Processing of East African Highland Green Bananas: Waste Generation and Characterization as a Potential Feedstock for Biogas Production in Uganda

Uganda is the second largest global producer of bananas and the industry generates different waste residues both at production and processing levels. This study aimed at assessing the state of banana processing, waste generation and its characterization for evaluation as feedstock for biogas production. The study was undertaken through a reconnaissance visit to western Uganda, one of the most banana producing regions. The information was collected following standard qualitative methods and laboratory analysis. Results revealed that processing of banana fruits mainly involved manual peeling of fruits to generate fresh pulp and large quantities of banana waste. The waste contained more than 80 % moisture content and volatile solids. It also had higher carbon content than total nitrogen that translated into a high C:N ratio of 41:1. The lignocellulose content comprised cellulose 21.16 %, hemicelluloses 10.46 % and lignin 11.31 %. The Biochemical Methane Potential (BMP) test showed a methane yield of 0.436 m3 CH4/KgVS which was higher than 0.340 m3 CH4/KgVS for grass. The highest methane production of 79.9 ml CH4/gVS/day was recorded at a retention time of 24 days. These results showed that banana waste was a favorable feedstock for biogas production through anaerobic digestion. Appropriate pre-treatment of lignocellulose would be required to enhance feedstock digestibility to improve biogas yield. The study concluded that utilization of banana waste via anaerobic digestion to produce biogas was the most economically viable option to alleviate the industry’s energy scarcity

Genome sequence of the tsetse fly (Glossina morsitans):Vector of African trypanosomiasis

Tsetse flies are the sole vectors of human African trypanosomiasis throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Both sexes of adult tsetse feed exclusively on blood and contribute to disease transmission. Notable differences between tsetse and other disease vectors include obligate microbial symbioses, viviparous reproduction, and lactation. Here, we describe the sequence and annotation of the 366-megabase Glossina morsitans morsitans genome. Analysis of the genome and the 12,308 predicted protein-encoding genes led to multiple discoveries, including chromosomal integrations of bacterial (Wolbachia) genome sequences, a family of lactation-specific proteins, reduced complement of host pathogen recognition proteins, and reduced olfaction/chemosensory associated genes. These genome data provide a foundation for research into trypanosomiasis prevention and yield important insights with broad implications for multiple aspects of tsetse biology.IS

APOL1 renal risk variants have contrasting resistance and susceptibility associations with African trypanosomiasis

Reduced susceptibility to infectious disease can increase the frequency of otherwise deleterious alleles. In populations of African ancestry, two apolipoprotein-L1 (APOL1) variants with a recessive kidney disease risk, named G1 and G2, occur at high frequency. APOL1 is a trypanolytic protein that confers innate resistance to most African trypanosomes, but not Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense or T.b. gambiense, which cause human African trypanosomiasis. In this case-control study, we test the prevailing hypothesis that these APOL1 variants reduce trypanosomiasis susceptibility, resulting in their positive selection in sub-Saharan Africa. We demonstrate a five-fold dominant protective association for G2 against T.b. rhodesiense infection. Furthermore, we report unpredicted strong opposing associations with T.b. gambiense disease outcome. G2 associates with faster progression of T.b. gambiense trypanosomiasis, while G1 associates with asymptomatic carriage and undetectable parasitemia. These results implicate both forms of human African trypanosomiasis in the selection and persistence of otherwise detrimental APOL1 kidney disease variants

Genome Sequence of the Tsetse Fly (Glossina morsitans): Vector of African Trypanosomiasis

Tsetse flies are the sole vectors of human African trypanosomiasis throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Both sexes of adult tsetse feed exclusively on blood and contribute to disease transmission. Notable differences between tsetse and other disease vectors include obligate microbial symbioses, viviparous reproduction, and lactation. Here, we describe the sequence and annotation of the 366-megabase Glossina morsitans morsitans genome. Analysis of the genome and the 12,308 predicted protein–encoding genes led to multiple discoveries, including chromosomal integrations of bacterial (Wolbachia) genome sequences, a family of lactation-specific proteins, reduced complement of host pathogen recognition proteins, and reduced olfaction/chemosensory associated genes. These genome data provide a foundation for research into trypanosomiasis prevention and yield important insights with broad implications for multiple aspects of tsetse biology