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Disulfide-rich peptides and proteins are among the most fascinating bioactive molecules. The difficulties associated with the preparation of these targets have prompted the development of various chemical strategies. Nevertheless, the production of these targets remains very challenging or elusive. Recently, we introduced a strategy for one-pot disulfide bond formation, tackling most of the previous limitations. However, the effect of the order of oxidation remained an underexplored issue. Herein we report on the complete synthetic flexibility of the approach with respect to the order of oxidation of three disulfide bonds in targets that lack the knot motif. In contrast, our study reveals an essential order of disulfide bond formation in the EETI-II knotted miniprotein. This synthetic strategy was applied for the synthesis of novel analogues of the plectasin antimicrobial peptide with enhanced activities against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a notorious human pathogen., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Development of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) is emerging as a promising strategy for targeted protein degradation. However, the drug development using the heterobifunctional PROTAC molecules is generally limited by poor membrane permeability, low in vivo efficacy and indiscriminate distribution. Herein an aptamer-PROTAC conjugation approach was developed as a novel strategy to improve the tumor-specific targeting ability and in vivo antitumor potency of conventional PROTACs. As proof of concept, the first aptamer-PROTAC conjugate (APC) was designed by conjugating a BET-targeting PROTAC to the nucleic acid aptamer AS1411 (AS) via a cleavable linker. Compared with the unmodified BET PROTAC, the designed molecule (APR) showed improved tumor targeting ability in a MCF-7 xenograft model, leading to enhanced in vivo BET degradation and antitumor potency and decreased toxicity. Thus, the APC strategy may pave the way for the design of tumor-specific targeting PROTACs and have broad applications in the development of PROTAC-based drugs., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Abnormal H 2 O 2 and cholesterol levels are closely related to many diseases. This work reports a facile process for the synthesis of oxidized glutathione (GSSG)-modified MoS 2 nanosheets (MoS 2 -GSSG NSs). The biocompatible MoS 2 -GSSG NSs have good dispersibility and high affinity to the substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), which is beneficial for improving peroxidase-like catalytic activity of MoS 2 . The high peroxidase-like activity of MoS 2 -GSSG NSs was applied as a robust nanoplatform for low-cost, rapid, and highly effective colorimetric detection of H 2 O 2 and total/free cholesterol. Moreover, the peroxidase-like catalytic mechanism was studied by the steady-state kinetics method. The catalytic activity was remarkably high at a wide range of pH (2.4-7.0) and temperature values (25-70 °C). The cholesterol was catalyzed by cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) in the presence of O 2 to generate H 2 O 2 , which oxidized TMB to generate a blue-colored product (oxTMB) under the catalysis of MoS 2 -GSSG NSs. The detection limit (DL) of total cholesterol and H 2 O 2 was as low as 5.36 and 0.51 μm, respectively. The linear ranges for detecting cholesterol and H 2 O 2 were from 5.36 to 800 μm and from 0.51 to 50 μm, respectively. This method was also successfully applied to the detection of cholesterol in serum. The detection concentration of total cholesterol was consistent with that of the value detected by the blood biochemical method used in the clinic., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Polycaprolactone (PCL) networks with disulfide bonds are synthesized through a thiol-ene "click" reaction. The PCL networks have various functional properties, including self-healing, shape memory, reprocessability, and degradability. Pronouncedly, a healing efficiency of 92% on the yield strength of the PCL network is obtained after heating for 1 h at 60 °C. Meanwhile, the PCL networks show shape memory property with fixing ratio (R f ) and recovery ratio (R r ) at 98% and 95%, respectively. The PCL network still retains good mechanical properties after reprocessing cycles and can be fast-decomposed through a thiol-disulfide exchange reaction., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

We describe a short total synthesis of ajoene, a major biologically active constituent of garlic. The instability of allicin as the only other known alternative starting material has led to the development of a reliable procedure for the synthesis of ajoene from simple building blocks that is also suitable for upscale operations., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The ability to reversibly cross-link proteins and peptides grants the amino acid cysteine its unique role in nature as well as in peptide chemistry. We report a novel class of S-alkylsulfonyl-l-cysteines and N-carboxy anhydrides (NCA) thereof for peptide synthesis. The S-alkylsulfonyl group is stable against amines and thus enables its use under Fmoc chemistry conditions and the controlled polymerization of the corresponding NCAs yielding well-defined homo- as well as block co-polymers. Yet, thiols react immediately with the S-alkylsulfonyl group forming asymmetric disulfides. Therefore, we introduce the first reactive cysteine derivative for efficient and chemoselective disulfide formation in synthetic polypeptides, thus bypassing additional protective group cleavage steps., (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Stimuli-responsive gene delivery systems maximize therapeutic efficacy by controlling the cytosolic conveyance and rate of effective gene release. We present herein a hybrid nanocomposite composed of a 2D nanomaterial, MoS2, modified by attaching two polymers (polyethylenimine (PEI) and polyethylenglycol (PEG)) via disulfide bonds. This MoS2-PEI-PEG nanocomposite interacts with DNA by electrostatic interaction, and accordingly forms a nanosized complex with high stability. Photothermal conversion of MoS2 nanosheet is employed in order to induce photothermally triggered endosomal escape upon the near infrared light irradiation. After endosomal escape, polymers are detached from the MoS2 nanosheet by the intracellular reducing agent, glutathione (GSH), resulting in effective gene release from the nanocomposite. This sequential process initiated by external and internal stimuli remarkably enhances gene delivery efficiency by effective endosomal escape and gene release without severe cytotoxicity. Our rationally designed MoS2 nanocomposite provides a spatiotemporally controllable platform to deliver genetic material into cells., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Current approaches to prepare SF5 -substituted heterocycles during the synthesis of targeted heterocyclic compounds require the use of SF5 -functionalized aryl or alkyne reagents or SF5 Cl as a source of the SF5  functional group. Herein we report that excess oxidative fluorination of 2,2'-dipyridyl disulfide with a KF/Cl2 /MeCN system leads to the formation of thirteen new 2-pyridylsulfur chlorotetrafluorides (2-SF4 Cl-pyridines). These molecules are found to undergo further chlorine-fluorine exchange reactions by treatment with silver(I) fluoride enabling ready access to a series of ten new substituted 2-pyridylsulfur pentafluorides (2-SF5 -pyridines). This is the first preparatively simple and readily scalable example of the transformation of an existing heterocyclic sulfur functionality to prepare SF5 -substituted heterocycles., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Well-defined nanogels have become quite attractive as safe and stable carriers for siRNA delivery. However, to avoid nanoparticle accumulation, they need to provide a stimuli-responsive degradation mechanism that can be activated at the payload's site of action. In this work, the synthetic concept for generating well-defined nanohydrogel particles is extended to incorporate disulfide cross-linkers into a cationic nanonetwork for redox-triggered release of oligonucleotide payload as well as nanoparticle degradation under reductive conditions of the cytoplasm. Therefore, a novel disulfide-modified spermine cross-linker is designed that both allows disassembly of the nanogel as well as removal of cationic charge from residual polymer fragments. The degradation process is monitored by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS). Moreover, siRNA release is analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis and a fluorescent RNA detection assay. The results exemplify the versatility of the applied nanogel manufacturing process, which allows alternative stimuli-responsive core cross-linkers to be integrated for triggered oligonucleotide release as well as effective biodegradation for reduced nanotoxicity., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Chemical synthesis of peptides can allow the option of sequential formation of multiple cysteines through exploitation of judiciously chosen regioselective thiol-protecting groups. We report the use of 2-nitroveratryl (oNv) as a new orthogonal group that can be cleaved by photolysis under ambient conditions. In combination with complementary S-pyridinesulfenyl activation, disulfide bonds are formed rapidly in situ. The preparation of Fmoc-Cys(oNv)-OH is described together with its use for the solid-phase synthesis of complex cystine-rich peptides, such as insulin., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

MoS2 nanosheets functionalized with poly-ethylene glycol are for the first time used as a multifunctional drug delivery system with high drug loading capacities. Using doxorubicin as the model drug and taking advantages of the strong near-infrared absorbance of MoS2, combined photothermal and chemotherapy of cancer is realized in animal experiments, achieving excellent synergistic anti-tumor effect upon systemic administration., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The design, synthesis, properties, and cell imaging applications of a series of 2-pyridyl disulfide based fluorescent probes (WSP1, WSP2, WSP3, WSP4 and WSP5) for hydrogen sulfide detection are reported. The strategy is based on the dual-nucleophilicity of hydrogen sulfide. A hydrogen sulfide mediated tandem nucleophilic substitution-cyclization reaction is used to release the fluorophores and turn on the fluorescence. The probes showed high sensitivity and selectivity for hydrogen sulfide over other reactive sulfur species, including cysteine and glutathione., (Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Branched polyethylenimine (25 kDa) is thiolated and compared with redox-sensitive crosslinked derivatives. Both polymers thiol contents are assessed; the thiolated polymers have 390-2300 mmol SH groups/mol, whereas the crosslinked polymers have lower thiol contents. Cytotoxicity assays show that both modified polymers give lower hemolysis than unmodified PEI. Increased thiol content increases gene transfer efficiency but also elevates cytotoxicity. Crosslinking improves plasmid DNA condensation and enhances transfection efficiency, but extensive crosslinking overstabilizes the polyplexes and decreases transfection, emphasizing the need to balance polyplex stabilization and unpacking. Thus, at low levels of crosslinking, 25 kDa PEI can be an efficient redox-sensitive carrier system., (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

We have designed and synthesized a new donor/acceptor-type tetracene derivative by the introduction of dicarboxylic imide and disulfide groups as electron-withdrawing and -donating units, respectively. The prepared compounds, tetracene dicarboxylic imide (TI) and its disulfide (TIDS) have high chemical and electrochemical stability as well as long-wavelength absorptions of up to 886 nm in the thin films. The crystal packing structure of TIDS molecules features face-to-face π-stacking, derived from dipole-dipole interactions. Notably, TIDS exhibited ambipolar properties of both electron-donating and -accepting natures in p-n and p-i-n heterojunction organic thin-film photovoltaic devices. Accordingly, TI and TIDS are expected to be promising compounds for designing new organic semiconductors., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

New, biodegradable poly(L-lactide) disulfides, PLLA-SS-PLLA, were first prepared through the DMAP-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of L-lactide with a dihydroxyethyl disulfide initiator, and were further catalytically reduced into thiol-end-functionalized poly(L-lactide)s, HO-PLLA-SH, with a tributyl phosphine catalyst (PBu3). Employing the HO-PLLA-SH as the ligand, new core-shell CdSe/PLLA quantum dots (QDs) were continuously prepared via a facile ligand-exchanging process with the CdSe/TOPO QD precursor. The chemical structures, morphologies and solvent solubility of these prepared CdSe/PLLA QDs were investigated by NMR spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, TEM and excitation under either room light or UV radiation at 365 nm, demonstrating the successful ligand replacement and the new formation of core-shell CdSe/PLLA QDs (diameter:4.0 +/- 0.3 nm). Finally, UV and FL results indicate the two factors of the HO-PLLA-SH ligand molecular weight and the ligand/QD precursor feeding weight ratio were important for preparing stable and highly photoluminescent CdSe/PLLA QDs.

Disulfide bridges that stabilize the native conformation of conotoxins pose a challenge in the synthesis of smaller conotoxin analogues. Herein we describe the synthesis of a minimized analogue of the analgesic mu-conotoxin KIIIA that blocks two sodium channel subtypes, the neuronal Na(V)1.2 and skeletal muscle Na(V)1.4. Three disulfide-deficient analogues of KIIIA were initially synthesized in which the native disulfide bridge formed between either C1-C9, C2-C15, or C4-C16 was removed. Deletion of the first bridge only slightly affected the peptide's bioactivity. To further minimize this analogue, the N-terminal residue was removed and two nonessential serine residues were replaced by a single 5-amino-3-oxapentanoic acid residue. The resulting "polytide" analogue retained the ability to block sodium channels and to produce analgesia. Until now, the peptidomimetic approach applied to conotoxins has progressed only modestly at best; thus, the disulfide-deficient analogues containing backbone spacers provide an alternative advance toward the development of conopeptide-based therapeutics.

A dynamic covalent approach to disulfide-containing [2]- and [3]rotaxanes is described. Symmetrical dumbbell-shaped compounds with two secondary ammonium centers and a central located disulfide bond were synthesized as components of rotaxanes. The rotaxanes were synthesized from the dumbbell-shaped compounds and dibenzo-[24]crown-8 (DB24C8) with catalysis by benzenethiol. The yields of isolated rotaxanes reached about 90 % under optimized conditions. A kinetic study on the reaction forming [2]rotaxane 2 a and [3]rotaxane 3 a suggested a plausible reaction mechanism comprising several steps, including 1) initiation, 2) [2]rotaxane formation, and 3) [3]rotaxane formation. The whole reaction was found to be reversible in the presence of thiols, and thermodynamic control over product distribution was thus possible by varying the temperature, solvent, initial ratio of substrates, and concentration. The steric bulk of the end-capping groups had almost no influence on rotaxane yields, but the structure of the thiol was crucial for reaction rates. Amines and phosphines were also effective as catalysts. The structural characterization of the rotaxanes included an X-ray crystallographic study on [3]rotaxane 3 a.

Psammaplin A is a symmetrical bromotyrosine-derived disulfide natural product isolated from the Psammaplysilla sponge, which exhibits in vitro antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Inspired by the structure of this marine natural product, a combinatorial scrambling strategy for the construction of heterodimeric disulfide analogues was developed and applied to the construction of a 3828-membered library starting from 88 homodimeric disulfides. These psammaplin A analogues were screened directly against various gram positive bacterial strains leading to the discovery of a series of potent antibacterial agents active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Among the most active leads derived from these studies are compounds 104, 105, 113, 115, 123, and 128. The present, catalytically-induced, disulfide exchange strategy may be extendable to other types of building blocks bearing thiol groups facilitating the construction of diverse discovery-oriented combinatorial libraries.