Ready protease-catalyzed synthesis of carbohydrate-amino acid conjugates.

The protease-catalyzed synthesis of amino acid est-carbohydrate conjugates as glycopeptide analogues has been achieved in a highly regioselective and carbohydrate-specific manner using amino acid vinyl ester acyl donors and minimally or completely unprotected carbohydrate acyl acceptors, which together probed active sites of proteases to reveal yield efficiencies that are modulated by the carbohydrate C-2 substitutent, and that may be exploited to allow selective one-pot syntheses.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of some new non-proteinogenic amino acids containing thiazole residues.

Some new thioamides and thiazoles have been synthesized using canavanine, S-cysteine, homo-S-cysteinesulfonamides and their N-omega aminoethylated derivatives as adducts in order to investigate the structure-antimicrobial activity relationships. The compounds showed substantial antibacterial activity in vitro against various gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus etc.) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Proteus vulgaris etc.) bacteria. These findings indicate that the presence of the thiazole residue is an essential factor for the antibacterial effect.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity in vitro of new amino acids and peptides containing thiazole and oxazole moieties.

2-(Pyrrolidinyl)thiazole-4-carboxylic acid 5d, 2-(1-aminoalkyl)thiazole-4-carboxamides and hydrazides 8, 10 have been synthesized using alanine, valine, and proline as educts. In addition oxazole amino acids derived from leucine 20a and alanine 20b and some peptides 13, 14, 16 containing the 5-ring heterocyclic backbone modifications have been prepared. The thiazole and oxazole containing amino acids and peptides showed moderate antibacterial activity in vitro against various Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, etc.) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Protens vulgaris, etc.) bacteria, fungi (Candida albicans), and yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisae, etc.).

Effects of newly synthesized amino acids containing thiazole residues on electrically evoked smooth muscle contractions.

New amino acids containing thiazole residues have been synthesized and in vitro experiments were performed to study their action on neurotransmission in target tissues with adrenergic and cholinergic neurotransmission. Acetaminothiazoles, structurally related to the novel class, are known to act as H1 agonists, therefore, the effects of the newly synthesized Ala- and Pro-thiazole derivatives on smooth muscle contractile activity were compared to those of histamine (HA). The experiments were carried out on electrically stimulated prostatic part of rat and rabbit vasa deferentia and proximal guinea pig ileum. HA had biphasic effect on electrically evoked neurogenic contractions of guinea pig ileum, Pro(Thz) had a stimulating effect, while Ala(Thz) had no effect. The histamine H1-receptor antagonist diphenhydramine inhibited the Pro(Thz)-induced spontaneous contractile activity in the longitudinal layer of guinea pig ileum. HA had a biphasic effect on electrically induced neurogenic contractions of rat and rabbit vasa deferentia while Pro(Thz) and Ala(Thz) inhibited the ES-contractions. The present results show that the newly synthesized compounds might affect the electrically evoked smooth muscle contractions. Some similarity in the effects of HA and of the new substances was observed.