Silicon Crystals Formation Using Silicatein-Like Cathepsin of Marine Sponge Latrunculia oparinae.

The cDNA fragment encoding the catalytic domain of the new silicatein-like cathepsin enzyme LoCath was expressed in a strain Top10 of Escherichia coli, extracted and purified via nickel-affinity chromatography. Recombinant enzyme performed silica-polymerizing activity when mixed with water-soluble silica precursor-tetrakis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-orthosilicate. Scanning electron microscopy revealed hexagonal, octahedral and β-tridimit crystals.

Antiviral activity of liposomal preparations of antibiotic geliomycin.

A liposomal preparation with maximally possible content of incorporated geliomycin was obtained. Its cytotoxicity was studied in a culture of human embryonal diploid fibroblasts. Antiviral activity was studied on a model of cytomegaloviral infection in vitro by the capacity to plaque formation.