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Anthranilate phosphoribosyltransferase catalyses the second reaction in the biosynthesis of tryptophan from chorismate in microorganisms and plants. The enzyme is homodimeric with the active site located in the hinge region between two domains. A range of structures in complex with the substrates, substrate analogues and inhibitors have been determined, and these have provided insights into the catalytic mechanism of this enzyme. Substrate 5-phospho-d-ribose 1-diphosphate (PRPP) binds to the C-terminal domain and coordinates to Mg 2+ , in a site completed by two flexible loops. Binding of the second substrate anthranilate is more complex, featuring multiple binding sites along an anthranilate channel. This multi-modal binding is consistent with the substrate inhibition observed at high concentrations of anthranilate. A series of structures predict a dissociative mechanism for the reaction, similar to the reaction mechanisms elucidated for other phosphoribosyltransferases. As this enzyme is essential for some pathogens, efforts have been made to develop inhibitors for this enzyme. To date, the best inhibitors exploit the multiple binding sites for anthranilate. This article is part of the theme issue 'Reactivity and mechanism in chemical and synthetic biology'.

The rapid global rise of COVID-19 from late 2019 caught major manufacturers of RT-qPCR reagents by surprise and threw into sharp focus the heavy reliance of molecular diagnostic providers on a handful of reagent suppliers. In addition, lockdown and transport bans, necessarily imposed to contain disease spread, put pressure on global supply lines with freight volumes severely restricted. These issues were acutely felt in New Zealand, an island nation located at the end of most supply lines. This led New Zealand scientists to pose the hypothetical question: in a doomsday scenario where access to COVID-19 RT-qPCR reagents became unavailable, would New Zealand possess the expertise and infrastructure to make its own reagents onshore? In this work we describe a review of New Zealand's COVID-19 test requirements, bring together local experts and resources to make all reagents for the RT-qPCR process, and create a COVID-19 diagnostic assay referred to as HomeBrew (HB) RT-qPCR from onshore synthesized components. This one-step RT-qPCR assay was evaluated using clinical samples and shown to be comparable to a commercial COVID-19 assay. Through this work we show New Zealand has both the expertise and, with sufficient lead time and forward planning, infrastructure capacity to meet reagent supply challenges if they were ever to emerge., Competing Interests: Authors JU and JG are employed by Southern Community Laboratories, Dunedin, New Zealand. Authors WR and LL are employed by South Pacific Sera, Washdyke, Timaru, New Zealand. Authors RO'B and PC are employed by MicroGEM NZ Ltd., 201 Princes Street, Dunedin, New Zealand. The remaining 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., (Copyright © 2022 Stanton, O'Brien, Hall, Chernyavtseva, Ha, Jelley, Mace, Klenov, Treece, Fraser, Clow, Clarke, Su, Kurup, Filichev, Rolleston, Law, Rendle, Harris, Wood, Scully, Ussher, Grant, Hore, Moser, Harfoot, Lawley, Quiñones-Mateu, Collins and Blaikie.)

The specificity characteristics of transporters can be exploited for the development of novel diagnostic therapeutic probes. The facilitated hexose transporter family (GLUTs) has a distinct set of preferences for monosaccharide substrates, and while some are expressed ubiquitously (e.g., GLUT1), others are quite tissue specific (e.g., GLUT5, which is overexpressed in some breast cancer tissues). While these differences have enabled the development of new molecular probes based upon hexose- and tissue-selective uptake, substrate design for compounds targeting these GLUT transporters has been encumbered by a limited understanding of the molecular interactions at play in hexose binding and transport. Four new fluorescently labeled hexose derivatives have been prepared, and their transport characteristics were examined in two breast cancer cell lines expressing mainly GLUTs 1, 2, and 5. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, a stringent stereochemical requirement for recognition and transport by GLUT5. 6-NBDF, in which all substituents are in the d-fructose configuration, is taken up rapidly into both cell lines via GLUT5. On the other hand, inversion of a single stereocenter at C-3 (6-NBDP), C-4 (6-NBDT), or C-5 (6-NDBS) results in selective transport via GLUT1. An in silico docking study employing the recently published GLUT5 crystal structure confirms this stereochemical dependence. This work provides insight into hexose-GLUT interactions at the molecular level and will facilitate structure-based design of novel substrates targeting individual members of the GLUT family and forms the basis of new cancer imaging or therapeutic agents.

The generation of dibrominated cyclopentenones via an interrupted Nazarov cyclization is reported. The installation of two bromine atoms occurs at the α and α' positions of the cyclopentenyl scaffold via successive nucleophilic and electrophilic bromination of the 2-oxidocyclopentenyl cation and its resulting enolate. Notably, the reaction proceeds with good diastereoselectivity, favoring the symmetrical product.

A short five steps synthesis of the title compound from vanillin is described. The racemic spiroether 7 was obtained in 61% yield and in >99% diastereomeric excess (by 1H-NMR) from the corresponding phenolic derivative 3 by oxidation with lead (IV) acetate.

The asymmetric syntheses of two new spirolactones prepared in optically pure form from L-3-nitrotyrosine are described. The key step, an oxidative spiroannulation, was carried out on the optically active phenols 11a and 11b and afforded the new spirolactones 5a and 5b in 85% and 83% yields, respectively, as mixtures (3:1 dr) of diastereomers. The major diastereomers from these mixtures could be isolated in optically pure form by trituration using acetone-hexanes as the solvent. Thus, the optically active spirolactones (+)-5a (+ 92.8 degrees, c=0.125 acetone) and (+)-5b (+112.0 degrees, c= 0.125 acetone) were obtained after four synthetic steps from L-3-nitrotyrosine in 41% and 43% yield, respectively.