Furano- and pyrrolo [2,3-d] pyrimidine nucleosides and their 5'-O-triphospates: synthesis and enzymatic activity.

A series of bicyclic [2,3-d]furano- and pyrrolopyrimidine ribonucleosides were synthesized and converted chemically into corresponding 5'-O-triphosphates. Substrate properties of the triphosphates toward some RNA and DNA polymerases are reported.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. catalysis of DNA (oligodeoxynucleotide) phosphorylation.

The phosphorylation and phosphonylation of the 3'-hydroxyl of oligodeoxynucleotide 3'-termini (oligodeoxynucleotidyl kinase activity) catalyzed by calf thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TDT) are discussed. Palpha and Palpha, Pgamma-substituted modified triphosphates serve as low-molecular weight substrates in this reaction to give oligodeoxynucleotides with a 3'-phosphorylated or phosphonylated hydroxyl. The reaction is specific for TDT, and it is not catalyzed by avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase. The phosphate or phosphonate donor activities of modified triphosphates depend on their structure and increase with hydrophobicity. Several modified triphosphates demonstrated very high substrate activity, in some cases, up to one order of magnitude higher than that for dTTP. It has also been shown that TDT catalyzes primer extension with dinucleoside 5',5'-tetraphosphates as substrates.

Stereochemical control of DNA biosynthesis.

Stereochemical control of DNA biosynthesis was studied using several DNA-synthesizing complexes containing, in each case, a single substitution of a 2'-deoxy-D-nucleotide residue by an enantiomeric L-nucleotide residue in a DNA chain (either in the primer or in the template) as well as 2'-deoxy-L-ribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates (L-dNTPs) as substrates. Three template-dependent DNA polymerases were tested, Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I Klenow fragment, Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase and avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase, as well as template-independent calf-thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Very stringent control of stereoselectivity was demonstrated for template-dependent DNA polymerases, whereas terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase was less selective. DNA polymerase I and reverse transcriptase catalyzed formation of dinucleoside 5',5'-tetraphosphates when L-dTTP was used as substrate. Comparison between models of template-primer complexes, modified or not by a single L-nucleotide residue, revealed striking differences in their geometry.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase catalyzes the reaction of DNA phosphorylation.

The reaction of phosphorylation and phosphonylation of an oligodeoxynucleotide 3'-terminal hydroxyl (oligodeoxynucleotidyl kinase activity) catalyzed by calf thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TDT) was found. Triphosphates modified at Palpha-, Palpha,gamma- or Palpha,beta,gamma-residues served as low-molecular weight substrates. The reaction was TDT specific; human DNA polymerasesalphaandbeta, as well as AMV reverse transcriptase did not catalyze it. The donor activity of modified triphosphates or triphosphonates depended on their structure and was increased with an increase in their hydrophobicity. The substrate activity of some modified triphosphates was up to one order of magnitude higher than that of ddTTP.

Pyrophosphoryl derivatives of 1-(2-deoxy-3-O-phosphono-methyl-beta- and -alpha-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)thymine: synthesis and substrate properties towards some DNA polymerases.

The synthesis of 1-(2-deoxy-3-O-phosphonomethyl-beta-D-erythropentofuranosyl)thymine (17) and its alpha-anomer 18 is described. Attempts to prepare 1-[2-deoxy-3-O-(pyrophosphoryl)phosphonomethyl-beta-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl]thymine (19) by an activation of the respective phosphonate 17 with 1,1'-carbonyldiimidazole (Im2CO) resulted in the quantitative formation of the corresponding pyrophosphonate derivative 21 (Scheme 2). Activation of inorganic pyrophosphate with Im2CO followed by the condensation with the phosphonates 17 and 18 afforded the desired analogues of nucleoside triphosphate 19 (35%) and its alpha-anomer 20 (27%) along with the respective pyrophosphonate derivatives 21 (37%) and 24 (38%) (Scheme 3). It was found that compounds 19 and 20 display (i) no substrate properties toward calf thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TDT) and AMV reverse transcriptase, and (ii) moderate substrate activity with E. coli DNA polymerase I (Klenow fragment).

Synthesis of non-nucleoside triphosphate analogues, a new type of substrates for terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase.

A series of non-nucleoside triphosphate analogues were synthesized. In place of the nucleoside fragment, substituents bearing aromatic groups were introduced; the triphosphate component was replaced at alpha, beta, or gamma-positions by phosphonates. Alpha-[2-N-(9-Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl)aminoethylphosphonyl]-beta,gamma-difluoromethylenediphosphonate (IIc) revealed the best substrate properties toward terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase.

Reasons and limits of substrate activity of modified L-dNTP in DNA biosynthesis.

Theoretical and experimental analysis of interaction of modified D- and L- dNTP as substrates for template-dependent and template-independent DNA polymerases was performed. It is shown that if the modified nucleoside 5'-triphosphates do not contain a substituent in position 3' DNA chains can be extended by both strereoisomeric series with the same kinetic parameters. But the presence of even a 3'-hydroxy group in L-dNTP prevents their incorporation into the DNA chain.

5-[3-(E)-(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzamido)propenyl-1]-2'-deoxy- uridine-5'-triphosphate substitutes for thymidine-5'-triphosphate in the polymerase chain reaction.

The DNA targets may be labeled and simultaneously amplified in the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using a pair of respective primers after elongation with nucleoside-5'-triphosphates carrying photoreactive groups. The amplified DNA may be subsequently photoactivated by irradiation above 300 nm, resulting in photo-cross-linking of the strands. For this goal 5-[3-(E)-(4-azido-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzamido)propenyl-1]-, 5-{N-[N'-(4-azido-2,3,5, 6-tetrafluorobenzoyl)-3-aminopropionyl]aminomethyl}-, and 5-{N-[N'-(2-nitro-5-azidobenzoyl)-3-aminopropionyl]aminomethyl}-2'-de oxyuridine-5'-triphosphate (VII, VIa, and VIb) derivatives have been synthesized. It was found that VII is capable of efficiently elongating DNA primers with both Klenow fragment DNA polymerase I and Thermus aquaticus DNA polymerase. Thereto, it turned out to provide quantitative incorporation in DNA as revealed by the formation of the full-length amplificate by PCR in the presence of this photoreactive analogue without any dilution with natural dTTP. On the contrary, it was found, that incorporation of VIa and VIb do not permit further DNA replication.

2'-Deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates modified at alpha-, beta- and gamma-phosphates as substrates for DNA polymerases.

Replacement of alpha-, beta- and gamma-phosphate groups in 2'-deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates (dNTP) with phosphonate groups yields a new set of dNTP mimics with potential biological and therapeutic applications. Here, we describe the synthesis of 15 new dNTPs modified at alpha-, beta- and gamma-phosphates containing, in the case of dUTP, reporter and ligand groups at the C5 position of uracil. It was shown that gamma-substituted dNTPs were substrates for AMV reverse transcriptase despite of the large size of substituent at the gamma-phosphonate. On the other hand, these compounds were poorly utilized by DNA polymerase alpha. For dUTP analogues substituted at both gamma-phosphonate and C5 of uracil, the substrate affinity was 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than for their counterparts containing substituents either at gamma-phosphonate or C5 position. Meanwhile, C5-substituted beta, gamma-dibromomethylenediphosphonates demonstrated poor activity or were not active at all as substrates for AMV reverse transcriptase. Finally, 2'-deoxythymidine 5'-[beta, gamma-(methylphosphinyl)methylphosphonyl]-alpha-phosphate and its 3'-azido-3'-deoxy analog were substrates for AMV reverse transcriptase, but the substrate activity of these analogues was 50-100 times lower as compared with dTTP. HIV reverse transcriptase utilized these compounds 1 order of magnitude less efficiently than AMV reverse transcriptase; terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase did not recognize them at all.

Effect of triphosphate modifications in 2'-deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates on their specificity towards various DNA polymerases.

Some natural and glycon-modified dNTPs with beta,gamma-pyrophosphate substitution at the triphosphate residue were synthesized and studied to evaluate the effect of these modifications on substrate properties of dNTPs in DNA synthesis catalyzed by human placental DNA polymerases alpha and beta, avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptase, and calf thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. Reverse transcriptase proved to be the enzyme least specific to such modifications; the substrate activity of beta,gamma-methylenediphosphonate substituted dTTP and 3'-azido-3'-deoxy-dTTP decreased in the following order: CF2 = CHF > CBr2 > CFMe >> CH2. This order is individual for each DNA polymerase. It is interesting to mention that beta,gamma-CBr2 substituted dTTP is neither a substrate nor an inhibitor of DNA polymerase beta. This specificity distinguishes DNA polymerase beta from other DNA polymerases studied.

Gamma-phosphate-substituted 2'-deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates as substrates for DNA polymerases.

Several 2'-deoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate and 3'-azido-2', 3'-dideoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate analogs containing a hydrophobic phosphonate group instead of the gamma-phosphate were synthesized and evaluated as substrates for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptases, human placental DNA polymerases alpha and beta, and calf thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase. They were efficiently incorporated into the DNA chain by the retroviral enzymes but were not utilized by the mammalian ones. Also, some gamma-ester and gamma-amide derivatives of dTTP and 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate (AZTTP) were synthesized and studied. They proved to be substrates for both the retroviral and mammalian enzymes under study. The Km values for incorporation of the dTTP derivatives into the DNA chain were close to those for dTTP and AZTTP. The Km for the AZTTP derivatives were one order of magnitude greater than those for dTTP and AZTTP. The results obtained indicate that HIV and avian myeloblastosis virus reverse transcriptases have no sterical obstacles for binding the triphosphate fragment bearing a bulky substituent at the gamma-position. Modification of the gamma-phosphate in AZTTP increased the selectivity of HIV reverse transcriptase inhibition versus DNA polymerase alpha. gamma-Methylphosphonate and gamma-phenylphosphonate were dephosphorylated in human serum much less rapidly than AZTTP. Besides, they were shown to be markedly more hydrophobic than AZTTP. Thus, replacement of the gamma-phosphate in AZTTP with gamma-phosphonate markedly alters its substrate properties toward some cellular DNA polymerases and blood dephosphorylating enzymes but does not change its substrate activity with respect to HIV reverse transcriptase.

Purine arabinonucleoside 5'-triphosphates with substituents at 2' position as substrates for DNA polymerases.

Analogues of araNTPs carrying an azido or aminogroup instead of the 2' hydroxyl exhibited substrate properties towards several mammalian and viral DNA polymerases. At the same time, introduction of a bulky hydrophobic DNP group into the 2' position inactivated the compounds as substrates. HSV-1 and CMV DNA polymerases were an interesting exception: they effectively incorporated the modified nucleotide residues with DNP group into the 3'-termini of the DNA chain. This is a reliable distinction of these enzymes from cellular DNA polymerases.

New modified substrates for discriminating between human DNA polymerases alpha and epsilon.

Two 2'-deoxynucleoside 5'-alpha-methylenephosphonyl-beta, gamma-diphosphates were synthesized. They were incorporated into the DNA chain by DNA polymerase alpha from human placenta. Meanwhile, they were not recognized by DNA polymerase epsilon and beta of the same origin as well as by reverse transcriptases from human immunodeficiency virus and avian myeloblastosis virus.

Selectivity of DNA polymerases toward alpha and beta nucleotide substrates of D and L series.

The substrate properties of four carbocyclic D and L nucleoside 5'-triphosphate analogs toward HIV and AMV reverse transcriptases and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase were evaluated. The compounds of the D-beta and L-beta series were found to be terminating substrates for these enzymes, while the derivatives of the D-alpha and L-alpha series were recognized only by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase, suggesting that for the template-independent enzyme the mutual orientation of the two fragments is of no significance. A hypothesis for binding of nucleotides to the DNA polymerase active center was proposed.

Modified nucleoside 5'-triphosphates containing 2',3'-fused three-membered rings as substrates for different DNA polymerases.

5'-Triphosphates of 1-(2',3'-epithio-2',3'-dideoxy-beta-D- lyxofuranosyl)thymine, 1-(2',3'-epithio-2',3'-dideoxy-beta-D-ribofuranosyl)thymine and 2',3'-lyxoanhydrothymidine have been shown to be termination substrates for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) reverse transcriptases as well as DNA polymerase I from E. coli and DNA polymerase beta from rat liver. At the same time they do not terminate DNA synthesis catalysed by DNA polymerase epsilon from human placenta. Km values of ltTTP, rtTTP and laTTP incorporation into the DNA chain during catalysis by AMV reverse transcriptase agree closely with each other being 1.5-2.5 times higher than Km value for dTTP. Furthermore, Vmax values for modified substrates are only 2-3 times lower than Vmax for dTTP. The evidence favours the hypothesis of high affinity of modified nucleotides with a flattened furanosyl ring for DNA polymerase active sites.

3'-C-branched 2'-deoxy-5-methyluridines: synthesis, enzyme inhibition, and antiviral properties.

A synthesis scheme for 3'-C-methyl-2'-deoxynucleosides and 3'-C-methylidene-2',3'-dideoxy-5-methyluridine has been proposed with 2-deoxyribose as the starting material. Methyl 5-O-benzoyl-2-deoxyribofuranose was oxidized and the mixture of the 3'-keto derivatives was separated into the alpha- and beta-anomers. The beta-keto derivative was converted by reaction with MeMgBr, and after reaction with thymine and subsequent deprotection 1-(3'-C-methyl-2'-alpha-deoxy-alpha-D-threo-pentofuranosyl)thymine and its beta-anomer were obtained. The same reactions with the alpha-keto sugar gave 1-(3'-C-methyl-2'-deoxy-alpha-D-erythro-pentofuranosyl)thymine and its beta-anomer. 1-(5-O-Benzoyl-3'-C-methyl-2'-deoxy-alpha-D-threo-pentofuranosyl)thymine was converted to a mixture of 3'-C-methylidene-2',3'-dideoxy-5-methyluridine and 3'-C-methyl-2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-didehydro-5-methyluridine, which were separated. The stereoselectivity of the Grignard reagent's attachment to 2-deoxyfuranose 3-ulosides has been ruled by the substitute configuration at Cl. Also, the effect of the hydroxyl or OBz group configuration at C3 on the condensation stereoselectivity of 3-C-methyl-2-deoxyfuranosides with silylated thymine has been studied. The structure of the obtained compounds was proved by 1H NMR UV, 13C NMR, and CD spectroscopy, as well as elemental (C, H, N) analysis. The C2'-endo-C1'-exo conformation, the anti conformation of thymine in relation to the glycosidic bond, and the gauche+conformation in relation to the C4'-C5' bond are characteristic for the 3'-C-methyl-2'-deoxythymidine structure in the crystals. 3'-C-Methyl-2'-deoxythymidine 5'-triphosphate was synthesized and proved to be a competitive inhibitor, with respect to dTTP, of a number of DNA polymerases, including the reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV). None of the DNA polymerases examined were able to incorporate this compound into the growing DNA chain. In contrast, 3'-C-methylidene-2',3'-dideoxy-5-methyluridine 5'-triphosphate was found to be incorporated at the 3'-end of the DNA chain by HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, albeit with very low efficiency. 3'-C-Methyl-2'-deoxy-5-methyluridine did not suppress HIV-1 replication in MT-4 cells at 500 microM while its 5'-phosphite derivative exhibited modest anti-HIV-1 activity.

Trivaline 'catalyzes' 5'-pdGTT oligomerization in solution.

We have found that the 5'-pdGTT molecules at a concentration of 10(-4) M are oligomerized in solution in the presence of 10(-4) M tripeptide-(L-Val)3-NH-NH-DNS.CF3COOH and the condensation reagents (carbodiimide and imidazole). Oligonucleotides not less than 12 bases long were formed in the yield which was over 15%. It is known that in the absence of peptide 10(-2) M mono- or dinucleotides are required. Thus trivaline can be considered as one of the simplest enzymes. This oligomerization seems to be an essential way for the synthesis of long enough oligonucleotides of the random GC-sequence, which could be used at the earliest steps of evolution.

Formation of phosphonester bonds catalyzed by DNA polymerase.

3'-Fluoro-2',3'-dideoxythymidine 5'-(alpha-methylphosphonyl)-beta,gamma- diphosphate and 2'-deoxythymidine-5'-(alpha-methylphosphonyl)-beta, gamma- diphosphate have been synthesized. Both compounds are incorporated into DNA chains during catalysis by reverse transcriptases of human immunodeficiency (HIV) and avian myeloblastosis (AMV) viruses, DNA polymerase beta from rat liver, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase from calf thymus and (at a very low rate) is by E. coli DNA polymerase I, Klenow fragment. The first compound is a termination substrate while the second is capable of multiple incorporation into the DNA chains. For instance, reverse transcriptase catalysis resulted in the appearance of 8 residues of second compound. DNA polymerases alpha and epsilon from human placenta incorporated none of the above compounds into DNA chains, although an inhibition of DNA synthesis by both compounds was observed with all enzymes mentioned. The 3'----5'-exonuclease activity of DNA polymerase I, Klenow fragment, hydrolyzed DNA fragments containing phosphonomethyl internucleoside groups, while such DNA fragments were resistant to the E. coli exonuclease III.