Bacterial Synthesis of Nucleotides

The synthesis of inosinic acid from inosine and p-nitrophenylphosphate by the partially purified enzyme, nucleoside phosphotransferase, prepared from Escherichia coli (B-25) is described.

The results presented in this paper represent that the nucleotide, inosinic acid, synthesized by the nucleoside phosphotransferase of E. coli, used as an example of bacterial enzymes, is not always 5′-isomer and that most of inosinic acid synthesized are 3′(& 2′)-isomer, together with a small amount of 5′-isomer. It was pointed out that cupric ion accelerated both the synthesis of inosinic acid and the liberation of p-nitrophenol, and that the nucleoside phosphotransferase and the phosphatase may be different from each other.     

Production of Nucleic Acid-Related Substances by Fermentative Processes

The inhibitory effects of 20 compounds including purine analogues on the growth of Micrococcus glutamicus No. 534–348, an inosinic acid-producing adenine-auxotroph, and No. 534, a prototrophic strain, were investigated.

A number of strains resistant to each of 6-merca ptoguanine, 6-thioguanine, 8-azaguanine, mitomycin C and sulfanilamide were induced from strain No. 534–348, and their inosinic acid productivities were compared with their parent strain. Among them, MGR-25, α 6-mercaptoguanine-resistant strain, accumulated more inosinic acid than its parent strain. Furthermore, the strain MGR-25 was differentiated in its morphology, frequency of spontaneous reversion to prototrophic type in adenine-deficient medium, and the effectiveness of hypoxanthine to increase the inosinic acid accumulation.     

Enzymes of the inosinic crossing point in human lymphocytes

At the "inosinic branch point", inosinic acid (IMP) can be channelled either to guanylic acid (GMP) or to adenylic acid (AMP). The 4 enzymes involved in these processes are IMP-dehydrogenase (IMP-DH) and GMP synthetase for the formation of GMP and adenylosuccinate (AMP-S) synthetase and lyase for the formation of AMP. The Authors study the behavior of these enzymes in peripheral blood lymphocytes from normal and leukemic patients. The cells were isolated as previously reported. GMP synthetase was assayed with radiochemical method, IMP-DH and AMP-S synthetase with a radiochemical method coupled to HPLC, while AMP-S lyase was determined following the formation of AMP separated by AMP-S by HPLC, without using labelled precursors. Except for GMP synthetase, which was very low, no activity was detectable in normal lymphocytes; while AMP-S was absent also in leukemic cells, the remaining three activities were well evident. The results open the possibility of using the inosinic branch point enzymes as tumor markers.     

Letter: The tautomeric form of inosine in aqueous solution

It is shown that the difference in the aromaticity between the keto and enol form of inosine is manifest in the magnitude of the base proton chemical shifts. Using this information it is shown that, in aqueous solution at biological pH, at least 85% of inosine is populated in the keto form. Hence it is suggested that the base-pairing between inosinic acid and uridylic acid, which occurs in some codon-anticodon interactions, may involve the keto form of inosinic acid and that the required geometry for such an interaction is achieved by “wobble”.     

Comparative aspects of adenylic acid deaminase and aspartate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase.

1. The content of adenylic acid deaminase and of aspartate-2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase of skeletal muscle tissue from a variety of animals has been determined. 2. White (fast) muscle contained large amounts of adenylic acid deaminase and red (slow) muscle contained large amounts of aspartate aminotransferase. There was a general inverse relationship between the adenylic acid deaminase and the aspartate aminotransferase content of muscles from various vertebrates. Thus, there is no simple correlation between the capacity to produce inosinic acid and ammonia from adenylic acid and the capacity to catalyse the formation of aspartate for conversion of inosinic acid back to adenylic acid. 3. The absence of adenylic acid deaminase from the tail muscles of the yabbie and other invertebrates indicates a marked difference in the Animal Kingdom.     

Lactic acid bacteria of meat and meat products

When the growth of aerobic spoilage bacteria is inhibited, lactic acid bacteria may become the dominant component of the microbial flora of meats. This occurs with cured meats and with meats packaged in films of low gas permeability. The presence of a flora of psychrotrophic lactic acid bacteria on vacuum-packaged fresh chilled meats usually ensures that shelf-life is maximal. When these organisms spoil meats it is generally by causing souring, however other specific types of spoilage do occur. Some strains cause slime formation and greening of cured meats, and others may produce hydrogen sulphide during growth on vacuum-packaged beef. The safety and stability of fermented sausages depends upon fermentation caused by lactic acid bacteria. Overall the presence on meats of lactic acid bacteria is more desirable than that of the types of bacteria they have replaced.     

Guanine salvage by organ cultures of mouse tooth germs

The effect of mycophenolic acid (MPA) which inhibits the biosynthesis of guanosine monophosphate (GMP) in organ cultures of mouse tooth germs can be partially counteracted by adding guanine to the MPA cultures. This may be due to salvaging guanine by the enzyme hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyl transferase (HGPRT), or to competition for a common membrane carrier involved in mediated transport of both guanine and hypoxanthine in normal biosynthesis and also of MPA. Experiments were carried out to compare the effect of either hypoxanthine or guanine on the MPA-caused inhibition. While addition of guanine to the MPA cultures (MPAG) supports growth equal to controls and development of dental-enamel junction (DEJ) to a level intermediate between control and MPA the addition of hypoxanthine (MPAHX) supports growth and DEJ development not better than MPA. This indicates that guanine is salvaged by HGPRT to GMP while hypoxanthine, salvaged to inosinic acid (inosinic monophosphate, IMP) is ineffective because the MPA inhibition is on the pathway from IMP to GMP.     

A catabolic pathway for the degradation of chrysene by Pseudoxanthomonas sp. PNK-04

The chrysene-degrading bacterium Pseudoxanthomonas sp. PNK-04 was isolated from a coal sample. Three novel metabolites, hydroxyphenanthroic acid, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid and salicylic acid, were identified by TLC, HPLC and MS. Key enzyme activities, namely 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoate hydroxylase, 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene dioxygenase, salicylaldehyde dehydrogenase and catechol-1,2-dioxygenase, were noted in the cell-free extract. These results suggest that chrysene is catabolized via hydroxyphenanthroic acid, 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid, salicylic acid and catechol. The terminal aromatic metabolite, catechol, is then catabolized by catechol-1,2-dioxygenase to cis,cis-muconic acid, ultimately forming TCA cycle intermediates. Based on these studies, the proposed catabolic pathway for chrysene degradation by strain PNK-04 is chrysene → hydroxyphenanthroic acid → 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid → 1,2-dihydroxynaphthalene → salicylic acid → catechol →cis,cis-muconic acid.     

Some structural features of a new sulphated heteropolysaccharide from Padina pavonia

An acid-extractable, water-soluble, polysaccharide sulphate, isolated from Padina pavonia, comprised variable proportions of glucuronic acid, galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose, and fucose in addition to a protein moiety. Partial acid hydrolysis and autohydrolysis of the free acid polysaccharide yielded several oligosaccharides. Evidence from periodate oxidation studies indicated that the inner polysaccharide portion is composed of (1 → 4)-linked β-D-glucuronic acid, (1 → 4)-linked β-D-mannose and (1 → 4)-linked β-D-glucose residues. The heteropolymeric partially sulphated exterior portion is attached to the inner part and comprises various ratios of (1 → 4)-linked β-D-galactose, β-D-galactose-3-sulphate residues, (1 → 4)-linked β-D-glucose residues, (1 → 2)-linked α-L-fucose 4-sulphate residues and (1 → 3)-linked β-D-xylose residues.     

Partial characterization of ribonuclease (RNase) activity from the isolated and solubilized brush border of Hymenolepis diminuta

The isolated brush border membrane of Hymenolepis diminuta contained ribonuclease (RNase) activity which was demonstrable using yeast RNA or synthetic homopolymers of adenylic, cytidylic, inosinic, or uridylic acids as substrates. Polyguanylic acid was not hydrolyzed by worm RNase. RNase activity was inhibited by EDTA and divalent cations as well as sulfhydryl blocking and reducing agents. Polyguanylic acid and DNA were also inhibitors of RNase activity; these compounds were not hydrolyzed, but inhibited the hydrolysis of other substrates, possibly by nonproductive substrate binding. Data suggested that RNase (endonuclease) was probably the major enzyme activity in the degradation of long chain polyribonucleotides at the work's surface, while phosphodiesterase (exonuclease) activity did not contribute significantly to the hydrolysis of these compounds.     

Effect of testosterone on purine synthesis de novo in rat perineal muscle in vivo

We examined in vivo the influence of testosterone on purine synthetis de nov, in the levator ani and gastrocnemius muscles of the rat. The hypoxanthine, adenine and guanine contents and the rate of incorporation of [¹⁴C]formate into these purine bases were determined in castrated adult and prepubertal rats (groups 1 and 2) both before and after orchiectomy and, in the second case, at different times after testosterone treatment. Substantially similar behavior was found in both groups, with some specific differences. The results showed an increase in the basal levels after castration (except for a dramatic decrease in adenine and a rise in the Gua/Ade molar ratio in prepubertal rats) and a return to basal levels after hormone administration, which was also accompanied by variations in the Gua/Ade molar ratio. The kinetics of purine nucleotide synthesis de novo and, spefically, of the overall reactions: IMP formation from PRib-PP, IMP → AMP and IMP → GMP, were followed by evaluating the incorporation curves of [¹⁴C]formate into hypoxanthine, adenine and guanine. Our results show that testosterone administration enhanced the incorporation rate and gave characteristic patterns: a diphasic cyclic oscillation of the Ade values in adult castrated rats, and single peaks having a specific shape in the other cases. The Gua/Ade labeling ratio was unchaned in castrated rats and increased in both groups during ther first 5 days after testosterone treatment, after which values even fell below normal; in most cases, values overlapped the pattern of the Gua/Ade molar ratio. The specific profile of the curves indicated that testosterone initially accelerated the turnover of guanylic acid and in the second phase re-established the normal behavior and ratio of AMP and GMP formation. These results indicate that the ‘inosinic branch point’ was subject to regulation by testosterone. The profiles of the incorporation curves and of the Gua/Ade ratio were indicative of a primary and secondary response to hormone action.     

The regulation of purine ribonucleotide biosynthesis by glucocorticoid hormones

The influence of the glucocorticoid hormones (cortisone, cortisol, corticosterone) on the biosynthesis of purine nucleotides (inosinic acid, guanylic acid and adenylic acid) in different organs was investigated in vivo, by following the incorporation of formate-14C into the acid-soluble nucleotides, after administration of the hormones to adrenalectomized rats. Cortisone and corticosterone show a remarkable and comparable increase of the incorporation of formate-14C only in the purine bases of the liver: cortisol is much more effective, increasing the incorporation of formate-14C into the purine bases even ten times over the basal values. No specific effect is evident either in the kidney or in the heart after glucocorticoid administration. Results are interpreted considering that the action of an individual hormone is specifically restricted to the purine nucleotide synthesis in the liver, and that cortisol seems to be the most efficient from this point of view.     

Narcissiflorine,narcissiflorinine and narcissifloridine,three triterpene saponins from Anemone narcissiflora

Narcissiflorine, narcissiflorinine and narcissifloridine, three new saponins, have been isolated from the ethanolic extract of Anemone narcissiflora (Ranunculaceae). The structural elucidation of narcissiflorine, narcissiflorinine and narcissifloridine has showed them to be [α-l-arabinofuranosyl-(1 → 4)-β-d-glucuronopyranosyl-(1→3)]- 3β-hydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid, [α,-l-arabinofuranosyl-(1→2)-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-d- glucuronypyranosyl(1→3)]-3-β-hydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid and [α-l-arabinofuranosyl-(1→2)-α-l- rhamnopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-d-glucopyranosyl-(1→3)]-3-β-hydroxy-olean-12-en-28-oic acid, respectively.     

A comparative in vitro investigation into the effects of cooked meats on the human faecal microbiota

Protein fermentation is one of the important microbial activities in the human colon. Meat foods rich in protein provide substantial resource for this metabolic activity. However, little information exists on the relative impact of different meats on the composition and activities of the human gut microbiota. Similarly, little information is available on the confounding effects of cooking on these activities. In this study, beef, chicken and fish (salmon) were examined in vitro for their impact on the human faecal microbiota. The influence of cooking method was also investigated by using either frying or boiling. Upon fermentation over 48 h the Clostridium perfringens/histolyticum group increased significantly in number in the beef fermentations, either fried (p = 0.023) or boiled (p = 0.017). Cooking method appeared to influence Clostridium spp. growth, with higher numbers in fried meat compared to boiled meats after 5 h (p = 0.024) and 48 h (p = 0.003) fermentation. Significant differences between meat types were also seen for numbers of Bifidobacterium spp. at 48 h (p = 0.028), Bacteroides group at 24 h (p = 0.016) as well as Coriobacterium/Atopobium group at 10 h (p = 0.038). Most types of short chain fatty acids increased significantly in concentration over the experiment (p < 0.05). Significant differences between meat types were found in n-butyric acid production at 24, 30 and 48 h (p = 0.015, p = 0.024 and p = 0.035 respectively) and in i-valeric acid production at 10, 24, 30 and 48 h (p = 0.026, p = 0.002, p = 0.019 and p = 0.022 respectively). The concentration of i-valeric acid differed significantly between cooking methods at 24 h (p = 0.042). These findings suggest that both the type of meat and cooking process can influence fermentation profiles within the human gut microbiota. Interactions between ingested cooked meats and the gut microbiota may represent a novel corollary to mechanisms underlying the observed increased risk of intestinal and systemic diseases associated with high intake of certain meats/processed meats.     

金铁锁的两个新三萜皂苷

从石竹科植物金铁锁(Psammosilene tunicoides W．C．Wu et C．Y．Wu)根部分离得到4个齐墩果酸型五环三萜皂苷。它们的结构通过波谱和化学方法分别鉴定为：3-O-β-D-galac-topyranosyl-(1→2 )-β-D-6-O-methylgtucuronopymnosyl-quillaic acid (1),3-O-β-D-galactopymnosyl-(1→2)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-D-gtucuronopyranosyl-quillaic acid (2),3-O-β-D-galactopyrano-syl-(1→2)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-D-6-O-methylgtucuronopyranosyl-quillaic acid(3),3-O-β-D-galactopymnosyl-(1→2)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)]-β-D-6-O-ethylgtucuronopyranosyl-quillaic acid(4)。其中1为木鳖子中发现的次甙,3和4为新化合物。     

Oleanane-type glycosides from Weigela x Styriaca and two cultivars of W. florida: “Minor black” and “Brigela”

Sixteen oleanane-type glycosides were extracted from three Weigela hybrids and cultivars: W. x Styriaca, W. florida “Minor black” and W. florida “Brigela”, and four of them were previously undescribed ones: 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-β-D-xylopyranosyloleanolic acid, 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyloleanolic acid, 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyloleanolic acid, and 3-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→4)-β-D-xylopyranosyl-(1→3)-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)-α-L-arabinopyranosyloleanolic acid. Their full structural elucidation required extensive 1D and 2D NMR experiments, as well as mass spectrometry analysis. Six compounds among the known ones were in sufficient amount to be tested for their antifungal activity against Candida albicans, and their antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.     

Paviosides A-H, eight new oleane type saponins from Aesculus pavia with cytotoxic activity

A phytochemical analysis of Aesculus pavia has led to the isolation of eight novel triterpenoid saponins, based on oleane type skeleton and named paviosides A-H (1a, 1b-4a, 4b). On the basis of chemical, and 2D NMR and mass spectrometry data, the structures of the new compounds were elucidated as 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 2)] [-β-d-glucopyranosyl (1 → 4)]-β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid 21-tigloyl-22-acetyl barringtogenol C (1a), 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 2)] [-β-D-glucopyranosyl (1 → 4)]-β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid 21-angeloyl-22-acetyl barringtogenol C (1b), 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 2)] [-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1 → 4)]-β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid 21-tigloyl-22-acetyl barringtogenol C (2a), 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 2)] [-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1 → 4)]-β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid 21-angeloyl-22-acetyl barringtogenol C (2b), 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 2)] [-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 4)]-β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid 21-tigloyl-22-acetyl barringtogenol C (3a), 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 2)] [-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 4)]-β-d-glucopyranosiduronic acid 21-angeloyl-22-acetyl barringtogenol C (3b), 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 2)] [-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 4)]-β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid 21-tigloyl-22-acetyl protoaescigenin (4a), and 3-O-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 2)] [-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1 → 4)]-β-D-glucopyranosiduronic acid 21-angeloyl-22-acetyl protoaescigenin (4b). The compounds showed cytotoxic activity on J-774, murine monocyte/macrophage, and WEHI-164, murine fibrosarcoma, cell lines. Among them, paviosides E-H (3a, 3b and 4a, 4b) showed higher activity with values ranging from 2.1 to 3.6 μg/mL. Structure-activity relationship studies indicated the positive effect on the activity of xylose unit in the place of glucose, while a little detrimental effect is observed when glucose is substituted by galactose. The aglycone structure and the presence of a tigloyl or an angeloyl group at C-21 do not affect significantly the inhibitory activity on both tested cell lines.     

Experimental thermodynamics of the helix--random coil transition. 3. Determination of the transition enthalpies of the helical complexes poly(I+C) and poly I in solution

The enthalpies of the helix-coil transitions of the ordered polynucleotide systems of poly(inosinic acid)–poly(cytidylic acid) [poly(I + C)], (helical duplex), and of poly (inosinic acid) [poly(I + I + I)], (proposed secondary structure: a triple-stranded helical complex), were determined by using an adiabatic twin-vessel differential calorimeter. Measuring the temperature course of the heat capacity of the aqueous polymer solutions, the enthalpy values for the dissociation of the helical duplex poly (I + C) and the three-stranded helical complex poly(I + 1 + 1), respectively, were obtained by evaluating the additional heat capacity involved in the conformational change of the polynucleotide system in the transition range. The ΔH values of the helix-coil transition of poly (I + C) resulting from the analysis of the calorimetric measurements vary between the limits 6.5 ± 0.4 kcal/mole (I + C) and 8.4 ± 0.4 kcal/mole (I + C). depending on the variation of the cation concentration ranging from 0.063 mole cations kg H₂O to 1.003 mole cations/kg H₂O. The calorimetric investigation of an aqueous poly I solution (cation concentration 1.0 mole/kg H₂O) yielded the enthalpy value ΔH = 1.9 ± 0.4 kcal/mole (I), a result which has been interpreted qualitatively following current models of inter- and intramolecular forces of biologically significant macromolecules. Additional information on the transition behavior of poly(I+ C)Was obtained by ultraviolet and infrared absorption measurements.     

A novel monosialoganglioside synthesized by a rat brain cytidine-5'-monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid: galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-galactosyl-glucosylceramide sialyltransferase

The present paper reports a cytidine-5′-monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid: galactosyl-N-acetylgalactosaminyl-galactosyl-glucosylceramide sialyltransferase in young rat brain. The enzymic product is a new monosialoganglioside containing a neuraminidase-labile neuraminic acid. The proposed structure for this novel monosialoganglioside is as follows: N-acetylneuraminyl(2→3)Galactosyl(β, 1→3)N-acetylgalactosaminyl(β, 1→4)Galactosyl(β, 1→4)Glucoayl(1→1)ceramide.