Search

Guo et al. conduct a biochemical analysis of the energy dependence of substrate transport by MsbA, an essential ABC lipid transporter in Gram-negative bacteria. The authors examine the flopping of physiologically relevant lipids by MsbA and their differing dependencies on ATP and chemical proton gradient, demonstrating that the energetics of lipid transport by MsbA is lipid dependent.

Abstract Background Dionysia tapetodes, a small cushion-forming mountainous evergreen in the Primulaceae, possesses a vast surface-covering of long silky fibres forming the characteristic “woolly” farina. This contrasts with some related Primula which instead form a fine powder. Farina is formed by specialized cellular factories, a type of glandular trichome, but the precise composition of the fibres and how it exits the cell is poorly understood. Here, using a combination of cell biology (electron and light microscopy) and analytical chemical techniques, we present the principal chemical components of the wool and its mechanism of exit from the glandular trichome. Results We show the woolly farina consists of micron-diameter fibres formed from a mixture of flavone and substituted flavone derivatives. This contrasts with the powdery farina, consisting almost entirely of flavone. The woolly farina in D. tapetodes is extruded through specific sites at the surface of the trichome’s glandular head cell, characterised by a small complete gap in the plasma membrane, cell wall and cuticle and forming a tight seal between the fibre and hole. The data is consistent with formation and thread elongation occurring from within the cell. Conclusions Our results suggest the composition of the D. tapetodes farina dictates its formation as wool rather than powder, consistent with a model of thread integrity relying on intermolecular H-bonding. Glandular trichomes produce multiple wool fibres by concentrating and maintaining their extrusion at specific sites at the cell cortex of the head cell. As the wool is extensive across the plant, there may be associated selection pressures attributed to living at high altitudes.

A series of analogues of Pseudonocardia sp. natural products were synthesized, which have been reported to possess potent antibacterial activity against Helicobacter pylori and induce growth defects in Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Taking inspiration from a methodology used in our total synthesis of natural products, we applied this methodology to access analogues possessing bulky N-substituents, traditionally considered to be challenging scaffolds. Screening of the library provided valuable insights into the structure–activity relationship of the bacterial growth defects, and suggested that selectivity between bacterial species should be attainable. Furthermore, a structurally related series of analogues was observed to inhibit production of the virulence factor pyocyanin in the human pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which may be a result of their similarity to the Pseudomonas quinolone signal (PQS) quorum sensing autoinducer. This provided new insights regarding the effect of N-substitution in PQS analogues, which has been hitherto underexplored.

Abstract Background Violacein is a deep violet compound that is produced by a number of bacterial species. It is synthesized from tryptophan by a pathway that involves the sequential action of 5 different enzymes (encoded by genes vioA to vioE). Violacein has antibacterial, antiparasitic, and antiviral activities, and also has the potential of inducing apoptosis in certain cancer cells. Results Here, we describe the construction of a series of plasmids harboring the complete or partial violacein biosynthesis operon and their use to enable production of violacein and deoxyviolacein in E.coli. We performed in vitro assays to determine the biological activity of these compounds against Plasmodium, Trypanosoma, and mammalian cells. We found that, while deoxyviolacein has a lower activity against parasites than violacein, its toxicity to mammalian cells is insignificant compared to that of violacein. Conclusions We constructed E. coli strains capable of producing biologically active violacein and related compounds, and propose that deoxyviolacein might be a useful starting compound for the development of antiparasite drugs.

The Takai olefination (or Takai reaction) is a method for the conversion of aldehydes to vinyl iodides, and has seen widespread implementation in organic synthesis. The reaction is usually noted for its high (E)-selectivity; however, herein we report the highly (Z)-selective Takai olefination of salicylaldehyde derivatives. Systematic screening of related substrates led to the identification of key factors responsible for this surprising inversion of selectivity, and enabled the development of a modified mechanistic model to rationalise these observations.

Protein kinases are a large class of enzymes with numerous biological roles and many have been implicated in a vast array of diseases, including cancer and the novel coronavirus infection COVID-19. Thus, the development of chemical probes to selectively target each kinase is of great interest. Inhibition of protein kinases with ATP-competitive inhibitors has historically been the most widely used method. However, due to the highly conserved structures of ATP-sites, the identification of truly selective chemical probes is challenging. In this review, we use the Ser/Thr kinase CK2 as an example to highlight the historical challenges in effective and selective chemical probe development, alongside recent advances in the field and alternative strategies aiming to overcome these problems. The methods utilised for CK2 can be applied to an array of protein kinases to aid in the discovery of chemical probes to further understand each kinase’s biology, with wide-reaching implications for drug development.

Pyocyanin is a small molecule produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa that plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of infections by this notorious opportunistic pathogen. The inhibition of pyocyanin production has been identified as an attractive antivirulence strategy for the treatment of P. aeruginosa infections. Herein, we report the discovery of an inhibitor of pyocyanin production in cultures of wild-type P. aeruginosa which is based around a 4-alkylquinolin-2(1H)-one scaffold. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported example of pyocyanin inhibition by a compound based around this molecular framework. The compound may therefore be representative of a new structural sub-class of pyocyanin inhibitors, which could potentially be exploited in in a therapeutic context for the development of critically needed new antipseudomonal agents. In this context, the use of wild-type cells in this study is notable, since the data obtained are of direct relevance to native situations. The compound could also be of value in better elucidating the role of pyocyanin in P. aeruginosa infections. Evidence suggests that the active compound reduces the level of pyocyanin production by inhibiting the cell–cell signalling mechanism known as quorum sensing. This could have interesting implications; quorum sensing regulates a range of additional elements associated with the pathogenicity of P. aeruginosa and there is a wide range of other potential applications where the inhibition of quorum sensing is desirable.

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a well-established approach for the discovery of novel medicines, illustrated by the approval of two FBBD-derived drugs. This methodology is based on the utilization of small “fragment” molecules (

Abstract We have developed and validated a highly specific, versatile antibody to the extracellular domain of human LGR5 (α-LGR5). α-LGR5 detects LGR5 overexpression in >90% of colorectal cancer (CRC), hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and pre-B-ALL tumour cells and was used to generate an Antibody-Drug Conjugate (α-LGR5-ADC), Bispecific T-cell Engager (α-LGR5-BiTE) and Chimeric Antigen Receptor (α-LGR5-CAR). α-LGR5-ADC was the most effective modality for targeting LGR5+ cancer cells in vitro and demonstrated potent anti-tumour efficacy in a murine model of human NALM6 pre-B-ALL driving tumour attrition to less than 1% of control treatment. α-LGR5-BiTE treatment was less effective in the pre-B-ALL cancer model yet promoted a twofold reduction in tumour burden. α-LGR5-CAR-T cells also showed specific and potent LGR5+ cancer cell killing in vitro and effective tumour targeting with a fourfold decrease in pre-B-ALL tumour burden relative to controls. Taken together, we show that α-LGR5 can not only be used as a research tool and a biomarker but also provides a versatile building block for a highly effective immune therapeutic portfolio targeting a range of LGR5-expressing cancer cells.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a human pathogen associated with a variety of life-threatening nosocomial infections. This organism produces a range of virulence factors which actively cause damage to host tissues. One such virulence factor is pyocyanin, known to play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of P. aeruginosa infections. Previous studies had identified a novel compound capable of strongly inhibiting the production of pyocyanin. It was postulated that this inhibition results from modulation of an intercellular communication system termed quorum sensing, via direct binding of the compound with the LasR protein receptor. This raised the possibility that the compound could be an antagonist of quorum sensing in P. aeruginosa, which could have important implications as this intercellular signaling mechanism is known to regulate many additional facets of P. aeruginosa pathogenicity. However, there was no direct evidence for the binding of the active compound to LasR (or any other targets). Herein we describe the design and synthesis of a biotin-tagged version of the active compound. This could potentially be used as an affinity-based chemical probe to ascertain, in a direct fashion, the active compound’s macromolecular biological targets, and thus better delineate the mechanism by which it reduces the level of pyocyanin production.

Two-directional synthesis represents an ideal strategy for the rapid elaboration of simple starting materials and their subsequent transformation into complex molecular architectures. As such, it is becoming recognised as an enabling technology for diversity-oriented synthesis. Herein, we provide a thorough account of our work combining two-directional synthesis with diversity-oriented synthesis, with particular reference to the synthesis of polycyclic alkaloid scaffolds.

Protein–protein interactions (PPIs) are tremendously important for the function of many biological processes. However, because of the structure of many protein–protein interfaces (flat, featureless and relatively large), they have largely been overlooked as potential drug targets. In this review, we highlight the current tools used to study the molecular recognition of PPIs through the use of different peptidomimetics, from small molecules and scaffolds to peptides. Then, we focus on constrained peptides, and in particular, ways to constrain α-helices through stapling using both one- and two-component techniques.

Flavonoids are a large family of compounds associated with a broad range of biologically useful properties. In recent years, synthetic compounds that contain two flavonoid units linked together have attracted attention in drug discovery and development projects. Numerous flavonoid dimer systems, incorporating a range of monomers attached via different linkers, have been reported to exhibit interesting bioactivities. From a medicinal chemistry perspective, the 1,2,3-triazole ring system has been identified as a particularly attractive linker moiety in dimeric derivatives (owing to several favourable attributes including proven biological relevance and metabolic stability) and triazole-bridged flavonoid dimers possessing anticancer and antimalarial activities have recently been reported. However, there are relatively few examples of libraries of triazole-bridged flavonoid dimers and the diversity of flavonoid subunits present within these is typically limited. Thus, this compound type arguably remains underexplored within drug discovery. Herein, we report a modular strategy for the synthesis of novel and biologically interesting triazole-bridged flavonoid heterodimers and also very rare heterotrimers from readily available starting materials. Application of this strategy has enabled step-efficient and systematic access to a library of structurally diverse compounds of this sort, with a variety of monomer units belonging to six different structural subclasses of flavonoid successfully incorporated.

Abstract Background The African malaria vector, Anopheles gambiae s.s., is known to feed selectively on certain plants for sugar sources. However, the adaptive significance of this behaviour especially on how the extracts of such plants impact on the fitness of this vector has not been explored. This study determined the toxicity and larvicidal activity on this vector of extracts from six selected plants found in Kenya and two compounds identified from Ricinus communis: 3-carbonitrile-4-methoxy-N-methyl-2-pyridone (ricinine), and its carboxylic acid derivative 3-carboxy-4-methoxy-N-methyl-2-pyridone, the latter compound being reported for the first time from this plant. Methods Feeding assays tested for toxic effects of extracts from the plants Artemisia afra Jacq. ex Willd, Bidens pilosa L., Parthenium hysterophorus L., Ricinus coummunis L., Senna didymobotrya Fresen. and Tithonia diversifolia Hemsl. on adult females and larvicidal activity was tested against third-instar larvae of Anopheles gambiae s.s. Mortality of larvae and adult females was monitored for three and eight days, respectively; Probit analysis was used to calculate LC50. Survival was analysed with Kaplan-Meier Model. LC-MS was used to identify the pure compounds. Results Of the six plants screened, extracts from T. diversifolia and R. communis were the most toxic against adult female mosquitoes after 7 days of feeding, with LC50 of 1.52 and 2.56 mg/mL respectively. Larvicidal activity of all the extracts increased with the exposure time with the highest mortality recorded for the extract from R. communis after 72 h of exposure (LC50 0.18 mg/mL). Mosquitoes fed on solutions of the pure compounds, 3-carboxy-4-methoxy-N-methyl-2-pyridone and ricinine survived almost as long as those fed on the R. communis extract with mean survival of 4.93 ± 0.07, 4.85 ± 0.07 and 4.50 ± 0.05 days respectively. Conclusions Overall, these findings demonstrate that extracts from the six plant species exhibit varying bioactivity against the larvae and adult females of An. gambiae s.s. T. diversifolia and R. communis showed highest bioactivity against adult females An. gambiae and larvae while longevity of female An. gambiae s.s. decreased with exposure time to the two pure compounds.

A microfluidic device capable of exploiting the permeability of small molecules through polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been fabricated in order to control the contents of microdroplets stored in storage wells. We demonstrate that protein precipitation and crystallization can be triggered by delivery of ethanol from a reservoir channel, thus controlling the protein solubility in microdroplets. Likewise quorum sensing in bacteria was triggered by delivery of the auto-inducer N-(3-oxododecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone (OdDHL) through the PDMS membrane of the device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence and increasing prevalence of multi-drug resistance bacterial strains represents a clear and present danger to the standard of human healthcare as we know it. The systematic study of modulating biological systems using small molecules (so-called chemical genetics) offers a potentially fruitful means of discovering critically needed new antibacterial agents. Crucial to the success of this approach is the ready availability of functionally diverse small molecule collections. In this feature article we focus upon the use of a diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) approach for the efficient generation of such compound collections, and discuss the utility of DOS for the discovery of new antibacterial agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A PEG based 3D hydrogel slide was developed specifically for small-molecule microarraying purposes, which displayed improved loading capacity, signal sensitivity and spot morphology compared with a commercially available slide and comparative 2D slide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a novel method to attenuate bacterial virulence is reported, which is based upon the use of designed transition-state analogues to select human catalytic antibodies capable of degrading bacterial quorum-sensing molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The screening of a diversity-oriented synthesis library followed by structure–activity relationship investigations have led to the discovery of an anti-MRSA agent which operates as an inhibitor of Staphylococcus aureusdihydrofolate reductase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of diversity-oriented synthesis, the exploration and optimization of the domino metathesis of decorated norbornenes allowed complex polycyclic architectures to be generated in a highly efficient and atom-economical process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The affinity fluorous interaction between fluorous tagged small molecules and a fluoroalkyl modified glass surface was shown to facilitate the detection of protein–ligand binding interactions in the fabrication and screening of small molecule microarrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The molecular determinants underpinning how hexaacylated lipid A and tetraacylated precursor lipid IVa activate Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) are well understood, but how activation is induced by other lipid A species is less clear. Species specificity studies have clarified how TLR4/MD-2 recognises different lipid A structures, for example tetraacylated lipid IVa requires direct electrostatic interactions for agonism. In this study, we examine how pentaacylated lipopolysaccharide from Rhodobacter sphaeroides (RSLPS) antagonises human TLR4/MD-2 and activates the horse receptor complex using a computational approach and cross-species mutagenesis. At a functional level, we show that RSLPS is a partial agonist at horse TLR4/MD-2 with greater efficacy than lipid IVa. These data suggest the importance of the additional acyl chain in RSLPS signalling. Based on docking analysis, we propose a model for positioning of the RSLPS lipid A moiety (RSLA) within the MD-2 cavity at the TLR4 dimer interface, which allows activity at the horse receptor complex. As for lipid IVa, RSLPS agonism requires species-specific contacts with MD-2 and TLR4, but the R2 chain of RSLA protrudes from the MD-2 pocket to contact the TLR4 dimer in the vicinity of proline 442. Our model explains why RSLPS is only partially dependent on horse TLR4 residue R385, unlike lipid IVa. Mutagenesis of proline 442 into a serine residue, as found in human TLR4, uncovers the importance of this site in RSLPS signalling; horse TLR4 R385G/P442S double mutation completely abolishes RSLPS activity without its counterpart, human TLR4 G384R/S441P, being able to restore it. Our data highlight the importance of subtle changes in ligand positioning, and suggest that TLR4 and MD-2 residues that may not participate directly in ligand binding can determine the signalling outcome of a given ligand. This indicates a cooperative binding mechanism within the receptor complex, which is becoming increasingly important in TLR signalling.