E.O. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory

ABSTRACT:

Berkeley Lab researchers Manouchehr Saljoughian, Hiromi Morimoto, Chit Than, and Philip Williams have synthesized a series of patented tritioacetylating reagents. These reagents may be used in a new and facile method for the tritioacetylation, to very high specific activities, of peptides and other biologically important molecules, such as Co-enzyme A. Acetyl Co-enyzme A is an important metabolic intermediate, and due to its high potential for the transfer of an S-acetyl group, serves as a substrate for a wide variety of enzyme catalyzed reactions. Acetyl Co-enzyme A plays a central role in fatty acid and steroid biosyntheses, as well as in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. The best characterized of Berkeley Lab’s new tritioacetylating compounds, N-tritio-acetoxyphthalimide has many advantages over standard reagents such as tritiated acetic acid and acetic anhydride: both these substances suffer from low tritium content, volatility, and poor chemical selectivity and reactivity. Berkeley Lab’s N-tritioacetoxyphthalimide readily tritiates amino and sulfhydryl groups in proteins; is quite easy to prepare; is stable; and is active in DMSO, methanol, dioxane, and water.

STATUS:

• U.S. Patent #6,160,128. Available for licensing.

FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE SEE:

• Saljoughian M., Morimot H., Williams P. G., Than C., Seligman S. J., "N-Tritioacetoxyphthalimide: A New High Specific Activity Tritioacetylating Reagent", J. Org. Chem, 61(26), 9625-9628, 1996.

REFERENCE NUMBER: IB-1250