Biofilm inhibitory potential of Oscillatoria tenuis against Candida albicans

Prokaryotic autotrophs have a key role in maintaining the sustainability of nature. Their secondary metabolites and stored chemicals have wide utility in human life. Cyanophytes, the primitive producers, can become a necessity of the modern world as they have enormous unexplored features. Candida albicans, an opportunistic pathogen having multidrug resistance, fallout health concerns in human and animal hosts. This study focused on the antibiofilm potential of Oscillatoria tenuis NTAPD 02, isolated from a hydrocarbon-polluted area against the hyphal switching of Candida albicans. Ethanolic extract of the algal sample, OEE, was taken to perform the biofilm quantification test and CLSM studies to determine the antibiofilm potential of Oscillatoria tenuis against Candida albicans. The MBIC for OEE was found to be 30 µg/mL against C. albicans and also shows a 70.8% reduction of fungal biofilm. The GC-MS and FTIR analysis illustrates the presence of potent phenolic hydrocarbons having an anti-proliferative effect. OEE was also found stress generative in C. elegans (500 µg/mL). The ROS generation in the worms intensified by increased concentration of OEE. The study proves that Oscillatoria tenuis, NTAPD 02, can be considered an anti-proliferative alga against C. albicans invasions

Anatomizing extracellular polymer of Calothrix desertica with its anti-oxidation and anti-nutrient profiling

Calothrix desertica having a semilunar apical heterocyst is proficient at excreting 1.2 g/L of extracellular polymers (EPsC) in 45 days. The refined EPsC constitutes 430 mg/g of glycogen, 390 mg/g of protein, and 14.6 mg/g of glycoproteins (GPs). The glycoprotein estimation of EPsC was performed by two step hydrolysis methods with H2SO4. The peak between 10 mAU to 20 mAU in HPLC, 1400 cm-1 to 1700 cm-1 in FTIR, and 40kDa- 35kDa bands in SDS-PAGE authenticates the presence of glycoproteins in the EPsC. The EPsC agglomerate of 1000 nm to 3000 nm size with a Zeta potential of -20 mV to 5 mV was determined using DLS. Further EPsC of nanosizes of 30 nm to 150 nm in 50,000 X and 20 nm to 40 nm in 60,000 X was measured using FE- SEM. The DPPH assay and H2O2 scavenging assay showed 73.1% and 70.8% of anti-oxidant activity in EPsC, which is coequally efficient as standard gallic acid. EPsC biopolymer can also be used as a potential reducing agent, as per the anti-nutrient activity studies

Surveillance of multidrug resistant bacteria pathogens from female infertility cases

Antibiotic resistance is a public health problem of increasing magnitude. Female reproductive system is vulnerable to a number of diseases. Diseased condition results in infertility, menstrual irregularity, pregnancy loss, and in association with pregnancy, morbidity to both the mother and child increases. In the present work, the bacteria pathogens were isolated from the endometrial sample of 50 female infertility cases among which 42 cases were positive for the pathogens. This study reveals that Escherichia coli was the most dominant, followed by Enterococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Streptococcus sp., and Enterobacter. The isolates were characterized and its susceptibility against important antibiotics were performed. Highest sensitivity was observed with gatifloxacin, imipenam and piperacillin and tazobactum. Thus, according to this study, these antibiotics can be recommended against multi drug resistant bacteria pathogens.Keywords: Multidrug resistance, female infertility, bacteria pathogensAfrican Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(26), pp. 4129-413

Probiotic Effect of Lactobacillus Isolates Against Bacterial Pathogens in Fresh Water Fish

A total of 59 Lactobacillus isolates were isolated from 5 different fresh water fish such as Cat fish ( Clarias orientalis) , Hari fish (Anguilla sp), Rohu fish ( Labeo rohita), Jillabe fish (Oreochromis sp) and Gende fish ( Punitus carnaticus). Among the 59 isolates only 4 Lactobacillus isolates were selected for further study. Based on morphological and biochemical characteristics, the isolates were identified as Lactobacillus sp. The pathogen were isolated from infected cat fishes, characterized and identified as Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Aeromonas sp and Aeromonas salmonicida. The Lactobacillus isolates were screened for antagonistic activity against Aeromonas, Vibrio sp. by agar diffusion assay. Among the 4 isolates, Lactobacilli RLD2 showed significant antagonistic activity against Aeromonas and Vibrio sp alone. and was further evaluated by standard plate count assay for the viability of pathogen. The isolate was multiplied and the fish feed was supplement with Lactobacillus isolates. The results reveal that the size, weight of the fish was statically increased in comparison to that of control fish. The present study concluded that the Lactobacillus isolates could be used as probiotic bacteria in aquaculture, to manage aeromonasis

Development of wound dressing film using methanolic extracts of freshwater microalgae and determining its wound healing ability

Wound healing is a complex process in which bacterial infection is a major cause for delayed wound healing. Occurrence of drug resistance among bacterial pathogens led to discovery of new antimicrobial agents from new sources. The present study aimed to identify microalgal metabolites with antibacterial activity and to develop a wound dressing film with their potential healing activity. Microalgal samples were collected from three different freshwater habitats, isolated, made them pure cultures and physico-chemical properties of water samples from the respective sampling sites were analzed. Among the three microalgal isolates,  Chlorella sp. NRMC-F-0350 showed antibacterial activity against clinical isolates of  E. coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus aureus. Additionally, functional groups present in Chlorella sp. NRMC-F-0350 were identified using FTIR and GC-MS analysis. Several antibacterial compounds viz. benzoxazole, 1,2 Benzene dicarboxylic acid, sistosterol, 9-Octadecanoic acid, eicosane and hexadecane were identified. Wound dressing films were developed and showed evident antibacterial as well as significant wound healing activity (84.5%). Therefore, the developed films can be used as a potential wound dressing material.&nbsp

SEASONAL ASSESSMENT OF HYDROGRAPHIC VARIABLES AND PHYTOPLANKTON COMMUNITY IN THE ARABIAN SEA WATERS OF KERALA, SOUTHWEST COAST OF INDIA

The seasonal variation of the hydrographic variables and phytoplankton species in the Arabian Sea waters of the Kerala coast, Southern India was investigated during different seasons. The variables such as pH, temperature, salinity, turbidity and chlorophyll-a contents of water were found to be high during pre-monsoon season and the dissolved oxygen content was minimal. The concentration of nutrients viz., nitrate, phosphate, silicate varied independently. In the study a total of 53 species of phytoplankton were recorded. Their density was higher during the post-monsoon season than during other seasons and the diatoms were found to be the dominant species. The major phytoplankton in terms of frequency and abundance were the species namely, Biddulphia mobiliensis, Chaetoceros curvisetus, Licmophora abbreviata, Skeletonema costatum, Prorocentrum micans and Oscillatoria sp. They showed significant positive correlation with pH, temperature, salinity, nitrate, phosphate and chlorophyll-a contents, whereas turbidity, dissolved oxygen and silicate exhibited significant negative correlation. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) developed two principal components with 84.74% of total variability in the water quality which separated pre- and post-monsoon periods from the monsoon season on axis I, and pre-monsoon and monsoon periods from post-monsoon on axis II

Physico-chemical properties, seasonal variations in species composition and abundance of micro zooplankton in the Gulf of Mannar, India

383-389<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt;mso-bidi-language: TA" lang="EN-GB">Detailed study on the abundance, distribution and species composition of microzooplankton from the Gulf of Mannar regions were carried out from March 2006 to May 2008. Seasonal variations of different parameters were investigated. A total of 72 species belonging to 41 genera were encounted. Conspicuous seasonal variation was noticed both in species composition as well as population density of microzooplankton in the Gulf of Mannar regions. Protozoan ciliates and microcrustaceans have emerged as the dominant groups in the microzooplankton part. Population density ranged from 1400-23200 m-3. Salinity, temperature and DO were found as the key factors controlling the qualitative and quantitative distribution of microzooplankton. The ANOVA and Correlation co-efficient were calculated for the interpretation of the results. </span