A GC-MS Chemotaxonomic Study on Lipophilic Compounds in the Bark of S. aucuparia subsp. sibirica Trees from the Population Growing in Akademgorodok, Novosibirsk (Russia).

Determination of chemotypes and of their role in the polymorphism of populations is an important field in the research on secondary metabolites of plants. In the present study, by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, the composition of bark extracts from rowan S. aucuparia subsp. sibirica was determined for 16 trees growing within Akademgorodok of Novosibirsk, with bark samples collected both in winter and summer. Among 101 fully or partially identified metabolites, there are alkanes, alkenes, linear alcohols, fatty acids and their derivatives, phenols and their derivatives, prunasin and its parent and derivative compounds, polyprenes and their derivatives, cyclic diterpenes, and phytosterols. These compounds were grouped according to their biosynthesis pathways. Cluster analysis revealed two groups among the bark samples collected in winter and three groups among bark samples collected in summer. The key determinants of this clustering are the biosynthesis of metabolites via the cyanogenic pathway (especially potentially toxic prunasin) and their formation via the phytosterol pathway (especially potentially pharmacologically useful lupeol). It follows from the results that the presence of chemotypes having sharply different profiles of metabolites in a population from a small geographic area invalidates the practice of general sampling to obtain averaged data when a population is described. From the standpoint of possible industrial use or plant selection based on metabolomic data, it is possible to select specific sets of samples containing a minimal amount of potentially toxic compounds and the largest amount of potentially useful substances.

Young «oil site¼ of the Uzon Caldera as a habitat for unique microbial life.

BACKGROUND: The Uzon Caldera is one of the places on our planet with unique geological, ecological, and microbiological characteristics. Uzon oil is the youngest on Earth. Uzon oil has unique composition, with low proportion of heavy fractions and relatively high content of saturated hydrocarbons. Microbial communities of the «oil site¼ have a diverse composition and live at high temperatures (up to 97 °C), significant oscillations of Eh and pH, and high content of sulfur, sulfides, arsenic, antimony, and mercury in water and rocks. RESULTS: The study analyzed the composition, structure and unique genetics characteristics of the microbial communities of the oil site, analyzed the metabolic pathways in the communities. Metabolic pathways of hydrocarbon degradation by microorganisms have been found. The study found statistically significant relationships between geochemical parameters, taxonomic composition and the completeness of metabolic pathways. It was demonstrated that geochemical parameters determine the structure and metabolic potential of microbial communities. CONCLUSIONS: There were statistically significant relationships between geochemical parameters, taxonomic composition, and the completeness of metabolic pathways. It was demonstrated that geochemical parameters define the structure and metabolic potential of microbial communities. Metabolic pathways of hydrocarbon oxidation was found to prevail in the studied communities, which corroborates the hypothesis on abiogenic synthesis of Uzon hydrothermal petroleum.

GC-based chemoprofile of lipophilic compounds in Altaian Ganoderma lucidum sample.

The presented data contains information about component composition of lipophilic compounds in Ganoderma lucidum fungal body sample obtained using gas chromatography and subsequent mass spectrometry.

Hypotensive and neurometabolic effects of intragastric Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum) administration in hypertensive ISIAH rat strain.

BACKGROUND: As the standard clinically used hypotensive medicines have many undesirable side effects, there is a need for new therapeutic agents, especially ones of a natural origin. PURPOSE: One possible candidate is extract from the mushroom Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum), which is used in the treatment and prevention of many chronic diseases. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: To study the effectiveness of Reishi, which grows in the Altai Mountains, as an antihypertensive agent, we intragastrically administered Reishi water extract to adult male hypertensive ISIAH (inherited stress-induced arterial hypertension) rats. RESULTS: After seven weeks, Reishi therapy reduced blood pressure in experimental animals at a level comparable to that of losartan. Unlike losartan, intragastric Reishi introduction significantly increases cerebral blood flow and affects cerebral cortex metabolic patterns, shifting the balance of inhibitory and excitatory neurotransmitters toward excitation. CONCLUSION: Changes in cerebral blood flow and ratios of neurometabolites suggests Reishi has a potential nootropic effect.

Geobacillus icigianus sp. nov., a thermophilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring.

A Gram-reaction-positive, motile, thermophilic spore-forming strain, G1w1(T), was isolated from a hot spring of the Valley of Geysers, Kamchatka (Russia). Based on data from the present polyphasic taxonomic study, including phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and spo0A gene sequences, the strain is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Geobacillus, for which the name Geobacillus icigianus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is G1w1(T) ( = VKM B-2853(T) = DSM 28325(T)).