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Introduction: Previously reported preparation methods of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract (EGBL) have mainly focused on the enrichment of flavonoid glycosides (FG) and terpene trilactones (TT), which led to the underutilization of G. biloba leaves (GBL)., Objectives: To make full use of GBL, in this study, a comprehensive optimization strategy for preparing EGBL by macroporous resin column chromatography was proposed and applied to enrich FG, TT, and shikimic acid (SA) from GBL., Methodology: Initially, the static adsorption and desorption were executed to select suitable resin. Then, the influences of solution pH were investigated by the static and dynamic adsorption. Subsequently, eight process parameters were systematically investigated via a definitive screening design (DSD). After verification experiments, scale-up enrichment was carried out, investigating the feasibility of the developed strategy for application on an industrial scale., Results: It was found that XDA1 was the most appropriate adsorbent for the preparation of EGBL at solution pH 2.0. Furthermore, based on the constraints of the desired quality attributes, the optimized ranges of operating parameters were successfully acquired, and the verification experiments demonstrated the accuracy and reliability of using DSD to investigate the chromatography process for the preparation of EGBL. Finally, magnified experiments were successfully performed, obtaining the EGBL containing 26.54% FG, 8.96% TT, and 10.70% SA, which reached the SA level of EGB761, an international standard EGBL., Conclusion: The present study not only provided an efficient and convenient approach for the preparation of EGBL enriched in SA but also accelerated efforts to high-value utilization of GBL., (© 2024 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Shikimic acid (SA) is one of the most effective drugs against the A (H1N1) virus and has high medicinal value. Additionally, it has the ability to generate non-toxic herbicides and antimicrobial medications. The extraction from plants has proven to be the main route of production of SA with economic benefits and environmental efficiency. Therefore, it is necessary to perform purification of SA from these herbal medicines before quantifying it. In this study, researchers employed a boronate affinity-based controlled oriented surface imprinting technique to produce molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) as highly effective solid phase extraction (SPE) adsorbents for the isolation and purification of SA. 3-Fluoro-4-formylphenylboronic acid functionalized silica nanoparticles were used as supporting materials for immobilizing SA. Poly(2-anilinoethanol) with a higher hydrophilic domain can be used as an effective imprinting coating. The prepared SA-imprinted silica nanoparticles exhibited several significant results, such as good specificity, high binding capacity (39.06 ± 2.24 mg g -1 ), moderate binding constant (6.61 × 10 -4 M -1 ), fast kinetics (8 min) and low binding pH (pH 5.0) toward SA. The replication of SA-imprinted silica nanoparticles was deemed satisfactory. The SA-imprinted silica nanoparticles could be still reused after seven adsorption-desorption cycles, which indicated high chemical stability. In addition, the recoveries of the proposed method for SA at three spiked level analysis in star aniseed and meadow cranesbill were 96.2% to 109.0% and 91.6% to 103.5%, respectively. The SA-imprinted silica nanoparticles that have been prepared are capable of identifying the target SA in real herbal medicines. Our approach makes sample pre-preparation simple, fast, selective and efficient.

Chiral high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of natural pericosine A, which appeared in literature first in 1977, from Periconia byssoides was conducted using a column CHIRALPAK® AD-H to determine the enantiomeric composition of the original mixture which was found to be 68: 32 mixtures of (+)- and (-)-enantiomer, respectively. Furthermore, two independently isolated samples of pericosine A from the same fungus were also analyzed to show the two peaks in the HPLC charts at approximate 1:1 ratio. These results concluded that pericosine A derived from Periconia byssoides was indeed an enantiomeric mixture. Synthesized enantiomers were subjected to evaluation of antitumor activity against three kinds of tumor cells (p388, L1210, HL-60), indicating moderate cytotoxicity against all three kinds of tumor cell lines, but significant difference in potency between the enantiomers was not observed. In contrast, when both the enantiomers of pericosine A were evaluated against five kinds of glycosidases-inhibitory activities (α- and β-glucosidases, α- and β-galactosidases, and α-mannosidase), an apparent difference on anti-glycosidase assay was found between the enantiomers: (-)-pericosine A inhibited α-glucosidase at IC 50 : 2.25 mM, and β-galactosidase at IC 50 : 5.38 mM, albeit the (+)-enantiomer showed inactivity against these five enzymes., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, affects about 20-30% of the human population every year globally. The emergence of severe side effects of current chemotherapeutics and drug-resistant strains emphasize upon finding new therapeutics to treat toxoplasmosis. Chorismate synthase (CS) is a vital enzyme of shikimate pathway and responsible for formation of chorismate, which acts as a precursor for production of several aromatic compounds important for virulence and survival in many bacteria and protozoans. In this study, comparative modeling was employed to predict the three-dimensional structure of T. gondii chorismate synthase (TgCS) followed by its refinement and validation using various computational tools. The modeled structure of TgCS monomer shows all the conserved features of CS, particularly the beta-alpha-beta sandwich fold. Molecular docking studies has displayed that 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP, substrate) and flavin mononucleotide (FMN, cofactor) bind into the active site of TgCS and all the structures (apo, binary, and ternary) were observed to be stable during molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Subsequently, structure-based virtual screening using TgCS has inferred two of each benzofuran and EPSP analogs as the best hits on the basis of RCS, molecular interactions, ADME properties, and MD simulations. The MD data of resultant protein-ligand complex structures was subjected to calculate the binding energy through MMPBSA method, which highlights that the EPSP analogs have higher binding affinity for the substrate-binding site of TgCS in comparison to benzofuran derivatives as well as substrate. Altogether, our study could pave the way for designing and development of next generation chemotherapeutic molecules against toxoplasmosis., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The plant phenylpropanoid pathway generates a major class of specialized metabolites and precursors of essential extracellular polymers that initially appeared upon plant terrestrialization. Despite its evolutionary significance, little is known about the complexity and function of this major metabolic pathway in extant bryophytes, which represent the non-vascular stage of embryophyte evolution. Here, we report that the HYDROXYCINNAMOYL-CoA:SHIKIMATE HYDROXYCINNAMOYL TRANSFERASE (HCT) gene, which plays a critical function in the phenylpropanoid pathway during seed plant development, is functionally conserved in Physcomitrium patens (Physcomitrella), in the moss lineage of bryophytes. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that bona fide HCT function emerged in the progenitor of embryophytes. In vitro enzyme assays, moss phenolic pathway reconstitution in yeast and in planta gene inactivation coupled to targeted metabolic profiling, collectively indicate that P. patens HCT (PpHCT), similar to tracheophyte HCT orthologs, uses shikimate as a native acyl acceptor to produce a p-coumaroyl-5-O-shikimate intermediate. Phenotypic and metabolic analyses of loss-of-function mutants show that PpHCT is necessary for the production of caffeate derivatives, including previously reported caffeoyl-threonate esters, and for the formation of an intact cuticle. Deep conservation of HCT function in embryophytes is further suggested by the ability of HCT genes from P. patens and the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha to complement an Arabidopsis thaliana CRISPR/Cas9 hct mutant, and by the presence of phenolic esters of shikimate in representative species of the three bryophyte lineages., (© American Society of Plant Biologists 2021. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Many restoring formulations for damaged hair keratin have been developed. Some patents claim that the hair repair occurs through the reconstruction of disulfide bridges of keratin, through α,β-unsaturated Michael acceptors, such as shikimic acid and bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate. To gain more insights into the possible repairing mechanism, this study is aimed at assessing, by IR and Raman spectroscopies coupled to scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the structural changes induced in keratin from bleached hair by the treatment with commercial reconstructive agents as well as shikimic acid and dimethyl maleate, chosen as model compounds. Vibrational spectroscopy revealed that shikimic acid- and maleate-based restoring agents interacted with hair fibers modifying both their cortex and cuticle regions. None of the investigated treatments induced an increase in the SS disulfide bridges content of the hair cortex, although it cannot be excluded that this phenomenon could have occurred in the cuticle. SS rearrangements were found to occur. None of our results can be interpreted as direct evidence of the sulfa-Michael reaction/cross-linking. From a morphological point of view, beneficial effects of the restoring agents were observed by SEM analyses, in terms of a more regular hair surface and more imbricated scales., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

cis,cis -Muconic acid (MA) is a valuable C6 dicarboxylic acid platform chemical that is used as a starting material for the production of various valuable polymers and drugs, including adipic acid and terephthalic acid. As an alternative to traditional chemical processes, bio-based MA production has progressed to the establishment of de novo MA pathways in several microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli , Corynebacterium glutamicum , Pseudomonas putida , and Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Redesign of the metabolic pathway, intermediate flux control, and culture process optimization were all pursued to maximize the microbial MA production yield. Recently, MA production from biomass, such as the aromatic polymer lignin, has also attracted attention from researchers focusing on microbes that are tolerant to aromatic compounds. This paper summarizes recent microbial MA production strategies that involve engineering the metabolic pathway genes as well as the heterologous expression of some foreign genes involved in MA biosynthesis. Microbial MA production will continue to play a vital role in the field of bio-refineries and a feasible way to complement various petrochemical-based chemical processes.

A short synthetic route to a small library of aminocyclitols 14·HCl-19·HCl has been elaborated from the common shikimic acid-derived scaffolds 20 and 21. The developed strategy features three oxidative processes ‒ ozonolysis, dihydroxylation and epoxidation ‒ as the key transformations. The stereochemistry of the newly created stereocentres was confirmed either via crystallographic analysis or by means of NOESY experiments conducted on advanced intermediates. Glycosidase inhibition study revealed no glucosidase inhibition and only weak inhibitory activity against recombinant Drosophila melanogaster Golgi mannosidase (GMIIb)., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Inspired by the significant -glucosidase inhibitory activities of (+)- and (-)-pericosine E, we herein designed and synthesized 16 analogs of these marine natural products bearing a methoxy group instead of a chlorine atom at C6. Four of these compounds exhibited moderate -glucosidase inhibitory activities, which were weaker than those of the corresponding chlorine-containing species. The four compounds could be prepared by coupling reactions utilizing the (-)-pericosine B moiety. An additional in silico docking simulation suggested that the reason of reduced activity of the C6-methoxylated analogs might be an absence of hydrogen bonding between a methoxy group with the surrounding amino acid residues in the active site in -glucosidase., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Roughly a third of the world's population is estimated to have latent Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, being at risk of developing active tuberculosis (TB) during their lifetime. Given the inefficacy of prophylactic measures and the increase of drug-resistant M. tuberculosis strains, there is a clear and urgent need for the development of new and more efficient chemotherapeutic agents, with selective toxicity, to be implemented on patient treatment. The component enzymes of the shikimate pathway, which is essential in mycobacteria and absent in humans, stand as attractive and potential targets for the development of new drugs to treat TB. This review gives an update on published work on the enzymes of the shikimate pathway and some insight on what can be potentially explored towards selective drug development.

Arbutin, a glycoside, is derived from the leaves of several plants, including wheat, pear, and bearberry plants, and has a significant role in the treatment of melanoma, cystitis, and cough. Here, we aimed to modify Yarrowia lipolytica to produce arbutin. To construct the arbutin synthetic pathway in Y. lipolytica , three genes (chorismate pyruvate-lyase (UbiC), 4-hydroxybenzoate 1-hydroxylase (MNX1), and hydroquinone glucosyltransferase (AS)) were codon-optimized and heterologously expressed. To maximize arbutin production, seven arbutin-biosynthesis molecular targets were overexpressed, and we found that the individual strengthening of DHS1 and DHS2 led to an 8.9- and 7.8-fold improvement in arbutin yield, respectively. Through optimization, a maximum arbutin titer of 8.6 ± 0.7 g/L was achieved using the finally engineered strain, po1f-At09. Overall, this is the first report of heterologous arbutin synthesis in Y. lipolytica at a high titer. Furthermore, this work opens a possibility for the overproduction of shikimate pathway derivatives in Y. lipolytica .

Caffeoyl shikimate esterase (CSE) has been reported to be involved in lignin biosynthesis; however, studies of CSE in gymnosperms are lacking. In this study, CSE was successfully cloned from Larix kaempferi ( LkCSE ) based on Larix laricina transcriptome screening. LkCSE was likely to have catalytic activity based on homologous sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses of CSEs from different species. In vitro assays with the recombinant enzyme validated the catalytic activity of LkCSE, indicating its function in converting caffeoyl shikimate into caffeate and shikimate. Additionally, the optimum reaction pH and temperature of LkCSE were determined to be 6.0 and 30 °C, respectively. The values of K m and V max of CSE for caffeoyl shikimate were 98.11 μM and 14.44 nM min -1 , respectively. Moreover, LkCSE was observed to have tissue expression specificity and was abundantly expressed in stems and leaves, especially stems, which was 50 times higher than the expression levels of roots. Lastly, translational fusion assays using LkCSE fused with green fluorescent proteins (GFP) in tobacco leaves indicated that LkCSE was localized in the plasma membrane and endoplasmic reticulum (ER). These results revealed that CSE clearly functions in gymnosperms and it is possible for LkCSE to interact with other ER-resident proteins and regulate mass flux in the monolignol biosynthesis pathway.

Shikimic acid (SA), a widely-known hydroaromatic compound enriched in Bracken fern and Illicium verum (also known as Chinese star anise), increases the risk of gastric and esophageal carcinoma, nevertheless, the influence of SA on breast cancer remains indistinct. Herein we found that, with models in vitro, SA significantly promoted estrogen receptor(ER) positive cells proliferation and NF-κB activation was involved in it. Moreover, our data showed that IκBα, a critically endogenous inhibitor of NF-κB, was repressed. Subsequently, we found increase of miR-300 by SA treatment sand miR-300 could target IκBα mRNA. Additionally, inhibition of miR-300 abrogated the repression of IκBα by SA. As a result, miR-300 was also involved in NF-κB activation and breast cancer cells proliferation promotion due to SA exposure. Taken together, with ER-positive breast cancer cell models in vitro, MCF-7 and T47D, our results implied that SA promoted breast cancer cells proliferation via a miR-300-induced NF-κB dependent pathway controlling cell cycle proteins., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Previously, we reported that 3, 4-oxo-isopropylidene-shikimic acid (ISA) has therapeutic potential in experimental colitis in rats. This study aimed to elucidate the potential mechanisms of ISA on the inflammatory response in rats with 2, 4, 6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced colitis. After the induction of colitis, rats were orally administered ISA for 12 days. Then, the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, cell adhesion molecules, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in the blood and colon tissues, and the protein level of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 in cytoplasm and nucleus of colon tissues were evaluated. As a result, an enhanced inflammatory response was observed in rats with experimental colitis. However, the treatment with ISA significantly ameliorated the inflammatory response, which was manifested as a significant decrease in the levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, interferon (IFN)-γ, IL-8, TNF-α mRNA, P-selectin, E-selectin, intercellular cell adhesion molecule-1, MMP9 and MMP9 mRNA in rat blood and colon tissues, respectively, and a significant decrease in the levels of IFN-γ/IL-4, and the NF-κBp65 activity coefficient. Therefore, the therapeutic effect of ISA on experimental colitis may be related to its inhibitory effect on the expression of cytokines, adhesion molecules, and MMP9, which may be involved in the inhibition of the activation and nuclear translocation of NF-κBp65.

Mangiterpenes A-C and 2',3'-seco-manginoid C, four undescribed sesquiterpene/monoterpene-shikimate-conjugated meroterpenoids with spiro ring systems, were isolated from Guignardia mangiferae. The structures and absolute configurations of these compounds were established by comprehensive spectroscopic analyses and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. Mangiterpenes A-C represent the first examples of sesquiterpene-shikimate-conjugated spirocyclic meroterpenoids, and 2',3'-seco-manginoid C features an unexpected 2',3'-seco-manginoids skeleton. Mangiterpene C strongly inhibited the production of NO inducted by LPS, with an IC 50 value of 5.97 μM. It showed an anti-inflammatory effect by means of blocking in the NF-κB signaling pathway and decreasing the expression of inflammatory mediators., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated the impact of Shikimic Acid (SA) obtained from leaves of Artemisia absinthium on protein glycation in the retina of diabetic rats. The GC/MS analysis of A. absinthium showed that the most abundant bioactive compound was SA (C 7 H 10 O 5 ) with a measured retention Index (RI) of 1960 compared to that of the reference sample (1712). Male albino rats were divided into two main groups, Group I (control) and Group II (diabetic); Group II was further divided into four subgroups: Group IIa (diabetic control), Group IIb (diabetic rats were given SA orally [50 mg/kg, body weight (bw)/day], Group IIc diabetic rats were given SA orally [100 mg/kg, bw/day], and Group IId (diabetic rats were given metformin orally [100 mg/kg, bw/day] as positive control). The data obtained suggested that SA reduced glucose and glycated hemoglobin levels. In addition, SA also decreased the formation of glucose-derived advanced glycation end products. Interestingly, SA showed interference with the release of inflammatory mediators in retina and possess antioxidant potential. In conclusion, SA protected the tissues from detrimental effects of hyperglycemia and enhanced antioxidant activity. SA could be a potential lead in the process of drug development in the future to prevent retinopathy in diabetic subjects., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Shikimic acid (SA) pathway is the common route used by bacteria, plants, fungi, algae, and certain Apicomplexa parasites for the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids and other secondary metabolites. As this essential pathway is absent in mammals designing inhibitors against implied enzymes may lead to the development of antimicrobial and herbicidal agents harmless to humans. Shikimate dehydrogenase (SDH) is the fourth enzyme of the SA pathway. In this contribution, a series of SA amide derivatives were synthesised and evaluated for in vitro SDH inhibition and antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli. All tested compounds showed to be mixed type inhibitors; diamide derivatives displayed more inhibitory activity than synthesised monoamides. Among the evaluated compounds, molecules called 4a and 4b were the most active derivatives with IC 50 588 and 589 µM, respectively. Molecular modelling studies suggested two different binding modes of monoamide and diamide derivatives to the SDH enzyme of E. coli.

Isopropylidene shikimic acid (ISA), a new drug derviatived from Shikimic Acid, had been proved to be effective in the cerebral protection after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. But there was little research on the physical pharmacy and biopharmaceutical properties about the drug. In order to provide some useful data for the pharmaceutical development of ISA, the solubility, stability and Oil/Water partition coefficient (LogP) were determined by the classic preformulation study method, and the transmembrane performance of ISA was studied by Franz -diffusion cell method in vitro. The results showed that ISA was water-soluble with a solubility 32.52mg/ml, which could be improved to 44.32 mg/ml by 1% (w/v) sodium dodecylsulfate; the LogP was -0.63; ISA was less stable in water but it was stable when pH greater than 6.0 and unstable when pH less than 6.0; the accumulated permeation rates at 1h were about 50% and more than 80% at 6h. Data obtained by the study indicated that the medium selection and pH control were important for liquid preparation of ISA, and avoiding dissolution and absorption in stomach was critical for the oral solid dosage forms. Mucosal drug delivery systems would be considered, according to the certain hydrophilic-lipophilic characters and good transmembrane capability.

In Pseudomonas aeruginosa ( Pae ), the shikimate pathway end product, chorismate, serves as the last common precursor for the biosynthesis of both primary aromatic metabolites, including phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan, and secondary aromatic metabolites, including phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA) and pyocyanin (PYO). The enzyme 3-deoxy-d- arabino -heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAH7PS) catalyses the first committed step of the shikimate pathway, en route to chorismate. P. aeruginosa expresses multiple, distinct DAH7PSs that are associated with either primary or secondary aromatic compound biosynthesis. Here we report the structure of a type II DAH7PS, encoded by phzC as part of the duplicated phenazine biosynthetic cluster, from P. aeruginosa (PAO1) revealing for the first time the structure of a type II DAH7PS involved in secondary metabolism. The omission of the structural elements α 2a and α 2b , relative to other characterised type II DAH7PSs, leads to the formation of an alternative, dimeric, solution-state structure for this type II DAH7PS with an oligomeric interface that has not previously been characterised and that does not facilitate the formation of aromatic amino acid allosteric binding sites. The sequence similarity and, in particular, the common N-terminal extension suggest a common origin for the type II DAH7PSs from P. aeruginosa. The results described in the present study support an expanded classification of the type II DAH7PSs as type II A and type II B based on sequence characteristics, structure and function of the resultant proteins, and on defined physiological roles within primary or secondary metabolism., (© 2018 The Author(s).)

In this study, we describe the development of new machine learning models to predict inhibition of the enzyme 3-dehydroquinate dehydratase (DHQD). This enzyme is the third step of the shikimate pathway and is responsible for the synthesis of chorismate, which is a natural precursor of aromatic amino acids. The enzymes of shikimate pathway are absent in humans, which make them protein targets for the design of antimicrobial drugs. We focus our study on the crystallographic structures of DHQD in complex with competitive inhibitors, for which experimental inhibition constant data is available. Application of supervised machine learning techniques was able to elaborate a robust DHQD-targeted model to predict binding affinity. Combination of high-resolution crystallographic structures and binding information indicates that the prevalence of intermolecular electrostatic interactions between DHQD and competitive inhibitors is of pivotal importance for the binding affinity against this enzyme. The present findings can be used to speed up virtual screening studies focused on the DHQD structure., (© 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S.)

We describe the syntheses of nine new angucyclinone 6-aza-analogues, achieved through a hetero Diels-Alder reaction between the shikimic acid derivative-azadiene 13 , with different naphthoquinones. The cytotoxic activity of the new synthesized compounds and five angucyclinones, previously reported, was evaluated in vitro against three cancer cell lines: PC-3 (prostate cancer), HT-29 (colon cancer), MCF-7 (breast cancer), and one non-tumoral cell line, human colon epithelial cells (CCD841 CoN). Our results showed that most 6-azadiene derivatives exhibited significant cytotoxic activities, which was demonstrated by their IC 50 values (less than 10 μM), especially for the most sensitive cells, PC-3 and HT-29. From a chemical point of view, depending on the protected group of ring A and the pattern of substitution on ring D, cytotoxicity elicited these compounds, in terms of their potency and selectivity. Therefore, according to these chemical features, the most promising agents for every cancer cell line were 7a , 17, and 19c for PC-3 cells; 7a , 17, and 20 for HT-29 cells, and 19a for MCF-7 cells.

The shikimate pathway is responsible for the biosynthesis of key aromatic metabolites in microorganisms and plants. The enzyme 3-deoxy-d- arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate synthase (DAH7PS) catalyzes the first step of the pathway and DAH7PSs are classified as either type I or type II. The DAH7PSs from Pseudomonas aeruginosa are of particular interest as open reading frames encoding four putative DAH7PS isoenzymes, two classified as type Iα and two classified as type II, have been identified. Here, the structure of a type II DAH7PS enzyme from P. aeruginosa (PAO1) has been determined at 1.54 Å resolution, in complex with its allosteric inhibitor tryptophan. Structural differences in the extra-barrel elements, when compared to other type II DAH7PS enzymes, directly relate to the formation of a distinct quaternary conformation with consequences for allosteric function and the control of flux to branching pathways. In contrast to the well-characterized Mycobacterium tuberculosis type II DAH7PS, which binds multiple allosteric inhibitors, this PaeDAH7PS PA2843 is observed to be modestly allosterically inhibited by a single aromatic amino acid, tryptophan. In addition, structures in complex with tyrosine or with no allosteric ligand bound were determined. These structures provide new insights into the linkages between the active and allosteric sites. With four putative DAH7PS enzymes, P. aeruginosa appears to have evolved control of shikimate pathway flux at the genetic level, rather than control by multiple allosteric effectors to a single type II DAH7PS, as in M. tuberculosis. Type II DAH7PSs, thus, appear to have a more varied evolutionary trajectory than previously indicated.

A wide range of commercially relevant aromatic chemicals can be synthesized via the shikimic acid pathway. Thus, this pathway has been the target of diverse metabolic engineering strategies. In the present work, an optimized yeast strain for production of the shikimic acid pathway intermediate 3-dehydroshikimate (3-DHS) was generated, which is a precursor for the production of the valuable compounds cis, cis-muconic acid (CCM) and gallic acid (GA). Production of CCM requires the overexpression of the heterologous enzymes 3-DHS dehydratase AroZ, protocatechuic acid (PCA) decarboxylase AroY and catechol dioxygenase CatA. The activity of AroY limits the yield of the pathway. This repertoire of enzymes was expanded by a novel fungal decarboxylase. Introducing this enzyme into the pathway in the optimized strain, a titer of 1244 mg L-1 CCM could be achieved, yielding 31 mg g-1 glucose. This represents the highest yield of this compound reported in Saccharomyces cerevisiae to date. To demonstrate the applicability of the optimized strain for production of other compounds from 3-DHS, we overexpressed AroZ together with a mutant of a para-hydroxybenzoic acid hydroxylase with improved substrate specificity for PCA, PobAY385F. Thereby, we could demonstrate the production of GA for the first time in S. cerevisiae.

Knowledge of intracellular metabolite levels is important for the understanding of metabolic flux distributions. Whole-cell biosensors of key metabolites are ideal for the monitoring of carbon flow in important metabolic pathways, thus guiding metabolic engineering for microbial improvement. However, lack of biosensors for metabolites of interests has limited their applications. In this study, a genetically encoded whole-cell biosensor specifically responding to shikimic acid has been developed by screening a site-saturation mutagenesis library of the binding pocket of a uric acid-responsive regulatory protein. This biosensor has been successfully applied in analyzing and engineering metabolic flux in the shikimic acid pathway, through genome-wide screening of gene targets critical for the pathway flux, and by improving the specific activity of pathway key enzyme, AroG. This work demonstrates the feasibility of monitoring metabolic flux with the aid of whole-cell biosensors designed for key metabolites., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Manginoids A-G (1-7), seven monoterpene-shikimate-conjugated meroterpenoids with a spiro ring system, were isolated from Guignardia mangiferae. Compounds 1-4 are four isomers with epimeric and double-bond isomeric features possessing a 6-oxaspiro[bicyclo[3.2.1]octane-3,5'-indene] ring, which represent the first examples of spiro meroterpenoids bearing a bridged spirocyclohexanedione moiety. Compounds 5 and 6 possess an unexpected 2,4-dioxatricyclo[3.3.1.0 3,7 ]nonane motif, which fuses with a 6-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane moiety. Compound 1 exhibits inhibitory activities against 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 with an IC 50 value of 0.84 μM.

Shikimic acid (SA) is a key raw material for the synthesis of the antiviral drug, but its extraction and separation from plants is still limited. Crosslinked poly (acryloyloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride, DAC) microspheres were synthesized via inverse-phase suspension polymerization. In the synthesizing, N,N'-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) was used as crosslinker, cyclohexane as dispersed medium and span-60 as dispersants, obtaining CPDAC gel microspheres. The effect of polymerization condition on balling performance and the characteristics of CPDAC were examined. The adsorption properties of CPDAC towards SA were mainly explored and the data of adsorption isotherm were analyzed by using Langmuir, Freundlich, Temkin, Sips and Toth models. Furthermore, the adsorption mechanism was analyzed in depth, and the adsorption thermodynamics was also investigated. The results show that in order to prepare CPDAC, water phase must be added dropwise to oil phase, and the volume ratio of oil-water is more than 2:1. The mean diameter of CPDAC decreases with increasing span-60 and accelerating agitating rate. The strong electrostatic interaction is formed between quaternary ammonium nitrogen of CPDAC and COO - of SA. The adsorption kinetic data is fitted well with pseudo-first-order model. The adsorption ability is higher in aqueous water than ethanol, reaching 108mg/g, and Toth model is more suitable for describing the actual adsorption process. The adsorption of CPDAC towards SA is dependent on the pH value of the medium. The adsorption process is exothermic, the adsorption amount decreases with the increase of temperature, and the process is driven by enthalpy. The adsorption amount decreases with the increase of salinity. The reusability of CPDAC towards SA can keep 86.1% at the sixth cycle., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

3-Deoxy-d-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate (DAHP) synthase catalyzes an aldol-like reaction of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) with erythrose 4-phosphate (E4P) to form DAHP in the first step of the shikimate biosynthetic pathway. DAHP oxime, in which an oxime replaces the ketone, is a potent inhibitor, with K i = 1.5 μM. Linear free energy relationship (LFER) analysis of DAHP oxime inhibition using DAHP synthase mutants revealed an excellent correlation between transition state stabilization and inhibition. The equations of LFER analysis were rederived to formalize the possibility of proportional, rather than equal, changes in the free energies of transition state stabilization and inhibitor binding, in accord with the fact that the majority of LFER analyses in the literature demonstrate nonunity slopes. A slope of unity, m = 1, indicates that catalysis and inhibitor binding are equally sensitive to perturbations such as mutations or modified inhibitor/substrate structures. Slopes <1 or >1 indicate that inhibitor binding is less sensitive or more sensitive, respectively, to perturbations than is catalysis. LFER analysis using the tetramolecular specificity constant, that is, plotting log(K M,Mn K M,PEP K M,E4P /k cat ) versus log(K i ), revealed a slope, m, of 0.34, with r 2 = 0.93. This provides evidence that DAHP oxime is mimicking the first irreversible transition state of the DAHP synthase reaction, presumably phosphate departure from the tetrahedral intermediate. This is evidence that the oxime group can act as a functional, as well as structural, mimic of phosphate groups.

Pericosine E ( 6 ), a metabolite of Periconia byssoides OUPS-N133 was originally isolated from the sea hare Aplysia kurodai , which exists as an enantiomeric mixture in nature. The enantiospecific syntheses of both enantiomers of Periconia byssoides OUPS-N133 has been achieved, along with six stereoisomers, using a common simple synthetic strategy. For these efficient syntheses, highly regio- and steroselective processes for the preparation of bromohydrin and anti -epoxide intermediates were applied. In order to access the unique O -linked carbadisaccharide structure, coupling of chlorohydrin as a donor and anti -epoxide as an acceptor was achieved using catalytic BF₃·Et₂O. Most of the synthesized compounds exhibited selectively significant inhibitory activity against α-glycosidase derived from yeast. The strongest analog showed almost 50 times the activity of the positive control, deoxynojirimycin., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Objective: There has been a massive increase in the number of reports about the medicinal benefits of the consumption of phenylpropanoids derived from the plastidic shikimate pathway. These benefits include anti-retroviral, anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and insulin-sensitizing activities, the reduction of the risk of a range of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, cancer and osteoporosis as well as inhibition of LDL (low-density lipoprotein) oxidation. In addition, chorismate-derived salicylate which was originally isolated from plants, albeit now under chemical production, is massively used for pain relief in the form of acetylsalycilic acid, namely aspirin. Chorismate also acts as precursor in the biosynthesis of folate and phylloquinone, i.e., vitamins B9 and K1, respectively., Results: Cumulative evidence suggests that deficiencies of either of these vitamins in the diet can result in a wide range of diseases. In parallel to our enhanced comprehension of the dietary importance of shikimate-derived compounds, the advent of metabolomics and the development of next-generation sequencing technologies have dramatically accelerated advances in our understanding of the biosynthetic, decorative and degradation pathways underlying their metabolism. Furthermore, forward and reverse genetic approaches have begun to facilitate the metabolic engineering of plants for biofortification of these compounds., Conclusion: Here we review data about the bioactivities of these compounds and provide an overview of our current understanding of biosynthesis, molecular function and their in planta occurrence. Finally we discuss the future perspectives and the importance of further development of cross-disciplinary research efforts in this rapidly expanding research field., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.)

Most cold-adapted enzymes possess higher K m and k cat values than those of their mesophilic counterparts to maximize the reaction rate. This characteristic is often ascribed to a high structural flexibility and improved dynamics in the active site. However, this may be less convincing to cold-adapted metabolic enzymes, which work at substrate concentrations near K m . In this respect, cold adaptation of a shikimate kinase (SK) in the shikimate pathway from psychrophilic Colwellia psychrerythraea (CpSK) was characterized by comparing it with a mesophilic Escherichia coli homolog (EcSK). The optimum temperatures for CpSK and EcSK activity were approximately 30°C and 40°C, respectively. The melting points were 33°C and 45°C for CpSK and EcSK, respectively. The ΔG H 2 O (denaturation in the absence of denaturing agent) values were 3.94 and 5.74 kcal/mol for CpSK and EcSK, respectively. These results indicated that CpSK was a cold-adapted enzyme. However, contrary to typical kinetic data, CpSK had a lower K m for its substrate shikimate than most mesophilic SKs, and the k cat was not increased. This observation suggested that CpSK may have evolved to exhibit increased substrate affinity at low intracellular concentrations of shikimate in the cold environment. Sequence analysis and homology modeling also showed that some important salt bridges were lost in CpSK, and higher Arg residues around critical Arg 140 seemed to increase flexibility for catalysis. Taken together, these data demonstrate that CpSK exhibits characteristics of cold adaptation with unusual kinetic parameters, which may provide important insights into the cold adaptation of metabolic enzymes.

Coffee is one of the most consumed beverages in the world, due to its unique aroma and stimulant properties. Although its health effects are controversial, moderate intake seems to be beneficial. The present work deals with the characterization and quantification of polyphenols and methylxanthines in four Arabica green coffee beans from different geographical origins. The antioxidant activity was also evaluated. Forty-three polyphenols (cinnamic acid, cinnamoyl-amide, 5 cinammoyl-glycosides, and 36 cinnamate esters) were identified using LC-MS n . Among these, cinnamate esters of six different chemical groups (including two dimethoxycinnamoylquinic acid isomers, three caffeoyl-feruloylquinic acid isomers, caffeoyl-sinapoylquinic acid, p-coumaroyl-feruloylquinic acid, two caffeoylshikimic acid isomers, and trimethoxycinnamoylshikimic acid) in addition to five isomers of cinnamoyl-glycosides called caffeoyl-2,7-anhydro-3-deoxy-2-octulopyranosic acid (CDOA) are described for the first time in Arabica green coffee beans. Moreover, 38 polyphenols (6-7% w/w) and 2 methylxanthines (1.3% w/w) were quantified by HPLC-DAD. Caffeoylquinic was the most abundant group of compounds (up to 85.5%) followed by dicaffeoylquinic and feruloylquinic acids (up to 8 and 7%, respectively) and the newly identified cinnamoyl-glycosides (CDOA) (up to 2.5%). Caffeine was the main methylxanthine (99.8%), with minimal amounts of theobromine (0.2%). African coffees (from Kenya and Ethiopia) showed higher polyphenolic content than American beans (from Brazil and Colombia), whereas methylxanthine contents varied randomly. Both phenols and methylxanthines contributed to the antioxidant capacity associated with green coffee, with a higher contribution of polyphenols. We conclude that green coffee represents an important source of polyphenols and methylxanthines, with high antioxidant capacity.

Shikimate kinase (SK), the fifth enzyme of the aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, is a recognized target for antibiotic drug discovery. The potential of the distinct dynamic apolar gap, which isolates the natural substrate from the solvent environment for catalysis, and the motion of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Helicobacter pylori SK enzymes, which was observed by molecular dynamics simulations, was explored for inhibition selectivity. The results of the biochemical and computational studies reveal that the incorporation of bulky groups at position C5 of 5-aminoshikimic acid and the natural substrate enhances the selectivity for the H. pylori enzyme due to key motion differences in the shikimic acid binding domain (mainly helix α5). These studies show that the less-exploited motion-based design approach not only is an alternative strategy for the development of competitive inhibitors, but could also be a way to achieve selectivity against a particular enzyme among its homologues., (© 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Engineering the shikimate pathway is a primary approach for biosynthesis of various aromatic compounds, many of which are involved in formation of important compounds with pharmaceutical values. The development of metabolic engineering allows for high-efficiency production of desired molecules derived from the shikimate pathway using engineered microbes as biosynthetic factories. This review summarizes successful and generally applicable strategies for engineering this important pathway in the context of the model bacterium E. coli for biosynthesis of molecules with pharmaceutical activities. Similar approaches can also be employed for shikimate pathway engineering in other microorganisms., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:shikimate hydroxycinnamoyltransferase (HCT) is an essential acyltransferase that mediates flux through plant phenylpropanoid metabolism by catalyzing a reaction between p-coumaroyl-CoA and shikimate, yet it also exhibits broad substrate permissiveness in vitro. How do enzymes like HCT avoid functional derailment by cellular metabolites that qualify as non-native substrates? Here, we combine X-ray crystallography and molecular dynamics to reveal distinct dynamic modes of HCT under native and non-native catalysis. We find that essential electrostatic and hydrogen-bonding interactions between the ligand and active site residues, permitted by active site plasticity, are elicited more effectively by shikimate than by other non-native substrates. This work provides a structural basis for how dynamic conformational states of HCT favor native over non-native catalysis by reducing the number of futile encounters between the enzyme and shikimate.

In this study, using the coaxial electrospray method, we prepared submicron particles of the water-soluble drug shikimic acid (SA) with polylactic acid (PLA) as a polymer, to reduce the burst release and enhance the oral bioavailability. In vitro release study performed in HCl solution (pH 1.2) showed that the coaxial electrospray submicron particles could reduce burst release effect and presented a sustained release profile, compared with free SA and the particles prepared by electrospray method. The absorption of SA in the intestinal tract, studied using an in situ perfusion method in rats, also revealed jejunum as the main absorptive segment followed by duodenum and ileum. Moreover, the SA-loaded particles greatly enhanced the absorption of SA in the tested intestinal segments. The intestinal absorption rate was not enhanced with increasing drug concentration (5-15 μg/mL) which suggested that active transport or facilitated diffusion could play vital role in SA absorption. In addition, the SA-loaded PLA coaxial electrospray particle exhibited a prolonged plasma circulation with enhanced bioavailability after oral administration. In all, the coaxial electrospray technique could provide notable advantages for the oral delivery of SA, thereby enhancing its clinical application., (Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study was performed to systematically investigate the polymorphism of shikimic acid. Through optimizing the recrystallization solvent, solvent volume, recrystallization temperature, time and pressure, three crystal forms were discovered and prepared. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD) and infrared spectrometry (IR) were used to characterize these solid states. Furthermore, the influencing factor experiments were used to explore the stability of these polymorphisms and the transformation among them. Three new polymorphisms were prepared and identified. The results indicated that only PXRD could identify different polymorphisms and there was no solvent in all three crystal forms. The composition, thermodynamic property and transformation of these crystal forms were described in this work. Furthermore, an effective method for qualitative analysis of these crystal forms was established., Competing Interests: The authors of this article and the planning committee members and staff have no relevant financial relationships with commercial interests to disclose., (Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.)

Pine needle extract (PE) and fermented pine needle extract (FPE) have been reported to show various biological and pharmacological activities such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-cholesterol, gastrointestinal motility control, and fibrinolytic effect. The aims of our research were to isolate fibrinolytic compounds from PE and FPE and evaluate their antithrombotic activity in vitro and in vivo. Protocatechuic (1) and shikimic (2) acids were isolated and identified from FPE. 1 and 2 not only have fibrinolysis activity but also inhibit fibrin formation similar to aspirin. Lysis of fibrin clots by 1 and 2 occurred completely at pH 2-4. Results of SDS-PAGE showed that fibrin polypeptide chains (Aα, Bβ, γ) lysed by 1 and 2 were intact. The antithrombotic effects of 1 and 2 were confirmed by models of carrageenan-induced tail thrombosis, collagen and epinephrine-induced pulmonary thromboembolism in mice, and FeCl3-induced carotid arterial thrombus. Moreover, 1 and 2 did not induce hemorrhage in the tail veins of mice, unlike common antithrombotic compounds. We also measured changes in the quantities of 1 and 2 obtained from FPE. As fermentation progressed, we demonstrated that the quantity of 1 steadily increased, while the quantity of 2 did not significantly change. We therefore demonstrated that FPE is an excellent resource for 1 and 2 and can be produced inexpensively in sufficient quantities for industrial-scale extraction.

Biochemical and genetic analyses have previously identified caffeoyl shikimate esterase (CSE) as an enzyme in the monolignol biosynthesis pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana, although the generality of this finding has been questioned. Here we show the presence of CSE genes and associated enzyme activity in barrel medic (Medicago truncatula, dicot, Leguminosae), poplar (Populus deltoides, dicot, Salicaceae), and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum, monocot, Poaceae). Loss of function of CSE in transposon insertion lines of M. truncatula results in severe dwarfing, altered development, reduction in lignin content, and preferential accumulation of hydroxyphenyl units in lignin, indicating that the CSE enzyme is critical for normal lignification in this species. However, the model grass Brachypodium distachyon and corn (Zea mays) do not possess orthologs of the currently characterized CSE genes, and crude protein extracts from stems of these species exhibit only a weak esterase activity with caffeoyl shikimate. Our results suggest that the reaction catalyzed by CSE may not be essential for lignification in all plant species., (© 2016 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase catalyzes the sixth step of the seven-step shikimate pathway. Chorismate, the product of the pathway, is a precursor for the biosynthesis of aromatic amino acids, siderophores and metabolites such as folate, ubiquinone and vitamin K. The shikimate pathway is present in bacteria, fungi, algae, plants and apicomplexan parasites, but is absent in humans. The EPSP synthase enzyme produces 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate and phosphate from phosphoenolpyruvate and shikimate 3-phosphate via a transferase reaction, and is the target of the herbicide glyphosate. The Acinetobacter baumannii gene encoding EPSP synthase, aroA, has previously been demonstrated to be essential during host infection for the growth and survival of this clinically important drug-resistant ESKAPE pathogen. Prephenate dehydrogenase is also encoded by the bifunctional A. baumannii aroA gene, but its activity is dependent upon EPSP synthase since it operates downstream of the shikimate pathway. As part of an effort to evaluate new antimicrobial targets, recombinant A. baumannii EPSP (AbEPSP) synthase, comprising residues Ala301-Gln756 of the aroA gene product, was overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified and crystallized. The crystal structure, determined to 2.37 Å resolution, is described in the context of a potential antimicrobial target and in comparison to EPSP synthases that are resistant or sensitive to the herbicide glyphosate.

Although DBP (di-n-butyl phthalate) is commonly encountered as an artificially-synthesized plasticizer with potential to impair fertility, we confirm that it can also be biosynthesized as microbial secondary metabolites from naturally occurring filamentous fungi strains cultured either in an artificial medium or natural water. Using the excreted crude enzyme from the fungi for catalyzing a variety of substrates, we found that the fungal generation of DBP was largely through shikimic acid pathway, which was assembled by phthalic acid with butyl alcohol through esterification. The DBP production ability of the fungi was primarily influenced by fungal spore density and incubation temperature. This study indicates an important alternative natural waterborne source of DBP in addition to artificial synthesis, which implied fungal contribution must be highlighted for future source control and risk management of DBP.

Two new phenolic compounds, 4-O-glucopyranosyl-5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid (1) and 2,3-digalloyl oregonin (2), were isolated along with eight known phenolic compounds (3-10) from an 80% acetone extract of Alnus sibirica leaves. The chemical structures of these compounds were elucidated using 1D/2D nuclear magnetic resonance and high resolution-MS. The anti-oxidative activities of these compounds were determined by assaying their 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical and nitroblue tetrazolium superoxide anion scavenging activity. All of the isolated phenolic compounds (1-10) exhibited potent anti-oxidative activities. In particular, 2 and 4, which are diarylheptanoids, and 10 which is ellagitannin exhibited excellent anti-oxidative activities with almost the same potency as that of the positive controls L-ascorbic acid and allopurinol.

Shikimic acid (SA) has been reported to possess antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, whereas the mode of action of SA is still elusive. In this study, the antibacterial activity and mechanism of SA toward S. aureus by cell membrane damage was investigated. After SA treatment, massive K+ and nucleotide leakage from S. aureus, and a significant change in the membrane potential was observed, suggesting SA may act on the membrane by destroying the cell membrane permeability. Through transmission electron microscopic observations we further confirmed that SA can disrupt the cell membrane and membrane integrity. Meanwhile, SA was found to be capable of reducing the membrane fluidity of the S. aureus cell. Moreover, the fluorescence experiments indicated that SA could quench fluorescence of Phe residues of the membrane proteins, thus demonstrating that SA can bind to S. aureus membrane proteins. Therefore, these results showed the antibacterial activity of SA against S. aureus could be caused by the interactions of SA with S. aureus membrane proteins and lipids, resulting in causing cell membrane dysfunction and bacterial damage or even death. This study reveals the potential use of SA as an antibacterial agent.

Mutational analysis of the pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP)-dependent enzyme PctV was carried out to elucidate the multi-step reaction mechanism for the formation of 3-aminobenzoate (3-ABA) from 3-dehydroshikimate (3-DSA). Introduction of mutation K276R led to the accumulation of a quinonoid intermediate with an absorption maximum at 580 nm after the reaction of pyridoxamine 5'-phosphate (PMP) with 3-DSA. The chemical structure of this intermediate was supported by X-ray crystallographic analysis of the complex formed between the K276R mutant and the quinonoid intermediate. These results clearly show that a quinonoid intermediate is involved in the formation of 3-ABA. They also indicate that Lys276 (in the active site of PctV) plays multiple roles, including acid/base catalysis during the dehydration reaction of the quinonoid intermediate., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Twenty-four compounds including eleven eremophilanolides (1-11), one eremophilane (13), five shikimic acid derivatives (14-18), six flavonoids (19-24), and the macrocyclic unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloid integerrimine (25) were isolated from Senecio kingii, an endemic species from the Magallanes Region (Chile). Compounds 3, 5, 6, 8-11 and 13-18 have not been previously reported as natural products. Their molecular structures were determined by NMR spectroscopic analysis and comparison with published NMR data. An X-ray-analysis of compound 3 has been performed. Their insecticidal and antifungal activities were tested, being compound 3 the strongest insect antifeedant. Compounds 6, 9 and 18 were moderate antifungals., (Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Shikimic acid, the sole chemical building block for the antiviral drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu®), is one of the potent pharmaceutical intermediates with three chiral centers. Here we report a metabolically engineered recombinant Bacillus megaterium strain with aroE (shikimate dehydrogenase) overexpression for the production of shikimic acid., Results: In a 7 L bioreactor, 4.2 g/L shikimic acid was obtained using the recombinant strain over 0.53 g/L with the wild type. The enhancement of total shikimate dehydrogenase activity was 2.13-fold higher than the wild type. Maximum yield of shikimic acid (12.54 g/L) was obtained with fructose as carbon source. It was isolated from the fermentation broth using amberlite IRA-400 resin and 89% purity of the product was achieved., Conclusion: This will add up a new organism in the armory for the fermentation based production which is better over plant based extraction and chemical synthesis of shikimic acid.

A new, practical, rapid, and high-yielding process for the pressurized hot water extraction (PHWE) of multigram quantities of shikimic acid from star anise (Illicium verum) using an unmodified household espresso machine has been developed. This operationally simple and inexpensive method enables the efficient and straightforward isolation of shikimic acid and the facile preparation of a range of its synthetic derivatives.

Shikimate dehydrogenase (SDH) catalyzes the NADPH-dependent reduction of 3-deydroshikimate to shikimate, an essential reaction in the biosynthesis of the aromatic amino acids and a large number of other secondary metabolites in plants and microbes. The indispensible nature of this enzyme makes it a potential target for herbicides and antimicrobials. SDH is the archetypal member of a large protein family, which contains at least four additional functional classes with diverse metabolic roles. The different members of the SDH family share a highly similar three-dimensional structure and utilize a conserved catalytic mechanism, but exhibit distinct substrate preferences, making the family a particularly interesting system for studying modes of substrate recognition used by enzymes. Here, we review our current understanding of the biochemical and structural properties of each of the five previously identified SDH family functional classes., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study was aimed at characterising the secondary metabolites responsible for antibacterial and antioxidant activities of Acalypha wilkesiana. Purification of the defatted methanol leaves extract was guided by the DPPH free radical scavenging assay as well as by evaluation of the antibacterial activity against four bacterial strains. As a result, geraniin, corilagin, quadrangularic acid M and shikimic acid were purified and isolated. Shikimic acid, reported for the first time from this plant, proved to be the major metabolite of the extract. All the four isolated compounds showed bactericidal activity against extended spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae (700603), while corilagin was the single compound to exhibit antioxidant activity (IC50 53 μg/mL).

3-Dehydroquinase, the third enzyme in the shikimate pathway, is a potential target for drugs against tuberculosis. Whilst a number of potent inhibitors of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis enzyme based on a 3-dehydroquinate core have been identified, they generally show little or no in vivo activity, and were synthetically complex to prepare. This report describes studies to develop tractable and drug-like aromatic analogues of the most potent inhibitors. A range of carbon-carbon linked biaryl analogues were prepared to investigate the effect of hydrogen bond acceptor and donor patterns on inhibition. These exhibited inhibitory activity in the high-micromolar range. The addition of flexible linkers in the compounds led to the identification of more potent 3-nitrobenzylgallate- and 5-aminoisophthalate-based analogues., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Solanum somalense leaves, used in Djibouti for their medicinal properties, were extracted by MeOH. Because of the high polyphenol and flavonoid contents of the extract, respectively, determined at 80.80 ± 2.13 mg gallic acid equivalent/g dry weight and 24.4 ± 1.01 mg quercetin equivalent/g dry weight, the isolation and purification of the main polyphenols were carried out by silica gel column chromatography and centrifugal partition chromatography. Column chromatography led to 11 enriched fractions requiring further purification, while centrifugal partition chromatography allowed the easy recovery of the main compound of the extract. In a solvent system composed of CHCl3/MeOH/H2O (9.5:10:5), 21.8 mg of this compound at 97% purity was obtained leading to a yield of 2.63%. Its structure was established as 5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid by mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. This work shows that S. somalense leaves contain very high level of 5-O-caffeoylshikimic acid (0.74% dry weight), making it a potential source of production of this secondary metabolite that is not commonly found in nature but could be partly responsible of the medicinal properties of S. somalense leaves., (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)