March 2011
Engineering the functional fitness of transglycosidases and glycosynthases by directed evolution
The artificial implementation of the Darwinian theory of evolution to create new variants of functional proteins, a process referred to as directed evolution, has acquired many applications in biochemical engineering. Directed evolution is a handy tool in the nascent science of glycobiology, where it is used in the conversion of glycosyl hydrolases into transglycosidases or for improving the...
March 2011
The evolution of the eutrophication of the Palić Lake (Serbia)
Eutrophication is a world-wide environmental issue. The Palic Lake is a shallow lake typical for the Pannonian plain. The Lake itself was in a very bad condition during the late sixties of the last century; polluted and hypertrophic. Due to inadequate water quality, it was dried out in 1971 and re-established in 1977 and since then its trophicity has been worsening. The lake has recreational purposes but it...
March 2011
Evaluation of methylation pattern in promoter region of E-cadherin gene and its relation to tumor grade and stage in breast cancer
The epithelial cadherin gene (CDH1) has been identified as a tumor suppressor gene located within the 16q22.1 region. The CDH1 gene encodes a transmembrane glycoprotein involved in cell to cell adhesion and loss of CDH1 expression contributes to increased proliferation, invasion and metastasis in breast carcinoma. No mutation in CDH1 have been identified in invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), suggesting that,...
March 2011
Isolation and characterization of a vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter gene from Cucumis melo L.
We isolated a vacuolar Na+/H+ antiporter gene (CmNHX1) from melon using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends approach. Sequence analysis indicated that the full-length cDNA of CmNHX1 was 2534 bp, including an open reading frame (ORF) of 1659 bp, which encoded a deduced polypeptide of 553 amino acids. The deduced protein contained conserved structural domains and shared a high degree of homology...
March 2011
Homologue expression of a fungal endo-1,4-β-D-xylanase using submerged and solid substrate fermentations
The xyn5 gene, which encodes an endo-β-1,4-xylanase (Xyn5), in Aspergillus nigerGS1 was cloned into an expression cassette under the control of constitutive glyceraldhehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene promoter. The expression system was designed to produce the recombinant enzyme containing a six-histidine peptide fused to the carboxyl end of the protein. The efficiency of Xyn5...
March 2011
Cross-genera transferability of (simple sequence repeat) SSR markers among cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz), rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis Muell. Arg.) and physic nut (Jatropha curcas L.)
Cross-genera transferability of simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers among three economically important plants of family Euphorbiaceae has been proposed. A set of SSR loci generated from cassava (199), rubber tree (49) and physic nut (42) were used to determine transferability with five accessions each of cassava, rubber tree and physic nut. The results revealed that cross-genera transferability...
March 2011
Evaluation of genetic diversity in the golden apple snail, Pomacea canaliculata (Lamarck), from different geographical populations in China by inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR)
The genetic diversity of Pomacea canaliculata, collected from Los Banos (LB) in Philippines and Yuyao (YY), Taizhou (TZ), Fuzhou (FZ), Guangzhou (GZ), Nanning (NN), Kunming (KM) in China, was studied by using the inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) technique. A total of 498 loci from 140 individuals were amplified with four selected ISSR primers and the percentage of polymorphic loci was 87.35%. At the...
March 2011
Association of transforming growth factor-ß3 gene polymorphism with growth and body composition traits in Iranian commercial broiler lines
This study is aimed at evaluating when sex could be determined in beluga by examining levels of plasma steroids. Blood was taken from beluga from two stations (Shahid Rajaee: SR, Sari farm: SI) which were kept at 19°C at the age of 24 and 36 months and plasma testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (KT) and estradiol (E2) concentrations and plasma calcium were determined. The results revealed that, plasma T...
March 2011
Novel SNPs polymorphism of bovine CACNA2D1 gene and their association with somatic cell score
Mastitis is a major cause of economic loss in dairy cattle. In this study, the bovineCACNA2D1 gene was taken as a candidate gene for mastitis resistance. The objective of this study was to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the bovine CACNA2D1 gene and evaluate the association of these SNPs with mastitis in cattle. Through DNA sequencing and PCR-RFLP analysis, three...
March 2011
Molecular characters and recombinant expression of the carboxylesterase gene of the meadow moth Loxostege sticticalis L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)
Insect carboxylesterases are enzymes that catalyze the hydrolysis of ester and amide moieties, which play important roles in insecticide resistance, specifically allelochemical tolerance and developmental regulation. We obtained the cDNA encoding carboxylesterase gene of Loxostege sticticalis (LstiCarE) by a cDNA library screen. The full cDNA of LstiCarE is 1,980 bp in length,...
March 2011
Molecular and genetic characterization of OSH6 (Oryza sativa Homeobox 6) using dissociation (Ds) insertion mutant rice
Genetic studies of dissociation (Ds) insertion mutant rice plants indicated that ectopic expression of truncated OSH6 (Oryza sativa Homeobox 6) mRNA may be responsible for the mutant phenotype of knotted leaf formation at the peduncle. Additionally, ectopic expression of truncated OSH6 mRNA in the OSH6-Ds mutant plant led to alteration of other homeobox genes...
March 2011
Genetic variation of Mehraban sheep using two inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers
Genetic diversity within Mehraban sheep populations, as one of the main breeds of Iranian sheep, was studied using (AG)9C and (GA)9C as two inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. Blood samples were collected from 210 animals in 6 flocks, 35 heads each, in different parts of Hamedan province. In the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products, (AG)9C and (GA)9C primers amplified 28 and 36...
March 2011
Phytochrome B mRNA expression enhances biomass yield and physiology of cotton plants
A wide variety of physiological responses, including most light responses, also are modulated by photoreceptor gene such as PHYB. Phytochrome B (PHYB) expression patterns may be significant in the daily regulation of plant physiology and indicate an unexpectedly intimate relationship between the components of the input pathway. The present study shows successful transformation and mRNA expression in...
March 2011
Effect of salinity stress on plant fresh weight and nutrient composition of some Canola (Brassica napus L.) cultivars
Soil salinity is a major limitation to crop production in many areas of the world. A pot experiment was carried out with rapeseed cultivars in order to investigate the effects of salinity stress on plant development and nutrient composition. For the salinity studies, 150 mM NaCl concentration was applied to12 rapseed cultivars (Marinca, Kosa, Spok, Semu DNK207 NA, Tower, Liraspa, Star, Tobin, Helios, Semu...
March 2011
Preliminary evaluation of boron release and biological resistance of wood treated with disodium octoborate tetrahydrate (DOT) and a water-repellent compound
Wood specimens were vacuum-treated with disodium octoborate tetrahydrate (DOT) and a commercial water repellent compound. Leachates sampled from the leaching cycles for 10 days and extracts from treated wood specimens were analyzed for boron content. Treated wood specimens were exposed to wood degrading fungi in Petri dishes. Wood specimens were also subjected to termite resistance tests by using the...
March 2011
Scanner image methodology (SIM) to measure dimensions of leaves for agronomical applications
A scanner image methodology was used to determine plant dimensions, such as leaf area, length and width. The values obtained using SIM were compared with those recorded by the LI-COR leaf area meter. Bias, linearity, reproducibility and repeatability (R&R) were evaluated for SIM. Different groups of leaves were scanned and measured. R&R studies showed that, the lowest SIM’s resolution...
March 2011
Enhancing the contribution of the legumes to the N-fertility of soils of the semi-arid zone of Nigeria
This paper attempts to focus attention on the N-fertility status of soils of the semi-arid zone of Nigeria. This is because, the region harbours a significant proportion of the national population figure, 75% of which is engaged in crop farming and animal keeping. These economic activities depend heavily on the soil resources available in the region. The first section, therefore, is a concise review of the...
March 2011
Interference of five problematic weed species with rice growth and yield
Five weed species namely, Cyperus rotundus L., Cyperus difformis L., Echinochloa colonum (L.) Link., Paspalum paspaloides (Mich.) Scribner, and Marsilea minuta L. were selected for the assessment of their level of competition with two commonly grown rice varieties viz. Basmati-385 and Super Basmati. Root and shoot growth as well as grain yield, in both rice...
March 2011
Influence of culturing conditions on growth and sporulation of Drechslera hawaiiensis, the foliar blight pathogen of Marsilea minuta L.
Drechslera hawaiiensis is responsible for foliar blight disease in Marsilea minuta L., a common weed of rice. Experiments were conducted for the determination of nutritional and climatic requirements of this pathogen. Five culture media viz. malt extract agar, potato dextrose agar, Richard’s agar, water agar and Czapek Dox agar were used. Potato dextrose agar was found to be the best...
March 2011
Purification and characterization of α-galactosidase from Lactobacillus acidofillus
a-Galactosidase (a-D-galactoside galactohydrolase [EC 3.2.1.22]) was obtained from Lactobacillus acidofillus which was grown in modified de Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS) medium, supplemented with raffinose. a-Galactosidase was released from the cells by ultrasonic treatment, then precipitated by ammonium-sulfate and further purified with Sephadex G-200 and DEAE cellulose chromatography with...
March 2011
Selection and production of insoluble xylan hydrolyzing enzyme by newly isolated Thermomyces lanuginosus
Forty-two strains of Thermomyces lanuginosus isolated from various sources in Thailand were divide into 4 groups based on the soluble xylan hydrolyzing (SXH) and insoluble xylan hydrolyzing (IXH) enzyme activities in the supernatant obtained from 5-day culture at 50°C in the liquid medium using corncob as substrate. The strains which exhibited high IXH enzyme activity, showed high binding...
March 2011
Optimization of carbon dioxide fixation and starch accumulation by Tetraselmis subcordiformis in a rectangular airlift photobioreactor
Culture conditions are very important to CO2 bio-fixation and carbohydrate accumulation in microalgae. The objective of this study was to optimize semi-continuous culture conditions of Tetraselmis subcordiformis in a rectangular airlift photobioreactor for obtaining maximized carbon dioxide fixation rate and intracellular starch productivity. The effects of the initial biomass concentration...
March 2011
Identification of Lactobacillus pentosus, Lactobacillus paraplantarum and Lactobacillus plantarum in Lighvan cheese with 4 month ripening period by means of recA gene sequence analysis
Lactobacillus plantarum species, one of the principal group of the facultatively heterofermentative lactobacilli (FHL) in the non-starter microbial flora isolated from most cheeses was characterized in the Lighvan cheese with 4 month ripening period. In this study, we succeeded in differentiating Lactobacillus pentosus,Lactobacillus paraplantarum and Lactobacillus...
March 2011
L-Arabinose and oligosaccharides production from sugar beet pulp by xylanase and acid hydrolysis
Xylanase and sulfuric acid were used to hydrolyze sugar beet pulp for the production of L-arabinose and oligosaccharides. Xylanase was obtained by the solid state fermentation of Thermomyces lanuginosus DSM10635. Xylanase or dilute sulfuric acid hydrolysis was adopted to hydrolyze sugar beet pulp. The hydrolysates were quantitatively identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The...
March 2011
Synthesis and characterization of styrenated rubber seed oil alkyd
Rubber seed oil alkyd was post-polymerized with styrene monomer at ratios of 1:2, 1:4, 1:6, 1:8, and 1:10 at 100°C for 3 h (samples i - v) and 6 h (samples A - B), to obtain two sets of styrenated alkyds. The styrenated alkyds and the rubber seed oil alkyd were all characterized and evaluated by standard methods, for their physico-chemical properties, drying schedule and chemical resistance. All the...
March 2011
Screening of specific single-chain variable-fragment (scFv) antibody against human asialoglycoprotein receptor by capture phage enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay
This study screened specific single-chain variable fragment (scFv) antibody against asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR) by capture phage enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The CRDH1/pET3b plasmid containing ASGPR gene was employed to amplify the CRDH1 gene of subunit H1 of ASGPR through PCR, which was then directionally cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET-32c. The expression of CRDH1 was...
March 2011
Application of a nano-antimicrobial film to prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia: A pilot study
Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is one of the most common hospital-associated infections and has accounted for approximately 15% of all hospital-associated infections. In 76% of the VAP cases, the same bacteria colonize the oral cavity and lungs. Oral care interventions may play a role in the prevention of VAP, yet more than half of the hospitals do not have specific policies for the oral care...
March 2011
Effect of horse chestnut tree genotype on production of fatty oil and fatty acids in seed cotyledons
Horse chestnut (Hippocastani semen) seed is an important raw material for the pharmaceutical industry because it contains a series of biologically active substances: starch (30 to 40%), saponins (10%), fatty oil (5.5%), proteins (6%), cellulose (2%), reductive sugars (5.5%) and ash (1.3%). However, the variability of fatty oil content in horse chestnut seed (H. oleum) has been insufficiently investigated....
March 2011
Agricultural biotechnology worldwide patent analysis and mapping
Agricultural biotechnology (AgBio) and related areas have seen rapid growth in recent years. The speed and scope of development in the field have made it essential for researchers to be informed. The patent literature contains a wealth of detailed information about the existence for AgBio. While excellent searching tools have existed for many years for identifying patents relating to specific topics, it is...
March 2011
The effect of rearing conditions on carcass slaughter quality of broilers from intensive production
Requirements for improvement of broiler welfare have initiated certain changes in rearing and management conditions in conventional broiler production, with emphasis on stocking density and duration of photo period. Experimental study was conducted on broilers of fast growing genotypes reared in floor system. Two stocking densities were applied: 12 and 16 birds/m2 and two light regimes: continuous: 23 h...
March 2011
Pathology of extracellular protease of Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolated from channel catfish (Ictalunes punctatus) to mice
A pthogenic bacterium Stenotrophomonas maltophilia was isolated from channel catfish (Ictalunes punctatus). We studied the pathogenicity of the extracellular protease (ECPase) of S.maltophilia. The extracellular protease was purified by 70% ammonium sulfate fractionation and DEAE-Sephadex A 50 and injected intraperitoneally to mice. The pathological changes of injected mice were...
March 2011
Early sex identification in cultured beluga (Huso huso) using plasma steroid hormones
This study is aimed at evaluating when sex could be determined in beluga by examining levels of plasma steroids. Blood was taken from beluga from two stations (Shahid Rajaee: SR, Sari farm: SI) which were kept at 19°C at the age of 24 and 36 months and plasma testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (KT) and estradiol (E2) concentrations and plasma calcium were determined. The results revealed that, plasma T...
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