Stereostructure of curlone,a sesquiterpenoid of Curcuma longa rhizomes

From the crude drug ‘ukon’ (turmeric) (obtained from the rhizomes of Curcuma longa) a new sesquiterpenoid, curlone, has been isolated and shown as (6S)-2-methyl-6-[(1S)-4-methylene-2-cyclohexen-1-yl]-2-hepten-4-one on the basis of its spectral properties and its chemical conversion to the known (+)-ar-turmerone.     

Differentiation and production of colony-stimulating factor induced by immunostimulants in a leukemia cell line

Immunostimulants from various microorganisms were tested on a myeloid leukemia cell line (Ml) for the ability to induce production of CSF and to cause differentiation of these cells. Based on their activities, the compounds were divided into two general classes: those inducing extensive cellular differentiation and those devoid of this effect. The stimulants which were active in this regard always produced large quantities of CSF, whereas those devoid of a differentiating effect did not cause CSF production. Even the potent stimulants had no effect on the D^? subline, in which the differentiation was not inducible.     

Peptide synthesis ‘in water’ by a solution‐phase method using water‐dispersible nanoparticle Boc‐amino acid

Regulatory pressure has compelled the chemical manufacturing industry to reduce the use of organic solvents in synthetic chemistry, and there is currently a strong focus on replacing these solvents with water. Here, we describe an efficient in‐water solution‐phase peptide synthesis method using Boc‐amino acids. It is based on a coupling reaction utilizing suspended water‐dispersible nanoparticle reactants. Using this method, peptides were obtained in good yield and with high purity. Copyright © 2011 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Monoclonal antibodies to the thyrotropin receptor bind to a 56-kDa subunit of the thyrotropin receptor and show heterogeneous bioactivities

Four monoclonal antibodies to the thyrotropin (TSH) receptor were established by fusing human peripheral lymphocytes of patients from Graves' disease with a human myeloma cell line. Of two antibodies with TSH-binding inhibitory immunoglobulin activity (TBII), one inhibited TSH stimulation of adenylate cyclase and another stimulated adenylate cyclase. These antibodies showed competitive and noncompetitive modes of binding inhibition, respectively. Of the other two antibodies without TBII activity, one stimulated adenylate cyclase and the other inhibited TSH stimulation of adenylate cyclase. Of the two antibodies, which inhibited TSH stimulation of adenylate cyclase, one with TBII activity inhibited stimulation of adenylate cyclase by stimulating antibody with TBII activity, but another without TBII activity inhibited stimulation by both stimulating antibodies with or without TBII activity. These inhibitory antibodies did not influence the stimulation of adenylate cyclase by Forskolin and guanosine 5'-(beta,gamma-imido)triphosphate compounds which are known to affect other parts of the receptor-adenylate cyclase system than the receptor unit. Four antibodies with heterogeneous potencies to the TSH receptor reacted with glycoproteins extracted from thyroid membranes. One stimulating antibody without TBII activity also interacted with the glycolipid fraction of the membrane preparation, and the binding decreased after desialylation or deglycosylation of the membrane components. In order to identify the binding sites of these monoclonal antibodies, receptor proteins interacting with antibodies were visualized by Western blot analysis and by the label transfer cross-linking method. All of these antibodies with different characteristics reacted with a 56-kDa molecule.     

Recognition by restriction endodeoxyribonuclease EcoRI of octadeoxyribonucleotides containing modified sugar and base moieties

The modified base and sugar moieties, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroadenine (HO8A),8-methoxyadenine (MeO8A),8-methoxyguanine (MeO8G) and 9-[(2-hydroxy-1-(hydroxymethyl)-ethoxy)-methyl]-adenine (acA), were chemically introduced in place of the adenine or guanine in the octa-deoxyribonucleotides [d(GGAATTCC)] containing recognition sequence of Eco RI. to the regular DNA-fragment.     

Crystallization and comparative characterization of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-ferredoxin reductase from sheep adrenocortical mitochondria

1. Sheep NADPH-ferredoxin reductase (E.C. 1.18.1.2) was purified from the adrenocortical mitochondria. The reductase was typical flavoenzyme and crystallized in ammonium sulfate solution. 2. The properties of the reductase were investigated physicochemically and immunochemically. The minimum molecular weight of the reductase was 52,000 and the reductase has one FAD per mole as a coenzyme. 3. The sheep NADPH-ferredoxin reductase showed a precipitate line against antibody to bovine NADPH-ferredoxin reductase. 4. The compositions and sequences of amino acid residues of this reductase and porcine, bovine, and human enzymes were compared. In spite of differences of mammalian species, the sequence of amino acid residues in the amino-terminal regions were highly homologous. 5. It is suggested that the amino-terminal region may be essential for the function of the NADPH-ferredoxin reductase.