Seed dormancy,germination and storage behavior of Magnolia sinica,a plant species with extremely small populations of MagnoliaceaeOA

Magnolia sinica is one of the most endangered Magnoliaceae species in China. Seed biology information concerning its long-term ex situ conservation and utilization is insufficient. This study investigated dormancy status, germination requirements and storage behavior of M. sinica. Freshly matured seeds germinated to ca. 86.5% at 25/15°C but poorly at 30°C; GA3 and moist chilling promoted germination significantly at 20°C. Embryos grew at temperatures(alternating or constant) between 20°C and 25°...     

Sedimentary chemistry of a small polluted lake,Gallträsk,S. Finland

Macro nutrients N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na and S as well as heavy metals Pb, Cu, Zn, Co, Cr, Ni, Fe and Mn were analysed from a sediment core representing a 7000-year long history of a lake including the preceding brackish (Litorina Sea) and freshwater (Ancylus Lake) stages. Sediments were also analysed for sedimentary pigments, algal growth potential (AGP) of the interstitial water, phosphorus fractions, pH, specific conductivity and redox potential. The annual accumulation values of several chemical elements were interpreted in light of other paleolimnological data from the same core. In the uppermost sediment stratum the influence of sewage pollution is clearly reflected by increases in total electrolyte content, pH, AGP and sedimentary pigments including myxoxanthophyll. Nickel, copper and manganese only slightly increase in the recent sediment, whilst other heavy metals (especially Cr and Zn) and sulphur, phosphorus, nitrogen and total organic matter are heavily concentrasted in the polluted surface sediment. The interpretation of the chemostratigraphy of the lake accords with evidence of lake development based on biological analyses.     

Synthesis and 13C-N.M.R. spectroscopy of 2-O- and 6-O-acetyl-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-d-galactose,constituents of bacterial cell-wall polysaccharides

Benzyl 2-O-acetyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-3-O-(2,3,4-tri-O-acetyl-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-d-galactopyranoside (11) has been synthesised by two routes. Partial deacetylation of 11 and then acid hydrolysis yielded benzyl 2-O-acetyl-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-β-d-galactopyranoside, catalytic hydrogenolysis of which gave the first title compound in excellent yield. Benzyl 4,6-O-benzylidene-3-O-α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-β-d-galactopyranoside was benzylated, and hydrogenolysis (LiAlH₄-AlCl₃) of the product gave the disaccharide derivative 16 with only HO-6 unsubstituted. Acetylation of 16 followed by catalytic hydrogenolysis gave the crystalline, second title compound. As model compounds for comparative n.m.r. studies, 2-O-, 3-O-, and 6-O-acetyl-d-galactose were also synthesised.     

Synthesis of a small library of bivalent α-d-mannopyranosides for lectin cross-linking

A small library of bivalent α-d-mannopyranosides having rigid linkers was constructed in order to evaluate the effects of inter-saccharide distances upon multivalent binding interactions with plant and bacterial lectins. To this end, iodoaryl and propargyl α-d-mannopyranosides were synthesized and the former treated with TMS-acetylene under palladium chemistry to provide their corresponding ethynylaryl derivatives. A library of 15 dimeric members was then obtained using Lewis acid catalyzed glycosidation, aryl–aryl homocoupling, transition metal catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions, and oxidative Glaser homocoupling.     

Govindjee, Fork, D.C.: Charles Stacy French 1907–1985 National Academy of Sciences, Washington 2006. 28 pp.

Book Reviews

Govindjee, Fork, D.C.: Charles Stacy French 1907–1985 National Academy of Sciences, Washington 2006. 28 pp.     

Dynamics of small autocatalytic reaction networks—I. bifurcations,permanence and exclusion

Catalysis in replication networks has become an important issue in biophysics and other areas of biology. Examples are RNA catalysis, idiotype recognition in the immune response and dynamical models of Maynard-Smith games in sociobiology. Chemical reaction networks describing catalysed, template-induced reproduction of three species are analysed in full generality. The nine-dimensional parameter space is reduced to three relevant angular coordinates which determine completely the phase portraits (PPs) and the bifurcation patterns. All cases are classified and all generic as well as most of the nongeneric transitions are listed and described. This paper has been reproduced directly from disc using a LA-T_EX system.     

Translational control of the expression of the β subunit gene of E., coli RNA polymerase

Using the plasmid pNF1337 as template, a mRNA preparation has been obtained that directs the $\text{in}\text{,}\text{vitro}$ synthesis of fMet-Val, the N-terminal dipeptide of the β subunit of RNA polymerase. RNA polymerase holoenzyme specifically inhibits the mRNA-directed synthesis of fMet-Val showing that the autoregulation by RNA polymerase of β,β′ synthesis is at the level of translation. L factor ($\text{nusA}$ gene product) stimulates the synthesis of fMet-Val from a DNA template but not from mRNA. Rifampicin has no effect on the mRNA-directed synthesis of fMet-Val or the ability of RNA polymerase to inhibit fMet-Val synthesis.     

13C-N.M.R. Spectroscopy of α- and β-anomeric series of alkyl l-arabinopyranosides

Anomeric pairs of l-arabinopyranosides of a variety of aliphatic alcohols were prepared, and their n.m.r. spectroscopy, especially the glycosylation shift of their ¹³C signals, was investigated in comparison with those of d-glucopyranosides, d-mannopyranosides, and l-rhamnopyranosides reported previously. It was found that the glycosylation shift of the l-arabinopyranosides in the present study is almost the same as that of d-glucopyranosides, and the conformational equilibrium of each of these l-arabinopyranosides is very similar to that of the corresponding anomer of methyl l-arabinopyranoside, namely, a preponderance of the ⁴C₁, form, regardless of the structure of the aglycon alcohol. The present results are also useful for structural study of naturally occurring arabinopyranosides.     

Use of positively charged,leaving groups in the synthesis of α-D-linked galactosides. Attempted synthesis of 3-O-α-(D-(galactopyranosyl)-D-galactose

Quaternary ammonium and phosphonium salts were readily obtained by treating 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-α-D-galactopyranosyl bromide with tertiary amines and phosphines in various solvents under anhydrous conditions. Optical rotations and n.m.r. spectra of the hygroscopic syrups indicated that they exist mainly in the β-D configuration. Several dialkyl sulfides reacted very slowly with the galactosyl bromide and no conclusive evidence for sulfonium salt formation was obtained. 2,3,4,6-Tetra-O-benzyl-α-D-galactopyranosyl chloride failed to react with any of the nucleophiles.Methanolysis reactions of the phosphonium salts were too slow to be practical and were not studied extensively. Methanolyses of several quaternary ammonium salts in various solvents were not completely stereospecific, but gave good yields of methyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-α-D-galactopyranoside. Attempted reactions of benzyl 2-O-benzoyl-4,6-O-benzylidene-β-D-galactopyranoside with quaternary ammonium salts derived from 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-α-D-galactopyranosyl bromide failed to produce the corresponding derivative of 3-O-(α-D-galactopyranosyl)-D-galactose.     

The ineffectiveness of analogs of d-galactal as competitive inhibitors of,and substrates for, β-d-galactosidase from Escherichia coli

2,6-Anhydro-3-deoxy-aldehydo-d-lyxo-hept-2-enose (7) 2,6-anhydro-3-deoxy-d-lyxo-hept-2-enitol (8) were synthesized as half-chair analogs of d-galactal (1). As 1 is a strong inhibitor of, as well as a substrate for, β-d-galactosidase from Escherichia coli, the same properties were expected for 7 and 8; however, both were ineffective. This result, together with those of other authors, allows speculative conclusions on the tight binding of 1 to the enzyme only, when water or an alcohol is bound as a co-substrate.     

Expression, purification, and characterization of exo-β-d-glucosaminidase of Aspergillus sp. CJ22-326 from Escherichia coli

An exo-β-d-glucosaminidase gene was cloned from Aspergillus sp. CJ22-326 and expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified protein showed an exo-chitosanase activity in a viscosimetric assay and TLC analysis. This is the first report on cloning of a gene encoding an Aspergillus sp. exo-β-d-glucosaminidase.     

Characterization of orange peel pectin and effect of sugars, -ascorbic acid, ammonium persulfate, salts on viscosity of orange peel pectin solutions

The effects of temperature and concentration on the viscosity of orange peel pectin solutions were examined at five different temperatures between 20 and 60°C and five concentration levels between 2.5–20 kg/m³. The effects of temperature was described by an Arrhenius-type equation. The activation energy for viscous flow was in the range 19.53–27.16 kJ/mol, depending on the concentration. The effect of concentration was described by two types of equation, power-law and exponential. Equations were derived which describes the combined effects of temperature and concentration on the viscosity for two different models in the range of temperatures and concentrations studied. Orange peel pectin was extracted by using HCl (pH 2.5, 90°C, 90 min) ammonium oxalate (0.25%, pH 3.5, 75°C, 90 min) and EDTA (0.5%, 90°C, 90 min) extraction procedures. The best result was obtained with ammonium oxalate extraction in which the pectin content of the final product was 30.12%, although the efficiency among the procedures varied.The average molecular weight was measured by light scattering technique. Magnitudes of intrinsic viscosity and molecular weight of pectins obtained by extraction with HCl, ammonium oxalate and EDTA were 0.262, 0.281, 0.309 m³/kg and 84 500, 91 400, 102 800 kg/kgmol, respectively. The molecular weight dependence of the intrinsic viscosity of the orange peel pectin solutions was expressed by Mark–Houwink–Sakurada equation. The data were fitted to equation as η_i=2.34×10⁻⁵(M_w,ave)^0.8224 which helps to evaluate the average molecular weight of pectin solutions from orange peel with a knowledge of their intrinsic viscosity.     

β-elimination in aldonolactones. Synthesis of 2-deoxy-D-lyxo-hexose and 2-deoxy-D-arabino-hexose

Benzoylation of D-glycero-L-manno-heptono-1,4-lactone (1) with benzoyl chloride and pyridine for 2 h afforded crystalline penta-O-benzoyl-D-glycero-L-manno-heptono-1,4-lactone (2), but a large excess of reagent during 8 h also led to 2,5,6,7-tetra-O- benzoyl-3-deoxy-D-lyxo-hept-2-enono-1,4-lactone (3). Catalytic hydrogenation of 3 was stereoselective and gave 2,5,6,7-tetra-O-benzoyl-3-deoxy-D-galacto-heptono-1,4-lactone (4). Debenzoylation of 4 followed by oxidative decarboxylation with ceric sulfate in aqueous sulfuric acid gave 2-deoxy-D-lyxo-hexose (5). Application of the same reaction to 3-deoxy-D-gluco-heptono-1,4-lactone afforded 2-deoxy-D-arabino-hexose (6).     

Conformational studies of per-O-trimethylsilyl derivatives of D-fructoses and oligosaccharides containing β-D-fructofuranose residues by 220- and 300-MHz P.M.R. spectroscopy

The interpretation of 220- and 300-MHz P.M.R. spectra and the accurate chemical shifts and coupling constants of a number of per-O-trimethylsilyl-(TMS-) D-fructose derivatives and TMS-oligosaccharides containing β-D-fructofuranose residues are presented. On the basis of calculations with an adapted Karplus equation it is concluded that TMS-α- and -β-D-fructopyranose occur in the ²C₅(D) chair conformation whereas the D-glucopyranose rings in the oligosaccharides adopt the usual ⁴C₁(D) chair conformation. The structure of the latter units is very similar to that of TMS-α-_D-glucopyranose. The ⁴E(D) envelope and ⁴T₅(D) twist are the principal conformations of the D-fructofuranose rings. The conformation of the furanose ring depends on the number and kind of monosaccharide units attached thereto. The calculated, preferred conformation of the C-5-CH₂OTMS group of the D-fructofuranose moieties correlates with the time-averaged displacement of C-4 above the plane of C-2, C-3, and O-5.     

Aminoglycosides of D-pinitol. The 3-amino-3-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranoside,THE 3-acetamidino analog,and the 3,6-dideoxy-3,6-epimino-α-D-glucopyranoside

3-Azido-2,4,6-tri-O-benzyl-3-deoxy-α-D-glucopyranosyl chloride (7), prepared conventionally from the azido precursor 2, was coupled with “diisopropylidene-D-pinitol” (8) to give the α-D-glucoside 9 in good yield, together with some β anomer. Removal of the O-benzyl groups from 9 and reduction of the azido group to ?NH₂ were accomplished simultaneously. Further deprotection yielded 11, a 3-amino-3-deoxy-α-D-glucoside of D-pinitol (1a). Compound 11 was converted into the (impure) 3-acetamidino hydrochloride 12. The synthesis of 3,6-epimino-D-glucosides was accomplished by ring closure of the 3-N-tosyl-6-O-tosyl intermediates 17 and 13. The products, after deprotection, were methyl 3,6-dideoxy-3,6-epimino-β-D-glucopyranaside (20) and the novel 3,6-epimino analog 15 of the pinitol D-glucoside 11.     

d-Xylose,an anomer-specific inhibitor of α-galactosidase

d-xylose is a highly anomer-specific, powerful and competitive inhibitor of plant α-galactosidases. The apparent inhibition constant (K_i) for the interaction of d-xylose with chick pea (Cicer arietinum) α-galactosidase and the apparent number of inhibitor molecules (n) bound per enzyme molecule, using p-nitrophenyl-α-d-galactopyranoside as substrate, were found to be 0.4 × 10^?2M and 0.8, respectively.     

Effect of N-acetyl- -cysteine on peroxynitrite and superoxide anion production of lung alveolar macrophages in systemic sclerosis

Lung macrophages may play a relevant role in oxidative processes producing both superoxide anion (O(2)(-)) and NO. In this view, an antioxidant therapy can be useful in the treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is able to expand natural antioxidant defenses by increasing intracellular gluthatione concentration and it has been proposed as an antioxidant therapy in respiratory distress syndromes. The aim of our study was to determine whether lung macrophages obtained from SSc patient bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) express the inducible form of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and whether NAC can reduce the peroxynitrite (ONOO(-)) and O(2)(-) production of these cells. Alveolar macrophages were isolated from BAL of 32 patients and used for the immunocytochemical determination of iNOS, and the production of ONOO(-) and O(2)(-) was measured by fluorimetric or spectrophotometric methods, respectively. Lung macrophages obtained from SSc patients expressed a higher level of iNOS compared to healthy subject cells. NAC preincubation (5 x 10(-5)M, 24h) significantly reduced (-21%) the ONOO(-) production in formyl Met-Leu-Phe (fMLP)-activated cells and slightly reduced it under resting conditions, whereas NAC preincubation was unable to modify the release of O(2)(-) both in basal condition and in fMLP-stimulated cells. We conclude that since SSc lung macrophages express high levels of iNOS and produce a significant quantity of ONOO(-), NAC administration reduces ONOO(-) production and can be an useful treatment to alleviate SSc symptoms.     

The 13C-N.M.R. spectra of methyl (methyl O-methyl-α-d-glucopyranosid)uronates

¹³C-N.m.r. spectra of all of the methyl ethers of methyl (methyl α-d-glucopyranosid)uronate have been interpreted. The data can be used as an aid in the analysis of ¹³C-n.m.r. spectra of α-d-glucopyranosyluronic acid-containing polysaccharides.