Mouse ANKRD31 Regulates Spatiotemporal Patterning of Meiotic Recombination Initiation and Ensures Recombination between X and Y Sex Chromosomes.

Orderly segregation of chromosomes during meiosis requires that crossovers form between homologous chromosomes by recombination. Programmed DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) initiate meiotic recombination. We identify ANKRD31 as a key component of complexes of DSB-promoting proteins that assemble on meiotic chromosome axes. Genome-wide, ANKRD31 deficiency causes delayed recombination initiation. In addition, loss of ANKRD31 alters DSB distribution because of reduced selectivity for sites that normally attract DSBs. Strikingly, ANKRD31 deficiency also abolishes uniquely high rates of recombination that normally characterize pseudoautosomal regions (PARs) of X and Y chromosomes. Consequently, sex chromosomes do not form crossovers, leading to chromosome segregation failure in ANKRD31-deficient spermatocytes. These defects co-occur with a genome-wide delay in assembling DSB-promoting proteins on autosome axes and loss of a specialized PAR-axis domain that is highly enriched for DSB-promoting proteins in wild type. Thus, we propose a model for spatiotemporal patterning of recombination by ANKRD31-dependent control of axis-associated DSB-promoting proteins.

Meiotic Recognition of Evolutionarily Diverged Homologs: Chromosomal Hybrid Sterility Revisited.

Hybrid sterility (HS) is an early postzygotic reproductive isolation mechanism observed in all sexually reproducing species. Infertility of hybrids prevents gene flow between incipient species and leads to speciation. While Drosophila studies have focused almost exclusively on the genic control of HS, two other model species, Mus musculus and budding yeast, provided the first experimental evidence of hybrid sterility governed by the nongenic effects of DNA sequence divergence. Here, we propose that the nongenic effect of increasing DNA divergence between closely related species may impair mutual recognition of homologous chromosomes and disrupt their synapsis. Unsynapsed or mispaired homologs can induce early meiotic arrest, or their random segregation can cause aneuploidy of spermatids and sperm cells. Impaired recognition of homologs may thus act as a universal chromosomal checkpoint contributing to the complexity of genetic control of HS. Chromosomal HS controlled by the Prdm9 gene in mice and HS driven by the mismatch repair machinery in yeast are currently the most advanced examples of chromosomal homology search-based HS. More focus on the cellular and molecular phenotypes of meiosis will be needed to further validate the role of homolog recognition in hybrid sterility and speciation.

Hybrid sterility genes in mice (Mus musculus): a peculiar case of PRDM9 incompatibility.

Hybrid sterility is a critical step in the evolution of reproductive barriers between diverging taxa during the process of speciation. Recent studies of young subspecies of the house mouse revealed a multigenic nature and frequent polymorphism of hybrid sterility genes as well as the recurrent engagement of the meiosis-specific gene PR domain-containing 9 (Prdm9) and X-linked loci. Prdm9-controlled hybrid sterility is essentially chromosomal in nature, conditioned by the sequence divergence between subspecies. Depending on the Prdm9 interallelic interactions and the X-linked Hstx2 locus, the same homologs either regularly recombine and synapse, or show impaired DNA DSB repair, asynapsis, and early meiotic arrest. Thus, Prdm9-dependent hybrid sterility points to incompatibilities affecting meiotic recombination as a possible mechanism of reproductive isolation between (sub)species.

Synthesis and cholinesterase inhibitory activity study of Amaryllidaceae alkaloid analogues with N-methyl substitution.

Polycyclic compounds with N-methyl substitution, structurally related to Amaryllidaceae alkaloids, have been synthesised, together with their analogues bearing a quaternary nitrogen atom. To prevent the lone electron pair of the nitrogen from interfering with the reaction sequence, two approaches to the synthesis were investigated: N-oxidation and Boc protection of the nitrogen. The second method was more successful due to the limited stability of N-oxides in the halocyclisation step. An asymmetric version of the synthesis was also developed for this type of compounds. The prepared products were tested in vitro for their cholinesterase inhibitory activity and the results were rationalised by molecular docking studies with human acetylcholinesterase (hAChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (hBuChE). In general, our products were more active against BuChE than against AChE, and it was noted that larger ligands should be prepared for future studies, since in some cases acetylcholine can still fit into the active site along with the bound ligand.

Enantioselective Synthesis of All-Carbon Quaternary Centers Structurally Related to Amaryllidaceae Alkaloids.

Enantioselective synthesis of all-carbon quaternary centers remains a considerable challenge for synthetic organic chemists. Here, we report a two-step protocol to synthesize such centers including tandem cyclization/Suzuki cross-coupling followed by halocarbocyclization. During this process, two rings, three new C-C bonds and a stereochemically defined all-carbon quaternary center are formed. The absolute configuration of this center is controlled by the stereochemistry of the adjacent stereocenter, which derives from an appropriate enantioenriched starting material. Using this method, we synthesized polycyclic compounds structurally similar to Amaryllidaceae alkaloids in high enantiomeric excesses. Because these products resemble naturally occurring compounds, our protocol can be used to synthesize various potentially bioactive compounds.

Polysubstituted 4,6-bis(hetero)arylpyrimidines as dual inhibitors of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production.

As a part of our extensive structure-activity relationship study of anti-inflammatory heterocycles, a novel series of 67 polysubstituted 2-aminopyrimidines was prepared bearing one (at the C-4 position of the pyrimidine ring) or two (in the C-4 and C-6 positions) (hetero)aryl substituents attached directly through the C-C bond. The key synthetic steps involved either Suzuki-Miyaura or Stille cross-coupling reactions carried out on easily available 4,6-dichloropyrimidines. All prepared compounds, except one, were able to inhibit immune-activated production of nitric oxide (NO) significantly. Moreover, several compounds were found to be low micromolar dual inhibitors of NO and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production. Although the exact mode of action of the prepared compounds remains to be elucidated, non-toxic dual inhibitors of NO and PGE2 production may have great therapeutic benefit in treatment of various inflammation diseases and deserve further preclinical evaluation.

Dual inhibition of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 production by polysubstituted 2-aminopyrimidines.

The present in vitro experiments demonstrate inhibitory effects of polysubstituted 2-aminopyrimidines on high output production of nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) stimulated by interferon-γ and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in peritoneal macrophages of mouse and rat origin. PGE2 production was inhibited also in LPS-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. A tight dependence of the suppressive activities on chemical structure of pyrimidines was observed. Derivatives containing hydroxyl groups at the C-4 and C-6 positions of pyrimidine ring were devoid of any influence on NO and PGE2. Remarkable inhibitory potential was acquired by the replacement of hydroxyl groups with chlorine, the 4,6-dichloro derivatives being more effective than the monochloro analogues. The effects were further intensified by modification of the amino group at the C-2 position, changing it to the (N,N-dimethylamino)methyleneamino or the formamido ones. There was no substantial difference in the expression of NO-inhibitory effects among derivatives containing distinct types of substituents at the C-5 position (hydrogen, methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, phenyl, and benzyl). In contrast to NO, larger substituents then methyl were required to inhibit PGE2 production. Overall, no significant correlation between the extent of NO and PGE2 suppression was observed. The IC50s of derivatives with the strongest effects on both NO and PGE2 were within the range of 2-10 µM. Their NO-inhibitory potential of pyrimidines was stronger than that of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) aspirin and indomethacin. The PGE2-inhibitory effectiveness of pyrimidines was about the same as that of aspirin, but weaker as compared to indomethacin. The NO- and PGE2-inhibitory activity of tested pyrimidines has been found associated with decreased expression of iNOS mRNA and COX-2 mRNA, respectively, and with post-translation interactions. Selected NO-/PGE2-inhibitory derivatives decreased severity of intestinal inflammation in murine model of ulcerative colitis.

Synthesis of the derivatives of 6-amino-uracil labelled with 14 C.

The radioactively labelled 6-amino-5-nitroso-uracil (1) and 5-acetyl-6-amino-1,3-dimethyl-uracil (2) were required for metabolic studies to assess their suitability as drug candidates. A common precursor for both compounds was [cyano-14 C]cyanoacetic acid (6), readily prepared from potassium [14 C]cyanide. ACS reagents, namely, diethyl ether, acetic acid and acetic anhydride, had to be rigorously repurified to achieve a successful synthesis of 14 C-labelled compounds on a tenth-of-a-milligramme scale. 6-Amino-5-nitroso-[6-14 C]uracil (1-14 C) (0.55 mCi) was prepared with radiochemical purity > 98% and specific activity (SA) = 55.6 mCi/mmol. 5-Acetyl-6-amino-1,3-dimethyl-[6-14 C]uracil (2-14 C) (8 mCi) was prepared with radiochemical purity > 97% and SA = 55.6 mCi/mmol. It has been shown that a SA assay can be made from standard 13 C NMR spectra, thus avoiding the need to perform lengthier inverse-gated 13 C NMR experiments.

Dosage compensation of an aneuploid genome in mouse spermatogenic cells.

Autosomal trisomies and monosomies bring serious threats to embryonic development through transcriptional disarray caused primarily by the dosage effect of the aneuploid part of the genome. The present study compared the effect of a mouse-viable 30-Mb segmental trisomy on the genome-wide transcriptional profile of somatic (liver) cells and male germ cells. Although the 1.6-fold change in expression of triplicated genes reflected the gene dosage in liver cells, the extra copy genes were compensated in early pachytene spermatocytes, showing 1.18-fold increase. Although more pronounced, the dosage compensation of trisomic genes was concordant with the incidence of HORMAD2 protein and histone gammaH2AX markers of unsynapsed chromatin. A possible explanation for this includes insufficient sensitivity to detect the meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin markers in the 30-Mb region of the chromosome or an earlier silencing effect of another epigenetic factor. Taken together, our results indicate that the meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin is the major, but most likely not the only, factor driving the dosage compensation of triplicated genes in primary spermatocytes.

Activation of respiratory complex II by interferon-gamma and its inhibition by pyrimidine derivatives.

OBJECTIVES: Formation of formazan is a commonly used measure of cytotoxicity of compounds. It is a product of reduction of tetrazolium salts such as 4-[3- (4-iodophenyl)-2- (4-nitrophenyl)-2H-5-tetrazolio]-1,3-benzene disulfonate (WST-1) and 2-(4-iodophenyl)-3-(4-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyltetrazolium chloride. The extent of substrates reduction reflects the activity of enzymes succinate dehydrogenase (SDH; respiratory complex II) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), respectively. The aim of present study was a) to investigate formazan formation under the conditions of in vitro stimulation of cells with interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and b) to analyse possible interference of pyrimidine analogues with formazan production. METHODS: Peritoneal cells and splenocytes were obtained from C57BL/6 mice. They were cultured at 37 degrees C, 5% CO2 in humidified incubator. Levels of formazan were determined at the interval of 24 h of culture using the WST-1 and LDH assays. Nitric oxide (NO) was activated by IFN-γ plus LPS and assayed by Griess reagent 24 h afterwards. Pyrimidines were applied concomitantly with immunostimulatory agents. RESULTS: IFN-γ enhanced concentration of SDH-produced formazan by macrophages (not by splenocytes) by approximately 50%. The activity of LDH remained unaffected. LPS was ineffective in both cases. While pyrimidines with NO-inhibitory properties suppressed the IFN-γ-enhanced levels of SDH-produced formazan, they did not change the LDH-dependent formazan production. CONCLUSION: IFN-γ augments the SDH-produced formazan by macrophages. It does not change the LDH-dependent formazan formation. The enhancing effect may have a significant impact upon the appropriate interpretation of cytotoxic properties of drugs investigated under the conditions of immune stimulation of cells.

Synthesis of novel purine-based coxsackievirus inhibitors bearing polycylic substituents at the N-9 position.

The synthesis of a novel library of purine derivatives bearing various bicyclic and polycylic substituents at the N-9 position is described. The series includes norbornanes, bicyclo[2.2.2]octanes, and bicyclo[3.2.1]octanes attached at the bridgehead position as well as bicyclo[3.1.1]heptanes, tetrahydro-1-naphthalenes, and adamantanes bonded either directly or via a linear chain to the 6-chloropurine nucleobase. A number of prepared derivatives exerted significant activity against the enterovirus. Despite attempts to correlate the activity against picornaviruses with their phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase KIIIß inhibitory activity, it is clear that the inhibition of this host factor cannot explain the observed antiviral potency.

5-Substituted 2-amino-4,6-dihydroxypyrimidines and 2-amino-4,6-dichloropyrimidines: synthesis and inhibitory effects on immune-activated nitric oxide production.

A series of 5-substituted 2-amino-4,6-dihydroxypyrimidines were prepared by a modified condensation of the corresponding monosubstituted malonic acid diesters with guanidine in an excess of sodium ethoxide. The optimized procedure using Vilsmeier-Haack-Arnold reagent, followed by immediate deprotection of the (dimethylamino)methylene protecting groups, has been developed to convert the 2-amino-4,6-dihydroxypyrimidine analogs to novel 5-substituted 2-amino-4,6-dichloropyrimidines in high yields. Pilot screening for biological properties of the prepared compounds was done in mouse peritoneal cells using the in vitro nitric oxide (NO) assay. Irrespective of the substituent at the 5 position, 2-amino-4,6-dichloropyrimidines inhibited immune-activated NO production. The most effective was 5-fluoro-2-amino-4,6-dichloropyrimidine with an IC 50 of 2 µM (higher activity than the most potent reference compound) while the IC 50s of other derivatives were within the range of 9-36 µM. The 2-amino-4,6-dihydroxypyrimidine counterparts were devoid of any NO-inhibitory activity. The compounds had no suppressive effects on the viability of cells. The Mechanism of action remains to be elucidated.

Genetically enhanced asynapsis of autosomal chromatin promotes transcriptional dysregulation and meiotic failure.

During meiosis, pairing of homologous chromosomes and their synapsis are essential prerequisites for normal male gametogenesis. Even limited autosomal asynapsis often leads to spermatogenic impairment, the mechanism of which is not fully understood. The present study was aimed at deliberately increasing the size of partial autosomal asynapsis and analysis of its impact on male meiosis. For this purpose, we studied the effect of t(12) haplotype encompassing four inversions on chromosome 17 on mouse autosomal translocation T(16;17)43H (abbreviated T43H). The T43H/T43H homozygotes were fully fertile in both sexes, while +/T43H heterozygous males, but not females, were sterile with meiotic arrest at late pachynema. Inclusion of the t(12) haplotype in trans to the T43H translocation resulted in enhanced asynapsis of the translocated autosome, ectopic phosphorylation of histone H2AX, persistence of RAD51 foci, and increased gene silencing around the translocation break. Increase was also on colocalization of unsynapsed chromatin with sex body. Remarkably, we found that transcriptional silencing of the unsynapsed autosomal chromatin precedes silencing of sex chromosomes. Based on the present knowledge, we conclude that interference of meiotic silencing of unsynapsed autosomes with meiotic sex chromosome inactivation is the most likely cause of asynapsis-related male sterility.

Microfiltration method of removal of bacterial contaminants and their monitoring by nitric oxide and Limulus assays.

Similar to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a product of Gram-negative bacteria, the signal macromolecules of Gram-positive bacteria lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and peptidoglycan (PGN) possess multiple biological activities. They may be a source of misinterpretation of experimental findings. We have found that not only LPS but also LTA and PGN can be detected by the Limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. All of them stimulate the high output in vitro nitric oxide (NO) production of in rat peritoneal cells. The onset of the NO enhancement was observed with 25-100pg/ml of LPS and 25-100ng/ml of PGN and LTA. Polymyxin B (PMX), if applied at concentration 10,000-fold higher than that of LPS, can completely inhibit the NO and LAL binding responses of LPS. The NO-stimulatory and LAL-binding properties of LTA and PGN are not eliminated by PMX. Handling of LPS contamination with PMX may be associated with serious problems because it possesses intrinsic biological activity and becomes cytotoxic at concentration >25µg/ml. The present findings suggest a convenient alternative avoiding these issues. As monitored by the NO and LAL assays, even high amounts of LPS as well as PGN and LTA can be removed by molecular mass cutoff microfiltration. All types of the filters (3kDa to 100kDa) are equally effective. It is suggested that the microfiltration procedure may be considered as a preferable, general and easy method of sample decontamination.

9-[2-(R)-(Phosphonomethoxy)propyl]-2,6-diaminopurine (R)-PMPDAP and its prodrugs: optimized preparation, including identification of by-products formed, and antiviral evaluation in vitro.

New large-scale synthetic approach to antiretroviral agent 9-[2-(R)-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl]-2,6-diaminopurine, (R)-PMPDAP, was developed. Reaction of (R)-propanediol carbonate with 2,6-diaminopurine afforded exclusively (R)-9-(2-hydroxypropyl)-2,6-diaminopurine which was subsequently used for introduction of a phosphonomethyl residue using TsOCH(2)P(O)(OiPr)(2) or BrCH(2)P(O)(OiPr)(2) followed by deprotection of ester groups. All minor ingredients and by-products formed during the process were identified and further studied. The final product was obtained in high yield and its high enantiomeric purity (>99%) was confirmed by chiral capillary electrophoretic analysis using ß-cyclodextrin as a chiral selector. Antiretroviral activity data of (R)-PMPDAP and its diverse prodrugs against HIV and FIV were investigated. Akin to (R)-PMPDAP, both prodrugs inhibit FIV replication in a selective manner. Compared to the parent molecule, the amidate prodrug was 10-fold less active against FIV in cell culture, whereas the alkoxyalkyl ester prodrug was 200-fold more potent in inhibiting FIV replication in vitro.

Design and Synthesis of Novel HIV-1 NNRTIs with Bicyclic Cores and with Improved Physicochemical Properties.

Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) represent cornerstones of current regimens for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections. However, NNRTIs usually suffer from low aqueous solubility and the emergence of resistant viral strains. In the present work, novel bicyclic NNRTIs derived from etravirine (ETV) and rilpivirine (RPV), bearing modified purine, tetrahydropteridine, and pyrimidodiazepine cores, were designed and prepared. Compounds 2, 4, and 6 carrying the acrylonitrile moiety displayed single-digit nanomolar activities against the wild-type (WT) virus (EC50 = 2.5, 2.7, and 3.0 nM, respectively), where the low nanomolar activity was retained against HXB2 (EC50 = 2.2-2.8 nM) and the K103N and Y181C mutated strains (fold change, 1.2-6.7×). Most importantly, compound 2 exhibited significantly improved phosphate-buffered saline solubility (10.4 µM) compared to ETV and RPV (≪1 µM). Additionally, the binding modes of compounds 2, 4, and 6 to the reverse transcriptase were studied by X-ray crystallography.

Computational and experimental evidence of through-space NMR spectroscopic J coupling of hydrogen atoms.

J coupling in NMR spectroscopy is conventionally associated with covalent bonds. A noncovalent contribution often called through-space coupling (TSC) has been observed for heavy atoms. In this study, the TSC was detected and analyzed for the more common (1)H-(1)H coupling as well. In synthesized model molecules the hydrogen positions could be well controlled. For several coupling constants the through-space mechanism was even found to be the predominant factor. The nature and magnitude of the phenomenon were also analyzed by density functional computations. Calculated carbon- and hydrogen-coupling maps and perturbed electronic densities suggest that the aromatic system strongly participates in the noncovalent contribution. Unlike covalent coupling, which is usually governed by the Fermi contact, TSC is dominated by the diamagnetic term comprising interactions of nuclei with the electron orbital angular momentum. The computations further revealed a strong distance and conformational dependence of TSC. This suggests that the through-space coupling can be explored in molecular structural studies in the same way as the covalent one.

Compound instability in dimethyl sulphoxide, case studies with 5-aminopyrimidines and the implications for compound storage and screening.

The oxidation reactions of 5-aminopyrimidine derivatives in dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) were studied. The DMSO solutions of the studied compounds became deeply coloured within a few hours or days. The oxidation products can undergo further condensation reactions with the starting pyrimidines to yield bipyrimidines and/or pyrimidopteridines. The reaction mechanism of the oxidation-condensation reaction was also supported by reactions of the 5-aminopyrimidines with alloxan (2,4,5,6-tetraoxopyrimidine). DMSO is often used as the solvent in in vitro tests of biological activities, but it is also an oxidising agent and may react with solute molecules and significantly affect the quality of the generated biochemical data.

An enzymatic glycosylation of nucleoside analogues using ß-galactosidase from Escherichia coli.

A new enzymatic method for the synthesis of ß-galactosides of nucleosides and acyclic nucleoside analogues has been developed, using ß-galactosidase from Escherichia coli as a catalyst and lactose as a sugar donor. The method is very rapid, feasible and last but not least inexpensive. Its applicability has been proven for a broad variety of possible substrates with respect to its scaling up for preparative use. Five new compounds from a series of nucleoside and acyclic nucleoside analogues have been prepared on a scale of several hundred milligrams, in all cases revealing very good results of the method concerning the reproducibility of the reaction yields and simplicity of the purification process.

A novel type of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates derived from 2-(phosphonomethoxy)propanoic acid.

A convenient and efficient synthesis of a novel class of acyclic nucleoside phosphonates derived from 2-(phosphonomethoxy)propanoic acid has been developed. The key step of the synthesis is the optimized oxidation of the 3-hydroxy-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propyl (HPMP) analogues to the corresponding 2'-carboxy-PME (CPME) derivatives using the TEMPO/NaClO2/NaClO oxidizing system. Although (S)-3-(adenin-9-yl)-2-(phosphonomethoxy)propanoic acid ((S)-CPMEA) has been designed as a compound with potential anti-HIV activity, none of the newly prepared CPME analogues exhibited any antiviral activity.