title: Potential role of formaldehyde in the mechanism of action of ascorbigens on the basis of BioArena studies.
abstract: The effect of ascorbigen and 1'-methylascorbigen as a model compound pair was studied on the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas savastanoi pv. phaseolicola in the BioArena experimental system after overpressured layer chromatography. Results showed a characteristic, strong antibacterial effect of 1'-methylascorbigen and weak effect of ascorbigen present on the adsorbent layer as chromatographic spot. Addition of formaldehyde capture compounds (L-arginine, glutathione, dimedone) partially or totally reduced the antibacterial effect of 1'-methylascorbigen and ascorbigen. On adding Cu(II) ions--which mobilize and coordinate formaldehyde--to the culture medium, the antibacterial effect of both compounds became stronger. It is supposed that the weak antibacterial effect of ascorbigen may have originated from the 1'-methylascorbigen formed in situ on the adsorbent layer by partial enzymatic methylation of ascorbigen.
authors.affiliation: Plant Protection Institute, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, PO Box 102, H-1525 Hungary. gykat@nki.hu
authors.forename: György
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kátay
authors.forename: Péter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Ott
authors.forename: Edit
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kátay
authors.forename: Donát
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Magyar
authors.forename: Erno
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tyihák
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001120:Arginine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D003512:Cyclohexanones / Q000494:pharmacology; D005557:Formaldehyde / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005978:Glutathione / Q000494:pharmacology; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D003512:Cyclohexanones; D007211:Indoles; D005557:Formaldehyde; C053152:ascorbigen; D003300:Copper; C074796:1'-methylascorbigen; D001120:Arginine; C004774:dimedone; D005978:Glutathione; D001205:Ascorbic Acid