ISOLATION, SCREENING AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ANTIBIOTIC PRODUCING ACTINOMYCETES FROM KAPULUPPADA PLASTIC WASTE DUMPING YARD, VISAKHAPATNAM

Objective: To isolate, screen and characterize antibiotic producing actinomycetes from Kapuluppada plastic waste dumping yard, Visakhapatnam.Methods: A total of 12 soil samples were collected, serially diluted and spread on starch casein agar supplemented with Rifampicin and Cycloheximide for inhibition of bacteria and fungi, respectively. Cross-streak method was used to check the antagonistic activity of isolated actinomycetes against bacteria and fungi. Crude extracts from submerged state fermentation were used for the production of antimicrobial compounds. Agar well diffusion method was used for antimicrobial activity of crude extracts against test organisms. The isolates were characterized by morphological, physiological and biochemical methods.Results: A total of 110 actinomycete isolates were isolated from plastic waste dumping yard. All isolates had shown antimicrobial activity against one or more tested bacteria/fungi. The crude extract of the isolates PD66 (12.2 mm), PD85 (11.5 mm) were most active against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, PD4 (14.1 mm), PD66 (15.6 mm) were active against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, whereas the extracts of PD10 (19.2 mm), PD47 (19.8 mm), PD106 (19.1 mm) were active against Candida albicans, PD10 (14.6 mm), PD82 (15.7 mm) active against Saccharomyces cereviciae. The isolates had shown varying morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics.Conclusion: The actinomycetes isolated from Kapuluppada plastic waste dumping yard were found to be most promising microorganisms for the production of antibacterial and antifungal antibiotics.Â

APPLICATION OF RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY IN MEDIUM COMPONENTS OPTIMIZATION TO ENHANCE SERRATIOPEPTIDASE PRODUCTION BY STREPTOMYCES HYDROGENANSMGS13

For enhanced production of Serratiopeptidase by an actinomycetestrain, Streoptomyces hydrogenans MGS13, optimization of fermentationmedium was initially carried out by conventional method of ‗one-factor-at-atime‘.Later it was optimized by applying response surface methodology.Interactions were studied with four variables viz. levels of dextrose, soyabean meal and inoculum & pH using Central Composite Design. This modelwas validated by conducting the experiments under the optimized conditions,which resulted in the improved Serratiopeptidase production of 254.56IU/mL (Predicted response 278.087 IU/mL), thus proving the validity of themodel. Streptomyces hydrogenans MGS13 strain isolated from mangrovesoil sediment was taken up for this study. This study demonstrates the abilityof the strain, Streptomyces hydrogenans MGS13 for the Serratiopeptidaseproduction and the application of response surface methodology withimproved Serratiopeptidase production. The statistical experimental design issimple and less time consuming & is adequate to economize thefermentation. This is the first report on the application of response surfacemethodology for Serratiopeptidase production by an actinomycete isolate

ESTIMATION OF LIPID PROFILE AND ASSESSMENT OF CARDIOVASCULAR RISK IN SMOKERS BY USING NEW ATHEROGENIC INDICES

Objective: Smoking habit leads to elevated levels of lipid profile thus increasing the cardiovascular disease risk in coronary heart disease. The aim ofstudy is undertaken to evaluate plasma lipid profile, of the male smoker with non-smoker's healthy matched control and assessing the cardiovascularrisk by using new atherogenic indices.Methods: Fasting blood samples were collected form both cases and controls and estimation of lipid profile by using by using autoanalyzer. A detailedphysical and anthropometric parameters information was collected form each participant subjects.Results: Plasma total cholesterol (TC) (221.52±8.34), triglyceride (TG) (274.94±28.70) low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) (129.22±7.76),very LDL-c (VLDL-c) (54.98±5.74) and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol NonHDL-c (HDL-c) (183.26±7.58) in smokers subjects, which weresignificantly (p<0.0001) higher compared with non-smokers, while HDL-c significantly (38.25±1.34; p<0.001) decreased in smokers as comparedto non-smokers. Further, atherogenic ratios like, Castelli's risk index (CRI-I)=TC/HDL-c, CRI-II=LDL-c/HDL-c, atherogenic coefficient = (TC–HDL-c)/HDL-c TG/HDL-c ratio, and atherogenic index of plasma =log (TG/HDL-c) were calculated for individual subjects by using lipid profile. All these lipidratio are significantly (p<0.0001) in smoker group.Conclusion: Our conclusion, these ratio's could be used for identifying individual at higher risk of cardiovascular disease in the clinical practicesespecially, when the absolute values of lipid profile seem normal or higher and not markedly deranged or in centers with insufficient resources.Keywords: Cigarette smoking, Lipid profile, Cardiovascular risk, Atherogenic indices

Isolation and Screening of Actinomycetes for Biodegradation of Low Density Polyethylene from Mangrove Sediment

ABSTRACT Polyethylene is widely used as a packing material for different purposes of human life. Accumulation of polyethylene in the environment may cause ecological threat. To prevent the accumulation of polyethylene in the environment, a total of seven actinomycetes were isolated from Koringa Mangrove sediments, near Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh. These isolates were able to grow on mineral salts medium containing polyethylene as a sole source of carbon. Of these, one isolate M4 showed prominent result with redox probe TTC (2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride) as a viability indicator, which forms red coloured insoluble TPF (triphenylformazan) on mineral salts medium containing emulsified polyethylene within five to seven days, and was selected for detailed analysis. A significant reduction in weight of the polyethylene films were observed after four weeks of incubation with selected isolate in the mineral salts medium containing PE films as a carbon source. The viability and metabolic activity of isolate M4 growing on the polyethylene surface was confirmed using a TTC reduction test. The microbial degradation of LDPE was also analyzed by the change in pH of the culture media and microscopic analysis. Optimization of pH and temperature range for polyethylene degradation by this isolate was studied. The isolate was also able to grow on other polymers such as polyvinyl acetate, polycaprolactone, polyethylene oxide and polyethylene glycol. It could be concluded that the PE degrading actinomycete isolate selected in this study showed diverse and varying capacities to degrade polyethylene and other polymers and can be exploited for cleaning up polyethylene contaminated sites