Design, synthesis and evaluation of 3-quinoline carboxylic acids as new inhibitors of protein kinase CK2

Comparative analysis of antimicrobial compounds from endophytic Buergenerula spartinae from orchid

A rare fungal endophyte, identified as Buergenerula spartinae (C28), was isolated from the roots of Cymbidium orchids and was characterised and evaluated for its antimicrobial activities. Bio-guided fractionation revealed 4 fractions from B. spartinae (C28) having antibacterial activities against at least one bacterial pathogen tested (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus). However, inhibitory activities were absent against pathogenic fungi (Ganoderma boninense, Pythium ultimum and Fusarium solani). Fraction 2 and fraction 4 of B. spartinae (C28) exhibited potent antibacterial activities against S. aureus (MIC: 0.078 mg/mL) and B. cereus (MIC: 0.313 mg/mL), respectively. LCMS analysis revealed the presence of antibacterial agents and antibiotics in fraction 2 (benoxinate, pyropheophorbide A, (-)-ormosanine and N-undecylbenzenesulfonic acid) and fraction 4 (kaempferol 3-p-coumarate, 6-methoxy naphthalene acetic acid, levofuraltadone, hinokitiol glucoside, 3-α(S)-strictosidine, pyropheophorbide A, 5'-hydroxystreptomycin, kanzonol N and 3-butylidene-7-hydroxyphthalide), which may be responsible for the antibacterial activities observed. Most of the bioactive compounds profiled from the antibacterial fractions were discovered for the first time from endophytic isolates (i.e. from B. spartinae (C28)). Buergenerula spartinae (C28) from Cymbidium sp. is therefore, an untapped resource of bioactive compounds for potential applications in healthcare and commercial industries.

Quinoline Derivatives with Different Functional Groups: Evaluation of Their Catecholase Activity

In this work, we are interested in finding new catalysts for catecholase, whose principle is based on the oxidation reaction of catechol to o-quinone. In this context, we have studied a series of seven quinoline-based compounds. The present work indicates that the complexes formed between seven selected quinoline compounds and the copper salts viz. Cu(OAc)2, CuSO4, Cu(NO3)2, and CuCl2 elicit catalytic activities for the oxidation of catechol to o-quinone. The complexes formed with the Cu(OAc)2 salt show a much higher catalytic activity than the others, whereas the Cu(NO3)2 and CuCl2 salts formed complexes with low catalytic activity. This study also shows that the oxidation rate depends on two factors, namely the chemical structure of the ligands and the nature of the ions coordinated with the copper.

Impact of in Situ Simulated Climate Change on Communities and Non-Indigenous Species: Two Climates, Two Responses

Climate change constitutes a major challenge for marine urban ecosystems and ocean warming will likely strongly affect local communities. Non-Indigenous Species (NIS) have been shown to often have higher heat resistance than natives, but studies investigating how forthcoming global warming might affect them in marine urban environments remain scarce, especially in Situ studies. Here we used an in Situ warming experiment in a NW Mediterranean (warm temperate) and a NE Atlantic (cold temperate) marina to see how global warming might affect recruited communities in the near future. In both marinas, warming resulted in significantly different community structure, lower biomass, and more empty space compared to control. However, while in the warm temperate marina, NIS showed an increased surface cover, it was reduced in the cold temperate one. Metabolomic analyses on Bugula neritina in the Atlantic marina revealed potential heat stress experienced by this introduced bryozoan and a potential link between heat stress and the expression of a halogenated alkaloid, Caelestine A. The present results might indicate that the effects of global warming on the prevalence of NIS may differ between geographical provinces, which could be investigated by larger scale studies.

Synthesis, X-ray diffraction study, analysis of intermolecular interactions and molecular docking of ethyl 1-(3-tosylquinolin-4-yl)piperidine-4-carboxylate

An easy synthetic route towards ethyl 1-(3-tosyl­quinolin-4-yl)piperidine-4-carboxyl­ate was found. Its mol­ecular and crystal structures are described as well and the biological activity is also predicted using mol­ecular docking studies.

The title compound, C₂₄H₂₆N₂O₄S, can be obtained via two synthetic routes. According to our investigations, the most suitable way is by the reaction of ethyl 2-bromo­acetate with sodium tosyl­sulfinate in dry DMF. It was crystallized from methanol into the monoclinic P2₁/n space group with a single mol­ecule in the asymmetric unit. Hirshfeld surface analysis was performed to define the hydrogen bonds and analysis of the two-dimensional fingerprint plots was used to distinguish the different types of inter­actions. Two very weak non-classical C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds were found and the contributions of short contacts to the Hirshfeld surface were determined. Mol­ecules form an isotropic network of inter­molecular inter­actions according to an analysis of the pairwise inter­action energies. A mol­ecular docking study evaluated the inter­actions in the title compound with the active centers of macromolecules of bacterial targets (Staphylococcus aureus DNA Gyrase PDB ID: 2XCR, Mycobacterium tuberculosis topoisomerase II PDB ID: 5BTL, Streptococcus pneumoniae topoisomerase IV PDB ID: 4KPF) and revealed high affinity towards them that exceeded the reference anti­biotics of the fluoro­quinolone group.

A simple and efficient copper-catalyzed three-component reaction to synthesize (Z)-1,2-dihydro-2-iminoquinolines

A operationally simple synthesis of (Z)-1,2-dihydro-2-iminoquinolines that proceeds under mild conditions is achieved by copper-catalyzed reaction of 1-(2-aminophenyl)ethan-1-ones, sulfonyl azides and terminal ynones. In particular, the reaction goes through a base-free CuAAC/ring-opening process to obtain the Z-configured products due to hydrogen bonding.

Design, synthesis, and cytotoxicity screening of new synthesized imidazolidine-2-thiones as VEGFR-2 enzyme inhibitors

A series of imidazolin-2-thione derivatives was synthesized and structurally confirmed through the use of different spectroscopic techniques such as infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry along with elemental analyses. The breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was utilized in the evaluation of the cytotoxic activity of the prepared molecules. The tested molecules 3 and 7 exhibited the best results on MCF-7 cells, with mean IC₅₀ values of 3.26 and 4.31 µM, respectively. The results of the VEGFR-2 assay indicated that compounds 3 and 7 displayed a good inhibition of the VEGFR-2 kinase enzyme. Additionally, DNA flow cytometry of compounds 3 and 7 showed cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase, cell apoptosis, and marked DNA fragmentation in MCF-7 cells. Finally, compounds 3 and 7 were proved to upregulate the activation of effector caspase-3/7, as presented by the caspase-3/7 green flow cytometry assay.

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) tau class glutathione S-transferase (OsGSTU30) overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana modulates a regulatory network leading to heavy metal and drought stress tolerance

OsGSTU30 increases the abiotic stress tolerance in plants either by its catalytic activity or by modulating the expression of stress responsive genes.

Novel quinoline derivatives carrying nitrones/oximes nitric oxide donors: Design, synthesis, antiproliferative and caspase-3 activation activities

Novel quinoline derivatives carrying nitrones and oxime as nitric oxide donors were prepared and characterized using different spectroscopic techniques. Nitrones can release nitric oxide in larger amounts compared to corresponding oximes. Antiproliferative screening results showed that the 2-benzylthioquinoline nitrones 6e and 6f and the 2-methylthio analogues 6g and 6h exhibited promising antiproliferative activity especially against leukemia and colon cancer cell lines. Compounds 6c, 6e, and 6f exhibited higher potency as anticancer agents compared to doxorubicin, with IC₅₀ ranging from 0.45 to 0.91 μM. A remarkable overexpression of caspase-3 protein levels was observed in cells treated with the tested compounds. Compound 6e exhibited more pre-G1 apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase than in other phases. These results revealed that the tested compounds can cause programmed cell death through overexpression of caspase 3, which may be attributed to the release of nitric oxide.

Inhibitory influence of natural flavonoids on human protein kinase CK2 isoforms: effect of the regulatory subunit

CK2 is a pleiotropic, constitutively active protein kinase responsible for the phosphorylation of more than 300 physiological substrates. Typically, this enzyme is found in tetrameric form consisting of two regulatory subunits CK2β and two catalytic subunits CK2α or CK2α′. Several natural occurring flavonoids were tested for their ability to inhibit both CK2 holoenzymes, CK2α₂β₂ and CK2α′₂β₂. We identified few substances selectively inhibiting only the α′ subunit. Other compounds showed similar effect towards all four isoforms. In some cases, like chrysoeriol, pedalitin, apigenin, and luteolin, the α₂β₂ holoenzyme was at least six times better inhibited than the free α subunit. Otherwise, we have found a luteolin derivative decreased the kinase activity of CK2α′ with an IC₅₀ value of 0.8 μM, but the holoenzyme only with 9.5 µM.