Methylation yeasts

This sugar was isolated as its monohydrate from the hydrolysis products of methylated yeast mannan and its structure proved by Haworth, Heath and Peat.23 Methylation of the methyl glycoside gave the crystalline methyl 2,3,4,6-tetramethyl-a-D-mannopyranoside, indicating a pyranose structure. It seemed likely that the compound was the monohydrate of 2,4,6-trimethyl-D-mannose, as the 2,3,4- and 2,3,6-isomers were known as sirups that did not form hydrates, and the crystalline... 

The pathways for thiamine biosynthesis have been elucidated only partiy. Thiamine pyrophosphate is made universally from the precursors 4-amino-5-hydroxymethyl-2-methylpytimidinepyrophosphate [841-01-0] (47) and 4-methyl-5-(2-hydroxyethyl)thiazolephosphate [3269-79-2] (48), but there appear to be different pathways ia the eadier steps. In bacteria, the early steps of the pyrimidine biosynthesis are same as those of purine nucleotide biosynthesis, 5-Aminoimidazole ribotide [41535-66-4] (AIR) (49) appears to be the sole and last common iatermediate ultimately the elements are suppHed by glycine, formate, and ribose. AIR is rearranged in a complex manner to the pyrimidine by an as-yet undetermined mechanism. In yeasts, the pathway to the pyrimidine is less well understood and maybe different (74—83) (Fig. 9). 

Clotrimazole and other azole derivatives have a different mode of action than the polyenes, eg, amphotericin B. The latter biad to the ergosterol present ia the membranes of yeasts and fungi, but azole derivatives inhibit the cytochrome P-450 dependent biosynthesis of ergosterol (8—11). This inhibition not only results in a reduction of ergosterol, but also in an accumulation of C-14 methyl sterols. They disturb membrane permeabiUty, inhibit cell rephcation, and are basically responsible, in combination with the reduction of ergosterol levels, for the antifungal action. 

Miconazole. Miconazole nitrate [22832-87-7] (Fig. 2), the 1-phenethyl-imidazole derivative first described in 1969, interferes at low doses with the cytochrome P-450 dependent ergosterol biosynthesis in yeasts and fungi. The result is accumulation of C-14 methylated sterols on the one hand and reduction of the ergosterol levels in the membranes on the other hand (12). Analogous to clotrimazole, this leads to a disturbance in the membranes it results in inhibition of ceU repHcation, mycelium development (in C. albicans) and finally, ceU death. High concentrations of miconazole, which may be achieved with topical use, disturb the orientation of phosphoHpids in the membranes, which produces leaks (13). 

Phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis begins with phosphorylation of ethanol-amine to form phosphoethanolamine (Figure 25.19). The next reaction involves transfer of a cytidylyl group from CTP to form CDP-ethanolamine and pyrophosphate. As always, PP, hydrolysis drives this reaction forward. A specific phosphoethanolamine transferase then links phosphoethanolamine to the diacylglycerol backbone. Biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine is entirely analogous because animals synthesize it directly. All of the choline utilized in this pathway must be acquired from the diet. Yeast, certain bacteria, and animal livers, however, can convert phosphatidylethanolamine to phosphatidylcholine by methylation reactions involving S-adenosylmethionine (see Chapter 26). 

The formation of optically active acyloins is also catalyzed by the yeast Candida Pareri if the bacteria Zymomonas mobilis and Zymomonas carlbergensis42 and the fungus Diplodia gossypina43. The latter microorganism produces (3/ ,66 )-6-hydroxy-7-oxo-8-norcitronellene from (/ )-citronellene by a reaction sequence that converts (7d)-citronellene to (/ )-4-methyl-5-butenal followed by addition of the acetyl moiety to the / e-face of the aldehyde. 

Keywords biocatalytic [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions of cyclopentadiene, 2-vinylpyridine and 2-methyl-3-pyridazinones with various dienophiles, yeast... 

The reduction of hydroxy or acetoxy ketones by baker s yeast shows an interesting stereoselectivity. For the reduction of acetylbenzofuran derivatives with baker s yeast, the methyl ketones afforded (S)-alcohol in 20-68% ee. The hydroxyl derivatives afforded (S)-alcohol in 87-93% ee, and the acetoxy derivatives gave (R)-alcohols in 84-91% ee (Figure 8.33) [24bj. 

Dynamic kinetic resolution of a-alkyl-P-keto ester was conducted successfully using biocatalysts. For example, baker s yeast gave selectively syn(2R, 3S)-product [29a] and the selectivity was enhanced by using selective inhibitor [29b] or heat treatment of the yeast [29c]. Organic solvent was used for stereochemical control of G. candidum [29d]. Plant cell cultures were used for reduction of 2-methyl-3-oxobu-tanoate and afforded antialcohol with Marchantia [29e,f] and syn-isomer with Glycine max [29f]. 

Although the pathway has not been established, relatively high yields of trimethyltin from inorganic tin have been observed in yeast concomitant with the degradation of butyltin compounds (Errecalde et al. 1995). Exceptionally, methionine transferase may carry out the methylation of Hg in Neurospora crassa (Landner 1971) and thiopurine methyltransferase the methylation of inorganic Se in Escherichia coli (Ranjard et al. 2003). 

Scheme 13.17 depicts a synthesis based on enantioselective reduction of bicyclo[2.2.2]octane-2,6-dione by Baker s yeast.21 This is an example of desym-metrization (see Part A, Topic 2.2). The unreduced carbonyl group was converted to an alkene by the Shapiro reaction. The alcohol was then reoxidized to a ketone. The enantiomerically pure intermediate was converted to the lactone by Baeyer-Villiger oxidation and an allylic rearrangement. The methyl group was introduced stereoselec-tively from the exo face of the bicyclic lactone by an enolate alkylation in Step C-l. 

Clark, D.S., Geresh, S. and DiCosimo, R. (1995) Enantioselective oxidation of 2-methyl-1-alkanols by alcohol oxidase from methylotrophic yeasts. Bioorganic Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 5 (13), 1383-1388. 

Scheme 65 summarizes Mori s synthesis of 44 [97]. Reduction of keto ester A with baker s yeast gave hydroxy ester B of about 98% ee. Methylation of the dianion derived from B diastereoselectively gave C, which was converted to 44. This process enabled the preparation of about 10 g of (lS,5R)-44. 

Jia MH et al. Global expression proHling of yeast treated with an inhibitor of amino acid biosynthesis, sulfometron methyl. Physiol Genomics 2000 3 83-92. 

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