The impact of α-hydrazino acids embedded in short fluorescent peptides on peptide interactions with DNA and RNA

α-Hydrazino Acid Insertion Governs Peptide Organization in Solution by Local Structure Ordering

In this work, we have applied the concept of α-hydrazino acid insertion in a peptide sequence as a means of structurally organizing a potential protein-protein interactions (PPI) inhibitor. Hydrazino peptides characterized by the incorporation of an α-hydrazino acid at specific positions introduce an additional nitrogen atom into their backbone. This modification leads to a change in the electrostatic properties of the peptide and induces the restructuring of its hydrogen bonding network, resulting in conformational changes toward more stable structural motifs. Despite the successful use of synthetic hydrazino oligomers in binding to nucleic acids, the structural changes due to the incorporation of α-hydrazino acid into short natural peptides in solution are still poorly understood. Based on NMR data, we report structural models of p53-derived hydrazino peptides with elements of localized peptide structuring in the form of an α-, β-, or γ-turn as a result of hydrazino modification in the peptide backbone. The modifications could potentially lead to the preorganization of a helical secondary peptide structure in a solution that is favorable for binding to a biological receptor. Spectroscopically, we observed that the ensemble averaged rapidly interconverting conformations, including isomerization of the E-Z hydrazide bond. This further increases the adaptability by expanding the conformational space of hydrazine peptides as potential protein-protein interaction antagonists.

Triarylborane Dyes as a Novel Non-Covalent and Non-Inhibitive Fluorimetric Markers for DPP III Enzyme

Novel dyes were prepared by simple "click CuAAC" attachment of a triarylborane-alkyne to the azide side chain of an amino acid yielding triarylborane dye 1 which was conjugated with pyrene (dye 2) forming a triarylborane-pyrene FRET pair. In contrast to previous cationic triarylboranes, the novel neutral dyes interact only with proteins, while their affinity to DNA/RNA is completely abolished. Both the reference triarylborane amino acid and triarylborane-pyrene conjugate bind to BSA and the hDPP III enzyme with high affinities, exhibiting a strong (up to 100-fold) fluorescence increase, whereby the triarylborane-pyrene conjugate additionally retained FRET upon binding to the protein. Furthermore, the triarylborane dyes, upon binding to the hDPP III enzyme, did not impair its enzymatic activity under a wide range of experimental conditions, thus being the first non-covalent fluorimetric markers for hDPP III, also applicable during enzymatic reactions with hDPP III substrates.

Chemoselective Intramolecular Formal Insertion Reaction of Rh-Nitrenes into an Amide Bond Over C-H Insertion

The past few decades have witnessed extensive efforts to disclose the unique reactivity of metal-nitrenes, because they could be a powerful synthetic tool for introducing the amine functionality into unactivated chemical bonds. The reactivity of metal-nitrenes, however, is currently mainly confined to aziridination (an insertion into a C=C bond) and C-H amination (an insertion into a C-H bond). Nitrene insertion into an amide C-N bond, however, has not been reported so far. In this work we have developed a rhodium-catalyzed one-nitrogen insertion into amide C-N and sulfonamide S-N bonds. Experimental and theoretical analyses based on density functional theory indicate that the formal amide insertion proceeds via a rhodium-coordinated ammonium ylide formed between the nitrene and the amide nitrogen, followed by acyl group transfer concomitant with C-N bond cleavage. Mechanistic studies have allowed rationalization of the origin of the chemoselectivity observed between the C-H and amide insertion reactions. The methodology presented herein is the first example of an insertion of nitrene into amide bonds and provides facile access to unique diazacyclic systems with an N-N bond linkage.

β2, 2 -Amino Acid N-Carboxyanhydrides Relying on Sequential Enantioselective C(4)-Functionalization of Pyrrolidin-2,3-diones and Regioselective Baeyer-Villiger Oxidation

A catalytic enantioselective entry to β^2, 2 -amino acids enabling their direct coupling with nucleophiles is described. The approach is based upon an effective bifunctional Brønsted base catalyzed construction of a quaternary carbon stereocenter at C₄ position of pyrrolidin-2,3-diones. Subsequent regioselective Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of the resultant adducts gives β^2, 2 -amino acid N-carboxyanhydrides as the reactive species, which can further react with nucleophiles. Following this strategy both, β^2, 2 -amino acid derivatives with different functionalities at the newly created stereocenter, and spirocyclic structures can be efficiently prepared.

N-Hydroxyimide Ugi Reaction toward α-Hydrazino Amides

The Ugi four-component reaction (U-4CR) with N-hydroxyimides as a novel carboxylic acid isostere has been reported. This reaction provides straightforward access to α-hydrazino amides. A broad range of aldehydes, amines, isocyanides and N-hydroxyimides were employed to give products in moderate to high yields. This reaction displays N-N bond formation by cyclic imide migration in the Ugi reaction. Thus, N-hydroxyimide is added as a new acid component in the Ugi reaction and broadens the scaffold diversity.

Multicomponent synthesis of hydrazino depsipeptides

Hydrazino depsipeptides, a new class of backbone extended peptidomimetics were prepared by the Passerini reaction of α-hydrazino acids, carbonyl compounds and isocyanides.