African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12496

Table of Content: 28 August 2013; 12(35)

August 2013

Bioprocess systems applied for the production of bio-ethanol from lignocellulosic biomass of cocoa pod husk (Theobroma cacao L.) and other agricultural residues: A review

  Bioenergy is fast becoming one of the most dynamic and rapidly changing sector of the global energy economy. The associated accelerated growth in the production, supply, conversion and use of bioenergy especially in the liquid bio-ethanol sector present a new reality that is attracting interest from key stakeholders in developed and developing countries alike. Petroleum, in addition to being the main source...

Author(s): R. O. Igbinadolor, and A. A. Onilude

August 2013

Fluctuating levels of reprogramming factor expression in cultured human undifferentiated keratinocytes

  Although human undifferentiated keratinocytes (HUKs) can be reprogrammed to become induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) with high efficiency and rapid kinetics by transducing reprogramming factors (RFs), the endogenous expression of reprogramming factors in cultured HUKs is not clear at different stages. In this study, keratinocytes were isolated from foreskin of adult subject (18 years old) and cultured on...

Author(s):   Mingjun Wu, Qiang Chen, Wei Wu, Zhongwei Zheng, Bisong Yue, Zhiqiang Wu, Yali Zhao, Weidong Han and Xiaobing Fu      

August 2013

Ribosomal DNA variation in landraces of bambara groundnut

  The ribosomal DNA (rDNA) is a basic component of all eukaryotic chromosomes which codes for rRNA. The rDNA is made of tandemly repeated units of 18S, 5.8S, 28S, ITS and IGS. The 18S, 5.8S and 28S are coding regions while the ITS and IGS are non coding. The rDNA evolves in a concerted manner such that rDNA units within an individual are almost completely identical making it a useful tool in taxonomic...

Author(s):   Peter M Waziri, Festo J Massawe, Samson B Wayah and Jaafar M Sani        

August 2013

Analysis of diversity in rice (Oryza sativa L.) using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers

  Molecular markers are useful tool for assessing genetic variations and resolving genotype identity. In the current study, genetic diversity among 20 rice genotypes was assessed using the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and simple sequence repeat (SSR). In RAPD analysis, 20 primers generated a total of 116 bands of which 114 were polymorphic. The number of amplification products produced by each primer...

Author(s):   Harsh Bansal, Ravindra Kumar, Vivek and Sanjay      

August 2013

Propagation from axillary buds and anatomical study of adventitious roots of Pinus taeda L.

  Micropropagation of Pinus taeda by axillary bud proliferation technique and anatomical study of adventitious roots were studied. Apical and basal segments were establishedin vitro in Murashige and Skoog (MS) culture medium. For multiple shoot induction, the explants were transferred to WV3 medium with or without 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) (0.12, 0.25 or 0.50 µM). The effect of...

Author(s):   Leandro Francisco de Oliveira, Marguerite Quoirin, Henrique Soares Koehler, Erika Amano, Antonio Rioyei Higa and Luciana Lopes Fortes Ribas      

August 2013

Morphometric characteristics of Lotus corniculatus L. genotypes

  The aim of this study was to examine the degree of variability in morphological and agronomic characteristics of 20 Lotus corniculatus L. local genotypes, and also to set aside germplasm that will be used as a source of genetic basis for improvement of the studied properties. In poor quality soils, L. corniculatus L. plays an important role providing protein component in animal feeds. The...

Author(s):   ĐorÄ‘e Gatarić, Vojo Radić, Branko Äurić, Milenko Šarić, Zora ÄŒolović andBoro Petković    

August 2013

Study of root para-nodules formation in wheat (Triticum durum) inoculated with Frankia strain CcI3 and treated with 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2, 4-D)

  Frankia strains can induce N2-fixing root nodules on certain non-leguminous plants. It is known that exogenous application of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetate (2,4-D) affects root morphology. In this work, wheat roots were treated with 2,4-D and inoculated with the actinomycete Frankia. Wheat plants grew in a growth chamber with hydroponic medium. Binocular observation revealed that para-nodules were...

Author(s):   Djemel Amina N., Benmati Mahbouba, Ykhlef Nadia, Belbekri Nadir and Djekoun Abdelhamid        

August 2013

A triglyceride from Lupinus albus L. seed with bio-stimulatory properties

  In vitro and in vivo bio-stimulatory activity of a Lupinus albus cv. Bethuana white Seed Suspension (SS) was previously documented using vegetable crops. This was repeated for two grain crops, maize and wheat, in an attempt to provide a rationale forthe isolation and identification of the active compound(s) involved. In all cases, besides negative controls, the response to...

Author(s):   Elmarie van der Watt and Johan C. Pretorius        

August 2013

Time series prediction of apple scab using meteorological measurements

  A new prediction model for the early warning of apple scab is proposed in this study. The method is based on artificial intelligence and time series prediction. The infection period of apple scab was evaluated as the time series prediction model instead of summation of wetness duration. Also, the relations of different measurements with apple scab infection time were analyzed. The important hours of duration...

Author(s):   Bayram CetiÅŸli and EÅŸref Büyükçingir        

August 2013

Toxicity study of the anti-hypertensive agent perindopril on the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae (Metschnikoff) Sorokin assessed by conidia germination speed parameter

  Hypertension is an important vascular disease to the global public health, since it constitutes the principal cause of death from childhood to adulthood. In order to alleviate its symptoms, the treatment is accomplished by anti-hypertensive drugs, among them, is perindopril, an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. The entomopathogenic filamentous fungus Metarhizium anisopliae is...

Author(s): Ligia Maria Crubelati Bulla, Daniela Andressa Lino Lourenço, Sandro Augusto Rhoden, Ravely Casarotti Orlandelli and João Alencar Pamphile        

August 2013

Impact of physico-chemical parameters on the physiological growth of Arthrospira (Spirulina platensis) exogenous strain UTEXLB2340

  Spirulina platensis is an attractive human food supplement, animals feed and of numerous medicinal uses. The effect of physico-chemical factors on the physiological growth rates as optical densities (O.D.) of S. platensis strain (UTEXLB2340) were investigated. Experiments were conducted at different pH levels, light intensities, and temperature regimes, and monitored for 20 days. The half...

Author(s):   Yahia Mustafa A. Fagiri, Aisha Salleh and Saifeldin Ahmed F. El-Nagerabi        

August 2013

Nutritional value of some Egyptian sea cucumbers

Functional food that contains biologically-active compounds is an important source for prevention, management and treatment of chronic diseases in the modern age. The present work showed the quality of some Egyptian sea cucumbers to encourage Egyptian natives using them as an alternative food. The present work investigated the morphometric parameters, the proximate chemical composition, the amino acids and...

Author(s):   Nahla El-Sayed El-Shazly Omran        

August 2013

Anti-diabetic effect of Cyclo-His-Pro (CHP)-enriched yeast hydrolysate in streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice

  The present study was designed to investigate the hypoglycemic effects of the daily oral dose of 0.50 to 0.75 g/kg of yeast hydrolysate (YH) containing high Cyclo-His-Pro (51.0 mg CHP/g YH) on normal and streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats for 14 days. In STZ-induced diabetic rats, after administrations of the YH for 14 days, the body weight gain was significantly increased in dose dependent manner,...

Author(s):   Yooheon Park, Hyun Jung Lee, Jang Won Choi, Song Hwan Bae and Hyung Joo Suh      

August 2013

Effect of different levels of supplemental yeast on performance indices, serum enzymes and electrolytes of broiler chickens

  The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of supplemental probiotic preparation on performance indices, serum enzymes and electrolytes of broiler chickens. Two hundred (200) day-old Marshall broiler chicks were randomly selected and distributed based on the level of supplementation into four groups of 50 chicks each (Control, C; E10.5%, E21.5% and E32.0%). Chickens fed 2.0% probiotic had a...

Author(s):   Tagang Aluwong, Fatima B. Hassan, Moshood A. Raji, Mohamed U. Kawu, Tavershima Dzenda and Joseph O. Ayo