modes remain elusive. Herein, we introduce a bifunctional supramolecular modulator, 1,2,4,5-tetrafluoro-3,6-diiodobenzene, which interacts with the surface of the triple-cation double-halide perovskite material via halogen bonding. We elucidate its binding mode using two-dimensional solid-state 19F NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with density functional theory calculations. As a result, we demonstrate a stability enhancement of the perovskite solar cells upon supramolecular modulation, without compromising the photovoltaic performances.

Direct Observation of Hemithioindigo‐Motor Unidirectionality

AbstractHemithioindigo molecular motors undergo very fast unidirectional rotation upon irradiation with visible light, which has prevented a complete analysis of their working mechanism. In this work, we have considerably slowed down their motion by using a new synthesis for sterically hindered motor derivatives. This method allowed the first observation of all four intermediate states populated during rotation. The exact order in which each isomeric state is formed under irradiation conditions was elucidated using low temperature 1H NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with other analytical methods. At the same time, complete unidirectionality could also be directly shown. Access to slowly rotating hemithioindigo motors opens up a plethora of new applications for visible‐light‐induced unidirectional motions, especially in areas such as catalysis, smart materials, and supramolecular chemistry.

Direct Observation of Hemithioindigo-Motor Unidirectionality.

Hemithioindigo molecular motors undergo very fast unidirectional rotation upon irradiation with visible light, which has prevented a complete analysis of their working mechanism. In this work, we have considerably slowed down their motion by using a new synthesis for sterically hindered motor derivatives. This method allowed the first observation of all four intermediate states populated during rotation. The exact order in which each isomeric state is formed under irradiation conditions was elucidated using low temperature 1 H NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with other analytical methods. At the same time, complete unidirectionality could also be directly shown. Access to slowly rotating hemithioindigo motors opens up a plethora of new applications for visible-light-induced unidirectional motions, especially in areas such as catalysis, smart materials, and supramolecular chemistry.

Torsional and Electronic Factors Control the C-H⋅⋅⋅O Interaction.

The precise role of non‐conventional hydrogen bonds such as the C−H⋅⋅⋅O interaction in influencing the conformation of small molecules remains unresolved. Here we survey a series of β‐turn mimetics using X‐ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with quantum calculation, and conclude that favourable torsional and electronic effects are important for the population of states with conformationally influential C−H⋅⋅⋅O interactions. Our results also highlight the challenge in attempting to deconvolute a myriad of interdependent noncovalent interactions in order to focus on the contribution of a single one. Within a small molecule that is designed to resemble the complexity of the environment within peptides and proteins, the interplay of different steric burdens, hydrogen‐acceptor/‐donor properties and rotational profiles illustrate why unambiguous conclusions based solely on NMR chemical shift data are extremely challenging to rationalize.

Enhanced stability and activity of an antimicrobial peptide in conjugation with silver nanoparticle

The conjugation of nanoparticles with antimicrobial peptides (AMP) is emerging as a promising route to achieve superior antimicrobial activity. However, the nature of peptide-nanoparticle interactions in these systems remains unclear. This study describes a system consisting of a cysteine containing antimicrobial peptide conjugated with silver nanoparticles, in which the two components exhibit a dynamic interaction resulting in a significantly enhanced stability and biological activity compared to that of the individual components. This was investigated using NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with other biophysical techniques. Using fluorescence assisted cell sorting and membrane mimics we carried out a quantitative comparison of the activity of the AMP-nanoparticle system and the free peptide. Taken together, the study provides new insights into nanoparticle-AMP interactions at a molecular level and brings out the factors that will be useful for consideration while designing new conjugates with enhanced functionality.

Designed metalloprotein stabilizes a semiquinone radical.

Enzymes use binding energy to stabilize their substrates in high-energy states that are otherwise inaccessible at ambient temperature. Here we show that a de novo designed Zn(II) metalloprotein stabilizes a chemically reactive organic radical that is otherwise unstable in aqueous media. The protein binds tightly to and stabilizes the radical semiquinone form of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol. Solution NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with molecular dynamics simulations show that the substrate binds in the active site pocket where it is stabilized by metal-ligand interactions as well as by burial of its hydrophobic groups. Spectrochemical redox titrations show that the protein stabilized the semiquinone by reducing the electrochemical midpoint potential for its formation via the one-electron oxidation of the catechol by approximately 400 mV (9 kcal mol(-1)). Therefore, the inherent chemical properties of the radical were changed drastically by harnessing its binding energy to the metalloprotein. This model sets the basis for designed enzymes with radical cofactors to tackle challenging chemistry.

Probing the Secondary Active Transport Mechanism of the Bacterial Efflux Pump EmrE

Secondary active transporters are able to confer bacterial multidrug resistance to both antibiotics and antiseptics. While the energy source for the transport mechanism is derived from the electrochemical potential across the membrane, this thermodynamic view does not provide a mechanistic understanding regarding how the energy is converted into useful work. To gain insight into the ion-coupled transport process, we applied a plethora of biophysical techniques including solid-state and solution NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with resistance assays to the drug transporter EmrE from E. coli. EmrE is an anti-parallel homodimer from the small multidrug resistance (SMR) family that effluxes a wide variety of quaternary cationic compounds and has served as a model for ion-coupled transport. We carried out pH titrations using NMR spectroscopy to reveal an elevated acid dissociation constant for a conserved and membrane embedded glutamate residue that is responsible for conferring drug resistance in E. coli. Furthermore, we found that the acid/base chemistry at this anionic residue was responsible for regulating the global dynamics of the transporter based on the protonation state. The implication of this result is that an open conformation of EmrE in the presence of a pH gradient would be oriented toward the higher pH side of the membrane. Indeed, tryptophan fluorescence experiments acquired in lipid bilayers strongly validate this interpretation. Finally, protonation at E14 showed long-range chemical shift perturbations far removed from the drug-binding pocket, which is evidence of an intricate allosteric network involving both concerted conformational changes to the transmembrane helices and loops that are involved in regulating the inward-open to outward-open structural switch.

Conformational studies of [Nphe5]SFTI-1 by means of 2D NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with molecular dynamics calculations

Trypsin inhibitor SFTI-1 is the smallest and the most potent among BBI inhibitors. It is also an interesting object for SAR studies since it is cyclic 14 amino acid molecule which additionally contains disulfide bridge. We showed that elimination of head-to-tail cycliztion did not influence its activity. Moreover peptoid monomers of Nlys and Nphe introduced in the substrate specificity P1 position of monocyclic SFTI-1 preserved trypsin and chymotripsin inhibitory activity respectively and made P1–P1′ bond proteolytically stable. These findings motivated us to perform conformational analysis of [Nphe5]SFTI-1 by means of 2D NMR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics calculations. Obtained structure occurred to be in a good agreement with published structures for wild-type SFTI-1, its monocyclic analog with disulfide bridge only as well as one containing Nlys peptoid monomer in P1 position.

The contribution of solid-state NMR spectroscopy to understanding biomineralization: Atomic and molecular structure of bone

Solid-state NMR spectroscopy has had a major impact on our understanding of the structure of mineralized tissues, in particular bone. Bone exemplifies the organic–inorganic composite structure inherent in mineralized tissues. The organic component of the extracellular matrix in bone is primarily composed of ordered fibrils of collagen triple-helical molecules, in which the inorganic component, calcium phosphate particles, composed of stacks of mineral platelets, are arranged around the fibrils. This perspective argues that key factors in our current structural model of bone mineral have come about through NMR spectroscopy and have yielded the primary information on how the mineral particles interface and bind with the underlying organic matrix. The structure of collagen within the organic matrix of bone or any other structural tissue has yet to be determined, but here too, this perspective shows there has been real progress made through application of solid-state NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with other techniques. In particular, NMR spectroscopy has highlighted the fact that even within these structural proteins, there is considerable dynamics, which suggests that one should be cautious when using inherently static structural models, such as those arising from X-ray diffraction analyses, to gain insight into molecular roles. It is clear that the NMR approach is still in its infancy in this area, and that we can expect many more developments in the future, particularly in understanding the molecular mechanisms of bone diseases and ageing.

Surface modification of cellulose microfibrils by periodate oxidation and subsequent reductive amination with benzylamine: a topochemical study

Never-dried sulfite wood pulp was beaten and subsequently microfibrillated before being submitted to periodate oxidation for various times. The oxidation progress, which was followed by 13C solid-state NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with degree of oxidation (DO) measurements together with ultrastructural observations, revealed that the cellulose crystallinity and microfibrillar integrity were kept intact until a DO of 0.3/0.4, indicating that at that level, the cellulose microfibrils had been oxidized exclusively at their surface. Beyond this DO value, the sample crystallinity started to deteriorate, as the oxidation progressed toward the core of the microfibrils. Remarkably, throughout the oxidation, the created carbonyl moieties were never observed, as they were readily recombined into hemiacetals by cyclization either within the same anhydro glucose unit (AGU) or with the adjacent un-oxidized AGUs of the same cellulose chain. At DO below 0.3/0.4, hemiacetal coupling with adjacent cellulose chains was also considered, but it appeared unlikely in view of the interchain distance imposed by the crystalline lattice. The oxidized samples were subjected to a reductive amination with benzylamine in order to convert their hydrophilic surfaces into hydrophobic ones. Despite the ease of this derivatization, the analysis of the 13C solid-state NMR spectra of the aminated products showed that, below a DO of 0.3, only half of the hemiacetal moieties could be converted into secondary amine products, whereas the other half remained untouched, likely for steric reasons.

Computational and DNMR Investigation of the Isomerism and Stereodynamics of the 2,2′-Binaphthalene-1,1′-diol Scaffold

The relative stabilities of three conformational isomers of 2,2'-binaphthalene-1,1'-diol diisobutyrate and the energy barriers to rotation about the pivotal aryl-aryl bond and the two aryl-oxygen bonds were investigated by variable-temperature NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with DFT computations. The experimental and calculated data were found to be in very good agreement and provide new insights into the dynamic stereochemistry of BINOL-derived tropos ligands.

Chiral Guest Binding as a Probe of Macrocycle Dynamics and Tautomerism in a Conjugated Tetrapyrrole

We report chiral guest binding as a probe of prototropic tautomerism and macrocyclic inversion in a highly conjugated tetrapyrrole studied using (1)H NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with mandelic acid as the chiral guest. Both tautomerism and macrocycle inversion can be influenced in a non-trivial way depending on temperature and the respective concentrations of tetrapyrrole host, chiral guest or water. Chirality of the interacting guest is the key feature since it permits separation and detailed observation of macrocyclic inversion and tautomerism. Based on this, a methodology was developed to identify and characterize the dynamic processes. Our observations suggest that yields of products (e.g., of asymmetric reactions) can be affected by reactivity of functional groups (in molecules undergoing tautomerism or inversion) by varying solution properties including reagent concentrations and impurities such as water. This work establishes a connection between the important chemical concepts of chirality, tautomerism, and macrocyclic dynamics.

Combined NMR and GC–MS Analyses Revealed Dynamic Metabolic Changes Associated with the Carrageenan-Induced Rat Pleurisy

Inflammation is closely associated with pathogenesis of various metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, and cancers. To understand the systems responses to localized inflammation, we analyzed the dynamic metabolic changes in rat plasma and urine associated with the carrageenan-induced self-limiting pleurisy using NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with multivariate data analysis. Fatty acids in plasma were also analyzed using GC-FID/MS with the data from clinical chemistry and histopathology as complementary information. We found that in the acute phase of inflammation rats with pleurisy had significantly lower levels in serum albumin, fatty acids, and lipoproteins but higher globulin level and larger quantity of pleural exudate than controls. The carrageenan-induced inflammation was accompanied by significant metabolic alterations involving TCA cycle, glycolysis, biosyntheses of acute phase proteins, and metabolisms of amino acids, fatty acids, ketone bodies, and choline in acute phase. The resolution process of pleurisy was heterogeneous, and two subgroups were observed for the inflammatory rats at day-6 post treatment with different metabolic features together with the quantity of pleural exudate and weights of thymus and spleen. The metabolic differences between these subgroups were reflected in the levels of albumin and acute-phase proteins, the degree of returning to normality for multiple metabolic pathways including glycolysis, TCA cycle, gut microbiota functions, and metabolisms of lipids, choline and vitamin B3. These findings provided some essential details for the dynamic metabolic changes associated with the carrageenan-induced self-limiting inflammation and demonstrated the combined NMR and GC-FID/MS analysis as a powerful approach for understanding biochemical aspects of inflammation.