0000000000033869
AUTHOR
Stephen O. Duke
Bioactivation of the Fungal Phytotoxin 2,5-Anhydro-D-glucitol by Glycolytic Enzymesisan Essential Component of itsMechanism of Action
An isolate of Fusarium solani, NRRL 18883, produces the natural phytotoxin 2,5-anhydro-ᴅ-glucitol (AhG). This fungal metabolite inhibited the growth of roots (I50 of 1.6 mᴍ), butit did nothave any in vitro inhibitory activity. The mechanism of action of AhG requires enzymatic phosphorylation by plant glycolytic kinases to yield AhG-1,6-bisphosphate (AhG-1,6- bisP), an inhibitor of Fru-1,6-bisP aldolase. AhG-1,6-bisP had an I50 value of 570 μᴍ on aldolase activity, and it competed with Fru-1,6-bisP for the catalytic site on the enzyme, with a Ki value of 103 μᴍ. The hydroxyl group on the anomeric carbon of Fru-1,6-bisP is required for the formation of an essential covalent bond to ζ amino fu…
Phytotoxic Lignans from Artemisia arborescens
A systematic bioassay-guided fractionation of methylene chloride extracts of the aerial part of Artemisia arborescens was performed in order to identify its phytotoxic compounds Two lignans were isolated, sesamin and ashantin, that inhibited growth of Agrostis stolonifera (bentgrass), a monocot, and Lactuca sativa (lettuce), a dicot, at 1 mg mL–1. In a dose-response screening of these lignans for growth inhibition against Lemna paucicostata (duckweed), ashantin was the most active with an IC50 of ca. 224 μM. The mode of action of these compounds is still unknown. In mosquito larvicidal bioassays the pure compounds sesamin and ashantin did not cause mortality at the highest dose of 125 mg/L…