Analysis of glycolytic intermediates in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using anion exchange chromatography and electrospray ionization with tandem mass spectrometric detection

The purpose of this study is to selectively and quantitatively analyze several glycolytic intermediates in cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using high-performance anion exchange chromatography (HPAEC) coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry for the analysis. A sodium hydroxide gradient is used to separate the glycolytic compounds and after the column sodium hydroxide is reduced by proton exchange with a membrane device prior to introduction to the mass spectrometer. The detection limits for 10 μl samples are down to the 0.4–5 pmol range. This corresponds for the intracellular metabolites to a range of 2–20 nmol per gram biomass dry weight (DW). Standard addition did reveal some influence of the sample matrix on the measured concentrations. Separation and analysis is hardly affected by the high sulfate and phosphate concentrations (1 mM) in the fermentation medium and by the intracellular matrix. Validation of the glucose-6-phosphosphate LC–MS–MS analysis results with enzymatic analysis showed an excellent agreement between the two methods. The suitability of the method was clearly shown by analyzing a series of steady state S. cerevisiae samples from a carbon limited aerobic chemostat culture.     

Inner-sphere oxidation of ethylenediaminetetraacetatocobaltate(II) by N-bromosuccinimide

Summary The kinetics of oxidation of [Co^II(EDTA)]^2- (EDTA = ethylenediaminetetraacetate) by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) in aqueous solution obey the equation: Rate = k ₂ K ₃[Co^II]_T[NBS]/{1 + [H⁺]/K ₂ + K ₃[NBS]} where k ₂ is the rate constant for the electron-transfer process, K ₂ the equilibrium constant for the dissociation of [Co^II(EDTAH)(H₂O)]^– to [Co^II(EDTA)(OH)]^3– and K ₃ the pre-equilibrium formation constant. The activation parameters are reported. It is proposed that electron transfer proceeds via an inner-sphere mechanism with the formation of an intermediate which slowly generates hexadentate[Co^III(EDTA)]^–.Abstracted from the M.Sc. thesis of Eman S. H. Khaled.     

Pyrrolizine/Indolizine-NSAID Hybrids: Design,Synthesis, Biological Evaluation,and Molecular Docking Studies

In the current study, eight new hybrids of the NSAIDs, ibuprofen and ketoprofen with five pyrrolizine/indolizine derivatives were designed and synthesized. The chemical structures of these hybrids were confirmed by spectral and elemental analyses. The antiproliferative activities of these hybrids (5 μM) was investigated against MCF-7, A549, and HT-29 cancer cell lines using the cell viability assay, MTT assay. The results revealed 4–71% inhibition of the growth of the three cancer cell lines, where 8a,e,f were the most active. In addition, an investigation of the antiproliferative activity of 8a,e,f against MCF-7 cells revealed IC₅₀ values of 7.61, 1.07, and 3.16 μM, respectively. Cell cycle analysis of MCF-7 cells treated with the three hybrids at 5 μM revealed a pro-apoptotic increase in cells at preG1 and cell cycle arrest at the G1 and S phases. In addition, the three hybrids induced early apoptotic events in MCF-7 cells. The results of the molecular docking of the three hybrids into COX-1/2 revealed higher binding free energies than their parent compounds 5a,c and the co-crystallized ligands, ibuprofen and SC-558. The results also indicated higher binding free energies toward COX-2 over COX-1. Moreover, analysis of the binding modes of 8a,e,f into COX-2 revealed partial superposition with the co-crystallized ligand, SC-558 with the formation of essential hydrogen bonds, electrostatic, or hydrophobic interactions with the key amino acid His90 and Arg513. The new hybrids also showed drug-likeness scores in the range of 1.06–2.03 compared to ibuprofen (0.65) and ketoprofen (0.57). These results above indicated that compounds 8a,e,f deserve additional investigation as potential anticancer candidates.     

Anti-Biofilms’ Activity of Garlic and Thyme Essential Oils against Salmonella typhimurium

Biofilm control by essential oil (EO) application has recently increased to preclude biofilm production on foods and environmental surfaces. In this work, the anti-biofilm effects of garlic and thyme essential oils using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) method against Salmonella typhimurium recovered from different abattoir samples were investigated along with the virulence genes (InvA, SdiA and Stn genes), and the antimicrobial susceptibility profile of S. typhimurium as well. The obtained results revealed that S. typhimurium contaminated abattoir samples to varying degrees. The InvA gene was investigated in all isolates, whereas the SdiA and Stn genes were observed in four and three isolates, respectively. Utilizing the disc diffusion method, S. typhimurium isolates demonstrated substantial resistance to most of the examined antibiotics with a high multiple antibiotic resistance index. S. typhimurium isolates demonstrated biofilm formation abilities to various degrees at varied temperatures levels (4 °C and 37 °C). In conclusion, the obtained samples from the research area are regarded as a potential S. typhimurium contamination source. Furthermore, garlic essential oil (GEO) has more potential to inhibit S. typhimurium biofilm at different sub-minimum inhibitory concentrations as compared to thyme essential oil (TEO). Therefore, these EOs are considered as potential natural antibacterial options that could be applied in food industry.     

Carnosic Acid Protects INS-1 β-Cells against Streptozotocin-Induced Damage by Inhibiting Apoptosis and Improving Insulin Secretion and Glucose Uptake

Carnosic acid (CA), a natural polyphenolic diterpene derived from Rosmarinus officinalis, has been proven to possess a broad spectrum of medicinal properties. Nevertheless, no studies on its impact on pancreatic β-cells have been conducted to date. Herein, clonal rat INS-1 (832/13) cells were pretreated with CA for 24 h and then incubated with streptozotocin (STZ) for 3 h. Several functional experiments were performed to determine the effect of CA on STZ-induced pancreatic β-cell damage, including cell viability assay, apoptosis analysis, and measurement of the level of insulin secretion, glucose uptake, malondialdehyde (MDA), reactive oxygen species (ROS), and proteins expression. STZ treatment decreased cell survival, insulin secretion, glucose uptake, and increased apoptosis, MDA, and ROS production in INS-1 cells. Furthermore, protein expression/phosphorylation analysis showed significant down-regulation in insulin, PDX-1, PI3K, AKT/p-AKT, and Bcl₂. On the other hand, expression of BAX and BAD and cleaved PARP were significantly increased. Interestingly, preincubation with CA reversed the adverse impact of STZ at the cellular and protein expression levels. In conclusion, the data indicate that CA protects β-cells against STZ-induced damage, presumably through its modulatory effect on the different pathways, including the Pi3K/AKT/PDX-1/insulin pathway and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis.     

Development of a Novel Automatic Potentiometric System for Determination of Selenium and Its Application in Pharmaceutical Formulations and Anodic Slime

Poly(vinyl chloride) polymeric membrane sensors containing Sn(IV) phthalocyanine dichloride (SnPC) and Co(II) phthalocyanine (CoPC) as novel electroactive materials dispersed in o‐nitrophenyl octylether (o‐NPOE) as a plasticizer are examined potentiometrically with respect to their response toward selenite (SeO₃^2?) ions. Fast Nernstian response for SeO₃^2? ions over the concentration ranges 7.0×10^?6–1.0×10^?3 and 8.0×10^?6–1.0×10^?3 mol L^?l at pH 3.5–8.5 with lower detection limit of 5.0×10^?6 and 8.0×10^?6 mol L^?1 and calibration slopes of ?25.4 and ?29.7 mV decade^?1 are obtained with SnPC and CoPC based membrane sensors, respectively. The proposed sensors reveals by the modified separate solution method (MSSM) a good selectivity over different anions which differ significantly from the classical Hofmeister series. A segmented sandwich membrane method is used to determine complex formation constants of the ionophores in situe in the solvent polymeric sensing membranes. Membrane incorporating CoPC in a tubular flow detector is used in a two channels flow injection set up for continuous monitoring of selenite at a frequency of ca. 50 samples h^?1. Direct determination of selenium in pharmaceutical formulations and anodic slime gives results in good agreement with data obtained using standard ICP method.     

Microwave-assisted synthesis,antimicrobial, antiquorum-sensing and cytotoxic activities of a new series of isatin-β-thiocarbohydrazones

Abstract

New isatin-β-thiocarbohydrazone hybrids 4-17 were designed relied on isatin scaffold to generate various analogs with expected antimicrobial activity. The new hybrids were estimated for antibacterial effectiveness over S. aureus, B. cereus and E. coli, and antifungal efficacy over C. albicans and A. fumigatus. Compound 14 evinced the highest efficacy over A. fumigatus and C. albicans. In addition, 5 and 12 showed eminent efficacy toward A. fumigatus, where compounds 4, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15 and 16 exhibited moderate activity over the same fungus. Moreover, 6 and 9 displayed moderate activity over C. albicans. The new compounds were also estimated for antiquorum-sensing effectiveness against C. violacium, where compound 17 showed interesting activity. In vitro cytotoxicity assay of the new analogs was done over Hela and COS-7 cancer cell lines. All analogs have IC₅₀ values >50?μM toward both cell lines.     

Improving the Thermal Behavior and Flame-Retardant Properties of Poly(o-anisidine)/MMT Nanocomposites Incorporated with Poly(o-anisidine) and Clay Nanofiller

The synthesis of MMT and poly(o-anisidine) (MMT/POA) clay nanocomposites was carried out by using the chemical oxidative polymerization of POA and MMT clay with POA, respectively. By maintaining the constant concentration of POA, different percentage loads of MMT clay were used to determine the effect of MMT clay on the properties of POA. The interaction between POA and MMT clay was investigated by FTIR spectroscopy, and, to reveal the complete compactness and homogeneous distribution of MMT clay in POA, were assessed by using scanning-electron-microscope (SEM) analysis. The UV–visible spectrum was studied for the optical and absorbance properties of MMT/POA ceramic nanocomposites. Furthermore, the horizontal burning test (HBT) demonstrated that clay nanofillers inhibit POA combustion.     

Synthesis and Reactions of a 2(5H)‐Furanone Bearing Two Furyl Substituents

A 2(5H)‐furanone bearing two furyl rings was synthesized. The behavior of this furanone toward some nitrogen nucleophiles, namely, hydrazine hydrate, benzylamine, and ammonium acetate, was studied. The nitrile group at position‐3 of the furanone was utilized to construct thiazolidine ring by the action of thioglycollic acid. The acid hydrazide synthesized from the previous step was allowed to react with some carbonyl compounds, namely, acetonylacetone, acetylacetone, ethyl acetoacetate, ethyl cinnamate, diethylmalonate, phthalic anhydride, benzil, and 4‐methoxybenzaldehyde, to form pyrrole, pyrazole, and pyrazolopyridazine ring systems bearing two furyl groups. The structures of all the products obtained were illustrated from their analytical and spectral data.