Molecular evidence of insulinomimetic property exhibited by steviol and stevioside in diabetes induced L6 and 3T3L1 cells.

Background: The defective responsiveness of body tissues to insulin involves the insulin receptors of cell membranes. The binding of insulin to its receptor induce an increase of high affinity glucose transporter molecules in target cell surface that enhance the uptake of glucose in to these cells. The WHO expert committee recommended the importance to investigate the hypoglycemic agents from plant origin, which are used in traditional medicine for the treatment of diabetes.

Functional characterization of recombinant bromelain of Ananas comosus expressed in a prokaryotic system.

Bromelain (BRM) is a defense protein present in the fruit and stem of pineapple (Ananas comosus) and it is grouped as a cysteine protease enzyme with diversified medicinal uses. Based on its therapeutic applications, bromelain has got sufficient attention in pharmaceutical industries. In the present study, the full coding gene of bromelain in pineapple stem (1,093 bp) was amplified by RT-PCR.

Determination of B cell epitopes and evaluation of antigen capture ELISA for the earlier diagnosis of CHIK virus using anti-rCHIK E1 rabbit antibodies.

Chikungunya fever caused by an alpha virus has been generally considered as self limiting and non fatal. Recent reports on Chikungunya infection indicate high mortality rates due to the severity of the viral infection. For the early diagnosis of CHIK virus, the incubation period required for the development of antibodies in the serum of patients was a constraint for antigen based ELISA.

Functional and structural variation of uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase (UGT) gene of Stevia rebaudiana-UGTSr involved in the synthesis of rebaudioside A.

The sweetness of honey leaf plant Stevia rebaudiana is attributed to steviol glycosides or steviosides, accumulated in the leaves. Steviol glycosides are diterpenoids derived from steviol as the final step of glycosylation by the marker enzyme Uridine diphosphate glycosyltransferase (UGT). Out of the eight different steviol glycosides, rebaudioside A was detected as the sweetest glycoside with reduced bitter aftertaste.

Recombinant lactoferrin (Lf) of Vechur cow, the critical breed of Bos indicus and the Lf gene variants.

Vechur cow, categorized as a critically maintained breed by the FAO, is a unique breed of Bos indicus due to its extremely small size, less fodder intake, adaptability, easy domestication and traditional medicinal property of the milk. Lactoferrin (Lf) is an iron-binding glycoprotein that is found predominantly in the milk of mammals. The full coding region of Lf gene of Vechur cow was cloned, sequenced and expressed in a prokaryotic system.

Recombinant CHIK virus E1 coat protein of 11 KDa with antigenic domains for the detection of Chikungunya.

Chikungunya is an acute febrile illness caused by an alpha virus technically called as CHIK virus. A smaller size of CHIK virus E1 coat protein -11 kDa was expressed in prokaryotic expression system. The recombinant protein was purified and confirmed by western blot analysis.

Physicochemical characterization and functional site analysis of lactoferrin gene of Vechur cow.

The Bos indicus Vechur breed cow milk is known for its medicinal value and the breed is listed under the category of critically maintained breeds by the Food and Agriculture Organization. The lactoferrin protein in milk is known for its nutritional value. Gene polymorphisms have been reported for Bovine lactoferrin.