1-(3,4-Dihydroxy-5-Methoxyphenyl-3-Methylbut-2-Ene from The Liverworth Plagiochila Rutilans

Extraction of the liverwort Plagiochila rutilans afforded 1-(3,4-dihydroxy-5-methoxyphenyl)3-methylbut-2-ene, the structure of which was confirmed by synthesis.     

The structures of garcinones a,b and c: Three new xanthones from Garcinia mangostana

Three new tetraoxygenated xanthones (garcinones A, B and C), each disubstituted with C₅-units, have been isolated from the chloroform extract of the fruit-hulls of Garcinia mangostana. Their structures were established by a combination of spectral interpretation and chemical correlation.     

Flemiphyllin,an isoflavone from stems of Flemingia macrophylla

A new isoflavone, designated flemiphyllin, was isolated from a petrol extract of the stems of Flemingia macrophylla. Its structure was established as 5,7,4′-trihydroxy-3′,5′,8-tri(3-methylbut-2-enyl) isoflavone on the basis of physical and chemical evidence.     

Further phloroglucinol derivatives in the fruits of Mallotus japonicus

Two new rottlerin-like phloroglucinol derivatives were detected from the fruits of Mallotus japonicus and identified as 3-(3,3-dimethylallyl)-5-(3-acetyl-2,4-dihydroxy-5-methyl-6-methoxybenzyl)-phlorobutyrophenone and -phloroisobutyrophenone by spectral studies. 2,6-Dihydroxy-3-methyl-4-methoxyacetophenone was also isolated     

Lactones,flavonoids and benzophenones from Garcinia conrauana and Garcinia mannii

Two novel lactones have been isolated from the stem barks of Garcinia conrauana and G. mannii. The major component of the bark of G. conrauana was identified as 3-(3$\text{,}\text{?}$ 3″-dimethylallyl)-conrauanalactone [4-hydroxy-3-(3″, 3″-dimethylallyl)-6-pentadecylpyran- 2-one] by comparison of spectral data of the isolated compound and two methylethers with that obtained for the previously isolated conrauanalactone. A minor component of the bark of G. mannii was tentatively identified as 3-α-hydroxy-5-(heptadec-8′-enyl)-tetrahydro- furan-2-one on the basis of spectral data from the isolated compound and its monoacetate. The distributions of biflavonoids and related compounds and benzophenones in the stem bark, heartwood, seeds and leaves of the two species are reported.     

Two antibacterial biphenyls from rhynchosia suaveolens

Two new biphenyls characterized as 4-(3-methyl-but-2-enyl)-5-methoxy-[1,1′-biphenyl]-3-ol 1 and 2-carboxy-4-(3-methyl-but-2-enyl)-5-methoxy- [1,1′-biphenyl]-3-ol 5 have been isolated from Rhynchosia suaveolens. Both compounds displayed antibacterial activity.     

Xanthones with quinone reductase-inducing activity from the fruits of Garcinia mangostana (Mangosteen)

Bioactivity-guided fractionation of a dichloromethane-soluble extract of Garcinia mangostana fruits has led to the isolation and identification of five compounds, including two xanthones, 1,2-dihydro-1,8,10-trihydroxy-2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-9-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)furo[3,2-a]xanthen-11-one (1) and 6-deoxy-7-demethylmangostanin (2), along with three known compounds, 1,3,7-trihydroxy-2,8-di-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)xanthone (3), mangostanin (4), and alpha-mangostin (5). The structures of compounds 1 and 2 were determined from analysis of their spectroscopic data. All isolated compounds in the present study together with eleven other compounds previously isolated from the pericarp of mangosteen, were tested in an in vitro quinone reductase-induction assay using murine hepatoma cells (Hepa 1c1c7) and an in vitro hydroxyl radical antioxidant assay. Of these, compounds 1-4 induced quinone reductase (concentration to double enzyme induction, 0.68-2.2microg/mL) in Hepa 1c1c7 cells and gamma-mangostin (6) exhibited hydroxyl radical-scavenging activity (IC50, 0.20microg/mL).     

Pyrenocine C,A phytotoxin-related metabolite produced by onion pink root fungus,Pyrenochaeta terrestris

The structure of pyrenocine C, a new metabolite isolated from onion pink root fungus, Pyrenochaeta terrestris (Hansen) has been elucidated as (±)-(2′E)-5-(1′-hydroxybut-2′-enyl)-4-methoxy-6-methyl-2-pyrone by spectroscopic methods and chemical correlation with pyrenocine A.     

Three 3-benzyl-4-chromanones from Muscari comosum

Three novel 3-benzyl-4-chromanones have been isolated from the bulbs of Muscari comosum.     

Serine-inserting UAA suppression mediated by yeast tRNASer

The number of loci that give rise to serine-inserting UAA suppressors in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was determined by examining over 100 of the revertants that suppressed the two UAA markers his4-1176 and leu2-1: the his4-1176 marker is suppressed by serine-inserting but not by tyrosine- or leueine-inserting suppressors and the leu2-1 marker is suppressed by all UAA suppressors. The suppressors could be assigned to one or other of the four loci: SUP16 and SUP17. which were previously known to yield serine-inserting suppressors, and SUP19 and SUP22. The chromosomal map position of SUP19 suggested that it may be allelic to the previously reported suppressor SUP20, while the SUP22 suppressor has not been described. Representatives of all of the four suppressors were found to insert serine at the UAA site in iso-1-cytochrome c from suppressed cyc1-72 strains. The degree of suppression by the serine-inserting suppressors was SUP16 > SUP17 > SUP19 > SUP22. The efficiency of suppression of each of the four serine suppressors was increased by the chromosomal mutation sal and by the cytoplasmic determinant ψ⁺. Read-through of the synthetase gene of the RNA bacteriophage Qβ in a cell-free system was used to demonstrate that tRNA^Ser from SUP16, SUP17 and SUP19 strains can translate UAA codons. In contrast, tRNA^Ser or total tRNA from SUP22 strains had no suppressing activity. The results suggest that the three loci SUP16, SUP17 and SUP19 encode iso-accepting species of tRNA^Ser, and that the UAA suppression is mediated by mutationally altered tRNA molecules. The mechanism of SUP22 suppression remains unknown.     

Bakuchalcone,a dihydrofuranochalcone from the seeds of Psoralea corylifolia

A new dihydrofuranochalcone has been identified in seeds of Psoralea corylifolia and its structure confirmed by synthesis.     

Xanthones from Tovomita pyrifolium

The wood of Tovomita pyrifolium (Guttiferae) contains the novel tovopyrifolins A [1,6-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-5-prenyl-6′,6′-dimethylpyrano (2′,3′:3,2)xanthone], B (1,5-dihydroxy-3,4-dimethoxyxanthone) and C (1,3,5-trihydroxy-2-methoxyxanthone) and also the known tovophyllins A and B [structure revised to 1,6-dihydroxy-5-prenyl-6′, 6′-dimethylpyrano(2′,3′:3,2)-6″,6″-dimethylpyrano(2″,3″:7,8)xanthone].     

Yeast UAA suppressors effective in psi+ strains: leucine-inserting suppressors.

We have previously reported the isolation and characterization of UAA suppressors from a haploid strain of yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae containing the ψ⁺ non-Mendelian determinant which increases the efficiency of action of certain suppressors (Ono et al., 1979). Most of the suppressors caused the insertion of either tyrosine or serine. In contrast, the pattern of suppression of nutritional markers suggested that the rare suppressor, SUP26, inserted in an amino acid other than tyrosine or serine. In this investigation we report the characterization of additional suppressors, similar to SUP26, that were isolated on a medium lacking uracil and containing canavanine; this medium is expected to exclude serine-inserting suppressors because they do not suppress the ura4-1 marker, and to exclude tyrosine-inserting suppressors because they suppress the can1-100 marker. The total of 155 revertants similar to the SUP26 suppressor were analyzed genetically and these could be assigned to one or another of the six distinct loci SUP26, SUP27, SUP28, SUP29, SUP32 and SUP33. The SUP26, SUP27 and SUP29 loci mapped on chromosomes XII, IV and X, respectively. The detailed map position of the SUP29 suppressor suggests that it may be allelic to the SUP30 suppressor reported by Hawthorne &; Mortimer (1968). These six suppressors had the same pattern of suppression of UAA nutritional markers and all of them had a similar low efficiency of action on the iso-1-cytochrome c mutation cyc1-72. The efficiency of each of these suppressors was increased by a chromosomal allo-suppressor, sal. Each of the six suppressors caused the insertion of leucine in iso-1-cytochrome c at the UAA site of the cyc1-72 mutation. It is suggested that the gene products of these suppressors are redundant forms of the same leucine transfer RNA.     

Molecular analysis of the TGF-beta controlled gene expression program in chicken embryo dermal myofibroblasts

The myofibroblast is a mesenchymal cell characterized by synthesis of the extracellular matrix, plus contractile and secretory activities. Myofibroblasts participate in physiological tissue repair, but can also cause devastating fibrosis. They are present in the tumor stroma of carcinomas and contribute to tumor growth and spreading. As myofibroblasts derive from various cell types and appear in a variety of tissues, there is marked variability in their phenotype. As regulatory mechanisms of wound healing are likely conserved among vertebrates, detailed knowledge of these mechanisms in more distant species will help to distinguish general from specific phenomena. To provide this as yet missing comparison, we analyzed the impact of the chemical inhibition of TGF-beta signaling on gene expression in chicken embryo dermal myofibroblasts. We revealed genes previously reported in mammalian systems (e.g. SPON2, ASPN, COMP, LUM, HAS2, IL6, CXCL12, VEGFA) as well as novel TGF-beta dependent genes, among them PGF, VEGFC, PTN, FAM180A, FIBIN, ZIC1, ADCY2, RET, HHIP and DNER. Inhibition of TGF-beta signaling also induced multiple genes, including NPR3, AGTR2, MTUS1, SOD3 and NOV. We also analyzed the effects of long term inhibition, and found that it is not able to induce myofibroblast dedifferentiation.     

Constitutions of diarylpropanoids from Virola multinervia

The wood of Virola multinervia Ducke (Myristicaceae) contains sitosterol, stigmasterol and two novel diarylpropanoids virolane [1-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-propane] and virolanol [2-hydroxy-1-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-3-(3,4-methylenedioxyphenyl)-propane].     

Mutagenic activity of carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic nitrofurans and of urine of rats fed these compounds

The nitrofurans, 2-(2-furyl)-3-(5-nitro-2-furyl)acrylamide (AF-2), N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT), nitrofurantoin, 5-nitro-2-furoic acid, 5-nitro-2-furamidoxime, 5-nitrofurfurylidene diacetate and the urine of rats fed these compounds, were assayed for mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium strains TA100 and TA100FR1. All the nitrofurans were mutagenic in the order: AF-2 and FANFT > nitrofurantoin > 5-nitro-2-furamidoxime > 5-nitrofurfurylidene diacetate > 5-nitro-2-furoic acid. Strain TA100 was more sensitive than TA100FR1 to the mutagenic influence of these nitrofurans. Only the urine of rats fed AF-2, FANFT and nitrofurantoin had mutagenic activity. Again, TA100 was more sensitive than TA100FR1. The mutagenicity of the urine was not increased by treatment with β-glucuronidase. AF-2, 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (deformylated product of FANFT) and nitrofurantoin were excreted in the urine of rats fed these compounds; whereas the other nitrofurans were not excreted.     

中药大蓟化学成分的研究

从大蓟的50％乙醇提取物中分离得到2个木脂素：（-）2-（3’-甲氧基4’-羟基-苯基）-3,4-二羟基4-（3＂-4＂-羟基-苄基）-3-四氢呋哺甲醇（1）和络石苷（2）,以及另外6个化合物：蒙花苷（3）、柳穿鱼叶苷（4）、粗毛豚草素（5）、芹菜素（6）、咖啡酸（7）和对-香豆酸（8）。本文首次在蓟属植物中发现木脂素类成分,化合物7也为首次从本植物中分离得到,通过体外玻片法对化合物1—8进行凝血活性测定,发现化合物3、4具有一定的促凝血作用。     

3-[2-Amino-2-imidazolin-4(5)-yl]alanine (enduracididine) and 2-[2-amino-2-imidazolin-4(5)-yl] acetic acid in seeds of Lonchocarpus sericeus

3-[2-Amino-2-imidazolin-4(5)-yl]alanine (enduracididine) and 2-[2-amino-2-imidazolin-4(5)-yl] acetic acid have been isolated from seeds of Lonchocarpus sericeus. The concentration of each compound was ca 0.5 % of the fresh seed weight.     

An investigation of membrane fluidity changes during sporulation and germination of Bacillus megaterium K.M. measured by electron spin and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

Changes in membrane and macromolecular fluidity which may accompany the differentiation processes of sporulation and germination in Bacillus megaterium K.M. are examined by electron spin and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. No change in membrane lipid fluidity is observed in isolated forespores up to stage VI. Between stage VI and release of mature spores, the ESR spectrum of doxylstearic acid spin labels becomes polycrystalline. This change in spectral fluidity is completely reversed during germination and is paralleled by the rapid release of Ca²⁺ from the spore. NMR studies also show that the mature spore has reduced macromolecular mobility and an increased non-exchangeable water pool compared with vegetative cells.