Thermotropic and lyotropic properties of long chain alkyl glycopyranosides: part III: pH-sensitive headgroups.

As part of a series of papers, the influence of carbohydrate headgroups and aliphatic chains on the mesogenic properties of glycolipids was investigated. Alkyl glycosides with different types of aliphatic chains were synthesised. Neutral glycolipids were oxidized to their uronic acid derivatives, using the well established TEMPO-oxidation. For comparison a 6-deoxy-6-amino alkylglucopyranoside was synthesised. In addition, the thermotropic and lyotropic phase behaviour of the synthesised compounds were investigated. The thermotropism was characterised by polarising microscopy, the lyotropism by the contact preparation method.

Synthesis and mesogenic properties of glycosyl diacylglycerols.

We synthesised glycosyl diacylglycerols bearing unsaturated or chiral methyl branched fatty acid chains. The thermotropism was measured with polarising microscopy and additionally the lyotropism with the contact preparation method. The synthesised compounds displayed thermotropic S(A) (lamellar), cubic and columnar phases and investigation of the lyotropic phase behaviour led to the observation of inverted bicontinuous cubic V(II) phases, lamellar L(alpha) phases and normal bicontinuous cubic V(I) phases. The phases are discussed with respect to the chemical structures that have been varied systematically to derive structure--property relationships.

Discrimination of bacterial lipoproteins by Toll-like receptor 6.

Bacterial lipoproteins (BLP) trigger immune responses via Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and their immunostimulatory properties are attributed to the presence of a lipoylated N-terminus. Most BLP are triacylated at the N-terminus cysteine residue, but mycoplasmal macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 kD (MALP-2) is only diacylated. Here we show that TLR6-deficient (TLR6(-/-)) cells are unresponsive to MALP-2 but retain their normal responses to lipopeptides of other bacterial origins. Reconstitution experiments in TLR2(-/-) TLR6(-/-) embryonic fibroblasts reveal that co-expression of TLR2 and TLR6 is absolutely required for MALP-2 responsiveness. Taken together, these results show that TLR6 recognizes MALP-2 cooperatively with TLR2, and appears to discriminate between the N-terminal lipoylated structures of MALP-2 and lipopeptides derived from other bacteria.

Binding of nucleotides to nucleoside diphosphate kinase: a calorimetric study.

The source of affinity for substrates of human nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinases is particularly important in that its knowledge could be used to design more effective antiviral nucleoside drugs (e.g., AZT). We carried out a microcalorimetric study of the binding of enzymes from two organisms to various nucleotides. Isothermal titration calorimetry has been used to characterize the binding in terms of Delta G degrees, Delta H degrees and Delta S degrees. Thermodynamic parameters of the interaction of ADP with the hexameric NDP kinase from Dictyostelium discoideum and with the tetrameric enzyme from Myxococcus xanthus, at 20 degrees C, were similar and, in both cases, binding was enthalpy-driven. The interactions of ADP, 2'deoxyADP, GDP, and IDP with the eukaryotic enzyme differed in enthalpic and entropic terms, whereas the Delta G degrees values obtained were similar due to enthalpy--entropy compensation. The binding of the enzyme to nonphysiological nucleotides, such as AMP--PNP, 3'deoxyADP, and 3'-deoxy-3'-amino-ADP, appears to differ in several respects. Crystallography of the protein bound to 3'-deoxy-3'-amino-ADP showed that the drug was in a distorted position, and was unable to interact correctly with active site side chains. The interaction of pyrimidine nucleoside diphosphates with the hexameric enzyme is characterized by a lower affinity than that with purine nucleotides. Titration showed the stoichiometry of the interaction to be abnormal, with 9--12 binding sites/hexamer. The presence of supplementary binding sites might have physiological implications.

Deviant neurophysiological asymmetry in children with language impairment.

Deviant anatomical asymmetry of perisylvian cortex is argued to be linked to specific language impairment (SLI). However, no studies have examined whether deviant functional asymmetry underlies the processing of spoken language. In the current study, brain-electrical activity was recorded from 31 scalp sites to the function word 'the' embedded in auditorally presented stories and nonsense contexts. The SLI children showed reversed asymmetry at electrode sites over temporal cortex compared to control children in processing this word in all contexts. They also appear to lack some contribution from a deep neural generator in processing 'the' in the story. This investigation is the first to demonstrate a direct link between deviant neurophysiological asymmetry and the processing of spoken language in children with SLI.

Maturation of mismatch negativity in school-age children.

OBJECTIVE: Event-related potentials were recorded to investigate the maturation of auditory processing in school-age children. DESIGN: The mismatch negativity (MMN) was obtained in an oddball tone discrimination paradigm in 66 school-age children and 12 adults. In the children's data, a prominent negativity to both the standard and deviant tone, peaking around 200 msec, was observed, and compared with the N1 auditory evoked potential component. RESULTS: The MMN was found to decrease with latency by 11 msec/yr from 4 to 10 yr of age. No developmental change in MMN amplitude was seen from 4 to 10 yr of age. However, the MMN amplitude was significantly smaller in adults than in children. The prominent negativity in children was significantly later than the adult N1 component, and did not change in latency from 4 to 10 yr of age. This finding adds to a body of evidence suggesting that this prominent negativity and the adult N1 are not the same component. The magnitude of the prominent negativity in children decreased slightly with age. CONCLUSION: Changes in the timing of the brain discriminative response, MMN, suggest systematic maturational changes in auditory processing.

Cutting edge: preferentially the R-stereoisomer of the mycoplasmal lipopeptide macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 activates immune cells through a toll-like receptor 2- and MyD88-dependent signaling pathway.

Mycoplasmas and their membranes are potent activators of macrophages, the active principle being lipoproteins and lipopeptides. Two stereoisomers of the mycoplasmal lipopeptide macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 (MALP-2) differing in the configuration of the lipid moiety were synthesized and compared in their macrophage-activating potential, the R-MALP being >100 times more active than the S-MALP in stimulating the release of cytokines, chemokines, and NO. To assess the role of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family in mycoplasmal lipopeptide signaling, the MALP-2-mediated responses were analyzed using macrophages from wild-type, TLR2-, TLR4-, and MyD88-deficient mice. TLR2- and MyD88-deficient cells showed severely impaired cytokine productions in response to R- and S-MALP. The MALP-induced activation of intracellular signaling molecules was fully dependent on both TLR2 and MyD88. There was a strong preference for the R-MALP in the recognition by its functional receptor, TLR2.

Catalytic mechanism of nucleoside diphosphate kinase investigated using nucleotide analogues, viscosity effects, and X-ray crystallography.

Nucleoside diphosphate (NDP) kinases display low specificity with respect to the base moiety of the nucleotides and to the 2'-position of the ribose, but the 3'-hydroxyl is found to be important for catalysis. We report in this paper the enzymatic analysis of a series of derivatives of thymidine diphosphate (TDP) where the 3'-OH group was removed or replaced by fluorine, azido, and amino groups. With Dictyostelium NDP kinase, kcat decreases 15-200-fold from 1100 s-1 with TDP, and (kcat/Km)NDP decreases from 12 x 10(6) to 10(3) to 5 x 10(4) M-1 s-1, depending on the substrate. The poorest substrates are 3'-deoxyTDP and 3'-azido-3'-deoxyTDP, while the best modified substrates are 2',3'-dehydro-3'-deoxyTDP and 3'-fluoro-3'-deoxyTDP. In a similar way, 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyUDP was found to be a better substrate than 2',3'-dideoxyUDP, but a much poorer substrate than 2'-deoxyUDP. (kcat/Km)NDP is sensitive to the viscosity of the solution with TDP as the substrate but not with the modified substrates. To understand the poor catalytic efficiency of the modified nucleotides at a structural level, we determined the crystal structure of Dictyostelium NDP kinase complexed to 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyUDP at 2.7 A resolution. Significant differences are noted as compared to the TDP complex. Substrate-assisted catalysis by the 3'-OH, which is effective in the NDP kinase reaction, cannot occur with the modified substrate. With TDP, the beta-phosphate, which is the leaving group when a gamma-phosphate is transferred to His122, hydrogen bonds to the 3'-hydroxyl group of the sugar; with 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxyUDP, the beta-phosphate hydrogen bonds to Asn119 and moves away from the attacking Ndelta of the catalytic His122. Since all anti-AIDS nucleoside drugs are modified at the 3'-position, these results are relevant to the role of NDP kinase in their cellular metabolism.

In vitro alpha1-3 or alpha1-4 fucosylation of type I and II oligosaccharides with secreted forms of recombinant human fucosyltransferases III and VI.

Transgalactosylation of chitobiose and chitotriose employing beta-galactosidase from bovine testes yielded mixtures with beta1-3 linked galactose (type I) and beta1-4 linked galactose (type II) in a final ratio of 1:1 for the tri- and 1:1.4 for the tetrasaccharide. After 24 h incubations of the two purified oligosaccharide mixtures with large amounts (20-fold increase compared with standard conditions) of human alpha1,3/4-fucosyltransferase III (FucT III), the type I tri-/tetrasaccharides were completely converted to the Lewis(a) structure, whereas approximately 10% fucosylation of the type II isomers to the Lewis(x) oligosaccharides was observed in long-term incubations. Employing large amounts of human alpha1,3-fucosyltransferase VI (FucT VI), the type I trisaccharide substrate was exclusively fucosylated at the proximal O-4 substituted N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc) (20%) whereas almost all of the type II isomers was converted to the corresponding Lewis(x) product. 45% of the type I tetrasaccharide was fucosylated at the second GlcNAc solely by FucT VI. The type II isomer was almost completely alpha1-3 fucosylated to yield the Lewisx derivative with traces of a structure that contained an additional fucose at the reducing GlcNAc. The results obtained in the present study employing high amounts of enzyme confirmed our previous results that FucT III acts preponderantly as a beta1-4 fucosyltransferase onto GlcNAc in vitro. Human FucT VI attaches fucose exclusively in an alpha1-3 linkage to 4-substituted GlcNAc in vitro and does not modify any 3-substituted GlcNAc to yield Lewis(a) oligosaccharides. With 8-methoxycarbonyloctyl glycoside acceptors used under standard conditions, FucT III acts exclusively on the type I and FucT VI only on the type II derivative. With lacto-N-tetraose, lacto-N-fucopentraose I, or LS-tetrasaccharide as substrates, FucT III modified the 3-substituted GlcNAc and the reducing glucose; FucT VI recognized only lacto-N-neotetraose as a substrate.

Catalytic characteristics of tryparedoxin.

Tryparedoxin, a thioredoxin-related protein from Crithidia fasciculata with a molecular mass of 16 kDa catalyses the reduction of a peroxiredoxin-type peroxidase, Cf21, at the expense of trypanothione [Nogoceke, E., Gommel, D. U., Kiess, M., Kalisz, H. M. & Flohé, L. E. (1997) Biol. Chem. Hoppe-Seyler 378, 827-836]. The kinetic analysis of tryparedoxin revealed an enzyme substitution mechanism. The corresponding molecular event was elucidated to be a reversible oxidoreduction of the disulfide bridge in the thioredoxin-related motif WCPPC. The amino-proximal cysteine residue of this active site was more reactive in S-alkylation experiments than the distal residue. The natural substrates of tryparedoxin, trypanothione and Cf21, could only be substituted by glutathione and glutathione disulfide with considerable loss in activity. The pronounced specificity of tryparedoxin is further accentuated by low limiting Km values for Cf21 and trypanothione (2.2 microM and 130 microM, respectively, as compared to 990 microM for gluthathione disulfide and an infinite value for glutathione). Tryparedoxin can therefore be classified as a trypanothione: peroxiredoxin oxidoreductase. The reduction of tryparedoxin by trypanothione appears to be the rate-limiting step in the trypanothione-dependent hydroperoxide reduction because(a) the regeneration of reduced tryparedoxin from the tryparedoxin-trypanothione complex is rate limiting (k[cat] 392 min[-1]), (b) the physiological trypanothione concentrations may not always saturate tryparedoxin, and (c) the rate constants for the net forward reaction of Cf21 are faster than those of the tryparedoxin reaction. The functional characteristics of tryparedoxin explain the limited capacity of trypanosomatids in coping with oxidative stress and qualify the enzyme as a potential target for the design of specific trypanocidal compounds.

Effect of a single 3'-methylene phosphonate linkage on the conformation of an A-DNA octamer double helix.

The three-dimensional structure of the self-complementary DNA octamer d(GCCCGpGGC) has been determined in the crystalline state using X-ray diffraction data to a nominal resolutoin of 2.12 measured from a very small crystal at DESY, Hamburg. The structure was refined with stereochemical restraints to an R value of 17.1%. d(GCCCGpGGC), containing one single 3'-methylene phosphonate linkage (denoted p), forms an A-DNA double helix with strict dyad symmetry, that is distinct from canonical A-DNA by a wide open major groove and a small average base-pair inclination against the helix axis. The conformation of the unmodified control d(GCCCGGGC) is known from an X-ray analysis of isomorphous crystals (Heinemann et al. (1987) Nucleic Acids Res. 15, 9531-9550). Comparison of the two structures reveals only minor conformational differences, most notably in the pucker of the reduced deoxyribose. It is suggested that oligonucleotides with charged 3'-methylene phosphonate groups may form stable duplexes with complementary DNA or RNA strands rendering them candidates for use as gene-regulatory antisense probes.

Continuous regeneration of ATP in enzyme membrane reactor for enzymatic syntheses.

This work shows that the enzyme membrane reactor offers the opportunity to carry out the enzymatic regeneration of ATP providing continuous operation with high performance. In this system, the coenzyme is immobilized on a water-soluble polymer. These high-molecular weight derivates are entrapped within an ultrafiltration membrane together with the enzymes for production of regeneration. Several polymer derivatives of ATP have been prepared for this immobilization technique. Coenzymatic activity of these derivatives was studied with several enzymes for both ATP-requiring and ATP-regenerating reactions. PEG-N6-aminohexyl-ATP was selected as the appropriate coenzyme for operating the enzyme membrane reactor. Acetate kinase was the only enzyme providing enough activity for regeneration. Production of glucose-6-phosphate is cited as the first example. The kinetics of acetate kinase and hexokinase were examined and used to choose the operating conditions of the process. The process operated continuously for more than 1 month. With a mean conversion of 80%, the space-time yield amounted to 348 g glucose-6-phosphate/L d. The cycle number of ATP was estimated as 20, 000 mol/mol. With the continuous production of gamma-glutamylcysteine and NADP, the feasibility of the system was proven.

Cyclic nucleotide specificity of the activator and catalytic sites of a cGMP-stimulated cGMP phosphodiesterase from Dictyostelium discoideum.

The cellular slime mold Dictyostelium discoideum has an intracellular phosphodiesterase which specifically hydrolyzes cGMP. The enzyme is activated by low cGMP concentrations, and is involved in the reduction of chemoattractant-mediated elevations of cGMP levels. The interaction of 20 cGMP derivatives with the activator site and with the catalytic site of the enzyme has been investigated. Binding of cGMP to the activator site is strongly reduced (more than 80-fold) if cGMP is no longer able to form a hydrogen bond at N2H2 or O2'H. Modifications at N7, C8, O3' and O5' induce only a small reduction of binding affinity. A cyclic phosphate structure, as well as a negatively charged oxygen atom at phosphorus, are essential to obtain activation of the enzyme. Substitution of the axial exocyclic oxygen atom by sulphur is tolerated; modification of the equatorial oxygen atom reduces the binding activity of cGMP to the activator site by 90-fold. Binding of cGMP to the catalytic site is strongly reduced if cGMP is modified at N1H, C6O, C8 and O3', while modifications at N2H2, N3, N7, O2'H, and O5' have minor effects. Both exocyclic oxygen atoms are important to obtain binding of cGMP to the catalytic site. The results indicate that activation of the enzyme by cGMP and hydrolysis of cGMP occur at different sites of the enzyme. cGMP is recognized at these sites by different types of molecular interaction between cGMP and the protein. cGMP derivatives at concentrations which saturate the activator site do not induce the same degree of activation of the enzyme (activation 2.3-6.6-fold). The binding affinities of the analogues for the activator site and their maximal activation are not correlated. Our results suggest that the enzyme is activated because cGMP bound to the activator site stabilizes a state of the enzyme which has a higher affinity for cGMP at the catalytic site.

Effects of amino and ammonio derivatives of adenosine on smooth muscle preparations and mouse neuroblastoma adenylate cyclase.

Several amino- and ammonio-substituted derivatives of adenosine were tested as effectors of adenosine receptors in different smooth muscle preparations and mouse neuroblastoma adenylate cyclase. The compounds did not affect adenosine receptors in smooth muscles. N6-[3-(trimethylammonio)propyl]adenosine was a weak stimulator of adenylate cyclase, and 3'-amino-3'-deoxyadenosine and 3'-monomethylamino-3'-deoxyadenosine antagonized the stimulation of adenylate cyclase by 2-chloroadenosine.

Investigations on stimulation of lac transcription in vivo in Escherichia coli by cAMP analogues. Biological activities and structure-activity correlations.

The ability of 24 systematically modified analogues of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) to enhance the synthesis of beta-galactosidase in glucose-repressed Escherichia coli strains KNBL 1001 and cpd- Crookes has been investigated. The properties of the analogues in comparison with cAMP are, with only two exceptions, alike in both strains. Two analogues, 7-deazaadenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (i.e. tubercidin 3',5'-monophosphate) and (Rp)-adenosine 3',5'-monothionophosphate, exhibit higher biological activity than cAMP. The latter analogue is 50-fold more active in both strains. Three analogues showed activities comparable to cAMP, four analogues were less active and 12 analogues were unable to antagonize catabolite repression. Structure-activity correlations showed that the 2'OH-, 3'O-, 5'O-, the negative charge and the 6-amino group cannot be modified without losing biological activity in vivo, while the N-1 and N-7 in adenine are not essential. The interaction with the catabolite gene activator protein is stereoselective for an unmodified axial exocyclic oxygen. The results are compared to those obtained with cAMP analogues in E. coli in vitro and those obtained with the same analogues in protein-kinase systems and Dictyostelium species. The model of McKay et al. [McKay, D.B., Weber, J.T. and Steitz, T.A. (1982) J. Biol. Chem. 257, 9518-9524] proposed for distinct chemical interactions of cAMP with the catabolite gene activator protein is discussed and supplemented by additional hydrogen bond interactions.

Purification of human fibroblast interferon by extraction in aqueous two-phase systems.

Liquid-liquid extraction offers a new method for the concentration and purification of human fibroblast interferon (IFN-beta). Different derivatives of polyethylene glycol (PEG)--liquid ion exchangers or affinity ligands--can be effectively used for the extraction of IFN-beta in combination with Dextran-T 500 or orthophosphate. Important parameters for the partition of IFN-beta have been investigated, e.g., the influence of the concentrations of the phase-forming components, the addition of salts, the volume ratio of the top and bottom phases, and the content of crude IFN-beta. Systems containing polyethylene glycol-phosphate ester/orthophosphate/sodium chloride (1/19.5/2.9% w/w at pH 6.9 or 2/19/7.5% w/w at pH 5-5.9, respectively) resulted in up to 350-fold purified IFN-beta in the top phases with a yield of 74-100% and a specific activity of 3-7 X 10(6) units/mg. The efficiency of extraction in the aqueous phase system is a consequence of an extremely limited solubility of IFN-beta in the bottom phase. One of the advantages of the new method is that it is independent of the process volume and can be performed easily and quickly.

Derivatives of 3'- and 5'-deoxyadenosine: their inhibitory activity against DNA viruses.

3'-Deoxyadenosine, 3'-amino-3'-deoxyadenosine (3'3'), nine derivatives therefrom, two derivatives of 5'-amino-5'-deoxyadenosine and three derivates of 3', 5'-dideoxyadenosine were tested in cell culture for antiviral activity against three DNA viruses: adenovirus 5, herpesvirus hominis 1, and vaccinia virus. Cytotoxicity was also assessed. (3'3') derivatives affected the multiplication of all three viruses similarly. Those which were effective were also cytotoxic at the same or slightly higher concentration. Substitution or other molecular modification of (3'3') tend to lower the biological activity. The presence of an adenosine deaminase inhibitor enhanced both antiviral activity against adenovirus 5 and cytotoxicity in (3'3') compounds, but not in the others. Both 5'-amino-5'-deoxyadenosine compounds were active against vaccinia virus only. Of the three 3', 5'-dideoxyadenosines, only one had both cytotoxic and antiviral activity. Most, if not all, seemingly antiviral effects appear to be caused by inhibition of the cell metabolism.

A model for the chemical interactions of adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate with the R subunit of protein kinase type I. Refinement of the cyclic phosphate binding moiety of protein kinase type I.

The cAMP receptor site in the regulatory subunit of adenosine 3':5'-monophosphate (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase type I was mapped using analogues of cAMP in which the ribose phosphate moiety was systematically modified. Electronical alteration of the cyclophosphate ring at the 3' and 5' positions by sulfur and nitrogen decreased the affinity of these analogues towards the kinase. Substituents at these positions are not tolerated. Testing the separated diastereomers of derivatives in which one of the exocyclic oxygens at the phosphorus has been substituted by sulfur, it was found that one diastereoisomer is preferentially recognized. Based on these results it is proposed that the hydrophylic cyclic phosphate-ribose moiety of cAMP is bound to the kinase via its 3' and 5'-oxygens, the 2'-hydroxy group and the negative charge in a fixed position. Based on our and other published results it is further proposed, that the adenine moiety is bound in a hydrophobic cleft without any hydrogen bond interactions. The chemical interactions between cAMP and the R subunit of protein kinase type I differ from those found for the binding of cAMP to the chemoreceptor of Dictyostelium discoideum [18].