Vol. 7(2) May 2012
Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Individual
Catechin Molecules: A Comparative Study between Gallated and Epimerized Catechin
Molecules
Maria John K.M., Mandal A.K.A., Rajesh J. and Natarajan Sampath
Abstract: Protection
of DNA samples against free radical damage was found to elevate with Gallocatechin
gallate (GCG) followed by epigallo catechin (EGC). Epicatechin gallate and (+) catechin
exhibited lower quantum of free radical scavenging activity. It is interesting to
note that higher concentration of individual catechin molecules registered concurrent
protection of DNA from free radical damage. Results showed that the epimerized form
of gallocatechin gallate had high antagonistic effect against both the tested strains
followed by epigallo catechin while catechin gallate and (+) catechin recorded lower
activity against microbes. Among the phenolic acids pyrogallic acid possessed high
antimicrobial activity.
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Optimization of Fermentation parameters on T-DNA inserted
Monascus purpureus mutant MT24 with high pigment production capacity
Hao Ji, Donghua Jiang and Lilin Cao
Abstract: A protocol
for Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) of Monascus purpureus
strain M4 was developed to construct mutants with improved pigment production capacity.
The transformant MT24 showed a visible increase in pigment production ability compared
to that of the wild type when cultivated on sterile indica rice. Three factors (initial
moisture content, inoculum volume, fermentation time) were chosen for further study
by a Box-Behnken design. By the point prediction tool of Design-Expert 7.0, the
optimum values of the factors for maximum pigment production were determined: initial
moisture content 44.81%, inoculum volume 2.65 mL, fermentation time 10.19 d. Under
above optimized conditions, the pigment yield was 5340.4 U/g which agreed closely
with the predicted yield. Besides, no citrinin could be detected by HPLC.
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Effect of Medicinal Mushroom, Auricularia auricula-judae,
polysaccharides against EAC cell lines
Ramasamy Gurusamy and Rajarajan Arthe
Abstract: One of
the major causes of mortality worldwide is cancer. Increasing research on herbal
medicine has revealed its importance in treating many diseases including cancer.
The present study was carried out to evaluate the antitumor activity of crude polysaccharide
extract of Auricularia auricula-judae on Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) model in
mice. After inoculation of EAC cells into mice, treatment with Auricularia auricula-judae
(AAE) (200 mg/kg) was continued for 9 days. The effect of drug response was evaluated
by the study of tumor growth response including study of hematological parameters,
biochemical analysis, chromosomal disintegration assay and in vitro cytotoxicity.
Experimental results revealed that the polysaccharide extract of Auricularia auricula-judae
possesses significant anticancer activity due to the presence of polysaccharides
like Beta-Glucans which may be in response to its cytotoxicity.
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RPE 65 gene mutation: A rare event in Lebers Congenital
Amaurosis patients in Indian subcontinent
Ramana Anandula Venkata 1*, Raju Konduru Chandra Sekhar 2, Sujatha Pokala 2, Das
Debashish 2 and Ramesh N.
Abstract: Patients
underwent detailed ophthalmic examination and were clinically diagnosed for LCA.
Family pedigree along with peripheral blood was collected from patients. Genomic
DNA was extracted from the blood samples. The coding sequence of all 14 exons and
the adjacent flanking intron sequences of the RPE65 gene were PCR amplified and
sequenced for all the 20 unrelated LCA patients. Sequence analysis revealed sequence
variations in exon -6 in two patients at nucleotide position 601 and in exon 10
at nucleotide position 1110 in one patient. Mutations in the RPE65 gene are rare
in patients with LCA in India. It would be ideal to look for mutations in other
causative genes for LCA in Indian population.
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Transgenic Tobacco Plants harboring the Trehalose
Phosphate Synthase TPS gene of Escherichia coli increased Tolerance to Drought Stress
Dong Hoon Lee, Hyunmi Ryu, Han Hong Bae and Sang Gu Kang
Trehalose consists of two glucose units linked together
via an α-1,1-glycosidic linkage (1,1-a-D-glucopyranosyl-a-D-glucopyranoside) and
a storage disaccharide carbohydrate that protects against a variety of drought stresses
in microorganisms and plants grown in a drought environment. Trehalose is synthesized
via sequential reactions by trehalose phosphate synthase (TPS), trehalose-6-phosphate
phosphatase (TPP) and the hydrolytic enzyme a-trehalase (TRE). The trehalose-6-phosphate
is synthesized from glucose-6-phosphate (G-6-P) and uridine-5’-diphosphoglucose
(U-DPG) in a TPS-catalyzed reaction. Here, we constructed transgenic tobacco plants
harboring the otsA gene of E. coli encoding for TPS via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated
transformation. T0-otsA transformant tobacco plants were treated by withholding
irrigation for 5 days. After drought treatment, the wild-type plants wilted and
eventually died; however, the transgenic tobacco plants evidenced 25% to 60% tolerance
against drought stress, depending on their transgenic lines. This variable drought
tolerance may possibly have been dependent on the gene expressivity of individual
lines of transgenic tobacco plants. In conclusion, E. coli otsA gene for trehalose
synthesis transformed tobacco plants evidenced reduced wilting symptoms.
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Assessment of Free Radical Scavenging Activity and
Antioxidant Potential of the TLC separated Fractions of Rhinacanthus nasutus Root
Extracts
Jalasutram Vanajakshi * and Jetty Annapurna
The root powder was shade dried and powdered and subjected
first to extraction by series of solvents on increasing polarity (Petroleum ether,
Benzene, Chloroform, Ethyl acetate, Methanol and Water). Then the extracts were
subjected to TLC and the spots obtained were eluted and used for the further antioxidant
study. DPPH, ABTS, Hydroxyl radical, Hydrogen peroxide radical scavenging assays
and determination of inhibition of in vitro nitric oxide and superoxide generation
were determined to evaluate the free radical scavenging activity of the extract.
The total antioxidant potential of the extract was studied by phosphomolybdenum
assay and reduction potential assay. The results of our experiment showed that
plant extract has highest radical scavenging activity.
Of the plant extracts tested, methanolic extract showed better radical scavenging
activity compared to other extracts. The total antioxidant potential was found to
be high in the methanolic extract of the roots of R. nasutus and it also shows good
inhibition to superoxide and nitric oxide generation in vitro. The root extracts
of Rhinacanthus nasutus exhibit good antioxidant potency as reflected by the results
of the analysis performed and the components responsible for its efficacy identified
for its phytochemical nature.
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Co-production of alkaline protease and amylase of
Bacillus sp Y in solid state cultivations.
Srividya Shivakumar
Abstract Single cultivation was explored in order to
produce amylase and protease at their optimum level economically in laboratory conditions
by modified solid-state fermentation. Comparison of amylase and protease activities
by a highly potent, locally isolated strain of Bacillus sp. Y under SSF cultivation
showed amylase activity by 16 h which peaked by 24 h, while protease activity was
detected by 24 h and peaked by 48 h of growth. The highest activity of amylase and
protease was 1268 and 35 U/ml at 37°C, pH 7.5 and 24 h and 48 h, respectively. An
increase in amylase activity by 2.46 fold (from 514 U/ml to 1268 U/ml) and protease
activity by 1.52 fold (from 23 U/ml to 35 U/ml) was observed in an optimized solid-
state fermentation system when compared with the unoptimized system. Supplementation
of carbon and nitrogen sources and metal ions showed that wheat bran alone was the
best substrate for production of both the enzymes by this isolate.
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Production and Characterization of Extracellular Protease
from Halotolerant Bacterium Virgibacillus Dokdonesis Vitp14
Devi Rajeswari V., Jayaraman G., Rameshpathy M. and Sridharan T. B.
Abstract: Extracellular
protease producing halotolerant bacterial strain VITP14 was isolated from Kumta
coast (Karnataka, India) and was characterized by morphological, biochemical and
physiological properties based on Bergey’s manual of Determinative Bacteriology7.
Phylogenetic analysis using the 16S rRNA sequence indicated that the organism is
Virgibacillus dokdensis. The effect of pH, temperature, salinity, metal ions and
surfactants on protease production was investigated. Optimum pH and temperature
was found to be 7.0 and 40˚C respectively. Presence of 1.5 M NaCl enhanced the production
of the enzyme and presence of CaCl2, MgCl2 and CuCl2 increased the enzyme activity
whereas both ferrous and ferric salts inhibited the proteolytic activity of the
enzyme. Among the detergents used, 5 mM CTAB increased the activity of the enzyme
by 20%. Thus under optimal conditions (pH 7, temperature 40˚C, 5 mM CaCl2 , 1.5
mM NaCl and 5 mM CTAB) the enzyme activity was found to be 1185 U/ml.These results
indicate that the Virgibacillus VITP14 could be a potential candidate for industrial
application(s) under moderately saline conditions.
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CFTR gene mutations and clinical correlation in Indian
patients with congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens
Jain Manish Kumar and Saraf D. K.
Abstract: Cystic
fibrosis (CF) is the most common potentially lethal autosomal recessive disorder.
Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens (CBAVD) is a form of male infertility
in which mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)
gene have been identified. Here different mutations of CFTR and the poly-T variant
of intron 8 (IVS8) in Indian patients (Sagar district of MP) were identified and
sweat test values and clinical characteristic related to Cystic Fibrosis (CF) were
analyzed. For counseling purposes, the most frequent possible mutation in Indian
population: deltaF508 was screened in wives. Four patients (23%) showed abnormal
chloride values (> 60 mmol/l). A second group of 3 patients (18%) had borderline
values of sweat chloride (40-59 mmol/l). Another group with 3 patients (18%), with
normal sweat chloride levels (30-39 mmo/l) and a fourth group of 8 (41%) patients
with sweat chloride below 30 mmol/l. deltaF508 muation was found in 3 of the 18
patients (16%). On a sample of 14 patients, IVS8 analysis showed a frequency of
6/56 chromosomes (11%) of 5T allele. Even though these findings present an improvement
in the detection of mutations related to clinical correlations in Indian patients
(Sagar district of MP) CBAVD population, the search for other common and uncommon
mutations should be continued.
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Study of chromosomal and phragmoplast disturbances
with immuno-fluorescent dye 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, dihydrochloride (DAPI)
in herbicides treated wheat root tip cells
Kumar Sanjay and Roy Bijoy Krishna
Abstract: The herbicides
2, 4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and isoproturon (IPU) were used singly
or in combination (50%:50%) to treat the seeds of Triticum aestivum L. (var. HUW
234, HUW 468 and HUW 533) in the range of concentrations (0-1200 ppm) for 72 h.
The treated root tips (1.5-2.0 cm) were used to analyze for cytological abnormalities
or chromosomal disturbances. It showed the effect on chromosomes orientations during
mitosis as earlier findings to support the work. Further, the slides were rinsed
in 45% acetic acid to counter stain with 4’, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole dihydrochloride
(DAPI). The indirect immuno-fluorescence stained phragmoplast with anti-body and
fluorescein immunoglobulin indicated the effect of the herbicides by showing the
change in orientations of the phragmoplasts in different directions which leads
to disturbed cytoskeleton microtubules. In the treated cells, spindle location and
phragmoplast insertion are abnormal and possibly performing several complementary
activities to ensure the proper orientation of divisional plane.
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Degradation of Azo dye Acid blue 158 by soil microbes
Shukla Viraland Patel Kunjal
Abstract: A variety
of synthetic dyestuffs, released by the textile industry pose a threat to environment
safety. Azo dyes account for the majority of all dyestuffs, produced because they
are extensively used in the textile, paper, food, leather, cosmetics and pharmaceutical
industries. This study deals with the decolorization of the commercially important
azo dye, Acid blue 158 under microaerophilic condition in wastewater. The removal
of color is mainly associated with the anaerobic stage and also facultative-anaerobic
stage. Decolorization of azo dyes during biological effluent treatment can involve
both adsorption to cell biomass and degradation by azo-bond reduction during anaerobic
digestion. Degradation was expected to form aromatic amines, which may be toxic
and recalcitrant to anaerobic/facultative anaerobic treatment.
Methods for the quantitative detection of substituted aromatic amines arising from
azo-dye cleavage are complex. Samples after decolorization were analyzed by Thin
Layer Chromatography (TLC) and Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The
statistical analysis revealed that the dye concentration and temperature showed
maximum significance towards dye degradation. Laboratory scale bioreactor was operated
for a period of 25 days at a temperature 30-350C. The performance of the bioreactor
was evaluated by monitoring color and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) removal. Color
and COD removal above 90% were achieved within 10 d incubation time.
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Comparison and Limitations of Biohydrogen Production
Processes
Karthic P and Shiny Joseph
Abstract: Hydrogen
gas can be produced by conventional methods such as thermo-chemical gasification,
pyrolysis, solar gasification and supercritical conversion. For sustainable energy,
it is mandatory to go for hydrogen production towards biological processes. In this
review, the major biological processes discussed for hydrogen production are bio-photolysis
of water by algae, dark fermentation, photo–fermentation of organic materials and
the sequential dark and photo-fermentation processes. Major constraints in dark
and photo-fermentative hydrogen production include the raw material cost, lower
hydrogen yields and rates of hydrogen production. To overcome those constraints
intensive research work was strongly recommended to be carried out on the advancement
of these processes. It is revealed that the hydrogen yield could be even achieved
greater with the effective pretreatment methods of inoculum and substrates. Hydrogen
production can be improved particularly with pretreatment methods.
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Diabetes Mellitus and Recent Advances
Makheswari M. Uma and Sudarsanam D.
Abstract: Diabetes
mellitus is a group of metabolic disorder in which a person has high blood sugar
either because the body does not produce enough insulin or because cells do not
respond to the insulin. There are three main types of diabetes. Symptoms include
increased thirst, frequent urination, constant hunger, weight loss, blurred vision
etc. Complications include hypo/hyperglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, hypertension,
neuropathy, nephropathy etc. Insulin therapy is used for the treatment of diabetes
by administration of exogenous insulin. Islet cell transplantation is a procedure
which effectively controls blood glucose level for diabetic patients. A number of
plants have been described as a traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes.
Vitamin D supplementation has been found to lower the incidence of type I diabetes.
Several classes of oral hypoglycemic agents like sulfonylureas, biguanides and alpha-glucosidase
inhibitors are available for the treatment of type II diabetes. Targeted drug delivery
for the treatment of Diabetes using nanotechnology is one of the recent advances
in nanomedicine.
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