@article{BrauneGuetschowBlaut2019,
  author    = {Braune, Annett and G{\"u}tschow, Michael and Blaut, Michael},
  title     = {An NADH-Dependent Reductase from Eubacterium ramulus Catalyzes the Stereospecific Heteroring Cleavage of Flavanones and Flavanonols},
  series = {Applied and environmental microbiology},
  volume    = {85},
  journal   = {Applied and environmental microbiology},
  number    = {19},
  publisher = {American Society for Microbiology},
  address   = {Washington},
  issn      = {0099-2240},
  doi       = {10.1128/AEM.01233-19},
  pages     = {15},
  year      = {2019},
  abstract  = {The human intestinal anaerobe Eubacterium ramulus is known for its ability to degrade various dietary flavonoids. In the present study, we demonstrate the cleavage of the heterocyclic C-ring of flavanones and flavanonols by an oxygen-sensitive NADH-dependent reductase, previously described as enoate reductase, from E. ramulus. This flavanone- and flavanonol-cleaving reductase (Fcr) was purified following its heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and further characterized. Fcr cleaved the flavanones naringenin, eriodictyol, liquiritigenin, and homoeriodictyol. Moreover, the flavanonols taxifolin and dihydrokaempferol served as substrates. The catalyzed reactions were stereospecific for the (2R)-enantiomers of the flavanone substrates and for the (25,35)-configured flavanonols. The enantioenrichment of the nonconverted stereoisomers allowed for the determination of hitherto unknown flavanone racemization rates. Fcr formed the corresponding dihydrochalcones and hydroxydihydrochalcones in the course of an unusual reductive cleavage of cyclic ether bonds. Fcr did not convert members of other flavonoid subclasses, including flavones, flavonols, and chalcones, the latter indicating that the reaction does not involve a chalcone intermediate. This view is strongly supported by the observed enantiospecificity of Fcr. Cinnamic acids, which are typical substrates of bacterial enoate reductases, were also not reduced by Fcr. Based on the presence of binding motifs for dinucleotide cofactors and a 4Fe-4S cluster in the amino acid sequence of Fcr, a cofactor-mediated hydride transfer from NADH onto C-2 of the respective substrate is proposed. IMPORTANCE Gut bacteria play a crucial role in the metabolism of dietary flavonoids, thereby contributing to their activation or inactivation after ingestion by the human host. Thus, bacterial activities in the intestine may influence the beneficial health effects of these polyphenolic plant compounds. While an increasing number of flavonoid-converting gut bacterial species have been identified, knowledge of the responsible enzymes is still limited. Here, we characterized Fcr as a key enzyme involved in the conversion of flavonoids of several subclasses by Eubacterium ramulus, a prevalent human gut bacterium. Sequence similarity of this enzyme to hypothetical proteins from other flavonoid-degrading intestinal bacteria in databases suggests a more widespread occurrence of this enzyme. Functional characterization of gene products of human intestinal microbiota enables the assignment of metagenomic sequences to specific bacteria and, more importantly, to certain activities, which is a prerequisite for targeted modulation of gut microbial functionality.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{ChepkiruiOchiengSarkaretal.2020,
  author    = {Chepkirui, Carolyne and Ochieng, Purity J. and Sarkar, Biswajyoti and Hussain, Aabid and Pal, Chiranjib and Yang, Li Jun and Coghi, Paolo and Akala, Hoseah M. and Derese, Solomon and Ndakala, Albert and Heydenreich, Matthias and Wong, Vincent K. W. and Erdelyi, Mate and Yenesew, Abiy},
  title     = {Antiplasmodial and antileishmanial flavonoids from Mundulea sericea},
  series = {Fitoterapia},
  volume    = {149},
  journal   = {Fitoterapia},
  publisher = {Elsevier},
  address   = {Amsterdam},
  issn      = {0367-326X},
  doi       = {10.1016/j.fitote.2020.104796},
  pages     = {6},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Five known compounds (1-5) were isolated from the extract of Mundulea sericea leaves. Similar investigation of the roots of this plant afforded an additional three known compounds (6-8). The structures were elucidated using NMR spectroscopic and mass spectrometric analyses. The absolute configuration of 1 was established using ECD spectroscopy. In an antiplasmodial activity assay, compound 1 showed good activity with an IC50 of 2.0 mu M against chloroquine-resistant W2, and 6.6 mu M against the chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 strains of Plasmodium falciparum. Some of the compounds were also tested for antileishmanial activity. Dehydrolupinifolinol (2) and sericetin (5) were active against drug-sensitive Leishmania donovani (MHOM/IN/83/AG83) with IC50 values of 9.0 and 5.0 mu M, respectively. In a cytotoxicity assay, lupinifolin (3) showed significant activity on BEAS-2B (IC50 4.9 mu M) and HePG2 (IC50 10.8 mu M) human cell lines. All the other compounds showed low cytotoxicity (IC50 > 30 mu M) against human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549), human liver cancer cells (HepG2), lung/bronchus cells (epithelial virus transformed) (BEAS-2B) and immortal human hepatocytes (LO2)},
  language  = {en}
}