Grevillosides A-F: glucosides of 5-alkylresorcinol derivatives from leaves of Grevillea robusta

From a MeOH extract of leaves of Grevillea robusta, seven compounds (1-7) were isolated. One known compound (7) was identified with a benzyl glucoside, icariside F₂. The structures of the six of these, named grevillosides A-F (1-6), were elucidated on detailed inspection of one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopic data as glucosides of 5-alkylresorcinols.     

竹菌化学成分的研究

从肉座菌科真菌竹菌(Engleromyces goetzei P. Henn.)的乙酸乙酯部分分离到一个新化合物(2S, 3S, 4R, 10E)-2-[(2′R)-2′-hydroxytetracosanoyl amino]-10-octadecene-1,3,4-triol (1)和12个已知化合物,分别为cerebroside A、cerebroside B、cerebroside D、cytochalasin D、expoxycytochalasin D、cytochalasin C、loganin、cerevisterol、ergosta-7,22-dien-3β, 5α, 6α-triol、ergosta-4,6,8 (14), 22-tetraen-3-one、ergosterol peroxide和ergosta-5,7,22-trien-3-ol.利用现代波谱方法(1H-NMR、13C-NMR、2D-NMR和ESI-MS等)及化学方法将化合物1鉴定为一新的神经酰胺.除化合物cytochalasin D 外, 其余的化合物均系首次从该真菌中发现.首次从真菌界分离鉴定了一个环烯醚萜甙类化合物 loganin.     

Structural and Functional Analysis of SoPIP2;1 Mutants Adds Insight into Plant Aquaporin Gating

Plant plasma membrane aquaporins facilitate water flux into and out of plant cells, thus coupling their cellular function to basic aspects of plant physiology. Posttranslational modifications of conserved phosphorylation sites, changes in cytoplasmic pH and the binding of Ca²⁺ can regulate water transport activity by gating the plasma membrane aquaporins. A structural mechanism unifying these diverse biochemical signals has emerged for the spinach aquaporin SoPIP2;1, although several questions concerning the opening mechanism remain. Here, we describe the X-ray structures of the S115E and S274E single SoPIP2;1 mutants and the corresponding double mutant. Phosphorylation of these serines is believed to increase water transport activity of SoPIP2;1 by opening the channel. However, all mutants crystallised in a closed conformation, as confirmed by water transport assays, implying that neither substitution fully mimics the phosphorylated state. Nevertheless, a half-turn extension of transmembrane helix 1 occurs upon the substitution of Ser115, which draws the C^α atom of Glu31 10 Å away from its wild-type conformation, thereby disrupting the divalent cation binding site involved in the gating mechanism. Mutation of Ser274 disorders the C-terminus but no other significant conformational changes are observed. Inspection of the hydrogen-bond interactions within loop D suggested that the phosphorylation of Ser188 may also produce an open channel, and this was supported by an increased water transport activity for the S188E mutant and molecular dynamics simulations. These findings add additional insight into the general mechanism of plant aquaporin gating.     

枇杷叶的化学成分

枇杷叶系蔷薇科（Rosaceae）枇杷属植物枇杷[Eriobotrya japonica（Thunb．）Lindl．]的干燥叶,为常用中药,收载于历版《中华人民共和国药典》中。枇杷叶归肺、胃经,具清肺止咳、降逆止呕的作用,用于治疗肺热咳嗽、气逆喘气、胃热呕逆及烦热口渴之症状。目前,已经从枇杷叶中分离出三萜酸、黄酮类、多酚、倍半萜及其苷类等成分,对其药效的研究主要集中在三萜酸的抗炎心、降血糖和抗病毒活性等方面。     

Spectroscopic and in silico study of binding mechanism of cynidine‐3‐O‐glucoside with human serum albumin and glycated human serum albumin

The drug–serum albumin interaction plays a dominant role in drug efficacy and disposition. The glycation of serum albumin that occurs during diabetes may affect its drug‐binding properties in vivo. In order to evaluate the interactivity characteristics of cyanidin‐3‐O‐glucoside (C3G) with human serum albumin (HSA) and glycated human serum albumin (gHSA), this study was undertaken using multiple spectroscopic techniques and molecular modeling analysis. Time‐resolved fluorescence and the thermodynamic parameters indicated that the quenching mechanism was static quenching, and hydrogen bonding and Van der Waals force were the main forces. The protein fluorescence could be quenched by C3G, whereas the polarity of the fluorophore was not obviously changed. C3G significantly altered the secondary structure of the proteins. Furthermore, the interaction force that existed in the HSA–C3G system was greater than that in the gHSA–C3G system. Fluorescence excitation emission matrix spectra, red edge excitation shift, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and circular dichroism spectra provided further evidence that glycation could inhibit the binding between C3G and proteins. In addition, molecular modeling analysis supported the experimental results. The results provided more details for the application of C3G in the treatment of diabetes.     

岩芋中的一个新苯丙素苷

从岩芋(Remusatia vivipara)干燥的球茎中分离得到10个化合物,其中一个为新的苯丙素苷,经波谱学分析及酸水解的方法确定该新化合物的结构为Caffeyl alcohol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside.已知化合物包括3个苯丙素类(松柏苷,caffeyl alcohol和松柏醇),3个新木脂素[4,7,9,9-tetrahydroxy-3,3-dimethoxy-8-O-4-neolign-7-ene,(7 R,8S)-△~(7')-3,3-dimethoxy-4,7,9,9-tetrahydroxy-8-O-4-neoli-gnan-7-O-β-D-glucopyranoside,以及dehydrodiconiferyl alcohol-4-β-D-glucoside],1个酰胺[(2 E,4 E)-N-isobutyl-2,4-decadienamide],1个甾体皂苷(methyl proto-taccaoside)和1个三萜皂苷(saxifra-gifolin B).所有化合物均为首次从岩芋属植物中分离得到.     

Studies on fragment-based design of allosteric inhibitors of human factor XIa

Human factor XIa (hFXIa) has emerged as an attractive target for development of new anticoagulants that promise higher level of safety. Different strategies have been adopted so far for the design of anti-hFXIa molecules including competitive and non-competitive inhibition. Of these, allosteric dysfunction of hFXIa’s active site is especially promising because of the possibility of controlled reduction in activity that may offer a route to safer anticoagulants. In this work, we assess fragment-based design approach to realize a group of novel allosteric hFXIa inhibitors. Starting with our earlier discovery that sulfated quinazolinone (QAO) bind in the heparin-binding site of hFXIa, we developed a group of two dozen dimeric sulfated QAOs with intervening linkers that displayed a progressive variation in inhibition potency. In direct opposition to the traditional wisdom, increasing linker flexibility led to higher potency, which could be explained by computational studies. Sulfated QAO 19S was identified as the most potent and selective inhibitor of hFXIa. Enzyme inhibition studies revealed that 19S utilizes a non-competitive mechanism of action, which was supported by fluorescence studies showing a classic sigmoidal binding profile. Studies with selected mutants of hFXIa indicated that sulfated QAOs bind in heparin-binding site of the catalytic domain of hFXIa. Overall, the approach of fragment-based design offers considerable promise for designing heparin-binding site-directed allosteric inhibitors of hFXIa.     

Hygrophiloside,an iridoid glucoside from Hygrophila difformis (Acanthaceae)

A new iridoid glucoside, hygrophiloside, has been isolated from Hygrophila difformis. Hygrophiloside is apparently identical to the so-called ‘Cardanthera-Pseudoindican’. Its structure has been established by spectroscopic means and by reduction to isoaucubin.     

Sex differences but no evidence of quantitative honesty in the warning signals of six‐spot burnet moths (Zygaena filipendulae L.)*

The distinctive black and red wing pattern of six‐spot burnet moths (Zygaena filipendulae, L.) is a classic example of aposematism, advertising their potent cyanide‐based defences. While such warning signals provide a qualitatively honest signal of unprofitability, the evidence for quantitative honesty, whereby variation in visual traits could provide accurate estimates of individual toxicity, is more equivocal. Combining measures of cyanogenic glucoside content and wing color from the perspective of avian predators, we investigate the relationship between coloration and defences in Z. filipendulae, to test signal honesty both within and across populations. There were no significant relationships between mean cyanogenic glucoside concentration and metrics of wing coloration across populations in males, yet in females higher cyanogenic glucoside levels were associated with smaller and lighter red forewing markings. Trends within populations were similarly inconsistent with quantitative honesty, and persistent differences between the sexes were apparent: larger females, carrying a greater total cyanogenic glucoside load, displayed larger but less conspicuous markings than smaller males, according to several color metrics. The overall high aversiveness of cyanogenic glucosides and fluctuations in color and toxin levels during an individual's lifetime may contribute to these results, highlighting generally important reasons why signal honesty should not always be expected in aposematic species.     

Glutathione transferases catalyze recycling of auto‐toxic cyanogenic glucosides in sorghum

Cyanogenic glucosides are nitrogen‐containing specialized metabolites that provide chemical defense against herbivores and pathogens via the release of toxic hydrogen cyanide. It has been suggested that cyanogenic glucosides are also a store of nitrogen that can be remobilized for general metabolism via a previously unknown pathway. Here we reveal a recycling pathway for the cyanogenic glucoside dhurrin in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) that avoids hydrogen cyanide formation. As demonstrated in vitro, the pathway proceeds via spontaneous formation of a dhurrin‐derived glutathione conjugate, which undergoes reductive cleavage by glutathione transferases of the plant‐specific lambda class (GSTLs) to produce p‐hydroxyphenyl acetonitrile. This is further metabolized to p‐hydroxyphenylacetic acid and free ammonia by nitrilases, and then glucosylated to form p‐glucosyloxyphenylacetic acid. Two of the four GSTLs in sorghum exhibited high stereospecific catalytic activity towards the glutathione conjugate, and form a subclade in a phylogenetic tree of GSTLs in higher plants. The expression of the corresponding two GSTLs co‐localized with expression of the genes encoding the p‐hydroxyphenyl acetonitrile‐metabolizing nitrilases at the cellular level. The elucidation of this pathway places GSTs as key players in a remarkable scheme for metabolic plasticity allowing plants to reverse the resource flow between general and specialized metabolism in actively growing tissue.