An extensive review on antifungal approaches in the treatment of mucormycosis

During the period of COVID-19, the occurrences of mucormycosis in immunocompromised patients have increased significantly. Mucormycosis (black fungus) is a rare and rapidly progressing fungal infection associated with high mortality and morbidity in India as well as globally. The causative agents for this infection are collectively called mucoromycetes which are the members of the order Mucorales. The diagnosis of the infection needs to be performed as soon as the occurrence of clinical symptoms which differs with types of Mucorales infection. Imaging techniques magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography scan, culture testing, and microscopy are the approaches for the diagnosis. After the diagnosis of the infection is confirmed, rapid action is needed for the treatment in the form of antifungal therapy or surgery depending upon the severity of the infection. Delaying in treatment declines the chances of survival. In antifungal therapy, there are two approaches first-line therapy (monotherapy) and combination therapy. Amphotericin B ( 1 ) and isavuconazole ( 2 ) are the drugs of choice for first-line therapy in the treatment of mucormycosis. Salvage therapy with posaconazole ( 3 ) and deferasirox ( 4 ) is another approach for patients who are not responsible for any other therapy. Adjunctive therapy is also used in the treatment of mucormycosis along with first-line therapy, which involves hyperbaric oxygen and cytokine therapy. There are some drugs like VT-1161 ( 5 ) and APX001A ( 6 ), Colistin, SCH 42427, and PC1244 that are under clinical trials. Despite all these approaches, none can be 100% successful in giving results. Therefore, new medications with favorable or little side effects are required for the treatment of mucormycosis.     

Viral impacts on honey bee populations: A review

Honey bee is vital for pollination and ecological services, boosting crops productivity in terms of quality and quantity and production of colony products: wax, royal jelly, bee venom, honey, pollen and propolis. Honey bees are most important plant pollinators and almost one third of diet depends on bee’s pollination, worth billions of dollars. Hence the role that honey bees have in environment and their economic importance in food production, their health is of dominant significance. Honey bees can be infected by various pathogens like: viruses, bacteria, fungi, or infested by parasitic mites. At least more than 20 viruses have been identified to infect honey bees worldwide, generally from Dicistroviridae as well as Iflaviridae families, like ABPV (Acute Bee Paralysis Virus), BQCV (Black Queen Cell Virus), KBV (Kashmir Bee Virus), SBV (Sacbrood Virus), CBPV (Chronic bee paralysis virus), SBPV (Slow Bee Paralysis Virus) along with IAPV (Israeli acute paralysis virus), and DWV (Deformed Wing Virus) are prominent and cause infections harmful for honey bee colonies health. This issue about honey bee viruses demonstrates remarkably how diverse this field is, and considerable work has to be done to get a comprehensive interpretation of the bee virology.     

Partial cloning and production of polyclonal antiserum against recombinant capsid protein of Hepatopancreatic Parvovirus (HPV) and its application for diagnostics in penaeid shrimp

Hepatopancreatic Parvovirus (HPV) causes infection in the early stages of shrimp leading to retarded growth, ultimaltely resulting in monetary loss to the shrimp farmers. To over come this situation screening of post-larvae (PL) by immunology-based diagnostics is required. Hence, the specific gene of capsid protein for HPV was cloned into pRSET B expression vector and rHCP overexpressed with 6-histidine tagged fusion protein in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Immunology-based methods like Western blot, dot blot and ELISA techniques were employed to detect HPV in infected samples using the antiserum raised in rabbits against recombinant HCP of HPV. The dot blot assay using anti-rHCP was found to be capable of detecting HPV in HPV infected post-larvae as early as at 24 h post infection. The antiserum could detect the HPV in the infected samples at 1 ng of total protein. HPV infection estimated by ELISA using anti-HCP and pure r-HCP as a standard was found to increase gradually during the course of infection from 24 h post infection. The sensitivity of antibody-based diagnostics employed in the present study was compared with that of PCR diagnostic method to screen the post-larvae for the detection of HPV.     

Estimation of Jordanian isolated Pectobacterium cellulase,pectinase concentrations,RAPD polymorphism and their maceration activity

Forty-two Pectobacterium isolates were recovered from contaminated soil and rotted vegetables in Jordan. Twenty of them were belonged to; Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. Carotovorum (Pbc) (= Erwinia carotovora subsp. carotovora), 11 isolates were belonged to Pectobacterium atrospeticum (= Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica) (Pba) and 11 isolates were not classifiable (Pbs). Maceration activity of the 42 proved their ability to macerate potato, carrot and radish slices. Maceration activity of the isolates either of the same subspecies or in between the isolates of different subspecies isolated from the same host or from different hosts was varied. The measured concentration in μM?ml^?1 of both cellulase and pectinase enzymes was variable too. The Rapid amplified polymorphic DNA-PCR finger printing of total genomic DNA using a pair of 10-mer oligonucleotide primers amplification showed similar DNA bands with some polymorphic variations amongst the isolates.     

Saikosaponin-d,a novel SERCA inhibitor,induces autophagic cell death in apoptosis-defective cells

Autophagy is an important cellular process that controls cells in a normal homeostatic state by recycling nutrients to maintain cellular energy levels for cell survival via the turnover of proteins and damaged organelles. However, persistent activation of autophagy can lead to excessive depletion of cellular organelles and essential proteins, leading to caspase-independent autophagic cell death. As such, inducing cell death through this autophagic mechanism could be an alternative approach to the treatment of cancers. Recently, we have identified a novel autophagic inducer, saikosaponin-d (Ssd), from a medicinal plant that induces autophagy in various types of cancer cells through the formation of autophagosomes as measured by GFP-LC3 puncta formation. By computational virtual docking analysis, biochemical assays and advanced live-cell imaging techniques, Ssd was shown to increase cytosolic calcium level via direct inhibition of sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺ ATPase pump, leading to autophagy induction through the activation of the Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent kinase kinase–AMP-activated protein kinase–mammalian target of rapamycin pathway. In addition, Ssd treatment causes the disruption of calcium homeostasis, which induces endoplasmic reticulum stress as well as the unfolded protein responses pathway. Ssd also proved to be a potent cytotoxic agent in apoptosis-defective or apoptosis-resistant mouse embryonic fibroblast cells, which either lack caspases 3, 7 or 8 or had the Bax-Bak double knockout. These results provide a detailed understanding of the mechanism of action of Ssd, as a novel autophagic inducer, which has the potential of being developed into an anti-cancer agent for targeting apoptosis-resistant cancer cells.