Elucidation of the function of two glycosyltransferase genes (lanGT1 and lanGT4) involved in landomycin biosynthesis and generation of new oligosaccharide antibiotics

BACKGROUND: The genetic engineering of antibiotic-producing Streptomyces strains is an approach that became a successful methodology in developing new natural polyketide derivatives. Glycosyltransferases are important biosynthetic enzymes that link sugar moieties to aglycones, which often derive from polyketides. Biological activity is frequently generated along with this process. Here we report the use of glycosyltransferase genes isolated from the landomycin biosynthetic gene cluster to create hybrid landomycin/urdamycin oligosaccharide antibiotics. RESULTS: Production of several novel urdamycin derivatives by a mutant of Streptomyces fradiae Tü2717 has been achieved in a combinatorial biosynthetic approach using glycosyltransferase genes from the landomycin producer Streptomyces cyanogenus S136. For the generation of gene cassettes useful for combinatorial biosynthesis experiments new vectors named pMUNI, pMUNII and pMUNIII were constructed. These vectors facilitate the construction of gene combinations taking advantage of the compatible MunI and EcoRI restriction sites. CONCLUSIONS: The high-yielding production of novel oligosaccharide antibiotics using glycosyltransferase gene cassettes generated in a very convenient way proves that glycosyltransferases can be flexible towards the alcohol substrate. In addition, our results indicate that LanGT1 from S. cyanogenus S136 is a D-olivosyltransferase, whereas LanGT4 is a L-rhodinosyltransferase.     

Das Bioisosterie‐Konzept: Arzneistoffentwicklung

The couples benzene‐thiophene, benzene‐pyridine, thiophene‐furane represent prominent examples of bioisosterism in drug research. These cycles are aromatic and similar of expansion and electronical properties (isostere). The concept of bioisosterism includes also the replacement of substituents and atoms in pharmacologically active compounds. Selected drugs are shown to introduce into this important principle of rational drug design.     

Determination of niobium(V) and tantalum(V) as 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol–citrate ternary complexes in geological materials by ion-interaction reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A method for the simultaneous separation and determination of Nb(V) and Ta(V) as ternary complexes formed with 4-(2-pyridylazo)resorcinol (PAR) and citrate was developed using ion-interaction reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on a C₁₈ column. Method parameters, such as pre-column complex formation conditions and composition of the complexes were investigated using spectrophotometry and HPLC. Under the optimum conditions, the Nb(V) and Ta(V) complexes were eluted within 12 min with a mobile phase of methanol–water (32:68, v/v) containing 5 mM acetate, 5 mM TBABr and 5 mM citrate buffer at pH 6.5, with detection at 540 nm. A typical separation efficiency was 33 000 and 20 000 theoretical plates per metre for Nb(V) and Ta(V), respectively. The relative standard deviation of retention times for the Nb(V) and Ta(V) complexes were 0.16% and 0.17% and for peak areas were 0.28% and 1.36%, respectively. The detection limits (signal-to-noise ratio=3) for Nb(V) and Ta(V) were 0.4 ppb and 1.4 ppb, respectively. Results obtained for standard reference rock samples agreed well with certified values and results obtained by inductively coupled plasma MS.     

Characterization of the flow properties of sodium carboxymethylcellulose via mechanical and optical techniques

Sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) in solution represents a complex rheological system, since it forms aggregates and associations and hence higher-level structures and, depending on the synthesis, is only found in a molecularly dispersed form in exceptional cases. Rheo-mechanical investigations of the viscoelasticity showed that the Cox-Merz rule is not fulfilled. The aim was therefore to examine whether rheo-optics could be employed to provide more detailed conclusions about the parameters that influence the flow behavior of NaCMC than has hitherto been available with mechanical methods. The flow birefringence, Δn ^′, rises as the degree of polymerization increases, and exhibits the same dependence on molar mass as does the viscosity: Δn ^′∝M _w ^3.4. As the degree of polymerization increases while the shear rate remains constant, the polymer segments become more distinctly aligned in the direction of shear. Hence increasing the degree of polymerization also affects the solution structure, i.e. the interaction of the molecules with one another. The stress-optical rule only applies to a limited extent for this system. The stress-optical coefficient, C, is almost independent of the shear rate, but is strongly influenced by the concentration and attains a limiting value of 3 × 10⁻⁸ Pa⁻¹. C was determined for a polymer in dilute solution and the curve obtained also enabled transitions in the solution structure to be recognized. Received: 1 May 1998 Accepted: 5 October 1998     

Neue viergliedrige GaE‐ und InE‐Ringverbindungen: Synthese und Kristallstruktur von [Et2InE(SiMe3)2]2 und [GaCl(PtBu2Me)E(SiMe3)]2 (E = P,As)

New GaE and InE Four Membered Ring Compounds: Syntheses and Crystal Structures of [Et₂InE(SiMe₃)₂]₂ and [GaCl(P t Bu₂Me)E(SiMe₃)]₂ (E = P, As) Et₃In · PR₃ (R = Et, iPr) reacts with H₂ESiMe₃ under liberation of C₂H₆ and EH₃ to form the cyclic compounds [Et₂InE(SiMe₃)₂]₂ ( 1 a : E = P, 1 b : E = As). 1 consists of a planar four membered In₂E₂ ring in which the indium and phosphorus or arsenic atoms are four coordinated. In contrast, the phosphorus/arsenic atoms in [GaCl(PtBu₂Me)E(SiMe₃)]₂ ( 2 a : E = P, 2 b : E = As) only have the coordination number three. 2 results from the reaction of GaCl₃ · PtBu₂Me with As(SiMe₃)₃ or Li₂PSiMe₃ respectively, and displays a folded four membered Ga₂E₂ ring as central structural motif. 1 and 2 have been characterised by single crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis as well as ¹H and ³¹P{¹H} NMR spectroscopy.     

Convergence of adaptive finite element methods in elastoplasticity

We show that an adaptive conforming finite element method for the solution of a variational inequality of the second kind, as model of one implicit time step of the primal problem of plasticity with positive hardening, yields the energy reduction property and the R -linear convergence of the stresses. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)