Comparative bioinformatics analysis and abiotic stress responses of expansin proteins in Cucurbitaceae members: watermelon and melon

Protoplasma - Watermelon and melon are members of the Cucurbitaceae family including economically significant crops in the world. The expansin protein family, which is one of the members of the...     

Effect of Axial Ligand Length on Biological and Anticancer Properties of Axially Disubstituted Silicon Phthalocyanines

In this study, three new axially disubstituted silicon phthalocyanines ( SiPc1–3 ) and their quaternized phthalocyanine derivatives ( QSiPc1–3 ) were prepared and characterized. The biological properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and microbial cell viability activities) of the water-soluble silicon phthalocyanines were examined, as well. A 1 % DMSO diluted with pure water was used as a solvent in biological activity studies. All the compounds exhibited high antioxidant activity. They displayed efficient antimicrobial and antimicrobial photodynamic therapeutic properties against various microorganisms, especially Gram (+) bacteria. Additionally, they demonstrated high antibiofilm activities against S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. In addition, 100 % bacterial reduction was obtained for all the studied phthalocyanines against E. coli viable cells. Besides, the DNA cleavage and binding features of compounds ( QSiPc1–3 ) were studied using pBR322 DNA and CT-DNA, respectively. Furthermore, the human topoisomerase I enzyme inhibition activities of compounds QSiPc1 – 3 were studied. Anticancer properties of the water-soluble compounds were investigated using cell proliferation MTT assay. They exhibited anticarcinogenic activity against the human colon cancer cell line (DLD-1). Compounds QSiPc1 and QSiPc3 displayed a high anticarcinogenic effect on the DLD-1 cell line. The obtained results indicated that all the studied compounds may be effective biological agents and anticancer drugs after further investigations.     

Fluorinated Phthalocyanine/Silver Nanoconjugates for Multifunctional Biological Applications

In this study, a new phthalonitrile derivative namely 4-[(2,4-difluorophenyl)ethynyl]phthalonitrile ( 1 ) and its metal phthalocyanines ( 2 and 3 ) were synthesized. The resultant compounds were conjugated to silver nanoparticles and characterized using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. The biological properties of compounds ( 1 – 3 ), their nanoconjugates ( 4 – 6 ), and silver nanoparticles ( 7 ) were examined for the first time in this study. The antioxidant activities of biological candidates ( 1 – 7 ) were studied by applying the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. The highest antioxidant activity was obtained 97.47 % for 200 mg/L manganese phthalocyanine-silver nanoconjugates ( 6 ). The antimicrobial and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (APDT) activities of biological candidates ( 1 – 7 ) were examined using a micro-dilution assay. The highest MIC value was obtained 8 mg/L for nanoconjugate 6 against E. hirae. The studied compounds and their silver nanoconjugates exhibited high APDT activities against all the studied microorganisms. The most effective APDT activities were obtained 4 mg/L for nanoconjugates ( 5 and 6 ) against L. pneumophila and E. hirae, respectively. All the studied biological candidates displayed high cell viability inhibition activities against E. coli cell growth. The biofilm inhibition activities of the tested biological candidates were also investigated against S. aureus and P. Aeruginosa. Biological candidates ( 1 – 6 ) can be considered efficient metal nanoparticle-based materials for multi-disciplinary biological applications.     

Synthesis,Biological Evaluation,and Molecular Modeling Studies of New 1,3,4-Thiadiazole Derivatives as Potent Antimicrobial Agents

In this work, the synthesis, characterization, and biological activities of a new series of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives were investigated. The structures of final compounds were identified using ¹H-NMR, ¹³C-NMR, elemental analysis, and HRMS. All the new synthesized compounds were then screened for their antimicrobial activity against four types of pathogenic bacteria and one fungal strain, by application of the MIC assays, using Ampicilin, Gentamycin, Vancomycin, and Fluconazole as standards. Among the compounds, the MIC values of 4 and 8 μg/mL of the compounds 3f and 3g , respectively, are remarkable and indicate that these compounds are good candidates for antifungal activity. The docking experiments were used to identify the binding forms of produced ligands with sterol 14-demethylase to acquire insight into relevant proteins. The MD performed about 100 ns simulations to validate selected compounds’ theoretical studies. Finally, using density functional theory (DFT) to predict reactivity, the chemical characteristics and quantum factors of synthesized compounds were computed. These results were then correlated with the experimental data. Furthermore, computational estimation was performed to predict the ADME properties of the most active compound 3f .     

A note on the brine shrimp Artemia in Tuz Lake (Turkey)

Population density, fecundity andreproduction period of Artemia sp. in TuzLake, Turkey, beside environmental factors, such as oxygen,temperature, salinity, pH and electrical conductivity werestudied during 1993 and 1994.Artemia sp. occurred at two stations at the coast.Overwintering cysts hatched in early May, when the population was composed of 90% metanauplii (93%at Y4 and 99% at Y5) and few adult females. Peak abundanceoccurred in late May, at 106to 114 ind.m^–3.     

IMMOBILIZATION OF BOVINE CATALASE ONTO MAGNETIC NANOPARTICLES

The scope of this study is to achieve carrier-bound immobilization of catalase onto magnetic particles (Fe₃O₄ and Fe₂O₃NiO₂ · H₂O) to specify the optimum conditions of immobilization. Removal of H₂O₂ and the properties of immobilized sets were also investigated. To that end, adsorption and then cross-linking methods onto magnetic particles were performed. The optimum immobilization conditions were found for catalase: immobilization time (15 min for Fe₃O₄; 10 min for Fe₂O₃NiO₂ · H₂O), the initial enzyme concentration (1 mg/mL), amount of magnetic particles (25 mg), and glutaraldehyde concentration (3%). The activity reaction conditions (optimum temperature, optimum pH, pH stability, thermal stability, operational stability, and reusability) were characterized. Also kinetic parameters were calculated by Lineweaver–Burk plots. The optimum pH values were found to be 7.0, 7.0, and 8.0 for free enzyme, Fe₃O₄-immobilized catalases, and Fe₂O₃NiO₂ · H₂O-immobilized catalases, respectively. All immobilized catalase systems displayed the optimum temperature between 25 and 35°C. Reusability studies showed that Fe₃O₄-immobilized catalase can be used 11 times with 50% loss in original activity, while Fe₂O₃NiO₂ · H₂O-immobilized catalase lost 67% of activity after the same number of uses. Furthermore, immobilized catalase systems exhibited improved thermal and pH stability. The results transparently indicate that it is possible to have binding between enzyme and magnetic nanoparticles.     

Human Pol ɛ-dependent replication errors and the influence of mismatch repair on their correction

Mutations in human DNA polymerase (Pol) ?, one of three eukaryotic Pols required for DNA replication, have recently been found associated with an ultramutator phenotype in tumors from somatic colorectal and endometrial cancers and in a familial colorectal cancer. Possibly, Pol ? mutations reduce the accuracy of DNA synthesis, thereby increasing the mutational burden and contributing to tumor development. To test this possibility in vivo, we characterized an active site mutant allele of human Pol ? that exhibits a strong mutator phenotype in vitro when the proofreading exonuclease activity of the enzyme is inactive. This mutant has a strong bias toward mispairs opposite template pyrimidine bases, particularly T•dTTP mispairs. Expression of mutant Pol ? in human cells lacking functional mismatch repair caused an increase in mutation rate primarily due to T•dTTP mispairs. Functional mismatch repair eliminated the increased mutagenesis. The results indicate that the mutant Pol ? causes replication errors in vivo, and is at least partially dominant over the endogenous, wild type Pol ?. Since tumors from familial and somatic colorectal patients arise with Pol ? mutations in a single allele, are microsatellite stable and have a large increase in base pair substitutions, our data are consistent with a Pol ? mutation requiring additional factors to promote tumor development.     

Calcium hypochlorite on mouse embryonic fibroblast cells (NIH3T3) in vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity: MTT and comet assay

Molecular Biology Reports - Antimicrobial irrigation solutions are widely used under clinical settings. Their effect on dental tissue is a subject of recent research, which aims for a safer...