Optimisation of Bjerkandera adusta culture conditions for the production of α-α-trehalose.

Several factors affect the vegetative growth of fungi, such as temperature, pH, and culture medium. In addition to mycelial growth, these factors affect metabolite production. There are limited studies that have identified the metabolites produced by the fungus Bjerkandera adusta, which have potential biotechnological applications. Here, we evaluated the effects of temperature, culture medium, and incubation time on the production of mycelial mass and metabolites of B. adusta isolated from Pinus taeda. The highest mycelial mass was obtained at 24 °C, in the potato dextrose and malt extract media, upon incubation for 28 and 35 days. The disaccharide α-α-trehalose was for the first time isolated and identified by X-ray diffraction in this fungal genus.

Cobalt(II) chloride adducts with acetonitrile, propan-2-ol and tetrahydrofuran: considerations on nuclearity, reactivity and synthetic applications.

High-spin cobalt(II) complexes are considered useful building blocks for the synthesis of single-molecule magnets (SMM) because of their intrinsic magnetic anisotropy. In this work, three new cobalt(II) chloride adducts with labile ligands have been synthesized from anhydrous CoCl2, to be subsequently employed as starting materials for heterobimetallic compounds. The products were characterized by elemental, spectroscopic (EPR and FT-IR) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. trans-Tetrakis(acetonitrile-κN)bis(tetrahydrofuran-κO)cobalt(II) bis[(acetonitrile-κN)trichloridocobaltate(II)], [Co(C2H3N)4(C4H8O)2][CoCl3(C2H3N)]2, (1), comprises mononuclear ions and contains both acetonitrile and tetrahydrofuran (thf) ligands, The coordination polymer catena-poly[[tetrakis(propan-2-ol-κO)cobalt(II)]-µ-chlorido-[dichloridocobalt(II)]-µ-chlorido], [Co2Cl4(C3H8O)4], (2'), was prepared by direct reaction between anhydrous CoCl2 and propan-2-ol in an attempt to rationalize the formation of the CoCl2-alcohol adduct (2), probably CoCl2(HOiPr)m. The binuclear complex di-µ-chlorido-1:2κ4Cl:Cl-dichlorido-2κ2Cl-tetrakis(tetrahydrofuran-1κO)dicobalt(II), [Co2Cl4(C4H8O)4], (3), was obtained from (2) after recrystallization from tetrahydrofuran. All three products present cobalt(II) centres in both octahedral and tetrahedral environments, the former usually less distorted than the latter, regardless of the nature of the neutral ligand. Product (2') is stabilized by an intramolecular hydrogen-bond network that appears to favour a trans arrangement of the chloride ligands in the octahedral moiety; this differs from the cis disposition found in (3). The expected easy displacement of the bound solvent molecules from the metal coordination sphere makes the three compounds good candidates for suitable starting materials in a number of synthetic applications.

Identification of potential targets for an anticoagulant pectin.

Heparin is a sulfated polysaccharide of animal origin showing excellent anticoagulant properties. Although it strongly inhibits the coagulation cascade, its interaction with multiple sites results in several side effects. An ideal alternative compound should not only possess anticoagulant and antithrombotic activities, but also provide specific binding to components of the coagulation cascade to decrease side effects and facilitate the control of pharmacologic actions in patient's body. In this work, we performed a scan of potential targets for chemically sulfated pectin from Citrus sinensis (SCP) that shows an efficient anticoagulant activity by combining proteomics and molecular docking techniques. Defining the interaction partners of SCP is fundamental to evaluate if its pharmacological side effects can be as harmful as those from heparin. SCP interacts directly with heparin cofactor II, probably favoring its interaction with thrombin. SCP interaction with antithrombin depends likely on its association with thrombin or factor Xa. In addition to the interaction with factors related to homeostasis, SCP may also act on the renin-angiotensin and on the complement systems. BIOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The knowledge of potential molecular targets of SCP provides clues to understand its mechanism of action in order to guide molecular changes in this compound to increase its specificity.

Crystal structures of two deca-vanadates(V) with penta-aqua-manganese(II) pendant groups: (NMe4)2[V10O28{Mn(H2O)5}2]·5H2O and [NH3C(CH2OH)3]2[V10O28{Mn(H2O)5}2]·2H2O.

Two heterometallic deca-vanadate(V) compounds, bis-(tetra-methyl-ammonium) deca-aquadi-µ4-oxido-tetra-µ3-oxido-hexa-deca-µ2-oxido-hexa-oxidodimang-anese(II)-deca-vanadate(V) penta-hydrate, (Me4N)2[V10O28{Mn(H2O)5}2]·5H2O, A, and bis-{[tris-(hy-droxy-meth-yl)meth-yl]ammonium} deca-aquadi-µ4-oxido-tetra-µ3-oxido-hexa-deca-µ2-oxido-hexa-oxidodimanganese(II)deca-vanadate(V) dihydrate, [NH3C(CH2OH)3]2[V10O28{Mn(H2O)5}2]·2H2O, B, have been synthesized under mild reaction conditions in an aqueous medium. Both polyanions present two [Mn(OH2)5](2+) complex units bound to the deca-vanadate cluster through oxide bridges. In A, the deca-vanadate unit has 2/m symmetry, whereas in B it has twofold symmetry. Apart from this, the main differences between A and B rest on the organic cations, tetra-methyl-ammonium and [tris-(hy-droxy-meth-yl)meth-yl]ammonium, respectively, and on the number and arrangement of the water mol-ecules of crystallization. In both compounds, the H atoms from the coordinating water mol-ecules participate in extensive three-dimensional hydrogen-bonding networks, which link the cluster units both directly and through solvent mol-ecules and, in B, through the 'tris-' cation hydroxyl groups. The cation in B also participates in N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. A number of C-H⋯O inter-actions are also observed in both structures.

Crystal structure of an eight-coordinate terbium(III) ion chelated by N,N'-bis-(2-hy-droxy-benz-yl)-N,N'-bis-(pyridin-2-ylmeth-yl)ethyl-enedi-amine (bbpen(2-)) and nitrate.

The reaction of terbium(III) nitrate penta-hydrate in aceto-nitrile with N,N'-bis-(2-hy-droxy-benz-yl)-N,N'-bis-(pyridin-2-ylmeth-yl)ethyl-enedi-amine (H2bbpen), previously deprotonated with tri-ethyl-amine, produced the mononuclear compound [N,N'-bis-(2-oxidobenzyl-κO)-N,N'-bis-(pyridin-2-ylmethyl-κN)ethylenedi-amine-κ(2) N,N'](nitrato-κ(2) O,O')terbium(III), [Tb(C28H28N4O2)(NO3)]. The mol-ecule lies on a twofold rotation axis and the Tb(III) ion is eight-coordinate with a slightly distorted dodeca-hedral coordination geometry. In the symmetry-unique part of the mol-ecule, the pyridine and benzene rings are both essentially planar and form a dihedral angle of 61.42 (7)°. In the mol-ecular structure, the N4O4 coordination environment is defined by the hexa-dentate bbpen ligand and the bidentate nitrate anion. In the crystal, a weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bond links mol-ecules into a two-dimensional network parallel to (001).

Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Triterpenes Isolated from Protium paniculatum Oil-Resins.

Protium is the main genus of the Burseraceae family and one of the most common genera in South America, with an important species called "breu." Gum and oil-resins of this species are used as tonic and stimulant and for the treatment of ulcers and inflammation. The present study aims to isolate and investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of triterpene compounds isolated from oil-resin of Protium paniculatum. The pentacyclic triterpenes α,ß-amyrin, acetylated α,ß-amyrin, α,ß-amyrone, and brein/maniladiol did not alter the viability of murine J774 macrophages (IC50 > 20 µg/mL), with the exception of mixture of brein/maniladiol which showed moderate cytotoxic activity. Also it was observed that compounds at 10 µg/mL inhibited more than 80% of production of NO(•), although only α,ß-amyrin was able to inhibit the production of TNF-α (52.03 ± 2.4%). The compounds inhibited the production of IL-6 and induced the production of IL-10 in murine J774 macrophages stimulated by LPS. α,ß-Amyrone inhibited the expression of COX-2 and also inhibited the formation of paw or ear edema in rats and mice, having a quick and immediate effect. This study may provide the basis for future investigations on the therapeutic role of α,ß-amyrone in treating inflammation.

A new sesquiterpene lactone and other constituents of Moquiniastrum polymorphum subsp. floccosum (Asteraceae).

A new guaianolide, 1S, 3S, 5R, 6S, 7S, 11R-l-hydroxy-11α,13-dihydrozaluzanin C (1), was isolated from Moquiniastrum polymorphum subsp. floccosum trunk bark, together with fifteen known compounds, which were identified as 11α,13-dihydroglucozaluzanin C (2), 8α-hydroxy-11α,13-dihydrozaluzanin C (3), zaluzanin C (4), gochnatiolide B (5), ethyl caffeate (6), methyl chlorogenate (7), ethyl chlorogenate (8), methyl 3,5-dicaffeoyl quinate (9), ethyl 3,5-dicaffeoyl quinate (10), methyl 4,5-dicaffeoyl quinate (11), ethyl 4,5-dicaffeoyl quinate (12), ethyl 3,4-dicaffeoyl quinate (13), 3,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (14), 4,5-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (15), and 3,4-dicaffeoyl quinic acid (16). With the exception of 5, all known compounds are being reported for the first time in M. polymorphum.