Bioconversion of Hydrocortisone by Cyanobacterium Fischerella ambigua PTCC 1635

Summary The bioconversion of hydrocortisone by a locally isolated strain of cyanobacterium Fischerella ambigua PTCC 1635 was investigated. Fischerella ambigua had not been previously examined for this potential. The fermentation led to production of 11β,17α, 20β, 21-tetrahydroxypregn-4-en-3-one and 11β-hydroxyandrost-4-en-3,17-dione. The metabolites were isolated and purified by chromatographic methods and identified using instrumental analyses.     

Effect of salinity and temperature variations on Pterocladia capillacea

Summary At high salinities and high temperatures, the growth rate of Pterocladia was high, the tips of branch initials were dilated and holdfasts broadened. By the end of the fourth week bleaching of the whole plant was complete.Under low salinities and low temperatures, the rate of vegetative growth was decreased, the cuticle was thin and food reserve was centrally accumulated in the cells.Under high salinities and low temperatures, the rate of growth was greatly reduced and cells were devoid of food reserve. Defoliation of lateral branches was frequent.Under low salinities and high temperatures, the rate of growht was rather high and cells were relatively large.     

Stratigraphic application of Thalassinoides ichnofabric in delineating sequence stratigraphic surfaces (Mid-Cretaceous), Kopet-Dagh Basin,northeastern Iran

This study integrates ichnological and sedimentological data to refine depositional sequences and interpretations of sea-level dynamics for the shallow marine, Albian–Cenomanian Aitamir Formation in northeastern Iran. Three ichnofabrics are present in a succession of glauconitic mudstone and sandstone. This is a sequence that grades upward from a lower glauconitic sandstone unit with trough cross-stratification, hummocky and ripple cross-lamination into a fining-up unit of mudstone with intercalated sandstone beds. The lower unit contains an ichoassemblage of the Ophiomorpha–Palaeophycus ichnofabric (upper shoreface), whereas the upper unit bears ichnoassemblages of the Thalassinoides ichnofabric (in a distinctive level at the top cycle which demarcates the base of the next cycle) (middle shoreface) and the Chondrites–Planolites ichnofabric (lower shoreface). An upper shoreface–lower shoreface trend from the Ophiomorpha–Palaeophycus ichnofabric to the Chondrites–Planolites ichnofabric represents a deepening-upward sequence. An integrated sedimentological and ichnological approach has allowed the recognition of the internal organization of the sequence and the characterization of significant discontinuity surfaces at sequence scales. Thalassinoides ichnofabric reveals colonization of firmgrounds during prolonged times between erosion and deposition related to transgressive surfaces. Transgressive surfaces (sequence boundaries) are generally well-cemented and marked by increased glauconite content, and densely crowded, predominantly vertical or oblique, relatively large, very distinct, unlined, and uncompacted burrows (omission suite) and are associated with rare highly abraded and fragmented shell remains.     

Experimentation on Degradation of Petroleum in Contaminated Soils in the Root Zone of Maize (Zea Mays L.) Inoculated with Piriformospora Indica

Plant-based methods such as rhizodegradation are very promising for the remediation of petroleum-contaminated soils. Associations of plants with endophytes can further enhance their phytoremediation potential. In this study, a rhizobox experiment was conducted to investigate whether inoculation with the root-colonizing fungus Piriformospora indica could further enhance the degradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in the root zone of maize (Zea mays L.). The rhizoboxes were subdivided into compartments in accordance with distance from the plants. After filling the boxes with soil from a petroleum-contaminated site, seedlings that had either been inoculated with P. indica or not were grown in the middle compartments of the rhizoboxes and grown for 64 days. A plant-free treatment was included for control. The presence of roots strongly increased the counts of total and petroleum-degrading soil bacteria, respiration, dehydrogenase activity, water-soluble phenols and petroleum degradation. All these effects were also found in the soil adjacent to the middle compartments of the rhizoboxes, but strongly decreased further away from it. Inoculation with P. indica further enhanced all the recorded parameters without changing the spatial pattern of the effects. Inoculated plants also produced around 40% more root and shoot biomass than noninoculated plants and had greener leaves. Together, the results indicate that the treatment effects on the recorded soil microbial and biochemical parameters including petroleum hydrocarbon degradation were primarily due to increased root exudation. Irrespectively of this, they show that maize can be used to accelerate the rhizodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons in soil and that inoculation with P. indica can substantially enhance the phytoremediation performance of maize.     

Dual blockade of VEGFR1 and VEGFR2 by a novel peptide abrogates VEGF-driven angiogenesis,tumor growth,and metastasis through PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK1/2 pathway

Background

Neutralization of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1 (VEGFR1) and/or VEGFR2 is a widely used means of inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.

Effect of plant growth regulators on indirect shoot organogenesis of Ficus religiosa through seedling derived petiole segments

Ficus religiosa is known as a long-lived multipurpose forest tree. The tree plays an important role for religious, medicinal, and ornamental purposes. However, the propagation rate of Ficus religiosa is low in natural habitat so the plant tissue culture techniques are an applicable method for multiplication of this valuable medicinal plants. Thus, the aim of this study is to understand the effect of different auxin/cytokinin ratios on indirect shoot organogenesis of this plant. According to our results, the maximum callus induction frequency (100%) was obtained on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 0.5?mg/l 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) plus 0.05?mg/l 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) from petiole segments. For shoot induction purpose, the yellow-brownish, friable, organogenic calli were inoculated on shoot induction medium. On MS medium supplemented with 1.5?mg/l BAP and 0.15?mg/l Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA), 96.66% of the petiole-derived calli responded with an average number of 3.56 shoots per culture. The highest root formation frequency (96.66%), root number (5.5), and root length (4.83?cm) were achieved on MS medium containing 2.0?mg/l IBA plus 0.1?mg/l Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). The rooted shoots were successfully transferred to field condition and the substrate with the mixture of cocopeat and perlite (1:1) had the highest survival rate (96.66%). This is the first report of an effective in vitro organogenesis protocol for F. religiosa by indirect shoot organogenesis through axenic seedling derived petiole explants, which can be efficiently employed for conservation of this important medicinal plant species as well as the utilization of active biomolecules.     

HspX protein as a candidate vaccine against <Emphasis Type="Italic">Mycobacterium tuberculosis</Emphasis>: an overview

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). This disease with two million deaths per year has the highest mortality rate among bacterial infections. The only available vaccine against TB is BCG vaccine. BCG is an effective vaccine against TB in childhood, however, due to some limitations, has not proper efficiency in adults. Also, BCG cannot produce an adequately protective response against reactivation of latent infections.

Objective

In the present study we will review the most recent findings about contribution of HspX protein in the vaccines against tuberculosis.

Methods

Therefore, many attempts have been made to improve BCG or to find its replacement. Most of the subunit vaccines for TB in various phases of clinical trials were constructed as prophylactic vaccines using Mtb proteins expressed in the replicating stage. These vaccines might prevent active TB but not reactivation of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). A literature search was performed on various online databases (PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar) regarding the roles of HspX protein in tuberculosis vaccines.

Results

Ideal subunit post-exposure vaccines should target all forms of TB infection, including active symptomatic and dormant (latent) asymptomatic forms. Among these subunit vaccines, HspX is the most important latent phase antigen of M. tuberculosis with a strong immunological response. There are many studies that have evaluated the immunogenicity of this protein to improve TB vaccine.

Conclusion

According to the studies, HspX protein is a good candidate for development of subunit vaccines against TB infection.

     

Aspartic acid introduce the functional amine groups on the surface of superparamagnetic Fe(OH)3@Fe3O4 nanoparticles for efficient immobilization of Penaeus vannamei protease

Bioprocess and Biosystems Engineering - In this study, we synthesized super magnetic Fe(OH)3@Fe3O4 nanoparticles (SPIONs) by the co-precipitation method and introduction of amine groups via...     

Identification and Characterization of Novel Antimicrobial Peptide from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hippocampus comes</Emphasis> by In Silico and Experimental Studies

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have attracted attentions as a novel antimicrobial agent because of their unique activity against microbes. In the present study, we described a new, previously unreported AMP, moronecidin-like peptide, from Hippocampus comes and compared its antimicrobial activity with moronecidin from hybrid striped bass. Antibacterial assay indicated that gram-positive bacteria were more sensitive to moronecidin and moronecidin-like compared with gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, both AMPs were found to exhibit effective antifungal activity. Comparative analysis of the antimicrobial activity revealed that moronecidin-like peptide has higher activity against Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus epidermidis relative to moronecidin. Both moronecidin-like and moronecidin peptides retained their antibacterial activity in physiological pH and salt concentration. The time-killing assay showed that the AMPs completely killed A. baumannii and S. epidermidis isolates after 1 and 5 h at five- and tenfold above their corresponding MICs, respectively. Anti-biofilm assay demonstrated that peptides were able to inhibit 50% of biofilm formation at sub-MIC of 1/8 MIC. Furthermore, moronecidin-like significantly inhibited biofilm formation more than moronecidin at 1/16 MIC. Collectively, our results revealed that antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activities of moronecidin-like are comparable to moronecidin. In addition, the hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of moronecidin-like were lower than those of moronecidin, suggesting it as a potential novel therapeutic agent, and a template to design new therapeutic AMPs.