Search results for "Rauwolfia"
showing 10 items of 33 documents
Cytotoxicity of the indole alkaloid reserpine from Rauwolfia serpentina against drug-resistant tumor cells.
2015
Abstract Background: The antihypertensive reserpine is an indole alkaloid from Rauwolfia serpentina and exerts also profound activity against cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. The present investigation was undertaken to investigate possible modes of action to explain its activity toward drug-resistant tumor cells. Material and methods: Sensitive and drug-resistant tumor cell lines overexpressing P-glycoprotein (ABCB1/MDR1), breast cancer resistance protein (ABCG2/BCRP), mutation-activated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), wild-type and p53-knockout cells as well as the NCI panel of cell lines from different tumor origin were analyzed. Reserpine's cytotoxicity was investigated by res…
Arbutin synthase, a novel member of the NRD1β glycosyltransferase family, is a unique multifunctional enzyme converting various natural products and …
2002
Plant glucosyltransferases (GTs) play a crucial role in natural product biosynthesis and metabolization of xenobiotics. We expressed the arbutin synthase (AS) cDNA from Rauvolfia serpentina cell suspension cultures in Escherichia coli with a 6 x His tag and purified the active enzyme to homogeneity. The recombinant enzyme had a temperature optimum of 50 degrees C and showed two different pH optima (4.5 and 6.8 or 7.5, depending on the buffer). Out of 74 natural and synthetic phenols and two cinnamyl alcohols tested as substrates for the AS, 45 were accepted, covering a broad range of structural features. Converting rates comparable to hydroquinone were not achieved. In contrast to this broa…
Acetyltransfer in natural product biosynthesis--functional cloning and molecular analysis of vinorine synthase.
2004
Vinorine synthase (EC 2.3.1.160) catalyses the acetyl-CoA- or CoA-dependent reversible formation of the alkaloids vinorine (or 11-methoxy-vinorine) and 16-epi-vellosimine (or gardneral). The forward reaction leads to vinorine, which is a direct biosynthetic precursor along the complex pathway to the monoterpenoid indole alkaloid ajmaline, an antiarrhythmic drug from the Indian medicinal plant Rauvolfia serpentina. Based on partial peptide sequences a cDNA clone was isolated and functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. The Km values of the native enzyme for gardneral and acetyl-CoA were determined to be 7.5 and 57 microM. The amino acid sequence of vinorine synthase has highest level of i…
Deoxysarpagine Hydroxylase — A Novel Enzyme Closing a Short Side Pathway of Alkaloid Biosynthesis in Rauvolfia
2002
Microsomal preparations from cell suspension cultures of the Indian plant Rauvolfia serpentina catalyze the hydroxylation of deoxysarpagine under formation of sarpagine. The newly discovered enzyme is dependent on NADPH and oxygen. It can be inhibited by typical cytochrome P450 inhibitors such as cytochrome c, ketoconazole, metyrapone, tetcyclacis and carbon monoxide. The CO-effect is reversible with light (450 nm). The data indicate that deoxysarpagine hydroxylase is a novel cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenase. A pH optimum of 8.0 and a temperature optimum of 35 degrees C were determined. K(m) values were 25 microM for NADPH and 7.4 microM for deoxysarpagine. Deoxysarpagine hydroxylase…
Analysis of Rauwolfia Alkaloids Employing Capillary Electrophoresis-Mass Spectrometry
1997
Abstract Capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry (CE-MS) was applied to analyse extracts of roots and cell suspension cultures from Rauwolfia serpentina. Most of the alkaloids known to be present in the respective plant material have been resolved via CE and assigned according to their electrospray mass spectra.
Probing suggested catalytic domains of glycosyltransferases by site-directed mutagenesis.
2003
The plant enzyme arbutin synthase isolated from cell suspension cultures of Rauvolfia serpentina and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli is a member of the NRD1beta family of glycosyltransferases. This enzyme was used to prove, by site-directed mutagenesis, suggested catalytic domains and reaction mechanisms proposed for enzyme-catalyzed glycosylation. Replacement of amino acids far from the NRD domain do not significantly affect arbutin synthase activity. Exchange of amino acids at the NRD site leads to a decrease of enzymatic activity, e.g. substitution of Glu368 by Asp. Glu368, which is a conserved amino acid in glycosyltransferases located at position 2 and is important for enz…
Glucosylation of isatin-3-oxime followed by 2D in situ NMR in plant cells at highest magnetic field without labelling.
2001
The glucosylation of isatin-3-oxime (1) was monitored by in situ 2D 1H-13C inverse correlated gradient assisted NMR spectroscopy in plant cell suspension cultures of Rauvolfia serpentina without labelling. The applied high magnetic field of 800 MHz allowed measurements within 20 min at concentrations of 1 of 5.76 mM. Complete glucosylation of 1 occurs inside the cells within 72 hours. During this time isatin-3-oxime-glucoside (2) accumulates without further metabolism.
Purification, partial amino acid sequence and structure of the product of raucaffricine-O-β-d-glucosidase from plant cell cultures of Rauwolfia serpe…
1999
Plant cell suspension cultures of Rauwolfia produce within 1 week approximately 250 nkat/l of raucaffricine-O-beta-D-glucosidase. A five step procedure using anion exchange chromatography, chromatography on hydroxylapatite, gel filtration and FPLC-chromatography on Mono Q and Mono P delivered in a yield of 0.9% approximately 1200-fold enriched glucosidase. A short protocol employing DEAE sepharose, TSK 55 S gel chromatography and purification on Mono Q gave a 5% recovery of glucosidase which was 340-fold enriched. SDS-PAGE showed a Mr for the enzyme of 61 kDa. The enzyme is not glycosylated. Structural investigation of the enzyme product, vomilenine, demonstrated that the alkaloid exists in…
3-Oxo-rhazinilam: A New Indole Alkaloid from Rauvolfia serpentina × Rhazya stricta Hybrid Plant Cell Cultures
2000
A new monoterpenoid indole alkaloid, 3-oxo-rhazinilam (1), was isolated from intergeneric somatic hybrid cell cultures of Rauvolfia serpentina and Rhazya stricta, and the structure was determined by detailed 1D and 2D NMR analysis. It was also proved that 3-oxo-rhazinilam (1) is a natural constituent of the hybrid cells.