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The few examples of structures containing the 2-chloro- N , N -di-methyl-ethan-1-aminium or 3-chloro- N , N -di-methyl-propan-1-aminium cations show a compet-ition between gauche and anti conformations for the chloro-alkyl chain. To explore further the conformational landscape of these cations, and their possible use as mol-ecular switches, the title salts, (C 4 H 11 ClN) 2 [CoCl 4 ] and (C 4 H 11 ClN) 2 [ZnCl 4 ], were prepared and structurally characterized. Details of both structures are in close agreement. The inorganic complex exhibits a slightly flattened tetra-hedral geometry that likely arises from bifurcated N-H hydrogen bonds from the organic cations. The alkyl chain of the cation is disordered between gauche and anti conformations with the gauche conformation occupancy refined to 0.707 (2) for the cobaltate. The gauche conformation places the terminal Cl atom at a tetra-hedral face of the inorganic complex with a contact distance of 3.7576 (9) Å to the Co 2+ center. The anti conformation places the terminal Cl atom at a contact distance to a neighboring anti conformation terminal Cl atom that is ∼1 Å less than the sum of the van der Waals radii. Thus, if the anti conformation is present at a site, then the nearest neighbor must be gauche. DFT geometry optimizations indicate the gauche conformation is more stable in vacuo by 0.226 eV, which reduces to 0.0584 eV when calculated in a uniform dielectric. DFT geometry optimizations for the unprotonated mol-ecule indicate the anti conformation is stabilized by 0.0428 eV in vacuo , with no strongly preferred conformation in uniform dielectric, to provide support to the notion that this cation could function as a mol-ecular switch via deprotonation., (© McGinness et al. 2024.)

Metabolic chemical reporters (MCRs) provide easily accessible means to study glycans in their native environments. However, because monosaccharide precursors are shared by many glycosylation pathways, selective incorporation has been difficult to attain. Here, a strategy for defining the selectivity and enzymatic incorporation of an MCR is presented. Performing β-elimination to interrogate O -linked sugars and using commercially available glycosidases and glycosyltransferase inhibitors, we probed the specificity of widely used azide (Ac 4 GalNAz) and alkyne (Ac 4 GalNAlk and Ac 4 GlcNAlk) sugar derivatives. Following the outlined strategy, we provide a semiquantitative assessment of the specific and non-specific incorporation of this bioorthogonal sugar (Ac 4 GalNAz) into numerous N - and O -linked glycosylation pathways. This approach should be generally applicable to other MCRs to define the extent of incorporation into the various glycan species., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The reviewer CF declared a past co-authorship with the author JAH to the handling editor., (Copyright © 2023 Mukherjee, Bond, Abramowitz, Biesbrock, Woodroofe, Kim, Swenson and Hanover.)

In the title com-pound (systematic name: 2,3-di-hydro-1,4-dithiino[2,3- c ]furan-5,7-dione), C 6 H 4 O 3 S 2 , the observed geometry agrees well with those of its phthalamide, thieno and hy-droxy analogs, and with a calculated geometry obtained by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Specific structural features are an S-C-C-S torsion angle of -70.39 (17)° and S-C bonds to sp 2 -hybridized C atoms approximately 0.1 Å shorter than those to sp 3 -hybridized C atoms. Unlike the extended structures of the analogs, there are no directed inter-molecular inter-actions and the head-to-tail rows of mol-ecules that are a prominent structural motif of the packing can be rationalized in terms of optimized dipole-dipole inter-actions., (© Bullock et al. 2023.)

The organic cation in the title mol-ecular salt, C 5 H 13 NCl + ·Cl - , exhibits the gauche effect with a C-H bond of the C atom β to the chloro group donating electrons to the anti-bonding orbital of the C-Cl bond to stabilize the gauche conformation [Cl-C-C-C = -68.6 (6)°], as confirmed by DFT geometry optimizations that show a lengthening of the C-Cl bond relative to that of the anti conformation. Of further inter-est is the higher point group symmetry of the crystal (), compared that of the that of the mol-ecular cation, which arises from a supra-molecular head-to-tail square arrangement of four mol-ecular cations that circulate in a counterclockwise direction when viewed down the tetra-gonal c axis., (© Bond and Silwal 2023.)

Genetic and environmental manipulations, such as dietary restriction, can improve both health span and lifespan in a wide range of organisms, including humans. Changes in nutrient intake trigger often overlapping metabolic pathways that can generate distinct or even opposite outputs depending on several factors, such as when dietary restriction occurs in the lifecycle of the organism or the nature of the changes in nutrients. Due to the complexity of metabolic pathways and the diversity in outputs, the underlying mechanisms regulating diet-associated pro-longevity are not yet well understood. Adult reproductive diapause (ARD) in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans is a dietary restriction model that is associated with lengthened lifespan and reproductive potential. To explore the metabolic pathways regulating ARD in greater depth, we performed a candidate-based genetic screen analyzing select nutrient-sensing pathways to determine their contribution to the regulation of ARD. Focusing on the three phases of ARD (initiation, maintenance, and recovery), we found that ARD initiation is regulated by fatty acid metabolism, sirtuins, AMPK, and the O-linked N-acetyl glucosamine (O-GlcNAc) pathway. Although ARD maintenance was not significantly influenced by the nutrient sensors in our screen, we found that ARD recovery was modulated by energy sensing, stress response, insulin-like signaling, and the TOR pathway. Further investigation of downstream targets of NHR-49 suggest the transcription factor influences ARD initiation through the fatty acid β-oxidation pathway. Consistent with these findings, our analysis revealed a change in levels of neutral lipids associated with ARD entry defects. Our findings identify conserved genetic pathways required for ARD entry and recovery and uncover genetic interactions that provide insight into the role of OGT and OGA., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. This article was prepared while MRB was employed at NIDDK, NIH. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of the National Institute of General Medical Sciences.

Technological leaps in DNA sequencing and synthesis are disrupting tenuous access and benefit-sharing (ABS) arrangements between 'users' and 'providers' of genetic resources. For some this signals a new era of open-source gene banks to address global challenges, but to others it threatens a new wave of unjust digital biopiracy. This paper explores the issue of digital sequence information (DSI) at the 2016 Cancun negotiations of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and its Nagoya Protocol on ABS, and its continued relevance today. While some research has addressed potential solutions to digital sequencing and ABS, little attention has been paid to the problematization of the issue itself. This paper addresses this gap with a fine-grained view of the negotiations as an ethnographic site of contestation. We approach the Nagoya Protocol as an assemblage seeking to govern ABS. We trace how the unruly component of DSI threatens this already fragile assemblage by disrupting simplified notions of genetic resources, scientific discovery, and R&D. Our data from the negotiations reveals three major points of tension: the materiality of genetic resources; the problem's novelty; and the problem's urgency. Two opposing solutions raised in response to these contestations reveal underlying faultlines that we argue will continue to destabilise the broader ABS assemblage if left unresolved. Our attention to processes of assemblage (trans)formation offers insights to the historically fragile arrangements of ABS and, more broadly, assemblages of global environmental governance in the context of rapid technological change., (© 2020 The Author(s).)

The National Institute of General Medical Sciences (NIGMS) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) is committed to supporting the safety of the nation's biomedical research and training environments. Institutional training grants affect many trainees and can have a broad influence across their parent institutions, making them good starting points for our initial efforts to promote the development and maintenance of robust cultures of safety at U.S. academic institutions. In this Perspective, we focus on laboratory safety, although many of the strategies we describe for improving laboratory safety are also applicable to other forms of safety including the prevention of harassment, intimidation, and discrimination. We frame the problem of laboratory safety using a number of recent examples of tragic accidents, highlight some of the lessons that have been learned from these and other events, discuss what NIGMS is doing to address problems related to laboratory safety, and outline steps that institutions can take to improve their safety cultures.

Study Design: Ambispective cohort study design., Objectives: Cervical spine metastases have distinct clinical considerations. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of surgical intervention (± radiotherapy) or radiotherapy alone on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes in patients treated for cervical metastatic spine tumours., Methods: Patients treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy for cervical spine metastases were identified from the Epidemiology, Process, and Outcomes of Spine Oncology (EPOSO) international multicentre prospective observational study. Demographic, diagnostic, treatment, and HRQOL (numerical rating scale [NRS] pain, EQ-5D (3L), SF-36v2, and SOSGOQ) measures were prospectively collected at baseline, 6 weeks, 3 months, and 6 months postintervention., Results: Fifty-five patients treated for cervical metastases were identified: 38 underwent surgery ± radiation and 17 received radiation alone. Surgically treated patients had higher mean spinal instability neoplastic scores compared with the radiation-alone group (13.0 vs 8.0, P < .001) and higher NRS pain scores and lower HRQOL scores compared to the radiation alone group ( P < .05). From baseline to 6 months posttreatment, surgically treated patients demonstrated statistically significant improvements in NRS pain, EQ-5D (5L), and SOSGOQ2.0 scores compared with nonsignificant improvements in the radiotherapy alone group., Conclusions: Surgically treated cervical metastases patients presented with higher levels of instability, worse baseline pain and HRQOL scores compared with patients who underwent radiotherapy alone. Significant improvements in pain and HRQOL were noted for those patients who received surgical intervention. Limited or no improvements were found in those treated with radiotherapy alone., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared the following potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: Dr Fisher reports personal fees from Medtronic, and Nuvasive, grants from OREF, and receieves fellowship support paid by Medtronic and AOSpine. Dr Sahgal reports advisor with Abbvie, past educational seminars with Elekta AB, Accuray Inc., Varian medical systems, and BrainLAB, with research grant support from Elekta AB, and Travel accommodations/expenses by Elekta, Varian, BrainLAB. Dr Sahgal also belongs to the Elekta MR Linac Research Consortium. Dr Sciubba reports personal fees from Medtronic, Depuy-Synthes, Stryker, Nuvasive, K2M, Baxter, Misonix, outside the submitted work. Dr Versteeg reports personal fees from AOSpine International, outside the submitted work. All other authors have no disclosures to report., (© The Author(s) 2019.)

Accumulation of hyperphosphorylated tau, a microtubule-associated protein, plays an important role in the progression of Alzheimer disease. Animal studies suggest that one strategy for treating Alzheimer disease and related tauopathies may be inhibition of O -GlcNAcase (OGA), which may subsequently decrease pathologic tau phosphorylation. Here, we report the pharmacokinetics of a novel PET radioligand, 18 F-LSN3316612, which binds with high affinity and selectivity to OGA. Methods: PET imaging was performed on rhesus monkeys at baseline and after administration of either thiamet-G, a potent OGA inhibitor, or nonradioactive LSN3316612. The density of the enzyme was calculated as distribution volume using a 2-tissue-compartment model and serial concentrations of parent radioligand in arterial plasma. The radiation burden for future studies was based on whole-body imaging of monkeys. Oga ∆Br , a mouse brain-specific knockout of Oga, was also scanned to assess the specificity of the radioligand for its target enzyme. Results: Uptake of radioactivity in monkey brain was high (∼5 SUV) and followed by slow washout. The highest uptake was in the amygdala, followed by striatum and hippocampus. Pretreatment with thiamet-G or nonradioactive LSN3316612 reduced brain uptake to a low and uniform concentration in all regions, corresponding to an approximately 90% decrease in distribution volume. Whole-body imaging of rhesus monkeys showed high uptake in kidney, spleen, liver, and testes. In Oga ∆Br mice, brain uptake of 18 F-LSN3316612 was reduced by 82% compared with control mice. Peripheral organs were unaffected in Oga ∆Br mice, consistent with loss of OGA expression exclusively in the brain. The effective dose of 18 F-LSN3316612 in humans was calculated to be 22 μSv/MBq, which is typical for 18 F-labeled radioligands. Conclusion: These results show that 18 F-LSN3316612 is an excellent radioligand for imaging and quantifying OGA in rhesus monkeys and mice. On the basis of these data, 18 F-LSN3316612 merits evaluation in humans., (© 2019 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.)

O -GlcNAcylation is an abundant posttranslational protein modification in which the monosaccharide O-GlcNAc is added to Ser/Thr residues by O- GlcNAc transferase and removed by O- GlcNAcase. Analyses of O- GlcNAc-mediated signaling and metabolic phenomena are complicated by factors including unsatisfactory inhibitors and loss-of-function cell lines lacking identical genetic backgrounds. In this work, we generated immortalized WT, Oga knockout, and Ogt floxed allele ( Ogt floxed) mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) cell lines with similar genetic backgrounds. These lines will facilitate experiments and serve as a platform to study O- GlcNAc cycling in mammals. As a test paradigm, we used the immortalized MEF lines to investigate how changes in O- GlcNAcylation affected pathological phosphorylation of the tau protein. The activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), a kinase that phosphorylates tau, decreases when expressed in Oga knockout MEFs compared with WT cells. Phosphorylation at Thr 231 in recombinant, tauopathy-associated tau with a proline-to-leucine mutation at position 301 (P301L) was altered when expressed in MEFs with altered O- GlcNAc cycling. In aggregate, our data support that O- GlcNAc cycling indirectly affects tau phosphorylation at Thr 231 , but tau phosphorylation was highly variable, even in genetically stable, immortalized MEF cells. The variable nature of tau phosphorylation observed here supports the need to use cells akin to those generated here with genetically defined lesions and similar backgrounds to study complex biological processes.

Cancer cells exhibit unregulated growth, altered metabolism, enhanced metastatic potential and altered cell surface glycans. Fueled by oncometabolism and elevated uptake of glucose and glutamine, the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP) sustains glycosylation in the endomembrane system. In addition, the elevated pools of UDP-GlcNAc drives the O-GlcNAc modification of key targets in the cytoplasm, nucleus and mitochondrion. These targets include transcription factors, kinases, key cytoplasmic enzymes of intermediary metabolism, and electron transport chain complexes. O-GlcNAcylation can thereby alter epigenetics, transcription, signaling, proteostasis, and bioenergetics, key 'hallmarks of cancer'. In this review, we summarize accumulating evidence that many cancer hallmarks are linked to dysregulation of O-GlcNAc cycling on cancer-relevant targets. We argue that onconutrient and oncometabolite-fueled elevation increases HBP flux and triggers O-GlcNAcylation of key regulatory enzymes in glycolysis, Kreb's cycle, pentose-phosphate pathway, and the HBP itself. The resulting rerouting of glucose metabolites leads to elevated O-GlcNAcylation of oncogenes and tumor suppressors further escalating elevation in HBP flux creating a 'vicious cycle'. Downstream, elevated O-GlcNAcylation alters DNA repair and cellular stress pathways which influence oncogenesis. The elevated steady-state levels of O-GlcNAcylated targets found in many cancers may also provide these cells with a selective advantage for sustained growth, enhanced metastatic potential, and immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment.

Proteostasis is essential in the mammalian brain where post-mitotic cells must function for decades to maintain synaptic contacts and memory. The brain is dependent on glucose and other metabolites for proper function and is spared from metabolic deficits even during starvation. In this review, we outline how the nutrient-sensitive nucleocytoplasmic post-translational modification O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) regulates protein homeostasis. The O-GlcNAc modification is highly abundant in the mammalian brain and has been linked to proteopathies, including neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's. C. elegans, Drosophila, and mouse models harboring O-GlcNAc transferase- and O-GlcNAcase-knockout alleles have helped define the role O-GlcNAc plays in development as well as age-associated neurodegenerative disease. These enzymes add and remove the single monosaccharide from protein serine and threonine residues, respectively. Blocking O-GlcNAc cycling is detrimental to mammalian brain development and interferes with neurogenesis, neural migration, and proteostasis. Findings in C. elegans and Drosophila model systems indicate that the dynamic turnover of O-GlcNAc is critical for maintaining levels of key transcriptional regulators responsible for neurodevelopment cell fate decisions. In addition, pathways of autophagy and proteasomal degradation depend on a transcriptional network that is also reliant on O-GlcNAc cycling. Like the quality control system in the endoplasmic reticulum which uses a 'mannose timer' to monitor protein folding, we propose that cytoplasmic proteostasis relies on an 'O-GlcNAc timer' to help regulate the lifetime and fate of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins. O-GlcNAc-dependent developmental alterations impact metabolism and growth of the developing mouse embryo and persist into adulthood. Brain-selective knockout mouse models will be an important tool for understanding the role of O-GlcNAc in the physiology of the brain and its susceptibility to neurodegenerative injury., (Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.)

The dynamic carbohydrate post-translational modification (PTM) O -linked β- N -acetyl glucosamine ( O -GlcNAc) is found on thousands of proteins throughout the nucleus and cytoplasm, and rivals phosphorylation in terms of the number of substrates and pathways influenced. O -GlcNAc is highly conserved and essential in most organisms, with disruption of O -GlcNAc cycling linked to diseases ranging from cancer to neurodegeneration. Nuclear pore proteins were the first identified O -GlcNAc-modified substrates, generating intense and ongoing interest in understanding the role of O -GlcNAc cycling in nuclear pore complex structure and function. Recent advances in detecting and altering O-GlcNAcylation levels have provided insights into many mechanisms by which O-GlcNAcylation influences the nucleocytoplasmic localization and stability of protein targets. The emerging view is that the multifunctional enzymes of O -GlcNAc cycling are critical nutrient-sensing components of a complex network of signaling cascades involving multiple PTMs. Furthermore, O -GlcNAc plays a role in maintaining the structural integrity of the nuclear pore and regulating its function as the gatekeeper of nucleocytoplasmic trafficking., (© 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.)

Background: The discovery of disease pathogenesis requires systematic agnostic screening of multiple homeostatic processes that may become deregulated. We illustrate this principle in the evaluation and diagnosis of a 5-year-old boy with Joubert syndrome type 10 (JBTS10). He carried the OFD1 mutation p.Gln886Lysfs*2 (NM&#95;003611.2: c.2656del) and manifested features of Joubert syndrome., Methods: We integrated exome sequencing, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analyses of plasma and cultured dermal fibroblasts glycomes, and full clinical evaluation of the proband. Analyses of cilia formation and lectin staining were performed by immunofluorescence. Measurement of cellular nucleotide sugar levels was performed with high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection. Statistical analyses utilized the Student's and Fisher's exact t tests., Results: Glycome analyses of plasma and cultured dermal fibroblasts identified abnormal N - and O -linked glycosylation profiles. These findings replicated in two unrelated males with OFD1 mutations. Cultured fibroblasts from affected individuals had a defect in ciliogenesis. The proband's fibroblasts also had an abnormally elevated nuclear sialylation signature and increased total cellular levels of CMP-sialic acid. Ciliogenesis and each glycosylation anomaly were rescued by expression of wild-type OFD1 ., Conclusions: The rescue of ciliogenesis and glycosylation upon reintroduction of WT OFD1 suggests that both contribute to the pathogenesis of JBTS10.

Gene expression during Drosophila development is subject to regulation by the Polycomb (Pc), Trithorax (Trx), and Compass chromatin modifier complexes. O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT/SXC) is essential for Pc repression suggesting that the O-GlcNAcylation of proteins plays a key role in regulating development. OGT transfers O-GlcNAc onto serine and threonine residues in intrinsically disordered domains of key transcriptional regulators; O-GlcNAcase (OGA) removes the modification. To pinpoint genomic regions that are regulated by O-GlcNAc levels, we performed ChIP-chip and microarray analysis after OGT or OGA RNAi knockdown in S2 cells. After OGA RNAi, we observed a genome-wide increase in the intensity of most O-GlcNAc-occupied regions including genes linked to cell cycle, ubiquitin, and steroid response. In contrast, O-GlcNAc levels were strikingly insensitive to OGA RNAi at sites of polycomb repression such as the Hox and NK homeobox gene clusters. Microarray analysis suggested that altered O-GlcNAc cycling perturbed the expression of genes associated with morphogenesis and cell cycle regulation. We then produced a viable null allele of oga (oga(del.1)) in Drosophila allowing visualization of altered O-GlcNAc cycling on polytene chromosomes. We found that trithorax (TRX), absent small or homeotic discs 1 (ASH1), and Compass member SET1 histone methyltransferases were O-GlcNAc-modified in oga(del.1) mutants. The oga(del.1) mutants displayed altered expression of a distinct set of cell cycle-related genes. Our results show that the loss of OGA in Drosophila globally impacts the epigenetic machinery allowing O-GlcNAc accumulation on RNA polymerase II and numerous chromatin factors including TRX, ASH1, and SET1., (© 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.)

Cholera toxin (CT) enters and intoxicates host cells after binding cell surface receptors using its B subunit (CTB). The ganglioside (glycolipid) GM1 is thought to be the sole CT receptor; however, the mechanism by which CTB binding to GM1 mediates internalization of CT remains enigmatic. Here we report that CTB binds cell surface glycoproteins. Relative contributions of gangliosides and glycoproteins to CTB binding depend on cell type, and CTB binds primarily to glycoproteins in colonic epithelial cell lines. Using a metabolically incorporated photocrosslinking sugar, we identified one CTB-binding glycoprotein and demonstrated that the glycan portion of the molecule, not the protein, provides the CTB interaction motif. We further show that fucosylated structures promote CTB entry into a colonic epithelial cell line and subsequent host cell intoxication. CTB-binding fucosylated glycoproteins are present in normal human intestinal epithelia and could play a role in cholera.

Unlike the complex glycans decorating the cell surface, the O-linked β-N-acetyl glucosamine (O-GlcNAc) modification is a simple intracellular Ser/Thr-linked monosaccharide that is important for disease-relevant signaling and enzyme regulation. O-GlcNAcylation requires uridine diphosphate-GlcNAc, a precursor responsive to nutrient status and other environmental cues. Alternative splicing of the genes encoding the O-GlcNAc cycling enzymes O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) yields isoforms targeted to discrete sites in the nucleus, cytoplasm, and mitochondria. OGT and OGA also partner with cellular effectors and act in tandem with other posttranslational modifications. The enzymes of O-GlcNAc cycling act preferentially on intrinsically disordered domains of target proteins impacting transcription, metabolism, apoptosis, organelle biogenesis, and transport.

The abrupt green-to-yellow thermochromism observed for certain A2CuCl4 compounds has long been attributed to the presence of strong N-H hydrogen bonding in the low-temperature phase that favors square-planar CuCl4(2-) (green in color) through reduction of ligand-ligand repulsion. Weakening of the hydrogen bonding at higher temperature results in the transformation to (far more common) flattened-tetrahedral geometry - the expected geometry for CuBr4(2-) complexes due to their greater ligand-ligand repulsion. The square-planar to flattened-tetrahedral transitions in (1,2,6-trimethylpyridinium)2CuX4 provide the first examples of this phase transformation in the absence of N-H hydrogen bonding and for a CuBr4(2-) complex. These results suggest that the square-planar to flattened-tetrahedral transformation in CuX4(2-) systems may be more common than previously thought.

Discriminating pathogenic bacteria from bacteria used as a food source is key to Caenorhabidits elegans immunity. Using mutants defective in the enzymes of O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) cycling, we examined the role of this nutrient-sensing pathway in the C. elegans innate immune response. Genetic analysis showed that deletion of O-GlcNAc transferase (ogt-1) yielded animals hypersensitive to the human pathogen S. aureus but not to P. aeruginosa. Genetic interaction studies revealed that nutrient-responsive OGT-1 acts through the conserved β-catenin (BAR-1) pathway and in concert with p38 MAPK (PMK-1) to modulate the immune response to S. aureus. Moreover, whole genome transcriptional profiling revealed that O-GlcNAc cycling mutants exhibited deregulation of unique stress- and immune-responsive genes. The participation of nutrient sensor OGT-1 in an immunity module evolutionarily conserved from C. elegans to humans reveals an unexplored nexus between nutrient availability and a pathogen-specific immune response.

The carbohydrate modification of serine and threonine residues with O-linked beta- N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is ubiquitous and governs cellular processes ranging from cell signaling to apoptosis. The O-GlcNAc modification along with other carbohydrate modifications, including N-linked and O-linked glycans, glycolipids, and sugar polymers, all require the use of the nucleotide sugar UDP-GlcNAc, the end product of the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). In this paper, we describe the biochemical consequences resulting from perturbation of the O-GlcNAc pathway in C. elegans lacking O-GlcNAc transferase and O-GlcNAcase activities. In ogt-1 null animals, steady-state levels of UDP-GlcNAc/UDP-GalNAc and UDP-glucose were substantially elevated. Transcripts of genes encoding for key members in the HBP (gfat-2, gna-2, C36A4.4) and trehalose metabolism (tre-1, tre-2, tps-2) were elevated in ogt-1 null animals. While there is no evidence to suggest changes in the profile of N-linked glycans in the ogt-1 and oga-1 mutants, glycans insensitive to PNGase digestion (including O-linked glycans, glycolipids, and glycopolymers) were altered in these strains. Our data support that changes in O-GlcNAcylation alters nucleotide sugar production, overall glycan composition, and transcription of genes encoding glycan processing enzymes. These data along with our previous findings that disruption in O-GlcNAc cycling alters macronutrient storage underscores the noteworthy influence this posttranslational modification plays in nutrient sensing.

Posttranslational modifications (PTM) including glycosylation, phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation and ubiquitination dynamically alter the proteome. The evolutionarily conserved enzymes O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase are responsible for the addition and removal, respectively, of the nutrient-sensitive PTM of protein serine and threonine residues with O-GlcNAc. Indeed, the O-GlcNAc modification acts at every step in the "central dogma" of molecular biology and alters signaling pathways leading to amplified or blunted biological responses. The cellular roles of OGT and the dynamic PTM O-GlcNAc have been clarified with recently developed chemical tools including high-throughput assays, structural and mechanistic studies and potent enzyme inhibitors. These evolving chemical tools complement genetic and biochemical approaches for exposing the underlying biological information conferred by O-GlcNAc cycling.

The dynamic glycosylation of serine/threonine residues on nucleocytoplasmic proteins with a single N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAcylation) is critical for many important cellular processes. Cellular O-GlcNAc levels are highly regulated by two enzymes: O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) is responsible for GlcNAc addition and O-GlcNAcase (OGA) is responsible for removal of the sugar. The lack of a rapid and simple method for monitoring OGT activity has impeded the efficient discovery of potent OGT inhibitors. In this study we describe a novel, single-well OGT enzyme assay that utilizes 6 × His-tagged substrates, a chemoselective chemical reaction, and unpurified OGT. The high-throughput Ni-NTA Plate OGT Assay will facilitate discovery of potent OGT-specific inhibitors on versatile substrates and the characterization of new enzyme variants.

One of the most commonly employed bioorthogonal reactions with azides is copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne [3+2] cycloaddition (CuAAC, a 'click' reaction). More recently, the strain-promoted azide-alkyne [3+2] cycloaddition (SPAAC, a copper-free 'click' reaction) was developed, in which an alkyne is sufficiently strained to promote rapid cycloaddition with an azide to form a stable triazole conjugate. In this report, we show that an internal alkyne in a strained ring system with two electron-withdrawing fluorine atoms adjacent to the carbon-carbon triple bond reacts to yield covalent adducts not only with azide moieties but also reacts with free sulfhydryl groups abundant in the cytosol. We have identified conditions that allow the enhanced reactivity to be tolerated when using such conformationally strained reagents to enhance reaction rates and selectivity for bioorthogonal applications such as O-GlcNAc detection., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

To maintain homeostasis under variable nutrient conditions, cells rapidly and robustly respond to fluctuations through adaptable signaling networks. Evidence suggests that the O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) posttranslational modification of serine and threonine residues functions as a critical regulator of intracellular signaling cascades in response to nutrient changes. O-GlcNAc is a highly regulated, reversible modification poised to integrate metabolic signals and acts to influence many cellular processes, including cellular signaling, protein stability, and transcription. This review describes the role O-GlcNAc plays in governing both integrated cellular processes and the activity of individual proteins in response to nutrient levels. Moreover, we discuss the ways in which cellular changes in O-GlcNAc status may be linked to chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, neurodegeneration, and cancers, providing a unique window through which to identify and treat disease conditions.

The structure of the title compound, C(18)H(22)O(2), contains two non-equivalent molecules which differ primarily in the location of the -OH groups on opposite sides or on the same side of the molecular plane. Inversion-symmetric pairs of molecules form intermolecular O-H...O hydrogen-bonded tetrameric synthons that link non-equivalent molecules into an approximately square double layer parallel to (-102). Recently reported fluorinated analogues [Kane, Meyers, Yu, Gerken & Etzkorn (2011). Eur. J. Org. Chem. pp. 2969-2980] have significantly different structures of varying complexity that incorporate intramolecular hydrogen bonding and suggest that further study of structure versus substituents in vicinal dialkynols could be fruitful.

O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is a reversible posttranslational modification found on hundreds of nuclear and cytoplasmic proteins in higher eukaryotes. Despite its ubiquity and essentiality in mammals, functional roles for the O-GlcNAc modification remain poorly defined. Here we develop a combined genetic and chemical approach that enables introduction of the diazirine photocrosslinker onto the O-GlcNAc modification in cells. We engineered mammalian cells to produce diazirine-modified O-GlcNAc by expressing a mutant form of UDP-GlcNAc pyrophosphorylase and subsequently culturing these cells with a cell-permeable, diazirine-modified form of GlcNAc-1-phosphate. Irradiation of cells with UV light activated the crosslinker, resulting in formation of covalent bonds between O-GlcNAc-modified proteins and neighboring molecules, which could be identified by mass spectrometry. We used this method to identify interaction partners for the O-GlcNAc-modified FG-repeat nucleoporins. We observed crosslinking between FG-repeat nucleoporins and nuclear transport factors, suggesting that O-GlcNAc residues are intimately associated with essential recognition events in nuclear transport. Further, we propose that the method reported here could find widespread use in investigating the functional consequences of O-GlcNAcylation.

The title compound, {(C(3)H(10)N)(4)[Ni(3)Cl(10)]}(n), contains zigzag layers of tri-μ-chlorido-bridged linear 2/m-symmetric Ni(3)Cl(12) segments, linked by mono-μ-chlorido quasi-linear bridges to two other segments at each end. These inorganic layers are interleaved with interdigitated bilayers of mirror-symmetric n-propylammonium cations, the ammonium head groups of which are directed into the inorganic layers to form multiple N-H···Cl hydrogen bonds, while the propyl tail groups pack together in a tongue-and-groove manner in the center of the bilayer. The propyl groups are ordered at 100 K but disordered with opposite conformations on the mirror plane at 240 K., (© 2011 International Union of Crystallography)

Terminal sialic acid residues often mediate the interactions of cell surface glycoconjugates. Sialic acid-dependent interactions typically exhibit rapid dissociation rates, precluding the use of traditional biological techniques for complex isolation. To stabilize these transient interactions, we employ a targeted photo-cross-linking approach in which a diazirine photo-cross-linker is incorporated into cell surface sialylated glycoconjugates through the use of metabolic oligosaccharide engineering. We describe three diazirine-modified N-acetylmannosamine (ManNAc) analogues in which the length of the linker between the pyranose ring and the diazirine was varied. These analogues were each metabolized to their respective sialic acid counterparts, which were added to both glycoproteins and glycolipids. Diazirine-modified sialic acid analogues could be incorporated into both α2-3 and α2-6 linkages. Upon exposure to UV irradiation, diazirine-modified glycoconjugates were covalently cross-linked to their interaction partners. We demonstrate that all three diazirine-modified analogues were capable of competing with endogeneous sialic acid, albeit to varying degrees. We found that larger analogues were less efficiently metabolized, yet could still function as effective cross-linkers. Notably, the addition of the diazirine substituent interferes with metabolism of ManNAc analogues to glycans other than sialosides, providing fidelity to selectively incorporate the cross-linker into sialylated molecules. These compounds are nontoxic and display only minimal growth inhibition at the concentrations required for cross-linking studies. This report provides essential information for the deployment of photo-cross-linking analogues to capture and study ephemeral, yet essential, sialic acid-mediated interactions.

1,2,3-Trimethylpyridinium aquatrichloridocuprate(II), (C(8)H(12)N)[CuCl(3)(H(2)O)], (I), 3,4-dimethylpyridinium aquatrichloridocuprate(II), (C(7)H(10)N)[CuCl(3)(H(2)O)], (II), and 2,3-dimethylpyridinium aquatrichloridocuprate(II), (C(7)H(10)N)[CuCl(3)(H(2)O)], (III), exhibit the same fundamental structure, with (I) and (II) isomorphous and with the unit-cell constants of (III) similar to the reduced unit-cell constants of (I) and (II). The distorted square-planar [CuCl(3)(H(2)O)](-) complex [mirror symmetric in (I) and (II)] forms two semicoordinate Cu···Cl bonds to a neighboring complex to produce a dimer with 2/m symmetry [only inversion symmetry in (III)]. The semicoordinate Cu...Cl bond length of the dimer shows significant elongation at 295 K compared with that at 100 K, while the coordinate Cu-Cl bond lengths are slightly contracted at 295 K compared with those at 100 K. The inorganic dimers are linked by eight hydrogen bonds to four neighboring dimers to establish a checkerboard network layer in the ab plane, with voids between the dimers that accommodate, on both sides, inversion-related organic cation pairs. The organic cations are required by mirror-plane symmetry to be disordered in (I) and (II). The organic cations and [CuCl(3)(H(2)O)](-) complexes are nearly coplanar and tilted out of the layer plane to establish a hybrid organic-inorganic layer structure parallel to (202) [(11-2) in (III)], with hydrate columns (defined by water molecules) and hydrophobic columns (defined by methyl groups) parallel to each other [and along the 2(1) axes in (I) and (II)]. In 1,1-dimethylpiperidinium aquatrichloridocuprate(II), (C(7)H(16)N)[CuCl(3)(H(2)O)], (IV), the bulkier organic cation prevents semicoordinate bonding between complexes, which are hydrogen bonded side-to-side in zigzag chains that place water molecules in columns along half of the 2(1) axes., (© 2011 International Union of Crystallography)

The structure of the title compound, (C(6)H(14)N)(2)[CuCl(4)], consists of two inequivalent 1-methyl-piperidinium cations and a flattened tetra-hedral [CuCl(4)](2-) anion. Each organic cation exhibits a chair conformation with the methyl group in the equatorial position. They are segregated into alternating layers parallel to (100) and stacked along [100]. The first cation is arranged in parallel stacks in a herringbone pattern with rows of [CuCl(4)](2-) anions fitting between the stacks and with a Cl(-) ion directed into the inter-ior of the layer. The second organic cation forms distorted hcp layers that separate the other organic cation/[CuCl(4)](2-) slabs. N-H⋯Cl hydrogen bonding between the cations and the anions consolidates the crystal packing.

The structures of seven A(2)Cu(4)X(10) compounds containing quasi-planar oligomers are reported: bis(1,2,4-trimethylpyridinium) hexa-μ-chlorido-tetrachloridotetracuprate(II), (C(8)H(12)N)(2)[Cu(4)Cl(10)], (I), and the hexa-μ-bromido-tetrabromidotetracuprate(II) salts of 1,2,4-trimethylpyridinium, (C(8)H(12)N)(2)[Cu(4)Br(10)], (II), 3,4-dimethylpyridinium, (C(7)H(10)N)(2)[Cu(4)Br(10)], (III), 2,3-dimethylpyridinium, (C(7)H(10)N)(2)[Cu(4)Br(10)], (IV), 1-methylpyridinium, (C(6)H(8)N)(2)[Cu(4)Br(10)], (V), trimethylphenylammonium, (C(9)H(14)N)(2)[Cu(4)Br(10)], (VI), and 2,4-dimethylpyridinium, (C(7)H(10)N)(2)[Cu(4)Br(10)], (VII). The first four are isomorphous and contain stacks of tetracopper oligomers aggregated through semicoordinate Cu···X bond formation in a 4(5/2,1/2) stacking pattern. The 1-methylpyridinium salt also contains oligomers stacked in a 4(5/2,1/2) pattern, but is isomorphous with the known chloride analog instead. The trimethylphenylammonium salt contains stacks of oligomers arranged in a 4(3/2,1/2) stacking pattern similar to the tetramethylphosphonium analog. These six structures feature inversion-related organic cation pairs and hybrid oligomer/organic cation layers derived from the parent CuX(2) structure. The 2,4-dimethylpyridinium salt is isomorphous with the known (2-amino-4-methylpyridinium)(2)Cu(4)Cl(10) structure, in which isolated stacks of organic cations and of oligomers in a 4(1/2,1/2) pattern are found. In bis(3-chloro-1-methylpyridinium) octa-μ-bromido-tetrabromidopentacuprate(II), (C(6)H(7)ClN)[Cu(5)Br(12)], (VIII), containing the first reported fully halogenated quasi-planar pentacopper oligomer, the oligomers stack in a 5(3/2,1/2) stacking pattern as the highest nuclearity [Cu(n)X(2n+2)](2-) oligomer compound known with isolated stacking. Bis(2-chloro-1-methylpyridinium) dodeca-μ-bromido-tetrabromidoheptacuprate(II), (C(6)H(7)ClN)(2)[Cu(7)Br(16)], (IX), contains the second heptacopper oligomer reported and consists of layers of interleaved oligomer stacks with a 7[(7/2,1/2)][(-9/2,-1/2)] pattern isomorphous with that of the known 1,2-dimethylpyridinium analog. All the oligomers reported here are inversion symmetric.

When photoirradiated, an unnatural sialic acid analog can covalently capture the complex formed by ganglioside GM1 and cholera toxin subunit B.

The title compound, {(C(9)H(14)N)(2)[Cu(3)Cl(8)]}(n), consists of parallel chains of alternating quasiplanar Cu(2)Cl(6) and planar CuCl(4) complexes separated by trimethylphenylammonium cations. Both inorganic complexes possess inversion symmetry. Pairs of neighboring chloride ions of the CuCl(4) complex each form a symmetric bridge and an asymmetric bridge to Cu(2)Cl(6) complexes on either side. The Cu(2)Cl(6) complex contains two symmetric chloride bridges between the copper cations with a terminal chloride bound to each five-coordinated Cu(II) ion. The CuCl(4) complex completes its coordination environment by forming two long semicoordinate contacts to the bridging chloride ions of neighboring Cu(2)Cl(6) complexes. The use of the bridging rather than the terminal chloride ions to form semicoordinate contacts generates a new zigzag chain structure that differs from the straight chain structures found for other A(2)Cu(3)Cl(8) compounds. The zigzag chain structure is adopted so as to conform to the shorter repeat distance dictated by stacking of the organic cations.

Protein-carbohydrate interactions play essential roles in a variety of biological processes. This class of interactions is particularly important in development, immunology, infection, and carcinogenesis. However, the transient nature of glycan-dependent interactions hampers efforts to detect and characterize these complexes. Photocrosslinking is emerging as a powerful tool to discover and study glycan-dependent complexes. Through the use of photocrosslinking groups, UV irradiation can be employed to introduce a covalent bond between two transiently interacting molecules. Here we describe the use of metabolic oligosaccharide engineering to incorporate a photocrosslinkable sugar into cellular glycoconjugates and the use of this photocrosslinker to covalently capture glycan-mediated interactions., (Copyright (c) 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The title compound, (C2H8N)8[Ni3Cl12]Cl2, crystallizes as linear [Ni3Cl12]6- complex anions with inversion symmetry, separated from one another by dimethylammonium cations and noncoordinated chloride ions. The gross structural arrangement of the trinickel complex is as a segment of face-sharing NiCl6 octahedra similar to the (NiCl3)n chains of CsNiCl3-type compounds. On closer inspection, the regular coordination geometry of the complex consists of octahedral NiCl6 in the center linked by two symmetrically bridging chloride ions to square-pyramidal NiCl5 on each end. A long semicoordinate bond is formed by each of the terminal Ni(II) cations, to give a 5+1 coordination geometry and form an asymmetric bridge to the central Ni(II) cation. The dimethylammonium cations surround the complex with an extensive hydrogen-bonding network, linking the complex to the noncoordinated chloride ions. Asymmetric bridging in the complex arises from short hydrogen bonds from the same dimethylammonium cation to the apical and asymmetric bridging chloride ions, causing the complex to scissor outward.

The title bis(1,3,4-trimethylpyridinium) tetrahalidocuprate(II) structures, (C8H12N)2[CuCl4], (I), and (C8H12N)2[CuBr4], (II), respectively, consist of flattened [CuX4]2- tetrahedral complex anions and planar 1,3,4-trimethylpyridinium cations. Chloride compound (I) is a rare example of an A2CuCl4 structure with an elongated unit cell in the polar space group Fdd2. The [CuCl4]2- anions have twofold rotational symmetry and are arranged in distorted hexagonal close-packed (hcp) layers, which are interleaved with layers of cations, each in a four-layer repeat sequence, to generate the elongated axis. The organic cations stack along [101] or [101] in alternating layers. The methyl groups meta on the cation ring and the larger of the trans Cl-Cu-Cl angles both face the same direction along the polar axis and are the most prominent features determining the polarity of the structure. Bromide compound (II) crystallizes in a centrosymmetric structure with a similar layer structure but with only a two-layer repeat sequence. Here, symmetry-inequivalent cations are segregated into alternating layers with cations, forming hcp layers of inversion-related cation pairs in one layer and parallel stacks of cations in the other. The change in space group when the larger Br(-) ion is present suggests that the 1,3,4-trimethylpyridinium ion has a minimal size to allow the Fdd2 A2CuX4 structure type.

The structure of the title compound, C(8)H(8)I(2), conforms closely to the mm2 symmetry expected for the free mol-ecule and is the first reported structure of a diiodo-dimethyl-benzene. Repulsion by neighboring I atoms and the neighboring methyl groups opposite to them results in a slight elongation of the mol-ecule along the approximate twofold rotation axis that bis-ects the ring between the two I atoms. In the extended structure, the mol-ecules form inversion-related pairs which are organized in approximately hexa-gonal close-packed layers and the layers then stacked so that mol-ecules in neighboring layers abut head-to-tail in a manner that optimizes dipole-dipole inter-actions.

Transient interactions among glycoconjugates underlie developmental, immunological and metastatic recognition. Glycan-mediated interactions have low binding affinities and rapid dissociation rates. As a result, these complexes dissociate when removed from their cellular context, complicating characterization. Photocrosslinkers introduce a covalent bond between glycoconjugates and their binding partners, allowing physiologically relevant complexes to be isolated. This protocol describes metabolic incorporation of a diazirine photocrosslinker into sialic acids in cellular glycoconjugates. Subsequent irradiation results in photocrosslinking of sialic acid to neighboring macromolecules, providing a photochemical 'snapshot' of binding events. As photocrosslinking sugars are light activated, these reagents have the potential to be used for temporally and/or spatially restricted crosslinking. We provide instructions for the synthesis of photocrosslinking sugar precursors, cell culture for metabolic incorporation, flow cytometry to evaluate metabolic incorporation, photoirradiation and analysis of the crosslinked complexes. Synthesis of photocrosslinking sugars requires 4-6 d, and photocrosslinking experiments can be completed in an additional 6 d.

The molecular structure of the title triester compound, C(17)H(20)O(8), consists of a benzodioxole fused-ring system, an ethoxycarbonylmethyl group and two methoxycarbonyl groups arranged around a tetrahedral carbon center. Unlike similar triesters, which are oils, the title compound crystallizes at room temperature as interdigitated bilayers of triester molecules, with short O...H contacts from the methylene H atoms of benzodioxole to the carbonyl O atom of the ethoxycarbonylmethyl group and to a ring O atom of the benzodioxole group of a neighboring molecule within the bilayer. The persistence of these short C-H...O interactions from the activated H atoms of the benzodioxole ring at both 100 and 300 K indicate that they help provide the stabilization necessary for crystallization from the oil.

Transient and low-affinity interactions among macromolecules underlie many physiological events. Often, these interactions are difficult to study because they are not maintained when the participating molecules are removed from their cellular context. To circumvent this challenge, crosslinking reagents can be used to introduce covalent bonds between interacting macromolecules. Photoactivatable crosslinkers are particularly attractive because they allow crosslinking to proceed in time- and location-specific ways. Once the interacting partners have been crosslinked, they can be isolated and then analyzed by mass spectrometry or other analytical techniques to determine the identity of the interacting molecules and to pinpoint the interacting regions. This review highlights recent methodological developments that make it possible to introduce photocrosslinking groups into polypeptides or glycans as they are synthesized in cells. We also describe how these methods offer a non-invasive way to study macromolecular interactions in a native context.

An important frontier in glycoproteomics is the discovery of proteins with post-translational glycan modifications. The first step in glycoprotein identification is the isolation of glycosylated proteins from the remainder of the proteome. New enzymatic and metabolic methods are being used to chemically tag proteins to enable their isolation. Once isolated, glycoproteins can be identified by mass spectrometry. Additional information can be obtained by using either enzymatic or chemoselective reactions to incorporate isotope labels at specific sites of glycosylation. Isotopic labeling facilitates mass spectrometry-based confirmation of glycoprotein identity, identification of glycosylation sites, and quantification of the extent of modification. By combining chemical tagging for isolation and isotope labeling for mass spectrometry analysis, researchers are developing highly effective strategies for glycoproteomics. These techniques are enabling cancer biologists to identify biomarkers whose glycosylation state correlates with disease states, and developmental biologists to characterize stage-specific changes in glycoprotein expression. Next-generation methods will make functional analyses of the glycoproteome possible, including the discovery of glycoprotein interaction partners and the identification of enzymes responsible for synthesis of particular glycan structures.