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Salvatti BA, Chagas MA, Fernandes PO, Ladeira YFX, Bozzi AS, Valadares VS, Valente AP, de Miranda AS, Rocha WR, Maltarollo VG, Moraes AH. Understanding the Enzyme ( S)-Norcoclaurine Synthase Promiscuity to Aldehydes and Ketones. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:4462-4474. [PMID: 38776464 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
The (S)-norcoclaurine synthase from Thalictrum flavum (TfNCS) stereoselectively catalyzes the Pictet-Spengler reaction between dopamine and 4-hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde to give (S)-norcoclaurine. TfNCS can catalyze the Pictet-Spengler reaction with various aldehydes and ketones, leading to diverse tetrahydroisoquinolines. This substrate promiscuity positions TfNCS as a highly promising enzyme for synthesizing fine chemicals. Understanding carbonyl-containing substrates' structural and electronic signatures that influence TfNCS activity can help expand its applications in the synthesis of different compounds and aid in protein optimization strategies. In this study, we investigated the influence of the molecular properties of aldehydes and ketones on their reactivity in the TfNCS-catalyzed Pictet-Spengler reaction. Initially, we compiled a library of reactive and unreactive compounds from previous publications. We also performed enzymatic assays using nuclear magnetic resonance to identify some reactive and unreactive carbonyl compounds, which were then included in the library. Subsequently, we employed QSAR and DFT calculations to establish correlations between substrate-candidate structures and reactivity. Our findings highlight correlations of structural and stereoelectronic features, including the electrophilicity of the carbonyl group, to the reactivity of aldehydes and ketones toward the TfNCS-catalyzed Pictet-Spengler reaction. Interestingly, experimental data of seven compounds out of fifty-three did not correlate with the electrophilicity of the carbonyl group. For these seven compounds, we identified unfavorable interactions between them and the TfNCS. Our results demonstrate the applications of in silico techniques in understanding enzyme promiscuity and specificity, with a particular emphasis on machine learning methodologies, DFT electronic structure calculations, and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brunno A Salvatti
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Marcelo A Chagas
- Departamento de Ciências Exatas, Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais, João Monlevade, Minas Gerais 35930-314, Brazil
| | - Phillipe O Fernandes
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Yan F X Ladeira
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Aline S Bozzi
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Veronica S Valadares
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Valente
- Centro Nacional de Ressonância Magnética Nuclear, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21.941-902, Brazil
| | - Amanda S de Miranda
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Willian R Rocha
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Vinicius G Maltarollo
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Adolfo H Moraes
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
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Oliveira NJC, Dos Santos Júnior VS, Pierotte IC, Leocádio VAT, Santana LFDA, Marques GVDL, Protti ÍF, Braga SFP, Kohlhoff M, Freitas TR, Sabino ADP, Kronenberger T, Gonçalves JE, Johann S, Santos DA, César IDC, Maltarollo VG, Oliveira RB. Discovery of Lead 2-Thiazolylhydrazones with Broad-Spectrum and Potent Antifungal Activity. J Med Chem 2023; 66:16628-16645. [PMID: 38064359 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Opportunistic fungal infections represent a global health problem, mainly for immunocompromised individuals. New therapeutical options are needed since several fungal strains show resistance to clinically available antifungal agents. 2-Thiazolylhydrazones are well-known as potent compounds against Candida and Cryptococcus species. A scaffold-focused drug design using machine-learning models was established to optimize the 2-thiazolylhydrazone skeleton and obtain novel compounds with higher potency, better solubility in water, and enhanced absorption. Twenty-nine novel compounds were obtained and most showed low micromolar MIC values against different species of Candida and Cryptococcus spp., including Candida auris, an emerging multidrug-resistant yeast. Among the synthesized compounds, 2-thiazolylhydrazone 28 (MIC value ranging from 0.8 to 52.17 μM) was selected for further studies: cytotoxicity evaluation, permeability study in Caco-2 cell model, and in vivo efficacy against Cryptococcus neoformans in an invertebrate infection model. All results obtained indicate the great potential of 28 as a novel antifungal agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nereu Junio Cândido Oliveira
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Valtair Severino Dos Santos Júnior
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Isabella Campolina Pierotte
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Victor Augusto Teixeira Leocádio
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Luiz Felipe de Andrade Santana
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Gabriel Vitor de Lima Marques
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Ícaro Ferrari Protti
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Saulo Fehelberg Pinto Braga
- Departamento de Farmácia, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais 35400-000, Brazil
| | - Markus Kohlhoff
- Química de Produtos Naturais Bioativos (QPNB), Instituto René Rachou (IRR) - FIOCRUZ Minas, Belo Horizonte 30190-009, Brazil
| | - Túlio Resende Freitas
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Adriano de Paula Sabino
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas e Toxicológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eberhard-Karls-Universität, Tuebingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- Tuebingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery & Development (TüCAD2), 72076 Tuebingen, Germany
- Excellence Cluster ″Controlling Microbes to Fight Infections″ (CMFI), 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
| | - José Eduardo Gonçalves
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Susana Johann
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Daniel A Santos
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Isabela da Costa César
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Gonçalves Maltarollo
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Renata Barbosa Oliveira
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
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