| Author/Editor | Sepčić, Kristina; Guella, Graziano; Mancini, Ines; Pietra, Francesco; Dalla-Serra, Mauro; Menestrina, Gianfranco; Tubbs, Kemmons; Maček, Peter; Turk, Tom | |
| Title | Characterization of anticholinesterase-active 3-alkylpyridinium polymers from the marine sponge Reniera sarai in aqueous solutions | |
| Type | članek | |
| Source | J Nat Prod | |
| Vol. and No. | Letnik 60, št. 10 | |
| Publication year | 1997 | |
| Volume | str. 391-6 | |
| Language | eng | |
| Abstract | From the marine sponge Reniera sarai 3-alkylpyridinium oligomers and polymers have been isolated. 3-Alkylpyridinium polymers are potent anticholinesterase agents; in addition, they show hemolytic and cytotoxic activities. Oligomers with a molecular weight lower than 3000 Da do not possess any significant activity. We report structural characterization of 3-alkylpyridinium polymers and their behavior in aqueous solutions. We found that biological active polymers are composed of head-to-tail 3-alkylpyridinium units. According to MALDI-TOF spectrometry two species of polymers exist, the smaller with a molecular weight of 5520 Da and the larger with a molecular weight of 18 900 Da. Both polymers are soluble only in water, while low molecular oligomers are readily soluble inorganic solvents. Polymers form large water-dissolved supramolecular structures with an average hydrodynamic radius of 23 +- 2 nm and, therefore, cannot be separated with size-exclusion chromatography. | |
| Descriptors | PORIFERA PYRIDINIUM COMPOUNDS CHOLINESTERASE INHIBITORS SEAWATER CHROMATOGRAPHY, HIGH PRESSURE LIQUID SPECTROPHOTOMETRY, ULTRAVIOLET |