Bacterial Diversity of Root Nodule and Rhizosphere Soil Samples of Green Soybean (Edamame) in Japan.

We analyzed the bacterial diversity of root nodule and rhizosphere soil samples of edamame collected in Ebina, Japan. The major population identified from the nodules belonged to the genus Bradyrhizobium, and the rhizosphere soil in the open field has a higher abundance of the Rhizobiales order bacteria than that in the greenhouse.

Practical one-step glucuronidation via biotransformation.

We herein report a practical one-step glucuronidation method by biotransformation using Streptomyces sp. SANK 60895. This novel direct method of biotransformation has been shown to be more practical and scalable for glucuronidation than previously reported chemical and enzymatic procedures given its simplicity, high ß-selectivity, cost-effectiveness, and reproducibility. We applied the present method to the synthesis of acyl glucuronide and hydroxy-ß-glucuronide of mycophenolic acid and compound 4, respectively. This method was also shown to be applicable to the N-glucuronidation of various compounds.

Nectrisine Biosynthesis Genes in Thelonectria discophora SANK 18292: Identification and Functional Analysis.

The fungus Thelonectria discophora SANK 18292 produces the iminosugar nectrisine, which has a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic 5-membered ring and acts as a glycosidase inhibitor. In our previous study, an oxidase (designated NecC) that converts 4-amino-4-deoxyarabinitol to nectrisine was purified from T. discophora cultures. However, the genes required for nectrisine biosynthesis remained unclear. In this study, the nectrisine biosynthetic gene cluster in T. discophora was identified from the contiguous genome sequence around the necC gene. Gene disruption and complementation studies and heterologous expression of the gene showed that necA, necB, and necC could be involved in nectrisine biosynthesis, during which amination, dephosphorylation, and oxidation occur. It was also demonstrated that nectrisine could be produced by recombinant Escherichia coli coexpressing the necA, necB, and necC genes. These findings provide the foundation to develop a bacterial production system for nectrisine or its intermediates through genetic engineering. IMPORTANCE: Iminosugars might have great therapeutic potential for treatment of many diseases. However, information on the genes for their biosynthesis is limited. In this study, we report the identification of genes required for biosynthesis of the iminosugar nectrisine in Thelonectria discophora SANK 18292, which was verified by disruption, complementation, and heterologous expression of the genes involved. We also demonstrate heterologous production of nectrisine by recombinant E. coli, toward developing an efficient production system for nectrisine or its intermediates through genetic engineering.

Novel Nrf2 activators from microbial transformation products inhibit blood-retinal barrier permeability in rabbits.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a redox-sensitive transcription factor that binds to antioxidant response elements located in the promoter region of genes encoding many antioxidant enzymes and phase II detoxifying enzymes. Activation of the Nrf2 pathway seems protective for many organs, and although a well-known Nrf2 activator, bardoxolone methyl, was evaluated clinically for treating chronic kidney disease, it was found to induce adverse events. Many bardoxolone methyl derivatives, mostly derived by chemical modifications, have already been studied. However, we adopted a biotransformation technique to obtain a novel Nrf2 activator. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The potent novel Nrf2 activator, RS9, was obtained from microbial transformation products. Its Nrf2 activity was evaluated by determining NADPH:quinone oxidoreductase-1 induction activity in Hepa1c1c7 cells. We also investigated the effects of RS9 on oxygen-induced retinopathy in rats and glycated albumin-induced blood-retinal barrier permeability in rabbits because many ocular diseases are associated with oxidative stress and inflammation. KEY RESULTS: Bardoxolone methyl doubled the specific activity of Nrf2 in Hepa1c1c7 cells at a much higher concentration than RS9. Moreover, the induction of Nrf2-targeted genes was observed at a one-tenth lower concentration of RS9. Interestingly, the cytotoxicity of RS9 was substantially reduced compared with bardoxolone methyl. Oral and intravitreal administration of RS9 ameliorated the pathological scores and leakage in the models of retinopathy in rats and ocular inflammation in rabbits respectively. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Nrf2 activators are applicable for treating ocular diseases and novel Nrf2 activators have potential as a unique method for prevention and treatment of retinovascular disease.

Discovery of CS-0777: A Potent, Selective, and Orally Active S1P1 Agonist.

CS-0777 (3) is phosphorylated in vivo, and the phosphate of CS-0777 (CS-0777-P) (4) acts as a selective S1P receptor-1 (S1P1) modulator. We report herein the synthesis of CS-0777 and CS-0777-P, pharmacological effects such as S1P1 and S1P3 agonist activity in vitro, peripheral blood lymphocyte lowering effects and the suppressive effect on experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and also the pharmacokinetics in rats. CS-0777-P had ∼320-fold greater agonist activity for human S1P1 (EC50; 1.1 nM) relative to S1P3 (EC50; 350 nM). Following administration of single oral doses of 0.1 and 1 mg/kg of CS-0777 in rats, lymphocyte counts decreased significantly, with a nadir at 12 h postdose and recovery to vehicle control levels by 5 days postdose. In the EAE model compared to the vehicle-treated group, significant decreases in the cumulative EAE scores were observed for the 0.1 and 1 mg/kg CS-0777 groups in rats. CS-0777 is currently in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Predictability of idiosyncratic drug toxicity risk for carboxylic acid-containing drugs based on the chemical stability of acyl glucuronide.

Acyl glucuronides (AGs) formed from carboxylic acid-containing drugs have been considered to be a cause of idiosyncratic drug toxicity (IDT). Chemical stability of AGs is supposed to relate to their reactivity. In this study, the half-lives of 21 AGs of carboxylic drugs in potassium phosphate buffer (KPB), human serum albumin (HSA) solution, and human fresh plasma were analyzed in relation to the IDT risk derived from these drugs. The carboxylic drugs were classified into three safety categories of "safe," "warning," and "withdrawn" in terms of their IDT risk. As for the results, the half-lives of AGs in KPB correlated with the IDT risk better than those in HSA solution or in human fresh plasma with regard to the separation of the safe drugs from the warning drugs or the withdrawn drugs. In KPB, whereas the half-lives in the safe category were 7.2 h or longer, those in the withdrawn category were 1.7 h or shorter. The classification value of the half-life in KPB, which separated the safe drugs from the withdrawn drugs was calculated to be 3.6 h by regression analysis. In conclusion, this is the first report that clearly shows the relationship between the IDT risk and chemical stability of AGs in several in vitro systems. The KPB system was considered to be the best for evaluating the stability of AGs, and the classification value of the half-life in KPB serves as a useful key predictor for the IDT risk.

Haplofungins, novel inositol phosphorylceramide synthase inhibitors, from Lauriomyces bellulus SANK 26899 I. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation and biological activities.

In the course of screening for antifungal agents, we have discovered eight novel compounds, haplofungin A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H, from a culture broth of the fungus strain Lauriomyces bellulus SANK 26899. Haplofungins are composed of an arabinonic acid moiety linked through an ester to a modified long alkyl chain and show potent inhibitory activities against fungal inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) synthase. Haplofungin A inhibited the activity of IPC synthase from Saccharomyces cerevisiae with an IC(50) value of 0.0015 microg ml(-1). This inhibitor also suppressed the growth of Candida glabrata at the MIC value of 0.5 microg ml(-1).

Haplofungins, new inositol phosphorylceramide synthase inhibitors, from Lauriomyces bellulus SANK 26899 II. Structure elucidation.

Eight new inositol phosphorylceramide synthase inhibitors: haplofungin A, B, C, D, E, F, G and H, were discovered in a culture broth of the fungus Lauriomyces bellulus SANK 26899. The planar structures for these haplofungins were elucidated by various spectroscopic analyses and a GC/MS analysis of their degradation products. All eight compounds were found to comprise an arabinonic acid moiety linked through an ester bond to a modified long alkyl chain.

Haplofungins, novel inositol phosphorylceramide synthase inhibitors, from Lauriomyces bellulus SANK 26899 III. Absolute structure of haplofungin A.

The absolute structure of haplofungin A, a potent fungal inositol phosphoceramide (IPC) synthase inhibitor from Lauriomyces bellulus SANK 26899, was determined by chiral GC/MS analysis, NMR and X-ray crystallographic analysis of the derivatives of degradation products.

Ascotricins A and B, novel antagonists of sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 from Ascotricha chartarum Berk. SANK 14186.

Ascotricins A and B were isolated as novel sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 (S1P(1)) antagonists from a cultured broth of a fungus identified as Ascotricha chartarum Berk. SANK 14186. The two compounds were purified by solvent extraction, reversed-phase (RP) column chromatography and a preparative RP-HPLC. The structures were determined by various NMR experiments and by LC/MS and GC/MS analyses. The S1P(1) antagonist activities were measured by a cyclic AMP assay using S1P(1)-expressing cells and the IC(50) values were 8.2 and 1.8 microM, respectively. In a [(33)P]sphingosine-1-phosphate/S1P(1)-binding assay, those values were 120 and 39 microM, and in a migration assay using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), they were 94 and 28 microM, respectively. Thus, ascotricins A and B are novel S1P(1) antagonists showing an inhibition activity toward HUVEC migration.

A-503083 A, B, E and F, novel inhibitors of bacterial translocase I, produced by Streptomyces sp. SANK 62799.

Novel nucleoside antibiotics were isolated from the cultured broth of the strain classified as Streptomyces sp. SANK 62799. The strain produced four novel capuramycin derivatives designated as A-503083 A, B, E and F. Their structures were elucidated as 2'-O-carbamoyl derivatives of A-500359 A, B (capuramycin), E and F, respectively. A-503083 A, B, E and F inhibited bacterial phospho-N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide-translocase (translocase I: EC 2.7.8.13) with IC50 values of 0.024, 0.038, 0.135 and 17.9 microM, respectively.

Studies on novel bacterial translocase I inhibitors, A-500359s. I. Taxonomy, fermentation, isolation, physico-chemical properties and structure elucidation of A-500359 A, C, D and G.

In the course of our screening for bacterial phospho-N-acetylmuramyl-pentapeptide-translocase (translocase I: EC 2.7.8.13) inhibitors, we found inhibitory activity in the cultured broth of the strain identified as Streptomyces griseus SANK 60196. The strain produced capuramycin and four novel capuramycin derivatives designated as A-500359 A, C, D and G. Purification and structural analysis were performed, and the structures of A-500359 A, C, D and G were elucidated as 6'''-methylcapuramycin, 3'-demethyl-6'''-methylcapuramycin, 2''-deoxy-6'''-methylcapuramycin and 3'-demethylcapuramycin, respectively.

Studies on novel bacterial translocase I inhibitors, A-500359s. III. Deaminocaprolactam derivatives of capuramycin: A-500359 E, F, H; M-1 and M-2.

Novel derivatives of capuramycin were obtained when 10 mM of 2-aminoethyl-L-cysteine (AEC), an inhibitor of aspartokinase, was added to the culture of Streptomyces griseus SANK 60196, the producer of A-500359. They were purified from the culture filtrate and their chemical structures were elucidated as a deaminocaprolactam derivative of capuramycin designated as A-500359 F, A-500359 E, a methyl ester of A-500359 F, and A-500359 H, a 3'-demethyl derivative of A-500359 F. Two other compounds, A-500359 M-1 and A-500359 M-2, were purified from the same medium and their structures were elucidated. A-500359 E, F, H, M-1 and M-2 inhibited bacterial translocase I with an IC50 of 0.027 microM, 1.1 microM, 0.008 microM, 0.058 microM and 0.010 microM, respectively. A-500359 E, M-1 and M-2 inhibited the growth of mycobacteria as well.

Studies on novel bacterial translocase I inhibitors, A-500359s. IV. Biosynthesis of A-500359s.

This report describes the isolation of novel A-500359 analogues from the culture broth of Streptomyces griseus SANK 60196 and 13C-incorporation studies of A-500359 A to reveal the biosynthetic pathway of A-500359 derivatives. As a result, A-500359 M-3 and J were isolated as novel analogues. The former, isolated from a culture broth fed with unnatural amino acids, was a novel amino acid adduct of A-500359, and the latter was found to be a putative precursor of all A-500359 derivatives, on the basis of the structure. Moreover, 13C-incorporation studies revealed the origin of every carbon atom of A-500359 A. From these results, it was revealed that the core skeleton of A-500359 was biosynthesized from uridine and phosphoenolpyruvate in the same manner as for polyoxin, a nucleoside antibiotic. Moreover, the uronic acid and aminocaprolactam moiety was derived from hexose and lysine, respectively, and two methyl groups of A-500359 A were derived from methionine.