Cloning, sequencing, and functional analysis of the biosynthetic gene cluster of macrolactam antibiotic vicenistatin in Streptomyces halstedii

Vicenistatin, an antitumor antibiotic isolated from Streptomyces halstedii, is a unique 20-membered macrocyclic lactam with a novel aminosugar vicenisamine. The vicenistatin biosynthetic gene cluster (vin) spanning approximately 64 kbp was cloned and sequenced. The cluster contains putative genes for the aglycon biosynthesis including four modular polyketide synthases (PKSs), glutamate mutase, acyl CoA-ligase, and AMP-ligase. Also found in the cluster are genes of NDP-hexose 4,6-dehydratase and aminotransferase for vicenisamine biosynthesis. For the functional confirmation of the cluster, a putative glycosyltransferase gene product, VinC, was heterologously expressed, and the vicenisamine transfer reaction to the aglycon was chemically proved. A unique feature of the vicenistatin PKS is that the loading module contains only an acyl carrier protein domain, in contrast to other known PKS-loading modules containing certain activation domains. Activation of the starter acyl group by separate polypeptides is postulated as well.     

NMR study on the tautomeric equilibria between the hydrazone imine and diazenyl enamine forms in side chained quinoxalines: Solvent effects and temperature dependence

The reaction of 7-chloro-4-ethoxycarbonylmethylene-4,5-dihydro-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline 6 with 4-ethoxycarbonyl-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-5-diazonium chloride or 4-cyano-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-5-diazonium chloride gave 7-chloro-4-[α-(4-ethoxycarbonyl-1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ylhydrazono)-ethoxycarbonylmethyl]-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline 8a or 7-chloro-4-[α-(4-cyano-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ylhydrazono)ethoxycarbonylmethyl]-1,2,4-triazolo[4,3-a]quinoxaline 8b , respectively, while the reaction of 7-chloro-4-ethoxycarbonylmethylene-4,5-dihydrotetrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxaline 7 with 4-ethoxycarbonyl-1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-5-diazonium chloride or 4-cyano-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-5-diazomum chloride provided 7-chloro-4-[α-(4-ethoxycarbonyl-1-methyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ylhydrazono)ethoxycarbonylmethyl]tetrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxaline 9a or 7-chloro-4-[α-(4-cyano-1,3-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-5-ylhydrazono)ethoxycarbonylmethyl]tetrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxaline 9b , respectively. Compounds 8a,b and 9a,b showed the tautomeric equilibria between the hydrazone imine C and diazenyl enamine D forms in dimethyl sulfoxide and/or trifluoroacetic acid, and the effects of solvent and temperature on the tautomer ratios of C to D were studied by the nmr measurements in a series of mixed trifluoroacetic acid/dimethyl sulfoxide media (compounds 8a,b and 9a,b ) and at various temperatures (compounds 8a,b ).     

Surfactants having polyfluoroalkyl chains. II. Syntheses of anionic surfactants having two polyfluoroalkyl chains including a trifluoromethyl group at each tail and their flocculation-redispersion ability for dispersed magnetite particles in water

Anionic surfactants having two polyfluoroalkyl chains per molecule, i.e. the sodium salt of bis(1H, 1H, 2H,2H-heptadeca-fluorodecyl)-2-sulfosuccinate, CF₃(CF₂)₇(CH₂)₂OCOCH₂CH(SO₃Na)COO(CH₂)₂(CF₂)₇CF₃, the sodium salt of bis(1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-tridecafluoro-octyl)-2-sulfosuccinate, CF₃(CF₂)₅(CH₂)₂OCOCH₂CH(SO₃Na)COO(CH₂)₂(CF₂)₅CF₃, and the sodium salt of bis(1H, 1H, 2H, 2H-nonafluorohexyl)-2-sulfosuccinate, CF₃(CF₂)₃(CH₂)₂OCOCH₂CH(SO₃Na)COO(CH₂)₂(CF₂)₃CF₃, have been prepared from maleic anhydride, the corresponding alcohols possessing a polyfluoroalkyl chain and sodium hydrogen sulfite. The flocculation and redispersion abilities of these surfactants for dispersed magnetic particles in water have been examined to investigate the effect of the chain length. It was found that this ability was enhanced by an increase in the chain length. The contact angles for water for pelleted surface-modified magnetite have been measured. In order to compare this ability and the contact angles, data for other fluorinated surfactant have been obtained. The Kraff point, the surface tension and the pNa of the aqueous surfactant solutions have also been measured.     

A highly rigid diamine monomer derived from naturally occurring myo‐inositol and its use for polyamide synthesis

A rigid diamine was synthesized from myo‐inositol, a naturally occurring cyclic hexaol, and used as a monomer to synthesize polyamides. myo‐Inositol was treated with 1,1‐dimethoxycyclohexane to yield a bisketal bearing two hydroxyl groups, and from this bisketal, the target diamine was synthesized in three steps: (1) derivation of the diol into the corresponding bistriflate, (2) nucleophilic substitution of the bistriflate with sodium azide yielding a diazide, and (3) reduction of the diazide to the target diamine. The target diamine readily underwent polycondensation with dicarboxylic acid chloride in solution. The resulting polyamides, whose main chain inherited the rigid 5‐6‐5 system from the diamine monomers, have high glass transition temperatures. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2016 , 54, 3436–3443     

Synthesis and reversible hydration–dehydration system of copolymers bearing a vicinal tricarbonyl structure

Novel copolymers composed of a styrene (St) derivative bearing a vicinal tricarbonyl moiety and various vinyl monomers such as St, methyl methacrylate (MMA), and N‐vinylpyrrolidone (NVP) were synthesized by (1) radical copolymerization of a St derivative with a 1,3‐diketone structure with St, MMA, and NVP and (2) successive oxidation of the resulting copolymers with N‐bromosuccinimide in DMSO to convert their 1,3‐diketone moieties in the side chains into the corresponding vicinal tricarbonyl moieties. Their tricarbonyl moieties were readily hydrated in water‐containing acetone to generate the corresponding copolymers bearing geminal diol structures in the side chains. On the other hand, heating the resulting copolymers bearing the geminal diol structures in vacuo‐enabled successful recovery of the vicinal tricarbonyl moieties to demonstrate the reversible nature of this system. The hydration behavior in powdery state under air atmosphere saturated by water was also investigated. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012     

Isolation of Biphenyl and Polychlorinated Biphenyl-Degrading Bacteria and Their Degradation Pathway

Four strains of biphenyl-degrading bacteria were isolated from a sewage and identified from the Rhodococcus genus (SK-1, SK-3, and SK-4) and Aquamicrobium genus (SK-2) by 16S rRNA sequence. Among these strains, strain SK-2 was most suitable for biphenyl degradation. When 0.65, 1.3, 2.6, or 3.9 mM of biphenyl was used, the biphenyl was completely degraded within 24 and 96 h of culture, respectively. However, in the case of 6.5 and 9.75 mM of biphenyl, the biphenyl degradation yields were about 80 % and 46.7 % after 120 h of culture, respectively. The isolated strains could degrade a broad spectrum of aromatic compounds including high-chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in the presence of biphenyl. In addition, strain SK-2 could utilize PCB congeners containing one to six chlorine substituents such as 2,2′,4,4′,5,5′-hexachlorobiphenyl. The PCB utilization rate by the strain SK-2 was increased compared to that of other PCB congener-utilizing bacteria. The four isolates metabolized 4-chlorobiphenyl to 4-chlorobenzoic acid and 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-(4′-chlorophenyl)-hexa-2,4-dienoic acid. These results suggest the isolated strains might be good candidates for the bioremediation of PCB-contaminated soil, especially high-saline soils.     

Separation and purification of 99mTc from 99Mo produced by electron linear accelerator

The medical radionuclide ⁹⁹Mo was produced by the ¹⁰⁰Mo(γ,n) reaction using bremsstrahlung photons generated by an electron linear accelerator. The amount of ⁹⁹Mo produced was compared to that predicted by calculation using the particles and heavy ion transport code system. From the ⁹⁹Mo produced, highly pure ^99mTc was separated using the so-called technetium master milker, and the chemical yield of ^99mTc was 83–99 %. The installation of a new complex using this method and the electron linear accelerator with the preferable specification was suggested, and a possibility to supply the demand of ^99mTc was discussed and shown.