Full monosomy 21: echocardiographic findings in the third molecularly confirmed case.

Monosomy 21 is a rare chromosomal abnormality, with only nine cases reported in the literature. Affected infants display multiple dysmorphic features as well as skeletal, ocular, pulmonary, cardiac, renal, and genitourinary abnormalities. All monosomies are lethal except monosomy 21, but not all monosomy 21 fetuses survive to term. This report describes the echocardiographic findings and the congenital heart defects associated with the third case of molecularly confirmed full monosomy 21 in the literature. The cardiac defects included a mildly hypoplastic and hypertrophied left ventricle, a large ostium secundum atrial septal defect, a small anterior muscular ventricular septal defect, an interrupted inferior vena cava with azygos continuation, a parachute mitral valve, a bicuspid aortic valve, and a tortuous descending aorta. It also is the first description of a left pulmonary artery aneurysm and decreased left ventricular function as a component in the spectrum of defects found in full monosomy 21.

Introduction of a Chimeric Chalcone Synthase Gene into Petunia Results in Reversible Co-Suppression of Homologous Genes in trans.

We attempted to overexpress chalcone synthase (CHS) in pigmented petunia petals by introducing a chimeric petunia CHS gene. Unexpectedly, the introduced gene created a block in anthocyanin biosynthesis. Forty-two percent of plants with the introduced CHS gene produced totally white flowers and/or patterned flowers with white or pale nonclonal sectors on a wild-type pigmented background; none of hundreds of transgenic control plants exhibited such phenotypes. Progeny testing of one plant demonstrated that the novel color phenotype co-segregated with the introduced CHS gene; progeny without this gene were phenotypically wild type. The somatic and germinal stability of the novel color patterns was variable. RNase protection analysis of petal RNAs isolated from white flowers showed that, although the developmental timing of mRNA expression of the endogenous CHS gene was not altered, the level of the mRNA produced by this gene was reduced 50-fold from wild-type levels. Somatic reversion of plants with white flowers to phenotypically parental violet flowers was associated with a coordinate rise in the steady-state levels of the mRNAs produced by both the endogenous and the introduced CHS genes. Thus, in the altered white flowers, the expression of both genes was coordinately suppressed, indicating that expression of the introduced CHS gene was not alone sufficient for suppression of endogenous CHS transcript levels. The mechanism responsible for the reversible co-suppression of homologous genes in trans is unclear, but the erratic and reversible nature of this phenomenon suggests the possible involvement of methylation.

Rapid evolution of the DNA-binding site in LAGLIDADG homing endonucleases.

Sequence analysis of chloroplast and mitochondrial large subunit rRNA genes from over 75 green algae disclosed 28 new group I intron-encoded proteins carrying a single LAGLIDADG motif. These putative homing endonucleases form four subfamilies of homologous enzymes, with the members of each subfamily being encoded by introns sharing the same insertion site. We showed that four divergent endonucleases from the I-CreI subfamily cleave the same DNA substrates. Mapping of the 66 amino acids that are conserved among the members of this subfamily on the 3-dimensional structure of I-CreI bound to its recognition sequence revealed that these residues participate in protein folding, homodimerization, DNA recognition and catalysis. Surprisingly, only seven of the 21 I-CreI amino acids interacting with DNA are conserved, suggesting that I-CreI and its homologs use different subsets of residues to recognize the same DNA sequence. Our sequence comparison of all 45 single-LAGLIDADG proteins identified so far suggests that these proteins share related structures and that there is a weak pressure in each subfamily to maintain identical protein-DNA contacts. The high sequence variability we observed in the DNA-binding site of homologous LAGLIDADG endonucleases provides insight into how these proteins evolve new DNA specificity.

Biochemical characterization of I-CmoeI reveals that this H-N-H homing endonuclease shares functional similarities with H-N-H colicins.

Endonuclease assays of the H-N-H proteins encoded by two group I introns in the Chlamydomonas moewusii chloroplast psbA gene revealed that the CmpsbA.1 intron specifies a site-specific DNA endonuclease, designated I-CMOE:I. Like most previously reported intron-encoded endonucleases, I-CMOE:I generates a double-strand break near the insertion site of its encoding intron, leaving 3' extensions of 4 nt. This enzyme was purified from Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with a His tag at its N-terminus. The recombinant protein (rI-CMOE:I) requires a divalent alkaline earth cation for DNA cleavage (Mg(2+) > Ca(2+) > Sr(2+) > Ba(2+)). It also requires a metal cofactor for DNA binding, a property shared with H-N-H colicins but not with the homing endonucleases characterized to date. rI-CMOE:I binds its recognition sequence as a monomer, as revealed by gel retardation assays. K:(m) and k(cat) values of 100 +/- 40 pM and 0.26 +/- 0.04 min(-1), respectively, were determined. Replacement of the first histidine of the H-N-H motif by an alanine residue abolishes both rI-CMOE:I activity and binding to its substrate. We propose that this conserved histidine residue plays a role in binding the metal cofactor and that such binding induces a structural modification of the enzyme which is required for DNA recognition.

Analysis of the chloroplast large subunit ribosomal RNA gene from 17 Chlamydomonas taxa. Three internal transcribed spacers and 12 group I intron insertion sites.

Previous reports on the chloroplast large subunit rRNA genes of the two distantly related green algae Chlamydomonas eugametos and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii indicate differences in the distribution of group I introns and suggest a different arrangement of internal transcribed spacers. To provide insights into the origin of these two types of intervening sequences, we have undertaken the sequencing of the chloroplast rrnL genes of 15 additional Chlamydomonas taxa and have characterized the mature large subunit rRNA species they encode in addition to those specified by the C. reinhardtii rrnL. These analyses disclosed the presence of three internal transcribed spacers sharing the same positions in all of the 17 taxa as well as the presence of a total of 39 group I introns representing 12 insertion sites. Of these insertion sites, only one has been identified in non-Chlamydomonas taxa. The distribution of Chlamydomonas introns is highly variable and, in many respects, is not consistent with the phylogeny deduced from chloroplast rRNA sequence comparisons. This phylogeny features two main lineages of Chlamydomonas taxa forming sister groups. Because earlier branching organisms in the green algal/land plant lineage display no chloroplast rDNA introns, it appears that all of the intron insertion positions in Chlamydomonas are of recent origins, with some of the positions having arisen subsequent to the divergence of the two main Chlamydomonas lineages. Remarkably, the rRNA regions corresponding to most of the group I intron insertion positions in rRNA genes have been assigned functional roles suggesting that they lie in exposed regions of the ribosome. On the basis of this striking correlation between exposed rRNA regions and intron insertion sites, we speculate that the reversal of the self-splicing reaction has played a major role in the creation of the multiple intron insertion positions found in rRNA genes as well as in the proliferation of group I introns elsewhere in the Chlamydomonas chloroplast genome.

Six group I introns and three internal transcribed spacers in the chloroplast large subunit ribosomal RNA gene of the green alga Chlamydomonas eugametos.

The chloroplast large subunit rRNA gene of Chlamydomonas eugametos and its 5' flanking region encoding tRNA(Ile) (GAU) and tRNA(Ala) (UGC) have been sequenced. The DNA sequence data along with the results of a detailed RNA analysis disclosed two unusual features of this green algal large subunit rRNA gene: (1) the presence of six group I introns (CeLSU.1-CeLSU.6) whose insertion positions have not been described previously, and (2) the presence of three short internal transcribed spacers that are post-transcriptionally excised to yield four rRNA species of 280, 52, 810 and 1720 nucleotides, positioned in this order (5' to 3') in the primary transcript. Together, these RNA species can assume a secondary structure that is almost identical to that proposed for the 23 S rRNA of Escherichia coli. All three internal transcribed spacers map to variable regions of primary sequence and/or potential secondary structure, whereas all six introns lie within highly conserved regions. The first three introns are inserted within the sequence encoding the 810 nucleotide rRNA species and map within domain II of the large subunit rRNA structure; the remaining introns, found in the sequence encoding the 1720 nucleotide rRNA species, lie within either domain IV or V, as is the case for all other large subunit rDNA introns that have been documented to date. CeLSU.5 and CeLSU.6 each contain a long open reading frame (ORF) of more than 200 codons. While the CeLSU.6 ORF is not related to any known ORFs, the CeLSU.5 ORF belongs to a family of ORFs that have been identified in Podospora and Neurospora mitochondrial group I introns. The finding that a polymorphic marker showing unidirectional gene conversion during crosses between C. eugametos and Chlamydomonas moewusii is located within the CeLSU.5 ORF makes it likely that this intron is a mobile element and that its ORF encodes a site-specific endonuclease promoting the transfer of the intron DNA sequence.

Biparental Inheritance of Non-Mendelian Gene Markers in CHLAMYDOMONAS MOEWUSII.

The first two non-Mendelian gene mutations to be identified in Chlamydomonas moewusii are described. These putative chloroplast gene mutations include one for resistance to streptomycin (sr-nM1) and one for resistance to erythromycin (er-nM1). In one- and two-factor reciprocal crosses, usually over 90% of the germinating zygospores transmitted these mutations and their wild-type alternatives from both parents (biparental zygospores); the remaining zygospores transmitted exclusively the non-Mendelian markers of the mating-type "plus" parent. Among the biparental zygospores, a strong bias in the transmission of non-Mendelian alleles from the mating-type "plus" parent was indicated by an excess of meiotic and postmeiotic mitotic progeny that were homoplasmic for non-Mendelian alleles from this parent compared to those that were homoplasmic for the non-Mendelian alleles from the mating-type "minus" parent. At best, weak linkage was detected between the sr-nM1 and er-nM1 loci. Non-Mendelian, chloroplast gene markers in Chlamydomonas eugametos and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii showed a predominantly uniparental mode of transmission from the mating-type "plus" parent in crosses performed under the same conditions used for the C. moewusii crosses.

Interindividual and intraindividual variability in acetylation: characterization with caffeine.

The degree of interindividual and intraindividual variability in acetylator activity was investigated with caffeine used as a probe of enzyme activity. Acetylator phenotype and relative N-acetyltransferase activity were estimated in 46 subjects by measuring the urinary ratio of two metabolites, AFMU/1-MX, after a single 300 mg oral dose of caffeine on five separate occasions. Thirty homozygous slow (rr) and 15 heterozygous rapid (Rr) acetylators were identified. The degree of interindividual variability in acetylator activity was observed to be a mean of 32% (range 27% to 36%) and 20% (range 11% to 29%) in the rr and Rr groups, respectively. The mean intraindividual variation on repetitive measurement was 19% (range 6% to 49%) in the rr and 14% (range 7% to 24%) in the Rr acetylator group. Four subjects had apparent changes in acetylator activity with time such that they were unable to be assigned to any one acetylator group. Two of these four subjects exhibited apparent homozygous rapid acetylator activity intermittently during the 5-week trial. This variability may explain, in part, some of the high degree of patient variability observed in the toxicity, efficacy, and drug-related disease associated with acetylated drugs and environmental toxins.

Cleavage pattern of the homing endonuclease encoded by the fifth intron in the chloroplast large subunit rRNA-encoding gene of Chlamydomonas eugametos.

The fifth group-I intron in the chloroplast large subunit rRNA-encoding gene of Chlamydomonas eugametos (CeLSU.5) is mobile during interspecific crosses between C. eugametos and Chlamydomonas moewusii. Like the six other mobile introns that have been well characterized so far, CeLSU.5 contains a long open reading frame (ceuIR) coding for a site-specific endonuclease (I-CeuI) that cleaves the C. moewusii intronless gene in the vicinity of the intron-insertion site. This stimulates gap repair and mediates efficient transfer of the intron at its cognate site. By expressing the ceuIR gene in the Escherichia coli vectors pKK233-2 and pTRC-99A, we recently demonstrated that the endonuclease is highly toxic to E. coli [Gauthier et al., Curr. Genet. 19 (1991) 43-47]. To eliminate this problem and characterize the cleavage pattern and recognition sequence of the I-CeuI endonuclease, we have expressed the ceuIR gene in E. coli under the control of a bacteriophage T7 promoter in a tightly regulated M13 system, and developed an in vitro system to assay partially purified I-CeuI activity. This allowed us to determine that I-CeuI recognizes a sequence of less than 26 bp centered around the insertion site and produces a staggered cut 5 bp downstream from this site, yielding 4-nucleotide (CTAA), 3'-OH overhangs.

The single group-I intron in the chloroplast rrnL gene of Chlamydomonas humicola encodes a site-specific DNA endonuclease (I-ChuI).

The single group-I intron (ChLSU.1) in the chloroplast (cp) large subunit rRNA-encoding gene (rrnL) of the green alga Chlamydomonas humicola is located at a position at which no introns have previously been characterized in other systems. In the present study, the nucleotide (nt) sequence of this 1118-bp intron was found to contain an internal open reading frame (ORF) that potentially encodes a basic protein of 218 amino acid residues. The putative C. humicola protein features two copies of the LAGLI-DADG motif and is part of the family of intron-encoded proteins comprising the endonucleases (ENases), I-SceI, I-SceIV and I-CsmI. Expression of the ChLSU.1 intron ORF in vitro in the presence of a 260-bp DNA fragment containing the exon 1-2 junction of an intronless version of the C. humicola rrnL resulted in specific cleavage of the DNA fragment very close to the intron insertion site. This novel intron-encoded ENase, designated I-ChuI, was also shown to generate a staggered cut with 4-nt (CTCG) 3'-OH overhangs 2 bp downstream from the intron insertion site.

Complete nucleotide sequence and mRNA-mapping of the large subunit gene of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) from Chlamydomonas moewusii.

Nucleotide (nt) sequence of the large subunit (LS) gene of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from the green alga, Chlamydomonas moewusii, and mapping of transcription ends was achieved by two new strategies. The deduced LS sequence of 475 amino acid residues was compared with similar genes from six other species; cyanobacteria, land plants and a related alga (C. reinhardtii). The most conserved regions are the three ribulose bisphosphate binding sites and the CO2 activator site. The nt sequence conservation outside the coding region is limited to only three segments within the 5'-flanking region: a region of tandem repeats, TATAA box and ribosome-binding site. Termination point of transcription is an 'A' residue 3' to the first of two 18-nt inverted repeats, which has the potential to form a stem-loop hairpin structure. The possible role of these potential regulatory features for transcription and translation, and similar structures in other LS genes is presented.

Mobile introns: definition of terms and recommended nomenclature.

A number of introns in mitochondrial, chloroplast, nuclear or prokaryotic genes have recently been shown to encode double-strand sequence-specific endonucleases. Such introns are mobile genetic elements that insert themselves at or near the cleaved sites. A uniform nomenclature to designate the molecular elements involved in the phenomenon of intron mobility is proposed.

A novel side-chain-linked antiparallel cyclic dimer of enkephalin.

The dimeric cyclic enkephalin analog, (H-Tyr-D-Lys-Gly-Phe-Glu-NH2)2, was isolated as a second major component from the crude product obtained in a solid-phase synthesis of the corresponding cyclic monomer, H-Tyr-D-Lys-Gly-Phe-Glu-NH2. In comparison with [Leu5]enkephalin the cyclic dimer is about equipotent in assays representative for mu-opioid receptor interactions and 1/10 as potent at the delta-receptor. The fact that the enkephalin dimer shows a receptor selectivity pattern distinct from that of the cyclic monomer and of the corresponding linear analog suggests that cyclodimerization via side-chain linkages might be generally useful as a means to produce shifts in the activity profiles of peptide hormones and neurotransmitters.

Synthesis and pharmacological characterization in vitro of cyclic enkephalin analogues: effect of conformational constraints on opiate receptor selectivity.

Using a combination of solid-phase and solution methods, we synthesized a series of cyclic [Leu5]enkephalin analogues by substitution of D-alpha, omega-diamino acids in position 2 of the enkephalin sequence and cyclization of the omega-amino group to the C-terminal carboxy group of leucine. Cyclic analogues containing D-alpha, beta-diaminopropionic acid (1), D-alpha, gamma-diaminobutyric acid (2), D-ornithine (3), or D-lysine (4) in position 2 and the [D-Leu5] and [des-Leu5] analogues of 4 (5 and 6) showed, in general, high potency in the guinea pig ileum (GPI) assay and low potency in the mouse vas deferens (MVD) assay. IC50 (MVD)/IC50 (GPI) ratios ranging from 3.1 to 29.4 were obtained, indicating the preference of the cyclic analogues for mu receptors over delta receptors. With two exceptions, preferential affinity for mu receptors is reflected in the Ki ratios determined in parallel binding assays using [3H]naloxone and [3H] [D-Ala2, D-Leu5]enkephalin as mu and delta receptor selective radioligands, respectively. Comparison of the pharmacological profiles of the cyclic analogues 1-4 with those of their corresponding open-chain analogues, [D-Ala2, Leu5]enkephalinamide (1a), [D-Abu2, Leu5]enkephalinamide (2a), [D-Nva2, Leu5]enkephalinamide (3a), and [D-Nle2, Leu5]enkephalinamide (4a), revealed that the pronounced mu character of compounds 1-4 is a direct consequence of the conformational constraints introduced by cyclization. This finding is in agreement with the concept of different conformational requirements of mu- and delta-opiate receptors and raises the possibility of manipulating opiate receptor selectivity by varying the type and degree of conformational restriction.

Synthesis and activity profiles of novel cyclic opioid peptide monomers and dimers.

A new family of cyclic opioid peptide analogues of the type H-Tyr-D-Xxx-Phe-Yyy-NH2 was obtained through amide bond formation between side chain amino and carboxyl groups of Orn (or Lys) and Asp (or Glu) residues substituted in positions 2 and 4 of the peptide sequence. Peptides were synthesized entirely by solid-phase techniques, and aside from the cyclic monomers, cyclization on the benzhydrylamine resin also produced side chain linked antiparallel cyclic dimers due to intersite reaction. In binding studies based on displacement of mu- and delta-opioid receptor-selective radiolabels from rat brain membranes the highly rigid cyclic monomer H-Tyr-D-Orn-Phe-Asp-NH2 (1) (containing a 13-membered ring) was shown to be one of the most selective mu-receptor ligands reported to date, whereas the corresponding cyclic dimer, (H-Tyr-D-Orn-Phe-Asp-NH2)2 (1a), was nonselective. The difference in receptor selectivity observed between 1 and 1a is a consequence of the different conformational constraints present in the cyclic monomer and dimer. In contrast to 1, the conformationally less restricted cyclic analogue H-Tyr-D-Lys-Phe-Glu-NH2 (3) (15-membered ring) showed no receptor preference. Qualitatively similar potency relationships were observed in the guinea pig ileum (GPI) and mouse vas deferens (MVD) bioassays. However, in the case of analogues 1 and 3 discrepancies observed between potencies determined in the mu-receptor-representative GPI bioassay and in the mu-receptor-selective binding assay seemed to indicate that the conformational constraint present in these compounds may produce an "efficacy" enhancement. Corresponding analogues containing an Asp (or Glu) residue in the 2-position and an Orn (or Lys) residue in the 4-position showed similar selectivity relationships, but better agreement between bio- and binding assay data. These results indicate that incorporation of various conformational constraints into opioid peptides permits manipulation of both receptor selectivity and efficacy.

Dermorphin analogues carrying an increased positive net charge in their "message" domain display extremely high mu opioid receptor selectivity.

According to the membrane compartment concept the receptor specificity of ligands is based not only on ligand-receptor complementarity but also on specific ligand-membrane interactions. Elaboration of this concept for opioid peptide-receptor interactions had led to the assumption that mu- and delta-receptors are located in anionic and cationic membrane compartments, respectively, and to the prediction that positively charged opioid receptor ligands should display mu-receptor selectivity. To assess the validity of this model, we synthesized a series of dermorphin analogues carrying a net positive charge and tested them in mu- and delta-receptor representative binding assays and bioassays. Some but not all of the prepared compounds showed the receptor-selectivity profile expected on the basis of the membrane compartment concept. In particular, gradual augmentation of the positive charge from 1+ to 3+ in a series of dermorphin-(1-4) tetrapeptide analogues produced an enhancement of mu-receptor affinity and a progressive decrease in delta-receptor affinity, resulting in increasingly higher mu-receptor selectivity. The most selective compound was [D-Arg2,Lys4]dermorphin-(1-4)-amide (DALDA), showing a selectivity ratio (Ki delta/Ki mu = 11,400) more than 10 times higher than that of DAGO (Ki delta /Ki mu = 1050) and, thus, displaying unprecedented mu-receptor specificity. Because of its high positive charge (3+), DALDA may be particularly useful as a very specific agonist for studying peripheral mu-receptor interactions.

TIPP[psi]: a highly potent and stable pseudopeptide delta opioid receptor antagonist with extraordinary delta selectivity.

Pseudopeptide analogues of the delta opioid antagonists H-Tyr-Tic-Phe-Phe-OH (TIPP) and H-Tyr-Tic-Phe-OH (TIP) containing a reduced peptide bond between the Tic2 and Phe3 residues were synthesized. The two compounds, H-Tyr-Tic psi [CH2NH]Phe-Phe-OH (TIPP [psi]) and H-Tyr-Tic psi-[CH2NH]Phe-OH (TIP [psi]), were tested in mu-, delta-, and kappa-receptor-selective binding assays and in the guinea pig ileum (GPI) and mouse vas deferens (MVD) bioassays. In comparison with their respective parent peptides, both pseudopeptide analogues showed increased delta antagonist potency in the MVD assay, higher delta receptor affinity and further improved delta receptor selectivity. The more potent compound, TIPP [psi], displayed subnanomolar delta receptor affinity and in direct comparisons with other selective delta ligands was shown to have unprecedented delta specificity (Ki mu/Ki delta = 10,500). Furthermore, this compound turned out to be highly stable against enzymatic degradation and, unlike other delta antagonists, showed no mu or kappa antagonist properties. TIPP [psi] is likely to find wide use as a pharmacological tool in opioid research.

Conformationally restricted deltorphin analogues.

Conformationally restricted deltorphin analogues were synthesized either through incorporation of cyclic phenylalanine analogues in position 2 or 3 of the peptide sequence or through various side chain-to-side chain cyclizations. Compounds were tested in mu-, delta-, and kappa-receptor selective binding assays and in the guinea pig ileum (GPI) and mouse vas deferens (MVD) bioassays. Replacement of Phe3 in [D-Ala2]deltorphin I with 2-aminoindan-2-carboxylic acid (Aic) or L- or D-2-aminotetralin-2-carboxylic acid (Atc) resulted in agonist compounds which retained the high delta receptor selectivity of the parent peptide. Substitution of a tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylic acid (Tic) residue in the 2-position of [D-Ala2]deltorphin I and of [Phe4,Nle6]deltorphin produced a partial delta agonist, H-Tyr-Tic-Phe-Asp-Val-Val-Gly-NH2, and a pure delta antagonist, H-Tyr-Tic-Phe-Phe-Leu-Nle-Asp-NH2, respectively. The latter antagonist displayed high delta selectivity (Ki mu/Ki delta = 502) and was a potent antagonist against selective delta agonists in the MVD assay (Ke congruent to 10 nM). Various [D-Ala2]-deltorphin I analogues cyclized between the side chains of Orn (or Lys) and Asp (or Glu) residues substituted in positions 2 and 4, 4 and 7, and 2 and 7 were essentially nonselective. Comparison with corresponding N-terminal tetrapeptide analogues revealed that the C-terminal tripeptide segment in the deltorphin heptapeptides made a crucial contribution to delta affinity and delta selectivity in the case of the agonist peptides but not in the case of the antagonist.

Pseudoproline-containing analogues of morphiceptin and endomorphin-2: evidence for a cis Tyr-Pro amide bond in the bioactive conformation.

Analogues of the opioid peptides [D-Phe(3)]morphiceptin (H-Tyr-Pro-D-Phe-Pro-NH(2)) and endomorphin-2 (H-Tyr-Pro-Phe-Phe-NH(2)) containing the pseudoproline (Psi Pro) (4R)-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (Cys[Psi(R1,R2)pro]) or (4S)-oxazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (Ser[Psi(R1,R2)pro]) in place of Pro(2) were synthesized. The pseudoproline ring in these compounds was either unsubstituted (R(1), R(2) = H) or dimethylated (R(1), R(2) = CH(3)) at the 2-C position. 2-C-dimethylated pseudoprolines are known to be quantitative or nearly quantitative inducers of the cis conformation around the Xaa(i-1)-Xaa(i)[Psi(CH(3),CH)(3)pro)] imide bond. All dihydropseudoproline-containing analogues (R(1), R(2) = H) showed good mu opioid agonist potency in the guinea pig ileum (GPI) assay, high mu receptor binding affinity in the rat brain membrane binding assay, and, like their parent peptides, excellent mu receptor binding selectivity. (1)H NMR spectroscopic analysis of the Cys[Psi(H,H)pro](2)- and Ser[Psi(H,H)pro](2)-containing analogues in DMSO-d(6) revealed that they existed in a conformational equilibrium around the Tyr-Xaa[Psi(H,H)pro] peptide bond with cis/trans ratios of 40:60 and 45:55, respectively. The dimethylated thiazolidine- and oxazolidine-containing [D-Phe(3)]morphiceptin- and endomorphin-2 analogues (R(1), R(2) = CH(3)) all retained full mu agonist potency in the GPI assay and displayed mu receptor binding affinities in the nanomolar range and high mu receptor selectivity. As expected, no conformers of the latter analogues with a trans conformation around the Tyr-Xaa[Psi(CH(3),CH(3)pro)] imide bond were detected by (1)H NMR spectral analysis, indicating that in these compounds the cis conformation is highly predominant (>98%). These results represent the most direct evidence obtained so far to indicate that morphiceptin and endomorphin-2 have the cis conformation around the Tyr-Pro peptide bond in their bioactive conformations.

Structure-activity relationships of cyclic opioid peptide analogues containing a phenylalanine residue in the 3-position.

Ten analogues of the highly mu-receptor selective cyclic opioid peptide H-Tyr-D-Orn-Phe-Asp-NH2 (1) were synthesized by the solid phase method and were characterized in vitro in mu- and delta-receptor representative binding assays and bioassays. These cyclic analogues are structurally related to the linear opioid peptides dermorphin and beta-casomorphin (morphiceptin), which also contain a phenylalanine residue in the 3-position of the peptide sequence. The obtained results indicate that analogous structural modifications (configurational inversion at positions 2, 3, and 4 or N alpha-methylation of Phe3) in cyclic peptide 1 and in dermorphin-related peptides had qualitatively the same effect on opioid activity, whereas the corresponding modifications in beta-casomorphins had the opposite effect. These findings can be interpreted to indicate that the mode of receptor binding of H-Tyr-D-Orn-Phe-Asp-NH2 is identical with that of dermorphin, but differs from that of beta-casomorphins. The side-chain length of the aromatic residue in position 3 of cyclic analogue 1 was shown to be critical for receptor affinity and selectivity, suggesting that mu- and delta-receptors differ from one another in the relative topographical disposition of the binding sites for the Tyr1 tyramine moiety and the Phe3 aromatic ring. Cyclic lactam analogue H-Tyr-D-Asp-Phe-A2bu-NH2, containing a reduced-size (12-membered) ring structure, showed increased mu-receptor selectivity, whereas the more flexible, cystine-containing analogue H-Tyr-D-Cys-Phe-Cys-NH2 (11-membered ring) was less selective. The latter results indicate that both ring size and ring flexibility affect receptor affinity and selectivity.