Preparative isolation of procyanidins from grape seed extracts by high-speed counter-current chromatography.

High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) has been applied to the separation of grape seed procyanidins. The isolation of dimeric to tetrameric procyanidins is achieved after removing the polymeric compounds by solvent precipitation. An additional clean-up by solid-phase extraction on polyamide improved the purities of the isolated compounds. The solvent systems ethyl acetate/2-propanol/water (40:1:40, v/v/v), ethyl acetate/2-propanol/water (20:1:20, v/v/v), and ethyl acetate/1-butanol/water (14:1:15, v/v/v) were successfully used for the fractionation. The combination of HPLC-MS, diode array detection, and NMR analysis, as well as phloroglucinolysis, confirmed the structures of the isolated compounds: B1 [EC-(4beta-->8)-C], B2 [EC-(4beta-->8)-EC], B3 [C-(4alpha-->8)-C], B4 [C-(4alpha-->8)-EC], B5 [EC-4beta-->6-EC], B7 [EC-(4beta-->8)-C], [ECG-(4beta-->8)-C], trimeric procyanidin C1 [EC-4beta-->8-EC-4beta-->8-EC], and the tetrameric procyanidin cinnamtannin A2 (where C: catechin, EC: epicatechin and ECG: epicatechin-3-O-gallate).

Tissue-Specific and Development-Dependent Accumulation of Phenylpropanoids in Larch Mycorrhizas.

The tissue-specific and development-dependent accumulation of secondary products in roots and mycorrhizas of larch (Larix decidua Mill.; Pinaceae) was studied using high-performance liquid chromatography and histochemical methods. The compounds identified were soluble catechin, epicatechin, quercetin 3-O-[alpha]-rhamnoside, cyanidin- and peonidin 3-O-[beta]-glucoside, 4-O-[beta]-hydroxybenzoyl-O-[beta]-glucose, 4-hydroxybenzoate 4-O-[beta]-glucoside, maltol 3-O-[beta]-glucoside, and the wall-bound 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde, vanillin, and ferulate. In addition, we partially identified a tetrahydroxystilbene monoglycoside, a quercetin glycoside, and eight oligomeric proanthocyanidins. Comparison between the compounds accumulating in the apical tissue of fine roots, long roots, and in vitro grown mycorrhizas (L. decidua-Suillus tridentinus) showed elevated levels of the major compounds catechin and epicatechin as well as the minor compound 4-hydroxybenzoate 4-O-[beta]-glucoside specifically in the root apex of young mycorrhizas. The amounts of wall-bound 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde and vanillin were increased in all of the mycorrhizal sections examined. During the early stages of mycorrhization the concentrations of these compounds increased rapidly, perhaps induced by the mycorrhizal fungus. In addition, studies of L. decidua-Boletinus cavipes mycorrhizas from a natural stand showed that the central part of the subapical cortex tissue and the endodermis both accumulate massive concentrations of catechin, epicatechin, and wall-bound ferulate compared with the outer part of the cortex, where the Hartig net is being formed.

Bioactive natural products from marine invertebrates and associated fungi.

Marine natural products with their unique structural features and pronounced biological activities continue to provide lead structures in the search for new drugs from nature. Invertebrates such as sponges, tunicates, mollusks and others that are either sessile or slow moving and mostly lack morphological defense structures have so far provided the largest number of marine-derived secondary constituents including some of the most interesting drug candidates. This review highlights recent research findings of our group related to natural products from marine invertebrates. Areas that are covered include ecological functions of secondary constituents from sponges against predatory fish, the search for new pharmacologically active constituents from sponges and tunicates, and sponge-associated fungi as an evolving source for new bioactive natural products.

Detoxification of the macrolide toxin brefeldin A by Bacillus subtilis.

The macrolide toxin brefeldin A is a determinant of Alternaria leaf blight disease in safflower, which causes severe economic losses worldwide. Soilborne bacteria, classified as Bacillus subtilis spp., were isolated and shown to readily metabolize brefeldin A in laboratory culture to one major product. This product was identified by high resolution 2D 1H NMR and FAB mass spectroscopies as the acid resulting from hydrolysis of the macrolide ring in brefeldin A . In contrast to brefeldin A, the acid completely lacked phytotoxic activity in the standard leaf bioassay. Detoxification of brefeldin A by the lactonase activity from Bacillus subtilis may be exploited in the future to introduce resistance to Alternaria leaf blight in safflower.

Identification and structural characterization of a mannose-6-phosphate containing oligomannosidic N-glycan from human erythropoietin secreted by recombinant BHK-21 cells.

A sialidase resistant mono-charged N-glycan was isolated from glycosylation site I (Asn-24) of recombinant human erythropoietin expressed from baby hamster kidney (BHK-21) cells and constituted approximately 2-4% of the oligosaccharide material at this glycosylation site. Mass spectrometry and both 1- and 2-dimensional NMR techniques revealed a high mannose type structure (Man6) with a phospho-diesterbridged N-acetylglucosamine as follows: [formula: see text]

The solution structure and heme binding of the presequence of murine 5-aminolevulinate synthase.

The mitochondrial import of 5-aminolevulinate synthase (ALAS), the first enzyme of the mammalian heme biosynthetic pathway, requires the N-terminal presequence. The 49 amino acid presequence transit peptide (psALAS) for murine erythroid ALAS was chemically synthesized, and circular dichroism and (1)H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopies used to determine structural elements in trifluoroethanol/H(2)O solutions and micellar environments. A well defined amphipathic alpha-helix, spanning L22 to F33, was present in psALAS in 50% trifluoroethanol. Further, a short alpha-helix, defined by A5-L8, was also apparent in the 26 amino acid N-terminus peptide, when its structure was determined in sodium dodecyl sulfate. Heme inhibition of ALAS mitochondrial import has been reported to be mediated through cysteine residues in presequence heme regulatory motifs (HRMs). A UV/visible and (1)H NMR study of hemin and psALAS indicated that a heme-peptide interaction occurs and demonstrates, for the first time, that heme interacts with the HRMs of psALAS.

Isolated metaphase chromosomes. II. Proteins of Chinese hamster chromosomes.

The proteins on metaphase chromosomes theoretically may be distributed ubiquitously throughout the karyotype, may be present uniquely on individual chromosomes or classes of chromosomes, or may exist in any combination of the above. Separation of chromosomes according to size using sucrose velocity gradients in high capacity zonal centrifuge rotors allows sufficient fractionation of the genome to indicate the distribution of proteins within the karyotype. Flow cytometric analysis and direct microscopic analysis were used to evaluate qualitatively the types of chromosomes present in the fractions obtained. This report is the first quantitative evidence that some of the chromosomal proteins are not distributed ubiquitously on all of the chromosomes of the karyotype.

Solution structure comparison of the VIP/PACAP family of peptides by NMR spectroscopy.

The current status of structural studies of the VIP/PACAP family of peptides in solution by NMR spectroscopy is briefly reviewed. The structural elucidation methodology is described with examples from recent work and finally general structural conclusions are drawn from data from the now extensive literature.

Synthesis, solution structure, binding activity, and cGMP activation of human guanylin and its disulfide isomer.

Guanylin is a recently isolated peptide consisting of 15 amino acid residues with four cysteines, which may form two intramolecular disulfide bridges, and stimulates intestinal membrane guanylate cyclase. The position of the disulfide linkages of guanylin was predicted from its structural similarity to a heat stable enterotoxin which is thought to be responsible for secretory diarrhoea. Both guanylin, with disulfide positions 4-12 and 7-15, and its disulfide isomer, with disulfides positions 4-15 and 7-12, were chemically synthesized by the solid-phase method and purified. Two specific disulfides were selectively formed and confirmed by sequencing, mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography in combination with enzymatic cleavage. The structure of both isomers has been investigated in solution by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Guanylin exists as a mixture of two stable conformations which have compact spiral structures, from comparison with literature data. In contrast, the disulfide isomer of guanylin shows only a single conformation with an elongated curved plate-like structure. Binding assays were performed using labelled guanylin with membranes obtained from rat jejunum. Both disulfide isomers were investigated by the cGMP assay. Both binding and cGMP assays indicated that the relevant form of disulfide bridges in the intact guanylin was as predicted.

A recombinant human immunodeficiency virus type-1 capsid protein (rp24): its expression, purification and physico-chemical characterization.

An expression system has been established in Escherichia coli to facilitate the preparation of the HIV-1 capsid protein in amounts sufficient for structural analysis. A plasmid vector pTCA5, containing the gene for the recombinant HIV-1 capsid protein rp24 under the control of the lambda-PR-promoter, was constructed which gave an expression product that spanned 234 amino acid residues. It differs at the N-terminus from the authentic sequence in that the residues Pro-Ile- are replaced by Met-Asn-Ser-Ala-Met-. Recombinant p24 was produced, as inclusion bodies in E. coli LE392 containing pTCA5, at a level of approximately 15% of the total cellular protein. After dissolution of the inclusion bodies in the acidic urea system, the protein was easily reconstituted in a soluble state by dialysis. The yield of reconstituted and purified protein was 12 mg per liter in rich medium. Recombinant rp24 consists of about 40% alpha-helix and 10% beta-sheet from circular dichroism measurements and the two cysteine residues, within the rp24 sequence, are bridged by a disulfide bond.

Microbial glycolipid production under nitrogen limitation and resting cell conditions.

Rhodococcus erythropolis is able to synthesize an anionic trehalose-2,2',3,4-tetraester during cultivation on n-alkanes. Preconditions for an overproduction are nitrogen limitation, temperature- and pH-shift. The optimum carbon source was technical grade n-C-10, which led to 0.35 g g-1 of glycolipid per n-alkane. Electron microscopical observations showed that n-C-14,15 (technical grade) grown cells contained numerous lipid inclusions in contrast to n-C-10 (technical grade) grown cells. Nocardia corynebacteroides synthesizes a novel pentasaccharide lipid and as size products small amounts of trehalose-corynomycolates. Optimum precursors for overproduction are n-alkanes from n-tetradecane to n-hexadecane with yields in the range of 0.17 g g-1 of glycolipid per carbon source.

Virgaureasaponin 3, a 3,28-bisdesmosidic triterpenoid saponin from Solidago virgaurea.

A new 3,28-bisdesmosidic triterpenoid glycoside was isolated from the mixture of deacylated saponins from the aerial parts of Solidago virgaurea. The structure of virgaureasaponin 3 was determined as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-(1----3)-beta-D-glucopyranosylpolygalacic++ + acid 28-O-beta-D-fucopyranosyl-(1----2)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----3)-beta -D- xylopyranosyl-(1----4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1----2)-beta-D-fucopyran oside mainly by various 2D NMR techniques.

Dhurrin-6'-glucoside, a cyanogenic diglucoside from Sorghum bicolor.

A novel cyanogenic diglucoside has been isolated from methanolic extracts of young seedlings of Sorghum bicolor. Its structure was established as dhurrin-6-glucoside from NMR, mass spectrometry and enzymatic hydrolysis data. Compared with dhurrin, which is the major cyanogenic glucoside in sorghum leaves, dhurrin-6-glucoside occurs only in low concentrations. In contrast, however, the diglucoside is present in significant amounts in guttation droplets of young Sorghum seedlings. The presence of the diglucoside and its occurrence in apoplasmic exudates supports the hypothesis that diglucosides represent metabolites of cyanogenic monoglucosides which can be translocated within the plant.

A cyanogenic glycoside from Canthium schimperianum.

A new cyanogenic glycoside esterified with an iridoid glycoside, 2R-[(2-methoxybenzoylgenoposidyl)-5-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-( 1-->6)-beta-glucopyranosyloxy]-2-phenyl acetonitrile, was isolated from the seeds of Canthium schimperianum and identified from its spectroscopic data. The new compound showed weak growth retarding activity towards neonate larvae of Spodoptera littoralis (ED50 8580 ppm) compared to the co-occurring hydroxycinnamic acids, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (ED50 550 ppm) and 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (ED50 520 ppm).

Flavonol triglycosides containing galactose in tea.

The isolation and structural elucidation of new quercetin and kaempferol triglycosides from Camellia sinensis is described. Their structures were determined as quercetin and kaempferol 3-glucosyl(1----3) rhamnosyl(1----6)galactosides. The content of quercetin glucosylrhamnosylgalactoside ranged between 0 and 87 mg per 100 g, and that of the kaempferol homologue between 0 and 119 mg per 100 g dry wt.

Formation and occurrence of dopamine-derived betacyanins.

In light of the fact that the main betaxanthin (miraxanthin V) and the major betacyanin (2-descarboxy-betanidin) in hairy root cultures of yellow beet (Beta vulgaris L.) are both dopamine-derived, the occurrence of similar structures for the minor betacyanins was also suggested. By HPLC comparison with the betacyanins obtained by dopamine administration to beet seedlings, enzymatic hydrolysis, LCMS and 1H NMR analyses, the minor betacyanins from hairy roots were identified as 2-descarboxy-betanin and its 6'-O-malonyl derivative. A short-term dopamine administration experiment with fodder beet seedlings revealed that the condensation step between 2-descarboxy-cyclo-Dopa and betalamic acid is the decisive reaction, followed by glucosylation and acylation. From these data a pathway for the biosynthesis of dopamine-derived betalains is proposed. Furthermore, the occurrence of these compounds in various cell and hairy root cultures as well as beet plants (Fodder and Garden Beet Group) is shown.

Triterpenoid saponins from Bellium bellidioides. Structures of the minor deacylsaponins.

A new deacylsaponin of polygalacic acid, desacylbellidioside B4, was obtained from the whole plants of Bellium bellidioides L. The structure has been elucidated by a general strategy involving mass spectrometry (ESI-MS, including tandem MS, and GC-MS) and high-field one- and two-dimensional NMR spectroscopy (1H and 13C NMR, COSY-45, HMQC, HMBC) as 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-2 beta, 3 beta, 16 alpha, 23-tetrahydroxyolean-12-en-28-oic acid 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl(1-->2)-[alpha-L-arabinofuranosyl(1-->3)-beta-D-fucopyran oside. Moreover, bellissaponin BS2 and besysaponin C12 have also been isolated, demonstrating the close chemical relationship of B. bellidioides to the Bellis genus.

Bayogenin and asterogenic acid glycosides from Bellis perennis.

Four novel triterpenoid saponins were isolated from the underground parts of Bellis perennis. The structures were elucidated as 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosides of 2 beta,3 beta,16 alpha-trihydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid-28-alpha-L- rhamnopyranosyl(1----2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----6)]-beta-D- glucopyranoside, 2 beta,3 beta,23-trihydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid-28-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl (1----2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl (1----6)]- beta-D-glucopyranoside and 2 beta,3 beta,23-trihydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid-28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl(1----2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----6) ]- beta-D-glucopyranoside and as 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-2 beta,3 beta,23-trihydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid-28-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----2)-[beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1----6)]- beta-D-glucopyranoside by means of high field 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopic methods without recourse to derivatization or comparison with previous data.

Enzymatic hydrolysis of the cytotoxic triterpenoid glycoside virgaureasaponin 1.

The cytotoxic compound, virgaureasaponin 1, was converted using several optimized enzymecatalysed hydrolyses to the 28-O-beta-D-xylopyranosyl (1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-fucopyranoside (2), and the 28-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->3)-beta-D-xylopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha- L- rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-fucopyranoside (3) and 28-O-beta-D-xylyopyranosyl-(1-->4)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1-->2) - beta-D-fucopyranoside (4) both lacking the glucose moiety at C-3 of the aglycone. The terminal rhamnose of the acylglycosidic bonded tetrasaccharide was cleaved by naringinase to give compound 2. The new acylglycosides 3 and 4 were obtained with the help of a relatively crude beta-glucuronidase preparation, but the cleavage of the sapogenin bonded glucose was impossible using several beta-glucosidase preparations directly. These derivatives were used for the investigation of the relationship between the saponin carbohydrate structure and their cytotoxic activity.

Noroleanane saponins from Celmisia spectabilis.

Two new saponins were isolated as the major components of the deacylated saponin extract from the underground parts of Celmisia spectabilis. Their structures were established by NMR and mass spectral data and derivative formation as 2 beta,3 beta,17,23- tetrahydroxy-28-norolean-12-en-16-one-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyrano syl (1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->6)-beta-D-glucopyranoside and 2 beta,3 beta,17,23- tetrahydroxy-28-norolean-12-en-16-one-3-O-alpha-L-arabinopyrano syl (1-->2)-alpha-L-arabinopyranosyl(1-->6)-[alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->2)]-beta-D-glucopyranoside.