The synthesis and properties of oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) containing 4′-C- [2-[[N-(2-aminoethyl)carbamoyl]oxy]ethyl]thymidine (3) are described. 4′R-(2-Hydroxyethyl)thymidine (4), which is a precursor for phosphoramidite 5, was synthesized using a newly developed intramolecular radical cyclization reaction at the 4′-position of thymidine derivative 7. The radical reaction of 4′ -(phenylseleno)-3′-O-(dimethylvinylsilyl)thymidine derivative 7, which was prepared from thymidine in several steps, with Bu 3 SnH and AIBN, followed by Tamao oxidation, gave either 4′R-(2-hydroxyethyl) derivative 6 or 4′R-(1-hydroxyethyl) derivative 13, respectively. With a low Bu 3 -SnH concentration, the reaction gave 6, via 6-endo-radical-cyclized product 11, as a sole product in 87% yield. The reaction of 7 in the presence of excess Bu 3 SnH gave 13 in 75% yield, via 5-exocyclized product 12, as a diastereomeric mixture. The 4′R-(2-hydroxyethyl) derivative 6 was then converted into a 4′-C-[2-[[N-(2-aminoethyl)carbamoyl]oxy]ethyl]thymidine derivative 14, which was phosphitylated to give phosphoramidite 5 in 72% yield. In this study, 3 was incorporated into a nonadecamer, d[CTGGCTCAGCTCGTCTCAT]-3′, and a heptadecamer, d[CTCGTACCATTCCGCTC]-3′, instead of T at various positions. ODNs containing 3 were more resistant to nucleolytic hydrolysis by both snake venom phosphodiesterase (a 3′-exonuclease) and DNase I (an endonuclease) than unmodified parent ODNs, although ODNs containing 3 only slightly destabilized duplex formation with both complementary DNA and RNA strands. Furthermore, the duplex formed by an ODN containing 3 and its complementary RNA was a good substrate for Escherichia coli RNase H.

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The precise mechanism of the chiral phosphoric acid‐catalyzed aldol‐type reaction of azlactones with vinyl ethers was investigated. DFT calculations suggested that the reaction proceeds through a Conia‐ene‐type transition state consisting of the vinyl ether and the enol tautomer of the azlactone, in which the catalyst protonates the nitrogen atom of the azlactone to promote enol tautomerization. In addition, the phosphoryl oxygen of the catalyst interacts with the vinyl proton of the vinyl ether. The favorable transition structure features dicoordinating hydrogen bonds. However, these hydrogen bonds are not involved in the bond recombination sequence and hence the catalyst functions as a template for binding substrates. From the results of theoretical studies and experimental supports, the high enantioselectivity is induced by the steric repulsion between the azlactone substituent and the binaphthyl backbone of the catalyst under the catalyst template effect.

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Whooping cough due to Bordetella pertussis is increasing in incidence, in part due to accumulation of mutations which increase bacterial fitness in highly vaccinated populations. Polymorphisms in the pertussis toxin, ptxA and ptxB genes, and the pertactin, prn genes of clinical isolates of Bordetella pertussis collected in Cincinnati from 1989 through 2005 were examined. While the ptxA and prn genotypes were variable, all 48 strains had the ptxB2 genotype; ptxB1 encodes glycine at amino acid 18 of the S2 subunit of pertussis toxin, while ptxB2 encodes serine. We investigated antigenic and functional differences of PtxB1 and PtxB2. The S2 protein was not very immunogenic. Only a few vaccinated or individuals infected with B. pertussis developed antibody responses to the S2 subunit, and these sera recognized both polymorphic forms equally well. Amino acid 18 of S2 is in a glycan binding domain, and the PtxB forms displayed differences in receptor recognition and toxicity. PtxB1 bound better to the glycoprotein, fetuin, and Jurkat T cells in vitro, but the two forms were equally effective at promoting CHO cell clustering. To investigate in vivo activity of Ptx, one μg of Ptx was administered to DDY mice and blood was collected on 4 days after injection. PtxB2 was more effective at promoting lymphocytosis in mice.