De Novo Transcriptome and Expression Profile Analysis to Reveal Genes and Pathways Potentially Involved in Cantharidin Biosynthesis in the Blister Beetle Mylabris cichorii.

The dried body of Mylabris cichorii is well-known Chinese traditional medicine. The sesquiterpenoid cantharidin, which is secreted mostly by adult male beetles, has recently been used as an anti-cancer drug. However, little is known about the mechanisms of cantharidin biosynthesis. Furthermore, there is currently no genomic or transcriptomic information for M. cichorii. In this study, we performed de novo assembly transcriptome of M. cichorii using the Illumina Hiseq2000. A single run produced 9.19 Gb of clean nucleotides comprising 29,247 sequences, including 23,739 annotated sequences (about 81%). We also constructed two expression profile libraries (20-25 day-old adult males and 20-25 day-old adult females) and discovered 2,465 significantly differentially-expressed genes. Putative genes and pathways involved in the biosynthesis of cantharidin were then characterized. We also found that cantharidin biosynthesis in M. cichorii might only occur via the mevalonate (MVA) pathway, not via the methylerythritol 4-phosphate/deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate (MEP/DOXP) pathway or a mixture of these. Besides, we considered that cantharidin biosynthesis might be related to the juvenile hormone (JH) biosynthesis or degradation. The results of transcriptome and expression profiling analysis provide a comprehensive sequence resource for M. cichorii that could facilitate the in-depth study of candidate genes and pathways involved in cantharidin biosynthesis, and may thus help to improve our understanding of the mechanisms of cantharidin biosynthesis in blister beetles.

A specific process to purify 2-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate enzymatically converted from D-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate and pyruvate.

A one-pot enzymatic cascade was established to synthesize MEP, one of the key intermediates in the MEP terpenoid biosynthetic pathway. D-GAP and sodium pyruvate were converted to MEP in a reaction catalyzed by DXP synthase and DXP reductoisomerase (DXR) in the presence of the coenzymes ThPP, NADPH, and Mg2+. The product was then isolated by using a specific two-step purification process and MEP was obtained in a yield of nearly 60% and high purity. Importantly, MEP prepared by this way was totally free from contamination by minor amounts of DXP that was not completely convertible by DXR.

2-methyl-L-erythritol glycosides from Gardenia jasminoides.

Two new glycosides, 2-methyl-L-erythritol-4-O-(6-O-trans-sinapoyl)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 2-methyl-L-erythritol-1-O-(6-O-trans-sinapoyl)-ß-D-glucopyranoside (2), along with two known triterpenoids (3-4), four quinic acid derivatives (5-8) and one flavonoid (9) were isolated from the fruit of Gardenia jasminoides. Their structures were elucidated through MS and 2D NMR experiments (HMQC and HMBC). Inhibitory effects of the isolated compounds on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-activated macrophages were evaluated. Though 2-methyl-D-erythritol and its glycosides have been reported in a few references, this is the first report about 2-methyl-L-erythritol glycosides. Based on this finding, we propose that 2-methyl-L-erythritol might be a new intermediate in the non-mevalonate biosynthesis of terpenoids.

Metabolic profiling of the methylerythritol phosphate pathway reveals the source of post-illumination isoprene burst from leaves.

The methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway in plants produces the prenyl precursors for all plastidic isoprenoids, including carotenoids and quinones. The MEP pathway is also responsible for synthesis of approximately 600 Tg of isoprene per year, the largest non-methane hydrocarbon flux into the atmosphere. There have been few studies of the regulation of the MEP pathway in plants under physiological conditions. In this study, we combined gas exchange techniques and high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS-MS) and measured the profile of MEP pathway metabolites under different conditions. We report that in the MEP pathway, metabolites immediately preceding steps requiring reducing power were in high concentration. Inhibition of the MEP pathway by fosmidomycin caused deoxyxylulose phosphate accumulation in leaves as expected. Evidence is presented that accumulation of MEP pathway intermediates, primarily methylerythritol cyclodiphosphate, is responsible for the post-illumination isoprene burst phenomenon. Pools of intermediate metabolites stayed at approximately the same level 10 min after light was turned off, but declined eventually under prolonged darkness. In contrast, a strong inhibition of the second-to-last step of the MEP pathway caused suppression of isoprene emission in pure N(2). Our study suggests that reducing equivalents may be a key regulator of the MEP pathway and therefore isoprene emission from leaves.

Cloning and characterization of 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate pathway genes for isoprenoid biosynthesis from Indian ginseng, Withania somnifera.

Withania somnifera (L.) is one of the most valuable medicinal plants used in Ayurvedic and other indigenous medicines. Pharmaceutical activities of this herb are associated with presence of secondary metabolites known as withanolides, a class of phytosteroids synthesized via mevalonate (MVA) and 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol-4-phosphate pathways. Though the plant has been well characterized in terms of phytochemical profiles as well as pharmaceutical activities, not much is known about the genes responsible for biosynthesis of these compounds. In this study, we have characterized two genes encoding 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS; EC 2.2.1.7) and 1-deoxy-D-xylulose-5-phosphate reductase (DXR; EC 1.1.1.267) enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of isoprenoids. The full-length cDNAs of W. somnifera DXS (WsDXS) and DXR (WsDXR) of 2,154 and 1,428 bps encode polypeptides of 717 and 475 amino acids residues, respectively. The expression analysis suggests that WsDXS and WsDXR are differentially expressed in different tissues (with maximal expression in flower and young leaf), chemotypes of Withania, and in response to salicylic acid, methyl jasmonate, as well as in mechanical injury. Analysis of genomic organization of WsDXS shows close similarity with tomato DXS in terms of exon-intron arrangements. This is the first report on characterization of isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway genes from Withania.

Identification and quantitative determination of carbohydrates in ethanolic extracts of two conifers using 13C NMR spectroscopy.

We developed a method for the direct identification and quantification of carbohydrates in raw vegetable extracts using (13)C NMR spectroscopy without any preliminary step of precipitation or reduction of the components. This method has been validated (accuracy, precision and response linearity) using pure compounds and artificial mixtures before being applied to authentic ethanolic extracts of pine needles, pine wood and pine cones and fir twigs. We determined that carbohydrates represented from 15% to 35% of the crude extracts in which pinitol was the principal constituent accompanied by arabinitol, mannitol, glucose and fructose.

An HIV RNase H inhibitory 1,3,4,5-tetragalloylapiitol from the African plant Hylodendron gabunensis.

A new compound, 1,3,4,5-tetragalloylapiitol ( 1), was isolated from the aqueous extract of the plant Hylodendron gabunensis and was found to be a potent inhibitor of RNase H enzymatic activity. The structure of 1 was elucidated by NMR analyses to be an apiitol ( 2) sugar moiety substituted with four gallic acid residues. Optical rotation measurements of the free sugar following basic hydrolysis indicated that the 3 S absolute configuration was the same as that of d-apiitol. Compound 1 inhibited HIV-1, HIV-2, and human RNase H with IC 50 values of 0.24, 0.13, and 1.5 microM, respectively, but it did not show inhibition of E. coli RNase H at 10 microM.

Development and evaluation of the tablets coated with the novel formulation termed thin-layer sugarless coated tablets.

The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the thin-layer sugarless coated tablets containing Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B2, calcium pantothenate, and L-cysteine. As a result of the formulation study, three coating layers, 2% under coating (UC), 38% build-up coating (BC), and 5% syrup coating (SC) were necessary for sufficient impact toughness, elegant appearance, and improvement of appearance stability after storage at 25 degrees C/75% RH for 6 months under open conditions. We demonstrated that the thin-layer sugarless coated tablets are superior to the sugar-coated tablets in terms of small tablet size and stability of calcium pantothenate. It was due to the coating method, the continuous spray mist method, which can minimize the thicknesses of coating layers and the moisture content in the tablets. We also demonstrated that the thin-layer sugarless coated tablets are superior to the film-coated tablets in terms of masking ability of the unpleasant odor and the appearance, stability of the appearance, and low hygroscopicity. It was due to the dense, opaque, and stable coating layers mainly consist of erythritol. We revealed that thin-layer sugarless coated tablets have both advantages of film-coated tablets and sugar-coated tablets.

Synthesis of erythro and threo furanoid glycals from 1- and 2-phenylselenenyl-carbohydrate derivatives.

Differently protected erythro and threo furanoid glycals were synthesized by selenoxide elimination when phenyl 1-selenoglycosides were treated in oxidizing conditions (tBuOOH, Ti(O(i)Pr)(4), Et(2)(i)PrN). The phenyl 1-selenoglycosides were obtained from methyl 2-deoxy-D-erythro-pentofuranoside by protection of the primary hydroxyl or both hydroxyls and further reaction with PhSeH in the presence of BF(3).Et(2)O. Erythro and threo furanoid glycals were also prepared by treating 2-deoxy-2-phenylselenenyl-1,4-anhydrocyclitols under similar conditions. The 2-deoxy-2-phenylselenenyl-1,4-anhydrocyclitols were obtained from 4-pentene-1,2,3-triols by a 5-endo selenium electrophilic induced cyclization.

[Chemical constituents of rhizoma Pinelliae pedatisecta].

Five compounds were isolated from the alkaloid extract of Rhizoma Pinelliae Pedatisecta and their structures were determined as pedatisectine F(I), hypoxanthine (II), erythritol (III), uridine (IV) and pedatisectine G (V), of which I and V are new compounds, while II, III and IV were found in this plant for the first time.

A new derivative of glucose and 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol from Ferula sinaica.

A new glucose derivative (1) and 2-C-methyl-D-erythritol (2) were isolated from the leaves of Ferula sinaica. The two structures were elucidated by highfield NMR spectroscopy, and that of 1 was confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis.