Sialyl aldolase, synthesis with

Immobilized sialyl aldolase (50 mL of gel, 68 U) was added to a mixture of 88% pure A-acetylmannosamine (20 mmol), sodium pyruvate (180 mmol), 1,4-dithiothreitol (0.2 mmol), and sodium azide (20 mg) in 0.05 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7 (150 mL). The suspension was gently stirred under nitrogen for 4 d at 37°, the reaction being monitored by t.l.c. in 7 3 propanol - water. The gel was removed by filtration, washed with the buffer, and A-acetylneuraminic acid (2) was isolated by chromatography on Dowex 1 X8 (HCOj-) resin, using a gradient of formic acid as the eluant, in 66% yield. The gel was used in four successive runs. Starting from 17 g of 88% pure A-acetylmannosamine, the procedure allowed the synthesis of 14 g of A-acetylneuraminic acid (2). In the end, the recovered gel retained 80% of its enzymic activity. 

The preparation of trisaccharide 63 illustrates the activation and enzymic coupling of the 9-acetate of vV-acetylneuraminic acid, This involves the utilization of enzymes in a cascade of reactions which probably do not occur in cells (a) synthesis of Neu5,9Ac2 from the 6-acetate of vV-acetylmannosa-mine with the catabolic sialyl aldolase, (b) activation with CMPNeu5Ac synthetase, and (c) coupling. Acetylation in cells seems posterior to coupling. Terminal nonreducing vV-acetyl-9-O-acetylneuraminic acid residues appear... 

FDP A was employed in a study of pancratistatin analogs to catalyze the formation of the D-threo stereochemistry (Scheme 5.24). When rhamnulose 1-phosphate aldolase (Rha 1-PA) was used the L-threo stereoisomer was obtained with excellent selectivity. Thus these two enzymes allow the stereoselective synthesis of the two threo-stereoisomers [44]. They were also utilised successfully for the synthesis of different diastereoisomers of sialyl Lewis X mimetics as se-lectin inhibitors. Not only the two threo-selective aldolases RAMA and Rha 1-PA, but also the D-erythro-selective Fuc 1-PA was employed. In this way it was possible to synthesise three of the four diastereoisomers enantioselectively (Scheme 5.25). The L-erythro stereochemistry as the only remaining diastereo-isomer was not prepared [45]. This is because the aldolase that might catalyze its formation, TDP A, is not very stereoselective and therefore often yields mixtures of diastereoisomers. 

Multistep enzymatic transformations can be done with combinations of compatible aldolases, glycosyltransferases and recycling systems. A practical and successful example for this concept is the multienzymatic synthesis of the sialyl Lewisx tetrasaccharide (sialyl Le ... 

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