Introduction of the alpha-P-borano-group into deoxynucleoside triphosphates increases their selectivity to HIV-1 reverse transcriptase relative to DNA polymerases

Specificity Enhancement of Deoxyribonucleic Acid Polymerization for Sensitive Nucleic Acid Detection

Specificity of DNA polymerization plays a critical role in DNA replication and storage of genetic information. Likewise, biotechnological applications, such as nucleic acid detection, DNA amplification, and gene cloning, require high specificity in DNA synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerases. However, errors in DNA polymerization (such as mis-incorporation and mis-priming) can significantly jeopardize the specificity. Herein, we report our discovery that the specificity of DNA enzymatic synthesis can be substantially enhanced (up to 100-fold higher) by attenuating DNA polymerase kinetics via the phosphorothioate dNTPs. This specificity enhancement allows convenient and sensitive nucleic acid detection, polymerization, PCR, and gene cloning with complex systems (such as human cDNA and genomic DNA). Further, we found that the specificity enhancement offered higher sensitivity (up to 50-fold better) for detecting nucleic acids, such as COVID-19 viral RNAs. Our findings have revealed a simple and convenient strategy for facilitating specificity and sensitivity of nucleic acid detection, amplification, and gene cloning.

Modified nucleoside triphosphates in bacterial research for in vitro and live-cell applications

Modified nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) are invaluable tools to probe bacterial enzymatic mechanisms, develop novel genetic material, and engineer drugs and proteins with new functionalities. Although the impact of nucleobase alterations has predominantly been studied due to their importance for protein recognition, sugar and phosphate modifications have also been investigated. However, NTPs are cell impermeable due to their negatively charged phosphate tail, a major hurdle to achieving live bacterial studies. Herein, we review the recent advances made to investigate and evolve bacteria and their processes with the use of modified NTPs by exploring alterations in one of the three moieties: the nucleobase, the sugar and the phosphate tail. We also present the innovative methods that have been devised to internalize NTPs into bacteria for in vivo applications.

Reaction of Boranephosphonate Diesters with Pyridines or Tertiary Amines in the Presence of Iodine: Synthetic and Mechanistic Studies

Boranephosphonate diesters react with heteroaromatic and certain tertiary amines in the presence of an oxidant (I₂) to afford the boron-modified phosphodiester analogues containing a P-B-N structural motif. Our multinuclear ³¹P and ¹¹B NMR spectroscopy studies lend support for a two-step mechanism involving generation of a λ³-boranephosphonate intermediate that immediately coordinates an amine in the solvent cage, leading to B-pyridinium or B-ammonium boranephosphonate betaine derivatives. We found that the type of the solvent used (e.g., dichloromethane vs acetonitrile) significantly affected the course of the reaction, resulting in either formation of boron-modified derivatives or loss of the boron group with a subsequent oxidation of the phosphorus atom. In aprotic, electron-donating, polar solvents., e.g., acetonitrile (ACN) and tetrahydrofuran (THF), a λ³-boranephosphonate intermediate can also coordinate solvent molecules forming P-B-ACN or P-B-THF complexes that may influence the type of the products formed.

Formation of Silver Nanostructures by Rolling Circle Amplification Using Boranephosphonate-Modified Nucleotides

We investigate the efficiency of incorporation of boranephosphonate-modified nucleotides by phi29 DNA polymerase and present a simple method for forming large defined silver nanostructures by rolling circle amplification (RCA) using boranephosphonate internucleotide linkages. RCA is a linear DNA amplification technique that can use specifically circularized DNA probes for detection of target nucleic acids and proteins. The resulting product is a collapsed single-stranded DNA molecule with tandem repeats of the DNA probe. By substituting each of the natural nucleotides with the corresponding 5'-(α-P-borano)deoxynucleosidetriphosphate, only a small reduction in amplification rate is observed. Also, by substituting all four natural nucleotides, it is possible to enzymatically synthesize a micrometer-sized, single-stranded DNA molecule with only boranephosphonate internucleotide linkages. Well-defined silver particles are then readily formed along the rolling circle product.

Reduction of metal ions by boranephosphonate DNA

Oligodeoxyribonucleotides bearing boranephosphonate linkages (bpDNA) were shown to reduce a number of metal ions and form nanoparticles through a novel reaction pathway that leads to phosphate diesters or phosphate triesters in water or alcohols respectively. The synthetic utility of this reaction was further demonstrated through the synthesis of oligodeoxyribonucleotides containing phosphate triester linkages. This new reactivity also makes bpDNA promising for use in construction of DNA templated metallic nanostructures.

Stereospecificity, substrate, and inhibitory properties of nucleoside diphosphate analogs for creatine and pyruvate kinases

Antiviral alpha-P-borano substituted NTPs are promising chain terminators targeting HIV reverse transcriptase (RT). Activation of antiviral nucleoside diphosphates (NDPs) to NTPs may be carried out by pyruvate kinase (PK) and creatine kinase (CK). Herein, are presented the effects of nucleobase, ribose, and alpha-phosphate substitutions on substrate specificities of CK and PK. Both enzymes showed two binding modes and negative cooperativity with respect to substrate binding. The stereospecificity and inhibition of ADP phosphorylation by alpha-P-borano substituted NDP (NDPalphaB) stereoisomers were also investigated. The Sp-ADPalphaB isomer was a 70-fold better substrate for CK than the Rp isomer, whereas PK preferred the Rp isomer of NDPalphaBs. For CK, the Sp-ADPalphaB isomer was a competitive inhibitor; for PK, the Rp-ADPalphaB isomer was a poor competitive inhibitor and the Sp-ADPalphaB isomer was a poor non-competitive inhibitor. Taken together, these data suggest that, although the Rp-NDPalphaB isomer would be minimally phosphorylated by CK or PK, it should not inhibit either enzyme.

2',3'-dideoxynucleoside 5'-beta, gamma-(difluoromethylene) triphosphates with alpha-P-thio or alpha-P-seleno modifications: synthesis and their inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) are prodrugs which require three intracellular phosphorylation steps to yield their corresponding, biologically active, nucleoside triphosphate. In order to circumvent this often inefficient phosphorylation cascade, a plausible approach is to provide the active species directly in the form of a stabilized nucleoside triphosphate mimic. We have previously shown that such a mimic, namely 5'-alpha-Rp-borano-beta,gamma-(difluoromethylene)triphosphate (5'-alphaBCF2TP) is a generic triphosphate mimic that is biologically stable and can render antiviral ddNs with potent inhibitory activity against HIV-1 RT. Herein we report the synthesis and activity against HIV-1 RT of several ddN 5'-alpha-modified-beta,gamma(difluoromethylene)triphosphate mimics with either a non-bridging calphaP-thio (5'-alphaSCF2TP) or alpha-P-seleno (5'-alpha SeCF2TP) modification. One compound, namely, AZT-5'-alpha-P-seleno-beta,gamma-(difluoromethylene)triphosphate (diastereomer I), was identified as a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 RT (Ki = 64 nM) and represents the first report of HIV-1 RT inhibition data for a nucleotide bearing an alpha-P-seleno modification. These triphosphate mimics may be useful in the investigation of enzyme mechanism and may have interesting properties with respect to drug resistance and polymerase selectivity.

Synthesis of alpha-P-modified nucleoside diphosphates with ethylenediamine

This report describes a one-pot synthesis of alpha-P-borano-, alpha-P-thio-, and alpha-P-seleno-modified nucleoside diphosphate analogues that are otherwise difficult to obtain. The key step involves the intramolecular nucleophilic attack by an amino group in 5 to remove the gamma-phosphate. The absolute configurations of P-diastereomers were confirmed by analysis of their 1H NMR. Affinity studies revealed that the nucleoside boranodiphosphates are potentially useful in antiviral research.

Towards new boron carriers for boron neutron capture therapy: metallacarboranes and their nucleoside conjugates

Thymidine conjugates containing metallacarborane, {8-[5-(N(3)-thymidine)-3-oxa-pentoxy]-3-cobalt bis(1,2-dicarbollide)}- (5) and {8-[5-(O(4)-thymidine)-3-oxa-pentoxy]-3-cobalt bis(1,2-dicarbollide)}- (6) ions and several simple [3-cobalt bis(1,2-dicarbollide)]- ion (1) derivatives have been studied as potential boron carriers for BNCT. Compound 6 and some nonnucleoside derivatives of 1 were not toxic above 100 microM. The partition coefficient for both metallacarborane bearing thymidine conjugates 5 and 6 was more than 500 times higher than that of unmodified nucleoside. The cellular uptake studies showed accumulation of compounds 6 in V79 Chinese hamster cells but not of compound 5. The low toxicity of conjugate type of 6 together with its high partition coefficient suggest that judicially designed derivatives of metallacarboranes can be considered as potential boron carriers for BNCT.

Synthesis of Nucleoside Boranophosphoramidate Prodrugs Conjugated with Amino Acids

[structure: see text] Nucleoside boranophosphates and nucleoside amino acid phosphoramidates have been shown to be potent antiviral and anticancer agents with the potential to act as nucleoside prodrugs. A combination of these two types of compounds results in a boranophosphoramidate linkage between the nucleoside and amino acid. This new class of potential prodrugs is expected to possess advantages conferred by both types of parent compounds. Two approaches, specifically the H-phosphonate and oxathiaphospholane approaches, are described here to synthesize nucleoside boranophosphoramidate prodrugs conjugated with amino acids. The H-phosphonate approach involves a key intermediate, silylated nucleoside amino acid phosphoramidite 6, prepared from a series of reactions starting from nucleoside H-phosphonate in the presence of condensing reagent DPCP. Due to the lengthy procedure and the difficulties in removing DPCP from the final products, we switched to the oxathiaphospholane approach in which the DBU-assisted oxathiaphospholane ring-opening process constituted a key step for the generation of nucleoside amino acid boranophosphoramidates 24. We demonstrate that this key step did not cause any measurable C-racemization of boranophosphorylated amino acids 22. Diastereomers of compounds 24a-f were separated by RP-HPLC. An "adjacent"-type mechanism is proposed to explain the diastereomer ratio in the final products obtained via the oxathiaphospholane approach. A tentative assignment of configuration for the diastereomers was carried out based on the mechanism, molecular modeling, and (1)H NMR. Conclusively, the oxathiaphospholane methodology proved to be more facile and efficient than H-phosphonate chemistry in the preparation of the nucleoside amino acid boranophosphoramidate analogues that are promising as a new type of antiviral prodrugs.

Convenient synthesis of nucleoside borane diphosphate analogues: deoxy- and ribonucleoside 5'-P(alpha)-boranodiphosphates

The nucleoside boranophosphates, having one of the nonbridging phosphate oxygens substituted with a borane (BH(3)) group, have shown potential therapeutical applications as aptamers, antisense agents, and antiviral prodrugs. An oxathiaphospholane approach, which does not require exocyclic amine protection of the nucleobase, has been successfully developed to efficiently synthesize 5'-P(alpha)-boranodiphosphates of 2'-deoxythymidine, adenosine, guanosine, and uridine. The approach involves a key intermediate, the borane complex of nucleoside 5'-O-1,3,2-oxathiaphospholane 16, that undergoes a ring-opening reaction catalyzed by 1,4-diazabicyclo[5.4.0]-undec-7-ene to form the protected nucleoside 5'-P(alpha)-boranodiphosphate 18. Treatment of 18 with ammonium hydroxide yielded diastereoisomeric mixtures of nucleoside 5'-P(alpha)-boranodiphosphates 5. This oxathiaphospholane approach ensures the availability of nucleoside 5'-P(alpha)-boranodiphosphate analogues needed for antiviral drug research.

Reading, writing, and modulating genetic information with boranophosphate mimics of nucleotides, DNA, and RNA

The P-boranophosphates are efficient and near perfect mimics of natural nucleic acids in permitting reading and writing of genetic information with high yield and accuracy. Substitution of a borane (-BH3) group for oxygen in the phosphate ester bond creates an isoelectronic and isosteric mimic of natural nucleotide phosphate esters found in mononucleotides, i.e., AMP and ATP, and in RNA and DNA polynucleotides. Compared to natural nucleic acids, the boranophosphate RNA and DNA analogs demonstrate increased lipophilicity and resistance to endo- and exonucleases, yet they retain negative charge and similar spatial geometry. Borane groups can readily be introduced into the NTP and dNTP nucleic acid monomer precursors to produce alpha-P-borano nucleoside triphosphate analogs (e.g., NTPalphaB and dNTPalphaB). The NTPalphaB and dNTPalphaB are, in fact, good to excellent substrates for RNA and DNA polymerases, respectively, and allow ready enzymatic synthesis of RNA and DNA with P-boranophosphate linkages. Further, boranophosphate polymer products are good templates for replication, transcription, and gene expression; boronated RNA products are also suitable for reverse transcription to cDNA. Fully substituted boranophosphate DNA can activate the RNase H cleavage of RNA in RNA:DNA hybrids. Moreover, certain dideoxy-NTPalphaB analogs appear to be better substrates for viral reverse transcriptases than the regular ddNTPs, and may offer promising prodrug alternatives in antiviral therapy. These properties make boranophosphates promising candidates for diagnostics; aptamer selection; gene therapy; and antiviral, antisense, and RNAi therapeutics. The boranophosphates constitute a versatile family of phosphate mimics for processing genetic information and modulating gene function.