Bio-transformation of artemisinin using soil microbe: Direct C-acetoxylation of artemisinin at C-9 by Penicillium simplissimum

Potent antimalarial compound artemisinin, 1 was bio-transformed to C-9 acetoxy artemisinin, 2 using soil microbe Penicillium simplissimum along with C-9 hydroxy derivative 3. The products were characterized using high field NMR and MS–MS data. The absolute stereochemistry of the newly generated chiral centers has been ascertained by COSY and 1D NOESY experiments. This is the first Letter of direct C-acetoxylation of artemisinin using microbial strains.     

Record of Lower Gondwana megafloral assemblage from Lower Kamthi Formation of Ib River Coalfield, Orissa, India

Recent investigations carried out in the Ib River Coalfield, Mahanadi Master Basin, Orissa, identified some fossiliferous beds in the Lower Gondwana deposits. Two exposures of the Lower Kamthi Formation yielded diverse and abundant plant remains, which includeNeomariopteris, Vertebraria, and a scale leaf along with 14Glossopteris species otherwise mapped as Barren Measures and Upper Kamthi formations.Glossopteris indica dominates the flora (22.78%) followed byG. communis (17.72%) andG. browniana (13.92%). Based on megafloral assemblages, different beds exposed at Gopalpur and Laxamanpur Pahar are assigned here to the Lower Kamthi Formation (Late Permian). The floristic composition suggests that a warm and humid climate prevailed during the Late Permian. The status of the Kamthi Formation in the Ib River Coalfield has been redefined in the present study.     

Maximization of bioconversion of castor oil into ricinoleic acid by response surface methodology

In this study, response surface methodology was applied to optimize process variables like temperature, pH, enzyme concentration (mg/g oil), and buffer concentration (g/g oil) for hydrolysis of castor oil using Candida rugosa lipase. A 2⁴ full factorial central composite design was used to develop the quadratic model that was subsequently optimized and the optimal conditions were as follows: temperature 40 °C, pH 7.72, enzyme concentration 5.28 mg/g oil, buffer concentration 1 g/g oil and there was 65.5% conversion in 6 h. These predicted optimal conditions agreed well with the experimental results. This is the first report on the application of response surface methodology in castor oil hydrolysis using C. rugosa lipase with higher percentage conversion in 6 h.     

Degradation of Trichloroethylene by <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus</Emphasis> sp.: Isolation Strategy,Strain Characteristics,and Cell Immobilization

A novel isolate of a bacterium, capable of degrading trichloroethylene (TCE) and growing on this as the sole carbon source is reported. The test strain was isolated by an enrichment technique with trichloroethylene as the substrate. The isolated strain belongs to the genus Bacillus. The practical utility of cleaning up oil spillage by bioremediation could be extended to this bacterium to degrade the environmental pollutant, which is used in metal degreasing in industries. Cells of the novel bacterium immobilized on calcium alginate were found to have better trichloroethylene degrading activity than the ones which were immobilized on agar-agar or free cells.     

Polymorphism of fecundity genes (BMPR1B, BMP15 and GDF9) in the Indian prolific Black Bengal goat

The Black Bengal is a prolific goat breed in India. Natural mutations in prolific sheep breeds have shown that the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) super family ligands such as growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and their type I receptor (bone morphogenetic protein receptor, BMPR1B) are crucial for ovulation and as well as for increasing litter size. Mutations in any of these genes increased prolificacy in sheep. Based on the known mutation information in sheep PCR primers were designed to screen known polymorphism in 88 random Black Bengal goats. Only the BMPR1B gene was polymorphic. Three genotypes of animals were detected in tested animals with mutant (FecB^B) and wild type (FecB⁺) alleles were 0.57 and 0.43, respectively. Non-carrier, heterozygous carrier and homozygous carrier Black Bengal does had 2.7, 3.04 and 3.11 kids, respectively. All known point mutations of BMP15 and GDF9 genes were monomorphic in the animals tested. These results preliminarily showed that the BMPR1B gene might be a major gene that influences prolificacy of Black Bengal goats.     

Biodegradation of α and β endosulfan in broth medium and soil microcosm by bacterial strain Bordetella sp. B9

Bacterial strains were isolated from endosulfan treated soil to study the microbial degradation of this pesticide in broth medium and soil microcosm. The isolates were grown in minimal medium and screened for endosulfan degradation. The strain, which utilized endosulfan and showed maximum growth, was selected for detail studies. Maximum degrading capability in shake flask culture was shown by Bordetella sp. B9 which degraded 80% of α endosulfan and 86% of β endosulfan in 18 days. Soil microcosm study was also carried out using this strain in six different treatments. Endosulfan ether and endosulfan lactone were the main metabolites in broth culture, while in soil microcosm endosulfan sulfate was also found along with endosulfan ether and endosulfan lactone. This bacterial strain has a potential to be used for bioremediation of the contaminated sites.     

Structural analysis and properties of dextran produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-640

A water-soluble dextran was produced by purified dextransucrase from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-640. The dextran was purified by alcohol precipitation. The structure of dextran was determined by FT-IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR and 2-dimensional NMR spectroscopic techniques. NMR techniques (1D ¹H, ¹³C and 2D HMQC) were used to fully assign the ¹H and ¹³C spectra. All the spectral data showed that the dextran contains d-glucose residues in a linear chain with consecutive α(1 → 6) linkages. No branching was observed in the dextran structure. The viscosity of dextran solution decreased with the increase in shear rate exhibiting a typical non-Newtonian pseudoplastic behavior. The surface morphology of dried and powdered dextran studied using Scanning electron microscopy revealed the cubical porous structure.     

Micropropagation and slow growth conservation of cardamom (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Elettaria cardamomum</Emphasis> Maton)

Cardamom (Elettaria cardamomum Maton) has great commercial value as a spice crop in India. A one-step protocol for direct regeneration of plants and in vitro conservation by slow growth method has been developed. A maximum of 6.5 shoots/culture were obtained in 2 mo or 15.1 shoots/culture in 4 mo on Murashige and Skoog (Physiol Plant 15:473–497, 1962) medium (MS) + 5 μM benzylaminopurine gelled with 0.7% agar (micropropagation medium). Rooting also occurred simultaneously on the same medium. Using one shoot tip or nodal explant, about 30,375 plants can be regenerated in a year on the micropropagation medium. In vitro conservation by slow growth method was achieved on 1/2 MS (major salts) + 5 μM BAP + 0.7% agar (conservation medium); about 70% of the cultures survived up to 18 mo at 25 ± 2°C. Successful regrowth of plants on micropropagation medium was obtained by culturing nodal explants excised from 18-mo-old conserved plants. Some 96% of the plants survived the hardening treatment and grew normally in a greenhouse. If 24 cultures are conserved on the conservation medium, it is possible to regenerate at least 750 plants by using explants derived from 70% of the surviving shoots and culturing the same in micropropagation medium for 4 mo. These plants may be used for planting or as a source of explants for the next conservation cycle. On the basis of 20 random amplified polymorphic DNA and 13 inter-simple sequence repeat primers analyses, no significant reproducible variation was detected among the in vitro-conserved plants compared with the mother plants.