Solvent‐dependent conformation of a regioselective amylose carbamate: Amylose‐2‐acetyl‐3,6‐bis(phenylcarbamate)

Six amylose‐2‐acetyl‐3,6‐bis(phenylcarbamate) (AAPC) samples ranging in weight‐average molar mass M_w from 1.8 × 10⁴ g mol^?1 to 1.1 × 10⁶ g mol^?1 have been prepared from enzymatically synthesized amylose samples. Static light scattering, small‐angle X‐ray scattering, sedimentation equilibrium, and viscosity measurements were made for the samples in 1,4‐dioxane (DIOX), 2‐ethoxyethanol (2EE), and 2‐butanone (MEK) all at 25°C to determine particle scattering functions, z‐average radii of gyration, intrinsic viscosities, as well as M_w. The data were analyzed in terms of the wormlike cylinder model mainly to yield the helix pitch per residue h and the Kuhn segment length λ^?1, which corresponds to twice of the persistence length. The latter parameters (λ^?1) in 2EE (11 nm) and MEK (12 nm) are quite smaller than those for amylose tris(phenylcarbamate) (ATPC) in the same solvent (16 nm in 2EE and 18 nm in MEK) whereas those for AAPC (21 nm) and ATPC (22 nm) in DIOX are essentially the same as each other. This indicates that the chain stiffness of AAPC is more strongly influenced by the solvents since the number of intramolecular H‐bonds of AAPC is more changeable than that for ATPC. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 97:1010–1017, 2012.     

Dehydroisostrychnobiline,matopensine and other alkaloids from Strychnos kasengaensis

Eighteen alkaloids have been identified in the root bark, stem bark and leaves of Strychnos kasengaensis from Zaire, They are isoretulinal, retuline, desacetyl isoretuline, desacetyl retuline, dehydroisostrychnobiline, matopensine and its mono-N-oxide, nordihydrotoxiferine, isoretuline, N(1)-desacetyl 18-acetoxyisoretuline, Wieland-Gumlich aldehyde and diol, desacetyl isoretulinal, O-acetyl retuline, 16R-isositsirikine, O-acetyl isoretuline, 11-methoxy retuline and 11-methoxy isoretuline.     

Two sesquiterpene lactones with an additional propiolactone ring from Disynaphia halimifolia

The investigation of D. halimifolia afrorded a new glaucolide and two sesquiterpene lactones with an additional propiolactone ring, one elemanolide and one modified germacranolide with an additional ring. Furthermore, two tremetone derivatives were present, a hydroxy-geranylgeraniol, also present in a Kingianthus species, and several known compounds.     

Sedimentation Analysis of the Interacting Mixture of Dextran Sulfate and Low Density Lipoprotein

The reversible interaction between dextran sulfate (D) and the low density lipoprotein of human serum (P) was investigated by sedimentation velocity. Analysis of the velocity patterns of dextran sulfate—lipoprotein mixtures revealed that the maximum number of binding sites on dextran sulfate molecule is approximately 6. It was also shown that the species of the complex formed is affected by the mixing ratio of the two constituents: at the molar ratio (P/D) 0.69, the complex exists in average as DP_1.6 and at 0.98 as DP_2.2. The linear increment of sedimentation coefficient of the complex due to the binding of one lipoprotein molecule was 7.8S. Finally, the mechanism of precipitation of the complexes was discussed.     

Phenanthroimidazole derivatives act as potent inducer of autophagy by activating DNA damage pathway

A series of imidazo[4,5f][1,10]phenanthroline derivatives (1–6) have been synthesized in this study, and their inhibitory activity was evaluated by MTT assay. Results showed that all of these compounds demonstrate a promising inhibitory activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines. The 6, the most effective compound with IC₅₀ of approximately 2.3 ± 0.1 µM, was against the growth and could induce autophagy of HepG2 cells. This condition was confirmed by abundant autophagic vacuoles appearing in cells and evident ultrastructural changes observed under transmission electron microscopy. The autophage induced by 6 has also been demonstrated by up-regulating LC3-II and Beclin1. The apoptosis and G2/M phase cell cycle arrest through DSB damage have also been confirmed after the HepG2 cells were treated by 6. These multiple effects, especially induction apoptosis and autophagy, indicate the potential of 6 for development as a novel anticancer drug.     

华山松吸收光谱及叶绿素荧光特性的地理变异

利用分离的叶绿体作实验材料,发现华山松(Pinus armandi Franch.)南方种源的4阶导数吸收光谱在680nm处峰值较大,在670nm处峰值较小,而北方种源中出现了在680nm处峰值较在670nm峰值小的类群,推断北方种群反应中心活力有下降趋势。南、北种源之间的低温(77K)荧光发射光谱有明显差异,PSⅠ、PSⅡ发射峰位置出现地理变动。低温荧光激发光谱分析表明,地理变异主要发生在叶绿素a的分子状态上。研究还表明,完整的针叶因为有角质层、松脂等物质干扰,检测不出光谱的差异,不是理想的实验材料。     

Formation of catharanthine,akuammicine and vindoline in Catharanthus roseus suspension cells

Catharanthine and akuammicine, together with ajmalicine and strictosidine, were isolated from a culture strain of Catharanthus roseus suspension cells. The biosynthetic capability of the cultured cells to produce akuammicine, catharanthine and vindoline was confirmed by feeding experiments with dl-tryptophan-[3-¹⁴C] to yield the radioactive alkaloids.     

栗色圆孔牛肝菌中的三种甾醇成分

从栗色圆孔牛肝菌（Ｇｙｒｏｐｏｕｓ　ｃａｓｔａｎｅｕｓ）中分离得到三种甾醇类化合物：（Ⅰ）β－ｅｒ－ｇｏｓｔｅｒｏｌ;（Ⅱ）５α,８α－ｅｐｉｄｉｏｘｙｅｒｇｏｓｔａ－６,２２－ｄｉｅｎ－３β－ｏｌ; （Ⅲ）ｅｒｇｏｓｔａ－６,２２－ｄｉｅｎ－３β,５β,８β－ｔｒｉｏｌ。以上三种甾醇均是首次从栗色圆孔牛肝菌中获得,其中化合物（Ⅲ）的构型未见有其它文献报道。     

R-state haemoglobin with low oxygen affinity: crystal structures of deoxy human and carbonmonoxy horse haemoglobin bound to the effector molecule L35

Although detailed crystal structures of haemoglobin (Hb) provide a clear understanding of the basic allosteric mechanism of the protein, and how this in turn controls oxygen affinity, recent experiments with artificial effector molecules have shown a far greater control of oxygen binding than with natural heterotropic effectors. Contrary to the established text-book view, these non-physiological compounds are able to reduce oxygen affinity very strongly without switching the protein to the T (tense) state. In an earlier paper we showed that bezafibrate (BZF) binds to a surface pocket on the alpha subunits of R state Hb, strongly reducing the oxygen affinity of this protein conformation. Here we report the crystallisation of Hb with L35, a related compound, and show that this binds to the central cavity of both R and T state Hb. The mechanism by which L35 reduces oxygen affinity is discussed, in relation to spectroscopic studies of effector binding.