Isolation of heptadepsin, a novel bacterial cyclic depsipeptide that inhibits lipopolysaccharide activity

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is considered to cause various inflammatory reactions. We searched among microbial secondary metabolites for compounds that could inhibit LPS-stimulated adhesion between human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and human myelocytic cell line HL-60 cells. In the course of our screening, we isolated a novel cyclic depsipeptide, which we named heptadepsin, from the whole culture broth of Paenibacillus sp. The addition of heptadepsin prior to LPS stimulation decreased HL-60 cell-HUVEC adhesion without showing any cytotoxicity. It also inhibited the cellular adhesion induced by lipid A, the active component of LPS, but it did not inhibit TNF-alpha or IL-1beta-induced cell adhesion. The result of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis revealed that heptadepsin interacted with lipid A directly. Thus, heptadepsin, a novel naturally occurring cyclic heptadepsipeptide, was shown to inactivate LPS by direct interaction with LPS.     

Effect of pH on adsolubilization of single and binary organic solutes into a cationic hydrocarbon surfactant adsorbed layer on silica

The adsolubilization behaviors of 2-naphthol, biphenyl, and their binary solutes in the hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (HTAB) adsorbed layer formed on silica have been studied with solution pH. Two feed concentrations of HTAB are employed: 1.5 and 3.0 mmol dm(-3). At the feed concentration of 1.5 mmol dm(-3) HTAB, most of HTAB are adsorbed on the silica as a monolayer, while a bilayer formation occurs at the feed concentration of 3.0 mmol dm(-3). It is found that the adsolubilized amounts of respective single solutes increase with increasing solution pH except acidic region for biphenyl under a constant feed concentration of 2-naphthol (0.4 mmol dm(-3)) and biphenyl (0.047 mmol dm(-3)). The adsolubilization of binary solutes depends on the feed concentration of HTAB; at the low HTAB feed concentration, competitive adsolubilization between 2-naphthol and biphenyl occurs above pH 4.5, while at the high HTAB feed concentration the adsolubilization of biphenyl is enhanced by the incorporation of 2-naphthol over a whole pH region. These behaviors in the adsolubilization are discussed from the surfactant structure of HTAB adsorbed as well as the admicellar partitioning coefficients.     

Biobased poly(2,5‐furandimethylene succinate‐co‐butylene succinate) crosslinked by reversible Diels–Alder reaction

We synthesized biobased poly(2,5‐furandimethylene succinate‐co‐butylene succinate) [P(FS‐co‐BS)] copolymers by polycondensation of 2,5‐bis(hydroxymethyl)furan, 1,4‐butanediol, and succinic acid. These copolymers could be crosslinked to form network polymers by means of a reversible Diels–Alder reaction with bis‐maleimide. The thermal properties, mechanical properties, and healing abilities of the P(FS‐co‐BS)s and the network polymers were investigated. The mechanical properties of the network polymers depended on the comonomer composition of the P(FS‐co‐BS)s and the maleimide/furan ratio in the network polymers. Some of the copolymers exhibited healing ability at room temperature, and their healing efficiency was enhanced by solvent or heat. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014 , 52, 216–222     

A novel condition for capillary electrophoretic analysis of reductively aminated saccharides without removal of excess reagents

We have identified novel CE conditions for the separation of 7‐amino‐4‐methylcoumarin‐labeled monosaccharides and oligosaccharides from glycoproteins. Using a neutrally coated capillary and alkaline borate buffer containing hydroxypropylcellulose and ACN, saccharide derivatives form anionic borate complexes, which move from the cathode to the anode in an electric field and are detected near the anodic end. Excess labeling reagents and other fluorescent products remain at the cathodic end. Fluorimetric detection using an LED as a light source enables determination of monosaccharide derivatives with good linearity between at least 0.4 and 400 μM, may correspond to 140 amol to 140 fmol. The lower LOD (S/N = 5) is only 80 nM in the sample solution (ca. 28 amol). The results were comparable to reported values using fluorometric detection LC. The method was also applied to the analysis of oligosaccharides that were enzymatically released from glycoproteins. Fine resolution enables profiling of glycans in glycoproteins. The applicability of the method was examined by applying it to other derivatives labeled with nonacidic tags such as ethyl p‐aminobenzoate‐ and 2‐aminoacridone‐labeled saccharides.     

Tandyukisin,a novel ketoaldehyde decalin derivative,produced by a marine sponge-derived Trichoderma harzianum

Tandyukisin (1), a novel decalin derivative with an enolic β-ketoaldehyde, has been isolated from a strain of Trichoderma harzianum OUPS-111D-4 originally derived from the marine sponge Halichondria okadai, and its structure has been elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic analyses using 1D and 2D NMR techniques. In addition, the absolute configuration for 1 was established by the application of CD spectrum to the tribenzoate derivative. This compounds exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines.     

Structure of tecophilin,a tri-caffeoylanthocyanin from the blue petals of Tecophilaea cyanocrocus, and the mechanism of blue color development

The pigment, tecophilin, in blue flowers of Tecophilaea cyanocrocus was isolated and the structure was determined to be 3-O-(6-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-7-O-(6-O-(4-O-(2-O-(4-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(E)-caffeoyl)-6-O-(4-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(E)-caffeoyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-(E)-caffeoyl)-β-d-glucopyranosyl)delphinidin. The reproduction experiment of the same color as petals according to the results of chemical analysis and measurement of vacuolar pH of blue cells clarified that the blue color solely develops by tecophilin without interaction of metal ions nor co-pigments. ¹H NMR analysis and CD spectrum indicate the co-existence of clockwise intermolecular self-association of the delphinidin nuclei and intramolecular π–π stacking between the chromophore and caffeoyl residues to derive bathochromic shift of the absorption spectrum and stabilize the color by preventing hydration reaction.     

Formation of Hierarchical Lamellae‐in‐Lamella Nanostructures from Polymer Blends Via Controlled Nonequilibrium Freezing

The creation of hierarchical nanostructures in polymeric materials has been intensively studied due to the great potential to tailor their physicochemical properties. Although much success has been achieved over the past decades in block copolymers, hierarchical structure engineering in polymer blends remains a great challenge. Here, the formation of hierarchical lamellae‐in‐lamella nanostructures from polymer blends via controlled nonequilibrium freezing is reported. Polymer blends are first dissolved in molten hexamethylbenzene (HMB) to form a homogeneous melt. When cooled to below its melting temperature, the HMB is crystallized and depleted, and the polymers are directionally solidified. This process is rapid enough that phase separation of the polymer blends is kinetically trapped at the nanoscale level. Then, the polymer blend epitaxially crystallizes onto the HMB inside the nanophase, resulting in the hierarchical lamellae‐in‐lamella structure. This structure is stable under ambient conditions and tunable depending on the annealing temperature and blending ratio.

     

Practical Synthesis of 2-Iodosobenzoic Acid (IBA) without Contamination by Hazardous 2-Iodoxybenzoic Acid (IBX) under Mild Conditions

We report a convenient and practical method for the preparation of nonexplosive cyclic hypervalent iodine(III) oxidants as efficient organocatalysts and reagents for various reactions using Oxone^® in aqueous solution under mild conditions at room temperature. The thus obtained 2-iodosobenzoic acids (IBAs) could be used as precursors of other cyclic organoiodine(III) derivatives by the solvolytic derivatization of the hydroxy group under mild conditions of 80 °C or lower temperature. These sequential procedures are highly reliable to selectively afford cyclic hypervalent iodine compounds in excellent yields without contamination by hazardous pentavalent iodine(III) compound.