Synthesis of protected 2-amino-2-deoxy-D-xylothionolactam derivatives and some aspects of their reactivity.

The synthesis of polyfunctionalized delta-lactams as key intermediates of glycomimetics in the 2-acetamido-2-deoxy sugar series is presented. Starting from a chiral gamma-amino vinylic ester synthesized from Garner's aldehyde and after regioselective reduction, 1-azido-3-(N-tert-butyloxycarbonyl-2,2-dimethyloxazolidin-4-yl)-2-propene was obtained. Next, a cis-dihydroxylation reaction provided the protected D-xylitol and L-arabinitol azides. A simple protection-deprotection sequence, followed by an oxidation and a reductive cyclization, led to protected 2-amino-delta-lactams bearing a tert-butyloxycarbonyl group on the amine functionality. To explore the reactivity of such compounds, activation of the lactam into the corresponding thionolactam was performed. The resulting 2-amino-D-xylothionolactam derivative, a versatile intermediate, allowed access to a first generation of protected 2-amino-D-xylosamidoxime derivatives which are of interest as precursors of N-acetylhexosaminidase and N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase inhibitors. In this series of compounds, epimerization at C-2 was observed. AM(1) calculations performed on these analogs showed that they adopted a B(2,5) conformation and that the axial epimer was favored in the protected series whereas the equatorial epimer was preferred in the unprotected series.

Identification of two group A chitinase genes in Botrytis cinerea which are differentially induced by exogenous chitin.

Chitin-degrading enzymes represent potential targets for pesticides in the control of plant pathogenic fungi. Here we describe the cloning, molecular characterization, and expression analysis of two putative chitinases of Botrytis cinerea, a pathogenic fungus infecting a wide range of plants. On the basis of conserved motifs from family 18 of the glycosyl hydrolases and group A of the fungal chitinases, two fragments (BcchiA and BcchiB) were cloned and sequenced. Expression of BcchiA and BcchiB chitinase genes upon growth under different conditions was analysed using RT-PCR. We observed that BcchiA expression was suppressed by glucose, whereas it was strongly stimulated in the presence of chitin or chitin degradation products. Conversely, BcchiB expression was not suppressed by glucose and was not stimulated by chitin or chitin degradation products. The difference in expression regulation is indicative of a functional divergence between the two chitinase paralogous genes.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of stable isotope labeled UDP-N-[2H]-acetyl-glucosamine and [2H]-acetyl-chitooligosaccharides.

Labeled UDP-GlcNAc and chitooligosaccharides should be powerful tools for studies of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase such as chitin synthases. We describe here a rapid, inexpensive and a common strategie for the chemoenzymatic synthesis of uridine 5'-diphospho-N-[(2)H]-acetyl-glucosamine and the chemical preparation of N-[(2)H]-acetyl chitooligosaccharides (from 2 to 5 mers). Deuterated UDP-GlcNAc analogue was tested as chitin synthase substrate and it exhibited an incorporation level in chitin as the natural substrate. Deuterium labeling of carbohydrates present different advantages: it is a stable isotope and allows glycosyltransferase mechanism studies by a mass spectrometry approach.

Botrytis cinerea virulence is drastically reduced after disruption of chitin synthase class III gene (Bcchs3a).

Botrytis cinerea is an important phytopathogenic fungus requiring new methods of control. Chitin biosynthesis, which involves seven classes of chitin synthases, could be an attractive target. A fragment encoding one of the class III enzymes was used to disrupt the corresponding Bcchs3a gene in the B. cinerea genome. The resulting mutant exhibited a 39% reduction in its chitin content and an 89% reduction in its in vitro chitin synthase activity, compared with the wild-type strain. Bcchs3a mutant was not affected in its growth in liquid medium, neither in its production of sclerotia, micro- and macroconidia. In contrast, the mutant Bcchs3a was severely impaired in its growth on solid medium. Counterbalancing this defect in radial growth, Bcchs3a mutant presented a large increase in hyphal ramification, resulting in an enhanced aerial growth. Observations by different techniques of microscopy revealed a thick extracellular matrix around the hyphal tips. Moreover, Bcchs3a mutant had a largely reduced virulence on Vitis vinifera and Arabidopsis thaliana leaves.

A semi-quantitative RT-PCR method to readily compare expression levels within Botrytis cinerea multigenic families in vitro and in planta.

A straightforward and easy-to-apply semi-quantitative RT-PCR method was developed to study multigenic expression in the phytopathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea. This procedure is based on the one-step reverse transcription-amplification of a specific transcript within total RNA and product amount determination by densitometric analysis of ethidium bromide fluorescence upon gel electrophoresis. The semi-quantitative analysis is achieved, at a fixed PCR cycle-number, within a range of total RNA concentrations that stays in the exponential phase of the PCR. Co-amplification of the transcript of interest with internal controls allowed comparison between different RNA samples. Using this method, we could demonstrate a differential regulation of chitin synthase genes during fungal growth and an effect of the culture carbon source on the expression of two pectin methylesterase genes in B. cinerea. Finally, the method was shown to be applicable to plant-infected tissue, making it a useful tool to detect pathogenicity genes in B. cinerea.

Survey of the Botrytis cinerea chitin synthase multigenic family through the analysis of six euascomycetes genomes.

We describe a strategy for systematic amplification of chitin synthase genes (chs) in the filamentous ascomycetes plant-pathogen Botrytis cinerea using PCR with multiple degenerate primers designed on specific and conserved sequence motifs. Eight distinct chs genes were isolated, named Bcchs I, II, IIIa, IIIb, IV, V, VI and VII. They probably constitute the entire chs multigenic family of this fungus, as revealed by careful analysis of six euascomycetes genomes. Bcchs I, IIIa, IIIb, IV and VI genes were subjected to DNA walking and their deduced amino acid sequences were compared by hydrophobic cluster analysis (HCA) to localize putative residues critical for CHS activity. HCA also enabled us to highlight three different transmembrane topologies of the CHS membranous isoenzymes. We found that the N-terminal region of the BcCHSI isoenzyme, and its orthologues in other euascomycetes, probably contain folded peptide motifs with conserved tyrosine residues. Their putative role is discussed. The BcCHSVII isoenzyme appeared to belong to a new class of CHS orthologues that was demonstrated by phylogenetic study to branch apart from division 1 and 2 of CHS.