Bishordeninyl terpene alkaloids and other constituents of Zanthoxylum culantrillo and Z. coriaceum

A new alkaloid, culantraramine, has been found in Zanthoxylum culantrillo, and the known alkaloid, alfileramine, has been identified from Z. coriaceum. Both alkaloids are members of a new structural type, bishordeninyl terpenes. Z. culantrillo was also found to contain eudesmin, epieudesmin, hordenine, N-methylisocorydine, magnoflorine, candicine, skimmianine, synephrine, tembetarine and a dihydroxy-dimethoxytetrahydroprotoberberine. Isolated from Z. coriaceum were N-methylisocorydine, dihydrochelerythrine, chelerythrine, N-methylcanadine and aegiline, in addition to alfileramine.     

Allergenic 5-alkyl- and 5-alkenylresorcinols from philodendron species

Leaves and stems of nine Philodendron species were examined for content of allergenic alkyl- and alkenylresorcinols. Philodendron angustifolium was found to contain heptadecenylresorcinol, P. erubescens and one source of P. scandens subsp. oxycardium pentadecenyl- and heptadecenylresorcinol, P. radiatum 5-tridecylresorcinol, pentadecenyl-, heptadecadienyl- and heptadecenylresorcinol, and another source of P. scandens subsp. oxycardium 5- pentadecylresorcinol, 5-heptadecatri-8(Z), 11(Z),14(Z)-enylresorcinol, heptadecadienyl- and heptadecenylresorcinol. The following five species were devoid of resorcinols and catechols: P. bipennifolium, P. fenzlii, P. sagittifolium, P. squamiferum and P. tuxlanum.     

Alkaloids of Zanthoxylum monophyllum and Z. punctatum

The known alkaloids N-methylcorydine and magnoflorine were major constituents of stems and branches of Zanthoxylum punctatum (Rutaceae). Berberine was the major alkaloid of Z. monophyllum, which also contained a new pyrano-2-quinolone alkaloid, zanthophylline, and its desmethyl analog. Zanthophylline has an —NCH₂OAc functional group which is readily hydrolyzed by dilute acid. Methyl vanillate and the furocoumarin columbianetin were also found in Z. monophyllum.     

Alkaloids,coumarins, triterpenes and a flavanone from the root of Zanthoxylum dipetalum

The root bark of Zanthoxylum dipetalum contained the alkaloids canthin-6-one, chelerythrine, nitidine and tembetarine, the pyranocoumarins avicennol and xanthoxyletin, the triterpene lupeol and the flavanoid hesperidin. The MS fragmentation pattern for avicennol is discussed and a tentative structure is proposed for a third coumarin, designated ZD/1. The root wood of the type species and the stem bark of the γ variety contained most of the above compounds plus sitosterol and, in the root wood only, magnoflorine. The chemotaxonomic implications of these findings are briefly discussed.     

Responses of male winter moths (Operophtera brumata) to their sex attactant (3Z,6Z,9Z)-1,3,6,9 nonadecatetraene and to some structural analogues

Conclusion (3Z,6Z,9Z)-1,3,6,9-nonadecatetraene, the synthetic sex pheromone of the female of O. brumata is highly active in attracting males of this species in the field (Germany and Switzerland). No analogous compounds possessing attractivity to O. brumata males have been found up to now, nor did they show any inhibitory effects to the same species.Therefore (3Z,6Z,9Z)-1,3,6,9-nonadecatetraene (I) can be recommended as a good attractant in the prognosis or monitoring of this lepidopteran pest.     

The flexible arm of tRNase Z is not essential for pre-tRNA binding but affects cleavage site selection

tRNase Z is an enzyme responsible for removing a 3′ trailer from pre-tRNA. Although most tRNase Zs cleave pre-tRNAs immediately after the discriminator nucleotide with the exception of Thermotoga maritima tRNase Z, which cleaves after the ₇₄CCA₇₆ sequence, our knowledge was limited about how the cleavage site in pre-tRNA is selected. Bacterial tRNase Zs contain a unique domain termed flexible arm, which extends from the core domain. Using various tRNase Z variants, here we examined how the flexible arm affects the cleavage site selection. T. maritima tRNase Z variants with modified flexible arms shifted the cleavage site and a Bacillus subtilis tRNase Z variant with no flexible arm showed an anomalous cleavage activity. Some of the T. maritima/B. subtilis chimeric enzymes had both properties: they recognized ₇₄CCA₇₆-containing pre-tRNA and cleaved it after the discriminator. Taken together, the present data indicate that the flexible arm is not essential for pre-tRNA binding but affects the cleavage site selection probably by pushing the distal region of the T arm in such a way that the discriminator nucleotide becomes closer to the catalytic site.     

A new combination for a Chinese Zingiber (Zingiberaceae), Z. fallax

Boesenbergia fallax Loes., previously known as a synonym of B. longiflora (Wall.) Kuntze, is recognized as belonging to the genus Zingiber Mill. Furthermore, it is conspecific with Z. liangshanense Z. Y. Zhu, which was incorrectly treated as a synonym of Z. striolatum in ‘Flora of China’. A new combination, Z. fallax (Loes.) L. Bai, Juan Chen & N. H. Xia is proposed here, and Z. liangshanense is treated as its synonym. Lectotypes are designated for B. fallax and Z. liangshanense. Zingiber fallax is now known to occur in southern Sichuan Province and northwestern to central Yunnan Province, China.     

Anp32e,a higher eukaryotic histone chaperone directs preferential recognition for H2A.Z

H2A.Z is a highly conserved histone variant in all species. The chromatin deposition of H2A.Z is specifically catalyzed by the yeast chromatin remodeling complex SWR1 and its mammalian counterpart SRCAP. However, the mechanism by which H2A.Z is preferentially recognized by non-histone proteins remains elusive. Here we identified Anp32e, a novel higher eukaryote-specific histone chaperone for H2A.Z. Anp32e preferentially associates with H2A.Z-H2B dimers rather than H2A-H2B dimers in vitro and in vivo and dissociates non-nucleosomal aggregates formed by DNA and H2A-H2B. We determined the crystal structure of the Anp32e chaperone domain (186-232) in complex with the H2A.Z-H2B dimer. In this structure, the region containing Anp32e residues 214-224, which is absent in other Anp32 family proteins, specifically interacts with the extended H2A.Z αC helix, which exhibits an unexpected conformational change. Genome-wide profiling of Anp32e revealed a remarkable co-occupancy between Anp32e and H2A.Z. Cells overexpressing Anp32e displayed a strong global H2A.Z loss at the +1 nucleosomes, whereas cells depleted of Anp32e displayed a moderate global H2A.Z increase at the +1 nucleosomes. This suggests that Anp32e may help to resolve the non-nucleosomal H2A.Z aggregates and also facilitate the removal of H2A.Z at the +1 nucleosomes, and the latter may help RNA polymerase II to pass the first nucleosomal barrier.     

Heterogeneity of the yeasts Zygowilliopsis californica: Z. californica var. dimennae comb. nov., stat. nov. and Z. californica var. fukushimae comb. nov., stat. nov.

A significant heterogeneity of the species Zygowilliopsis californica was revealed using RFLP-analysis of the PCR-amplified rDNA fragment spanning the 5.8S rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacers ITS1 and ITS2. Phylogenetic analysis of the nucleotide sequences of ITS1 and ITS2 rDNA differentiated three varieties: Z. californica var. californica, Z. californica var. dimennae, and Z. californica var. fukushimae. The most variable was the ITS2 region, where 7–26 nucleotide substitutions were revealed. The varieties formed semisterile hybrids with meiotic segregation of control markers. The limits of the phylogenetic species concept are discussed.     

Description of Zoothamnium foissneri n. sp. and redescription of Z. duplicatum Kahl, 1933 and Z. mucedo Entz, 1884, three species of marine peritrichous ciliates

Three marine peritrichs, Zoothamnium foissneri n. sp., Z. duplicatum Kahl, 1933 and Z. mucedo Entz, 1884, were isolated from the littoral area of Qingdao, China. The morphology, infraciliature and silverline system were studied on living and silver-impregnated specimens. Z. foissneri is distinguished from congeners by its slender zooid shape, size, appearance of peristomial border, the form of peniculus 3, colony form and habitat. Based on the Qingdao populations, supplementary information is given for two known species showing that Z. duplicatum can be distinguished by the zooid shape and size, the number of silverlines between the aboral trochal band and the scopula, and the form of peniculus 3, while Z. mucedo can be distinguished from other species of similar zooid shape and size by the form of peniculus 3 and the number of silverlines between the oral area and the aboral trochal band.     

Ultrastructure of myocardial widened Z bands and endocardial cells in two teleostean species

Summary Widened myocardial Z bands and endocardial cells are described in two teleostean species Cichlasoma meeki and Corydoras aeneus. Widened Z bands containing mainly amorphous and electron-dense material were seen in a number of myocardial cells. Further, similar material may occur in large amounts beneath the sarcolemma and at intercellular junctions. Occasionally, we observed continuity between the latter material and that in expanded Z bands.In C. meeki the ventricular endocardial layer consists of two structurally different cell types, whereas in C. aeneus only one cell type was seen. The functional aspects of widened Z bands are discussed.     

Fluorescent labeling of nisin Z and assessment of anti-listerial action

Biomolecule labeling by fluorescent markers has emerged as an innovative methodology for bio-analytical purposes in food microbiology, medicine and pharmaceutics due to the great advantages of this method such as precision, wide detection limits, and in vivo recognition. Fluorescent nisin Z was synthesized by linking the carboxyl group and amino group of nisin Z and 5-aminoacetamido fluorescein (AAA-flu). This new structure was fully characterized by mass spectrometry with a molecular weight of 3717.3 Da. Intracellular K⁺ leakage and transmembrane electrical potential (Δψ) were used to evaluate the antibacterial action of the labeled molecule against three listerial strains and demonstrated that nisin Z endured the labeling process without any activity loss. In vivo activity of labeled nisin was observed by confocal laser microscope which revealed its localization at the septum of listerial cell division site where the membrane-bound cell wall precursor lipid II is maximal. Fluorescent nisin Z showed its great potential as a tool to study antibacterial mechanism of action of nisin in biological systems.     

The three-dimensional structure of the Z disc in insect supercontracting muscles

Two types of Z disc structure have been reported in insect supercontracting muscle fibres: (i) a perforated Z disc where Z material forms a reticulum and (ii) a fragmented Z disc composed of separate, discrete Z bodies. The use of thick (I μm) sections in conjunction with high voltage electron microscopy can distinguish between these two types while conventional thin sections may lead to misinterpretation of structure. It is shown that in one insect, the crane-fly Tipula, the larval body-wall muscles, for which a fragmented Z disc has been proposed, do in fact have a perforated disc. In the wax moth Galleria, homologous muscle fibres have a similar type of Z disc, a finding which indicates the need for re-examination of other lepidopteran muscles claimed to have fragmented discs. A redefinition of supercontraction is proposed which includes reference to the perforated type of Z disc.     

Association of NADP- and NAD-linked malic enzyme acitivities in Zea mays: relation to C4 pathway photosynthesis.

Two of the three metabolic subtypes of species utilizing C₄-pathway photosynthesis are defined by high activities of either NADP malic enzyme (NADP malic enzyme type) or a coenzyme A (CoA)- and acetyl-CoA-activated NAD malic enzyme (NAD malic enzyme type). These enzymes function to decarboxylate malate as an integral part of the photosynthetic process. Leaves of NADP malic enzyme-type species also contain significant NAD-dependent malic enzyme activity. The purpose of the present study was to examine the nature and photosynthetic role of this activity. With Zea mays, this NAD-dependent activity was found to vary widely in fresh leaf extracts. Incubating extracts at 25 °C resulted in a disproportionate increase in NAD activity so that the final ratio of NADP to NAD activity was always about 5. Strong evidence was provided that the NADP and NAD malic enzyme activities in Z. mays extracts were catalyzed by the same enzyme. These activities remained associated during purification and were coincident after polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The pH optimum for NAD-dependent activity was about 7.1, compared with 8.3 for NADP malic enzyme activity. Other properties of the NAD-dependent activity are described, a particularly notable feature being the inhibition of this activity by less than 1 μm NADP and NADPH. Evidence is provided that the NADP malic enzyme of several other NADP malic enzyme-type C₄ species also has associated activity toward NAD. We concluded that the NAD-dependent malic enzyme activity would have no significant function in photosynthesis.     

(Z)-11-Hexadecenyl compounds as attractants for male microlepidoptera of the subfamilies Argyresthiinae, Glyphipteryginae, and Crambinae

Traps baited with Z11-16:Ac, Z11-16:Ald, Z11-16:OH, and Z13-18:Ac, singly or in mixtures, were tested for their attractivity for males of microlepidoptera in an apple orchard, a mixed deciduous forest, and a coniferous forest. In particular, Z11-16:Ac and Z11-16: Ald attracted some Crambinae, one Glyphipteryx species, and several species of Argyresthia, including the injurous species A. fundella (on fir), A. conjugella (on apple), A. pruniella (on cherry), and A. thuiella (on Thuja).

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Attraction sexuelle de microlépidoptères des sous-familles Argyresthiinae, Glyphipteryginae et Crambinae par des hexadécènes 11Z

Résumé L'attraction de microlépidoptères par des hexadécènes 11Z a été examinée en 1982 et 1983 à l'aide de pièges sexuels placés dans différents biotopes de Hollande. Ces pièges contenaient différents mélanges synthétiques d'acétoxy-1-hexadécènes 11Z (Z11-16:Ac), d'hexadécènal 11Z (Z11-16:Ald), d'hexadécénol 11Z (Z11-16:OH) et d'acétoxyl-1-octadécène 13Z (Z13-18:Ac). Les pièges étaient placés dans un verger de pommiers, dans un bois de feuillus aux essences diverses et dans un bois de résineux. Des mâles de 10 espèces de lépidoptères ont été capturés avec ces mélanges, parmi lesquels ceux de 3 espèces de Pyralidae, d'une espèce du genre Glyphipteryx et de 6 espèces du genre Argyresthia. Parmi les Argyresthia, certaines espèces sont considérées comme des déprédateurs: A. fundella sur sapin (Abies), A. conjugella sur pommier (Malus), A. pruniella sur cerisier (Prunus) et A. thuiella sur Thuja. Enfin, un tableau fournit 28 produits contenant des hexadécènes Z11 actuellement connus comme attractifs sexuels de microlépidoptères; la majorité des espèces appartient aux sous-familles Crambinae, Argyresthiinae, Glyphipteryginae et Acrolepiinae.

     

Sex pheromone components of the leafroller moth Pandemis cerasana

Female-tip washings of the leafroller moth, Pandemis cerasana, were found to contain (E)-11-tetradecenyl acetate, (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate, (E)-11-tetradecenol, (Z)-11-tetradecenol and tetradecyl acetate, based on chemical analysis and electroantennogram tests. The relative amounts of these compounds in the gland were ca. 64:21:10:3:2 in the order named. Only (E)-11 and (Z)-11-tetradecenyl acetate were required for attraction of males to trap dispensed in the ratio 3:1, respectively.