Primer on medical genomics. Part XIV: Introduction to systems biology--a new approach to understanding disease and treatment.

The advent of the "-omics revolution" has forced us to reevaluate our ability to acquire, measure, and handle large data sets. Omic platforms such as expression arrays and mass spectrometry, with their exquisite selectivity, sensitivity, and specificity, are unrivaled technologies for detection, quantitation, and identification of DNA, messenger RNA, proteins, and metabolites derived from complex body tissue and fluids. More recently, attempts have been made to capture the utility of these platform technologies and combine them under the umbrella of systems biology, also referred to as pathway, network, or integrative biology.

Exploiting predisposition in the stereoselective synthesis of mono-, bi- and tetracyclic oxygen heterocycles: equilibration between, and trapping of, alternative di- and tetraacetals.

The desymmetrisation of 1,4-difuran-2-ylbutane-1,4-diol by Sharpless asymmetric oxidation gave the corresponding desymmetrised product in > 96% ee. However, the product existed as a mixture of two interconverting isomers, both of which were mixtures of anomers. The product could be trapped in high yield with a range of reagents to give stable adducts with embedded pyran-3-one, 1,6-dioxaspiro[4.

Advancing drug discovery through systems biology.

Pharmaceutical companies are facing an urgent need to both increase their lead compound and clinical candidate portfolios and satisfy market demands for continued innovation and revenue growth. Here, we outline an emerging approach that attempts to facilitate and alleviate many of the current drug discovery issues and problems. This is, in part, achieved through the systematic integration of technologies, which results in a superior output of data and information, thereby enhancing our understanding of biological function, chemico-biological interactions and, ultimately, drug discovery.

Desymmetrization of a centrosymmetric diepoxide: efficient synthesis of a key intermediate in a total synthesis of hemibrevetoxin B.

The preparation of an established intermediate in a total synthesis of hemibrevetoxin B is described. The acid-catalyzed cyclization of trans-4,5-epoxyoctane-2,7-dione exhibited a valuable mixture of kinetic and thermodynamic control: stereospecific epoxide opening was followed by equilibration of the products to provide the required trans-fused octahydropyrano[3,2-b]pyran ring system. Two-directional elaboration, by acetal substitution, ozonolysis, and sulfur ylide-mediated epoxidation, provided a centrosymmetric diepoxide.

First Desymmetrization of a Centrosymmetric Molecule in Natural Product Synthesis: Preparation of a Key Fragment in the Synthesis of Hemibrevetoxin B.

Exploitation of molecular symmetry can greatly improve the efficiency of syntheses. The symmetry embedded in the centrosymmetric AB dioxepane fragment of hemibrevetoxin B was exploited for the first time in the preparation of an established intermediate in its total synthesis. Desymmetrization of the centrosymmetric diepoxide 1 by enantioselective epoxide hydrolysis followed by acetonization gave the known synthetic intermediate 2.