Genome Sequence and Comparative Pathogenomics Analysis of a Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Strain Associated with a Typhoid Carrier in Malaysia

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi is a human pathogen that causes typhoid fever predominantly in developing countries. In this article, we describe the whole genome sequence of the S. Typhi strain CR0044 isolated from a typhoid fever carrier in Kelantan, Malaysia. These data will further enhance the understanding of its host persistence and adaptive mechanism.     

Synthesis of chromenochalcones and evaluation of their in vitro antileishmanial activity

A large number of novel chromenochalcones were synthesized by pyridine-catalysed chromenylation of mono-chelated meta-dihydric acetophenones with the monoterpene, citral dimethyl acetal and subsequent Claisen-Schmidt condensation of the resultant acylchromenes with appropriate aromatic aldehydes. These chromenochalcones 1-19 were screened against in vitro extracellular promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania donovani. The most potent compound in this series was compound 9 with a pyridine ring-A, which showed 99% inhibition of promastigotes at 10 microg/ml, 82% at 0.25 microg/ml and 96% at 10 microg/ml concentration against amastigotes.     

Engineering of the rose flavonoid biosynthetic pathway successfully generated blue-hued flowers accumulating delphinidin

Flower color is mainly determined by anthocyanins. Rosa hybrida lacks violet to blue flower varieties due to the absence of delphinidin-based anthocyanins, usually the major constituents of violet and blue flowers, because roses do not possess flavonoid 3',5'-hydoxylase (F3'5'H), a key enzyme for delphinidin biosynthesis. Other factors such as the presence of co-pigments and the vacuolar pH also affect flower color. We analyzed the flavonoid composition of hundreds of rose cultivars and measured the pH of their petal juice in order to select hosts of genetic transformation that would be suitable for the exclusive accumulation of delphinidin and the resulting color change toward blue. Expression of the viola F3'5'H gene in some of the selected cultivars resulted in the accumulation of a high percentage of delphinidin (up to 95%) and a novel bluish flower color. For more exclusive and dominant accumulation of delphinidin irrespective of the hosts, we down-regulated the endogenous dihydroflavonol 4-reductase (DFR) gene and overexpressed the Irisxhollandica DFR gene in addition to the viola F3'5'H gene in a rose cultivar. The resultant roses exclusively accumulated delphinidin in the petals, and the flowers had blue hues not achieved by hybridization breeding. Moreover, the ability for exclusive accumulation of delphinidin was inherited by the next generations.     

Semi-synthetic antibiotics: Titanium(IV), zirconium(IV) and mercury(II) complexes of 6-amino penicillinic acid

A number of organometallic derivatives involving 6-amino penicillinic acid (I), of the types η⁵-R)₂M- (Cl)L^?Et₃NH⁺ (II), (η⁵-R)₂M(Cl)L (III) and R′HgL [R = cyclopentadienyl (C₅H₅), indenyl (C₉H₇), R′ = phenyl (C₆H₅), p-acetoxyphenyl (p-CH₃COOC₆H₄), o-hydroxyphenyl (o-HOC₆H₄), p-hydroxyphenyl (p-HOC₆H₄); M = Ti(IV), Zr(IV); LH = 6-amino penicillinic acid] have been synthesized and characterized. Conductance measurements indicate that while the (η⁵-R)₂M(Cl)L^?Et₃NH⁺ complexes are 1:1 electrolytes, the remaining compounds are non-electrolytes. From IR and UV spectral studies it is concluded that the penicillin moiety is bidentate. PMR and CMR studies support the stoichiometry of the complexes. Fluorescence studies have been carried out for o- and p-HOC₆H₄HgL complexes and relevant photochemical parameters have been elucidated. X-ray diffraction studies have been made for the o-HOC₆H₄HgL complex. For the C₆H₅HgL, p-CH₃COOC₆H₄HgL and p-HOC₆H₄HgL complexes, thermal studies (TG and DTA) have been carried out and kinetic parameters for thermal degradation have been enumerated. In addition, the fragmentation pattern of these complexes has been analysed on the basis of mass spectra. The C₆H₅HgL and p-CH₃COOC₆H₄HgL complexes show positive bactericidal activities.     

The genome sequence of bluetongue virus type 2 from India: evidence for reassortment between eastern and western topotype field strains

Bluetongue virus type 2, isolated in India in 1982 (IND1982/01), was obtained from the Orbivirus Reference Collection at IAH Pirbright (http://www.reoviridae.org/dsRNA_virus_proteins/ReoID/btv-2.htm#IND1982/01). Full genome sequencing and phylogenetic analyses show that IND1982/01 is a reassortant virus containing genome segments derived from both eastern and western topotypes. These data will help to identify further reassortment events involving this or other virus lineages in the subcontinent.     

4-Aminopyrimidine tetrahydronaphthols: a series of novel vanilloid receptor-1 antagonists with improved solubility properties

8-(6-(4-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl)pyrimidin-4-ylamino)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalen-2-ol (4) and analogs (5-10) were shown to be potent inhibitors of human and rat TRPV1 in vitro with increased solubility over our previous series. Synthesis, SAR, and improvements in metabolic stability and absorption of these compounds are described herein.     

The role of AMPK in psychosine mediated effects on oligodendrocytes and astrocytes: implication for Krabbe disease

Krabbe disease (KD) is an inherited neurological disorder caused by the deficiency of galactocerebrosidase activity resulting in accumulation of psychosine, which leads to energy depletion, loss of oligodendrocytes, induction of gliosis, and inflammation by astrocytes in CNS. In this study, for the first time, we report the regulation of 'cellular energy switch,' AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), by psychosine in oligodendrocytes and astrocytes. Psychosine treatment significantly down-regulated AMPK activity, resulting in increased biosynthesis of lipids including cholesterol and free fatty acid in oligodendrocytes cell line (MO3.13) and primary astrocytes. Pharmacological activator of AMPK, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide-1-β-4-ribofuranoside (AICAR) attenuated the psychosine-mediated down-regulation of AMPK and restored altered biosynthesis of lipids. AICAR treatment also down-regulated psychosine induced expression of proinflammatory cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase in primary astrocytes. However, AICAR treatment had no effect on psychosine induced-reactive oxygen species generation, arachidonic acid release, and death of oligodendrocytes; suggesting the specific role of AMPK in regulation of psychosine-mediated inflammatory response of astrocytes but not in cell death of oligodendrocytes. This study delineates an explicit role for AMPK in psychosine induced inflammation in astrocytes without directly affecting the cell death of oligodendrocytes. It also suggests that AMPK activating agents act as anti-inflammatory agents and can hold a therapeutic potential in Krabbe disease/twitcher disease, particularly when used in combination with drugs, which protect oligodendrocyte cell loss, such as sPLA2 inhibitor [ Giri et al. , J. Lipid Res. 47 (2006), 1478 ].