Chemoenzymatic Fc glycosylation via engineered aldehyde tags.

Glycoproteins with chemically defined glycosylation sites and structures are important biopharmaceutical targets and critical tools for glycobiology. One approach toward constructing such molecules involves chemical glycosylation of aldehyde-tagged proteins. Here, we report the installation of a genetically encoded aldehyde tag at the internal glycosylation site of the crystallizable fragment (Fc) of IgG1. We replaced the natural Fc N-glycosylation sequon with a five amino-acid sequence that was efficiently converted by recombinant formylglycine generating enzyme in vitro, thereby introducing aldehyde groups for subsequent chemical elaboration. Oxime-linked glycoconjugates were synthesized by conjugating aminooxy N-acetylglucosamine to the modified Fc followed by enzymatic transfer of complex N-glycans from corresponding glycan oxazolines by an EndoS-derived glycosynthase. In this manner we generated specific Fc glycoforms without relying on natural protein glycosylation machineries.

An expanded set of fluorogenic sulfatase activity probes.

Fluorogenic probes that are activated by an enzymatic transformation are ideally suited for profiling enzyme activities in biological systems. Here, we describe two fluorogenic enzyme probes, 3-O-methylfluorescein-sulfate and resorufin-sulfate, that can be used to detect sulfatases in mycobacterial lysates. Both probes were validated with a set of commercial sulfatases and used to reveal species-specific sulfatase banding patterns in a gel-resolved assay of mycobacterial lysates. The fluorogenic probes described here are suitable for various assays and provide a starting point for creating new sulfatase probes with improved selectivity for mycobacterial sulfatases.

Condensed-phase effects on the structural properties of FCH2CN-BF3 and ClCH2CN-BF3: a matrix-isolation and computational study.

We have measured several IR bands of FCH2CN-BF3 and ClCH2CN-BF3 in solid nitrogen, argon, and neon. These bands include the B-F asymmetric stretch (νBF(a)), the B-F symmetric stretch (νBF(s)), the BF3 symmetric deformation or "umbrella" mode (δBF(s)), and the CN stretch (νCN). For both complexes, the frequencies of these modes shift across the various media, particularly the B-F asymmetric stretching band, and thus they indicate that the inert gas matrix environments significantly alter the structural properties of FCH2CN-BF3 and ClCH2CN-BF3. Furthermore, the frequencies shift in a manner that parallels the dielectric constant of these media, which suggests a progressive contraction of the B-N distances in these systems and also that it parallels the ability of the medium to stabilize the increase in polarity that accompanies the bond contraction. We have also mapped the B-N distance potentials for FCH2CN-BF3 and ClCH2CN-BF3 using several density functional and post-Hartree-Fock methods, all of which reveal a flat, shelflike region that extends from the gas-phase minimum (near 2.4 Å) toward the inner wall (to about 1.7 Å). Furthermore, we were able to rationalize the medium effects on the structure by constructing hybrid bond potentials composed of the electrostatic component of the solvation free energy and the gas-phase electronic energy. These curves indicate that the solvation energies are greatest at short B-N distances (at which the complex is more polar), and ultimately, the potential minima shift inward as the dielectric constant of the medium increases.

CCT244747 is a novel potent and selective CHK1 inhibitor with oral efficacy alone and in combination with genotoxic anticancer drugs.

PURPOSE: Many tumors exhibit defective cell-cycle checkpoint control and increased replicative stress. CHK1 is critically involved in the DNA damage response and maintenance of replication fork stability. We have therefore discovered a novel potent, highly selective, orally active ATP-competitive CHK1 inhibitor, CCT244747, and present its preclinical pharmacology and therapeutic activity. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Cellular CHK1 activity was assessed using an ELISA assay, and cytotoxicity a SRB assay. Biomarker modulation was measured using immunoblotting, and cell-cycle effects by flow cytometry analysis. Single-agent oral CCT244747 antitumor activity was evaluated in a MYCN-driven transgenic mouse model of neuroblastoma by MRI and in genotoxic combinations in human tumor xenografts by growth delay. RESULTS: CCT244747 inhibited cellular CHK1 activity (IC(50) 29-170 nmol/L), significantly enhanced the cytotoxicity of several anticancer drugs, and abrogated drug-induced S and G(2) arrest in multiple tumor cell lines. Biomarkers of CHK1 (pS296 CHK1) activity and cell-cycle inactivity (pY15 CDK1) were induced by genotoxics and inhibited by CCT244747 both in vitro and in vivo, producing enhanced DNA damage and apoptosis. Active tumor concentrations of CCT244747 were obtained following oral administration. The antitumor activity of both gemcitabine and irinotecan were significantly enhanced by CCT244747 in several human tumor xenografts, giving concomitant biomarker modulation indicative of CHK1 inhibition. CCT244747 also showed marked antitumor activity as a single agent in a MYCN-driven neuroblastoma. CONCLUSION: CCT244747 represents the first structural disclosure of a highly selective, orally active CHK1 inhibitor and warrants further evaluation alone or combined with genotoxic anticancer therapies.

Structure, bonding, and energetic properties of nitrile-borane complexes: RCN-BH3.

The structural and energetic properties of CH(3)CN-BH(3), HCN-BH(3), FCH(2)CN-BH(3), and F(3)CCN-BH(3) have been examined via density functional theory and post-Hartree-Fock calculations. The B-N distances in these systems are notably short, less than 1.6 Å, and the binding energies are substantial, about 20 kcal/mol. The properties of these systems do vary as a result of the nitrile substituent, but surprisingly, more electronegative substituents result in shorter B-N distances. For example, the B-N distance for F(3)CCN-BH(3) is 1.576 Å via MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ, while that for CH(3)CN-BH(3) is 1.584 Å. However, the binding energies vary as expected, from 17.4 kcal/mol in the case of F(3)CCN-BH(3) to 22.6 kcal/mol for CH(3)CN-BH(3) (via MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ). The extent of charge transfer and the degree of covalent character in the B-N bonds were explored by a natural bond orbital analysis, and the atoms in molecules formalism, respectively, and do provide some rationale for the substituent effects. Frequency calculations indicate that BH(3)-localized vibrational modes do shift appreciably upon complex formation, especially the BH(3) asymmetric stretch. For CH(3)CN-BH(3), experimental and calculated frequency shifts compare well for the asymmetric BH(3) bending mode, but the observed shift for the BH(3) asymmetric stretch, the most structurally sensitive mode, is about 40 cm(-1) larger than the predictions. While this may suggest a very slight contraction of the B-N bond upon formation of solid CH(3)CN-BH(3) (for which experimental data are available) the balance of evidence indicates that no significant medium effects occur in these complexes. We also discuss the distinct differences between these complexes and their BF(3) analogs. The underlying reasons for the markedly different structural properties are illustrated through an energy decomposition analysis applied to HCN-BH(3) and HCN-BF(3). These data indicate that less Pauli repulsion of the electrons on each respective subunit is the most significant factor that favors the overall stability of the BH(3) complex.

A short yet very weak dative bond: structure, bonding, and energetic properties of N(2)-BH(3).

The structure, bonding, and energetic properties of the N(2)-BH(3) complex are reported as characterized by density functional theory (DFT) and post-Hartree-Fock (HF) calculations. The equilibrium structure of the complex exhibits a short B-N distance near 1.6 A, comparable to that of a strong acid-base complex like H(3)N-BH(3). However, the binding energy is only 5.7 kcal/mol at the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2df,2dp) level of theory, which is reminiscent of a weak, nonbonded complex. Natural bond orbital (NBO) and atoms in molecules (AIM) analyses of the electron density from both DFT and post-HF calculations do indicate that the extent of charge transfer and covalent character in the B-N dative bond is only somewhat less than in comparable systems with fairly large binding energies (e.g., H(3)N-BH(3) and OC-BH(3)). Energy decomposition analysis indicates key differences between the N(2), CO, and NH(3) complexes, primarily associated with the natures of the lone pairs involved (sp vs sp(3)) and the donor/acceptor characteristics of the relevant occupied and virtual orbitals, both sigma and pi. Also, CCSD/6-311+G(2df,2dp) calculations indicate that the B-N distance potential is rather anharmonic and exhibits a flat, shelf-like region ranging from 2.1 to 2.5 A that lies about 1.5 kcal/mol above the minimum at 1.67 A. However, this region is more sloped and lies about 2.5 kcal/mol above the equilibrium region according to the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2df,2dp)//CCSD/6-311+G(2df,2dp) potential. A 1D analysis of the vibrational motion along the B-N stretching coordinate in the CCSD/6-311+G(2df,2dp) potential indicates that the average B-N distance in the ground vibrational state is 1.71 A, about 0.04 A longer than the equilibrium distance. Furthermore, the vibrationally averaged distance obtained via an analysis of the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2df,2dp)//CCSD/6-311+G(2df,2dp) potential was found to be 0.03 A longer than the CCSD(T)/6-311+G(2df,2dp) minimum.