Synthesis of fluorophosphate nucleotide analogues and their characterization as tools for ¹⁹F NMR studies

J Org Chem. 2015 Apr 17;80(8):3982-97. doi: 10.1021/acs.joc.5b00337. Epub 2015 Apr 8.

Abstract

To broaden the scope of existing methods based on (19)F nucleotide labeling, we developed a new method for the synthesis of fluorophosphate (oligo)nucleotide analogues containing an O to F substitution at the terminal position of the (oligo)phosphate moiety and evaluated them as tools for (19)F NMR studies. Using three efficient and comprehensive synthetic approaches based on phosphorimidazolide chemistry and tetra-n-butylammonium fluoride, fluoromonophosphate, or fluorophosphate imidazolide as fluorine sources, we prepared over 30 fluorophosphate-containing nucleotides, varying in nucleobase type (A, G, C, U, m(7)G), phosphate chain length (from mono to tetra), and presence of additional phosphate modifications (thio, borano, imido, methylene). Using fluorophosphate imidazolide as fluorophosphorylating reagent for 5'-phosphorylated oligos we also synthesized oligonucleotide 5'-(2-fluorodiphosphates), which are potentially useful as (19)F NMR hybridization probes. The compounds were characterized by (19)F NMR and evaluated as (19)F NMR molecular probes. We found that fluorophosphate nucleotide analogues can be used to monitor activity of enzymes with various specificities and metal ion requirements, including human DcpS enzyme, a therapeutic target for spinal muscular atrophy. The compounds can also serve as reporter ligands for protein binding studies, as exemplified by studying interaction of fluorophosphate mRNA cap analogues with eukaryotic translation initiation factor (eIF4E).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Endoribonucleases / chemistry*
  • Endoribonucleases / pharmacology
  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E / chemistry*
  • Fluorides / chemical synthesis*
  • Fluorides / chemistry
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes / chemistry*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / enzymology
  • Muscular Atrophy, Spinal / metabolism
  • Nucleotides / chemical synthesis*
  • Nucleotides / chemistry
  • Oligonucleotides / chemical synthesis*
  • Oligonucleotides / chemistry
  • Phosphates / chemical synthesis*
  • Phosphates / chemistry
  • Protein Binding
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds / chemistry*
  • RNA, Messenger / chemical synthesis
  • RNA, Messenger / chemistry*
  • Spin Labels / chemical synthesis*

Substances

  • Eukaryotic Initiation Factor-4E
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Nucleotides
  • Oligonucleotides
  • Phosphates
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Spin Labels
  • fluorophosphate
  • tetrabutylammonium
  • Endoribonucleases
  • DcpS protein, human
  • Fluorides