BIOFILM FORMATION OF METHICILLIN AND VANCOMYCIN RESISTANT STAPHYLOCOCCUS SPECIES ISOLATED FROM CELLULAR PHONES

Objective: The goal of the study was to explore the occurrence of methicillin and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus species from cellular phones and preventive measures to avoid contamination. Methods: The issues addressed in this investigation are i) Isolation of bacteria from 70 cellular phones through swab culture method ii) Characterization of the isolates by standard biochemical test iii) Antibiogram pattern study of the isolates iv) Molecular identification of the selected isolate through 16s rDNA sequencing v) Virulence study through biofilm assay vi) Susceptibility of the isolates against commonly used disinfectants and essential oils through disc diffusion. Results: All 70 different cellular phone used in this study harbored 120 isolates of bacteria. Of which, we recorded high incidence of Gram-positive cocci (51.6%) and 22 isolates were identified as Staphylococcus species. Three isolates (52N6, 53N9 and 53N6) were resistant to both methicillin and vancomycin, in addition, showed resistance against several other antibiotics. The strain 53N6 that exhibited multidrug resistance was further identified as Staphylococcus sp. strain CPC53N6 through 16s rDNA sequencing with NCBI accession no. KX858346. Virulence activity of the isolate was observed by its biofilm forming capacity as revealed from SEM imaging and the biofilms were composed of aggregated cocci and fibriform extracellular matrix. All the Staphylococcus isolates, including CPC53N6, were sensitive to disinfectants like dettol and cinnamon (Cinnamon zeylanicum) oil indicating their use as preventive measures. Conclusion: Thus, the methicillin and vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus species of cellular phones can be decontaminated through cinnamon oil to minimize further transmission

Bacillus and biopolymer: Prospects and challenges

The microbially derived polyhydroxyalkanoates biopolymers could impact the global climate scenario by replacing the conventional non-degradable, petrochemical-based polymer. The biogenesis, characterization and properties of PHAs by Bacillus species using renewable substrates have been elaborated by many for their wide applications. On the other hand Bacillus species are advantageous over other bacteria due to their abundance even in extreme ecological conditions, higher growth rates even on cheap substrates, higher PHAs production ability, and the ease of extracting the PHAs. Bacillus species possess hydrolytic enzymes that can be exploited for economical PHAs production. This review summarizes the recent trends in both non-growth and growth associated PHAs production by Bacillus species which may provide direction leading to future research towards this growing quest for biodegradable plastics, one more critical step ahead towards sustainable development

Effect of Different Trichoderma asperellum Formulations on Management of Sheath Blight of Rice

Trichoderma spp. were known to have antagonistic activity against against many soil borne diseases. In this experiment we have prepared five different formulations of Trichoderma asperellum and stored them in normal temperature. Later the efficacy of all the formulations were checked against sheath blight disease of rice both in-vitro and in-vivo. Among formulations the F5 [Trichoderma grown in potato dextrose broth (500ml) + Talc(500g)] treated plants showed very good result in managing sheath blight of rice by enhancing the plant height, total number of filled grains and root length. All the formulations performed significantly better than untreated control plants. The F5 treated plants were also recorded to have less disease incidence with increased yield as compared to other formulations

In Silico Designing of an Industrially Sustainable Carbonic Anhydrase Using Molecular Dynamics Simulation

Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is a family of metalloenzymes that has the potential to sequestrate carbon dioxide (CO₂) from the environment and reduce pollution. The goal of this study is to apply protein engineering to develop a modified CA enzyme that has both higher stability and activity and hence could be used for industrial purposes. In the current study, we have developed an in silico method to understand the molecular basis behind the stability of CA. We have performed comparative molecular dynamics simulation of two homologous α-CA, one of thermophilic origin (<i>Sulfurihydrogenibium</i> sp.) and its mesophilic counterpart (Neisseria gonorrhoeae), for 100 ns each at 300, 350, 400, and 500 K. Comparing the trajectories of two proteins using different stability-determining factors, we have designed a highly thermostable version of mesophilic α-CA by introducing three mutations (S44R, S139E, and K168R). The designed mutant α-CA maintains conformational stability at high temperatures. This study shows the potential to develop industrially stable variants of enzymes while maintaining high activity