May 2014
Current trends in genetic manipulations to enhance abiotic and biotic stresses in tobacco
Environmental stresses, both abiotic and biotic, are the main factors reducing crops productivity. Biotic stresses caused by fungi, viruses, bacteria and insects are the major threats. However, abiotic stresses have more adverse effects on crop yield and crop survival. Hitherto, tolerant plants were mainly produced by classical breeding techniques. Success in breeding for better adapted varieties to abiotic and biotic...
May 2014
BengaSaVex: A new computational genetic sequence extraction tool for DNA repeats
The scourge of infectious diseases is one of the problems contending with humanity. All infectious diseases are caused by pathogens. A major problem in biological research is the creation of enormous and redundant amounts of genomic data. From this large volume of generated data, biologists select a subset of each sequence known as DNA nucleotide subsequences “words”, for extended scientific analysis....
May 2014
Sensitive and rapid detection of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae by Loop-mediated isothermal amplification
A set of four specific primers was designed by targeting the H2 gene sequences of Mycoplasma capricolum subsp. capripneumoniae (MCCP). Using Bst DNA polymerase, the products were amplified for 60 min at 65°C in a simple water bath. Compared with a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that targets the H2 gene sequences of MCCP, the sensitivity of the loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was higher...
May 2014
Genetic diversity in Nigerian brinjal eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) as revealed by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers
The taxonomy of Solanum melongena L., also known as brinjal eggplant, has remained difficult because previous studies to establish genetic relationships among taxa are mainly based on morphological features, which are insufficient to establish genetic affinities. In the present investigation, five highly polymorphic random amplified polymorphic DNA primers were used to describe the genetic similarity and diversity among...
May 2014
Verification of genetic identity of introduced cacao germplasm in Ghana using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers
Accurate identification of individual genotypes is important for cacao (Theobroma cacao L.) breeding, germplasm conservation and seed propagation. The development of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers in cacao offers an effective way to use a high-throughput genotyping system for cacao genotype verification. In the present study, high-throughput genotyping with SNP markers was used to fingerprint 160 cacao...
May 2014
Characterization and in vitro studies on anticancer activity of exopolymer of Bacillus thuringiensis S13
The objective of the present work was to isolate and characterize the exopolymer producer from a marine environment. The exopolymer producing strain (S13) was identified as Bacillus thuringiensis S13. Characterization of exopolymer shows the presence of brominated compound responsible for cytotoxicity on lung cancer cell line (A549) on XTT assay. An in vitro study of bacterial exopolymer shows the presence of cytotoxic...
May 2014
Amylase production under solid state fermentation by a bacterial isolate W74
This study was concerned with the screening of a suitable isolate and optimization of cultural conditions for the biosynthesis of thermostable amylase under solid state fermentation (SSF). Twenty seven isolates were screened for amylase production out of which one isolate designated as W74 showed maximal amylase activity at 70°C and a pH of 6.5 and selected for further optimization of cultural conditions under SSF....
May 2014
Production and partial purification of glucoamylase from Aspergillus niger isolated from cassava peel soil in Nigeria
Glucoamylase is an enzyme that hydrolyses 1,4α and 1,6β-glucosidic linkages in polysaccharides yielding glucose. Aspergillus niger strains 1, 2 and 3 were locally isolated from cassava peel dumpsite for the production of glucoamylase enzyme. A. niger strains 1, 2 and 3 were screened for their hyper producing ability on potato dextrose agar using plate assay method fortified with starch agar, and showed zone...
May 2014
Heterologous expression and characterization of purified partial endochitinase (ech-42) isolated from Trichoderma harzianum
Chitinase gene from Trichoderma harzianum was cloned and hetrologously over expressed in M15 Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein of 42 kDa from E. coli was purified through Ni-NTA affinity column chromatography. The purified enzyme was active over broad range of pH (2.0 to 8.0) and temperature (10 to 60°C) with the peak activity at pH 5 (0.50 μg/ml) and 20°C with enzyme activity value (0.49 μg/ml)....
May 2014
Dearth of full-length HIV-1 sequences obscures the true HIV-1 genetic subtypes distribution in sub-Saharan Africa
HIV infection is still a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa. The broad diversity exhibited by HIV-1 may impact on transmission, disease progression, drug resistance and vaccine development. Most analyses of HIV-1 subtype distribution have been on partial HIV-1 gene sequences, which may not adequately reflect the circulating subtypes. The objective of this study was to estimate the HIV-1 subtype distribution in...
May 2014
Chemical composition and larvicidal activity of Zanthoxylum gilletii essential oil against Anopheles gambiae
Malaria is a serious health problem in many African countries. The Anopheles gambiae mosquito which is the major vector for this disease has developed resistance against synthetic pyrethroids which are the main stay of insecticide treated bed nets. The development of insecticide resistance and side effects associated with synthetic pesticides has triggered intense research efforts towards natural products (for vector...
May 2014
Co-feeding strategy to enhance phytase production in Pichia pastoris
Process techniques of the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris for the production and recovery of heterologous phytase proteins has developed in last 20 years. High expression levels using methanol as induction have been made in the quality of recombinant proteins in the fermenter culture and in the quality of the protein product. This allowed rapidly P. pastoris to become the system of choice for the expression of...
Advertisement
Advertisement
