Synthesis of Substituted 1,2,4-Triazole-3-Thione Nucleosides Using Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase.

1,2,4-Triazole derivatives have a wide range of biological activities. The most well-known drug that contains 1,2,4-triazole as part of its structure is the nucleoside analogue ribavirin, an antiviral drug. Finding new nucleosides based on 1,2,4-triazole is a topical task.

Intramolecular Hydrogen Bonding in N-Substituted 2-Chloroadenosines: Evidence from NMR Spectroscopy.

Two forms were found in the NMR spectra of N-substituted 2-chloroadenosines. The proportion of the mini-form was 11-32% of the main form. It was characterized by a separate set of signals in COSY, N-HMBC and other NMR spectra.

Enzymatic Synthesis of 2-Chloropurine Arabinonucleosides with Chiral Amino Acid Amides at the C6 Position and an Evaluation of Antiproliferative Activity In Vitro.

A number of purine arabinosides containing chiral amino acid amides at the C6 position of the purine were synthesized using a transglycosylation reaction with recombinant nucleoside phosphorylases. Arsenolysis of 2-chloropurine ribosides with chiral amino acid amides at C6 was used for the enzymatic synthesis, and the reaction equilibrium shifted towards the synthesis of arabinonucleosides. The synthesized nucleosides were shown to be resistant to the action of adenosine deaminase.

Synthesis of 2-chloropurine ribosides with chiral amino acid amides at C6 and their evaluation as A adenosine receptor agonists.

A series of purine ribonucleosides bearing chiral amino acid amides at the C6 position of 2-chloropurine was synthesized. Molecular docking of the synthesized analogs of 2-chloroadenosine by their affinity for A adenosine receptors (AARs) was conducted. The investigation of AAR stimulating activity of synthesized nucleosides was carried out in a model of an isolated mouse atrium.

Radical Dehalogenation and Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase : How Does an Admixture of 2',3'-Anhydroinosine Hinder 2-fluoro-cordycepin Synthesis.

During the preparative synthesis of 2-fluorocordycepin from 2-fluoroadenosine and 3'-deoxyinosine catalyzed by purine nucleoside phosphorylase, a slowdown of the reaction and decrease of yield down to 5% were encountered. An unknown nucleoside was found in the reaction mixture and its structure was established. This nucleoside is formed from the admixture of 2',3'-anhydroinosine, a byproduct in the preparation of 3-'deoxyinosine.

Anion exchange resins in phosphate form as versatile carriers for the reactions catalyzed by nucleoside phosphorylases.

In the present work, we suggested anion exchange resins in the phosphate form as a source of phosphate, one of the substrates of the phosphorolysis of uridine, thymidine, and 1-(β-ᴅ-arabinofuranosyl)uracil (Ara-U) catalyzed by recombinant uridine (UP) and thymidine (TP) phosphorylases. α-ᴅ-Pentofuranose-1-phosphates (PF-1Pis) obtained by phosphorolysis were used in the enzymatic synthesis of nucleosides. It was found that phosphorolysis of uridine, thymidine, and Ara-U in the presence of Dowex 1X8 (phosphate; Dowex-Pi) proceeded smoothly in the presence of magnesium cations in water at 20-50 °C for 54-96 h giving rise to quantitative formation of the corresponding pyrimidine bases and PF-1Pis.

Enzymatic synthesis of novel purine nucleosides bearing a chiral benzoxazine fragment.

A series of ribo- and deoxyribonucleosides bearing 2-aminopurine as a nucleobase with 7,8-difluoro- 3,4-dihydro-3-methyl-2H-[1,4]benzoxazine (conjugated directly or through an aminohexanoyl spacer) was synthesized using an enzymatic transglycosylation reaction. Nucleosides 3-6 were resistant to deamination under action of adenosine deaminase (ADA) Escherichia coli and ADA from calf intestine. The antiviral activity of the modified nucleosides was evaluated against herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1, strain L2).

Isosteric ribavirin analogues: Synthesis and antiviral activities.

The novel isosteric ribavirin analogues were synthesized by two different ways. Some of them showed significant antiviral action against hepatitis C virus (HCV), herpes simplex (HCV-1) and influenza A virus comparable to that of ribavirin itself. The data obtained confirm the proposed theory of the ribavirin possible antiviral activity mechanism related with bioisosterism.

New modified 2-aminobenzimidazole nucleosides: Synthesis and evaluation of their activity against herpes simplex virus type 1.

Using the enzymatic transglycosylation reaction β-d-ribo- and 2'-deoxyribofuranosides of 2-amino-5,6-difluorobenzimidazole nucleosides have been synthesized. 2-Amino-5,6-difluoro-benzimidazole riboside proved to exhibit a selective antiviral activity (selectivity index >32) against a wild strain of the herpes simplex virus type 1, as well as towards virus strains that are resistant to acyclovir, cidofovir, and foscarnet. We believe that this compound might be used for treatment of herpes infections in those cases, when acyclovir is not efficient.

Enzymatic synthesis and phosphorolysis of 4(2)-thioxo- and 6(5)-azapyrimidine nucleosides by nucleoside phosphorylases.

The -2-deoxyribosylation of 4-thiouracil (Ura) and 2-thiouracil (Ura), as well as 6-azauracil, 6-azathymine and 6-aza-2-thiothymine was studied using dG and purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) for the in situ generation of 2-deoxy-α-D-ribofuranose-1-phosphate (dRib-1P) followed by its coupling with the bases catalyzed by either thymidine (TP) or uridine (UP) phosphorylases. Ura revealed satisfactory substrate activity for UP and, unexpectedly, complete inertness for TP; no formation of 2'-deoxy-2-thiouridine (Ud) was observed under analogous reaction conditions in the presence of UP and TP. On the contrary, U, Ud, Td and Td are good substrates for both UP and TP; moreover, U, Td and 2'-deoxy-5-azacytidine (Decitabine) are substrates for PNP and the phosphorolysis of the latter is reversible.

Development of the intein-mediated method for production of recombinant thymosin β4 from the acetylated in vivo fusion protein.

Thymosin β4 is a 43 amino acid long peptide with an acetylated N-terminal serin that has a high potential as a remedy for healing ulcers, wounds and burns. Although protein biosynthesis offers attractive opportunities in terms of a large-scale production, currently thymosin β4 is mainly produced by chemical synthesis. The problems that hinder the successful commercialization of the biotechnological approach are associated with the small peptides expression and N-terminal acetylation.

Recognition of Artificial Nucleobases by E. coli Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase versus its Ser90Ala Mutant in the Synthesis of Base-Modified Nucleosides.

A wide range of natural purine analogues was used as probe to assess the mechanism of recognition by the wild-type (WT) E. coli purine nucleoside phosphorylase (PNP) versus its Ser90Ala mutant. The results were analyzed from viewpoint of the role of the Ser90 residue and the structural features of the bases.

The chemoenzymatic synthesis of clofarabine and related 2'-deoxyfluoroarabinosyl nucleosides: the electronic and stereochemical factors determining substrate recognition by E. coli nucleoside phosphorylases.

Two approaches to the synthesis of 2-chloro-9-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl)adenine (1, clofarabine) were studied. The first approach consists in the chemical synthesis of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-α-D-arabinofuranose-1-phosphate (12a, (2F)Ara-1P) via three step conversion of 1,3,5-tri-O-benzoyl-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-α-D-arabinofuranose (9) into the phosphate 12a without isolation of intermediary products. Condensation of 12a with 2-chloroadenine catalyzed by the recombinant E.

2,3-Dihydroxy-quinoxaline induces ATPase activity of Herpes Simplex Virus thymidine kinase.

2,3-Dihydroxy-quinoxaline, a small molecule that promotes ATPase catalytic activity of Herpes Simplex Virus thymidine kinase (HSV-TK), was identified by virtual screening. This compound competitively inhibited HSV-TK catalyzed phosphorylation of acyclovir with Ki=250 μM (95% CI: 106-405 μM) and dose-dependently increased the rate of the ATP hydrolysis with KM=112 μM (95% CI: 28-195 μM). The kinetic scheme consistent with this experimental data is proposed.

Production of recombinant oxytocin through sulfitolysis of inteincontaining fusion protein.

An artificial gene consisting of seven copies of an oxytocinoyl-lysine encoding sequence arranged in a tandem was synthesized and inserted downstream of the SspDnaB intein gene in a pTWIN1 plasmid. The corresponding fusion protein Dnab-7oxy contained 16 cysteine residues and formed inclusion bodies when expressed in E. coli.

Production of thymosin alpha1 via non-enzymatic acetylation of the recombinant precursor.

Human thymosin alpha1 is an effective immune system enhancer for the treatment of cancer and viral diseases. Therefore the development of new methods for its synthesis is an urgent problem. In the present work, we propose an efficient scalable scheme for the production of recombinant thymosin alpha1.

Production of recombinant human epidermal growth factor using Ssp dnaB mini-intein system.

Chemical-enzymatic synthesis of human Epidermal Growth Factor (hEGF) cDNA has been performed, following by cloning into expression vector pTWIN1 (New England Biolabs). The resulting recombinant fusion protein expressed in Escherichia coli consisted of the N-terminal chitin-binding domain, mini-intein Ssp dnaB domain and hEGF polypeptide at the C-terminus. In this construct, mini-intein Ssp dnaB played a role of catalytically active subunit capable under certain conditions of autocatalytic cleavage resulting in separation of the target protein.

An enzymatic transglycosylation of purine bases.

An enzymatic transglycosylation of purine heterocyclic bases employing readily available natural nucleosides or sugar-modified nucleosides as donors of the pentofuranose fragment and recombinant nucleoside phosphorylases as biocatalysts has been investigated. An efficient enzymatic method is suggested for the synthesis of purine nucleosides containing diverse substituents at the C6 and C2 carbon atoms. The glycosylation of N(6)-benzoyladenine and N(2)-acetylguanine and its O(6)-derivatives is not accompanied by deacylation of bases.

Ribokinase from E. coli: expression, purification, and substrate specificity.

Ribokinase (RK) was expressed in the Escherichia coli ER2566 cells harboring the constructed expression plasmid encompassing the rbsK gene, encoding ribokinase. The recombinant enzyme was purified from sonicated cells by double chromatography to afford a preparation that was ca. 90% pure and had specific activity of 75 micromol/min mg protein.

Production and purification of recombinant human glucagon overexpressed as intein fusion protein in Escherichia coli.

Chemico-enzymatic synthesis and cloning in Esherichia coli of an artificial gene coding human glucagon was performed. Recombinant plasmid containing hybrid glucagons gene and intein Ssp dnaB from Synechocestis sp. was designed.

Production and purification of recombinant human oxytocin overexpressed as a hybrid protein in Escherichia coli.

The plasmid DNA pERilox4 containing the gene of the recombinant protein, which included the leader sequence and the oxytocinoyl lysine tetramer, was constructed. The high level of gene expression in E. coli was achieved.

Therapeutic effect of a single peritumoural dose of IL-2 on transplanted murine breast cancer.

Interleukin-2 therapy is not clearly effective against breast cancer both in mouse models and in human patients. However, the study of IL-2 therapy of breast cancer remains important, as 3,700 women died from this malignancy in the Netherlands in 2000. Previously we have shown the therapeutical efficacy of a single peritumoural IL-2 application in different experimental models and in veterinary patients.

Overexpression of Escherichia coli genes encoding nucleoside phosphorylases in the pET/Bl21(DE3) system yields active recombinant enzymes.

The Escherichia coli genes encoding purine nucleoside phosphorylase, uridine phosphorylase, and thymidine phosphorylase were cloned into pET plasmids to generate highly effective E. coli BL21(DE3) strains producing each of these enzymes. Optimum conditions for biosynthesis of each enzyme as a soluble protein with intact biological activity were found.