Malleilactone, a Polyketide Synthase-Derived Virulence Factor Encoded by the Cryptic Secondary Metabolome of Burkholderia pseudomallei Group Pathogens

Sequenced bacterial genomes are routinely found to contain gene clusters that are predicted to encode metabolites not seen in fermentation-based studies. Pseudomallei group Burkholderia are emerging pathogens whose genomes are particularly rich in cryptic natural product biosynthetic gene clusters. We systematically probed the influence of the cryptic secondary metabolome on the virulence of these bacteria and found that disruption of the MAL gene cluster, which is natively silent in laboratory fermentation experiments and conserved across this group of pathogens, attenuates virulence in animal models. Using a promoter exchange strategy to activate the MAL cluster, we identified malleilactone, a polyketide synthase-derived cytotoxic siderophore encoded by this gene cluster. Small molecules targeting malleilactone biosynthesis either alone or in conjunction with antibiotics could prove useful as therapeutics to combat melioidosis and glanders.     

Production of bacterial cellulose from alternate feedstocks

Production of bacterial cellulose by Acetobacter xylinum ATCC 10821 and 23770 in static cultures was tested from unamended food process effluents. Effluents in cluded low-solids (LS) and high-solids (HS) potato effluents, cheese whey permeate (CW), or sugar beet raffinate (CSB). Strain 23770 produced 10% less cellulose from glucose than did strain 10821 and diverted more glucose to gluconate. Unamended HS, CW, and CSB were unsuitable for cellulose production by either strain, and LS was unsuitable for production by strain 10821. However, strain 23770 produced 17% more cellulose from LS than from glucose, indicating that unamended LS could serve as a feedstock for bacterial cellulose.     

Carbon Microsphere-Supported Metallic Nickel Nanoparticles as Novel Heterogeneous Catalysts and Their Application for the Reduction of Nitrophenol

Nickel nanoparticles are gaining increasing attention in catalysis due to their versatile catalytic action. A novel, low-cost and facile method was developed in this work to synthesize carbon microsphere-supported metallic nickel nanoparticles (Ni-NP/C) for heterogeneous catalysis. The synthesis was based on carbonizing a polystyrene-based cation exchange resin loaded with nickel ions at temperatures between 500 and 1000 °C. The decomposition of the nickel-organic framework resulted in both Ni-NP and carbon microsphere formation. The phase composition, morphology and surface area of these Ni-NP/C microspheres were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and BET analysis. Elemental nickel was found to be the only metal containing phase; fcc-Ni coexisted with hcp-Ni at carbonization temperatures between 500 and 700 °C, and fcc-Ni was the only metallic phase at 800–1000 °C. Graphitization and carbon nanotube formation were observed at high temperatures. The catalytic activity of Ni-NP/C was tested in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol by sodium borohydride, and Ni-NP/C was proved to be an efficient catalyst in this reaction. The relatively easy and scalable synthetic method, as well as the easy separation and catalytic activity of Ni-NP/C, provide a viable alternative to existing nickel nanocatalysts in future applications.     

New P‐ligands: 3‐(ethyl‐phenylphosphinato‐) 1,2,3,6‐tetrahydro‐ and 1,2,3,4,5,6‐hexahydrophosphinine derivatives

The trimethylaluminum‐mediated Michael addition of ethyl phenyl‐H‐phosphinate to 1,2‐dihydrophosphinine oxides ( 1A ) yielded 3‐(EtOPhP(O))‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydrophosphinine oxides ( 4 ) in a selective manner, as a mixture of only two diastereomers. In the above type of reactions (e.g., in that of 1Aa and Ph₂P(O)H), Me₃Al could not be substituted by microwave irradiation due to low efficiency. Catalytic hydrogenation of the Michael adducts ( 4 ) led to 3‐(EtOPhP(O)‐1,2,3,4,5,6‐hexahydrophosphinine oxides 5 , in the case of P‐phenyl substituent ( 5a ), as a mixture of only two diastereomers, while in the instance of the P‐ethoxy derivative ( 5b ), as a mixture of four isomers. Stereostructure of the products ( 5 ) was substantiated on the basis of analogies and stereospecific NMR couplings. The predominant conformations of compounds 4a , 4b , 5a , and 5b‐1 were determined by HF/6‐31G* calculations. Reduction of P(1)–Ph heterocycles 4a and 5a by phenylsilane resulted in monodeoxygenation to afford P‐ligands 6 and 8 , respectively, that were protected as the corresponding phosphine boranes ( 7 and 9 , respectively). © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 18:747–753, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20365     

Analytic description of enhanced backscattering and negative polarization from a cloud of dipoles

We develop a second-order model of the light scattered by a cloud of randomly positioned dipoles and consider the interference of reciprocal rays that lead to enhanced backscatter and negative polarization. For large pathlength separations, we derive analytic expressions for the individual polarization intensities.     

Synthesis, Structure, and Conformational Dynamics of Bridgehead-Substituted Nitrosamines. Di-1-adamantylnitrosamine and Di-1-norbornylnitrosamine

The synthesis of two bridgehead-substituted nitrosamines, di-1-adamantylnitrosamine (1) and di-1-norbornylnitrosamine (2), is described, and their solid state crystal structures are reported. Large bridgehead substituents increase the NNO angle of the nitrosamine (compared to that found for dimethylnitrosamine) without deconjugating the NNO pi system significantly. This structural change correlates with a red-shifted optical absorption, a diminished N,N rotational barrier, and a greater ease of oxidation of these hindered nitrosamines than is observed for dimethylnitrosamine. The electronic basis of these structure/function correlations is examined. It is concluded that 1 is more strained than N-nitroso-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine (3) which is more strained than 2 and that a raised (in energy) NO n orbital is primarily responsible for the extreme properties of the former.