Modelling and Computational Sequence Analysis of a Bacteriocin Isolated from Bacillus licheniformis strain BTHT8

Bacteriocins are ribosomally synthesized antimicrobial peptides displaying different mode of action. Non pathogenic Bacillus licheniformis are usually associated with plants and produce several bacteriocins. This work looks at drug designing strategies using protein modelling and bioinformatics tools.  In this study computational modelling and docking studies were carried out using the 13 amino acid sequence of a previously characterized thermostable bacteriocin, BL8 produced by B. licheniformis strain BTHT8. These analyses enabled the understanding of the structure of BL8 protein domain, which was noted to belong to alpha + beta protein fold family. In addition, the docking study predicted that BL8 has properties of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. 

Evaluation of Anti-inflammatory property of Melanin from marine Bacillus sp BTCZ31

 Objectives: To evaluate the anti-inflammatory property of melanin from marine Bacillus spp. BTCZ31.Methods: Radical scavenging property of melanin was determined by 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and metal chelation assays, which was furtherconfirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. Anti-inflammatory property of melanin was explored in vitro in RAW264.7cell line using cyclooxygenase (COX), Lipoxygenase (LOX), Myleoperoxidase (MPO), cellular nitrite inhibitory assays. Cytotoxicity of melanin wasdetermined using 3-(4,5 dimethythiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay.Results: BTCZ31 melanin showed radical scavenging activity of 67.55% and ferrous ion chelating activity of 97.88%. EPR spectrum showed sharppeaks indicating the presence of unpaired electrons. Melanin inhibited the activity of COX and LOX enzyme with IC50 values of 104.34 μg/mL and10.5 μg/mL, respectively. It also reduced the activity of MPO and cellular nitrite levels. Cytotoxic concentration of melanin was found to be 105.4 μg/mL(IC50).Conclusion: Bacillus spp. BTCZ10 melanin can be a potential anti-inflammatory agent. Further in vivo evaluations are needed for confirming theactivity, leading to therapeutic applications.Keywords: Anti-inflammatory, Antioxidant, Bacillus spp., Bacteria, Marine, Melanin

Azimuthal anisotropy of charged jet production in root s(NN)=2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions

We present measurements of the azimuthal dependence of charged jet production in central and semi-central root s(NN) = 2.76 TeV Pb-Pb collisions with respect to the second harmonic event plane, quantified as nu(ch)(2) (jet). Jet finding is performed employing the anti-k(T) algorithm with a resolution parameter R = 0.2 using charged tracks from the ALICE tracking system. The contribution of the azimuthal anisotropy of the underlying event is taken into account event-by-event. The remaining (statistical) region-to-region fluctuations are removed on an ensemble basis by unfolding the jet spectra for different event plane orientations independently. Significant non-zero nu(ch)(2) (jet) is observed in semi-central collisions (30-50% centrality) for 20 <p(T)(ch) (jet) <90 GeV/c. The azimuthal dependence of the charged jet production is similar to the dependence observed for jets comprising both charged and neutral fragments, and compatible with measurements of the nu(2) of single charged particles at high p(T). Good agreement between the data and predictions from JEWEL, an event generator simulating parton shower evolution in the presence of a dense QCD medium, is found in semi-central collisions. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Peer reviewe

Forward-central two-particle correlations in p-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=5.02 TeV

Two-particle angular correlations between trigger particles in the forward pseudorapidity range (2.5 2GeV/c. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B. V.Peer reviewe

Event-shape engineering for inclusive spectra and elliptic flow in Pb-Pb collisions at root(NN)-N-S=2.76 TeV

Peer reviewe

Centrality evolution of the charged-particle pseudorapidity density over a broad pseudorapidity range in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76TeV

Peer reviewe

Elliptic flow of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at forward rapidity in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)=2.76TeV

The elliptic flow, v(2), of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays at forward rapidity (2.5 <y <4) is measured in Pb-Pb collisions at root s(NN)= 2.76TeVwith the ALICE detector at the LHC. The scalar product, two- and four-particle Q cumulants and Lee-Yang zeros methods are used. The dependence of the v(2) of muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays on the collision centrality, in the range 0-40%, and on transverse momentum, p(T), is studied in the interval 3 <p(T)<10 GeV/c. A positive v(2) is observed with the scalar product and two-particle Q cumulants in semi-central collisions (10-20% and 20-40% centrality classes) for the p(T) interval from 3 to about 5GeV/c with a significance larger than 3 sigma, based on the combination of statistical and systematic uncertainties. The v(2) magnitude tends to decrease towards more central collisions and with increasing pT. It becomes compatible with zero in the interval 6 <p(T)<10 GeV/c. The results are compared to models describing the interaction of heavy quarks and open heavy-flavour hadrons with the high-density medium formed in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B.V.Peer reviewe

Pseudorapidity and transverse-momentum distributions of charged particles in proton-proton collisions at root s=13 TeV

The pseudorapidity (eta) and transverse-momentum (p(T)) distributions of charged particles produced in proton-proton collisions are measured at the centre-of-mass energy root s = 13 TeV. The pseudorapidity distribution in vertical bar eta vertical bar <1.8 is reported for inelastic events and for events with at least one charged particle in vertical bar eta vertical bar <1. The pseudorapidity density of charged particles produced in the pseudorapidity region vertical bar eta vertical bar <0.5 is 5.31 +/- 0.18 and 6.46 +/- 0.19 for the two event classes, respectively. The transverse-momentum distribution of charged particles is measured in the range 0.15 <p(T) <20 GeV/c and vertical bar eta vertical bar <0.8 for events with at least one charged particle in vertical bar eta vertical bar <1. The evolution of the transverse momentum spectra of charged particles is also investigated as a function of event multiplicity. The results are compared with calculations from PYTHIA and EPOS Monte Carlo generators. (C) 2015 CERN for the benefit of the ALICE Collaboration. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).Peer reviewe