Structural characterization of Kannurin isoforms and evaluation of the role of β-hydroxy fatty acid tail length in functional specificity.

The novel anti-fungal cyclic lipopeptide 'Kannurin' and its three structural variants produced by Bacillus cereus AK1 were previously reported from our laboratory. The present study reports unexplored structural variants of Kannurin those have functional benefits. Due to the difference in β-hydroxy fatty acid tail length, they are designated here as Kannurin A (m/z 994.

Kyasanur forest disease virus breaking the endemic barrier: An investigation into ecological effects on disease emergence and future outlook.

Kyasanur Forest disease (KFD) is found in a limited range of India, but is epidemiologically understudied. The seasonal patterns of KFD are well known; however, the significant concern is on the extent to which changes in epidemiology happen especially under the influence of ecological destructions and by the eventual effects of resulting climate change. Presently, a southward and northward spread of the Kyasanur Forest disease virus (KFDV) along the Western Ghats has been reported in the adjoining states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Goa and Maharashtra.

A novel antifungal protein with lysozyme-like activity from seeds of Clitoria ternatea.

An antifungal protein with a molecular mass of 14.3 kDa was isolated from the seeds of butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea) and designated as Ct protein. The antifungal protein was purified using different methods including ammonium sulphate precipitation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration on Sephadex G-50 column.

Kannurin, a novel lipopeptide from Bacillus cereus strain AK1: isolation, structural evaluation and antifungal activities.

Aim: This study was performed to isolate and characterize novel antifungal lipopeptide from Bacillus cereus.

Methods And Results: Elucidation of its chemical structure was carried out by electrospray ionization mass spectra (ESI-MS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The compound is a cyclic heptapeptide and composed of amino acids, Leu-Asp-Val-Leu-Leu-Leu-Leu.

Cryptococcus laurentii biofilms: structure, development and antifungal drug resistance.

A great number of fungal infections are related to biofilm formation on inert or biological surfaces, which are recalcitrant to most treatments and cause human mortality. Cryptococcus laurentii has been diagnosed as the aetiological pathogen able to cause human infections mainly in immunosuppressed patients and the spectrum of clinical manifestations ranges from skin lesions to fungaemia. The effect of temperature, pH and surface preconditioning on C.

Gold in human semen around and away from a gold deposit area.

The study included evaluation of semen from normal, healthy adults and estimation of gold in seminal plasma from two regions Nilambur valley (Malappuram District, Kerala Province, India; n = 11), where gold deposit is present and Kollam town (Kerala Province, India; n = 13) where gold is not present in soil. All samples showed normal spermiogram. Gold was estimated in seminal plasma by employing inductively coupled plasma emission spectrophotometry.

Peptide antibiotics: an alternative and effective antimicrobial strategy to circumvent fungal infections.

Mycosis, caused by both filamentous fungi and pathogenic yeasts is a major concern nowadays especially in the immunocompromised patient population. The emergence of pathogenic fungi resistant to current therapies in the last few decades has intensified the search for new antifungals like cationic peptides, which are the key components of innate defense mechanism. The review provides an inventory of different peptides from a diverse array of organisms from bacteria to mammals with proven antifungal activity, their therapeutic options and also about those which are in various stages of preclinical development.