Optimization and Characterization of PHA (SCL-SCL) Copolymer by Indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis A102 Strain for Biomedical Applications.

PHA is one of the leading commercially important bio-polyesteric compounds piled up as an intracellular lipid-based energy storage compound by numerous microorganisms. An indigenous Gram-positive bacterium isolated from fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) has known to potentially accumulate PHA. Various nutritional elements like carbon, nitrogen, phosphate and C/N ratio were optimized.

Enhancement of Purified Human Colon Cancer-Specific Parasporal Toxin from Bacillus thuringiensis-LDC-501.

Parasporal inclusion protein of Bacillus thuringiensis-LDC-501 (Bt-LDC-501) exhibits selective cytocidal action towards human colon cancer cells. The yield of this parasporal protein was minimum in the normal culture. In order to increase the yield of protein from Bt-LDC-501 various agro-based cost-efficient nutrient sources such as corn steep liquor (CSL), sesame oil cake extract (SOC), groundnut oil cake extract (GOC), neem oil cake extract (NOC), rice bran extract (RB), wheat bran extract (WB), red gram hull extract (RGH), green gram hull extract (GGH), black gram hull extract (BGH), Mysore gram hull extract (MGH), and maize flour waste extract (MFW) were screened.

In vitro analysis of synthetic peptides in blocking the entry of dengue virus.

Dengue fever is the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral disease, and no specific therapeutic or promising antiviral drug is available for its treatment. Peptide inhibitors are less toxic than synthetic compounds and have found proven effective against viral infections. Here, three peptides that mimic part of the E protein of the dengue virus (DENV) were synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against four serotypes of DENV in African green monkey kidney (Vero) and rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) monkey kidney (LLC-MK2) cell lines.

Bioprospection of Basidiomycetes and molecular phylogenetic analysis using internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and 5.8S rRNA gene sequence.

Macrofungi belonging to the phylum Basidiomycota are mostly used as medicinal mushrooms in many countries. In the present study, hundred basidiocarp of macrofungi were collected from Tamilnadu during rainy season. The basidiocarp was found in association with root/trunk of living trees, wood log and decayed matter.

A synthetic peptide derived from domain III envelope glycoprotein of Dengue virus induces neutralizing antibody.

Dengue virus (DENV) is an arthropod-borne human pathogen that represents a severe public health threat in both endemic and non-endemic regions. So far, there is no licensed vaccine or specific drugs available for dengue fever. A fifteen-amino-acid-long peptide that includes the NGR motif was chemically synthesized and conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin.

Immunostimulation by phospholipopeptide biosurfactant from Staphylococcus hominis in Oreochromis mossambicus.

The immunostimulatory effect of phospholipopeptide biosurfactant from Staphylococcus hominis (GenBank Accession No: KJ564272) was assessed with Oreochromis mossambicus. The non-specific (serum lysozyme activity, serum antiprotease activity, serum peroxidase activity and serum bactericidal activity), specific (bacterial agglutination assay) immune responses and disease resistance activity against Aeromonas hydrophila were examined. Fish were intraperitonially injected with water soluble secondary metabolite (biosurfactant) of S.

Statistical media design for efficient polyhydroxyalkanoate production in Pseudomonas sp. MNNG-S.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is a promising polymer for various biomedical applications. There is a high need to improve the production rate to achieve end use. When a cost-effective production was carried out with cheaper agricultural residues like molasses, traces of toxins were incorporated into the polymer, which makes it unfit for biomedical applications.

Identification of sequence motifs involved in Dengue virus-host interactions.

Dengue fever is a rapidly spreading mosquito-borne virus infection, which remains a serious global public health problem. As there is no specific treatment or commercial vaccine available for effective control of the disease, the attempts on developing novel control strategies are underway. Viruses utilize the surface receptor proteins of host to enter into the cells.

DENVirDB: a web portal of dengue virus sequence information on Asian isolates.

DENVirDB is a web portal that provides the sequence information and computationally curated information of dengue viral proteins. The advent of genomic technology has increased the sequences available in the public databases. In order to create relevant concise information on Dengue Virus (DENV), the genomic sequences were collected, analysed with the bioinformatics tools and presented as DENVirDB.

Indigenously produced polyhydroxyalkanoate based co-polymer as cellular supportive biomaterial.

The focus of this study was to evaluate the growth of the cells on a scaffold based on novel polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) (Polyhydroxy propionate copoly hydroxy ocatadecanoate copolymer), derived from a mutant strain of Pseudomonas sp. Naive PHA was also blended with several biodegradable polymeric materials (PEG, PLA, and MMT) to improve the scaffold properties. Protein adsorption study was done to evaluate the capability of scaffolds for cellular interaction.

Immunostimulation by poly-β hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate (PHB-HV) from Bacillus thuringiensis in Oreochromis mossambicus.

The present study was designed to test the immunostimulatory efficacy of poly-β hydroxybutyrate-hydroxyvalerate (PHB-HV) extracted from Bacillus thuringiensis B.t.A102 on the immune system of Oreochromis mossambicus.

Identification of structural motifs in the E2 glycoprotein of Chikungunya involved in virus-host interaction.

Chikungunya fever is one of the reemerging vector-borne diseases. It has become a major global health problem especially in the developing countries. There are no vaccines or specific antiviral drugs available to date.

Quantification of intracellular polyhydroxyalkanoates by virtue of personalized flow cytometry protocol.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are natural polyesters produced by microbes, a potential alternative to synthetic plastics. Various methods ranging from gravimetry to spectrophotometry are routinely used for qualitative analysis of extracted PHA. There is a great need for accurate quantification of intracellular PHA during bioprocess.

Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of B.t.LDC-391 strain that produce cytocidal proteins against human cancer cells.

An indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis strain B.t.LDC-391 producing cytocidal proteins against human colon cancer cell line, HCT-116, was subjected to phenotypic and genotypic characterization to evaluate its relatedness to B.

MEDDB: a medicinal plant database developed with the information gathered from tribal people in and around Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

Tribal peoples are endowed with enriched traditional wisdom to use available nature resources around them. They are well versed in the usage of plant for treating various diseases. They have used powder or extract or paste form of the plant parts such as root, shoot, whole plant, fruits and leaves etc.

Selenium levels in persons with HIV/tuberculosis in India, Madurai City.

Background: Selenium plays a vital role in the immune status of the individual. The prospective observational study was conducted from September 2009 to March 2010. The aim of the present study is to investigate the association between serum selenium levels and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients with (n = 40) and without HIV (n = 40) in comparison to healthy controls (healthy family members; n = 20) who satisfied rigid selection criteria.

Production and characterization of PHA from recombinant E. coli harbouring phaC1 gene of indigenous Pseudomonas sp. LDC-5 using molasses.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) are biodegradable and biocompatible green thermoplastics, synthesized by wide variety of bacteria as an intracellular carbon and energy storage intermediate. They are used as an alternative to nonrenewable petroleum derived plastics. The current interest in these biopolyesters is stimulated by the search for cost-effective capitalized production.

Homology modeling of Cry10Aa toxin from B. thuringiensis israelensis and B. thuringiensis subsp. LDC-9.

A three dimensional model was developed for Cry10Aa protein sequence of B. thuringiensis LDC-9 and B. thuringiensis israelensis that has not been solved empirically by X-ray crystallography or NMR.

Identification of native Bacillus thuringiensis strain from South India having specific cytocidal activity against cancer cells.

Aim: To identify the parasporin-producing, indigenous Bacillus thuringiensis strains that specifically targets human cancer cells in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, South India.

Methods And Results: Alkali-solubilized inclusion proteins from the 82 nonclonal indigenous isolates of B. thuringiensis were analysed for their cytotoxicity against two human cancer cell lines, U-937 (human histiocytic lymphoma) and HCT-15 [corrected] (adherent human colon cancer cells).

Sequence analysis, structure prediction, and functional validation of phaC1/phaC2 genes of Pseudomonas sp. LDC-25 and its importance in polyhydroxyalkanoate accumulation.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are attractive biomaterials in both conventional medical devices and tissue engineering. PHA synthase is responsible for catalyzing the formation of Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), but its structural information is limited. Hence, this study focuses to predict 3D model for phaC1 and phaC2 genes of field-soil strain Pseudomonas sp.

Molecular modeling and characterization of the B. thuringiensis and B. thuringiensis LDC-9 cytolytic proteins.

The Cyt toxins are able to lyse a wide range of cell types in vitro, unlike the Cry delta-endotoxins. It exerts its activity by the formation of pores within target cell membranes. The structural information available for Cyt2Aa (PDB id: 1CBY) consists of a single domain in which two outer layers of alpha-helix wrap around a mixed beta-sheet.

Serum zinc and albumin levels in pulmonary tuberculosis patients with and without HIV.

Limited data are available on the relationship between nutritional status and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Zinc plays a vital role in the immune status of the individual. The present study was carried out to estimate serum zinc and albumin levels in newly detected adult active PTB patients with (n = 20) and without (n = 20) HIV, and to compare them with the levels in controls (healthy family members; n = 20) who satisfied rigid selection criteria.

Molecular characterization of Pseudomonas sp. LDC-5 involved in accumulation of poly 3-hydroxybutyrate and medium-chain-length poly 3-hydroxyalkanoates.

Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are biological polyesters, of which, Short-Chain-Length-Medium-Chain-Length (SCL-MCL) PHA copolymers are important because of their wide range of applications. The present study focused on molecular characterization of Pseudomonas sp. LDC-5 that is identified as SCL-MCL producer.

Prevalence of intestinal parasitic infestation in HIV/AIDS patients with diarrhea in Madurai City, South India.

The prevalence and pattern of parasitic infestation among 80 HIV/AIDS patients with diarrhea in Madurai, south India, was studied by microscopy. Eighty HIV-negative patients were used as controls. Intestinal parasites were detected in 31 HIV/AIDS patients (38.

A study on medium chain length-polyhydroxyalkanoate accumulation in Escherichia coli harbouring phaC1 gene of indigenous Pseudomonas sp. LDC-5.

Aims: This study is mainly focused on the heterologous expression and accumulation of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) in Escherichia coli.

Methods And Results: PHA synthase gene (phaC1) from indigenous Pseudomonas sp. LDC-5 was amplified by PCR and cloned in E.