In the Finnerty pathway for n-alkane oxidation in Acinetobacter sp., n-alkanes are postulated to be attacked by a dioxygenase and the product, n-alkyl hydroperoxide, is further metabolized to the corresponding aldehyde via the peroxy acid [W. R. Finnerty, p. 184-188, in A. H. Applewhite (ed.), Proceedings of the World Conference on Biotechnology for the Fats and Oil Industry, 1988]. However, no biochemical evidence regarding the first-step reaction is available. In this study, we found a novel n-alkane-oxidizing enzyme that requires only molecular oxygen, i.e., not NAD(P)H, in our isolate, Acinetobacter sp. strain M-1, and purified it to apparent homogeneity by gel electrophoresis. The purified enzyme is a homodimeric protein with a molecular mass of 134 kDa, contains 1 mol of flavin adenine dinucleotide per mol of subunit, and requires Cu 2؉ for its activity. The enzyme uses n-alkanes ranging in length from 10 to 30 carbon atoms and is also active toward n-alkenes (C 12 to C 20 ) and some aromatic compounds with substituted alkyl groups but not toward a branched alkane, alcohol, or aldehyde. Transient accumulation of n-alkyl hydroperoxide was detected in the course of the reaction, and no oxygen radical scavengers affected the enzyme activity. From these properties, the enzyme is most probably a dioxygenase that catalyzes the introduction of two atoms of oxygen to the substrate, leading to the formation of the corresponding n-alkyl hydroperoxide. The enzymatic evidence strongly supports the existence of an n-alkane oxidation pathway, which is initiated by a dioxygenase reaction, in Acinetobacter spp.Alkanes, ranging from methane to compounds with chain lengths of 40 or more carbon atoms, have generally been found to be degraded in both laboratory cultures and the natural environment (14,25,36). Some n-alkanes are recognized as feasible carbon sources for microbial production, such as that of biodegradable polymers (2), biosurfactants (17), and so on. Recently, much attention has been paid to the application of n-alkane-using microorganisms to bioremediation for oil spill environments (1). Three pathways for the metabolic attack on n-alkanes are known, and the participating enzyme reactions have been elucidated: (i) the monoterminal oxidation pathway (RCH 3 3 RCH 2 OH 3 RCHO 3 RCOOH), which is the most representative one in Pseudomonas spp. (20); (ii) biterminal oxidation (H 3 CRCH 3 3 H 3 CRCH 2 OH 3 HOCH 2 RCH 2 OH 3 HOOCRCOOH) of several types of bacteria and fungi (29), in which both terminal methyl groups of n-alkanes are sequentially hydroxylated; and (iii) subterminal oxidation [RCH 2 CH 3 3 RCH(OH)CH 3 3 RC(O)CH 3 ], which has been recognized in Nocardia spp. and so on (19). In all cases, an n-alkane is initially attacked by hydroxylases (monooxygenases) to produce the corresponding primary or secondary alcohol, although the enzymes participating in the catalytic mechanism differ. On the other hand, Finnerty (9) postulated a unique pathway [RCH 3 3 RCH 2 ⅐ OOH 3 RCO(O)OH 3 RCHO RCOOH] for long-chain n-al...

SUMMARY This overview focuses on the (α,α-difluoromethylene)phosphonate mimic of phosphoserine (pCF2Ser) and its application to the study of kinase-mediated signal transduction – pathways of great interest to drug development. The most versatile modes of access to these chemical biological tools are discussed, organized by method of PCF2-C bond. The pCF2-Ser mimic may be site-specifically incorporated into peptides (SPPS) and proteins (expressed protein ligation). This isopolar, dianionic pSer mimic results in a “constitutive phosphorylation” phenotype, and is seen to support native protein-protein interactions that depend upon serine phosphorylation. Signal transduction pathways studied with this chemical biological approach include the regulation of p53 tumor suppressor protein activity, and of melatonin production. Given these successes, the future is bright for the use of such “teflon phospho-amino acid mimics” to map kinase-based signaling pathways.

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Described is the first catalytic, asymmetric synthesis of (-)-podophyllotoxin and its C(2)-epimer, (-)-picropodophyllin. Asymmetry is achieved via the enzymatic desymmetrization of advanced meso diacetate 20, through PPL-mediated ester hydrolysis. A second key feature of the synthesis is the strategically late introduction of the highly oxygenated natural ring E through an arylcopper species. The successful implementation of this approach augers well for the introduction of other functionalized rings E for future SAR work. The synthesis begins from piperonal, which is fashioned into isobenzofuran (IBF) precursor 14 in three steps (bromination, acetalization, and halogen-metal exchange/hydroxymethylation). Interestingly, treatment of 14 with HOAc in commerical dimethyl maleate (contains 5% dimethyl fumarate) leads to a nearly equimolar mixture of fumarate- (15) and maleate-IBF Diels-Alder adducts (16 and 17), indicating that IBF 11 reacts about 15 times faster with dimethyl fumarate than with dimethyl maleate. With scrupulously pure dimethyl maleate a 2.8:1 endo:exo mixture of maleate DA adducts is still obtained. On the other hand, the desired meso diester 16 is obtained pure and in nearly quantitative yield by employing neat dimethyl acetylene dicarboxylate as the dienophile, followed by catalytic hydrogenation. Reduction (LiAlH(4)) of 16 provides meso diol 19, which is then treated with Ac(2)O, BzCl, and PhCH(2)COCl to provide the corresponding meso diesters, 20-22. Screening of these meso benzoxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptyl substrate candidates across a battery of acyl transfer enzymes leads to an optimized match of diacetate 20 with PPL. Even on 10-20 g scales, asymmetry is efficiently introduced here, yielding the key chiral intermediate, monoacetate 25 (66% isolated yield, 83% corrected yield, 95% ee). Protecting group manipulation and oxidation (Swern) provide aldehyde 27b, which undergoes efficient retro-Michael ring opening to produce dihydronaphthalene 30, in which the C(3) and C(4) stereocenters are properly set. Following several unsuccessful approaches to the intramolecular delivery of ring E (via Claisen rearrangement, Heck-type cyclization, or radical cyclization), a highly diastereoselective, intermolecular conjugate addition of the arylcopper reagent derived from (3,4,5-trimethoxy)phenylmagnesium bromide and CuCN to acyl oxazolidinone 50 was developed (85% yield, only the required alpha-stereochemistry at C(1) is observed). The conjugate addition product is converted to (-)-picropodophyllin in two steps (lactonization, SEM deprotection) or to (-)-podophyllotoxin, in three steps, through the introduction of a C(2)-epimerization step, under Kende conditions, prior to the final conjugate addition.