AN INVESTIGATION ON KERATIN EXTRACTION FROM WOOL AND FEATHER WASTE BY ENZYMATIC HYDROLYSIS

In this study, the possibility of keratin extraction from wool and feather by an enzymatic treatment along with a reducing agent has been investigated. The effects of different parameters, that is, enzyme loading, type of substrate and surfactant, hydrolysis time, and reducing agent concentration, have been examined in order to optimize the enzymatic hydrolysis. The optimal condition for maximum keratin extraction was attained by making use of 1 g/L sodium dodecyl sulfate (an anionic surfactant) and 2.6% (v/v) protease (Savinase), along with 8.6 and 6.4 g/L sodium hydrogen sulfite (a reducing agent) for wool and feathers, respectively, at liquor to fiber ratio of 25 mL/g for 4 hr. The obtained results indicated higher degradation of wool fiber in comparison with feathers, which might be due to the higher hydrophilic nature of the former. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) patterns revealed that the molecular weights of the extracted proteins from wool and feather were lower than those for the untreated fibers. Scanning electron micrographs showed fibers fibrillation and degradation upon enzymatic treatment. Besides, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectra indicated no evident changes in the chemical structure of the hydrolyzed fibers. However, wool and feather remainders were mostly composed of α-helix and β-sheets conformations, respectively.     

The effect of surface charges of liposomes in immunopotentiation

The purpose of this study was to establish the effect of surface charges of liposomes on its adjuvant activity to an entrapped protein antigen. The immune responses of rabbits immunized subcutaneously with lysozyme entrapped in neutral negatively and positively charged liposomes and compared with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA), showed positively charged liposomes to be a better adjuvant than neutral, negatively charged liposomes and even CFA. This was true for solid liposomes also. Interestingly, injection of positively charged liposomes led to the formation of granulomas at the sites of immunization, which was not observed with neutral and negatively charged liposomes.     

In vitro spectroscopic investigation of groove binding interaction of Fe3O4@CaAl-LDH@L-Dopa with calf thymus DNA

Abstract

The principal goal of this study is to evaluate the interaction of Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH@L-Dopa and Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH nanoparticles with calf thymus DNA. The magnetic nanoparticles were previously prepared by a chemical co-precipitation method, and the surface of the Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles was coated with CaAl layered double hydroxides. The antiparkinsonian drug “L-Dopa” was carried by this core–shell nanostructure to achieve the drug delivery system with suitable properties for biological applications. Also, the interaction of Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH@L-Dopa and Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH nanoparticles with CT-DNA was studied using, UV–Visible spectroscopy, viscosity, circular dichroism (CD), and fluorescence spectroscopy techniques. The results of investigations demonstrated that Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH@L-Dopa and Fe₃O₄@CaAl-LDH nanoparticles have interacted via minor groove binding and intercalated to CT-DNA, respectively.     

Identification of O-sulphate substituents on D-glucuronic acid units in heparin-related glycosaminoglycans using novel synthetic disaccharide standards

The two disaccharides, methyl 4-O-(2-O-sulpho-ß-D-gluco-pyranosyl-uronicacid)-2-deoxy-2-amino-     

Genetic characterization of local Sudanese sheep breeds using DNA markers

Genetic diversity was investigated among 11 local Sudanese sheep populations. These populations were: Desert, with 6 sub-populations; Nilotics; Arid upland; West African; and Nilodesert, with 2 sub-populations. 15 microsatellites were used, a total number of 263 alleles being found, with expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.726 to 0.811. Principal component analysis revealed a distinct demarcation between the West African population and all other populations in Sudan and a moderate distance of Desert Dongla sheep from all other Desert populations. Structure modelling clustered West African, Arid upland and Nilotics populations in one group, and divided the Desert and Nilodesert populations into 2 mixed clusters with incomplete demarcation, reflecting cross breeding between these populations. Mitochondrial analysis indicated the dominance of the B haplotype in all populations, with about 10% of sheep carrying the A haplotype. The presence of the A and B haplotypes suggest that Sudan may be a contact zone between Asian and African sheep ancestors.     

New water-soluble Fe3O4@SiO2 magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with levetiracetam drug for adsorption of essential biomolecules by case studies of DNA and HSA

Abstract

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma     

Design,synthesis and DNA interaction studies of new fluorescent platinum complex containing anti-HIV drug didanosine

Abstract

Forming coordination complexes with nucleoside analogues may be helpful in studying anti-tumour activity of them. Therefore, to improve the clinical efficacy of nucleoside analogue and design new ones, a new fluorescent platinum (Pt) complex with anti-human immunodeficiency virus drug didanosine (ddI); K[PtCl(OCH₃)₂(ddI)]; was synthesized and characterized. The ultraviolet–visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, infrared, thermogravimetric analysis, mass assignments and elemental analysis confirmed the preparation of the complex. The molecular ion peaks seen at the positive mass spectrum of Pt complex confirm coordination of the drug to metal centre. The interaction of this complex with calf thymus DNA (ct-DNA) was studied using several spectroscopic techniques such as UV absorption, fluorescence spectroscopy and dynamic viscosity measurements. Hyperchromism of the band in the UV-vis spectra and the intrinsic binding constant (0.56?±?0.25) × 10⁴ M^?1, decreasing in Hoechst-DNA fluorescence by adding Pt complex concentration and also relatively small changes in DNA viscosity indicated that this complex could interact as a groove-binder. According to the UV spectra and the fluorescence quenching of the complex in our case seems to be primarily caused by complex formation between the Pt complex and DNA. The thermodynamic parameters showed that hydrogen bond and van der Waals interactions play main roles in the binding of Pt complex to ct-DNA. The free energy values are negative, showing the spontaneity of the Pt complex–DNA binding. The docking simulation was performed and the results confirm a preference of groove site of synthesized complex on DNA helix. The knowledge gained from this study will be helpful to further understand the DNA binding mechanism and can also provide much fruitful information for designing a new type of anti-cancer drugs.

Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma     

Pyrococcus furiosus 4Fe-ferredoxin, chemisorbed on gold, exhibits gated reduction and ionic strength dependent dimerization

Pyrococcus furiosus ferredoxin is a small metalloprotein that shuttles electrons between redox enzymes. In its native 4Fe-4S form the protein is highly thermostable. In addition to three cluster-ligating cysteines, two surface cysteine residues (C21 and C48) are present. We used the reactivity of these surface thiols to directly immobilize ferredoxin on a bare gold electrode, with an orientation in which the cluster is exposed to solution. Voltammetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and atomic force microscopy (AFM) studies established the immobilization of the 4Fe form. Native and recombinant wild-type ferredoxins were compared with the C48S, C21S, and C21S/C48S mutants. The variants with one and two surface cysteines can be directly chemisorbed on bare gold. Cyclic voltammetry demonstrated that the reduction potentials are similar to those in solution. The interfacial electron transfer kinetics revealed that the reduction is gated by the interconversion between two oxidized species. AFM images showed that dimers are chemisorbed at low ionic strength, while monomers are present at high ionic strength. XPS spectra revealed the presence of S, Fe, C, N, and O at the surface, which are assigned to the corresponding atoms in the peptide and the cofactor. Analysis of the sulfur spectrum corroborates that both C21 and C48 form gold-thiolate bonds. Moreover, two inorganic sulfide and two iron species were identified, suggesting an inhomogeneous charge distribution in the 4Fe-4S cluster. In conclusion, P. furiosus ferredoxin can be directly and vectorially chemisorbed on gold with retention of its properties. This may provide a biocompatible electrode surface with docking sites for redox enzymes.