Identification of phenanthrene derivatives in Aerides rosea (Orchidaceae) using the combined systems HPLC-ESI-HRMS/MS and HPLC-DAD-MS-SPE-UV-NMR.

Introduction: In our continued efforts to contribute to the general knowledge on the chemical diversity of orchids, we have decided to focus our investigations on the Aeridinae subtribe. Following our previous phytochemical study of Vanda coerulea, which has led to the identification of phenanthrene derivatives, a closely related species, Aerides rosea Lodd. ex Lindl.

Bioresponsive deciduous-charge amphiphiles for liposomal delivery of DNA and siRNA.

Purpose: Biolabile cationic lipids were developed for efficient intracellular delivery of DNA and siRNA.

Methods: The compounds have been designed starting from the membrane lipid DOPC in a way they may loose their cationic charge when exposed to an acidic and/or enzymatic stimulus, such as those met during the journey of a lipoplex in biological media.

Results: They demonstrated remarkable efficiency to deliver DNA in various cell lines (BHK-21, Calu-3, NCI-H292, and A549), with no significant cytotoxicity.

Phospholipid-detergent conjugates as novel tools for siRNA delivery.

One of the potential benefits of drug delivery systems in medicine is the creation of nanoparticle-based vectors that deliver a therapeutic cargo in sufficient quantity to a target site to enable a selective effect, width of the therapeutic window depending on the toxicity of the vector and the cargo. In this work, we intended to improve the siRNA delivery efficiency of a new kind of nucleic acid carrier, which is the result of the conjugation of the membrane phospholipid 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DOPC) to the membrane-active species Triton X-100 (TX100). We hypothesized that by improving the biodegradability the cytotoxicity of the conjugate might by reduced, whereas its original transfection potential would be tentatively preserved.

Biosynthesis of the pyoverdine siderophore of Pseudomonas aeruginosa involves precursors with a myristic or a myristoleic acid chain.

Pyoverdine I (PVDI) is the major siderophore produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa to import iron. Biosynthesis of this chelator involves non-ribosomal peptide synthetases and other enzymes. PvdQ is a periplasmic enzyme from the NTN hydrolase family and is involved in the final steps of PVDI biosynthesis.

Analysis of 13C labeling enrichment in microbial culture applying metabolic tracer experiments using gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

The applicability of gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS) for the quantification of 13C enrichment of proteinogenic amino acids in metabolic tracer experiments was evaluated. Measurement of the 13C enrichment of proteinogenic amino acids from cell hydrolyzates of Corynebacterium glutamicum growing on different mixtures containing between 0.5 and 10% [1-13C]glucose shows the significance of kinetic isotope effects in metabolic flux studies at low degree of labeling.