Subergane‐Type Sesquiterpenes from Gorgonian Coral Subergorgia suberosa with Antibacterial Activities

A new subergane‐type sesquiterpene, named epoxysubergorgic acid ( 1 ), along with seven known sesquiterpenes, were isolated from the gorgonian coral Subergorgia suberosa. The structure of the new compound was determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses. The previously uncertain absolute configuration of the known analogues 2 – 6 was determined on the basis of CD, Mosher's method, and through chemical conversions. All compounds were evaluated for antibacterial activities.     

Nucleic acid reactivity: Challenges for next‐generation semiempirical quantum models

Semiempirical quantum models are routinely used to study mechanisms of RNA catalysis and phosphoryl transfer reactions using combined quantum mechanical (QM)/molecular mechanical methods. Herein, we provide a broad assessment of the performance of existing semiempirical quantum models to describe nucleic acid structure and reactivity to quantify their limitations and guide the development of next‐generation quantum models with improved accuracy. Neglect of diatomic differential overlap and self‐consistent density‐functional tight‐binding semiempirical models are evaluated against high‐level QM benchmark calculations for seven biologically important datasets. The datasets include: proton affinities, polarizabilities, nucleobase dimer interactions, dimethyl phosphate anion, nucleoside sugar and glycosidic torsion conformations, and RNA phosphoryl transfer model reactions. As an additional baseline, comparisons are made with several commonly used density‐functional models, including M062X and B3LYP (in some cases with dispersion corrections). The results show that, among the semiempirical models examined, the AM1/d‐PhoT model is the most robust at predicting proton affinities. AM1/d‐PhoT and DFTB3‐3ob/OPhyd reproduce the MP2 potential energy surfaces of 6 associative RNA phosphoryl transfer model reactions reasonably well. Further, a recently developed linear‐scaling “modified divide‐and‐conquer” model exhibits the most accurate results for binding energies of both hydrogen bonded and stacked nucleobase dimers. The semiempirical models considered here are shown to underestimate the isotropic polarizabilities of neutral molecules by approximately 30%. The semiempirical models also fail to adequately describe torsion profiles for the dimethyl phosphate anion, the nucleoside sugar ring puckers, and the rotations about the nucleoside glycosidic bond. The modeling of pentavalent phosphorus, particularly with thio substitutions often used experimentally as mechanistic probes, was problematic for all of the models considered. Analysis of the strengths and weakness of the models suggests that the creation of robust next‐generation models should emphasize the improvement of relative conformational energies and barriers, and nonbonded interactions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The Design of Biodegradable Microcarriers for Induced Cell Aggregation

PLLA microspheres were aminolyzed in hexanediamine/propanol solution to introduce free amino groups on their surface, which were further transferred into aldehyde groups by a treatment of glutaraldehyde. Chitosan‐graft‐lactose was then covalently coupled via Schiff base formation. Morphological variation and chitosan‐graft‐lactose immobilization were characterized. In vitro culture of rabbit auricular chondrocytes demonstrated that the PLLA microcarriers could effectively support the cell attachment and particularly induce cell aggregation on their surface. The formed cell aggregates/microcarriers composite showed higher viability and extracellular matrix production. Thus, the PLLA microcarriers can be potentially used as an injectable delivery system for cartilage repair.

     

Synthesis and biological activity of novel phenyltriazolinone derivatives

Phenyltriazolinones are one of the most important classes of herbicides targeting the protoporphyrinogen oxidase enzyme. A series of triazolinone derivatives containing a strobilurin pharmacophore were designed and synthesized with the aim of discovering new phenyltriazolinone analogues with high activity. The herbicidal activity of the synthesized compounds was assayed and some of the test compounds displayed moderate herbicidal activity at 150 g ai/ha.     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel complex [Pd(Bipy)2](Bpcc) · 11H2O

The complex [Pd(Bipy)₂](Bpcc) · 11H₂O has been synthesized and characterized (Bipy = 2,2′-bipyridyl, H₂Bpcc = 4,4′-biphenylcarboxylic acid). The supramolecular architecture was constructed through hydrogen bonding and π-π-stacking. The Pd atom is four-coordinated and forms a distorted square geometry. The free H₂O molecules form 1D infinite zigzag chains of water cluster, while the water cluster and Bpcc^2? form an organic-water framework.     

Investigations on the amalgamation of gold nanorods by iodine and the detection of tetracycline

The morphological transformation process of gold nanorods (Au-NRs) resulting from the reaction between tetracycline and iodine was monitored by the plasmon resonance absorption (PRA) spectra and the scanning electron microscope (SEM) images. It was found that iodine could fuse Au-NRs into sphericity with the lower aspect ratio and blue shift of the longitudinal PRA band. It was found, however, that the presence of tetracycline, since it can react with I₂, decreases the effective concentration of I₂ and its fusion effect on Au-NRs. As a result, the longitudinal PRA of Au-NRs shifts to longer wavelength linearly with increasing the concentration of tetracycline. With that, tetracycline can be detected in the range of 5.0×10^∮5- 5.0×10⁻⁴ mol·L⁻¹, with a limit of determination (LOD) of 2.4×10⁻⁶ mol·L⁻¹ (3σ). Most foreign substances in the samples did not interfere in the detection, and tetracycline in the synthetic samples could be detected with the recovery in the range of 92.8%–107.2%, and RSD lower than 4.3%. The concentration of tetracycline in milk detected with standard addition method was so low that it accorded with the safety regulation. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 30570465 and 20425517)     

Carteraol E, a potent polyhydroxyl ichthyotoxin from the dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae

Carteraol E (1), C₇₄H₁₂₆O₂₄, a polyhydroxyl ichthyotoxin, was isolated from the lab-cultured marine dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae. Carteraol E possessed three tetrahydropyrans, and 19 hydroxyl groups on a C69-linear aliphatic chain with a ketone moiety, an exo-methylene, and three methyl branches. The structure was elucidated by extensive analyses of 2D NMR spectra. Cateraol E exhibited potent ichthyotoxicity with LD₅₀ value of 0.28 μM, and antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger.     

Salvianolic acid A inhibits PDGF-BB induced vascular smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation while does not constrain endothelial cell proliferation and nitric oxide biosynthesis

Proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) are critical events in the initiation and development of restenosis upon percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA). Polyphenols have been suggested to ameliorate post-angioplasty restenosis. Salvianolic A (SalA) is one of the most abundant polyphenols extracted from salvia. In this study, we investigated the effect of salvianolic A (SalA) on the migration and proliferation of VSMCs. We found a preferential interaction of SalA with cellular systems that rely on the PDGF signal, but not on the EGF and bFGF signal. SalA inhibits PDGF-BB induced VSMC proliferation and migration in the concentration range from 0.01 to 0.1 μM. The inhibition of SalA on VSMC proliferation is associated with cell cycle arrest. We also found that SalA inhibits the PDGFRβ-ERK1/2 signaling cascade activated by PDGF-BB in VSMCs. In addition, SalA does not influence the proliferation of endothelial cells, the synthesis of NO and eNOS protein expression. Our results suggest that SalA inhibits migration and proliferation of VSMCs induced by PDGF-BB via the inhibition of the PDGFRβ-ERK1/2 cascade, but that it does not constrain endothelial cell proliferation and nitric oxide biosynthesis. Thus, the present study suggests a novel adjunct pharmacological strategy to prevent angioplasty-related restenosis.     

A novel antioxidant isobenzofuranone derivative from fungus Cephalosporium sp.AL031

Bioassay-guided fractionation of metabolites from the fungus Cephalosporium sp.AL031 isolated from Sinarundinaria nitida led to the discovery of a new isobenzofuranone derivative, 4,6-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-7-methylphthalide (1), together with three known compounds: 4,5,6-trihydroxy-7-methyl-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran (2), 4,6-dihydroxy-5-methoxy-7-methyl-1,3-dihydroisobenzofuran (3) and 4,5,6-trihydroxy-7-methylphthalide (4). The structure of the new compound 1 was determined based on MS, 1D and 2D NMR spectral data. Compounds 1-4 showed potent antioxidant activity with EC?? values of 10, 7, 22 and 5 μM by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging assay.