Morphological and biochemical characterization of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae isolates collected from Punjab during 2013

Background: Bacterial leaf blight (BLB) of rice occupies the most significant position among various potentially important bacterial diseases all over Pakistan. The first important step towards the management of this disease is the characterization of the pathogen.Methods: Survey was conducted and disease samples were collected from 9 different locations of Punjab. Isolation and characterization by biochemical tests was done from the diseased samples under standard conditions in the laboratory. For pathogenicity and virulence characterization, all isolates were inoculated on IR-24, Basmati super and Basmati-2000 varieties. Data was recorded after three weeks of inoculation.Results: 30 isolates of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo) were purified from the diseased plants of different geographical origin which had very similar morphological and biochemical characteristics. PXo-20 (causing 51.35% leaf damage) and PXo-16 (causing 50.05% leaf damage) were found most virulent for Basmati Super and Basmati-2000.Conclusion: The presence of highly virulent isolates in Sheikhupura is alarming and there is dire need to incorporate new resistance genes in commercial rice cultivars to cope with BLB

pH Dependent Differential Binding Behavior of Prtotease Inhibitor Molecular Drugs for SARS-COV-2

In this research we used the structure of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) for docking with Anti-HIV protease inhibitor drug molecules within pH 4-8. By carrying out the variance analysis of binding energies at pH 4-8, it was revealed that the binding energy and mode of interaction of the potential ligands with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, was dependent on variation of pH. We found out that two of the selected protease inhibitors have differential binding characteristics with changing pH hence their binding energies and mode of interaction depends upon intracellular pH. This differential binding behavior can lead to development of pH selective potent drug molecules for binding with viral protease at lowered intracellular pH of virus infected cell. </p

PROTEIN-NUCLEIC ACID INTERFACE (PNAI) INHIBITOR DRUG MOLECULES FOR SARS-COV-2

In this research we used the structure of SARS-CoV-2 related, recently mapped, atomic structure of nsp10/16 proteins for docking with some known drug molecular structures at pH 7 and 5. Chosen molecules were azo -N=N- and -COOH derivatives. It was revealed that the molecules showed good binding energy with nsp10/16 protein at both pH. These molecules can act as protein-nucleic acid interface (PNAI) inhibitor drug molecules. Such molecules can be used in combination with polymerase and protease inhibitors for treatment of SARS-CoV-2. </p

Repurposed Single Inhibitor for Serine Protease and Spike Glycoproteins of SAR-CoV-2

In this research, structure of SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein S1 and S2 along with TMPRSS2, TMPRSS4, TMPRSS11A, TMPRSS11D and TMPRSS11E serine protease (which activates S1 and S2) are used for docking with repurposed inhibitor drug molecules. We searched for a universally active drug molecule which binds with glycoproteins and serine protease with binding energy above a pre-set threshold value, thus single handedly inhibits the virus glycoprotein interaction with ACE-II receptor on human cell preventing the virus RNA transfer to human cell. Through data analysis performed on binding energies of the selected repurposed inhibitors, we found out five molecules to have high binding energies on both spike glycoproteins and serine protease, while showing less variance in their binding energies. Among these five, Edoxaban is an FDA approved commercially available drug molecule. Hence, high binding molecular inhibitors for spike glycoprotein and serine protease for treatment of SARS-CoV-2 were identified. </p

New bioactive triaryl triglyceride esters: Synthesis, characterization and biological activities

Four new bioactive aryl triester derivatives of glycerol and benzoic acids were synthesized. The synthetic compounds were studied for their antimicrobial and urease inhibition activities. Esterification was carried out by using carbonyldiimidazole to enhance the acyl elimination addition reaction with benzoic acid derivatives. The structure of triglycerides were studied by EI-MS, 1H, 13C-NMR, FT-IR and elemental analysis. All synthetic compounds showed urease inhibition activity with highest value of IC50 value 22.4 ± 0.45 μM which is nearest to standard thiourea IC50 value (21.6 ± 0.12 μM).  Except compound (3d), all other compounds exhibited antimicrobial activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus pumilus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albican. Video Clip of Methodology: 7 min 59 sec   Full Screen   Alternate