Production of 5′-dRiboflavin-α-d-glucopyranoside in Growing Cultures by the Mold Mucor

During the investigations on riboflavin glycoside formation by Aspergillus, Mucor, Penicillium and Rhizopus, a remarkable production of 5′-d-riboflavin-α-d-glucopyranoside was observed in several strains belonging to the genus Mucor when grown on a, medium containing maltose and riboflavin. Several conditions on 5′-d-riboflavin-α-d-glucopyranoside formation were also investigated with washed mycellium of M. javanicus. Maltosyl compounds such as maltose, dextrin, amylose and soluble starch were the effective glucosyl donor, whereas glucose, fructose, sucrose, lactose and dextran were inactive.     

Glucosylation of Quercetin by a Cell Suspension Culture of Vitis sp.

A cell suspension culture of a Vitis hybrid converted quercetin to six glucosides. Their structures were identified as quercetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3,4′-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, quercetin 3,7-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, isorhamnetin 3-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, isorhamnetin 3,4′-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and isorhamnetin 3,7-di-O-β-d-glucopyranoside by UV, FD-MS, ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR spectroscopy and TLC analysis.

The course of conversion was also investigated and it was shown that quercetin 3-O-glucoside reached the maximum yield of 31% in 24 hr and then gradually disappeared accompanied by the production of quercetin 3,4′- and 3,7-di-O-glucosides. Although the same rise and fall relationship was observed between isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside and isorhamnetin 3,4′- or 3,7-di-O-glucoside, their conversion ratios were much lower than those of quercetin glucosides.     

Biosynthesis of Riboflavin Glycosides by Plant Grains

An enzyme preparation from glutinous millet grains has been found to synthesize various riboflavin glycosides from riboflavin and disaccharides other than maltose (such as cellobiose, melibiose and lactose). Each of these riboflavin glycosides has been isolated in crystalline form and shown to have the structure, 5′-D-riboflavin-β-d-glucopyranoside, 5′-d-riboflavin-α-d-galactopyranoside and 5′-d-riboflavin-β-D-galactopyranoside.     

A Bitter Principle of Asparagus: Isolation and Structure of Furostanol Saponin in Asparagus Storage Root

During an examination of components contributing to the bitter taste of asparagus bottom cut (Asparagus officinalis L.), two new furostanol saponins were isolated from roots extractives. Their chemical structures were established as 5β-furostane-3β,22,26 triol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl (1→2)-β-d-glucopyranoside 26-O-β-d-glucopyranoside and 5β-furostane-3β,22,26 triol-3-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl (1→2) [β-d-xylopyranoxyl (1→4)]-β-d-glucopyranoside 26-O-β-d-glucopyranoside respectively.     

Synthesis of α-L-Mannopyranosyl-containing Disaccharides and Phenols as Substrates for the α-L-Mannosidase Activity of Commercial Naringinase

In order to clarify the substrate specificity of the α-L-mannosidase activity of naringinase (Sigma), the following disaccharides and phenol glycosides were freshly prepared: methyl 2-O-(α-L-mannopyranosyl)­β-D-glucoside (1), methyl 3-O-(α-L-mannopyranosyl)-α-D-glucoside (2), methyl 4-O-(α-L-mannopyranosyl)-α-D-glucoside (3), methyl 5-O-(α-L-mannopyranosyl)-β-D-glucoside (4), methyl 6-O-(α-L-mannopyranosyl)-α-D­glucoside (5), 6-O-(α-L-mannpyranosyl)-D-galactose (6), p-nitrophenyl α-L-mannoside (7), and 4-methyl umbelliferone α-L-mannoside (8).These compounds, except for 3 and 5, were hydrolyzed with naringinase.     

Lipase-catalyzed Synthesis of Arbutin Cinnamate in an Organic Solvent and Application of Transesterification to Stabilize Plant Pigments

Arbutin cinnamate was synthesized from arbutin (4-hydroxy-phenyl β-D-glucopyranoside) and vinyl cinnamate by regioselective transesterification with a bacterial lipase in acetonitrile. The product was identified by NMR and FAB-MS analyses. These spectra showed that one ester bond was formed between the primary alcohol moiety of the D-glucose of arbutin and the carboxyl residue of cinnamic acid. Furthermore, plant pigments such as isoquercitrin (quercetin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside) and callistephin (pelargonidin 3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside) were also converted to their corresponding cinnamate esters in the same manner.     

Enzyme-Substrate Complex of p-Hydroxybenzoate Hydroxylase; One of the Activated Intermediates of the Overall Reaction

The transglucosidation reaction of brewer’s yeast α-glucosidase was examined under the co-existence of l-sorbose and phenyl-α-glucoside. As the transglucosidation products, three kinds of new disaccharide were chromatographically isolated. It was presumed that these disaccharides consisting of d-glucose and l-sorbose were 1-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-sorbose ([α]_D+89.0), 3-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-sorbose ([α]_D+69.1) and 4-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-sorbose ([α]_D+81.0). The principal product formed in the enzyme reaction was 1-O-α-d-glucopyranosyl-l-sorbose.     

Subunit Structure of Chondroitinase ABC from Proteus vulgaris

N-Acetyl-6-O-phosphono-muramoyl-l-alanyl-d-isoglutamine methyl ester and a variety of its 1-α-O-acyl derivatives were synthesized from benzyl 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-3-O-[d-1-(methoxycar-bonyl)ethyl]-β-d-glucopyranoside. Their immunoadjuvant activity in guinea-pigs was examined.     

Formation of Three New Trisaccharide-azoxyglycosides by Transglucosylation by Cycad β-Glucosidase

transglucosylation by a β-d-glucosidase from cycad seeds. These azoxyglycosides, named neocycasin H, I, and J, were identified as O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(l→3)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside of methylazoxymethanol (MAM), O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-[O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)]-O-β-d-glucopyranoside of MAM, and O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)-[O-β-d-xylopyranosyl-(1→6)]-O-β-d-glucopyranoside of MAM, respectively. On the basis of their structures, the mechanism of the formation of these neocycasins is also discussed.     

Syntheses of a Neobiosamine C Derivative and Its Analogs

Methyl 2,5-di-O-p-nitrobenzoyl-β-d-ribofuranoside was prepared via methyl 2,3-O-ethoxyethylidene-β-d-ribofuranoside from d-ribose. It was condensed with 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-deoxy-2-(2′,4′-dinitroanilino)-α-d-glucopyranosyl bromide and 3,4-di-O-acetyl-2,6-dideoxy-2-(2′,4′-dinitroanilino)-6-phthalimido-α-d-glucopyranosyl bromide by a modified Königs-Knorr reaction to give neobiosamine analogs. The condensation reaction gave α-glucosides as the minor product, and the corresponding β-glucoside as the major product.     

Possible Identity of β-Xylosidase and β-Glucosidase of Chaetomium trilaterale

The nature of the active site of Chaetomium trilaterale β-xylosidase catalyzing the hydrolysis of β-d-glucopyranoside and β-d-xylopyranoside was investigated by kinetic methods. On experiments with mixed substrates, such as phenyl β-d-xylopyranoside and phenyl β-d-glucopyranoside, the kinetic features agreed very closely with those features theoretically predicted for a single active site of the same enzyme catalyzing the hydrolysis of these two kinds of substrates.

Both the β-glucosidase and β-xylosidase activities were strongly inhibited by glucono-1,5-lactone and nojirimycin (5-amino-5-deoxy-d-glucopyranose). β-Xylosidase activity was inhibited non-competitively by the two inhibitors, but β-glucosidase activity was competitive. Methyl β-d-xylopyranoside, methyl β-d-glucopyranoside, 1-thiophenyl β-d-xylopyranoside, and 1-thiophenyl β-d-glucopyranoside poorly inhibited both activities. Methyl β-d-xylopyranoside inhibited the β-xylosidase activity competitively but the β-glucosidase activity was non-competitive, whereas methyl β-d-glucopyranoside inhibited the β-xylosidase activity non-competitively but the β-glucosidase activity was competitive. 1-Thiophenyl β-d-xylopyranoside and 1-thiophenyl β-d-glucopyranoside behaved as competitive inhibitors.

From these results, it was concluded that the β-xylosidase and β-glucosidase activities reside in one catalytic site, and this suggests that there might be two kinetically distinct binding sites in the active center of the same enzyme.     

The Mutational Effect of Ile58 at Subsite C in Hen Egg-White Lysozyme on Substrate Binding,Enzymatic Activity,and Protein Stability

Partial acid hydrolysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mannan gave 2-O-α-d-Manp-d-Man (1), 3-O-α-d-Manp-d-Man (2), 6-O-α-d-Manp-d-Man (3), O-α-d Manp-(1→2)O-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-d-Man (4), O-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-O-α-d-Manp-(1→6)-d-Man (5), O-α-d Manp-(1→6)-6-O-α-d-Manp-(1→6)-d-Man (6), O-α-d Manp-(1→2)-O-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-6-O-α-d-Manp-(1→6)-d-Man (7), O-α-d-Manp-(1→2)-O-α-d-Manp-(1→6)-O-α-d-Manp-(1→6)-d-Man (8), and O-α-d-Manp-(1→6)-O-[α-d-Manp-(1→2)]-O-α-d-Manp-(1→6)-d-Man (9).     

Flavonoids from Seeds of Camellia semiserrata Chi. and Their Estrogenic Activity

Two new flavonol glycosides and three known flavonoids were isolated from seeds of Camellia semiserrata Chi. The structures of these new flavonol glycosides were established as kaempferol 3-O-[(2'''',3'''',4''''-triacetyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→3)(2''',4'''-diacetyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside] and kaempferol 3-O-[(3'''',4''''-diacetyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→3)(2''',4'''-diacetyl)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1→6)-β-D-glucopyranoside] by spectroscopic methods. The estrogenic activity of these compounds was investigated by a recombinant yeast screening assay.     

Studies on the Browning Compounds of Broad Bean,Vicia fava L.

Browning of green broad bean appears only in the seed-coat, and not in cotyledon. This phenomenon coincides with the facts that phenolic compounds such as l-tyrosine and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine are localized in the seed-coat tissues. But little is known about the browning mechanism of the seed-coat at present.

In this study, the presence of dopa-o-β-d-glucoside was confirmed in addition to those phenolic compounds mentioned above, and the distribution of this substance in tissues of green broad bean was examined by paper chromatography. A clear indication of the relationships between the mechanism of brown pigmentation and the biosynthesis of dopa-o-β-d-glucoside in vivo was also presented.     

Isolation and Characterization of Two β-d-Glucosidases from Bifidobacterium breve 203

Two β-d-glucosidases were purified to homogeneity from Bifidobacterium breve 203: one ( β-d-glucosidase I; molecular weight, 96,000) showed reactivity toward p-nitrophenyl (p-NP) β-d-fucoside, 74% of that to p-NP β-d-glucoside, and the other ( β-dglucosidase II; molecular weight, 450,000) did not. They also differed in their thermal and pH stabilities. Laminaribiose, cellobiose and gentiobiose were hydrolyzed by β-d-glucosidase I, with 53%, 34% and 3% of the reactivity in the case of p-NP β-d-glucoside, and by β-dglucosidase II, with 53%, 6% and 107% of the reactivity. The reaction of β-dglucosidase I with p-NP β-dfucoside was enhanced by the addition of glucose and other monosaccharides to the reaction mixture, whereas that with p-NP β-dglucoside was not affected. The activity of β-dglucosidase II with p-NP β-dglucoside was inhibited by glucose.     

Structure and Bitterness in Flavanone Glycosides

Naringenin-7-β-kojibioside, -7-β-sophoroside, -7-[α-d-galactosyl(l→2)β-d-glucoside], -7-[β-d-glucosyl(l→2)β-d-galactoside], and also hesperetin-7-β-kojibioside and -7-β-sophoroside were prepared by the coupling of naringenin or hesperetin with the α-acetobromo derivatives of the appropriate disaccharides, followed by saponification.

Their relative bitterness values were discussed in comparison with naringin and neo-hesperidin.     

Conversion of Cellobiose into Lactose

Benzyl 2, 3, 6-tri-O-acetyl-4-O-(2,3-di-O-acetyl-4,6-di-O-methylsulfonyl-β-d-glucopyranosyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside (VI) was prepared from α-cellobiose octaacetate. Displacement of the sulfonyl esters of VI with acyloxy-groups in N, N-dimethyl formamide in the presence of sodium benzoate gave 4-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-d-glucopyranose derivative (lactose derivative). Elimination of blocking groups of the derivative yielded lactose hydrate (IX), though the overall yield of lactose from cellobiose octaacetate was less than 2%.     

A New Trisaccharide, 2-α-Maltosyl-glucose,Synthesized by the Transglycosylation Reaction of Cyclodextrin Glycosyltransferase

The transglycosylation reaction of the cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase from Bacillus megaterium strain No. 5 was examined in the reaction system containing kojibiose and soluble starch. As the transglycosylation product, a new trisaccharide was chromatographically isolated. It was confirmed that the trisaccharide was 2-α-maltosyl-glucose ([α]d + 162.0°, α-undecaacetate: mp 105~106°C, [α]d + 163.0°), α-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→4)-α-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-d-glucose (4²-α-glucosyl-kojibiose).

The transfer action to kojibiose occurred only to the C₄-hydroxyl group of the non-reducing end glucose unit of kojibiose, leading to the formation of 2-α-maltosyl-glucose.     

Periodate Oxidation of Some Carbohydrates as Examined by NMR Spectroscopy

Periodate oxidation of some sugar alcohols, methyl glycosides and a synthetic glucan in an amount of 5 ~ 20 mg was performed in ca. 0.2 ~ 0.4 ml of D₂O involving NaIO₄ (1.5 ~ 2.0 moles excess) in a NMR sample tube, and the reaction products were examined in the course of oxidation by NMR spectroscopy.

In addition to proton signals of formyl and formaldehyde (in acetal), proton signals at hemiacetal carbons were identified in the periodate oxidation. Splitting and change in O-methyl and N-acetate-methyl signals indicated presence of more than one structures for each of the reaction products in the periodate oxidations of methyl α-d-glucopyranoside and methyl N-acetyl-α-d-glucosaminide. A condensation product was detected in the periodate oxidation of glycolaldehyde, d,l-glyceraldehyde and d-galactitol. A synthetic glucan was found to have a structure of 1,6-linkage in a DP = 15?17.     

Enzymatic Formation of d-Pantothemc Acid-β-Glucoside by Various β-Glucosidases

A β-gIucoside of d-pantothenic acid was formed from d-pantothenic acid and β-glucosyl donors such as cellobiose, phenyl-β-d-glucoside, salicin, and 4-methylumbelliferyl-β-d-glucoside and naphthol AS-BI-β-d-glucoside by various β-glucosidases, i.e., almond β-glucosidase, cellulase type II and III, naringinase, and hesperiginase. The compound was isolated from a reaction mixture of almond β-glucosidase by treatment with active charcoal, Amberlite CG–50, and DEAH-cellulose column chromatography, paper chromatography, and Sephadex G-IO gel filtration. Then, the compound was characterized as 4′-O-(β-d-glucopyranosyl)-d-pantothenic acid by various analytical methods including bioassay, paper chromatography, NMR and specific optical rotation. The microbiological activities of the compound were also determined.