Structure predictions and functional insights into Amidase_3 domain containing N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidases from Deinococcus indicus DR1.

Background: N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanine amidases are cell wall modifying enzymes that cleave the amide bond between the sugar residues and stem peptide in peptidoglycan. Amidases play a vital role in septal cell wall cleavage and help separate daughter cells during cell division. Most amidases are zinc metalloenzymes, and E.

Metal-free synthesis and study of glycine betaine derivatives in water for antimicrobial and anticancer applications.

A sustainable synthesis of interesting glycine betaine derivatives from cyclic 3°-amines viz. N-methyl morpholine (), N-methyl piperidine (), and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.

Benzoxazine-grafted-chitosan biopolymer films with inherent disulfide linkage: Antimicrobial properties.

Synthesis and fabrication of naturally sourced biopolymers, especially chitosan, grafted with renewable small molecules have recently attracted attention as efficient antimicrobial agents and are highly desired for sustainable material development. Advantageous inherent functionalities in biobased benzoxazine extend the possibility of crosslinking with chitosan which holds immense potential. Herein, a low-temperature, greener facile methodology is adopted for the covalent confinement of benzoxazine monomers bearing aldehyde and disulfide linkages within chitosan to form benzoxazine-grafted-chitosan copolymer films.

Next-generation membrane-active glycopeptide antibiotics that also inhibit bacterial cell division.

Resistance to vancomycin, a life-saving drug against Gram-positive bacterial infections necessitates developing alternative therapeutics. Herein, we report vancomycin derivatives that assimilate mechanisms beyond d-Ala-d-Ala binding. The role of hydrophobicity towards the structure and function of the membrane-active vancomycin showed that alkyl-cationic substitutions favored broad-spectrum activity.

Structural and functional mapping of gene cluster in DR1.

DR1 is a novel Gram-negative bacterium, isolated from the Dadri wetlands in Uttar Pradesh, India. In addition to being radiation-resistant, the rod-shaped, red-pigmented organism shows extraordinary resistance to arsenic. The proteins of the corresponding gene cluster involved in arsenic extrusion in DR1 have not yet been characterized.

Synthesis and Characterization of Sulfur and Sulfur-Selenium Nanoparticles Loaded on Reduced Graphene Oxide and Their Antibacterial Activity against Gram-Positive Pathogens.

Resistance to antimicrobial agents in Gram-positive bacteria has become a major concern in the last decade. Recently, nanoparticles (NP) have emerged as a potential solution to antibiotic resistance. We synthesized three reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanoparticles, namely rGO, rGO-S, and rGO-S/Se, and characterized them using X-ray diffraction (PXRD), Raman analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis.

Isolation, Propagation, and Identification of Bacterial Species with Hydrocarbon Metabolizing Properties from Aquatic Habitats.

Hydrocarbon pollutants are recalcitrant to degradation and their accumulation in the environment is toxic to all life forms. Bacteria encode numerous catalytic enzymes and are naturally capable of metabolizing hydrocarbons. Scientists harness biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems to isolate bacteria with biodegradation and bioremediation potential.

DNA-Binding Properties of YbaB, a Putative Nucleoid-Associated Protein From .

Nucleoid-associated proteins (NAPs) or histone-like proteins (HLPs) are DNA-binding proteins present in bacteria that play an important role in nucleoid architecture and gene regulation. NAPs affect bacterial nucleoid organization via DNA bending, bridging, or forming aggregates. EbfC is a nucleoid-associated protein identified first in , belonging to YbaB/EbfC family of NAPs capable of binding and altering DNA conformation.

Discerning perturbed assembly of lipids in a model membrane in presence of violacein.

Violacein is a naturally found pigment that is used by some gram negative bacteria to defend themselves from various gram positive bacteria. As a result, this molecule has caught attention for its potential biomedical applications and has already shown promising outcomes as an antiviral, an antibacterial, and an anti-tumor agent. Understanding the interaction of this molecule with a cellular membrane is an essential step to extend its use in the pharmaceutical paradigm.

Antibacterial performance of fully biobased chitosan-grafted-polybenzoxazine films: Elaboration and properties of released material.

A fully biobased benzoxazine monomer, V-fa (using vanillin and furfurylamine) was grafted onto chitosan (CS) at different weight ratios (CV) using "grafting to" benign Schiff base chemistry. Incorporation of V-fa onto CS increased the tensile strength and improved chemical resistance of the CS-graft-V-fa films. Reversible labile linkages, expansion of CS galleries and leaching out of phenolic species from biobased polymer films led to an improved antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, which is ∼125 times higher than the bare CS film, V-fa and oligomeric V-fa.

SUPER STARCHY1/ONAC025 participates in rice grain filling.

NAC transcription factors (TFs) are known for their role in development and stress. This article attempts to functionally validate the role of rice / () during seed development. The gene is seed-specific and its promoter directs reporter expression in the developing endosperm and embryo in rice transgenic plants.

Amino Acid-Dependent Alterations in Cell Wall and Cell Morphology of DR1.

exhibits growth medium-dependent morphological variation in cell shape, but there is no evidence whether this phenomenon is observed in other members of the Deinococcaceae family. In this study, we isolated a red-pigmented, aerobic, strain DR1 from Dadri wetland, India. This strain exhibited cell-morphology transition from rod-shaped cells to multi-cell chains in a growth-medium-dependent fashion.

Transcriptome analysis predicts mode of action of benzimidazole molecules against Staphylococcus aureus UAMS-1.

Antimicrobial drug resistance is one of the most critical problems that plagued the human race in modern times. Discovery of novel antibiotics is important to counter this threat. Accordingly, herein we have reported the discovery of substituted benzimidazole class of molecules with antimicrobial property (specifically against Staphylococcus aureus).

Structure and function prediction of arsenate reductase from Deinococcus indicus DR1.

Arsenic prevalence in the environment impelled many organisms to develop resistance over the course of evolution. Tolerance to arsenic, either as the pentavalent [As(V)] form or the trivalent form [As(III)], by bacteria has been well studied in prokaryotes, and the mechanism of action is well defined. However, in the rod-shaped arsenic tolerant Deinococcus indicus DR1, the key enzyme, arsenate reductase (ArsC) has not been well studied.

Biofilm formation by sp. DR11 and DR14 alter polystyrene surface properties and initiate biodegradation.

Polystyrene is a chemically inert synthetic aromatic polymer. This widely used form of plastic is recalcitrant to biodegradation. The exponential production and consumption of polystyrene in various sectors has presented a great environment risk and raised the problem of waste management.

Graphene Oxide-Coated Surface: Inhibition of Bacterial Biofilm Formation due to Specific Surface-Interface Interactions.

Graphene oxide (GO) is a promising and remarkable nanomaterial that exhibits antimicrobial activity due to its specific surface-interface interactions. In the present work, for the first time, we have reported the antibacterial activity of GO-coated surfaces prepared by two different methods (Hummers' and improved, i.e.

Amidase activity is essential for medial localization of AmiC in Caulobacter crescentus.

Bacterial cell division is a complex process brought about by the coordinated action of multiple proteins. Separation of daughter cells during the final stages of division involves cleavage of new cell wall laid down at the division septum. In E.

Draft Genome Sequence of DR1, a Novel Strain Isolated from a Freshwater Wetland.

strain DR1, a red-pigmented, arsenic- and radiation-resistant bacterium, was isolated from a water sample of the Dadri wetland, Uttar Pradesh, India. Here, we report a draft genome sequence of this strain, which may provide useful information regarding the genes and pathways involved in heavy-metal bioremediation.

Bacterial contamination of nurses' white coats after first and second shift.

Microbial load of nurses' white coats in a hospital was determined on polyester cotton blend and polyester fabric after the first and second work shift. Contamination on the blend fabric was significantly higher (P < .05) than on polyester.

A biochemical analysis of the interaction of Porphyromonas gingivalis HU PG0121 protein with DNA.

K-antigen capsule, a key virulence determinant of the oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis, is synthesized by proteins encoded in a series of genes transcribed as a large polycistronic message. Previously, we identified a 77-base pair inverted repeat region with the potential to form a large stem-loop structure at the 5' end of this locus. PG0121, one of two genes flanking the capsule operon, was found to be co-transcribed with the operon and to share high similarity to the DNA binding protein HU from Escherichia coli.

The nucleoid-associated protein HUβ affects global gene expression in Porphyromonas gingivalis.

HU is a non-sequence-specific DNA-binding protein and one of the most abundant nucleoid-associated proteins in the bacterial cell. Like Escherichia coli, the genome of Porphyromonas gingivalis is predicted to encode both the HUα (PG1258) and the HUβ (PG0121) subunit. We have previously reported that PG0121 encodes a non-specific DNA-binding protein and that PG0121 is co-transcribed with the K-antigen capsule synthesis operon.

Osmolality-dependent relocation of penicillin-binding protein PBP2 to the division site in Caulobacter crescentus.

The synthesis of the peptidoglycan cell wall is carefully regulated in time and space. In nature, this essential process occurs in cells that live in fluctuating environments. Here we show that the spatial distributions of specific cell wall proteins in Caulobacter crescentus are sensitive to small external osmotic upshifts.