D. V. Yashunsky

Molecular Cloning and Functional Characterization of Components of the Capsule Biosynthesis Complex of Neisseria meningitidis Serogroup A TOWARD IN VITRO VACCINE PRODUCTION

Background: The isolation of capsular polysaccharides from pathogenic bacteria for vaccine production is cost-intensive. Results: We describe the cloning, recombinant expression, and functional characterization of three enzymes from Neisseria meningitidis serogroup A that facilitate in vitro synthesis of the capsule polymer. Conclusion: The study presents a novel basis for efficient vaccine production. Significance: Economic vaccine production is prerequisite to combat meningococcal diseases. The human pathogen Neisseria meningitidis (Nm) is a leading cause of bacterial meningitis and sepsis globally. A major virulence factor of Nm is the capsular polysaccharide (CPS), which in Nm serogroup A consists of N-acetyl-mannosamine-1-phosphate units linked together by phosphodiester linkages [→6)-α-d-ManNAc-(1→OPO3−→]n. Acetylation in O-3 (to a minor extent in O-4) position results in immunologically active polymer. In the capsule gene cluster (cps) of Nm, region A contains the genetic information for CPSA biosynthesis. Thereby the open reading frames csaA, -B, and -C are thought to encode the UDP-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-2-epimerase, poly-ManNAc-1-phosphate-transferase, and O-acetyltransferase, respectively. With the aim to use a minimal number of recombinant enzymes to produce immunologically active CPSA, we cloned the genes csaA, csaB, and csaC and functionally characterized the purified recombinant proteins. If recombinant CsaA and CsaB were combined in one reaction tube, priming CPSA-oligosaccharides were efficiently elongated with UDP-GlcNAc as the donor substrate, confirming that CsaA is the functional UDP-N-acetyl-d-glucosamine-2-epimerase and CsaB the functional poly-ManNAc-1-phosphate-transferase. Subsequently, CsaB was shown to transfer ManNAc-1P onto O-6 of the non-reducing end sugar of priming oligosaccharides, to prefer non-O-acetylated over O-acetylated primers, and to efficiently elongate the dimer of ManNAc-1-phosphate. The in vitro synthesized CPSA was purified, O-acetylated with recombinant CsaC, and proven to be identical to the natural CPSA by 1H NMR, 31P NMR, and immunoblotting. If all three enzymes and their substrates were combined in a one-pot reaction, nature identical CPSA was obtained. These data provide the basis for the development of novel vaccine production protocols.

Porphyrins. 37. Synthesis of heterodimers of porphyrins and chlorins containing pyrrolyl-methyl bridges

We have obtained various adducts, including homodimers and heterodimers of ethanebisporphyrins and ethanebischlorins containing pyrrole and dipyrrylmethane insertions, by reaction of mesodimethylaminomethylporphyrins and chlorins with α-unsubstituted pyrrole derivatives in the presence of methyl iodide.

Chemistry of dimethylaminomethylporphyrins. New synthesis of meso-methylporphyrins via triphenylporphyrinylmethylphosphonium iodides

Abstract Reaction of various trimethyl(porphyrinylmethyl) ammonium iodides (generated in situ from the corresponding meso -dimethylaminomethylporphyrins and iodomethane) with triphenylphosphine afforded triphenylporphyrinylmethylphosphonium iodides which, when subjected to mild basic hydrolysis, gave meso -methylporphyrins in high yields.

Chemical transformation of 1,2-oxazinochlorin derivatives: synthesis and X-ray crystal structure of a novel porphyrin-porphyrin dimer with a condensed cyclohexane ring

Base-assisted ring opening in 1,2-oxazinochlorin derivatives led selectively to the corresponding meso-cyanohydroxychlorin derivatives. The latter could then undergo acid-mediated carbocation formation followed by nucleophilic treatment to give different products, depending on the nature of the nucleophile reagent. Treatment of (E)- and/or (Z)-2-ethylidene-3-hydroxy-5-cyano-3,7,8,12,13,17,18-heptaethylchlorin nickel complex with a mixture of 5% trifluoroacetic acid and dichloromethane yielded a novel type porphyrin-porphyrin dimer with a condensed cyclohexane ring in an almost quantitative yield. The structure of this dimer was determined by single crystal X-ray analysis.