Utilization of lignin in empty fruit bunch for production of fine chemicals: development of subcritical water technology and ΔpcaHG-ΔcatA Rhodococcus jostii RHA1

Lignin is an alternative source of chemicals particularly phenolic compounds if it could broken down into smaller molecular units. Subcritical water (SCW) is a known technology that has the ability to break down lignin by hydrolysis. In this study, the SCW depolymerizes empty fruit bunch derived lignin into a mixture of aromatic compounds. The mixture, however, is impractical to be utilized and the cost to separate each of the components is relatively high. Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 is a bacterium that can degrade a wide range of aromatic compounds. Specific gene deletion of RHA1 has shown that the RHA1 loses its ability to catabolize specific chemicals. This research project aims to utilize empty fruit bunch derived lignin via SCW technology and subsequently biological process using mutant Rhodococcus jostii RHA1, ΔpcaHG-ΔcatA mutant RHA1

Microbial diversity in disturbed and undisturbed peat swamp forest and isolation of cyanobacteria

Microbial diversity from disturbed and undisturbed peat swamp forest obtained from next generation sequencing. Through this analysis, genera cyanobacteria is being compared with isolated cyanobacteria from both environmments which is extremely acidic. For the future study, this genera has ability as biofertilizer in acidic soil for plantations

Successful Treatment of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia Complicated with Endometrial Cancer by Arsenic Trioxide

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a hematological emergency that requires urgent intervention because of the high incidence of early hemorrhagic death. When patients with APL experience a synchronous solid organ tumor, the tumor’s treatment must also be done properly. Differentiation-inducing therapy using arsenic trioxide (ATO) has less hematological toxicity compared to cytotoxic chemotherapy and might be preferable for untreated APL patients with a synchronous solid organ tumor. Here we describe the first successful case of untreated APL and synchronous endometrial cancer (in an adult Japanese woman) treated with ATO consolidation therapy and the subsequent surgery and chemotherapy for endometrial cancer

Characterization of musty odor producing actinomycetes in Malaysia

The presence of geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol (2-MIB) becomes an increasing concern as they are known to cause earthy or musty odor in freshwater environments. Geosmin and 2-MIB outbreaks in Malaysia are not well understood and since Malaysia has a stable temperature throughout the year, no information has been reported on effect of temperature to the odor production. In this study, 6 isolated strains were selected for study of the effect of temperature (20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45 & 50°C) on geosmin and 2-MIB production. Preliminary results indicate that at temperature 30 °C, Strain 5 showed highest geosmin production (129.06 µg/L) and Strain 2 produced highest 2-MIB (19.89 µg/L). PCR band was obtained in a test whether these isolated strains had geoA gene or not

Effect of nitrate concentration on cell growth and astaxanthin accumulation in four different species of isolated microalgae in Malaysia

Astaxanthin possess a red color pigment, a type of xanthophylls carotenoid and is mainly found in algae, fish and bird. In this study, cell growth and astaxanthin accumulation from four different isolated microalgae species based on their morphology were investigated. Isolated microalgae were cultured at three different nitrate concentration (1.64, 0.82, and 0.41 mM) and cell growth and astaxanthin were measured spectrophotometrically at 750 and 475 nm respectively. All species showed high growth rates at 1.64 mM nitrate concentration except for Pediastrum sp that is favorable in 0.82 mM nitrate. Among the four species, Ankistrodesmus sp showed the fastest growth rate. For the astaxanthin production, Ankistrodesmus and Pediastrum showed the highest yield. Thus it have a potential in production of astaxanthin in the future work

Induction condition of secondary metabolites production in soil actinomycetes, rhodococcus jostii RHA1

Rhodococcus jostii RHA1 is a potent polychlorinated biphenyl-degrading soil actinomycete that catabolizes a wide range of compounds and represents a genus of considerable chemical and industrial interest. Genome of RHA1 contains nonribosomal peptide synthase (NRPS) genes, and polyketide synthase (PKS) genes, providing evidence that RHA1 harbor an extensive secondary metabolism as same as other actinomycetes. To elucidate R. jostii RHA1 may produce any kinds of secondary metabolites, induction condition of these secondary metabolite production genes were investigated. Type I, type III, PKS-NRPS hybrid located on chromosome, and NRPSs located on plasmid were typically induced on solid medium with specific nutrient or environment condition. On the other hands, type II PKSs located on chromosome were mainly induced on liquid medium with specific condition. These results indicated that secondary metabolites induced on specific condition on solid or liquid medium by RHA1 might play a key role of surviving under severe environmental condition

Extraction of hemicellulose from oil palm biomass using subcritical water extraction to produce value-added product or fine chemicals

Renewable energy sources such as wind, hydro, solar, hydrogen, nuclear and biomass are various type of alternatives energy available to replace non-renewable fossil fuels. The total oil palm biomass produced by Malaysia alone is about 53.04 million tonnes (mt), which include 17.08 mt of empty fruit bunches, 9.66 mt of fibre, 5.2 mt of shell, 12.9 and 8.2 mt of fronds and trunks. This research will focused on the production of value-added product or fine chemicals based on extraction of xylose and xylooligosaccharides from hemicellulose of lignocellulosic biomass. As preliminary results, the pH value, TOC value and total sugar concentration were determined

Biomass production and nutrient removal by spontaneous grown green algae oedogonium sp. from a pond in University of Tsukuba

As one of the methods for nutrient removal from eutrophicated lakes and ponds affected by nonpoint nutrient pollution, the conversion of nutrients into aquatic plant biomass (APB) has drawn increasing attention. In this study, the acquisition and sequestration of nutrients by APB and the application of APB as a resource were discussed. The study site was an eutrophicated inland pond at the University of Tsukuba, Amano-Gawa, which is occasionally covered with the submerged macrophyte green alga Oedogonium sp. This species was found to produce 1048 kg of total biomass in dry weight and 13.1 kg of lipid per harvest

Induction of hepatocyte growth factor production in human dermal fibroblasts and their proliferation by the extract of bitter melon pulp

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is useful as a potential therapeutic agent for hepatic and renal fibrosis and cardiovascular diseases through inducing proliferation of epithelial and endothelial cells. HGF inducers may also be useful as therapeutic agents for these diseases. However, there have been no reports on induction of HGF production by plant extracts or juices. An extract of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) pulp markedly induced HGF production. There was a time lag of 72 h before induction of HGF production after the extract addition. Its stimulatory effect was accompanied by upregulation of HGF gene expression. Increases in mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) were observed from 72 h after the extract addition. Inhibitors of MAPKs suppressed the extract-induced HGF production. The extract also stimulated cell proliferation. Both activities for induction of HGF production and cell proliferation were eluted together in a single peak with 14,000 Da on gel filtration. The results indicate that bitter melon pulp extract induced HGF production and cell proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts and suggest that activation of MAPKs is involved in the HGF induction. Our findings suggest potential usefulness of the extract for tissue regeneration and provide an insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the wound-healing property of bitter melon

Nitrogen oxide cycle regulates nitric oxide levels and bacterial cell signaling

Nitric oxide (NO) signaling controls various metabolic pathways in bacteria and higher eukaryotes. Cellular enzymes synthesize and detoxify NO; however, a mechanism that controls its cellular homeostasis has not been identified. Here, we found a nitrogen oxide cycle involving nitrate reductase (Nar) and the NO dioxygenase flavohemoglobin (Fhb), that facilitate inter-conversion of nitrate, nitrite, and NO in the actinobacterium Streptomyces coelicolor. This cycle regulates cellular NO levels, bacterial antibiotic production, and morphological differentiation. NO down-regulates Nar and up-regulates Fhb gene expression via the NO-dependent transcriptional factors DevSR and NsrR, respectively, which are involved in the auto-regulation mechanism of intracellular NO levels. Nitrite generated by the NO cycles induces gene expression in neighboring cells, indicating an additional role of the cycle as a producer of a transmittable inter-cellular communication molecule