Production of shikonin derivatives by cell suspension cultures of Lithospermum erythrorhizon

A two-layer culture method was established that uses an organic solvent to remove shikonin derivatives produced on cell surfaces during the culture of suspension cells of Lithospermum erythrorhizon. Some paraffins and a fatty acid ester made suitable solvents, whereas olefins and aromatic solvents extensively inhibited the production of shikonin derivatives. The yield of derivatives increased with an increase in the carbon chain length of the n-paraffin used as the solvent and when the oxygen supply was sufficient it reached the value found for the ordinary culture method.     

外循环气升式反应器培养新疆紫草细胞

采用两步培养法进行新疆紫草细胞悬浮培养及5L外循环气升式反应器扩大培养,探讨了培养过程中细胞生长、紫草色素合成与培养液的电导率、可溶性糖含量变化之间的关系。第一步培养时细胞生长迅速,但也有一部分色素合成,电导率及可溶性糖含量迅速下降;第二步培养初期电导率也开始下降,但当色素合成达到高峰并有一部分外泌到培养基后,电导率又开始回升。可溶性糖捎耗很快,到后期巳测不出其存在。因此通过监测培养液中电导率及可溶性糖的变化情况,可以为新疆紫草细胞大规模培养与色素合成提供有用的参数指标。     

Microbial and chemical transformations of some 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9,10-enes.

Resting cells of Streptomyces griseus, Mucor mucedo, and a growing culture of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus when mixed with compounds related to 12,13-epoxytrichothec-9-ene-4beta,15-diacetoxy-3alpha-ol(anguidine) produced a series of derivatives that were either partially hydrolyzed or selectively acylated. These derivatives showed marked differences in activities as assayed by antifungal and tissue culture cytotoxicity tests.     

Studies on Cell Suspension Culture and Fermentation Culture in Arnebia euchroma

This paper reports some characteristics of cell suspension and fermentation culture in Arnebia euchroma (Royle) Johnst. The yield of suspension culture reached 22.0g dry wt/L per month when inoculum quantity was 2.50 g dry wt/L. Time-course study showed that cell growith lagged in 0–3 days and enhanced greatly in 3–12 days, and almost ceased after 12 days of culture, pH value changed during the culture period and peaked on the 12th day after inoculation. When cells were cultured in liquid production medium, the contents of shikonin derivatives increased quickly and reached to the maximum about the 25th day. The cell yield of 9.47 and 9.34 g dry wt/L per month was obtained in fermentation culture. Timecourse of cell growth in fermentation culture was similar to that in suspension culture. The total content of shikonin derivatives in fermentation culture was 14.26% dry weight from 10 L bioreactor. The yield of shikonin derivatives was 1.93 g/L.     

Biotransformation of cystothiazole A, a myxobacterial antibiotic, into novel derivatives by the mother producer, Cystobacter fuscus

The bioconversion of the myxobacterial antibiotic, cystothiazole A, by the antibiotic producer, Cystobacter fuscus, was investigated. In our previous study, an adsorbent resin was added to the fermentation mixture to achieve high productivity of cystothiazole A, the major and most active component. On the other hand, a relative increase in the metabolic derivatives of cystothiazole A was observed when cultured without the resin. Furthermore, when cystothiazole A was externally added to the culture of C. fuscus without the resin, cystothiazole A was rapidly metabolized by the culture to a number of polar metabolic derivatives, among them being novel ones. The identification and structural elucidation of the known and novel derivatives were performed by spectroscopic analyses. Based on the time-dependent production profile and chemical structures of these derivatives, pathways for the conversion of cystothiazole A to the more polar derivatives of this antibiotic by C. fuscus are proposed.     

Synthesis of barbituric acid derivatives and their effect on survival of functional hepatocytes from adult rats in primary culture

Summary Ten barbituric acid (BA) derivatives were synthesized and tested for their potency for supporting survival of functional hepatocytes from adult rats in primary culture. Of the 10 BA derivatives, 7 compounds (C-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, and 10) efficiently supported hepatocyte survival for at least 2 wks in primary culture. Especially C-5, 6, and 9 showed excellent efficiency for such action. The optimum concentrations of the BA derivatives for observing the morphological and biochemical effects differed from each other. The maintenance of hepatocytes was attained only in the continuous presence of the BA derivatives in the medium. The morphologic features of hepatocytes surviving in the presence of the BA derivatives resembled those of hepatocytes 24 h after inoculation. The surviving hepatocytes secreted remarkably large amounts of albumin into the culture media. Tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) activity was higher in the 1-wk-old cultures treated with C-5, 6, and 9 than in the freshly isolated hepatocytes. The addition of dexamethasone (10 μM) caused a 1.7 to 2.1-fold induction in TAT activity. The basal levels of TAT activity and the induction rates increased in the cultures treated with C-5 and 6 from Week 1 to 2 of primary culture.     

Direct measurement of CAT activity by incubation of CAT-expressing cells in medium containing chloramphenicol

We describe a simple, flexible, rapid, sensitive and accurate in vivo assay of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) enzyme expressed in mammalian cells. The assay is based on the ability of the substrate and products of this enzyme reaction (viz. chloramphenicol and its acetylated derivatives) to equilibrate rapidly between the cells and the surrounding tissue culture medium. We find that chloramphenicol added to the culture medium readily enters the cells and becomes acetylated by the intracellular CAT enzyme. The acetyl derivatives leave the cell and appear rapidly in the culture medium. Due to the large excess of the extracellular compared to the intracellular fluid and due to rapid equilibration of chloramphenicol and its derivatives between them, we find that the bulk of the chloramphenicol and its acetyl derivatives are present in the culture medium at any given time point. Chloramphenicol and its acetylated products are extracted from the medium with ethyl acetate and resolved by thin layer chromatography giving an accurate measurement of the intracellular CAT activity. Sensitive and accurate quantitation of CAT activity in this assay is made possible by the addition of trace amounts of 14C-labeled chloramphenicol to the medium.     

Stability of single-stranded DNA plasmids during continuous culture of Bacillus subtilis, and the effects of host chemostat-experience

Abstract The stability of a selection of single-stranded DNA plasmids was compared in continuous culture of Bacillus subtilis 168-CU267. Plasmid pUB110 and its derivatives were found to be 100% stable in long-term cultures with carbon, nitrogen, potassium, sulfur or magnesium as limiting nutrients. In phosphate-limited culture, pUB110 showed only slight instability, but its derivatives pPL603, pPL608 and pSM112 were rapidly lost from the cultures after a lag of variable length during which no plasmid-free bacteria were detected. The proportion of plasmid-bearing bacteria in the culture sometimes showed temporary recovery prior to ultimate loss. Plasmids pHV33 and pC194 were lost rapidly without a preceding lag phase. Chemostat experience (800 generations in phosphate-limited continuous culture) of the host bacterium greatly enhanced the retention of pC194-carrying bacteria in phosphate-limited cultures, but effects on retention of the other plasmids were not significant.     

Atromentic acid from Clitocybe illudens

Atromentic acid was isolated from culture liquids of Clitocybe illudens. Identification, based on analyses and spectra of the compound and a number of new derivatives, was confirmed by direct comparison of its tetramethylated derivative with a synthetic sample. Products, giving a blueing reaction have been detected in the same culture liquids, and an as yet unidentified compound has been isolated in crystalline form as its methylation product, C₄₂H₃₆O₁₂. The presence of pulvinic acid derivatives in Basidiomycetes other than the Boletaceae has been reported in only one other instance.     

Biosynthesis of White Lupin Isoflavonoids from [U-C]l-Phenylalanine and Their Release into the Culture Medium

Pulse-labeling experiments of white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) cell cultures with [U-¹⁴C]l-phenylalanine for 72 h resulted in the incorporation of the radioactivity into the isoflavone aglucones, glucosides, and prenylated derivatives. Both the aglucones genistein and 2′-hydroxygenistein and their 7-O-glucosides accounted for 85% of the total isoflavonoids identified in the cultured cells and contained 35% of the radioactivity, whereas the prenylated derivatives comprised 15 and 65%, respectively. Almost 20% of the labeled isoflavones of the cellular pool was recovered from the culture medium, 90% of which were monoprenylated and diprenylated derivatives containing 80% of the radioactivity. These results clearly demonstrate the release into the culture medium of a substantial amount of the endogenously synthesized isoflavonoids, especially the prenylated derivatives.     

Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of xenoclauxin and desacetyl duclauxin fromPenicillium Duclauxii (delacroix)

The duclauxin derivatives xenoclauxin and desacetylduclauxin were examined for their effects on the growth of L-1210 murine leukemia cells, on the induction of DNA repair in the rat and mouse hepatocyte primary culture (HPC/DNA repair test), and on oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria from rat livers in comparison to duclauxin. Both derivatives inhibited the growth of L-1210 culture cells as strongly as duclauxin. Duclauxin derivatives were negative in the HPC/DNA repair test. Xenoclauxin exhibited a potent uncoupling effect accompanying a marked depression of state 3 respiration of mitochondria in a similar fashion to that of duclauxin. Desacetylduclauxin significantly inhibited the state 3 respiration without causing uncoupling of oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria. These results strongly suggest that xenoclauxin and desacetylduclauxin fromPenicillium duclauxii are not genotoxic but are cytotoxic mainly due to their potent inhibition of ATP synthesis in mitochondria.Abbreviations DNP 2,4-dinitrophenol - ETP electron transport particles - HPC hepatocyte primary culture cells - RC respiratory control - TdR thymine deoxyribonucleotide - UDS unscheduled DNA synthesis     

The native virulence plasmid combination affects the segregational stability of a theta-replicating shuttle vector in Bacillus anthracis var. New Hampshire

The segregational stability of a small, theta-replicating, non-mobilizable shuttle plasmid (pAEX-5E) was determined in fully virulent (pX01+/pX02+), partially cured (pX01+/pX02- and pX01-/pX02+) and fully cured (pX01-/pX02-) derivatives of Bacillus anthracis var. New Hampshire. Under the growth conditions used (L-broth, 37 degrees C, aerobic, batch culture), pAEX-5E remained segregationally stable in the pX01-/pX02+ and pX01-/pX02- derivatives for in excess of 100 culture generations, but was expelled from the pX01+/pX02+ and pX01+/pX02- derivatives (100% loss occurred after 101+/-3.8 and 54+/-6.0 culture generations, respectively). In the presence of antibiotic selection pressure to maintain pAEX-5E (5 microg erythromycin ml-1) no comparable loss of pX01 or pX02 was observed over 100 generations of growth in any of the derivatives of B. anthracis. Under these conditions the pX01+/pX02- derivative had an extended culture doubling time (td+/-S. E. of the mean) of 75.3 +/- 1.4 min compared with 47.3 +/- 1.1, 46.2 +/- 0.86 and 43.2 +/- 1.2 min for the pX01+/pX02+, pX01-/pX02+ and pX01-/pX02- derivatives, respectively. That antibiotic resistance was pAEX-5E-mediated was confirmed using a second antibiotic marker (kanamycin). After100 generations of growth in the presence of erythromycin, colonies were shown to have retained kanamycin resistance. Southern blot analysis, in conjunction with plasmid rescue to Escherichia coli confirmed that, after 100 culture generations in the presence of antibiotic selection pressure, pAEX-5E had remained structurally stable and had not integrated into the B. anthracis genome.     

Improved bacterial baby machine: application to Escherichia coli K-12.

Exponentially growing derivatives of Escherichia coli K-12 were immobilized onto the surfaces of nitrocellulose membrane filters which had been coated with poly-D-lysine. The cells attached firmly to the surfaces, and when flushed with culture medium, the immobilized cells continued to divide and newborn cells were released into the effluent. Cell cycle parameters were examined with the technique, and it was found that K-12 derivatives possessed differing values for interdivision times, C, D, and average cell sizes when grown in the same culture media. It was also found that the cells released from immobilized populations of one culture consisted of two predominant size classes: newborn cells of unit size with single nucleoids and newborn cells of double this unit size. The results demonstrated that K-12 derivatives can be used in the baby machine culture technique to examine all aspects of the cell cycle of this organism. Furthermore, the yield of newborn cells was about fivefold greater than that obtained previously with cultures of strain B/r immobilized onto uncoated membranes.     

TSAO Derivatives: Highly Specific Inhibitors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 (HIV-1) Replication

Abstract

TSAO derivatives represent a unique class of nucleosides that are specifically targeted at HIV-1 RT. This overview is focussed on the chemical synthesis, the conformational studies, the antiviral and metabolic properties of TSAO derivatives, as well as their mechanism of antiviral action and the molecular basis of the rapid selection of resistant HIV-1 strains that emerge in cell culture in the presence of TSAO derivatives.     

Antimicrobial activity of the synthesized non-allergenic urushiol derivatives

Synthesized urushiol derivatives possessing different carbon atomic length in the alkyl side chain inhibited the growth of food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms. Particularly, non-allergenic 3-pentylcatechol showed a broad antimicrobial spectrum on an agar plate. Most food spoilage and pathogenic microorganisms were sensitive to urushiol derivatives in the liquid culture. The morphologies of the microorganisms were changed after treatment of 3-pentylcatechol.     

The effect of oxidized cholesterol derivatives on the absorption and degradation of very low density beta-lipoproteins by human and rabbit hepatocytes

In our study the influence of oxidated cholesterol derivatives (7 alpha, 7 beta-oxicholesterol, 7-ketocholesterol, cholestene-3-one) on binding and degradation of beta-VLDL by human and rabbit hepatocytes was investigated. Cholesterol oxy derivatives inhibit the degradation of beta-VLDL in rabbit hepatocyte culture. There is no such effect with human hepatocytes. However beta-VLDL binding with human hepatocytes is significantly decreased under oxidated cholesterol derivatives influence.     

Purple-red Pigment Formed in Callus of Onosma paniculatum Bur.et French

The callus of Onosma paniculatum produced by young roots and stems with 2-staged culture method contains slightly higher contents of the purple-red pigment than the original plant. This pigment is a naphthoquinone compound consisting of six shikonin derivatives, whose Rf values are very close to those of shikonin derivatives in the intact root and stem. Four monomers of shikonin have been obtained with the columned chromatography of silica gel H from the callus. The Structure analysis shows that the shikonin derivatives are deoxyshikonin, β, β-dimethy- lacrylalkannin, acetylalkannin and β-acetoxyisovalerylalkannin.     

Design of new mononucleotide prodrugs: aryl (SATE) phosphotriester derivatives

Synthesis, biological activities and decomposition kinetics of novel phosphotriester derivatives of 3'-azido-2',3'-dideoxythymidine (AZT) bearing a S-tButyl-2-thioethyl (tBuSATE) group and L-tyrosinyl residues are reported. All the derivatives appeared to be potent inhibitors of HIV-1 replication in various cell culture experiments. The proposed decomposition process of these mixed phosphotriesters may involve successively an esterase and then a phosphodiesterase activation.     

10升气升环流式生物反应器培养紫草细胞

本文采用自行设计研制的10升气升环流式生物反应器培养紫草细胞,培养周期34d．前14d为细胞生长培养,细胞生长呈正常的S型曲线,细胞增长到原细胞接人量的4倍．后20d为紫草色素生产培养,细胞增长到32倍。整个周期每升培养液可生产紫草色素0．6g,在反应器中,培养液pH值的变化与细胞生长呈正相关,与紫草色素的形成呈负相关,pH值变化规律可用于监测紫草细胞在生物反应器的生长和色素形成．     

Fatty acid desaturation: effect of alphafetoprotein on alpha-linolenic acid conversion by fetal rat hepatocytes.

Freshly isolated fetal hepatocytes transformed 4.3, 8.5 and 19.2 pmol/min/10(6) cells of stearic, linoleic and alpha-linolenic acids, respectively, complexed to albumin or alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), to more unsaturated derivatives. Thus, fetal hepatocytes displayed high elongase and delta9, delta6, delta5-desaturase activities, as well as an ability to synthesize hexaene derivatives. Desaturase activities decreased when the time of culture of fetal hepatocytes (previous to incubation with the substrate) was prolonged, being practically undetectable after 24 h of culture. However, the rate of fatty acid uptake remained nearly constant. When AFP was used as the carrier the amount of hexaene fatty acid derivatives of alpha-linolenic acid recovered in cells was reduced up to 50% by albumin. This effect was associated with an increase of radioactivity found in the culture medium of hepatocytes incubated with AFP compared to albumin. Both observations taken together could be explained by an efflux of hexaene derivatives from cells caused by AFP.