Sweet and bitter taste: structure and conformations of two aspartame dipeptide analogues

Asymmetric catalytic alkynylation of thiazolones and azlactones for synthesis of quaternary α-amino acid precursors

Asymmetric alkynylation of thiazolones and azlactones with alkynylbenziodoxolones as the electrophilic alkyne source catalyzed by thiourea phosphonium salt is described. By using thiazolones as nucleophiles, the desired alkyne functionalized thiazolones were obtained in 55-89% yields with 31-86% ee. Azlactones gave the desired products in comparable yields with lower enantioselectivities. Ring-opening of the alkynylation products led to α,α-disubstituted α-amino acid derivatives efficiently without loss of enantioselectivity.

Detection of Bitter Taste Molecules Based on Odorant-Binding Protein-Modified Screen-Printed Electrodes

Bitter taste substances commonly represent a signal of toxicity. Fast and reliable detection of bitter molecules improves the safety of foods and beverages. Here, we report a biosensor using an easily accessible and cost-effective odorant-binding protein (OBP) of Drosophila melanogaster as a biosensitive material for the detection of bitter molecules. Based on the theoretical evaluation of the protein-ligand interaction, binding energies between the OBP and bitter molecules were calculated via molecular docking for the prediction and verification of binding affinities. Through one-step reduction, gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were deposited on the screen-printed electrodes for improving the electrochemical properties of electrodes. After the electrodes were immobilized with OBPs via layer-by-layer self-assembly, typical bitter molecules, such as denatonium, quinine, and berberine, were investigated through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The bitter molecules showed significant binding properties to the OBP with linear response concentrations ranging from 10^-9 to 10^-6 mg/mL. Therefore, the OBP-based biosensor offered powerful analytic techniques for the detection of bitter molecules and showed promising applications in the field of bitter taste evaluation.

Quality Control of Therapeutic Peptides by 1H NMR HiFSA Sequencing

Ensuring identity, purity, and reproducibility are equally essential during synthetic chemistry, drug discovery, and for pharmaceutical product safety. Many peptidic APIs are large molecules that require considerable effort for integrity assurance. This study builds on quantum mechanical ¹H iterative Full Spin Analysis (HiFSA) to establish NMR peptide sequencing methodology that overcomes the intrinsic limitations of principal compendial methods in identifying small structural changes or minor impurities that affect effectiveness and safety. HiFSA sequencing yields definitive identity and purity information concurrently, allowing for API quality assurance and control (QA/QC). Achieving full peptide analysis via NMR building blocks, the process lends itself to both research and commercial applications as 1D ¹H NMR (HNMR) is the most sensitive and basic NMR experiment. The generated HiFSA profiles are independent of instrument or software tools and work at any magnetic field strength. Pairing with absolute or 100% qHNMR enables quantification of mixtures and/or determination of peptide conformer populations. Demonstration of the methodology uses single amino acids (AAs) and peptides of increasing size, including the octapeptide, angiotensin II, and the nonapeptide, oxytocin. The feasibility of HiFSA coupled with automated NMR and qHNMR for use in QC/QA efforts is established through case-based examples and recommended procedures.

Helical screw-sense preferences of peptides based on chiral, Cα-tetrasubstituted α-amino acids

The preferred helical screw senses of chiral α-amino acids with a C(α)-tetrasubstituted α-carbon atom, as determined in the crystal state by X-ray diffraction analyses on derivatives and peptides, are reviewed. This survey covers C(α)-methylated and C(α)-ethylated α-amino acids, as well as α-amino acids cyclized on the α-carbon, including those characterized by the combination of lack of chirality at the α-carbon with either side-chain or axial chirality. Although, in general, chiral C(α)-tetrasubstituted α-amino acids show a less pronounced bias toward a single helical screw sense than their proteinogenic (C(α)-trisubstituted) counterparts, our analysis highlights significant differences in terms of magnitude and direction of such a bias among the various sub-families of residues, and between individual amino acids within each sub-family as well. The experimental findings can be rationalized, at least in part, on the basis of steric considerations.

Tastes and structures of bitter peptide, asparagine-alanine-leucine-proline-glutamate, and its synthetic analogues

Asn-Ala-Leu-Pro-Glu (NALPE) is a strong bitter peptide with a minimum response threshold (MRT) of 0.074 mM. To elucidate the relationship of spatial structure and bitterness on peptides, NALPE and its analogues, NALPW, NALPS, NALPL, NALPP, NALPD, and NALPR, were synthesized and sensorially evaluated. Structural analysis using computer simulation for each peptide revealed that the presence of a polar group and hydrophobic bitter amino acids, the composition of hydrophobic regions, the spatial orientation of the polar group and hydrophobic regions, and the proximity between polar groups and hydrophobic regions faced within the same plane space may be the major determinants for the taste type and intensity of peptide bitterness.

Highly enantioselective synthesis of alpha-alkyl-alanines via the catalytic phase-transfer alkylation of 2-naphthyl aldimine tert-butyl ester by using O(9)-allyl-N(1)-2',3',4'-trifluorobenzylhydrocinchonidinium bromide

Systematic investigations to develop an efficient enantioselective synthetic method for alpha-alkyl-alanine by catalytic phase-transfer alkylation were performed. The alkylation of 2-naphthyl aldimine tert-butyl ester, 1E, with RbOH and O(9)-allyl-N-2',3',4'-trifluorobenzylhydrocinchonidinium bromide, 6, at -35 degrees C showed the highest enantioselectivities, up to 96% ee.

Control of peptide conformation by the Thorpe-Ingold effect (C alpha-tetrasubstitution)

The preferred conformations of peptides heavily based on the currently extensively exploited achiral and chiral alpha-amino acids with a quaternary alpha-carbon atom, as determined by conformational energy computations, crystal-state (x-ray diffraction) analyses, and solution ((1)H-NMR and spectroscopic) investigations, are reviewed. It is concluded that 3(10)/alpha-helical structures and the fully extended (C(5)) conformation are preferentially adopted by peptide sequences characterized by this family of amino acids, depending upon overall bulkiness and nature (e.g., whether acyclic or C(alpha) (i) <--> C(alpha) (i) cyclized) of their side chains. The intriguing relationship between alpha-carbon chirality and bend/helix handedness is also illustrated. gamma-Bends and semiextended conformations are rarely observed. Formation of beta-sheet structures is prevented.

First synthesis of the two enantiomers of alpha-methyldiphenylalanine [(alphaMe)Dip] by HPLC resolution

A strategy for the preparation of enantiomerically pure (R)- and (S)-alpha-methyldiphenylalanine, constrained phenylalanine analogs, is described. A racemic precursor was prepared in high yield from easily available starting products and subjected to HPLC resolution on a noncommercial chiral stationary phase. More than 600 mg of each enantiomer was isolated in optically pure form by using a 150 x 20 mm ID column containing mixed 10-undecenoate/3,5-dimethylphenylcarbamate of cellulose covalently bonded to allylsilica gel and a mixture of n-hexane/2-propanol/acetone as the mobile phase.

Structure, dynamics, and stability of beta-cyclodextrin inclusion complexes of aspartame and neotame

Studies of the high-intensity sweetener aspartame show that its stability is significantly enhanced in the presence of beta-cyclodextrin (beta-CyD). At a 5:1 beta-CyD/aspartame molar ratio, the stability of aspartame is 42% greater in 4 mM phosphate buffer (pH 3.1) compared to solutions prepared without beta-CyD. Solution-state (1)H NMR experiments demonstrate the formation of 1:1 beta-CyD/aspartame complexes, stabilized by the interaction of the phenyl-ring protons of aspartame with the H3 and H5 protons of beta-CyD. Inclusion complex formation clearly accounts for the observed stability enhancement of aspartame in solution. The formation of inclusion complexes in solution is also demonstrated for beta-CyD and neotame, a structural derivative of aspartame containing an N-substituted 3,3-dimethylbutyl group. These complexes are stabilized by the interaction of beta-CyD with both phenyl-ring and dimethylbutyl protons. Solid-state NMR experiments provide additional characterization, clearly demonstrating the formation of inclusion complexes in lyophilized solids prepared from solutions of beta-CyD and either aspartame or neotame.

Blocking taste receptor activation of gustducin inhibits gustatory responses to bitter compounds

Gustducin, a transducin-like guanine nucleotide-binding regulatory protein (G protein), and transducin are expressed in taste receptor cells where they are thought to mediate taste transduction. Gustducin and transducin are activated in the presence of bovine taste membranes by several compounds that humans perceive to be bitter. We have monitored this activation with an in vitro assay to identify compounds that inhibited taste receptor activation of transducin by bitter tastants: AMP and chemically related compounds inhibited in vitro responses to several bitter compounds (e.g., denatonium, quinine, strychnine, and atropine). AMP also inhibited behavioral and electrophysiological responses of mice to bitter tastants, but not to NaCl, HCl, or sucrose. GMP, although chemically similar to AMP, inhibited neither the bitter-responsive taste receptor activation of transducin nor the gustatory responses of mice to bitter compounds. AMP and certain related compounds may bind to bitter-responsive taste receptors or interfere with receptor-G protein coupling to serve as naturally occurring taste modifiers.