Some gibberellin (GA) analogues, especially with C-16,17 modifications of GA(5), can inhibit growth of plants apparently by acting as competitors with the endogenous substrate of GA biosynthetic enzymes. Here, we directly confirm the competitive action of GA derivatives but also show that some analogues may retain significant bioactivity. A recombinant 3-oxidase from pea, which converts GA(20) to bioactive GA(1), was inhibited by GA(5), and 16,17-dihydro-GA(5) derivatives, especially if the C-17 alkyl chain length was increased by up to three carbons or if the C-13 hydroxyl was acetylated. Genetic confirmation that GA(5) analogues target 3-oxidases in vivo was provided by comparing the growth response of a WT (LE) pea with a 3-oxidase mutant (le-1). Two pea 2-oxidases that inactivate bioactive GAs, were inhibited by GA(1) and GA(3) but were generally insensitive to GA(5) analogues. alpha-Amylase production by barley half-seeds in response to GA analogues provided a method to study their action when effects on GA biosynthesis were excluded. This bioactivity assay showed that 16,17-dihydro GA(5) analogues have some inherent activity but mostly less than for GA(5) (5-50-fold), which in turn was 100-fold less active than GA(1) and GA(3). However, although C-17 alkyl derivatives with one or two added carbons showed little bioactivity and were purely 3-oxidase inhibitors, adding a third carbon (the 17-n-propyl-16,17-dihydro GA(5) analogue) restored bioactivity to that of GA(5). Furthermore, this analogue has lost its capacity to inhibit stem elongation of Lolium temulentum (Mander et al., Phytochemistry 49:1509-1515, 1998a), although it strongly inhibits the 3-oxidase. Thus, the effectiveness of a GA derivative as a growth retardant will reflect the balance between its bioactivity and its capacity to inhibit the terminal enzyme of GA biosynthesis. The weaker growth inhibition in dicots including pea (approximately 10%) than in monocots such as L. temulentum (>35%) is suggestive of taxonomic differences in the bioactivity of GAs and/or their effects on GA biosynthesis.
A total synthesis of the marine alkaloid manzamine C has been accomplished. A Ramberg-Bäcklund reaction was used as a key step to construct the required azacycloundecene ring.Key words: alkaloid, macrocycle, RambergBäcklund, manzamine C.
An improved five-step procedure has been developed for the synthesis of the gibberellin plant growth inhibitor 16,17-dihydro-GA5 from gibberellic acid. The 3-13C and 3-14C derivatives of this material have also been prepared by excising C-3 from the carbon skeleton (ozonolysis of a Δ2-alkene derivative and subsequent retro-Claisen reaction) and then reassembling the A-ring by means of an intramolecular aldol reaction.Key words: gibberellin, growth inhibitor, degradation, Radio labelling, Wittig reaction.
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