Albumin-directed stereoselective reduction of 1,3-diketones and ß-hydroxyketones to anti diols.

The reduction of 1,3-diketones and ß-hydroxyketones with NaBH(4) in aqueous acetonitrile is highly stereoselective in the presence of stoichiometric amounts of bovine or human albumin, giving anti 1,3-diols with d.e. up to 96%. The same reaction, without albumin, gives syn and anti 1,3-diols in approximately 1:1 ratio. The presence of an aromatic carbonyl group is essential for diastereoselectivity in the NaBH(4)/albumin reduction of both 1,3-diketones and ß-hydroxyketones. Thus, 3-hydroxy-1-(p-tolyl)-1-butanone is stereoselectively reduced in the presence of albumin, while reduction of its isomer 4-(p-tolyl)-4-hydroxy-2-butanone is not stereoselective. The albumin-controlled reduction is not stereospecific as both enantiomers of 1-aryl-3-hydroxy-1-butanones are reduced to diols with identical stereoselectivities. Circular dichroism of the bound substrates confirms that aromatic ketones are recognized by the protein's IIA binding site. Binding studies also suggest that 1,3-diketones are recognized in their enol form. From the effect of pH on binding of a diketone it is concluded that, in the complex with the substrate, ionizable residues His242 and Lys199 are in the neutral and protonated forms, respectively. A homology model of BSA was obtained and docking of model substrates confirms the preference of the protein for aromatic ketones. Modelling of the complexes with the substrates also allows us to propose a mechanism for the reduction of 1,3-diketones in which the chemoselective reduction of the first (aliphatic) carbonyl is followed by the diastereoselective reduction of the second (aromatic) carbonyl. The role of albumin is thus a combination of chemo- and stereocontrol.

Harmful dinoflagellate Ostreopsis cf. ovata Fukuyo: detection of ovatoxins in field samples and cell immunolocalization using antipalytoxin antibodies.

Ostreopsis cf. ovata, a benthic dinoflagellate often blooming along the Mediterranean coasts, has been associated with toxic events ranging from dyspnea to mild dermatitis. In late September 2009, an Ostreopsis cf. ovata bloom occurred in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea; Italy), causing pruritus and mild dermatitis in beachgoers. An integrated study was initiated to characterize Ostreopsis cells by light and confocal microscopy, PCR techniques, immunocytochemistry, and high resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HR LC-MS). The presence of Ostreopsis cf. ovata of the Atlantic/Mediterranean clade was unambiguously established by morphological and genetic analyses in field samples. Several palytoxin-like compounds (ovatoxin-a,-b,-c,-d,-e) were identified by HR LC-MS, ovatoxin-a being the most abundant (45-64 pg/cell). Surprisingly, no palytoxin was detected. For the first time, monoclonal and polyclonal antipalytoxin antibodies revealed the intracellular cytoplasmic localization of ovatoxins, suggesting their cross-reactivity with these antibodies. Since harmful dinoflagellates do not always produce toxins, the immunocytochemical localization of ovatoxins, although qualitative, can provide an early warning for toxic Ostreopsis cells before their massive diffusion and/or concentration in seafood.

An albumin-derived peptide scaffold capable of binding and catalysis.

We have identified a 101-amino-acid polypeptide derived from the sequence of the IIA binding site of human albumin. The polypeptide contains residues that make contact with IIA ligands in the parent protein, and eight cysteine residues to form disulfide bridges, that stabilize the polypeptide structure. Seventy-four amino acids are located in six α-helical regions, while the remaining thirty-seven amino acids form six connecting coil/loop regions. A soluble GST fusion protein was expressed in E. coli in yields as high as 4 mg/l. This protein retains the IIA fragment's capacity to bind typical ligands such as warfarin and efavirenz and other albumin's functional properties such as aldolase activity and the ability to direct the stereochemical outcome of a diketone reduction. This newly cloned polypeptide thus represents a valuable starting point for the construction of libraries of binders and catalysts with improved proficiency.

Highly sensitive electrochemiluminescent nanobiosensor for the detection of palytoxin.

Marine toxins appear to be increasing in many areas of the world. An emerging problem in the Mediterranean Sea is represented by palytoxin (PlTX), one of the most potent marine toxins, frequently detected in seafood. Due to the high potential for human toxicity of PlTX, there is a strong and urgent need for sensitive methods toward its detection and quantification. We have developed an ultrasensitive electrochemiluminescence-based sensor for the detection of PlTX, taking advantage of the specificity provided by anti-PlTX antibodies, the good conductive properties of carbon nanotubes, and the excellent sensitivity achieved by a luminescence-based transducer. The sensor was able to produce a concentration-dependent light signal, allowing PlTX quantification in mussels, with a limit of quantification (LOQ = 2.2 µg/kg of mussel meat) more than 2 orders of magnitude more sensitive than that of the commonly used detection techniques, such as LC-MS/MS.