Tim A. Smitka

A90720A, a serine protease inhibitor isolated from a terrestrial blue-green alga Microchaete loktakensis

Abstract The isolation and structure elucidation of A90720A, 1 , a cyclic depsipeptide from the terrestrial blue-green alga Microchaete loktakensis is described. 1 was isolated on the basis of its thrombin inhibitory activity and its structure was determined using spectral methods and amino acid analysis. The absolute configurations of the constituent amino acids were found to be as follows: the nucleus contains L -threonine, L -arginine, L -3-amino-6-hydroxy-2-piperidone (Ahp, i.e., glutamic acid-γ-car☐aldehyde), L -leucine, L -N-methyl-tyrosine and L -valine. The side chain off the L -threonine amino group contains D -leucine, followed by a 3-O-sulfated R -glycerate moiety.

Fermentanomics informed amino acid supplementation of an antibody producing mammalian cell culture

Fermentanomics, or a global understanding of a culture state on the molecular level empowered by advanced techniques like NMR, was employed to show that a model hybridoma culture supplied with glutamine and glucose depletes aspartate, cysteine, methionine, tryptophan, and tyrosine during antibody production. Supplementation with these amino acids prevents depletion and improves culture performance. Furthermore, no significant changes were observed in the distribution of glycans attached to the IgG3 in cultures supplemented with specific amino acids, arguing that this strategy can be implemented without fear of impact on important product quality attributes. In summary, a targeted strategy of quantifying media components and designing a supplementation strategy can improve bioprocess cell cultures when enpowered by fermentanomics tools. Published 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 29:745–753, 2013

Hapalonamides and other oxidized hapalindoles from Hapalosiphon fontinalis

Abstract Dechlorofontonamide, anhydrohapaloxindoles B and M, and hapalonamides G, H, and V have been isolated as minor indole alkaloids from a cultured strain of the terrestrial blue-green alga Hapalosiphon fontinalis .