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PubMed2004

Structure of subtilosin A, a cyclic antimicrobial peptide from Bacillus subtilis with unusual sulfur to alpha-carbon cross-links: formation and reduction of alpha-thio-alpha-amino acid derivatives.

The complete primary and three-dimensional solution structures of subtilosin A (1), a bacteriocin from Bacillus subtilis, were determined by multidimensional NMR studies on peptide produced using isotopically labeled [(13)C,(15)N]medium derived from Anabaena sp. grown on sodium [(13)C]bicarbonate and [(15)N]nitrate. Additional samples of 1 were also generated by separate incorporations of [U-(13)C,(15)N]-L-phenylalanine and [U-(13)C,(15)N]-L-threonine using otherwise unlabeled media. The results demonstrate that in addition to having a cyclized peptide backbone (amide between N and C termini), three cross-links are formed between the sulfurs of Cys13, Cys7, and Cys4 and the alpha-positions of Phe22, Thr28, and Phe31, respectively. The stereochemistry of all residues in 1 except for the three modified ones was confirmed to be L by complete desulfurization with nickel boride, acid hydrolysis to the constituent amino acids, and conversion of these to the corresponding pentafluoropropanamide isopropyl esters for chiral GC MS analysis. The stereochemistry at the modified residues was determined by subjecting each of the eight possible stereoisomers of 1 to eight rounds of ARIA structure calculations, starting with the same NMR peak files and assignments. The stereoisomer with the l stereochemistry at Phe22 (alpha-R) and d stereochemistry at Thr28 (alpha-S) and Phe31 (alpha-S) (LDD isomer) fit the NMR data, giving the lowest energy family of structures with the best rmsd. Thus, biochemical formation of the unusual thio links proceeds with net retention of configuration at Phe22, and inversion at Thr28 and Phe31. Model amino acid derivatives bearing a sulfide moiety at the alpha-carbon were synthesized by reaction of the corresponding alpha-alkoxy compounds with benzyl thiol and SnCl(4). Separation of their pure stereoisomers and desulfurization with nickel boride demonstrated that the reduction of such compounds proceeds with epimerization, in contrast to the previously reported retention of stereochemistry for analogous reaction of steroidal sulfides. However, desulfurization of subtilosin A to cyclic peptide 14, which is inactive as an antimicrobial agent, occurs with inversion of stereochemistry at the alpha-carbons of Phe22 and Thr28 and with 4:1 retention at Phe31. This indicates that the desulfurization reaction proceeds via an N-acyl imine and that the structure of the surrounding peptide controls the geometry of reduction. Posttranslational linkage of a thiol to the alpha-carbon of an amino acid residue is unprecedented in ribosomally synthesized peptides or proteins, and very rare in secondary metabolites. Subtilosin A (1) represents a new class of bacteriocins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1975

Cycloalkanones. 6. Separation of hypocholesterolemic and antifertility activities in derivatives of 2,8-dibenzylcyclooctanone.

Fluoro and hydroxy derivatives of 2,8-dibenzylcyclooctanone were prepared. Separation of antifertility activity from hypolipidemic and uterotropic effects was achieved with 2,8-bis(4-acetoxybenzyl)cyclooctanone. Some enhancement of the hypolipidemic effect in relation to the uterotropic and antifertility activities was seen in 2,8-bis(4-fluorobenzyl)cyclooctanone. Synthetic methods for the hydroxy compounds are presented.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Antibacterial activity of phenolic compounds and aromatic alcohols.

The antibacterial properties of phenolic compounds and aromatic alcohols (growth inhibition, lethal effect and cytological damage) were investigated. The role of protein and RNA synthesis in the bactericidal action was also determined. All compounds tested demonstrated lethal properties and the ability to alter membranes, especially in Gram-negative bacteria. Efficacious concentrations, however, varied greatly among the compounds. These data corroborate previous findings which suggest that the mechanism of action of these compounds is related to their lipophilia. Moreover, since it was demonstrated that the lethal effect of two aromatic alcohols (phenethyl alcohol and benzyl alcohol) stops when protein synthesis is inhibited, it is likely that both possess specific mechanisms of action.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗
PubMed2005

Mixture toxicity of reactive chemicals by using two bacterial growth assays as indicators of protein and DNA damage.

The mixture toxicity of reactive chemicals was investigated with a set of bioanalytical tests that quantify not only the toxic effects but also allow the identification of the preferred target of reactive chemicals in bacterial cells. Softer electrophiles such as acrylates react preferentially with thiol groups in proteins and peptides, and harder electrophiles such as epoxides preferentially attack DNA. In addition, some compounds, e.g., benzyl chloride, have no preference for a biological target and damage both DNA and proteins. A thiophenol was used as a model compound representing nucleophiles. We explored if the paradigms of mixture toxicity also hold true for reactive chemicals. Compounds with the same targets and the same modes of action should act concentration additive in mixtures, and compounds with different modes of action should act according to the concept of independent action. In addition, we investigated the potential for interaction of compounds of mixtures of electrophiles or electrophiles plus nucleophiles, which might lead to synergistic or antagonistic effects. The toxicity of mixtures of electrophiles with a single preferred target was consistent with the prediction for concentration addition. Unfortunately, the predictions for independent action did not differ much from those for concentration addition; therefore it was not possible to differentiate between these two models. Mixtures of two groups with different preferred target sites clearly showed concentration addition. In contrast, mixtures of compounds with multiple targets, i.e., compounds that show nonspecific reactivity toward any biological nucleophile, exhibited effects that lay distinctly between the predictions for concentration addition and independent action. We observed neither synergism (higher toxicity than predicted by concentration addition) nor antagonism (lower toxicity than predicted by independent action) for mixtures of electrophiles. Binary combinations of different electrophiles with the nucleophile 4-chlorothiophenol yielded smaller effects than those expected from the prediction for independent action. The degree of antagonism was correlated with the reaction rate constant of the electrophile with the thiol group of glutathione, which indicates that the interaction between the mixture components occur in the toxicokinetic phase and is purely a result of chemical reactivity between the mixture components. Overall, we conclude that the concepts of mixture toxicity apply not only for baseline toxicity and receptor-mediated mechanisms, as has been shown in a large number of studies, but also for reactive mechanisms of toxicity, provided that one has checked beforehand that no chemical reactions occur between the mixture components.

Acrylates↗
PubMed1968

The comparative toxicity of DDT and analogues to susceptible and resistant houseflies and mosquitos.

Studies of the comparative toxicity of more than 120 DDT analogues to susceptible and insecticide-resistant houseflies (Musca domestica L.) and mosquitos (Culex fatigans Wiedemann and Anopheles albimanus Wiedemann) have shown that the relative effectiveness of these compounds against DDT-resistant insects is correlated with the susceptibility of the molecule to attack by DDT-ase at the benzylic hydrogen. Compounds highly effective against DDT-resistant flies and mosquitos are produced by blocking this detoxication mechanism by o-chlorination, alpha-fluorination, and by altering the aliphatic portion of the molecule as in the nitropropyl, neopentyl, dichlorocyclopropyl, and trichlorobenzanilide derivatives. These compounds offer practical possibilities for the control of DDT-resistant insects. The correlation of structure, DDT-like activity, and resistance ratios gives new insight into the mode of action of DDT and the nature of DDT resistance.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Inhibition of Golgi mannosidase II with mannostatin A analogues: synthesis, biological evaluation, and structure-activity relationship studies.

Mannostatin and aminocyclopentitetrol analogues with various substitutions at the amino function were synthesized. These compounds were tested as inhibitors of human Golgi and lysosomal alpha-mannosidases. Modification of the amine of mannostatin had only marginal effects, whereas similar modifications of aminocyclopentitetrol led to significantly improved inhibitors. Ab initio calculations and molecular docking studies were employed to rationalize the results. It was found that mannostatin and aminocyclopentitretrol could bind to Golgi alpha-mannosidase II in a similar mode to that of the known inhibitor swainsonine. However, due to the flexibility of the five-membered rings of these compounds, additional low-energy binding modes could be adopted. These binding modes may be relevant for the improved activities of the benzyl-substituted compounds. The thiomethyl moiety of mannostatin was predicted to make favorable hydrophobic interactions with Arg228 and Tyr727 that would possibly account for its greater inhibitory activity.

Amines↗
PubMed2002

Novel class of potent 4-arylalkyl substituted 3-isoxazolol GABA(A) antagonists: synthesis, pharmacology, and molecular modeling.

A number of analogues of the low-efficacy partial GABA(A) agonist 5-(4-piperidyl)-3-isoxazolol (4-PIOL, 5), in which the 4-position of the 3-isoxazolol ring was substituted by different groups, were synthesized and tested as GABA(A) receptor ligands. Substituents of different size and structural flexibility such as alkyl, phenylalkyl, diphenylalkyl, and naphthylalkyl were explored. Pharmacological characterization of the synthesized compounds was carried out using receptor binding assays and by electrophysiological experiments using whole-cell patch-clamp techniques. Whereas none of these compounds significantly affected GABA(B) receptor sites or GABA uptake, they did show affinity for the GABA(A) receptor site. While alkyl or benzyl substitution, compounds 7a-h, provided receptor affinities comparable with that of 5 (K(i) = 9.1 microM), diphenylalkyl and naphthylalkyl substitution, as in compounds 7m-t, resulted in a dramatic increase in affinity relative to 5. The 3,3-diphenylpropyl and the 2-naphthylmethyl analogues, compounds 7s and 7m, respectively, showed the highest affinities of the series (K(i) = 0.074 microM and K(i) = 0.049 microM). In whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from cultured cerebral cortical neurons, all of the tested compounds were able to inhibit the effect of the specific GABA(A) agonist isoguvacine (1), compounds 7m and 7s showing antagonist potency (IC(50) = 0.37 microM and IC(50) = 0.02 microM) comparable with or markedly higher than that of the standard GABA(A) antagonist 4 (IC(50) = 0.24 microM). Highly potent convulsant activity was demonstrated in mice with compounds 7m (ED(50) = 0.024 micromol/kg) and 7s (ED(50) = 0.21 micromol/kg) after intracerebroventricular administration, whereas no effects were found after subcutaneous administration. According to a previously proposed pharmacophore model for GABA(A) receptor agonists, a receptor cavity in the vicinity of the 4-position of the 3-isoxazolol ring in 4-PIOL exists. A molecular modeling study, based on compounds 7o,m,l,q,s, was performed to explore the dimensions and other properties of the receptor cavity. This study demonstrates the importance of the arylalkyl substituents in 7m and 7s and the considerable dimensions of this proposed receptor cavity.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

A cell-based screen for drugs to treat Huntington's disease.

We have developed a medium-throughput cell-based assay to screen drugs for Huntington's disease (HD). The assay measures the ability of drugs to protect cultured neuronal (PC12) cells from death caused by an expanded polyglutamine (poly Q) form of huntingtin exon 1. Using this assay, we have blindly screened a library of 1040 compounds compiled by the NINDS: the NIH Custom Collection (NCC). Each compound was tested at five concentrations for its ability to protect cells against huntingtin-induced cell death as well as for its toxicity. Of the compounds tested, 18 prevented cell death completely, and 51 partially. Some of these also exhibited toxicity at higher doses. The majority of drugs (81%) were ineffective. Caspase inhibitors and cannabinoids showed reproducible protection in our assay. We believe these compounds, and others in our hit list, are appealing candidates for further investigation. Additionally, this assay is amenable to scaling up to screen additional compounds for treating Huntington's disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Quantum QSAR of the antirhinoviral activity of 9-benzylpurines.

The antirhinoviral activity of previously described 9-benzylpurines was quantitatively analysed using Huckel molecular orbital generated electronic parameters and physicochemical properties of substituents. Correlations with the activity against each of several serotypes of the virus were obtained but very few common requirements emerged. Our results emphasise the difficulties in identifying a compound with optimum structural features for broad spectrum antirhinovirus activity.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1989

[The pharmacology of the lipoxygenase inhibitors oxphaman (1-(2,5-dihydroxybenzylidene)aminoadamantane) and oxphalin (1-(3,4-dihydroxybenzylidene)-2,4,6-trimethylaniline].

Oxphaman and particularly oxphalin, among other phenolic azomethines, have been proven as strong inhibitors of lipoxygenases (LOX) from reticulocytes, soybean, thrombocytes as well as of quasi-LOX (hemoglobin) with IC50 values which correspond with those of known LOX inhibitors. The 5-LOX is likewise strongly, the cyclooxygenase of sheep seminal vesicles only weakly inhibited. Nevertheless, antiinflammatory effectivity was found in some carrageenin-induced inflammatory models of the rat as well as in the arachidonic acid- and croton oil-induced ear oedema of the mouse. Adjuvant arthritis, experimental pain, skin permeability and allergy models (anaphylactic paw oedema, cutaneous anaphylaxis, asthma, picryl chloride ear oedema) were not, only weakly or irregularly influenced. In the guinea pig ileum a certain antihistaminic, anticholinergic and leukotriene antagonistic activity was found. An inflammation-induced vasodepression (anaphylactic shock, dextran paw oedema. UV irradiation) was dose-dependently prevented or even reversed, obviously on the basis of oxygen radical scavenging.

Adamantane↗
PubMed1986

Oxidation of benzo(a)pyrene by extracellular ligninases of Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Veratryl alcohol and stability of ligninase.

Benzo(a)pyrene was oxidized with crude and purified extracellular ligninase preparations from Phanerochaete chrysosporium. Both the crude enzyme and the purified fractions oxidized the substrate to three organic soluble products, namely benzo(a)pyrene 1,6-, 3,6-, and 6,12-quinones. These findings support the recent proposition that lignin-degrading enzymes are peroxidases, mediating oxidation of aromatic compounds via aryl cation radicals. The ligninase which was unstable in the presence of hydrogen peroxide could be stabilized by addition of 3,4-dimethoxy benzyl alcohol to the reaction mixture. The oxidation of benzo(a)pyrene was enhanced in the presence of this alcohol.

Basidiomycota↗