Biosynthesis and cytokinin activity of 8-hydroxy and 2,8-dihydroxy derivatives of zeatin and N-6(increment-2-isopentenyl)adenine

Antioxidant, Anti-Inflammatory, and Antidiabetic Activities of Bioactive Compounds from the Fruits of Livistona chinensis Based on Network Pharmacology Prediction

In this study, a chemical investigation on the fruits of Livistona chinensis (FLC) led to the isolation and identification of 45 polyphenols and 5 alkaloids, including two new compounds (Livischinol (1) and Livischinine A (46)), an undescribed compound (47) and 47 known compounds. FLC was predicted with novel potential antidiabetic function by collecting and analyzing the potential targets of the ingredients. Compound 32 exhibited significant α-glucosidase inhibitory activity (IC₅₀ = 5.71 μM) and 1, 6, and 44 showed the PTP1B inhibitory activity with IC₅₀ values of 9.41-22.19 μM, while that of oleanolic acid was 28.58 μM. The competitive inhibitors of PTP1B (compounds 1 and 44) formed strong binding affinity, with catalytic active sites, proved by kinetic analysis, fluorescence spectra measurements, and computational simulations, and stimulated glucose uptake in the insulin-resistant HepG2 cells at the dose of 50 μM. In addition, FLC was rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory bioactive compounds so that they could be developed as nutraceuticals against diabetes.

Preparation, characterization and biological activity of C8-substituted cytokinins

Naturally occurring cytokinins are adenine-based plant hormones. Although, the effect of various substituents at positions N1, C2, N3, N⁶, N7, or N9 on the biological activity of cytokinins has been studied, the C8-substituted compounds have received little attention. Here, we report the synthesis and in vitro biological testing of thirty-one cytokinin derivatives substituted at the C8 position of the adenine skeleton and twenty-seven compounds which served as their N9-tetrahydropyranyl protected precursors. The cytokinin activity of all the compounds was determined in classical cytokinin biotests (wheat leaf senescence, Amaranthus and tobacco callus assays). With some exceptions, the compounds with a N9-tetrahydropyranyl group were generally less active than their de-protected analogs. The latter were further tested for their ability to activate the Arabidopsis cytokinin receptors AHK3 and CRE1/AHK4 in bacterial receptor activation assays. Using this approach, we identified derivatives bearing short aliphatic chains and retaining high cytokinin activity. Such compounds are suitable candidates for fluorescence labeling or as protein-affinity ligands. We further found that some C8-substituted cytokinins exhibited no or lower cytotoxicity toward tobacco cells when compared to their parent compound. Therefore, we also present and discuss the cytotoxicity of all the compounds against three normal human cell lines.

Discovery of a cytokinin deaminase

An enzyme of unknown function within the amidohydrolase superfamily was discovered to catalyze the hydrolysis of N-6-substituted adenine derivatives, several of which are cytokinins. Cytokinins are a common type of plant hormone and N-6-substituted adenines are also found as modifications to tRNA. Patl2390, from Pseudoalteromonas atlantica T6c, was shown to hydrolytically deaminate N-6-isopentenyladenine to hypoxanthine and isopentenylamine with a k(cat)/K(m) of 1.2 × 10(7) M(-1) s(-1). Additional substrates include N-6-benzyl adenine, cis- and trans-zeatin, kinetin, O-6-methylguanine, N-6-butyladenine, N-6-methyladenine, N,N-dimethyladenine, 6-methoxypurine, 6-chloropurine, and 6-thiomethylpurine. This enzyme does not catalyze the deamination of adenine or adenosine. A comparative model of Patl2390 was computed using the three-dimensional crystal structure of Pa0148 (PDB code 3PAO ) as a structural template, and docking was used to refine the model to accommodate experimentally identified substrates. This is the first identification of an enzyme that will hydrolyze an N-6-substituted side chain larger than methylamine from adenine.

Biotransformation of adenine and cytokinins by the rhizobacterium Serratia proteamaculans

Approximately 60,000 microorganisms from Saskatchewan soil were screened for growth on the cytokinin N6-benzyladenine (BA) as C source. A single isolate, identified as Serratia proteamaculans, grew well on BA. The culture filtrates from S. proteamaculans were screened using reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) for the presence of secondary metabolites. The analysis revealed a major metabolite and its chemical structure was deduced as 8-hydroxy-N6-benzyladenine (8-OHBA). Subsequently, the S. proteamaculans isolate was also found to metabolize N6-(2-isopentenyl)adenine and adenine through oxidation of C-8 of the purine ring. A clone of the S. proteamaculans xanthine dehydrogenase (Xdh, EC 1.1.1.204) encoding genes was isolated in Escherichia coli. This E. coli isolate metabolized BA to 8-OHBA. Similar to other bacterial Xdh, the S. proteamaculans enzyme was composed of two subunits. The derived amino acid sequences of these Xdh subunits were most similar (XdhA, 60%; XdhB, 72%) to those of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The role of N-6-isopentenyl adenine in tumor cell growth

When cell extracts from Ehrlich ascites tumor cells were assayed for isopentenyl adenine content and correlation with cell growth stage by radioimmunoassay, concentrations of low statistical significance were obtained. High performance liquid chromatographic analysis of cell extracts showed undetectable levels of isopentenyl adenine or 8-hydroxy-isopentenyl adenine, a known metabolite. Thus these substances do not seem to be required for cell division in Ehrlich ascites tumor cells.

Electron impact-induced reactions of N6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)adenosine and related cytokinins

Fragmentation reactions of the biologically important N6-(3-methyl-2-butenyl)adenyl moiety have been re-examined with the aid of systematic deuterium labeling in the sidechain and by examination of the 1- and 7-deazanucleoside analogs. It is concluded that the diagnostic reactions which involve expulsion of C3H7 proceed predominantly by ring closure from the sidechain double bond to N-1 (ion a). Base-containing ions m/e 135 and 148 were confirmed to arise mainly by rearrangement of hydrogen from the methyl terminus to N6 and simple cleavage, respectively, but with significant contribution from other pathways involving transfer of sidechain hydrogens to the base.