珊瑚来源真菌Parengyodontium album SCSIO SX7W11中聚酮化合物的发现及其生物合成途径分析

海洋来源真菌的天然产物因其独特的结构与生物学活性而备受关注,而利用基因组信息对其代谢产物进行深入挖掘也成为研究策略之一。[目的] 本文以一株南海珊瑚来源的真菌Parengyodontium album SCSIO SX7W11为目标菌株,挖掘其生产聚酮类化合物的潜能。[方法] 本研究利用Illumina Miseq技术对SX7W11菌株进行全基因组扫描测序,运用生物信息学手段对其基因组的生物合成基因簇进行预测和基因功能注释,挖掘可能产生新颖聚酮化合物的基因簇。对SX7W11进行放大发酵后,利用正相色谱、中压反相色谱、Sephadex LH-20凝胶色谱、HPLC半制备等分离手段分离纯化出单体化合物。再利用高分辨质谱（HR-ESI-MS）、¹H NMR、¹³C NMR、X-ray单晶衍射等波谱手段确定化合物的结构,并根据生物合成基因簇对化合物的生物合成途径进行推导。[结果] 全基因组扫描测序结果显示,P.album SCSIO SX7W11基因组大小为34.0 Mb,含有24个生物合成基因簇,包括6个聚酮合酶基因簇以及3个萜烯合酶基因簇。从发酵产物中分离鉴定到3个聚酮类化合物：emodin（1）、alternaphenol B（2）和sydowinin A（3）,其中化合物3获得了单晶结构数据。通过生物信息学方法从菌株基因组中定位到了sydowinin A的生物合成基因簇。结合文献对emodin（1）、alternaphenol B（2）和sydowinin A（3）的生物合成途径进行了分析。[结论] 本研究通过基因组挖掘及培养基优化,发现1株珊瑚来源的真菌P.album SCSIO SX7W11具有生产sydowinins类聚酮类化合物的能力,为该类化合物生物合成机制深入研究奠定了基础。     

Improved enantioselectivity of E. coli BioH in kinetic resolution of methyl (S)-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxylate by combinatorial modulation of steric and aromatic interactions

As a chiral precursor for the important anticoagulant Edoxaban, enantioselective synthesis of (S)-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxylic acid is of great significance. The complicated procedures and generation of massive solid waste discourage its chemical synthesis, and the alternative biocatalysis route calls for an enzyme capable of asymmetric hydrolysis of racemic methyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxylate. To this end, we engineered the E. coli esterase BioH for improved S-enantioselectivity via rational design. By combinatorial modulation of steric and aromatic interactions, a positive mutant Mu3 (L24A/W81A/L209A) with relatively high S-selectivity in hydrolyzing racemic methyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxylate was obtained, improving the enantiomeric excess from 32.3% (the wild type) to 70.9%. Molecular dynamics simulation was conducted for both (R)- or (S)- complexes of the wild type and Mu3 to provide hints for the mechanism behind the increased S-selectivity. Moreover, the reaction conditions of Mu3 in methyl-3-cyclohexene-1-carboxylate hydrolysis was optimized to improve the conversion rate to 2 folds.     

Methyl-1-methyl-3,4-dihydro- -carboline-3-carboxylate as a new chromogenic substrate for -chymotrypsin

α-Chymotrypsin catalyses the hydrolysis of methyl-1-methyl-3,4-dihydro-β-carboline-3-carboxylate while the corresponding amide is completely unreactive. The reaction can be followed conveniently by colorimetric procedure and the enzyme exhibits a marked preferentiality for the D-isomer of the ester.     

Anthraquinones from the fruits of Vismia laurentii

Phytochemical study of the fruits of Vismia laurentii resulted in the isolation of five structurally related compounds. Three of them are constituents, namely, laurentiquinone A (1) (methyl 1,6,8-trihydroxy-3-methyl-7-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)-9,10-dioxo-9,10-dihydroanthracene-2-carboxylate), laurentiquinone B (2) (methyl 5,7-dihydroxy-2,2,9-trimethyl-6,11-dioxo-6,11-dihydro-2H-anthra[2,3-b]pyran-8-carboxylate) and laurentiquinone C (3) (methyl 9-(ethanoyloxymethyl)-5,7-dihydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-6,11-dioxo-6,11-dihydro-2H-anthra[2,3-b]pyran-8-carboxylate) and two are known compounds, emodin (4) and isoxanthorin (5). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic means. Crude extracts of hexane and EtOAc showed anti-plasmodial activity against the W2 strain of Plasmodium falciparum.     

Modulation of γ-Aminobutyric AcidA Receptor-Operated Chloride Channels by Benzodiazepine Inverse Agonists Is Related to Genetic Differences in Ethanol Withdrawal Seizure Severity

To determine whether genetic differences in development of ethanol dependence are related to changes in gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor function, we measured 36Cl- uptake by brain cortical membrane vesicles from withdrawal seizure prone and withdrawal seizure resistant (WSP/WSR) mice treated chronically with ethanol. Muscimol-stimulated chloride flux was not different between WSP and WSR mice before or after ethanol treatment. Also, augmentation of muscimol action by flunitrazepam or inhibition of muscimol action by the inverse agonists Ro 15-4513 (ethyl-8-azido-5,6-dihydro-5-methyl-6-oxo-4H-imidazo[1,5a]- [1,4]benzodiazepine-3-carboxylate) and methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM) was not different for ethanol-naive WSP and WSR mice. However, chronic ethanol administration enhanced the inhibitory actions of DMCM and Ro 15-4513 on membranes from WSP but not WSR mice. Conversely, chronic ethanol treatment attenuated the action of flunitrazepam on membranes from WSR but not WSP mice, suggesting that the actions of benzodiazepine agonists and inverse agonists are under separate genetic control. These genetic differences in actions of DMCM and Ro 15-4513 indicate that sensitization to benzodiazepine inverse agonists produced by chronic ethanol treatment may be related to development of withdrawal seizures and suggest that differences in the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor complex represent alleles that have segregated during the selection of the WSP/WSR mice.     

New broad-spectrum parenteral cephalosporins exhibiting potent activity against both methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Part 2: Synthesis and structure-activity relationships in the S-3578 series

Among the prepared novel cephalosporin derivatives related to S-3578, a series of 7beta-[2-(5-amino-1,2,4-thiadiazol-3-yl)-2-(Z)-ethoxyiminoacetamido]-3-[1-(aminoalkyl)-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-b]pyridinium-4-yl]methyl-3-cephem-4-carboxylate showed potent activity against both MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and displayed good water solubility.     

Pipecolic acid biosynthesis in Rhizoctonia leguminicola. I. The lysine saccharopine, delta 1-piperideine-6-carboxylic acid pathway

The biosynthesis of pipecolic acid from L-lysine in the fungal parasite, Rhizoctonia leguminicola has been reinvestigated. Pipecolate is then utilized to form the toxic octahydroindolizine alkaloids, slaframine and swainsonine. Incorporation studies of L-versus D-[U-14C]lysine into R. leguminicola metabolites confirmed earlier findings that L-lysine is the predominant substrate for pipecolate formation and D-lysine for alpha-N-acetyllysine (concerned in lysine catabolism). However [alpha-15N]lysine, not [epsilon-15N]lysine as previously reported, labeled pipecolate. Such findings implied that delta 1-piperideine-6-carboxylate, not delta 1-piperideine-2-carboxylate, was formed from lysine and was the immediate precursor of pipecolate. Evidence from cell-free enzyme systems established the following biosynthetic events: L-lysine A----saccharopine B----delta 1-piperideine-6-carboxylate C----pipecolate. Products of reactions A and C were identified from biological and chemical considerations. Reaction B was carried out by a previously undescribed flavin enzyme termed saccharopine oxidase. The product of reaction B, which reacted with p-dimethylaminobenzaldehyde, was reduced with Na-CNB2H3. Its NMR spectrum was identical with that of deuteriated pipecolate prepared from authentic delta 1-piperideine-6-carboxylate, but not from authentic delta 1-piperideine-2-carboxylate. Reaction B represents a branching of primary lysine metabolism from saccharopine to a secondary pathway leading to pipecolate and to octahydroindolizine alkaloids in R. leguminicola.     

Incorporation and remodeling of extracellular phosphatidylcholine with short acyl residues in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The pem1/cho2 pem2/opi3 double mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is auxotrophic for choline because of the deficiency in methylation activities of phosphatidylethanolamine, grew in the presence of 0.1 mM dioctanoyl-phosphatidylcholine (diC(8)PC). Analysis of the metabolism of methyl-(13)C-labeled diC(8)PC ((methyl-(13)C)(3)-diC(8)PC) by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) revealed that it was rapidly converted to (methyl-(13)C)(3)-PCs containing C16 or C18 acyl chains. (Methyl-(13)C)(3)-8:0-lyso-PC, (methyl-(13)C)(3)-8:0-16:0-PC and (methyl-(13)C)(3)-8:0-16:1-PC, which are the probable intermediate molecular species of acyl chain remodeling, appeared immediately after 5 min of pulse-labeling and decreased during the subsequent chase period. These results indicate that diC(8)PC was taken up by the pem1 pem2 double mutant and that the acyl chains of diC(8)PC were exchanged with longer yeast fatty acids. The temporary appearance of (methyl-(13)C)(3)-8:0-lyso-PC suggests that the remodeling reaction may consist of deacylation and reacylation by phospholipase activities and acyltransferase activities, respectively. The detailed analyses of the structures of (methyl-(13)C)(3)-8:0-16:0-PC and (methyl-(13)C)(3)-8:0-16:1-PC by MS/MS and MS(3) strongly suggest that most (methyl-(13)C)(3)-8:0-16:0-PCs have a C16:0 acyl chain at sn-1 position, whereas (methyl-(13)C)(3)-8:0-16:1-PCs have a C16:1 acyl chain at either sn-1 or sn-2 position in a similar frequency, implying that the initial C16:0 acyl chain substitution prefers the sn-1 position; however, the C16:1 acyl chain substitution starts at both sn-1 and sn-2 positions. The current study provides a pivotal insight into the acyl chain remodeling of phospholipids in yeast.     

Benzodiazepine receptor mediated discriminative cues: Effects of GABA-ergic drugs and inverse agonists

Rats were exposed to a two-layer drug discrimination procedure using the benzodiazepine (BZ) receptor inverse agonists N′-methyl-β-carboline-3-carboxamide (FG 7142) or methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-β-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM). FG 7142 (30 mg/kg) failed to acquire discriminative stimulus control, although it did suppress responding. The same group of animals was trained successfully to discriminate diazepam (DZP, 2.5 mg/kg) from vehicle. The DZP cue was potentiated by the GABA agonist 4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-isoxazolo [5, 4-c] pyridin-3-ol (THIP, 1–3 mg/kg); THIP alone produced vehicle-appropriate responding. In addition, clonazepam (0.2 mg/kg) and chlordiazepoxide (5 mg/kg) substituted for DZP (with potencies of 7.5 and 0.25 times that of DZP, respectively). In antagonism tests, FG 7142 (5–17.5 mg/kg), methyl-β-carboline-3-carboxylate (β-CCM, 2.5 mg/kg), nicotine (0.3 mg/kg), harmaline (5 mg/kg) and naltrexone (10 mg/kg) did not effect, bicuculine (2 mg/kg) and DMCM (1 mg/kg) partially blocked, and the BZ receptor antagonist Ro 15–1788 (40 mg/kg) completely blocked the discriminative stimulus effects of DZP. In animals trained to discriminate DMCM (0.2 mg/kg) from vehicle, 95% substitution occured with bicuculline (2 mg/kg); DZP (1–5 mg/kg) completely antagonized DMCM. These results indicate that the DZP cue is mediated by GABA-coupled BZ receptors and that GABA may modulate the efficacy of a BZ at its receptor site. However, since inverse BZ receptor agonists (FG 7142, DMCM and β-CCM) were, at best, only marginally effective in antagonizing DZP, the DZP cue may be mediated by a distinct subclass of BZ receptors.     

Preferential uptake of thymidine by thymineless enterobacteria: its significance in DNA labelling.

Minimum satisfactory concentrations of thymine and thymidine were determined for the growth of a high thymine-requirng (thy) mutant to Escherichia coli strain J5-3. Cultures were then grown in the presence of these concentrations of non-radioactive ('cold') pyrimidine together with 5 microCi/ml [methyl-3H)thymine, or [methyl-3H)thymidine (specific activities 5 Ci/m mole), and the uptake of radioactivity into ice cold trichloroacetic acid insoluble material determined. By far the most efficient labelling system was obtained if the label was supplied as radioactive thymidine and growth requirements satisfied by thymine alone. The addition of deoxyadenosine to the labelled thymidine/unlabelled thymine system dramatically reduced uptake of label. The addition of radioactive thymine with either thymine or thymidine to ensure satisfactory growth gave poor labelling. Using the [methyl-3H] thymidine/thymine system it was possible to increase the concentration of thymine from 8 to 64 microgram/ml with only a 25% reduction in label uptake after a 2 h period. The same system was also shown to be most efficient for labelling a thy derivative of another K12 strain, a thymine low-requiring (tir) K12 strain, a thy mutant of Klebsiella aerogenes 418 and a tir derivative of Salmonella typhimurium LT2.     

Reductive degradation of pyrazine-2-carboxylate by a newly isolated <Emphasis Type="Italic">Stenotrophomonas</Emphasis> sp. HCU1

A bacterium growing on pyrazine-2-carboxylate broth was isolated, purified and identified as a strain of Stenotrophomonas sp. based on polyphasic taxonomic analyses and designated as strain HCU1. 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain HCU1 showed 98.7% sequence similarity with the type strain of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia belonging to Gammaproteobacteria. Growth of strain HCU1 was demonstrated when pyrazine-2-carboxylate was used as a sole source of nitrogen. Ring reduction of pyrazine-2-carboxylate was shown as increase in absorbance at 268 nm and the reduced product was confirmed as 1,2,5,6-tetrahydropyrazine-2-carboxylate, while a ring opened product, 2-amino-2-hydroxy-3-(methylamino) propanoic acid (with a loss in carbon atom), indicated a reductive degradation of pyrazine-2-carboxylate by strain HCU1.     

Colicin E8, a DNase which indicates an evolutionary relationship between colicins E2 and E3.

Colicin E8-J and its immunity protein were characterized with regard to their activities and gene structures. Colicin E8 is a complex of proteins A and B; protein A (the naked E8) exhibits an apparently nonspecific DNase activity that is inhibited by protein B (the immunity protein), as in the case of colicin E2. The nucleotide sequence of the downstream half of the colicin operon of ColE8-J was determined to be highly homologous to that of ColE2-P9, with the exception of the hot spot region of the 3'-terminal segment of the colicin gene and the adjacent immunity gene. The immE2-like gene of ColE3-CA38 was, as assumed previously, extensively homologous to the immE8 gene of ColE8-J, and thus, ColE8-J was shown to be situated between ColE2-P9 and ColE3-CA38 in the evolution of the E-group Col plasmids.     

Chromenes of polyketide origin from Peperomia villipetiola

An extract of leaves and stems of Peperomia villipetiola has been found to contain myristicin (3-methoxy-4,5-methylenedioxy-allylbenzene) and seven chromenes, whose structures are methyl 5-hydroxy-7-methyl-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylate (1), methyl 5-methoxy-7-methyl-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-8-carboxylate (2), methyl 7-hydroxy-5-methyl-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylate (3), methyl 7-methoxy-5-methyl-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylate (4), 5-methanol-7-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylic acid (5), 5-methanol-7-methoxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylic acid (6), and methyl 5-acetoxymethanol-7-hydroxy-2,2-dimethyl-2H-1-chromene-6-carboxylate (7). A biosynthetic rationale for 1-7 suggests that orsellinic acid may be a common intermediate. The anti-fungal activities of the chromenes were measured bioautographically against Cladosporium cladosporioides and Cladosporium sphaerospermum: compounds 6 and 7 were found to be the most active.     

Discovery,synthesis and molecular corroborations of medicinally important novel pyrazoles; drug efficacy determinations through in silico,in vitro and cytotoxicity validations

As the global need for drugs getting increases, the necessity of novel and effective drugs are the need of the day. Pyrazoles are one of the active molecules in novel drug discovery. The present study deals about the synthesis of precursors 4-(4-fluorophenyl)-6-isopropyl-2-(methylsulfonyl) pyrimidine-5-carbohydrazides (3a-m) from methyl-4-(4-fluorophenyl)-6-isopropyl-2-(methyl sulfonyl) pyrimidine-5-carboxylate (2) by treating with substituted acetophenone. Further, Vilsmeier-Haack reaction of compounds 3a-m at 70 °C for 8–10 hrs gave novel pyrazole carbaldehyde derivatives (4a-m) in good yield. Biological properties like antioxidant, anti-breast cancer and anti-inflammatory of newly synthesized compounds (4a-m) were determined. The enzymes Cyclooxygenase-2 and Phosphoinositide-3-Kinase are most responsible for the corresponding diseases such as inflammation and breast cancer respectively. In order to examine the interaction between these two enzymes and our synthesized compounds 4a-m, molecular docking study was carried out. From the results, few compounds of 4a-m were found to have anti-inflammatory properties by showing excellent COX-2 inhibition and HRBC membrane stabilization properties. ADMET prediction results were also valuable to screen the most effective pyrazole derivatives to establish them as future COX-2 inhibitors or anti-inflammatory drugs.     

Specificity of S-adenosyl-L-methionine in the inactivation and the labeling of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate synthase isolated from tomato fruits

1-Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase, which catalyzes the conversion of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (AdoMet) to ACC, is irreversibly inactivated by its substrate AdoMet. AdoMet has two diastereomers with respect to its sulfonium center, (-)-AdoMet and (+)-AdoMet. We prepared (+)- and (-)-AdoMet from a commercial source, and compared their activities as a substrate and as an inactivator of ACC synthase isolated from tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill). fruits. Only (-)-AdoMet produced ACC, whereas both (-)- and (+)-AdoMet inactivated ACC synthase; (+)-AdoMet inactivated the enzyme three times faster than (-)-AdoMet. We have previously shown that ACC synthase was specifically radiolabeled when the enzyme was incubated with S-adenosyl-L-[3,4-14C]methionine. The present results further indicate that S-adenosyl-L-[carboxyl-14C]methionine, but not S-adenosyl-L-[methyl-14C]methionine, radiolabeled the enzyme. These data suggest that the 2-aminobutyric acid portion of AdoMet is linked to ACC synthase during the autoinactivation process. A possible mechanism for ACC synthase inactivation by AdoMet is discussed.     

Novel reversible indole-3-carboxylate decarboxylase catalyzing nonoxidative decarboxylation

After enrichment culture with indole-3-carboxylate in static culture, a novel reversible decarboxylase, indole-3-carboxylate decarboxylase, was found in Arthrobacter nicotianae FI1612 and several molds. The enzyme reaction was examined in resting-cell reactions with A. nicotianae FI1612. The enzyme activity was induced specifically by indole-3-carboxylate, but not by indole. The indole-3-carboxylate decarboxylase of A. nicotianae FI1612 catalyzed the nonoxidative decarboxylation of indole-3-carboxylate into indole, and efficiently carboxylated indole and 2-methylindole by the reverse reaction. In the presence of 1 mM dithiothreitol, 50 mM Na2 S2O3, and 20% (v/v) glycerol, indole-3-carboxylate decarboxylase was partially purified from A. nicotianae FI1612. The purified enzyme had a molecular mass of approximately 258 kDa. The enzyme did not need any cofactor for the decarboxylating and carboxylating reactions.     

cAMP analogues inhibit phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis in cultured rat hepatocytes

The effect of cAMP analogues on phosphatidylcholine formation via the CDP-choline pathway was investigated in cultured monolayers of rat hepatocytes. Treatment with chlorophenylthio-cAMP or the cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor, aminophylline, reduced the total uptake of [methyl-3H]choline by 32 and 26% (p less than 0.01), respectively. Chlorophenylthio-cAMP inhibited the incorporation of [methyl-3H]choline into phosphatidylcholine by 2.5-fold (p less than 0.001) and reduced the rate of phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis by approximately 40%. Aminophylline, 8-bromoadenosine 3':5'-monophosphate and N6,O2'-dibutyryladenosine 3':5'-monophosphate also inhibited [methyl-3H]choline incorporation into phosphatidylcholine. Although choline kinase and phosphocholinetransferase activities were stimulated by chlorophenylthio-cAMP treatment, CTP: phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase activity was reduced 46% (p less than 0.01). The results indicate that cytidylyltransferase may be phosphorylated and inhibited by cAMP-dependent protein kinases.     

Anion Regulation of Agonist and Inverse Agonist Binding to Benzodiazepine Receptors

Binding of the benzodiazepine inverse agonist [3H]methyl-6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate [( 3H]DMCM) and the agonist [3H]flunitrazepam [( 3H]FNZ) was compared in rat cortical membranes. Halide ions enhanced [3H]DMCM binding three- to fourfold, increasing both the apparent affinity and the number of binding sites for this radioligand. The effect was present at both 0 and 37 degrees C. In contrast, the magnitude of halide stimulation of [3H]FNZ binding was much smaller, resulting solely from an increase in the apparent affinity for this radioligand, and was not observed at 37 degrees C. The potencies but not the efficacies of a series of anions to stimulate both [3H]DMCM and [3H]FNZ binding to benzodiazepine receptors were highly correlated with their relative permeabilities through gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-gated chloride channels. Two stress paradigms (10 min of immobilization or ambient-temperature swim stress), previously shown to increase significantly the magnitude of halide-stimulated [3H]FNZ binding, did not significantly affect [3H]DMCM binding. Phospholipase A2 treatment of cortical membrane preparations was equipotent in preventing the stimulatory effect of chloride on both [3H]DMCM and [3H]FNZ binding. These data strongly suggest that anions modify the binding of [3H]DMCM and [3H]FNZ by acting at a common anion binding site that is an integral component of the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor chloride channel complex.     

Mevinolinic acid biosynthesis by Aspergillus terreus and its relationship to fatty acid biosynthesis.

Mevinolinic acid, the open acid form of mevinolin, which is a metabolite of Aspergillus terreus, has been shown to be a competitive inhibitor of the enzyme 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (Alberts et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 77:3957-3961, 1980). The biosynthesis of mevinolinic acid was studied by examining the incorporation of [1-14C]acetate and [methyl-14C]methionine into the molecule. These isotopes were rapidly incorporated into mevinolinic acid, with [1-14C]acetate and [methyl-14C]methionine incorporation being linear for at least 10 and 30 min, respectively. A comparison of acetate incorporation into mevinolinic acid and fatty acids indicated that mevinolinic acid biosynthesis increased with a maximum between days 3 and 5 of growth; at this time cell growth had ceased and fatty acid biosynthesis was negligible. Hydrolysis of the mevinolinic acid and isolation of the products showed that [1-14C]acetate and [methyl-14C]methionine were incorporated into the 2-methylbutyric acid side chain as well as into the main (alcohol) portion of the molecule.     

The role of methylglyoxal in the non-enzymatic conversion of tryptophan, its methyl ester and tryptamine to 1-acetyl-beta-carbolines

Non-enzymatic modification of l-tryptophan (1) and its metabolites and derivatives with aldehydes, via the Pictet-Spengler reaction, affords beta-carbolines. Here we demonstrate that methylglyoxal (2) generates 1-acetyl-beta-carbolines from tryptophan (1), from its methyl ester (6) and from tryptamine (4); however, 2 did not generate 1-(1-hydroxyethyl)-beta-carboline derivates. HPLC analysis of model reaction systems showed formation of 1-acetyl-beta-carboline (3) and 1-acetyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (5) during incubation of 1 and 2, at pH 5.7 and 7.4, at 100 degrees C, and only 5 at 37 degrees C, at the same pH values, with limited access of oxygen. Aerobic conditions caused higher formation of 3 at 37 degrees C at both pH values, while, at higher temperature, the same effect was only observed at pH 5.7. Lack of oxygen did not much influence the formation of 3 or 5 at both pH and temperature values, in comparison with the formation at limited access of oxygen. Incubation of 2 and 6 generated methyl-1-acetyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (7) together with 3 and 5 as a result of hydrolysis of 6 into 1 and, partially, 7 into 5, while in incubation mixtures of 2 and 4 only unstable 1-acetyl-3,4-dihydro-beta-carboline (8) was observed. Incubation of 1 with d-glucose as well as incubation of tryptophan with Amadori product 18 under similar conditions did not generate carbolines 3 or 5. For the first time, we were able to demonstrate the presence of 1-acetyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid (5) in some commercially available ketchups and in previously heated tomato concentrate.