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Melo DU, Bergonzini de Lima H, Reis RA, Boaro A, Gonçalves Costa Pinto AG, Monteiro Leite Ciscato LF, Homem-de-Mello P, Bartoloni FH. Chemiluminescence of a Firefly Luciferin Analogue Reveals that Formation of the Key Intermediate Responsible for Excited State Generation Occurs on a Fully Concerted Step. J Org Chem 2024; 89:345-355. [PMID: 38113466 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.3c02079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
The chemiluminescence (CL) reaction of eight different 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4,5-dihydrothiazole-4-carboxylate esters with an organic superbase and oxygen was investigated through a kinetic and computational study. These esters are all analogues to the luciferin substrate involved in efficient firefly bioluminescence. The kinetic data obtained from CL emission and light absorption assays were used in the context of linear free energy relationships (LFER); we obtained the Hammett reaction constant ρ = +1.62 ± 0.09 and the Brønsted constant βlg = -0.39 ± 0.04. These observations from LFER, together with activation parameters obtained from Arrhenius plots, suggest that the formation of the high-energy intermediate (HEI) 1,2-dioxetanone occurs via a concerted mechanism during the rate-determining step of the reaction. Calculations performed using density functional theory support a late transition state for HEI formation within the reaction mechanism pathway, which was described considering geometric parameters, Wiberg bond indices from natural bond order analysis, and the atomic charges derived from the electrostatic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Ulysses Melo
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Henrique Bergonzini de Lima
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Roberta Albino Reis
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Andreia Boaro
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | | | | | - Paula Homem-de-Mello
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
| | - Fernando Heering Bartoloni
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, São Paulo 09210-580, Brazil
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A QM/MM Study on the Initiation Reaction of Firefly Bioluminescence-Enzymatic Oxidation of Luciferin. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26144222. [PMID: 34299498 PMCID: PMC8307557 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26144222] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Among all bioluminescent organisms, the firefly is the most famous, with a high luminescent efficiency of 41%, which is widely used in the fields of biotechnology, biomedicine and so on. The entire bioluminescence (BL) process involves a series of complicated in-vivo chemical reactions. The BL is initiated by the enzymatic oxidation of luciferin (LH2). However, the mechanism of the efficient spin-forbidden oxygenation is far from being totally understood. Via MD simulation and QM/MM calculations, this article describes the complete process of oxygenation in real protein. The oxygenation of luciferin is initiated by a single electron transfer from the trivalent anionic LH2 (L3-) to O2 to form 1[L•2-…O2•-]; the entire reaction is carried out along the ground-state potential energy surface to produce the dioxetanone (FDO-) via three transition states and two intermediates. The low energy barriers of the oxygenation reaction and biradical annihilation involved in the reaction explain this spin-forbidden reaction with high efficiency. This study is helpful for understanding the BL initiation of fireflies and the other oxygen-dependent bioluminescent organisms.
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Wang MY, Liu YJ. Chemistry in Fungal Bioluminescence: A Theoretical Study from Luciferin to Light Emission. J Org Chem 2021; 86:1874-1881. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.0c02788] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Yu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
| | - Ya-Jun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry, Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China
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Magalhães CM, González-Berdullas P, Esteves da Silva JCG, Pinto da Silva L. Elucidating the chemiexcitation of dioxetanones by replacing the peroxide bond with S–S, N–N and C–C bonds. NEW J CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d1nj03440e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Replacing the peroxide bond of dioxetanone prevents chemiluminescence by making its thermolysis energetically unfavorable and without a singlet chemiexcitation pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla M. Magalhães
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Patricia González-Berdullas
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquim C. G. Esteves da Silva
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
- LACOMEPHI, GreenUPorto, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Pinto da Silva
- Chemistry Research Unit (CIQUP), Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
- LACOMEPHI, GreenUPorto, Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto (FCUP), Rua do Campo Alegre 697, 4169-007, Porto, Portugal
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Carrasco-López C, Lui NM, Schramm S, Naumov P. The elusive relationship between structure and colour emission in beetle luciferases. Nat Rev Chem 2020; 5:4-20. [PMID: 37118106 DOI: 10.1038/s41570-020-00238-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
In beetles, luciferase enzymes catalyse the conversion of chemical energy into light through bioluminescence. The principles of this process have become a fundamental biotechnological tool that revolutionized biological research. Different beetle species can emit different colours of light, despite using the same substrate and highly homologous luciferases. The chemical reasons for these different colours are hotly debated yet remain unresolved. This Review summarizes the structural, biochemical and spectrochemical data on beetle bioluminescence reported over the past three decades. We identify the factors that govern what colour is emitted by wild-type and mutant luciferases. This topic is controversial, but, in general, we note that green emission requires cationic residues in a specific position near the benzothiazole fragment of the emitting molecule, oxyluciferin. The commonly emitted green-yellow light can be readily changed to red by introducing a variety of individual and multiple mutations. However, complete switching of the emitted light from red to green has not been accomplished and the synergistic effects of combined mutations remain unexplored. The minor colour shifts produced by most known mutations could be important in establishing a 'mutational catalogue' to fine-tune emission of beetle luciferases, thereby expanding the scope of their applications.
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Wilkinson IVL, Reynolds JK, Galan SRG, Vuorinen A, Sills AJ, Pires E, Wynne GM, Wilson FX, Russell AJ. Characterisation of utrophin modulator SMT C1100 as a non-competitive inhibitor of firefly luciferase. Bioorg Chem 2019; 94:103395. [PMID: 31733898 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2019.103395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Firefly luciferase (FLuc) is a powerful tool for molecular and cellular biology, and popular in high-throughput screening and drug discovery. However, FLuc assays have been plagued with positive and negative artefacts due to stabilisation and inhibition by small molecules from a range of chemical classes. Here we disclose Phase II clinical compound SMT C1100 for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy as an FLuc inhibitor (KD of 0.40 ± 0.15 µM). Enzyme kinetic studies using SMT C1100 and other non-competitive inhibitors including resveratrol and NFκBAI4 identified previously undescribed modes of inhibition with respect to FLuc's luciferyl adenylate intermediate. Employing a photoaffinity strategy to identify SMT C1100's binding site, a photolabelled SMT C1100 probe instead underwent FLuc-dependent photooxidation. Our findings support novel binding sites on FLuc for non-competitive inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel V L Wilkinson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Jessica K Reynolds
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Sébastien R G Galan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Aini Vuorinen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Adam J Sills
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Elisabete Pires
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Graham M Wynne
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Francis X Wilson
- Summit Therapeutics plc, 136a Eastern Avenue, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxfordshire OX14 4SB, UK
| | - Angela J Russell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Chemistry Research Laboratory, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK; Department of Pharmacology, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3PQ, UK.
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Cheng YY, Liu YJ. Luciferin Regeneration in Firefly Bioluminescence via Proton-Transfer-Facilitated Hydrolysis, Condensation and Chiral Inversion. Chemphyschem 2019; 20:1719-1727. [PMID: 31090243 DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201900306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Revised: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Firefly bioluminescence is produced via luciferin enzymatic reactions in luciferase. Luciferin has to be unceasingly replenished to maintain bioluminescence. How is the luciferin reproduced after it has been exhausted? In the early 1970s, Okada proposed the hypothesis that the oxyluciferin produced by the previous bioluminescent reaction could be converted into new luciferin for the next bioluminescent reaction. To some extent, this hypothesis was evidenced by several detected intermediates. However, the detailed process and mechanism of luciferin regeneration remained largely unknown. For the first time, we investigated the entire process of luciferin regeneration in firefly bioluminescence by density functional theory calculations. This theoretical study suggests that luciferin regeneration consists of three sequential steps: the oxyluciferin produced from the last bioluminescent reaction generates 2-cyano-6-hydroxybenzothiazole (CHBT) in the luciferin regenerating enzyme (LRE) via a hydrolysis reaction; CHBT combines with L-cysteine in vivo to form L-luciferin via a condensation reaction; and L-luciferin inverts into D-luciferin in luciferase and thioesterase. The presently proposed mechanism not only supports the sporadic evidence from previous experiments but also clearly describes the complete process of luciferin regeneration. This work is of great significance for understanding the long-term flashing of fireflies without an in vitro energy supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Yuan Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
| | - Ya-Jun Liu
- Key Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Photochemistry Ministry of Education, College of Chemistry, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875, P. R. China
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Giussani A, Farahani P, Martínez‐Muñoz D, Lundberg M, Lindh R, Roca‐Sanjuán D. Molecular Basis of the Chemiluminescence Mechanism of Luminol. Chemistry 2019; 25:5202-5213. [PMID: 30720222 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201805918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Giussani
- Institut de Ciència MolecularUniversitat de València P.O. Box 22085 València Spain
| | - Pooria Farahani
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry & Biology, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH)KTH Royal Institute of Technology 10691 Stockholm Sweden
| | - Daniel Martínez‐Muñoz
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström LaboratoryUppsala University P.O. Box 538 75121 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Marcus Lundberg
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström LaboratoryUppsala University P.O. Box 538 75121 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Roland Lindh
- Department of Chemistry-Ångström LaboratoryUppsala University P.O. Box 538 75121 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Daniel Roca‐Sanjuán
- Institut de Ciència MolecularUniversitat de València P.O. Box 22085 València Spain
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Cantú Reinhard FG, DuBois JL, de Visser SP. Catalytic Mechanism of Nogalamycin Monoxygenase: How Does Nature Synthesize Antibiotics without a Metal Cofactor? J Phys Chem B 2018; 122:10841-10854. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.8b09648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fabián G. Cantú Reinhard
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
| | - Jennifer L. DuBois
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana 59715-3400, United States
| | - Sam P. de Visser
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology and School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, U.K
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