Crystal structures of a new class of pyrimidine/purine nucleoside phosphorylase (ppnP) revealed a Cupin fold

Nucleotides metabolism is a fundamental process in all organisms. Two families of nucleoside phosphorylases (NP) that catalyze the phosphorolytic cleavage of the glycosidic bond in nucleosides have been found, including the trimeric or hexameric NP-I and dimeric NP-II family enzymes. Recently studies revealed another class of NP protein in E. coli named Pyrimidine/purine nucleoside phosphorylase (ppnP), which can catalyze the phosphorolysis of diverse nucleosides and yield D-ribose 1-phosphate and the respective free bases. Here, we solve the crystal structures of ppnP from E. coli and the other three species. Our studies revealed that the structure of ppnP belongs to the Rlmc-like cupin fold and showed as a rigid dimeric conformation. Detail analysis revealed a potential nucleoside binding pocket full of hydrophobic residues. And the residues involved in the dimer and pocket formation are all well conserved in bacteria. Since the cupin fold is a large superfamily in the biosynthesis of natural products, our studies provide the structural basis for understanding and the directed evolution of NP proteins.

Diversification of 4ʹ-Methylated Nucleosides by Nucleoside Phosphorylases

The growing demand for 4'-modified nucleoside analogs in medicinal and biological chemistry is contrasted by the challenging synthetic access to these molecules and the lack of efficient diversification strategies. Herein, we report the development of a biocatalytic diversification approach based on nucleoside phosphorylases, which allows the straightforward installation of a variety of pyrimidine and purine nucleobases on a 4'-alkylated sugar scaffold. Following the identification of a suitable biocatalyst as well as its characterization with kinetic experiments and docking studies, we systematically explored the equilibrium thermodynamics of this reaction system to enable rational yield prediction in transglycosylation reactions via principles of thermodynamic control.<br>

Diversification of 4ʹ-Methylated Nucleosides by Nucleoside Phosphorylases

The growing demand for 4'-modified nucleoside analogs in medicinal and biological chemistry is contrasted by the challenging synthetic access to these molecules and the lack of efficient diversification strategies. Herein, we report the development of a biocatalytic diversification approach based on nucleoside phosphorylases, which allows the straightforward installation of a variety of pyrimidine and purine nucleobases on a 4'-alkylated sugar scaffold. Following the identification of a suitable biocatalyst as well as its characterization with kinetic experiments and docking studies, we systematically explored the equilibrium thermodynamics of this reaction system to enable rational yield prediction in transglycosylation reactions via principles of thermodynamic control.<br>

Biocatalytic Synthesis of 2-Seleno Pyrimidine Nucleosides via Transglycosylation

Selenium-modified nucleosides are powerful tools to study the structure and function of nucleic acids and their protein interactions. The wide-spread application of 2-seleno pyrimidine nucleosides is currently limited by low yields in established synthetic routes. Here, we describe the optimization of the synthesis of 2-Se-uridine and 2-Se-thymidine derivatives by thermostable nucleoside phosphorylases in transglycosylation reactions using natural uridine or thymidine as sugar donors. Reactions were performed at 60 or 80 °C and at pH 9 under hypoxic conditions to improve the solubility and stability of the 2-Se-nucleobases in aqueous media. To optimize the conversion, the reaction equilibria in analytical transglycosylation reactions were studied. The equilibrium constants of phosphorolysis of the 2-Se-pyrimidines were between 5 and 10 and thus belong to the highest described so far. Thus, a ten-fold excess of sugar donor was needed to achieve 40-48% conversion to the target nucleoside. Scale-up of the optimized conditions provided four Se-containing nucleosides in 6-40% isolated yield which compares favorably to established chemical routes.<br>

Biocatalytic Synthesis of 2-Seleno Pyrimidine Nucleosides via Transglycosylation

Selenium-modified nucleosides are powerful tools to study the structure and function of nucleic acids and their protein interactions. The wide-spread application of 2-seleno pyrimidine nucleosides is currently limited by low yields in established synthetic routes. Here, we describe the optimization of the synthesis of 2-Se-uridine and 2-Se-thymidine derivatives by thermostable nucleoside phosphorylases in transglycosylation reactions using natural uridine or thymidine as sugar donors. Reactions were performed at 60 or 80 °C and at pH 9 under hypoxic conditions to improve the solubility and stability of the 2-Se-nucleobases in aqueous media. To optimize the conversion, the reaction equilibria in analytical transglycosylation reactions were studied. The equilibrium constants of phosphorolysis of the 2-Se-pyrimidines were between 5 and 10 and thus belong to the highest described so far. Thus, a ten-fold excess of sugar donor was needed to achieve 40-48% conversion to the target nucleoside. Scale-up of the optimized conditions provided four Se-containing nucleosides in 6-40% isolated yield which compares favorably to established chemical routes.<br>

Anion exchange resins in phosphate form as versatile carriers for the reactions catalyzed by nucleoside phosphorylases

In the present work, we suggested anion exchange resins in the phosphate form as a source of phosphate, one of the substrates of the phosphorolysis of uridine, thymidine, and 1-(β-ᴅ-arabinofuranosyl)uracil (Ara-U) catalyzed by recombinant E. coli uridine (UP) and thymidine (TP) phosphorylases. α-ᴅ-Pentofuranose-1-phosphates (PF-1Pis) obtained by phosphorolysis were used in the enzymatic synthesis of nucleosides. It was found that phosphorolysis of uridine, thymidine, and Ara-U in the presence of Dowex® 1X8 (phosphate; Dowex-nPi) proceeded smoothly in the presence of magnesium cations in water at 20–50 °C for 54–96 h giving rise to quantitative formation of the corresponding pyrimidine bases and PF-1Pis. The resulting PF-1Pis can be used in three routes: (1) preparation of barium salts of PF-1Pis, (2) synthesis of nucleosides by reacting the crude PF-1Pi with an heterocyclic base, and (3) synthesis of nucleosides by reacting the ionically bound PF-1Pi to the resin with an heterocyclic base. These three approaches were tested in the synthesis of nelarabine, kinetin riboside, and cladribine with good to excellent yields (52–93%).

The Peculiar Case of the Hyperthermostable Pyrimidine Nucleoside Phosphorylase from Thermus Thermophilus

The poor solubility of many nucleoside and nucleobases in aqueous solution demands harsh reaction conditions (base, heat, cosolvent) in nucleoside phosphorylase-catalyzed processes to facilitate substrate loading beyond the low millimolar range. This, in turn, requires enzymes which withstand these conditions. Herein we report that the pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylase from <i>Thermus thermophilus</i> is active over an exceptionally broad pH (4-10), temperature (up to 100 °C) and cosolvent space (up to 80% (v/v) non-aqueous medium) and displays tremendous stability under harsh reaction conditions with predicted total turnover numbers of more than 10⁶ for various pyrimidine nucleosides. However, its use as a biocatalyst for preparative applications is critically limited due to its inhibition by nucleoside substrates at low concentrations, which is unprecedented among non-specific pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylases.<br>