Early-onset diabetes in Africa: A mini-review of the current genetic profile.

Early-onset diabetes is poorly diagnosed partly due to its heterogeneity and variable presentations. Although several genes have been associated with the disease, these genes are not well studied in Africa. We sought to identify the major neonatal, early childhood, juvenile, or early-onset diabetes genes in Africa; and evaluate the available molecular methods used for investigating these gene variants.

Discovery of Novel Cyclic Ethers with Synergistic Antiplasmodial Activity in Combination with Valinomycin.

With drug resistance threatening our first line antimalarial treatments, novel chemotherapeutics need to be developed. Ionophores have garnered interest as novel antimalarials due to their theorized ability to target unique systems found in the -infected erythrocyte. In this study, during the bioassay-guided fractionation of the crude extract of strain PR3, a group of cyclodepsipeptides, including valinomycin, and a novel class of cyclic ethers were identified and elucidated.

Novel South African Rare Actinomycete Strain SK5: A Prolific Producer of Hydroxamate Siderophores Including New Dehydroxylated Congeners.

In this paper, we report on the chemistry of the rare South African Actinomycete strain SK5, a prolific producer of hydroxamate siderophores and their congeners. Two new analogues, dehydroxylated desferrioxamines, speibonoxamine and desoxy-desferrioxamine D , have been isolated, together with four known hydroxamates, desferrioxamine D , desferrioxamine B , desoxy-nocardamine and nocardamine , and a diketopiperazine (DKP) . The structures of - were characterized by the analysis of HRESIMS and 1D and 2D NMR data, as well as by comparison with the relevant literature.

Butrepyrazinone, a new pyrazinone with an unusual methylation pattern from a Ghanaian Verrucosispora sp. K51G.

We report the structural characterization of a new pyrazinone analogue; butrepyrazinone, which was isolated from a new actinomycete strain Verrucosispora sp. K51G recovered from Ghanaian mangrove river sediment. Spectroscopy-guided fractionation led to the isolation of a compound from the fermentation culture and a combination of NMR spectroscopy, high-resolution mass spectrometry and computer-aided calculations revealed that butrepyrazinone (10) possesses an unusual methylation pattern on the pyrazinone ring.

Butremycin, the 3-hydroxyl derivative of ikarugamycin and a protonated aromatic tautomer of 5'-methylthioinosine from a Ghanaian Micromonospora sp. K310.

A new actinomycete strain Micromonospora sp. K310 was isolated from Ghanaian mangrove river sediment. Spectroscopy-guided fractionation led to the isolation of two new compounds from the fermentation culture.