Cerbinal,a Pseudoazulene Iridoid,as a Potent Antifungal Compound Isolated from Gardenia jasminoides Ellis

d-Gluconate dehydrogenase isolated from Pseudomonas fluorescens was immobilized on the surfaces of carbon and gold electrodes by irreversible adsorption. The electrodes with the adsorbed enzyme produced anodic currents in solutions containing d-gluconate. The currents were attributable to the electro-enzymic oxidation (direct bioelectrocatalytic oxidation) of d-gluconate; the electrochemical system required no external redox molecules serving as mediators of electron transfer between the electrode and the adsorbed enzyme. A model of the direct bioelectrocatalysis at the enzyme-modified electrodes is presented.     

Carnivorous Plants as a Source of Potent Bioactive Compound: Naphthoquinones

Carnivorous plants are among the curiosities of nature being different from the normal plants in their mode of nutrition. These plants have fascinated several researchers for centuries. They are also characterized by synthesis of bioactive compounds which are used as a mechanism for self defense. These compounds possess a broad spectrum of biological activities such as antiparasitic, antibacterial, insecticidal, fungicidal, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, antiproliferative activities. Although, several antimicrobial drugs have been introduced during the recent decades, the problems of microbial infections resistant to synthetic pesticides still exist which necessitate the introduction of novel antimicrobial agents with additional modes of actions than the currently available therapeutic agents. Naphthoquinones are one of the most studied bioactive compounds which have been reported to inhibit the growth of proliferative cells and microbes. Efforts have been made to induce the biosynthesis of naphthoquinone in different species of carnivorous plants. It has been demonstrated that the accumulation of naphthoquinones in carnivorous plants was increased by injecting chitin into the plant tissues. Also, their biosynthesis could be enhanced by the incorporation of elicitors in in vitro cultures of plants. In the present review, we discuss the applications of naphthoquinones and its biosynthesis in carnivorous plants.     

Structure‐Activity Relationships and Potent Cytotoxic Activities of Terphenyllin Derivatives from a Small Compound Library

A small library of 120 compounds was established with seventy new alkylated derivatives of the natural product terphenyllin, together with 45 previous reported derivatives and four natural p‐terphenyl analogs. The 70 new derivatives were semi‐synthesized and evaluated for cytotoxic activities against four cancer cell lines. Interestingly, 2′,4′′‐diethoxyterphenyllin, 2′,4,4′′‐triisopropoxyterphenyllin, and 2′,4′′‐bis(cyclopentyloxy)terphenyllin showed potent activities with IC₅₀ values in a range from 0.13 to 5.51 μM, which were similar to those of the positive control, adriamycin. The preliminary structure–activity relationships indicated that the introduction of alkyl substituents including ethyl, allyl, propargyl, isopropyl, bromopropyl, isopentenyl, cyclopropylmethyl, and cyclopentylmethyl are important for improving the cytotoxicity.     

Failure of Manganese to Protect from Shiga Toxin

Shiga toxin (Stx), the main virulence factor of Shiga toxin producing Escherichia coli, is a major public health threat, causing hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic uremic syndrome. Currently, there are no approved therapeutics for these infections; however manganese has been reported to provide protection from the Stx1 variant isolated from Shigella dysenteriae (Stx1-S) both in vitro and in vivo. We investigated the efficacy of manganese protection from Stx1-S and the more potent Stx2a isoform, using experimental systems well-established for studying Stx: in vitro responses of Vero monkey kidney cells, and in vivo toxicity to CD-1 outbred mice. Manganese treatment at the reported therapeutic concentration was toxic to Vero cells in culture and to CD-1 mice. At lower manganese concentrations that were better tolerated, we observed no protection from Stx1-S or Stx2a toxicity. The ability of manganese to prevent the effects of Stx may be particular to certain cell lines, mouse strains, or may only be manifested at high, potentially toxic manganese concentrations.     

Occurrence of a Tetrodotoxin-like Compound as a Minor Toxin in the Puffer Fish,Fugu flavidus

Toxins in ovaries and livers of the puffer fish, Fugu flavidus, were purified successively on activated charcoal, Bio-Gel P-2 and Bio-Rex 70. Besides tetrodotoxin (TTX), a minor toxin (toxin D) was newly detected in both tissues; toxin D accounted for 3% and 4% of the totl lethal potency in ovaries and livers, respectively. Although there were differences in the specific lethal activity, dose-survival time relation and signs in mice between toxin D and TTX, positive reactions to Weber reagent and 10% KOH, and a negative one to 1% H₂O₂ were observed for both toxins. Moreover, toxin D, like TTX, gave rise to the C₉-base upon alkali-degradation. These results suggested that toxin D is a TTX-like compound having a quinazoline skeleton.     

Presynaptic Effect of Ethosuximide: a Study on a Cell-Free Model System

The effect of an antiepileptic drug, ethosuximide, on fusion of synaptic vesicles with the synaptosomal plasma membranes was studied. It was shown that ethosuximide increases the rate of the Ca²⁺-dependent fusion reaction. We found that ethosuximide-induced fusion of synaptic vesicles with the plasma membrane in a Ca²⁺-free medium is much lower than the Ca²⁺-induced effect under the same conditions. Thus, the fusion-inducing effect of ethosuximide is mostly Ca²⁺-dependent. Ethosuximide-evoked fusion was suppressed by pentylenetetrazole.     

Draft Genome Sequence of Xylaria grammica EL000614, a Strain Producing Grammicin,a Potent Nematicidal Compound

An endolichenic fungus, Xylaria grammica strain {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"EL000614","term_id":"124922317"}}EL000614, showed strong nematicidal effects against plant pathogenic nematode, Meloidogyne incognita by producing grammicin. We report genome assembly of X. grammica {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"EL000614","term_id":"124922317"}}EL000614 comprised of 25 scaffolds with a total length of 54.73 Mb, N50 of 4.60 Mb, and 99.8% of BUSCO completeness. GC contents of this genome were 44.02%. Gene families associated with biosynthesis of secondary metabolites or regulatory proteins were identified out of 13,730 gene models predicted.     

Diarrheal and Environmental Isolates of Aeromonas spp. Produce a Toxin Similar to Shiga-Like Toxin 1

Diarrheal and environmental isolates of 39 strains of Aeromonas spp. were studied for detection of virulence factors. Although these 39 strains did not produce either heat-labile or heat-stable enterotoxins, culture filtrates of 31 strains produced cytopathic effects on Vero cells. Among these, culture filtrates of three strains of Aeromonas hydrophila and one strain of Aeromonas caviae could be neutralized by Escherichia coli O157:H7 Shiga-like toxin 1 antiserum. A single band of plasmid DNA of 2.14 kbp was isolated from these strains of Aeromonas spp. and E. coli O157:H7, which could be amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), employing oligonucleotide primers from the Shiga-like toxin 1 (SLT1) gene of E. coli O157:H7. E. coli HB 101 cells when transformed with the same plasmid showed cytopathic effects on Vero cells, which indicates that the SLT 1 homolog gene(s) of Aeromonas spp. is plasmid encoded. These results suggest that Aeromonas spp. may also produce Shiga-like toxin 1, or at least a cytotoxin with some homology with the Shiga-like toxin 1 of E. coli O157:H7.     

Toxin Isolation from a Kanagawa-Phenomenon Negative Strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Production of a toxin by Vibrio parahaemolyticus Kanagawa-phenomenon negative strains was examined. Ammonium sulfate fractions of broth culture filtrates were dialyzed, concentrated by lyophilization, and tested for toxic effects by mouse intraperitoneal injection. One fraction, which we think is a toxin, was isolated from a broth culture filtrate of V. parahaemolyticus FC 1011 (a Kanagawa-phenomenon negative strain) and consistently produced lethal effects in mice at high concentrations and diarrhea in lower concentrations. The toxin was assayed for mouse LD50 and ability to produce diarrhea via forced feeding in mice. V. parahaemolyticus FC 1011 toxin was found to be protein, to be inactivated by heat or trypsin hydrolysis, and to produce positive skin permeability reactions in rabbits. However, it failed to induce fluid accumulation in ligated ileal loops in rabbits.     

Tremorgenic Toxin from Penicillium verruculosum

A new mycotoxin that produces severe tremors and acute toxicity when administered orally or intraperitoneally (ip) to mice and 1-day-old cockerels was obtained from a strain of Penicillium verruculosum Peyronel isolated from peanuts. The ip 50% lethal dose (LD(50)) of this tremorgen was 2.4 mg/kg in mice and 15.2 mg/kg in chickens. Orally administered LD(50) values for the toxin were 126.7 mg/kg in mice and 365.5 mg/kg in chickens. The trivial name "verruculogen" is proposed for this tremorgenic mycotoxin. Physical and chemical characteristics of the mycotoxin are described.     

Aurantionone,a Potent Antioxidant and Synergist from Penicillium aurantio-virens

The S-methylmethionine sulfonium (MMS) concentrations in fruits of citrus hybrids were measured, and found to increase during ripening of the fruit. However, three of eleven hybrids of ‘Seto unshiu’ crossed with ‘Morita ponkan’ and four of 9 hybrids of ‘Murcott’ tangor crossed with ‘Seto unshiu’ had low MMS concentrations even at late harvest stage. Crossbreeding is useful in producing new citrus fruits that have juices with the desirable characteristics of their parents without formation of dimethyl sulfide which is an off-flavor.     

Conversion of Helminthosporium sacchari Toxin to Toxoids by beta-Galactofuranosidase from Helminthosporium

Helminthosporium sacchari produces a host-selective toxin and structurally related nontoxic compounds, here referred to as `toxoids.' Toxin and the three toxoids were each isolated to a high level of purity and were hydrolyzed under acidic conditions. The released galactose was measured by a galactose oxidase/peroxidase assay. Toxin was found to contain four units of galactose per molecule, as previously reported. Toxoids I, II, and III contained one, two, and three units of galactose, respectively. In cultures of the fungus, toxin concentration peaked at 3 weeks, followed by a rapid decline; as toxin levels fell, the total amount of toxoids increased. An enzyme with β-galactofuranosidase activity was found in small amounts in the cultures of H. sacchari; the enzyme converted toxin to the toxoids in vitro. β-Galactofuranosidase was previously known from very few micro-organisms; therefore, several pathogenic Helminthosporia and other fungi were tested for production. β-Galactofuranosidase activity in culture filtrates and mycelia of H. victoriae, H. maydis, H. carbonum, and H. turcicum was much greater than in filtrates and mycelium of H. sacchari. More work is needed to determine the significance of enzyme production by these fungi. No β-galactofuranosidase was evident from Fusarium oxysporum and Cladosporium cucumerinum.     

Multi-Modality Therapeutics with Potent Anti-Tumor Effects: Photochemical Internalization Enhances Delivery of the Fusion Toxin scFvMEL/rGel

Background

There is a need for drug delivery systems (DDS) that can enhance cytosolic delivery of anti-cancer drugs trapped in the endo-lysosomal compartments. Exposure of cells to specific photosensitizers followed by light exposure (photochemical internalization, PCI) results in transfer of agents from the endocytic compartment into the cytosol.

Methodology and Principal Findings

The recombinant single-chain fusion construct scFvMEL/rGel is composed of an antibody targeting the progenitor marker HMW-MAA/NG2/MGP/gp240 and the highly effective toxin gelonin (rGel). Here we demonstrate enhanced tumor cell selectivity, cytosolic delivery and anti-tumor activity by applying PCI of scFvMEL/rGel. PCI performed by light activation of cells co-incubated with scFvMEL/rGel and the endo-lysosomal targeting photosensitizers AlPcS_2a or TPPS_2a resulted in enhanced cytotoxic effects against antigen-positive cell lines, while no differences in cytotoxicity between the scFvMEL/rGel and rGel were observed in antigen-negative cells. Mice bearing well-developed melanoma (A-375) xenografts (50–100 mm³) were treated with PCI of scFvMEL/rGel. By 30 days after injection, ∼100% of mice in the control groups had tumors>800 mm³. In contrast, by day 40, 50% of mice in the PCI of scFvMEL/rGel combination group had tumors<800 mm³ with no increase in tumor size up to 110 days. PCI of scFvMEL/rGel resulted in a synergistic effect (p<0.05) and complete regression (CR) in 33% of tumor-bearing mice (n = 12).

Conclusions/Significance

This is a unique demonstration that a non-invasive multi-modality approach combining a recombinant, targeted therapeutic such as scFvMEL/rGel and PCI act in concert to provide potent in vivo efficacy without sacrificing selectivity or enhancing toxicity. The present DDS warrants further evaluation of its clinical potential.     

东亚钳蝎氯毒素BmKCT的表达和功能鉴定(英文)

从中国东亚钳蝎ButhusmartensiiKarsch的毒腺cDNA文库中分离得到了一个编码毒素蛋白多肽 (命名为BmKCT)前体的全长cDNA序列 .该毒素多肽与已报道的氯毒素 (chlorotoxin)高度同源 ,其蛋白质一级序列有 6 8%的同源性 .为了鉴定BmKCT的生物学功能 ,通过pGEX系统成功地表达了BmKCT ,并用GST亲和层析和凝胶过滤的方法获得了纯化的重组BmKCT毒素蛋白 (rBmKCT) .通过膜片钳实验 ,记录了rBmKCT对人脑星型胶质瘤细胞 (gliomascell)表面的氯离子通道电流的作用 .结果显示 ,BmKCT可以显著抑制人脑星型胶质瘤细胞表面的氯离子通道电流 ,并且这种抑制作用在一定程度上是可逆的 .实验证明 ,在细胞水平上 ,BmKCT是一种新的短链氯离子通道抑制剂 .