Journal of Applied Biology & Biotechnology

Permanent URI for this collection

https://imsear.searo.who.int/handle/123456789/158071

Editor-in-Chief: Dr Rachna Goswami
ISSN: 2347-212x

Frequency: Bimonthly

Language: English

Open Access Peer-reviewed journal

Web site: https://www.jabonline.in/

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Now showing 1 - 20 of 487

AZIN1-centric dynamic network biomarker of tipping point in non-small cell lung cancer metastasis
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Chauhan, A; Kalra, K; Kalra, S.
Detection of the tipping point of metastasis of non-small cell lung carcinoma is crucial so that it does not lead to irreversible damage. In contrast to the single biomarker approach, identification of dynamic network biomarkers (DNB) which represent the dynamic change in the expression during disease progression is being increasingly used to study of tipping point in different cancers. In our study, stage-wise gene expression data from a lung cancer database with in silico dynamic network method revealed AZIN1 centric network of seven dynamically interacting genes (AZIN1, PGAM1, CNOT9, HMGCR, EIF3H, DNTTIP1, and ST7). These are involved in purine ribonucleoside monophosphate and purine ribonucleoside triphosphate metabolic pathways. Drastic changes in their gene expressions were observed at 2A and 2B transition stage indicating it to be a tipping point for metastasis. Further, in vitro gene expression studies in NCI-460 cells confirmed the interaction of networking genes. Silencing AZIN1 expression diminished DNTTIP1 and PGAM1 expression almost completely while significantly affecting other genes; further confirming a novel interaction of these genes in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Therefore, AZIN1 centric network of seven genes could serve as an important predictive DNB for the tipping point before NSCLC metastasis.
Genetic dissimilarity, attributes association, and path analysis of sweet peppers
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Ferdousi, J; Zakaria, M; Hoque, MA; Ivy, NA; Saha, SR; Hossain, MI; Pramanik, S; Dwipok, DD.
The present investigation was conducted on genetic diversification, character connections, and their direct and indirect effects using 21 sweet pepper genotypes to identify superiors owing to develop variety (es) and/or utilizing the pertinent genotypes in hybridization program. It was found that, with the exception of fruit length (FL), all of the features had larger phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) than genotypic variation coefficients of variation (GCV), and the gap between PCV and GCV was rather small. Except for FL (24.98%) and seed number per fruit (24.76%), all traits had a high estimation of broad sense heritability of more than 75.00%, indicating significant improvement is possible employing standard selection procedures. High genetic advance as percentage of mean was observed for all the characters. Genotypic and phenotypic correlation analyses showed that there had a strong positive correlation for fruit yield per plant with fruit yield/plot and yield (t/ha) (r = 1.00**). In addition, the importance and close correlation of characters to enhance yield or to use as selection catalogs were demonstrated by the fact that the genotypic direct impacts utilized by the yield component traits were fairly bigger than their equivalent phenotypic effects.
In silico design of sgRNA for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated FaRALF33 gene mutagenesis to decrease the infection process to Colletotrichum acutatum in strawberry
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Hernández-Amasifuen, AD; Yupanqui-Celestino, M; Pineda-Lázaro, AJ; Delgado-Mera, E; Ramírez-Viena, L; Pesantes-Rojas, CR; Corazon-Guivin, MA.
Rapid alkalinization factors (RALFs) are ubiquitous cysteine-rich peptides present in plants. They exert diverse functions as hormonal signals in various processes, including cell growth, root elongation, and fertilization. RALF peptides can also act as negative regulators of the plant immune response, inhibiting the formation of the signal receptor complex for immune activation. In Fragaria × ananassa, silencing of FaRALF33 gene plays a key role in the defense against the fungal pathogen Colletotrichum acutatum. In this study, single-guide RNA (sgRNAs) were designed in silico for clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR- associated (CRISPR/Cas) 9-mediated FaRALF33 gene mutagenesis in F. × ananassa for the reduction of C. acutatum infection. FaRALF33 was compared with homologous RALF33 sequences from other plant species, showing that the amino acid sequence of FaRALF33 presents typical sequences of known RALF peptides in RRILA proteolytic site, in addition to tight clustering presented by FaRALF33 with FvRALF33. The online tool CHOPCHOP provided 73 hits for FaRALF33 gene, selecting two sgRNA sequences for mutagenesis, sgRNA 1 (5’-CGACTCTCCCATCTCTTGGACT-3’) and sgRNA 2 (5’-GCAAGCAACGGCAGCGATCA-3’). The predicted secondary structures of the selected sgRNAs presented efficient structures in targeted mutagenesis. The pCas9-TPC-GFP-2XsgRNA vector for CRISPR/Cas9-mediated FaRALF33 gene mutagenesis was designed in silico with two sgRNA sequences (with Arabidopsis thaliana U6-26 promoters) and a green fluorescent protein marker.
Genome mining and AntiSMASH analysis of an Endophytic Talaromyces sp. reveal biosynthetic pathway gene clusters for novel bioactive compounds
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Shenoy, PN; Bhaskar, S; Manu, M; Likitha, MP; Geetha, N; Shailasree, S; Kini, KR.
Medicinal plants and their endophytes are one of the efficient producers of diverse secondary metabolites with therapeutic importance. In the present study, an endophytic fungus Talaromyces spp. isolated from Syzygium samarangense was subjected to whole-genome sequencing and Antibiotics and Secondary Metabolite Analysis Shell (AntiSMASH) annotation to identify biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) of secondary metabolites and their biosynthetic pathways. The Funannotate results revealed that the Talaromyces isolate has a total of 30.5Mb genome consisting of 372 contigs, 372 scaffolds and 47.64% GC content. In addition, 114 tRNA, 12722 functional mRNA, 12721 CDS transcripts, and 12721 protein coding sequences were predicted and annotated using various BLAST databases. AntiSMASH revealed the presence of 76 BGCs, including 28 T1 Polyketide synthase (T1 PKS), 10 Nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs), 9 terpene, 1 Indole, 12 NRPs like, 4 T1 PKS and NRPs like, 2 T1 PKS Indole, 1 NRPs like terpene, 3 NRPs T1 PKS, 1 Indole NRPs, 2 betalactone, 1 phosphonate, 1 fungal-RiPP T1 PKS and 1 Other type. The analysis also predicted the occurrence of enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of some of the important secondary metabolites such as Pyranonigrin, Squalestatin -S, Azanigerone -A, Asperterpenoid -A, Napthopyrone, Clavaric acid, and Fusarin.
Optimization strategy for purification and isolation of active lectin from Colocasia esculenta L. Schott rhizome
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Desmiaty, Y; Chaidir, C; Utami, AV; Okta, FN; Nugroho, GA.
Lectins are non-enzymatic proteins that attach to carbohydrates and exhibit diverse biological activities and are found in Colocasia esculenta rhizomes. This study determined the optimal conditions for purifying and isolating lectin from C. esculenta rhizome. The methods involved the preparation of crude extracts with variations of salting in, salting in followed by salting out, and precipitation with phosphate buffer saline (PBS), then all extracts were analyzed with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Purification and isolation were carried out using ion exchange chromatography with pH variations of 8.3, 7.2, and 9.6. The isolates were evaluated using the bicinchoninic acid method, SDS-PAGE, and hemagglutination test. The results of SDS-PAGE showed that the best extraction method involved the use of PBS as indicated by the presence of a prominent band at ~12.5kDa. During pH optimization for purification, the best isolate was obtained at pH 9.6. This was observed by the appearance of a single band with ~12.5kDa MW on 12% SDS-PAGE gel and occurrence of an agglutination reaction at the hemagglutination stage. The total protein content of lectins ranged from 1284.83 to 2947.33 ?g/mL. The C. esculenta rhizome contains lectins as active protein compounds. The best isolation condition is by extraction with PBS solvent and purification using ion exchange chromatography at pH 9.6.
Agronomic and disease responses of three watermelon (citrilus lanatus l.) varieties to fungicide spraying regimes in a tropical environment
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Dauda, N; Ugwuagu, SN; Ishieze, PU; Ugwuoke, K; Osadebe, VO; Adewuyi, SO; Ukwu, UN.
Fusarium wilt disease is a major biotic factor limiting watermelon production in the derived savanna agroecology of southeast Nigeria. The study hypothesized that variety could interact with the fungicide spraying regime to improve the agronomic performance of watermelon (Citrulus lanatus (Thunb) Matsum and Nakai). The objectives of the study were: to assess the effect of fungicide spraying regimes on disease incidence, severity, and agronomic performance of three watermelon varieties; and to identify and characterize the fungal causal organism of Fusarium wilt of watermelon in the derived savanna agroecology of southeast Nigeria. Three varieties of watermelon (Jubaly, red diamond, and sweet sangaria) and four fungicide spraying regimes (No spray, weekly, bi-weekly, and tri- weekly spray) were evaluated for agronomic performance, and disease incidence and severity in a 3 × 4 factorial in a randomized complete block design replicated thrice. Data were collected on phenological, growth and yield indices, and disease incidence and severity. Analysis of variance was done using Genstat 16th edition and GraphPad Prism 9 was used to construct the graphs. Variety significantly affected agronomic traits as well as disease incidence and severity. The Jubaly variety performed better than other varieties in most of the growth and yield parameters measured despite recording higher disease incidence and severity scores. Weekly application of fungiforce recorded the lowest disease incidence (16.67, 16.67, and 50%) and severity (6.7, 6.7, and 10%) at 9, 10, and 11 weeks after planting, respectively. The interaction effect of the Jubaly variety and weekly spray was consistently higher in vine length, node number, fruit number, and fruit yield. Morphological isolation and identification of the fungal causal organism showed the presence of Fusarium species. Further molecular characterization by DNA extraction from the Fusarium isolate and sequencing using the Sanger sequencing method confirmed the presence of Fusarium equiseti. The basic local alignment search tool result showed 94–100% similarity with F. equiseti strain WZ-98 from the NCBI Gene bank. The organism was identified as F. equiseti based on the Phylogeny
Production and characterization of an extracellular Mn2+ activated ß-D-fructofuranosidase from Aspergillus labruscus ITAL 28.255 with transfructosylating activity
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Moreira, LA; Oliveira, AHC; Guimarães, LHS.
Fungal ?-D-fructofuranosidases present biotechnological potential for use in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. In light of this, the best culture conditions for the production of ?-D-fructofuranosidase by Aspergillus labruscus ITAL 28.255 were obtained with an M-5 medium maintained at 30°C and 100 rpm for 120 h. The use of a mixture of rye flour and sucrose (1.5:0.5, m/m) and 2% yeast extract as the carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, proportioned the best production of the enzyme. The extracellular ?-D-fructofuranosidase was purified 17-fold, with 9% recovery, and was characterized as a glycoprotein with 67 kDa (SDS-PAGE) and 40.7% carbohydrate content. The best temperature and pH for enzyme activity were 55°C and 5.5, respectively. The enzyme activity was maintained around 75% at 40 and 50°C for 1 h, with a half-life of 5 min at 70°C. The hydrolytic activity was increased in the presence of Mn2+. The Vmax and KM were 4.74 mM and 140.3 U/mg using sucrose; while, in the presence of Mn2+, the KM was 2.17 mM and the Vmax was 292.9 U/mg. The enzyme performed the transfructosylation reaction, enabling the production of FOS, mainly 1-kestose. This is the first report on the potential of A. labruscus to produce ?-fructofuranosidase with transfructosylation activity.
Screening and molecular characterization of phytase producer from north Gujarat region
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Madhvi; Shah, H.
Soil samples from the rhizosphere region of different agricultural fields, cattle dung sheds, dump sites of agricultural and dairy waste, etc. in the north Gujarat area were used for the screening of phytase-producing bacteria. Out of the 104 microbial colonies, around 42 colonies showed phytase production on Petri plates, as indicated by the zone of hydrolysis around the colonies. Among them, 13 isolates with hydrolysis efficiency more than 100% were screened for quantitative enzyme production in submerged fermentation. Two isolates, designated as which was further subjected to study the effect of physiological parameters including temperature, pH, incubation time, and inoculum percent. The effect of different physiological parameters on the production of enzymes suggests that each isolate has its own unique set of conditions for higher enzyme production. Isolate DSS was found to have higher enzyme production at 40°C with 5% inoculum and CDS at 55°C with 10% inoculum; both isolates gave higher enzyme production at pH 6 and 72 h of incubation time under submerged fermentation conditions. Based on the molecular identification and identity score, isolates DSS and CDS were identified as Bacillus tequliensis and Bacillus spp.
Performance of mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) accessions under intermittent water deficit stress in a tropical environment
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Ukwu, UN; Oburu, BN; Udochukwu, DP; Adewuyi, SO; Muojiama, SO; Osadebe, VO; Ezeh, IN; Ishieze, PU; Dauda, N.
Climate change is affecting the dynamics of crop production globally. Water is the most critical climatic factor influencing crop productivity, and water scarcity is projected to rise within the next decade due to climate change. The need arises to develop climate-resilient cultivars that can tolerate intermittent water shortages to ensure food security. The objective of this study was to assess the response of mungbean accessions to intermittent water shortages in a tropical environment. Ten mungbean accessions were evaluated for agronomic and physiological responses under no water stress (WS) (I1), 3-day intermittent WS (I3), and 7-day intermittent water-stress (I7) conditions in a split-plot design replicated thrice. Data on agronomic and physiological traits were analyzed. Accessions, WS, and interaction of accession and WS significantly affected the phenology, growth, and yield of mungbean (P < 0.05). The accessions generally responded better to I1 and I3 conditions in contrast to the I7 condition. The dendrogram report suggested that the ten accessions evolved from two parental lines. Growth and yield traits were significantly decreased by I7, but I3 was comparable to I1 in all yield-contributing traits measured (P > 0.05). Therefore, irrigating once in 3-days is sufficient for mungbean during dry spells. The accessions Tvr28, Tvr32, and Tvr83 were the best in grain yield and recorded the least reduction in relative water content and stress tolerance index under I7 and were, therefore, recommended for use in drought-prone areas. Tvr83 was distant from the others making it an excellent prospect for a mungbean improvement program, especially if traits such as a high leaf, pod, and seed number are desired. The findings of this study are indispensible in the struggle to mitigate the unfavorable effects of climate change on food security. It is particularly more relevant to the over 163 million people across the globe that currently experience unprecedented dry spells compared to 50 years ago. It provides a renewed hope that some accessions of mungbean can tolerate intermittent WS to a reasonable degree and still produce appreciable yields.
Leaf-variegated mutations induced using gamma irradiation of Anubias minima
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Limtiyayotin, M; Sukin, N; Jompuk, C; Jompuk, P.
The effects of chronic gamma irradiation on leaf mutations of Anubias minima were investigated. Tissue cultures of A. minima were exposed to chronic gamma radiation in a gamma room using Cobalt-60 sources at the Nuclear Technology Research Center, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand. Samples received a total dose of 0, 26.58, 41.12, 65.31, 79.81, 103.81, and 127.91 Gy at a dose rate of 0.6 Gy/h. At 60 days after irradiation, the number of surviving plantlets and the number of new shoots were counted and compared with the controls (0 Gy) to calculate the 50% lethal dose (LD50) and 50% growth reduction (GR50). The results showed that the radiation dose did not affect plant survival, but the GR50 was about 125 Gy in the M1V1 generation. After that, subcultures of new plantlets were transferred to a new medium, and the next generations were observed to note any new mutated characteristics after gamma irradiation. In the M1V9 generation, variegated leaf mutants could be selected. There were four different types of mutant leaves: Dark green leaves with light green specks, dark green leaves with white specks, light green leaves with dark green veins and specks, and white leaves with dark green veins and specks. After 3 months, the selected mutants of A. minima tissue transplanted into water tanks were healthy and had 100% survival.
Development and characterization of a lateral flow immunochromatographic assay test strip for rapid detection of rubella virus antigen
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Ngo, HT; Ngo, TT; Tran, SV; Tran, YT; Nguyen, HD; Truong, PQ.
Rubella is still considered a dangerous infectious disease, especially for pregnant women. The symptoms of rubella can be similar to those of other illnesses. Therefore, an early and accurate diagnosis of the rubella virus will help doctors make a reasonable treatment plan. This study presents the development and characterization of a novel lateral flow immunochromatographic assay test strip for rapid recognition of rubella virus antigen. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against rubella virus were purified with a purity of 95%. Optimal conditions for the production of the main components of a test strip were determined. Anti-rubella virus polyclonal antibodies were physically adsorbed onto the star-shaped gold nanoparticles at the optimal concentration of 1.0 ?g/ml at 25°C for 30 min. The amounts of antibody per conjugate pad and immobilized on the test line were 0.2 ?g/pad and 4.5 ?g/cm, respectively. The properties of the test strip were characterized by testing mock clinical specimens. Reproducibility and repeatability were achieved at 100%. The limit of detection of the test strip was determined to be as low as 5 × 105 virus particles/mL. The test strip did not cross-react with six different potential interfering pathogens. The sensitivity and specificity of the test strip were determined by testing with 400 mock clinical samples and reached 99.5% and 98.5%, respectively. The Kappa statistics (k coefficient = 0.98) showed very good agreement between the generated test strip and real-time PCR results. According to the findings, the test strip can be used as an additional rapid test tool for the detection of rubella virus.
In silico screening and analysis of candidate microRNA-target interaction involved in progression of prediabetes to Type II Diabetes Mellitus
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-01) Mendonca, A; Thandapani, P; Swaminathan, P; Sundaresan, S.
The present study aims to identify the circulatory microRNAs (miRNAs) that are overexpressed in pre-diabetes and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) condition that can serve as potential biomarkers and to investigate the candidate miRNA-target interactions in insulin signal transduction pathway at the molecular level by employing in silico approach. Using miRNA-target prediction tools miRDB, TargetScan, microT-CDS, and miRmap, 17 miRNAs were selected that could downregulate the insulin receptor (INSR) and INSR substrate 1(IRS-1) genes. Only experimentally validated miRNAs were selected using miTarBase. The shortlisted circulatory miRNAs miR-15b-5p, miR-195-5p, miR-7-5p, miR-144-3p, and miR-148a-3p underwent miRNA-target enrichment analysis and network analysis using the bioinformatic tool MIENTURNET. The miRNA-mRNA complex structures were predicted using RNAfold web server and RNA Composer. Finally, 5 miRNAs having good binding affinity with the target proteins were docked using HNADOCK and the docked complexes were visualized using Discovery Studio Visualizer. Based on in silico analysis, it is evident that INSR is the target gene for miR-15b-5p/miR-195-Sp/miR-424-5p and IRS-1 is the target gene for miR-15b-5p/miR-195-5p/miR-424-5p and miR-30d-5p. Our results could categorize miRNAs that could target the INSR and IRS-1 located upstream of the insulin signal transduction pathway and further could be used to explore their clinical significance in pre-diabetes and T2DM.
A low-cost production, characterization, and application of raw starch degrading enzyme from the thermophilic filamentous bacterium, Laceyella sacchari P43
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Khetkorn, W; Phonlamai, A; Sakdapetsiri, C; Kitpreechavanich, V; Lomthong, T.
Raw starch degrading enzyme (RSDE) is a group of enzymes that can directly degrade starch granules at low temperatures without the gelatinization process resulting in reduced cost and energy consumption. This work aimed to optimize the enzyme production, purification, and characterization of RSDE from Laceyella sacchari P43. The highest enzyme production was found at 171.8 ± 6.53 U/mL when using the low-cost agricultural crop and by-products from the brewing industry, including broken rice powder and dried brewer’s yeast at 8.0 and 4.7 g/L, respectively. The optimized medium resulted in a 5.03-fold improvement in RSDE production and an 8.5-fold reduction in cost compared to the non-optimized medium. The optimum physical factors enhancing RSDE production were pH at 6.5 and 50°C. The fed-batch fermentation was carried out in a 3.0 L airlift fermenter, which showed the highest enzyme production at 201 ± 11.53 U/mL. The purified enzyme has a molecular weight of 50 kDa and 35.2 purification folds with optimum activity at pH 6.0 and 55°C. The enzyme stimulated the activity by Co2+, Mn2+, and Ca2+ and was strongly inhibited by N-Bromosuccinimide, which confirmed that it was ?-amylase. The crude enzyme could hydrolyze the low-grade broken rice powder, yielding 40.31 ± 2.21 g/L after incubating for 9 h. This study developed the enzyme production process using low-cost substrates and enzyme application for sugar syrup production, which could be applied for further industrial application.
Study of morphology and orchid mycorrhizal associations in Malaxis rheedei
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Jyothsna, BS; Mahendran, R; Mishra, MR; Dey, S; Srivastava, D.
The mycorrhizal association in orchids is a striking example of mutualism, where the orchid and the associated mycorrhizal fungi exchange essential nutrients and support each other’s growth and reproduction. The present study focused on a selected terrestrial orchid which is noteworthy for its medicinal value. We aimed to investigate the specific mycorrhizal associations to understand how these interactions influence the morphology of their roots. The morphological characteristics of roots were studied using light microscopy. Transmission electron microscopy studies were conducted to analyze and measure fungal hyphae and peloton sizes as well as to know about fungal colonization distribution. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted to identify the mycorrhizal fungi. Colonization was seen in the 91% root cortex proving high mycorrhizal association. Hyphae appeared in the form of peloton patches at the cortex, occupying up to 62% of the cortical space. The root length with an intact peloton was noted 30% more than the degraded peloton. A single fungus, Tulasnella calospora was isolated from the roots. It was identified using phylogenetic analysis of ITS sequences. Identification of this orchid-mycorrhizal association has the potential to address ecological challenges, contribute to its conservation, and unlock the phytochemicals potential of plant- fungus interactions for drug development.
Contribution of the triple hermetic bag in the preservation of locally processed cereal and legume products in Niger
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Amadou, I; Baoua, IB; Sankhon, A.
Cereals and legumes constitute the staple foods in both urban and rural areas, and the main cereals and legume products in the Sahel region are millet, sorghum, maize, and cowpea. The small-scale processors of those products are facing storage and good packaging challenges. Triple hermetic bag technology is effective for the conservation of many stored grains against insect spoilage in Africa and around the world. This study aimed to examine the performance of the high-density polyethylene Purdue Improved Cowpea Storage (PICS) bags (HDPE, 80 microns thick) for the preservation of processed cereals (broken corn, millet pellet, and sorghum dagué) and legume (broken cowpea) products against insects of storage. In addition, the impact of this technology on the physical and functional parameters of the processed products (moisture content, pH, water-holding capacity, oil-holding capacity, and bulk density) after 6 months of storage was carried out. Rhizopertha dominica was revealed to be the damaging storage pest in the product of millet pellet and broken corn with the average number of live insects of 121.33 and 0.66, respectively, in experimentally designed bags. Significant differences (P < 0.01) and (P < 0.01) are found among the results of functional and physical properties tested on these processed products, using PICS bags versus other storage types of bags. The use of triple hermetic bag technology for storage of processed cereals and legume products has shown protection against damaging insects and preserved their physical and functional properties qualities.
Triphala extract Reduces Anti-apoptotic Protein (Mcl-1) Expression through the Activation of Caspase 3 in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Mishra, Y; Yadav, RR; Verma, K; Yadav, N.
Triphala is an equal mixture of the three myrobalans Terminalia chebula (Haritaki), Terminalia bellerica (Bibhitaki), and Phyllanthus emblica (Amalaki), according to the Ayurvedic Formulary of India. Triphala is an herbal supplement that is high in antioxidants and has a number of advantageous qualities. Numerous investigations conducted in recent years have shown that triphala has anti-mutagenic and radioprotective properties. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine if an ethanolic extract of triphala had any inhibitory effects on hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HCCs). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis was used to identify and quantify various photochemicals in triphala extract (TE). Further, in two human liver cancer cells (HepG2 and Hep3B), TE was examined for its cytotoxic potential by [3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. Apoptosis was promoted by TE, which also suppressed the production of anti-apoptotic proteins and triggered poly- ADP ribose polymerase cleavage. It’s significant that TE has a cytotoxic effect against liver cancer cells. The current study demonstrated that the ethanolic extract of triphala has anticancer properties against HCC. As a result, triphala may offer a potential alternative to conventional therapy for cancer patients.
Cytokine disbalance in the rats’ kidneys following Leiurus macroctenus envenomation
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Matkivska, R; Shchypanskyi, S; Raksha, N; Vovk, T; Halenova, T; Maievskyi, O; Savchuk, O; Ostapchenko, L.
Scorpion envenomation is a challenge for the health-care system. The development of inflammation is very interesting yet at the same time, important effect of the scorpion venom, being indicative for the severity and progression of envenomation. Excretion of venom toxins and endotoxins by kidneys expectedly makes this organ a perfect target for the inflammation development. Therefore, this work was focused on the assessment of cytokine, growth factor (GF), and transcription factor profiles in the kidneys of rats, envenomated by scorpion Leiurus macroctenus. Using the ELISA method, we have shown that starting from the 3rd h of envenomation, the levels of most of assessed parameters were constantly rising, reaching the peak levels at 24 h; therefore, this period is likely the most stressful for the renal system in the aspect of envenomation. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that the relative concentrations of anti-inflammatory interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-8 were rising, while most of the pro-inflammatory cytokine levels were not, suggesting about the cytokine imbalance, which theoretically may lead to the insufficient immune response and potential tissue damage by the venom toxins. The elevated levels of GFs fibroblast GF-2, vascular endothelial GF, and epidermal GF can also be related to the tissue-destructive action of L. macroctenus venom.
Effect of farmers’ knowledge and production practices on the intensity of cassava bacterial blight in Western Kenya
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Okoth, JH; Muthomi, JW; Mwang’ombe, AW.
The study was conducted to determine the association between farmers’ knowledge and production practices on the intensity of cassava bacterial blight (CBB) in Western Kenya. Multistage sampling was used to select 193 farms in Nambale and Teso south sub-counties in Western Kenya. A semi-structured questionnaire was administered to obtain information on farmer’s knowledge and cassava production practices. Within each farm, bacterial blight incidence was determined and 30 cassava plants were evaluated for disease severity. Symptomatic leaf samples were collected for isolation and confirmation of the CBB pathogens. GPS coordinates of each farm were taken for the development of disease distribution maps. Data analysis included descriptive statistics and Chi-square test which was used to determine the association between the sociodemographic traits and disease incidence. CBB was prevalent in both sub- counties and Xanthomonas phaseoli pv manihotis was the more widespread compared to Xanthomonas axonopodis pv cassavae. However, there was no association between CBB incidence, training, seed source, and intercropping suggesting that other factors contributed to the high prevalence of the disease. About 85% of the farmers interviewed were unaware of the disease suggesting that the farmers could be spreading the disease unknowingly through the use of self-recycled and neighbor-obtained cassava cuttings. The findings of this study will contribute toward measures aimed at curbing the disease and its spread.
DNA barcoding for species identification and phylogenetic investigation employing five genetic markers of Withania coagulans
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-01) Bare, NB; Jadhav, PS; Ponnuchamy, M.
Withania coagulans is an important medicinal plant in India, dispersed from the East Mediterranean to South Asia, but W. coagulans is usually misidentified with other Withania species. Accurate identification of medicinally important plant species is helpful for their effective use in medicine and would help to protect the globally declining threatened or endangered plants. The present study aimed to create barcodes for W. coagulans using five genetic markers (rbcl, matK, ITS, psbA-trnH, and rpoB-trnCGAR) from two samples of W. coagulans collected at ICAR-Anand and the Institute of Science, Mumbai, to test the discrimination capacity of the plant DNA barcode. The study findings confirmed that psbA and rbcl are better barcodes for investigating W. coagulans, which displayed 100% conservation even when geographical sites were changed, whereas the genetic loci rpoB, ITS, and matK helped to distinguish between the distinct evolutions of the Solanaceae family. ITS showed the highest GC content, 66.9% for WCNB1 and 62.6% for WCNB2. The maximum likelihood rpoB marker gave the highest probability value (–889.38), followed by rbcl (–967.83) compared to other genetic markers. The study conclusions would be used in the pharmaceutical sector to develop DNA-based species identification of the W. coagulans plant to point out adulteration while plant collection. The work provides insights into molecular-based identification and authentication of W. coagulans.
Evaluation of ex vitro growth and field performance of micropropagated polyploid clones of Neolamarckia cadamba
(Open Science Publishers LLP, 2024-05) Ho, WS; Gong, S; Eng, WH; Ling, KH.
The evaluation of field performance in tissue culture-derived seedlings is essential to determine their suitability for reforestation programs and commercial forestry, as it provides valuable insights into their adaptability to different environmental conditions and management practices. This report provides the first analysis of the growth characteristics of colchicine-induced polyploids of Neolamarckia cadamba. Field planting revealed that octoploid plants grow slower than mixoploid and tetraploid plants, but SPAD results showed that they have better photosynthetic capacity than the other two types. Notably, after 30 months of transplantation, the polyploid clones of N. cadamba exhibited better growth performance than other N. cadamba trees planted in various locations. These novel polyploid clones of N. cadamba could be valuable resources for advanced breeding programs aimed at producing improved clones for planted forest development. By enhancing the adaptability of polyploid N. cadamba clones, they have the potential to reduce the site- specific effects of N. cadamba, ultimately improving tree productivity and adaptation across different planting sites.

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