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Wohlgemuth R. Synthesis of Metabolites and Metabolite-like Compounds Using Biocatalytic Systems. Metabolites 2023; 13:1097. [PMID: 37887422 PMCID: PMC10608848 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13101097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Methodologies for the synthesis and purification of metabolites, which have been developed following their discovery, analysis, and structural identification, have been involved in numerous life science milestones. The renewed focus on the small molecule domain of biological cells has also created an increasing awareness of the rising gap between the metabolites identified and the metabolites which have been prepared as pure compounds. The design and engineering of resource-efficient and straightforward synthetic methodologies for the production of the diverse and numerous metabolites and metabolite-like compounds have attracted much interest. The variety of metabolic pathways in biological cells provides a wonderful blueprint for designing simplified and resource-efficient synthetic routes to desired metabolites. Therefore, biocatalytic systems have become key enabling tools for the synthesis of an increasing number of metabolites, which can then be utilized as standards, enzyme substrates, inhibitors, or other products, or for the discovery of novel biological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roland Wohlgemuth
- MITR, Institute of Applied Radiation Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Zeromskiego Street 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland;
- Swiss Coordination Committee Biotechnology (SKB), 8021 Zurich, Switzerland
- European Society of Applied Biocatalysis (ESAB), 1000 Brussels, Belgium
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2
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Casamajo A, Yu Y, Schnepel C, Morrill C, Barker R, Levy CW, Finnigan J, Spelling V, Westerlund K, Petchey M, Sheppard RJ, Lewis RJ, Falcioni F, Hayes MA, Turner NJ. Biocatalysis in Drug Design: Engineered Reductive Aminases (RedAms) Are Used to Access Chiral Building Blocks with Multiple Stereocenters. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:22041-22046. [PMID: 37782882 PMCID: PMC10571080 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c07010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Novel building blocks are in constant demand during the search for innovative bioactive small molecule therapeutics by enabling the construction of structure-activity-property-toxicology relationships. Complex chiral molecules containing multiple stereocenters are an important component in compound library expansion but can be difficult to access by traditional organic synthesis. Herein, we report a biocatalytic process to access a specific diastereomer of a chiral amine building block used in drug discovery. A reductive aminase (RedAm) was engineered following a structure-guided mutagenesis strategy to produce the desired isomer. The engineered RedAm (IR-09 W204R) was able to generate the (S,S,S)-isomer 3 in 45% conversion and 95% ee from the racemic ketone 2. Subsequent palladium-catalyzed deallylation of 3 yielded the target primary amine 4 in a 73% yield. This engineered biocatalyst was used at preparative scale and represents a potential starting point for further engineering and process development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnau
Rué Casamajo
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
| | - Yuqi Yu
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
| | - Christian Schnepel
- School
of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Department
of Industrial Biotechnology, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, 11421 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Charlotte Morrill
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
| | - Rhys Barker
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
| | - Colin W. Levy
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
| | - James Finnigan
- Prozomix
Ltd, Building 4, West
End Ind. Estate, Haltwhistle NE49 9HA, United Kingdom
| | - Victor Spelling
- Early
Chemical Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biopharmaceuticals
R&D, AstraZeneca, Mölndal, 431 50 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Kristina Westerlund
- Medicinal
Chemistry, Research and Early Development; Cardiovascular, Renal and
Metabolism, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50 Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Mark Petchey
- Compound
Synthesis and Management, Discovery Sciences, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Mölndal, 431 50 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Robert J. Sheppard
- Medicinal
Chemistry, Research and Early Development; Cardiovascular, Renal and
Metabolism, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Pepparedsleden 1, Mölndal, 431 50 Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Richard J. Lewis
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Respiratory
and Immunology (R&I), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, 43183 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Francesco Falcioni
- Early
Chemical Development, Pharmaceutical Sciences, Biopharmaceuticals
R&D, AstraZeneca, CB21 6GP Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Martin A. Hayes
- Compound
Synthesis and Management, Discovery Sciences, Biopharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Mölndal, 431 50 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Nicholas J. Turner
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United
Kingdom
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3
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MORTAR: a rich client application for in silico molecule fragmentation. J Cheminform 2023; 15:1. [PMID: 36593523 PMCID: PMC9809053 DOI: 10.1186/s13321-022-00674-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Developing and implementing computational algorithms for the extraction of specific substructures from molecular graphs (in silico molecule fragmentation) is an iterative process. It involves repeated sequences of implementing a rule set, applying it to relevant structural data, checking the results, and adjusting the rules. This requires a computational workflow with data import, fragmentation algorithm integration, and result visualisation. The described workflow is normally unavailable for a new algorithm and must be set up individually. This work presents an open Java rich client Graphical User Interface (GUI) application to support the development of new in silico molecule fragmentation algorithms and make them readily available upon release. The MORTAR (MOlecule fRagmenTAtion fRamework) application visualises fragmentation results of a set of molecules in various ways and provides basic analysis features. Fragmentation algorithms can be integrated and developed within MORTAR by using a specific wrapper class. In addition, fragmentation pipelines with any combination of the available fragmentation methods can be executed. Upon release, three fragmentation algorithms are already integrated: ErtlFunctionalGroupsFinder, Sugar Removal Utility, and Scaffold Generator. These algorithms, as well as all cheminformatics functionalities in MORTAR, are implemented based on the Chemistry Development Kit (CDK).
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4
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Young RJ, Flitsch SL, Grigalunas M, Leeson PD, Quinn RJ, Turner NJ, Waldmann H. The Time and Place for Nature in Drug Discovery. JACS AU 2022; 2:2400-2416. [PMID: 36465532 PMCID: PMC9709949 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The case for a renewed focus on Nature in drug discovery is reviewed; not in terms of natural product screening, but how and why biomimetic molecules, especially those produced by natural processes, should deliver in the age of artificial intelligence and screening of vast collections both in vitro and in silico. The declining natural product-likeness of licensed drugs and the consequent physicochemical implications of this trend in the context of current practices are noted. To arrest these trends, the logic of seeking new bioactive agents with enhanced natural mimicry is considered; notably that molecules constructed by proteins (enzymes) are more likely to interact with other proteins (e.g., targets and transporters), a notion validated by natural products. Nature's finite number of building blocks and their interactions necessarily reduce potential numbers of structures, yet these enable expansion of chemical space with their inherent diversity of physical characteristics, pertinent to property-based design. The feasible variations on natural motifs are considered and expanded to encompass pseudo-natural products, leading to the further logical step of harnessing bioprocessing routes to access them. Together, these offer opportunities for enhancing natural mimicry, thereby bringing innovation to drug synthesis exploiting the characteristics of natural recognition processes. The potential for computational guidance to help identifying binding commonalities in the route map is a logical opportunity to enable the design of tailored molecules, with a focus on "organic/biological" rather than purely "synthetic" structures. The design and synthesis of prototype structures should pay dividends in the disposition and efficacy of the molecules, while inherently enabling greener and more sustainable manufacturing techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabine L. Flitsch
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester,
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Grigalunas
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max-Planck-Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Strasse 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Paul D. Leeson
- Paul
Leeson Consulting Limited, The Malt House, Main Street, Congerstone, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV13 6LZ, U.K.
| | - Ronald J. Quinn
- Griffith
Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Nicholas J. Turner
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester,
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Herbert Waldmann
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max-Planck-Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Strasse 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Faculty of
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Technical
University of Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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5
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Toupalas G, Thomann G, Schlemper L, Rivero-Crespo MA, Schmitt HL, Morandi B. Pd-Catalyzed Direct Deoxygenative Arylation of Non-π-Extended Benzyl Alcohols with Boronic Acids via Transient Formation of Non-Innocent Isoureas. ACS Catal 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.2c01858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Toupalas
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH ZurichRINGGOLD, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Gianin Thomann
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH ZurichRINGGOLD, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Lukas Schlemper
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH ZurichRINGGOLD, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Miguel A. Rivero-Crespo
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH ZurichRINGGOLD, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Hendrik L. Schmitt
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH ZurichRINGGOLD, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bill Morandi
- Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH ZurichRINGGOLD, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 1-5/10, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
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6
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Chen Y, Rosenkranz C, Hirte S, Kirchmair J. Ring systems in natural products: structural diversity, physicochemical properties, and coverage by synthetic compounds. Nat Prod Rep 2022; 39:1544-1556. [PMID: 35708009 DOI: 10.1039/d2np00001f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2021The structural core of most small-molecule drugs is formed by a ring system, often derived from natural products. However, despite the importance of natural product ring systems in bioactive small molecules, there is still a lack of a comprehensive overview and understanding of natural product ring systems and how their full potential can be harnessed in drug discovery and related fields. Herein, we present a comprehensive cheminformatic analysis of the structural and physicochemical properties of 38 662 natural product ring systems, and the coverage of natural product ring systems by readily purchasable, synthetic compounds that are commonly explored in virtual screening and high-throughput screening. The analysis stands out by the use of comprehensive, curated data sets, the careful consideration of stereochemical information, and a robust analysis of the 3D molecular shape and electrostatic properties of ring systems. Among the key findings of this study are the facts that only about 2% of the ring systems observed in NPs are present in approved drugs but that approximately one in two NP ring systems are represented by ring systems with identical or related 3D shape and electrostatic properties in compounds that are typically used in (high-throughput) screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ya Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Cara Rosenkranz
- Center for Bioinformatics (ZBH), Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Steffen Hirte
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria. .,Vienna Doctoral School of Pharmaceutical, Nutritional and Sport Sciences (PhaNuSpo), University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Johannes Kirchmair
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria.
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