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.

Nucleoside 5'-triphosphates with modified sugars as substrates for DNA polymerases.

A number of nucleoside 5'-triphosphate analogs were tested with Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I and Klenow fragment of the enzyme, bacteriophage T4 DNA polymerase and calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha. It was shown that 3'-amino-2',3'-dideoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates as well as a number of 3'-derivatives of dTTP(3'NH2) are able to terminate DNA synthesis catalyzed by each enzyme if the reaction is performed in the absence of natural substrates. ddNTP and dNTP(3'F) were found to be inactive with DNA polymerase alpha only, but araNTP(3'NH2) was inactive with E. coli DNA polymerase I. dTTP(3'N3), dGTP(3'N'3), dCTP(3'N3), araNTP(3'N3) and (alpha-thio)dTTP(3'F) were unable to inhibit any of the above-mentioned DNA polymerases, in contrast to reverse transcriptase, accessible to the most nucleotide analogs tested.

Nucleoside 5'-triphosphates modified at sugar residues as substrates for calf thymus terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase and for AMV reverse transcriptase.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase from calf thymus and RNA-directed DNA polymerase (reverse transcriptase) from the avian myeloblastosis virus catalyze the incorporation of 3'-amino-2',3'-dideoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates, as well as some of their 3'-derivatives, 3'-amino-3'-deoxyarabinonucleoside 5'-triphosphates and some other nucleoside 5'-triphosphates modified at sugar residues. After incorporation of the appropriate 5'-mononucleotide residue into the DNA, further chain elongation is blocked. This finding opens up a possibility for selective inhibition of DNA synthesis catalyzed by a certain enzyme.

Nucleoside 5'-triphosphates modified at sugar residues as substrates for DNA polymerase from the thermoacidophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

The ability of a wide variety of nucleoside 5'-triphosphates with modified sugar moiety to serve as substrates in DNA synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerase A from the archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius was studied. Most of the dNTP analogs tested are shown to be specific terminating substrates for the synthesis irreversibly blocking further elongation of a nascent chain. The most powerful inhibitors were found to be 3'-amino derivatives of deoxy and arabino nucleoside triphosphates, while specific reverse transcriptase inhibitors, 3'-azido and 3'-methoxy derivatives of dNTP, were found to be inactive.

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.

Modified nucleotides as substrates and inhibitors of adenylate kinase from different sources.

The substrate and inhibitory properties of modified nucleotides with respect to adenylate kinase from rabbit muscles, human placenta and Escherichia coli were studied. A number of 5'-hydrogenphosphonates and 5'-fluorophosphates of modified nucleotides were shown to inhibit the phosphorylation reaction catalyzed by these enzymes. A clear difference between phosphonates of 3'-deoxyribonucleotides and the corresponding ribo- and 2',3'-dideoxyribonucleotides was found. 3'-Azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine and its phosphorus derivatives did not inhibit the adenylate kinase reaction.

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.

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.

Inhibition of reverse transcription in rat liver intracisternal A-particles by thymidine derivatives.

The thymidine derivatives araAzT, dTTP(3'N3), TTP(3'NH2), and araTTP(3'N3), were studied as inhibitors of the reverse transcription taking place within endogenous retroviral A-type particles, where retroviral RNAs served as templates and primers, dTTP(3'N3) was shown to be the most efficient inhibitor of retroviral particle reverse transcription. Termination of DNA chain elongation is the basic mechanism of the inhibitory action of dTTP(3'N3). The compound has a very low inhibitory effect on mammalian DNA-dependent DNA polymerases alpha, beta and gamma.

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.

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.

X-ray analysis of 2',3'-lyxoanhydrothymidine, a conformationally restricted inhibitor of retroviral reverse transcriptases.

2',3'-Lyxoanhydrothymidine (LAT), a conformationally restricted inhibitor of retroviral reverse transcriptases, has been studied by X-ray analysis. The unit cell contains two crystallographically independent molecules A and B. Their sugar moieties have an identical structure: an 04'-endo pucker of the furanose cycle and a trans conformation about the exocyclic C4'-C5' bond. The conformations of A and B molecules differ with respect to the N-glycosidic bond: chi A(04 'Cl' N1C2) = -121.9 degrees which is typical of a common anti conformation whereas chi B (04'Cl'N1C2) = 121.2 degrees corresponds to a rare high-syn conformation. All the conformation properties of LAT molecules stem from the presence of an epoxide cycle in their molecules.

Reverse transcriptase inhibitors suppress telomerase function and induce senescence-like processes in cultured mouse fibroblasts.

Spontaneous transformation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts in the presence of the reverse transcriptase inhibitors azidothymidine and carbovir led to the formation of telomerase-free clones. After prolonged cultivation of fibroblasts in the presence of carbovir, resistant cells with a very high level of telomerase activity were obtained. Azidothymidine and carbovir, but not dideoxycytidine, induced senescence-like processes in cultures of immortal mouse fibroblasts. After long-term incubation, cell proliferation gradually decreased, their morphology becoming similar to that of the senescent ones. The process was reversible: after inhibitor removal, the cells, including the giant ones, entered mitoses. All these data suggest that reverse transcriptase inhibitors block telomerase function in mouse cells.

Novel acyclic nucleotides and nucleoside 5'-triphosphates imitating 2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-didehydronucleotides: synthesis and biological properties.

A series of pyrophosphoryl (Z)-(phosphonomethoxy)but-2-enyl derivatives of pyrimidines and purines 9a-d and the corresponding phosphonates 10a-d were synthesized. The prepared compounds contain the phosphonate group as an alpha-phosphate mimic as well as an acyclic residue emulating the sugar moiety in 2',3'-dideoxy-2',3'-didehydronucleoside 5'-triphosphates known as highly potent chain terminators of DNA polymerases. Phosphonates 10a-d were obtained by alternative alkylations of the nucleic bases followed by condensation with ethyl [[(p-tolylsulfonyl)oxy]methyl]phosphonate. Pyrophosphorylation of 10a-d afforded phosphonate diphosphates 9a-d. Their substrate properties were evaluated in cell-free systems containing various DNA polymerases including viral reverse transcriptases. Compounds 9a-d manifested good terminating substrate properties toward HIV-1 and AMV reverse transcriptases. They exhibited high selectivity and were not recognized by human DNA polymerases alpha and epsilon, DNA polymerase beta from rat liver, Escherichia coli DNA polymerase I, and HSV-1 and CMV DNA polymerases. Phosphonates 10b-d displayed no activity in HIV-1-infected MT-4 cells cultures; 10a was moderately effective (ED50 = 9 microM).

Modified substrates of DNA polymerases and design of antivirals.

The results obtained in our laboratory on investigating of substrate properties of a large number of compounds towards different DNA polymerases have been summarized. On the basis of systematic analysis a directed synthesis of nucleotides with antiviral properties was performed.

Should the asymmetry of enzymatic active centers always correlate with the asymmetry of their substrates?

Analysis of the substrate specificity of DNA polymerases and in part some other enzymes of nucleic acid metabolism towards unnatural L-stereomeric nucleosides and nucleotides was made. As a result, the hypothesis is proposed that when the chiral part of the substrate molecule does not interact specifically with the enzyme, substitution of natural D enantiomers by L compounds is possible.

Synthesis of [bis(inosine-5')]-tetraphosphate and [bis(inosine-5')]-pentaphosphate analogues bearing the residues of methylenediphosphonic acid.

Various methods of synthesis of metabolically stable phosphonate analogues of bisnucleoside oligophosphates containing two residues of methylenediphosphonic acid in the oligophosphate chain are studied. Phosphonate analogues of Ip4I and Ip5I are prepared.

P-(alkyl)-nucleoside 5'-hydrogenphosphonates as depot forms of antiviral nucleotide analogues.

P-(Alkyl)esters of AZT 5'-hydrogenphosphonate were synthesized and their stabilities in the phosphate buffer and human serum were evaluated. The esters bearing residues of primary and secondary alcohols were degraded to give AZT, whereas those containing tertiary alkyl groups yielded AZT 5'-hydrogenphosphonate. The corresponding derivatives of d2A and d4T showed the same properties.

Anti-HIV activity of novel phosphonate derivatives of AZT, d4T, and ddA.

Anti-HIV activity and cytotoxicity were tested for novel phosphonate derivatives of AZT, d4T and ddA. For d4T phosphonate derivatives the most active was 2',3'-Dideoxy-2',3'-didehydrothymidine 5'-isopropylphosphite and among the AZT phosphonate derivatives highest activity was shown by 2',3'-Dideoxy-3'-azidothymidine 5'-cyclohexylphosphite.