Phytochemical analysis of non-polar solvent extracts of the Wisteria sinensis leaves

A comparative study on the phytochemical composition of the n-hexane and chloroform extracts from Wisteria sinensis leaves collected in June and October is described. Continuous extraction in Soxhlet apparatus, as well as ultrasound-assisted technique, was used for the preparation of the extracts. All the extracts were analysed by GC/MS method. As a result, α-tocopherol was identified as the main component (56%) of the extracts from October leaves, whereas, β-sitosterol was identified as the main compound (47%) in the extracts from the June leaves. Additionally, pure α-tocopherol was isolated from n-hexane extract of the October leaves using column chromatography. A total of 6.25 mg of α-tocopherol was isolated from 1 g of dried leaves. The presence of the vitamin E in extracts from W. sinensis leaves is described here for the first time.     

EMISSION SPECTRA FROM SYNTHETIC POLYNUCLEOTIDES AND DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID IN AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS†

A study has been made of the emission spectra at 77°K from poly A, poly U, poly C, their complexes, and from native and heat-denatured DNA in buffered aqueous solutions containing 0·25 per cent glucose: no emission was observed from these polynucleotides at room temperature. The spectra differed from those obtained in the polyalcoholic glasses used by other workers. The principal differences between the emission spectra of poly A and adenosine at pH 7 in a water-glucose mixture were: (a) a decrease in both P/F and the overall intensity in poly A; (b) absence of the structure normally found in adenosine phosphorescence; and (c) appearance of a new short-lived component in the phosphorescence decay. Further changes in the emission characteristics (e.g. the increase of P/F, the proportional increase of the short-lived component in the phosphorescence decay) from poly A were observed at pH 5. These can not be explained solely by protonization of adenosine residues, but rather appear to depend upon exciton interactions of the most intense π–π* transition in double-stranded poly A. and perturbation of the lowest-lying emitting band. When poly A or poly C is complexed with poly U or poly I the luminescence intensity decreases in two-strand complexes and is completely quenched in poly (A + 2U), poly (A+2I) and poly (C⁺+I); no emission was observed from either, single-strand poly I or poly U. Identical emission patterns were obtained from native and heat-denatured samples of DNA. The comparison of polynucleotide emission spectra in the water-glucose medium with those obtained from polyalcoholic glasses leads to the conclusion that the emission spectra depend most critically upon the relative proportions of base-solvent and base-base interactions in each environment: the possible importance of proton tunneling and/or triplet-triplet transfer mechanisms is briefly discussed.     

Microbial and Enzymatic Synthesis of Optically Pure D- and L-3-Trimethylsilyl-alanine by Deracemization of D,L-5-Trimethylsilyl-methyl-hydantion

 The sterospecificities of hydantoinases and N-carbamoyl amino acid amidohydrolases (N-carbamoylases) from different microbial sources were investigated for the stereoselective syntheses of the unnatural silicon-containing amino acids D- and L-3-trimethylsilyl-alanine (3) from the respective racemic hydantoin D,L-1. In a preparative biotransformation, whole resting cells of Agrobacterium sp. IP I 671, immobilized in a Ca-alginate matrix, were used for the synthesis of amino acid D-3 in 88% yield and 95% enantiomeric excess. Since the purified D-N-carbamoylase from Agrobacterium sp. IP I 671 was shown to be 100%D-selective, the enantiomeric purity of 95% of D-3 arising from the transformation with the immobilized cells must be explained by the participation of a further, L-selective N-carbamoylase or, which is more likely, by racemization of the final hydrolysis product by the action of an amino acid racemase. Isolated hydantoinases from Bacillus thermoglucosidasius, Thermus sp., Arthrobacter aurescens DSM 3745, and Arthrobacter crystallopoietes DSM 20117 turned out to be stereospecific for the conversion of the D-form of hydantoin D,L-1. The enantiomerically pure L-form of 3 was also prepared. It was synthesized from racemic N-carbamoyl amino acid D,L-2 by enantiomer-specific hydrolysis of the L-form in presence of L-N-carbamoylase from Arthrobacter aurescens DSM 3747.     

Elucidating the identity of Anisakis larvae from a broad range of marine fishes from the Yellow Sea,China, using a combined electrophoretic‐sequencing approach

Larval nematodes were collected from marine fishes from the Yellow Sea, China. Specimens (n=1731) of Anisakis type I from 311 fishes (representing 40 species) were each identified based on morphological characters. From the genomic DNA from individual specimens, a region of nuclear ribosomal DNA was amplified by PCR, followed by digestion with restriction endonuclease HinfI, TaqI or HhaI. Subsequently, the ITS‐1 and ITS‐2 regions of selected samples were sequenced. The results revealed three species of Anisakis, namely Anisakis pegreffii (n=1709), A. typica (n=3) and a genotype (n=19) proposed, also based on comparison with previous studies, to be a “hybrid” between A. pegreffii and A. simplex sensu stricto. Thus, A. pegreffii was the dominant species, accounting for 98.7% of the total number of specimens examined herein. This is the first report of A. typica and the “hybrid” genotype from fishes from the Yellow Sea. This study provides important basic information on Anisakis in this region and suggests that the genus Anisakis has substantial host and geographical distributions.     

Experimental measurement and prediction of hydrate forming conditions in the nitrogen-propane-water system

Experimental data on initial hydrate formation conditions have been obtained for the nitrogen-propane-water system in the L₁HG, L₁L₂H, and L₁L₂HG regions, where L₁ is the water rich liquid phase, L₂ is the hydrocarbon rich liquid phase, H is the hydrate and the G is the vapor phase. The measurements covered a range of temperatures from about 275 to 293 K and pressures from about 0.3 to 17.0 MPa. The concentrations covered for the L₁HG region extended from 0.94 to 75.0 mole percent propane in the gas phase, and for the L₁L₂H region they extended from 83.1 to 99.0 mole percent in the condensed liquid phase. Four-phase measurements were made at concentrations of propane from 18.1 to 71.1 mole percent in the gas phase.The experimental data were used to find a fitted binary interaction parameter for predicting hydrate formation in systems containing nitrogen and propane.     

Direct Alkylation of Amines with Primary and Secondary Alcohols through Biocatalytic Hydrogen Borrowing

The reductive aminase from Aspergillus oryzae (Asp RedAm) was combined with a single alcohol dehydrogenase (either metagenomic ADH‐150, an ADH from Sphingobium yanoikuyae (SyADH), or a variant of the ADH from Thermoanaerobacter ethanolicus (Te SADH W110A)) in a redox‐neutral cascade for the biocatalytic alkylation of amines using primary and secondary alcohols. Aliphatic and aromatic secondary amines were obtained in up to 99 % conversion, as well as chiral amines directly from the racemic alcohol precursors in up to >97 % ee , releasing water as the only byproduct.     

Senecipyrrolidine,an unusual pyrrolidine alkaloid isolated from Jacobaea gigantea (Desf.) Pelser (Asteraceae)

Alkaloids and phenolic compounds are among the most biologically active natural products from the Jacobaea/Senecio genera (Asteraceae). To isolate original natural products directly from Jacobaea gigantea crude polar extracts, centrifugal partition chromatography (CPC) was used. Previously, we reported the phytochemical study of J. gigantea (syn. Senecio giganteus) n-butanol extract using various classical chromatographical techniques combined with CPC. Herein major constituents from the J. gigantea crude ethyl acetate extract and further compounds from the n-butanol extract were purified in only one step using this technique. A new pyrrolidine alkaloid, named senecipyrrolidine was isolated along with thirteen known compounds – chiro-inositol, three phenolic acids, six flavonoids, two quinones and emiline, another pyrrolidine alkaloid – from crude n-butanol or ethyl acetate extracts. Pyrrolidine alkaloids were isolated for the first time in the Jacobaea/Senecio genera and were probably biogenetically related to the two isolated quinones derivatives jacaranone and 3a-hydroxy-3,3a,7,7a-tetrahydrobenzofuran-2,6-dione, isolated in this species.     

Gel permeation chromatography: Examination of column efficiency

Gel permeation chromatographic (GPC) separations have been performed with several commercially available column packing materials. The results have been analyzed in the conventional manner to obtain the ratio of weight average to number-average molecular weight, M_w/M_n, for solutes with narrow molecular weight distribution. Various other parameters proposed to measure the efficiency of GPC columns have been evaluated and compared. It is proposed that the experimentally determined value of M_w/M_n for a series of different molecular weight samples with similar, narrow distribution for a given set of columns is a convenient parameter for comparing column efficiency in GPC. This parameter may be calculated from a single chromatogram unlike resolution, R, resolution index, RI, or specific resolution, RS, which require a pair of chromatograms. Results from the M_w/M_n method are usually in agreement with those from the R, RI, and RS calculations but one exception has been found. The number of theoretical plates calculated from the elution of a small molecule or from the polymer peak bears little relation to efficiencies predicted from the proposed M_w/M_n method or from R, RI, or RS.     

Die phloroglucide von neun dryopteris-arten aus kenya sowie der d. oligodonta (desv.) pic.-serm. und d. “dilatata” von den canarischen inseln

Among the eight species of the fern genus Dryopteris which have been recorded from Kenya (East Africa), the group of D. inacqualis, D. pentheri and D. schimperana is regarded as critical. There is no agreement among experts as to whether D. inaequalis s. str. is restricted to South Africa and whether it should be separated specifically from D. pentheri Chemical and, as far as possible, cytological investigations of available material showed that the following taxa of Dryopteris occur in Kenya (ploidy in brackets) : 1. D. athamantica (2 × );2. D. callolepis (4 × ); 3. D. inaequalis (4 × ); 4. D. kilenzensis (2 × ); 5. D. manniana (4 × ); 6. D. pentheri (2 × ); 7. D. schimperana (2 × ); 8. D. sp. RBF-71/885 (TR-330.5) (4 × ); 9. D. squamiseta(ploidy not determined). The nomenclature of the four critical taxa, 3, 6, 7 and 8 is provisional. For comparison, two taxa from the Canary Islands, 10. D. ‘dilatata’ (4 × ) and 11. D. oligodonta (2 × ) were also investigated. Among the nine taxa from Kcnya, two (4 and 9) did not contain any phloroglucides. Dryopteris kilomensis must be regarded as one of the few representatives of the genus Dryopteris which lacks such compounds. On the other hand, the negative result for 9 is in agreement with the fact that this species has recently been transferred to a new genus Nothopevanema. The following three new compounds havc been isolated: Trisaspidinol ( 8 ), from D. inaequalis; Pentherin-I (not quitc pure) and Pentherin-I1 (hypothetical partial formula 25 ), from D. pentheri. Pentherin-I is also present in D. sp. RBF-71/885. Chemical and cytological results are compatiblc with the hypothesis that the latter is an allotetraploid derived from the diploids 6 and 7. The chemical patterns of 6, 7 and 8 show similarities to that of D. manniana, which in turn also shows similarities to the European D. filix-mas. Dryopteris ‘dilatata’ from the Canary Islands is chemically different from Europcan D. dilatata s. str. in lacking para-aspidin, while D. oligodonta gave results rather different from D. inaequalis or other East African species, and also from known European taxa.     

Synthesis of Monosaccharide‐Derived Spirocyclic Cyclopropylamines and Their Evaluation as Glycosidase Inhibitors

The glucose‐, mannose‐, and galactose‐derived spirocyclic cyclopropylammonium chlorides 1a – 1d, 2a – 2d and 3a – 3d were prepared as potential glycosidase inhibitors. Cyclopropanation of the diazirine 5 with ethyl acrylate led in 71% yield to a 4 : 5 : 1 : 20 mixture of the ethyl cyclopropanecarboxylates 7a – 7d , while the Cu‐catalysed cycloaddition of ethyl diazoacetate to the exo‐glycal 6 afforded 7a – 7d (6 : 2 : 5 : 3) in 93–98% yield (Scheme 1). Saponification, Curtius degradation, and subsequent addition of BnOH or t‐BuOH led in 60–80% overall yield to the Z‐ or Boc‐carbamates 11a – 11d and 12a – 12d , respectively. Hydrogenolysis of 11a – 11d afforded 1a – 1d , while 12a – 12d was debenzylated to 13a – 13d prior to acidic cleavage of the N‐Boc group. The manno‐ and galacto‐isomers 2a – 2d and 3a – 3d , respectively, were similarly obtained in comparable yields (Schemes 2 and 4). Also prepared were the differentially protected manno‐configured esters 24a – 24d ; they are intermediates for the synthesis of analogous N‐acetylglucosamine‐derived cyclopropanes (Scheme 3). The cyclopropylammonium chlorides 1a – 1d, 2a – 2d and 3a – 3d are very weak inhibitors of several glycosidases (Tables 1 and 2). Traces of Pd compounds, however, generated upon catalytic debenzylation, proved to be strong inhibitors. PdCl is, indeed, a reversible, micromolar inhibitor for the β‐glucosidases from C. saccharolyticum and sweet almonds (non‐competitive), the β‐galactosidases from bovine liver and from E. coli (both non‐competitive), the α‐galactosidase from Aspergillus niger (competitive), and an irreversible inhibitor of the α‐glucosidase from yeast and the α‐galactosidase from coffee beans. The cyclopropylamines derived from 1a – 1d or 3a – 3d significantly enhance the inhibition of the β‐glucosidase from C. saccharolyticum by PdCl , lowering the K_i value from 40 μM (PdCl ) to 0.5 μM for a 1 : 1 mixture of PdCl and 1d . A similar effect is shown by cyclopropylamine, but not by several other amines.     

Modeling migration of strontium in sand and gravel aquifer in the candidate VLLW disposal site

Study of fine-particle media, because of their high sorption capacities, is of particular importance for the use as backfill materials in waste repository design, and because argillaceous formations are particularly suitable as host rock formations. In this study, sorption and retardation characteristics of strontium in fine-particle media were studied to evaluate the distribution coefficient (K _d ) and retardation factor (R _d ) of this radioactive element in fine-particle media, which was comprised of selected particles with a diameter less than 1 mm from a candidate site to dispose very low level waste (VLLW). The results indicated that K _d values of strontium under different initial concentrations ranged between 20 and 110. Values of strontium R _d measured from column experiments ranged between 36 and 102, with the corresponding K _d values, determined from solving the inverse problem of R _d calculating formula, ranging between 5 and 20. In conclusion, the K _d value of Sr from the batch tests was found to be higher than these from the column experiments.     

Electron impact studies CX—+E spectra from negative ions. Ortho effects and skeletal rearrangement reactions from sulphur compounds

+E spectra derived from the non-decomposing anion of some sulphur compounds are independent of the pressure of the collision gas. The compounds chosen for study contain peaks produced from either ortho effects or skeletal rearrangement fragments in their conventional positive ion spectra. The dissociative +E spectra are either devoid of skeletal rearangement ions or alternatiely contain such peaks in small abundance. In contrast, peaks derived from ortho reactions are present in high abundance.     

Maracin and Maracen: New Types of Ethynyl Vinyl Ether and α-Chloro Divinyl Ether Antibiotics from Sorangium cellulosum with Specific Activity Against Mycobacteria

Like something originating from the chemistry laboratory rather than from Nature : However, the title compounds 1 and 2 are, in fact, synthesized by myxobacteria of the species Sorangium cellulosum according to the same assembly pattern from acetate and are excreted into the culture medium. Both compounds have remarkably good in vitro activity against the pathogen responsible for tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis.     

CHLOROPHYLL-PROTEINS AND REACTION CENTER PREPARATIONS FROM PHOTOSYNTHETIC BACTERIA,ALGAE AND HIGHER PLANTS*,‡

Abstract— The use of sodium dodecyl sulfate to dissociate photosynthetic membranes followed by standard fractionation techniques yields chlorophyll-proteins and reaction center complexes with molecular weights of 500,000 or less. Much about the structure and function of photo-synthetic units in vivo can be deduced from the properties of the isolated complexes. The Bchl-protein from green bacteria is approximated by an incompletely filled sphere ? 80 Â in diameter consisting of four identical subunits. The five Bchl molecules in each subunit are 14 to 20Â apart. The related Chl a-proteins from a blue-green alga and various eukaryotic plants may have similar structural characteristics. The Chl a-protein from a blue-green alga contains one molecule of P700 per 60–90 Chl a molecules. The quantum requirement for P700 oxidation is 2.6 or less. The midpoint potential in various preparations ranges from 0.38 V to 0.42 V. Green algae and higher plants yield a Chl a-protein similar to that from the blue-green alga; in addition they yield another Chl-protein (mol. wt. = 2–3×10⁴) which contains an equal amount of Chl a and Chl b. These two Chl-proteins account for most of the chlorophyll in these organisms. Two photosynthetic bacteria (Rhodopseudomonas viridis and Chromatium) yield protein complexes containing Bchl, carotenoid, and bound cytochromes. The reaction center complex from R. viridis contains P960 (E_m, ₈= 0.39 to 0.42 V), cytochrome 558 (E_m,8= 0.33 V) and cytochrome 553 (E_m,7=— 0.02 V). Quantum requirements for P960 and C558 oxidation are ?2.2 and 3.0, respectively. Complex A from Chromatium contains Bchl 890, P883, cytochrome 556 (E_m,8= 0.34 V) and cytochrome 552 (E_m,7=?0.04 V). The quantum requirement for C556 oxidation is about 15. Both high- and low-potential cytochromes can donate electrons to the reaction center chlorophyll present in either complex. This fact supports the idea that only one kind of photochemical reaction center functions in photosynthetic bacteria. An hypothesis about the nature of the photosynthetic unit in purple bacteria is outlined.     

An iboga alkaloid chemotaxonomic marker from endemic Tabernaemontana ternifolia with antitubercular activity

Abstract

Coronaridine (1) was isolated from the CH₂Cl₂ root extract of Tabernaemontana ternifolia. The structure of 1 was established from 1D- and 2D-NMR and HR-ESIMS experiments, and by comparison with reported spectroscopic data. To date, this is the first report of compound 1 from T. ternifolia, introduced as new Tabernaemontana species from Philippines in 2005 on the basis of morphological characters. Coronaridine, an iboga-type indole alkaloid, has been isolated from over 50 Tabernaemontana species and can thus be inferred as a chemotaxonomic marker of the genus. T. ternifolia has a distinct arrangement of leaves not known in the genus, but is variable in other genera. Its isolation from endemic T. ternifolia establishes its position in the genus and supports the claim that coronaridine is a chemical marker of the genus Tabernaemontana. Interestingly, coronaridine exhibited relatively weak activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis H₃₇Rv (MIC 82.64?μg/mL) (Rifampicin MIC 0.05?μg/mL).     

A Useful Modification of the Evans Auxiliary: 4-Isopropyl-5,5-diphenyloxazolidin-2-one

The 4-isopropyl-5,5-diphenyloxazolidinone ( 1 ) is readily prepared from (R)- or (S)-valine ester, PhMgBr, and ethyl chlorocarbonate. It has a melting point of ca. 250°, a low solubility in most organic solvents, and a C=O group which is sterically protected from nucleophilic attack. Thus, the soluble N-acyl-oxazolidinones ( 7 – 16 ) can be prepared from 1 with BuLi at temperatures around 0° instead of −78° (Scheme 3), their Li enolates can be generated with BuLi, rather than with LDA, and deacylation in the final step of the procedure can be achieved with NaOH at ambient temperatures (Scheme 12), with facile recovery of the precipitating auxiliary 1 (filtering, washing, and drying). The following reactions of N-acyl-oxazolidinones from 1 have been investigated: alkylations (Scheme 4), aminomethylations and hydroxymethylations (Scheme 5), aldol additions (Schemes 6 and 7), Michael additions (Schemes 9 and 10), and a (4+2) cycloaddition (Scheme 11). The well-known features of reactions following the Evans methodology (yield, diastereoselectivity, dependence on conditions, counter ions, additives etc.) prevail in these transformations. Most products, however, have higher melting points and a much more pronounced crystallization tendency than those derived from conventional oxazolidinones, and can thus be purified by recrystallization, avoiding chromatography (Table 1). The disadvantage of 1 having a higher molecular weight (ca. 150 Da) than the non-phenyl-substituted auxiliary is more than compensated by the ease of its application, especially on large scale. A number of crystal structures of oxazolidinones derived from 1 and a TiCl₄ complex of an oxazolidinone are described and discussed in view of the diastereoselective-reaction mechanisms.     

Aromatic compounds produced by endophytic fungi isolated from red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis - Falkenbergia stage

Endophytic fungi were isolated from red alga Asparagopsis taxiformis - Falkenbergia stage, collected from the Brazilian coast, and were identified as Annulohypoxylon stygium (AT-03) and A. yungensis (AT-06) based on their macro/micromorphological and molecular features. Bioassay-guided fractionation of the EtOAc extract from laboratory cultures of both strains yielded known compounds pyrogallol from A. stygium, (3R)-scytalone and (3R,4R)-4-hydroxy-scytalone from A. yungensis. Pyrogallol was active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli strains. An inactive fraction from A. stygium afforded two additional compounds, (3R,4R)-3,4,5-trihydroxy-1-tetralone and tyrosol. Optically active compounds had their stereochemistry determined by circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy.     

Energy-adjusted pseudopotentials for the rare earth elements

Nonrelativistic and quasirelativistic energy-adjusted pseudopotentials and optimized (7s6p5d)/[5s4p3d]-GTO valence basis sets for use in molecular calculations for fixed f-subconfigurations of the rare earth elements, La through Lu, have been generated. Atomic excitation and ionization energies from numerical HF, as well as SCF pseudopotential calculations using the derived basis sets, differ by less than 0.1 eV from numerical HF all-electron results. Corresponding values obtained from CI(SD), CEPA-1, as well as density functional calculations using the quasirelativistic pseudopotentials, are in reasonable agreement with experimental data.     

Expression and high-level secretion of Trichoderma reesei endoglucanase I in Yarrowia lipolytica

The endoglucanase I (EGI) from fungus Trichoderma reesei was cloned, expressed, and secreted from Yarrowia lipolytica using the XPR2 promoter. The signal sequence of EGI transferred from T. reesei was efficiently processed in the Y. lipolytica secretory pathway and directed the secretion of active EGI into the culture medium. However, the recombinant EGI produced from YLCSIn strain was hyperglycosylated and significantly larger than the native enzyme produced by the parent strain. The expression of EGI using XPR2 preproregion has caused secretion of modified proteins that still retained cellulase activity. This resulted from imprecise processing of the N-terminus of recombinant protein. While the batch culture produced 5 mg EGI/L from YLCSIn strain, the EGI yield was increased approx 20-fold when the fed-batch fermentation process strategy in combination with the high-cell density cultivation technique was employed. These results showed that the Y. lipolytica is a useful host organism for production of a large amount of large size heterologous proteins, especially when used in combination with high-cell density and fed-batch culture techniques.