Determination of the three-dimensional structure of enzymes at atomic resolution is a key prerequisite for elucidation of molecular mechanisms of catalysis and catalysis mechanism prediction. X-ray protein crystallography is the most widely used method today for determining protein structures. In this thesis we describe the expression, purification, crystallization and structure solution of two new enzymes: PyrH and PrnB. PyrH is a member of the new emerging family of FADH dependent tryptophan halogenases. It catalyzes the regioselective halogenation of tryptophan at the C-5 position of the indole ring. Elucidation of its structure (Chapter 2) and comparison with PrnA, aregioselective 7th tryptophan halogenase whose structure has already been solved confirmed the proposed mechanism of action for this class of enzymes. PrnB is the only enzyme known to perform exquisite and peculiar ring rearrangement chemistry: it converts 7-Cl-tryptophan and tryptophan into respectively monodechloroaminopyrrolnitrin and aminophenylpyrrole. We developed a method for expression and purification of milligrams of pure and homogeneous recombinant PrnB (Chapter 3). We identified suitable crystallization conditions and determined PrnB structure (Chapter 4). Analysis of the PrnB structure helped us to propose a reaction mechanism for this unique enzyme.

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This thesis details a straightforward synthetic route to the antifungal compound pyrrolnitrin 1.2, along with several analogous halogenated phenylpyrroles. The proposed synthetic protocol involved the Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of appropriately halogenated pyrrole pinacolboronate esters and aryl compounds. In the efforts towards preparing the cross-coupling partners, we report a regiospecific and high yielding synthesis of a 3-chloro pyrrole compound 2.14, its brominated analog 2.16, an iodinated analog 2.17, and the corresponding pinacolboronate ester 2.18. We also report a generalized reaction sequence (lithiation/carboxylation/Schmidt reaction/oxidation) for the preparation of halogenated benzoic acids, anilines and nitrobenzenes. In particular, we synthesized the desired halogenated nitrobenzene coupling partner 3.27 in excellent yield. We were also able to show that the conditions employed in this sequence were mild enough to allow preparation of the 2-bromo-6-iodo compound 3.33. Once the coupling partners were prepared, we developed the optimal conditions for our Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. In doing so, we were able to prepare our target compound 1.2 and several halogenated analogs in good yields. We also prepared brominated and deuterated arylpyrroles 4.27 and 4.28, respectively, for future use in mechanistic studies of the pyrrolnitrin biosynthetic enzymes, PrnB, Prn C and PrnD. This required preparation of the corresponding brominated and deuterated pyrrole pinacolboronate esters 4.24 and 4.26. / Thesis (Master, Chemistry) -- Queen's University, 2009-09-29 13:58:35.186