Bioremediation of Textile Azo Dyes Amido Black 10B, Reactive Black 5, Reactive Blue 160 by Lentinus squarrosulus AF5 and Assessment of Toxicity of the Degraded Metabolites

Bioremediation is an eco-compatible and economical approach to counter textile dye menace. The isolated Lentinus squarrosulus AF5 was assessed for decolourization of textile azo dyes, and had shown ~93%, 88% and 70% decolorization of Reactive blue 160 (RB160), Reactive black 5 (RB5) and Amido black 10B (AB10B) respectively. Further analysis using UV-vis, HPLC, and FTIR, 1H NMR had shown the degradation of the dyes. Toxicity analysis of the metabolites was performed using seed germination and plant growth on two agriculturally important plants Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) as well as cytotoxicity analysis using the human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT). The dye mix appeared inhibitory for seed germination (20% - 40%), whereas metabolites were non-inhibitory for germination. Treatment of HaCaT cells with of dye mix and metabolites led into 45% and ~100% of cell viability of HaCaT cells respectively. Therefore, metabolites following degradation of the dye mix were observed to be non-toxic.

Cloning, Purification, Crystallization and Preliminary X-Ray Diffraction Studies of Periplasmic Glucose Binding Protein of <i>Pseudomonas putida</i>CSV86

Biochemical data and genomic analysis indicate the involvement of a putative ABC transporter for glucose transport in Pseudomonas putida CSV86. The periplasmic solute binding proteins are known to confer substrate specificity to the ABC transporters by binding specifically to the substrate and transferring them to their cognate inner membrane transport assembly. Periplasmic glucose binding protein from Pseudomonas putida CSV86 (ppGBP) was found to be glucose specific. The gene encoding ppGBP was cloned. Recombinant ppGBP was overexpressed and purified to homogeneity. The purified recombinant protein showed glucose binding activity of 752 pmol/mg of protein and was crystallized as a complex with glucose. The crystal diffracted to 1.7 &Aring resolution using home X-ray source. Preliminary analysis of diffraction data showed that the crystals belonged to space group P21212 with unit-cell parameters a = 102.56, b = 119.2, c = 66.65 &Aring and α = β = γ = 90&deg. Matthews coefficient calculation showed the presence of two molecules in the asymmetric unit with solvent content of 45.7%.

Antioxidant Protection Mechanisms Reveal Significant Response in Drought-Induced Oxidative Stress in Some Traditional Rice of Assam, India

Drought tolerance levels and antioxidant protection mechanisms were evaluated for 21 traditional rice varieties of Assam, India, along with Sahbhagi Dhan （drought tolerant） and IR64 （drought sensitive） as controls. Drought was imposed in hydroponic culture with polyethylene glycol 6000 （PEG6000） that was initially standardized with different concentrations. All the rice varieties showed apparent decreases in growth characteristics under drought stress （initially at 15% for 7 d followed by 20% PEG6000 for 7 d in Yoshida medium）. On the basis of standard evaluation score （SES）, eight rice varieties showed high drought tolerance which were carried forward for further biochemical analyses. Based on different morpho- physiological parameters, SN03 （Bora）, SN04 （Prosad Bhog）, SN05 （Kola Joha）, SN06 （Helash Bora）, SN08 （Salihoi Bao）, SN12 （Kola Amona）, SN20 （Ronga Bora） and SN21 （Sok-Bonglong） were identified as promising drought tolerant varieties. The non-enzymatic antioxidants activities viz., glutathione, ascorbate and enzymatic antioxidant activities such as superoxide dismutase （SOD）, catalase （CAT）, guaiacol peroxidase （GPX）, ascorbate peroxidase （APX）, glutathione reductase （GR） in shoots and roots of all the selected varieties revealed significant level of protection mechanisms as compared with controls. Enhancement in activities of the overall antioxidant enzymes including SOD, GPX, CAT, GR and APX under drought stress reflects their role in the adaptation process under water stress.

Coating of bioactive glass on magnesium alloys to improve its degradation behavior: Interfacial aspects

The preferable mechanical properties of Mg alloys along with excellent compatibility with human bone have established their applicability as implant biomaterials.However,a higher corrosion/degradation rate of Mg alloys in body fluids limits its biomedical applications.In this direction,surface modification and coating are explored as appropriate strategies to mode the degradation rate of Mg alloys.The constituents of bioactive glass(BG)provide strength,bio-inertness and bone bonding capability.Hence,researchers have explored the coating of BG on Mg alloys and investigated chemical,mechanical and biological properties of the coated alloys.In this review,we have made an attempt to compile the literature works done on the coating of BG on Mg alloys and its features.Underlying interfacial aspects of the coated substrates towards the degradation behavior are highlighted.The way forward to further improve the coating characteristics of BG coated Mg alloys are remarked.

Review of the potential of mesenchymal stem cells for the treatment of infectious diseases

The therapeutic value of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for the treatment of infectious diseases and the repair of disease-induced tissue damage has been explored extensively. MSCs inhibit inflammation, reduce pathogen load and tissue damage encountered during infectious diseases through the secretion of antimicrobial factors for pathogen clearance and they phagocytose certain bacteria themselves. MSCs dampen tissue damage during infection by downregulating thelevels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, and inhibiting the excessive recruitment ofneutrophils and proliferation of T cells at the site of injury. MSCs aid in theregeneration of damaged tissue by differentiating into the damaged cell types orby releasing paracrine factors that direct tissue regeneration, differentiation, andwound healing. In this review, we discuss in detail the various mechanisms bywhich MSCs help combat pathogens, tissue damage associated with infectiousdiseases, and challenges in utilizing MSCs for therapy.

Evaluation of rapid molecular diagnostics for differentiating medicinal Kaempferia species from its adulterants

Accurate detection of unique herbs is crucial for herbal medicine preparation. Zingiberaceae species, which are important in Ayurvedic medicine of India, are often misidentified in Northeast (NE) Indian herbal markets. Kaempferia galanga (Zingiberaceae) is one of the major components of popular Ayurvedic drugs used for rheumatic diseases (i.e.,“Gandha Thailam” and “Rasnairandadi Kashayam”), contusions, fractures, and sprains. In NE India, herbal healers often misidentify plants from the Marantaceae family (e.g., Calathea bachemiana and Maranta leuconeura) as Kaempferia, which leads to adulteration of the medicinal herb. This misidentification of herbs occurs in NE India because Zingiberaceae plant barcoding information is inadequate. As a consequence, herbal medicine is not only therapeutically less effective but may also cause adverse reactions that range from mild to life-threatening. In this study, we used eight barcoding loci to develop “fingerprints” for four Kaempferia species and two species frequently mistaken for Kaempferia. The PCR and sequencing success of the loci matK, rbcL and trnH-psbA were found to be 100%;the combination of matK, rbcL, and trnH-psbA proved to be the ideal locus for discriminating the Kaempferia species from their adulterants because the combined loci showed greater variability than individual loci. This reliable tool was therefore developed in the current study for accurate identification of Kaempferia plants which can effectively resolve identification issues for herbal healers.

Biomarkers of oxidative stress in erythrocytes as a function of human age

Despite more than 300 theories to explain the aging process, oxidative stress theory offers the best mechanism to explain aging and age related disorders. Several studies has shown the importance of oxidative stress during aging. Pub Med, Science Direct and Springer online data bases are taken into consideration to write this mini-review. Human erythrocytes are most abundant and specialized cells in the body. Erythrocytes were extensively studied due to their metabolism and gas transport functions. Recent studies on erythrocytes have provided us detailed information of cell membrane and its structural organization that may help in studying the aging and age associated changes. The susceptibility of an organism is associated with the antioxidant potential of the body. Erythrocytes have potent antioxidant protection consisting of enzymatic and nonenzymatic pathways that counteract with reactive oxygen species, thus maintaining the redox regulation in the body. The non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidants and other biomarkers associated with erythrocyte membrane transport functions are the main content of this review. Biomarkers of oxidative stress in erythrocytes and its membrane were taken into the consideration during human aging that will be the main subject of this minireview.

Cowpea NAC1/NAC2 transcription factors improve growth and tolerance to drought and heat in transgenic cowpea through combined activation of photosynthetic and antioxidant mechanisms

NAC(NAM/ATAF1/2/CUC2)transcription factors are central switches of growth and stress responses in plants.However,unpredictable interspecies conservation of function and regulatory targets makes the well-studied NAC orthologs inapt for pulse engineering.The knowledge of suitable NAC candidates in hardy pulses like cowpea(Vigna unguiculata(L.)Walp.)is still in infancy,hence warrants immediate biotechnological intervention.Here,we showed that overexpression of two native NAC genes(VuNAC1and VuNAC2)promoted germinative,vegetative,and reproductive growth and conferred multiple abiotic stress tolerance in a commercial cowpea variety.The transgenic lines displayed increased leaf area,thicker stem,nodule-rich denser root system,early flowering,higher pod production(~3.2-fold and~2.1-fold),and greater seed weight(10.3%and 6.0%).In contrast,transient suppression of VuNAC1/2 caused severe growth retardation and flower inhibition.The overexpressor lines showed remarkable tolerance to major yielddeclining terminal stresses,such as drought,salinity,heat,and cold,and recovered growth and seed production by boosting photosynthetic activity,water use efficiency,membrane integrity,Na^(+)/K^(+)homeostasis,and antioxidant activity.The comparative transcriptome study indicated consolidated activation of genes involved in chloroplast development,photosynthetic complexes,cell division and expansion,cell wall biogenesis,nutrient uptake and metabolism,stress response,abscisic acid,and auxin signaling.Unlike their orthologs,VuNAC1/2 direct synergistic transcriptional tuning of stress and developmental signaling to avoid unwanted trade-offs.Their overexpression governs the favorable interplay of photosynthesis and reactive oxygen species regulation to improve stress recovery,nutritional sufficiency,biomass,and production.This unconventional balance of strong stress tolerance and agronomic quality is useful for translational crop research and molecular breeding of pulses.

The role of cystatin A in breast cancer and its functional link with ERa

Aberrant expression of lysosomal cysteine proteinases（cathepsins）leads to abnormal proteolytic processing of extracellular matrix proteins.This in turn promotes invasion,migration and metastasis of tumor cells（Nomura and Katunuma,2005）.Cystatins are natural inhibitors of cathepsins.Therefore,dysregulated expression of cystatins and the consequent alteration in the cathepsin：cystatin ratio are likely to play an important role in malignant progression of tumors.

Effect of biochar type on infiltration,water retention and desiccation crack potential of a silty sand

Biochar is a carbon-rich material obtained after thermochemical conversion of biomass under no oxygen environment.The effect of biochar amendment on soil properties,such as water retention,infiltration and desiccation crack potential was studied in the recent years.However,the effect of biochar or feedstock type on these properties is not explicit.This study investigates the effect of two different(in terms of feedstock)types of biochar on the water retention,infiltration and desiccation crack-ing behavior of compacted silty sand.Water retention characteristics,infiltration rate and the progression of desiccation cracks were measured after compacting soil amended with 5-10%(w/w)biochar produced from water hyacinth(WHB)and mesquite.Measurements were also taken for an unpyrolyzed material coir pith(CP,sourced from coconut husk)-amended soil for comparing the results of biochar-amended soil.The results show that the amendment of 5%to 10%biochar increased the maximum water holding capacity(θs),air entry value(AEV)and water content at 1500 kPa(θ1500)of the soil,whereas decreased the infiltration rate and peak crack intensity factor(CIF)of the soil.Moreover,the application of CP increased the infiltration rate.The amendment of WHB showed the highest increment in AEV andθ1500 and the highest decrement in infiltration rate and CIF compared to the other amendments.Based on the results,it is advisable to use the WHB-amended soil in bioengineered structures that could promote the growth of vegetation by higher water retention and could reduce the potential of leachate formation by decreasing water infiltration and desiccation crack potential.

Heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts in shaping the cancer cell drug resistance

The context-dependent reciprocal interaction between the cancer cells and surrounding fibroblasts is imperative for regulating malignant potential,metabolic reprogramming,immunosuppression,and ECM deposition.However,recent evidence also suggests that cancer-associated fibroblasts induce chemoresistance in cancer cells to various anticancer regimens.Because of the protumorigenic function of cancer-associated fibroblasts,these stromal cell types have emerged as fascinating therapeutic targets for cancer.However,this notion was recently challenged by studies that targeted cancer-associated fibroblasts and highlighted the underlying heterogeneity by identifying a subset of these cells with tumor-restricting functions.Hence,it is imperative to understand the heterogeneity and heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts to target tumor-promoting signaling processes by sparing tumor-restricting ones.In this review,we discuss the heterogeneity and heterotypic signaling of cancer-associated fibroblasts in shaping drug resistance and also list the cancer-associated fibroblast-targeting therapeutics.

Genome-wide Association Study Reveals that the Aquaporin NIP1;1 Contributes to Variation in Hydrogen Peroxide Sensitivity in Arabidopsis thaiiana

Hydrogen peroxide （H202） is a reactive oxygen species that affects cell signaling in various plant defense responses and induces programmed cell death. To identify the new components associated with H202 signaling and tolerance, we conducted a genome-wide association study （GWAS） on the root growth of 133 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions grown in the presence of toxic H2O2 levels. The most significant SNPs were associated with a cluster of chromosome 4 genes encoding an aquaporin NODULIN 26-LIKE INTRINSIC PROTEIN 1; 1 （NIP1;1）, an NB-ARC domain-containing disease resistance protein （AT4G19050）, and a putative membrane lipoprotein （AT4G19070）. The expression level of NIP1;1 was relatively high in A. thaliana accessions sensitive to H2O2. Additionally, overexpression of NIP1;1 in a tolerant accession （e.g., Col-0） increased the sensitivity of transgenic plants to H2O2. An in planta β-glucuronidase reporter assay revealed that variations in the NIP1;1 promoter were responsible for the differences of its expression level in H2O2-tolerant and -sensitive accessions. Cell death was extensive and H2O2 levels were high in the roots of H2O2-sensitive and NIP1;1-overexpressing accessions. Together, our results indicate that the aquaporin NIP1;1 is a key determinant of the sensitivity ofA. thaliana to H2O2, and contributes to the phenotypic variations detected by our GWAS.

Metallic wastewater treatment by sulfate reduction using anaerobic rotating biological contactor reactor under high metal loading conditions

This study was aimed at investigating the performance of anaerobic rotating biological cont- reactor treating synthetic wastewater containing a mixture of heavy metals under sulfate redu condition. Statistically valid factorial design of experiments was carried out to understand dynamics of metal removal using this bioreactor system. Copper removal was maximum （〉98% followed by other heavy metals at their respective low inlet concentrations. Metal loading rates than 3.7 mg/L· h in case of Cu（II）; less than 1.69 mg/L· h for Ni（II）, Pb（II）, Zn（II）, Fe（III） and C are favorable to the performance of the An-RBC reactor. Removal efficiency of the heavy metals 1 mixture depended on the metal species and their inlet loading concentrations. Analysis of n precipitates formed in the sulfidogenic bioreactor by field emission scanning electron microscopyalong with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy （FESEM-EDX） confirmed metal sulfide precipitationby SRB. All these results clearly revealed that the attached growth biofilm bioreactor is well suited for heavy metal removal from complex mixture.