Publikation
Selent, J.; Brandt, W.; Pamperin, D.; Göber, B.; Enantiomeric N-methyl-4-piperidyl benzilates as muscarinic receptor ligands: Radioligand binding studies and docking studies to models of the three muscarinic receptors M1, M2 and M3 Bioorg. Med. Chem. 14, 1729-1736, (2006) DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2005.10.030
Benzilic ester derivatives with a basic moiety like N-methyl-4-piperidyl benzilates are potential drugs for the treatment of urinary incontinence, duodenal and gastric ulcers and Parkinson’s disease. The effect of structural variations of chiral N-methyl-4-piperidyl benzilates was investigated using radioligand binding studies on muscarinic receptors (M1–M3). The results of the binding studies demonstrate that the absolute configuration and the aromatic substituent of benzilates have an influence on muscarinic affinity and selectivity. In this regard, (S)-configuration of benzilates and hydrophilic aromatic substituents seems to enhance muscarinic affinity. A model of the receptor ligand complex for N-methyl-4-piperidyl benzilates was obtained by molecular modelling. Both the affinity of enantiomeric benzilic esters and the subtype selectivity for muscarinic receptors are comprehensively explained by this model.
Publikation
Reiss, E.; Schlesier, B.; Brandt, W.; cDNA sequences, MALDI-TOF analyses, and molecular modelling of barley PR-5 proteins Phytochemistry 67, 1856-1864, (2006) DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2006.06.014
Barley plants are known to produce various PR-5 proteins. Transcripts encoding eight different barley PR-5 proteins (TLPs 1–8, TLP for thaumatin-like protein) were identified and cloned – seven from infected leaves and one from developing grains. Here, we describe the cDNA sequences of four of these TLP isoforms. Moreover, the TLPs from the infected leaves (TLPs 1, 2, and TLPs 4–8) were subjected to MALDI-TOF mass spectrometric measurements that resulted in protein fragments consistent with their deduced peptide sequences. Multiple sequence alignment analysis revealed that the TLPs in barley fall into two groups: long-chain proteins (TLPs 5–8) having 16 cysteine residues and short-chain proteins (TLPs 1–4) with only 10 cysteine residues. Finally, modelling experiments highlighted the effects of sequence differences between the TLP isoforms in terms of their secondary structures and their molecular electrostatic potentials. We propose that these sequence differences have implications for the target preferences of the different isomers.
Publikation
Gromer, S.; Wessjohann, L. A.; Eubel, J.; Brandt, W.; Mutational Studies Confirm the Catalytic Triad in the Human Selenoenzyme Thioredoxin Reductase Predicted by Molecular Modeling ChemBioChem 7, 1649-1652, (2006) DOI: 10.1002/cbic.200600080
Site‐directed mutagenesis of Glu477 of the human thioredoxin reductase (see figure) to glutamine, alanine, or lysine led to a significant drop in enzymatic activity. This study reinforces previous theoretical calculations which suggested that a swapping catalytic triad exists in the active site of this enzyme.
Publikation
Stehle, F.; Brandt, W.; Milkowski, C.; Strack, D.; Structure determinants and substrate recognition of serine carboxypeptidase-like acyltransferases from plant secondary metabolism FEBS Lett. 580, 6366-6374, (2006) DOI: 10.1016/j.febslet.2006.10.046
Structures of the serine carboxypeptidase‐like enzymes 1‐O ‐sinapoyl‐β‐glucose:l ‐malate sinapoyltransferase (SMT) and 1‐O ‐sinapoyl‐β‐glucose:choline sinapoyltransferase (SCT) were modeled to gain insight into determinants of specificity and substrate recognition. The structures reveal the α/β‐hydrolase fold as scaffold for the catalytic triad Ser‐His‐Asp. The recombinant mutants of SMT Ser173Ala and His411Ala were inactive, whereas Asp358Ala displayed residual activity of 20%. 1‐O ‐sinapoyl‐β‐glucose recognition is mediated by a network of hydrogen bonds. The glucose moiety is recognized by a hydrogen bond network including Trp71, Asn73, Glu87 and Asp172. The conserved Asp172 at the sequence position preceding the catalytic serine meets sterical requirements for the glucose moiety. The mutant Asn73Ala with a residual activity of 13% underscores the importance of the intact hydrogen bond network. Arg322 is of key importance by hydrogen bonding of 1‐O ‐sinapoyl‐β‐glucose and l ‐malate. By conformational change, Arg322 transfers l ‐malate to a position favoring its activation by His411. Accordingly, the mutant Arg322Glu showed 1% residual activity. Glu215 and Arg219 establish hydrogen bonds with the sinapoyl moiety. The backbone amide hydrogens of Gly75 and Tyr174 were shown to form the oxyanion hole, stabilizing the transition state. SCT reveals also the catalytic triad and a hydrogen bond network for 1‐O ‐sinapoyl‐β‐glucose recognition, but Glu274, Glu447, Thr445 and Cys281 are crucial for positioning of choline.