Production and Partial Characterization of Protease from Aspergillus Flavus using Rice Mill Waste as a Substrate and its Comparision with Aspergillus Niger Protease

Abstract Proteases are one of the most important groups of industrial enzymes and occur widely in plants an

Influence of light intensity, temperature and CO₂ concentration on growth and lipids in green algae and cyanobacteria

482-487<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">Effects of the environmental variables such as light intensity (µmol photons m-2s-1), temperature (°C) and CO2 concentration (ppm) on chlorophyll, total soluble proteins and lipids <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">were studied in selected microalgal strains from Chlorophyceae (Chlamydomonas sp., Scenedesmus sp., Chlorella sp., <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Kirchneriella sp.) and cyanobacteria (Nostoc sp.1, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Anabaena sp., Nostoc sp. 2, Cylindrospermum sp.). Cultures were grown under controlled conditions at the National Phytotron Facility, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi. Our results showed that chlorophyll concentration enhanced with increased CO2. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Chlorella exhibited the highest chlorophyll at 850 ppm CO2 and 28°C; for Chlamydomonas it was at 78 µmol photons m-2s-1 light intensity. In Cylindrospermum, total soluble proteins decreased with enhanced CO2, and were highest at 18<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Symbol;mso-ascii-font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-hansi-font-family:="" "times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;="" mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:hi;mso-char-type:symbol;="" mso-symbol-font-family:symbol;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"="" lang="EN-GB">°C. In Anabaena, a light intensity of 65<span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;="" mso-bidi-language:hi"="" lang="EN-GB"> <span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-bidi-font-family:mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;="" mso-bidi-language:hi;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"="" lang="EN-GB">µmol photons m-2s-1 was best for maximum total soluble proteins. In <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Chlorella, CO2 @ 850 ppm was most suited for maximum lipid accumulation. In Kirchneriella, increase in temperature, from 18<span style="font-size:11.0pt; font-family:Symbol;mso-ascii-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:="" "times="" roman";mso-hansi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi;mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:symbol;mso-bidi-font-weight:="" bold"="" lang="EN-GB">°C up to 37<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Symbol; mso-ascii-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";="" mso-hansi-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:mangal;mso-ansi-language:="" en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:hi;mso-char-type:symbol;="" mso-symbol-font-family:symbol;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"="" lang="EN-GB">°C, increased total lipids; the highest was at 28°<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold"="" lang="EN-GB">C. In Chlamydomonas, the light intensity of 78 µmol photons m-2s-1 was optimum for lipid accumulation and the maximum total lipids was 30.8 (% dry wt.).</span

Expression of Omp16 and L7/L12 <em>Brucella</em> <em>abortus</em> protective antigens as secretory fusion proteins in mammalian cells

289-295Brucella abortus is a facultative intracellular bacterial pathogen infecting animals and humans. This preliminary study was designed to express two immunogenic genes of Brucella abortus as recombinant fusion proteins in mammalian cells for being studied as a vaccine candidate in mammalian hosts, especially mice and cattle, in our next study. The complete open reading frame sequences of two immune dominant genes of Brucella abortus namely, Omp16 and L7/L12 were fused with an intermediate spacer along with N-terminal fusion with secretory signal sequence from immunoglobulin M. The complete fusion gene sequence was codon optimized for expression in mammalian cells. For expression analysis, the codon optimized synthetic gene was cloned in pDsRed-Express-N1 mammalian expression vector, with C-terminal fusion with red fluorescent protein sequence. On transfection in MDBK and HEK-293 cells, appearance of red fluorescence in transfected cells indicated expression of Omp16- L7/L12 fusion proteins along with RFP. The Omp16-L7/L12 fusion construct without RFP sequence was also expressed in mammalian cells. The expressed Omp16-L7/L12 fusion proteins were confirmed through both indirect fluorescence antibody test and western blot. This preliminary study suggested that the codon optimized Omp16-L7/L12 fusion construct is ready to be studied in hosts like mice and cattle for its vaccine efficacy

Protective effect of Zincum metallicum on rat model of Parkinson′s disease

Background: Parkinson′s Disease (PD) is one of the major neurodegenerative disorders, and oxidative stress has been implicated in playing an important role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Zincum metallicum, produces symptoms mentioned in Homoeopathic Materia Medica which are akin to PD on which basis it might be considered as one at the intermediate to treat the disease. Materials and Methods: Rats were divided into eight groups; surgery was done by stereotaxic apparatus. 6 - hydroxydopamine was used to induce parkinsonism thereafter on 16 th day of lesioning animals were assessed by the video path analyzer. Animals were sacrificed and biochemical assays (Lipid peroxidation [LPO], glutathione [GSH], glutathione peroxide [GPx], glutathione reductase [GR], glutathione-S-transferase [GST]) and level of dopamine (DA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), and homovanillic acid (HVA), were estimated. Further dopaminergic D 2 receptor binding was also done to confirm the induced parkinsonism. Results: The behavior activities (locomotor, distance travel, stereroevent) were decreased whereas the rest time was increased in lesion group animals as compared to the sham group. The locomotor activity and the distance traveled were protected significantly with 6C whereas rest time was protected significantly with 30C and 200C of Homoeopathic medicine Zincum metallicum. On the other hand, S + 30C and S + 200C groups have shown increased locomotor activities as compared to S group. The rest time was also increased significantly in S + 6C and S + 30C group animals as compared to S group. The elevated level of LPO and DA D 2 receptor binding density in PD group was protected significantly with Zincum metallicum (6C, 30C, and 200C). The depleted level of GSH and activity of antioxidant enzymes (GPx, GR, and GST) and DA and its metabolites DOPAC and HVA were protected significantly with Zincum metallicum (6C, 30C, and 200C). Conclusion: The study indicates the Zincum metallicum may be helpful in slowing down injury in parkinsonism and could be a beneficial drug for the prevention of PD