A Novel Coenzyme A Analogue in the Anaerobic, Sulfate-Reducing, Marine Bacterium Desulfobacula toluolica Tol2.

Coenzyme A (CoA) thioesters are formed during anabolic and catabolic reactions in every organism. Degradation pathways of growth-supporting substrates in bacteria can be predicted by differential proteogenomic studies. Direct detection of proposed metabolites such as CoA thioesters by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high-resolution mass spectrometry can confirm the reaction sequence and demonstrate the activity of these degradation pathways.

Suspect screening and targeted analysis of acyl coenzyme A thioesters in bacterial cultures using a high-resolution tribrid mass spectrometer.

Analysis of acyl coenzyme A thioesters (acyl-CoAs) is crucial in the investigation of a wide range of biochemical reactions and paves the way to fully understand the concerned metabolic pathways and their superimposed networks. We developed two methods for suspect screening of acyl-CoAs in bacterial cultures using a high-resolution Orbitrap Fusion tribrid mass spectrometer. The methods rely on specific fragmentation patterns of the target compounds, which originate from the coenzyme A moiety.

Stereochemical Insights into the Anaerobic Degradation of 4-Isopropylbenzoyl-CoA in the Denitrifying Bacterium Strain pCyN1.

The constitutions and absolute configurations of two previously unknown intermediates, (1S,2S,4S)-2-hydroxy-4-isopropylcyclohexane-1-carboxylate and (S)-3-isopropylpimelate, of anaerobic degradation of p-cymene in the bacterium Aromatoleum aromaticum pCyN1 are reported. These intermediates (as CoA esters) are involved in the further degradation of 4-isopropylbenzoyl-CoA formed by methyl group hydroxylation and subsequent oxidation of p-cymene. Proteogenomics indicated 4-isopropylbenzoyl-CoA degradation involves (i) a novel member of class I benzoyl-CoA reductase (BCR) as known from Thauera aromatica K172 and (ii) a modified β-oxidation pathway yielding 3-isopropylpimeloyl-CoA analogously to benzoyl-CoA degradation in Rhodopseudomonas palustris.

Spectrally Undiscerned Isomers Might Lead to Erroneous Determination of Water Exchange Rates of paraCEST Eu(III) Agents.

We report a detailed study of the solution structure and water exchange rate of a Eu(III) complex with the cyclen-based ligand L, containing (S)-2-(2-acetamido)-3-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)propanoate pendant arms at positions 1 and 7 of the cyclen ring and acetylglycinate pendants at positions 4 and 10. The EuL complex was characterized by a combination of NMR and luminescence spectroscopy and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) spectra obtained at different temperatures and saturation powers present a CEST signal attributed to the coordinated water molecule.

Paramagnetic lanthanide chelates for multicontrast MRI.

The preparation of a paramagnetic chelator that serves as a platform for multicontrast MRI, and can be utilized either as a T1-weighted, paraCEST or (19)F MRI contrast agent is reported. Its europium(iii) complex exhibits an extremely slow water exchange rate which is optimal for the use in CEST MRI. The potential of this platform was demonstrated through a series of MRI studies on tube phantoms and animals.

Synthesis and characterisation of bismacrocyclic DO3A-amide derivatives - an approach towards metal-responsive PARACEST agents.

Three new bismacrocyclic Ln(3+) chelates consisting of triamide derivatives of cyclen with glycine, methyl and tert-butyl substituents (, respectively) linked to an acyclic EGTA-derived calcium chelator were synthesised as potential MRI contrast agents (EGTA - ethylene glycol-bis(2-aminoethylether)-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid). Eu(3+) and Yb(3+) complexes of were investigated as chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) agents. Moderate to minor CEST effects were observed for , and complexes in the absence of Ca(2+), with negligible changes upon addition of this metal ion.