Current Trends in Biotechnology and Pharmacy

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of the Strigolactone (SL) Pathway and Associated Genes in Sorghum

Sirisha Kaniganti — 2024-03-07

Strigolactones (SLs) are a novel class of plant hormones that play critical roles in reg-ulating developmental processes and stress tolerance. Even though the SL-related genes have been identified and characterized in model plants such as Arabidopsis and rice, characteri-zation of SL-related genes in crop plants, partic-ularly dry land crops like sorghum (Sorghum bi-color), have yet to be fully explored. In this study, the SL-pathway and associated genes and their expression patterns under abiotic stress were systematically identified and characterized in the sorghum. This study identified the SL path-way and associated genes, including biosyn-thesis (D27, CCD7, CCD8, MAX1 and LBO) and signaling (D14, MAX2, D53). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that all SL-related genes are highly conserved among plant species. Further-more, the expression analysis showed that most SL-related genes are involved in cold, drought and simulated drought/ABA stress response. These findings provide valuable information for further investigation and functional characteri-zation of SL-biosynthetic and signaling genes in response to abiotic stresses in sorghum.

In Silico Identification and Gene Expression Analysis of SNAC Subgroup of NAC Superfamily Members in Zea mays

Ashok Kumar K — 2024-03-07

Stress-related NAC (NAM, ATAF1-2 and CUC2) genes, known as SNAC sub-family have been identified in four different species such as Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa, Sorghum bicolor and Zea mays using the tools of bioinformatics. These genes have been characterized by finding out their introns, exons, cis-regulatory elements, sub-cellular localization, highly conserved motifs, and motif signatures. Phylogenetic tree has been constructed using protein sequences, calculated synonymous to non-synonymous substitution rates (Ka/Ks) of SNAC paralogs and generated 3-dimensional protein models. Predicted SNAC homologs in maize genome have been studied by analysing the synteny of ZmSNAC genes with NAC genes in Arabidopsis thaliana, Oryza sativa and Sorghum bicolor. miRNA binding sites have been predicted and analysis of cis-regulatory elements in the promoter regions of SNAC genes in the four plant species has been performed. Identification of SNAC transcription factor homologues in the four plant species and their comparative analysis may provide a basis for further characterization of SNAC transcription factors in various other plant species. Available data have been mined for gene expression analysis under different abiotic stress conditions which displayed up- and down-regulations indicating apparent involvement of SNAC genes during abiotic stress responses.

Development and Validation of a RP-HPLC Method for the Determination of Capecitabine and its Impurities in Pharmaceutical Dosage Form

P. Ramya Sudha — 2024-02-22

The analysis of established HPLC technique for the separation and quantification of Capecitabine and its impurities are described. Samples are analysed by reverse phase (RPHPLC) using stationary phase Inertsil ODS-3V (250 x 4.6mm, 5µm) column and the movable segment consisted of two channels. Channel A: 20mM Ammonium Formate buffer, Methanol and Acetonitrile in the proportion of (75:25:5 %volume/volume/volume) and Channel B: 20mM methanol, ammonium acetate buffer and Acetonitrile in the proportion of (80:15:5 %volume/volume/volume). The run velocity is 1.0 mL/min, the column oven was preserved at 40°C and sampler cooler oven was preserved 5°C, infused 10µL and wavelength fixed at 250nm UV-detection. The established HPLC technique was authenticated with admiration to specificity, precision, linearity, accuracy, LOD, LOQ and solution stability. Corroboration study compared as stated by ICH instruction.

Cymbopogon citratus Leaf Extract Mitigates Hepatorenal Injury in Carbon Tetrachloride and Rifampicin-Exposed Rats

Temidayo Ogunmoyole — 2024-03-07

The rising trend in the global burden of liver and kidney diseases calls for concern. The present study therefore investigates the medicinal potentials of C. citratus in rat model of hepatorenal toxicity. Forty male albino rats were randomly grouped and exposed to carbon tetrachloride (3 ml/kg bw.) and rifampicin (250 mg/kg bw.) toxicity and post-treated with C. citratus leaf extract and silymarin (100 mg/kg bw) as standard drug according to experimental design. Specific biomarkers such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), urea, uric acid, total bilirubin, total protein (TP) as well as lipid profile were determined. Exposure to toxicants caused a marked decrease in antioxidant enzymes and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) with concomitant increase in triglyceride, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). Levels of AST, ALT, ALP, total bilirubin, urea and uric acid were markedly increased in animals exposed to toxicants without post treatment with the extract. Post-administration of C. citratus leaf extract caused a decrease in AST, ALT and ALP, TC, TG and LDL-c while there was significant increase in the level of HDL and antioxidant enzyme relative to the untreated group. Effect of C. citratus was comparable to the reference drug, silymarin (100 mg/kg) at the same dose. The study showed the medicinal potentials of C. citratus as revealed in both biochemical and histopathogical parameters. Hence, it is a choice candidate that can be exploited in the treatment of liver and kidney diseases.

The Phytochemical Investigation and Pharmacological Evaluation of Hepatoprotective Activity of Bougainvillea glabra in Rats

Boini Rajyalakshmi — 2024-03-08

An indispensable organ is the liver which is crucial to the body’s removal of foreign substances and it plays an unexpected part in preserving, controlling, and restoring the body’s homeostasis. It is involved in practically every biochemical route that leads to growth, the defense against illness, the supply of nutrients, the creation of energy, and reproduction. The metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats, as well as detoxification, bile secretion, and vitamin storage, are the liver’s primary roles. Numerous hazardous substances, including ethanol, silymarin, chemotherapeutic drugs, thioacetamide, carbon tetrachloride, paracetamol, and microorganisms can cause hepatotoxicity. The present investigation goal is to assess the ethanolic hepatoprotective workings of bougainvillea glabra Leaf extract on Wister rats’ liver damage brought on by paracetamol. The great Bougainvillea glabra plant is used in cooking and as an ornament that is additionally employed in conventional remedies to treat familiar illnesses. Numerous investigations have demonstrated the diverse pharmacological actions of certain extracts or components that were derived from the genus Bougainvillea. Certain kinds of bougainvillea have evolved into the origin of standard medical care for mortal wellness. The plant was collected and dried in the shade at room temperature The plant Bougainvillea was powdered and successively extracted using a Soxhlet apparatus with suitable solvents acetone, chloroform, aqueous, ethanol, and methanol. When different extracts were examined phytochemically, fixed oils, saponins, amino acids, glycosides, and alkaloids were discovered. The level of defense is determined by calculating biochemical parameters such as serum glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, total protein, total albumin, alkaline phosphatase, and the level of total serum direct and indirect bilirubin levels. Observing any changes occurring in rats before and after the experiment like the weight of the animals and liver weight of the rats Additionally, a histologic evaluation was performed to rule out paracetamol-induced hepatotoxicity.

In-vitro Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Effects of Physalis minima Linn. in HeLa Cell Lines Against Cervical Cancer

Sowmiya Velemurugan — 2024-03-08

In the present study, the shade-dried and powdered leaves of Physalis minima Linn. were subjected to Soxhlet extraction with methanol, concentrated, and further partitioned with n-hexane, chloroform, and ethanol. The in-vitro anti-oxidant activity was evaluated by DPPH radical scavenging assay and the cytotoxic potential by MTT assay in HeLa cell lines. The results of the study revealed that among the three fractions, the chloroform fraction of the methanolic extract showed better antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 38.6 µg/mL) compared to standard Ascorbic acid (IC₅₀ = 42.6 µg/mL). Moreover, the results of the MTT assay carried out in HeLa cell lines showed that the chloroform fraction exhibited a promising cytotoxic activity (IC₅₀ = 59.66 µg/mL). Further, the chloroform fraction when subjected to apoptosis assay using acridine orange -ethidium bromide dual staining displayed the morphological characteristics of apoptotic event including nuclear fragmentation and chromatin condensation with orange red and reddish nuclei. The results of our study support the protective effect of chloroform fraction of methanolic extract of leaves of Physalis minima Linn., in the treatment of cervical cancer.

Identification of Protein Target and Selection of Suitable Drug Candidates Against Alzheimer’s Disease by Docking Studies

Navneetha Oleti — 2024-03-07

Alzheimer’s though a well-known condition since generations has no complete treatment till today and people suffer with the condition till date. There are several known medications available in the market and each in different combinations. However, the therapeutic effect of each drug may vary from person to person which is completely unpredictable. The current research work aims to enhance the efficacy of treatment by targeting a particular protein called APP rather than the general medication. Furthermore the ligands used in the current study are all the derivatives of Tacrine which is known to possess anticholinesterase activity. Three vari-ations of Tacrine compound namely 1,2,3,4-Tet-rahydroacridin-9-amine chloride, Tacrine hydrochloride monohydrate and Tacrine hy-drochloride were used. All the chemicals were screened for their drug likeliness using the Lipinsky rule. Since all the three chemicals passed the screening, they were further subjected for dock-ing with the selected receptor Amyloid Precur-sor Beta Protein. Docking was performed in two different software’s Hex and Molegrow to obtain the accuracy in results. The docking results re-vealed that the compound 1,2,3,4Tetrahydroac-ridin-9-amine; chloride was proved to be a better ligand with a lower docking energy representing a great structural compatibility between the Li-gand and receptor pair. The studies can be ex-tended towards the clinical research to obtain a confirmatory result.

Identification of New Alkaloids from Algerian Purslane by HPLC-QTOF-MS and Beneficial Effect of Purslane Enriched with Zinc on Experimental Alzheimer Disease in Rats

Sara Chetehouna — 2024-03-08

Our study aimed to investigate the im-pact of purslane (P. oleracea) and zinc as a ther-apeutic approach to physiological and biochem-ical alterations induced by Alzheimer disease (ALZ) in rats. For this purpose, 18 males albino Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (n=6); healthy rats (Control), untreated Alzhei-mer rats (Exp ALZ), Alzheimer rats treated with aqueous purslane extract (APE) and Alzheimer rats treated with purslane extract and zinc (PE-Zn).Various neurological and biological param-eters were estimated and brain Histopathology was observed. Results of study showed an al-teration in passive avoidance learning (PAL) and a significant increase in AChE activity (P<0.01) and protein, WBC, Monocyte, LYM, platelet and MDA levels and decreasing the GSH levels, GST and SOD activities in Exp ALZ group com-pared to control. In the other hand, histopatho-logical analysis recorded a deep modification in brain tissues of Alzheimer rats group compared to control. However, the treatment of ALZ rats by APE and zinc ensured a partial amelioration and correction of the previous parameters. We conclude that the use of purslane seems to be the powerful limited of Alzheimer disease devel-opment or its complications.

Unraveling the Clotting Cascade in Vitamin K Deficiency Associated Comorbidities

Shalini Rajagopal — 2024-03-07

The coagulation mechanism can be affected by vitamin K (VK) deficiency, a severe nutritional imbalance that is associated with a number of comorbidities. In this study, we incorporate data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) archive to provide a study into the unraveling of the clotting cascade in the context of VK deficiency. Maintaining hemostasis is crucial, and VK is an essential cofactor for the synthesis of coagulation factors. A lack of VK has been associated with a higher risk of bleeding problems and other comorbidities. In the present investigation, we utilized publicly accessible GEO datasets to examine the transcriptional alterations in genes linked with the clotting cascade when deficiency of VK and its associated conditions are involved. The results of our study suggested that there were significant variations in the expression of genes associated with fibrinolysis, vascular homeostasis, and coagulation in response to VK deficiency. These alterations were significantly connected to the risk of thrombotic and hemorrhagic episodes, as well as various diseases that have been associated with VK deficiency-associated disease phenotypes, including diabetes, placenta, prostate, hepatic, renal, and cardiovascular disorders.

Human Metagenome Analysis with COVID-19 Infectious Disease

Kashish Jain — 2024-03-07

Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) is an infectious disease which is caused by a virus named as SARS-COV. This virus belongs to the Coronavirus family that causes a variety of diseases including head and chest colds, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). Metagenomics is the study of genetic material that is recuperated from the environmental samples directly. By examining and elucidating microbial genomes in healthy and infected samples, the metagenomics branch has allowed us to discover the significance of microbial genomes. The metagenomic approach used in the covid-19 infectious disease will serve as a prominent tool for explicating the relationship between host-associated microbial communities and host phenotype. European Nucleotide Archive (ENA) was used to retrieve the metagenome data of the Gut Microbiome of Covid-19 patients with the project id PRJDB12349. For metagenomics analyses, Galaxy server was used identification and classification of microbial communities furhter taxonomic analysis and functional analysis was also performed. Different tools from the galaxy like FastQC, MultiQC, Trim Galore, Megahit, Kraken 2, Convert Kraken, Krona Pie Chart and HUMANn2 were used for complete metagenomic analysis. Metagenomic Analysis shows that there is difference in the percentage and abundance of bacteria in all the covid-19 patients sample. The fungi that were commonly present in all the samples were identified as Eurotiales 78-93% and Mycospaerellales 7-20% and the other fungi that were not common but were observed are Dipodasceae 10% and Sordariales 4-6%. Further, the gene abundance and the families of the samples were also observed. This study highlights the metagenome of the Covid-19 infectious disease. The metagenomic analysis of the gut microbiome of the Covid-19 patients shows difference in the microbial community among all the samples

In vitro Antioxidant, Anticancer Effect and GC-MS Analysis of Barleria cuspidata F. Heyne ex. Nees.

E. Gaayathiri Devi — 2024-03-07

In Ayurveda, Barleria cuspidata F. Heyne ex Nees” known as Bajradanti is the foremost and most valuable species in the genus which is used to heal the maceration of feet, stomachache, toothache, mouth sores, teeth problems. This study explored the GCMS analysis, in vitro evaluation of the antioxidant properties using DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assays, cytotoxicity profi le, cell viability by MTT assay, and the anti-tumor eff ect of B.cuspidata Methanol Leaf (BCML) extract, on human oral carcinoma (KB) cell lines. The chemical composition of BCML extract showed 36 bioactive compounds and the major bioactive compound identifi ed was Phthalic acid with a peak area of 29.88% and retention time of 20.34. The methanol leaf extract exhibited a relative scavenging activity compared to the standard ascorbic acid (AA) and gallic acid (GA) with the IC₅₀ values of 41.6±1.167μg/ml, 38.0±0.142μg/ ml, and 41.8±1.184 μg/ml DPPH, FRAP, and ABTS assay respectively. MTT results indicated that BCML signifi cantly reduced oral KB cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. The fl ow cytometry results of BCML after the Annexin V/ FITC and PI staining showed a decrease in the expression of cell cycle regulatory factors and an increase in S phase cell counts. This proved BCML could be a reasonable candidate to suppress the oral KB cell lines by modifying the balance between cell proliferation and apoptosis which could be due to the presence of abundant secondary metabolites.

Design, Development and Evaluation of Nano-formulations for a New Class of Antifungals

R. B. Janga — 2024-03-07

The main objective of the study was to develop and evaluate nanoemulgel of Eberconazole for topical delivery in treating fungal infections. Nanoemulgel was prepared by nanoemulsion. For screening of nanoemulsion components, solubility of Eberconazole in various oils, surfactants and co-surfactants were done for their ability to nanoemulsify the selected oily phase. Of all the oils tested almond oil was chosen as suitable oil phase as it showed good solubilising capacity and excellent drug penetration. Drug loaded nanoemulsion was prepared using Span 20 as surfactant, PEG 400 as co-surfactant, Almond oil as oil phase and distilled water as aqueous phase by ultrasonic emulsification method. The formulations were evaluated for mean particle size, polydispersibility index, zeta potential by changing the process parameters. Nanoemulsion composed of oil (1%), surfactant (0.6%), co-surfactant (0.2%) and water (0.4%) was finally selected as optimized nanoemulsion. The optimized formulation had small average globule diameter of 387.3nmwith polydispersibility index of 0.492 and zeta potential of -29.5. This formulation was incorporated into gel. Prepared nanoemulgel was further studied for drug content, in-vitro drug release using Franz diffusion cell. The drug release from the formulation was found to be 15.29±0.20% at the end of 6 hrs. These results suggest that nanoemulgel can be used as potential vehicle for improved topical delivery of Eberconazole.

Genetic Impact of Tobacco Smoke on Blood and Airway Epithelium: A Transcriptional Profiling Study

Majid Almansouri — 2024-03-07

Tobacco smoking poses significant health risks due to its carcinogenic and toxic components. While the broad effects of smoking are well-documented, the specific genomic consequences on different body tissues remain less understood. This study seeks to address this knowledge gap by systematically analyzing the genetic alterations in blood and airway epithelium tissues of smokers, offering a clearer understanding of the molecular pathways impacted by tobacco exposure. In this study, we employed microarray-based gene expression analysis to investigate the genomic changes in smokers. Employing gene expression datasets (E-MTAB-5279 and E-GEOD-10006) from smokers and non-smokers, we conducted a detailed analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in blood and epithelial tissues. Our methodology included robust multi-array average processing, Limma package analysis for DEGs, and pathway enrichment analysis using the KEGG database and Gene Ontology (GO) tools. The analysis revealed 584 DEGs in the blood dataset, with 411 downregulated and 173 upregulated genes, highlighting pathways related to thermogenesis, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and Huntington’s disease. Key genes such as ATP5C1, ATP5J, COX6C, COX7B, COX7C, NDUFA4, NDUFA5, NDUFB3, NDUFS4, UQCRB, and UQCRQ were notably enriched. In the airway epithelium dataset, 147 DEGs were identified, including 101 downregulated and 46 upregulated genes, with a significant enrichment in the ribosome pathway, particularly in genes like RPL23. In the airway epithelium dataset, we identified 147 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), consisting of 101 downregulated and 46 upregulated genes. Notably, there was a pronounced enrichment in the ribosomal pathway, exemplified by genes such as RPL23. This finding highlights a critical cellular response to tobacco smoke, emphasizing alterations in protein synthesis mechanisms within the epithelial tissues. In conclusion, our findings provide a comprehensive view of the genomic changes induced by tobacco smoke in different tissues, enhancing our understanding of smoking-related pathologies and potentially guiding future therapeutic strategies. This research not only fills a crucial gap in the understanding of tobacco’s genomic impact but also lays the groundwork for improved public health interventions.

Investigating the Potential of Endophytic Bacteria Found in the Seeds of Sesbania Rostrata for Promoting Plant Growth

Akshay Aribindi — 2024-03-08

My investigation aimed to find out how the endophytic bacteria present in the seeds of a plant known as Sesbania Rostrata can benefit other plants by supplying them with essential nutrients. The goal of my investigation was to find such a bacteria that can benefit different types of plants in multiple ways by providing them with many of the essential nutrients that they need for survival. I conducted numerous biochemical tests on the bacteria that I isolated from the seeds of Sesbania Rostrata to find out all of the different biological nutrients they can supply plants with. These biochemical tests included the cellulase activity test, the zinc-solubilization test, the nitrogen fixation test, the phosphate-solubilization test, the phosphate-solubilization test, the protease activity test, the starch-hydrolysis test, the methyl red test, the Voges-Proskauer test, and the catalase test. In the end, I discovered that only one of my bacteria was positive for most of the tests and I learned that it would be the most beneficial. This bacteria was positive for all of the biochemical tests I conducted besides the Voges-Proskauer test. I concluded that this bacteria would be the most beneficial because it can help plants grow by supplying them with the most amount of nutrients compared to the other bacteria that were found in the seeds of the plant that I used. As a result, the bacteria that I found in my experiment has the potential to be used in agricultural applications including a biofertilizer as it offers a variety of benefits to plants.