Bamboo borer dust as a rich source of glucose-1-phosphate

Chemical characterization of bamboo borer dust (BBD) indicated that it contained 2.5 ±0.5% of an organic entity that was a watersoluble, acid-labile phosphate, nonreducing sugar with a retention period of 5.2 min on a sugar pack column during high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). It was subsequently identified and confirmed as glucose-1-phosphate (G-l-P) from its response to phosphoglucomutase and glucose-6-phosphatase treatment. Although the presence of G-l-P in such a large quantity in BBD is inexplicable, it provides a rare and rich source of G-l-P, making it a potential starting material for its isolation in pure state.     

柠檬醛对黄曲霉质膜物理损伤机制的研究

通过反射干涉对比显微技术和快速图像分析技术,捕获细胞质膜外光晕变化和细胞周边边缘激发变化的信息,并采用闪烁本征模式分解测定柠檬醛作用于黄曲霉质膜前后各模式（m=0,1,2）所对应的平均平方振幅<δn2m>、剪切弹性μ和弹性弯曲模量Kc,与理论模式光谱相比,研究柠檬醛损伤质膜的物理机制.结果表明,m=1的平动模式主导了光晕波谱,其平均平方振幅呈双指数衰变,该模式几乎与剪切弹性无关,即μ=0;弹性弯曲模量Kc的最小和最大值分别为9.45×10-18J和5.43×10-17J,与柠檬醛的浓度成正相关性.揭示该醛对黄曲霉质膜的损伤,除改变膜的选择通透性和电导率外,同时使质膜平动模式的平均平方振幅呈双指数衰变,弹性弯曲模量Kc增加,从而降低膜伸缩的弹性.     

Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of a new benzamide from endophytic Streptomyces sp. YIM 67086

A new benzamide (1) and four known compounds (2–5) were isolated from endophytic Streptomyces YIM67086, and their structures were determined as 2-amino-3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxybenzamide (1), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoic acid (2), phenylacetic acid (3), N-acetyltyramine (4) and p-hydroxytruxinic acid (5). Compound 5 was first found in the microorganism. The antimicrobial activities of compounds 1–5 and antioxidant activity of compound 1 were investigated.     

A new natural nucleotide and other antibacterial metabolites from an endophytic Nocardia sp.

Nine compounds were isolated from Nocardia sp. YIM 64630, and their structures were elucidated as 5′-O-acetyl-2′-deoxyuridine (1), 22E,24R-5α,6α-epoxyergosta-8(14),22-diene-3β,7α-diol (2), 22E,24R-5α,6α-epoxyergosta-8,22-diene-3β,7α-diol (3), 22E,24R-ergosta-7,22-diene-3β,5α,6β-triol (4), 5α,8α-epidioxyergosta-6,22-dien-3β-ol (5), 4′,5,6-trihydroxy-7-methoxyisoflavone (6), 2,4,4′-trihydroxy-deoxybenzoin (7), methyl [4-hydroxyphenyl]acetate (8) and daidzein by extensive spectroscopic analyses. Compound 1 was isolated from natural resources for the first time. The antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of compounds 1–8 were investigated.     

Enhanced production of xylanase from locally isolated fungal strain using agro-industrial residues under solid-state fermentation

This study is related to the isolation of fungal strain for xylanase production using agro-industrial residues. Forty fungal strains with xylanolytic potential were isolated by using xylan agar plates and quantitatively screened in solid-state fermentation. Of all the tested isolates, the strain showing highest ability to produce xylanase was assigned the code Aspergillus niger LCBT-14. For the enhanced production of the enzyme, five different fermentation media were evaluated. Out of all media, M4 containing wheat bran gave maximum enzyme production. Effect of different variables including incubation time, temperature, pH, carbon and nitrogen sources has been investigated. The optimum enzyme production was obtained after 72 h at 30°C and pH 4. Glucose as a carbon source while ammonium sulphate and yeast extract as nitrogen sources gave maximum xylanase production (946 U/mL/min). This study was successful in producing xylanase by A. niger LCBT-14 economically by utilising cheap indigenous substrate.     

Chemical investigation of metabolites produced by an endophytic Aspergillus sp. isolated from Limonia acidissima

Endophytic fungi are considered as a good source to produce important secondary metabolites with interesting bioactivities. In a continuation of our studies towards the search for environmentally friendly bioactive compounds from Sri Lankan flora, we investigated the secondary metabolites produced by the endophytic fungi Aspergillus sp. isolated from the seeds of the popular edible fruit Limonia acidissima L. of the family Rutaceae. The pure culture of the Aspergillus sp. was grown on potato dextrose broth media. After 4 weeks fermentation, fungal media were extracted with organic solvents. Chromatographic separation of the fungal extracts over silica gel, Sephadex LH-20 and RP-HPLC furnished flavasperone (1), rubrofusarin B (2), aurasperone A (3), fonsecinone D (4) and aurasperone B (5). Compounds 1–4 showed moderate activities in brine shrimp toxicity assay. This is the first report of the ¹³C NMR data of compounds 4 and 5.     

Three New Phenyl Ether Derivatives from Aspergillus carneus HQ889708

Three new phenyl ether derivatives, 3‐hydroxy‐5‐(3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylphenoxy)benzoic acid ( 1 ), 3,4‐dihydroxy‐5‐(3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylphenoxy)benzoic acid ( 2 ), 3‐[3‐hydroxy‐5‐(hydroxymethyl)phenoxy]‐5‐methylphenol ( 3 ), and three known compounds 4 – 6 were obtained from the fermentation broth of Aspergillus carneus HQ889708, which was isolated from sea water from South China Sea. The structures of compounds 1 – 3 were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods including ESI‐MS and NMR. Compounds 4 – 6 were reported before as synthesized products, herein, they are reported from nature for the first time.     

Structure and Absolute Configuration of Aspergilumamide A,a Novel Lumazine Peptide from the Mangrove‐Derived Fungus Aspergillus sp.

A novel lumazine peptide, aspergilumamide A ( 1 ), as well as a known analog penilumamide ( 2 ), were isolated from the mycelia of a marine‐derived fungus Aspergillus sp. (33241), obtained from the mangrove Bruguiera sexangula var. rhynchopetala collected from the South China Sea. The structure of 1 was identified by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis, including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, ESI‐MS, and MS/MS experiments. The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by Marfey's method.     

Halichonadins G-J, new sesquiterpenoids from a sponge Halichondria sp.

Three new dimeric sesquiterpenoids, halichonadins G-I (1-3), and one new eudesmane sesquiterpenoid possessing a 1-phenethyl urea moiety, halichonadin J (4), were isolated from a marine sponge Halichondria sp. Halichonadins G (1) and H (2) are homo-dimers of eudesmane sesquiterpenoid, linked through a methyl 2-{1-(2-amino-2-oxoethyl)ureido}acetate fragment and a 2-hydroxymalonamide fragment, respectively, while halichonadin I (3) is a new hetero-dimer of eudesmane sesquiterpenoid linked through a urea fragment. The structures of 1-4 were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data.     

Biosurfactant production under extreme environmental conditions by an efficient microbial consortium, ERCPPI-2

The biosurfactant production potential of a new microbial consortium of Enterobacter cloacae and Pseudomonas sp. (ERCPPI-2) which was isolated from heavy crude oil-contaminated soil in the south of Iran, has been investigated under extreme environmental conditions. The isolated consortium produces a biosurfactant mixture with excessive oil spreading and emulsification properties. This consortium was able to grow and produce biosurfactant at temperatures up to 70 °C, pressures up to 6000 psia, salinities up to 15% (w/v), and in the pH range 4-10. Besides, the optimum biosurfactant production conditions were found to be 40 °C and 7.0 for the temperature and pH value, respectively. These conditions gave the best biosurfactant production of 1.74 g/1 when the cells were grown on a minimal salt medium containing 1.0% (w/v) olive oil, 1.0% (w/v) sodium nitrate supplemented with 1.39% (w/v) K(2)HPO(4) at 40 °C and 150 rpm after 48 h of incubation. The ERCPPI-2 could reduce surface and interfacial tensions to 31.7 and 0.65 mN/m from the original values of 58.3 and 16.9 mN/m, respectively. The isolated consortium produced biosurfactant using heavy crude oil as the sole source of carbon and emulsified the available heavy crude oil up to E(24)=83.4%. The results of the core holder flooding tests at simulated reservoir conditions demonstrated that the oil recovery efficiency due to the injection of the cell-free biosurfactant solution was 27.2%, and the bacterium injection reduced the final residual oil saturations to below 3% at optimum conditions.