The findings of the present study might open new avenues to target human disease-causing deadly microbes and viruses.RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) plays a major role in gene transcription for eukaryote. One of the major modes of regulation in eukaryotes is the phosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) of RNA Pol II. The current study found that the phosphorylation of Ser2, Ser5, Ser7, Thr4 and Tyr1 among the heptapeptide repeats of CTD plays a key role in the transcription process. We therefore review the biological functions and inhibitors of kinases that phosphorylate these amino acid residues including transcriptional cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs), bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), Polo-like kinases 3 (Plk3) and Abelson murine leukemia viral oncogene 1 and 2 (c-Abl1/2).Nine new (1-9) and four known (10-13) [13]cytochalasins, along with three known 24-oxa[14]cytochalasins (14-16), were isolated from the culture of Phoma multirostrata XJ-2-1, an endophytic fungus obtained from the fibrous root of Parasenecio albus. Their structures were elucidated by interpretation of the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HRESIMS). The absolute configurations were assigned by single-crystal X-ray crystallography, modified Mosher's method, and by analysis of their experimental electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra. Compound 6 could induce cell cycle arrest at G2-phase in CT26 and A549 cells, and displayed moderate cytotoxicity against CT26 and A549 cell lines with IC50 values of 6.03 and 5.04 μM, respectively. https://www.selleckchem.com/products/liraglutide.html Co-treatment of 7-9, 13 and 16 with tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) could significantly decrease the cell viability of A549, which revealed that cytochalasins could possibly be a new group of TRAIL sensitizers in lung cancer therapy.Glomerella fusaroide, and Rhizopus stolonifer were effectively able to transform the steroidal hormone melengestrol acetate (MGA) (1) into four (4) new metabolites, 17α-acetoxy-11α-hydroxy-6-methyl-16-methylenepregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione (2), 17α-acetoxy-11α-hydroxy-6-methyl-16-methylenepregna-1,4,6-triene-3,20-dione (3), 17α-acetoxy-6,7α-epoxy-6β-methyl-16-methylenepregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione (4), and 17α-acetoxy-11β,15β-dihydroxy-6-methyl-16-methylenepregna-4,6-diene-3,20-dione (5). All these compounds were structurally characterized by different spectroscopic techniques. The objective of the current study was to assess the anti-inflammatory potential of melengestrol acetate (1), and its metabolites 2-5. The metabolites and the substrate were assessed for their inhibitory effects on proliferation of T-cells in vitro. The substrate (IC50 = 2.77 ± 0.08 µM) and its metabolites 2 (IC50 = 2.78 ± 0.07 µM), 4 (IC50 = 2.74 ± 0.1 µM), and 5 (IC50 = less then 2 µM) exhibited potent T- cell proliferation inhibitory activities, while compound 3 (IC50 = 29.9 ± 0.09 µM) showed a moderate activity in comparison to the standard prednisolone (IC50 = 9.73 ± 0.08 µM). All the metabolites were found to be non-toxic against 3T3 normal cell line. This study thus identifies some potent compounds active against T-cell proliferation. Their anti-inflammatory potential, therefore, deserves to be further investigated.Approximately 17 compounds were isolated from a 60% EtOH aqueous extract of the roots and rhizomes of Clematis hexapetala Pall., including three new guaianolide sesquiterpenoids with 5/7/5-fused rings and 3S-configuration (1-3), five new prenylated tetra-substituted phenolic glycosides (4-8) with 6/6-fused 9H-benzopyran skeleton (5) and 6/7-fused 7,10-dihydro-benzoxepin skeleton (6-8), one new isoferulyl glucoside (9), two new furofuran lignan diglucosides (10-11), and six known compounds. The chemical structures of the new compounds were elucidated via spectroscopic data and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) analyses in combination with a modified Mosher's method. The possible biosynthetic relationships of prenylated tetra-substituted phenols were postulated. In the in vitro assays, compound 16 exhibited moderate TNF-α secretion inhibitory activity with IC50 value of 3.419 μM. Compounds 14-16 displayed potent PTP1B enzymatic inhibitory activities with inhibition ratios of 48.30-86.00%. And compound 16 showed significant PTP1B enzymatic inhibition with IC50 value of 4.623 μM.Inefficient transportation of polar metabolic inhibitors through cell membranes of eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells precludes their direct use as drug candidates in chemotherapy. One of the possible solutions to this problem is application of the 'Trojan horse' strategy, i.e. conjugation of an active substance with a molecular carrier of organic or inorganic nature, facilitating membrane penetration. In this work, the synthetic strategies used in rational design and preparation of conjugates of bioactive agents with three types of organic low molecular-weight carriers have been reviewed. These include iron-chelating agents, siderophores and cell-penetrating peptides. Moreover, a less known but very promising "molecular umbrella" conjugation strategy has been presented. Special attention has been paid on appropriate linking strategies, especially these allowing intracellular drug release after internalisation of a conjugate.The synthesis and the QS modulation activity of diastereoisomerically pure 2-hydroxy-N-acyl-l-homoserine lactones (2-OH-AHLs) are unveiled. (2R)- and (2S)- 2-hydroxy-N-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone and 2-hydroxy-N-octanoyl-l-homoserine lactone have been identified as very potent QS agonists and antagonists on the Vibrio fischeri-quorum sensing system with opposite activities depending on the configuration of the carbon atom with the hydroxyl group. Flexible molecular docking showed that the (2R)-OH configuration in the antagonist isomer induces new hydrogen bonds with Tyr70 and Asp79, two importantly conserved residues in the LuxR protein family, while the (2S)-OH agonist configuration exhibits a binding mode comparable to the natural ligand 3-oxo-hexanoyl-l-homoserine lactone (OHHL). For the analogs with long alkyl chain 3a and 3b and aromatic analogs, all are antagonists with no effect of the configuration at C-2.