Stereochemical preference of yeast epoxide hydrolase for the O-axial C3 epimers of 1-oxaspiro[2.5]octanes

Org Biomol Chem. 2007 Oct 7;5(19):3106-14. doi: 10.1039/b709742e. Epub 2007 Aug 21.

Abstract

The 1-oxaspiro[2.5]octane moiety is a common motif in many biologically active spiroepoxide compounds. Stereochemistry plays an important role in the action of these spiroepoxides, since the O-axial C3 epimers are predominantly responsible for biological activity. In view of this, the reactivity of the yeast epoxide hydrolase (YEH) from Rhodotorula glutinis towards both O-axial and O-equatorial C3 epimers of various 1-oxaspiro[2.5]octanes was investigated. O-axial C3 Epimers were hydrolyzed faster than the O-equatorial C3 epimers. The stereochemical preference was greatly dependent on the type of substitution on the cyclohexane ring. The preference of YEH for O-axial C3 epimers, found throughout this study, illustrates the effectiveness of YEH in enzymatic detoxification of spiroepoxides.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Catalysis
  • Epoxide Hydrolases / metabolism*
  • Epoxy Compounds / chemistry
  • Epoxy Compounds / metabolism*
  • Octanes / chemistry
  • Octanes / metabolism*
  • Rhodotorula / enzymology*
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Substrate Specificity

Substances

  • Epoxy Compounds
  • Octanes
  • Epoxide Hydrolases