Microplastics (MPs), recognized as emerging pollutants, pose a significant threat to diverse organisms and have adverse effects on agricultural soil. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) holds a prominent position among prevalent forms of MPs. In the current investigations, the impact of HDPE was assessed at four different concentrations (0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPeptides designed with residues that have a high propensity to occur in β-turns form β-hairpin structures in apolar as well as in polar organic solvents such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Due to limited solubility, their conformations have not been investigated experimentally in water. We have examined the conformations of four of such designed peptides that fold into well-defined β-hairpin structures facilitated by β-turns, in the crystalline state and in solution, by molecular dynamics simulations (MDS).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe use of plastics has increased significantly with consequent rise in the generation of wastes. Microplastics (MPs) with particle size <5 mm are produced in natural terrestrial habitats by weathering of the discarded plastic debris and therefore are likely to impact soil biota. Earthworms are the dominant soil fauna which play vital role in soil formation and decomposition of organics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnrichment of omega-3 fatty acids (ɷ-3 FAs) in natural oils is important to realize their health benefits. Lipases are promising catalysts to perform this enrichment, however, fatty acid specificity of lipases is poor. We attempted to improve the fatty acid selectivity of a lipase from Geobacillus thermoleovorans (GTL) by two approaches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBiochem Biophys Res Commun
January 2019
Thermo-alkalophilic bacterium, Geobacillus thermoleovorans secrets many enzymes including a 43 kDa extracellular lipase. Significant thermostability, organic solvent stability and wide substrate preferences for hydrolysis drew our attention to solve its structure by crystallography. The structure was solved by molecular replacement method and refined up to 2.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe announce here the draft genome sequence of strain Lak 1210, isolated from mangrove soil. This alkaliphilic strain is an efficient chitin degrader and has the ability to control insects and inhibit phytopathogenic fungi. The assembly consists of 5,082,926 bp, with 4,321 protein-coding sequences and a GC content of 41.
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