Isolation and evolutionary analysis of Australasian topotype of bluetongue virus serotype 4 from India.

Bluetongue (BT) is a Culicoides-borne disease caused by several serotypes of bluetongue virus (BTV). Similar to other insect-borne viral diseases, distribution of BT is limited to distribution of Culicoides species competent to transmit BTV. In the tropics, vector activity is almost year long, and hence, the disease is endemic, with the circulation of several serotypes of BTV, whereas in temperate areas, seasonal incursions of a limited number of serotypes of BTV from neighbouring tropical areas are observed. Although BTV is endemic in all the three major tropical regions (parts of Africa, America and Asia) of the world, the distribution of serotypes is not alike. Apart from serological diversity, geography-based diversity of BTV genome has been observed, and this is the basis for proposal of topotypes. However, evolution of these topotypes is not well understood. In this study, we report the isolation and characterization of several BTV-4 isolates from India. These isolates are distinct from BTV-4 isolates from other geographical regions. Analysis of available BTV seg-2 sequences indicated that the Australasian BTV-4 diverged from African viruses around 3,500 years ago, whereas the American viruses diverged relatively recently (1,684 CE). Unlike Australasia and America, BTV-4 strains of the Mediterranean area evolved through several independent incursions. We speculate that independent evolution of BTV in different geographical areas over long periods of time might have led to the diversity observed in the current virus population.

Biological evaluation of 3-hydroxybenzyl alcohol, an extrolite produced by Aspergillus nidulans strain KZR-132.

AIMS: The aim of the study was to purify and characterize a bioactive compound from Aspergillus nidulans strain KZR-132 and its biological evaluation. METHODS AND RESULTS: A bioactive extolite was purified from A. nidulans strain KZR-132, and its chemical structure was elucidated as 3-hydroxylbenzyl alcohol (3-HBA) based on 1 H and 13 C NMR, FT-IR and mass spectroscopic analysis. The antimicrobial efficacy of 3-HBA was established against Gram-positive, Gram-negative bacteria and different Candida strains. It also showed promising antibiofilm activity against various tested microbial strains. Reactive oxygen species induced by 3-HBA treatment on different Candida strains killed most of the cells and showed necrotic effect. It also exhibited dose-dependent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. CONCLUSIONS: This bioactive extrolite produced by A. nidulans isolated from a niche habitat was demonstrated to possess significant biotechnological and pharmacological potential since it exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial and antibiofilm activities which are reported for the first time. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The overall study demonstrates that 3-HBA produced by A. nidulansKZR-132 is a promising bioactive metabolite and possibly can function as a pharmacologically suitable broad-spectrum antimicrobial drug candidate against various dreaded human-related bacterial and fungal pathogens.

A diastereoselective synthesis of tetrahydro- and dihydro-pyrido[2,3-c]coumarin derivatives via a one-pot three-component Povarov reaction catalyzed by bismuth(III) chloride.

A diastereoselective synthesis of tetrahydro- and dihydro-pyrido[2,3-c]coumarin derivatives has been achieved via a one-pot three-component aza-Diels-Alder reaction of aromatic aldehydes, 3-aminocoumarin and dienophiles catalyzed by BiCl3. NOE studies proved that exo-isomers were obtained in all cases with high selectivity. The reaction proceeded at room temperature providing good yields of products as well as applicability on a wide range of substrates. Among all the synthesized derivatives, compounds 4i and 4k showed promising DPPH radical scavenging activity as compared to other tested derivatives.

Acylated 5,7,2',6'-oxygenated flavone glycosides from Andrographis alata.

Five acylated 5,7,2',6'-oxygenated flavone glycosides along with the known 5,2',6'-trihydroxy-7-methoxyflavone-2'-O-beta-d-glucopyranoside have been isolated from the whole plant of Andrographis alata. The structures of the compounds were established from spectral (mainly 1D and 2D NMR) and chemical studies.

Clerodane diterpenoids from Pulicaria wightiana.

Five clerodane diterpenoids have been isolated from the aerial parts of Pulicaria wightiana along with 3'5,6-trihydroxy-3,4',7-trimethoxyflavone and 2-methyl-5-hydroxy-chroman-4-one. The structures and stereochemistry of the compounds were established from spectral (mainly 1D and 2D NMR) studies. The last two compounds were not reported earlier from this plant. The antibacterial activity of the diterpenoids were studied.

Oxo substituents markedly alter the phase II metabolism of alpha-hydroxybutenylbenzenes: models probing the bioactivation mechanisms of tamoxifen.

The P450-catalyzed hydroxylation of tamoxifen to give alpha-hydroxytamoxifen [(E)-4-{4-[2-(dimethylamino)ethoxy]phenyl}-3,4-diphenyl-3-buten-2- ol] and subsequent formation of reactive sulfate esters which alkylate DNA has been proposed to be a potential carcinogenic pathway for tamoxifen. In the present study, the ability of alpha-hydroxytamoxifen analogs to form GSH and sulfate conjugates was investigated in order to understand the structural features influencing reactivity. The para oxo analogs 1 [1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-hydroxy-1-butene], 2 [1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxy-1-butene], and 4 [1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-3-hydroxy-1-butene] reacted with GSH instantaneously under strong acidic conditions to yield GSH conjugates in greater than 90% yields. Interestingly, the meta phenolic analogs 3 [1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-3-hydroxy-1-butene] and 5 [1-(3-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenyl-3-hydroxy-1-butene] did not react with GSH to any significant extent under similar conditions. Characterization of the GSH conjugates with 1H-NMR, electrospray mass spectrometry, and UV showed that all of the conjugates resulted from attack of GSH at the alpha-position of the substrates with displacement of the hydroxyl group. The formation of a single pair of diastereomeric conjugates strongly supported adduct formation to proceed through a direct S(N)2 displacement mechanism and not through a quinone methide (4-alkyl-2,5-cyclohexadien-1-one) intermediate. At physiological pH and temperature only the para hydroxy analogs 2 and 4 gave GSH conjugates, a reaction which seems to be catalyzed by isoforms of glutathione S-transferase. Similar substituent effects were observed in the sulfotransferase-mediated formation of alpha-hydroxy sulfate esters in that only the para hydroxy analogs formed conjugates at the aliphatic hydroxyl group. Finally, the present investigation showed a remarkable difference in the reactivities of para and meta phenolic analogs of alpha-hydroxybutenylbenzenes toward GSH and sulfate conjugation reactions.