A novel method for the preparation of nucleoside triphosphates from activated nucleoside phosphoramidates

Chemical methods for the modification of RNA

RNA is often considered as being the vector for the transmission of genetic information from DNA to the protein synthesis machinery. However, besides translation RNA participates in a broad variety of fundamental biological roles such as gene expression and regulation, protein synthesis, and even catalysis of chemical reactions. This variety of function combined with intricate three-dimensional structures and the discovery of over 100 chemical modifications in natural RNAs require chemical methods for the modification of RNAs in order to investigate their mechanism, location, and exact biological roles. In addition, numerous RNA-based tools such as ribozymes, aptamers, or therapeutic oligonucleotides require the presence of additional chemical functionalities to strengthen the nucleosidic backbone against degradation or enhance the desired catalytic or binding properties. Herein, the two main methods for the chemical modification of RNA are presented: solid-phase synthesis using phosphoramidite precursors and the enzymatic polymerization of nucleoside triphosphates. The different synthetic and biochemical steps required for each method are carefully described and recent examples of practical applications based on these two methods are discussed.

Recent Trends in Nucleotide Synthesis

Focusing on the recent literature (since 2000), this review outlines the main synthetic approaches for the preparation of 5'-mono-, 5'-di-, and 5'-triphosphorylated nucleosides, also known as nucleotides, as well as several derivatives, namely, cyclic nucleotides and dinucleotides, dinucleoside 5',5'-polyphosphates, sugar nucleotides, and nucleolipids. Endogenous nucleotides and their analogues can be obtained enzymatically, which is often restricted to natural substrates, or chemically. In chemical synthesis, protected or unprotected nucleosides can be used as the starting material, depending on the nature of the reagents selected from P(III) or P(V) species. Both solution-phase and solid-support syntheses have been developed and are reported here. Although a considerable amount of research has been conducted in this field, further work is required because chemists are still faced with the challenge of developing a universal methodology that is compatible with a large variety of nucleoside analogues.

A Modular Synthesis of Modified Phosphoanhydrides

Phosphoanhydrides (P-anhydrides) are ubiquitously occurring modifications in nature. Nucleotides and their conjugates, for example, are among the most important building blocks and signaling molecules in cell biology. To study and manipulate their biological functions, a diverse range of analogues have been developed. Phosphate-modified analogues have been successfully applied to study proteins that depend on these abundant cellular building blocks, but very often both the preparation and purification of these molecules are challenging. This study discloses a general access to P-anhydrides, including different nucleotide probes, that greatly facilitates their preparation and isolation. The convenient and scalable synthesis of, for example, (18) O labeled nucleoside triphosphates holds promise for future applications in phosphoproteomics.

Synthesis of β-triphosphotriester pronucleotides

Dinucleoside phosphorochloridite were synthesized from phosphorus trichloride and three nucleoside analogues, 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (FLT), 2',3'-dideoxy-5-fluoro-3'-thiacytidine (FTC), and 2',3'-dideoxy-3'-thiacytidine (3TC), in a multistep synthesis. Polymer-bound N-Boc p-acetoxybenzyl 5'-O-2'-deoxythymidine was reacted with dinucleoside phosphorochloridite in the presence of 2,6-lutidine, followed by the reaction with dodecyl alcohol and 5-(ethylthio)-1H-tetrazole, oxidation with tert-butyl hydroperoxide, and acidic cleavage, respectively, to afford the β-triphosphotriester derivatives containing three different nucleosides.

Specific incorporation of an artificial nucleotide opposite a mutagenic DNA adduct by a DNA polymerase

The ability to detect DNA modification sites at single base resolution could significantly advance studies regarding DNA adduct levels, which are extremely difficult to determine. Artificial nucleotides that are specifically incorporated opposite a modified DNA site offer a potential strategy for detection of such sites by DNA polymerase-based systems. Here we investigate the action of newly synthesized base-modified benzimidazole-derived 2'-deoxynucleoside-5'-O-triphosphates on DNA polymerases when performing translesion DNA synthesis past the pro-mutagenic DNA adduct O(6)-benzylguanine (O(6)-BnG). We found that a mutated form of KlenTaq DNA polymerase, i.e., KTqM747K, catalyzed O(6)-BnG adduct-specific processing of the artificial BenziTP in favor of the natural dNTPs. Steady-state kinetic parameters revealed that KTqM747K catalysis of BenziTP is 25-fold more efficient for template O(6)-BnG than G, and 5-fold more efficient than natural dTMP misincorporation in adduct bypass. Furthermore, the nucleotide analogue BenziTP is required for full-length product formation in O(6)-BnG bypass, as without BenziTP the polymerase stalls at the adduct site. By combining the KTqM747K polymerase and BenziTP, a first round of DNA synthesis enabled subsequent amplification of Benzi-containing DNA. These results advance the development of technologies for detecting DNA adducts.

Iterative synthesis of nucleoside oligophosphates with phosphoramidites

P-Amidites can be used in iterative couplings to selectively give mixed P(III) -P(V) anhydrides. These intermediates can be oxidized followed by a rapid removal of the two terminal fluorenylmethyl groups. An iterative synthesis (coupling, oxidation, deprotection) of nucleoside oligophosphates can be carried out in solution and on a solid support. The coupling rates and yields are high, the procedures convenient (non-dry reagents and solvents, ambient conditions, unprotected nucleotides), and the purification is very simple. The method works with all canonical nucleosides and holds promise for significant simplification of the usually cumbersome process of P-anhydride bond construction.

Use of a novel 5'-regioselective phosphitylating reagent for one-pot synthesis of nucleoside 5'-triphosphates from unprotected nucleosides

5'-Triphosphates are building blocks for enzymatic synthesis of DNA and RNA. This unit presents a protocol for convenient synthesis of 2'-deoxyribo- and ribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates (dNTPs and NTPs) from any natural or modified base. This one-pot synthesis can also be employed to prepare triphosphate analogs with a sulfur or selenium atom in place of a non-bridging oxygen atom of the α-phosphate. These S- or Se-modified dNTPs and NTPs can be used to prepare diastereomerically pure phosphorothioate or phosphoroselenoate nucleic acids. Even without extensive purification, the dNTPs or NTPs synthesized by this method are of high quality and can be used directly in DNA polymerization or RNA transcription. Synthesis and purification of the 5'-triphosphates, as well as analysis and confirmation of natural and sulfur- or selenium-modified nucleic acids, are described in this protocol unit.

Nucleoside triphosphates--building blocks for the modification of nucleic acids

Nucleoside triphosphates are moldable entities that can easily be functionalized at various locations. The enzymatic polymerization of these modified triphosphate analogues represents a versatile platform for the facile and mild generation of (highly) functionalized nucleic acids. Numerous modified triphosphates have been utilized in a broad palette of applications spanning from DNA-tagging and -labeling to the generation of catalytic nucleic acids. This review will focus on the recent progress made in the synthesis of modified nucleoside triphosphates as well as on the understanding of the mechanisms underlying their polymerase acceptance. In addition, the usefulness of chemically altered dNTPs in SELEX and related methods of in vitro selection will be highlighted, with a particular emphasis on the generation of modified DNA enzymes (DNAzymes) and DNA-based aptamers.

The synthesis of 2'-methylseleno adenosine and guanosine 5'-triphosphates

Modified nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) represent powerful building blocks to generate nucleic acids with novel properties by enzymatic synthesis. We have recently demonstrated the access to 2′-SeCH₃-uridine and 2′-SeCH₃-cytidine derivatized RNAs for applications in RNA crystallography, using the corresponding nucleoside triphosphates and distinct mutants of T7 RNA polymerase. In the present note, we introduce the chemical synthesis of the novel 2′-methylseleno-2′-deoxyadenosine and -guanosine 5′-triphosphates (2′-SeCH₃-ATP and 2′-SeCH₃-GTP) that represent further candidates for the enzymatic RNA synthesis with engineered RNA polymerases.

Protection-free one-pot synthesis of 2'-deoxynucleoside 5'-triphosphates and DNA polymerization

By differentiating the functional groups on nucleosides, we have designed and developed a one-pot synthesis of deoxyribonucleoside 5'-triphosphates without any protection on the nucleosides. A facile synthesis is achieved by generating an in situ phosphitylating reagent that reacts selectively with the 5'-hydroxyl groups of the unprotected nucleosides. The synthesized triphosphates are of high quality and can be effectively incorporated into DNAs by DNA polymerase. This novel approach is straightforward and cost-effective for triphosphate synthesis.

Inhibition of multi-drug resistant HIV-1 reverse transcriptase by nucleoside β-triphosphates

Despite the success of potent reverse transcriptase (RT) inhibitors against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) in combination regimens, the development of drug resistant RTs constitutes a major hurdle for the long-term efficacy of current antiretroviral therapy. Nucleoside β-triphosphate analogs of adenosine and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) (3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AZT), 3'-fluoro-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (FLT), and 2',3'-didehydro-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (d4T)) were synthesized and their inhibitory activities were evaluated against wild-type and multidrug resistant HIV-1 RTs. Adenosine β-triphosphate (1) and AZT β-triphosphate (2) completely inhibited the DNA polymerase activity of wild type, the NRTI multi resistant, and nonnucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTI) resistant HIV-1 RT at 10nM, 10 and 100 μM, respectively.

Convenient synthesis of nucleoside 5'-triphosphates for RNA transcription

By generating a selective phosphitylating reagent in situ, nucleoside 5'-triphosphates can be conveniently synthesized in one pot. This novel strategy without nucleoside protection has been developed to largely simplify synthesis of the nucleoside triphosphates. This demonstrated principle can be applied to the 5'-triphosphate synthesis of both native and modified nucleosides.

Synthesis of nucleoside 5'-O-alpha,beta-methylene-beta-triphosphates and evaluation of their potency towards inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

A polymer-bound alpha,beta-methylene-beta-triphosphitylating reagent was synthesized and subjected to reactions with unprotected nucleosides, followed by oxidation, deprotection of cyanoethoxy groups, and acidic cleavage to afford nucleoside 5'-O-alpha,beta-methylene-beta-triphosphates. Among all the compounds, cytidine 5'-O-alpha,beta-methylene-beta-triphosphate inhibited RNase H activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase with a K(i) value of 225 microM.

One-pot synthesis of nucleoside 5'-triphosphates from nucleoside 5'-H-phosphonates

Nucleoside 5'-triphosphates (NTPs) play key roles in biology and medicine. However, these compounds are notoriously difficult to synthesize. We describe a one-pot method to prepare NTPs from nucleoside 5'-H-phosphonate monoesters via pyridinium phosphoramidates, and we used this approach to synthesize ATP, UTP, GTP, CTP, ribavirin-TP, and 6-methylpurine ribonucleoside-TP (6MePTP). Poliovirus RNA-dependent RNA polymerase efficiently employed 6MePTP as a substrate, suggesting that the cognate nucleoside, a poorly understood antiviral agent, may damage viral RNA.

Synthesis and biological activity of a gemcitabine phosphoramidate prodrug

A gemcitabine (2',2'-difluorodeoxycytidine, dFdC) phosphoramidate prodrug designed for the intracellular delivery of gemcitabine 5'-monophosphate was synthesized. The prodrug was about an order of magnitude less active than gemcitabine against wild-type cells, and the nucleoside transport inhibitor dipyridamole reduced prodrug activity. The prodrug was more active than gemcitabine against two deoxycytidine kinase-deficient cell lines. The results suggest that the prodrug is a potent growth inhibitor that can bypass dCK deficiency at higher drug concentrations.

Synthesis of nucleoside alpha-thiotriphosphates via an oxathiaphospholane approach

[reaction: see text]. Nucleoside 5'-O-(alpha-thiotriphosphates) were obtained in reactions of the appropriate nucleoside 5'-O-(2-thio-1,3,2-oxathiaphospholanes) with pyrophosphate in the presence of DBU. The presented method allows also for preparation of alpha-seleno congeners and corresponding alpha-modified diphosphates.