Exploring Coal Biodesulfurization Potential of a Novel Organic Sulfur Metabolizing Rhodococcus spp. (Eu-32) – A Case Study

Coal is one of the most abundant nonrenewable fossil fuels, in Pakistan. However, in general, the quality of coal is too low to offset the practical, economic, and regulatory barriers to its utilization. High sulfur content comes up as one of the bottlenecks in productive usage of indigenous coal. Biotechnology can emerge as a panacea for upgrading the huge reserves of high sulfur coal. In current study, the sulfur removal potential of Rhodococcus spp. (Eu-32) was investigated using coal from Dukki, Baluchistan, Pakistan. Biodesulfurization process was optimized for various parameters and maximum decrease of 40% and 60% in total and organic sulfur contents, respectively were achieved in 15 days. The Langmuir and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface areas of the biotreated coal were increased by 20 and 16 times, respectively. Scanning electron microscope showed higher tendency of attachment of bacterial cells to the coal particles. Our results revealed that Eu-32 could remove significant amounts of organic sulfur from coal and could be used in the pre-combustion operations with appropriate arrangements.     

Abutilon indicum Exhibits Anxiolytic and Antidepressant Effects in Mice Models

Doklady Biochemistry and Biophysics - Abutilon indicum Linn (A. indicum) is native to tropical and subtropical zones and traditionally used in ulcer, diabetes, piles, jaundice, gonorrhoea and...     

Isolation of Coal Degrading Fungus from Drilled Core Coal Sample and Effect of Prior Fungal Pretreatment on Chemical Attributes of Extracted Humic Acid

Fungal degradation of low rank coal has appeared as an alternative technique for exploitation of non-fuel options. A fungal isolate, MW1, was isolated and coal sample was subjected to fungal pretreatment. The residual coal was processed for extraction of humic acid for determining the effect of such pretreatment. Extracted humic acid was analyzed on the basis of elemental composition and spectroscopy. Fungal pretreatment caused improvement in oxygen content, E₄/E₆ ratio, and absorption bands related to humic materials. Conclusively, pretreatment resulted in improving chemical attributes of humic acid molecule, thus, warranting supplementary high-tech investigations for the optimization of process upscale.     

Analysis of the dibenzothiophene metabolic pathway in a newly isolated Rhodococcus spp.

We previously described the construction and characterization of Escherichia coli–Francisella tularensis shuttle vectors, derived from the cryptic Francisella plasmid pFNL10, for the genetic manipulation of F. tularensis ssp. tularensis . We now report further characterization of the biology of these shuttle vectors and the development of a new generation of Francisella plasmids. We show that the addition of ORF3 from pFNL10 can convert an unstable shuttle vector into a stable one, and that this is likely due to increased plasmid copy number. We also describe various improvements to the earlier generations of shuttle vectors, such as the addition of a multiple cloning site containing a novel RsrII restriction endonuclease site for directional insertion of Francisella genes, and the inclusion of the F. tularensis blaB promoter for heterologous gene expression.     

Change in colony morphology and kinetics of tylosin production after UV and gamma irradiation mutagenesis of Streptomyces fradiae NRRL-2702

Tylosin is a macrolide antibiotic used as veterinary drug and growth promoter. Attempts were made for hyper production of tylosin by a strain of Streptomyces fradiae NRRL-2702 through irradiation mutagenesis. Ultraviolet (UV) irradiation of wild-type strain caused development of six morphologically altered colony types on agar plates. After screening using Bacillus subtilis bioassay only morphological mutants indicated the production of tylosin. An increase of 2.7±0.22-fold in tylosin production (1500 mg/l) in case of mutant UV-2 in complex medium was achieved as compared to wild-type strain (550 mg/l). Gamma irradiation of mutant UV-2 using ⁶⁰Co gave one morphologically altered colony type γ-1, which gave 2500 mg/l tylosin yield in complex medium. Chemically defined media promoted tylosin production upto 3800 mg/l. Maximum value of q_p (3.34 mg/gh) was observed by mutant γ-1 as compared to wild strain (0.81 mg/gh). Moreover, UV irradiation associated changes were unstable with loss of tylosin activity whereas mutant γ-1 displayed high stability on subsequent culturing.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In silico</Emphasis> modeling of the specific inhibitory potential of thiophene-2,3-dihydro-1,5-benzothiazepine against BChE in the formation of β-amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer's disease

Background  

Alzheimer's disease, known to be associated with the gradual loss of memory, is characterized by low concentration of acetylcholine in the hippocampus and cortex part of the brain. Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase has successfully been used as a drug target to treat Alzheimer's disease but drug resistance shown by butyrylcholinesterase remains a matter of concern in treating Alzheimer's disease. Apart from the many other reasons for Alzheimer's disease, its association with the genesis of fibrils by β-amyloid plaques is closely related to the increased activity of butyrylcholinesterase. Although few data are available on the inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase, studies have shown that that butyrylcholinesterase is a genetically validated drug target and its selective inhibition reduces the formation of β-amyloid plaques.     

Studies on sildenafil citrate (Viagra) interaction with DNA using electrochemical DNA biosensor

The interaction of sildenafil citrate (Viagra) with DNA was studied by using an electrochemical DNA biosensor. The binding mechanism of sildenafil citrate was elucidated by using constant current potentiometry and differential pulse voltammetry at DNA-modified glassy carbon electrode. The decrease in the guanine oxidation peak area or peak current was used as an indicator for the interaction in 0.2M acetate buffer (pH 5). The binding constant (K) values obtained were 2.01+/-0.05 x 10(5) and 1.97+/-0.01 x 10(5)M(-1) with constant current potentiometry and differential pulse voltammetry, respectively. A linear dependence of the guanine peak area or peak current was observed within the range of 1-40 microM sildenafil citrate with slope=-2.74 x 10(-4)s/microM, r=0.989 and slope=-2.78 x 10(-3)microA/microM, r=0.995 by using constant current potentiometry and differential pulse voltammetry, respectively. Additionally, binding constant values for sildenafil citrate-DNA interaction were determined for the pH range of 4-8 and in biological fluids (serum and urine) at pH 5. The influence of sodium and calcium ions was also studied to elucidate the mechanism of sildenafil citrate-DNA interaction under different solution conditions. The present study may prove to be helpful in extending our understanding of the anticancer activity of sildenafil citrate from cellular to DNA level.     

Retrieved 16S rRNA and nifH sequences reveal co-dominance of Bradyrhizobium and Ensifer (Sinorhizobium) strains in field-collected root nodules of the promiscuous host Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology - In the present study, the relative distribution of endophytic rhizobia in field-collected root nodules of the promiscuous host mung bean was investigated by...     

Electrochemical DNA biosensor for the study of ciprofloxacin-DNA interaction

The interaction of ciprofloxacin with DNA was studied by using an electrochemical DNA biosensor. The binding mechanism of ciprofloxacin was elucidated by using constant current potentiometry and differential pulse voltammetry at DNA-modified glassy carbon electrode. The decrease in the guanine oxidation peak area or peak current at +0.9 V was used as an indicator for the interaction mechanism in 0.2M acetate buffer (pH 5). The binding constant (K) values obtained were 1.33+/-0.02 x 10(4) and 1.32+/-0.08 x 10(4) M(-1) with constant current potentiometry and differential pulse voltammetry, respectively. A linear dependence of the guanine peak area or peak currents was observed in the range of 40-80 microM ciprofloxacin, with a detection limit of 24 microM with r=0.995 and 9 microM with r=0.999 by using constant current potentiometry and differential pulse voltammetry, respectively. Moreover, the influence of sodium and calcium ions was also studied to elucidate the mechanism of ciprofloxacin-DNA interaction at different solution conditions, and this proved to be helpful in understanding the ciprofloxacin-DNA interaction.