Evaluation of growth and carotenoid production by a green microalga Scenedesmus quadricauda PUMCC 4.1.40. under optimized culture conditions.

Microalgae are a potential source of a wide range of food and novel value-added products. The versatility of microalgae to produce different kind of pigments is gaining interest as a sustainable source of natural carotenoids. Currently, commercial production of carotenoids from selected microalgae requires special culture conditions which are difficult to maintain.

Assessment of water quality condition and spatiotemporal patterns in selected wetlands of Punjab, India.

Wetlands are one of the most productive aquatic ecosystems on earth, and their water quality is an indicative of their suitability for maintaining various ecosystem services. In this study, different statistical techniques and water quality index (WQI) were employed to access the status and spatiotemporal patterns in water quality of seven selected (two natural and five manmade) wetlands of Punjab. The results revealed that the status of water quality in the selected wetlands was between good and poor during studied seasons (summer, monsoon, and winter) of year 2019.

Interaction of pretilachlor with PS-II activity of the cyanobacterium Desmonostoc muscorum PUPCCC 405.10.

Interaction of pretilachlor with photosystem (PS)-II of the cyanobacterium Desmonostoc muscorum PUPCCC 405.10 has been studied in this paper. Pretilachlor negatively affected growth, chlorophyll a (Chl a), photosynthesis, and carbon dissimilation in a dose-dependent manner.

High production of carotenoids by the green microalga Asterarcys quadricellulare PUMCC 5.1.1 under optimized culture conditions.

Since carotenoids are important as natural colorants, antioxidants, neutraceutics and pharmaceutics, the aim of the present study was to find a new good source of these pigments. We hereby report a green microalga Asterarcys quadricellulare PUMCC 5.1.

Cyanobacterial lectins characteristics and their role as antiviral agents.

Lectins are ubiquitous proteins/glycoproteins of non-immune origin that bind reversibly to carbohydrates in non-covalent and highly specific manner. These lectin-glycan interactions could be exploited for establishment of novel therapeutics, targeting the adherence stage of viruses and thus helpful in eliminating wide spread viral infections. Here the review focuses on the haemagglutination activity, carbohydrate specificity and characteristics of cyanobacterial lectins.

Interaction between carbon and nitrogen metabolism during akinete development in the cyanobacterium Anabaena torulosa.

Nutrient enrichment with a nitrogen (as nitrate) or carbon (as fructose) source to unaerated diazo and photoautorophic cultures of the cyanobacterium Anabaena torulosa induced early development of akinetes with high frequency. When cultures under any mode of nutrition were aerated, akinetes were not differentiated. Unaerated cultures with nitrate nitrogen or fructose exhibited higher respiratory rates and nitrogen assimilation compared to aerated cultures.