Data & Resources

Three new sesquiterpene derivatives, kopetdaghins A−C (1−3), one known prenylated coumarin (7), and two known steroid glucosides, sitosterol 3-O-glucoside and stigmasterol 3-O-glucoside, were isolated from the aerial parts of Dorema kopetdaghense. In addition, two new sesquiterpene derivatives, kopetdaghin D (4) and kopetdaghin E (5), together with kopetdaghins A−C and one known sesquiterpene coumarin (6), were isolated from the roots of the plant. The structures of these compounds were elucidated by various 1D and 2D NMR techniques as well as high-resolution positive-ion ESIMS.

The following lichen substances were detected in six species of Physciaceae by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS: Phaeophyscia orbicularis: atranorin (1), methyl ß-orcinolcarboxylate (6), Physcia adscendens: 1, 6, chloroatranorin (2), 5-hydroxyatranorin (3, new), norbaeomycesic acid (4), 3'-demethylatranorin (5, new), Physcia aipolia: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, Physcia caesia: 1, 4 and 5, Physcia stellaris: 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6, Physcia tenella: 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6.

Plants of the order Ranunculales, especially members of the species Papaver , accumulate a large variety of benzylisoquinoline alkaloids with about 2500 structures, but only the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum ) and Papaver setigerum are able to produce the analgesic and narcotic morphine and the antitussive codeine. In this study, we investigated the molecular basis for this exceptional biosynthetic capability by comparison of alkaloid profiles with gene expression profiles between 16 different Papaver species. Out of 2000 expressed sequence tags obtained from P. somniferum , 69 show increased expression in morphinan alkaloid‐containing species. One of these cDNAs, exhibiting an expression pattern very similar to previously isolated cDNAs coding for enzymes in benzylisoquinoline biosynthesis, showed the highest amino acid identity to reductases in menthol biosynthesis. After overexpression, the protein encoded by this cDNA reduced the keto group of salutaridine yielding salutaridinol, an intermediate in morphine biosynthesis. The stereoisomer 7‐epi ‐salutaridinol was not formed. Based on its similarities to a previously purified protein from P. somniferum with respect to the high substrate specificity, molecular mass and kinetic data, the recombinant protein was identified as salutaridine reductase (SalR; EC 1.1.1.248). Unlike codeinone reductase, an enzyme acting later in the pathway that catalyses the reduction of a keto group and which belongs to the family of the aldo‐keto reductases, the cDNA identified in this study as SalR belongs to the family of short chain dehydrogenases/reductases and is related to reductases in monoterpene metabolism.

Sorghum SbSTS1 was the first example of a stilbene synthase gene in monocots. Previously, we demonstrated that the gene was involved in defense responses. To examine its biochemical function in planta, SbSTS1 was overexpressed in transgenic Arabidopsis. Metabolite analysis revealed that cis -resveratrol glucoside (piceid) accumulated as the major stilbene in the transgenic lines. Using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) in selected reaction monitoring mode, up to 580 μg g −1 FW of cis -piceid were detected in 2-week-old plants, which represent a convenient source of the cis -isomers for pharmacological investigations. Our results also suggested the presence of unknown stilbene isomerase activities in Arabidopsis.

The reactions of [PtMe3(OAc)(bpy)] (4) with the N,S and S,S containing heterocycles, pyrimidine-2-thione (pymtH), pyridine-2-thione (pytH), thiazoline-2-thione (tztH) and thiophene-2-thiol (tptH), resulted in the formation of the monomeric complexes [PtMe3(-κS)(bpy)] ( = pymt, 5; pyt, 6; tzt, 7; tpt, 8), where the heterocyclic ligand is coordinated via the exocyclic sulfur atom. In contrast, in the reactions of [PtMe3(OAc)(Me2CO)x] (3, x = 1 or 2) with pymtH, pytH, tztH and tptH dimeric complexes [{PtMe3(μ-)}2] (μ- = pymt, 9; pyt, 10; tzt, 11) and the tetrameric complex [{PtMe3(μ3-tpt-κS)}4] (12), respectively, were formed. The complexes were characterized by microanalyses, 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and negative ESI-MS (12) measurements. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of [PtMe3(pymt-κS)(bpy)] (5) exhibited a conformation where the pymt ligand lies nearly perpendicular to the complex plane above the bpy ligand that was also confirmed by quantum chemical calculations on the DFT level of theory.

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From yellow petals of Iceland poppy, besides the known flavonoid gossypitrin, seven kaempferol derivatives were isolated. In addition to kaempferol 3-O-β-sophoroside and kaempferol 3-O-β-sophoroside-7-O-β-glucoside, known from other plants, the mono- and dimalonyl conjugates of the latter were identified by MS and NMR spectroscopy. Structure analyses of a set of co-occurring pigments, the nudicaulins, revealed that they have the identical acylated glycoside moieties attached to a pentacyclic indole alkaloid skeleton for which the structure of 19-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-10H-1,10-ethenochromeno[2,3-b]indole-6,8,18-triol was deduced from MS and NMR as well as chemical and chiroptical methods.

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Colonization of roots of Ornithogalum umbellatum by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices induced the accumulation of different types of apocarotenoids. In addition to the mycorrhiza-specific occurrence of cyclohexenone derivatives and the “yellow pigment” described earlier, free mycorradicin and numerous mycorradicin derivatives were detected in a complex apocarotenoid mixture for the first time. From the accumulation pattern of the mycorradicin derivatives their possible integration into the continuously accumulating “yellow pigment” is suggested. Structure analyses of the cyclohexenone derivatives by MS and NMR revealed that they are mono-, di- and branched triglycosides of blumenol C, 13-hydroxyblumenol C, and 13-nor-5-carboxy-blumenol C, some of which contain terminal rhamnose as sugar moiety.