Further glaucolides from south african Vernonia species

The investigation of three South African Vernonia species afforded minute amounts of five new glaucolides, two monoepoxides and three diepoxides. The structures were elucidated by ¹H NMR spectroscopy. The roots of Vernonia sutherlandii contain, in addition to vernonataloide, bergamotene and santalene, minute amounts of the corresponding acetoxy derivatives.     

3-Aryl/Heteryl-5-Phenylindeno[1,2-d]thiazolo[3,2-a]pyrimidin-6(5H)-ones: Synthesis,Characterization, and Antimicrobial Investigation

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - Discovery towards the potent antimicrobial agents is indispensable for the treatment of infections caused by resistant microbes. Thus, we prepared a novel...     

The versatile role of glucose signalling in regulating growth,development and stress responses in plants

Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Sugars as an energy source and a signalling molecule are indispensible for growth, development and stress responses in plants. Among sugars,...     

Culture Independent Diversity of Bacterial Communities Indigenous to Lower Altitude at Laohugou Glacial Environment

Abstract

High-throughput sequencing approach of the 16S rRNA gene was employed to evaluate the bacterial diversity inhabit in melted water, snow, soil, and rocks samples at the lower altitudes of the Laohugou glacial environment. Bioinformatics tools were used to process millions of Illumina reads for alpha and beta diversities of bacterial communities. The diversity indices such as Chao, Shannon, and Simpson were different in the collected samples and solid samples (soil and rocks) showed higher taxon richness and evenness. Taxonomic diversity was unexpectedly higher and the major portion of sequences was assigned to Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Acidobacteria. Higher variation in community structure was reported at the class level and Alphaproteobacteria was dominant. The solid niches were occupied by a higher number of phyla compared with liquid. The physicochemical variables acted as spatial gradients and associated with the bacterial structural communities of the glacial ecosystem. Findings showed that both Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria in solid samples influenced the bacterial community structure in downstream liquid samples. Interestingly, the metagenomic biomarkers were higher in liquid samples. This study provides precious datasets to understand the bacterial community in a better way under the influence of spatial, physical and environmental factors.     

Theoretical investigation on the kinetics and branching ratio of the gas phase reaction of sevoflurane with Cl atom

The present work deals with the theoretical investigation on the Cl initiated H-atom abstraction reaction of sevoflurane, (CF₃)₂CHOCH₂F. A dual-level procedure has been adopted for studying the kinetics of the reaction. Geometrical optimization and frequency calculation were performed at DFT(BHandHLYP)/6-311G(d,p) while single-point energy calculation was made at CCSD(T)/6-311G(d,p) level of theory. The intrinsic reaction coordinate (IRC) calculation has also been performed to confirm the smooth transition from the reactant to product through the respective transition state. The rate constants were calculated using conventional transition state theory (TST). It has been found that 99 % of the reaction proceeded via the H-atom abstraction from the –CH₂F end of the sevoflurane. The rate constant of the dominant path is found to be 1.13 × 10^?13 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1. This is in excellent agreement with the reported experimental rate constant of 1.10 × 10^?13 cm³ molecule^?1 s^?1 obtained by relative rate method using FTIR/Smog chamber and LP/LIF techniques.     

Achene morphology of Saussurea species (Asteraceae,Cardueae) in Korea and its systematic implications

Achene size and shape, surface sculpturing, and pericarp and testa wall structure of 23 Korean Saussurea spp. were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy to evaluate the infrageneric relationships and assess their systematic significance. Achene size categories and thickness of the testa epidermis were distinguished using biometric measurements. Four basic types of surface pattern were observed: (1) lineate; (2) striate; (3) reticulate; and (4) colliculate. Saussurea rorinsanensis was found to have some unique achene characteristics, such as a fusiform achene, uniform pappus, presence of epidermal hairs and tangentially elongated, narrow testa epidermal cells. The characteristic achene features for species were found to be achene size and shape, hilum position, surface sculpture, pappus composition, morphology of the pericarp wall and thickness of the testa epidermis. Based on 16 morphological and achene characters, a cladistic analysis resolved three well‐supported clades, with S. eriophylla as the first‐branching taxon. Saussurea pulchella and S. japonica, both belonging to Saussurea subgenus Theodorea, were distant from each other in the 50% majority rule consensus tree and the character distribution cladogram. This cladistic analysis of achene morphology and anatomy should be regarded as giving us a tentative picture of the phylogenetics of Saussurea, and this study may serve as a reference for future hypotheses and studies on the characterization and classification of Saussurea spp. in Korea.     

Discrimination of bacteriophage infected cells using locked nucleic acid fluorescent in situ hybridization (LNA-FISH)

Bacteriophage–host interaction studies in biofilm structures are still challenging due to the technical limitations of traditional methods. The aim of this study was to provide a direct fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method based on locked nucleic acid (LNA) probes, which targets the phage replication phase, allowing the study of population dynamics during infection. Bacteriophages specific for two biofilm-forming bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter, were selected. Four LNA probes were designed and optimized for phage-specific detection and for bacterial counterstaining. To validate the method, LNA-FISH counts were compared with the traditional plaque forming unit (PFU) technique. To visualize the progression of phage infection within a biofilm, colony-biofilms were formed and infected with bacteriophages. A good correlation (r = 0.707) was observed between LNA-FISH and PFU techniques. In biofilm structures, LNA-FISH provided a good discrimination of the infected cells and also allowed the assessment of the spatial distribution of infected and non-infected populations.