15N and 1H resonance assignments for backbone and side-chain resonances of both equilibrium forms of rat ferricytochrome b5 have been obtained, using a combination of novel heteronuclear assignment transfer methods from the known assignments of the diamagnetic protein [Guiles, R. D., Basus, V. J., Kuntz, I. D., & Waskell, L. A. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 11365-11375] and computational methods which depend on an accurate determination of the orientation of the components of the susceptibility tensor. The transfer of amide proton resonance assignments takes advantage of the apparent insensitivity of amide 15N resonances to pseudocontact effects, evident in overlays of 15N-1H heteronuclear correlation spectra. Amide-proton resonance assignments tentatively transferred from the known diamagnetic assignments to the paramagnetic form of the protein were confirmed using conventional assignment strategies employing 600-MHz COSY, HOHAHA, and NOESY spectra of the oxidized protein. As was observed in rat ferrocytochrome b5, more than 40% of all residues exhibited NMR detectable heterogeneity due to the two different orientations of the heme. Complete assignment of both forms enabled accurate determination of the orientation of the susceptibility tensor for both conformations of the heme. The orientation of the z-component of the susceptibility tensors for the two forms are indistinguishable, while the in-plane components appear to differ by about 6 degrees. Differences in the orientation of the in-plane susceptibility components are undoubtedly due dominantly to the relative axial rotation of the heme of between 5 degrees and 10 degrees indicated by the NOESY contacts to the protein observed in the spectra of the ferrocytochrome [Guiles, R. D., Basus, V. J., Kuntz, I. D., & Waskell, L. A. (1992) Biochemistry 31, 11365-11375; Pochapsky, T. C., Sligar, S. G., McLachlan, S. J., & LaMar, G. N. (1990) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 112, 5258-5263].

A novel NADPH-dependent enoyl reductase, catalyzing the conversion of 1-cyclohexenylcarbonyl coenzyme A (1-cyclohexenylcarbonyl-CoA) to cyclohexylcarbonyl-CoA, was purified to homogeneity from Streptomyces coUinus. This enzyme, a dimer with subunits of identical Mr (36,000), exhibits a Km of 1.5 0.3 ,uM for NADPH and 25 + 3 ,uM for 1-cyclohexenylcarbonyl-CoA. It has a pH optimum of 7.5, is most active at 30°C, and is inhibited by both divalent cations and thiol reagents. Two internal peptide sequences were obtained.

3-Arylecgonine analogues were synthesized and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, IR, and MS. The compounds were synthesized as racemates from cycloheptatriene-7-carboxylic acid or enantiomerically from (-)-cocaine. These analogues were tested for their ability to inhibit [3H]cocaine binding to bovine striatal tissue and to inhibit [3H]dopamine uptake into striatal synaptosomes. Methyl (1RS-2-exo-3-exo)-8-methyl-3-phenyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane-2-ca rboxylate was the most potent analogue. IC50 values for inhibition of cocaine binding and dopamine uptake were 20 and 100 nM, respectively. The racemates and the 1R isomers were equally potent inhibitors of binding and uptake. Methyl (1RS-2-endo-3-exo)-3-(2,4-dinitrophenyl)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2 .1]octane- 2-carboxylate was the least potent. IC50 for inhibition of both binding and uptake was 40 microM.

Five (1R-2-exo-3-exo)-3-(N-phenylcarbamoyl)ecgonine methyl ester analogues were synthesized and characterized by 1H and 13C NMR, IR, and thermospray MS. The compounds were synthesized in two or three steps as (-)-stereoisomers from (-)-ecgonine in good yield (56% overall). These cocaine derivatives were assessed for their ability to inhibit [3H]cocaine binding to rat striatal tissue and to inhibit [3H]dopamine uptake into synaptosomes prepared from the same tissue. The most potent of the analogues was (1R-2-exo-3-exo)-2-(carbomethoxy)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octyl 3-N-(3'-nitrophenyl)carbamate. IC50 values for inhibition of cocaine binding and dopamine uptake were 37 and 178 nM, respectively. Amino derivatives were less active than the nitro and (1R-2-exo-3-exo)-2-(carbomethoxy)-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo [3.2.1]octyl 3-N-(4'-aminophenyl)carbamate had the lowest affinity for the receptor with IC50 values of 63 and greater than 100 microM in the aforementioned assays, respectively.

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Mechanistic studies of the conversion of 2-cyclohexenylcarbonyl CoA to 1cyclohexenylcarbonyl CoA in a cell-free extract of Streptomyces collinus are shown to be consistent with a stereochemical preference for the IS isomer of 2-cyclohexenylcarbonyl CoA and a mechanism of a 1,3-allylic suprafacial shift of a hydrogen, catalyzed by a single base.

A novel synthesis of 2,6-diaryl-4ff-thiopyran-4-ones has been developed. The title compounds were prepared by two sequential thio-Claisen condensations of a dialkyl ketone and two dithioesters. The intermediate d-thioxo ketone from the first condensation was converted to the corresponding d-(methylthio) enone for both protection and reactivity purposes. Facile addition-elimination of the methylthio moiety by a /3-thioxo ketone enolate generated in the second thio-Claisen condensation afforded the desired heterocycle. This new method is rapid and simple with the only requirement being moderate substituent alkaline stability.