Interaction of daunomycin antibiotic with histone H(1): ultraviolet spectroscopy and equilibrium dialysis studies

Using ultraviolet spectroscopy and equilibrium dialysis techniques, we have investigated the interaction of anticancer drug, daunomycin with calf thymus histone H(1) chromosomal protein in 20 mM phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, 1 mM EDTA at room temperature. The UV spectroscopy results show that daunomycin (5.0-100 microM) decreases the absorbance of histone H(1) at 210-230 nm and induces hypochromicity in the absorption spectrum of the protein. The equilibrium dialysis data show that daunomycin binds to histone H(1) and the binding process is positive cooperative with two binding sites as Scatchard plot and Hill coefficient confirm it. The results suggest that daunomycin binds to histone H(1) and changes its conformation.     

Green synthesis of selenium nanoparticles and evaluate their effect on the expression of ERG3, ERG11 and FKS1 antifungal resistance genes in Candida albicans and Candida glabrata

Drug resistance in Candida species has been considerably increased in the last decades. Given the opposition to antifungal agents, toxicity and interactions of the antimicrobial drugs, identifying new antifungal agents seems essential. This study assessed the antifungal effects of nanoparticles (NPs) on the standard strains of Candida albicans and Candida glabrata and determined the expression genes, including ERG3, ERG11 and FKS1. Selenium nanoparticles (Se-NPs) were biosynthesized with a standard strain of C. albicans and approved by several methods including, ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometer, X-ray diffraction technique, Fourier-transform infrared analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and EDX diagram. The antifungal susceptibility testing performed the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) using the CLSI M27-A3 and M27-S4 broth microdilution method. The expression of the desired genes was examined by the real-time PCR assay between untreated and treated by antifungal drugs and Se-NPs. The MICs of itraconazole, amphotericin B and anidulafungin against C. albicans and C. glabrata were 64, 16 and 4 µg ml⁻¹. In comparison, reduced the MIC values for samples treated with Se-NPs to 1 and 0·5 µg ml⁻¹. The results obtained from real-time PCR and analysis of the ∆∆C_q values showed that the expression of ERG3, ERG11 and FKS1 genes was significantly down-regulated in Se-NPs concentrations (P < 0·05). This study's evidence implies biosafety Se-NPs have favourable effects on the reducing expression of ERG3, ERG11 and FKS1 antifungal resistance genes in C. albicans and C. glabrata.     

Growth of Foliage of Pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.) and Disease Progress of Alternaria Blight

Vanderplank developed a model based on the logistic growth system to calculate the apparent infection rate (r) and to estimate plant disease progress. By estimating his r and p^∧ (infection rate corrected for growth) the results were frequently negative. Kushalappa and Ludwig later developed another model for adequately correcting the host growth. The present model is a modification of Kushalappa and Ludwig's model in which the results are positive in case of Alternaria blight of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp.). The disease intensity increased despite host growth resulting into an epidemic. A factor accounting for leaf fall due to blighting has been taken into consideration.     

Isolation and Identification of Bacterial and Fungal Endophytes from Selected Plants of Western Himalayas in Prospect for Bioactivities of Economic Importance

Biology Bulletin - Medicinal plants have been used as holistic therapies to support human health and wellbeing all over the world. Moreover, these plants also act as a potential host to beneficial...     

Protective effect of Trigonella foenum-graecum on thioacetamide induced hepatotoxicity in rats

Trigonella foenum-graecum belongs to the family Fabaceae and is indigenous to countries that lie on the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea and is also cultivated in India, Egypt and Africa. This study provides the evidence indicating the therapeutic effect of the extract prepared from the dried seeds of Trigonella foenum-graecum on an animal model of hepatotoxicity and on cell proliferation. Rats were induced liver cirrhosis by thioacetamide (0.03% in water for 16 weeks). Transmission electron microscopy of the liver tissue was done to evaluate liver cirrhosis. The herbal extract was administered orally for 3 weeks after induction and biochemical estimations were done. After the administration of extract the oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation were reversed. The elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase, γ-glutamyl transferase and selected biochemical markers of liver cirrhosis including drug metabolizing enzymes were also reversed. The study has implications in finding a treatment for liver cirrhosis by a natural herbal drug with no side effects.     

Engineering Escherichia coli for enhanced sensitivity to the autoinducer-2 quorum sensing signal

The autoinducer-2 (AI-2) quorum sensing system is involved in a range of population-based bacterial behaviors and has been engineered for cell–cell communication in synthetic biology systems. Investigation into the cellular mechanisms of AI-2 processing has determined that overexpression of uptake genes increases AI-2 uptake rate, and genomic deletions of degradation genes lowers the AI-2 level required for activation of reporter genes. Here, we combine these two strategies to engineer an Escherichia coli strain with enhanced ability to detect and respond to AI-2. In an E. coli strain that does not produce AI-2, we monitored AI-2 uptake and reporter protein expression in a strain that overproduced the AI-2 uptake or phosphorylation units LsrACDB or LsrK, a strain with the deletion of AI-2 degradation units LsrF and LsrG, and an “enhanced” strain with both overproduction of AI-2 uptake and deletion of AI-2 degradation elements. By adding up to 40 μM AI-2 to growing cell cultures, we determine that this “enhanced” AI-2 sensitive strain both uptakes AI-2 more rapidly and responds with increased reporter protein expression than the others. This work expands the toolbox for manipulating AI-2 quorum sensing processes both in native environments and for synthetic biology applications.     

Marker association study of yield attributing traits in common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.)

Molecular Biology Reports - Common bean is gaining acceptance as one of the most valuable major food consumed worldwide owing to innumerable nutritional and therapeutic benefits. Comparatively less...