Takuo Kawamoto

Multiple Repair Pathways Mediate Tolerance to Chemotherapeutic Cross-linking Agents in Vertebrate Cells

Cross-linking agents that induce DNA interstrand cross-links (ICL) are widely used in anticancer chemotherapy. Yeast genetic studies show that nucleotide excision repair (NER), Rad6/Rad18-dependent postreplication repair, homologous recombination, and cell cycle checkpoint pathway are involved in ICL repair. To study the contribution of DNA damage response pathways in tolerance to cross-linking agents in vertebrates, we made a panel of gene-disrupted clones from chicken DT40 cells, each defective in a particular DNA repair or checkpoint pathway, and measured the sensitivities to cross-linking agents, including cis-diamminedichloroplatinum (II) (cisplatin), mitomycin C, and melphalan. We found that cells harboring defects in translesion DNA synthesis (TLS), Fanconi anemia complementation groups (FANC), or homologous recombination displayed marked hypersensitivity to all the cross-linking agents, whereas NER seemed to play only a minor role. This effect of replication-dependent repair pathways is distinctively different from the situation in yeast, where NER seems to play a major role in dealing with ICL. Cells deficient in Rev3, the catalytic subunit of TLS polymerase Polzeta, showed the highest sensitivity to cisplatin followed by fanc-c. Furthermore, epistasis analysis revealed that these two mutants work in the same pathway. Our genetic comprehensive study reveals a critical role for DNA repair pathways that release DNA replication block at ICLs in cellular tolerance to cross-linking agents and could be directly exploited in designing an effective chemotherapy.

Esterification In Organic Solvents: Selection Of Hydrolases And Effects Of Reaction Conditions

Fifty different hydrolases were screened for retention of high esterification activity in an organic solvent with citronellol as substrate. Although 22 hydrolases were very active as catalysts in the organic solvent, lipase from Candida cylindracea (lipase OF 360) was selected for further examination of the effects of reaction conditions on enzyme activity, with regard to catalyst availability and activity retention after immobilization. When the enzyme was entrapped in hydrophobic polyurethane gels, water-saturated isooctane was found to be the most suitable solvent, whereas polar solvents caused reversible catalyst inactivation. Entrapment significantly enhanced the operational stability of the lipase in the organic solvent.

Stereoselective esterification of halogen-containing carboxylic acids by lipase in organic solvent: effects of alcohol chain length

SummaryOptical resolution of racemic carboxylic acids containing a halogen atom was attempted with stereoselective esterificatiob by Celite-adsorbed hydrolases in organic solvents. As lipase OF 360 from Candida cylindracea was found to stereoselectively esterify 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)propanoic acid, the (R)-enantiomer (d-isomer) of which is an important herbicide, the effects of alcohol chain length on stereoselectivity as well as reaction rate were investigated. The results revealed that the alcohol chain length markedly affected the stereoselective esterification of 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)propanoic acid: longer-chain alcohols, such as tetradecanol, served as excellent substrates for optical resolution of the acid, although the reaction rate was moderate.

Critical Roles for Polymerase ζ in Cellular Tolerance to Nitric Oxide–Induced DNA Damage

Nitric oxide (NO), a signal transmitter involved in inflammation and regulation of smooth muscle and neurons, seems to cause mutagenesis, but its mechanisms have remained elusive. To gain an insight into NO-induced genotoxicity, we analyzed the effect of NO on a panel of chicken DT40 clones deficient in DNA repair pathways, including base and nucleotide excision repair, double-strand break repair, and translesion DNA synthesis (TLS). Our results show that cells deficient in Rev1 and Rev3, a subunit essential for DNA polymerase zeta (Polzeta), are hypersensitive to killing by two chemical NO donors, spermine NONOate and S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine. Mitotic chromosomal analysis indicates that the hypersensitivity is caused by a significant increase in the level of induced chromosomal breaks. The data reveal the critical role of TLS polymerases in cellular tolerance to NO-induced DNA damage and suggest the contribution of these error-prone polymerases to accumulation of single base substitutions.

Microencapsulation of Islets with Living Cells Using PolyDNA-PEG-Lipid Conjugate

Microencapsulation of islets with a semipermeable membrane, i.e., bioartificial pancreas, is a promising way to transplant islets without the need for immunosuppressive therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (type I diabetes). However, materials composing a bioartificial pancreas are not ideal and might activate defense reactions against foreign materials. In this study, we propose an original method for microencapsulation of islets with living cells using an amphiphilic poly(ethylene glyocol)-conjugated phospholipid derivative (PEG-lipid) and DNA hybridization. PolyA and polyT were introduced onto the surfaces of the islets and HEK 293 cells, respectively, using amphiphilic PEG-lipid derivatives. PolyA20 modified HEK cells were immobilized onto the islet surface where polyT20-PEG-lipid was incorporated. The cells spread and proliferated on the islet surface, and the islet surface was completely encapsulated with a cell layer after culture. The encapsulated islets retained the ability to control insulin release in response to glucose concentration changes.

Doubly entrapped baker's yeast survives during the long-term stereoselective reduction of ethyl 3-oxobutanoate in an organic solvent

To attain long-term bioreaction in organic solvents with living microorganisms, we tried to protect the microorganisms from the toxicity of the solvent by immobilization. In this study, bakers yeast, which is not tolerant to organic solvents such as isooctane, was selected as a model microorganism and the immobilized living yeast cells were examined for activity in the steroselective reduction of ethyl 3-oxobutanoate to ethyl (S)-3-hydroxybutanoate in isooctane; an activity that correlated well with the viability of the yeast cells. It was found that double entrapment, that is, further entrapment of calcium-alginate-gel-entrapped cells with a urethane prepolymer, made it possible for the yeast to remain viable in isooctane, although other conventional immobilization methods, such as single entrapment using polysaccharide or synthetic resin prepolymers, were insufficient for its protection. Furthermore, doubly entrapped living yeast cells could carry out the stereoselective reduction in isooctane repeatedly for a long period (more than 1200 h) with occasional cultivation. Thus, double entrapment enabled a microorganism sensitive to organic solvents to survive over long-term bioreaction in an organic solvent.

Enzymatic preparation of optically active silylmethanol derivatives having a stereogenic silicon atom by hydrolase-catalyzed enantioselective esterification

Abstract Kinetic resolution of ethylmethylphenylsilylmethanol, a primary alcohol having a stereogenic silicon atom, was tried by hydrolase-catalyzed enantioselective reactions. Among twenty kinds of hydrolases examined, a commercial crude papain preparation was found to exhibit the highest enantioselectivity with moderate activity toward the silicon-containing alcohol on esterification with 5-phenylpentanoic acid in an organic solvent system, and the (+)-enantiomer of 92 %ee was obtained as the remaining substrate. Several silylmethanol derivatives could be also resolved by this enantioselective esterification, even though it was difficult to synthesize such chiral quaternary silanes with high optical purity by chemical methods due to the absence of leaving groups on the silicon atom. These results demonstrate that enzymes can recognize the configuration not only of carbon atoms but also of silicon atoms, and indicate the usefulness of biocatalysts for preparing optically active silanes.

EFFICIENT OPTICAL RESOLUTION OF 2-(4-CHLOROPHENOXY)PROPANOIC ACID WITH LIPASE BY THE USE OF ORGANOSILICON COMPOUNDS AS SUBSTRATE: THE ROLE OF SILICON ATOM IN ENZYMATIC RECOGNITION

Abstract Comparative studies were made of the use as acyl acceptor of organosilicon compounds [Me 3 Si(CH 2 ) n OH] and the corresponding carbon compounds [Me 3 C(CH 2 ) n OH] in the stereoselective esterification of 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)propanoic acid by the use of lipase OF 360 of Candida cylindracea in water-saturated benzene. The organosilicon compounds were effectively used as the substrates for the esterification of the d -acid enantiomer. Of the organosilicon compounds of different chain-length between the silicon atom and the hydroxyl group, trimethylsilylmethanol ( n = 1) enabled the esterification reaction to be both fast and highly stereoselective, which was difficult with conventional substrates such as its carbon counterpart. On the other hand, no difference was observed between trimethylsilylethanol ( n = 2) and its carbon analogue (3,3-dimethylbutanol) in the enzymatic activity and the stereoselectivity. These results indicate that the silicon atom behaved as a mimic carbon atom for lipase in the case of trimethylsilylethanol but was effective in enhancing the reactivity of trimethylsilylmethanol. The difference could be explained on the basis of the properties of silicon atom, such as its low electronegativity and big atomic radius compared with the carbon atom.

Bioconversion of organosilicon compounds by horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase: the role of the silicon atom in enzymatic reactions

SummaryBioconversion of three organosilicon compounds of different chain length between the silicon atom and the hydroxyl group (Me3Si(CH2)nOH, n = 1–3) by horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase (HLADH, EC 1.1.1.1.) was studied. Furthermore, the effect of the silicon atom on the HLADH-catalysed reaction was examined in comparison with the corresponding carbon compounds. HLADH could catalyse the dehydrogenation of trimethylsilyeethanol (n = 2) and trimethylsilylpropanol (n = 3). Trimethylsilylethanol was a better substrate than both its carbon analogue, 3,3-dimethylbutanol, and ethanol. The improved activity of HLADH on trimethylsilylethanol could be accounted for by a higher affinity toward HLADH and a lower activation energy of the reaction by HLADH than those of the carbon counterpart. These are derived from physical properties of the silicon atom, that is, the lower electronegativity and the bigger radius than those of the carbon atom. In contrast, HLADH showed no activity on trimethylsilylmethanol (n = 1), whereas it catalysed the dehydrogenation of the carbon analogue, 2,2-dimethylpropanol, fairly well. The reason for the inactivity of HLADH in the case of trimethylsilylmethanol based on the electric effect of the silicon atom is also discussed.

Preparation of an organic solvent-tolerant strain from baker's yeast

Abstract. By using immobilized bakers yeast repeatedly in isooctane with occasional reactivation by cultivation, we succeeded in the preparation of an organic solvent-tolerant strain, named KK21, which could grow in the presence of isooctane. This is the first report on an organic solvent-tolerant strain from bakers yeast. Strain KK21 showed high tolerance to organic solvents and maintained a high and stable activity on continuous reduction of n-butyl 3-oxobutanoate in an isooctane-medium two-phase system. Although the morphology of strain KK21 was the same as that of bakers yeast, the saturated fatty acid occupancy (SFA occupancy), which is defined as the percentage of saturated fatty acids in the total fatty acids of phospholipids, of strain KK21 was significantly higher than that of parental bakers yeast when strain KK21 was grown in the presence of isooctane, suggesting that a decrease in fluidity of the cell membrane might play an important role in the tolerance to organic solvents.