Analysis of PCR products for PHB production in indigenous <i style="">Pseudomonas </i>sp. LDC-5

323-335Poly--hydroxybutyric acid (PHB) and similar bacterial polyesters are promising candidates for the development of environment-friendly, totally biodegradable plastics. The cost of these biopolymers is 25% more than the synthetic polymers that prevents their usage in wider range of applications. In order to reduce the cost, much effort has been made to screen the promising indigenous PHB producing strain in the present study. As a first step, among thirty scl (Short-Chain-Length) positive strains screened, the most promising mcl (Medium Chain Length) PHA positive indigenous isolate, Pseudomonas LDC-5 was selected for further characterization. The nucleotide sequence analysis of the specific PCR product revealed open-reading frames probably relevant for PHA biosynthesis. The similarity search for nucleotide sequence exhibited 92% homology with Pseudomonas sp. The amino acid sequences of the putative proteins deduced from these genes indicate that they encode a PHA synthase, which exhibited 96% amino acid identity with PHA synthase from Pseudomonas putida. Sequence alignment of the partial sequence of PHA synthase genes and putative protein showed conserved signatures. Phylogenetic analysis further places the origin of indigenous isolate closer to P. putida. The partial sequence of PHA synthase was submitted in EMBL and obtained the accession number AJ586810. FT-IR spectral analysis confirmed the presence of strong characteristic ester carbonyl band at 1733cm-1. The identification of this novel biopolymer producing strain reveals a capability for the synthesis of technically interesting biopolymers in future

Identification of novel indigenous <i>Bacillus thuringiensis </i>isolates

867-872Internally Transcribed Spacers (ITS) characterization and distribution of Repetitive Extragenic Palindromic (REP) sequences were studied in the genome of 223 field isolates of Bacillus thuringiensis from Madurai, India. They were characterized by morphological, biochemical and molecular methods. One hundred and twenty four of a total 223 isolates fitted ITS characterization of B. thuringiensis varieties known. Significant genomic variation was observed among seven isolates using REP primers. The ITS PCR product (EMBL accession number AJ639659) exhibited 98% nucleotide sequence homology with B. thuringiensis and placed the origin of indigenous isolate LDC-7 closer to B. thuringiensis on the basis of phylogenetic analysis

A study on accumulation of PHB in native <i style="">Pseudomonas</i> isolates<i style=""> </i>LDC-5 and LDC-25

216-221 Poly (-hydroxyalkanoates) (PHAs) are natural polyesters produced by a variety of bacteria.They are represented most commonly by poly (-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB), an intracellular storage biodegradable polymer material. The production costs of PHB are quite high compared with those of synthetic non-degradable plastics, hence search for potential strains with high PHB accumulating ability. Hundreds of indigenous bacterial strains were screened for the accumulation of PHB by Nile red, fluorescence microscopy (Nile blue A) and PCR. Three degenerate primers were used as PCR primers to detect PHA synthase genes. Among the tested isolates, 35 strains yielded a specific amplicon of 496 bp and 406 bp in colony PCR and seminested PCR, respectively. Among the 35 short chain length positive strains, only 2 isolates yielded a specific amplicon of 540 bp PCR product in medium chain length PCR, representing partial coding sequences of phaC1/phaC2 genes. The mcl-PCR positive Pseudomonas indigenous isolates (LDC-5 and LDC-25) could be potential candidates for bioplastic production. </smarttagtype

Selenium levels in persons with HIV/tuberculosis in India, Madurai City.

BACKGROUND Selenium plays a vital role in the immune status of the individual. The prospective observational study was conducted from September 2009 to March 2010. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between serum selenium levels and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients with (n = 40) and without HIV (n = 40) in comparison to healthy controls (healthy family members; n = 20) who satisfied rigid selection criteria. METHODS Standard methods were adopted to collect an early morning fasting blood sample for serum selenium concentrations, determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS), and albumin, determined by the bro mocresol green method. RESULTS The mean +/- SD for Body Mass Index (BMI), selenium, and albumin among the controls, HIV positive, and HIV negative patients were 19.6 +/- 0.6, 18 +/- 0.4 and 18.5 +/- 0.6 kg/m2; 113.1 +/- 4.1, 27.44 +/- 8, and 65.92 +/- 9, microg/dL; and 4.1 +/- 0.6, 2.9 +/- 0.4 and 3.6 +/- 0.7 g/dL, respectively. BMI, serum selenium, and albumin levels were found to be significantly lower (p < 0.004, p < 0.0321, and p < 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Low serum selenium levels are associated with increased risk of pulmonary infection caused by mycobacteria

Ethnomedicinal plants used by the valaiyan community of piranmalai hills (reserved forest), tamilnadu, India. A pilot study

Herbal medicine is widely practiced from ancient period throughout the world.These medicines are safe and environment friendly. According to WHO about 80% of the world\'s population relies on traditional medicine for their primary health care. India, being one of the world\'s 12 mega biodiversity countries, enjoys export of herbal raw material worth of U.S. $100-114 million per year approximately. Currently the Government of India, realizing the value of the country\'s vast range of medicinal plants, has embarked on a mission of documenting the traditional knowledge about medicinal plants and herbs. This investigation, in a small way, takes up the enumerationof plants with medicinal value, which are used by the Valaiyans, an ethnic group, residing in and around Piranmalai Hills, Tamilnadu, South India. This report elucidates a rich and unique profile of phytodiversity of the area surveyed, with 63 species of medicinal plants belonging to 59 genera and 38 families.Keywords: traditional knowledge, herbal medicines, phytodiverisity African Journal of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicines Vol. 3(1) 2006: 101-11

Research Paper - ETHNOMEDICINAL PLANTS USED BY THE VALAIYAN COMMUNITY OF PIRANMALAI HILLS (RESERVED FOREST), TAMILNADU, INDIA. - A PILOT STUDY.

Herbal medicine is widely practiced from ancient period throughout the world.These medicines are safe and environment friendly. According to WHO about 80% of the world’s population relies on traditional medicine for their primary health care. India, being one of the world’s 12 mega biodiversity countries, enjoys export of herbal raw material worth of U.S. $100-114 million per year approximately. Currently the Government of India, realizing the value of the country’s vast range of medicinal plants, has embarked on a mission of documenting the traditional knowledge about medicinal plants and herbs. This investigation, in a small way, takes up the enumerationof plants with medicinal value, which are used by the Valaiyans , an ethnic group, residing in and around Piranmalai Hills, Tamilnadu, South India. This report elucidates a rich and unique profile of phytodiversity of the area surveyed, with 63 species of medicinal plants belonging to 59 genera and 38 families