• Stereoselective Synthesis of a Protected Side Chain of Meliponamycin A.

      Andler, Oliver; Kazmaier, Uli; Organic Chemistry I, Saarland University, Campus Building C4.2, D-66123 Saarbrücken, GermanyHelmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS), Saarland University, Campus Building C8.1, D-66123 Saarbrücken, Germany (ACS/ American Chemical Society, 2023-03-28)
      The Matteson homologation was found to be a versatile tool for the construction of the linear polyketide side chain of meliponamycin and related compounds in only four steps. The ester dienolate version of this reaction allowed the introduction of the unsaturated ester moiety in a highly stereoselective fashion. Boronate oxidation/deoxygenation and Sharpless dihydroxylation are additional key steps in the stereoselective construction of this highly functionalized tetrahydropyran ring system, which is characteristic of this substance class
    • Cyathane Diterpenes from Cultures of the Bird's Nest Fungus Cyathus hookeri and Their Neurotrophic and Anti-neuroinflammatory Activities.

      Tang, Dan; Xu, Yuan-Zhen; Wang, Wei-Wei; Yang, Zhi; Liu, Bo; Stadler, Marc; Liu, Ling-Li; Gao, Jin-Ming; HZI,Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung GmbH, Inhoffenstr. 7,38124 Braunschweig, Germany. (American Chemical Society, 2019-06-18)
      Six new cyathane diterpenoids, cyahookerins A-F (1-6), as well as nine known analogues (7-15), were isolated from the liquid culture of the basidiomycete Cyathus hookeri. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of extensive spectroscopic analyses (1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS, and ECD), and the absolute configurations of compounds 1 and 4 were determined by single-crystal X-ray crystallography. Compounds 1 and 2 represent the first unusual cyathane acetals featuring a dioxolane ring. Compounds 1-6 displayed differential nerve growth factor-induced neurite outgrowth-promoting activity in PC-12 cells at concentrations of 10 μM. In addition, cyahookerin B (2), cyathin E (9), cyathin B2 (12), and cyathin Q (13) showed significant nitric oxide production inhibition in Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated BV-2 microglial cells with IC50 values of 12.0, 6.9, 10.9, and 9.1 μM, respectively. Similar binding modes of the four compounds were indicated by molecular-docking studies, and structure-activity relationships are discussed.
    • Biochemistry of proinflammatory macrophage activation.

      Nonnenmacher, Yannic; Hiller, Karsten; Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung GmbH, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany. (2018-03-03)
      In the last decade, metabolism has been recognized as a major determinant of immunological processes. During an inflammatory response, macrophages undergo striking changes in their metabolism. This metabolic reprogramming is governed by a complex interplay between metabolic enzymes and metabolites of different pathways and represents the basis for proper macrophage function. It is now evident that these changes go far beyond the well-known Warburg effect and the perturbation of metabolic targets is being investigated as a means to treat infections and auto-immune diseases. In the present review, we will aim to provide an overview of the metabolic responses during proinflammatory macrophage activation and show how these changes modulate the immune response.
    • Quantification of Stable Isotope Traces Close to Natural Enrichment in Human Plasma Metabolites Using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry.

      Krämer, Lisa; Jäger, Christian; Trezzi, Jean-Pierre; Jacobs, Doris M; Hiller, Karsten; Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung GmbH, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany. (2018-02-14)
      Currently, changes in metabolic fluxes following consumption of stable isotope-enriched foods are usually limited to the analysis of postprandial kinetics of glucose. Kinetic information on a larger diversity of metabolites is often lacking, mainly due to the marginal percentage of fully isotopically enriched plant material in the administered food product, and hence, an even weaker13C enrichment in downstream plasma metabolites. Therefore, we developed an analytical workflow to determine weak13C enrichments of diverse plasma metabolites with conventional gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The limit of quantification was increased by optimizing (1) the metabolite extraction from plasma, (2) the GC-MS measurement, and (3) most importantly, the computational data processing. We applied our workflow to study the catabolic dynamics of13C-enriched wheat bread in three human subjects. For that purpose, we collected time-resolved human plasma samples at 16 timepoints after the consumption of13C-labeled bread and quantified13C enrichment of 12 metabolites (glucose, lactate, alanine, glycine, serine, citrate, glutamate, glutamine, valine, isoleucine, tyrosine, and threonine). Based on isotopomer specific analysis, we were able to distinguish catabolic profiles of starch and protein hydrolysis. More generally, our study highlights that conventional GC-MS equipment is sufficient to detect isotope traces below 1% if an appropriate data processing is integrated.
    • Global proteome response of Escherichia coli BL21 to production of human basic fibroblast growth factor in complex and defined medium

      Li, Zhaopeng; Nimtz, Manfred; Rinas, Ursula; Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung GmbH, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany.; Technical Chemistry - Life Science; Leibniz University of Hannover; Hannover Germany; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research; Braunschweig Germany; Technical Chemistry - Life Science; Leibniz University of Hannover; Hannover Germany (2017-06-20)
    • Erythritol is a pentose-phosphate pathway metabolite and associated with adiposity gain in young adults.

      Hootman, Katie C; Trezzi, Jean-Pierre; Kraemer, Lisa; Burwell, Lindsay S; Dong, Xiangyi; Guertin, Kristin A; Jaeger, Christian; Stover, Patrick J; Hiller, Karsten; Cassano, Patricia A; et al. (2017-05-23)
      Metabolomic markers associated with incident central adiposity gain were investigated in young adults. In a 9-mo prospective study of university freshmen (n = 264). Blood samples and anthropometry measurements were collected in the first 3 d on campus and at the end of the year. Plasma from individuals was pooled by phenotype [incident central adiposity, stable adiposity, baseline hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) > 5.05%, HbA1c < 4.92%] and assayed using GC-MS, chromatograms were analyzed using MetaboliteDetector software, and normalized metabolite levels were compared using Welch's t test. Assays were repeated using freshly prepared pools, and statistically significant metabolites were quantified in a targeted GC-MS approach. Isotope tracer studies were performed to determine if the potential marker was an endogenous human metabolite in men and in whole blood. Participants with incident central adiposity gain had statistically significantly higher blood erythritol [P < 0.001, false discovery rate (FDR) = 0.0435], and the targeted assay revealed 15-fold [95% confidence interval (CI): 13.27, 16.25] higher blood erythritol compared with participants with stable adiposity. Participants with baseline HbA1c > 5.05% had 21-fold (95% CI: 19.84, 21.41) higher blood erythritol compared with participants with lower HbA1c (P < 0.001, FDR = 0.00016). Erythritol was shown to be synthesized endogenously from glucose via the pentose-phosphate pathway (PPP) in stable isotope-assisted ex vivo blood incubation experiments and through in vivo conversion of erythritol to erythronate in stable isotope-assisted dried blood spot experiments. Therefore, endogenous production of erythritol from glucose may contribute to the association between erythritol and obesity observed in young adults.
    • Bacterial Inclusion Bodies: Discovering Their Better Half.

      Rinas, Ursula; Garcia-Fruitós, Elena; Corchero, José Luis; Vázquez, Esther; Seras-Franzoso, Joaquin; Villaverde, Antonio; Helmholtz Centre for infection research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany. (2017-02-27)
      Bacterial inclusion bodies (IBs) are functional, non-toxic amyloids occurring in recombinant bacteria showing analogies with secretory granules of the mammalian endocrine system. The scientific interest in these mesoscale protein aggregates has been historically masked by their status as a hurdle in recombinant protein production. However, progressive understanding of how the cell handles the quality of recombinant polypeptides and the main features of their intriguing molecular organization has stimulated the interest in inclusion bodies and spurred their use in diverse technological fields. The engineering and tailoring of IBs as functional protein particles for materials science and biomedicine is a good example of how formerly undesired bacterial byproducts can be rediscovered as promising functional materials for a broad spectrum of applications.
    • Metabolic profiling of body fluids and multivariate data analysis.

      Trezzi, Jean-Pierre; Jäger, Christian; Galozzi, Sara; Barkovits, Katalin; Marcus, Katrin; Mollenhauer, Brit; Hiller, Karsten; Helmholtz Centre for infection research, Inhoffenstr. 7, 38124 Braunschweig, Germany. (2017)
      Metabolome analyses of body fluids are challenging due pre-analytical variations, such as pre-processing delay and temperature, and constant dynamical changes of biochemical processes within the samples. Therefore, proper sample handling starting from the time of collection up to the analysis is crucial to obtain high quality samples and reproducible results. A metabolomics analysis is divided into 4 main steps: 1) Sample collection, 2) Metabolite extraction, 3) Data acquisition and 4) Data analysis. Here, we describe a protocol for gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) based metabolic analysis for biological matrices, especially body fluids. This protocol can be applied on blood serum/plasma, saliva and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples of humans and other vertebrates. It covers sample collection, sample pre-processing, metabolite extraction, GC-MS measurement and guidelines for the subsequent data analysis. Advantages of this protocol include: •Robust and reproducible metabolomics results, taking into account pre-analytical variations that may occur during the sampling process•Small sample volume required•Rapid and cost-effective processing of biological samples•Logistic regression based determination of biomarker signatures for in-depth data analysis.
    • 1-Acyl-3-O-[β-glucopyranosyl-(1″→6′)-β-glucopyranosyl]-glycerols and Cordycedipeptides B and C, New Metabolites from Bacillus pumilus

      Wang, Hongpeng; Drawert, Frederike; Steinert, Michael; Schulz, Stefan; Laatsch, Hartmut; HZI,Helmholtz-Zentrum für Infektionsforschung GmbH, Inhoffenstr. 7,38124 Braunschweig, Germany. (SAGE Publications, 2016-09)
      Four 1-monoacyl-3-O-[β-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-glucopyranosyl]-glycerols (1) and four 1,2-diacyl-3-O-[β-glucopyranosyl-(1→6)-β-glucopyranosyl]-glycerols (2a) with acyl residues consisting of 1:1 mixtures of 1-iso-pentadecanoyl- and 1-anteiso-pentadecanoyl residues and the respective heptadecanoic acid isomers s as main components, have been characterized in the extracts of Bacillus pumilus strain DKS1. Twenty-seven further metabolites, among them the diketopiperazines cordycedipeptide A (3), B (4), and C (5), were obtained. All compounds were elucidated by NMR and MS techniques and fully characterized and tested for antimicrobial activity against Legionella pneumophila.
    • A metaproteomics approach to elucidate host and pathogen protein expression during catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs).

      Lassek, Christian; Burghartz, Melanie; Chaves-Moreno, Diego; Otto, Andreas; Hentschker, Christian; Fuchs, Stephan; Bernhardt, Jörg; Jauregui, Ruy; Neubauer, Rüdiger; Becher, Dörte; et al. (2015-04)
      Long-term catheterization inevitably leads to a catheter-associated bacteriuria caused by multispecies bacterial biofilms growing on and in the catheters. The overall goal of the presented study was (1) to unravel bacterial community structure and function of such a uropathogenic biofilm and (2) to elucidate the interplay between bacterial virulence and the human immune system within the urine. To this end, a metaproteomics approach combined with in vitro proteomics analyses was employed to investigate both, the pro- and eukaryotic protein inventory. Our proteome analyses demonstrated that the biofilm of the investigated catheter is dominated by three bacterial species, that is, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Morganella morganii, and Bacteroides sp., and identified iron limitation as one of the major challenges in the bladder environment. In vitro proteome analysis of P. aeruginosa and M. morganii isolated from the biofilm revealed that these opportunistic pathogens are able to overcome iron restriction via the production of siderophores and high expression of corresponding receptors. Notably, a comparison of in vivo and in vitro protein profiles of P. aeruginosa and M. morganii also indicated that the bacteria employ different strategies to adapt to the urinary tract. Although P. aeruginosa seems to express secreted and surface-exposed proteases to escape the human innate immune system and metabolizes amino acids, M. morganii is able to take up sugars and to degrade urea. Most interestingly, a comparison of urine protein profiles of three long-term catheterized patients and three healthy control persons demonstrated the elevated level of proteins associated with neutrophils, macrophages, and the complement system in the patient's urine, which might point to a specific activation of the innate immune system in response to biofilm-associated urinary tract infections. We thus hypothesize that the often asymptomatic nature of catheter-associated urinary tract infections might be based on a fine-tuned balance between the expression of bacterial virulence factors and the human immune system.
    • Molecular dynamics reveal binding mode of glutathionylspermidine by trypanothione synthetase.

      Koch, Oliver; Cappel, Daniel; Nocker, Monika; Jäger, Timo; Flohé, Leopold; Sotriffer, Christoph A; Selzer, Paul M; MSD Animal Health Innovation GmbH, Schwabenheim, Germany. oliver.koch@tu-dortmund.de (2013)
      The trypanothione synthetase (TryS) catalyses the two-step biosynthesis of trypanothione from spermidine and glutathione and is an attractive new drug target for the development of trypanocidal and antileishmanial drugs, especially since the structural information of TryS from Leishmania major has become available. Unfortunately, the TryS structure was solved without any of the substrates and lacks loop regions that are mechanistically important. This contribution describes docking and molecular dynamics simulations that led to further insights into trypanothione biosynthesis and, in particular, explains the binding modes of substrates for the second catalytic step. The structural model essentially confirm previously proposed binding sites for glutathione, ATP and two Mg(2+) ions, which appear identical for both catalytic steps. The analysis of an unsolved loop region near the proposed spermidine binding site revealed a new pocket that was demonstrated to bind glutathionylspermidine in an inverted orientation. For the second step of trypanothione synthesis glutathionylspermidine is bound in a way that preferentially allows N(1)-glutathionylation of N(8)-glutathionylspermidine, classifying N(8)-glutathionylspermidine as the favoured substrate. By inhibitor docking, the binding site for N(8)-glutathionylspermidine was characterised as druggable.
    • Dynamic cumulative activity of transcription factors as a mechanism of quantitative gene regulation

      He, Feng; Buer, Jan; Zeng, An-Ping; Balling, Rudi (2007-09-04)
      Abstract Background The regulation of genes in multicellular organisms is generally achieved through the combinatorial activity of different transcription factors. However, the quantitative mechanisms of how a combination of transcription factors controls the expression of their target genes remain unknown. Results By using the information on the yeast transcription network and high-resolution time-series data, the combinatorial expression profiles of regulators that best correlate with the expression of their target genes are identified. We demonstrate that a number of factors, particularly time-shifts among the different regulators as well as conversion efficiencies of transcription factor mRNAs into functional binding regulators, play a key role in the quantification of target gene expression. By quantifying and integrating these factors, we have found a highly significant correlation between the combinatorial time-series expression profile of regulators and their target gene expression in 67.1% of the 161 known yeast three-regulator motifs and in 32.9% of 544 two-regulator motifs. For network motifs involved in the cell cycle, these percentages are much higher. Furthermore, the results have been verified with a high consistency in a second independent set of time-series data. Additional support comes from the finding that a high percentage of motifs again show a significant correlation in time-series data from stress-response studies. Conclusion Our data strongly support the concept that dynamic cumulative regulation is a major principle of quantitative transcriptional control. The proposed concept might also apply to other organisms and could be relevant for a wide range of biotechnological applications in which quantitative gene regulation plays a role.
    • From mouse genetics to systems biology.

      Balling, Rudi; Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Braunschweig, Germany. Rudi.Balling@helmholtz-hzi.de (2007-07)
    • Phagocytosis assay based on living Candida albicans for the detection of effects of chemicals on macrophage function

      Klippel, Nina; Bilitewski, Ursula; Helmholtz Zentrum für Infektionsforschung (Taylor & Francis, 2007-01-07)
    • High yield recombinant penicillin G amidase production and export into the growth medium using Bacillus megaterium.

      Yang, Yang; Biedendieck, Rebekka; Wang, Wei; Gamer, Martin; Malten, Marco; Jahn, Dieter; Deckwer, Wolf-Dieter (2006)
      BACKGROUND: During the last years B. megaterium was continuously developed as production host for the secretion of proteins into the growth medium. Here, recombinant production and export of B. megaterium ATCC14945 penicillin G amidase (PGA) which is used in the reverse synthesis of beta-lactam antibiotics were systematically improved. RESULTS: For this purpose, the PGA leader peptide was replaced by the B. megaterium LipA counterpart. A production strain deficient in the extracellular protease NprM and in xylose utilization to prevent gene inducer deprivation was constructed and employed. A buffered mineral medium containing calcium ions and defined amino acid supplements for optimal PGA production was developed in microscale cultivations and scaled up to a 2 Liter bioreactor. Productivities of up to 40 mg PGA per L growth medium were reached. CONCLUSION: The combination of genetic and medium optimization led to an overall 7-fold improvement of PGA production and export in B. megaterium. The exclusion of certain amino acids from the minimal medium led for the first time to higher volumetric PGA activities than obtained for complex medium cultivations.