African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12496

Table of Content: 20 June 2011; 10(28)

June 2011

Advances in genetic engineering for plants abiotic stress control

Agricultural productivity is highly influenced by abiotic stresses, known as the most harmful factor concerning the growth and productivity of crops worldwide. Furthermore, industrial crops are nowadays highly influenced by abiotic stress; these include extremes in temperature, drought, salinity, heavy metals and radiation.Typical studies were discussed by many researchers about the control of abiotic...

Author(s): Tchouopou Lontchi Josine, Jing Ji, Gang Wang and Chun Feng Guan    

June 2011

Effects of zerumbone on cisplatin-induced clastogenesis in Sprague-Dawley rats bone marrow cells

Zerumbone (ZER) is derived from Zingiber zerumbet smith from the Zingiberaceae family. It has been shown to have anti-cancer and apoptosis-inducing properties against various human tumour cells. The aim of our study was to assess the effect of ZER on cisplatin-induced clastogenesis in Sprague-Dawley rat bone marrow polychromatic erythrocytes (PCEs) using micronucleus test (MN). Animals treated with...

Author(s): Adel S. Al-Zubairi, Ahmad B. Abdul, and Mohammed Yousif    

June 2011

Effect of pineapple (Ananas comosus) on haematological and biochemical parameters in albinos Wistar rats intoxicated with Dolipraneâ

The aim of this study is to evaluate the liver’s protection of Ananas comosus on albinos Wistar rats intoxicated with Doliprane® which contained 20% of paracetamol. Four batches of 30 were used. The negative control group was not treated with Doliprane® and A. comosus. Batches no. 2 and no. 3 were treated for six weeks with Doliprane® (2 g per kg of body weight for each day)....

Author(s): Dougnon T. J, Kpodékon T. M, Lalèyè A, Ahissou H and Loko F.    

June 2011

β-Carotene content of selected banana genotypes from Uganda

Health related problems due to vitamin A deficiency affect a large part of the world’s population. Enhancing the levels of vitamin A in staple foods is regarded as a sustainable food-based approach that can have a significant long term beneficial impact on optimising vitamin A intake.  Banana and plantain (Musa spp.) is the staple food crop for millions of people in Africa and other parts of the...

Author(s): Robert Fungo and Michael Pillay      

June 2011

Expression, purification and characterization of recombinant exfoliative toxin A from Staphylococcus aureus

For the expression of Staphylococcus aureus exfoliative toxin A in Escherichia coliregulated by a T5 promoter, the gene was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and cloned into expression vector pQE-30 to generate pQE-ETA. The maximum production of His6-tagged protein by E. coli M15 (PQE-ETA) was obtained with 0.1 mM IPTG induction for 4 h at 25°C. The expressed protein was purified by...

Author(s): Yizhu Xiao, Zhibang Yang, Hua Wang, Yasha Li Ying OuYang, Yongmei Li, Xiaoyan Luo, Qi Tan, Juan Xiang          

June 2011

Cloning and molecular characterization of a copper chaperone gene (HbCCH1) from Hevea brasiliensis

The cDNA encoding a copper chaperone, designated as HbCCH1, was isolated fromHevea brasiliensis. HbCC1 was 589 bp long containing a 261 bp open reading frame encoding a putative protein of 86 amino acids, flanked by a 103 bp 5’UTR and a 225 bp 3’UTR. The predicted molecular mass of HbCCH1 was 9.2 kDa, with an isoelectric point (pI) of...

Author(s): Hui-Liang Li, Dong Guo, Wei-Min Tian and Shi-Qing Peng      

June 2011

Collection, evaluation and classification of Iranian confectionary sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) populations using multivaraite statistical techniques

Characterization of confectionary sunflower germplasm resources is critical to their efficient collection and management as well as for breeding programs. Thirty six (36) confectionary sunflower populations originating from different regions of Northwest Iran were characterized using 15 agro-morphological traits. Among the studied traits, high coefficients of variation were observed for harvest index (48.36), seed yield...

Author(s): Maryam Kholghi, Iraj Bernousi, Reza Darvishzadeh, Alireza Pirzad and Hamid Hatami Maleki        

June 2011

Genetic variation within and among five natural populations of endangered Sclerocarya birrea (A. Rich) subsp. Birrea in Sudan

Knowledge of genetic diversity is important for successful conservation and domestication of species. In order to determine genetic diversity within and amongSclerocarya birrea (A. Rich.) Htochst. subsp. birrea populations in Sudan, random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were used. Leaf materials from 75 seedlings from five populations (Rashad, Alfaid, Alkhwi, Aldamazin and Baw) of this species...

Author(s): Rehab M. Abdelkheir, Nada B. Hamza, Ayoub M. Khalil and Essam I. Warrag        

June 2011

Seed yield and quality of okra as influenced by sowing dates

Field trials were conducted at the Gangetic Alluvium of eastern India to find out the most suitable sowing time to achieve higher yield, comparatively less incidence of yellow vein mosaic virus (YVMV) and quality seed of okra over four consecutive years having seven sowing times at fortnight interval (1st February, 16th February, 1st March, 16th March, 1st April, 16th April and 1st May). The seed yield attributing...

Author(s): A. Chattopadhyay, S. Dutta and S. Chatterjee        

June 2011

Seed yield and quality of okra as influenced by sowing dates

Field trials were conducted at the Gangetic Alluvium of eastern India to find out the most suitable sowing time to achieve higher yield, comparatively less incidence of yellow vein mosaic virus (YVMV) and quality seed of okra over four consecutive years having seven sowing times at fortnight interval (1st February, 16th February, 1st March, 16th March, 1st April, 16th April and 1st May). The seed yield attributing...

Author(s): A. Chattopadhyay, S. Dutta and S. Chatterjee        

June 2011

Genetic transformation of olive somatic embryos through Agrobacterium tumefaciens and regeneration of transgenic plants

Transformed olive plants were regenerated from inoculated somatic embryos withAgrobacterium tumefacience strain GV3101, which carries the plasmid pBI-P5CScontaining Arabidopsis thaliana P5CS cDNA, kanamycin marker (nptП) gene anduidA reporter gene. Initially, repetitively embryogenic cultures were established from radicles and cotyledonary segments of mature olive zygotic embryos. Single...

Author(s): Mahboobeh Jafarzadeh-Bajestani #, Maryam Khodai-Kalaki #, Nasrin Motamed, Omidreza Noorayin    

June 2011

Preliminary study on the inducement effect of colchicine during microsporogenesis of Ginkgo biloba L.

This is the first report of colchicine treatment effect on microsporogenesis of Ginkgo biloba L, By high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis, colchicine was detected in microsporocyte inclusion from colchicine-treated microsporangium and microsporocyte of G. biloba, The change amount of colchicine was detected in mixture liquid after the protoplasm of G. biloba was co-cultured with...

Author(s): Yuhan Sun, Yun Li, Nina Yang, Peng Sun and Cunquan Yuan        

June 2011

Effective genes for resistance to stripe rust and virulence of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in Pakistan

Virulence patterns of wheat stripe rust were studied under the field conditions across four environmentally different locations: Quaid-i-Azam University (Islamabad), Pirsabak (NWFP), Faisalabad (Punjab) and Sakrand (Sindh) by planting trap nursery of tester lines and Pakistan varieties. The results revealed that stripe rust resistance...

Author(s): Hadi Bux, Muhammad Ashraf, Xianming Chen and Abdul Samad Mumtaz        

June 2011

The relationships between soil erosion and crust strengths to polyvinylalcohol (PVA) applications on different types of soils in Menemen Plain, Turkey

This study was carried out to determine the effect of polyvinylalcohol (PVA) on water erosion and crust strengths at different doses (0, 6.70 and 33.50 kg ha-1) under laboratory conditions with two replications. The PVA solutions were sprayed on soil samples and two consecutive rain storms (65 mm h-1) were applied on the experimental soils. Erosion plot was weighted under a platform that has 4...

Author(s): Gökçen Yönter and Huriye Uysal      

June 2011

Improvement of nutritional quality and antioxidant activities of yeast fermented soybean curd residue

This study evaluated the potential use and improves the health beneficial properties of the soybean waste manufacturing products by solid-state fermentation of six GRAS different yeast strains, including extractable antioxidant activities and bioavailable nutritional compositions. In comparison with non-fermented okara (control), some levels of value addition occurred as a result of the fermentation. The protein...

Author(s): Mona M. Rashad, Abeer E. Mahmoud, Hala M. Abdou and Mohamed U. Nooman          

June 2011

Optimization of growth parameters for lipase production by Ganoderma lucidum using response surface methodology

Lipases comprise a group of hydrolytic enzymes which catalyze reversibly the hydrolysis and synthesis of triacylglycerides in the oil water interface. In this study, a response surface approach was used to study the production of extracellular lipase from Ganoderma lucidum which has diverse applications in various fields. Interactions were studied for five different variables (moisture, canola oil cake, olive...

Author(s): Faiza Amin, Haq Nawaz Bhatti and Saima Rehman      

June 2011

Histological changes in the endometrial of pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats under supplementation levels of n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio

This study describes a changed uterine morphometry and its application to the endometrial structure of a pregnant rat. The number and the size of uterine gland and blood vessels changed during the pregnancy period of the rat. This effect on day 15 was significantly changed in the different groups. When the endometrial morphology was related to the circulating progesterone concentrations on day 15, it was observed that...

Author(s): A. B. K. Amira, A. B. Z. Zuki, Y. M. Goh and M. M. Noordin      

June 2011

Biotransformation of ß-estradiol isolated from Sonchus eruca

The biotransformation of ß-estradiol (1,3,5-estratriene-3,17,ß-diols) by Bacillussubtillus resulted in four metabolites which were (1) 3,5-estratriene-3-ol–17–one, (2) 1,3,5-estratriene-3,16,17-triol, (3) 1,3,5,7-estratetra-ene-3-ol-17-one and (4) 1,3,5,6, estratetra-ene-3-ol-17-one. The structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic techniques. Compound 3 showed good...

Author(s): Javid Hussain, Zia Muhammad, Riaz Ullah, , Nargis Jamila, Shabir Ahmad, Naeem Khan, Sultan Ayaz and Sajjad Haider        

June 2011

Malondialdehyde level and some enzymatic activities in subclinical mastitis milk

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes occurring in milk malondialdehyde (MDA) level and some enzymatic activities as a result of subclinical mastitis (SCM) in dairy cows. A total of 124 milk samples were collected from 124 lactating cows from the same herd in the period between the 2nd week after calving and the 10th week postpartum. They were classified by bacterial culture and the California mastitis...

Author(s): Feng Li Yang , Xiao Shan Li, Bao Xiang He, Xian Ling Yang, Gong He Li, Ping Liu, Qin Hua Huang, Xi Mei Pan and Jin Li

June 2011

Comparative analysis on the performance of the hybrid offspring of wild argali and Bashibay sheep

The increase in world population has also increased the demand of meat with low fat and high protein to satisfy their protein requirements. In this study, we have measured and analyzed the growth, body shape and appearance, meat performance and meat ingredients of the hybrid offspring of wild argali and pure Bashibay sheep and also their comparison was made with pure Bashibay sheep. The results showed that,...

Author(s): Jueken Aniwashi,#, Hubdar Ali Kaleri,#, Yiming Sulaiman, Li Qi-fa and Xie Zhuang