Quorum-sensing systems have been reported to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of several bacterial infections. Recent data have demonstrated that Pseudomonas N-3-oxododecanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (3-oxo-C12-homoserine lactone, 3-oxo-C12-HSL), but not N-butanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C4-HSL), induces apoptosis in macrophages and neutrophils. In the present study, the effects of active i...

In Erwinia carotovora subspecies, N-acyl homoserine lactone (AHL) controls the expression of various traits, including extracellular enzyme/protein production and pathogenicity. We report here that E. carotovora subspecies possess two classes of quorum-sensing signaling systems defined by the nature of the major AHL analog produced as well as structural and functional characteristics of AHL syn...

Hepatocytes isolated from rats fed on a chow diet or a low-protein (8% ) diet were used to study the effects of various factors on flux through the branched-chain 2-oxo acid dehydrogenase complex. The activity of this complex was also determined in cell-free extracts ofthe hepatocytes. Hepatocytes isolated from chow-fed rats had greater flux rates (decarboxylation rates of3-methyl-2-oxobutanoat...

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are tobacco carcinogens implicated in the causation of human lung cancer. Metabolic activation is a key prerequisite for PAHs to cause their deleterious effects. Using human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cells, we provide evidence for the metabolic activation of (+/-)-trans-7,8dihydroxy-7,8-dihydrobenzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P-7,8-trans-dihydrodiol) by aldo-keto red...

Training-induced neuronal activity develops in the mammalian limbic system during discriminative avoidance conditioning. This study explores behaviorally relevant changes in muscarinic ACh receptor binding in 52 rabbits that were trained to one of five stages of conditioned response acquisition. Sixteen naive and 10 animals yoked to criterion performance served as control cases. Upon reaching a...

Commercially available extracts from Boswellia serrata resin used as anti-inflammatory drugs or phytonutrients show paradoxical concentration-dependent potentiating and inhibitory actions on 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO) product synthesis in stimulated PMNs. In our attempt to characterize the stimulating constituents, we identified the tetracyclic triterpene 3-oxo-tirucallic acid (3-oxo-TA), which, in ...

Fusel alcohols are precursors and contributors to flavor and aroma compounds in fermented beverages, and some are under investigation as biofuels. The decarboxylation of 2-oxo acids is a key step in the Ehrlich pathway for fusel alcohol production. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae, five genes share sequence similarity with genes encoding thiamine pyrophosphate-dependent 2-oxo-acid decarboxylases (2O...

The title compounds, rac-(1'R,2R)-tert-butyl 2-(1'-hydroxyethyl)-3-(2-nitrophenyl)-5-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-1-carboxylate, C(17)H(20)N(2)O(6), (I), rac-(1'S,2R)-tert-butyl 2-[1'-hydroxy-3'-(methoxycarbonyl)propyl]-3-(2-nitrophenyl)-5-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-1-carboxylate, C(20)H(24)N(2)O(8), (II), and rac-(1'S,2R)-tert-butyl 2-(4'-bromo-1'-hydroxybutyl)-5-oxo-2,5-dihydro-1H-pyrrole-1-car...

Crystallinities of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) films containing various amounts of an oxo-biodegradable additive (HES-W) were investigated immediately after preparation and 6 weeks after ultraviolet (UV) irradiation (λ=254 nm). HDPE granules were mixed with oxo-biodegradable masterbatch in a twin-screw extruder and the extrudates were converted into films with thicknesses of 35±5 micromete...

OBJECTIVE Dental caries is caused by prolonged episodes of low pH due to acid production by oral biofilms. Bacteria within such biofilms communicate via quorum sensing (QS). QS regulates several phenotypic biofilm parameters, such as biofilm formation and the production of virulence factors. In this study, we evaluated the effect of several QS modifiers on growth and the cariogenic potential of...