Genome mining is a promising method to discover novel secondary metabolites in the postgenomic era. We applied the Aspergillus oryzae heterologous expression system to functionally characterize cryptic bifunctional terpene synthase genes found in fungal genomes and identified the sesterfisherol synthase gene (NfSS) from Neosartorya fischeri. Sesterfisherol contains a characteristic 5-6-8-5 tetracyclic ring system and is modified by cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (NfP450) to sesterfisheric acid. The cyclization mechanism was proposed on the basis of the analysis of in vivo and in vitro enzymatic reactions with isotopically labeled precursors. The mechanism involves C1 cation-olefin IV-olefin V cyclization followed by five hydride shifts, allowing us to propose a unified biogenesis for sesterterpenes branching from bicyclic (5-15), tricyclic (5-12-5), and tetracyclic (5-6-8-5) cation intermediates. Furthermore, the mechanism is distinct from that of a separate class of di/sesterterpenes including fusicoccins and ophiobolins. The difference between mechanisms is consistent with phylogenetic analysis of bifunctional terpene synthases, suggesting that the amino acid sequence reflects the initial cyclization mode, which is most likely related to the initial conformation of a linear prenyl diphosphate.

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ABSTRACT:The interaction of two IR chromophores yields a strong vibrational circular dichroism couplet whose sign reflects the absolute configuration of the molecule. We present a method to determine absolute configuration of a chiral molecule based on this couplet without need of theoretical calculation. Not only can this method analyze various molecules whose absolute configuration is difficult to determine by other spectroscopic methods, but also it can significantly enhance VCD signals.Chirality plays fundamental roles in numerous biological and nonbiological phenomena. The determination of absolute configuration of chiral molecules is an essential step in various research fields including pharmacological science, drug development, biosynthesis, asymmetric reaction, total synthesis and supramolecular chemistry. Chiroptical spectroscopy is the sole technique that can nonempirically determine molecular chirality without need of crystallization. One of the most widely used is the exciton chirality method using electronic circular dichroism (ECD), developed by Harada and Nakanishi, 1 for its high sensitivity and the ease of spectral interpretation; however, the requirement for two or more appropriate UV-Vis chromophores with proper orientation restricts its applicability. In the past decade, vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) spectroscopy using ab initio theoretical calculation has been established as a reliable and convenient approach. 2 Although its application to middle-sized molecules 3 and even peptides and nucleic acids 4 could be possible in successful cases, VCD technique has been hampered by the low sensitivity of vibrational absorption and by the computational demand. In exploration of a more universal, sensitive method, we envisioned the potential of an exciton coupling approach in VCD, also classically known as a coupled oscillator model. 5 So far, no study has reported its use for the assignment of absolute configuration; a stalk contrast with the well-established ECD exciton chirality method. Here we demonstrate the utility of the VCD exciton coupling approach as a versatile method to determine absolute configuration through a systematic study on small molecules.The through-space interaction of two electric transition moments yields a split-type bisignate CD signal that reflects the absolute sense of the twist of the two moments: 6 the positive twist generates a positive first Cotton effect ( 1 , lower in wavenumber) and a negative second Cotton effect ( 2 , higher in wavenumber), and vise verse (Supporting Figure S1). 1 The carbonyl functional groups are promising chromophores for the VCD exciton coupling approach because of their strong, sharp, isolated absorption band at around 1650-1800 cm -1 and because of their well-localized C=O stretching vibrational mode that gives rise to electric transition moments whose direction is virtually parallel to the C=O bond. Moreover, carbonyl groups can be routinely installed to a desired part of the molecule, e.g. by esterification of a hydroxyl group...

The crystal structures of the full-length human eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) 4E complexed with two mRNA cap analogues [7-methylguanosine 5'-triphosphate (m(7)GTP) and P(1)-7-methylguanosine-P(3)-adenosine-5',5'-triphosphate (m(7)GpppA)] were determined at 2.0 A resolution (where 1 A=0.1 nm). The flexibility of the C-terminal loop region of eIF4E complexed with m(7)GTP was significantly reduced when complexed with m(7)GpppA, suggesting the importance of the second nucleotide in the mRNA cap structure for the biological function of eIF4E, especially the fixation and orientation of the C-terminal loop region, including the eIF4E phosphorylation residue. The present results provide the structural basis for the biological function of both N- and C-terminal mobile regions of eIF4E in translation initiation, especially the regulatory function through the switch-on/off of eIF4E-binding protein-eIF4E phosphorylation.

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Ascidiacyclamide (ASC), cyclo(-Ile1-Oxz2-d-Val3-Thz4-)2 (Oxz=oxazoline and Thz=thiazole) has a C2-symmetric sequence, and the relationships between its conformation and symmetry have been studied. In a previous study, we performed asymmetric modifications in which an Ile residue was replaced by Gly, Leu or Phe to disturb the symmetry [Doi et al. (1999) Biopolymers49, 459-469]. In this study, the modifications were extended. The Ile1 residue was replaced by Gly, Ala, aminoisobutyric acid (Aib), Val, Leu, Phe or d-Ile, and the d-Val3 residue was replaced by Val. The structures of these analogs were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, 1H NMR and CD techniques. X-Ray diffraction analyses revealed that the [Ala1], [Aib1] and [Phe1]ASC analogs are folded, whereas [Val1]ASC has a square form. These structures are the first examples of folded structures for ASC analogs in the crystal state and are similar to the previously reported structures of [Gly1] and [Phe1]ASC in solution. The resonances of amide NH and Thz CH protons linearly shift with temperature changes; in particular, those of [Aib1], [d-Ile1] and [Val3]ASCs exhibited a large temperature dependence. DMSO titration caused nonlinear shifts of proton resonances for all analogs and largely affected [d-Ile1] and [Val3]ASCs. A similar tendency was observed upon the addition of acetone to peptide solutions. Regarding peptide concentration changes, amide NH and Thz CH protons of [Gly1]ASC showed a relatively large dependence. CD spectra of these analogs indicated approximately two patterns in MeCN solution, which were related to the crystal structures. However, all spectra showed a similar positive Cotton effect in TFE solution, except that of [Val3]ASC. In the cytotoxicity test using P388 cells, [Val1]ASC exhibited the strongest activity, whereas the epimers of ASC ([d-Ile1] and [Val3]ASCs), showed fairly moderate activities.

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For the phosphorylation state of microtubule-associated protein, tau plays a pivotal role in regulating microtubule networks in neurons. Tau promotes the assembly and stabilization of microtubules. The potential for tau to bind to microtubules is down-regulated after local phosphorylation. When we investigated the effects of PKN activation on tau phosphorylation, we found that PKN triggers disruption of the microtubule array both in vitro and in vivo and predominantly phosphorylates tau in microtubule binding domains (MBDs). PKN has a catalytic domain highly homologous to protein kinase C (PKC), a kinase that phosphorylates Ser-313 ‫؍(‬ Ser-324, the number used in this study) in MBDs. Thus, we identified the phosphorylation sites of PKN and PKC subtypes (PKC-␣, -␤I, -␤II, -␥, -␦, -⑀, -, and -) in MBDs. PKN phosphorylates Ser-258, Ser-320, and Ser-352, although all PKC subtypes phosphorylate Ser-258, Ser-293, Ser-324, and Ser-352. There is a PKN-specific phosphorylation site, Ser-320, in MBDs. HIA3, a novel phosphorylation-dependent antibody recognizing phosphorylated tau at Ser-320, showed immunoreactivity in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing tau and the active form of PKN, but not in Chinese hamster ovary cells expressing tau and the inactive form of PKN. The immunoreactivity for phosphorylated tau at Ser-320 increased in the presence of a phosphatase inhibitor, FK506 treatment, which means that calcineurin (protein phosphatase 2B) may be involved in dephosphorylating tau at Ser-320 site. We also noted that PKN reduces the phosphorylation recognized by the phosphorylation-dependent antibodies AT8, AT180, and AT270 in vivo. Thus PKN serves as a regulator of microtubules by specific phosphorylation of tau, which leads to disruption of tubulin assembly.