A demonstration of the intrinsic importance of stabilizing hydrophobic binding and non-covalent van der Waals contacts dominant in the non-covalent CC-1065/B-DNA binding.

The comparative DNA binding properties and cytotoxic activity of CDPIn methyl esters (n = 1-5) vs. PDE-In methyl esters (n = 1-3) are detailed in studies which provide experimental evidence for the intrinsic importance of stabilizing hydrophobic binding and non-covalent van der Waals contacts dominant in the CC-1065/B-DNA minor groove binding. High affinity minor groove binding to DNA was established through: (1) the observation of CDPI3 binding (UV) but not unwinding of supercoiled DNA (phi 174 RFI DNA) thus excluding intercalative binding; (2) the observation of CDPI3 binding to T4 phage DNA (UV, delta Tm) in which the major groove is occluded by glycosylation thus excluding major groove binding; (3) the observation of salt (Na+) concentration independent high affinity CDPI3 binding to poly(dA . poly(dT) thus excluding simple electrostatic binding to the DNA phosphate backbone; and further inferred through (4) the observation of an intense induced dichroism (ICD, poly(dA) . poly(dT) and poly(dG) . poly(dC) [phi]23(358) = 24,000 and 23,500). This high affinity minor groove binding is sufficient to produce a potent cytotoxic effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Substrate stereospecificity and active site topography of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase for beta-aryl-gamma-aminobutyric acid analogues.

The substrate and inhibitory properties of (R)- and (S)-4-amino-3-phenylbutanoic acid, (R)- and (S)-4-amino-3-(4-chlorophenyl)butanoic acid (baclofens), (E)-4-amino-3-phenylbut-2-enoic acid, and (E)-4-amino-3-(4-chlorophenyl)but-2-enoic acid are determined and compared with those of 4-aminobutanoic acid, 4-aminobut-2-enoic acid (4-aminocrotonic acid), and the racemic mixtures of 4-amino-3-arylbutanoic acids. All compounds in both series were found to be substrates, except for the R-isomers, which were identified as competitive inhibitors. These results are compared with known pharmacological data regarding the appropriate isomers.

Mechanism of inactivation of gamma-aminobutyrate aminotransferase by 4-amino-5-fluoropentanoic acid. First example of an enamine mechanism for a gamma-amino acid with a partition ratio of 0.

The mechanism of inactivation of pig brain gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-T) by (S)-4-amino-5-fluoropentanoic acid (1, R = CH2CH2COOH, X = F) previously proposed [Silverman, R. B., & Levy, M. A. (1981) Biochemistry 20, 1197-1203] is revised. apo-GABA-T is reconstituted with [4-3H]pyridoxal 5'-phosphate and inactivated with 1 (R = CH2CH2COOH, X = F). Treatment of inactivated enzyme with base followed by acid denaturation leads to the complete release of radioactivity as 6-[2-hydroxy-3-methyl-6-(phosphonoxymethyl)-4-pyridinyl]-4-oxo-5-+ ++hexenoic acid (4, R = CH2CH2COOH). Alkaline phosphatase treatment of this compound produces dephosphorylated 4 (R = CH2CH2COOH). These results support a mechanism that was suggested by Metzler and co-workers [Likos, J. J., Ueno, H., Feldhaus, R. W., & Metzler, D. E. (1982) Biochemistry 21, 4377-4386] for the inactivation of glutamate decarboxylase by serine O-sulfate (Scheme I, pathway b, R = COOH, X = OSO3-).

Inactivation of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase by (S,E)-4-amino-5-fluoropent-2-enoic acid and effect on the enzyme of (E)-3-(1-aminocyclopropyl)-2-propenoic acid.

(S,E)-4-Amino-5-fluoropent-2-enoic acid (6) is synthesized in six steps starting from the known gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (gamma-Abu-T) inactivator, (S)-4-amino-5-fluoropentanoic acid (1). Compound 6 is a mechanism-based inactivator of gamma-Abu-T: time-dependent inactivation is saturatable and protected by substrate; thiols do not protect the enzyme from inactivation; no enzyme activity returns upon dialysis. This compound (6) binds 50 times more tightly to gamma-Abu-T than does the saturated analogue (1). No transamination of 6 occurs prior to inactivation. However, five molecules of 6 are required to inactivate the enzyme with concomitant release of five fluoride ions. Therefore, four molecules are being converted to product for each inactivation event. (E)-3-(1-Aminocyclopropyl)-2-propenoic acid is synthesized in seven steps from 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid. It is prepared as a cyclopropyl derivative of the proposed intermediate in the inactivation of gamma-Abu-T by 6. The cyclopropyl derivative, however, is a noncompetitive inhibitor and does not inactivate the enzyme. This study shows the usefulness and hazards of incorporation of a trans double bond into potential gamma-Abu-T inactivators.

4-Amino-2-(substituted methyl)-2-butenoic acids: substrates and potent inhibitors of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase.

4-Amino-2-(substituted methyl)-2-butenoic acids, where X (the substituted group) = F, Cl, OH, are synthesized from Cbz-protected tert-butyl 4-aminobutanoate. Successive substitutions at the alpha-carbon by phenylseleno and hydroxymethyl groups, followed by elimination of the selenoxide and halide substitution at the hydroxymethyl group, afford the compounds in good yields. An unexpected degree of stereoselectivity is observed in the selenoxide elimination step, which yields the desired E isomer as the sole product. These compounds complement two previously reported series of compounds (Silverman, R. B.; Levy, M. A. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 1980, 95, 250-255; J. Biol. Chem. 1981, 256, 11 565-11 568) and are used in an approach to map a section of the active site of gamma-aminobutyric acid aminotransferase (GABA-T). None of these compounds is a time-dependent inactivator of GABA-T, but all are potent competitive reversible inhibitors; the hydroxy compound has a Ki value of 5 microM. That these compounds are not inactivators suggests that either elimination of X does not occur or that there is no active site nucleophile in the appropriate position for reaction following elimination. With use of the fluoro analogue, enzyme-catalyzed fluoride ion release is demonstrated, indicating that elimination does occur. Unlike the previous two series of compounds (op. cit.) in which exclusive elimination occurs when the substituent is a halogen but exclusive transamination prevails for the hydroxyl-substituted analogues, in the series described here, the fluoro analogue gives a 4:1 ratio of elimination to transamination. This suggests that the 2,3-double bond stabilizes the product of azallylic isomerization of the Schiff base between the fluoro compound and pyridoxal phosphate. The results described here indicate that the design of a mechanism-based inactivator for GABA-T should not be based on electrophile generation near the 2-position of enzyme-bound GABA. Furthermore, substitution of an inhibitor with a 2-hydroxymethyl group (or other hydrogen-bonding substituent) and a 2,3-double bond may lend auspicious binding properties to the molecule for GABA-T.