Chemical synthesis of dinucleotide cap analogs

This unit describes a reliable, efficient and general method for the synthesis of standard cap analog (mCAP), m(7)G[5']ppp[5']G, and anti-reverse cap analog (ARCA), m(7,3')(O)G[5']ppp[5']G. The synthesis of required intermediate m(7)GDP or m(2)(7,3'O)GDP has been achieved through regioselective methylation of the corresponding diphosphate using dimethyl sulfate under aqueous conditions. Then, the coupling reaction of m(7)GDP or m(2)(7,3'O)GDP with ImGMP using ZnCl(2)/DMF system affords the corresponding cap analog in good yields.

Biophysical approach to studies of cap-eIF4E interaction by synthetic cap analogs

Specific recognition of mRNA 5' cap by eukaryotic initiation factor eIF4E is a rate-limiting step in the translation initiation. Structural determination of the eIF4E-cap complexes, as well as complexes of eIF4E with other proteins regulating its activity, requires complementary experiments that allow for energetic and dynamic aspects of formation and stability of the complexes. Such a combined approach provides information on the binding mechanisms and, hence, may lead to mechanistic models of eIF4E functioning and regulation on the molecular level. This chapter summarizes in detail the method of experiments used to probe the cap-binding center of eIF4E, steady state and stopped-flow fluorescence, and microcalorimetry. The studies were performed with a wide class of synthetic, structurally modified cap analogs that resembles in some respect an application of site directed mutagenesis of the protein. The chapter presents a general recipe as to how to investigate protein-ligand interactions if the protein has no enzymatic activity and both the protein and the ligand absorb and emit UV/VIS radiation in the same spectral ranges.

Inhibitory effect of methylated derivatives of guanylic acid for protein synthesis with reference to the functional structure of the 5'-'cap' in viral messenger RNA

Guanylic acid modified variously with methyl groups on base or sugar moieties were synthesized chemically and their inhibitory effects on protein synthesis were tesetd in a wheat germ cell-free system using mRNAs from cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus and tobacco mosaic virus. The confronting dinucleotide m7G5' pppA that corresponds to the most simple 'cap' structure of an eukaryotic mRNA is a strong inhibitor of protein synthesis, but non-methylated G5' pppA or G5' ppA is not inhibitory. The strong inhibitory effect is observed only by 7-methylguanylic acid (pm7G). Among 11 derivatives of pG, the most effective inhibitors are methylated at the 7-position. Further methylation at the other position sometimes cancels the inhibitory effect. Although pm7G carries a positively charged base, other nucleotides which carry a plus charged base (1-methyladenylic acid and 2-methylthio-7-methylinosinic acid) were not inhibitory. Thus, methylation at the 7-position on guanylic acid is specifically required for the inhibitory effect. Addition of pm7G was inhibitory for the formation of the initiation complex for eukaryotic protein synthesis. These results suggest that the 'cap' component containing 7-methylguanylic acid in viral mRNA participates during protein synthesis, especially in its initial steps. Protein synthesis in a bacterial cell-free system was not inhibited by addition of m7GpppA or pm7G when either TMV RNA or phage MS2 RNA was used as an mRNA.