Biotransformation of two stemodane diterpenes by Mucor plumbeus

The microbiological transformation of 13α,17-dihydroxy-stemodane (2) by the fungus Mucor plumbeus afforded 13α,17,19-trihydroxy-stemodane (3), 3β,13α,17-trihydroxy-stemodane (5), 3-oxo-13α,17-dihydroxy-stemodane (7), 7α,13α,17,19-tetrahydroxy-stemodane (8), 3β,11α,13α,17-tetrahydroxy-stemodane (10), 3β,7α,13α,17-tetrahydroxy-stemodane (12), 3β,8β,13α,17-tetrahydroxy-stemodane (14), 2α,13α,17-trihydroxy-stemodane (16), 2α,13α,17,19-tetrahydroxy-stemodane (17), 2α,3β,13α,17-tetrahydroxy-stemodane (20) and 3β,11β,13α,17-tetrahydroxy-stemodane (22), whilst the incubation of 13α,14-dihydroxy-stemodane (25) gave 3β,13α,14-trihydroxy-stemodane (28), 2α,13α,14-trihydroxy-stemodane (29) and 13α,14,19-trihydroxy-stemodane (30). Preference for hydroxylations of ring A at C-2(α), C-3(β) and C-19 were observed in both incubations. An interesting rearrangement of 13α,14α-dihydroxy-stemodanes to 14-oxo derivatives with an unusual carbon framework has been observed under acetylation conditions. We have named this skeleton prestemodane, which, as a hydrocarbon ion, had been postulated as a biogenetic precursor of stemodane.     

Detection of NAD+-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase activities in YR-1 strain of Mucor circinelloides, a potential bioremediator of petroleum contaminated soils

Different soluble NAD⁺-dependent alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) isozymes were detected in cell-free homogenates from aerobically grown mycelia of YR-1 strain of Mucor circinelloides isolated from petroleumcontaminated soil samples. Depending on the carbon source present in the growth media, multiple NAD⁺-dependent ADHs were detected when hexadecane or decane was used as the sole carbon source in the culture media. ADH activities from aerobically or anaerobically grown mycelium or yeast cells, respectively, were detected when growth medium with glucose added was the sole carbon source; the enzyme activity exhibited optimum pH for the oxidation of different alcohols (methanol, ethanol, and hexadecanol) similar to that of the corresponding aldehyde (≈7.0). Zymogram analysis conducted with partially purified fractions of extracts from aerobic mycelium or anaerobic yeast cells of the YR-1 strain grown in glucose as the sole carbon source indicated the presence of a single NAD⁺-dependent ADH enzyme in each case, and the activity level was higher in the yeast cells. ADH enzyme from mycelium grown in different carbon sources showed high activity using ethanol as substrate, although higher activity was displayed when the cells were grown in hexadecane as the sole carbon source. Zymogram analysis with these extracts showed that this particular strain of M. circinelloides has four different isozymes with ADH activity and, interestingly, one of them, ADH4, was identified also as phenanthrene-diol-dehydrogenase, an enzyme that possibly participates in the aromatic hydrocarbon biodegradation pathway.     

New cytotoxic bufadienolides from the biotransformation of resibufogenin by Mucor polymorphosporus

Resibufogenin is a cytotoxic steroid isolated from the Chinese drug ChanSu. The biotransformation of resibufogenin by Mucor polymorphosporus afforded 22 products, and 15 of them were new. The transformation reactions involved hydroxylations at C-1β, C-5, C-7α, C-7β, C-12α, C-12β and C-16α, as well as epimerization or dehydrogenation of 3-OH. Hydroxylations at C-12α, C-12β and C-16α were the major reactions, each giving products in >5% yields, whereas the other products were obtained in fairly low yields. Some of the products showed decreased but still potent cytotoxicities. This investigation provided a useful approach to prepare new bufadienolides and most of them were difficult to obtain by chemical means.     

刺囊毛霉对甘草次酸的微生物转化研究

对刺囊毛霉AS3.3450微生物转化甘草次酸的条件进行了研究。结果表明,生成的主产物,经分析鉴定是7β-羟基甘草次酸;最佳转化条件为培养温度27℃,底物加量为80mg/L,转化10d,主产物得率为875mg/g甘草次酸。刺囊毛霉AS3.3450能够专一性地对甘草次酸进行羟基化反应,这为研究甘草次酸药物开发及体内代谢研究提供一定的理论依据。     

Preparation and Application of Immobilized Cells from the Fungus Mucor miehei

A laboratory bioreactor was developed for functionalizing immobilized cells of the mycelial fungusMucor miehei.The ability to use the cells to purify wastewaters from the oil-refining industry is demonstrated. With proper operation of the reactor, immobilized cells (1 g) can purify >100 l of wastewater containing 0.10-0.15% of lipid-like substances.     

Lipase-catalyzed production of short-chain acids terpenyl esters of interest to the food industry

The production of low molecular weight esters as flavor compounds by biotechnological processes has a potential interest for the food industry. The use of natural available substrates and enzymes is an essential part of the process design, because the products may obtain natural label. In this study, direct esterification of citronellol and geraniol with short-chain fatty acids catalyzed by free lipase from Mucor miehei was performed with high yields in n-hexane. The effects of the acid:alcohol ratio on the bioconversion rate of increasing chain length esters was investigated. To reach the optimum yield, substrates and enzyme concentration were determined. The inhibiting effects of acid are strongly attenuated by reducing the quantity of acid and increasing the amount of enzyme in media following the optimum values. Improvements have been made to increase the ester purity. The consumption of excess substrate by adding calculated amounts of acid gives a 10% yield enhancement, and leads to 100% pure terpenyl esters. The first steps to a scale-up application were attempted using a reactor that allowed us to produce ester quantities up to 100 cm³. Separation and purification of the products were treated with success, underlining the lipase stability and efficiency under the conditions of this study. The ability to recover the enzyme, and reusing it in bioconversions, plays a major role in reducing the cost of the overall process.     

Microbial transformation of the diterpene mulin-11,13-dien-20-oic acid by Mucor plumbeus

Two new mulinane-type derivatives: 16-hydroxy mulin-11,13-dien-20-oic (2) acid and 7alpha,16-dihydroxy mulin-11,13-dien-20-oic (3) acid were obtained by microbial transformation of mulin-11,13-dien-20-oic acid (1), along with tyrosol (4) using liquid cultures of Mucor plumbeus. The latter compound has not been previously identified in the genus Mucor. Structural elucidation of these metabolites was achieved using 1D- and 2D-NMR spectroscopy.     

高产胞外蛋白酶毛霉的筛选及酶学性质研究

通过平板初筛和发酵复筛从保藏的16种毛霉菌株中筛选出了四株高产胞外蛋白酶毛霉菌株,分别为3.4906、3.4909、3.4943和3.5009。筛选过程中发现平板筛选法用于毛霉筛选不易观察,需改进方法,发酵法仍是最直接有效筛选的方法。对四株毛霉所产蛋白酶酶学特性研究发现,在温度耐受性方面,3.4943和3.4906的蛋白酶耐温性强;在反应温度方面,3.4906和3.5009的最适反应温度较低,3.4943和3.4909的最适反应温度较高;在反应p H方面,4种毛霉所产蛋白酶的最适p H在6.0~8.0范围;在受Na Cl浓度影响方面,3.4943的酶活力受Nacl浓度影响较大,3.4909的酶活力受Na Cl浓度影响最小。各菌株的酶学特性存在差异,根据发酵食品的工艺特性选择适宜的菌株。     

Separation,Purification, Structural Characterization,and Anticancer Activity of a Novel Exopolysaccharide from Mucor sp.

Mucor sp. has a wide range of applications in the food fermentation industry. In this study, a novel exopolysaccharide, labeled MSEPS, was separated from Mucor sp. fermentation broth through ethanol precipitation and was purified by ion-exchange chromatography, as well as gel filtration column chromatography. MSEPS was composed mostly of mannose, galactose, fucose, arabinose, and glucose with a molar ratio of 0.466:0.169:0.139:0.126:0.015 and had a molecular weight of 7.78 × 10⁴ Da. The analysis of methylation and nuclear magnetic resonance results indicated that MSEPS mainly consisted of a backbone of →3,6)-α-d-Manp-(1→3,6)-β-d-Galp-(1→, with substitution at O-3 of →6)-α-d-Manp-(1→ and →6)-β-d-Galp-(1→ by terminal α-l-Araf residues. MTT assays showed that MSEPS was nontoxic in normal cells (HK-2 cells) and inhibited the proliferation of carcinoma cells (SGC-7901 cells). Additionally, morphological analysis and flow cytometry experiments indicated that MSEPS promoted SGC-7901 cell death via apoptosis. Therefore, MSEPS from Mucor sp. can be developed as a potential antitumor agent.     

Preparatively useful transformations of steroids and morphine alkaloids by Mucor piriformis

A versatile fungus isolated in our laboratory and identified asMucor piriformis has been shown to effect novel and preparatively useful transformations in steroids and morphine alkaloids. The organism very effectively carries out hydroxylation of various C₁₉ and C₂₁ steroids at 7 and 14-positions. Although the organism is capable of catalysing hydroxylation at 6β and 1lα-positions, these are not the major activities. The 14α-hydroxylase appears to have a broad substrate specificity. However, steroids with a bulky substitution at C-17 α-position or without the 4-en-3-one group are not accepted as substrates by the 14α-hydroxylase system. Studies have demonstrated how various C₁₉ and C₂₁ steroids can be modified to yield new structures which are either difficult to prepare by traditional methods or hitherto unknown. The organism also very efficiently and selectively carries out the N-dealkylation of thebaine and its N-variants. Interestingly, the nor-compound formed does not get further metabolized. Since thebaine is very often used as a starting material to synthesize various morphine agonists as well as antagonists, and one of the steps involved in their preparation is the N-dealkylation reaction, the microbial process could certainly offer an alternative approach.