scholarly journals The Astrophysical Formation of Asymmetric Molecules and the Emergence of a Chiral Bias

Life ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrien Garcia ◽  
Cornelia Meinert ◽  
Haruna Sugahara ◽  
Nykola Jones ◽  
Søren Hoffmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Vacuum Ultraviolet ◽  
Organophosphorus Compounds ◽  
Analytical Data ◽  
Enantiomeric Excess ◽  
Polarized Light ◽  
Celestial Bodies ◽  
Laboratory Investigations ◽  
Biomolecular Homochirality ◽  
Living Organisms

The biomolecular homochirality in living organisms has been investigated for decades, but its origin remains poorly understood. It has been shown that circular polarized light (CPL) and other energy sources are capable of inducing small enantiomeric excesses (ees) in some primary biomolecules, such as amino acids or sugars. Since the first findings of amino acids in carbonaceous meteorites, a scenario in which essential chiral biomolecules originate in space and are delivered by celestial bodies has arisen. Numerous studies have thus focused on their detection, identification, and enantiomeric excess calculations in extraterrestrial matrices. In this review we summarize the discoveries in amino acids, sugars, and organophosphorus compounds in meteorites, comets, and laboratory-simulated interstellar ices. Based on available analytical data, we also discuss their interactions with CPL in the ultraviolet (UV) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) regions, their abiotic chiral or achiral synthesis, and their enantiomeric distribution. Without doubt, further laboratory investigations and upcoming space missions are required to shed more light on our potential extraterrestrial molecular origins.

Epigenetic Mechanisms of Maternal Dietary Protein and Amino Acids Affecting Growth and Development of Offspring

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 727-735 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Wu ◽  
Zhibin Cheng ◽  
Yueyu Bai ◽  
Xi Ma
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Dietary Protein ◽  
Growth And Development ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Biological Macromolecules ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanisms ◽  
Maternal Circulation ◽  
Energy Processing ◽  
Living Organisms

Nutrients can regulate metabolic activities of living organisms through epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modification, and RNA regulation. Since the nutrients required for early embryos and postpartum lactation are derived in whole or in part from maternal and lactating nutrition, the maternal nutritional level affects the growth and development of fetus and creates a profound relationship between disease development and early environmental exposure in the offspring’s later life. Protein is one of the most important biological macromolecules, involved in almost every process of life, such as information transmission, energy processing and material metabolism. Maternal protein intake levels may affect the integrity of the fetal genome and alter DNA methylation and gene expression. Most amino acids are supplied to the fetus from the maternal circulation through active transport of placenta. Some amino acids, such as methionine, as dietary methyl donor, play an important role in DNA methylation and body’s one-carbon metabolism. The purpose of this review is to describe effects of maternal dietary protein and amino acid intake on fetal and neonatal growth and development through epigenetic mechanisms, with examples in humans and animals.

scholarly journals Design of Iridium N-Heterocyclic Carbene Amino Acid Catalysts for Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation of Aryl Ketones

Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 671
Author(s):  
Chad M. Bernier ◽  
Joseph S. Merola
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Enantiomeric Excess ◽  
Transfer Hydrogenation ◽  
Acid Catalysts ◽  
Asymmetric Transfer Hydrogenation ◽  
Reaction Conditions ◽  
Chiral Complexes ◽  
Acetophenone Derivatives ◽  
Aryl Ketones

A series of chiral complexes of the form Ir(NHC)2(aa)(H)(X) (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene, aa = chelated amino acid, X = halide) was synthesized by oxidative addition of -amino acids to iridium(I) bis-NHC compounds and screened for asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of ketones. Following optimization of the reaction conditions, NHC, and amino acid ligands, high enantioselectivity was achieved when employing the Ir(IMe)2(l-Pro)(H)(I) catalyst (IMe = 1,3-dimethylimidazol-2-ylidene), which asymmetrically reduces a range of acetophenone derivatives in up to 95% enantiomeric excess.

scholarly journals Enzymes, Reacting with Organophosphorus Compounds as Detoxifiers: Diversity and Functions

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 1761
Author(s):  
Ilya Lyagin ◽  
Elena Efremenko
Keyword(s):  
Phylogenetic Analysis ◽  
Future Development ◽  
Organophosphorus Compounds ◽  
The Body ◽  
Chemical Transformations ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Biological Targets ◽  
Oxidation Reduction ◽  
Structural Differences ◽  
Living Organisms

Organophosphorus compounds (OPCs) are able to interact with various biological targets in living organisms, including enzymes. The binding of OPCs to enzymes does not always lead to negative consequences for the body itself, since there are a lot of natural biocatalysts that can catalyze the chemical transformations of the OPCs via hydrolysis or oxidation/reduction and thereby provide their detoxification. Some of these enzymes, their structural differences and identity, mechanisms, and specificity of catalytic action are discussed in this work, including results of computational modeling. Phylogenetic analysis of these diverse enzymes was specially realized for this review to emphasize a great area for future development(s) and applications.

Simultaneous determination of the concentration and enantiomeric excess of amino acids with a coumarin-derived achiral probe

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (16) ◽  
pp. 1905-1910
Author(s):  
Lamei Yang ◽  
Feng Luo ◽  
Weili Wei
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Simultaneous Determination ◽  
Enantiomeric Excess ◽  
Chiral Analysis

An achiral easy-to-synthesize coumarin aldehyde probe was designed and synthesized for chiral analysis of amino acids.

scholarly journals A multi-enzyme cascade for efficient production of d-p-hydroxyphenylglycine from l-tyrosine

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Tan ◽  
Sheng Zhang ◽  
Wei Song ◽  
Jia Liu ◽  
Cong Gao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Enantiomeric Excess ◽  
Efficient Production ◽  
Enzyme Cascade ◽  
Rate Limiting Step ◽  
Limiting Step ◽  
Rotation Strategy ◽  
Rate Limiting

AbstractIn this study, a four-enzyme cascade pathway was developed and reconstructed in vivo for the production of d-p-hydroxyphenylglycine (D-HPG), a valuable intermediate used to produce β-lactam antibiotics and in fine-chemical synthesis, from l-tyrosine. In this pathway, catalytic conversion of the intermediate 4-hydroxyphenylglyoxalate by meso-diaminopimelate dehydrogenase from Corynebacterium glutamicum (CgDAPDH) was identified as the rate-limiting step, followed by application of a mechanism-guided “conformation rotation” strategy to decrease the hydride-transfer distance d(C6HDAP−C4NNADP) and increase CgDAPDH activity. Introduction of the best variant generated by protein engineering (CgDAPDHBC621/D120S/W144S/I169P with 5.32 ± 0.85 U·mg−1 specific activity) into the designed pathway resulted in a D-HPG titer of 42.69 g/L from 50-g/L l-tyrosine in 24 h, with 92.5% conversion, 71.5% isolated yield, and > 99% enantiomeric excess in a 3-L fermenter. This four-enzyme cascade provides an efficient enzymatic approach for the industrial production of D-HPG from cheap amino acids.

scholarly journals ω-Amino Acid:Pyruvate Transaminase from Alcaligenes denitrificans Y2k-2: a New Catalyst for Kinetic Resolution of β-Amino Acids and Amines

2004 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 2529-2534 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyungdon Yun ◽  
Seongyop Lim ◽  
Byung-Kwan Cho ◽  
Byung-Gee Kim
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Kinetic Resolution ◽  
Specific Activity ◽  
Expression System ◽  
Enantiomeric Excess ◽  
Selective Enrichment ◽  
Alcaligenes Denitrificans ◽  
Keto Acids ◽  
Optically Pure ◽  
High Stereoselectivity

ABSTRACT Alcaligenes denitrificans Y2k-2 was obtained by selective enrichment followed by screening from soil samples, which showed ω-amino acid:pyruvate transaminase activity, to kinetically resolve aliphatic β-amino acid, and the corresponding structural gene (aptA) was cloned. The gene was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 by using an isopropyl-β-d-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG)-inducible pET expression system (9.6 U/mg), and the recombinant AptA was purified to show a specific activity of 77.2 U/mg for l-β-amino-n-butyric acid (l-β-ABA). The enzyme converts various β-amino acids and amines to the corresponding β-keto acids and ketones by using pyruvate as an amine acceptor. The apparent Km and V max for l-β-ABA were 56 mM and 500 U/mg, respectively, in the presence of 10 mM pyruvate. In the presence of 10 mM l-β-ABA, the apparent Km and V max for pyruvate were 11 mM and 370 U/mg, respectively. The enzyme exhibits high stereoselectivity (E > 80) in the kinetic resolution of 50 mM d,l-β-ABA, producing optically pure d-β-ABA (99% enantiomeric excess) with 53% conversion.

31P NMR Spectroscopy as a Powerful Tool for the Determination of Enantiomeric Excess and Absolute Configurations of α-Amino Acids

2003 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 1006-1013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Judith Bravo ◽  
Carlos Cativiela ◽  
Julio E. Chaves ◽  
Rafael Navarro ◽  
Esteban P. Urriolabeitia
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Nmr Spectroscopy ◽  
31P Nmr ◽  
Enantiomeric Excess ◽  
31P Nmr Spectroscopy

scholarly journals Taking advantage of Co(ii) induced enhanced VCD for the fast and sensitive determination of enantiomeric excess

2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (46) ◽  
pp. 9800-9803 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo Arrico ◽  
Gaetano Angelici ◽  
Lorenzo Di Bari
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Enantiomeric Excess ◽  
Sensitive Determination

Large Co(ii)-induced VCD signals provide a method for determining the enantiomeric excess of α-amino acids. This strategy can be followed for building new VCD protocols.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document