Synthesis of glutaminyl adenylate analogues that are inhibitors of glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase.

Glutaminol adenylate 5 is a competitive inhibitor of glutaminyl-tRNA synthetase with respect to glutamine (Ki = 280 nM) and to ATP (Ki = 860 nM). The corresponding methyl phosphate ester 4 is a weaker inhibitor (Ki approximately 10 microM) with respect to glutamine.

Chemoenzymatic synthesis of the microbial elicitor (-)-syringolide via a fructose 1,6-diphosphate aldolase-catalyzed condensation reaction.

Syringolide 2, an elicitor of the bacterial plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato which triggers a hypersensitive defense response in resistant soybean plants, has been synthesized in five steps via a fructose 1,6-diphosphate aldolase reaction.

Enzymatic desymmetrization of a meso polyol corresponding to the C(19)-C(27) segment of rifamycin S.

The stereoselective acylation of meso polyol 2 by vinyl acetate (solvent and acyl donor) in the presence of porcine pancreas lipase gave the corresponding monoester 5 in good yield (76%) and high enantiomeric purity (ee > 98%). The enzymatic reaction was also highly regioselective for a primary alcohol end group, and the two unprotected secondary alcohols were not involved. Compound 5 corresponds to the C(19)-C(27) fragment of rifamycin S.

Flavonoids released by carrot (Daucus carota) seedlings stimulate hyphal development of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in the presence of optimal CO2 enrichment.

Carbon dioxide has been previously identified as a critical volatile factor that stimulates hyphal growth ofGigaspora margarita, a vesiculararbuscular mycorrhizal fungus, and we determined the optimal concentration at 2.0%. The beneficial effect of CO2 on fungal development is also visible in the presence of stimulatory (quercetin, myricetin) or inhibitory (naringenin) flavonoids. Sterile root exudates from carrot seedlings stimulate the hyphal development ofG. margarita in the presence of optimal CO2 enrichment. Three flavonols (quercetin, kaempferol, rutin or quercetin 3-rutinoside) and two flavones (apigenin, luteolin) were identified in carrot root exudates by means of HPLC retention time. Flavonols like quercetin and kaempferol are known to have stimulatory effects on hyphal growth ofG. margarita.

Hyphal growth promotion in vitro of the VA mycorrhizal fungus, Gigaspora margarita Becker & Hall, by the activity of structurally specific flavonoid compounds under CO2 -enriched conditions.

Plant phenolic compounds are known to be inducers of virulence genes in plant-pathogen interactions such as those involving Agrobacterium, and flavonoids are known to be inducers or inhibitors of Nod genes in Rhizobium-legume symbiosis. More recent studies suggest that some of these compounds act as molecular signals in the development of vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizas (VAM). The present study has shown that hyphal growth of the VAM fungus, Gigaspora margarita Becker & Hall, is affected by both stimulatory and inhibitory flavonoids, when applied at 10 µ together with an optimal carbon dioxide enrichment. Stimulatory compounds were all flavonols (kaempferol, quercetin and morin) and possessed at least one hydroxyl group on the B ring. Conversely, two isoflavones (biochanin A, and genistein), a single flavanone (hesperetin) and two compounds without any hydroxyl group on the B ring, galangin (flavonol) and chrysin (flavone), were all inhibitors of hyphal growth.