Sustainable Surfactin Production by Bacillus subtilis Using Crude Glycerol from Different Wastes

Most biosurfactants are obtained using costly culture media and purification processes, which limits their wider industrial use. Sustainability of their production processes can be achieved, in part, by using cheap substrates found among agricultural and food wastes or byproducts. In the present study, crude glycerol, a raw material obtained from several industrial processes, was evaluated as a potential low-cost carbon source to reduce the costs of surfactin production by Bacillus subtilis #309. The culture medium containing soap-derived waste glycerol led to the best surfactin production, reaching about 2.8 g/L. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing surfactin production by B. subtilis using stearin and soap wastes as carbon sources. A complete chemical characterization of surfactin analogs produced from the different waste glycerol samples was performed by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Furthermore, the surfactin produced in the study exhibited good stability in a wide range of pH, salinity and temperatures, suggesting its potential for several applications in biotechnology.     

An In Vitro Study of the Effect of Viburnum opulus Extracts on Key Processes in the Development of Staphylococcal Infections

Staphylococcus aureus is still one of the leading causes of both hospital- and community-acquired infections. Due to the very high percentage of drug-resistant strains, the participation of drug-tolerant biofilms in pathological changes, and thus the limited number of effective antibiotics, there is an urgent need to search for alternative methods of prevention or treatment for S. aureus infections. In the present study, biochemically characterized (HPLC/UPLC–QTOF–MS) acetonic, ethanolic, and water extracts from fruits and bark of Viburnum opulus L. were tested in vitro as diet additives that potentially prevent staphylococcal infections. The impacts of V. opulus extracts on sortase A (SrtA) activity (Fluorimetric Assay), staphylococcal protein A (SpA) expression (FITC-labelled specific antibodies), the lipid composition of bacterial cell membranes (LC-MS/MS, GC/MS), and biofilm formation (LIVE/DEAD BacLight) were assessed. The cytotoxicity of V. opulus extracts to the human fibroblast line HFF-1 was also tested (MTT reduction). V. opulus extracts strongly inhibited SrtA activity and SpA expression, caused modifications of S. aureus cell membrane, limited biofilm formation by staphylococci, and were non-cytotoxic. Therefore, they have pro-health potential. Nevertheless, their usefulness as diet supplements that are beneficial for the prevention of staphylococcal infections should be confirmed in animal models in the future.     

Synthesis and Applications of Carbohydrate-Based Organocatalysts

Organocatalysis is a very useful tool for the asymmetric synthesis of biologically or pharmacologically active compounds because it avoids the use of noxious metals, which are difficult to eliminate from the target products. Moreover, in many cases, the organocatalysed reactions can be performed in benign solvents and do not require anhydrous conditions. It is well-known that most of the above-mentioned reactions are promoted by a simple aminoacid, l-proline, or, to a lesser extent, by the more complex cinchona alkaloids. However, during the past three decades, other enantiopure natural compounds, the carbohydrates, have been employed as organocatalysts. In the present exhaustive review, the detailed preparation of all the sugar-based organocatalysts as well as their catalytic properties are described.     

The coordination state and valence state of selected transition metal ions in SiO2-B2O3 xerogels

A series of SiO₂-B₂O₃ xerogels with changing SiO₂/B₂O₃ mol% and doped with selected transition metal ions was prepared. These mixed oxide materials contained copper, nickel, cobalt, manganese, chromium and vanadium ions coordinated to oxygen donor atoms in water and OH groups. Extensive studies of the transition metal complexes in the xerogels by such spectral techniques as diffuse reflectance (UV-vis), electron paramagnetic resonance and fluorescence spectroscopies show that there exist Cu(II) in the coordination environment of D_4h symmetry, Ni(II) in octahedral coordination sphere, Co(II) in both tetrahedral and octahedral environments, Mn(II) preferably in the O_h coordination and Mn(III) in pseudo-octahedral sphere; then octahedrally coordinated Cr(III) ions occur in coupled pairs or clusters and V(IV) as VO²⁺ ions exist in distorted (C_4v) octahedral surrounding.     

Supramolecular cis-“Bis(Chelation)” of [M(CN)6]3− (M = CrIII,FeIII, CoIII) by Phloroglucinol (H3PG)

Studies on molecular co-crystal type materials are important in the design and preparation of easy-to-absorb drugs, non-centrosymmetric, and chiral crystals for optical performance, liquid crystals, or plastic phases. From a fundamental point of view, such studies also provide useful information on various supramolecular synthons and molecular ordering, including metric parameters, molecular matching, energetical hierarchy, and combinatorial potential, appealing to the rational design of functional materials through structure–properties–application schemes. Co-crystal salts involving anionic d-metallate coordination complexes are moderately explored (compared to the generality of co-crystals), and in this context, we present a new series of isomorphous co-crystalline salts (PPh₄)₃[M(CN)₆](H₃PG)₂·2MeCN (M = Cr, 1; Fe, 2; Co 3; H₃PG = phloroglucinol, 1,3,5-trihydroxobenzene). In this study, 1–3 were characterized experimentally using SC XRD, Hirshfeld analysis, ESI-MS spectrometry, vibrational IR and Raman, ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer, electronic absorption UV-Vis-NIR, and photoluminescence spectroscopies, and theoretically with density functional theory calculations. The two-dimensional square grid-like hydrogen-bond {[M(CN)₆]³⁻;(H₃PG)₂}_∞ network features original {[M(CN)₆]³⁻;(H₃PG)₄} supramolecular cis-bis(chelate) motifs involving: (i) two double cyclic hydrogen bond synthons M(-CN⋅⋅⋅HO-)₂Ar, {[M(CN)₆]³⁻;H₂PGH}, between cis-oriented cyanido ligands of [M(CN)₆]³⁻ and resorcinol-like face of H₃PG, and (ii) two single hydrogen bonds M-CN⋅⋅⋅HO-Ar, {[M(CN)₆]³⁻;HPGH₂}, involving the remaining two cyanide ligands. The occurrence of the above tectonic motif is discussed with regard to the relevant data existing in the CCDC database, including the multisite H-bond binding of [M(CN)₆]³⁻ by organic species, mononuclear coordination complexes, and polynuclear complexes. The physicochemical and computational characterization discloses notable spectral modifications under the regime of an extended hydrogen bond network.     

One-Pot and Catalyst-Free Transformation of N-Protected 1-Amino-1-Ethoxyalkylphosphonates into Bisphosphonic Analogs of Protein and Non-Protein α-Amino Acids

Herein, we describe the development of one-pot transformation of α-ethoxy derivatives of phosphorus analogs of protein and non-protein α-amino acids into biologically important N-protected 1-aminobisphosphonates. The proposed strategy, based on the three-component reaction of 1-(N-acylamino)-1-ethoxyphosphonates with triphenylphosphonium tetrafluoroborate and triethyl phosphite, facilitates good to excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. The course of the reaction was monitored by ³¹P NMR spectroscopy, allowing the identification of probable intermediate species, thus making it possible to propose a reaction mechanism. In most cases, there is no need to use a catalyst to provide transformation efficiency, which increases its attractiveness both in economic and ecological terms. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the one-pot procedure can be successfully applied for the synthesis of structurally diverse N-protected bisphosphonic analogs of α-amino acids. As shown, the indirect formation of the corresponding phosphonium salt as a reactive intermediate during the conversion of 1-(N-acylamino)-1-ethoxyphosphonate into a 1-aminobisphosphonate derivative is a crucial component of the developed methodology.     

Narrow and Stable Single Photon Emission from Dibenzoterrylene in para-Terphenyl Nanocrystals

Single organic molecules are promising photon sources for quantum technologies. In this work we show photon emission from dibenzoterrylene, a widely used organic emitter, in a new host matrix, para-terphenyl. We present a reprecipitation growth method that produces para-terphenyl nanocrystals which are ideal for integration into nanophotonic devices due to their small size. We characterise the optical properties of dibenzoterrylene in nanocrystals at room and cryogenic temperatures, showing bright, narrow emission from a single molecule. Spectral data on the vibrational energies is presented and a further 25 additional molecules are characterised. This emitter-host combination has potential for quantum technology purposes with wavelengths suitable for interfacing with quantum memories.     

Synthesis of a Novel Glycopeptide by Polymeranalogous Reaction of Gelatin with Mono‐6‐para‐toluenesulfonyl‐β‐cyclodextrin and its Supramolecular Properties

A synthetic model glycoprotein was successfully synthesized using gelatin and mono‐6‐para‐toluenesulfonyl‐β‐cyclodextrin which were reacted under microwave conditions in basic media. The resulting glycoprotein is observed to form intermolecular inclusion complexes through complexation of the aromatic moieties along the polymer chain by the attached cyclodextrins. This phenomenon was analyzed and proven by 2D NMR spectroscopy (ROESY) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Above the denaturation temperature, a strong increase of the hydrodynamic diameter was found due to enhanced supramolecular agglomeration. Such a novel glycoprotein with supramolecular self‐recognition would be promising in biomedical applications serving as a drug‐delivery basis polymer.

     

A convenient synthesis of 5-(1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones

The synthesis of 5-heteroaryl-substituted uracil derivatives is presented. The 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction was applied for the construction of a heterocyclic ring. The nitrile oxides were obtained from the appropriate 4-substituted benzaldoximes using N-chlorosuccinimide (NCS) under basic conditions. [2+3] Cycloaddition of nitrile oxides with 5-cyanouracil as a dipolarophile gave the corresponding 5-(3-substituited-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-yl)uracils in satisfactory yields under mild conditions. 5-Substituted uracils having an additional heterocyclic ring were obtained as a result of the [2+3] cycloaddition of 5-cyanouracil to nitrile oxides generated from thiophene-2-carbaldehyde and 5-formyluracil derivatives.