Virtual Screening of Different Subclasses of Lignans with Anticancer Potential and Based on Genetic Profile.

Cancer is a multifactorial disease that continues to increase. Lignans are known to be important anticancer agents. However, due to the structural diversity of lignans, it is difficult to associate anticancer activity with a particular subclass. Therefore, the present study sought to evaluate the association of lignan subclasses with antitumor activity, considering the genetic profile of the variants of the selected targets. To do so, predictive models were built against the targets tyrosine-protein kinase ABL (ABL), epidermal growth factor receptor erbB1 (EGFR), histone deacetylase (HDAC), serine/threonine-protein kinase mTOR (mTOR) and poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase-1 (PARP1). Then, single nucleotide polymorphisms were mapped, target mutations were designed, and molecular docking was performed with the lignans with the best predicted biological activity. The results showed more anticancer activity in the dibenzocyclooctadiene, furofuran and aryltetralin subclasses. The lignans with the best predictive values of biological activity showed varying binding energy results in the presence of certain genetic variants.

Effect of the carbon sources on the growth kinetics of Cephalosporium acremonium in the Cephalosporin C production process

The growth phase of Cephalosporium acremonium ATCC 48272 was analized in the batch production process of cephalosporin C. Two media were used: one containing glucose and sucrose as main sources of carbon and energy, and the other containing only glucose. The consumption rate of glucose to form biomass was much higher in medium containing only glucose. The behavior in both media could be satisfactorily explained though simulation of a model which included inibition of glucose comsumption by sucrose in the classical Contois kinetics.