Riboflavin is a constituent of coenzyme, FMN, FAD and its content varies according to the physiological and nutritional status. However, the measurement of its content is so disputable that a new technique to determine its content has been developed, done by determination of glutathione reductase activity in red blood cell hemolysate. With this technique, the effect of various anesthetic agents (ether, halothane, tetracaine) upon riboflavin metabolism has been studied by the authors. In conclusion, the effects of anesthetics upon riboflavin metabolism are insignificant.
Anesthetics ; Erythrocytes* ; Flavin Mononucleotide ; Flavin-Adenine Dinucleotide ; Glutathione Reductase ; Glutathione* ; Halothane ; Metabolism ; Nutritional Status ; Riboflavin

Flavoproteins are proteins that contain a nucleic acid derivative of riboflavin: flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) or flavin mononucleotide (FMN). Flavoproteins are involved in a wide array of biological processes, such as photosynthesis, DNA repair and natural product biosynthesis. It should be noted that 5%-10% of flavoproteins have a covalently linked flavin prosthetic group. Such covalent linkages benefit the holoenzyme in several ways including improving the stability and catalytic potency. During the past decade, significant progress has been made in covalent flavoproteins, especially with respect to enzyme-dependent biogenesis and discovery of novel linkage types. The present review gives a condensed overview of investigations published from March 2009 to December 2021, with emphasis on the discovery, biogenesis and their catalytic role in natural product biosynthesis.
Flavoproteins/metabolism* ; Flavin-Adenine Dinucleotide/metabolism* ; Flavin Mononucleotide/metabolism* ; Riboflavin ; Biological Products

Maternal nutritional status has been shown to influence pregnancy outcomes. And the elevated maternal plasma homocysteine concentrations have been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. We investigated the effects of maternal serum levels of B vitamins and homocysteine, and the C677T MTHFR (5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) polymorphism on pregnancy outcomes. In 177 pregnant women of 24-28 wks of gestation, the MTHFR gene mutation, serum B vitamins and homocysteine concentrations were measured, and their pregnancy outcomes were investigated from medical records. The birth length, and 1- and 5-min Apgar scores of neonates in the T/T mothers were 45.4+/-9.3 cm, 7.6+/-3.2 and 8.5+/-3.8, respectively, which were significantly lower than those in the C/T (48.6+/-3.3 cm, 9.0+/-0.2, 10.0+/-0.2) or the C/C mothers (49.4+/-1.9 cm, 9.0+/-0.2, 10.0+/-0.0). The birth weight, birth length and the gestational age of neonates at delivery from hyperhomocysteinemic mothers whose homocysteine levels higher than 15 micromol were 2.5+/-1.3 kg, 43.9+/-9.0 cm, 35.4+/-6.3 wk, respectively, which were significant lower than those from normohomocysteinemic mothers (3.1+/-0.6 kg, 48.8+/-3.6 cm, 38.5+/-2.5 wk). The birth weight and birth length of neonates in mothers whose PLP levels were below the median were significantly lower than those from mothers with the PLP levels above the median. The 1- and 5-min Apgar scores of neonates were lower in mothers with the T/T MTHFR genotype than those with the C/T or C/C only when the serum PLP levels were below the median. The 1-, 5 min Apgar scores and birth length of neonates were lower in mothers with the T/T MTHFR genotype than those with the C/T or C/C only when the serum FMN levels were below the median. In conclusion, maternal B vitamin status, homocysteine and the C677T MTHFR genotype seem to have played an important role on pregnancy outcomes.
Birth Weight ; Female ; Flavin Mononucleotide ; Folic Acid ; Genotype ; Gestational Age ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Medical Records ; Mothers ; Nutritional Status ; Oxidoreductases* ; Parturition ; Plasma ; Pregnancy ; Pregnancy Outcome* ; Pregnancy* ; Pregnant Women ; Vitamin B Complex* ; Vitamins

Riboswitches are cis-acting domains located in mRNA sequences that could regulate gene expression by sensing small molecules without employing protein. Most known riboswitches in bacteria have naturally evolved to bind essential metabolite ligands and are involved in the regulation of critical genes that are responsible for the biosynthesis or transport of the cognate ligand. The riboswitch-mediated gene expression could be repressed by metabolite analogs, which caused bacterial growth inhibition or even death. A number of leading compounds targeting riboswitches have been discovered. A promising avenue for the development of new class of riboswitch-based antibiotics has been opened. Herein we reviewed the current findings of riboswitches that served as targets for antibacterial drug development and the underlying mechanisms. The development of high-throughput methods and rational drug design for riboswitch-specific drug discovery are relevant challenges are discussed. summarized.
Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Bacteria ; drug effects ; genetics ; Bacterial Proteins ; chemistry ; genetics ; Drug Design ; Drug Discovery ; Flavin Mononucleotide ; chemistry ; genetics ; Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial ; Guanine ; chemistry ; High-Throughput Screening Assays ; methods ; Ligands ; Lysine ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; genetics ; Riboswitch ; drug effects ; Thiamine Pyrophosphatase ; chemistry ; genetics