Saccharopolytide A,a new cyclic tetrapeptide with rare 4-hydroxy-proline moieties from the deep-sea derived actinomycete Saccharopolyspora cebuensis MCCC 1A09850

A genome mining analysis on the deep-sea derived actinomycete Saccharopolyspora cebuensis MCCC 1A09850 indicated its potential to produce polypeptides. Accordingly, a systematic chemical investigation was conducted, which resulted in the isolation of one new cyclic tetrapeptide (saccharopolytide A, 1) and two known polyketides (2, 3) along with six other miscellaneous compounds (4?9). Mainly by analysis of the 1D, 2D NMR and MS data, the chemical structure of saccharopolytide A was established as cyclo-(l-Leu-4-hydroxy-l-Pro-l-Phe-4-hydroxy-l-Pro). All isolates were evaluated for anti-allergic and anti-tumor bioactivities. Indol-3-carbaldehyde (4) showed weak anti-allergic effect with IC₅₀ value of 55.75 μg/mL. And 2 showed weak anti-proliferative activity against Hela and H1299 tumor cell lines. Our results consolidate the potential of deep-sea-derived microorganisms to produce structurally interesting compounds.     

Identification of degranulation inhibitors from rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) tea in rat basophilic leukaemia cells

Quercetin, luteolin and chrysoeriol were identified from rooibos tea as degranulation inhibitors in rat basophilic leukaemia cells. The degranulation inhibitory activity of chrysoeriol was first discovered in the present study. When quercetin, luteolin and chrysoeriol were mixed in the ratio that occurs in rooibos tea extract, the mixture inhibited antigen- and calcium ionophore-stimulated degranulation to the same degree as that by the whole rooibos tea extract. These findings indicate that these three flavonoids are the key factors underlying the degranulation inhibitory activity of rooibos tea.