William W. Bachovchin | |
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Nationality | American |
Occupation(s) | Chemist/chemical biologist, academic, and researcher |
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Academic background | |
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Academic work | |
Institutions | Tufts University School of Medicine |
William W. Bachovchin is an American chemist/chemical biologist,academic and researcher. He is a professor of Molecular and Chemical Biology at Tufts University School of Medicine, [1] and the founder of three biopharmaceutical companies:Point Therapeutics,Arisaph Pharmaceuticals,and Bach BioSciences. [2]
Bachovchin has published over 100 articles,and is the inventor of 58 issued US patents. [3] His research has focused primarily on a family of proteolytic enzymes known as the serine proteases and has ranged from studies of their catalytic mechanisms at the molecular level,to identifying their biological functions,to the design and development of drugs targeting them. His work has made extensive use of NMR spectroscopy,mutagenesis,chemical synthesis,and in vivo testing of drug candidates in animal models. [4]
Bachovchin attended Wake Forest University,from which he received his B.S. degree in Biology in 1970,and completed his Graduate Studies in Chemistry in 1972. He then earned his PhD in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology in 1977,under the supervision of John H. Richards. Following this,he served as a Postdoctoral fellow at The California Institute of Technology with John D. Roberts until 1978,and at Harvard Medical School with Bert L. Vallee until 1979. [1]
Bachovchin began his academic career as an assistant professor at Tufts University School of Medicine in 1979. He was subsequently promoted to associate professor in 1984,and became a professor in the Department of Biochemistry at Tufts University School of Medicine in 1989. Bachovchin was also a member of the outside advisory committee of the Stable Isotopes Resource of Los Alamos National Labs for 12 years,serving as chairman for 8 from 1985 to 1993. [1]
Bachovchin has also founded three biopharmaceutical companies:Point Therapeutics in 1997,Arisaph Pharmaceuticals in 1999,and Bach BioSciences LLC in 2018 for which he currently serves as president,CEO,and chief scientist.
Notable contributions from Bachovchin's early work on enzyme mechanism include that he was the first to incorporate 15N into an enzyme active site and observe the behavior of a key catalytic residue by 15N NMR spectroscopy. The results of that work resolved a controversy regarding the charge-relay hypothesis. Later,his work also helped resolve another controversy over low-barrier hydrogen bonds. [5]
Another notable early contribution includes resolving a discrepancy between results obtained by X-ray diffraction of an enzyme in the crystalline state versus results obtained by NMR spectroscopy of the enzyme in the solution state. He resolved the dispute by examining both states by NMR spectroscopy. The results confirmed crystalline and solution state enzymes did indeed differ and explained why they differed. [6]
In the area of Engzymology,Bachovchin obtained direct evidence for a hydrogen bond involving a carbon-bonded proton as the hydrogen bond donor in an enzyme active site using NMR spectroscopy. On the basis of this discovery,his research team proposed a new mechanism,dubbed "the reaction-driven ring flip". [7]
Bachovchin's work in the area of drug design and development has led to the design,synthesis and characterization of specific substrates and inhibitors for a number of enzymes including all members of the DASH family of enzymes. [8] He designed,synthesized and characterized high potency inhibitors of DPP4 and then used them to interrogate the biological function of DPP4,work which demonstrated that DPP4 inhibitors had blood glucose lowering activity and therefore the potential for the treatment of diabetes. [9] More recently his work has shown that DPP8/9 inhibitors trigger an immune response. [10] He also designed,synthesized,and characterized specific substrates and inhibitors for Fibroblast Activation Protein (FAP), [11] [12] and has shown that the FAP-specific substrates can be used to deliver anticancer agents specifically to tumors [13] [14] while FAP-specific inhibitors can be used to deliver radioactive metals specifically to tumor for imaging or for therapy. [15]
Chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.21.1,chymotrypsins A and B,alpha-chymar ophth,avazyme,chymar,chymotest,enzeon,quimar,quimotrase,alpha-chymar,alpha-chymotrypsin A,alpha-chymotrypsin) is a digestive enzyme component of pancreatic juice acting in the duodenum,where it performs proteolysis,the breakdown of proteins and polypeptides. Chymotrypsin preferentially cleaves peptide amide bonds where the side chain of the amino acid N-terminal to the scissile amide bond (the P1 position) is a large hydrophobic amino acid (tyrosine,tryptophan,and phenylalanine). These amino acids contain an aromatic ring in their side chain that fits into a hydrophobic pocket (the S1 position) of the enzyme. It is activated in the presence of trypsin. The hydrophobic and shape complementarity between the peptide substrate P1 side chain and the enzyme S1 binding cavity accounts for the substrate specificity of this enzyme. Chymotrypsin also hydrolyzes other amide bonds in peptides at slower rates,particularly those containing leucine at the P1 position.
Trypsin is an enzyme in the first section of the small intestine that starts the digestion of protein molecules by cutting long chains of amino acids into smaller pieces. It is a serine protease from the PA clan superfamily,found in the digestive system of many vertebrates,where it hydrolyzes proteins. Trypsin is formed in the small intestine when its proenzyme form,the trypsinogen produced by the pancreas,is activated. Trypsin cuts peptide chains mainly at the carboxyl side of the amino acids lysine or arginine. It is used for numerous biotechnological processes. The process is commonly referred to as trypsinogen proteolysis or trypsinization,and proteins that have been digested/treated with trypsin are said to have been trypsinized.
A protease is an enzyme that catalyzes proteolysis,breaking down proteins into smaller polypeptides or single amino acids,and spurring the formation of new protein products. They do this by cleaving the peptide bonds within proteins by hydrolysis,a reaction where water breaks bonds. Proteases are involved in numerous biological pathways,including digestion of ingested proteins,protein catabolism,and cell signaling.
In biology and biochemistry,the active site is the region of an enzyme where substrate molecules bind and undergo a chemical reaction. The active site consists of amino acid residues that form temporary bonds with the substrate,the binding site,and residues that catalyse a reaction of that substrate,the catalytic site. Although the active site occupies only ~10–20% of the volume of an enzyme,it is the most important part as it directly catalyzes the chemical reaction. It usually consists of three to four amino acids,while other amino acids within the protein are required to maintain the tertiary structure of the enzymes.
Serine proteases are enzymes that cleave peptide bonds in proteins. Serine serves as the nucleophilic amino acid at the (enzyme's) active site. They are found ubiquitously in both eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Serine proteases fall into two broad categories based on their structure:chymotrypsin-like (trypsin-like) or subtilisin-like.
Urokinase,also known as urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA),is a serine protease present in humans and other animals. The human urokinase protein was discovered,but not named,by McFarlane and Pilling in 1947. Urokinase was originally isolated from human urine,and it is also present in the blood and in the extracellular matrix of many tissues. The primary physiological substrate of this enzyme is plasminogen,which is an inactive form (zymogen) of the serine protease plasmin. Activation of plasmin triggers a proteolytic cascade that,depending on the physiological environment,participates in thrombolysis or extracellular matrix degradation. This cascade had been involved in vascular diseases and cancer progression.
Enteropeptidase is an enzyme produced by cells of the duodenum and is involved in digestion in humans and other animals. Enteropeptidase converts trypsinogen into its active form trypsin,resulting in the subsequent activation of pancreatic digestive enzymes. Absence of enteropeptidase results in intestinal digestion impairment.
A catalytic triad is a set of three coordinated amino acid residues that can be found in the active site of some enzymes. Catalytic triads are most commonly found in hydrolase and transferase enzymes. An acid-base-nucleophile triad is a common motif for generating a nucleophilic residue for covalent catalysis. The residues form a charge-relay network to polarise and activate the nucleophile,which attacks the substrate,forming a covalent intermediate which is then hydrolysed to release the product and regenerate free enzyme. The nucleophile is most commonly a serine or cysteine,but occasionally threonine or even selenocysteine. The 3D structure of the enzyme brings together the triad residues in a precise orientation,even though they may be far apart in the sequence.
Diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) or Isoflurophate is an oily,colorless liquid with the chemical formula C6H14FO3P. It is used in medicine and as an organophosphorus insecticide. It is stable,but undergoes hydrolysis when subjected to moisture.
Dipeptidyl peptidase-4,also known as adenosine deaminase complexing protein 2 or CD26 is a protein that,in humans,is encoded by the DPP4 gene. DPP4 is related to FAP,DPP8,and DPP9. The enzyme was discovered in 1966 by Hopsu-Havu and Glenner,and as a result of various studies on chemism,was called dipeptidyl peptidase IV [DP IV].
In biochemistry,phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) is a serine protease inhibitor commonly used in the preparation of cell lysates. PMSF does not inactivate all serine proteases. The effective concentration of PMSF is between 0.1 - 1 mM. The half-life is short in aqueous solutions. At 4˚C,pH 8,PMSF is almost completely degraded after 1 day. Stock solutions are usually made up in anhydrous ethanol,isopropanol,or corn oil and diluted immediately before use.
In molecular biology,Proteinase K is a broad-spectrum serine protease. The enzyme was discovered in 1974 in extracts of the fungus Parengyodontium album. Proteinase K is able to digest hair (keratin),hence,the name "Proteinase K". The predominant site of cleavage is the peptide bond adjacent to the carboxyl group of aliphatic and aromatic amino acids with blocked alpha amino groups. It is commonly used for its broad specificity. This enzyme belongs to Peptidase family S8 (subtilisin). The molecular weight of Proteinase K is 28,900 daltons.
Pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (PSTI) also known as serine protease inhibitor Kazal-type 1 (SPINK1) or tumor-associated trypsin inhibitor (TATI) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the SPINK1 gene.
Fibroblast activation protein alpha (FAP-alpha) also known as prolyl endopeptidase FAP is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the FAP gene.
Transmembrane protease,serine 2 is an enzyme that in humans is encoded by the TMPRSS2 gene. It belongs to the TMPRSS family of proteins,whose members are transmembrane proteins which have a serine protease activity. The TMPRSS2 protein is found in high concentration in the cell membranes of epithelial cells of the lung and of the prostate,but also in the heart,liver and gastrointestinal tract.
Prostasin is a protein that in humans is encoded by the PRSS8 gene.
Many major physiological processes depend on regulation of proteolytic enzyme activity and there can be dramatic consequences when equilibrium between an enzyme and its substrates is disturbed. In this prospective,the discovery of small-molecule ligands,like protease inhibitors,that can modulate catalytic activities has an enormous therapeutic effect. Hence,inhibition of the HIV protease is one of the most important approaches for the therapeutic intervention in HIV infection and their development is regarded as major success of structure-based drug design. They are highly effective against HIV and have,since the 1990s,been a key component of anti-retroviral therapies for HIV/AIDS.
Mannan-binding lectin-associated serine protease-2 is an enzyme. This enzyme catalyses the following chemical reaction
The cyclothiazomycins are a group of natural products,classified as thiopeptides,which are produced by various Streptomyces species of bacteria.
Eric Oldfield is a British chemist,the Harriet A. Harlin Professor of Chemistry and a professor of Biophysics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is known for his work in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy of lipids,proteins,and membranes;of inorganic solids;in computational chemistry,and in microbiology and parasitology. He has received a number of recognitions for his work,including the American Chemical Society's Award in Pure Chemistry,the Royal Society of Chemistry's Meldola Medal and the Biochemical Society's Colworth Medal,and he is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science,a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry,and a Fellow of the American Physical Society.