5,978 results match your criteria: "Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology; Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology[Affiliation]"

Article Synopsis
  • A transformation protocol using dual selection (fluorescent protein and herbicide resistance) was applied to create transgenic emmer and bread wheat plants aimed at increasing the production of the stress hormone jasmonates through gene overexpression.
  • The gene expression affected the growth negatively, leading to issues like reduced leaf length and fewer grains per spike in both wheat species, with a particularly severe impact on emmer wheat.
  • Among the genes tested, overexpressing one specific gene significantly enhanced levels of jasmonates, particularly in emmer wheat, but also brought about detrimental effects on plant size and reproductive success.
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In the present work, the phytotoxic effects of secondary metabolites extracted from lichen (usnic acid) and lichen (a naturally occurring mixture of atranorin and perlatolic acid, approx. 3:1) on cultures of the aposymbiotically grown lichen photobiont were evaluated. Algae were cultivated on the surface of glass microfiber disks with applied crystals of lichen extracts for 14 days.

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Multi-omics framework to reveal the molecular determinants of fermentation performance in wine yeast populations.

Microbiome

October 2024

Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Microbiology Unit, Complutense University of Madrid, C/ José Antonio Novais 12, Madrid, 28040, Spain.

Article Synopsis
  • This study focuses on understanding how the types of yeast in wine fermentation relate to the flavors and quality of wines produced, highlighting the impact of both environmental factors and farming practices.
  • Researchers examined yeast communities in grape musts from various regions and found that the initial yeast composition greatly influences fermentation processes and the resulting wine profiles, rather than just the fermentation conditions applied.
  • The study also identified specific gene expressions in different yeast species that contribute to flavor development, suggesting that leveraging diverse yeast functionalities can help produce higher-quality wines tailored to specific preferences.
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Article Synopsis
  • The production of sophorolipids (SLs) from agro-industrial waste represents a sustainable and cost-effective solution for enhancing food safety, acting as a natural alternative to harmful synthetic preservatives.
  • SLs are recognized for their strong emulsifying and antimicrobial properties, which can help improve food quality while minimizing health and environmental risks.
  • This study combines techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment to evaluate different production strategies, highlighting their potential to improve waste management practices and promote eco-friendly food preservation methods.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study addresses the global issue of microbial growth on leather and the environmental and health risks associated with traditional protection methods.
  • It focuses on the development of titanium dioxide-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO/TiO NPs) as a sustainable antimicrobial solution for the leather industry, utilizing a sol-gel synthesis method.
  • Characterization techniques confirmed the nanoparticles' structure and effectiveness, demonstrating significant antimicrobial activity with inhibition zones of 29-30 mm against various pathogens, showing promise for safer leather protection.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a polyherbal paste (PHP) mixed with honey on treating constipation in rats induced by the drug loperamide.
  • Thirty male rats were grouped and treated with different interventions, including PHP at low, medium, and high doses, while various health parameters were monitored over a week.
  • Results indicated that the highest dose of PHP significantly improved fecal water content, increased feces amount, enhanced gastrointestinal transit, and reduced intestinal damage, suggesting its potential as a treatment for drug-induced constipation.
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Exploring the impact of plant genotype and fungicide treatment on endophytic communities in tomato stems.

Front Microbiol

September 2024

Biochemistry and Biotechnology Group, Department of Biology, Biochemistry and Natural Sciences, Jaume I University, Castellón de la Plana, Spain.

This study examines how plant genotype can influence the microbiome by comparing six tomato genotypes () based on their traditional vs. commercial backgrounds. Using Illumina-based sequencing of the V6-V8 regions of 16S and ITS2 genes, we analyzed and compared the endophytic bacterial and fungal communities in stems to understand how microbiota can differ and be altered in plant genotypes and the relation to human manipulation.

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Staphylococcus lugdunensis has emerged as a significant human pathogen, responsible for a range of infections from skin and soft tissue infections to endocarditis and bacteremia. Notably, abscess formation is a common manifestation, reflecting its potential shift from a benign skin commensal to a serious pathogen, akin to infective endocarditis. With the rising prevalence of antibiotic resistance, there is a pressing need for novel therapeutic strategies.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study assesses the effectiveness of PLGA-loaded Nedaplatin (PLGA-NDP) in treating oral cancer induced by DMBA in a hamster model, where DMBA exposure led to the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC).
  • PLGA-NDP was administered both before and after carcinogen exposure, showing promising results in reducing tumor formation and altering key molecular proteins associated with cancer progression.
  • Findings revealed that PLGA-NDP inhibits Notch signaling, which is linked to apoptosis, suggesting that targeting this pathway could provide a new strategy for treating OSCC.
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Multidrug resistance (MDR) poses a significant problem in cancer treatment, often causing adverse effects during chemotherapy. Ebselen (Ebs), a synthetic organoselenium compound, affects cellular redox status in cancer cells. In the study, we observed that Ebs disrupted cellular redox balance and sensitized drug-resistant cells to doxorubicin (DOX) treatment.

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Nuclear integration of MYB36 and APX-1 genes impart heat tolerance in wheat.

Funct Integr Genomics

October 2024

Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication, School of Tropical Agriculture and Forestry, Hainan University, Sanya, China.

Elevated temperatures during grain filling stage, exceeding the optimal range by 3-4 °C, not only results in a substantial yield reduction in wheat by 10-50% but activates disease and insect infestation. In this research, we introduced heat-tolerant MYB36 and APX-1 gene cassettes into wheat, employing an efficient Agrobacterium mediated transformation protocol, demonstrating higher transformation efficiency. The study encompassed the assembly of MYB36 and APX-1 gene cassettes, and confirmation of gene products in Agrobacterium, followed by the transformation of the MYB36 and APX-1 genes into wheat explants.

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Unlabelled: The study aimed to evaluate the biosurfactants (BSs) production by SM-23 strain of identified by phenotypical and WGS analysis as . We first demonstrated the lipopeptides production by specie and studied their biochemical and molecular analysis as well as their biological potential. The GC-MS analysis indicated that methyl.

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Modular DNA Construct Design for High-Throughput Golden Gate Assembly.

Methods Mol Biol

October 2024

Edinburgh Genome Foundry, Institute of Quantitative Biology, Biochemistry and Biotechnology, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.

Article Synopsis
  • Golden Gate cloning allows for the efficient assembly of DNA parts into custom genetic constructs, thanks to its "one-pot" reaction setup.
  • This method supports high-throughput automation, making it possible to create thousands of constructs simultaneously.
  • A crucial challenge is the design of these constructs, which can be complex and error-prone if done manually, so this chapter introduces a computational workflow to automate and streamline the design process.
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Structural birth defects affect 3-4% of all live births and, depending on the type, tend to manifest in a sex-biased manner. Orofacial clefts (OFCs) are the most common craniofacial structural birth defects and are often divided into cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) and cleft palate only (CP). Previous studies have found sex-specific risks for CL/P, but these risks have yet to be evaluated in CP.

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The Effects of Bioactive Compounds on PTSD Treatment.

Curr Neuropharmacol

October 2024

Department of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Vasyl Stefanyk Precarpathian National University, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disease that arises in individuals who have experienced a traumatic event such as combat exposure, childhood physical abuse, sexual violence, physical assault, an accident, etc. Being difficult to diagnose and treat, PTSD is actively studied in areas of medicine, psychiatry, biochemistry, and rehabilitation. PTSD is characterized by significant comorbidity and is accompanied by depression and anxiety.

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Background: Chicken feathers contribute to large quantities of keratinaceous wastes that pose serious environmental problems and must be catered to properly. Chicken feathers are also a potential source of vital proteins, peptides, and amino acids, which could be used as low-cost animal feeds. Therefore, there has been increasing interest in keratinase-producing microbes for reprocessing and using keratinous biomaterials.

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Evolution of phosphate scouting in the terrestrial biosphere.

Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci

November 2024

Department of Molecular Signal Processing, Leibniz Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Halle 06120, Germany.

Chemistry assigns phosphorus and its most oxidized form, inorganic phosphate, unique roles for propelling bioenergetics and metabolism in all domains of life, possibly since its very origin on prebiotic Earth. For plants, access to the vital mineral nutrient profoundly affects growth, development and vigour, thus constraining net primary productivity in natural ecosystems and crop production in modern agriculture. Unlike other major biogenic elements, the low abundance and uneven distribution of phosphate in Earth's crust result from the peculiarities of phosphorus cosmochemistry and geochemistry.

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The matrix pencil as a tunable filter.

J Magn Reson

November 2024

Department of Chemistry, 69 Chemistry Building, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA.

Despite inherent sensitivity constraints, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) plays an indispensable role in probing molecular structures and dynamics across scientific disciplines. Remarkably, while extensive efforts have targeted instrumental and experimental sensitivity improvements, comparatively little focus has been dedicated to sensitivity enhancement through signal analysis. Amidst this present gap, the matrix pencil method (MPM) has emerged as a versatile algorithm that offers tunable filtering and phasing capabilities.

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Carvone, a natural monoterpene, has been identified in various plants, giving them a characteristic scent. Enantiomers (-(-) and -(+)) reveal specific biological activities that are successfully used in traditional medicine for their antifungal, antibacterial, antiparasitic, and anti-influenza properties. The presented paper is based on -(+)-carvone, characterized by a specific caraway scent, which revealed rich biological activities both in vitro and in vivo.

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Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lethal interstitial disease with unknown etiology and no effective cure, posing a great health burden to society. Erythropoietin (EPO) has been demonstrated to have protective roles in various tissues such as brain, spinal cord, heart, kidney and lung tissues. In this study, we investigate the specific anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antiapoptotic effects of erythropoietin on lung tissue in a bleomycin-induced rat model of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

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A Comparison of White and Yellow Seminal Plasma Phosphoproteomes Obtained from Turkey () Semen.

Int J Mol Sci

September 2024

Department of Animal Biochemistry and Biotechnology, Faculty of Animal Bioengineering, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Oczapowskiego 5, 10-719 Olsztyn, Poland.

Seminal plasma is rich in proteins originating from various male reproductive organs. The phosphorylation of these proteins can significantly impact sperm motility, capacitation, and acrosome reaction. Phosphoproteomics identifies, catalogues, and characterizes phosphorylated proteins.

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Use of as a Soybean Meal Substitute: A Step towards Sustainable Transformative Poultry Feeds.

Insects

August 2024

Plant Production Department, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.

Insects are becoming increasingly popular as a sustainable and nutritious alternative protein source in poultry feeds, due to their high protein content, low environmental impact, and efficient feed conversion rates. Using insect-based feeds can reduce the need for traditional protein sources like soybean meal (SBM), which often contribute to environmental issues such as deforestation and high water consumption. The current experiments were devised to assess the impacts of the partial replacement of SBM with the American cockroach and black soldier fly on the performances, hematology, gut morphometry, and meat quality of male broilers (Ross 308).

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The increasing interest in postbiotics, a term gaining recognition alongside probiotics and prebiotics, aligns with a growing number of clinical trials demonstrating positive outcomes for specific conditions. Postbiotics present several advantages, including safety, extended shelf life, ease of administration, absence of risk, and patentability, making them more appealing than probiotics alone. This review covers various aspects, starting with an introduction, terminology, classification of postbiotics, and brief mechanisms of action.

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The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) relies on core cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau. As the brain is then already damaged, researchers still strive to discover earlier biomarkers of disease onset and the progression of AD. Glycation, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and oxidative modifications on proteins in CSF mirror the underlying biological mechanisms that contribute to early AD pathology.

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