Role of Bacillus licheniformis in Phytoremediation of Nickel Contaminated Soil Cultivated with Rice

Heavy metal contamination in soil is an important environmental problem and it has negative effect on agriculture. Bacteria play a major role in phytoremediation of heavy metals contaminated soil. In this study, the effect of Bacillus licheniformis NCCP-59, a halophilic bacterium isolated from salt mines near Karak, Pakistan, were determined on a three week old greenhouse grown seedling and germinating seeds of two rice varieties (Basmati-385 (B-385) and KSK-282) in soil contaminated with different concentrations (0, 100, 250, 500, and 1000 ppm) of Nickel. Nickel significantly reduced the germination rate and germination percentage mainly at 500 and 1000 ppm. Significant decrease in ion contents (Na, K, and Ca) was observed while Ni ion concentration in the plant tissues increases as the concentration of Ni applied increases. The photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a (chl a), chlorophyll b (chl b), and carotenoids) were also decreased by the application of different concentrations of Ni. Total protein and organic nitrogen were found to be reduced at higher concentrations of Nickel. Inoculation of Bacillus Licheniformis NCCP-59 improved seed germination and biochemical attribute of the plant under Ni stress. It is clear from the results that the Bacillus Licheniformis NCCP-59 strain has the ability to protect the plants from the toxic effects of nickel and can be used for the phytoremediation of Ni contaminated soil.     

Punicalagin Targets Atherosclerosis: Gene Expression Profiling of THP-1 Macrophages Treated with Punicalagin and Molecular Docking

Atherosclerosis is an important cause of cardiovascular disorders worldwide. Natural botanical drugs have attracted attention due to their antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiatherogenic properties in the treatment of atherosclerosis. Punicalagin is the major bioactive component of pomegranate peel, and has been shown to have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, anti proliferation, and anticancer properties. To explore its antiatherogenic properties at a molecular level, we investigated the genome-wide expression changes that occur in differentiated THP1 cells following treatment with a non-toxic dose of punicalagin. We also conducted a molecular docking simulation study to identify the molecular targets of punicalagin.     

Biocatalysts: Beautiful creatures

The chemical industry has come under increasing pressure to make chemical production more eco-friendly and independent to fossil resources. The development of industrial processes based on micro-organisms can especially help to eliminate the use or the generation of hazardous substances and can support the transition from dependence on fossil resources towards real sustainable and eco-safety industrial processes. The biocatalysts are the best solution given by nature that can be used to improve some biotechnological applications. In this research review, we report some peculiar properties of biocatalysts, implicated in a range of metabolic pathways and biotechnological tools.     

Recessive Mutations in COL25A1 Are a Cause of Congenital Cranial Dysinnervation Disorder

Abnormal ocular motility is a common clinical feature in congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder (CCDD). To date, eight genes related to neuronal development have been associated with different CCDD phenotypes. By using linkage analysis, candidate gene screening, and exome sequencing, we identified three mutations in collagen, type XXV, alpha 1 (COL25A1) in individuals with autosomal-recessive inheritance of CCDD ophthalmic phenotypes. These mutations affected either stability or levels of the protein. We further detected altered levels of sAPP (neuronal protein involved in axon guidance and synaptogenesis) and TUBB3 (encoded by TUBB3, which is mutated in CFEOM3) as a result of null mutations in COL25A1. Our data suggest that lack of COL25A1 might interfere with molecular pathways involved in oculomotor neuron development, leading to CCDD phenotypes.     

Fish eco-genotoxicology: Comet and micronucleus assay in fish erythrocytes as in situ biomarker of freshwater pollution

Owing to white meat production Labeo rohita have vast economic importance, but its population has been reduced drastically in River Chenab due to pollution. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry showed a merciless toxicity level of Cd, Cu, Mn, Zn, Pb, Cr, Sn and Hg. Comet assay results indicated significant (p?<?.05) DNA fragmentation in Labeo rohita as 42.21?±?2.06%, 31.26?±?2.41% and 21.84?±?2.21% DNA in comet tail, tail moment as 17.71?±?1.79, 10.30?±?1.78 and 7.81?±?1.56, olive moment as 13.58?±?1.306, 8.10?±?1.04 and 5.88?±?0.06, respectively, from three different polluted sites on the river. Micronucleus assay showed similar findings of single micronucleus induction (MN) as 50.00?±?6.30‰, double MN 14.40?±?2.56‰, while nuclear abnormalities (NA) were found as 150.00?±?2.92‰. These higher frequencies of MN induction and NA were found to be the cause of reduction of 96% of the population of this fish species in an experimental area of the River Chenab. This fish species has been found near extinction through the length of the river Chenab and few specimens in rainy seasons if restored by flood, may die in sugarcane mill season. Due to sweeping extinction Labeo rohita showed the highest sensitivity for pollution and could be used as bioindicator and DNA fragmentation in this column feeder fish species as a biomarker of the pollution load in freshwater bodies.     

Dynamics of fluoroquinolones induced resistance in DNA gyrase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis

DNA gyrase is a validated target of fluoroquinolones which are key components of multidrug resistance tuberculosis (TB) treatment. Most frequent occurring mutations associated with high level of resistance to fluoroquinolone in clinical isolates of TB patients are A90V, D94G, and A90V–D94G (double mutant [DM]), present in the larger subunit of DNA Gyrase. In order to explicate the molecular mechanism of drug resistance corresponding to these mutations, molecular dynamics (MD) and mechanics approach was applied. Structure-based molecular docking of complex comprised of DNA bound with Gyrase A (large subunit) and Gyrase C (small subunit) with moxifloxacin (MFX) revealed high binding affinity to wild type with considerably high Glide XP docking score of ?7.88 kcal/mol. MFX affinity decreases toward single mutants and was minimum toward the DM with a docking score of ?3.82 kcal/mol. Docking studies were also performed against 8-Methyl-moxifloxacin which exhibited higher binding affinity against wild and mutants DNA gyrase when compared to MFX. Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area method predicted the binding free energy of the wild, A90V, D94G, and DM complexes to be ?55.81, ?25.87, ?20.45, and ?12.29 kcal/mol, respectively. These complexes were further subjected to 30 ns long MD simulations to examine significant interactions and conformational flexibilities in terms of root mean square deviation, root mean square fluctuation, and strength of hydrogen bond formed. This comparative drug interaction analysis provides systematic insights into the mechanism behind drug resistance and also paves way toward identifying potent lead compounds that could combat drug resistance of DNA gyrase due to mutations.     

Elicitor mediated enhancement of wedelolactone in cell suspension culture of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Eclipta alba</Emphasis> (L.) Hassk

The present research focused on enhancing the production of wedelolactone through cell suspension culture (CSC) in Eclipta alba (L.) Hassk. With an aim of attaining a sustainable CSC, various plant growth regulators, elicitors and agitation speed were examined. Nodal segments of in vitro propagated plantlets induced the maximum percentage (93.47?±?0.61%) of callus inoculated on Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium fortified with picloram (2 mg L^?1). The growth kinetics of CSC exhibited a sigmoid pattern with a lag phase (0–6 days), a log phase (6–18 days), a stationary phase (18–24 days) and then death phase thereafter. The highest biomass accumulation in CSC with 7.09?±?0.06 g 50 mL^?1 fresh weight, 1.52?±?0.02 g 50 mL^?1 dry cell weight, 1.34?±?0.01?×?10⁶ cell mL^?1 total cell count and 57.00?±?0.58% packed cell volume was obtained in the liquid MS medium supplemented with 1.5 mg L^?1 picloram plus 0.5 mg L^?1 kinetin at 120 rpm. High performance thin layer chromatography confirmed that yeast extract (biotic elicitor) at 150 mg L^?1 accumulated more CSC biomass with 1.22-fold increase in wedelolactone (288.97?±?1.94 µg g^?1 dry weight) content in comparison to the non-elicited CSC (237.78?±?0.04 µg g^?1 dry weight) after 120 h of incubation. Contrastingly, methyl jasmonate (abiotic elicitor) did not alter the biomass but increased the wedelolactone content (259.32?±?1.06 µg g^?1 dry weight) to an extent of 1.09-fold at 100 µM. Complete plantlet regeneration from CSC was possible on MS medium containing N⁶-benzyladenine (0.75 mg L^?1) and abscisic acid (0.5 mg L^?1). Thus, the establishment of protocol for CSC constitutes the bases for future biotechnological improvement studies in this crop.     

Priming and memory of stress responses in organisms lacking a nervous system

Experience and memory of environmental stimuli that indicate future stress can prepare (prime) organismic stress responses even in species lacking a nervous system. The process through which such organisms prepare their phenotype for an improved response to future stress has been termed ‘priming’. However, other terms are also used for this phenomenon, especially when considering priming in different types of organisms and when referring to different stressors. Here we propose a conceptual framework for priming of stress responses in bacteria, fungi and plants which allows comparison of priming with other terms, e.g. adaptation, acclimation, induction, acquired resistance and cross protection. We address spatial and temporal aspects of priming and highlight current knowledge about the mechanisms necessary for information storage which range from epigenetic marks to the accumulation of (dormant) signalling molecules. Furthermore, we outline possible patterns of primed stress responses. Finally, we link the ability of organisms to become primed for stress responses (their ‘primability’) with evolutionary ecology aspects and discuss which properties of an organism and its environment may favour the evolution of priming of stress responses.