To investigate the function of the nucleolar protein Nop2p in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we constructed a strain in which NOP2 is under the control of a repressible promoter. Repression of NOP2 expression lengthens the doubling time of this strain about fivefold and reduces steady-state levels of 60S ribosomal subunits, 80S ribosomes, and polysomes. Levels of 40S subunits increase as the free pool of 60S subunits is reduced. Nop2p depletion impairs processing of the 35S pre-rRNA and inhibits processing of 27S pre-rRNA, which results in lower steady-state levels of 25S rRNA and 5.8S rRNA. Processing of 20S pre-rRNA to 18S rRNA is not significantly affected. Processing at sites A 2 , A 3 , B 1L , and B 1S and the generation of 5 termini of different pre-rRNA intermediates appear to be normal after Nop2p depletion. Sequence comparisons suggest that Nop2p may function as a methyltransferase. 2-O-ribose methylation of the conserved site UmGm⌿UC 2922 is known to take place during processing of 27S pre-rRNA. Although Nop2p depletion lengthens the half-life of 27S pre-RNA, methylation of UmGm⌿UC 2922 in 27S pre-rRNA is low during Nop2p depletion. However, methylation of UmGm⌿UC 2922 in mature 25S rRNA appears normal. These findings provide evidence for a close interconnection between methylation at this conserved site and the processing step that yields the 25S rRNA.

Late-stage diversification of natural products is an efficient way to generate natural product derivatives for drug discovery and chemical biology. Benefiting from the development of site-selective synthetic methodologies, late-stage diversification of natural products has achieved notable success. This outlook will outline selected examples of novel methodologies for site-selective transformations of reactive functional groups and inert C–H bonds that enable late-stage diversification of complex natural products. Accordingly, late-stage diversification provides an opportunity to rapidly access various derivatives for modifying lead compounds, identifying cellular targets, probing protein–protein interactions, and elucidating natural product biosynthetic relationships.

Abstract. We have isolated a gene (NOP2) encoding a nucleolar protein during a search for previously unidentified nuclear proteins in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The protein encoded by NOP2 (Nop2p) has a predicted molecular mass of 70 kD, migrates at 90 kD by SDS-PAGE, and is essential for cell viability. Nop2p shows significant amino acid sequence homology to a human proliferation-associated nucleolar protein, p120. Approximately half of Nop2p exhibits 67% amino acid sequence identity to p120. Analysis of subcellular fractions indicates that Nop2p is located primarily in the nucleus, and nuclear fractionation studies suggest that Nop2p is associated with the nucleolus. Indirect immunofluorescence localization of Nop2p shows a nucleolar-staining pattern, which is heterogeneous in appearance, and a faint staining of the cytoplasm. The expression of NOP2 during the transition from stationary phase growth arrest to rapid growth was measured, and compared to the expression of TCM/, which encodes the ribosomal protein L3. Nop2p protein levels are markedly upregulated during the onset of growth, compared to the levels of ribosomal protein L3, which remain relatively constant. NOP2 mRNA levels also increase during the onset of growth, accompanied by a similar increase in the levels of TCM/mRNA. The consequences of overexpressing NOP2 from the GAL/0 promoter on a multicopy plasmid were investigated. Although NOP2 overexpression produced no discernible growth phenotype and had no effect on ribosome subunit synthesis, overexpression was found to influence the morphology of the nucleolus, as judged by electron microscopy. Overexpression caused the nucleolus to become detached from the nuclear envelope and to become more rounded and/or fragmented in appearance. These findings suggest roles for NOP2 in nucleolar function during the onset of growth, and in the maintenance of nucleolar structure. T HE nucleolus is the specialized region within the nucleus where the majority of the steps in the complex process of ribosome subunit synthesis are executed (for recent yeast reviews, see Raue and Planta, 1991;Woolford and Warner, 1991). Within the nucleolus RNA polymerase I synthesizes a precursor rRNA, which is processed and modified, but not spliced, in a series of steps to generate mature 5.8 S, 18 S, and 25 S rRNAs. The 5 S rRNA is transcribed from a separate transcription unit by RNA polymerase III. The large subunit is assembled from probably up to 45 different ribosomal proteins and the 5 S, 5.8 S, and 25 S rRNAs, whereas the small subunit contains 32 ribosomal proteins and the 18 S rRNA. The biogenesis of ribosomal subunits in the nucleolus is thought to involve the coordinated formation of a series of subunit precursors consisting

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Protecting-group-free synthesis of (+)-ent-kauradienone and (À)-jungermannenone C has been accomplished through sequential applications of three radical-based reactions, including late-stage photoinduced skeletal rearrangements of bicyclo[3.2.1]octene ring systems. Further investigations on various terpenoids showed good functional-group tolerance and suggest that some terpenoids could also be produced via such photoinduced rearrangements pathways in nature. Our work demonstrates how paying more attention to unconventional radical mechanisms can reveal new chemistries that facilitate the synthesis of complex natural products.

In this study, we investigated whether phloroglucinol (1, 3, 5 - trihydroxybenzene) has therapeutic effects in cellular and animal model of Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is the second most common, chronic and progressive neurodegenerative disease, and is clinically characterized with motor dysfunctions such as bradykinesia, rigidity, postural instability, gait impairment, and resting tremor. In the brains of PD patients, dopaminergic neuronal loss is observed in the Substantia nigra. Although the exact mechanisms underlying PD are largely unknown, mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress are thought to be critical factors that induce the onset of the disease. Here, phloroglucinol administration was shown to attenuate motor functional deficits evaluated with rota-rod and apomorphine-induced rotation tests in 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced PD animal models. Moreover, phloroglucinol ameliorated the loss of synapses as assessed with protein levels and immunoreactivity against synaptophysin in the midbrain region of the 6-OHDA-lesioned rats. In addition, in SH-SY5Y cultures, the cytotoxicity of 6-OHDA was reduced by pre-treatment with phloroglucinol. The increase in the reactive oxygen species, lipid peroxidation, protein carbonyl formation and 8-hydroxyguanine caused by treatment with 6-OHDA was attenuated by phloroglucinol in SH-SY5Y cells. Furthermore, phloroglucinol treatment rescued the reduced levels of nuclear Nrf2, antioxidant enzymes, i.e., catalase and glutathione peroxidase, in 6-OHDA-treated cells. Taken together, phloroglucinol has a therapeutic potential for treatment of PD.

Utilizing a late-stage enamine bromofunctionalization strategy, the twelve-step total synthesis of (-)-huperzine Q was accomplished. Furthermore, the first total syntheses of (+)-lycopladines B and C are described. An unprecedented X-ray crystal structure of an unusual epoxyamine intermediate is also reported, and the synthetic application of this intermediate in natural product synthesis is demonstrated.

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