0000000000498073

AUTHOR

Huajian Zhu

A facile chemoenzymatic approach: one-step syntheses of monoterpenoid indole alkaloids.

Facile chemoenzymatic syntheses of cytotoxic monoterpenoid indole alkaloids with novel skeletons and multiple chiral centers are described. Synthesis of these alkaloids was achieved by a simple one-step reaction using strictosidine and 12-aza-strictosidine as the key intermediates. Strictosidines were prepared by coupling of secologanin with tryptamine and 7-aza-tryptamine, respectively, using the immobilized recombinant Rauvolfia strictosidine synthase. A detailed stereochemical analysis is presented herein. The results provide an opportunity for a chemoenzymatic approach that leads to an increased diversification of complex alkaloids with improved structures and activities.

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Improved Expression of His6-Tagged Strictosidine Synthase cDNA for Chemo-Enzymatic Alkaloid Diversification

Strictosidine synthase (STR1) catalyzes the stereoselective formation of 3alpha(S)-strictosidine from tryptamine and secologanin. Strictosidine is the key intermediate in the biosynthesis of 2,000 plant monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, and it is a key precursor of enzyme-mediated synthesis of alkaloids. An improved expression system is described which leads to optimized His(6)-STR1 synthesis in Escherichia coli. Optimal production of STR1 was achieved by determining the impact of co-expression of chaperones pG-Tf2 and pG-LJE8. The amount and activity of STR1 was doubled in the presence of chaperone pG-Tf2 alone. His(6)-STR1 immobilized on Ni-NTA can be used for enzymatic synthesis of stricto…

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