Antimicrobial activities of Vernonia tenoreana

The antimicrobial activity of Vernonia tenoreana was investigated. Crude extracts and solvent fractions of the leaf and bark of V. tenoreana were obtained using methanol and distilled water (2:3, v:v),ethylacetate, chloroform, and n-hexane as solvents of extraction. The crude and solvent fractions showed broad spectrum activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Bacillussubtilis, B. cereus, Shigella dysenteriae, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus vulgaris, with zones of inhibition ranging from 1.7 to 18.3 mm. The leaf extracts showed betterantimicrobial activities, as the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values for most of the isolates was 10 mg/ml with a least value of 5 mg/ml recorded for P. aeruginosa (NCIB 950). On the contrary, inthe case of bark extract, 15 mg/ml was the MIC value recorded for most of the test isolates with the least value of 10 mg/ml recorded for S. aureus, B. subtilis, and K. pneumoniae. Out of all the solventfractions, the chloroform fractions exhibited the highest antimicrobial activities. The bark extracts exercised antifungal activities against Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and A. flavus, while the leafextract was inactive against all the fungal isolates. Phytochemical constituents revealed the presence of saponins, tannins, and anthraquinones in the bark extracts, while, tannins, anthraquinones, andcardenolides were present in the leaf extract

First report of a complete genome sequence for a begomovirus infecting Jatropha gossypifolia in the Americas

Jatropha gossypifolia is a weed that is commonly found with yellow mosaic symptoms growing along the roadside and in close proximity to cultivated crops in many farming communities in Jamaica. For the first time, the complete genome sequence of a new begomovirus, designated jatropha mosaic virus-[Jamaica:Spanish Town:2004] (JMV-[JM:ST:04]), was determined from field-infected J. gossypifolia in the western hemisphere. DNA-A nucleotide sequence comparisons showed closest identity (84 %) to two tobacco-infecting viruses from Cuba, tobacco mottle leaf curl virus-[Cuba:Sancti Spiritus:03] (TbMoLCV-[CU:SS:03]) and tobacco leaf curl Cuba virus-[Cuba:Taguasco:2005] (TbLCuCUV-[CU:Tag:05]), and two weed-infecting viruses from Cuba and Jamaica, Rhynchosia rugose golden mosaic virus-[Cuba:Camaguey:171:2009] (RhRGMV- [CU:Cam:171:09]) and Wissadula golden mosaic St. Thomas virus-[Jamaica:Albion:2005] (WGMSTV-[JM:Alb:05]). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that JMV-[JM:ST:04] is most closely related to tobacco and tomato viruses from Cuba and WGMSTV-[JM:Alb:05], a common malvaceous-weed-infecting virus from eastern Jamaica, and that it is distinct from begomoviruses infecting Jatropha species in India and Nigeria.The School of Graduate Studies and Research and the Principal’s New Initiative Fund, University of the West Indies, Mona.http://link.springer.com/journal/7052015-10--01hj201