Cloning and catalytic profile of Hyalomma dromedarii leucine aminopeptidase.

Ticks have harmful impacts on both human and animal health and cause considerable economic losses. Leucine aminopeptidase enzymes (LAP) play important roles during tick infestation to liberate vital amino acids necessary for growth. The aim of the current study is to identify, express and characterize the LAP from the hard tick Hyalomma dromedarii and elucidate its biochemical characteristics.

Exploration of antimicrobial and anticancer activities of L-amino acid oxidase from Egyptian Naja haje venom.

Hepatocellular carcinoma and bacterial resistance are major health burdens nowadays. Thus, providing new therapies that overcome that resistance is of great interest, particularly those derived from nature rather than chemotherapeutics to avoid cytotoxicity on normal cells. Venomous animals are among the natural sources that assisted in the discovery of novel therapeutic regimens.

Assessment of specific human antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 receptor binding domain by rapid in-house ELISA.

Background: The recently emerged SARS-CoV-2 caused a global pandemic since the last two years. The urgent need to control the spread of the virus and rapid application of the suitable health measures raised the importance of available, rapid, and accurate diagnostic approaches.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to describe a rapid in-house optimized ELISA based on the expression of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein in a prokaryotic system.

Effect of polyphenols extracted from and plants on glutathione S-transferase of the cattle tick () (Acari: Ixodidae).

Ticks are hematophageal ectoparasites that transport major pathogens around the world. Glutathione S-transferases (GST) are involved in resistance to acaricide and redox balancing during the life cycle of the tick. The inhibition of tick GST enzymes by certain phenolic compounds, such as phenolic acids and tannins, can be a promising approach to tick control.

l-Amino acid oxidase from Cerastes vipera snake venom: Isolation, characterization and biological effects on bacteria and tumor cell lines.

A homodimeric l-amino acid oxidase enzyme (Cv-LAAOI) was isolated from the venom of Cerastes vipera (Egyptian Sand viper) using gel filtration followed by anion exchange chromatography. The molecular mass of Cv-LAAO is 120 kDa in its native form and 60 kDa in its monomeric form. The optimum enzyme activity was achieved on l-Leucine as a substrate in 50 mM buffer pH 7.

Purification and characterization of a new thermophilic collagenase from Nocardiopsis dassonvillei NRC2aza and its application in wound healing.

A thermostable metallo-collagenase enzyme (150 kDa), recently identified in a newly isolated actinomycestes strain (Nocardiopsis dassonvillei NRC2aza), has been purified from natural source, characterized to have application in wound healing. A simple 3 step purification procedure gave an increase of purity by 6.23 fold with a specific activity of 387.

Purification and partial characterization of serine-metallokeratinase from a newly isolated Bacillus pumilus NRC21.

A serine metallokeratinase enzyme (30 kDa) produced by a newly isolated Bacillus strain (Bacillus pumilus NRC21) cultivated under optimized conditions in medium containing chicken feather meal was purified and characterized in a set of biochemical assays. The purification was carried out using two successive chromatographic steps; cation exchange chromatography on CM-cellulose and gel filtration on sephadex G-100 columns. The purified enzyme showed a specific activity of 2000 units/mg protein against 170 units/mg protein for crude extract with 12 fold purification.

Molecular cloning of Ra-sHSPI, a novel member of the HSP20 family from Rhipicephalus annulatus salivary glands.

Infestation of cattle by ticks of Rhipicephalus spp. results in severe veterinary and economical losses. Identification of novel proteins from tick salivary glands will enhance our understanding of several aspects of tick physiology and will aid in the development of anti-tick vaccines.

Identification of four novel Rhipicephalus annulatus upregulated salivary gland proteins as candidate vaccines.

The control of Rhipicephalus annulatus ticks in Egypt and other countries relies principally on the application of acaricides which have many drawbacks. Recently, cattle vaccination against ticks showed a potential unconventional approach to control ticks. As a target, salivary glands contain various proteins that may play specific roles during attachment, feeding and may modulate the immune system of the host.

Molecular cloning and immunogenicity evaluation of rotavirus structural proteins as candidate vaccine.

The middle capsid protein of rotavirus, VP6, constitutes approximately 51% of the virion by weight. The high degree of identity (>87-99%) in the primary amino acid sequences of VP6 proteins from mammalian rotaviruses suggests VP6-based vaccines could potentially provide heterotypic protection. For this reason, significant effort has been directed toward producing recombinant rotavirus VP6 vaccines.

Evaluation of glycoproteins purified from adult and larval camel ticks (Hyalomma dromedarii) as a candidate vaccine.

In order to identify antigens that can help prevent camel tick infestations, three major glycoproteins (GLPs) about 97, 66 and 40 kDa in size were purified from adult and larval Egyptian ticks, Hyalomma (H.) dromedarii, using a single-step purification method with Con-A sepharose. The purified GLPs were evaluated as vaccines against camel tick infestation in rabbits.

Purification and characterization of a cytotoxic neurotoxin-like protein from Naja haje haje venom that induces mitochondrial apoptosis pathway.

This study reported the purification and characterization of a cytotoxic, neurotoxin-like protein derived from the venom of the Egyptian cobra Naja haje haje, Elapidae family, and explored their mechanistic role in the cell death. The protein purification was performed through ion-exchange chromatography and gel-filtration chromatography and was characterized by SDS-PAGE, amino acid sequencing, and mass spectrum analysis. The antitumor activity of Naja haje venom (NHV) and its fractions (NHVI, NHV-Ia, NHV-Ib, NHV-Ic, NHV-II, NHV-III, and NHV-IV) were tested against different human cancer cell lines.

Purification and characterization of two larval glycoproteins from the cattle tick, Boophilus annulatus.

The present study was conducted to identify new target immunogenic molecules from the larval stage of the cattle tick, Boophilus annulatus (Acari: Ixodidae). Two specific larval glycoproteins (GLPs) were isolated by two-step affinity chromatography. The larval immunogens were first purified with CNBr-Sepharose coupled to rabbit anti-larval immunoglobulins, and the glycoproteins were then purified with Con-A Sepharose.