Unser 10. Leibniz Plant Biochemistry Symposium am 7. und 8. Mai war ein großer Erfolg. Thematisch ging es in diesem Jahr um neue Methoden und Forschungsansätze der Naturstoffchemie. Die exzellenten Vorträge über Wirkstoffe…
Omanische Heilpflanze im Fokus der Phytochemie IPB-Wissenschaftler und Partner aus Dhofar haben jüngst die omanische Heilpflanze Terminalia dhofarica unter die phytochemische Lupe genommen. Die Pflanze ist reich an…
Geschmack ist vorhersagbar: Mit FlavorMiner. FlavorMiner heißt das Tool, das IPB-Chemiker und Partner aus Kolumbien jüngst entwickelt haben. Das Programm kann, basierend auf maschinellem Lernen (KI), anhand der…
In plant cells, plastids form elongated extensions called stromules, the regulation and purposes of which remain unclear. Here, we quantitatively explore how different stromule structures serve to enhance the ability of a plastid to interact with other organelles: increasing the effective space for interaction and biomolecular exchange between organelles. Interestingly, electron microscopy and confocal imaging showed that the cytoplasm in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana epidermal cells is extremely thin (around 100 nm in regions without organelles), meaning that inter-organelle interactions effectively take place in 2D. We combine these imaging modalities with mathematical modeling and new in planta experiments to demonstrate how different stromule varieties (single or multiple, linear or branching) could be employed to optimize different aspects of inter-organelle interaction capacity in this 2D space. We found that stromule formation and branching provide a proportionally higher benefit to interaction capacity in 2D than in 3D. Additionally, this benefit depends on optimal plastid spacing. We hypothesize that cells can promote the formation of different stromule architectures in the quasi-2D cytoplasm to optimize their interaction interface to meet specific requirements. These results provide new insight into the mechanisms underlying the transition from low to high stromule numbers, the consequences for interaction with smaller organelles, how plastid access and plastid to nucleus signaling are balanced and the impact of plastid density on organelle interaction.
Publikation
de Moura, P. H. B.; de Sousa, A. A.; Porzel, A.; Wessjohann, L. A.; Leal, I. C. R.; Martins, R. C. C.;Characterization of antibacterial proanthocyanidins of Dalbergia monetaria, an amazonian medicinal plant, by UHPLC-HRMS/MSPlanta Med.86858– 866(2020)DOI: 10.1055/a-1170-8016
Dalbergia monetaria is an Amazonian plant whose bark is widely used to treat urinary tract infections. This paper describes a bio-guided study of ethanolic extracts from the bark and leaves of D. monetaria, in a search for metabolites active against human pathogenic bacteria. In vitro assays were performed against 10 bacterial strains, highlighting methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fractioning of the extracts was performed using instrumental and classical techniques, and samples were characterized by UHPLC-HRMS/MS. Ethyl acetate fractions from bark and leaves showed similar antibacterial activities. EAFB is enriched in isoflavone C-glucosides and EAFL enriched in proanthocyanidins. Subfractions from EAFL presented higher activity and showed a complex profile of proanthocyanidins constructed by (epi)-cassiaflavan and (epi)-catechin units, including dimers, trimers and tetramers. The fragmentation pattern emphasized the neutral loss of cassiaflavan units by quinone-methide fission. Fraction SL7-6, constituted by (ent)-cassiaflavan-(ent)-cassiaflavan-(epi)-catechin isomers, showed the lowest MIC against the S. aureus and P. aeruginosa with values corresponding to 64 and 32 µg/mL, respectively. Cassiaflavan-proanthocyanidins have not been found previously in another botanical genus, except in Cassia, and the traditional medicinal use of D. monetaria might be related to the antibacterial activity of proanthocyanidins characterized in the species.
Publikation
Jouda, J.-B.; Njoya, E. M.; Fobofou, S. A. T.; Zhou, Z. Y.; Qiang, Z.; Mbazoa, C. D.; Brandt, W.; Zhang, G.-l.; Wandji, J.; Wang, F.;Natural Polyketides Isolated from the Endophytic Fungus
Phomopsis sp. CAM212 with a Semisynthetic Derivative Downregulating
the ERK/IκBα Signaling PathwaysPlanta Med.861032-1042(2020)DOI: 10.1055/a-1212-2930
AbstractThree previously undescribed natural products, phomopsinin A – C
(1 – 3), together with three known compounds, namely,
cis-hydroxymellein (4), phomoxanthone A (5) and
cytochalasin L-696,474 (6), were isolated from the solid culture of
Phomopsis sp. CAM212, an endophytic fungus obtained from Garcinia
xanthochymus. Their structures were determined on the basis of
spectroscopic data, including IR, NMR, and MS. The absolute configurations of
1 and 2 were assigned by comparing their experimental and
calculated ECD spectra. Acetylation of compound 1 yielded 1a, a
new natural product derivative that was tested together with other isolated
compounds on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Cytochalasin
L-696,474 (6) was found to significantly inhibit nitric oxide production,
but was highly cytotoxic to the treated cells, whereas compound 1
slightly inhibited nitric oxide production, which was not significantly
different compared to lipopolysaccharide-treated cells. Remarkably, the
acetylated derivative of 1, compound 1a, significantly inhibited
nitric oxide production with an IC50 value of 14.8 µM and no
cytotoxic effect on treated cells, thereby showing the importance of the acetyl
group in the anti-inflammatory activity of 1a. The study of the mechanism
of action revealed that 1a decreases the expression of inducible nitric
oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase 2, and proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 without an
effect on IL-1β expression. Moreover, it was found that 1a exerts
its anti-inflammatory activity in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7
macrophage cells by downregulating the activation of ERK1/2 and by preventing
the translocation of nuclear factor κB. Thus, derivatives of phomopsinin
A (1), such as compound 1a, could provide new anti-inflammatory
leads.
Publikation
Mielke, S.; Gasperini, D.;Interplay between Plant Cell Walls and Jasmonate ProductionPlant Cell Physiol.602629-2637(2019)DOI: 10.1093/pcp/pcz119
Plant cell walls are sophisticated carbohydrate-rich structures representing the immediate contact surface with the extracellular environment, often serving as the first barrier against biotic and abiotic stresses. Notably, a variety of perturbations in plant cell walls result in upregulated jasmonate (JA) production, a phytohormone with essential roles in defense and growth responses. Hence, cell wall-derived signals can initiate intracellular JA-mediated responses and the elucidation of the underlying signaling pathways could provide novel insights into cell wall maintenance and remodeling, as well as advance our understanding on how is JA biosynthesis initiated. This Mini Review will describe current knowledge about cell wall-derived damage signals and their effects on JA biosynthesis, as well as provide future perspectives.