Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors from a marine-derived fungal strain aspergillus sp. SF-5929

Abstract

In the course of our continuing investigation of bioactive secondary metabolites from marine-derived fungal strains, a racemate of a novel diphenolic derivative named (±)-tylopilusin D (1) along with ten previously known secondary metabolites (2–11) were isolated from a marine-derived fungal strain Aspergillus sp. SF-5929. Their structures were elucidated mainly by analysis of NMR and MS data. In addition, the inhibitory effects of the isolated compounds against protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) activity were evaluated, and compounds 1, 2, and 5–7 inhibited PTP1B activity with IC₅₀ values ranging from 3.3 to 8.1?µM. Kinetics studies suggested that compounds 1, 2, and 5 had noncompetitive inhibitory effects against PTP1B.     

Structure and Absolute Configuration of Aspergilumamide A,a Novel Lumazine Peptide from the Mangrove‐Derived Fungus Aspergillus sp.

A novel lumazine peptide, aspergilumamide A ( 1 ), as well as a known analog penilumamide ( 2 ), were isolated from the mycelia of a marine‐derived fungus Aspergillus sp. (33241), obtained from the mangrove Bruguiera sexangula var. rhynchopetala collected from the South China Sea. The structure of 1 was identified by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, ESI‐MS, and MS/MS experiments. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by Marfey's method.     

Three New Phenyl Ether Derivatives from Aspergillus carneus HQ889708

Three new phenyl ether derivatives, 3‐hydroxy‐5‐(3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylphenoxy)benzoic acid ( 1 ), 3,4‐dihydroxy‐5‐(3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylphenoxy)benzoic acid ( 2 ), 3‐[3‐hydroxy‐5‐(hydroxymethyl)phenoxy]‐5‐methylphenol ( 3 ), and three known compounds 4 – 6 were obtained from the fermentation broth of Aspergillus carneus HQ889708, which was isolated from sea water from South China Sea. The structures of compounds 1 – 3 were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods including ESI‐MS and NMR. Compounds 4 – 6 were reported before as synthesized products, herein, they are reported from nature for the first time.     

Enhanced production of xylanase from locally isolated fungal strain using agro-industrial residues under solid-state fermentation

This study is related to the isolation of fungal strain for xylanase production using agro-industrial residues. Forty fungal strains with xylanolytic potential were isolated by using xylan agar plates and quantitatively screened in solid-state fermentation. Of all the tested isolates, the strain showing highest ability to produce xylanase was assigned the code Aspergillus niger LCBT-14. For the enhanced production of the enzyme, five different fermentation media were evaluated. Out of all media, M4 containing wheat bran gave maximum enzyme production. Effect of different variables including incubation time, temperature, pH, carbon and nitrogen sources has been investigated. The optimum enzyme production was obtained after 72 h at 30°C and pH 4. Glucose as a carbon source while ammonium sulphate and yeast extract as nitrogen sources gave maximum xylanase production (946 U/mL/min). This study was successful in producing xylanase by A. niger LCBT-14 economically by utilising cheap indigenous substrate.     

Chemical investigation of metabolites produced by an endophytic Aspergillus sp. isolated from Limonia acidissima

Endophytic fungi are considered as a good source to produce important secondary metabolites with interesting bioactivities. In a continuation of our studies towards the search for environmentally friendly bioactive compounds from Sri Lankan flora, we investigated the secondary metabolites produced by the endophytic fungi Aspergillus sp. isolated from the seeds of the popular edible fruit Limonia acidissima L. of the family Rutaceae. The pure culture of the Aspergillus sp. was grown on potato dextrose broth media. After 4 weeks fermentation, fungal media were extracted with organic solvents. Chromatographic separation of the fungal extracts over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and RP-HPLC furnished flavasperone (1), rubrofusarin B (2), aurasperone A (3), fonsecinone D (4) and aurasperone B (5). Compounds 1–4 showed moderate activities in brine shrimp toxicity assay. This is the first report of the ¹³C NMR data of compounds 4 and 5.     

肉豆蔻中赭曲霉毒素的测定及赭曲霉毒素产毒菌的分离鉴定

建立了同时测定肉豆蔻中3种赭曲霉毒素的超高效液相色谱-串联质谱法(UPLC-MS/MS)。样品经70%甲醇超声提取,HLB柱净化,采用Agilent Proshell 120 EC C₁₈色谱柱,以乙腈(含0.1%甲酸)-水(含0.1%甲酸)为流动相进行梯度洗脱,于电喷雾离子源正负离子模式下多反应监测模式检测。结果表明,肉豆蔻基质中3种赭曲霉毒素基质效应为91.0%~112.0%,采用基质匹配标准曲线法定量时各浓度范围下线性关系良好(R²>0.999)。样品在高、中、低3个浓度加标水平下,回收率为63.3%~88.4%,相对标准偏差(RSD)小于6.0%,检出限(LOD)和定量限(LOQ)分别为0.1~1.0μg/kg和0.3~3.0μg/kg。另从肉豆蔻中分离得到一株产毒菌,采用紫外荧光筛选、形态学鉴定、DNA测序结合液质联用检测的方法最终鉴定为菌核曲霉。     

Selection of the most effective kinetic model of lactase hydrolysis by immobilized Aspergillus niger and free β-galactosidase

The kinetic model of the hydrolysis of lactose by β-galactosidase from Aspergillus niger immobilized on a commercial ceramic monoliths was estimated in the attendance of lactose and its hydrolysis reaction products galactose and glucose. The aim of this work was to developing kinetic model of lactase hydrolysis by Aspergillus niger. The variables in this study are temperature, pH, enzyme concentration, substrate concentration and final product. The optimum temperature used to achieve the best hydrolysis performance in the kinetic model selection was 55 and 60 °C. The optimum pH used for enzyme activity was about 3.5 to 4. Five kinetic models were proposed to confirm experimental data the enzymatic reaction of the lactose hydrolysis by the β-galactosidase. The kinetics of lactose hydrolysis by both Immobilized and soluble lactases were scrutinized in a batch reactor system in the lack of any mass conduction restriction. In both instance the galactose inhibition kinetic models predicted the experimental data. The model is capable to fit the experimental data correctly in the extensive experimental span studied.     

Volatiles and Antifungal-Antibacterial-Antiviral Activity of South African Salvia spp. Essential Oils Cultivated in Uniform Conditions

Spontaneous emissions of S. dentata Aiton and S. scabra Thunb., as well as the essential oil (EO) composition of the cited species, together with S. aurea L., were investigated. The chemical profile of the first two species is reported here for the first time. Moreover, in vitro tests were performed to evaluate the antifungal activity of these EOs on Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, and Fusarium solani. Secondly, the EO antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Staphylococcus pseudointermedius was examined, and their antiviral efficacy against the H1N1 influenza virus was assessed. Leaf volatile organic compounds (VOCs), as well as the EOs obtained from the arial part of Salvia scabra, were characterized by a high percentage of sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (97.8% and 76.6%, respectively), mostly represented by an equal amount of germacrene D (32.8% and 32.7%, respectively). Both leaf and flower spontaneous emissions of S. dentata, as well as the EO composition, showed a prevalence of monoterpenes divided into a more or less equal amount of hydrocarbon and oxygenated compounds. Interestingly, its EO had a non-negligible percentage of oxygenated sesquiterpenes (29.5%). S. aurea EO, on the contrary, was rich in sesquiterpenes, both hydrocarbons and oxygenated compounds (41.5% and 33.5%, respectively). S. dentata EO showed good efficacy (Minimal Inhibitory Concentration (MIC): 0.5%) against M. canis. The tested EOs were not active against E. coli and S. aureus, whereas a low inhibition of S. dentata EO was observed on S. pseudointermedius (MIC = 10%). Once again, S. dentata EO showed a very good H1N1 inhibition; contrariwise, S. aurea EO was completely inactive against this virus. The low quantity of S. scabra EO made it impossible to test its biological activity. S. dentata EO exhibited interesting new perspectives for medicinal and industrial uses.     

Production of Terretonin N and Butyrolactone I by Thermophilic Aspergillus terreus TM8 Promoted Apoptosis and Cell Death in Human Prostate and Ovarian Cancer Cells

The anticancer activity of terretonin N (1) and butyrolactone I (2), obtained from the thermophilic fungus Aspergillus terreus TM8, was intensively studied against prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3) and ovary adenocarcinoma (SKOV3) human cell lines. According to this study, both compounds showed potent cytotoxicity towards ovarian adenocarcinoma cells (SKOV3) with IC₅₀ 1.2 and 0.6 μg/mL, respectively. With respect to metastatic prostate cells (PC-3), the two compounds 1 and 2 showed a significantly promising cytotoxicity effect with IC₅₀ of 7.4 and 4.5 μg/mL, respectively. The tested fungal metabolites showed higher rates of early and late apoptosis with little or no necrotic apoptotic pathway in all treated prostate adenocarcinoma (PC-3) and ovary adenocarcinoma (SKOV3) human cell lines, respectively. The results reported in this study confirmed the promising biological properties of terretonin N (1) and butyrolactone I (2) as anticancer agents via the induction of cellular apoptosis. However, further studies are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanism by which cellular apoptosis is induced in cancer cells.     

Biochemical Properties of Tyrosinase from Aspergillus terreus and Penicillium copticola; Undecanoic Acid from Aspergillus flavus,an Endophyte of Moringa oleifera,Is a Novel Potent Tyrosinase Inhibitor

Tyrosinase is a copper-containing monooxygenase catalyzing the O-hydroxylation of tyrosine to 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine then to dopaquinone that is profoundly involved in melanin synthesis in eukaryotes. Overactivation of tyrosinase is correlated with hyperpigmentation that is metabolically correlated with severe pathological disorders, so, inhibition of this enzyme is the most effective approach in controlling the overproduction of melanin and its hazardous effects. Thus, searching for a powerful, selective inhibitor of human tyrosinase to limit the hyper-synthesis of melanin is a challenge. Unlike the difficulty of overexpression of human tyrosinase, using fungal tyrosinase as a model enzyme to the human one to evaluate the mechanistics of enzyme inhibition in response to various compounds is the most feasible strategy. Thus, the purification of highly catalytic-efficient fungal tyrosinase, exploring a novel inhibitor, and evaluating the mechanistics of enzyme inhibition are the main objectives of this work. Aspergillus terreus and Penicillium copticola were reported as the most potential tyrosinase producers. The biochemical properties suggest that this enzyme displays a higher structural and catalytic proximity to human tyrosinase. Upon nutritional bioprocessing by Plackett–Burman design, the yield of tyrosinase was increased by about 7.5-folds, compared to the control. The purified tyrosinase was strongly inhibited by kojic acid and A. flavus DCM extracts with IC₅₀ values of 15.1 and 12.6 µg/mL, respectively. From the spectroscopic analysis, the main anti-tyrosinase compounds of A. flavus extract was resolved, and verified as undecanoic acid. Further studies are ongoing to unravel the in vivo effect and cytotoxicity of this compound in fungi and human, that could be a novel drug to various diseases associated with hyperpigmentation by melanin.