Degradation of diazinon by 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2h-1, 4-benzoxazin-3(4h)-one in maize

A cyclic hydroxamate, 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2H- 1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one (DIMBOA), was isolated and identified from shoots of 6-day-old corn seedlings grown in the dark. From 100 g of plant tissue 100 mg of DIMBOA were isolated. This hydroxamate was very effective in catalysing the hydrolysis of the pyrimidinyl organophosphate insecticide, diazinon (O, O-diethyl- O-[6- methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-4-pyrimidinyl] phosphorothioate) to 6- methyl-2-(1-methylethyl)-4-hydroxypyrimidine and diethyl phosphorothioic acid. The optimum pH for hydrolytic activity was 5 and at pH values equal to or higher than the pK_a of the hydroxamic group (6.95) most of the activity was lost.     

Metal complexes of cyclic hydroxamates. Synthesis and crystal structures of 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one (ChaH) and of its Fe(III), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II) and Zn(II) complexes

The attempted acetylation of anthranilic hydroxamic acid (2-aminobenzohydroxamic acid) as a possible dual inhibitor of the catalytic sites in prostaglandin-H-synthase (PGHS) gave the cyclic hydroxamic acid 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-3H-quinazolin-4-one (ChaH) which was characterised by spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The length of the hydroxamic acid C-N bond, 1.3998(17) Å, in ChaH is longer than normal (∼1.33 Å) indicative of reduced delocalisation of the nitrogen lone pair of electrons into the hydroxamic acid π system. This is confirmed by the appearance of the ν(CO) band at a considerably higher wavenumber in the IR spectrum than normal. The complexes Fe(Cha)₂(Cl)(H₂O)·⁷/₂H₂O, Co(Cha)₂(EtOH)₂, Ni(Cha)₂(EtOH)₂, Cu(Cha)(H₂O)(Cl) and Zn(Cha)₂(H₂O), have been synthesised and their structures determined by X-ray crystallography. The X-ray data confirmed coordination by Cha^- through the carbonyl and deprotonated hydroxamate oxygen in all cases. The M-O (hydroxamate) bonds are shorter than the M-O (carbonyl) bonds by between 0.0930 Å for the Co(II) complex and 0.0448 Å for the Ni(II) complex. The geometries of all complexes conform to the coordination requirements of the particular metal ion involved. Speciation studies for ChaH and its complexes with Ni(II) and Zn(II) were carried out using pH-metric methods. The results show that ChaH is much more acidic than related acyclic hydroxamic acids and that its metal complexes are correspondingly less stable.     

Role of hydroxamic acids in the resistance of cereals to aphids

Hydroxamic acid concentration in Gramineae, both natural and incorporated, correlates with resistance to the aphid Metopolophium dirhodum. 2,4-Dihydroxy-7-methoxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3(4H)-one, a hydroxamic acid isolated from corn extracts, is deleterious to aphids fed on artificial diets. It is proposed that hydroxamic acids act as naturally-occurring protective factors against M. dirhodum.     

The nonmicrosomal production of N-(4-chlorophenyl)-glycolhydroxamic acid from 4-chloronitrosobenzene by rat liver homogenates

The incubation of 4-chloronitrosobenzene (4-CNB) with subcellular fractions of rat liver resulted in the formation of a previously unknown type of hydroxamic acid metabolite for mammals. This new metabolite, N-(4-chlorophenyl)glycolhydroxamic acid (Gl-CHA), is most likely formed through the action of liver transketolase on the substrate 4-CNB. Gl-CHA was produced only by the 10 000g and 105 000g supernatant fractions, and required glucose-6-phosphate as an energy source. No hydroxamic acid metabolites were produced in detectable quantities by the microsomal fraction of the rat liver homogenate. Gl-CHA was positively identified by isolation and comparison to an authentic sample of Gl-CHA. Authentic Gl-CHA was prepared by the condensation of 4-chlorophenylhydroxylamine with glycolic acid in the presence of dicylohexylcarbodiimide. The highest observed conversion of 4-CNB to Gl-CHA was 18%, which occurred at the lowest concentration of 4-CNB incubated with the 105 000g supernatant. Gl-CHA was not produced by C-hydroxylation of the corresponding acetyl-derived hydroxamic acid, since none of the subcellular fractions of rat liver would effect this conversion. The incubation of 4-chloroaniline under identical conditions failed to result in the production of Gl-CHA; however, such an observation is probably not important to the possibility that Gl-CHA might be a significant metabolite in vivo.     

Synthesis and first in vitro cytotoxicity studies of bis(2-chloroethyl) amino group containing polymers. Pharmacologically active polymers: 22

Monomers containing the cytotoxic bis(2-chloroethyl)amino group (nor-nitrogen mustard), linked in deactivated form via urethane and O-acylated hydroxamic acid bonds to polymerizable methacrylic acid derivatives, have been prepared. Besides the homopolymerization, these monomers were copolymerized with hydrophilic comonomers to obtain water-soluble polymers. The linkages used are expected to undergo intracellular enzymatic or hydrolytic cleavage, releasing the cytotoxic bis(2-chloroethyl)amino moiety from the polymeric carrier. Preliminary in vitro cytotoxicity data for the polymers against three rat and mouse experimental tumour lines (Walker 256 carcinosarcoma, L1210 murine leukaemia and ADJ/PC6A plasma cell tumour) are reported. An approximately 10² fold difference in cytotoxic potency was found, depending on the type of the cleavable spacer group.     

Maize microsomal benzoxazinone N-monooxygenase

The benzoxazinones occur in hydroxamic acid and lactam forms in maize (Zea mays L.) tissue. The hydroxamic acid forms which possess a N-hydroxyl group are found in the highest concentration while the lactam members which lack the N-hydroxyl group occur in lower concentrations. The hydroxamic acid 2,4-dihydroxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIBOA) has as its lactam counterpart 2-hydroxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (HBOA). An enzyme has been identified in maize microsomal preparations which catalyzes the N-hydroxylation of HBOA to form DIBOA. The enzyme is initially observed in seedlings 2 days after imbibition which coincides with the onset of hydroxamic acid accumulation. The enzyme requires NADPH and is inhibited by sulfhydryl reagents, NADP, cytochrome c, cations, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen gas. The effect of nitrogen can be reversed by exposing the enzyme to air, while the effect of carbon monoxide can be reversed by exposing the enzyme to 450 nanometer light during the incubation period. The apparent K_m values for HBOA and NADPH are 13 and 5 micromolar, respectively. The pH optimum is 7.5 and the temperature optimum for the enzyme is 35°C. A 450 nanometer absorbance peak is observed when reduced microsomal preparations are exposed to carbon monoxide which in combination with other data presented supports the hypothesis that the enzyme is a cytochrome P-450 dependent N-monooxygenase.     

Resistance of cereals to aphids: Interaction between hydroxamic acids and the aphid Sitobion avenae (Homoptera: Aphididae)

The hydroxamic acids in the seedlings of four varieties of winter wheat were extracted initially in boiling methanol in order to avoid enzymatic hydrolysis. The increase in numbers of aphids on these varieties of wheat were recorded. HPLC analysis of hydroxamic acids in the extracts showed the presence of DIMBOA-glucoside, DIMBOA-aglucone and its benzoxazolinone (MBOA). There was a highly significant negative correlation between the concentration of DIMBOA-aglucone in the seedlings and aphid performance. However, the association between aphid performance and DIMBOA-aglucone in the tips of the seedlings was weaker. In general aphid infestation of wheat seedlings slightly increased the concentration of all the hydroxamic acid derivatives. Moreover, aphids ingested hydroxamic acids and were able to detoxify some of the DIMBOA-aglucone they ingested.     

Enhanced production of (+)-terrein by Aspergillus terreus strain PF26 with epigenetic modifier suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid

New strategies for improving the fermentation yield of (+)-terrein which is a fungal metabolite with multiple bioactivities are very urgent. In this study, the effect of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, one kind of epigenetic modifier, on the biosynthesis of (+)-terrein by Aspergillus terreus strain PF26 isolated from the marine sponge Phakellia fusca was investigated. It was found that suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid exhibited a positive impact on (+)-terrein production, resulting from promoting the biosynthesis of 6-hydroxymellein, the precursor of (+)-terrein. Through optimization of feeding concentration and time of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, 5.58 g/L (+)-terrein could be obtained in shake flask cultivation, 29.5% higher than the control. Correspondingly, the fermentation of A. terreus strain PF26 in 7.5-L stirred bioreactor with feeding suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (900 μM, day 4) yielded 9.07 g/L (+)-terrein, 77.1% higher than the control. These results showed that the epigenetic modifier-suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid could be utilized to enhance the production of (+)-terrein, which laid the foundation of massive production of (+)-terrein by fermentation.     

Competition by 4-chloronitrosobenzene for the active glycolaldehyde intermediate of transketolase

The incubation of 4-chloronitrosobenzene with yeast transketolase, Mg²⁺, and thiamime pyrophosphate in the presence of excess xylulose-5-phosphate resulted in the formation of N-(4-chlorophenyl)glycolhydroxamic acid. This enzyme-catalyzed C₂ transfer displayed a K_m of 0.92 mM and a V_max of 5.2 × 10^?2 μmol min^?1 unit enzyme^?1. Conversion was inhibited by the normal acceptor sugar, ribose-5-phosphate, with a K_i of 0.35 mM. Kinetic analysis showed inhibition was competitive in nature, reinforcing the proposed theory for similarity in catalytic formation of both the hydroxamic acid and sedoheptulose-7-phosphate. Most interesting about the conversion of this alternative substrate is that even at high concentrations of ribose-5-phosphate, a significant amount of the nitroso compound was converted to the hydroxamic acid, implying that 4-chloronitrosobenzene can successfully compete for active glycoaldehyde. Using the yeast enzyme as a model for transketolase in higher organisms, the adventitious conversion of such xenobiotics in vivo is proposed.     

Quantitative determination of N-arylaceto- and N-arylglycolhydroxamic acids in biochemical reaction mixtures

A high-performance liquid chromatography (hplc) solvent system was developed for use with C₁₈ bonded packings that effected the chromatographic resolution of monoaromatic hydroxamic acids in complex mixtures. The success of this hplc system resulted from the incorporation of an aliphatic hydroxamic acid additive into the elution solvent. This additive, desferal mesylate, suppressed chemisorption effects between the stationary phase of the chromatographic packing and the aromatic hydroxamic acids being analyzed. The detectability limit for acetyl-derived aromatic hydroxamic acids was about 10 ng, while that for glycolyl-derived aromatic hydroxamic acids was about 5 ng. This level of sensitivity was sufficiently low to allow for the direct detection of these components in enzymatic reaction mixutres. By manipulation of the percentage methanol in the aqueous solvent the resolution of either type of hydroxamic acid from other related metabolites was readily accomplished.     

Design,synthesis and evaluation of novel N-hydroxybenzamides/N-hydroxypropenamides incorporating quinazolin-4(3H)-ones as histone deacetylase inhibitors and antitumor agents

In our search for novel small molecules targeting histone deacetylases, we have designed and synthesized several series of novel N-hydroxybenzamides/N-hydroxypropenamides incorporating quinazolin-4(3H)-ones (4a-h, 8a-d, 10a-d). Biological evaluation showed that these hydroxamic acids were generally cytotoxic against three human cancer cell lines (SW620, colon; PC-3, prostate; NCI-H23, lung cancer). It was found that the N-hydroxypropenamides (10a-d) were the most potent, both in term of HDAC inhibition and cytotoxicity. Several compounds, e.g. 4e, 8b-c, and 10a-c, displayed up to 4-fold more potent than SAHA (suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid, vorinostat) in term of cytotoxicity. These compounds also comparably inhibited HDACs with IC₅₀ values in sub-micromolar range. Docking experiments on HDAC2 isozyme revealed some important features contributing to the inhibitory activity of synthesized compounds, especially for propenamide analogues. Importantly, the free binding energy computed was found to have high quantitative correlation (R² ∼ 95%) with experimental results.     

The metabolism of 8-heptadecene in Pyropia (Bangiaceae,Rhodophyta)

The metabolic pathway of 8-heptadecene in red algae was investigated. The results showed that the amounts of 8-heptadecene in the primitive bangiophycidean red algae Pyropia and Bangia were 30–50 % of the volatile compounds, much higher than that in the green alga Ulva pertusa, the brown alga Sargassum thunbergii and the florideophycidean red alga Gracilaria lemaneiformis. Studies on the metabolism of 8-heptadecene in Pyropia found that its enzymatic system has no significant catalytic activity on palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid. However, the isolated enzymatic solution showed activity in the presence of eicosapentaenoic acid. This activity produced about four times the amount of 8-heptadecene compared with other substrates and the control, indicating the solution had a specific catalytic function for eicosapentaenoic acid. Furthermore, the enzyme solution was strongly inhibited by NaN₃ but not by phenidone and phenanthroline suggesting that the enzyme is structurally related to heme protein. Thus, it is believed that a constant amount of 8-heptadecene is maintained in the primitive red alga Pyropia and the 8-heptadecene is a metabolite of eicosapentaenoic acid and may catalyzed by enzymes including a heme lipoxygenase-like enzyme.     

Purification and characterization of a novel phospholipase A2 from king cobra (Ophiophagus hannah) venom

A novel phospholipase A₂, designated as Oh-DE-2, was isolated from the venom ofOphiophagus hannah (king cobra) by successive chromatography on SP-Sephadex C-25, DE-52, and Q-Sepharose columns. Oh-DE-2 with pI 5.1 showed an apparent molecular weight of 14 kD as revealed by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration. The amino acid sequence was homologous with those of PLA₂s from Elapidae venoms. Oh-DE-2 was effectively inactivated byp-bromophenacyl bromide, indicating that the conserved His-48 is essential for its enzymatic activity. However, modification of the conserved Trp-19 did not cause a precipitous drop in the enzymatic activity of Oh-DE-2 as observed with PLA₂s fromNaja naja atra andBungarus multicinctus venoms. A quenching study showed that the microenvironment of Trp in Oh-DE-2 was inaccessible to acrylamide, iodide, or cesium, a finding which was different from those observed with PLA₂s fromN. naja atra andB. multicinctus venoms. These results might suggest that, unlike other PLA₂ enzymes, Trp-19 in Oh-DE-2 is not directly involved in its enzymatic mechanisms.     

Evaluation of functional groups on amino acids in cyclic tetrapeptides in histone deacetylase inhibition

The naturally occurring cyclic tetrapeptide, chlamydocin, originally isolated from fungus Diheterospora chlamydosphoria, consists of α-aminoisobutyric acid, l-phenylalanine, d-proline and an unusual amino acid (S)-2-amino-8-((S)-oxiran-2-yl)-8-oxooctanoic acid (Aoe) and inhibits the histone deacetylases (HDACs), a class of regulatory enzymes. The epoxyketone moiety of Aoe is the key functional group for inhibition. The cyclic tetrapeptide scaffold is supposed to play important role for effective binding to the surface of enzymes. In place of the epoxyketone group, hydroxamic acid and sulfhydryl group have been applied to design inhibitor ligands to zinc atom in catalytic site of HDACs. In the research for more potent HDAC inhibitors, we replaced the epoxyketone moiety of Aoe with different functional groups and synthesized a series of chlamydocin analogs as HDAC inhibitors. Among the functional groups, methoxymethylketone moiety showed as potent inhibition as the hydroxamic acid. On the contrary, we confirmed that borate, trifruoromethylketone, and 2-aminoanilide are almost inactive in HDAC inhibition.     

Bacteriology of Manganese Nodules: II. Manganese Oxidation by Cell-free Extract from a Manganese Nodule Bacterium

A cell-free extract from Arthrobacter 37, isolated from a manganese nodule from the Atlantic Ocean, exhibited enzymatic activity which accelerated manganese accretion to synthetic Mn-Fe oxide as well as to crushed manganese nodule. The reaction required oxygen and was inhibited by HgCl₂ and p-chloromercuribenzoate but not by Atebrine dihydrochloride. The rate of enzymatic action depended on the concentration of cell-free extract used. The enzymatic activity had a temperature optimum around 17.5 C and was destroyed by heating at 100 C. The amount of heat required for inactivation depended on the amount of nucleic acid in the preparation. In the cell-free extract, unlike the whole-cell preparation, peptone could not substitute for NaHCO₃ in the reaction mixture. An enzyme-containing protein fraction and a nucleic acid fraction could be separated from cell extract by gel filtration, when prepared in 3% NaCl but not in seawater. The nucleic acid fraction was not required for enzymatic activity.     

Rhodotorulic acid from species of Leucosporidium, Rhodosporidium, Rhodotorula, Sporidiobolus, and Sporobolomyces, and a new alanine-containing ferrichrome from Cryptococcus melibiosum

An examination of 142 strains within 19 genera of yeasts and yeastlike organisms for formation of hydroxamic acids in low-iron culture showed production of hydroxamates by two unclassified strains and by 52 strains among the genera Aessosporon (3 of 3 strains), Cryptococcus (1 of 43), Leucosporidium (3 of 11), Rhodosporidium (4 of 4), Rhodotorula (27 of 39), Sporidiobolus (2 of 2), and Sporobolomyces (12 of 13). Crystalline rhodotorulic acid was isolated in amounts sufficient to account for most or all of the measured hydroxamate in culture supernatants of 16 strains representative of the five last-mentioned hydroxamate-producing genera. A new alanine-containing ferrichrome was isolated from one strain of Cryptococcus melibiosum. Rhodotorulic acid was a major metabolic product of many of the positive strains when grown in low-iron media, and iron was shown to repress its synthesis and excretion into the culture medium. The taxonomic significance of production of hydroxamic acids is described in connection with the position of these yeast species in the subclass Heterobasidiomycetidae.     

Accumulation and enzymatic synthesis of 2-O-acetyl-3-O-(p-coumaroyl)-meso-tartaric acid in spinach cotyledons

2-O-Acetyl-3-O-[(E)-p-coumaroyl]-meso-tartaric acid was isolated from cotyledons of Spinacia oleracea and its structure elucidated and characterized with the aid of TLC, HPLC, FAB MS and ¹H NMR. Accumulation and enzymatic synthesis of the diester are described, proceeding first via 1-O-(p-coumaroyl)-β-glucose in the formation of p-coumaroyltartaric acid and second via acetyl-CoA in the formation of 2-O-acetyl-3-O-[(E)-p-coumaroyl]-meso-tartaric acid. Some properties of the CoA-thioester-dependent acyltransferase activity were studied.     

The reduction of hydroxamic acids with titanium(III) chloride: a tool for the characterization of siderophores

Hydroxamic acid siderophores were observed to be inactivated by exposure to titanium(III) chloride. To study the reaction, a series of eight model hydroxamic acids were prepared and reacted with titanium(III) chloride. The products were shown by ir and NMR comparisons with authentic compounds to be the corresponding amides. The reduction was found to require 2 mol of titanium(III) per mol of hydroxamic acid.     

Identification of (S)-11-cycloheptyl-4-methylundecanoic acid in acylphosphatidylglycerol from Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris

A method is described for the identification of molecular species of acylphosphatidylglycerols containing a branched cyclo fatty acid ((S)-11-cycloheptyl-4-methylundecanoic acid; brc19:0) from Alicyclobacillus acidoterrestris and its identification as picolinyl ester by means of GC-MS. The combination of TLC, negative RP-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS, enzymatic hydrolysis, and GC-MS was used to identify unusual molecular species of acylphosphatidylglycerols with cyclic and branched FA. The acid, brc19:0, was also synthesized to unambiguously confirm its structure. According to feeding experiments with ¹³C-labeled propionate, the C₃ internal unit (branched methyl) of brc19:0 is assembled from propionate and not from methionine.     

Crystal structure of the phospholipase A and acyltransferase 4 (PLAAT4) catalytic domain

Phospholipase A and Acyltransferase 4 (PLAAT4) is a class II tumor suppressor, that also plays a role as a restrictor of intracellular Toxoplasma gondii infection through restriction of parasitic vacuole size. The catalytic N-terminal domain (NTD) interacts with the C-terminal domain (CTD), which is important for sub-cellular targeting and enzymatic function. The dynamics of the NTD main (L1) loop and the L2(B6) loop adjacent to the active site, have been shown to be important regulators of enzymatic activity. Here, we present the crystal structure of PLAAT4 NTD, determined from severely intergrown crystals using automated, laser-based crystal harvesting and data reduction technologies. The structure showed the L1 loop in two distinct conformations, highlighting a complex network of interactions likely influencing its conformational flexibility. Ensemble refinement of the crystal structure recapitulates the major correlated motions observed in solution by NMR. Our analysis offers useful insights on millisecond dynamics based on the crystal structure, complementing NMR studies which preclude structural information at this time scale.