New alkaloids from Tabernaemontana divaricata

A re-investigation of the root bark of Tabernaemontana divaricata resulted in the isolation of 18 compounds, viz. α-amyrin acetate, lupeol acetate, α-amyrin, lupeol, cycloartenol, β-sitosterol, campesterol, benzoic acid, aurantiamide acetate, coronaridine, coronaridine hydroxyindolenine (1), ibogamine, 5-hydroxy-6-oxocoronaridine (6), 5-oxocoronaridine (9), 6-oxocoronaridine (10), (±)-19-hydroxycoronaridine (11), 3-oxocoronaridine (12) and voacamine. The alkaloids 6, 9, 10 and 11 are new compounds, whereas cycloartenol, campesterol, ibogamine, benzoic acid, aurantiamide acetate and coronaridine hydroxyindolenine are reported from this plant for the first time.     

Various types of tryptamine-iridoid alkaloids from Palicourea acuminata (=Psychotria acuminata,Rubiaceae)

The novel tryptamine-iridoid alkaloid lagamboside was isolated from the methanolic leaf extracts of Palicourea acuminata (Benth.) Borhidi (=Psychotria acuminata Benth.) collected in Costa Rica. Its structure was determined by extensive NMR experiments and is characterized by an unusual N-glycosylation and an iridoid moiety closely related to the less common vallesiachotamine. The co-occurrence with the rare bahienoside, containing two iridoid moieties, is of chemotaxonomic interest.     

Growth and morphogenesis of hyphae from Scopulariopsis brevicaulis (Bainier) in the presence or absence of keratin

Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Deuteromycete, Hyphomycete is a mainly saprophytic fungus but can grow parasitically on keratin-containing substrates.Growth and morphology of hyphae grown on a semi-synthetic keratin-supplemented medium were compared with those grown on a synthetic medium.Dry weight was lower in the keratin-containing medium and some ultrastructural changes were observed. Hyphae diameter and cell wall thickness were both reduced, and the cultures were seen to colonize the cellophane support. These observations may be related to a physiological requirement of this organism when grown on its natural substrate.     

Computational Investigations of the Chalcogen-Substituted Carboxylic Acids RC(=O)XH and RC(=X)OH and their Dimers [RC(=O)XH]2 and [RC(=X)OH]2 (X=S, Se, Te)

Semiempirical and ab initio theoretical methods have been used to investigate molecular structures of the chalcogen-substituted carboxylic acid isomers RC(=O)XH (chalcogenol acid) and RC(=X)OH (chalcogenon acid). A recent experimental report suggests that the chalcogenon isomers, although less stable at room temperature, predominate at low temperature in polar solvents and that there is only a small barrier to isomerization between the isomers. Theoretical calculations have been used to locate minimum energy structures of chalcogen-substituted carboxylic acid isomers and to calculate energy differences between pairs of isomers. Carboxylic acids are well known to dimerize, especially in the gas phase and in non-polar solvents. We have, therefore, also calculated energies of dimerization of the chalcogen-substituted acids by optimizing the geometries of the symmetric dimers. We note that the PM3 level of theory is only qualitatively correct for sulfur- and selenium-containing species but fails even qualitatively for the tellurium-containing compounds. Ab initio results confirm the experimental observations and provide good estimates of both isomerization and dimerization energies. We conclude that for many functional groups with tautomers RC(=X)YH and RC(=Y)XH, the more acidic tautomer is the one with the acid proton on the smaller, more electronegative atom, although in many cases this may not be the more stable tautomer.Electronic Supplementary Material available.     

Two New Chromone Glycosides from the Roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata

Five chromone glycosides were isolated from the water‐soluble portions of 70% EtOH extract of the roots of Saposhnikovia divaricata, including two new chromone glycosides 1 and 2 . The structures of the chromone glycosides were identified as (3′S)‐3′‐O‐β‐d ‐apiofuranosyl‐(1 → 6)‐β‐d ‐glucopyranosylhamaudol ( 1 ), (2′S)‐4′‐O‐β‐d ‐apiofuranosyl‐(1 → 6)‐β‐d ‐glucopyranosylvisamminol ( 2 ), 3′‐O‐glucopyranosylhamaudol ( 3 ), 4′‐O‐β‐d ‐glucopyranosylvisamminol ( 4 ), and 4′‐O‐β‐d ‐glucopyranosyl‐5‐O‐methylvisamminol ( 5 ) on the basis of extensive spectroscopic methods, and the absolute configurations of the new compounds were elucidated by the electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculation and acid hydrolysis. The cytotoxic activities of the glycosides 1 – 5 against three human cancer cell lines (PC‐3, SK‐OV‐3, and H460) were evaluated. The result showed that compounds 1 – 5 had weak cytotoxic activities against the human cancer cell lines with IC₅₀ values in the range of 48.54 ± 0.80 – 94.25 ± 1.45 μm .     

Sexual differentiation in Salaria (=Blennius) pavo

The sexual differentiation of Salaria (= Blennius ) pavo is described from the stage of hatching to a body length of 35 mm. At hatching, the primordial germ cells (PGCs) can be recognized clearly. At a standard body length of 5 mm, they begin to protrude into the peritoneal cavity and at 14 mm they transform to oogonia. At 17 mm length, the first oocytes can be observed. In males at a standard length of 16–17 mm, the first signs of a differentiation into a testis can be recognized. Shortly after the differentiation of the male sex, the division of the male gonad into a testis and a testicular gland can be seen. The fine structural characteristics of the PGCs and of differentiation stages are presented.