Despite ongoing research on carotenoid biosynthesis in model organisms, there is a paucity of information on pathway regulation operating in the grasses (Poaceae), which include plants of world-wide agronomic importance. As a result, efforts to either breed for or metabolically engineer improvements in carotenoid content or composition in cereal crops have led to unexpected results. In comparison to maize (Zea mays), rice (Oryza sativa) accumulates no endosperm carotenoids, despite having a functional pathway in chloroplasts. To better understand why these two related grasses differ in endosperm carotenoid content, we began to characterize genes encoding phytoene synthase (PSY), since this nuclear-encoded enzyme appeared to catalyze a rate-controlling step in the plastid-localized biosynthetic pathway. The enzyme had been previously associated with the maize Y1 locus thought to be the only functional gene controlling PSY accumulation, though function of the Y1 gene product had never been demonstrated. We show that both maize and rice possess and express products from duplicate PSY genes, PSY1 (Y1) and PSY2; PSY1 transcript accumulation correlates with carotenoid-containing endosperm. Using a heterologous bacterial system, we demonstrate enzyme function of PSY1 and PSY2 that are largely conserved in sequence except for N-and C-terminal domains. By database mining and use of ortholog-specific universal PCR primers, we found that the PSY duplication is prevalent in at least eight subfamilies of the Poaceae, suggesting that this duplication event preceded evolution of the Poaceae. These findings will impact study of grass phylogeny and breeding of enhanced carotenoid content in an entire taxonomic group of plant crops critical for global food security.Carotenoids, a class of over 600 structures derived from isoprenoids, are synthesized by all photosynthetic organisms, some bacteria, and fungi. In plants, carotenoids are essential for plant growth and development; mutations blocking carotenoid accumulation have pleiotropic effects on chloroplast biogenesis and seed development (Robertson et al., 1978;Wurtzel, 1992). Carotenoids function as accessory pigments in photosynthesis, as photoprotectors preventing photooxidative damage, and as precursors to the plant hormone, abscisic acid (Hirschberg, 2001). The presence of carotenoids in plant endosperm tissue adds nutritional value; in humans and animals, dietary carotenoids are essential precursors to vitamin A and to retinoid compounds needed in development (Lee et al., 1981;Bendich and Olson, 1989). Nonprovitamin A carotenoids, such as lycopene, lutein, zeaxanthin, and others, also play beneficial roles in human health (Giovannucci et al., 1995;Kohlmeier et al., 1997;Sommerburg et al., 1998;Krinsky et al., 2003). The various roles of carotenoids affecting plant yield and nutritional potential has made them targets for breeding and metabolic engineering (Shewmaker et al., 1999;Matthews and Wurtzel, 2000;Ye et al., 2000;Davison, 2002;Blott et al., 2003;Gallagher et al., ...
Vitamin A deficiency, a global health burden, can be alleviated through provitamin A carotenoid biofortification of major crop staples such as maize (Zea mays) and other grasses in the Poaceae. If regulation of carotenoid biosynthesis was better understood, enhancement could be controlled by limiting b-carotene hydroxylation to compounds with lower or no nonprovitamin A activity. Natural maize genetic diversity enabled identification of hydroxylation genes associated with reduced endosperm provitamin A content. A novel approach was used to capture the genetic and biochemical diversity of a large germplasm collection, representing 80% of maize genetic diversity, without having to sample the entire collection. Metabolite data sorting was applied to select a 10-line genetically diverse subset representing biochemical extremes for maize kernel carotenoids. Transcript profiling led to discovery of the Hydroxylase3 locus that coincidently mapped to a carotene quantitative trait locus, thereby prompting investigation of allelic variation in a broader collection. Three natural alleles in 51 maize lines explained 78% of variation and approximately 11-fold difference in b-carotene relative to b-cryptoxanthin and 36% of the variation and 4-fold difference in absolute levels of b-carotene. A simple PCR assay to track and identify Hydroxylase3 alleles will be valuable for predicting nutritional content in genetically diverse cultivars found worldwide.
Synthetic procedures have been developed which lead to the 2-aza congeners 3 and several related N-oxides 4. The analogues 3 exhibited a wide range of in vitro cytotoxicity against L1210 leukemia, the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line LoVo, and the doxorubicin resistant LoVo/DX cell line. Selected analogues of 3 showed significant P388 antileukemic activity in mice with 3c exhibiting high activity. This activity was also retained in the related N-oxide 4a. These heterocyclic bioisosteric models are representative of the first anthracene-9,10-diones which display antileukemic activity comparable to mitoxantrone.
The synthesis and antitumor evaluation of 2, 5-disubstituted-indazolo[4,3-gh]isoquinolin-6(2H)-ones (9-aza-APs) are described. The key intermediates in the synthesis are benz[g]isoquinoline-5,10-diones which are substituted at positions 6 and 9 with groups of different nucleofugacity for SNAr displacements. The initial displacement of fluoride by a substituted hydrazine leads to the pyrazole analogues. Substitution of the remaining leaving group by an amine or BOC-protected amines leads to the 9-aza-APs 12. These analogues were converted into their maleate or hydrochloride salts 13. In two cases, namely, 13x and 13z, sidearm buildup was also employed in the synthetic pathway. In vitro evaluation of 9-aza-APs against the human colon tumor cell line LoVo uncovered for most of the compounds a cytotoxic potency lower than that of DuP-941 or mitoxantrone and comparable to that of doxorubicin. Only analogues 13c, 13n, and 13ff were as cytotoxic as DuP-941. Interestingly, while DuP-941 was highly cross-resistant in the LoVo cell line resistant to doxorubicin (LoVo/Dx), the 9-aza-APs carrying a distal lipophilic tertiary amine moiety in both chains were capable of overcoming the MDR resistance induced in this cell line. The 9-aza-APs show outstanding in vivo antitumor activity against both systemic P388 murine leukemia and MX-1 human mammary carcinoma transplanted in nude mice. At their optimal dosages, congeners 13a-c, 13f, 13n, 13q, 13x, and 13dd were highly effective against P388 leukemia with T/C% of 200-381, while the T/C% value of DuP-941 was 147. In the MX-1 tumor model, 24 compounds elicited percentages of tumor weight inhibitions (TWI) ranging from 50% to 99%. Congeners 13d, 13k, 13l, 13x, 13z, and 13ee emerged as the most effective ones, with TWI% 96, simliar to that of DuP-941 (TWI% = 95). On the basis of their efficacy profile in additional experimental tumors and lack of cardiotoxicity in preclinical models, two congeners have surfaced as potential clinical candidates.
Isoprenoids are the most diverse and abundant group of natural products. In plants, farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) and geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) are precursors to many isoprenoids having essential functions. Terpenoids and sterols are derived from FPP, whereas gibberellins, carotenoids, casbenes, taxenes, and others originate from GGPP. The corresponding synthases (FPP synthase [FPPS] and GGPP synthase [GGPPS]) catalyze, respectively, the addition of two and three isopentenyl diphosphate molecules to dimethylallyl diphosphate. Maize (Zea mays L. cv B73) endosperm cDNAs encoding isoprenoid synthases were isolated by functional complementation of Escherichia coli cells carrying a bacterial gene cluster encoding all pathway enzymes needed for carotenoid biosynthesis, except for GGPPS. This approach indicated that the maize gene products were functional GGPPS enzymes. Yet, the predicted enzyme sequences revealed FPPS motifs and homology with FPPS enzymes. In vitro assays demonstrated that indeed these maize enzymes produced both FPP and GGPP and that the N-terminal sequence affected the ratio of FPP to GGPP. Their functionality in E. coli demonstrated that these maize enzymes can be coupled with a metabolon to provide isoprenoid substrates for pathway use, and suggests that enzyme bifunctionality can be harnessed. The maize cDNAs are encoded by a small gene family whose transcripts are prevalent in endosperm beginning mid development. These maize cDNAs will be valuable tools for assessing the critical structural properties determining prenyl transferase specificity and in metabolic engineering of isoprenoid pathways, especially in cereal crops.
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Synthetic routes have been developed which lead to ring‐hydroxylated aza‐analogues of antitumor anthrapyrazoles, namely, 2,5‐bis[(aminoalkyI)amino] substituted 10‐hydroxymdazolo[3,4‐fg]isoquinolin‐6(2H)‐ones 1 and 7‐hydroxyindazolo[4,3‐gh]isoquinolin‐6(2H)‐ones 2. The regiospecific synthesis of 6,9‐dihalo‐4‐hydroxybenz[g]isoquinolines 3 and 4 has been accomplished. Intermediate 3 was constructed in a multistep process involving Diels‐Alder chemistry of benzoylacrylates whereas 4 was assembled using Ni(II) mediated coupling of methyl 3‐chloro‐5‐methoxyisonicotinate (15b) with the organic zinc reagent 18 derived from 2‐fluoro‐5‐chlorobenzyl bromide (17). After protection of the hydroxy group with a p‐methoxybenzyl moiety, the different nucleofugacities of the leaving groups present in 10 and 20 allowed sequential displacements by substituted hydrazines and amines, respectively, to lead to the desired p‐methoxybenzyl protected analogues 12 and 22. Deprotection led to the side arm modified compounds 1 and 2. The displacements of 21a and 21b with N,N‐dimethylethylenediamine also led to the tri[(aminoalkyl)amino]substituted analogues 23a and 23b, respectively, which arose from further SNAr substitutions of the p‐methoxybenzyloxy group.
6,9-Bis((aminoalkyl)amino)benzo(g)isoquinoline-5,10-diones.A Novel Class of Chromophore-Modified Antitumor Anthracene-9,10diones: Synthesis and Antitumor Evaluations.-In a search for analogues with optimal therapeutic efficacy, a series of aza analogues of (I) is prepared by reaction of (V) with the appropriate amines in a similar manner as described for (IIa) (isolated as hydrochloride). Mitoxantrone (I) is a known antitumor agent, accompanied by toxic side effects. Compounds (IIb) and (IIc) show in vitro activities against L1210 murine leukemia similar to (I), but all aza analogues have decreased cytotoxic potency in both the sensitive and the doxorubicin-resistant LoVo human colon adenocarcinoma cell line compared with (I). In vivo antitumor activity against P388 murine leukemia of (IIb) and (IId) is comparable and of (IIa) superior to that of (I). Therefore (IIa), which is not cardiotoxic and less leukopenic than (I), appears to be the most promising aza analogue for further clinical evaluation. -(KRAPCHO, A. P.; PETRY, M. E.; GETAHUN, Z.; LANDI, J. J. JUN.; STALLMAN, J.; POLSENBERG, J. F.; GALLAGHER, C. E.; MARESCH, M. J.; HACKER, M. P.; GIULIANI, F. C.; BEGGIOLIN, G.; PEZZONI, G.; MENTA, E.; MANZOTTI, C.; OLIVA, A.; SPINELLI, S.; TOGNELLA, S.; J. Med. Chem. 37 (1994) 6, 828-837; Dep.
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