Production of thermostable multiple enzymes from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens KUB29

A strain of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens KUB29 was identified by 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing (Genbank: MF772779.1). Production of thermostable protease, amylase and lipase were done by the isolated strain. The produced enzymes were partially purified by ammonium precipitation followed by dialysis process. Protease and lipase enzymes are effectively used in bio-oil extraction from proteinaceous sample followed by transesterification to produce methyl ester. Amylase enzyme is widely used in food and laundry industry. The produced enzymes are active at thermophilic condition of 55 °C. Use of these enzymes in biofuel production process will make the process cleaner and greener.     

Triple Amplification Strategy for the Improved Efficiency of a Microplate-Based Assay for the Chemiluminescent Detection of DNA

Significant research efforts are currently focused on advancing DNA detection methodology. Various nanoparticles (NPs), which are currently the most widely used solid-phase carriers for nucleic acid assays, have a number of essential drawbacks. Microtiter plates provide a simple and economical alternative to the NPs. This article reports the development of a sandwich assay for DNA detection using a microtiter plate as the solid carrier. A capture oligonucleotide modified with fluorescein was bound to the anti-fluorescein antibody adsorbed on the polystyrene microplate surface. A hepatitis B virus DNA fragment was used as the model analyte. To improve the assay sensitivity, the biotinylated reporter oligonucleotide and streptavidin-horseradish polyperoxidase (polyHRP) conjugate were used to provide an amplified detection system. Additional amplification was achieved because the peroxidase activity was measured by a chemiluminescent method using the 3-(10′-phenothiazinyl)propane-1-sulfonate/N-morpholinopyridine pair as an enhancing reagent. The detection limit of the developed assay was 0.9?pM with a linear dynamic range from 0.9 to 100?pM. This method may be used as a platform for the development of sensitive DNA assays.     

A facile synthesis of novel 5‐substituted pyridine 2 carboxamide derivatives and their biological evaluation and 3D QSAR studies

A variety of novel 5‐substituted pyridine 2 carboxamides were designed and synthesized using both normal and solvent‐free microwave (MW) irradiation techniques. The results revealed that MW protocol proceeded smoothly under mild reaction conditions in short reaction times, thus avoiding the use of toxic organic solvents. Structural elucidation of the synthesized compounds was carried out on the basis of various spectroscopic methods, such as ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, LCMS, and IR. The synthesized compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antimicrobial activity (MIC) using the agar disk diffusion method. Among the various synthetic compounds, compound 3b showed higher potential activity against Escherichia coli than the other compounds. The order of activity against E. coli of the studied compounds is 3b > 3e > 3g > 3h > 3d > 3c > 3a > 3f . Additionally, 2D and 3D structural features of the synthesized derivatives were recognized by the 3D‐QSAR model. This validated model exhibited good internal (r², 0.924) and external prediction (r²pred, 0.851) correlation. The results of QSAR studies concluded that Alog P, the number of hydrogen bond acceptors, and the number of rotatable bonds were necessary features for the activity of the pyridine carboxamide derivatives.     

Ageing of calcium silicate cements for endodontic use in simulated body fluids: a micro‐Raman study

To evaluate bioactivity properties, a calcium silicate experimental cement (wTC) and a phosphate‐doped wTC cement (wTC‐TCP) were aged for different times (1–180 days) at 37 °C in two simulated body fluids, i.e. Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline (DPBS) and Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS). The cements were analyzed by micro‐Raman spectroscopy to investigate the presence of calcium phosphate deposits and the composition changes as a function of the storage time (hydration of anhydrite/gypsum and formation of ettringite; hydration of belite/alite and formation of hydrated silicates). After 1 day of ageing in DPBS, the two cements already showed a different behavior: only the surface of wTC‐TCP cement showed the band at 965 cm⁻¹, suggesting the formation of a detectably thick calcium phosphate deposit. The trend of the I₉₆₅/I₉₉₀ Raman intensity ratio indicated the formation of a meanly thicker apatite deposit on the wTC‐TCP cement until 90 days. After 60 days of ageing in DPBS, the thickness of the apatite deposit on wTC and wTC‐TCP was about 200 and 500 µm, respectively, whereas at 180 days, the two cements did not appear significantly different (thickness of about 900 µm). The bioactivity of both cements in HBSS was less pronounced than in DPBS, according to the lower phosphate concentration of HBSS; at the same time, higher amounts of calcite were found on the surface of both cements. The wTC‐TCP cement showed a higher bioactivity in this medium also; after 180 days, the thickness of the apatite deposit on wTC and wTC‐TCP was < 50 µm and about 100 µm, respectively. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Damages to the extracellular matrix in articular cartilage due to cryopreservation by microscopic magnetic resonance imaging and biochemistry

To investigate the damages to the extracellular matrix in articular cartilage due to cryopreservation, the depth-dependent concentration profiles of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in 34 cartilage specimens from canine humeral heads were imaged at 13-μm pixel resolution using the in vitro version of the dGEMRIC protocol in microscopic MRI (μMRI). In addition, a biochemical assay was used to determine the GAG loss from the tissue to the solution where the tissue was immersed. For specimens that had been frozen at −20°C or −80°C without any cryoprotectant, a significant loss of GAG (as high as 56.5%) was found in cartilage, dependent upon the structural zones of the tissue and the conditions of cryopreservation. The cryoprotective abilities of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a function of its concentration in saline and storage temperature were also investigated. A 30% DMSO concentration was sufficient in preventing the reduction of GAG in the tissue at the −20°C storage temperature, but a 50% concentration of DMSO was necessary for the −80°C cryopreservation. These imaging results were verified by the biochemical analysis.     

A Novel and Highly Sensitive Resonance Scattering Spectral Assay for Horseradish Peroxidase Using Cationic Surfactant

A novel and ultrasensitive resonance scattering (RS) spectral assay was proposed for detection of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) activity. It was based on that the HRP strongly catalyze H₂O₂ oxidation of excess I⁻ to form , the resulting combined with four cationic surfactant (CS), including tetradecyl pyridinium bromide (TPB), cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTMA), cetylpyridinium chloride (CPCM) and tetradecyl dimethylbenzyl ammonium chloride (TDMBA) to produce association particles (TPB-I₃) _n , (CTMA-I₃) _m , (CPCM-I₃)_l and (TDMBA-I₃) _k , which exhibit a strongest resonance scattering peak at 478, 423, 538 and 491 nm, respectively. For the four systems of TPB, CPCM, CTMBA and TDMBA, the HRP activity determined was in the linear range of 0.004–5.6, 0.04–3.2, 0.04–8.0, 0.08–8.0 ng/mL, with a detection limit of 0.0034, 0.040, 0.033, 0.016 ng/mL, respectively. The TPB resonance scattering spectral assay was best and has been applied to the analysis of HRP in real samples, with satisfactory results.     

Quantitative determination of phospholipids in mitochondria using HPTLC and fluorimetric assay in situ

A method is described for quantitative determination of phospholipids of mitochondria following one-dimensional thin-layer chromatography without previous elution. Using high performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and an in situ fluorescence technique, the time needed for quantitative determination is relatively short. As the method is rather sensitive, small amounts of the extracts can be applied (about 200 ng of total phospholipids per spot). The reproducibility for the phospholipid fractions determined was in the range of 8–17%. The procedure was tested with lipid extracts of rat liver mitochondria. The method allows the determination of cardiolipin, phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidyl inositol, phosphatidyl choline, and sphingomyelin.     

A nonlinear regression model applied to kinetic multi-component analysis of esters with a SAW-impedance sensor

A kinetic nonlinear regression model for multi-component assay of esters was proposed based on their different alkaline-catalysed hydrolysis rate. The reaction rate was determined by monitoring the conductance change in solution with a liquid-purpose surface acoustic wave impedance sensor(SAW). The model was tested theoretically and experimentally with the mixture of methyl acetate and n-propyl acetate. The experimental detection limit of methyl acetate and n-propyl acetate (within 10 min) was 0.5 umol/L and 1.0 umol/L respectively and the recovery of the sensor system ranged from 93% to 106% (n=6).     

Preparation and Characterization of Branched β-Cyclodextrins Having Manno-Oligosaccharide Side Chains Derived from Yeast Mannan and Study of Their Functions

Branched -cyclodextrins (-CDs) having manno-oligosaccharide side chains were investigated. Three kinds of monobranched -CDs and five kinds of dibranched -CDs were chemically synthesized using the trichloroacetimidate method. Their structures were analyzed by HPLC, MS, and NMR spectroscopies. The specific interaction between those compounds and mannose-binding lectins (Concanavalin A and Pisum sativum agglutinin) was investigated by inhibition tests of hemagglutinating activity and by using an optical biosensor of the IAsys apparatus with a resonant mirror detector. The results showed that all branched -CDs interactedwith lectins. The binding affinity was 6¹,6⁴-(Man₃)₂- 6¹,6⁴-(Man₂)₂- > 6¹,6⁴-(Man₄)₂--CD when the derivatives were compared on the basis of side chain length and 6¹,6³- 6¹,6⁴- > 6¹,6²-(Man₂)₂--CD when compared on the basis of side chain position.     

1,2,3-Triazole derivatives as highly selective cannabinoid receptor type 2 (CB2) agonists

The cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2 receptor) has attracted considerable interest, mainly due to its potential as a target for therapeutics for treating various diseases that have a neuroinflammatory or neurodegenerative component while avoiding the adverse psychotropic effects that accompany CB1 receptor-based therapies. With the appreciation that CB2-selective ligands show marked functional selectivity, there is a renewed opportunity to explore this promising area of research from both a mechanistic as well as a therapeutic perspective. In this research, we are interested in the discovery of new chemotypes as highly selective CB2 modulators, which may serve as good starting points for further optimization towards the development of CB2 therapeutics. In search of new chemotypes as CB2 selective agents, we screened a series of triazole derivatives with interesting bioactive scaffolds, which led to the discovery of two novel and highly selective ligands for CB2 receptors. Compounds 6 and 11 produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of specific [³H]-CP55,940 (CB2) binding with K_i ± SEM values of 105.3 ± 22.6 and 116.4 ± 19.5 nM, respectively, while no binding affinity towards CB1 receptors or opioid receptors was observed. The CB2 functional activity of 6 and 11, as measured by a GPCR Tango assay (G-protein independent β-arrestin translocation assay), revealed that these compounds act as CB2 agonists with EC₅₀ values ± SEM of 1.83 ± 0.16 and 1.14 ± 0.52 µM, respectively. Molecular modeling results showed that both compounds fit well into the active site of the CB2 receptor and showed strong hydrophobic interactions with key residues. In conclusion, the new triazole derivatives (6 and 11) showed promising activity towards CB2 receptors and have great potential to be developed into therapeutically useful CB2 agonists through hit-to-lead optimization.