Enzymatics substrate specificity

In the absence of this information, early attempts at rationalization of the experimental results were based on a detailed investigation of enzymatic substrate specificity. For instance, acylation of enantiomeric methyl glycopyranosides by different lipases was focused on the characterization of the reaction outcomes (percentage of the formed regioisomers after the complete disappearance of starting materials or after a fixed reaction time), and the results obtained were interpreted on the basis of the relative orientation of hydroxyls at C-2, C-3, and C-4 [97]. 

Resolution of Racemic Amines and Amino Acids. Acylases (EC3.5.1.14) are the most commonly used enzymes for the resolution of amino acids. Porcine kidney acylase (PKA) and the fungaly3.spet i//us acylase (AA) are commercially available, inexpensive, and stable. They have broad substrate specificity and hydrolyze a wide spectmm of natural and unnatural A/-acyl amino acids, with exceptionally high enantioselectivity in almost all cases. Moreover, theU enantioselectivity is exceptionally good with most substrates. A general paper on this subject has been pubUshed (106) in which the resolution of over 50 A/-acyl amino acids and analogues is described. Also reported are the stabiUties of the enzymes and the effect of different acyl groups on the rate and selectivity of enzymatic hydrolysis. Some of the substrates that are easily resolved on 10—100 g scale are presented in Figure 4 (106). Lipases are also used for the resolution of A/-acylated amino acids but the rates and optical purities are usually low (107). 

Applications of peroxide formation are underrepresented in chiral synthetic chemistry, most likely owing to the limited stability of such intermediates. Lipoxygenases, as prototype biocatalysts for such reactions, display rather limited substrate specificity. However, interesting functionalizations at allylic positions of unsaturated fatty acids can be realized in high regio- and stereoselectivity, when the enzymatic oxidation is coupled to a chemical or enzymatic reduction process. While early work focused on derivatives of arachidonic acid chemical modifications to the carboxylate moiety are possible, provided that a sufficiently hydrophilic functionality remained. By means of this strategy, chiral diendiols are accessible after hydroperoxide reduction (Scheme 9.12) [103,104]. 

Enzyme preparations from liver or microbial sources were reported to show rather high substrate specificity [76] for the natural phosphorylated acceptor d-(18) but, at much reduced reaction rates, offer a rather broad substrate tolerance for polar, short-chain aldehydes [77-79]. Simple aliphatic or aromatic aldehydes are not converted. Therefore, the aldolase from Escherichia coli has been mutated for improved acceptance of nonphosphorylated and enantiomeric substrates toward facilitated enzymatic syntheses ofboth d- and t-sugars [80,81]. High stereoselectivity of the wild-type enzyme has been utilized in the preparation of compounds (23) / (24) and in a two-step enzymatic synthesis of (22), the N-terminal amino acid portion of nikkomycin antibiotics (Figure 10.12) [82]. 

Conformationally restricted analogs of substrates can be useful in elucidating both the substrate specificities and the product specificities of enzymes. The restriction can help stabilize an intermediate in the enzymatic process so that it may be isolated. Two or more otherwise structurally equivalent portions of a substrate may be rendered nonequivalent by the restriction so that potential differentiation of these portions by the enzyme in determining product specificity may be investigated. 

Little is known about the substrate specificities of most of the enzymes as compared with common reagents used in organic synthesis. The velocity of the enzymatic... 

A molecular probe with dual output signals offers two detection modes allowing use of the same probe in different environments. We have demonstrated how an AB2 self-immolative dendron with double quinone methide release mechanism can be applied to create a molecular probe with UV-Vis and fluorescence modes for the detection of a specific catalytic activity.15 The molecular probe is illustrated in Fig. 5.36. The central unit of the probe (the molecular adaptor) is linked to an enzymatic substrate that acts as a trigger and to two different reporter molecules. Cleavage of the enzymatic substrate triggers the release of the two reporters and a consequent activation of their signals. 

In this chapter we have seen that enzymatic catalysis is initiated by the reversible interactions of a substrate molecule with the active site of the enzyme to form a non-covalent binary complex. The chemical transformation of the substrate to the product molecule occurs within the context of the enzyme active site subsequent to initial complex formation. We saw that the enormous rate enhancements for enzyme-catalyzed reactions are the result of specific mechanisms that enzymes use to achieve large reductions in the energy of activation associated with attainment of the reaction transition state structure. Stabilization of the reaction transition state in the context of the enzymatic reaction is the key contributor to both enzymatic rate enhancement and substrate specificity. We described several chemical strategies by which enzymes achieve this transition state stabilization. We also saw in this chapter that enzyme reactions are most commonly studied by following the kinetics of these reactions under steady state conditions. We defined three kinetic constants—kai KM, and kcJKM—that can be used to define the efficiency of enzymatic catalysis, and each reports on different portions of the enzymatic reaction pathway. Perturbations... 

Yokoyama, M., Kashiwagi, M., Iwasaki, M. et al. (2004) Realization of the synthesis of a,a-disubstituted carbamylacetates and cyanoacetates by either enzymatic or chemical functional group transformation, depending upon the substrate specificity of Rhodococcus amidase. Tetrahedron Asymmetry, 15, 2817-2820. 

The enzymatic processes involved in the formation of catecholamines have been characterized. The component enzymes in the pathway have been purified to homogeneity, which has allowed for detailed analysis of their kinetics, substrate specificity and cofactor requirements and forthe development of inhibitors (Fig. 12-l).TheircDNAs have been cloned, and studies with knockout mice clearly indicate the importance of these enzymes since their... 

ABE, I., MORITA, H NOMURA, A., NOGUCHI, H., Substrate specificity of chalcone synthase enzymatic formation of unnatural polyketides from synthetic cinnamoyl-CoA analogues, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2000,122,11242-11243. 

This section describes recent applications of jitPEC methodologies for separation-based enzymatic assays. It covers the most common applications (1) those involving the development and optimization of assays (2) those in which jitPLC is use to evaluate real-time enzyme kinetics and (3) those in which /./PEC is used to determine substrate specificity. 

This was in contrast to the enzymatic reactions known then, where enzymes were believed to be very substrate specific. As we now know, there is no general catalytic system to perform asymmetric hydrogenations and even within a small class of substrates, some ligand variation is required to achieve optimal results. 

To elucidate some enzymatic characteristics of the isolated laccases I, II, and III, substrate specificities for several simple phenols, electrophoresis patterns, ultraviolet spectra, electron spin resonance spectra, copper content, and immunological similarities were investigated. Tyrosine, tannic acid, g c acid, hydroquinone, catechol, pyrogallol, p-cresol, homocatechol, a-naphthol, -naphthol, p-phenylenediamine, and p-benzoquinone as substrates. No differences in the specificities of these substrates was found. The UV spectra for the laccases under stucfy are shown in Figure 4. Laccase III displays three adsorption bands (280, 405, and 600nm), laccase II shows one band 280nm), and laccase I shows two bands (280 and 405 nm). These data appear to indicate differences in chemical structure. The results of the copper content analysis (10) and two-dimensional electrophoresis also indicate that these fractions are completely different proteins (10), Therefore, we may expect differences in substrate specificities between the three laccase fractions for more lignin-like substrates, yet no difference for some simple phenolic substrates. 

Since these early discoveries, xylose isomerases have been isolated from many bacterial species, and these enzymes have been intense investigated, especially those of the genera Streptomyces, Lactobacillus, and Bacillus. The characteristics of substrate specificity (xylose glucose > ribose), divalent metal cation activation (Mg, Mn or Co ), and activity at alkaline pH are properties that most of the enzymes share to a certain extent, but significant variations exist. Some of these em es have been immobilized and patented for commercial use. There are many good reviews in the literature that describe the enzymatic characteristics of the xylose isomerases 9,28,29). 

However, the applicability of this strategy is limited by the substrate specificity of the isomerases so that only a fraction of the ketoses that can be obtained from the aldose-catalyzed reaction can be enzymatically isomerized to the corresponding aldose. Moreover, the isomerization reaction is reversible and, as a ketone is generally more stable than an isomeric aldehyde, the equilibrium produces substantial aldose isomer only if the aldose sugar can exist in a very stable aldopyra-nose form [38b]. 

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