Reverse C-glycosidase reaction provides C-nucleotide building blocks of xenobiotic nucleic acids

Nat Commun. 2020 Dec 8;11(1):6270. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-20035-0.

Abstract

C-Analogues of the canonical N-nucleosides have considerable importance in medicinal chemistry and are promising building blocks of xenobiotic nucleic acids (XNA) in synthetic biology. Although well established for synthesis of N-nucleosides, biocatalytic methods are lacking in C-nucleoside synthetic chemistry. Here, we identify pseudouridine monophosphate C-glycosidase for selective 5-β-C-glycosylation of uracil and derivatives thereof from pentose 5-phosphate (D-ribose, 2-deoxy-D-ribose, D-arabinose, D-xylose) substrates. Substrate requirements of the enzymatic reaction are consistent with a Mannich-like addition between the pyrimidine nucleobase and the iminium intermediate of enzyme (Lys166) and open-chain pentose 5-phosphate. β-Elimination of the lysine and stereoselective ring closure give the product. We demonstrate phosphorylation-glycosylation cascade reactions for efficient, one-pot synthesis of C-nucleoside phosphates (yield: 33 - 94%) from unprotected sugar and nucleobase. We show incorporation of the enzymatically synthesized C-nucleotide triphosphates into nucleic acids by RNA polymerase. Collectively, these findings implement biocatalytic methodology for C-nucleotide synthesis which can facilitate XNA engineering for synthetic biology applications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biocatalysis
  • Glycoside Hydrolases / metabolism*
  • Glycosylation
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Nucleic Acids / chemistry
  • Nucleic Acids / metabolism*
  • Pentoses / chemistry
  • Pentoses / metabolism
  • Phosphorylation
  • Pseudouridine / metabolism
  • Synthetic Biology / methods*
  • Uracil / chemistry
  • Uracil / metabolism
  • Xenobiotics / metabolism

Substances

  • Nucleic Acids
  • Pentoses
  • Xenobiotics
  • Pseudouridine
  • Uracil
  • Glycoside Hydrolases