Isolation,characterisation and antifungal activity of marine actinobacteria from Goa and Kerala,the west coast of India

In total, 53 marine actinobacteria were isolated from the soils of six different locations in Goa and Kerala, on the west coast of India. All the isolates were screened for their antifungal properties against some phytopathogenic fungi by dual culture experiments. Among the 53 actinobacterial isolates, five isolates inhibited the growth of phytopathogens, namely Colletotrichum falcatum, Thielaviopsis paradoxa and Fusarium semitectum. But none of them were effective against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus candidus and Aspergillus flavus. The antifungal activity of the actinobacteria was tested by food poisoning techniques, using four different concentrations (0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0%) of cell-free culture filtrates, which showed promising activity (almost 100% inhibition) against three pathogenic and one non-pathogenic fungi at 2% extract concentration. A comparison of the antifungal activity of the actinobacteria was also made with three commercial fungicides, namely hexaconazole, thiophanate methyl and propiconazole. The identity of the antagonistic actinobacteria was confirmed based on the morphological, cultural, biochemical, chemo-taxonomical and physiological characteristics. Among 5 antagonistic isolates, three antagonistic isolates were assigned to the genus Streptomyces, Nocardiopsis (1) and Saccharopolyspora (1).     

Removal of water-borne microorganisms in floating media filter-microfiltration system for water treatment

Floating plastic media pre-filter (PP) in combination with microfiltration membrane (MF) was applied to the removal of water-borne microorganism from surface water. The system was operated with and without coagulant addition. Jar-test results suggested that alum and polyaluminum chloride could effectively remove turbidity, fecal coliforms (FC) and algae at their optimum doses. Nevertheless, none of those coagulants could accomplish high coliphage (CP) removal. Microorganism removal in the system was increasing along with time in the PP unit operated at 5-m³/m²/h filtration rate but opposite trend was observed at higher filtration rates (10-15 m³/m²/h). Different coagulant types and filtration rates employed in the PP unit also affected microorganism removal in MF unit. The operation of PP unit at a filtration rate of 15 m³/m²/h and MF unit at a filtration rate of 0.6 m³/m²/d could achieve satisfactory turbidity and overall microorganism removal.     

Feasibility study of a cyclic anoxic/aerobic two-stage MBR for treating ABS resin manufacturing wastewater

This study investigated the feasibility and the treatment efficiency of a cyclic anoxic/aerobic two-stage MBR for treating polymeric industrial wastewater. The anoxic/aerobic hybrid MBR was operated without sludge withdrawal except sampling during the study. The results showed that the highest COD organic loading rate of 8.7 kg COD/m³ day from bioreactor was obtained at phase 3. The system achieved 97% BOD₅ and 89% COD removal. It also revealed that 93% of COD removal was contributed by bioreactor at phase 3 and the similar results happened to phases 1 and 2. The highest TN and TKN removals for each phase were 60, 74, 80% and 61, 74, 81%, respectively and limited by nitritation step. SEM images of nascent and fouled membranes were offered to evaluate the cleaning method. The system was operated for 174 days, resulting in high degradation rate, flexibility towards influent fluctuations and limited sludge production.     

Optimization of Antimicrobial Production by a Marine Actinomycete Streptomyces afghaniensis VPTS3-1 Isolated from Palk Strait, East Coast of India

Totally 25 marine soil samples were collected from the region of Palk Strait of Bay of Bengal, Tamil Nadu, and were subjected to the isolation of actinomycetes. Sixty-eight morphologically distinct isolates were obtained and 37% (25) of them had antimicrobial activity. The potential producer was named as Streptomyces sp. VPTS3-1 and the phylogenetic evaluation on the basis of 16S rDNA sequence further categorized the organism as Streptomyces afghaniensis VPTS3-1. Further, the antimicrobial compound was extracted from the isolate using various solvents and the antimicrobial efficacies were tested against bacterial and fungal pathogens. In addition, in vitro optimization of parameters for the antimicrobial compound production revealed that the suitable pH as 7–8, the period of incubation as 9 days, temperature (30°C), salinity (2%), and starch and KNO₃ as the suitable carbon and nitrogen sources respectively in starch–casein medium.     

Evidence for polyadenylated mRNA in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

In this paper, we report the synthesis of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cDNA in the presence of oligo(dT) primers. Hybridization of oligonucleotide DNA microarrays indicates that under the experimental conditions used, at least 43.7% of the expressed genes from P. aeruginosa PAO1, representing many different functional classes, can be detected by using oligo(dT)-primed cDNAs.     

Benzofuranyl 3,5-bis-polyamine derivatives as time-dependent inhibitors of trypanothione reductase

The synthesis and evaluation of 3,5-disubstituted benzofuran derivatives as time-dependent inhibitors of the protozoan oxidoreductase trypanothione reductase are reported. These molecules were designed as simplified mimetics of the naturally occurring spermidine-bridged macrocyclic alkaloid lunarine 1, a known time-dependent inhibitor of trypanothione reductase. In this series of compounds the bis-polyaminoacrylamide derivatives 2-4 were all shown to be competitive inhibitors, but only the bis-4-methyl-piperazin-1-yl-propylacrylamide derivative 4 displayed time-dependent activity. The kinetics of time dependent inactivation of trypanothione reductase by 1 and 4 have been determined and are compared and discussed herein.     

Antiprotozoal and cytotoxicity evaluation of sulfonamide and urea analogues of quinacrine

Sulfonamide and urea derivatives of quinacrine with varying methylene spacer lengths were synthesised and tested for inhibition of trypanothione reductase (TryR) and for activity in vitro against strains of the parasitic protozoa Trypanosoma, Leishmania, and Plasmodium. These derivatives are superior inhibitors of TryR relative to quinacrine with the best compound being 40 times more potent. Urea derivatives generally displayed good in vitro activity against all parasites.