and evaluation of extract derived from , a halotolerant microalga for its antifungal and antibacterial activity.

In the present study little explored halotolerant wall-less green alga was found to be a potent source of antibacterial and antifungal biomolecules. Both the target pathogens, bacteria (, and ) and fungi (, and sp.) were WHO prioritized.

Variation in the LRR region of Pi54 protein alters its interaction with the AvrPi54 protein revealed by in silico analysis.

Rice blast, caused by the ascomycete fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is a destructive disease of rice and responsible for causing extensive damage to the crop. Pi54, a dominant blast resistance gene cloned from rice line Tetep, imparts a broad spectrum resistance against various M. oryzae isolates.

Role of Ca as protectant under heat stress by regulation of photosynthesis and membrane saturation in Anabaena PCC 7120.

The present study was aimed at understanding the effects of heat stress on selected physiological and biochemical parameters of a model cyanobacterium, Anabaena PCC 7120 in addition to amelioration strategy using exogenous Ca. A comparison of the cells exposed to heat stress (0-24 h) in the presence or absence of Ca clearly showed reduction in colony-forming ability and increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to loss in the viability of cells of Ca-deficient cultures. There was higher level of saturation in membrane lipids of the cells supplemented with Ca along with higher accumulation of proline.

Mass cultivation of Dunaliella salina in a flat plate photobioreactor and its effective harvesting.

Mass cultivation of Dunaliella salina was standardized in a flat plate photobioreactor followed by a vertical flat plate photobioreactor. Maximum biomass productivity (14.95 ± 0.

Microcystin Biosynthesis and Expression in Geographically Distinct Strains under Different Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Boron Regimes.

Roles of nutrients and other environmental variables in development of cyanobacterial bloom and its toxicity are complex and not well understood. We have monitored the photoautotrophic growth, total microcystin concentration, and microcystins synthetase gene () expression in lab-grown strains of NIES 843 (reference strain), KW (Wangsong Reservoir, South Korea), and Durgakund (Varanasi, India) under different nutrient regimes (nitrogen, phosphorus, and boron). Higher level of nitrogen and boron resulted in increased growth (avg.

Role of calcium in the mitigation of heat stress in the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120.

The effects of exogenously added CaCl (0.25mM) on photopigments, photosynthetic O-evolution, antioxidative enzyme activity, membrane damage, expression of two heat shock genes (groEL and groES) and apoptotic features in Anabaena 7120 under heat stress (45°C) for up to 24h were investigated. Heat stress lowered the level of photopigments; however, Ca--supplemented cultures showed a low level reduction in Chl a but induced accumulation of carotenoids and phycocyanin under heat stress.

Fresh Water Cyanobacteria Geitlerinema sp. CCC728 and Arthrospira sp. CCC729 as an Anticancer Drug Resource.

An increasing number of cancer patients worldwide, especially in third world countries, have raised concern to explore natural drug resources, such as the less explored fresh water filamentous cyanobacteria. Six strains of cyanobacteria (Phormidium sp. CCC727, Geitlerinema sp.

Status, alert system, and prediction of cyanobacterial bloom in South Korea.

Bloom-forming freshwater cyanobacterial genera pose a major ecological problem due to their ability to produce toxins and other bioactive compounds, which can have important implications in illnesses of humans and livestock. Cyanobacteria such as Microcystis, Anabaena, Oscillatoria, Phormidium, and Aphanizomenon species producing microcystins and anatoxin-a have been predominantly documented from most South Korean lakes and reservoirs. With the increase in frequency of such blooms, various monitoring approaches, treatment processes, and prediction models have been developed in due course.

Temporal variations in microcystin-producing cells and microcystin concentrations in two fresh water ponds.

The relationship between microcystin production, microcystin-producing cyanobacteria, including Microcystis spp., and various biological and physicochemical parameters in Sankuldhara and Lakshmikund, situated in the same geographical area was studied over a period of 1.5 years.

Zinc supplementation for neonatal hyperbilirubinemia: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To determine the efficacy of oral zinc for treatment of idiopathic neonatal hyperbilirubinemia in near-term and term (35-41 weeks) neonates.

Design: Randomized placebo-controlled trial.

Setting: Tertiary-care teaching hospital.

Assessment of microcystin concentration in carp and catfish: a case study from Lakshmikund pond, Varanasi, India.

The present study was conducted to analyse microcystin concentrations in Lakshmikund pond, Varanasi, India, as well as in carp and catfish of the pond. The concentrations of microcystin were found well above the WHO guidelines (1 µg/L) both for the dissolved and particulate fractions of bloom samples. The microcystin concentrations in different organs of carp and catfish were in the following sequence; liver > gut > kidney > gall bladder > gills > muscles and gut > liver > kidney > gall bladder > gills > muscles, respectively.

Thymic size correlates with cord blood zinc levels in low-birth-weight newborns.

Unlabelled: Thymus is essential for immunity as it provides environment for T cell differentiation and maturation. There is limited information on various factors which determine thymic size at birth. We studied the influence of cord blood zinc and copper levels and maternal and neonatal nutritional status on thymic size in term low-birth-weight (LBW) newborns.

Proline biosynthesizing enzymes (glutamate 5-kinase and pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase) from a model cyanobacterium for desiccation tolerance.

Drought is the most important abiotic stress, challenging sustainable agriculture globally. For desiccation being the multigenic trait, a combination of identified genes from the appropriate organism may render crop tolerant to the water stress. Among the compatible solutes, proline plays multifaceted role in counteracting such stress.

Desiccation induced changes in osmolytes production and the antioxidative defence in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120.

Cells of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, a low desiccation tolerant cyanobacterium, was subjected to prolonged desiccation and effect of loss of water was examined on production of osmolytes, and antioxidant response as well as on overall viability in terms of photosynthetic activity. During dehydration (22 h), the organism maintained about 98.

Monitoring approaches for a toxic cyanobacterial bloom.

Cyanobacterial blooms, dominated by Microcystis sp. and associated microcystin variants, have been implicated in illnesses of humans and animals. Little is known regarding the formation of blooms and the presence of cyanotoxin variants in water bodies.

Cyanobacteria, Lyngbya aestuarii and Aphanothece bullosa as antifungal and antileishmanial drug resources.

Objective: To investigate two cyanobacteria isolated from different origins i.e. Lyngbya aestuarii (L.

Recent trends in development of biosensors for detection of microcystin.

Increased cyanobacterial blooms, a source of cyanotoxins are linked with climate change and eutrophication in aquatic bodies, a major concern worldwide. Microcystins are potently hepatotoxic, nephrotoxic as well as carcinogenic. Thus microcystins are threat to tourism, agriculture and animal's health.

Dynamics of microcystin production and quantification of potentially toxigenic Microcystis sp. using real-time PCR.

Cyanobacterial blooms in eutrophied water body are generally composed of various genotypes with or without microcystin-producing genes (mcy gene cluster). Thus there is a need for quantification of potent toxin producing strains. The present study aimed at identifying microcystin variants and its producer strains in Durgakund pond, Varanasi, India, based on quantification of cpcBA-IGS and mcyA (condensation domain) genes using real-time PCR and LC-MS.