Effect of different fertilizers on the microbial activity and productivity of soil under potato cultivation

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of the application of different rates of mineral nitrogen, well rotten farmyard manure and Klebsiella planticola SL09- based microbial biofertilizer (enteroplantin) on the count of soil microorganisms (total microbial count, counts of Azotobacter, oligonitrophilic bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes), stem height and yield of potato. The experiment was set up as a randomized block design in four replications at the experimental field of the Biotechnical Faculty, Podgorica in 2008. Potato cultivar Kennebec was used as the test plant. The trial involved six treatments: non-fertilized control; N1 treatment with 100 kg/ha CAN (calcium ammonium nitrate, 27% N); N2 treatment with 200 kg/ha CAN; N3 treatment with 300 kg/ha CAN; treatment with Enteroplantin– K. planticola SL09-based biofertilizer; and treatment with 30 t/ha solid well rotten farmyard manure. The results obtained suggested that well rotten farmyard manure induced the highest increase in microbial counts, potato yield and stem height. A similar effect on all microorganisms, except actinomycetes and fungi was seen with the use of K. planticola SL09-based biofertilizer. The potato yield and stem height obtained with the use of 300 kg/ha CAN was non-significantly higher than that of 200 kg/ha CAN treatment, with the count of the soil microorganisms tested been significantly reduced.Key words: Biofertilization, microorganisms, soil, manure, mineral nitrogen, potato, yield

Nucleotide metabolism in cancer cells fuels a UDP-driven macrophage cross-talk, promoting immunosuppression and immunotherapy resistance

: Many individuals with cancer are resistant to immunotherapies. Here, we identify the gene encoding the pyrimidine salvage pathway enzyme cytidine deaminase (CDA) among the top upregulated metabolic genes in several immunotherapy-resistant tumors. We show that CDA in cancer cells contributes to the uridine diphosphate (UDP) pool. Extracellular UDP hijacks immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) through its receptor P2Y6. Pharmacologic or genetic inhibition of CDA in cancer cells (or P2Y6 in TAMs) disrupts TAM-mediated immunosuppression, promoting cytotoxic T cell entry and susceptibility to anti-programmed cell death protein 1 (anti-PD-1) treatment in resistant pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and melanoma models. Conversely, CDA overexpression in CDA-depleted PDACs or anti-PD-1-responsive colorectal tumors or systemic UDP administration (re)establishes resistance. In individuals with PDAC, high CDA levels in cancer cells correlate with increased TAMs, lower cytotoxic T cells and possibly anti-PD-1 resistance. In a pan-cancer single-cell atlas, CDAhigh cancer cells match with T cell cytotoxicity dysfunction and P2RY6high TAMs. Overall, we suggest CDA and P2Y6 as potential targets for cancer immunotherapy

Chemical Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of the Essential Oils of Twelve Ocimum basilicum L. Cultivars Grown in Serbia

This study evaluated the chemical composition, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of the essential oils of twelve Ocimum basilicum L. cultivars grown in Serbia. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by gas chromatography-flame ionization detection and GC-mass spectrometry. The oil yields ranged from 0.65 to 1.90 \%. A total of 75 compounds were identified as constituents of analyzed essential oils. GC/MS analyses revealed that a majority of the examined basil cultivars belonged to the ``linalool chemotype{''}. The results of the DPPH assay showed a very high antioxidant capacity of the basil oils, which was especially high for Blue Spice cultivar (IC50 = 0.03 mu g/mL). Significant antimicrobial activity was shown for all the tested oils. Essential oil of Compact cultivar was the most active against the bacterium Micrococcus flavus, with an MIC value of 0.009 mu g/mL while Osmin cultivar exhibited the strongest antifungal activity with MIC values ranging from 0.08-1.07 mu g/mL. All the examined essential oils showed a 10-to 100-fold greater ability to inhibit fungal growth compared to commercial antifungal agents.Ministry of Education and Science of Serbia {[}46001, 173032, 173015, 172053