Methyl <Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl Ether and <Emphasis Type="Italic">tert</Emphasis>-butyl Alcohol Degradation by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Fusarium solani</Emphasis>

Fusarium solani degraded methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) and other oxygenated compounds from gasoline including tert-butyl alcohol (TBA). The maximum degradation rate of MTBE was 16 mg protein h and 46 mg/g protein h for TBA. The culture transformed 77% of the total carbon to ¹⁴CO₂. The estimated yield for MTBE was 0.18 g dry wt/g MTBE.     

A quinonoid is an intermediate of oxidative deamination reaction catalyzed by Dopa decarboxylase

The reactions of Dopa decarboxylase (DDC) with l- and d-enantiomers of tryptophan methyl ester are described. Although both the enantiomers bind to the active site of the enzyme with similar affinity, their binding modes are different. l-enantiomer binds in an unproductive mode, while d-enantiomer acts as an oxidative deamination substrate. For the first time a quinonoid has been detected as intermediate of this reaction. By using rapid-scanning stopped-flow kinetic technique rate constants for formation and decay of this species have been determined. All these data, besides validating the functional DDC active site model, represent an important step toward the elucidation of the catalytic pathway of oxidative deamination.     

p38 MAPK is involved in CB2 receptor-induced apoptosis of human leukaemia cells

Cannabinoids have been shown to inhibit the growth of a broad spectrum of tumour cells. However, the molecular mechanisms involved in that effect have not been completely elucidated. Here, we investigated the possible involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in CB2 receptor-induced apoptosis of human leukaemia cells. Results show that stimulation of the CB2 receptor leads to p38 MAPK activation and that inhibition of this kinase attenuates CB2 receptor-induced caspase activation and apoptosis. These findings support a role for p38 MAPK in CB2 receptor-induced apoptosis of human leukaemia cells.     

Rosmarinic acid production by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Coleus forskohlii</Emphasis>hairy root cultures

Coleus forskohlii hairy root cultures were found to produce forskolin and rosmarinic acid (RA) as the main metabolites. The growth and RA production by C. forskohlii hairy root cultures in various liquid media were examined. The hairy root cultures showed good growth in hormone-free Murashige and Skoog medium containing 3% (w/v) sucrose (MS medium), and Gamborg B5 medium containing 2% (w/v) sucrose (B5 medium). RA yield reached 4.0 mg (MS medium) and 4.4 mg (B5 medium) after 5 weeks of culture in a 100 ml flask containing 20 ml of each medium. Hairy root growth and RA were also investigated after treatment with various concentrations of yeast extract (YE), salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonic acid (MJA). RA production in a 100 ml flask containing 20 ml B5 medium reached 5.4 mg (1.9 times more than control) with treatment of 0.01 or 1% (w/v) YE, 5.5 mg (2.0 times more than control) with treatment of 0.1 mM SA, and the maximum RA content with 9.5 mg per flask (3.4 times more than control) was obtained in the hairy roots treated with 0.1 mM MJA. These results suggest that MJA is an effective elicitor for production of RA in C. forskohlii hairy root cultures.     

6-Methoxyflavonoids from Brickellia californica

Two new and eleven known 6-methoxyflavonoids were identified in leaf tissue of Brickellia californica. The new flavonols are eupatin 3-SO₃ Ca_1/2 and patuletin 3-SO₃K. The known compounds include the flavones hispidulin and eupafolin and their respective 7- and 4′-monomethyl ethers and the flavonols; spinacetin, eupatin, patuletin 3-glucoside and 3-galactoside, and eupatolitin 3-galactoside.     

Whole cell-enzyme hybrid amperometric biosensor for direct determination of organophosphorous nerve agents with p-nitrophenyl substituent

In this paper, we reported the construction of a hybrid biosensor for direct, highly selective, sensitive, and rapid quantitative determination of organophosphate pesticides with p-nitrophenyl substituent using purified organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) for the initial hydrolysis and Arthrobacter sp. JS443 for subsequent p-nitrophenol oxidation. The biocatalytic layer was prepared by co-immobilizing Arthrobacter sp. JS443 and OPH on a carbon paste electrode. OPH catalyzed the hydrolysis of organophosphorus pesticides with p-nitrophenyl substituent such as paraoxon and methyl parathion to release p-nitrophenol that was oxidized by the enzymatic machinery of Arthrobacter sp. JS443 to carbon dioxide through electroactive intermediates 4-nitrocatechol and 1,2,4-benzenetriol. The oxidization current of the intermediates was measured and correlated to the concentration of organophosphates. The best sensitivity and response time were obtained using a sensor constructed with 0.06 mg dry weight of cell and 965 IU of OPH operating at 400 mV applied potential (vs. Ag/AgCl reference) in 50 mM citrate-phosphate pH 7.5 buffer at room temperature. Using these conditions, the biosensor measured as low as 2.8 ppb (10 nM) of paraoxon and 5.3 ppb (20 nM) of methyl parathion without interference from phenolic compounds, carbamate pesticides, triazine herbicides, and organophosphate pesticides that do not have the p-nitrophenyl substituent. The biosensor had excellent operational life-time stability with no decrease in response for more than 40 repeated uses over a 12-h period when stored at room temperature, while its storage life was approximately 2 days when stored in the operating buffer at 4 degrees C.     

Two different Ca2+-dependent inhibitory mechanisms of spontaneous firing by glutamate in dopamine neurons

The excitatory neurotransmitter, glutamate, generates a characteristic burst-pause type of firing in midbrain dopamine neurons in association with the reward behavior, but the cellular mechanism by which glutamate generates these bursts is unknown. Here, we show that the bursts in spontaneously firing dopamine neurons can be generated by the combinative actions of the brief stimulatory and the subsequent Ca(2+)-dependent inhibitory signals in response to glutamate stimulation. The two Ca(2+)-dependent firing-extinction signals are activated by different glutamate receptors. Although the activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors rapidly stopped the enhanced firing through the Ca(2+) release from intracellular stores, the activation of NMDA and AMPA/kainate receptors abolished the firing immediately after termination of the stimulation due to the Ca(2+) accumulation in the cell. These two Ca(2+)-dependent inhibitory mechanisms appear to participate in the generation of characteristic bursts in dopamine neurons by controlling the maximum firing number of single bursts and the duration of post-firing pauses.     

Tournefolic acid B methyl ester attenuates glutamate-induced toxicity by blockade of ROS accumulation and abrogating the activation of caspases and JNK in rat cortical neurons

The effects of nine polyphenolic compounds on glutamate-mediated toxicity were investigated. The underlying mechanisms by which a polyphenolic compound confers its effect were also elucidated. Treatment of cortical neurons with 50 microm glutamate for 24 h decreased cell viability by 45.8 +/- 7.9%, and 50 microm of tournefolic acid B methyl ester attenuated glutamate-induced cell death by 46.8 +/- 17.8%. Glutamate increased the activity of caspase 35.2-fold, and to a similar extent for caspase 2, 6, 8 and 9. Tournefolic acid B methyl ester abrogated glutamate-induced activation of caspase 2, 3, 6 and 9 by about 70%, and to a lesser extent for caspase 8. Treatment with glutamate for 1 h elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) by 208.3 +/- 21.3%. Tournefolic acid B methyl ester eliminated the glutamate-induced accumulation of ROS. Glutamate increased the phosphorylation of p54-c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) concomitantly with activation of the endogenous antioxidant defense system. Tournefolic acid B methyl ester at 50 microm diminished the activity of p54-JNK in control and glutamate-treated cells, coinciding with the abolishment of the glutamate-triggered antioxidant defense system. Therefore, tournefolic acid B methyl ester blocked the activation of the caspase cascade, eliminated ROS accumulation and abrogated the activation of JNK, thereby conferring a neuroprotective effect on glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity.     

Lipase-catalyzed naproxen methyl ester hydrolysis in water-saturated ionic liquid: significantly enhanced enantioselectivity and stability

The lipase selective hydrolysis of Naproxen methyl ester was explored in both water-saturated isooctane and water-saturated ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoro-phoshate ([bmim]PF₆) to see any significant differences in terms of enantioselectivity and stability between two different classes of reaction media. It is shown that polar and hydrophobic of [bmim]PF₆ made it an unearthly reaction medium for hydrolysis of Naproxen methyl ester. It not only decreases the equilibrium constant (K) and enhances the enantiomeric ratio (E), consequently improves the equilibrium conversion (C_Eq) of the hydrolysis reaction and enantiomeric excess of product (ee_p), but also maintains the lipase activity. Because the lipase would not dissolve in the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoro-phoshate, it can be filtrated up from 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoro-phoshate and recycled for several runs. The stability of lipase was improved due to the higher solubility of methanol in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluoro-phoshate than in isooctane.     

Coordinated activation of metabolic pathways for antioxidants and defence compounds by jasmonates and their roles in stress tolerance in Arabidopsis

Jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA), collectively termed jasmonates, are ubiquitous plant signalling compounds. Several types of stress conditions, such as wounding and pathogen infection, cause endogenous JA accumulation and the expression of jasmonate-responsive genes. Although jasmonates are important signalling components for the stress response in plants, the mechanism by which jasmonate signalling contributes to stress tolerance has not been clearly defined. A comprehensive analysis of jasmonate-regulated metabolic pathways in Arabidopsis was performed using cDNA macroarrays containing 13516 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) covering 8384 loci. The results showed that jasmonates activate the coordinated gene expression of factors involved in nine metabolic pathways belonging to two functionally related groups: (i) ascorbate and glutathione metabolic pathways, which are important in defence responses to oxidative stress, and (ii) biosynthesis of indole glucosinolate, which is a defence compound occurring in the Brassicaceae family. We confirmed that JA induces the accumulation of ascorbate, glutathione and cysteine and increases the activity of dehydroascorbate reductase, an enzyme in the ascorbate recycling pathway. These antioxidant metabolic pathways are known to be activated under oxidative stress conditions. Ozone (O3) exposure, a representative oxidative stress, is known to cause activation of antioxidant metabolism. We showed that O3 exposure caused the induction of several genes involved in antioxidant metabolism in the wild type. However, in jasmonate-deficient Arabidopsis 12-oxophytodienoate reductase 3 (opr3) mutants, the induction of antioxidant genes was abolished. Compared with the wild type, opr3 mutants were more sensitive to O3 exposure. These results suggest that the coordinated activation of the metabolic pathways mediated by jasmonates provides resistance to environmental stresses.