Exploring Coal Biodesulfurization Potential of a Novel Organic Sulfur Metabolizing Rhodococcus spp. (Eu-32) – A Case Study

Coal is one of the most abundant nonrenewable fossil fuels, in Pakistan. However, in general, the quality of coal is too low to offset the practical, economic, and regulatory barriers to its utilization. High sulfur content comes up as one of the bottlenecks in productive usage of indigenous coal. Biotechnology can emerge as a panacea for upgrading the huge reserves of high sulfur coal. In current study, the sulfur removal potential of Rhodococcus spp. (Eu-32) was investigated using coal from Dukki, Baluchistan, Pakistan. Biodesulfurization process was optimized for various parameters and maximum decrease of 40% and 60% in total and organic sulfur contents, respectively were achieved in 15 days. The Langmuir and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface areas of the biotreated coal were increased by 20 and 16 times, respectively. Scanning electron microscope showed higher tendency of attachment of bacterial cells to the coal particles. Our results revealed that Eu-32 could remove significant amounts of organic sulfur from coal and could be used in the pre-combustion operations with appropriate arrangements.     

SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid and Nsp3 binding: an in silico study

Archives of Microbiology - Severe acute respiratory syndrome virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) belongs to the single-stranded positive-sense RNA family. The virus contains a large genome that encodes four...     

Growth and Physiology of Maize (Zea mays L.) in a Nickel-Contaminated Soil and Phytoremediation Efficiency Using EDTA

Journal of Plant Growth Regulation - Nickel (Ni) element is strongly phytotoxic at high concentrations for several plants, but due to its dual behavior and complicated chemistry, it has received...     

Observations on the floristic,life-form,leaf-size spectra and habitat diversity of vegetation in the Bhimber hills of Kashmir Himalayas

Vegetation analysis provides the prerequisites to understand the overall community structure and function of any ecosystem and is a fundamental requirement for the precise evaluation of biodiversity. Although many studies have assessed floristic attributes of specific areas, there are still unexplored regions, as is the case of the mountain region in the Kashmir Himalayas. Current research highlighted the recent findings of the scientific characterization of floristic and ecological aspects on the forest flora found in the Bhimber hills, Pakistan. Floristically, a total of 93 species belonging to 80 genera in 41 families were recorded. The species distribution patterns across the families were disproportionate with half of the species contributed by 8 families and 25 families were monotypic. Based on the floristic analysis, Asteraceae was the largest family with 12% of species followed by Poaceae with (11%) species. PAST software, a multivariate ecological community analysis was used to classify the species similarities and differences among the different habitat types. According to the habitat wise distribution, 21% of species were growing in the natural forest habitat, while 15% of species were dispersed in highly distributed habitats along roadsides and 8% on pedestrians. In terms of functional diversity, the herbaceous growth form was dominant (58%). The biological spectrum revealed therophytes as the dominant life form as it indicates the disturbed habitat vegetation. The phytogeographical analysis revealed that the maximum (69%) species were native, while the minimum (31%) species were exotic. Thus, the study of these functional and habitat diversity patterns can significantly improve our understanding of the ecological aspects of the flora in the geographical location. This information may additionally be useful in devising management plans to ensure sustainable utilization and better management of forest landscapes in this Himalayan region.     

Studies on the regioselectivity and kinetics of the action of trypsin on proinsulin and its derivatives using mass spectrometry

Human M-proinsulin was cleaved by trypsin at the R³¹R³²–E³³ and K⁶⁴R⁶⁵–G⁶⁶ bonds (B/C and C/A junctions), showing the same cleavage specificity as exhibited by prohormone convertases 1 and 2 respectively. Buffalo/bovine M-proinsulin was also cleaved by trypsin at the K⁵⁹R⁶⁰–G⁶¹ bond but at the B/C junction cleavage occurred at the R³¹R³²–E³³ as well as the R³¹–R³²E³³ bond. Thus, the human isoform in the native state, with a 31 residue connecting C-peptide, seems to have a unique structure around the B/C and C/A junctions and cleavage at these sites is predominantly governed by the structure of the proinsulin itself. In the case of both the proinsulin species the cleavage at the B/C junction was preferred (65%) over that at the C/A junction (35%) supporting the earlier suggestion of the presence of some form of secondary structure at the C/A junction. Proinsulin and its derivatives, as natural substrates for trypsin, were used and mass spectrometric analysis showed that the k_cat./K_m values for the cleavage were most favourable for the scission of the bonds at the two junctions (1.02 ± 0.08 × 10⁵ s^− 1 M^− 1) and the cleavage of the K²⁹–T³⁰ bond of M-insulin-RR (1.3 ± 0.07 × 10⁵ s^− 1 M^− 1). However, the K²⁹–T³⁰ bond in M-insulin, insulin as well as M-proinsulin was shielded from attack by trypsin (k_cat./K_m values around 1000 s^− 1 M^− 1). Hence, as the biosynthetic path follows the sequence; proinsulin → insulin-RR → insulin, the K²⁹–T³⁰ bond becomes shielded, exposed then shielded again respectively.     

Time-resolved fluorescence study of excitation energy transfer in the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120

Photosynthesis Research - Excitation energy transfer (EET) and trapping in Anabaena variabilis (PCC 7120) intact cells, isolated phycobilisomes (PBS) and photosystem I (PSI) complexes have been...     

Temperature response,pathogenicity, seed infection and mutant evaluation against Macrophomina phaseolina causing charcoal rot disease of sesame

Charcoal rot caused by Macrophomina phaseolina is a serious disease of sesame in Pakistan. M. phaseolina sesame isolate was subjected to growth rate test at 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40°C. The optimum temperature for fungal growth and microsclerotia production was found to be 30–35°C. Gray to black, radial fungal colonies with intermediate mycelial growth and jet black oval to round microsclerotia were observed at this optimum range. M. phaseolina was found to be pathogenic against all the 18 tested plant species and this pathogenicity proved its necrophytic behavior. Seed infection efficiency of M. phaseolina was 100% with significant reduction in seed index. For two consecutive years 21 mutants/varieties were screened in the field for their reactions to charcoal rot disease. During 2007 three mutants NS11704S1, NS11304S2 and NS26004 were ranked as resistant while others were moderately resistant to highly susceptible. During 2008 all mutants showed a susceptible to highly susceptible reaction with variable disease reactions. All over screening results revealed that four mutants viz, NS13P1, NS163-1, NS270P1 and NS26004 showed about 50% stand with consistent performance during both years under optimum disease conditions and can be used to manage the disease following the disease management strategies, however in the future improvement for high seed yield along with resistance is a prerequisite for sustainable high production.     

Interaction between Meloidogyne incognita and Pochonia chlamydosporia and their effects on the growth of Phaseolus vulgaris

An experiment was conducted to test the effect of different doses of 2, 4 and 8?g/2?kg of soil of Pochonia chlamydosporia against the root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) on Phaseolus vulgaris. It was observed that inoculation of plant with the nematode alone, and 15?days prior to fungal inoculation, reduced the plant growth when compared with the plant with fungal application followed by the nematode. Plant length, fresh and dry weight, chlorophyll, carotenoid, protein contents and nitrate reductase activity decreased in nematode-infested plants. Application of higher dose of 8?g/2?kg of soil of P. chlamydosporia increased all the plant growth parameters as well as biochemical parameters. Highest number of galls per root system was recorded on the plants infested with nematode but not treated with the fungus. However, application of fungus prior to nematode inoculation improved the plant growth and reduced the number of galls and the number of egg masses per root system.