Evaluation of terrestrial plants extracts for uranium sorption and characterization of potent phytoconstituents

Sorption capacity of four plants (Funaria hygrometrica, Musa acuminata, Brassica juncea and Helianthus annuus) extracts/fractions for uranium, a radionuclide was investigated by EDXRF and tracer studies. The maximum sorption capacity, i.e., 100% (complete sorption) was observed in case of Musa acuminata extract and fractions. Carbohydrate, proteins, phenolics and flavonoids contents in the active fraction (having maximum sorption capacity) were also determined. Further purification of the most active fraction provided three pure molecules, mannitol, sorbitol and oxo-linked potassium oxalate. The characterization of isolated molecules was achieved by using FTIR, NMR, GC-MS, MS-MS, and by single crystal-XRD analysis. Of three molecules, oxo-linked potassium oxalate was observed to have 100% sorption activity. Possible binding mechanism of active molecule with the uranyl cation has been purposed.     

Identification and characterization of endoglucanases for fungicidal activity in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Anabaena laxa</Emphasis> (Cyanobacteria)

A cyanobacterial strain (Anabaena laxa RPAN8) exhibiting fungicidal activity and β-1,3 and 1,4 endoglucanase activities was selected for identifying the gene(s) involved. Functional analyses of the genomic library revealed that four clones (8, 64, 116, and 248) of RPAN8 exhibited fungicidal activity and induced structural deformities in the cell wall of the growing mycelia of Pythium aphanidermatum. Higher expression of fungicidal and β-1,4 endoglucanase activities, along with low expression of β-1,3 endoglucanase activity, was recorded in two E. coli clones (8 and 64). Clones 8 and 64 exhibited identical sequences while clones 116 and 248 were also similar. Bioinformatic analyses were undertaken only for the two non-identical clones 8 and 116 which showed open reading frames (ORFs) of 348 (end 1) and 656 amino acid residues (end 2), respectively. The amino acid sequence analyses revealed that the end 1 encoding endoglucanases belonged to peptidase M20 family while end 2 showed significant similarities with several known genes. The putative promoters and ribosomal binding sites were identified and amino acid exchanges were observed in both end 1 and 2. The presence of signal peptides of 24 and 20 amino acid residues respectively revealed the secretory nature of these proteins.     

Biosynthesis of N-acylethanolamine phospholipids by dog brain preparations

Abstract: Dog brain homogenates and subcellular preparations incubated in the presence of Ca²⁺ produced a new phospholipid that was isolated and identified by its infrared spectrum and by chemical degradation as a mixture of 1, 2-diacyl, alkenylacyl, and alkylacyl sn -glycero-3-phospho ( N -acyl)ethanolamines, 50, 45, and 5%, respectively. The N -acyl groups consisted almost exclusively of 16:0, 18:0, and 18:1 fatty acids. Formation of N -acylethanolamine phospholipids from endogenous substrates was linear for about 90 min at approximately 4.5 nmol/h/mg protein and exhibited a pH optimum of 10. Biosynthetic activity was associated with particulate fractions, primarily microsomes, synaptosomes, and mitochondria, but not with myelin. In each case, small amounts (∼0.5 nmol/h/mg protein) of long-chain N -acylethanolamines were also produced. Incubation of dog brain microsomes with 1,2-di[1'-¹⁴C]palmitoyl glycero-phosphocholine yielded N -acylethanolamine phospholipids labeled at both N -acyl (55%) and O -acyl (45%) moieties. It appears that dog brain organelles may contain a phosphatidylethanolamine N -acyl transferase (transacylase) analogous to that recently demonstrated in the myocardial tissue.     

Optimization of humanized IgGs in glycoengineered Pichia pastoris

As the fastest growing class of therapeutic proteins, monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) represent a major potential drug class. Human antibodies are glycosylated in their native state and all clinically approved mAbs are produced by mammalian cell lines, which secrete mAbs with glycosylation structures that are similar, but not identical, to their human counterparts. Glycosylation of mAbs influences their interaction with immune effector cells that kill antibody-targeted cells. Here we demonstrate that human antibodies with specific human N-glycan structures can be produced in glycoengineered lines of the yeast Pichia pastoris and that antibody-mediated effector functions can be optimized by generating specific glycoforms. Glycoengineered P. pastoris provides a general platform for producing recombinant antibodies with human N-glycosylation.     

Multigene CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing of hybrid proline rich proteins (HyPRPs) for sustainable multi-stress tolerance in crops: the review of a promising approach

Physiology and Molecular Biology of Plants - The recent global climate change has directly impacted major biotic and abiotic stress factors affecting crop productivity worldwide. Therefore, the...     

The nature and repair of DNA lesions that lead to chromosomal aberrations induced by ionizing radiations

Short treatment (up to 1 h) of cytosine arabinoside (araC) increases the frequencies of aberrations induced by X-rays in human lymphocytes, evaluated at the first mitosis following stimulation, or as prematurely condensed chromosomes of G₀ nuclei. Parallel biochemical experiments using nucleoid sedimentation technique, demonstrate that araC inhibits rejoining of DNA-strand breaks effectively. These results point out that X-ray-induced short-lived DNA strand breaks lead to chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes.     

Influence of bromodeoxyuridine substitution of thymidine on sister-chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations induced by restriction endonucleases

Different levels of replacement of thymidine by 5-bromodeoxyuridine in mammalian DNA have been used to analyze restriction endonuclease-dependent induction of sister-chromatid exchanges and chromosomal aberrations. Data regarding enzyme action in whole cells and in isolated nuclei are presented and discussed. The results indicate a lack of correlation between enzyme effectiveness and the degree of 5-bromodeoxyuridine substitution in the target sequences, specific to the tested restriction endonucleases.     

Design,Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of 2‐(2‐Bromo‐3‐nitrophenyl)‐5‐phenyl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole Derivatives as Possible Anti‐Breast Cancer Agents

Breast Cancer (BCa) is the most often diagnosed cancer among women who were in the late 1940’s. Breast cancer growth is largely dependent on the expression of estrogen and progesterone receptor. Breast cancer cells may have one, both, or none of these receptors. The treatment for breast cancer may involve surgery, hormonal therapy (Tamoxifen, an aromatase inhibitor, etc.) and oral chemotherapeutic drugs. The molecular docking technique reported the findings on the potential binding modes of the 2‐(2‐bromo‐3‐nitrophenyl)‐5‐phenyl‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole derivatives with the estrogen receptor (PDB ID: 3ERT). The 1,3,4‐oxadiazole derivatives 4a – 4j have been synthesized and described by spectroscopic method. 2‐(2‐Bromo‐6‐nitrophenyl)‐5‐(4‐bromophenyl)‐1,3,4‐oxadiazole ( 4c ) was reconfirmed by single‐crystal XRD. All the compounds have been tested in combination with generic Imatinib pharmaceutical drug against breast cancer cell lines isolated from Caucasian woman MCF‐7, MDA‐MB‐453 and MCF‐10A non‐cancer cell lines. The compounds with the methoxy (in 4c ) and methyl (in 4j ) substitution were shown to have significant cytotoxicity, with 4c showing dose‐dependent activation and decreased cell viability. The mechanism of action was reported by induced apoptosis and tested by a DNA enzyme inhibitor experiment (ELISA) for Methyl Transferase. Molecular dynamics simulations were made for hit molecule 4c to study the stability and interaction of the protein?ligand complex. The toxicity properties of ADME were calculated for all the compounds. All these results provide essential information for further clinical trials.     

Induced Stress on Red Blood Cell Promotes Red Blood Cell-Endothelial Adhesion

Cell and Tissue Biology - Besides disease condition, very few stress stimulants were determined to provoke red blood cell (RBC) adhesion to endothelial cells (EC). However, the possible role of...