Synthetic Biology of Cannabinoids and Cannabinoid Glucosides in Nicotiana benthamiana and Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Phytocannabinoids are a group of plant-derived metabolites that display a wide range of psychoactive as well as health-promoting effects. The production of pharmaceutically relevant cannabinoids relies on extraction and purification from cannabis (Cannabis sativa) plants yielding the major constituents, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol. Heterologous biosynthesis of cannabinoids in Nicotiana benthamiana or Saccharomyces cerevisiae may provide cost-efficient and rapid future production platforms to acquire pure and high quantities of both the major and the rare cannabinoids as well as novel derivatives. Here, we used a meta-transcriptomic analysis of cannabis to identify genes for aromatic prenyltransferases of the UbiA superfamily and chalcone isomerase-like (CHIL) proteins. Among the aromatic prenyltransferases, CsaPT4 showed CBGAS activity in both N. benthamiana and S. cerevisiae. Coexpression of selected CsaPT pairs and of CHIL proteins encoding genes with CsaPT4 did not affect CBGAS catalytic efficiency. In a screen of different plant UDP-glycosyltransferases, Stevia rebaudiana SrUGT71E1 and Oryza sativa OsUGT5 were found to glucosylate olivetolic acid, cannabigerolic acid, and Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid. Metabolic engineering of N. benthamiana for production of cannabinoids revealed intrinsic glucosylation of olivetolic acid and cannabigerolic acid. S. cerevisiae was engineered to produce olivetolic acid glucoside and cannabigerolic acid glucoside.

Modulation of activity and substrate binding modes by mutation of single and double subsites +1/+2 and -5/-6 of barley alpha-amylase 1.

Enzymatic properties of barley alpha-amylase 1 (AMY1) are altered as a result of amino acid substitutions at subsites -5/-6 (Cys95-->Ala/Thr) and +1/+2 (Met298-->Ala/Asn/Ser) as well as in the double mutants, Cys95-->Ala/Met298-->Ala/Asn/Ser. Cys95-->Ala shows 176% activity towards insoluble Blue Starch compared to wild-type AMY1, kcat of 142 and 211% towards amylose DP17 and 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl beta-d-maltoheptaoside (Cl-PNPG7), respectively, but fivefold to 20-fold higher Km. The Cys95-->Thr-AMY1 AMY2 isozyme mimic exhibits the intermediary behaviour of Cys95-->Ala and wild-type. Met298-->Ala/Asn/Ser have slightly higher to slightly lower activity for starch and amylose, whereas kcat and kcat/Km for Cl-PNPG7 are < or = 30% and < or = 10% of wild-type, respectively. The activity of Cys95-->Ala/Met298-->Ala/Asn/Ser is 100-180% towards starch, and the kcat/Km is 15-30%, and 0.4-1.1% towards amylose and Cl-PNPG7, respectively, emphasizing the strong impact of the Cys95-->Ala mutation on activity. The mutants therefore prefer the longer substrates and the specificity ratios of starch/Cl-PNPG7 and amylose/Cl-PNPG7 are 2.8- to 270-fold and 1.2- to 60-fold larger, respectively, than of wild-type. Bond cleavage analyses show that Cys95 and Met298 mutations weaken malto-oligosaccharide binding near subsites -5 and +2, respectively. In the crystal structure Met298 CE and SD (i.e., the side chain methyl group and sulfur atom) are near C(6) and O(6) of the rings of the inhibitor acarbose at subsites +1 and +2, respectively, and Met298 mutants prefer amylose for glycogen, which is hydrolysed with a slightly lower activity than by wild-type. Met298 AMY1 mutants and wild-type release glucose from the nonreducing end of the main-chain of 6"'-maltotriosyl-maltohexaose thus covering subsites -1 to +5, while productive binding of unbranched substrate involves subsites -3 to +3.

The action of starch synthase II on 6"'-alpha-maltotriosyl-maltohexaose comprising the branch point of amylopectin.

The principle of using a chemically synthesized, well-defined branched oligosaccharide to provide a more detailed knowledge of the substrate specificity of starch synthase II (SSII) is demonstrated. The branched nonasaccharide, 6"'-alpha-maltotriosyl-maltohexaose, was investigated as a primer for particulate SSII using starch granules prepared from the low-amylose pea mutant lam as the enzyme source. The starch granule preparation from the lam pea mutant contains no starch synthases other than SSII and is devoid of alpha-amylase, beta-amylase and phosphorylase activity. SSII was demonstrated to catalyse a specific nonprocessive elongation of the nonreducing end of the shortest unit chain of 6"'-alpha-maltotriosyl-maltohexaose, i.e. the maltotriose chain. Maltotriose and maltohexaose, representing the two linear building units of the branched nonasaccharide, were also tested as primers for SSII. Maltotriose was elongated more efficiently than 6"'-alpha-maltotriosyl-maltohexaose and maltohexaose was used less efficiently. Compared to the surface exposed alpha-glucan chains of the granule bound amylopectin molecules, all three soluble oligosaccharides tested were poor primers for SSII. This indicates that in vivo, the soluble oligosaccharides supposedly released as result of amylopectin trimming reactions are not re-introduced into starch biosynthetic reactions via the action of the granule bound fraction of SSII.

Synthesis of 4'-O-acetyl-maltose and alpha-D-galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-D-glucopyranose for biochemical studies of amylose biosynthesis.

The chemical synthesis of the title compounds as maltose analogs, in which the non-reducing end is modified by acetylation of the 4'-OH group or by reversing its configuration, is reported. For synthesis of the 4'-O-acetylated analog, beta-maltose was converted into its per-O-benzylated-4',6'-O-benzylidene derivative followed by removal of the benzylidene acetal function and selective silylation at C-6'. Acetylation at C-4' of the obtained silylated compound followed by removal of the benzyl ether protecting groups and subsequent desilylation afforded the desired analog. The other maltose analog was synthesized via the glycosidation reaction between the glycosyl donor, O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha/beta-D-galactopyranosyl)trichloroacetimidate and the glycosyl acceptor, phenyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside followed by removal of the phenylthio group and debenzylation to provide the desired analog.

Chemical synthesis of 6"'-alpha-maltotriosyl-maltohexaose as substrate for enzymes in starch biosynthesis and degradation.

A branched nonasaccharide 6"'-alpha-maltotriosyl-maltohexaose was synthesised in 40 steps from D-glucose and maltose. Phenyl O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-O- (2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-2,3-di-O-benzyl-1-th io- beta-D-glucopyranoside and O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-O-(2,3,6-tri- O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-alpha, beta-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate were coupled by a general condensation reaction to form the per-O-benzylated branched hexasaccharide phenyl thioglycoside. The phenylthio group of this compound was converted into a trichloroacetimidate, which was coupled with phenyl O-(2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-O-(2,3,6-tri-O- benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-beta-D- glucopyranoside to afford the per-O-benzylated branched nonasaccharide phenyl thioglycoside. Replacement of the phenylthio group with a free OH-group followed by hydrogenolysis gave the desired product. The synthons reported for this synthesis constitute a versatile tool for the chemical synthesis of other complex carbohydrates.

Chemical synthesis of 6'-alpha-maltosyl-maltotriose, a branched oligosaccharide representing the branch point of starch.

Chemical synthesis of the branched pentasaccharide 6'-alpha-maltosyl-maltotriose (15) is reported, based on the use of one synthon as a glycosyl acceptor and another synthon as a glycosyl donor. The synthon used as glycosyl acceptor was phenyl 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside (7) and was synthesized from D-glucose with phenyl 2,3-di-O-acetyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside and phenyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside as key intermediates. The synthon used as glycosyl donor was O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-O-(2,3,6-tri-O -benzyl - alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->6)-O-[(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D- glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)]-2,3-di-O-benzyl-alpha,beta-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate (12) and was synthesized from phenyl O-2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-O-(2,3,6-tri-O- benzyl- alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->6)-O-[(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D- glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)]-2,3-di-O-acetyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside with O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-O-(2,3,6-tri-O - benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)]-2,3-di-O-benzyl-D-glucopyranose as an intermediate. Condensation of compounds 7 and 12 followed by removal of the phenylthio group and debenzylation provided the branched pentasaccharide 15. Alternatively, the branched pentasaccharide was produced from amylopectin by consecutive alpha- and beta-amylase treatments and purified by chromatography. The identity of the products obtained by chemical synthesis and enzymatic hydrolysis is documented by 1H and 13C NMR spectra.

Chemical synthesis and NMR spectra of a protected branched-tetrasaccharide thioglycoside, a useful intermediate for the synthesis of branched oligosaccharides.

Acid-catalyzed thiophenolysis of per-O-acetylated 1,6-anhydromaltose (3) gave phenyl 2,3-di-O-acetyl-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D- glucopyranosyl)-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside (4) in quantitative yield. Phenyl 4-O-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopyranoside (5) was obtained by acid-catalyzed thiophenolysis of maltose octaacetate (2), using trimethylsilyl triflate as catalyst, and subsequent deacetylation. Standard benzylation of 5 gave phenyl 2,3-di-O-benzyl-4-O- (2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-1-thio-beta-D-glucopy ran oside (6) which upon treatment with N-bromosuccinimide in aqueous acetone gave 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D- glucopyranosyl)-D-glucopyranose (8). Compound 8 was treated with trichloroacetonitrile in the presence of anhydrous potassium carbonate to give 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl- alpha-D-glucopyranosyl) -alpha,beta-D-glucopyranosyl trichloroacetimidate (9), which was effectively used as the glycosyl donor in the condensation reaction with compound 4, using trimethylsilyl triflate as catalyst, to obtain the branched tetrasaccharides phenyl O-[2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)- (1-->4)]-O-(2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->6)-O-(2,3,4, 6- tetra-O-acetyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-2,3-di-O-acetyl-1-thio-be ta-D- glucopyranoside (10) and phenyl O-[(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)]- O-(2,3,4-tri-O-benzyl-beta-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->6)-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O- acetyl- alpha-D-glucopyranosyl)-(1-->4)-2,3-di-O-acetyl-1-thio-beta-D-glucopy ran oside (11) in 67 and 21% yield, respectively. A complete NMR interpretation of 10 is presented. Alternative methodologies for the synthesis of the branched tetrasaccharides were investigated. Chemical synthesis of the phenyl thioglycoside 5 was achieved by deacetylation of 4. Reaction of 6 with diethylaminosulfur trifluoride in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide gave 2,3,6-tri-O-benzyl-4-O-(2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha-D- glucopyranosyl)-alpha,beta-D-glucopyranosyl fluoride (7) in 78% yield. Subsequent condensation of 7 and 4, using the combination silver perchlorate-stannous chloride as catalyst, gave the corresponding branched tetrasaccharides 10 and 11 in 55 and 10% yield, respectively.

Synthesis of 3'-alkylthio-2',3'-dideoxy nucleosides with potential anti-HIV activity from 2-deoxy-D-ribose, using a phosphorus pentoxide reagent.

Direct condensation of 2-deoxy-D-ribose (1) with mercaptans using the P4O10/H2O/Bu3N reagent in chloroform resulted in coupling at C-3 to give the anomeric mixtures of the corresponding pentopyranoses 2 and pentofuranoses 3. After acetylation with acetic anhydride in dry pyridine of these 3-alkylthio pentofuranoses, coupling with the nucleobases uracil, thymine, and cytosine in accordance with the Friedel-Crafts catalyzed silyl Hilbert-Johnson method yielded the acetylated D-erythro nucleosides 7 as anomeric mixtures, separable only by means of chromatography either before or after deprotection with ammonia. The nucleosides 8a-e were devoid of any activity against HSV-1 and HIV-1.

Synthesis of 5-alkoxymethyl derivatives of 3'-amino-2',3'-dideoxyuridine and evaluation of their activity against HIV and cancer.

5-Alkoxymethyluracils 2a-c have been prepared by acid-catalyzed etherification of 5-hydroxymethyluracil (1). Compounds 1, 2a-c, 5-methoxymethyl- and 5-benzyloxymethyl-uracil were silylated and coupled with 1,5-di-O-acetyl-3-phthalimido-2,3-dideoxy-beta- D-erythro-pentofuranose (3), in the presence of trimethylsilyl triflate as a catalyst, to give the corresponding 3'-phthalimido-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides 5a-f and 6 which on treatment with 33% methylamine-ethanol afforded the corresponding 3'-amino-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides 7a-f and 8 in high yields. Compound 7d showed colony inhibition when tested against human epidermoid cervical cancer cells. Nucleosides 5a-e, 7a-f and 8 did not show any significant activity against HIV-1.

Synthesis of 3'-(4-nitroimidazol-1-yl)-2',3'-dideoxynucleosides of pyrimidine analogues and their biological evaluation against HIV.

Reaction of 1,5-di-O-acetyl-2,3-dideoxy-3-phthalimido-beta-D-erythro-pento-fur anose (1) with silylated pyrimidinediones 2a-c using the Lewis acid trimethylsilyl triflate as catalyst afforded nucleosides 3a-c and 4a,c which were deprotected with 33% methylamine/ethanol to give the corresponding 3-aminonucleosides 5a-c and 6. These were reacted with 1,4-dinitroimidazoles 7a,b to give the 3-imidazolyldideoxynucleosides 8a,b and 9a-f. At sub-toxic concentrations these compounds were ineffective against HIV-1.

Synthesis of N-substituted 3'-amino-3'-deoxythymidines and their biological evaluation against HIV.

Treatment of 3'-amino-3'-deoxythymidine (1) with carboxylic acid anhydrides afforded the corresponding acylamino derivatives 2a-f. Reaction of 1 with a variety of isothiocyanates led to the corresponding thioureido derivatives 3a-i. Also, conversion of 1 into 3'-carbylamino-3'-deoxythymidine (7) is reported. The compounds 2, 3, and 8 were evaluated for their anti-HIV activity in MT-4 cells, but did not show sufficient efficacy.