Lepidium graminifolium L.: Glucosinolate Profile and Antiproliferative Potential of Volatile Isolates.

Glucosinolates (GSLs) from Lepidium graminifolium L. were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively by their desulfo-counterparts using UHPLC-DAD-MS/MS technique and by their volatile breakdown products-isothiocyanates (ITCs) using GC-MS analysis. Thirteen GSLs were identified with arylaliphatic as the major ones in the following order: 3-hydroxybenzyl GSL (glucolepigramin, 7), benzyl GSL (glucotropaeolin, 9), 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzyl GSL (11), 3-methoxybenzyl GSL (glucolimnanthin, 12), 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzyl GSL (3,5-dimethoxysinalbin, 8), 4-hydroxybenzyl GSL (glucosinalbin, 6), 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl GSL (10) and 2-phenylethyl GSL (gluconasturtiin, 13). GSL breakdown products obtained by hydrodistillation (HD) and CH2Cl2 extraction after hydrolysis by myrosinase for 24 h (EXT) as well as benzyl ITC were tested for their cytotoxic activity using MTT assay. Generally, EXT showed noticeable antiproliferative activity against human bladder cancer cell line UM-UC-3 and human glioblastoma cell line LN229, and can be considered as moderately active, while IC50 of benzyl ITC was 12.3 µg/mL, which can be considered as highly active.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Activity of Oxathiine-Fused Quinone-Thioglucoside Conjugates of Substituted 1,4-Naphthoquinones.

A series of new tetracyclic oxathiine-fused quinone-thioglycoside conjugates based on biologically active 1,4-naphthoquinones and 1-mercapto derivatives of per-O-acetyl d-glucose, d-galactose, d-xylose, and l-arabinose have been synthesized, characterized, and evaluated for their cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities. Six tetracyclic conjugates bearing a hydroxyl group in naphthoquinone core showed high cytotoxic activity with EC50 values in the range of 0.3 to 0.9 µM for various types of cancer and normal cells and no hemolytic activity up to 25 µM. The antimicrobial activity of conjugates was screened against Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus), Gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli), and fungus Candida albicans by the agar diffusion method. The most effective juglone conjugates with d-xylose or l-arabinose moiety and hydroxyl group at C-7 position of naphthoquinone core at concentration 10 µg/well showed antimicrobial activity comparable with antibiotics vancomicin and gentamicin against Gram-positive bacteria strains. In liquid media, juglone-arabinosidic tetracycles showed highest activity with MIC 6.25 µM. Thus, a positive effect of heterocyclization with mercaptosugars on cytotoxic and antimicrobial activity for group of 1,4-naphthoquinones was shown.

Promoting crystallization of intrinsic membrane proteins with conjugated micelles.

A new technique for promoting nucleation and growth of membrane protein (MP) crystals from micellar environments is reported. It relies on the conjugation of micelles that sequester MPs in protein detergent complexes (PDCs). Conjugation via amphiphilic [metal:chelator] complexes presumably takes place at the micelle/water interface, thereby bringing the PDCs into proximity, promoting crystal nucleation and growth. We have successfully applied this approach to two light-driven proton pumps: bacteriorhodopsin (bR) and the recently discovered King Sejong 1-2 (KS1-2), using the amphiphilic 4,4'-dinonyl-2,2'-dipyridyl (Dinonyl) (0.7 mM) chelator in combination with Zn2+, Fe2+, or Ni2+ (0.1 mM). Crystal growth in the presence of the [metal-chelator] complexes leads to purple, hexagonal crystals (50-75 µm in size) of bR or pink, rectangular/square crystals (5-15 µm) of KS1-2. The effects of divalent cation identity and concentration, chelator structure and concentration, ionic strength and pH on crystal size, morphology and process kinetics, are described.

Structural, spectral characterization and molecular docking analyses of mer-ruthenium (II) complexes containing the bidentate chelating ligands.

In this study, we analyzed some monofunctional Ru (II) complexes containing chlorine, bromine and fluorine atoms around the central atom. The best calculation level among HF, B3LYP and M062X methods for [Ru (Cl-Ph-tpy)(NN)X]+ (X = F, Cl, Br) was determined in the light of Benchmark analysis and according to this analysis results, the best level is shown as B3LYP-LANL2DZ/6-31G(d). In addition to this, the spectroscopic data (IR, NMR and UV-Vis) were also obtained in agreement with experimental results. The tendency of anticancer activity and structural activity relationship (SAR) parameters are predicted with some quantum chemical methods. Surface and contour diagrams, as well as electron densities on mentioned complexes were interpreted through theoretically obtained results. Finally, the anticancer activity tendency of the relevant complexes on the human cervical carcinoma cell line (ID: 1 M17) is supported by molecular docking calculations.

Structural transition dynamics of biologically active flavins in alkylglucoside surfactants aggregates.

The photophysics and structural transition dynamics of a bio-active flavin lumichrome (LM) entrapped in two sugars based neutral surfactants were reported. Sugar-based surfactants, which were used for research purpose are potential environmentally friendly, green alternative amphiphilic surface active substance compared to other kinds of common surfactants. Here, two alkyl glucoside surfactants n-octyl-ß-D-glucopyranoside (OBG) and n-octyl-ß-D-thioglucopyranoside (OBTG) were used. This work is carried out by using steady-state absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy along with time-resolved fluorescence emission techniques. Photophysics of LM was modulated several folds in these two sugar-based neutral micelles. LM exhibits excitation and emission wavelength dependent fluorescence properties in these two sugars based neutral micelles. LM confined in the micellar environments exhibited structural transition dynamism, i.e. different kinds of conformers are equilibrated. Herein, different conformers of LM are identified and explained with the help of spectroscopic methods. From the fluorescence anisotropy measurement, it was found that the rotational relaxation time of LM in OBG micelle was more compared to that in OBTG micelle, which indicates that the LM molecule faced much more constrained environment in OBG micellar media.

One-pot synthesis of cyclic oligosaccharides by the polyglycosylation of monothioglycosides.

Cyclic oligosaccharides such as cyclodextrins (CyDs) have been known as excellent host molecules for the inclusion of various organic guest molecules. The development of new synthetic methods for preparing cyclic oligosaccharides from simple and readily available glycosyl donors would be highly desirable, since the current traditional synthetic routes include multiple reaction steps (glycosylation reactions and deprotections). We herein report on the synthesis of cyclic oligosaccharides by polyglycosylation of monothioglycosides, typically, 2,3,4-protected 1-thioglycosides. A series of promoters and solvents were tested for the glycosylation of thiogalactosides that contain a hydroxy group at the 6-position, and glycosylation using a N-iodosuccinimide (NIS)/trimethylsilyl triflate (TMSOTf) promoter system in dichloromethane afforded cyclic oligosaccharides which consist of tri~penta galactosides containing repeating ß-(1→6) glycosidic linkage as major products, as evidenced by a single crystal X-ray structure analysis of the cyclic tetragalactoside. The effect of reaction temperature and reactant concentrations on the glycosylation products was also investigated. The cyclic glucosides were obtained by the glycosylation of the thioglucosides. Moreover, protecting groups of the synthesized cyclic tetragalactoside were removed to obtain deprotected cyclic tetragalactoside.

Membrane matters: The impact of a nanodisc-bilayer or a detergent microenvironment on the properties of two eubacterial rhodopsins.

Multi-spanning membrane proteins usually require solubilization to allow proper purification and characterization, which generally impairs their structural and functional integrity. We have tested the efficacy of several commonly used detergents and membrane-mimicking nanodiscs with respect to solubilization, spectral properties, thermal stability and oligomeric profile of two membrane proteins from the eubacterial rhodopsin family, green proteorhodopsin (PR) and Gloeobacter violaceus rhodopsin (GR). Good solubilization was observed for the detergents TritonX-100 and dodecylphosphocholine (DPC), but DPC in particular strongly affected the thermal stability of PR and especially GR. The least deleterious effects were obtained with n-dodecyl-ß-D-maltopyranoside (DDM) and octyl glucose neopentyl glycol (OGNG), which adequately stabilized the native oligomeric and monomeric state of PR and GR, respectively. The transition from the oligomeric to the monomeric state is accompanied by a small red-shift. Both GR and PR were rather unstable in SMA-nanodiscs, but the highest thermal stability was realized by the MSP-nanodisc environment. The size of the MSP-nanodisc was too small to fit the PR hexamer, but large enough to contain the PR monomer and GR trimer. This permitted the comparison of the photocycle of trimeric GR in a membrane-mimicking (MSP-nanodisc) and a detergent (DDM) environment. The ultrarapid early phase of the photocycle (femto- to picosecond lifetimes) showed very similar kinetics in either environment, but the slower part, initiated with proton transfer and generation of the M intermediate, proceeded faster in the nanodisc environment. The implications of our results for the biophysical characterization of PR and GR are discussed.

Gold-catalyzed synthesis of α-D-glucosides using an o-ethynylphenyl ß-D-1-thioglucoside donor.

A gold-catalyzed glucosylation method using an o-ethynylphenyl ß-D-1-thioglucoside as donor is described. The reaction proceeds in a mostly SN2 pathway. A series of α-D-glucosides are obtained in good yields and with up to 19:1 α-selectivity.

Endotoxin reduction in protein solutions using octyl ß-D-1-thioglucopyranoside wash on chromatography media.

Endotoxins are complex molecules and one of the most challenging impurities requiring separation in biopharmaceutical protein purification processes. Usually these contaminants are cleared during the downstream process, but if endotoxin interacts with the target protein it becomes difficult to remove. In the present study we identified a detergent, octyl-ß-D-1-thioglucopyranoside (OTG), that disrupted endotoxin-protein interactions. The integration of this detergent into washes on several chromatography media was demonstrated to provide a separation tool for decreasing endotoxin from target proteins. This study also examined the mechanism of OTG endotoxin-protein disruption through phase modification incubation and chromatographic studies. The non-ionic OTG wash was shown to break both hydrophobic and electrostatic interactions between the endotoxin and protein. This mechanism contrasts with the breaking of hydrophobic interactions by washing with known endotoxin decreasing Triton X-100 detergent. The difference in mechanisms likely results in the ability of OTG to decrease endotoxin to levels less than those resulting from a detergent wash such as Triton X-100. Finally, we show the impact of the OTG endotoxin removal tool on the biopharmaceutical industry. While maintaining monomer purity and activity levels, endotoxin removal from a fusion protein allowed for decreased background levels in a T cell functional assay. The lowered baseline of T cell responses allowed for more effective detection of molecular interaction with the cells. The detergent wash can be used to both decrease the overall level of endotoxin in a purified protein solution and to enable more effective screening of lead candidate molecules.

Hydroxyl and Methoxyl Derivatives of Benzylglucosinolate in Lepidium densiflorum with Hydrolysis to Isothiocyanates and non-Isothiocyanate Products: Substitution Governs Product Type and Mass Spectral Fragmentation.

A system of benzylic glucosinolates was found and characterized in common pepperweed, Lepidium densiflorum Schrad. The major glucosinolate was the novel 4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzylglucosinolate (3,5-dimethoxysinalbin), present at high levels in seeds, leaves, and roots. Medium-level glucosinolates were 3,4-dimethoxybenzylglucosinolate and 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzylglucosinolate. Minor glucosinolates included benzylglucosinolate, 3-hydroxy- and 3-methoxybenzylglucosinolate, 4-hydroxybenzylglucosinolate (sinalbin), the novel 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylglucosinolate (3-methoxysinalbin), and indole-type glucosinolates. A biosynthetic connection is suggested. NMR, UV, and ion trap MS/MS spectral data are reported, showing contrasting MS fragmentation of p-hydroxyls and p-methoxyls. Additional investigations by GC-MS focused on glucosinolate hydrolysis products. Whereas glucosinolates generally yielded isothiocyanates, the dominating 3,5-dimethoxysinalbin with a free p-hydroxyl group produced the corresponding alcohol and syringaldehyde (4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzaldehyde). After thermal deactivation of the endogenous myrosinase enzyme, massive accumulation of the corresponding nitrile was detected. This case study points out how non-isothiocyanate glucosinolate hydrolysis products are prevalent in nature and of interest in both plant-pathogen interactions and human health.

Benzylglucosinolate Derived Isothiocyanate from Tropaeolum majus Reduces Gluconeogenic Gene and Protein Expression in Human Cells.

Nasturtium (Tropaeolum majus L.) contains high concentrations of benzylglcosinolate. We found that a hydrolysis product of benzyl glucosinolate-the benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC)-modulates the intracellular localization of the transcription factor Forkhead box O 1 (FOXO1). FoxO transcription factors can antagonize insulin effects and trigger a variety of cellular processes involved in tumor suppression, longevity, development and metabolism. The current study evaluated the ability of BITC-extracted as intact glucosinolate from nasturtium and hydrolyzed with myrosinase-to modulate i) the insulin-signaling pathway, ii) the intracellular localization of FOXO1 and, iii) the expression of proteins involved in gluconeogenesis, antioxidant response and detoxification. Stably transfected human osteosarcoma cells (U-2 OS) with constitutive expression of FOXO1 protein labeled with GFP (green fluorescent protein) were used to evaluate the effect of BITC on FOXO1. Human hepatoma HepG2 cell cultures were selected to evaluate the effect on gluconeogenic, antioxidant and detoxification genes and protein expression. BITC reduced the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT/PKB) and FOXO1; promoted FOXO1 translocation from cytoplasm into the nucleus antagonizing the insulin effect; was able to down-regulate the gene and protein expression of gluconeogenic enzymes; and induced the gene expression of antioxidant and detoxification enzymes. Knockdown analyses with specific siRNAs showed that the expression of gluconeogenic genes was dependent on nuclear factor (erythroid derived)-like2 (NRF2) and independent of FOXO1, AKT and NAD-dependent deacetylase sirtuin-1 (SIRT1). The current study provides evidence that BITC might have a role in type 2 diabetes T2D by reducing hepatic glucose production and increasing antioxidant resistance.

Improvement of the stereoselectivity of the glycosylation reaction with 2-azido-2-deoxy-1-thioglucoside donors.

2-Azido-2-deoxy-1-thioglucoside donors with an electron withdrawing group at position 6 were employed to study the stereoselectivity of the glycosylation reaction with several acceptors, ranging from unhindered small primary alcohols to other sugars and steroids, using NIS/TfOH as promoter. p-Tolyl 2-azido-3,4-di-O-benzyl-6-O-chloroacetyl-2-deoxy-1-thio-α/ß-D-glucopyranoside afforded the higher α-selectivity, showing that a stronger electron withdrawing ester at O-6 influenced the anomeric selectivity towards the 1,2-cis glucosides. The anomeric stereoselectivity was highly dependent on the acceptor.

Three new sulphur glycosides from the seeds of Descurainia sophia.

Three new sulphur glycosides, raphanuside B-D (1-3), together with a known sulphur glycoside, raphanuside (4) were isolated from the decoction of the seeds of Descurainia sophia (L.) Webb ex Prantl, and the compound 4 was reported for the first time from this plant. Their structures were identified by means of UV, IR, 1D, 2D NMR (HSQC, HMBC and NOESY) and HR-ESI-MS spectroscopic data.

Expedient synthesis of an α-S-(1→6)-linked pentaglucosyl thiol.

An α-S-(1→6)-linked pentaglucosyl thiol has been synthesized in a convenient and stereoselective way. Key steps of the synthesis involved thioglycosylation of 6-iodinated sugars with α-glycosyl thiols under phase transfer conditions. The α-configuration of glycosidic linkages was thus introduced prior to the coupling steps, and relied on the intrinsic configurational stability of α-glycosyl thiols. This work also demonstrated the great utility of MMTr as an effective anomeric S-protecting group.

Repairing the thiol-ene coupling reaction.

Thiol-ene coupling (TEC) reactions emerged as one of the most useful processes for coupling different molecular units under reaction mild conditions. However, TEC reactions involving weak CH bonds (allylic and benzylic fragments) are difficult to run and often low yielding. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that hydrogen-atom transfer processes at allylic and benzylic positions are responsible for the lack of efficiency of the radical-chain process. These competing reactions cannot be prevented, but reported herein is a method to repair the chain process by running the reaction in the presence of triethylborane and catechol. Under these reaction conditions, a unique repair mechanism leads to an efficient chain reaction, which is demonstrated with a broad range of anomeric O-allyl sugar derivatives including mono-, di-, and tetrasaccharides bearing various functionalities and protecting groups.

Light-induced O-glycosylation of unprotected deoxythioglycosyl donors.

The O-glycosylation of several unprotected deoxythioglycosides and alcohols using 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-p-benzoquinone (DDQ) under long-wavelength UV irradiation was effectively realized using a single electron transfer (SET) mechanism. In some cases, the use of p-methoxyboronic acid was very effective in temporary protection of the 1,3-diol (C4 and C6 positions) of the unprotected glycosyl donors to increase the yields of the obtained O-glycosides.

Reactive thioglucoside substrates for ß-glucosidase.

A new, very efficient, class of thioglycoside substrates has been found for ß-glucosidase. While thioglycosides are usually resistant to hydrolysis, even in the presence of acids or most glycohydrolases, the ß-D-glucopyranosides of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole (GlcSBiz) and 2-mercaptobenzoxazole (GlcSBox) have been found to be excellent substrates for ß-glucosidase from both sweet almond (a family 1 glycohydrolase) and Aspergillus niger (a family 3 glycohydrolase), reacting nearly as well as p-nitrophenyl ß-D-glucoside. The enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of GlcSBiz proceeds with retention of configuration. As with the (1000-fold slower) hydrolysis of phenyl thioglucosides catalyzed by the almond enzyme, the pL (pH/pD)-independent kcat/KM does not show a detectable solvent deuterium kinetic isotope effect (SKIE), but unlike the hydrolysis of phenyl thioglucosides, a modest SKIE is seen on kcat [(D2O)kcat=1.28 (±0.06)] at the pL optimum (5.5≤pL≤6.6). A solvent isotope effect is also seen on the KM for the N-methyl analog of GlcSBiz. These results suggest that the mechanism for the hydrolysis of the ß-thioglucoside of 2-mercaptobenzimidazole and of 2-mercaptobenzoxazole involves remote site protonation (at the ring nitrogen) followed by cleavage of the thioglucosidic bond resulting in the thione product.

Conformational preferences of plumbagin with phenyl-1-thioglucoside conjugates in solution and bound to MshB determined by aromatic association.

Here we show that a series of inhibitors, constructed from plumbagin conjugated to a phenyl thioglucoside via an alkyl chain of variable length, are bound in solution-favoured ligand conformations to a mycothiol biosynthetic enzyme MshB, a GlcNAc-Ins deacetylase. The kinetic studies of this ligand series show that MshB is more strongly inhibited as a function of increasing alkyl chain length. While docking studies yielded highest ranked conformations in which the ligands extended along the catalytic site, these conformations produced free energy values prone to large errors and which were inconsistent with experimental kinetic measurements. Solution-favoured conformations of the inhibitors feature a preference for intramolecular aromatic association that results in curled conformations. Free energy perturbation calculations of MshB bound to the inhibitors in the preconfigured solution-favoured curled conformations gave the same binding pattern observed in the kinetic experiments. On investigation of these conformations lodged in the catalytic domain, we found that the selective feature determining their relative binding strength was the result of an optimisation of the dispersion interactions between the ligand aromatic groups phenyl and plumbagin, and the enzyme aromatic groups His144 and Tyr142 respectively. These results show that rather than deform the preferred folded ligand solution conformation, such that the hydrophobic C-2 acyl chain is linearly projected into a buried hydrophobic rich binding cavity adjacent to the active site, MshB binds preconfigured solution inhibitor curled conformations with a preference for aromatic association.

Escherichia coli ß-galactosidase inhibitors through modifications at the aglyconic moiety: experimental evidence of conformational distortion in the molecular recognition process.

Herein, we describe the use of thioglycosides as glycosidase inhibitors by employing novel modifications at the reducing end of these glycomimetics. The inhibitors display a basic galactopyranosyl unit (1→4)-bonded to a 3-deoxy-4-thiopentopyranose moiety. The molecular basis of the observed inhibition has been studied by using a combination of NMR spectroscopy and molecular modeling techniques. It is demonstrated that these molecules are not recognized by Escherichia coli ß-galactosidase in their ground-state conformation, with a conformational selection process taking place. In fact, the observed conformational distortion depends on the chemical nature of the compounds and results from the rotation around the glycosidic linkage (variation of Φ or Ψ) or from the deformation of the six-membered ring of the pentopyranose. The bound conformations of the ligand are adapted in the enzymatic pocket with a variety of hydrogen-bond, van der Waals, and stacking interactions.

Armed-disarmed effect on the stability of cysteine thioglucosides.

Thioglucosides of cysteine show variable stability depending on the nature of the protecting groups on the glycosyl donor. Armed protecting groups (benzyl) lead to products that decompose readily while disarmed protecting groups (acetyl) lead to more stable products. Since this armed/disarmed effect of the protecting group on the stability of the thioglucosides is more pronounced for cysteine with an unprotected carboxylic group, the proposed mechanism is that decomposition is initiated by an intramolecular protonation of glycosyl sulfide and subsequent displacement of the sulfide by adventitious nucleophiles.