Biotransformation of bavachinin by three fungal cell cultures.

Biotransformation of bavachinin (1) was investigated using three fungal cell cultures of Aspergillus flavus ATCC 30899, Cunninghamella elegans CICC 40250 and Penicillium raistrickii ATCC 10490, respectively. Two major converted products were identified by LC/MS, (1)H NMR and (13)C NMR and X-ray diffraction. Two biocatalyst systems, A. flavus ATCC 30899 and C. elegans CICC 40250 cell cultures, showed a great capacity of hydroxylation and two hydroxyl groups were attached at C-2″ and C-3″ positions in the side chain of the bavachinin A-ring, resulting in the formation of the same compound with a name, (S)-6-((R)-2,3-dihydroxy-3-methylbutyl)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-methoxychromen-4-one (2). On the other hand, P. raistrickii ATCC 10490 cell cultures possessed the ability to reduction at C-4 of the substrate C-ring, resulting in the production of (2S,4R)-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-methoxy-6-(3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl)chromen-4-ol (3). Furthermore, the in vitro anti-tumor activities of the above compounds were evaluated by MTT assay. Compared with the substrate (1), product 3 possessed stronger inhibition activity on the human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and slightly lower inhibition activities against Hep G2, HeLa, Hep-2 and A549 cells lines; while the hydroxyl product 2 possessed much lower inhibition activity on tumor cells lines, which might be related to the insertion of two hydroxyl groups. Compounds 2 and 3 were considered to be novel. It was also the first time to biotransform bavachinin (1) by these three fungi, which suggested the potential role of microbial enzymes to synthesize novel compounds from plant secondary metabolites.

Decolorization of malachite green by cytochrome c in the mitochondria of the fungus Cunninghamella elegans.

We studied the decolorization of malachite green (MG) by the fungus Cunninghamella elegans. The mitochondrial activity for MG reduction was increased with a simultaneous increase of a 9-kDa protein, called CeCyt. The presence of cytochrome c in CeCyt protein was determined by optical absorbance spectroscopy with an extinction coefficient (E(550-535)) of 19.7+/-6.3 mM(-1) cm(-1) and reduction potential of + 261 mV. When purified CeCyt was added into the mitochondria, the specific activity of CeCyt reached 440 +/- 122 micromol min(-1) mg(-1) protein. The inhibition of MG reduction by stigmatellin, but not by antimycin A, indicated a possible linkage of CeCyt activity to the Qo site of the bc1 complex. The RT-PCR results showed tight regulation of the cecyt gene expression by reactive oxygen species. We suggest that CeCyt acts as a protein reductant for MG under oxidative stress in a stationary or secondary growth stage of this fungus.

Studies on microbial transformation of meloxicam by fungi.

Screening-scale studies were performed with 26 fungal cultures for their ability to transform the anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam. Among the different fungi screened, a filamentous fungus, Cunninghamella blakesleeana NCIM 687, transformed meloxicam to three metabolites in significant quantities. The transformation of meloxicam was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Based on the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) data, two metabolites were predicted to be 5-hydroxymethyl meloxicam and 5-carboxy meloxicam, the major mammalian metabolites reported previously. A new metabolite was produced, which is not detected in mammalian systems. Glucose medium, pH of 6.0, temperature of 27 degrees , 5-day incubation period, dimethylformamide as solvent, and glucose concentration of 2.0%were found to be suitable for maximum transformation of meloxicam when studied separately. It is concluded that C. blakesleeana can be employed for biotransformation of drugs for production of novel metabolites.