ChrR Gene Variability in Cr-stressed Leptolyngbya boryana for the Biotransformation of Cr (VI) to Cr (III)

Chromium (VI) is a well-known pollutant that is present in industrially polluted soil and water, and has been reported to be mutagenic and carcinogenic. In the present study, we investigated the effective use of Leptolyngbya boryana (cyanobacterium) as an eco-friendly option to overcome Cr (VI) toxicity in tannery effluents. The main objective of this study was to identify the Cr reductase (ChrR) gene and its variability in the context of Cr (VI) stress. Industrial polluted soil samples were collected and processed according to standard protocols for ChrR variation and 16S rDNA gene analysis. Genomic DNA was isolated from the collected samples and the ChrR and 16S rDNA genes were amplified by PCR. Amplified 16S rDNA was sequenced and aligned with known sequences. In the present study, a strong correlation was established between the nucleotide sequences of the ChrR and 16S rDNA genes. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined for Cr (VI), and pure strains of L. boryana were identified and isolated from soil samples. Cr (VI)-stressed conditions and their genetic variability were confirmed by sequencing. In conclusion, the L. boryana strain has been identified an eco-friendly option for overcoming Cr (VI) toxicity in tannery effluents

CLINICAL PROFILE & TREATMENT RESPONSE TO SOFOSBUVIR-VELPATASVIR REGIMEN AND ITS IMPACT ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN CHRONIC HEPATITIS C PATIENTS

Objective: Chronic Hepatitis C infection is one of the major global contributors to liver-related morbidity & mortality. Successful antiviral therapy with the direct-acting antiviral combination sofosbuvir-velpatasvir has shown to improve survival, liver-related outcomes, all-cause mortality, and even reverse fibrosis. We evaluated the treatment response of this regimen in terms of its impact on the Quality of life of patients during and after the therapy. Methods: This is an Observational, prospective, descriptive study of serologic HCV RNA-positive cases. Data on change in clinical, biochemical profile, and quality of life using 2 standardized questionnaires SF-36 and CLDQ was analyzed at baseline, 12 weeks from baseline, and 24 weeks after therapy cessation. Results: 62 out of the 87 patients, registered during the study completed the desired study duration. 95% achieved sustained virological response (SVR) at 12 weeks and 100% at 24 weeks from baseline. Improved clinical profile with symptom resolution and change in the biochemical parameters and quality-of-life scores was statistically significant (P value- < 0.001 and 0.005) at 12 weeks from baseline and 24 weeks after therapy cessation respectively. Conclusion: Patients achieving SVR with sofosbuvir-velpatasvir have been shown to improve clinical profile with normalization in biochemical markers of liver disease which is reflected in all the quality-of-life domains of SF-36 and CLDQ-HCV. However, long-term follow-up with a larger sample size is required for improved study validity and to improve long-term liver-related outcomes

<em>In vitro</em> evaluation of antimicrobial activities and antibiotic susceptibility profiling of culturable actinobacteria from fresh water streams

665-673Actinobacteria are major producers of antibiotics, industrially significant enzymes and many pharmaceutically important biologically active compounds. Twenty two actinobacterial strains were isolated from fresh water stream sediment samples of Murlen National Park, Mizoram, India. The actinobacterial strains were screened against antifungal pathogens (Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium udum, Fusarium proliferatum, Fusarium oxysporum ciceri and Fusarium graminearum), and antibacterial activities against five bacterial pathogens (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli) and a yeast pathogen Candida albicans. All strains showed antibacterial activity against E. coli and F. proliferatum. Based on the results of antagonistic, antibacterial and anti-yeast, two most potent strains Kocuria sp. and Streptomyces intermidus were further evaluated for their antibiotics susceptibility activity against 21 different antibiotics. Kocuria sp. showed resistance to 10 antibiotics whereas Streptomyces intermidus was resistance to 15 antibiotics. Modular genes Polyketide Synthase (PKS II) and Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase (NRPS) were also detected in these two strains, which might be responsible for the production of secondary metabolites. Two volatile compounds, Di-N-octyl phthalate and 1-Bromo-3, 7-Dimethyloctane were identified from the extract of Streptomyces intermidus BPSWAC29 strain using Gas chromatography Mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This study highlights the promise of discovering novel actinobacteria with antimicrobial activity from underexplored niche biotopes such as fresh water stream sediments

Cyanobacterial Extracellular Polymeric Substances for Heavy Metal Removal: A Mini Review

Heavy metals from various natural and anthropogenic sources are becoming a chief threat to the aquatic system owing to their toxic and lethal effect. The treatment of such contaminated wastewater is one of the prime concerns in this field. For decades, a huge array of innovative biosorbents is used for heavy metal removal. Though extensive microbes and their biomolecules have been experimented and have showed great potential but most of them have failed to have the substantial breakthrough for the practical application. The present review emphasis on the potential utilization of the cyanobacteria for the heavy metal removal along with the toxic effect imposed by the pollutant. Furthermore, the effect of significant parameters, plausible mechanistic insights of the heavy metal toxicity imposed onto the cyanobacteria is also discussed in detail. The role of extrapolymeric substances and metallothionein secreted by the microbes are also elaborated. The review was evident that the cyanobacterial species have a huge potential towards the heavy metal removal from the aqueous system ranging from very low to very high concentrations

Indium-mediated alkynylation of Baylis-Hillman acetates: a novel route to 1,4-enynes

Baylis-Hillman acetates undergo smooth alkynylation with aryl-susbstituted iodoalkynes in the presence of indium metal in refluxing dichloromethane to furnish 1,4-enynes in high yields with (E)-stereoselectivity. In the absence of Lewis acid, the reaction follows both SN2 and SN2' pathways affording 1:1 mixtures of 1,4-enynes. Upon addition of 10 mol % of InBr3, the reaction proceeds preferably in the SN2' manner. In the case of adducts derived from acrylonitrile, the corresponding products are obtained in fairly good yields and with (Z)-stereoselectivity

In Vitro and In Vivo Plant Growth Promoting Activities and DNA Fingerprinting of Antagonistic Endophytic Actinomycetes Associates with Medicinal Plants.

Endophytic actinomycetes have shown unique plant growth promoting as well as antagonistic activity against fungal phytopathogens. In the present study forty-two endophytic actinomycetes recovered from medicinal plants were evaluated for their antagonistic potential and plant growth-promoting abilities. Twenty-two isolates which showed the inhibitory activity against at least one pathogen were subsequently tested for their plant-growth promoting activities and were compared genotypically using DNA based fingerprinting, including enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) and BOX repetitive elements. Genetic relatedness based on both ERIC and BOX-PCR generates specific patterns corresponding to particular genotypes. Exponentially grown antagonistic isolates were used to evaluate phosphate solubilization, siderophores, HCN, ammonia, chitinase, indole-3-acetic acid production, as well as antifungal activities. Out of 22 isolates, the amount of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) ranging between 10-32 μg/ml was produced by 20 isolates and all isolates were positive for ammonia production ranging between 5.2 to 54 mg/ml. Among 22 isolates tested, the amount of hydroxamate-type siderophores were produced by 16 isolates ranging between 5.2 to 36.4 μg/ml, while catechols-type siderophores produced by 5 isolates ranging from 3.2 to 5.4 μg/ml. Fourteen isolates showed the solubilisation of inorganic phosphorous ranging from 3.2 to 32.6 mg/100ml. Chitinase and HCN production was shown by 19 and 15 different isolates, respectively. In addition, genes of indole acetic acid (iaaM) and chitinase (chiC) were successively amplified from 20 and 19 isolates respectively. The two potential strains Streptomyces sp. (BPSAC34) and Leifsonia xyli (BPSAC24) were tested in vivo and improved a range of growth parameters in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under greenhouse conditions. This study is the first published report that actinomycetes can be isolated as endophytes from within these plants and were shown to have antagonistic and plant growth promoting abilities. These results clearly suggest the possibility of using endophytic actinomycetes as bioinoculant for plant growth promotion, nutrient mobilization or as biocontrol agent against fungal phytopathogens for sustainable agriculture

In vitro and in vivo plant growth promoting activities and dna fingerprinting of antagonistic endophytic actinomycetes associates with medicinal plants

Endophytic actinomycetes have shown unique plant growth promoting as well as antagonistic activity against fungal phytopathogens. In the present study forty-two endophytic actinomycetes recovered from medicinal plants were evaluated for their antagonistic potential and plant growth-promoting abilities. Twenty-two isolates which showed the inhibitory activity against at least one pathogen were subsequently tested for their plant-growth promoting activities and were compared genotypically using DNA based fingerprinting, including enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) and BOX repetitive elements. Genetic relatedness based on both ERIC and BOX-PCR generates specific patterns corresponding to particular genotypes. Exponentially grown antagonistic isolates were used to evaluate phosphate solubilization, siderophores, HCN, ammonia, chitinase, indole-3-acetic acid production, as well as antifungal activities. Out of 22 isolates, the amount of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) ranging between 10-32 mu g/ml was produced by 20 isolates and all isolates were positive for ammonia production ranging between 5.2 to 54 mg/ml. Among 22 isolates tested, the amount of hydroxamate-type siderophores were produced by 16 isolates ranging between 5.2 to 36.4 mu g/ml, while catechols-type siderophores produced by 5 isolates ranging from 3.2 to 5.4 mu g/ml. Fourteen isolates showed the solubilisation of inorganic phosphorous ranging from 3.2 to 32.6 mg/100ml. Chitinase and HCN production was shown by 19 and 15 different isolates, respectively. In addition, genes of indole acetic acid (iaaM) and chitinase (chiC) were successively amplified from 20 and 19 isolates respectively. The two potential strains Streptomyces sp. (BPSAC34) and Leifsonia xyli (BPSAC24) were tested in vivo and improved a range of growth parameters in chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) under greenhouse conditions. This study is the first published report that actinomycetes can be isolated as endophytes from within these plants and were shown to have antagonistic and plant growth promoting abilities. These results clearly suggest the possibility of using endophytic actinomycetes as bioinoculant for plant growth promotion, nutrient mobilization or as biocontrol agent against fungal phytopathogens for sustainable agriculture

Field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) micrographs of (A) <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. (BPSAC34) and (B) <i>Leifsonia xyli</i> (BPSAC24) showing spore chain morphology.

<p>Field emission gun-scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) micrographs of (A) <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. (BPSAC34) and (B) <i>Leifsonia xyli</i> (BPSAC24) showing spore chain morphology.</p

PCR amplification of (A) <i>iaa</i>M gene and (B) <i>chi</i>C gene for endophytic actinomycetes isolates. M: low range (100bp -3 kb) molecular marker; N: negative control; numerical numbers represents different isolates.

<p>PCR amplification of (A) <i>iaa</i>M gene and (B) <i>chi</i>C gene for endophytic actinomycetes isolates. M: low range (100bp -3 kb) molecular marker; N: negative control; numerical numbers represents different isolates.</p

Effect on different growth parameters of chilli seedlings treated with <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. 34 (BPSAC34) and <i>Leifsonia xyli</i> 24 (BPSAC24) in greenhouse pot trials within 30 and 45 d.

<p>Data presented are mean ± SE from three replicates: Each replica consisted of three plants per jar. Means are significantly different from control at P = 0.05 (Tukey test).</p><p>Effect on different growth parameters of chilli seedlings treated with <i>Streptomyces</i> sp. 34 (BPSAC34) and <i>Leifsonia xyli</i> 24 (BPSAC24) in greenhouse pot trials within 30 and 45 d.</p