M.C.R. Franssen

The Strigolactone Germination Stimulants of the Plant-Parasitic Striga and Orobanche spp. Are Derived from the Carotenoid Pathway

The seeds of parasitic plants of the genera Striga and Orobanche will only germinate after induction by a chemical signal exuded from the roots of their host. Up to now, several of these germination stimulants have been isolated and identified in the root exudates of a series of host plants of both Orobanche and Striga spp. In most cases, the compounds were shown to be isoprenoid and belong to one chemical class, collectively called the strigolactones, and suggested by many authors to be sesquiterpene lactones. However, this classification was never proven; hence, the biosynthetic pathways of the germination stimulants are unknown. We have used carotenoid mutants of maize (Zea mays) and inhibitors of isoprenoid pathways on maize, cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and assessed the effects on the root exudate-induced germination of Striga hermonthica and Orobanche crenata. Here, we show that for these three host and two parasitic plant species, the strigolactone germination stimulants are derived from the carotenoid pathway. Furthermore, we hypothesize how the germination stimulants are formed. We also discuss this finding as an explanation for some phenomena that have been observed for the host-parasitic plant interaction, such as the effect of mycorrhiza on S. hermonthica infestation.

Marine Sponges as Pharmacy

Marine sponges have been considered as a gold mine during the past 50 years, with respect to the diversity of their secondary metabolites. The biological effects of new metabolites from sponges have been reported in hundreds of scientific papers, and they are reviewed here. Sponges have the potential to provide future drugs against important diseases, such as cancer, a range of viral diseases, malaria, and inflammations. Although the molecular mode of action of most metabolites is still unclear, for a substantial number of compounds the mechanisms by which they interfere with the pathogenesis of a wide range of diseases have been reported. This knowledge is one of the key factors necessary to transform bioactive compounds into medicines. Sponges produce a plethora of chemical compounds with widely varying carbon skeletons, which have been found to interfere with pathogenesis at many different points. The fact that a particular disease can be fought at different points increases the chance of developing selective drugs for specific targets.

Amorpha-4,11-diene synthase catalyses the first probable step in artemisinin biosynthesis

The endoperoxide sesquiterpene lactone artemisinin and its derivatives are a promising new group of drugs against malaria. Artemisinin is a constituent of the annual herb Artemisia annua L. So far only the later steps in artemisinin biosynthesis--from artemisinic acid--have been elucidated and the expected olefinic sesquiterpene intermediate has never been demonstrated. In pentane extracts of A. annua leaves we detected a sesquiterpene with the mass spectrum of amorpha-4,11-diene. Synthesis of amorpha-4,11-diene from artemisinic acid confirmed the identity. In addition we identified several sesquiterpene synthases of which one of the major activities catalysed the formation of amorpha-4,11-diene from farnesyl diphosphate. This enzyme was partially purified and shows the typical characteristics of sesquiterpene synthases, such as a broad pH optimum around 6.5-7.0, a molecular mass of 56 kDa, and a K(m) of 0.6 microM. The structure and configuration of amorpha-4,11-diene, its low content in A. annua and the high activity of amorpha-4,11-diene synthase all support that amorpha-4,11-diene is the likely olefinic sesquiterpene intermediate in the biosynthesis of artemisinin.

Glycosyltransferase-catalyzed synthesis of bioactive oligosaccharides

Mammalian cell surfaces are all covered with bioactive oligosaccharides which play an important role in molecular recognition events such as immune recognition, cell-cell communication and initiation of microbial pathogenesis. Consequently, bioactive oligosaccharides have been recognized as a medicinally relevant class of biomolecules for which the interest is growing. For the preparation of complex and highly pure oligosaccharides, methods based on the application of glycosyltransferases are currently recognized as being the most effective. The present paper reviews the potential of glycosyltransferases as synthetic tools in oligosaccharide synthesis. Reaction mechanisms and selected characteristics of these enzymes are described in relation to the stereochemistry of the transfer reaction and the requirements of sugar nucleotide donors. For the application of glycosyltransferases, accepted substrate profiles are summarized and the whole-cell approach versus isolated enzyme methodology is compared. Sialyltransferase-catalyzed syntheses of gangliosides and other sialylated oligosaccharides are described in more detail in view of the prominent role of these compounds in biological recognition.

Immobilised enzymes in biorenewable production

Oils, fats, carbohydrates, lignin, and amino acids are all important raw materials for the production of biorenewables. These compounds already play an important role in everyday life in the form of wood, fabrics, starch, paper and rubber. Enzymatic reactions do, in principle, allow the transformation of these raw materials into biorenewables under mild and sustainable conditions. There are a few examples of processes using immobilised enzymes that are already applied on an industrial scale, such as the production of High-Fructose Corn Syrup, but these are still rather rare. Fortunately, there is a rapid expansion in the research efforts that try to improve this, driven by a combination of economic and ecological reasons. This review focusses on those efforts, by looking at attempts to use fatty acids, carbohydrates, proteins and lignin (and their building blocks), as substrates in the synthesis of biorenewables using immobilised enzymes. Therefore, many examples (390 references) from the recent literature are discussed, in which we look both at the specific reactions as well as to the methods of immobilisation of the enzymes, as the latter are shown to be a crucial factor with respect to stability and reuse. The applications of the renewables produced in this way range from building blocks for the pharmaceutical and polymer industry, transport fuels, to additives for the food industry. A critical evaluation of the relevant factors that need to be improved for large-scale use of these examples is presented in the outlook of this review.

Perspectives for the industrial enzymatic production of glycosides.

Glycosides are of commercial interest for industry in general and specifically for the pharmaceutical and food industry. Currently chemical preparation of glycosides will not meet EC food regulations, and therefore chemical preparation of glycosides is not applicable in the food industry. Thus, enzyme‐catalyzed reactions are a good alternative. However, until now the low yields obtained by enzymatic methods prevent the production of glycosides on a commercial scale. Therefore, high yields should be established by a combination of optimum reaction conditions and continuous removal of the product. Unfortunately, a bioreactor for the commercial scale production of glycosides is not available. The aim of this article is to discuss the literature with respect to enzymatic production of glycosides and the design of an industrially viable bioreactor system.

Biosynthesis of costunolide, dihydrocostunolide, and leucodin. Demonstration of cytochrome P450-catalyzed formation of the lactone ring present in sesquiterpene lactones of chicory

Chicory (Cichorium intybus) is known to contain guaianolides, eudesmanolides, and germacranolides. These sesquiterpene lactones are postulated to originate from a common germacranolide, namely (+)-costunolide. Whereas a pathway for the formation of germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-oic acid from farnesyl diphosphate had previously been established, we now report the isolation of an enzyme activity from chicory roots that converts the germacrene acid into (+)-costunolide. This (+)-costunolide synthase catalyzes the last step in the formation of the lactone ring present in sesquiterpene lactones and is dependent on NADPH and molecular oxygen. Incubation of the germacrene acid in the presence of18O2 resulted in the incorporation of one atom of 18O into (+)-costunolide. The label was situated at the ring oxygen atom. Hence, formation of the lactone ring most likely occurs via C6-hydroxylation of the germacrene acid and subsequent attack of this hydroxyl group at the C12-atom of the carboxyl group. Blue light-reversible CO inhibition and experiments with cytochrome P450 inhibitors demonstrated that the (+)-costunolide synthase is a cytochrome P450 enzyme. In addition, enzymatic conversion of (+)-costunolide into 11(S),13-dihydrocostunolide and leucodin, a guaianolide, was detected. The first-mentioned reaction involves an enoate reductase, whereas the formation of leucodin from (+)-costunolide probably involves more than one enzyme, including a cytochrome P450 enzyme.

Addition of cyanide ion to nicotinamide cations in acetonitrile. Formation of non-productive charge-transfer complexes

The mixing of equal volumes of 0.2 mmol dm–3 1 -benzylnicotinamide ion and 2 mmol dm–3 cyanide ion results in the immediate formation of a transient absorption band at 375 nm which can be ascribed to a charge–transfer complex. This complex disappears within ca. 0.2 s with the formation of the 1,6-addition product which, in turn, is rapidly converted into the thermodynamically more stable 1,4-adduct. Methyl substitution at the 6-position of the nicotinamide ring inhibits the formation of the 1,6-adduct, resulting in an increase in the lifetime of the charge–transfer complex. Subsequently a mixture of the 1,4-cyanide adduct and, most likely, the 1,2-adduct is formed. Rate effects with variation of substituents in the 1-benzyl group reveal that charge-transfer complex formation is counter-productive to the formation of addition products.

Germacrenes from fresh costus roots

Four germacrenes, previously shown to be intermediates in sesquiterpene lactone biosynthesis, were isolated from fresh costus roots (Saussurea lappa). The structures of (+)-germacrene A, germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-ol, germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-al, and germacra-1(10),4,11(13)-trien-12-oic acid were deduced by a combination of spectral data and chemical transformations. Heating of these compounds yields (-)-beta-elemene, (-)-elema-1,3,11(13)-trien-12-ol, (-)-elema-1,3,11(13)-trien-12-al, and elema-1,3,11(13)-trien-12-oic acid respectively, in addition to small amounts of their diastereomers. Acid induced cyclisation of the germacrenes yields selinene, costol, costal, and costic acid respectively. It is highly probable that the elemenes reported in literature for costus root oil are artefacts.

Enzymatic synthesis of carbohydrate esters in 2-pyrrolidone.

Abstract The lipase-mediated esterification of sorbitol and fatty acid was investigated in a two-phase system with 2-pyrrolidone as cosolvent for sorbitol. The lipase from Chromobacterium viscosum showed an initial esterification rate of 1.4 mmol g −1 h −1 , and after 74 h, 80% of the initial sorbitol content was converted into sorbitol esters. With fructose or glucose as a substrate, initial esterification rates were 0.2 and 0.04 mmol g −1 h −1 , respectively; disaccharides were not reactive at all. The effects of the sorbitol, fatty acid, water, and 2-pyrrolidone concentrations on esterification activity were studied. An excess of fatty acid and a water concentration around 1 m were found to be necessary for optimum ester production. The polar organic cosolvent 2-pyrrolidone can inactivate the lipase. It is a suitable cosolvent for carbohydrates, provided that its concentration is low. Esterification was also studied in a two-phase membrane reactor. The value of the enzyme-based initial reaction rate was half of the reaction rate in an emulsion system. The water activity in the membrane system was relatively high, which resulted in low product yields.