Insights into the Inhibition Mechanism of Human Pancreatic α-Amylase, a Type 2 Diabetes Target, by Dehydrodieugenol B Isolated from Ocimum tenuiflorum.

Use of human pancreatic α-amylase (HPA) inhibitors is one of the effective antidiabetic strategies to lower postprandial hyperglycemia via reduction in the dietary starch hydrolysis rate. Many natural products from plants are being studied for their HPA inhibitory activity. The present study describes isolation of dehydrodieugenol B (DDEB) from Ocimum tenuiflorum leaves using sequential solvent extraction, structure determination by one-dimensional (1D) and two-dimensional (2D) NMR analyses, and characterization as an HPA inhibitor using kinetics, binding thermodynamics, and molecular docking. DDEB uncompetitively inhibited HPA with an IC50 value of 29.6 µM for starch and apparent K i ' of 2.49 and Ki of 47.6 µM for starch and maltopentaose as substrates, respectively. The circular dichroism (CD) study indicated structural changes in HPA on inhibitor binding. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) revealed thermodynamically favorable binding (ΔG of -7.79 kcal mol-1) with a dissociation constant (K d) of 1.97 µM and calculated association constant (K a) of 0.507 µM. Molecular docking showed stable HPA-inhibitor binding involving H-bonds and Pi-alkyl, alkyl-alkyl, and van der Waals (vDW) interactions. The computational docking results support the noncompetitive nature of DDEB binding. The present study could be helpful for exploration of the molecule as a potential antidiabetic drug candidate to control postprandial hyperglycemia.

Sugar-derived oxazolone pseudotetrapeptide as γ-turn inducer and anion-selective transporter.

The intramolecular cyclization of a C-3-tetrasubstituted furanoid sugar amino acid-derived linear tetrapeptide afforded an oxazolone pseudo-peptide with the formation of an oxazole ring at the C-terminus. A conformational study of the oxazolone pseudo-peptide showed intramolecular C=O···HN(II) hydrogen bonding in a seven-membered ring leading to a γ-turn conformation. This fact was supported by a solution-state NMR and molecular modeling studies. The oxazolone pseudotetrapeptide was found to be a better Cl--selective transporter for which an anion-anion antiport mechanism was established.

Coumarin-Appended Stable Fluorescent Self-Complementary Quadruple-Hydrogen-Bonded Molecular Duplexes.

In this paper we report a coumarin-conjugated self-assembling system adorned with valuable features such as high duplex stability and a built-in fluorophore, which would augment its application potential. This system forms a highly stable molecular duplex in a nonpolar solvent (Kdim > 1.9 × 107 M-1 in CDCl3). Due to the fluorescent property of coumarin, these new structural motifs may find potential application in material chemistry and supramolecular chemistry.

Three in one: prototropy-free highly stable AADD-type self-complementary quadruple hydrogen-bonded molecular duplexes with a built-in fluorophore.

This communication reports an effective approach for addressing the prototropy-related problems in heterocycle-based AADD-type self-assembling systems by freezing their hydrogen-bonding codes, by utilizing intramolecular bifurcated hydrogen bonding interactions. Using this strategy, we have also developed a hydroquinone-conjugated AADD-type self-assembling system adorned with three valuable features such as prototropy-free dimerization yielding single duplexes, high duplex stability and a built-in fluorophore, which would augment its application potential. The rational approach used herein to arrest prototropic shift may also find application elsewhere, wherein proton shift-mediated structural changes become a detrimental factor.

Triazine-Based Highly Stable AADD-Type Self-Complementary Quadruple Hydrogen-Bonded Systems Devoid of Prototropy.

A new class of 1,3,5-triazine-based quadruple hydrogen-bonded system featuring AADD-type self-complementary arrays has been developed and characterized. This system forms highly stable molecular duplex in non-polar solvent (Kdim >1.9×107 m-1 in CDCl3 ) without prototropy-related issues, raising its prospects for application in supramolecular polymer science.

Angiotensin II analogs comprised of Pro-Amb (γ-turn scaffold) as angiotensin II type 2 (AT(2)) receptor agonists.

We describe herein the design, synthesis and conformational investigation of Pro-Amb (proline-3-amino-2-methoxybenzoic acid) incorporated Angiotensin II and its truncated analogues. Solution-state NMR and CD studies suggest γ-turn-like conformation in Pro-Amb analogs in aqueous solution. Furthermore, Pro-Amb analogs have been shown to act as AT2 receptor agonists.

Reversal of H-bonding direction by N-sulfonation in a synthetic reverse-turn peptide motif.

This communication depicts an intriguing example of hydrogen-bonding reversal upon introduction of a sulfonamide linkage at the N-terminus of a synthetic reverse-turn peptide motif. The ready availability of two sulfonyl oxygen atoms, as hydrogen-bonding acceptors, combined with the inherent twisted conformation of sulfonamides are seen to act as switches that engage/disengage the hydrogen-bond at the sticky ends/termini.

Conformational modulation of peptides using ß-amino benzenesulfonic acid ((S)Ant).

This communication describes the utility of a conformationally restricted aromatic ß-amino acid (2-aminobenzenesulfonic acid, (S)Ant) inducing various folding interactions in short peptides. Sandwiching (S)Ant between diverse amino acid residues was shown to form robust folded architectures featuring a variety of H-bonded networks, suggesting its utility in inducing peptide folding.

Design, synthesis, characterization and in vitro and in vivo anti-inflammatory evaluation of novel pyrazole-based chalcones.

Abstract A series of novel pyrazole-based chalcones have been designed, synthesized from 1-methyl-5-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazole (6). The structures of regioisomers 6 and 7 were determined by 2D (1)H-(1)H COSY, (1)H-(13)C HSQC and (1)H-(13)C HMBC experiments. The newly synthesized compounds were tested for their inhibitory activity against COX-1 and COX-2 using an in vitro cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition assay. Moreover, they were investigated in vivo for their anti-inflammatory activities using carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model for acute inflammation and cotton pellet-induced granuloma model for chronic inflammation. All the synthesized compounds showed potential to demonstrate anti-inflammatory activities, of particular interest compounds 10i, 10e, 10f, and 10h were found to be potent anti-inflammatory agents.

Formation of a pseudo-ß-hairpin motif utilizing the Ant-Pro reverse turn: consequences of stereochemical reordering.

Herein, we report a special case of pseudo-ß-hairpin formation by tetrapetide sequences featuring a two-membered Ant-Pro dipeptide motif (Ant = anthranilic acid and Pro = proline) at the loop region. These folded structures uniquely feature the presence of C9- and C17-H-bonding patterns at reverse turn and interstrand regions, respectively. Their hairpin nucleation and folding propensities have been expounded using solution and solid state studies of distinct stereochemically altered sequences.

Ester vs. amide on folding: a case study with a 2-residue synthetic peptide.

Although known for their inferiority as hydrogen-bonding acceptors when compared to amides, esters are often found at the C-terminus of peptides and synthetic oligomers (foldamers), presumably due to the synthetic readiness with which they are obtained using protected peptide coupling, deploying amino acid esters at the C-terminus. When the H-bonding interactions deviate from regularity at the termini, peptide chains tend to "fray apart". However, the individual contributions of C-terminal esters in causing peptide chain end-fraying goes often unnoticed, particularly due to diverse competing effects emanating from large peptide chains. Herein, we describe a striking case of a comparison of the individual contributions of C-terminal ester vs. amide carbonyl as a H-bonding acceptor in the folding of a peptide. A simple two-residue peptide fold has been used as a testing case to demonstrate that amide carbonyl is far superior to ester carbonyl in promoting peptide folding, alienating end-fraying. This finding would have a bearing on the fundamental understanding of the individual contributions of stabilizing/destabilizing non-covalent interactions in peptide folding.

A synthetic zipper peptide motif orchestrated via co-operative interplay of hydrogen bonding, aromatic stacking, and backbone chirality.

Here, we report on a new class of synthetic zipper peptide which assumes its three-dimensional zipper-like structure via a co-operative interplay of hydrogen bonding, aromatic stacking, and backbone chirality. Structural studies carried out in both solid- and solution-state confirmed the zipper-like structural architecture assumed by the synthetic peptide which makes use of unusually remote inter-residual hydrogen-bonding and aromatic stacking interactions to attain its shape. The effect of chirality modulation and the extent of noncovalent forces in the structure stabilization have also been comprehensively explored via single-crystal X-ray diffraction and solution-state NMR studies. The results highlight the utility of noncovalent forces in engineering complex synthetic molecules with intriguing structural architectures.

Carboxamide versus sulfonamide in peptide backbone folding: a case study with a hetero foldamer.

Strikingly dissimilar hydrogen-bonding patterns have been observed for two sets of closely similar hetero foldamers containing carboxamide and sulfonamides at regular intervals. Although both foldamers maintain conformational ordering, the hydrogen-bonding pattern and backbone helical handedness differ diametrically.

Orthanilic acid-promoted reverse turn formation in peptides.

Orthanilic acid (2-aminobenzenesulfonic acid, (S)Ant), an aromatic ß-amino acid, has been shown to be highly useful in inducing a folded conformation in peptides. When incorporated into peptide sequences (Xaa-(S)Ant-Yaa), this rigid aromatic ß-amino acid strongly imparts a reverse-turn conformation to the peptide backbone, featuring robust 11-membered-ring hydrogen-bonding.

Multifaceted folding in a foldamer featuring highly cooperative folds.

Herein, we report on the folding pattern observed in a synthetic peptide featuring two highly mutually dependent, yet strikingly dissimilar, closed networks of hydrogen-bonded rings that work in a cumulative fashion to stabilize the entire folded architecture of the peptide. Structural studies unequivocally suggest that disruption of any one of these mutually-dependent hydrogen-bonded networks is deleterious to the stability of the fully folded conformation of the peptide.

Conformational modulation of Ant-Pro oligomers using chirality alteration of proline residues.

Structural modulation of Ant-Pro (anthranilic acid-proline) oligomers has been carried out by chirality alteration of the proline residues. The results suggest that the chirality altered oligomers show well-defined helical conformation featuring nine-membered hydrogen bonding interactions - without compromising conformational rigidity.

An unusual conformational similarity of two peptide folds featuring sulfonamide and carboxamide on the backbone.

Two folded peptides featuring carboxamide and sulfonamide at the core of the peptide fold have been shown to possess almost similar conformational features, despite the well-known fact that carboxamides and sulfonamides have strikingly different hydrogen-bonding and geometrical preferences.

Helical folding in heterogeneous foldamers without inter-residual backbone hydrogen-bonding.

This communication describes a set of hybrid foldamers that do not feature inter-residual, but intra-residual backbone hydrogen-bonding, yet adopt a preferentially folded conformation displaying right-handed helical architecture. Conformational ordering is apparently due to the combined conformational restrictions imposed by the conformationally restricted individual amino acid residues with which the oligomers are made of.