Endophytic Fungal Flora from Roots and Fruits of an Indian Neem Plant <Emphasis Type="Italic">Azadirachta indica</Emphasis> A. Juss., and Impact of Culture Media on their Isolation

Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (neem), native to India, is well known worldwide for its insecticidal and ethanopharmacological properties. Although endophytic microbes are known from this plant as only leaves and stems were the subjects of past reports. Now, a variety of procedures and a number of different media were used to isolate the maximum number of endophytic fungi from unripe fruits and roots. A total of 272 isolates of 29 filamentous fungal taxa were isolated at rate of 68.0% from 400 samples of three different individual trees (at locations-Az1, Az2, Az3). Mycological agar (MCA) medium yielded the highest number of isolates (95, with a 14.50% isolation rate) with the greatest species richness. Mycelia Sterilia (1, 2, 3) accounted for 11.06%, Coelomycetes 7.25%, while Hyphomycetes showed the maximum number of representative isolates (81.69%). Mycelia-Sterilia (1, 2, 3), based on their 5.8S ITS 1, ITS2 and partial 18S and 28S rDNA sequences were identified as Fusarium solani (99%), Chaetomium globosum (93%) and Chaetomium globosum (93%) respectively. Humicola, Drechslera, Colletotrichum, and Scytalidium sp. were some of the peculiar fungal endophytes recovered from this plant.     

Synthesis, characterisation, supramolecular aggregation and biological activity of phosphine gold(I) complexes with monoanionic thiourea ligands

A series of phosphine gold(I) complexes containing monoanionic thiourea ligands has been synthesised by reaction of the appropriate precursor chloro complex, Ph₃PAuCl, Cy₃PAuCl, dppf(AuCl)₂ [dppf = Fe(η⁵-C₅H₄PPh₂)₂] or dppe(AuCl)₂ (dppe = Ph₂PCH₂CH₂PPh₂) with the thiourea and Me₃N base in methanol solution. The complexes have been fully characterised by elemental analysis, NMR spectrometry, electrospray mass spectrometry, and in several cases, by single-crystal X-ray diffraction studies. The crystallographic studies show that the ligands coordinate as a thiolate in each case with systematic variations in geometric parameters being readily ascribed to the influence of the N-bound substituents. In four of the structures, discernable supramolecular aggregation patterns are evident, leading to loosely associated dimers or chain motifs, the latter mediated by either Au?S, N-H?N or C-H?O interactions. Cytotoxicity data, against the P388 leukemia cell line, and anti-microbial data are also reported.     

IQ-motif peptides as novel anti-microbial agents

The IQ-motif is an amphipathic, often positively charged, α-helical, calmodulin binding sequence found in a number of eukaryote signalling, transport and cytoskeletal proteins. They share common biophysical characteristics with established, cationic α-helical antimicrobial peptides, such as the human cathelicidin LL-37. Therefore, we tested eight peptides encoding the sequences of IQ-motifs derived from the human cytoskeletal scaffolding proteins IQGAP2 and IQGAP3. Some of these peptides were able to inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) comparable to LL-37. In addition some IQ-motifs had activity against the fungus Candida albicans. This antimicrobial activity is combined with low haemolytic activity (comparable to, or lower than, that of LL-37). Those IQ-motifs with anti-microbial activity tended to be able to bind to lipopolysaccharide. Some of these were also able to permeabilise the cell membranes of both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. These results demonstrate that IQ-motifs are viable lead sequences for the identification and optimisation of novel anti-microbial peptides. Thus, further investigation of the anti-microbial properties of this diverse group of sequences is merited.     

Helicobacter pylori 26695 基因组尺度代谢研究进展

代谢网络在代谢功能研究、生物代谢过程控制、疾病诊断分析和药物靶标设计等方面具有重要理论和实践意义。生物信息学研究利用序列同源、结构模拟、对接等手段与生化实验有效结合促进了生物体代谢网络的进一步完善。本文作者在构建幽门螺杆菌（Helicobacter pylori 26695,H.pylori 26695）代谢网络的工作基础上综合了近年来研究者对H.pylori 26695代谢通路关键酶的研究成果,并结合基因组信息,综述了H.pylori 26695特异性的重要代谢通路。本文从基因组水平阐明代谢通路与基因的关系,并详细分析了关键酶对H.pylori 26695生理的重要作用,最后探讨了重构一个连续、完整的代谢网络面临的困难及其在药物靶标设计方面的研究前景。     

Synthesis,characterization and in silico designing of diethyl-3-methyl-5-(6-methyl-2-thioxo-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxamido) thiophene-2,4-dicarboxylate derivative as anti-proliferative and anti-microbial agents

A series of eight compounds diethyl-3-methyl-5-(6-methyl-2-thioxo-4-phenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydropyrimidine-5-carboxamido) thiophene-2,4-dicarboxilate (KM_10–17) analogues have been prepared by conventional methods and characterized by IR, Mass, NMR and elemental analysis. In silico docking studies on Human topoisomerase IIbeta (PDB Id: 3QX3) have been performed for all molecules (KM_10–17) synthesized. The compounds were tested for in vitro anti-proliferative activity on VERO and 786-O cell lines. Out of all the synthesized compounds, KM₁₁ & KM₁₆ showed moderate activity on both cell lines. In vitro anti-microbial activity was also checked against Bacillus subtilis (BS), Staphylococcus aurous (SA), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA), Escherichia coli (EC) and Candida albicans (CA) by well diffusion method. The compound KM₁₁ was found to have highest zone of inhibition against BS, SA, PA and EC. The molecules KM₁₃ and KM₁₆ exhibited good activity against CA. The compounds KM₁₄ and KM₁₆ indicated good zone of inhibition against BS.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of asymmetric gramicidin S analogues containing modified d-phenylalanine residues

The synthesis of new analogues of the cationic antimicrobial peptide gramicidin S, having a modified d-phenylalanine residue, their antibacterial properties against several Gram positive and negative strains, as well as their hemolytic activity is reported.     

Evolution, expression and effectiveness in a cluster of novel bovine β-defensins

The anti-microbial peptides β-defensins constitute a large family of innate immune effector molecules, conserved across a wide species range. In this paper, we describe a systematic search of the sequenced bovine genome to characterise this extensive gene family in Bos taurus, providing an insight into the pattern of conservation of β-defensin genes between species. We have sequenced a sub-set of these newly discovered bovine β-defensin genes and also report expression data for these genes across a range of tissues. We have synthesised the peptide product of one of these genes, bovine β-defensin 123, and found it to be a potent inhibitor of several pathogenic microbes, particularly Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Synthesis and in vitro anti-mycobacterial activity of 5-substituted pyrimidine nucleosides

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium infections cause the two most important mycobacterioses, leading to increased mortality in patients with AIDS. Various 5-substituted 2′-deoxyuridines, uridines, 2′-O-methyluridine, 2′-ribofluoro-2′-deoxyuridines, 3′-substituted-2′,3′-dideoxy uridines, 2′,3′-dideoxyuridines, and 2′,3′-didehydro-2′,3′-dideoxyuridines were synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro inhibitory activity against M. bovis and M. avium. 5-(C-1 Substituted)-2′-deoxyuridine derivatives emerged as potent inhibitors of M. avium (MIC₉₀ = 1–5 μg/mL range). The nature of C-5 substituents in the 2′-deoxyuridine series appeared to be a determinant of anti-mycobacterial activity. This new class of inhibitors could serve as useful compounds for the design and study of new anti-tuberculosis agents.     

Synthesis and anti-microbial activity of pyrazolylbisindoles--promising anti-fungal compounds

A series of pyrazolylbisindole derivatives have been synthesized by reacting substituted pyrazole aldehydes with substituted indoles using phosphotungstic acid, a Keggin type heteropoly acid as catalyst. The synthesized pyrazolylbisindoles were evaluated for anti-microbial activities. The effect of pyrazolylbisindoles on the mycelial growth of plant pathogenic fungi is revealed. Entries 3c and 3d emerged as the most interesting compounds in this series exhibiting excellent anti-fungal activity.     

Design, synthesis and anti-microbial activity of 1H-pyrazole carboxylates

In a SAR study, we have synthesized a few 1H-pyrazole carboxylate related microbicides using Vilsmeier reagent. The anti-microbial screening results of 1H-pyrazole-3-carboxylate are reported here for the first time. The effect of 1H-pyrazole carboxylates on the mycelial growth of plant pathogenic fungi is revealed. The first X-ray structure in the family of microbicidal 1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylates is presented.