Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research

Abstract: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth leading cause of cancer mortality in the world and, in certain parts of Asia and Africa, it accounts for about 70% of cancer deaths. Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and dietary exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB 1) are the two major risk factors in multi factorial aetiology of HCC. Multiple lines of evidence indicate synergistic interaction between these two agents in the development of HCC. Several mechanisms of interaction have been suggested including activation o…

Abstract: Being a complex diterpenoid, the potent anticancer drug, Taxol, requires complicated steps for its biosynthesis. In the present article, recent advances on Taxol biosynthesis pathway are reviewed, including many recently reported genes that regulate Taxol biosynthesis. To meet the urgent need of clinic and scientific research, besides Taxus supply, other approaches to obtain Taxol have also been discussed here.[...]

Abstract: The goal of this study was to determine whether serotonin increase the mean plasma concentrations of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), growth hormone (GH), milk amount and constituents in the Sanan goats. Nine Sanan goats were randomly divided into 3 groups. Each group received daily infusion of 1, 4 or 8 ng serotonin agonist (hydroxytryptophan) (5HT) for 7 days. Blood and milk samples were collected daily on day 1 before infusions until 3 days after the last infusion. Samples were assayed for plasma T3, T4 an…

Abstract: This investigation was conducted to find the best shoot proliferation and rooting media for 13 virus-free cultivars of carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) recently imported from The Netherlands to Iran. The best shoot proliferation media were Murashige and Skoog (MS) containing 3 mgL-1 (13.95 mM) kinetin and 0.5 mgL-1 (2.69 mM) NAA or 1 mgL-1 (4.44 mM) BA and 1 mgL-1 (5.37 mM) NAA. Average of shoot numbers produced in the establishment media was 2-3, which increased to 30 or higher with some cultivars in subsequen…

Abstract: The maximum acid phosphatasic activity was detected in peanut seedlings the 5th day of germination. At least, three acid phosphatases were identified and purified by successive chromatography separations on DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, CM-Sepharose CL-6B, Sephacryl S-200 HR, and Phenyl-Sepharose HP to apparent homogeneity from developing five days old peanut seedlings. These enzymes designated acid phosphatase PI, PIIa and PIIb had native molecular weights of approximately 25.3, 22.4 and 24 kDa, respectively by gel permea…

Abstract: Three tropical vegetable species (Talium triangulare, Amaranthus cruentus and Telfairia occidentalis) were selected based on their availability and agronomic desirability. The freshly harvested vegetable leaves were subjected to 2 processing techniques (shredding and sundrying) before milling into the vegetable leaf meals (VLMs). The crude protein ranged from 19.9+1.8 to 35.1+1.7. The crude fibre ranged from 8.8+3.1 to 12.7+4.2. Ether extract (fat) had a wide range of 5.4+3.2 to 29.2+2.1. Ash contents had a range o…

Abstract: The effect of two pesticides, the diflubenzuron (DFB) and flucycloxuron (FCX) was studied on the ciliated protiste cellular model, Paramecium sp. Treatment with the DFB at 10 and 20 µg/ml reduces the growth of this protiste appreciably. The survey of the respiratory metabolism by the polarography technique (oxygen electrode) shows a sensitive inhibition of the oxygen consumption. In the case of the FCX, treatment with the two concentrations (10 and 20 µg/ml) reveals an inhibition of the ciliated protiste growth. Th…

Abstract: Fungal plant diseases are one of the major concerns to agricultural food production world wide. Soil borne pathogenic fungi such as Pythium, Fusarium, Rhizoctonia and Phytopthora attack most of the economically important crop plants (either through seed root before germination or seedling after germination) resulting in loss of billions of dollars. Moreover, the management of chitinous waste is also pressing need today. Mycolytic enzymes (chitinases, proteases and glucanase) producing microorganisms may help in sol…

Abstract: Genetically modified (GM) crops currently account for 29% of crop production worldwide. South Africa is currently the only country in Africa to commercially grow GM crops. Despite a lack of regulations to provide for food labelling that allows for consumer preference, many products carry negative or positive labels with regard to genetic modification. The aim of this study was to test different maize and soy products to determine the uptake of GM food into the human food chain as well as the validity of “non-GMO” (…

Abstract: We applied a molecular approach using inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers on three African edible-seeded cucurbits (Citrullus lanatus L. Matsumura and Nakai, Cucumeropsis mannii L. Naudin and Cucumis melo var. agrestis L. Naudin). To obtain clear and reproducible bands on 1.5% agarose gels, we screened 21 ISSR primers and three parameters (annealing temperature, gel tray, and voltage and running time). The resolution of 11 ISSR markers was performed, with optimal annealing temperature (Ta) varying from 50 t…

Abstract: The effect of the biolistic device parameters and other factors affecting delivery and expression of uidA gene in Dendrobium Sonia was investigated. Three week old protocorm like body (PLB) were bombarded with gold microparticles coated with pAHC25 plasmid harbouring the uidA gene which encodes -glucuronidase. The factors investigated were the helium pressure, target distance, macrocarrier flight distance to stopping screen, distance from stopping screen to target tissues, vacuum pressure, gold microparticles size…

Abstract: The gag24 gene of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) was expressed under the control of the tryptophan promoter in Escherichia coli. The effect of several parameters on the production of gag24 was studied. The expression level achieved (25%) depended on the host strain and the induction conditions. The developed fermentative process was scaled-up to 50 L, where 417 mg/L of volumetric production and 34 mg/L.h of productivity, were obtained.[...]

Abstract: Pepper (Capsicum sp.) is one of the most popular and widely grown vegetables in Nigeria. A total of one hundred and fifty germplasm collections were characterised, evaluated and conserved in the National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan Nigeria. Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis was performed on selected forty accessions of Capsicum annum and Capsicum fructences to estimate genetic diversity and taxonomic relationships. Cluster analysis using UPGMA seperated the accessions into four major gro…

Abstract: Pelargonium sidoides is used in herbal medicine for the treatment of various infections. Apart from the local uses, the roots are being indiscriminately harvested for local and export trade. A study was conducted to determine the appropriate plant part and the minimum vine length suitable for the clonal propagation of P. sidoides in two separate experiments. In the first experiment, three vine tip cuttings (2, 4 and 6 cm) of the species were rooted in potted experiment in a green house. In the second experiment, te…

Abstract: A study was conducted to investigate the genetic variability between 40 Musa genotypes maintained at the Musa germplasm collection of the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan using nine B-genome derived simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The nine primers produced reproducible and discrete fragments and generated a total of 23 alleles with an average of 2.1. The hierarchical cluster analysis showed clusters of diploid cultivars separate from triploid ones (with the exception of TMB149 (BB) and…