Publications by authors named "Laszlo Bakacsy"

Eighteen compounds, among them phenylpropanoids (1-2), neolignans (3-9), a megastigmane (10), a phenyl glucoside (11), flavonoids (12-14), and N-containing compounds (15-18) were isolated from the methanolic extract of the whole plant of L. cartilagineum. The structures of the compounds were determined by NMR and MS measurements.

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A key question in plant invasion biology is why invasive plants are more competitive in their introduced habitat than in their native habitat. Studies show that invasive species exhibit allelopathy, influencing other plants by releasing chemicals. Research on allelopathy uses tests, investigating effects on seed germination and seedling development.

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Alien woody species are successful invaders, frequently used for afforestation in regions like semi-arid lands. Shrubs and trees create important microhabitats in arid areas. Understorey vegetation in these habitats has unique species composition and coexistence.

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Polyamine (PA) catabolism mediated by amine oxidases is an important process involved in fine-tuning PA homeostasis and related mechanisms during salt stress. The significance of these amine oxidases in short-term responses to salt stress is, however, not well understood. In the present study, the effects of L-aminoguanidine (AG) on tomato roots treated with short-term salt stress induced by NaCl were studied.

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Article Synopsis
  • Juncus species are traditional sources of phenanthrene compounds used in Chinese medicine, particularly effusol and juncusol, which have shown antimicrobial and anticancer properties.
  • This study investigated their effects on the growth and biochemical processes of the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, focusing on how these compounds influence polyamine metabolism.
  • Results indicated that while phenanthrene is toxic to plant growth, both effusol and juncusol promote biomass increase and improve antioxidant defenses, suggesting their potential as biopesticides or plant growth stimulants.
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The phytohormone salicylic acid (SA) can influence the polyamine metabolism in plants. Additionally, polyamines (PAs) can regulate the synthesis of SA, providing an exciting interplay between them not only in plant growth and development but also in biotic or abiotic stress conditions. The effect of SA on polyamine metabolism of leaves is well-studied but the root responses are rarely investigated.

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Hypusination is a unique posttranslational modification of eIF5A, a eukaryotic translation factor. Hypusine is a rare amino acid synthesized in this process and is mediated by two enzymes, deoxyhypusine synthase (DHS) and deoxyhypusine hydroxylase (DOHH). Despite the essential participation of this conserved eIF5A protein in plant development and stress responses, our knowledge of its proper function is limited.

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Article Synopsis
  • Phenanthrenes, rare compounds found in certain plant families, show diverse pharmacological activities, prompting research into their semisynthetic derivatives.
  • This study aimed to isolate phenanthrenes from a specific methanolic extract and develop semisynthetic derivatives, successfully isolating three phenanthrenes and producing four new compounds using hypervalent iodine(III) reagents.
  • The isolated compounds and their derivatives were tested against various human tumor cell lines, with one effusol derivative exhibiting significant antiproliferative effects, especially against MCF-7, T47D, and A2780 cell lines.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates secondary metabolites in Juncaceae species, particularly phenanthrenes and their pharmacological potential.
  • A total of 26 compounds, including 23 phenanthrenes and several new natural products, were isolated from a methanol extract of the plant.
  • The cytotoxic effects of the phenanthrenes were tested on various cancer and nontumor cell lines, revealing that dimeric compounds had significant cytotoxicity while monomeric compounds did not.
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Invasive species are a major threat to biodiversity, human health, and economies worldwide. Clonal growth is a common ability of most invasive plants. The clonal common milkweed Asclepias syriaca L.

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Endophytic fungi in symbiotic association with their host plant are well known to improve plant growth and reduce the adverse effects of both biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, fungal endophytes are beginning to receive increased attention in an effort to find growth-promoting strains that could be applied to enhance crop yield and quality. In our study, the plant growth-promoting activities of endophytic fungi isolated from various parts of (a medicinally important plant in Mongolia and China) have been revealed and investigated.

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This study examined the structural diversity and bioactivity of peptaibol compounds produced by species from the phylogenetically separated Longibrachiatum Clade of the filamentous fungal genus , which contains several biotechnologically, agriculturally and clinically important species. HPLC-ESI-MS investigations of crude extracts from 17 species of the Longibrachiatum Clade (. , and ) revealed several new and recurrent 20-residue peptaibols related to trichobrachins, paracelsins, suzukacillins, saturnisporins, trichoaureocins, trichocellins, longibrachins, hyporientalins, trichokonins, trilongins, metanicins, trichosporins, gliodeliquescins, alamethicins and hypophellins, as well as eight 19-residue sequences from a new subfamily of peptaibols named brevicelsins.

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