Fruit-coat and seed fats of Rhopalostylis, Elaeocarpus and Nestegis species

The fruit-coat fats of Rhopalostylis sapida, R. baueri (Palmae), Elaeocarpus dentatus (Elaeocarpaceae) and Nestegis cunninghamii (Oleaceae) and the seed fats of E. dentatus and N. cunninghamii contain as their major fatty acids palmitic 11–35%, oleic 13–68%, and linoleic 16–31%. The seed fat of E. dentatus contains 10% hexadecenoic acid and the fruit-coat fat of N. cunninghamii 13% linolenic acid.     

2(S),3(S)-3-hydroxy-4-methyleneglutamic Acid from Gleditsia caspica

A new natural product, 2(S),3(S)-3-hydroxy-4-methyleneglutamic acid (G3) has been isolated from seeds of Gleditsia caspica. The structure has been established by chemical and spectroscopic methods. Catalytic reduction of G3 yields 2(S),4(S)-4-methylglutamic acid and a new amino acid, 2(S),3(S),4(S)-3-hydroxy-4-methylglutamic acid. Ozonolysis of G3 followed by oxidation gives 2(S),3(R)-3-hydroxyaspartic acid. The S- (or l-) configurations at C₂ in G3 and in 2(S),3(S),4(S)-3-hydroxy-4-methyglutamic acid and the S-configurations at C₃ for G3 and 2(S),3(S),4(S)-3-hydroxy-4-methylglutamic acid and at C₄ for 2(S),3(S),4(S)-3-hydroxy-4-methylglutamic acid are inferred from the configurations at C₂ in 2(_S),4(_S)-4-methylglutamic acid and at C₂ and C₃ in 2(S),3(R)-3-hydroxyaspartic acid. The seeds also contain appreciable quantities of 2(S),3(S),4(R)-3-hydroxy-4-methylglutami c acid (G1) and 2(S),4(R)-4-methylglutamic acid.     

Hydroxylated glutamic acids in Phlox,lepidium and Rheum species

The two diastereoisomers, (2S,4R)-4-hydroxyglutamic acid and (2S,4S)-4-hydroxyglutamic acid, occur in characteristic concentration ratios in Phlox species. The second of these compounds is the principal free amino acid in the green parts of the plants. The presence of (2S,4R)-4-hydroxyglutamic acid in plants is reported for the first tiine. No other 4-substituted acidic amino acids were detected in the Phlox species analysed, although special attention was paid to the possible presence of 4-hydroxy-4-methylglutamic acids which have previously been reported in plants. It was found, however, that both diastereoisomers of (2S)-4-hydroxy-4-methylglutamic acid co-exist in Ledenbergia roseoaenea and also in Pandanus veitchii. Although the presence of 3,4-dihydroxyglutamic acids in green parts of Lepidium sativum and Rheum rhaponticum has been previously reported, we were not able to detect or isolate any of the possible diastereoisomers from the green parts or seeds of these plants. We did isolate glutathione which was found to have some properties in common with those reported for the dihydroxy compounds.     

Etude chimiotaxonomique dans les genres Macrotyloma, Dolichos et Pseudovigna

The variations of free, protein and total amino acid contents have been studied in seeds of Macrotyloma, Dolichos and Pseudovigna. The concentrations of free amino acids and of γ-glutamylphenylalanine seem to be characteristic of some species and also of some genera.     

Fatty acid changes during maturation of Momordica charantia and Trichosanthes Anguina Seeds

Changes in fatty acids were studied during maturation of Momordica charantia and Trichosanthes anguina seeds, which contain cis-9, trans-11, trans-13-octadecatrienoic acid (α-eleostearic) and cis-9, trans-11, cis-13-octadecatrienoic acid (punicic), respectively. The two seeds matured 30 and 35 days after flowering, respectively. Total lipids as well as α-eleostearic acid accumulated rapidly from 10 to 20 days in M. charantia. In T. anguina the active period of lipid synthesis was from 15 to 30 days but punicic acid continued to be synthesized until maturity. In both species, the disappearance of linolenic acid and the reduction in concentration of linoleic acid were concomitant with the formation of conjugated fatty acids. The conjugated fatty acids were absent from monoacylglycerols and phospholipids of both species, and also from the diacylglycerols of M. charantia, throughout maturation     

Extracytoplasmic phosphatases of selected species of Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces and Rhodotorula

Phosphatase activities of yeasts belonging to the genera Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces and Rhodotorula were studied. Rhodotorula rubra exhibited activities at acid, neutral and alkaline pH; the other yeasts only had activity at acid pH. Growing yeasts in a constant pH (4.5) medium decreased phosphatase activities in Saccharomyces and Kluyveromyces, while neutral activity was enhanced in Rhodotorula rubra which excreted more enzyme under these conditions. Washing cells with sucrose solutions lowered phosphatase activities in all yeasts, due to enzyme liberation. Acid phosphatase activities in isolated and purified cell walls were very small. Phosphatases thus appear not to be strongly bound to yeast cell walls.     

Functional analysis and tissue-differential expression of four FAD2 genes in amphidiploid Brassica napus derived from Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea

Fatty acid desaturase 2 (FAD2), which resides in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), plays a crucial role in producing linoleic acid (18:2) through catalyzing the desaturation of oleic acid (18:1) by double bond formation at the delta 12 position. FAD2 catalyzes the first step needed for the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids found in the glycerolipids of cell membranes and the triacylglycerols in seeds. In this study, four FAD2 genes from amphidiploid Brassica napus genome were isolated by PCR amplification, with their enzymatic functions predicted by sequence analysis of the cDNAs. Fatty acid analysis of budding yeast transformed with each of the FAD2 genes showed that whereas BnFAD2-1, BnFAD2-2, and BnFAD2-4 are functional enzymes, and BnFAD2-3 is nonfunctional. The four FAD2 genes of B. napus originated from synthetic hybridization of its diploid progenitors Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea, each of which has two FAD2 genes identical to those of B. napus. The BnFAD2-3 gene of B. napus, a nonfunctional pseudogene mutated by multiple nucleotide deletions and insertions, was inherited from B. rapa. All BnFAD2 isozymes except BnFAD2-3 localized to the ER. Nonfunctional BnFAD2-3 localized to the nucleus and chloroplasts. Four BnFAD2 genes can be classified on the basis of their expression patterns.     

Diterpenoids from Salvia oxyodon and Salvia lavandulifolia

Three new diterpenoids have been detected in Salvia oxyodon and identified as 3β-hydroxy-dehydroabietic acid, 3β-acetoxy-abieta-8(14)-en-18-oic acid 9α,13α-endoperoxide and 3β-hydroxy-abieta-8(14)-en-18-oic acid 9α,13α-endoperoxide. Salvia lavandulifolia yielded two known compounds ursolic acid and galdosol.     

Non-protein amino acids of Acacia species and their effect on the feeding of the acridids Anacridium melanorhodon and Locusta migratoria

The leaves of Acacia species have been found to contain homoarginine, pipecolic acid and 4-hydroxy-pipecolic acid. The nymphs of the tree locust Anacridium melanorhodon, which feed on the leaves of Acacia species, were not inhibited from feeding on palatable media containing concentrations of these amino acids equivalent to, or greater than, those found in the leaves. The graminivorous Locusta migratoria was more sensitive to these compounds, inhibitory effects being observed at concentrations comparable to those found in the leaves. The inhibitory effects of mixtures of homoarginine and pipecolic acid were additive in A. melanorhodon but not in L. migratoria. Three of the non-protein amino acids found in the seeds of Acacia species, 2,3-diaminopropionic acid, 2-amino-3-acetylaminopropionic acid and 2-amino-3-oxalylaminopropionic acid, were more effective inhibitors of feeding in Anacridium than were the leaf amino acids.     

Triterpenes and neoflavonoids of Calophyllum lankaensis and Calophyllum thwaitesii

The petrol extracts of the leaves of Calophyllum lankaensis and C. thwaitesii yielded D:A-friedo-oleanan-3-one, 28-hydroxy-D:A-friedo-oleanan-3-one (canophyllol), 28-oxo-D:A-friedo-oleanan-3-one (canophyllal calozeylanic acid, thwaitesic acid, isothwaitesic acid and apetalactone. Thwaitesic acid and iso-thwaitesic acid are two novel neoflavonoids.     

Sesquiterpenoid metabolites from Stereum complicatum

A new sesquiterpene antibiotic, complicatic acid, isolated from cultures of Stereum complicatum (Fr.)Fr. has been shown to be dehydrohirsutic acid C. Hirsutic acid C was also isolated from the same fungus. [2-¹⁴C]-MVA was incorporated into both metabolites and complicatic acid has been shown to be formed from hirsutic acid C both in vivo and in vitro.     

Stereochemistry of strictic acid and related furano-diterpenes from conyza japonica and grangea maderaspatana

Extraction of Conyza japonica gave strictic acid, ent-2β-hydroxy-15,16-epoxy-3,13(16),14-clerodatrien-18-oic acid and 5,7-dihydroxy-3,8,4′-trimethoxyflavone. Extraction of Grangea maderaspatana gave (-)-hardwickiic acid, ent-15,16-epoxy-1,3,13(16),14-clerodatetraen-18-oic acid and 3-hydroxy-8-acetoxypentadeca-1,9,14-trien-4,6-diyne. The structure of ent-2β-hydroxy-15,16-epoxy-3,13(16),14-cleroclatrien-18-oic acid was deduced by spectroscopic methods and by partial synthesis from (-)-hardwickiic acid and the stereochemistries of strictic acid and (ent-15,16-epoxy-1,3,13(16),14-clerodatraen-18-oic acid were established by correlation with ent-2β-hydroxy-15,16-epoxy-3,13(16),14-clerodatrien-18-oic acid.     

The amino acid sequence of cytochrome c from Enteromorpha intestinalis

Proposed amino acid sequence of cytochrome c from Enteromorpha intestinalis is presented. The cytochrome is a basic protein, homologous with higher plant and animal cytochromes c of mitochondrial origin. Peptides from chymotryptic and tryptic digests were analysed by the dansyl-phenylisothiocyanate method and aligned by comparison with other homologous cytochromes c. The proposed sequence consists of a single polypeptide chain of 111 residues which is acetylated at its N-terminus. The sequence contains one residue of the unusual amino acid ?-N-trimethyllysine in position 80.     

The extracellular polysaccharides of porphyridium cruentum and porphyridium aerugineum

The extracellular mucilages from Porphyridium cruentum and P. aerugineum contain D-xylose, D-glucose, D-and L-galactose, 3-O-methylxylose, 3- and 4-O-methyl-galactose, and D-glucoronic acid in the approximate molar proportions of 3:1:2.5:0.13:0.13:0.8 and 1.7:1:1.1:0.3:0.6:0.5, respectively. In addition, P cruentum mucilage contains 2-O-methylhexose (0.13) and 2-O-methylglucuronic acid (0.2), whereas P. aeruginum mucilage is devoid of these two sugars but contains 2,4-di-O-methylgalactose (0.5). Both polysaccharides contain ～10% of half-ester sulphate and appear to be linked to ～5% of protein. Attempted fractionation into homopolysaccharides was unsuccessful. Methylation, periodate oxidation, and partial hydrolysis studies revealed that the glucuronic acid is 1,3-linked and is attached solely to O–3 of D-galactose in both mucilages. The 2-O-methylglucuronic acid in P. cruentum is linked to O–4 of L-galactose. Xylose, glucose, and galactose are present in both mucilages as end groups, and 1,3- and 1,4-linked residues, with galactose and glucose also present as, 1,3,4-linked or sulphated residues. Molecular weight determinations on Sepharose 4B indicate a $\text{M}$_w of 4 x 10(su6) for P. cruentum mucilage and 5 x 10⁶ for that from P. aerugineum.     

Chlorophyllide b

Chlorophylls a,b and chlorophyllides a,b were isolated from pea chloroplasts as pheophorbides a,b following the administration of $\text{[}{}^{14}\text{C]δ-aminolevulinic}$ acid. Relative pool sizes suggest that chlorophyllide b precedes chlorophyll b and does not arise from the latter by the action of chlorophyllase.     

A cis-encoded sRNA controls the expression of fabH2 in Yersinia

YsrH is a novel cis-encoded sRNA located on the opposite strand to fabH2, which is essential for fatty acid biosynthesis in bacteria. In this study, YsrH-mediated regulation of fabH2 expression was investigated in Yersinia pseudotuberculosis. Constitutive and inducible over-expression of YsrH decreased the mRNA level of fabH2, while expression of downstream fabD and fabG remained unaffected. Polynucleotide phosphorylase (PNPase) also played an important role in this regulation process by mediating YsrH decay in the exponential phase. Thus, our data defines a cis-encoded sRNA that regulates fatty acid synthesis via a regulatory mechanism also involving PNPase.     

Iridoids from Gentiana loureirii

Iridoid glycosides, 2′,3′,6′-tri-O-acetyl-4′-O-trans-p-(O-β-d-glucopyranosyl)coumaroyl-7-ketologanin (1), 2′-O-caffeoylloganic acid (2), 2′-O-p-hydroxybenzoylloganic acid (3), 2′-O-trans-p-coumaroylloganic acid (4), and 2′-O-cis-p-coumaroylloganic acid (5), were isolated from whole plants of Gentiana loureirii along with six known iridoids, 7-ketologanin (6), loganin (7), loganic acid (8), sweroside, boonein, and isoboonein, and three other known compounds. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic means and chemical correlations. The isolated iridoids were evaluated for antibacterial and antioxidant activities, but were either inactive or very weakly active.     

三角鲂和长春鳊肌肉营养成分分析与品质评价

用常规方法测定、分析了三角鲂(Megalobrama tarminalis)和长春鳊(Parabramis pekinensis肌肉中营养成分组成与含量.结果显示,三角鲂肌肉蛋白质、脂肪含量分别为18.19％和3.06％,长春鳊肌肉蛋白质、脂肪含量分别为19.38％和2.89％.三角鲂和长春鳊肌肉中均检测出18种氨基酸,其中包括了8种人体必需氨基酸.三角鲂肌肉中氨基酸总量为76.27％,其中,8种人体必需氨基酸含量为32.17％,占氨基酸总量的42.18％;长春鳊肌肉中氨基酸总量为77.60％,其中,8种人体必需氨基酸含量为31.70％,占氨基酸总量的40.85％.必需氨基酸的构成比例基本符合FAO/WHO的标准.三角鲂肌肉中限制性氨基酸主要为甲硫氨酸加胱氨酸,必需氨基酸指数为63.55,4种呈味氨基酸为氨基酸总量的32.81％;长春鳊肌肉中限制性氨基酸主要为色氨酸,必需氨基酸指数为66.81,4种呈味氨基酸为氨基酸总量的33.80％.脂肪酸中二十碳五烯酸(EPA)与二十二碳六烯酸(DHA)含量均较高,三角鲂为7.96％,长春鳊为3.11％.矿物元素比值合理.以上分析表明,三角鲂和长春鳊均为营养价值、经济价值都较高的优质鱼类,相比而言,三角鲂肌肉脂肪、脂肪酸含量和质量更优,而长春鳊肌肉在蛋白质、氨基酸组成与含量方面更优.     

O-Methyletransferases endoplasmiques de Populus nigra

O-Methyltransferases catalysing the methylation of caffeic acid to ferulic acid, isoferulic acid and dimethylcaffeic acid were extracted from the endoplasmic reticulum of Populus glandular tissue. The significance of methoxylated cinnamic acids in secreted flavonoid biosynthesis is discussed.