Aspergillus biofilms: clinical and industrial significance

The biofilm phenotype is an increasingly important concept in mycological research. Recently, there has been a developing interest in whether Aspergillus species are truly able to form biofilms or not. Industrial mycologists have long been aware of biofilms and their benefit in fermentation processes, whereas clinically their role is uncertain. This review provides an update on the impact that Aspergillus biofilms have medically and industrially, and will discuss biofilm development, and our current understanding of its molecular basis. The role of exopolymeric substance and how this substance relates to antimicrobial recalcitrance will also be discussed.     

Synthesis of more potent analogues of the acetylcholinesterase inhibitor,huperzine B

The synthesis and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activity of analogues of huperzine B are reported. These new racemic analogues show a better AChE inhibitory activity than the natural product huperzine B.     

Traumatic suprahepatic inferior vena cava injury: surgical management

SUMMARY:: Suprahepatic inferior vena caval (IVC) injuries are rare but carry nearly a 100% mortality rate. The main problem with its surgical management is the technical difficulty in draining the IVC during cardiopulmonary bypass. In this report, an efficient method of IVC drainage for repair of the IVC on cardiopulmonary bypass is described.     

Evaluation of Various Unstructured Kinetic Models for the Production of Protease by Bacillus sphaericus MTTC511

Bacillus sphaericus MTCC511 was used for the production of protease in submerged batch fermentation. Maximum protease activity of 1010 U/L was obtained during a fermentation period of 24 h under optimized conditions of 30 °C in a medium with an initial pH of 7 and at a shaking rate of 120 rpm. The maximum biomass obtained in the batch fermentation was 2.55 g/L after 16 h. Various unstructured models were analyzed to simulate the experimental values of microbial growth, protease activity and substrate concentration. The unstructured models, i.e. the Monod model for microbial growth, the Monod incorporated Luedeking‐Piret model for the production of protease and the Monod‐incorporated modified Luedeking‐Piret model for the utilization of substrate were capable of predicting the fermentation profile with high coefficient of determination (R²) values of 0.9967, 0.9402 and 0.9729, respectively. The results indicated that the unstructured models were able to describe the fermentation kinetics more effectively.     

Entropic Control of an Excited Folded-Like Conformation in a Disordered Protein Ensemble

Many intrinsically disordered proteins switch between unfolded and folded-like forms in the presence of their binding partner. The possibility of a pre-equilibrium between the two macrostates is challenging to discern given the complex conformational landscape. Here, we show that CytR, a disordered DNA-binding domain, samples a folded-like excited state in its native ensemble through equilibrium multi-probe spectroscopy, kinetics and an Ising-like statistical mechanical model. The population of the excited state increases upon stabilization of the native ensemble with an osmolyte, while decreasing with increasing temperatures. A conserved proline residue, the mutation of which weakens the binding affinity to the target promoter, is found to uniquely control the population of the minor excited state. Semi-quantitative statistical mechanical modeling reveals that the conformational diffusion coefficient of disordered CytR is an order of magnitude slower than the estimates from folded domains. The osmolyte and proline mutation smoothen and roughen up the landscape, respectively, apart from modulation of populations. Our work uncovers general strategies to probe for excited structured states in disordered ensembles, and to measure and modulate the roughness of the disordered landscapes, inter-conversion rates of species and their populations.     

The MADD-3 LAMMER Kinase Interacts with a p38 MAP Kinase Pathway to Regulate the Display of the EVA-1 Guidance Receptor in Caenorhabditis elegans

The proper display of transmembrane receptors on the leading edge of migrating cells and cell extensions is essential for their response to guidance cues. We previously discovered that MADD-4, which is an ADAMTSL secreted by motor neurons in Caenorhabditis elegans, interacts with an UNC-40/EVA-1 co-receptor complex on muscles to attract plasma membrane extensions called muscle arms. In nematodes, the muscle arm termini harbor the post-synaptic elements of the neuromuscular junction. Through a forward genetic screen for mutants with disrupted muscle arm extension, we discovered that a LAMMER kinase, which we call MADD-3, is required for the proper display of the EVA-1 receptor on the muscle’s plasma membrane. Without MADD-3, EVA-1 levels decrease concomitantly with a reduction of the late-endosomal marker RAB-7. Through a genetic suppressor screen, we found that the levels of EVA-1 and RAB-7 can be restored in madd-3 mutants by eliminating the function of a p38 MAP kinase pathway. We also found that EVA-1 and RAB-7 will accumulate in madd-3 mutants upon disrupting CUP-5, which is a mucolipin ortholog required for proper lysosome function. Together, our data suggests that the MADD-3 LAMMER kinase antagonizes the p38-mediated endosomal trafficking of EVA-1 to the lysosome. In this way, MADD-3 ensures that sufficient levels of EVA-1 are present to guide muscle arm extension towards the source of the MADD-4 guidance cue.     

Efficacy of new EC formulation derived from garlic creeper (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Adenocalymma</Emphasis><Emphasis Type=Italic>alliaceum</Emphasis> Miers.) against anthracnose and stem end rot diseases of mango

Different leaf extracts of Garlic creeper (Adenocalymma alliaceum Miers.) using water and solvents were prepared and they were screened for their antifungal activity against Colletotricum gloeosporioides Penz. and Botryodiplodia theobromae Pat. causal agents of mango post harvest diseases viz., anthracnose and stem end rot respectively. Among the extracts tested, chloroform extract was found to be highly effective in inhibiting the spore germination of C. gloeosporioides by 84.62% and B. theobromae by 84.50% followed by methanol extract. The extracts were also inhibitory to the mycelium. Ammonium sulphate precipitation and SDS–PAGE analysis of the extract indicated the presence of a major protein with a molecular weight at 65 kDa. Two blue spots at Rf 0.96 and 0.80 was also observed in TLC analysis and the presence of tannic acid, resorcinol was evident from HPLC analysis. Treatment of fruits with leaf extract of A. alliaceum increased the activities of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and sugars with significant reduction in starch, phenolics, protein and ascorbic acid. The extract was partially purified and formulated as ADENOCAL 60 EC for the management of post harvest diseases of mango fruits.     

Anthocyanin production in callus cultures ofDaucus carota as influenced by nutrient stress and osmoticum

Summary Daucus carota callus developed red pigments under the influence of indole-3 acetic acid and kinetin. Maximum yield of anthocyanin at the end of 3 weeks was 5.4% on dry weight basis. The callus subjected to phosphate and nitrate stress produced 7.2% and 8.5% anthocyanin respectively. Feeding of sucrose at 7.5% level resulted in production of 15% anthocyanin. Mannitol as osmoticum had positive influence on anthocyanin production.