- Engineered Bacterial Flavin-Dependent Monooxygenases for the Regiospecific Hydroxylation of Polycyclic Phenols
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4-Hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylase (4HPA3H), a flavin-dependent monooxygenase from E. coli that catalyzes the hydroxylation of monophenols to catechols, was modified by rational redesign to convert also more bulky substrates, especially phenolic natural products like phenylpropanoids, flavones or coumarins. Selected amino acid positions in the binding pocket of 4HPA3H were exchanged with residues from the homologous protein from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, yielding variants with improved conversion of spacious substrates such as the flavonoid naringenin or the alkaloid mimetic 2-hydroxycarbazole. Reactions were followed by an adapted Fe(III)-catechol chromogenic assay selective for the products. Especially substitution of the residue Y301 facilitated modulation of substrate specificity: introduction of nonaromatic but hydrophobic (iso)leucine resulted in the preference of the substrate ferulic acid (having a guaiacyl (guajacyl) moiety, part of the vanilloid motif) over unsubstituted monophenols. The in vivo (whole-cell biocatalysts) and in vitro (three-enzyme cascade) transformations of substrates by 4HPA3H and its optimized variants was strictly regiospecific and proceeded without generation of byproducts.
- Dippe, Martin,Funke, Evelyn,Herrmann, Susann,Pecher, Pascal,Pietzsch, Markus,Wessjohann, Ludger A.
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- 5-Hydroxyferulic acid methyl ester isolated from wasabi leaves inhibits 3T3-L1 adipocyte differentiation
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To investigate the compounds present in wasabi leaves (Wasabia japonica Matsumura) that inhibit the adipocyte differentiation, activity-guided fractionation was performed on these leaves. 5-Hydroxyferulic acid methyl ester (1: 5-HFA ester), one of the phenylpropanoids, was isolated from wasabi leaves as a compound that inhibits the adipocyte differentiation. Compound 1 suppressed the intracellular lipid accumulation of 3T3-L1 cells without significant cytotoxicity. Gene expression analysis revealed that 1 suppressed the mRNA expression of 2 master regulators of adipocyte differentiation, PPARγ and C/EBPα. Furthermore, 1 downregulated the expression of adipogenesis-related genes, GLUT4, LPL, SREBP-1c, ACC, and FAS. Protein expression analysis revealed that 1 suppressed PPARγ protein expression. Moreover, to investigate the relationship between the structure and activity of inhibiting the adipocyte differentiation, we synthesized 12 kinds of phenylpropanoid analog. Comparison of the activity among 1 and its analogs suggested that the compound containing the substructure that possess a common functional group at the ortho position such as a catechol group exhibits the activity of inhibiting the adipocyte differentiation. Taken together, our findings suggest that 1 from wasabi leaves inhibits adipocyte differentiation via the downregulation of PPARγ.
- Misawa, Naoki,Hosoya, Takahiro,Yoshida, Shuhei,Sugimoto, Osamu,Yamada-Kato, Tomoe,Kumazawa, Shigenori
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p. 1304 - 1310
(2018/03/01)
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- Radical formation and coupling of hydroxycinnamic acids containing 1,2-dihydroxy substituents
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Hydroxycinnamic acids involved in the deposition and cross-linking of plant cell-wall polymers do not usually contain 1,2-dihydroxy substituents, despite the presence of both 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid and 4,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid as intermediates in the biogenesis of lignin. Since the O-methyl transferases, enzymes catalysing methylation, are targets for the genetic manipulation of lignin biosynthesis, the potential incorporation of these 1,2-dihydroxated substrates becomes increasingly significant. Using EPR spectroscopy, it was observed that 1,2-dihydroxy substituents did not have an inhibitory effect on radical formation. Increasing the extent of hydroxylation and methoxylation, resulted in an increased ease of substrate oxidation. Despite formation of the parent radicals, coupling did not proceed, under conditions that generally result in phenylpropanoid polymerisation. It is postulated that intermolecular radical-coupling reactions are inhibited due to rapid conversion to the o-quinone. In contrast, when methoxylated at C3, as in 4,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid, radical coupling proceeds with the major product resulting from 8-O-3 radical coupling and formation of a substituted 2,3-dihydro-1,4-dioxin ring.
- Russell, Wendy R.,Burkitt, Mark J.,Scobbie, Lorraine,Chesson, Andrew
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p. 206 - 215
(2007/10/03)
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