Purification and characterization of an extracellular α-l-arabinofuranosidase from Fusarium oxysporum

An α-l-arabinofuranosidase from Fusarium oxysporum F3 was purified to homogeneity by a two-step ion exchange intercalated by a gel filtration chromatography. The enzyme had a molecular mass of 66 kDa and was optimally active at pH 6.0 and 60°C. It hydrolyzed aryl α-l-arabinofuranosides and cleaved arabinosyl side chains from arabinoxylan and arabinan. There was a marked synergistic effect between the α-l-arabinofuranosidase and an endo-(1 →4)-β-d-xylanase produced by F. oxysporum in the extensive hydrolysis of arabinoxylan.     

New polyhydroxysteroids and steroid glycosides from the far east starfishCeramaster patagonicus

Two new polyhydroxysteroids and five new glycosides were isolated from the starfishCeramaster patagonicus and their structures were elucidated: 5α-cholestane-3β,6α,15β,16β,26-pentol, (22E)-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,6α,8,15α,24-pentol, (22E)-28-O-[O-(2-O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-galactofuranosyl]-24-hydroxymethyl-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,4β, 6α,8,15β,16β,28-heptol (ceramasteroside C₁), (22E)-28-O-[O-(2,4-di-O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-galactofuranosyl]-24-hydroxymethyl-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β, 6α,8,15β,16β,28-hexol (ceramasteroside C₂), (22E)-28-O-[O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-galactofuranosyl]-24-hydroxymethyl-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,6α,8,15β,16β 28-hexol (eramasteroside C₃), (22E)-28-O-[O-(2-O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-galactofuranosyl]-24-methyl-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,4β,6α,8, 15β, 26-hexol (ceramasteroside C₄), and (22E)-28-O-[O-(2-O-methyl-β-d-xylopyranosyl)-(1→2)-β-d-xylopyranosyl]-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,6α,8,15β,24-pentol (ceramasteroside C₅)). Three known polyhydroxysteroids (24-methylene-5α-cholestane-3β,6α,8,15β,16β,26-hexol, 5α-cholestane-3β,6α,8,15β,16β,26-hexol, and 5α-cholestane-3β,6β,15α,16β,26-pentol) were also isolated. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 190–195, January, 1997.     

Gene Cloning,Expression, and Characterization of a Family 51 α-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-Arabinofuranosidase from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces</Emphasis> sp. S9

An α-l-arabinofuranosidase gene, abf51S9, was cloned from Streptomyces sp. S9 and successfully expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The full-length gene consisted of 1,506 bp and encoded 501 amino acids with a calculated mass of 55.2 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence was highly homologous with the α-l-arabinofuranosidases belonging to family 51 of the glycoside hydrolases. The recombinant protein was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and subsequently characterized. The optimal pH and temperature for the recombinant enzyme were 6.0 and 60∼65 °C, respectively. The enzyme showed a broad pH range of stability, retaining over 75% of the maximum activity at pH 5.0 to 11.0. The specific activity, K _m, and V _max with p-nitrophenyl-α-l-arabinofuranoside as substrate were 60.0 U mg⁻¹, 1.45 mM, and 221 μmol min⁻¹ mg⁻¹, respectively. Abf51S9 showed a mild but significant synergistic effect in combination with xylanase on the degradation of oat-spelt xylan and soluble wheat arabinoxylan substrates with a 1.19- and 1.21-fold increase in the amount of reducing sugar released, respectively. These favorable properties make Abf51S9 a good candidate in various industrial applications.     

Inexpensive isolation of beta-D-glucopyranosidase from alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase,alpha-L-rhamnopyranosidase,and o-acetylesterase

β-d-Glucopyranosidase (βG, EC 3.2.1.21) has been isolated from some collateral activities, α-l-arabinofuranosidase (Ara, EC3.2.1.55), α-l-rhamnopyranosidase (Rha, EC 3.2.1.40), and o-acetylesterase (Est, EC 3.1.1.53), using a commercial enzyme preparation and a simple method economically sustainable for the food industry. The procedure comprises precipitation of extraneous substances by adding ethanol and CaCl₂, ultrafiltration, and adsorption, first on bentonite and then on chitosan. The results obtained were the complete isolation of βG from the above-mentioned activities, a drastic reduction in extraneous compounds, such as brown substances and polysaccharides, and a slight increase in purification.     

Glycosylation of betulin acetates with glycals

Betulin 2-deoxy-α-d-, 2-deoxy-α-l-, and 2,6-dideoxy-α-l-arabino-hexopyranosides were synthesized by acid-catalyzed glycosylation (cationite in the H⁺ form, LiBr) of betulin 3- and 28-monoacetates with glycal acetates. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 531–534, March, 1998.     

Asterosaponin P2 from the Far-Eastern starfishpatiria (asterina) pectinifera

A new polyhydroxylated steroidal glycoside, asterosaponin P₂, was isolated from the Far-Eastern starfishPatiria (Asterina) pectinifera. The glycoside was identified as the 24R)-29-O-[2-O-sulfo-α-L-arabinofuranosyl]-24-ethyl-5α-cholestane-3β, 6α,8β,15α,16β,29-hexol Na salt. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 10, pp. 1818–1820, October. 2000     

Polar steroidal compounds from the Far-Eastern starfish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lethasterias fusca</Emphasis>

Nine steroidal compounds including three new steroidal glycosides, viz., sodium (24S)-3,24-di-O-(β-D-xylopyranosyl)-5α-cholestane-3β,6β,8,15α,24-pentol 15-sulfate (fuscaside A), (24S)-3,24-di-O-(β-D-xylopyranosyl)-5α-cholestane-3β,6β,8,15α,24-pentol (fuscaside B), and (22E,24R)-24-O-(β-D-xylopyranosyl)-5α-cholest-22-ene-3β,6α,8,15β,24-pentol (desulfated minutoside A); three previously known glycosides, viz., distolasterosides D₁ and D₂ and pycno-podioside A; two previously known polyhydroxysteroids, viz., 5α-cholestane-3β,6α,8,15β,16β,26-hexaol and 5α-cholestan-3β,4β,6α,7⇇8,15β,16β,26-octol; and the known sodium 24,25-dihydro-marthasterone 3-sulfate were isolated from the Far-Eastern starfish Lethasterias fusca. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. Published in Russian in Izvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 1, pp. 196–200, January, 2008.     

Stereospecific mannosylations of myo -inasitol: Synthesis of manno- myo -inositol fragment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Methyl iodide activated stereospecific α-mannosylations utilising 2-pyridyl-1-thiomannopyranoside derivatives (2,3,4) as donors and suitably protected myo-inositol derivatives (1,25,27,29) as acceptors to prepare 2-0-α-D-mannopyranosyl-6-[O-α-D-mannopyranosyl-(1–6)-O-α-D-mannopyranosyl-(l-6)-O-α-D-mannopyranosyl]-D-myo-inositol derivative (31) is described. IICT Commun. No. 3355     

Intercalation of basic amino acids into layered zirconium proline-<Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-methylphosphonate phosphate

Intercalation of basic amino acids into layered zirconium proline-N-methylphosphonate phosphate (α-ZPMP) was investigated at room temperature. Three kinds of host-guest compounds were prepared and characterised by elemental analysis, inductively coupled plasma analysis (ICP), Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FT-IR), Raman spectrum, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and thermoanalysis. The interaction of amino acid guests with P-OH of α-ZPMP host was documented by FT-IR and Raman spectra. In addition, the XRD patterns indicated that l-arginine or l-lysine were intercalated into the interlayer galleries of α-ZPMP host; the interlayer distances of the Larginine and l-lysine intercalation compounds were expanded from 1.520 nm to 2.218 nm and 2.207 nm, respectively. l-arginine and l-lysine would be arranged as a mono-molecule layer in different orientations. The interlayer distance of l-histidine (d = 1.522 nm) was similar to that of α-ZPMP host (d = 1.520 nm), l-histidine might be adsorbed on the outer surface of the α-ZPMP host. Thermoanalysis showed that the intercalated l-arginine and l-lysine were removed at 110–305°C or 150–250°C, respectively, the adsorbed l-histidine was released at a temperature of up to 320°C.     

Synthesis and biological activity of a cyclic hexapeptide from Dianthus superbus

Plant-originated cyclopolypeptide (XIII) was synthesized by coupling of dipeptide Boc-l-asn(bzh)-l-phe-OH and tetrapeptide gly-l-leu-l-ala-l-tyr-OMe followed by cyclization of a linear hexapeptide segment. Structure elucidation of XIII was done on basis of detailed spectral analysis including FTIR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, FAB MS and elemental analysis. From the results of pharmacological screening, it was concluded that XIII possesses high cytotoxic activity against DLA and EAC cell lines with CTC₅₀ values of 15.1 μM and 18.6 μM, and potent antimicrobial activity against pathogenic fungi C. albicans with MIC of 6 μg mL⁻¹. Moreover, XIII possesses moderate anthelmintic activity against earthworms M. konkanensis, P. corethruses, and Eudrilus sp. at 2 mg mL⁻¹ dose level.     

Synthesis of lipooligosaccharides related to nodulation factors ofRhizobium sp. NGR234

Trisaccharide analogs of natural nodulation factors fromRhizobium sp. NGR234, namely, 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-4-O-(2-deoxy-2-hexadecanamido-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-6-O-(2-O-methyl-α-l-fucopyranosyl)-d-glucopyranose and its derivatives containing a 4-O-acetyl or a 3-O-sulfo group at thel-fucose residue, were synthesized. The oligosaccharides synthesized were shown to posses biological activity. Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire des Plantes Supérieures (LBMPS), Université de Genève, 1 ch. de l'Impératrice, 1292 Chambesy-Genève, Suisse. Translated fromIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya No. 3, pp. 513–518, March, 1998.     

The synthesis ofN-acetyl-β-l-fucosamine-1-phosphate and uridine 5′-diphospho-N-acetyl-β-l-fucosamine

Uridine 5′-(2-acetamido-2,6-dideoxy-β-l-galactopyranosyl) diphosphate (uridine 5′-diphospho-N-acetyl-β-l-fucosamine) was synthesized. The key intermediate, 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-azido-2,6-dideoxy-β-l-galactopyranosyl dibenzyl phosphate, was prepared by a previously unknown reaction of cesium dibenzyl phosphate with the corresponding α-glycosyl nitrate and was then converted into theN-acetylated glycosyl phosphate and nucleoside diphosphate sugarsvia 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2-amino-2,6-dideoxy-β-l-galactopyranosyl phosphate using mildN-acetylation andO-deacetylation as the last synthetic steps. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 1919–1923, November, 2000.     

Synthesis of a derivative of a pentasaccharide repeating unit of the O-antigenic polysaccharide of the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae O3 as a benzoylated 2-methoxycarbonylethyl thioglycoside

Block synthesis of a fully benzoylated derivative of the pentasaccharide α-d-Manp-(1→3)-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-α-d-Manp-SCH₂CH₂CO₂Me, the glycoside of the repeating unit of the O-antigenic polysaccharide of the bacterium Klebsiella pneumoniae O3, was performed.     

Reversal of Enantiomeric Retention Order by Using a Single N-Derivatized Dipeptide as Chiral Mobile Phase Additive and Porous Graphitised Carbon as Stationary Phase

In this work the three dipeptides, Z-l-alanyl-l-glutaric acid (Z-l-ala-l-glu), Z-l-phenylanyl-l-glutaric acid (Z-l-phe-l-glu) and Z-glycyl-l-glutaric acid (Z-gly-l-glu) were tested as chiral counter ions for enantiomeric resolution of amino alcohols. The influence of solute and counter ion structure upon retention and enantioselectivity was evaluated. The chiral counter ions were dissolved in a mixture of polar solvents, i.e., ethyl acetate, methanol and acetonitrile and the achiral solid phase used was porous graphitic carbon, marketed as Hypercarb. The enantioselectivities observed for the tested solutes were highly influenced by the used chiral counter ion structure. For example no enantioselectivity was observed for (R,S)-alprenolol using Z-l-ala-l-glu while a separation factor (α) of 1.59 was obtained using Z-l-phe-l-glu as chiral counter ion. High selectivity factors (α > 2.7) were observed between enantiomers of tertiary amines using Z-l-phe-l-glu as counter ion. Interestingly, the structure of the counter ion, as well as the charge on Z-l-phe-l-glu and the mobile phase solvent composition, influenced the retention order of the enantiomers.     

Xylanolytic enzyme production by anAspergillus niger isolate

Production of xylanolytic enzymes by anAspergillus niger CCMI 850 isolate was investigated in batch cultures. The effect of the composition of a fermentation medium that did not include chemical inducers, on β-xylanase, β-xylosidase, α-l-arabinofuranosidase, and total cellulase activity was studied. With 4% xylan as the carbon source, about 65 U/mL of β-xylanase was obtained, whereas the total cellulase activity was undetectable, under the specified conditions. This β-xylanase activity represents the highest reported for a wild-type strain ofA. niger. The effect of pH and temperature on the activity of β-xylanase was studied. Partial characterization of the β-xylanase showed that with insoluble birchwood as substrate theK _m andV _max were 0.3 mM and 19 μmol/min, respectively. Aspects of using the crude β-xylanase preparation for applications in the pulp and paper industry were discussed.     

Amino Acid Derivatives,IV [1]: Synthesis and Antiviral Evaluation of New α-Amino Acid Esters Bearing Methyl β-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-Ribofuranoside Side Chain

Summary. Methyl 2,3-O-isopropylidene-β-d-ribofuranoside was synthesized and oxidized with HIO₄ to afford the corresponding carboxylic acid. The latter was coupled with the appropriate acylated amino acids in the presence of HOBt and DDC as coupling reagents to give the corresponding amides. The methyl acetate derivative was hydrolyzed with 2 N KOH/MeOH to the corresponding carboxylic acid, which was coupled with l-glycine methyl ester to furnish the amide. Deprotection was carried out with 70% AcOH at reflux temperature. The prepared glycopeptides were tested for antiviral activity against Herpes Simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) and hepatitis-A virus (HAV). The plaque reduction infectivity assay was used to determine virus count reduction as a result of treatment with tested compounds.     

Amino Acid Derivatives,V [1]: Synthesis and Antiviral Evaluation of α-Amino Acid Esters Bearing an α-<Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">d</Emphasis>-Mannofuranoside Side Chain

Summary. d-Mannose was treated with dry acetone in the presence of conc. H₂SO₄ to afford 2,3:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-mannofuranoside. Treating the latter with ethyl chloroacetate gave carboethoxymethyl 2,3:5,6-di-O-isopropylidene-α-d-mannofuranoside, which was hydrolyzed with N₂H₄ · H₂O to afford the acid hydrazide derivative. Treating of the acid hydrazide with acylated amino acides, via the azide-coupling method afforded the corresponding O-glycopeptides. Reaction of the glycopeptide methyl esters with N₂H₄ · H₂O afforded the corresponding hydrazides, which were coupled with the amino acid methyl esters to afford the dipeptides. Deprotection was carried out by using 70% AcOH. The prepared O-glycopeptides were tested for antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus and showed moderate activities.     

The use of cesium dibenzyl and diphenyl phosphates for stereoselective synthesis of glycosyl phosphate derivatives

Peracetates of β-glycosyl dibenzyl phosphates are formed efficiently in the reaction of cesium dibenzyl phosphate with peracetyl-α-glycosyl nitrates derived froml-fucopyranose,d-galactopyranose, and 2-azido-2-deoxy-d-galactopyranose or with tri-O-acetyl-α-l-fucopyranosyl bromide. On the contrary, the reaction of the above-mentioned glycosyl nitrates with cesium diphenyl phosphate leads to thermodynamically more stable α-glycosyl diphenyl phosphatevia intermediate formation of the corresponding β-anomers. Published inIzvestiya Akademii Nauk. Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 11, pp. 1924–1928, November, 2000.     

Chiral discrimination ofN-(dansyl)-dl-amino acids on human serum albumin stationary phase: Effect of a mobile phase modifier

Summary The effect of perchlorate anion as mobile phase modifier on the separation factor, α, forN-(dansyl)-dl-norvaline andN-(dansyl)-dl-tryptophan on a human serum albumin (HSA) column was studied by varying the concentration,c, of the chaotropic agent and the column temperatureT. Gibbs-Helmholtz parameters Δ(ΔH) and Δ(ΔS) between thed andl enantiomers were determined from linear van't Hoff plots of lnα against 1/T. Thermodynamic results indicated that the enhancement of the separation factor observed asc was increased was enthalpically controlled owing to stereoselective H-bonding interactions. Such behavior was used to optimize the chromatographic conditions for separation ofN-(dansyl)-amino acids on HSA.     

Stereochemical aspects of micellar properties of esterified glucoside surfactants in water: apparent molar volume, adiabatic compressibility, and aggregation number

 The apparent molar volume and the apparent molar adiabatic compressibility of the sugar-based surfactants methyl 6-O-octanoyl-α-d-glucopyranoside (α-MOnG), methyl 6-O-octanoyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (β-MOnG), and octyl β-d-glucoside were measured over a wide concentration range. Also, the aggregation number of their micelles was determined from the Debye plot using static light scattering data. It was found that the micellar aggregation number for α-MOnG is 179 at 35 °C, which is 1.5 times larger than that for β-MOnG, suggesting that the anomerism of the head group influences the packing of the monomers during micelle formation. Received: 30 September 1999 Accepted: 15 December 1999