Bacteria-produced ferric exopolysaccharide nanoparticles as iron delivery system for truffles (Tuber borchii)

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology - Iron exopolysaccharide nanoparticles were biogenerated during ferric citrate fermentation by Klebsiella oxytoca DSM 29614. Before investigating their...     

The expression of essential components for human influenza virus internalisation in Vero and MDCK cells

MDCK and Vero cell lines have been used as substrates for influenza virus replication. However, Vero cells produced lower influenza virus titer yield compared to MDCK. Influenza virus needs molecules for internalisation of the virus into the host cell, such as influenza virus receptor and clathrin. Human influenza receptor is usually a membrane protein containing Sia(α2,6) Gal, which is added into the protein in the golgi apparatus by α2,6 sialyltransferase (SIAT1). Light clathrin A (LCA), light clathrin B (LCB) and heavy clathrin (HC) are the main components needed for virus endocytosis. Therefore, it is necessary to compare the expression of SIAT1 and clathrin in Vero and MDCK cells. This study is reporting the expression of SIAT1 and clathrin observed in both cells with respect to the levels of (1) RNA by using RT-PCR, (2) protein by using dot blot analysis and confocal microscope. The results showed that Vero and MDCK cells expressed both SIAT1 and clathrin proteins, and the expression of SIAT1 in MDCK was higher compared to Vero cells. On the other hand, the expressions of LCA, LCB and HC protein in MDCK cells were not significantly different to Vero cells. This result showed that the inability of Vero cells to internalize H1N1 influenza virus was possibly due to the lack of transmembrane protein receptor which contained Sia(α2,6) Gal.     

Bioprospecting of Turbinaria Macroalgae as a Potential Source of Health Protective Compounds

The present study aims to focus on the bioprospecting of marine macroalgae of Turbinaria species, plenteous biomass of the world ocean. Three types of solvents, i.e., H₂O, MeOH/H₂O (80:20, v/v) and hexane/i‐PrOH (50:50, v/v), were used for extraction. Both the biological activity and the pattern of present chemicals were characterized. For the cell proliferation assay, the human embryonic kidney 293 cells, cervix/breast/pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and osteosarcoma cells were used. For the antioxidant activity determination, both intracellular assay with human embryonic kidney and cervix adenocarcinoma cells, as well as the biochemical DPPH test, were employed. To complete the information about macroalgae composition, organic compounds were characterized by the liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution tandem mass spectrometry. Attention was concentrated mainly on the lipidomic profile characterization. In spite the fact that any significant antiproliferative effect was not observed for cancer cells, both the Turbinaria species were shown to be good protectors against the oxidative stress of the non‐cancer cells. Most of the antioxidants were determined in the hexane/i‐PrOH extract. As regards the lipids identified, most of them belonged to the triacylglycerols followed by sphingomyelins, diacylglycerols, and polar (lyso)phospholipids. Additionally to fatty acids with 14, 16 and 18 carbons, also those with odd carbon numbers were frequently present.