Impact of pre-culture on short- and long-term in vitro recovery of the biosynthetic potential and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defense of Hypericum rumeliacum Boiss. after cryostorage

Due to its high hypericin and pseudohypericin in vitro biosynthetic capacity, the Balkan endemic Hypericum rumeliacum was selected as a prospective candidate for long-term preservation of valuable medicinal plant germplasm. Initial cryopreservation experiments were previously conducted based on the successful protocol established and reported for the widely studied H. perforatum. This is the first report on the impact of pre-culture duration on the short- and long-term in vitro recovery of the biosynthetic potential and antioxidant defense system of H. rumeliacum cryopreserved by vitrification. Cryopreservation did not impair the phenolics and flavonoids production of the regenerated plants. Moreover, hypericin and pseudohypericin levels even increased substantially in one of the regenerated lines, reaching yields from 0.107 and 0.752?mg?g^?1?DW in the control up to 0.277 and 1.112?mg?g^?1?DW for hypericin and pseudohypericin, respectively. However, the physical injury stress of the pre-culture treatment manipulations affected the physiological status of regenerants in a time dependent manner. Within 6?months after thawing, regenerants with the highest oxidative stress after pre-culture, were characterized with an augmentation of antioxidant metabolites such as phenolics, flavonoids, glutathione and ascorbic acid as well as increased antioxidant enzymatic activities in comparison with both the non-frozen control and the regenerants with the lowest pre-culture oxidative stress. Then, after 18?months of recovery, the same first H. rumeliacum group displayed a marked drop of enzymatic antioxidant activity as compared with the other groups of plants. Further research is needed to target oxidative stress alleviation to optimize H. rumeliacum cryopreservation protocol.     

Cyanopyrazoles as analogs of purine precursors--I. Inhibitory effect on purine biosynthesis de novo

The in vitro inhibition of purine biosynthesis de novo by a series of cyanopyrazoles was studied. At concentration 1 mM trichloromethyl analogs (3(5)-amino-4-cyano-5(3)-trichloromethylpyrazole and N-hydroxyethyl-3(5)-amino-4-cyano-5(3)-trichloromethylpyrazole) were found to inhibit IMP synthesis 80 and 30% respectively. GAR synthesis was inhibited at a lower degree at the same range of concentrations. The compounds demonstrated a similar pattern of inhibition of the last steps, e.g. AICAR formylation and cyclization as found on the whole pathway.     

Synthesis and Some Properties of Modified Oligonucleotides. II. Oligonucleotides Containing 2′-Deoxy-2′-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl Pyrimidine Nucleosides

Abstract

In order to find the effects of unnatural nucleosides on the stability of duplex, several oligonucleotides containing 1-(2-deoxy-2-fluoro-β-D-arabinofuranosyl)-uracil(FAU),-cytosine (FAC) and -thymine (FMAU) were synthesized by two alternative approaches: phosphoramidite method on an ABI 392 synthesizer and H-phosphonate procedure on our GeneSyn I universal module synthesizer. It was shown from the melting profiles that the presence of FMAU has a large stabilizing effect on the duplex. Replacement of thymidine with FAU, or deoxycytidine with FAC resulted in the formation of less stable duplexes. Temperature-dependent CD spectroscopy demonstrated that the structures of the fluorine containing oligomers are very similar to those of unmodified oligomers.     

Determination of the triacylglycerol composition of coffee beans by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography

Reverse-phase HPLC with refractive index and light scattering detectors in isocratic and gradient elution modes, respectively, was applied for the separation of the major triacylglycerols (TAG) in coffee lipids. Twelve TAG species could be identified and determined using a linear gradient of acetonitrile in dichloromethane: dichloroethane. The quantitative evaluation was based on the relative area percentages derived directly from a data-station. The procedure was applied to determine the TAG composition of three types of coffee beans harvested in two coffee producing areas in Brazil and dried by two commonly used procedures. No significant differences in the TAG compositions due to the type, origin and drying procedure were found.     

Coupled Ion Movement Underlies Rectification in an Inward-Rectifier K+ Channel

We studied block of the internal pore of the ROMK1 inward-rectifier K⁺ channel by Mg²⁺ and five quaternary ammoniums (tetramethylammonium, tetraethylammonium, tetrapropylammonium, tetrabutylammonium, and tetrapentylammonium). The apparent affinity of these blockers varied as a function of membrane voltage. As a consequence, the channel conducted K⁺ current more efficiently in the inward than the outward direction; i.e., inward rectification. Although the size of some monovalent quaternary ammoniums is rather large, the zδ values (which measure voltage dependence of their binding to the pore) were near unity in symmetric 100 mM K⁺. Furthermore, we observed that not only the apparent affinities of the blockers themselves, but also their dependence on membrane voltage (or zδ), varied as a function of the concentration of extracellular K⁺. These results suggest that there is energetic coupling between the binding of blocking and permeating (K⁺) ions, and that the voltage dependence of channel blockade results, at least in part, from the movement of K⁺ ions in the electrical field. A further quantitative analysis of the results explains why the complex phenomenon of inward rectification depends on both membrane voltage and the equilibrium potential for K⁺.     

Naphthalene degradation and biosurfactant activity by Bacillus cereus 28BN

Biosurfactant activity and naphthalene degradation by a new strain identified as Bacillus cereus 28BN were studied. The strain grew well and produced effective biosurfactants in the presence of n-alkanes, naphthalene, crude oil and vegetable oils. The biosurfactants were detected by the surface tension lowering of the medium, thin layer chromatography and infrared spectra analysis. With (2%) naphthalene as the sole carbon source, high levels of rhamnolipids at a concentration of 2.3 g 1(-1) were determined in the stationary growth. After 20 d of incubation 72 +/- 4% of the initial naphthalene was degraded. This is the first report for a Bacillus cereus rhamnolipid producing strain that utilized naphthalene under aerobic conditions. The strain looks promising for application in environmental technologies.     

A functional link between store-operated and TRPC channels revealed by the 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazole derivative, BTP2

The coupling between receptor-mediated Ca2+ store release and the activation of "store-operated" Ca2+ entry channels is an important but so far poorly understood mechanism. The transient receptor potential (TRP) superfamily of channels contains several members that may serve the function of store-operated channels (SOCs). The 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)pyrazole derivative, BTP2, is a recently described inhibitor of SOC activity in T-lymphocytes. We compared its action on SOC activation in a number of cell types and evaluated its modification of three specific TRP channels, canonical transient receptor potential 3 (TRPC3), TRPC5, and TRPV6, to throw light on any link between SOC and TRP channel function. Using HEK293 cells, DT40 B cells, and A7r5 smooth muscle cells, BTP2 blocked store-operated Ca2+ entry within 10 min with an IC50 of 0.1-0.3 microM. Store-operated Ca2+ entry induced by Ca2+ pump blockade or in response to muscarinic or B cell receptor activation was similarly sensitive to BTP2. Using the T3-65 clonal HEK293 cell line stably expressing TRPC3 channels, TRPC3-mediated Sr2+ entry activated by muscarinic receptors was also blocked by BTP2 with an IC50 of <0.3 microM. Importantly, direct activation of TRPC3 channels by diacylglycerol was also blocked by BTP2 (IC50 approximately 0.3 microM). BTP2 still blocked TRPC3 in medium with N-methyl-D-glucamine-chloride replacing Na+, indicating BTP2 did not block divalent cation entry by depolarization induced by activating monovalent cation entry channels. Whereas whole-cell carbachol-induced TRPC3 current was blocked by 3 microM BTP2, single TRPC3 channel recordings revealed persistent short openings suggesting BTP2 reduces the open probability of the channel rather than its pore properties. TRPC5 channels transiently expressed in HEK293 cells were blocked by BTP2 in the same range as TRPC3. However, function of the highly Ca(2+)-selective TRPV6 channel, with many channel properties akin to SOCs, was entirely unaffected by BTP2. The results indicate a strong functional link between the operation of expressed TRPC channels and endogenous SOC activity.     

Calcium entry mediated by SOCs and TRP channels: variations and enigma

Ca(2+) signals in response to receptors mediate and control countless cellular functions ranging from short-term responses such as secretion and contraction to longer-term regulation of growth, cell division and apoptosis. The spatial and temporal details of Ca(2+) signals have been resolved with great precision in many cells. Ca(2+) signals activated by phospholipase C-coupled receptors have two components: Ca(2+) release from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stores mediated by inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP(3)) receptors, and Ca(2+) entry from outside the cell. The latter remains largely a molecular and mechanistic mystery. The activation of "store-operated" Ca(2+) channels is believed to account for the entry of Ca(2+). However, debate now focuses on how much of a contribution emptying of stores plays to the activation of Ca(2+) entry in response to physiological activation of receptors. Here we discuss recent information and ideas on the exchange of signals between the plasma membrane (PM) and ER that results in activation of Ca(2+) entry channels following receptor stimulation and/or store emptying.     

Orai1 and STIM reconstitute store-operated calcium channel function

The two membrane proteins, STIM1 and Orai1, have each been shown to be essential for the activation of store-operated channels (SOC). Yet, how these proteins functionally interact is not known. Here, we reveal that STIM1 and Orai1 expressed together reconstitute functional SOCs. Expressed alone, Orai1 strongly reduces store-operated Ca(2+) entry (SOCE) in human embryonic kidney 293 cells and the Ca(2+) release-activated Ca(2+) current (I(CRAC)) in rat basophilic leukemia cells. However, expressed along with the store-sensing STIM1 protein, Orai1 causes a massive increase in SOCE, enhancing the rate of Ca(2+)entry by up to 103-fold. This entry is entirely store-dependent since the same coexpression causes no measurable store-independent Ca(2+) entry. The entry is completely blocked by the SOC blocker, 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborate. Orai1 and STIM1 coexpression also caused a large gain in CRAC channel function in rat basophilic leukemia cells. The close STIM1 homologue, STIM2, inhibited SOCE when expressed alone but coexpressed with Orai1 caused substantial constitutive (store-independent) Ca(2+) entry. STIM proteins are known to mediate Ca(2+) store-sensing and endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane coupling with no intrinsic channel properties. Our results revealing a powerful gain in SOC function dependent on the presence of both Orai1 and STIM1 strongly suggest that Orai1 contributes the PM channel component responsible for Ca(2+) entry. The suppression of SOC function by Orai1 overexpression likely reflects a required stoichiometry between STIM1 and Orai1.