Marcel Frese

Enzymatic Halogenation of Tryptophan on a Gram Scale

Halogenated arenes are important building blocks in medicinal and agrochemistry. Chemical electrophilic aromatic halogenation requires molecular halogen, whereas FAD-dependent halogenases form halogenated arenes with high regioselectivity while only halide salts and O2 are required. This reaction proceeds at room temperature in aqueous media. However, enzymatic halogenation is considered inefficient, mainly because halogenases are not stable. Thus, the preparative application remained elusive. We were able to show that the long-term stability and, hence, the preparative efficiency of the tryptophan-7-halogenase RebH can be significantly improved by immobilization together with the other enzymes required for cofactor regeneration. We established a facile scalable method suitable for the halogenation of tryptophan and its derivatives on a gram scale using a solid, multifunctional, and recyclable biocatalyst; this immobilization strategy might also be applicable for other FAD-dependent halogenases.

Regioselective Enzymatic Halogenation of Substituted Tryptophan Derivatives using the FAD-Dependent Halogenase RebH

Regioselective methods to establish carbon–halide bonds are still rare, although halogenation is considered as a commonly used methodology for the functionalization of organic compounds. The incorporation of halogen substituents by organic synthesis usually requires hazardous conditions, shows poor regioselectivity and results in the formation of unwanted byproducts. In addition, halogenation by electrophilic aromatic substitution (SEAr) obeys distinct rules depending on electron‐withdrawing or ‐donating groups already present in the aromatic ring. We employed the tryptophan‐7‐halogenase RebH for regioselective enzymatic halogenation to overcome these limitations. In combination with a tryptophan synthase, an array of C5‐ and C6‐substituted tryptophan derivatives was synthesized and halogenated by RebH. The halogenase is able override these directing effects and halogenates at the electronically unfavored C7‐meta‐position, even in presence of ortho/para‐directing groups.

Modular Combination of Enzymatic Halogenation of Tryptophan with Suzuki-Miyaura Cross-Coupling Reactions

The combination of the biocatalytic halogenation of l‐tryptophan with subsequent chemocatalytic Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions leads to the modular synthesis of an array of C5, C6, or C7 aryl‐substituted tryptophan derivatives. In a three‐step one‐pot reaction, the bromo substituent is initially incorporated regioselectively by immobilized tryptophan 5‐, 6‐, or 7‐halogenases, respectively, with concomitant cofactor regeneration. The halogenation proceeds in aqueous media at room temperature in the presence of NaBr and O2. After the separation of the biocatalyst by filtration, a Pd catalyst, base, and boronic acid are added to the aryl halide formed in situ to effect direct Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling reactions followed by tert‐butoxycarbonyl (Boc) protection. After a single purification step, different Boc‐protected aryl tryptophan derivatives are obtained that can, for example, be used for peptide or peptidomimetic synthesis.

A High-Throughput Fluorescence Assay to Determine the Activity of Tryptophan Halogenases

Biocatalytic halogenation with tryptophan halogenases is hampered by severe limitations such as low activity and stability. These drawbacks can be overcome by directed evolution, but for screening large mutant libraries, a facile high-throughput method is required. Therefore, we developed a quantitative halogenase assay based on a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling towards the formation of a fluorescent aryltryptophan. The technique was optimized for application in crude E. coli lysate without intermediary purification steps, and was used for quantitatively monitoring the formation of halogenated tryptophans with high specificity by facile fluorescence screening in microtiter plates. This novel screening approach was exploited to engineer a thermostable tryptophan 6-halogenase. Libraries were constructed by error-prone PCR and selected for improved thermal resistance simply by fluorogenic cross-coupling. Our method led to an enzyme variant with substantially increased thermal stability and 2.5-fold improved activity.

Characterization of the pyrophosphate-dependent 6-phosphofructokinase from Xanthomonas campestris pv. campestris

Xanthomonads are plant pathogenic proteobacteria that produce the polysaccharide xanthan. They are assumed to catabolize glucose mainly via the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. Whereas previous studies have demonstrated no phosphofructokinase (PFK) activity in xanthomonads, detailed genome analysis revealed in Xanthomonas campestris pathovar campestris (Xcc) genes for all Embden-Meyerhof-Parnas pathway (glycolysis) enzymes, including a conserved pfkA gene similar to 6-phosphofructokinase genes. To address this discrepancy between genetic and physiological properties, the pfkA gene of Xcc strain B100 was cloned into the expression vector pET28a+. The 45-kDa pfkA gene product exhibited no conventional PFK activity. Bioinformatic analysis of the Xcc PfkA amino acid sequence suggested utilization of pyrophosphate as an alternative cosubstrate. Pyrophosphate-dependent PFK activity was shown in an in vitro enzyme assay for purified Xcc PfkA, as well as in the Xcc B100 crude protein extract. Kinetic constants were determined for the forward and reverse reactions. Primary structure conservation indicates the global presence of similar enzymes among Xanthomonadaceae.

Terretonin N: A New Meroterpenoid from Nocardiopsis sp.

Terretonin N (1), a new highly oxygenated and unique tetracyclic 6-hydroxymeroterpenoid, was isolated together with seven known compounds from the ethyl acetate extract of a solid-state fermented culture of Nocardiopsis sp. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. The structure and absolute configuration of 1 were unambiguously determined by X-ray crystallography. The isolation and taxonomic characterization of Nocardiopsis sp. is reported. The antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity of the strain extract and compound 1 were studied using different microorganisms and a cervix carcinoma cell line, respectively.

New oxaphenalene derivative from marine-derived Streptomyces griseorubens sp ASMR4

Abstract During our search for novel bioactive compounds from extremophilic actinomycetes, the new Streptomyces griseorubens sp. ASMR4 was isolated from a soft coral collected in the Red Sea at the Hurghada coast, Egypt, and characterized taxonomically. It was fermented on large scale using a modified solid rice medium as the first example for actinomycetes so far. Work-up and purification of the strain extract using different chromatographic techniques afforded the new oxaphenalene derivative, 8-hydroxy-2-(2-hydroxypropyl)-7-acetyl-1-oxaphenalene (1a), together with seven known metabolites: ferulic acid (2), glycerol linoleate, linoleic acid methyl ester, (3R,4R)-3,4-dihydroxy-3-methylpentan-2-one/(3S,4R)-3,4-dihydroxy-3-methylpentan-2-one, anthranilic acid, phenylacetic acid, and benzoic acid. The chemical structure of the new compound (1a) was confirmed by extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy, high-resolution electron impact mass measurements, and by comparison with literature data. The antimicrobial activity of the strain extract and compounds 1a and 2 were studied using a panel of pathogenic microorganisms. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the bacterial extract was studied against the human cervix carcinoma cell line (KB-3-1) and its multi-drug-resistant subclone (KB-V1).

New bioactive compounds from the marine-derived actinomycete Nocardiopsis lucentensis sp. ASMR2

Abstract In the search for new bioactive compounds from extremophilic actinomycetes, a new marine actinomycete strain, Nocardiopsis lucentensis sp. ASMR2 has been isolated and taxonomically identified from marine plants collected in the Red Sea at Hurghada coasts. A large-scale fermentation of the strain on modified rice solid medium was performed, followed by work-up and purification of the obtained extract using a series of chromatographic purifications, delivering the novel butenolide system 3′-hydroxy-N-(2-oxo-2,5-dihydrofuran-4-yl)propionamide (1a) along with the naturally new 4-methoxy-2H-isoquinolin-1-one (2). Furthermore, eight known bioactive compounds are also reported, namely, indole-3-carboxylic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, indole-3-acetic acid methyl ester, furan-2,5-dimethanol, tyrosol, glycerol linoleate, cyclo-(Tyr, Pro), and adenosine. The chemical structures of the new compounds (1a, 2) were confirmed by extensive one- and two-dimensional (1D and 2D) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, electron ionization high resolution (EI-HR) mass spectrometry, and by comparison with literature data. The antimicrobial activity of the strain extract, as well as of compounds 1a and 2, were studied using a panel of pathogenic microorganisms. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the bacterial extract and compounds 1a and 2 were studied against the human cervix carcinoma cell line (KB-3-1) and its multidrug-resistant subclone (KB-V1).

Antimicrobial Abietane-Type Diterpenoids from Plectranthus punctatus

Four new para-benzoquinone containing abietane-type diterpenoids (1–4) along with thirteen known diterpenoids (5–17) were isolated from the roots of Plectranthus punctatus. The structures of the compounds were established by detailed spectroscopic analyses and comparison with literature data. The compounds were tested for their antibacterial and cytotoxic activity and showed significant inhibitory activity against all bacterial strains used, with compounds 6, 8, 10, and 11 showing an inhibition zone for Staphylococcus warneri even greater than the reference drug, gentamycin.

Cytotoxic Compounds from Aloe megalacantha

Phytochemical investigation of the ethyl acetate extract of the roots of Aloe megalacantha led to the isolation of four new natural products—1,8-dimethoxynepodinol (1), aloesaponarin III (2), 10-O-methylchrysalodin (3) and methyl-26-O-feruloyl-oxyhexacosanate (4)—along with ten known compounds. All purified metabolites were characterized by NMR, mass spectrometric analyses and comparison with literature data. The isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against a human cervix carcinoma cell line KB-3-1 and some of them exhibited good activity, with aloesaponarin II (IC50 = 0.98 µM) being the most active compound.