Saccharification and liquefaction of cassava starch: an alternative source for the production of bioethanol using amylolytic enzymes by double fermentation process.

Background: Cassava starch is considered as a potential source for the commercial production of bioethanol because of its availability and low market price. It can be used as a basic source to support large-scale biological production of bioethanol using microbial amylases. With the progression and advancement in enzymology, starch liquefying and saccharifying enzymes are preferred for the conversion of complex starch polymer into various valuable metabolites.

Enhanced production of cellulose degrading CMCase by newly isolated strain of Aspergillus versicolor.

Production of CMCase from newly isolated strain of Aspergillus versicolor was studied by optimizing different physico-chemical parameters. Cellulolytic potential of the isolate was confirmed by the simple agar plate method and then subjected to variation of a single parameter at a time in CMC containing medium. Maximum enzyme production was obtained at 30°C in 120 h when medium was supplemented with 0.

Immobilization of pectin degrading enzyme from Bacillus licheniformis KIBGE IB-21 using agar-agar as a support.

Pectinase from Bacillus licheniformis KIBGE IB-21 was immobilized in agar-agar matrix using entrapment technique. Effect of different concentrations of agar-agar on pectinase immobilization was investigated and it was found that maximum immobilization was achieved at 3.0% agar-agar with 80% enzyme activity.

shRNA kinome screen identifies TBK1 as a therapeutic target for HER2+ breast cancer.

HER2(+) breast cancer is currently treated with chemotherapy plus anti-HER2 inhibitors. Many patients do not respond or relapse with aggressive metastatic disease. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new therapeutics that can target HER2(+) breast cancer and potentiate the effect of anti-HER2 inhibitors, in particular those that can target tumor-initiating cells (TIC).

Structural analysis and characterization of dextran produced by wild and mutant strains of Leuconostoc mesenteroides.

An exopolysaccharide known as dextran was produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides KIBGE-IB22 (wild) and L. mesenteroides KIBGE-IB22M20 (mutant). The structure was characterized using FTIR, (1)H NMR, (13)C NMR and 2D NMR spectroscopic techniques, whereas surface morphology was analyzed using SEM.

In vitro biological screening of the stem of Desmodium elegans.

Objective: To explore the medicinal importance of the stem of Desmodium elegans, methanolic extract, and its different solvent fractions were evaluated for brine shrimp lethality, insecticidal and phytotoxicity, antifungal, and antibacterial activities.

Methods: The methanolic extract and its solvent fractions were tested for cytotoxic, phytotoxic, insecticidal, antifungal, and antibacterial effects using our previous published protocols.

Results: The methanolic, DCM, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions exhibited insecticidal effect against Callosobruchus analis and Rhyzopertha dominic.

Optimization of growth conditions for the isolation of dextran producing Leuconostoc spp. from indigenous food sources.

Leuconostoc are known to produce dextran, which have great commercial importance in chemical, medical and food industry. The present study is an attempt to select the best medium for the isolation of indigenous dextran producing Leuconostoc, measuring their enzyme activities for dextransucrase, production of dextran and identification of dextran producing Leuconostoc CMG706, CMG707, CMG710 and CMG713. Since, dextran producing Leuconostoc produce slimy colonies, twenty-four slime producing bacterial strains were isolated from different food sources, fruits and vegetables.

Isolation and characterization of different strains of Bacillus licheniformis for the production of commercially significant enzymes.

Utilization of highly specific enzymes for various industrial processes and applications has gained huge momentum in the field of white biotechnology. Selection of a strain by efficient plate-screening method for a specific purpose has also favored and boosted the isolation of several industrially feasible microorganisms and screening of a large number of microorganisms is an important step in selecting a potent culture for multipurpose usage. Five new bacterial isolates of Bacillus licheniformis were discovered from indigenous sources and characterized on the basis of phylogeny using 16S rDNA gene analysis.

Degradation of complex carbohydrate: immobilization of pectinase from Bacillus licheniformis KIBGE-IB21 using calcium alginate as a support.

Pectinases are heterogeneous group of enzymes that catalyse the hydrolysis of pectin substances which is responsible for the turbidity and undesirable cloudiness in fruits juices. In current study, partially purified pectinase from Bacillus licheniformis KIBGE-IB21 was immobilized in calcium alginate beads. The effect of sodium alginate and calcium chloride concentration on immobilization was studied and it was found that the optimal sodium alginate and calcium chloride concentration was 3.

Dextranase: hyper production of dextran degrading enzyme from newly isolated strain of Bacillus licheniformis.

Dextranase, 6-alpha-D-glucan 6-glucanohydrolase catalyzes the degradation of dextran (polymer of D-glucose) in to low molecular weight fractions. Dextranolytic bacterial strains were isolated from various natural sources and plate assay methods were developed for screening of highest extracellular dextranase producing isolate. Bacillus licheniformis, identified on the basis of taxonomic characterization was subjected to UV radiation and highest enzyme producing mutant obtained led to 7 times more dextranase production than wild.

Outcome evaluation of a thoracoscopic pericardial window procedure or subtotal pericardectomy via thoracotomy for the treatment of pericardial effusion in dogs.

Objective: To evaluate the disease-free interval (DFI) and median survival time (MST) in dogs with idiopathic and neoplastic pericardial effusion surgically treated by a thoracoscopic pericardial window procedure or subtotal pericardectomy via thoracotomy and to compare DFI and MST in dogs with and without a mass on preoperative echocardiography that underwent either surgical technique.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Animals: 58 dogs with pericardial effusion.

Catalytic site remodelling of the DOT1L methyltransferase by selective inhibitors.

Selective inhibition of protein methyltransferases is a promising new approach to drug discovery. An attractive strategy towards this goal is the development of compounds that selectively inhibit binding of the cofactor, S-adenosylmethionine, within specific protein methyltransferases. Here we report the three-dimensional structure of the protein methyltransferase DOT1L bound to EPZ004777, the first S-adenosylmethionine-competitive inhibitor of a protein methyltransferase with in vivo efficacy.

Assessment of acetabular cup positioning from a lateral radiographic projection after total hip replacement.

Objective: To demonstrate first that a ventrodorsal radiographic (VDR) projection is inadequate for obtaining accurate acetabular cup position (ACP) measurements after total hip replacement (THR), and second to validate use of the lateral radiographic (LR) projection to measure ACP.

Study Design: In vitro study.

Methods: Eleven VDRs were obtained after insertion of a cup into the acetabulum of a Sawbones pelvis fixed at an approximated angle.

Fiberoptic intubation in a paediatric patient with severe temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ankylosis.

Craniofacial abnormalities are associated with mandibular hypoplasia, reduced mandibular space with overcrowding of soft tissues and maxillary hypoplasia. Decreased mouth opening and limitation in jaw protrusion are independent predictors of difficult airway in such patients. The relative difficult problem becomes even graver in the paediatric age group because of their small mouth opening and un-cooperativeness.

High production of cellulose degrading endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase using bagasse as a substrate from Bacillus subtilis KIBGE HAS.

Sugarcane bagasse is a cheap carbon source for endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase production as it is easily available as by-product from sugar industries. Fermentation conditions for endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase production by Bacillus subtilis KIBGE HAS were optimized by using un-treated sugarcane bagasse for induction of endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase and it was found that 2.0 g% bagasse in fermentation medium induced maximum endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase production.

Mutational analysis and characterization of dextran synthesizing enzyme from wild and mutant strain of Leuconostoc mesenteroides.

Dextransucrase producing Leuconostoc mesenteroides KIBGE IB-22 was subjected to mutagenesis by exposing the strain to UV irradiation. The dextransucrase produced by both the strains (wild and mutant) were characterized and the catalytic properties of both wild and mutant dextransucrase were compared. Among 42 mutants, KIBGE IB-22M20 exhibited 6.

A docetaxel-carboxymethylcellulose nanoparticle outperforms the approved taxane nanoformulation, Abraxane, in mouse tumor models with significant control of metastases.

Cellax is a PEGylated carboxymethylcellulose conjugate of docetaxel (DTX) which condenses into a 120-nm nanoparticle, and was compared against the approved clinical taxane nanoformulation (Abraxane®) in mouse models. Cellax increased the systemic exposure of taxanes by 37× compared to Abraxane, and improved the delivery specificity: Cellax uptake was selective to the tumor, liver and spleen, with a 203× increase in tumor accumulation compared to Abraxane. The concentration of released DTX in Cellax treated tumors was well above the IC50 for at least 10 d, while paclitaxel released from Abraxane was undetectable after 24h.

Polygalacturonase: production of pectin depolymerising enzyme from Bacillus licheniformis KIBGE IB-21.

Polygalacturonase is an enzyme that hydrolyzes external and internal α (1-4) glycosidic bonds of pectin to decrease the viscosity of fruits juices and vegetable purees. Several bacterial strains were isolated from soil and rotten vegetables and screened for polygalacturonase production. The strain which produced maximum polygalacturonase was identified Bacillus licheniformis on the basis of taxonomic studies and 16S rDNA analysis.

An allosteric inhibitor of protein arginine methyltransferase 3.

PRMT3, a protein arginine methyltransferase, has been shown to influence ribosomal biosynthesis by catalyzing the dimethylation of the 40S ribosomal protein S2. Although PRMT3 has been reported to be a cytosolic protein, it has been shown to methylate histone H4 peptide (H4 1-24) in vitro. Here, we report the identification of a PRMT3 inhibitor (1-(benzo[d][1,2,3]thiadiazol-6-yl)-3-(2-cyclohexenylethyl)urea; compound 1) with IC50 value of 2.

Continuous Production of Dextran from Immobilized Cells of Leuconostoc mesenteroides KIBGE HA1 Using Acrylamide as a Support.

The cells of L. mesenteroides KIBGE HA1 were immobilized for the production of dextran on acrylamide gel and gel concentration was optimized for maximum entrapment. Sucrose at substrate concentration of 10% produced high yield of dextran at 25°C with a percent conversion of 5.

L-745,870 reduces L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-lesioned macaque model of Parkinson's disease.

L-DOPA-induced dyskinesia remains an unmet challenge in the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). Here, we investigate the potential antidyskinetic efficacy of 3-([4-(4-chlorophenyl)piperazin-1-yl]methyl)-1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine (L-745,870), a potent and selective dopamine D(4) receptor antagonist with a good toxicology profile and an excellent safety and tolerability record in phase I/II clinical studies, for non-PD indications. Six macaques were rendered parkinsonian by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine administration.

Cell-cell signaling interactions coordinate multiple cell behaviors that drive morphogenesis of the lateral line.

The zebrafish sensory lateral line system has emerged as a powerful model for the mechanistic study of collective cell migration and morphogenesis. Recent work has uncovered the details of a signaling network involving the Wnt/β-catenin, Fgf and Delta-Notch pathways that patterns the migrating lateral line primordium into distinct regions. Cells within these regions exhibit different fundamental behaviors that together orchestrate normal lateral line morphogenesis.

Characterization and potential applications of high molecular weight dextran produced by Leuconostoc mesenteroides AA1.

Different strains of Leuconostoc mesenteroides were isolated from indigenous sources that were capable of producing a commercially important long chain glucose polymer known as dextran. Dextran produced by L. mesenteroides AA1 was characterized.

Bacteriocin (BAC-IB17): screening, isolation and production from Bacillus subtilis KIBGE IB-17.

Bacteriocins are peptides produced by a variety of different microbes and have antimicrobial activity against closely related species. These antimicrobial agents are gaining more and more attention as an alternative therapeutics not only in pharmaceutical but also as a preservative in food industries. In this study several bacterial strains were isolated from soil and screened for bacteriocin production.