Studies on lysine production by Bacillus megaterium

A Lysine-producing strain recovered from soil was found to produce large amount of the amino acid. The bacterium identified as Bacillus megaterium SP 14 accumulated a lysine yield of 3.56 mg/ml in a broth culture in 96 h. Fermentation experiments show that 8.0% (w/v) glucose and 4.0% (w/v) ammonium chloride used as sources of carbon and nitrogen, respectively, in a medium/fermenter volume ratio of 25.0%, influenced accumulation of the amino acid. Amino acids other than the aspartate family at 0.01% (w/v) stimulated growth and improved lysine yield. Addition of 0.01 unit/ml penicillin to the fermentation medium, immediately after inoculation, stimulated growth and appreciably enhanced lysine accumulation.African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 4 (7), pp. 633-638, 200

Environmental Risk Assessment of Heavy Metal Concentrations in Road Runoff with Absorption Atomic Spectrophotometer(AAS) , Imo State, Nigeria.

The study focused on the environmental risk evaluation of heavy metals in road runoff as non-point source   in the selected Routes in Owerri using Absorption Atomic Spectrophotometer. The major roads selected include Aba Road (RRSP1),  Orji Road (RRSP2),  Orlu Road (RRSP3),  Onitsha Road (RRSP4),  Wetheral Road (RRSP 5),  Okigwe Road (RRSP6),   and Port- Harcourt Road (RRSP) respectively. A total of twenty one runoff samples, three each from the seven selected roads were collected across three months (April-July, 2012), and analyzed using the M-Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Results  shown that heavy metal concentrations originating from the  non-point source (NPS)  in  the six selected routes were in the following ranges: Cd(0.02 – 0.04 µg/l-1), Cu (10.00-45.00 µg/l-1), Cr(0.01-7.00 µg/l-1), Zn(15.00 – 103.00 µg/l-1), and Pb (12.00 – 79 µg/l-1), which further explained  that concentrations were higher in the months of  April and May  in Aba road and reduced in other routes. An increased in heavy metals were observed during the month of July than the month of May.  Statistically, mean variations were observed  among heavy metals from road runoff that ranged between : Cd 0.07 µg/l-1, Cr 3.10 µg/l-1, Cu 22.70 µg/l-1, Pb 36.70 µg/l-1 and Zn 51. 40 µg/l-1in order of Zn >Pb>Cu> Cr>Cd respectively. The results also indicated that Cd, Cu, Cr, Zn  and Pb concentrations in road runoff sampled were    above the  FMENV and WHO standards for potable water  during the  month of April being first flush, May being the after first flush and July that proceeds August break that affects man and his environment. Keywords: Environmental Risk , Road runoff, Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer, Heavy Metals, Nigeria

Insecticidal Effect of African Nutmeg (Monodora myristica) Oil on Sitophilus zeamais and Tribolium castaneum in African Breadfruit

This study investigated insecticidal effect of African nutmeg (Monodora myristica Gaertn) oil against Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch) and Tribolium castaneun (Herbst) in African breadfruit during storage. Fruits (400g) of African nutmeg were milled into flour. Two hundred grams (200g) of flour was extracted for oil using 500ml of n-hexane. The fruit oil at 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00ml per 1ml ethanol was dosed against 10 adults of either insects infested on 15-20g African breadfruit seeds during post-exposure (24h), contact (7-12 days) and fumigant (72h) toxicity tests at ambient conditions (33-39oC; 42-59% RH) in Lafia, Nasarawa State, Nigeria. The oil caused dose-dependent mortality (%) which increased with exposure time of the insects. Sitophilus zeamais (Motsch) had higher mortality than Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) within the same oil concentration and exposure time. In a glass vial filled to 70% column with African breadfruit, 1ml oil concentration caused 63% kill of T. Castaneum (Herbst), but 90% kill of S. zeamais (Motsch) in 7days exposure. The 1ml oil concentration on 72hour fumigation test killed 95% of S. zeamais (Motsch) and 62% of T. castaneum (Herbst). Monodora myristica (Gaertn) oil could replace synthetic insecticides to preserve this grain against the two insect pests under storage

Studies Of Heat Resistant Fungi In The Soil:Talaromyces flavus Isolated In Nigerian Soils

Abstract Heat resistant fungi are a group of fungi which are able to withstand thermal processes employed in the preservation of most acid foods. A total of 85 soil samples collected from gardens/farmlands in Ohodo, EnuguEzike, Ogbede, Adani, Oturkpo, Umuahia/Orlu, Imilike, and Gboko were examined for the presence of heat resistant fungi using standard methods.HRF were isolated from 74 soils representing approximately 94%. Fungal counts ranged from non-detectable to 437 colony forming units per 2g of soil. Neosartorya fischeri was the most common isolate. Other isolates were Talaromyces flavus, Eupenicillium cinnamopurpurem, Eupenicillium crustaceum,Emeriella rugulosa and Paecilomyces variotii/Byssochlamys fulva

Proximate, Physicochemical and Sensory Attributes of Stirred Yoghurt Flavoured with African Star Apple Pulp (Chrysophyllum albidum)

Aims: To Investigate the Proximate, Physicochemical and Sensory attributes of Stirred Yoghurt Flavoured with African Star Apple Pulp (Chrysophyllum albidum). Study Design: Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD). Place and Duration of Study: Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State Nigeria between December 2018 and October 2019. Methodology: The materials, as well as the other ingredients for the preparation of the flavoured stirred yoghurt (African star apple, skimmed milk, sugar, and Starter culture (YoghurmetTM) were sourced from Ogige main market in Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. The African star apples were sorted to separate the fresh and good fruits from insect-infected and mechanically damaged ones. The fruits were thoroughly washed with water to further eliminate adherent dirt so as to obtain sand-free fruits. Peeling of the fruits was done to remove the back. Each of the peeled fruits was cut into two in order to remove the seeds thereof. The pulps were carefully removed manually with knife and the pulps were blended using a blender after which pasteurization at 83°C for 3 minutes was carried out before being added to the processed yoghurt. Yoghurt flavoured with pasteurized African Star Apple pulp was produced by homogenizing, pasteurizing the milk product followed by cooling to inoculation temperature which is optimum for the starter culture (Yoghurmet). The inoculated milk was made to undergo fermentation after which the pasteurized African star apple pulp at different proportions was added to formulate five samples of stirred yoghurt.  The formulation ratios of yoghurt to African star apple pulp were as follows: 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40, 50:50. The flavoured yoghurt samples were mixed, smoothened and packaged for cold storage. Results: The result of physicochemical analysis revealed that viscosity (2.65 ± 0.06 cP – 3.25 ± 0.06 cP), total solids (22.35 ± 0.06% - 30.20 ± 0.06%), total titratable acidity (0.36 ± 0.00% -   0.39 ± 0.01%) and pH (5.20 ± 0.00 - 5.40 ± 0.00) differed significantly (P < 0.05) as the control sample YC (100:0) was compared with the yoghurt samples flavoured with African star apple pulp. The proximate parameters -  Carbohydrate (11.20 ± 0.64% - 21.41 ± 0.10%), moisture content (71.53 ± 0.05% - 80.36 ± 1.17%) and ash content (1.30 ± 0.00% - 1.98 ± 0.03%) of the formulated yoghurt samples showed significant (P < 0.05) decrease as concentration of ASA pulp increased while crude protein (3.67 ± 0.01% -  4.92 ± 0.02%), fat (1.21 ± 0.02% - 2.72 ± 0.03%) and crude fibre (0.20 ± 0.00% - 1.40 ± 0.00%) showed significant (P < 0.05) increase with increasing concentration of ASA pulp. Among the formulated yoghurt samples, sample YP1 was the most preferred with respect to color (7.25 ± 0.91), taste (7.25 ± 1.07), aftertaste (7.00 ± 1.17), mouthfeel (6.95 ± 1.40), flavour (7.25 ± 0.64) and overall acceptability (7.30 ± 0.73). Conclusion: Although the control sample YC (100:0) had most preferred sensorial qualities, yoghurt samples flavoured with African Star Apple pulp would rival the “used-to plain yoghurt” with improved awareness, and usage lower than 20% of the ASA pulp in yoghurt samples would maintain the product’s acceptability among the variety-loving dairy consumers

Evaluation of 6-Gingerol and its modified analogues as therapeutic candidates against Schistosoma mansoni phosphofructokinase

The African most prevalent tropical disease after malaria is schistosomiasis and this disease in the developing countries is a massive socio-economic and public health burden. The disease also caused over 200,000 deaths. The development and design of new and novel antischistosomal drugs is now very important, as there are no vaccines currently and there is only one drug at the moment for the treatment of schistosomiasis. In this article, 6-gingerol was docked against the Schistosoma mansoni phosphofructokinase and the docking result was compared to those obtained from the docking of its modified analogues against the same enzyme. The chemical structure of 6-gingerol was obtained from the PubChem database while the modified analogues were designed using the ChemAxon software. The molecular docking procedure was carried out with the aid of the AutoDock Vina software while polar interactions which were eventually used in predicting the amino acid residues at the Schistosoma mansoni phosphofructokinase active site were visualized using the Pymol software. The Schistosoma mansoni phosphofructokinase 3D crystallized structure was modeled using the Swiss Model server. The molecular docking result showed that the modifications made on 6-gingerol had a positive effect on the binding energy of the compound to the enzyme active site as an appreciable increase was observed. 6-Gingerol and its modified analogues also violated none of the Lipinski’s rule with suggests that the experimental compounds are drug-like. The C2H5 analogue of 6 gingerol was selected as the ideal therapeutic agent based on the pharmacokinetics study and the exhibited binding energy