Isolation and identification of a novel valienamine-producing bacterium

AIMS: To isolate, identify and assess valienamine production by a soil bacterial isolate from a wheat field in Hangzhou, China. METHODS AND RESULTS: A validamycin A-degrading bacterial strain, numbered ZJB-041, was isolated and identified as Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, based on morphology, physiological tests, ATB system (ID32 GN), and 16S rDNA analysis. The strain was capable of producing valienamine by decomposing validamycin A. After fermentation in shaking flasks at 30 degrees C for 7 days, 96.0% of 34.49 mmol l(-1) of validamycin A was degraded and 2.65 mmol l(-1) of valienamine was obtained. The resting cells of this strain also produced valienamine by degrading validamycin A. After 72 h of incubation in 0.2 mol l(-1) of phosphate buffer (pH 7.5), 90.2% of 17.16 mmol l(-1) of validamycin A was degraded, and 1.77 mmol l(-1) of valienamine was obtained. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggested that S. maltophilia ZJB-041, a bacterial isolate, has the potential for validamycin A degradation and valienamine production. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The validamycin A-degrading bacterium could potentially be utilized in the disposal of validamycin residues and in the production of valienamine.     

Enhanced production of valienamine by Stenotrophomonas maltrophilia with fed-batch culture in a stirred tank bioreactor

Valienamine is an important medicinal intermediate with broad use in the synthesis of some stronger α-glucosidase inhibitors. In order to improve valienamine concentration in the fermentation broth and make the downstream treatment easy, a fed-batch process for the enhanced production of valienamine by Stenotrophomonas maltrophilia in a stirred tank bioreactor was developed. Results showed that supplementation of validamycin A in the process of cultivation could increase the valienamine concentration. One-pulse feeding was observed to be the best strategy. The maximum valienamine concentration of 2.35 g L⁻¹ was obtained at 156 h when 86.4 g of validamycin A was added to a 15-L bioreactor containing 8 L fermentation medium with one-pulse feeding. The maximum valienamine concentration had a great improvement and was increased above 100% compared to batch fermentation in the stirred tank bioreactor. The pH-controlled experiments showed that controlling the pH in the process of one-pulse feeding fermentation had not obvious effect on the production of valienamine.     

Inhibition of porcine small intestinal sucrase by valienamine

Valienamine, an aminocyclitol, has been isolated from the enzymolysis broth of validamycins. The absolute configuration of valienamine is similar to that of alpha-D-glucose. The inhibitory effect of this amino-sugar analog of alpha-D-glucose, valienamine, on porcine small intestinal sucrase was examined. Valienamine was found to be potent, competitive reversible inhibitor of porcine small intestinal sucrase in vitro with an IC50 value of 1.17 x 10(-3)M. Valienamine also exhibited dose-dependent, instantaneous inhibition of porcine small intestinal sucrase. The inhibition of porcine small intestinal sucrase by valienamine was pH-independent.     

Quantitative analysis of valienamine in the microbial degradation of validamycin A after derivatization with p-nitrofluorobenzene by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography method for the quantitative analysis of valienamine in the microbial degradation of validamycin A, using a procedure for pre-column derivatization of valienamine with p-nitrofluorobenzene is described. Valienamine in the broth was first isolated with the ion-exchange method. The optimized conditions for the derivatization were the reaction time 30 min and reaction temperature 100 degrees C. With the mobile phases consisting of acetonitrile-water (12:88) (eluent A) and methanol (eluent B), the gradient was carried out with 100% of A for 15 min and then 100% of B for another 10 min. The parameters in the process were the flow rate of the mobile phase 1.0 ml/min, the injection volume 20 microl, the column temperature 40 degrees C and wavelength of ultraviolet detection 398 nm in all runs. A good linearity was found in the range of 0.5-150.0 microg/ml. Both intra- and inter-day precisions of valienamine, expressed as the relative standard deviation, were less than 9.4%. Accuracy, expressed as the relative error, range from -0.5 to 2.7%. The mean absolute recovery of valienamine at three different concentrations was 94.2%. The method was proved suitable for the study on the process of microbial degradation of validamycin A to produce valienamine.     

Microbial transformation of validamycin A to valienamine by immobilized cells

Immobilized Pseudomonas sp. HZ519 cells have been used for transformation of validamycin A to valienamine and the degradation pathway of validamycin A by Pseudomonas sp. HZ519 has also been studied. Substrate inhibition in immobilized cell system was avoided. An average of 8.6 g L^-1 valienamine concentration was obtained when concentration of validamycin A was increased up to 120 g L^-1. Through a treatment of the immobilized cells with 0.3 mol L^-1 substrate, the activity of the immobilized cells was increased distinctly. Compared with free cells, the productivity of valienamine by CA-immobilized cells was improved about three times. The reusability of the immobilized cells was evaluated with repeated-batch degradation experiments. The Tiele modulus was obtained from the experimental effectiveness factor. The result showed that the degradation process in the immobilized system was governed by intraparticle diffusion and chemical reaction.     

Search for alpha-glucosidase inhibitors: new N-substituted valienamine and conduramine F-1 derivatives

A solid-phase synthesis of new N-substituted valienamines has been developed and new synthesis of (+/-)-conduramine F-1, (-)-conduramine F-1, and (+)-ent-conduramine F-1 is presented, together with the preparation of N-benzylated conduramines F-1. N-Benzylation of both valienamine and (+)-ent-conduramine F-1 improves their inhibitory activity toward alpha-glucosidases significantly. The additional hydroxymethyl group makes valienamine derivatives more active than their (+)-ent-conduramine F-1 analogues.     

Microbial transformation of validamycin A to valienamine by immobilized cells

Immobilized Pseudomonas sp. HZ519 cells have been used for transformation of validamycin A to valienamine and the degradation pathway of validamycin A by Pseudomonas sp. HZ519 has also been studied. Substrate inhibition in immobilized cell system was avoided. An average of 8.6 g L^?1 valienamine concentration was obtained when concentration of validamycin A was increased up to 120 g L^?1. Through a treatment of the immobilized cells with 0.3 mol L^?1 substrate, the activity of the immobilized cells was increased distinctly. Compared with free cells, the productivity of valienamine by CA-immobilized cells was improved about three times. The reusability of the immobilized cells was evaluated with repeated–batch degradation experiments. The Tiele modulus was obtained from the experimental effectiveness factor. The result showed that the degradation process in the immobilized system was governed by intraparticle diffusion and chemical reaction.     

Synthesis and α-Glucosidase II inhibitory activity of valienamine pseudodisaccharides relevant to N-glycan biosynthesis

Valienol-derived allylic C-1 bromides have been used as carbaglycosyl donors for α-xylo configured valienamine pseudodisaccharide synthesis. We synthesised valienamine analogues of the Glc(α1→3)Glc and Glc(α1→3)Man disaccharides representing the linkages cleaved by α-Glucosidase II in N-glycan biosynthesis. These (N1→3)-linked pseudodisaccharides were found to have some α-Glucosidase II inhibitory activity, while two other (N1→6)-linked valienamine pseudodisaccharides failed to inhibit the enzyme.     

Studies on the synthesis of valienamine and 1-epi-valienamine starting from D-glucose or L-sorbose

Two synthetic routes to a carbocyclic precursor to valienamine are reported, starting from either D-glucose or L-sorbose and using ring-closing metathesis as a key step. A low-yielding synthesis of 1-epi-valienamine is reported. Results from an abortive third possible route to valienamine based on an early introduction of nitrogen are discussed.     

Genetically engineered production of 1,1′-bis-valienamine and validienamycin in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptomyces hygroscopicus</Emphasis> and their conversion to valienamine

The antifungal agent validamycin A is an important crop protectant and the source of valienamine, the precursor of the antidiabetic drug voglibose. Inactivation of the valN gene in the validamycin A producer, Streptomyces hygroscopicus subsp. jinggangensis 5008, resulted in a mutant strain that produces new secondary metabolites 1,1′-bis-valienamine and validienamycin. The chemical structures of 1,1′-bis-valienamine and validienamycin were elucidated by 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy in conjunction with mass spectrometry and bioconversion employing a glycosyltransferase enzyme, ValG. 1,1′-Bis-valienamine and validienamycin exhibit a moderate antifungal activity against Pellicularia sasakii. Chemical degradation of 1,1′-bis-valienamine using N-bromosuccinimide followed by purification of the products with ion-exchange column chromatography only resulted in valienamine, whereas parallel treatments of validoxylamine A, the aglycon of validamycin A, resulted in an approximately 1:1 mixture of valienamine and validamine, underscoring the advantage of 1,1′-bis-valienamine over validoxylamine A as a commercial source of valienamine. Hui Xu and Jongtae Yang contributed equally to this paper.     

Inhibitory effect of pseudo-aminosugars on oligosaccharide glucosidases I and II and on lysosomal alpha-glucosidase from rat liver

We examined the inhibitory effect of three pseudo-aminosugars (validamine, valienamine, and valiolamine), which were isolated from the broth of Streptomyces hygroscopicus, on the oligosaccharide-processing glucosidases I and II involved in glycoprotein biosynthesis in rat liver. Both glucosidases I and II were inhibited to the same extent by the pseudoaminosugars, and valiolamine had a more potent inhibitory activity than validamine or valienamine. A 50% inhibition of valiolamine was observed at 12 microM for glucosidase I and glucosidase II activities acting respectively on the substrates Glc3Man9GlcNAc2 and p-nitrophenyl alpha-D-glucopyranoside. Further, in order to investigate further the ability of valiolamine to inhibit glucosidase I, reaction products were analyzed by gel filtration on a Bio-Gel P-4 column. We also compared the inhibitory action of these pseudo-aminosugars on the acid alpha-glucosidase of rat liver lysosomes. They competitively inhibited the hydrolysis of both substrates, maltose and glycogen. Valiolamine again had a more potent lysosomal alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity than the other two. The Ki values of valiolamine for the hydrolysis of maltose and glycogen were 8.1 and 11 microM, respectively. Valiolamine is a particularly effective inhibitor of oligosaccharide glucosidases I and II and of lysosomal alpha-glucosidase. Hence valiolamine might be useful as a research tool in investigations of carbohydrate metabolism.     

Synthesis of an alpha-fucosidase inhibitor, 5a-carba-beta-L-fucopyranosylamine, and fucose-type alpha- and beta-DL-valienamine unsaturated derivatives

Discovery of a very potent alpha-fucosidase inhibitor 5a-carba-alpha-L-fucopyranosylamine led to preparation of its beta-anomer and the respective unsaturated derivatives, fucose-type alpha- and beta-valienamines, in order to elucidate the structure-activity relationship of carba-aminosugar inhibitors of this kind. Compound was demonstrated to be a potent inhibitor (K(i)=2.0 x 10(-7) M, bovine kidney), possessing ca. one-tenth of the activity of the parent. Interestingly, and were found to be rather weak inhibitors, contrary to the expectations based on the activity relationships between the alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, alpha-glucose-type validamine and valienamine.     

C7N氨基环醇家族的天然α-糖苷酶/淀粉酶抑制剂研究进展

C7N氨基环醇家族化合物是一类由放线菌产生的天然化合物,化学结构相对较新颖。其核心基团井岗胺赋予该家族化合物多种生物活性,其中最主要的是α-糖苷酶/淀粉酶抑制剂活性。该家族化合物在生物医学和农业领域中具有较大的应用价值。本文将结合作者的研究方向,综述已被报道的C7N家族α-糖苷酶/淀粉酶抑制剂的化学结构与生物活性。     

Expression and characterization of trehalose biosynthetic modules in the adjacent locus of the salbostatin gene cluster

The pseudodisaccharide salbostatin, which consists of valienamine linked to 2-amino-1,5-anhydro-2-deoxyglucitol, is a strong trehalase inhibitor. From our Streptomyces albus ATCC 21838 genomic library, we identified thirty-nine ORFs in a 40-kb gene cluster. Twenty-one genes are supposed to be a complete set of modules responsible for the salbostatin biosynthesis. Through sequence analysis of the gene cluster, some of the upstream gene products (SalB, SalC, SalD, SalE, and SalF) revealed functional resemblance with trehalose biosynthetic enzymes. On the basis of this rationale, we isolated the five genes (salB, salC, salD, salE, and salF) from the S. albus ATCC 21838 and cloned them into the expression vector pWHM3. We demonstrated the noticeable expression and accumulation of trehalose, using only the five upstream biosynthetic gene cluster of salbostatin, in the transformed Streptomyces lividans TK24. Finally, 490 mg/l trehalose was produced by fermentation of the transformant with sucrosedepleted R2YE media.     

The AcbC protein from Actinoplanes species is a C7-cyclitol synthase related to 3-dehydroquinate synthases and is involved in the biosynthesis of the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose

The putative biosynthetic gene cluster for the alpha-glucosidase inhibitor acarbose was identified in the producer Actinoplanes sp. 50/110 by cloning a DNA segment containing the conserved gene for dTDP-D-glucose 4,6-dehydratase, acbB. The two flanking genes were acbA (dTDP-D-glucose synthase) and acbC, encoding a protein with significant similarity to 3-dehydroquinate synthases (AroB proteins). The acbC gene was overexpressed heterologously in Streptomyces lividans 66, and the product was shown to be a C7-cyclitol synthase using sedo-heptulose 7-phosphate, but not ido-heptulose 7-phosphate, as its substrate. The cyclization product, 2-epi-5-epi-valiolone ((2S,3S,4S,5R)-5-(hydroxymethyl)cyclohexanon-2,3,4,5-tetrol), is a precursor of the valienamine moiety of acarbose. A possible five-step reaction mechanism is proposed for the cyclization reaction catalyzed by AcbC based on the recent analysis of the three-dimensional structure of a eukaryotic 3-dehydroquinate synthase domain (Carpenter, E. P., Hawkins, A. R., Frost, J. W., and Brown, K. A. (1998) Nature 394, 299-302).     

Stereoselective conversion of valienamine and validamine into valiolamine

Methods are described for the stereoselective conversion of valienamine (2) and validamine (3) into valiolamine (1a), a new pseudo-amino sugar isolated from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces hygroscopicus subsp. limoneus and which is a stronger - -glucosidase inhibitor than 2 and 3. Treatment of the acyclic carbamates (4) of 2 with halogenation reagents led to ring closure to afford the halo cyclic carbamates (6), which were reductively dehalogenated and then hydrolyzed to give 1a. Similar treatment of the exomethylene acyclic carbamate (12), derived from 3 via 8–11, resulted in the formation of halo cyclic carbamates (14a,b), which were converted into 1a. The synthesis of epivaliolamine (1b), the C-1 epimer of 1a, starting from 2 and 3, is also described.     

Acarbose, a pseudooligosaccharide, is transported but not metabolized by the maltose-maltodextrin system of Escherichia coli

The pseudooligosaccharide acarbose is a potent inhibitor of amylases, glucosidases, and cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase and is clinically used for the treatment of so-called type II or insulin-independent diabetes. The compound consists of an unsaturated aminocyclitol, a deoxyhexose, and a maltose. The unsaturated aminocyclitol moiety (also called valienamine) is primarily responsible for the inhibition of glucosidases. Due to its structural similarity to maltotetraose, we have investigated whether acarbose is recognized as a substrate by the maltose/maltodextrin system of Escherichia coli. Acarbose at millimolar concentrations specifically affected the growth of E. coli K-12 on maltose as the sole source of carbon and energy. Uptake of radiolabeled maltose was competitively inhibited by acarbose, with a Ki of 1.1 microM. Maltose-grown cells transported radiolabeled acarbose, indicating that the compound is recognized as a substrate. Studying the interaction of acarbose with purified maltoporin in black lipid membranes revealed that the kinetics of acarbose binding to LamB is asymmetric. The on-rate of acarbose is approximately 30 times lower when the molecule enters the pore from the extracellular side than when it enters from the periplasmic side. Acarbose could not be utilized as a carbon source since the compound alone was not a substrate of amylomaltase (MalQ) and was only poorly attacked by maltodextrin glucosidase (MalZ).     

Preparation of 3-ketovalidoxylamine A C–N lyase substrate: <Emphasis Type="Italic">N</Emphasis>-<Emphasis Type="Italic">p</Emphasis>-nitrophenyl-3-ketovalidamine by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stenotrophomonas maltrophilia</Emphasis> CCTCC M 204024

3-Ketovalidoxylamine A C–N lyase is one of three key enzymes in the production of valienamine, which is a potent glucosidase inhibitor from validamycin A. N-p-Nitrophenyl-3-ketovalidamine, used as the substrate of 3-ketovalidoxylamine A C–N lyase, was prepared from N-p-nitrophenylvalidamine with free cells of Stenotrophomonas maltrophilia CCTCC M 204024. The yield and selectivity of N-p-nitrophenyl-3-ketovalidamine from cells were improved by treatment with 10 mM ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. The optimal pH and temperature for N-p-nitrophenyl-3-ketovalidamine formation was pH 6.0 and 30°C, respectively. N-p-Nitrophenyl-3-ketovalidamine was formed with a yield of 0.68 in the first batch.     

Molecular detection of alpha-glucosidase inhibitor-producing actinomycetes

In this study, we demonstrate the use of a PCR-based method for the detection of the specific genes involved in natural-product biosynthesis. This method was applied, using specifically designed PCR primers, to the amplification of a gene segment encoding for sedo-heptulose 7-phosphate cyclase, which appears to be involved in the biosynthetic pathways of C7N aminoacyclitol or its keto analogue-containing metabolites, in a variety of actinomycetes species. The sequences of DNA fragments (about 540 bp) obtained from three out of 39 actinomycete strains exhibited a high degree of homology with the sedo-heptulose 7-phosphate cyclase gene, which has been implicated in acarbose biosynthesis. The selective cultivation conditions of this experiment induced the expression of these loci, indicating that the range of C7 aminoacyclitol or its keto analogue-group natural products might be far greater than was previously imagined. Considering that a total of approximately 20 C7 aminoacyclitol metabolites, or its keto analogue-containing metabolites, have been described to date, it appears likely that some of the unknown loci described herein might constitute new classes of C7 aminoacyclitol, or of its keto analogue-containing metabolites. As these metabolites, some of which contain valienamine, are among the most potent antidiabetic agents thus far discovered, the molecular detection of specific metabolite-producing actinomycetes may prove a crucial step in current attempts to expand the scope and diversity of natural-product discovery.