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Biomedical subjects

D E Cane

Publications and source records attributed to D E Cane.

72 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Studies of the cryptic allylic pyrophosphate isomerase activity of trichodiene synthase using the anomalous substrate 6,7-dihydrofarnesyl pyrophosphate.

Two enantiomeric analogues of farnesyl pyrophosphate (1) were tested as inhibitors and anomalous substrates of trichodiene synthase, which catalyzes the cyclization of trans,trans-farnesyl pyrophosphate (1) to the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon trichodiene (2). The reaction has been shown to involve preliminary isomerization of 1 to the tertiary allylic isomer nerolidyl pyrophosphate (3) which is cyclized without detectable release of the intermediate from the active site of the cyclase. Both (7S)-trans-6,7-dihydrofarnesyl pyrophosphate (7a) and (7R)-trans-6,7-dihydrofarnesyl pyrophosphate (7b), prepared from (3R)- and (3S)- citronellol (9a and 9b), respectively, proved to be modest competitive inhibitors of trichodiene synthase. The values of Ki(7a), 395 nM, and Ki(7b), 220 nM, were 10-15 times the observed Km for 1 and half the Ki of inorganic pyrophosphate alone. Incubation of either 7a or 7b with trichodiene synthase resulted in formation of a mixture of products which by radio/gas-liquid chromatographic and GC/selected ion mass spectrometric analysis was shown to be composed of 80-85% isomeric trienes 19-21 and 15-20% allylic alcohols 12 and 18. Examination of the water-soluble products resulting from incubation of 7a also revealed the generation of 24% of the isomeric cis-6,7-dihydrofarnesyl pyrophosphate (26). The combined rate of formation of anomalous alcoholic and olefinic products was 10% the Vmax determined for the conversion of 1 to 2. The results can be explained by initial enzyme-catalyzed isomerization of dihydrofarnesyl pyrophosphate (7) to the corresponding tertiary allylic isomer dihydronerolidyl pyrophosphate (8). Since the latter intermediate is unable to cyclize due to the absence of the 6,7-double bond, ionization of 8 and quenching of the resulting ion pair by deprotonation, capture of water, or collapse to the isomeric primary pyrophosphate esters will generate the observed spectrum of anomalous products.

Binding Sites↗

Inhibition of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase by pentalenolactone: kinetic and mechanistic studies.

Incubation of rabbit muscle glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) with the antibiotic pentalenolactone (1) resulted in time-dependent, irreversible inhibition of GAPDH. The kinetics of inactivation were biphasic, exhibiting an initial rapid phase and a slower second phase. Pentalenolactone methyl ester (2) also irreversibly inactivated GADPH, albeit at a slower rate and with a higher KI. The substrate glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G-3-P) afforded protection against inactivation by 1, whereas the presence of NAD+ in the incubation mixture stimulated the inactivation by increasing the apparent affinity of the enzyme for the inhibitor. In steady-state kinetic experiments, 1 acted as a competitive inhibitor of GAPDH with respect to G-3-P but exhibited uncompetitive inhibition with respect to NAD+. Inactivation of NAD+-free apo-GAPDH by 1 showed simple pseudo-first-order kinetics. By titrating the free thiol residues of partially inactivated GAPDH, it was found that both pentalenolactone and pentalenolactone methyl ester react with all four Cys-SH residues of the tetrameric GAPDH.

Animals↗

Selection of a specifically blocked mutant of Streptomyces cinnamonensis: isolation and synthesis of 26-deoxymonensin A.

Streptomyces cinnamonensis produces the polyether ionophore antibiotic monensin A. Following a single round of mutagenesis by UV light, a derivative of this strain has been isolated, which secretes a new metabolite identified as 26-deoxymonensin A (3). The structural elucidation of the new metabolite followed from a spectroscopic analysis, and its identity was proven conclusively following a comparison to 26-deoxymonensin A (3) obtained synthetically from monensin A. The preparation of labelled forms of 3 is described, together with incorporation experiments using the parent strain of S. cinnamonensis. Only very low levels of incorporation of 3 into monensin A were observed.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Biosynthesis of monoterpenes. Enantioselectivity in the enzymatic cyclization of (+)- and (-)-linalyl pyrophosphate to (+)- and (-)-pinene and (+)- and (-)-camphene.

Cyclase I from Salvia officinalis leaf catalyzes the conversion of geranyl pyrophosphate to the stereo-chemically related bicyclic monoterpenes (+)-alpha-pinene and (+)-camphene and to lesser quantities of monocyclic and acyclic olefins, whereas cyclase II from this plant tissue converts the same acyclic precursor to (-)-alpha-pinene, (-)-beta-pinene and (-)-camphene as well as to lesser amounts of monocyclics and acyclics. These antipodal cyclizations are considered to proceed by the initial isomerization of the substrate to the respective bound tertiary allylic intermediates (-)-(3R)- and (+)-(3S)-linalyl pyrophosphate. [(3R)-8,9-14C,(3RS)-1E-3H]Linalyl pyrophosphate (3H:14C = 5.14) was tested as a substrate with both cyclases to determine the configuration of the cyclizing intermediate. This substrate with cyclase I yielded alpha-pinene and camphene with 3H:14C ratios of 3.1 and 4.2, respectively, indicating preferential, but not exclusive, utilization of the (3R)-enantiomer. With cyclase II, the doubly labeled substrate gave bicyclic olefins with 3H:14C ratios of from 13 to 20, indicating preferential, but not exclusive, utilization of the (3S)-enantiomer in this case. (3R)- and (3S)-[1Z-3H]linalyl pyrophosphate were separately compared to the achiral precursors [1-3H]geranyl pyrophosphate and [1-3H]neryl pyrophosphate (cis-isomer) as substrates for the cyclizations. With cyclase I, geranyl, neryl, and (3R)-linalyl pyrophosphate gave rise exclusively to (+)-alpha-pinene and (+)-camphene, whereas (3S)-linayl pyrophosphate produced, at relatively low rates, the (-)-isomers. With cyclase II, geranyl, neryl, and (3S)-linalyl pyrophosphate yielded exclusively the (-)-isomer series, whereas (3R)-linalyl pyrophosphate afforded the (+)-isomers at low rates. These results are entirely consistent with the predicted stereochemistries and additionally revealed the unusual ability of these enzymes to catalyze antipodal cyclizations when presented with the unnatural linalyl enantiomer.

Acyclic Monoterpenes↗

Isotopically sensitive branching in the formation of cyclic monoterpenes: proof that (-)-alpha-pinene and (-)-beta-pinene are synthesized by the same monoterpene cyclase via deprotonation of a common intermediate.

To determine whether the bicyclic monoterpene olefins (-)-alpha-pinene and (-)-beta-pinene arise biosynthetically from the same monoterpene cyclase by alternate deprotonations of a common carbocationic intermediate, the product distributions arising from the acyclic precursor [10-2H3,1-3H]geranyl pyrophosphate were compared with those resulting from incubation of [1-3H]geranyl pyrophosphate with (-)-pinene cyclase from Salvia officinalis. Alteration in proportions of the olefinic products generated by the partially purified pinene cyclase resulted from the suppression of the formation of (-)-beta-pinene (C10 deprotonation) by a primary deuterium isotope effect with a compensating stimulation of the formation of (-)-alpha-pinene (C4 deprotonation). (-)-Pinene cyclase as well as (+)-pinene cyclase also exhibited a decrease in the proportion of the acyclic olefin myrcene generated from the deuteriated substrate, accompanied by a corresponding increase in the commitment to cyclized products. The observation of isotopically sensitive branching, in conjunction with quantitation of the magnitude of the secondary deuterium isotope effect on the overall rate of product formation by the (+)- and (-)-pinene cyclases as well as two other monoterpene cyclases from the same tissue, supports the biosynthetic origin of (-)-alpha-pinene and (-)-beta-pinene by alternative deprotonations of a common enzymatic intermediate. A biogenetic scheme consistent with these results is presented, and alternate proposals for the origin of the pinenes are addressed.

Bicyclic Monoterpenes↗

Partial purification and characterization of pentalenene synthase.

Pentalenene synthase, an enzyme which catalyzes the cyclization of farnesyl pyrophosphate to the sesquiterpene hydrocarbon pentalenene, has been partially purified from the supernatant fraction of Streptomyces UC5319 by a combination of anion-exchange, hydroxylapatite, and gel-filtration chromatography. The molecular weight of the partially purified synthase was estimated by gel filtration chromatography to be 57,000 and the cyclase activity was shown to be associated with a major protein band among eight visible by nondenaturing polyacrylamide disc gel electrophoresis. The Km for farnesyl pyrophosphate was 0.77 +/- 0.21 microM and the Vmax for the partially purified synthase was 287 +/- 21 nmol of pentalenene/mg protein per hour. Cyclase activity required the presence of a divalent metal cation. Although either Mg2+ or Mn2+ could be used, Mn2+ was inhibitory at concentrations above 2.5 mM. No other cofactors were required. Whereas neither product, pentalenene nor inorganic pyrophosphate, showed significant inhibition of cyclase activity at concentrations of ca 10 microM, the combination of the two resulted in an approximate sevenfold increase in the apparent Km for farnesyl pyrophosphate, suggesting that both products can bind cooperatively at the active site to inhibit pentalenene synthase competitively.

Cations, Divalent↗

Biosynthesis of monoterpenes. Enantioselectivity in the enzymatic cyclization of (+)- and (-)-linalyl pyrophosphate to (+)- and (-)-bornyl pyrophosphate.

Enzymes from Salvia officinalis and Tanacetum vulgare leaf epidermis catalyze the conversion of the acyclic precursor geranyl pyrophosphate to the cyclic monoterpenes (+)- and (-)-bornyl pyrophosphate, respectively. The antipodal cyclizations are considered to proceed by the initial isomerization of the substrate to the respective bound tertiary allylic intermediates (-)-(3R)- and (+)-(3S)-linalyl pyrophosphate. [(3R)-8,9-14C,(3RS)-1E-3H] Linalyl pyrophosphate (3H:14C = 5.22) was tested as a substrate with the cyclases from both sources to determine the configuration of the cyclizing intermediate. This substrate yielded (-)-bornyl pyrophosphate with 3H:14C ratio greater than 31, indicating specific utilization of (+)-(3S)-linalyl pyrophosphate as predicted. With the (+)-bornyl pyrophosphate cyclase, the 3H:14C ratio of the product was about 4.16, indicating a preference for the (-)-(3R)-enantiomer, but the ability also to utilize (+)-(3S)-linalyl pyrophosphate. (3R)- and (3S)-[1Z-3H]Linalyl pyrophosphate were separately compared to the achiral precursors [1-3H] geranyl pyrophosphate and [1-3H]neryl pyrophosphate (cis-isomer) as substrates for the cyclizations. All functional precursors afforded optically pure (-)-(1S,4S)-bornyl pyrophosphate with the T. vulgare-derived cyclase (as determined by chromatographic separation of diastereomeric ketals of the derived ketone camphor), and (+)-(3S)-linalyl pyrophosphate was the preferred substrate. With the (+)-bornyl pyrophosphate cyclase from S. officinalis, geranyl, neryl, and (-)-(3R)-linalyl pyrophosphates gave the expected (+)-(1R,4R)-stereoisomer as the sole product, and (-)-(3R)-linalyl pyrophosphate was the preferred substrate. However, (3S)-linalyl pyrophosphate yielded (-)-(1S,4S)-bornyl pyrophosphate, albeit at lower rates, indicating the ability of this enzyme to catalyze the anomalous enantiomeric cyclization.

Acyclic Monoterpenes↗

Mechanism of the pyrophosphate migration in the enzymatic cyclization of geranyl and linalyl pyrophosphates to (+)- and (-)-bornyl pyrophosphates.

Soluble enzymes from sage (Salvia officinalis) and tansy (Tanacetum vulgare), which catalyze the cyclization of geranyl pyrophosphate and the presumptive intermediate linalyl pyrophosphate to the (+) and (-) enantiomers, respectively, of 2-bornyl pyrophosphate, were employed to evaluate mechanistic alternatives for the pyrophosphate migration in monoterpene cyclization reactions. Separate incubation of [1-3H2,alpha-32P]- and [1-3H2,beta- 32P]geranyl and (+/-)-linalyl pyrophosphates with partially purified preparations of each enantiomer-generating cyclase gave [3H, 32P]bornyl pyrophosphates, which were selectively hydrolyzed to the corresponding bornyl phosphates. Measurement of 3H:32P ratios of these monophosphate esters established that two ends of the pyrophosphate moiety retained their identifies in the cyclization of both precursors to both products and also indicated that there was no appreciable exchange with exogenous inorganic pyrophosphate in the reaction. Subsequent incubations of each cyclase with [8,9-14C,1-18O]geranyl pyrophosphate and with (1E)-(+/-)-[1-3H,3-18O]linalyl pyrophosphate gave the appropriate (+)- or (-)-bornyl pyrophosphates, which were hydrolyzed in situ to the corresponding borneols. Analysis of the derived benzoates by mass spectrometry demonstrated each of the product borneols to possess an 18O enrichment essentially identical with that of the respective acyclic precursor. The absence of P alpha-P beta interchange and the complete lack of positional 18O isotope exchange of the pyrophosphate moiety are compatible with tight ion pairing of intermediates in the coupled isomerization-cyclization of geranyl pyrophosphate and establish a remarkably tight restriction on the motion of the transiently generated pyrophosphate anion with respect to its cationic terpenyl reaction partner.

Acyclic Monoterpenes↗

Enhancing the atom economy of polyketide biosynthetic processes through metabolic engineering.

Polyketides, a large family of bioactive natural products, are synthesized from building blocks derived from alpha-carboxylated Coenzyme A thioesters such as malonyl-CoA and (2S)-methylmalonyl-CoA. The productivity of polyketide fermentation processes in natural and heterologous hosts is frequently limited by the availability of these precursors in vivo. We describe a metabolic engineering strategy to enhance both the yield and volumetric productivity of polyketide biosynthesis. The genes matB and matC from Rhizobium trifolii encode a malonyl-CoA synthetase and a putative dicarboxylate transport protein, respectively. These proteins can directly convert exogenous malonate and methylmalonate into their corresponding CoA thioesters with an ATP requirement of 2 mol per mol of acyl-CoA produced. Heterologous expression of matBC in a recombinant strain of Streptomyces coelicolor that produces the macrolactone 6-deoxyerythronolide B results in a 300% enhancement of macrolactone titers. The unusual efficiency of the bioconversion is illustrated by the fact that approximately one-third of the methylmalonate units added to the fermentation medium are converted into macrolactones. The direct conversion of inexpensive feedstocks such as malonate and methylmalonate into polyketides represents the most carbon- and energy-efficient route to these high value natural products and has implications for cost-effective fermentation of numerous commercial and development-stage small molecules.

Acyl Coenzyme A↗