Hidden stereospecificity in the biosynthesis of divinyl ether fatty acids

Incubations of [8(R)-2H]9(S)-hydroperoxy-10(E),12(Z)-octadecadienoic acid, [14(R)-2H]13(S)-hydroperoxy-9(Z),11(E)-octadecadienoic acid and [14(S)-2H]13(S)-hydroperoxy-9(Z),11(E)-octadecadienoic acid were performed with preparations of plant tissues containing divinyl ether synthases. In agreement with previous studies, generation of colneleic acid from the 8(R)-deuterated 9(S)-hydroperoxide was accompanied by loss of most of the deuterium label (retention, 8%), however, the opposite result (98% retention) was observed in the generation of 8(Z)-colneleic acid from the same hydroperoxide. Formation of etheroleic acid and 11(Z)-etheroleic acid from the 14(R)-deuterated 13(S)-hydroperoxide was accompanied by loss of most of the deuterium (retention, 7-8%), and, as expected, biosynthesis of these divinyl ethers from the corresponding 14(S)-deuterated hydroperoxide was accompanied by retention of deuterium (retention, 94-98%). Biosynthesis of omega5(Z)-etheroleic acid from the 14(R)- and 14(S)-deuterated 13(S)-hydroperoxides showed the opposite results, i.e. 98% retention and 4% retention, respectively. The experiments demonstrated that biosynthesis of divinyl ether fatty acids from linoleic acid 9- and 13-hydroperoxides takes place by a mechanism that involves stereospecific abstraction of one of the two hydrogen atoms alpha to the hydroperoxide carbon. Furthermore, a consistent relationship between the absolute configuration of the hydrogen atom eliminated (R or S) and the configuration of the introduced vinyl ether double bond (E or Z) emerged from these results. Thus, irrespective of which hydroperoxide regioisomer served as the substrate, divinyl ether synthases abstracting the pro-R hydrogen generated divinyl ethers having an E vinyl ether double bond, whereas enzymes abstracting the pro-S hydrogen produced divinyl ethers having a Z vinyl ether double bond.     

Branched Alkanes and Other Apolar Compounds Produced by the Cyanobacterium Microcoleus vaginatusfrom the Negev Desert

Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry on serially coupled capillary columns with different polarity of stationary phases showed that the soil cyanobacterium Microcoleus vaginatusfrom the Negev desert produces an unusual mixture of 4 normal and more than 60 branched alkanes, as well as a number of fatty acids, cyclic and unsaturated hydrocarbons, aldehydes, alcohols, and ketones. The dominant compounds were heptadecane (12%), 7-methylheptadecane (7.8%), hexadecanoic acid (6.5%), (Z)-9-hexadecenoic acid (5.6%), 4-ethyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylheptane (2.8%), (Z)-9-octadecenoic acid (2.8%), and 4-methyl-5-propylnonane (2.7%).     

(10E,12Z,15Z)-9-hydroxy-10,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid methyl ester as an anti-inflammatory compound from Ehretia dicksonii

The methanol extract of Ehretia dicksonii provided (10E, 12Z, 15Z)-9-hydroxy-10,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid methyl ester (1) which was isolated as an anti-inflammatory compound. Compound 1 suppressed 12-Otetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation on mouse ears at a dose of 500 microg (the inhibitory effect (IE) was 43%). Linolenic acid methyl ester did not inhibit this inflammation at the same dose. However, the related compounds of 1, (9Z,11E)-13hydroxy-9,11-octadecadienoic acid (5) and (9Z,llE)13-oxo-9,11-octadecadienoic acid (6), showed potent activity (IE500 microg of 63% and 79%, respectively). Compounds 1, 4 ((9Z, 12Z, 14E)-16-hydroxy-9,12,14-octadecatrienoic acid), 5 and 6 also showed inhibitory activity toward soybean lipoxygenase at a concentration of 10 microg/ml.     

蓍草化学成分研究

研究蓍草Achillea alpine L.全草的化学成分。采用大孔树脂、ODS、Sephadex LH-20凝胶柱色谱和pre-HPLC等方法分离与纯化,运用NMR、MS等波谱技术鉴定化合物结构。从蓍草95%乙醇提取物中分离得到16个化合物,分别是(2 E,4 E)-N-(2-methylbutyl)deca-2,4-dienamide(1)、墙草碱(2)、(E,E,Z)-2,4,8-decatrienoicacid isobutylamide-8,9-dehydropellitorine(3)、N-2′-methylbutyl-(E,E)-2,4-decadienam(4)、methyl-(E,E)-2,4,9-oxooctadeca-10,12-dienoate(5)、(S)-14-(E,E)-10,12-methyl 14-hydroxy-9-oxo-octadeca-10,12-dienoate(6)、(E,E)-2,4-undecadiene-8,10-diynamide-N-(2-methylpropyl)(7)、(E,E)-2,4-decadienoic acid p-hydroxyphenethylamide(8)、sinapyl alcohol diisovalerate(9)、(S)-13-hydroxyoctadeca-(Z,E)-9,11-dienoic acid(10)、(E,E)-2,4-decadienamide acid p-methoxyphenethylamide(11)、erythro-N-isobutyl-4,5-dihydroxy-2-(E)-decenamide(12)、3-O-阿魏酰-奎宁酸(13)、肉桂酸(14)、绿原酸(15)、3-O-咖啡酰-5-O-阿魏酰奎宁酸(16)。化合物1是一个新的酰胺类化合物;化合物4~6、9、10、12、13、16为首次从该属植物中分离得到;化合物8、11为首次从蓍草中分离得到。化合物1~11在四种不同的胃癌细胞株上进行细胞毒活性筛选,结果显示化合物2、5与9在50μM时对MGC-803细胞株具有较弱抑制活性,其抑制率依次为38.7%、34.7%、31.5%。     

绿槽枝衣的化学成分

从地衣绿槽枝衣( Sulcaria virens) 中分离得到一个新的亚油酸异丙叉衍生物, 通过波谱学方法包括2D-NMR 确定其化学结构为: 9, 10-O-异丙叉基- (12 Z)-十八碳烯酸(1) 。同时还得到其它12 个已知化合物:( 9 Z, 12 Z )-十八碳二烯酸(2), 扁枝衣二酸(3), ( R ) -松萝酸(4), 枕酸甲酯( 5), 黑茶渍素(6) , virensic acid ( 7), abieslactone (8), 3α-羟基羊毛甾-7, 24-二烯-26, 23 R-内酯(9), 蒲公英赛醇(10 ), 蒲公英赛酮 ( 11 ), (22 E , 24 R )-5α, 8α-过氧麦角甾-6, 22-二烯-3β-醇(12) 和2, 2′-四氢角鲨烯(13)。     

Marine natural products from the Turkish sponge Agelas oroides that inhibit the enoyl reductases from Plasmodium falciparum, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Escherichia coli

The type II fatty acid pathway (FAS-II) is a validated target for antimicrobial drug discovery. An activity-guided isolation procedure based on Plasmodium falciparum enoyl-ACP reductase (PfFabI) enzyme inhibition assay on the n-hexane-, the CHCl(3-) and the aq MeOH extracts of the Turkish marine sponge Agelas oroides yielded six pure metabolites [24-ethyl-cholest-5alpha-7-en-3-beta-ol (1), 4,5-dibromopyrrole-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester (2), 4,5-dibromopyrrole-2-carboxylic acid (3), (E)-oroidin (4), 3-amino-1-(2-aminoimidazoyl)-prop-1-ene (5), taurine (6)] and some minor, complex fatty acid mixtures (FAMA-FAMG). FAMA, consisting of a 1:2 mixture of (5Z,9Z)-5,9-tricosadienoic (7) and (5Z,9Z)-5,9-tetracosadienoic (8) acids, and FAMB composed of 8, (5Z,9Z)-5,9-pentacosadienoic (9) and (5Z,9Z)-5,9-hexacosadienoic (10) acids in approximately 3:3:2 ratio were the most active PfFabI inhibitory principles of the hexane extract (IC(50) values 0.35 microg/ml). (E)-Oroidin isolated as free base (4a) was identified as the active component of the CHCl(3) extract. Compound 4a was a more potent PfFabI inhibitor (IC(50) 0.30 microg/ml=0.77 microM) than the (E)-oroidin TFA salt (4b), the active and major component of the aq MeOH extract (IC(50) 5.0 microg/ml). Enzyme kinetic studies showed 4a to be an uncompetitive PfFabI inhibitor (K(i): 0.4+/-0.2 and 0.8+/-0.2 microM with respect to substrate and cofactor). In addition, FAMA and FAMD (mainly consisting of methyl-branched fatty acids) inhibited FabI of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MtFabI, IC(50)s 9.4 and 8.2 microg/ml, respectively) and Escherichia coli (EcFabI, IC(50)s 0.5 and 0.07 microg/ml, respectively). The majority of the compounds exhibited in vitro antiplasmodial, as well as trypanocidal and leishmanicidal activities without cytotoxicity towards mammalian cells. This study represents the first marine metabolites that inhibit FabI, a clinically relevant enzyme target from the FAS-II pathway of several pathogenic microorganisms.     

Synthesis and structural identification of four dihydroxy acids and 11,12-leukotriene C4 derived from 11,12-leukotriene A4

Using a partially purified 12-lipoxygenase from porcine leukocytes, (5Z,8Z,10E,14Z)-12-hydroperoxy-5,8,10,14-icosate traenoic acid was synthesized from arachidonic acid with a yield of over 35%. The absolute configuration of C-12 was determined as S by chiral-phase column chromatography. It was chemically converted to at least three epoxides with the conjugated triene structure. Two were identified by proton NMR and mass spectrometry to be (5Z,7E,9E,14Z)-(11S,12S)-11,12-oxido-5,7,9,14-ic osatetraenoic acid (11,12-leukotriene A4) and (5Z,7Z,9E,14Z)-(11S,12S)-11,12-oxido-5,7,9,14-ic osatetraenoic acid (7-cis-11,12-leukotriene A4). 11,12-Leukotriene A4 underwent acid hydrolysis to yield two diastereomers of (6E,8E,10E,14Z)-(12S)-5,12-dihydroxy-6,8,10,14-i cosatetraenoic acid and two isomers of (14Z)-(12S)-11,12-dihydroxy-5,7,9,14-icosatetraenoic acid. Upon incubation with rat liver glutathione S-transferase, 11,12-leukotriene A4 was converted to 11,12-leukotriene C4, a spasmogenic compound.     

黑蛞蝓化学成分研究(Ⅱ)

为研究中药材黑蛞蝓(Agriolimax agrestis)的化学成分及其化合物的α-糖苷酶抑制活性,本研究采用Sephadex LH-20、硅胶、Chromatorex C₁₈等柱色谱对黑蛞蝓正己烷提取物进行化学成分离纯化,通过NMR波谱数据与文献对比分析鉴定化合物结构。从黑蛞蝓正己烷提取物中共分离得到15个化合物,分别鉴定为苯乙醇(1)、十六烷酸(2)、(Z) 9-octadecenoic acid(3)、1-(2-hydroxyethoxy)ethyl (E)-octadec-9-enoate(4)、二十七烷(5)、dodecyl (Z)-9-hexadecenoate(6)、cis,cis-diunsaturated α-meromycolic acid(7)、1,2,3-propanetriyl (9Z,9′Z,9″Z)tris(-9-octadecenoate)(8)、胆固醇(9)、7-酮基胆固醇(10)、胆甾-5-烯-3β,7α二醇(11)、胆甾-5-烯-3β,7β二醇(12)、胆甾醇肉豆蔻酸酯(13)、胆甾醇基十七酸酯(14)、熊果酸(15)。除化...     

Enantioselective formation of (R)-9-HPODE and (R)-9-HPOTrE in marine green alga Ulva conglobata

When linoleic and linolenic acid were incubated with a crude enzyme of marine green alga Ulva conglobata, the corresponding (R)-9-hydroperoxy-(10E, 12Z)-10, 12-octadecadienoic acid [(R)-9-HPODE] and (R)-9-hydroperoxy-(10E, 12Z, 15Z)-10, 12, 15-octadecatrienoic acid [(R)-9-HPOTrE] were formed with a high enantiomeric excess (>99%), respectively.     

First total synthesis of (5Z,9Z)-(+/-)-2-methoxy-5,9-octadecadienoic acid, a marine derived methoxylated analog of taxoleic acid

The first total synthesis for the sponge derived (5Z,9Z)-(+/-)-2-methoxy-5,9-octadecadienoic acid, an analog of taxoleic acid, was accomplished in seven steps and in a 10% overall yield. It was again corroborated that the best strategy to prepare these cis,cis dimethylene interrupted double bonds is the double-alkyne bromide coupling reaction of 1,5-hexadiyne, which provides the advantage of achieving a 100% cis stereochemical purity for both double bonds after hydrogenation under Lindlar conditions. The alpha-methoxy functionality was best prepared via the Mukaiyama reaction of (4Z,8Z)-heptadecadienal with trimethylsilyl cyanide and triethylamine followed by acid hydrolysis. Selective methylation of the hydroxyl group of (5Z,9Z)-(+/-)-2-hydroxy-5,9-octadecadienoic acid was achieved with sodium hydride/methyl iodide when tetrahydrofuran was used as solvent. Complete spectral data is presented, for the first time, for this unusual marine alpha-methoxylated fatty acid.     

Identification of a component that induces flowering of Lemna among the reaction products of alpha-ketol linolenic acid (FIF) and norepinephrine.

A stress-induced fatty acid [FIF; 9-hydroxy-10-oxo-12(Z),15(Z)-octadecadienoic acid] incubated with (-)-norepinephrine (NE) strongly induces flower formation in Lemna paucicostata [Yokoyama et al. (2000), Plant Cell Physiol. 41: 110). The increase of flower-inducing activity was well correlated with the decrease in FIF in the incubation mixture, and the reaction proceeded rapidly at higher pH. We detected small amounts of many active components in the mixture after incubation by HPLC analysis. In this study, two major components, named FN1 and FN2, of the reaction mixture were isolated, and their absolute stereostructures were determined. FN1 showed a strong flower-inducing activity and was identified as a tricyclic alpha-ketol fatty acid, 9(R)-11-[(2'R,8'R,10'S,11'S)-2',8'-dihydroxy-7'-oxo-11'-[(Z)-2-pentenyl]-9'-oxa-4'-azatricyclo[6.3.1.0(1.5)]dodec- 5'en-10'-yl]-9-hydroxy-10-oxoundecanoic acid [corrected]. FN2, the C-9 epimer of FN1, showed no flower-inducing activity. The absolute stereostructure of FIF was also determined by a modification of Mosher's method. The 9-hydroxyl group was found to be predominantly 9R, with an enantiomeric excess of 40% (70% 9R and 30% 9S). FN1 was derived from 9R-type FIF and FN2 from 9S-type FIF. Various catecholamines and related substances were investigated for the ability to develop flower-inducing activity upon incubation with FIF. The essential structures were catechol and ethylamine groups (dopamine).     

Human CYP4F3s are the main catalysts in the oxidation of fatty acid epoxides

CYP4F isoforms are involved in the oxidation of important cellular mediators such as leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and prostaglandins. The proinflammatory agent LTB4 and cytotoxic leukotoxins have been associated with several inflammatory diseases. We present evidence that the hydroxylation of Z 9(10)-epoxyoctadecanoic, Z 9(10)-epoxyoctadec-Z 12-enoic, and Z 12(13)-epoxyoctadec-Z 9-enoic acids and that of monoepoxides from arachidonic acid [epoxyeicosatrienoic acid (EET)] is important in the regulation of leukotoxin and EET activity. These three epoxidized derivatives from the C18 family (C18-epoxides) were converted to 18-hydroxy-C18-epoxides by human hepatic microsomes with apparent Km values of between 27.6 and 175 microM. Among recombinant P450 enzymes, CYP4F2 and CYP4F3B catalyzed mainly the omega-hydroxylation of C18-epoxides with an apparent Vmax of between 0.84 and 15.0 min(-1), whereas the apparent Vmax displayed by CYP4F3A, the isoform found in leukocytes, ranged from 3.0 to 21.2 min(-1). The rate of omega-hydroxylation by CYP4A11 was experimentally found to be between 0.3 and 2.7 min(-1). CYP4F2 and CYP4F3 exhibited preferences for omega-hydroxylation of Z 8(9)-EET, whereas human liver microsomes preferred Z 11(12)-EET and, to a lesser extent, Z 8(9)-EET. Moreover, vicinal diol from both C18-epoxides and EETs were omega-hydroxylated by liver microsomes and by CYP4F2 and CYP4F3. These data support the hypothesis that the human CYP4F subfamily is involved in the omega-hydroxylation of fatty acid epoxides. These findings demonstrate that another pathway besides conversion to vicinal diol or chain shortening by beta-oxidation exists for fatty acid epoxide inactivation.     

Fatty acid composition of seeds of Satureja thymbra and S. cuneifolia

The chemical composition of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) from seeds of S. thymbra and S. cuneifolia were analyzed by GC/MS. 7 FAMEs were identified from the seeds of S. thymbra mainly as 9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester (43.9%), hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (11.4%), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid methyl ester (Z,Z,Z) (30.2%), and octadecanoic acid methyl ester (14.1%), while from the seed of S. cuneifolia 10 FAMEs were obtained with the main components, similar to S. thymbra. These were identified as 9-octadecenoic acid methyl ester (10.1%), hexadecanoic acid methyl ester (methyl palmitate, 34.6%), 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid methyl ester (Z,Z,Z) (6.3%) and octadecanoic acid methyl ester (1.8%).     

alpha-oxidation of fatty acids in higher plants. Identification of a pathogen-inducible oxygenase (piox) as an alpha-dioxygenase and biosynthesis of 2-hydroperoxylinolenic acid.

A pathogen-inducible oxygenase in tobacco leaves and a homologous enzyme from Arabidopsis were recently characterized (Sanz, A., Moreno, J. I., and Castresana, C. (1998) Plant Cell 10, 1523-1537). Linolenic acid incubated at 23 degrees C with preparations containing the recombinant enzymes underwent alpha-oxidation with the formation of a chain-shortened aldehyde, i.e., 8(Z),11(Z), 14(Z)-heptadecatrienal (83%), an alpha-hydroxy acid, 2(R)-hydroxy-9(Z),12(Z),15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid (15%), and a chain-shortened fatty acid, 8(Z),11(Z),14(Z)-heptadecatrienoic acid (2%). When incubations were performed at 0 degrees C, 2(R)-hydroperoxy-9(Z),12(Z),15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid was obtained as the main product. An intermediary role of 2(R)-hydroperoxy-9(Z), 12(Z),15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid in alpha-oxidation was demonstrated by re-incubation experiments, in which the hydroperoxide was converted into the same alpha-oxidation products as those formed from linolenic acid. 2(R)-Hydroperoxy-9(Z),12(Z), 15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid was chemically unstable and had a half-life time in buffer of about 30 min at 23 degrees C. Extracts of cells expressing the recombinant oxygenases accelerated breakdown of the hydroperoxide (half-life time, about 3 min at 23 degrees C), however, this was not attributable to the recombinant enzymes since the same rate of hydroperoxide degradation was observed in the presence of control cells not expressing the enzymes. No significant discrimination between enantiomers was observed in the degradation of 2(R,S)-hydroperoxy-9(Z)-octadecenoic acid in the presence of recombinant oxygenases. A previously studied system for alpha-oxidation in cucumber was re-examined using the newly developed techniques and was found to catalyze the same conversions as those observed with the recombinant enzymes, i.e. enzymatic alpha-dioxygenation of fatty acids into 2(R)-hydroperoxides and a first order, non-stereoselective degradation of hydroperoxides into alpha-oxidation products. It was concluded that the recombinant enzymes from tobacco and Arabidopsis were both alpha-dioxygenases, and that members of this new class of enzymes catalyze the first step of alpha-oxidation in plant tissue.     

美花圆叶筋骨草化学成分研究

研究美花圆叶筋骨草Ajuga ovalifolia var.calantha的化学成分和生物活性。实验采用硅胶柱色谱、SephadexLH-20凝胶柱色谱、ODS柱色谱和半制备型高效液相色谱等分离纯化方法,从美花圆叶筋骨草全草70%丙酮提取物乙酸乙酯部位中分离得到了12个化合物,根据波谱学数据进行结构鉴定为:2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)-phenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside(1)、oct-1-en-3-yl-β-glucopyranoside(2)、异地黄苷(3)、20-羟基蜕皮素-20,22-单丙酮化合物(4)、n-辛基-β-D-吡喃葡萄糖苷(5)、(2S)-3-O-octadeca-9Z,12Z,15Z-trienoylglyceryl-O-β-D-galactopyranoside(6)、地黄苷(7)、乙酰哈巴苷(8)、水龙骨素B(9)、香草乙酮(10)、筋骨草内酯(11)、α-(9Z,12′Z,15′Z)-octadecatrienoicacidmonoglyceride(12),其中化合物1~6、8、12为首次从该属植物中分离得到,化合物1~9、11~12为首次从美花圆叶筋骨草中分离得到。运用脂多糖(LPS)诱导的小鼠巨噬细胞RAW264.7生成NO的细胞模型对化合物3、4、7、9、11进行抗炎活性筛选和磷酸甘油酸脱氢酶(PHGDH)活性测定。所筛化合物均无抗炎活性,化合物7对PHGDH具有一定的抑制作用。     

Allene oxide cyclase: a new enzyme in plant lipid metabolism

The mechanism of the biosynthesis of 12-oxo-10,15(Z)-phytodienoic acid (12-oxo-PDA) from 13(S)-hydroperoxy-9(Z),11(E),15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid in preparations of corn (Zea mays L.) was studied. In the initial reaction the hydroperoxide was converted into an unstable allene oxide, 12,13(S)-epoxy-9(Z),11,15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid, by action of a particle-bound hydroperoxide dehydrase. A new enzyme, allene oxide cyclase, catalyzed subsequent cyclization of allene oxide into 9(S),13(S)-12-oxo-PDA. In addition, because of its chemical instability, the allene oxide underwent competing nonenzymatic reactions such as hydrolysis into alpha- and gamma-ketol derivatives as well as spontaneous cyclization into racemic 12-oxo-PDA. (+/-)-cis-12,13-Epoxy-9(Z)-octadecenoic acid and (+/-)-cis-12,13-epoxy-9(Z),15(Z)-octadecadienoic acid, in which the epoxy group was located in the same position as in the allene oxide substrate, served as potent inhibitors of corn allene oxide cyclase. On the other hand, the isomeric (+/-)-cis-9,10-epoxy-12(Z)-octadecenoic acid had little inhibitory effect. Allene oxide cyclase was present in the soluble fraction of corn homogenate and had a molecular weight of about 45,000 as judged by gel filtration. The enzyme activity was detected in several plant tissues, the highest levels being observed in potato tubers and in leaves of spinach and white cabbage.     

Mechanistic characterization of omega-3 desaturation in the green alga Chlorella vulgaris

alpha-Linolenic acid (ALA, 9(Z),12(Z),15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid) derivatives are important plant lipids which play a critical key role in cold tolerance. The final steps of ALA biosynthesis feature a series of regio- and stereoselective dehydrogenation reactions which are catalyzed by a set of enzymes known as fatty acid desaturases. In conjunction with ongoing research into the structural biology of these remarkable catalysts, we have examined the mechanism of double bond introduction at C15,16 as it occurs in a model photosynthetic organism, Chlorella vulgaris. The individual deuterium kinetic isotope effects associated with the C-H bond cleavages at C-15 and C-16 of a thialinoleoyl analogue were measured via competition experiments using appropriately deuterium-labelled 7-thia substrates. A large kinetic isotope effect (KIE) (k(H)/k(D)=10.2+/-2.8) was observed for the C-H bond-breaking step at C-15 while the C-H bond cleavage at C-16 was found to be relatively insensitive to deuterium substitution (k(H)/k(D)=0.8+/-0.2). These results point to C-15 as the site of initial oxidation in omega-3 desaturation and imply that the Chlorella and corresponding plant systems share a common active site architecture.     

Biosynthetic intermediates and stereochemical aspects of aldehyde biosynthesis in the marine diatom Thalassiosira rotula

Intermediates of the aldehyde biosynthesis in Thalassiosira rotula are investigated. Use of labeled precursors and cell preparations proves production of 2E,4Z-octadienal from 6Z,9Z,12Z-hexadecatrienoic acid (C16:3 omega-4) through the lipoxygenase-dependent intermediate (9S)-9-hydroperoxyhexadeca-6,10,12-trienoic acid. On the contrary, synthesis of 2E,4Z,7Z-decatrienal involves mainly EPA (C20:5 omega-3) by a 11R-lipoxygenase, as suggested by identification of chiral 11R-HEPE (12% e.e.) in the diatom extracts. Consistently with the necessity to have a rapid transport and metabolization of the intermediate hydroperoxides, we show that lipoxygenase and lyase activities are both found in the same subcellular fraction of the microalga.     

Isolation and characterization of an ω3-desaturation-defective mutant of an arachidonic acid-producing fungus,Mortierella alpina 1S-4

A mutant considered to be defective in the conversion of n-6 to n-3 fatty acids (3-desaturation) was derived from a 5-desaturation-defective mutant (Mut44) of Mortierella alpina 1S-4, after treating its spores with N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine. This mutant cannot produce 8(Z),11(Z),14(Z),17(Z)-eicosatetraenoic acid or any other n-3 fatty acids, of which about 10% was found in its parental strain upon cultivation at 12°C. The mutant's growth rate was comparable to that of the parental strain when grown at 28°C, but it became much slower when the mutant grew at 12°C, at which the lag phase for Mut44 was about 2 d but 5 d for the mutant.Abbreviations 18:33 9(Z),12(Z),15(Z)-octadecatrienoic acid - 18:43 6(Z),9(Z),12(Z),15(Z)-octadecatetraenoic acid - 20:43 8(Z),11(Z),14(Z),17(Z)-eicosatetraenoic acid - AA arachidonic acid - DHGA dihomo--linolenic acid - EPA 5(Z),8(Z),11(Z),14(Z),17(Z)-eicosapentaenoic acid - GLC gas-liquid chromatography - MNNG N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine - PC phosphatidylcholine     

The venomous secrets of the web droplets from the viscid spiral of the orb-weaver spider Nephila clavipes (Araneae, Tetragnatidae)

The capture web of N. clavipes presents viscous droplets, which play important roles in web mechanics and prey capture. By using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, it was demonstrated that the web droplets are constituted of different chemical environments, provided by the existence both of an aqueous and a lipid layer, which, in turn, present a suspension of tenths of vesicles containing polypeptides and/or lipids. GC/EI-MS Analysis of the contents of these vesicles led to the identification of some saturated fatty acids, such as decanoic acid, undecanoic acid, dodecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, octadecanoic acid, and icosanoic acid, while other components were unsaturated fatty acids, such as (Z)-tetradec-9-enoic acid, (Z)-octadec-9-enoic acid, and (Z)-icosa-11-enoic acid; and polyunsaturated fatty acids like (9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoic acid, (9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-9,12,15-trienoic acid, and (11Z,14Z)-icosa-11,14-dienoic acid. Toxic proteins such as calcium-activated proteinase and metalloproteinase jararhagin-like precursor were also identified by using a proteomic approach, indicating the possible involvement of these enzymes in the pre-digestion of spiders' preys web-captured. Apparently, the mixture of fatty acids are relatively toxic to insects by topical application (LD50 64.3+/-7.6 ng mg(-1) honeybee), while the proteins alone present no topical effect; however, when injected into the prey-insects, these proteins presented a moderate toxicity (LD50 40.3+/-4.8 ng mg(-1) honeybee); the mixture of fatty acids and proteins is very toxic to the preys captured by the web droplets of the viscid spiral of Nephila clavipes when topically applied on them (LD50 14.3+/-1.8 ng mg(-1) honeybee).