Expanding the DNA alphabet in the fruit fly

DNA integrity is under the control of multiple pathways of nucleotide metabolism and DNA damage recognition and repair. Unusual sets of protein factors involved in these control mechanisms may result in tolerance and accumulation of non-canonical bases within the DNA. We investigate the presence of uracil in genomic DNA of Drosophila melanogaster. Results indicate a developmental pattern and strong correlations between uracil-DNA levels, dUTPase expression and developmental fate of different tissues. The intriguing lack of the catalytically most efficient uracil-DNA glycosylase in Drosophila melanogaster may be a general attribute of Holometabola and is suggested to be involved in the specific characteristics of uracil-DNA metabolism in these insects.     

Inhibition of Candida rugosa lipase by saponins, flavonoids and alkaloids

Lipase inhibitors have generated a great interest because they could help in the prevention or the therapy of lipase-related diseases. Therefore, the aim of the work was to evaluate by HPLC, and using Candida rugosa lipase as model, the inhibitory effect of several saponins: β-aescin, digitonin, glycyrrhizic acid (GA) and Quillaja saponin (QS); flavonoids: 3-hydroxyflavone, 5-hydroxyflavone, (±)-catechin and kaempferol; and alkaloids: aspidospermine, papaverine, physostigmine, pilocarpine, raubasine, rescinnamine, reserpine and trigonelline.

The inhibition produced by most of these compounds is described here for the first time. Saponins appeared very active, being β-aescin and digitonin the most active compounds (IC₅₀ = 0.8–2.4 × 10⁻⁵ M). The inhibitory activity of flavonoids was lower than that of saponins (except GA), and (±)-catechin and kaempferol were the most active. Alkaloids was the most heterogeneous group assayed, varying from rescinnamine, with an IC₁₆ similar to that of digitonin, to papaverine and others which showed almost no inhibition.

In conclusion, β-aescin, digitonin, kaempferol or (±)-catechin, strong lipase inhibitors with a low toxicity and present herbal drugs used for lipase-related diseases such as acne or ulcer, are promising candidates for the prevention or the treatment of these diseases.     

荒漠景观破碎化条件下啮齿动物群落beta 多样性变化特征

2002 ～2010 年,采用夹日法对内蒙古阿拉善荒漠区禁牧、轮牧、过牧和开垦4 种不同人为干扰生境中啮齿动物群落β 多样性进行了研究,同时分析不同生境的灌木植物群落特征来探讨人为干扰下的景观破碎化。依据人为干扰下景观破碎的情况将研究区域内生境梯度的变化按照:禁牧到轮牧、轮牧到过牧、过牧到开垦、禁牧到过牧、禁牧到开垦、轮牧到开垦进行划分,分别利用Jaccard 指数、Sorenson 指数和Cody 指数分析景观破碎化条件下啮齿动物群落β 多样性变化特征。结果表明,不同生境梯度间3 种β 多样性指数差异均显著(P <0. 05),禁牧到过牧梯度β 多样性差异最大。不同干扰生境间的灌木植物群落特征差异极显著(P < 0. 01),Shannon-Wiener 指数、Simpson 指数和物种数均表现为轮牧区> 过牧区> 禁牧区> 开垦区。环境变化程度与β 多样性变化的程度一致。人为干扰是该区域景观破碎化的主要原因,特别是放牧活动,导致环境异质性显著增加。在荒漠区,这种随环境梯度造成异质性加大而增加的β 多样性,并不是由物种增加较大导致,而是由啮齿动物群落物种组成差异和变化增大所致.     

Fibroblast growth factor signalling controls successive cell behaviours during mesoderm layer formation in Drosophila

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-dependent epithelial-mesenchymal transitions and cell migration contribute to the establishment of germ layers in vertebrates and other animals, but a comprehensive demonstration of the cellular activities that FGF controls to mediate these events has not been provided for any system. The establishment of the Drosophila mesoderm layer from an epithelial primordium involves a transition to a mesenchymal state and the dispersal of cells away from the site of internalisation in a FGF-dependent fashion. We show here that FGF plays multiple roles at successive stages of mesoderm morphogenesis in Drosophila. It is first required for the mesoderm primordium to lose its epithelial polarity. An intimate, FGF-dependent contact is established and maintained between the germ layers through mesoderm cell protrusions. These protrusions extend deep into the underlying ectoderm epithelium and are associated with high levels of E-cadherin at the germ layer interface. Finally, FGF directs distinct hitherto unrecognised and partially redundant protrusive behaviours during later mesoderm spreading. Cells first move radially towards the ectoderm, and then switch to a dorsally directed movement across its surface. We show that both movements are important for layer formation and present evidence suggesting that they are controlled by genetically distinct mechanisms.     

Lipase action on some non-triglyceride substrates

Approaches for improving methodologies of kinetic resolution of enantiomers as well as of regioselective protection of functional groups of complex chiral molecules involving lipase-catalytic reactions are highlighted. Decyclization of hemiacetals by lipase as well as exclusive pathways of lipase-catalyzed derivatization of prostanoids are brought out. Lipase-triggered cascade-reactions are noticed.     

A chemoenzymatic synthesis of deoxy sugar esters involving stereoselective acetylation of hemiacetals catalyzed by CALB

An extension of the scope of the chemoenzymatic strategy for the synthesis of stereochemically pure pyranose deoxy sugar esters of different carboxylic acids has been achieved. The objective of the work was to extend the strategy to the synthesis of furanose deoxy sugar derivatives and additionally, to N-Boc-protected amino acid esters. With all used carboxylic acids (deoxycholic acid, α-methoxyphenylacetic acid, N-Boc-l-phenylalanine and N-Boc-l-tyrosine) the lipase-catalyzed stereoselective acetylation of furanose or pyranose hemiacetal moiety as a key step afforded one desired stereochemically pure acetylated hemiacetal deoxy sugar ester in high de.     

Synthesis and Quantitative Analysis of Diastereomeric Linked Ester Conjugates With Remote Stereocenters Using High‐Field NMR and Chiral HPLC

A stereochemically safe high‐yielding procedure for linking unprotected as well as protected hydroxycarboxylic acids to chiral secondary alcohols via glycolic acid linker is proposed. L‐menthol has been linked with both enantiomers of mandelic, malic, and methoxyphenylacetic acid using bromo‐ or iodoacetyl group as a precursor of the glycolic acid linker. High‐field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and chiral high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of high diastereomeric ratio (dr) (>99%) of the products bearing remote stereocenters was explored. Chiral HPLC allowed quantitation of the diastereomers up to dr 99.9/0.1. High‐field NMR quantitation of the diastereomeric and parent alcoholic impurities in esters was demonstrated at the molar 0.3% and 0.03% levels, respectively. These analyses were done via comparison of integral intensities from major component ¹³C satellites in ¹H or even in ¹³C spectra to the ¹H or ¹³C signals of impurities. Despite lower sensitivity, the last option generally has much better selectivity. In this way the dynamic resolution is brought down by two orders. Chirality 25:793–798, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Uracil-containing DNA in Drosophila: stability, stage-specific accumulation, and developmental involvement

Base-excision repair and control of nucleotide pools safe-guard against permanent uracil accumulation in DNA relying on two key enzymes: uracil-DNA glycosylase and dUTPase. Lack of the major uracil-DNA glycosylase UNG gene from the fruit fly genome and dUTPase from fruit fly larvae prompted the hypotheses that i) uracil may accumulate in Drosophila genomic DNA where it may be well tolerated, and ii) this accumulation may affect development. Here we show that i) Drosophila melanogaster tolerates high levels of uracil in DNA; ii) such DNA is correctly interpreted in cell culture and embryo; and iii) under physiological spatio-temporal control, DNA from fruit fly larvae, pupae, and imago contain greatly elevated levels of uracil (200-2,000 uracil/million bases, quantified using a novel real-time PCR-based assay). Uracil is accumulated in genomic DNA of larval tissues during larval development, whereas DNA from imaginal tissues contains much less uracil. Upon pupation and metamorphosis, uracil content in DNA is significantly decreased. We propose that the observed developmental pattern of uracil-DNA is due to the lack of the key repair enzyme UNG from the Drosophila genome together with down-regulation of dUTPase in larval tissues. In agreement, we show that dUTPase silencing increases the uracil content in DNA of imaginal tissues and induces strong lethality at the early pupal stages, indicating that tolerance of highly uracil-substituted DNA is also stage-specific. Silencing of dUTPase perturbs the physiological pattern of uracil-DNA accumulation in Drosophila and leads to a strongly lethal phenotype in early pupal stages. These findings suggest a novel role of uracil-containing DNA in Drosophila development and metamorphosis and present a novel example for developmental effects of dUTPase silencing in multicellular eukaryotes. Importantly, we also show lack of the UNG gene in all available genomes of other Holometabola insects, indicating a potentially general tolerance and developmental role of uracil-DNA in this evolutionary clade.     

The structure of the complex of calmodulin with KAR-2: a novel mode of binding explains the unique pharmacology of the drug

3'-(beta-Chloroethyl)-2',4'-dioxo-3,5'-spiro-oxazolidino-4-deacetoxyvinblastine (KAR-2) is a potent anti-microtubular agent that arrests mitosis in cancer cells without significant toxic side effects. In this study we demonstrate that in addition to targeting microtubules, KAR-2 also binds calmodulin, thereby countering the antagonistic effects of trifluoperazine. To determine the basis of both properties of KAR-2, the three-dimensional structure of its complex with Ca(2+)-calmodulin has been characterized both in solution using NMR and when crystallized using x-ray diffraction. Heterocorrelation ((1)H-(15)N heteronuclear single quantum coherence) spectra of (15)N-labeled calmodulin indicate a global conformation change (closure) of the protein upon its binding to KAR-2. The crystal structure at 2.12-A resolution reveals a more complete picture; KAR-2 binds to a novel structure created by amino acid residues of both the N- and C-terminal domains of calmodulin. Although first detected by x-ray diffraction of the crystallized ternary complex, this conformational change is consistent with its solution structure as characterized by NMR spectroscopy. It is noteworthy that a similar tertiary complex forms when calmodulin binds KAR-2 as when it binds trifluoperazine, even though the two ligands contact (for the most part) different amino acid residues. These observations explain the specificity of KAR-2 as an anti-microtubular agent; the drug interacts with a novel drug binding domain on calmodulin. Consequently, KAR-2 does not prevent calmodulin from binding most of its physiological targets.