Effect of fish oil on offensive and defensive factors in gastric ulceration in rats

The effect of fish oil (FO) derived from Scomberoides commersonianus containing omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was studied on gastric ulcers and as well as on offensive and defensive factors in gastric mucosal damage, following experimental gastric ulceration. FO significantly reduced the severity of ulceration in gastric ulcers induced by aspirin, cold-restraint stress (CRS), alcohol, and pylorus ligation. The results also indicated the potentiality of FO in maintaining the integrity of gastric mucosa by virtue of its effect on both offensive and defensive gastric mucosal factors. It decreased the offensive acid-pepsin secretion and augmented the defensive factors like mucin secretion, cellular mucus and life span of mucosal cells following pylorus ligation. FO significantly increased activity of anti-oxidant enzymes (catalase and glutathione peroxidase) and decreased lipid peroxidation in gastric mucosa of CRS rats. The study indicates the beneficial role of FO in gastric ulceration by inhibition of offensive mucosal factors and oxidative stress, and augmentation of defensive mucosal factors.     

An insight into the origin and functional evolution of bacterial aromatic ring-hydroxylating oxygenases

Bacterial aromatic ring-hydroxylating oxygenases (RHOs) are multicomponent enzyme systems which have potential utility in bioremediation of aromatic compounds in the environment. To cope with the enormous diversity of aromatic compounds in the environment, this enzyme family has evolved remarkably exhibiting broad substrate specificity. RHOs are multicomponent enzymes comprising of a homo- or hetero-multimeric terminal oxygenase and one or more electron transport (ET) protein(s). The present study attempts in depicting the evolutionary scenarios that might have occurred during the evolution of RHOs, by analyzing a set of available sequences including those obtained from complete genomes. A modified classification scheme identifying four new RHO types has been suggested on the basis of their evolutionary and functional behaviours, in relation to structural configuration of substrates and preferred oxygenation site(s). The present scheme emphasizes on the fact that the phylogenetic affiliation of RHOs is distributed among four distinct 'Similarity classes', independent of the constituent ET components. Similar combination of RHO components that was previously considered to be equivalent and classified together [Kweon et al., BMC Biochemistry 9, 11 (2008)] were found here in distinct similarity classes indicating the role of substrate-binding terminal oxygenase in guiding the evolution of RHOs irrespective of the nature of constituent ET components. Finally, a model for evolution of the multicomponent RHO enzyme system has been proposed, beginning from genesis of the terminal oxygenase components followed by recruitment of constituent ET components, finally evolving into various 'extant' RHO types.     

Electromigration Dispersion in Capillary Electrophoresis

In a previous paper (Ghosal and Chen in Bull. Math. Biol. 72:2047, 2010), it was shown that the evolution of the solute concentration in capillary electrophoresis is described by a nonlinear wave equation that reduced to Burger’s equation if the nonlinearity was weak. It was assumed that only strong electrolytes (fully dissociated) were present. In the present paper, it is shown that the same governing equation also describes the situation where the electrolytic buffer consists of a single weak acid (or base). A simple approximate formula is derived for the dimensionless peak variance which is shown to agree well with published experimental data.     

Interaction with a kinesin-2 tail propels choline acetyltransferase flow towards synapse

Bulk flow constitutes a substantial part of the slow transport of soluble proteins in axons. Though the underlying mechanism is unclear, evidences indicate that intermittent, kinesin-based movement of large protein-aggregates aids this process. Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), a soluble enzyme catalyzing acetylcholine synthesis, propagates toward the synapse at an intermediate, slow rate. The presynaptic enrichment of ChAT requires heterotrimeric kinesin-2, comprising KLP64D, KLP68D and DmKAP, in Drosophila. Here, we show that the bulk flow of a recombinant Green Fluorescent Protein-tagged ChAT (GFP::ChAT), in Drosophila axons, lacks particulate features. It occurs for a brief period during the larval stages. In addition, both the endogenous ChAT and GFP::ChAT directly bind to the KLP64D tail, which is essential for the GFP::ChAT entry and anterograde flow in axon. These evidences suggest that a direct interaction with motor proteins could regulate the bulk flow of soluble proteins, and thus establish their asymmetric distribution.     

The HARP-like Domain-Containing Protein AH2/ZRANB3 Binds to PCNA and Participates in Cellular Response to Replication Stress

Proteins with annealing activity are newly identified ATP-dependent motors that can rewind RPA-coated complementary single-stranded DNA bubbles. AH2 (annealing helicase 2, also named as ZRANB3) is the second protein with annealing activity, the function of which is still unknown. Here, we report that AH2 is recruited to stalled replication forks and that cells depleted of AH2 are hypersensitive to replication stresses. Furthermore, AH2 binds to PCNA, which is crucial for its function at stalled replication forks. Interestingly, we identified a HARP-like (HPL) domain in AH2 that is indispensible for its annealing activity in?vitro and its function in?vivo. Moreover, searching of HPL domain in SNF2 family of proteins led to the identification of SMARCA1 and RAD54L, both of which possess annealing activity. Thus, this study not only demonstrates the in?vivo functions of AH2, but also reveals a common feature of this new subfamily of proteins with annealing activity.     

Palmilycorine and lycoriside: acyloxy and acylglucosyloxy alkaloids from crinum asiaticum

Two new types of alkaloidal conjugates, a C₁₆-acyloxy derivative, named palmilycorine, and an acylglucosyloxy derivative, named lycoriside, were isolated from the fruits of Crinum asiaticum. The presence of these compounds was also detected in the fleshy scale leaves and in roots of this species. The structures of the two compounds were established as 1-O-palmitoyllycorine (1) and lycorine-1-O-(6′-O-palmitoyl-β-D-glucopyranoside)(2), respectively, on the basis of chemical transformation and comprehensive spectral evidence. The biological effects of the alkaloids were evaluated.     

Glucosyloxy alkaloids from Pancratium biflorum

From fluids of flower stems and bulbs, and from extracts of roots of Pancratium biflorum, collected at different stages of growth, three new glucosyloxy alkaloids, viz. hordenine-4-O-β-d-glucoside, lycorine-1-O-β-d-glucoside and pseudolycorine-1-O-β-d-glucoside, have been isolated and characterized. Additionally, three proto alkaloids, β-phenethylamine, tyramine and hordenine, together with four true alkaloids, lycorine, pseudolycorine, pretazettine and tazettine, encountered before in other memebrs of the Amaryllidaceae, have now been isolated also from this species. Ontogenic variations of alkaloidal constituents have been observed. The ability of the alkaloidal constituents to complex with divalent metal ions and phytosterols has been examined with a view to evaluating their significance in plant biochemistry.     

Fenugreekine,a new steroidal sapogenin-peptide ester of Trigonella foenum-graecum

A new C₂₇-steroidal sapogenin-peptide ester, fenugreekine, has been isolated from seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum. On acid hydrolysis, it afforded diosgenin, yamogenin, (25R)-spirosta-3,5-diene, a mixture of three isomeric (2S,3R,4R-, 2S,3R,4S-, 2S,3S,4R-)-4-hydroxyisoleucine lactones, 4′-hydroxyisoleucyl-4-hydroxyisoleucine lactone, and a C₁₄-dipeptide which was partially characterized. On the basis of this chemical transformation and spectral (UV, IR, PMR, MS) evidence of fenugreekine and its transformation products, the steroidal sapogenin-peptide ester is assigned structure (1). The two dipeptides also have not been encountered before in nature or prepared synthetically. The compound shows a number of interesting pharmacological and virological activities.     

β-Phenethylamine,tetrahydroisoquinoline and indole Alkaloids of Desmodium tiliaefolium

Ten alkaloids (I-X), five β-phenethylamines, two tetrahydroisoquinolines, and three indole-3-alkylamines, have been isolated from Desmodium tiliaefolium. Chemical transformations, spectral (UV,IR, NMR, MS) evidence, and in most cases comparison with reference materials established their identity as tyramine (I), hordenine (II), 3,4-dimethoxy-β-phenethylamine (III), N,N- dimethyl-3,4-dimethoxyphenethylamine (IV), N-methyl-3,4-dimethoxy-β-hydroxyphenethylamine (V), salsoline (V1), salsolidine (VII), tryptamine (VIII), abrine (IX), and hypahorine (X). Alkaloid (V) is a new naturally occurring compound, while no tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloid has been encountered before in this genus. This is the first time that three different types of alkaloids have been reported in a single legume species. In addition to the above alkaloids, four quaternary β-phenethylamines and tetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids have been detected, and choline and betaine have been isolated from the water-soluble alkaloid fraction of the roots.