Keratinase Production by Endophytic <Emphasis Type="Italic">Penicillium</Emphasis> spp. Morsy1 Under Solid-State Fermentation Using Rice Straw

Among all endophytic keratinolytic fungal isolates recovered from marine soft coral Dendronephthya hemprichii, Penicillium spp. Morsy1 was selected as the hyperactive keratinolytic strain under solid substrate fermentation of different agriculture and poultry wastes. The optimization of extraction process, physicochemical parameters affecting the keratinase production in solid-state fermentation, and the purified keratinase parameters were studied. Maximum keratinase activity (1,600 U g⁻¹, initial dry substrate) was recovered from moldy bran with 0.1% Tween 80. The optimized production conditions were rice straw as carbon source, pH of medium 6, growth temperature 26 °C, initial moisture content of 80% (v/w), inoculum size of 10⁵ spores ml⁻¹, and an average particle size of the substrate 0.6 mm (3,560 U g⁻¹, initial dry substrate after 5 days of fermentation). Two types of keratinase (Ahm1 and Ahm2) were purified from the culture supernatant through ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Sepharose, and gel filtration chromatography. Enzyme molecular weights were 19 kDa (Ahm1) and 40 kDa (Ahm2). The kinetic parameters of purified keratinases were optimized for the hydrolysis of azokeratin by Ahm1 (pH 7.0–8.0, stable in pH range of 6.0 to 8.0 at 50 °C) and Ahm2 enzymes (pH 10.0–11.0, stable in pH range of 6.0 to 11.0 at 60–65 °C). Whereas inhibitors of serine (phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride) and cysteine (iodoacetamide) proteases had minor effects on both Ahm1 and Ahm2 activity, both keratinases were strongly inhibited by chelating agents EDTA and EGTA. These findings suggest that serine and cysteine residues are not involved in the catalytic mechanisms, and they are metalloproteases.     

Characterization and de novo sequencing of snow crab tropomyosin enzymatic peptides by both electrospary ionization and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization QqToF tandem mass spectrometry

The protein tropomyosin (TM) is a known major allergen present in shellfish causing frequent food allergies. TM is also an occupational allergen generated in the working environment of snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) processing plants. The TM protein was purified from both claw and leg meats of snow crab and analyzed by electrospray ionization and matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) using hybrid quadruple time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (QqToF‐MS). The native polypeptide molecular weight of TM was determined to be 32 733 Da. The protein was further characterized using the ‘bottom‐up’ MS approach. A peptide mass fingerprinting was obtained by two different enzymatic digestions and de novo sequencing of the most abundant peptides performed. Any post‐translational modifications were identified by searching their calculated and predicted molecular weights in precursor ion spectra. The immunological reactivity of snow crab extract was evaluated using specific antibodies and allergenic reactivity assessed with serum of allergic patients. Subsequently, a signature peptide for TM was identified and evaluated in terms of identity and homology using the basic local alignment search tool (BLAST). The identification of a signature peptide for the allergen TM using MALDI‐QqToF‐MS will be critical for the sensitive and specific quantification of this highly allergenic protein in the work place. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis and isomerization of thienotriazolopyrimidine and thienotetrazolopyrimidine derivatives with potential anti‐inflammatory activity

Several derivatives containing the thieno[2,3‐d]pyrimidine system were prepared starting from 2‐amino‐4,5‐dihydronaphtho[2,1‐b]thiophene‐1‐carbonitrile ( 1 ). In particular, the synthesis and structure characterization of 8,9‐dihydronaphtho‐ [1′,2′:4,5]thieno[3,2‐e][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3‐c]pyrimidine derivatives 13–16 and their isomerization to 8,9‐dihydronaphtho[1′,2′:4,5]thieno[3,2‐e][1,2,4]‐triazolo[1,5‐c]pyrimidine derivatives 17–20 under different suitable reaction conditions were reported and verified with X‐ray analysis. Moreover, compounds 13, 14 and 22 were tested as potential anti‐inflammatory agents and derivative 14 showed potent activity in carrageenan test. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 16:226–234, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20114     

Synthesis and antiviral screening of some novel pyridazine and triazolopyridazine nucleosides

Some novel cyclic and acyclic pyridazine and triazolopyridazine nucleoside derivatives were prepared. Some of the prepared products were selected and tested for antiviral activity against herpes simplex virus type‐1 (HSV‐1) and hepatitis‐A virus (HAV, MBB‐cell culture adapted strain). Plaque reduction infectivity assay was used to determine virus count reduction as a result of treatment with test compounds. Compound 15 showed the highest effect on the HAV than the other tested compounds. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 18:274–282, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/hc.20296     

Synthesis,characterization, and biological activity of some aza‐uracil derivatives

Thiation of 1 by LR gave the corresponding 3,5‐dithioxo derivative 2 and the trimer 3 . Methylation of 1 afforded the S‐methyl derivative 4 . Compound 1 was fused with 6‐bromo‐2‐phenyl‐benzo[1,3‐d]oxazin‐4‐one ( 5 ) and gave 6 . Condensation of 1 with some acid derivatives 7a , 7b , 7c , 7d and/or 8a , 8b , 8c yielded thiadiazolo‐triazine derivatives 9a , 9b , 9c , 9d and 10a , 10b , 10c . Compounds 9a , 9c and 10c were hydrolyzed to furnish 11a , 11b , 11c Acetylation of 14 afforded mono‐ and diacetyl‐derivatives 15 and 16 . Benzoylation of 14 afforded mono‐ and dibezoyl‐derivatives 17 and 18 . 14 with some aromatic aldehydes yielded 9a , 9b , 9c . Reacting 14 with phenyl (iso‐ and/or isothio‐) cyanate gave the urea derivatives 20a , 20b . Thiation of 14 with P₄S₁₀ furnished 21 . The newly synthesized compounds were tested as antimicrobial agents. J. Heterocyclic Chem., (2011)     

Divalent transition metal ion mixed ligand complexes with aliphatic dicarboxylic acids and imidazoles

Summary Mixed ligand metal complexes of Co^II, Ni^II and Cu^II with dicarboxylic aliphatic acids, H₂L (succinic, malic and tartaric) as primary ligands and with imidazoles, L (imidazole and 2-methylimidazole) as secondary ligands were prepared and characterized. MLL₂ and ML₄ molecular formulae were suggested for these complexes were Formation constants of the different complexes were determined pH-metrically at T = 25 ± 0.1°C and = 0.1 mol dm^–3 (NaClO₄). The stability of the mixed ligand complexes increased as the effective basicity of the dicarboxylic aliphatic acid anion increased, namely, tartarate < malate < succinate acid.     

A Novel Magnetic Polyethylene Glycol Nanocomposite based on Graphite Reinforcement Carbon Paste Electrode for Voltammetric Determination of Perindopril L-arginine

Journal of Analytical Chemistry - The present study reports the development of a magnetic polyethylene glycol nanocomposite based on graphite reinforcement carbon paste electrode for the sensitive...     

Synthesis and reactions of 3‐pyrrolidinones

This review presents a survey of the synthetic methods and reactions of 3‐pyrrolidinones I (R = H, alkyl, acyl, ester; R₁ = H, alkyl, cyano, ester, etc). 3‐Pyrrolidinones are synthetically versatiles substrate, as they can be used for synthesis of a large variety of heterocyclic compounds, such as indoles and 5‐deazapteroic acid analogues and as a raw material for drug synthesis. The high reactivity of an active methylene group next to the carbonyl of the pyrrolidine ring is useful for various syntheses.     

Nitriles in organic synthesis: A novel synthesis of benzo[h]pyrimidino[1,2-c]-pyridazinone and hydrazonobut-2-enonitrile derivatives

A new synthesis of benzo[h]pyrimidino[1,2-c]pyridazinones via coupling diazotised anthranilic acid with 1-phenylethylidenemalononitrile ( 1 ) is reported. Synthesis of new 1-antipyrin-4-yl and 1-pyrazol-5-ylpyridazine derivatives utilizing 1 as starting material is also described.     

Design and Synthesis of Some New Furan-Based Derivatives and Evaluation of In Vitro Cytotoxic Activity

New furan-based derivatives have been, designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their cytotoxic and tubulin polymerization inhibitory activities. DNA flow cytometric study of pyridine carbohydrazide 4 and N-phenyl triazinone 7 demonstrated G₂/M phase cell cycle disruptions. Accumulation of cells in the pre-G1 phase and positive annexin V/PI staining, which may be caused by degeneration or fragmentation of the genetic components, suggested that cell death occurs via an apoptotic cascade. Furthermore, compounds 4 and 7 had a strong pro-apoptotic impact through inducing the intrinsic mitochondrial mechanism of apoptosis. This mechanistic route was verified by an ELISA experiment that indicated a considerable rise in the levels of p53 and Bax and a drop in the level of Bcl-2 when compared with the control.