June 2009
Sustainable development and bioeconomic prosperity in Africa: Bio-fuels and the South African gateway
African countries along with the co-founders of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) must use biotechnology as a valuable tool for socio-economic and sustainable development. National, regional and international consultations and debates ensure timely attention of peer-reviewed guidelines concerning significant issues like bio-risks, bio-safety, and bio-security that impinge on daily human...
June 2009
Transcription factor profiling unveils the oncogenes involved in the pathogenesis of cutaneous T cell lymphomas
The finding in colon carcinoma that cancerogenesis is a sequence of activation of different oncogenes and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes has increased the efforts to identify the genes that are responsible for the progression of different kinds of cancer. Many activated oncogenes and inactivated tumor suppressor genes have been detected in cancer cells during the last decades, but for most cancers no network or...
March 2009
The most stirring technology in future: Cellulase enzyme and biomass utilization
In recent years, fundamental and applied researches on cellulase enzyme have not only generated significant scientific knowledge but also have revealed their enormous potential in biotechnology. Growing attention has been devoted to its bioconversion of biomass into fuel ethanol, considered the cleanest liquid fuel alternative to fossil fuels. Significant advances have been made towards the production and...
March 2009
Phylogeny of Artemisia L.: Recent developments
In this review, classification and phylogeny of genus Artemisia L. is discussed. Its centers of diversity lie in the temperate and cold temperate regions of the Eurasia, North America and Asia. Artemisia has two basic chromosome numbers, with ploidy levels x=9 and x=8. Chromosome number in diploid is most often 2n=18 or 16. The genus is divided into five large...
June 2009
Biotechnological potentials of Seidlitzia rosmarinus: A mini review
Seidlitzia rosmarinus is a perennial woody plant grown mostly along the banks of salt marshes and in soils with high saline water tables. This plant being a halophyte is very well adapted to grow in dry and salt affected desert soils. It plays an important role in both soil preservation and maintenance. The leaves, stems and seeds harvested in fall are used as fodder for livestock. Ashes remaining after burning the...
June 2009
A new electrophoresis technique to separate microsatellite alleles*
Analysis of large numbers of SSR (simple sequence repeats: microsatellites) reactions can be tedious, time-consuming and expensive. The objective of this study was to report a new electrophoresis method to analyze and visualize SSR data quickly and accurately and compare it to the ability of four other electrophoresis methods. Individual PCR reactions consisting of DNA from severalCornus florida L. (flowering...
June 2009
Comparison of genetic detection efficiency of different markers under the same genetic background
Chinese native sheep populations, Hu sheep, Tong sheep, Small-tailed Han sheep and Tan sheep were used to study the efficiency of genetic markers. The genetic markers used in this study include morphological and ecological indices, blood protein enzyme, microsatellite DNA and the combination of three markers. The results showed that the morphological and ecological indices are not accurate tools to determine the...
June 2009
Differential expressions of putative genes in various floral organs of the Pigeon orchid (Dendrobium crumenatum) using GeneFishing
Nine Differentially Expressed Genes (DEGs) were detected in the five floral organs of Dendrobium crumenatum and three DEGs of relatively high expression in the column, were significantly homologous to the small Heat Shock Protein (HSP) differentially regulated during pollen development and heat stress in tobacco (DEG3-8), pectin methylesterase enzyme (PME) which was a male-flower specific gene in Salix...
June 2009
Sequence analysis and over-expression of ribosomal protein S28 gene (RPS28) from the Giant Panda
RPS28 is a component of the 40S small ribosomal subunit encoded by RPS28gene, which is specific to eukaryotes. The cDNA and the genomic sequence ofRPS28 were cloned successfully from the Giant Panda using RT-PCR technology and Touchdown-PCR, respectively. Both sequences were analyzed preliminarily and the cDNA of the RPS28 gene was also overexpressed...
April 2009
Performance of climber common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) lines under Researcher Designed Farmer Managed (RDFM) system in three bean agro-ecological zones of Malawi
An on-farm study was carried out in 2003-2004 and 2004-2005 growing seasons under rain-fed condition in five sites namely Thondwe and Matapwata in Zomba and Thyolo districts respectively, Chipuka in Ntchisi district, Ntchenachena and Ngong’a in Rumphi district representing three bean agro-ecological zones of Malawi. Seven climber common bean entries; CAB 19, RWV 1046, BCMV B4, AND 659, RWV 1042-2-3, 5P/5 and DC...
June 2009
Effect of auto exhaust emission on the phenology of Cassia siamea and Peltophorum pterocarpum growing in different areas of Karachi
The response of plant species to different seasons and environmental pollutants is of important interest to researchers. Observations were made on Cassia siameaand Peltophorum pterocarpum plants growing in the polluted and other less polluted areas of Karachi. The phenology of C. siamea and P. pterocarpum was significantly (p<0.05) affected in the polluted environment of Karachi....
June 2009
The use of cross species SSR primers to study genetic diversity of okra from Burkina Faso
Sixteen pairs of primers designed to amplify SSR regions of Medicago truncatulawere used to amplify genomic DNA samples of 20 different okra accessions collected from different regions Burkina Faso. These primers amplified a number of fragments that range from 1-16 with the sizes of 396-506 bp. Each accession was scored for the presence or absence of the bands and phylogenetic analysis of these data...
June 2009
Predicting the above-ground biomass of calabrian pine (Pinus brutia Ten.) stands in Turkey
Biomass equations are presented for calabrian pine stands within the Adana-Karaisalı Regional Forestry Management Area. Thirty three sample plots, each of 0.04 ha, were chosen in order to define the biomass equations of calabrian pine, the most common needle leave species in Turkey. A tree which is the most similar to mean tree according to basal area was cut in each sample area as a sample tree. Various models were...
June 2009
Germination, growth and nodulation of Trigonella foenum graecum (Fenu Greek) under salt stress
In this work, we analyzed the effects of salinity on seed germination, growth and nodulation of fenugreek plants. The germination of fenugreek seeds was not affected by salt concentrations lower than 140 mM. Two saline tolerant indigenous rhizobia strains were isolated from the root nodules of fenugreek grown in two different soils. The two rhizobial strains were tested for their ability to grow under...
June 2009
A new time-saving transformation system for Brassica napus
By optimizing different parameters for infection, an efficient Agrobacterium-mediated transformation system for Brassica napus was developed. A series of combinations of optical densities, infection durations, concentrations of acetosyringone and silwet L77 were evaluated. Maximum transformation efficiency reached 18.93% when cotyledonary nodes were infected for 10 min with...
June 2009
Biological control of Rhizoctonia solani on potato by Verticillium biguttatum
Ten isolates of Verticillium biguttatum were obtained from sclerotia of Rhizoctonia solani on potato tubers in Erzurum, Turkey. The interaction between V. biguttatumand R. solani was studied in vitro and in vivo. V. biguttatum isolates affected R. solani by antibiosis and parasitism. All isolates of V. biguttatum inhibited the...
June 2009
An AFLP marker linked to turnip mosaic virus resistance gene in pak-choi
Pak-choi is one of the most important vegetable crops in China. Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) is one of its main pathogen. Screening the molecular marker linked to the TuMV resistance gene is an efficient method to improve pak-choi breeding. In this paper, a dominant gene, TuRBCH01, has been mapped. 180 F2 individuals were inoculated with TuMV-C5 and tested by direct...
June 2009
Influence of phytohormones and medium on the shoot regeneration from leaf of Swertia chirata Buch.-Ham. Ex wall. in vitro
A procedure for in vitro shoot regeneration was formed from leaves derived from the field grown Swertia chirata and the effects of phytohormones and medium on the regeneration of shoot were tested by an orthogonal experiments. The best result was obtained in the 190-2 medium with 13.32 mM 6-benzylaminopurine and 0.54 mM α-naphthaleneacetic acid. The result of orthogonal analysis of...
June 2009
Combining ability for maize grain yield and other agronomic characters in a typical southern guinea savanna ecology of Nigeria
Field experiments were conducted at the University of Ilorin Teaching and Research Farm in 2005 and 2006 cropping seasons with the objective to evaluate the combining ability for maize grain yield and other agronomic characters in 10 open pollinated maize varieties, which have been selected for high yield and stress tolerance. General combining ability (gca) and year (y) effects were significant for all the parameters...
June 2009
Plant regeneration of Brassica oleracea sub sp. italica (Broccoli) CV Green Marvel as affected by plant growth regulators
Hypocotyls and shoot tips were used as explants in in vitro plant regeneration of broccoli (Brassica oleracea subsp. italica) cv. Green Marvel. The explants were excised from sterile germinated seedlings and placed on shoot induction medium containing basal salts of Murashige and Skoog (MS) and various concentrations of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). The highest...
June 2009
Effect of plant growth regulators on callus induction and plant regeneration in tuber segment culture of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivar Diamant
The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of different concentrations and combinations of growth regulators on callus induction and plant regeneration of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cultivar Diamant. The tuber segments were used as explants and cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS)medium supplemented with different concentrations of α-naphthalene acetic acid...
June 2009
Bacterial diversity in a tropical crude oil-polluted soil undergoing bioremediation
The bacterial diversity in a tropical soil experimentally polluted with crude oil during a 57 days bioremediation was investigated in five 1 m2 plots using total culturable hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria, heterotrophic bacteria and gas chromatographic analyses. Four out of the five experimental plots received each 4 L of Bonny light crude oil while three treatment plots received 3 kg of NPK, urea fertilizers or...
June 2009
Characterization of hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria in tropical marine sediments
Hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria present in Nembe waterside sediments, a marine habitat in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, were characterized using standard culture dependent techniques. The sediment samples were collected along the navigational route with an Eckman sediment grab (Wild Life Supply Co., NY). The samples had meant total heterotrophic bacterial count of 6.6 × 107cfu g-1 and hydrocarbon utilizing bacteria...
June 2009
Cloning and sequence analysis of benzo-a-pyrene-inducible cytochrome P450 1A in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, dibenzofurans and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) present in polluted environment induce cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) isozyme in fish which in turn results in a marked increased production of carcinogenic metabolites. The induction of hepatic CYP1A in fish by certain classes of chemicals has been suggested as an early warning system, a “most sensitive biological...
June 2009
Culture conditions for the production of a tannase of Aspergillus tamarii IMI388810 (B)
Aspergillus tamarii IMI388810 (B) a tannic acid degrading fungus was isolated from soil inundated by effluent of a tannery at Oji River local Government Area of Enugu State, Nigeria. It was identified by CABI Bioscience, United Kingdom as A. tamariiwith accession number of IMI 388810 (B). This fungus produced tannase in a fermentation medium M containing tannic acid as the only carbon source. Time course of...
June 2009
Biodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol originating from pharmaceutical industries
The aims of this work were to isolate a microorganism from the wastewater of pharmaceutical industries, to examine the difference in its growth utilization of 2,4-dichlorophenol as the sole carbon source pre and post-exposure to UV-irradiation and to investigate its efficiency of biodegradation at different temperatures and pH values using a laboratory benchtop bioreactor. Sludge was...
June 2009
Technological and chemical properties of heat-treated Anatolian black pine wood
In this study the effect of heat treatment on air-dry density (Dm), oven-dry density (D0), shrinkage (β), swelling (α), fiber saturation point (FSP), compression strength parallel to grain (σc//), bending strength (σb), modulus of elasticity (MOE) in bending, Brinell-hardness (HB), equilibrium moisture content (EMC), chemical content and cellulose crystallinity of Anatolian black...
June 2009
Trochiscia (Chlorococcales) a new taxon from Central Anatolian Region, Turkey
A new species, Trochiscia anatolicum, is described from a fresh water habitat, Dam Lake in the middle Anatolian region. This new taxon was first found on examination of algal samples from Kesikkopru Dam Lake. Light microscopes indicate a clear relationship with species in the genus Trochiscia. Some of the characteristic features of the new taxon include a spines and irregular cell wall. And this...
June 2009
Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of lactic acid bacteria isolated from Azerbaijani traditional dairy products
Studied lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from two types of final ready-to-eat artisanal dairy products (cheeses – Agdas, Sheki and yogurts - Karabakh, Ganja and Baku) manufactured in Azerbaijan. The Agdas cheese belongs to the group of semi hard cheeses whilst the Sheki cheese belongs to hard cheeses. Both of cheeses were produced from cow’s milk without the addition of the starter cultures. The...
June 2009
Antifungal effect of some plant extracts on Alternaria alternata and Fusarium oxysporum
In vitro studies were carried out to test the antifungal activity of 5 plant extracts;Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Cinnamon), Cymbopogon proximus (Halfa barr),Laurus nobilis (Laurel), Persea americana (Avocado) and Zingiber officinale(Ginger) performed with either cold distilled water (CDW) or boiling (BDW) on two pathogenic fungi, Alternaria...
June 2009
Isolation and purification of alkaline keratinase from Bacillus sp. 50-3
A new alkaline keratinase extracted from Bacillus sp. 50-3 was isolated and purified in this study. Solid ammonium sulfate was selected to precipitate the enzyme. Its proper adding mass was also determined. Through solid ammonium sulfate precipitation and liquid chromatography via the DEAE-Sephadex-A50 column using with azokeratin as a substrate, 17.7-fold purification with a yield of 46.5% was obtained. The...
June 2009
Analysis of genetic relationships of mulberry (Morus L.) germplasm using sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) markers
Sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) is a novel molecular marker technique designed to amplify open reading frames (ORFs). Here, for the first time, SRAP was used to identify mulberry germplasm. Twenty-three mulberry accessions were screened using SRAP techniques, with 12 primer combinations selected for their reproducibility and polymorphism. Out of 83 PCR fragments scored, 59 (71.1%) were polymorphic, with...
April 2009
An effective disinfection protocol for plant regeneration from shoot tip cultures of strawberry
An effective method of disinfection protocol and micropropagation with an enhanced survival rate of explants and reduced phenol induced browning in strawberry was developed. The survival rate of three genotypes was between 89.2 - 100%. Shoot tip were able to develop into plantlet on a hormone-free MS medium when cultured under dim light (500 lux). Two media, M1 and M2 were chosen to compare the...
June 2009
Determination of ontogenetic selection criteria for grain yield in spring barley (Hordeum vulgare) by path-coefficient analysis
Path-coefficient analysis was performed to determine the interrelationships among grain yield, yield components (spike number per m-2, kernel number per spike, average kernel weight) and some phenological characteristics (duration and growing degree-days of vegetative and grain-filling periods) in spring barley genotypes in 2004-2005. Grain yield depended mainly on spike number per m-2 and kernel number...
June 2009
Identification of a taxol-producing endophytic fungus EFY-36
Morphological and molecular methods were used to identify the statues of anisolate, EFY-36, a taxol-producing endophytic fungus. Based on the morphology of the fungal colony, the mechanism of spore production and the characteristics of the spores, the isolate is Mucor spp. Furthermore, the analysis of 18S ribosome RNA sequence of the isolate was achieved using PCR...
June 2009
Effect of controlled fermentation on the oligosaccharides content of two common Nigerian Vigna unguiculata beans (drum and oloyin)
Two common local beans (Vigna unguiculata) varieties known as drum and oloyinwere used for this study. These beans were fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus fermentum and Pediococcus acidilactici. The fermentation was carried out for 24, 48, and 72 h at ambient temperature. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the temperature values of...
June 2009
Immobilization of catalase via adsorption into natural and modified active carbon obtained from walnut in various methods
In the present work, the immobilization of catalase into natural active carbon and active carbon modified by hydrochloric acid was carried out. In the experimental section, the effects of pH, ionic strength and reaction temperature were chosen as parameters, with experiments performed in batch system. For the optimization of immobilization procedure, values of kinetic parameters were evaluated. It...
January 2009
The effect of thyroxine on silk gland and the effect of two thyroxine-treated mulberry species feeding on silk quality in the silkworm Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)
The influence of feeding mulberry leaves treated with thyroxine to the growth of the silk gland, and the effect of two different mulberry species, that is, Morus nigra and Morus multicaulis treated with thyroxine on silk quality in the silkworm were studied. The silk glands from thyroxine treated Bombyx morilarvae weighed heavier than control. The weight of the posterior silk gland, where...
June 2009
The effects of sodium perchlorate on the liver of Molly Fish (Poecilia sphenops, Cyprinidae, Teleostei)
Adult male molly fishes were reared up to ten days in control water or in water containing sodium perchlorate at concentrations of 1, 5, 25 and 125 ppm. Remarkable steatosis, fibrosis, hyperemia and necrosis were distinguished in parallel with increasing sodium perchlorate concentrations. The striking cellular damages were observed especially in 25 and 125 ppm sodium perchlorate exposed animals. The...
Advertisement
Advertisement
