Microbes make a remarkable contribution to the health and well‐being of living beings all over the world. Interestingly, pterin deaminase is an amidohydrolase enzyme that exhibits antitumor, ...anticancer activities and antioxidant properties. With the existing evidence of the presence of pterin deaminase from microbial sources, an attempt was made to reveal the existence of this enzyme in the unexplored bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404. After, the cells were harvested and characterized as intracellular enzymes and then partially purified through acetone precipitation. Subsequently, further purification step was carried out with an ion‐exchange chromatogram (HiTrap Q FF) using the Fast‐Protein Liquid Chromatography technique (FPLC). Henceforward, the approximate molecular weight of the purified pterin deaminase was determined through SDS–PAGE. Furthermore, the purified protein was identified accurately by MALDI‐TOF, and the sequence was explored through a Mascot search engine. Additionally, the three‐dimensional structure was predicted and then validated, as well as ligand‐binding sites, and the stability of this enzyme was confirmed for the first time. Thus, the present study revealed the selected parameters showing a considerable impact on the identification and purification of pterin deaminase from A. tumefaciens LBA4404 for the first time. The enzyme specificity makes it a favorable choice as a potent anticancer agent.
Graphical : Identification and structural characterization of pterin deaminase from Agrobacterium tumefaciensLBA4404
The aim of this study was the modification of lovastatin by microbes to improve its potential. Actinobacteria exhibit staggering diversity in terms of their biosynthetic capability for specialized ...metabolites which has been traced back to the presence of specialized gene clusters. The objective of the study is to exploit the potential of Actinobacteria strain(s), which can biotransform lovastatin to simvastatin, which might be a more potent therapeutic agent than lovastatin. We have screened 40 Actinobacteria strains and assessed their biotransformation potential primarily through thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis, followed by high performance thin layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography analysis. One strain C7 (CTL S12) has been identified as a potential Actinobacteria that favored the simvastatin biotransformation. The morphological and biochemical analysis together with 16S rRNA sequencing coupled with phylogenetic analysis confirmed the ideal strain (C7) as Streptomyces carpaticus. Successively, the purified simvastatin from S. carpaticus was characterized by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS), infrared spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance, and HMG‐CoA assay. In the LC–MS analysis, a peak at 419.24 m/z confirmed the elemental composition of simvastatin (C25H39O5). In HMG‐CoA assay, the IC50 of simvastatin was 50 μg/ml, and the inhibitory potential was 1.36 times higher compared to that of lovastatin. Thus, the biotransformation of simvastatin from lovastatin by S. carpaticus is reported for the first time.
Oxidative stress is a pathological condition occurring due to an imbalance between the oxidants and antioxidant defense systems in the body. Nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (NRF2), encoded by the ...gene
, is the master regulator of phase II antioxidant enzymes that protect against oxidative stress and inflammation. NRF2/ARE signaling has been considered as a promising target against oxidative stress-mediated diseases like diabetes, fibrosis, neurotoxicity, and cancer. The consumption of dietary phytochemicals acts as an effective modulator of NRF2/ARE in various acute and chronic diseases. In the present review, we discussed the role of NRF2 in diabetes, Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), cancer, and atherosclerosis. Additionally, we discussed the phytochemicals like curcumin, quercetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, apigenin, sulforaphane, and ursolic acid that have effectively modified NRF2 signaling and prevented various diseases in both in vitro and in vivo models. Based on the literature, it is clear that dietary phytochemicals can prevent diseases by (1) blocking oxidative stress-inhibiting inflammatory mediators through inhibiting Keap1 or activating
expression and its downstream targets in the nucleus, including HO-1, SOD, and CAT; (2) regulating NRF2 signaling by various kinases like GSK3beta, PI3/AKT, and MAPK; and (3) modifying epigenetic modulation, such as methylation, at the NRF2 promoter region; however, further investigation into other upstream signaling molecules like NRF2 and the effect of phytochemicals on them still need to be investigated in the near future.
Pterin deaminase stands as a metalloenzyme and exhibits both antitumor and anticancer activities. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the molecular function of zinc finger protein‐160 (zfp160) ...from Aspergillus terreus with its enzyme mechanism in detail. Subsequently, preliminary molecular docking studies on zfp160 from A. terreus were done. Next, the cloning and expression of zfp160 protein were carried out. Following, protein expression was induced and purified through nickel NTA column with imidazole gradient elution. Through the Mascot search engine tool, the expressed protein of MALDI‐TOF was confirmed by 32 kDa bands of SDS–PAGE. Furthermore, its enzymatic characterization and biochemical categorization were also explored. The optimum conditions for enzyme were determined to be pH 8, temperature 35°C, km 50 μm with folic acid as substrate, and Vmax of 24.16 (IU/mL). Further, in silico analysis tried to explore the interactions and binding affinity of various substrates to the modeled pterin deaminase from A. terreus. Our results revealed the binding mode of different substrate molecules with pterin deaminase using the approximate scoring functions that possibly correlate with actual experimental binding affinities. Following this, molecular dynamic simulations provided the in‐depth knowledge on deciphering functional mechanisms of pterin deaminase over other drugs.
Nature gives immense resources that are beneficial to humankind. The natural compounds present in plants provide primary nutritional values to our diet. Apart from food, plants also provide chemical ...compounds with therapeutic values. The importance of these plant secondary metabolites is increasing due to more studies revealing their beneficial properties in treating and managing various diseases and their symptoms. Among them, flavonoids are crucial secondary metabolite compounds present in most plants. Of the reported 8000 flavonoid compounds, luteolin is an essential dietary compound. This review discusses the source of the essential flavonoid luteolin in various plants and its biosynthesis. Furthermore, the potential health benefits of luteolins such as anti-cancer, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-diabetic effects and their mechanisms are discussed in detail. The activity of luteolin and its derivatives are diverse, as they help to prevent and control many diseases and their life-threatening effects. This review will enhance the knowledge and recent findings regarding luteolin and its therapeutic effects, which are certainly useful in potentially utilizing this natural metabolite.
Soil pollution from various anthropogenic and natural activities poses a significant threat to the environment and human health. This study explored the sources and types of soil pollution and ...emphasized the need for innovative remediation approaches. Nanotechnology, including the use of nanoparticles, is a promising approach for remediation. Diverse types of nanomaterials, including nanobiosorbents and nanobiosurfactants, have shown great potential in soil remediation processes. Nanotechnology approaches to soil pollution remediation are multifaceted. Reduction reactions and immobilization techniques demonstrate the versatility of nanomaterials in mitigating soil pollution. Nanomicrobial-based bioremediation further enhances the efficiency of pollutant degradation in agricultural soils. A literature-based screening was conducted using different search engines, including PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, from 2010 to 2023. Keywords such as “soil pollution, nanotechnology, nanoremediation, heavy metal remediation, soil remediation” and combinations of these were used. The remediation of heavy metals using nanotechnology has demonstrated promising results and offers an eco-friendly and sustainable solution to address this critical issue. Nanobioremediation is a robust strategy for combatting organic contamination in soils, including pesticides and herbicides. The use of nanophytoremediation, in which nanomaterials assist plants in extracting and detoxifying pollutants, represents a cutting-edge and environmentally friendly approach for tackling soil pollution.
Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is an essential biological cofactor and a derivative of pterin which is considered potent anticancer agents. In continuation of our previous study on the identification of ...BH4 from cyanide‐degrading Bacillus pumilus, the present study focuses on evaluating the anticancer properties of BH4 on A549, a human lung adenocarcinoma. Anticancer activity analysis shows that BH4 inhibited A549 cell growth after 24 h of incubation with 0.02 mg/mL. In acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining, BH4‐treated A549 cells showed apoptotic morphology. BH4 treatment caused cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase compared to control cells. BH4 augmented p53 expression in alveolar cancer cells by downregulating MDM2 levels. There was downregulation of casp‐3 and upregulation of iNOS gene in BH4‐treated A549 cells. Further, docking studies indicated that BH4 had significant interactions with the above proteins affirming the apoptosis mechanism. Thus, BH4 could be considered a potential anticancer drug.
•Organic farming perhaps employed towards future agriculture practice.•Organic liquid fertilizer through cattle wastes for plant growth and enrichment.•Eco-friendly and low cost with high ...socioeconomic value.
At present, organic farming practices are getting more attention around the world owing to their sense of nutrition. Interestingly, nutrition refers to the taking of nutrients from food and utilizing for growth and molecular metabolism. Currently, organic farming involves the judicious combination of green manures, animal manures, bio-fertilizer, bio-botanical pesticides and crop rotations as well as crop residues. Among them, Panchakavya, Bijamrutha and Jivamrutha have come in to the line of natural agriculture. Therefore, the present study explored the bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) growth along with these products for various treatments. In this bottle gourd, three different components were used for Panchagavya, Beejamrutha and Jeevamrutha at ten different concentrations. Along with this, one control was maintained for this plant. Various morphological parameters were used to identify plant growth such as plant height, root length, shoot length, and flowers count. Finally, harvested vegetables are used for quality analysis such as ascorbic acid, vitamin-C, phenolic compounds, antioxidants and nutrient analysis. From this study, plants using organic fertilizers shows significantly increased nutrient content and plant growth compared to control. The combination of Panchakavya + Bijamrutham + Jeevamrutha achieves excellent growth with eco-friendly and low cost liquid fertilizer nutrient enrichment.
Among the different metal oxide nanoparticles, zinc oxide nanoparticles have gained significant importance due to their antibacterial properties against clinically pathogenic bacteria during the ...organal development. In the present study, biogenic zinc oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using seed extract of Citrus limon by a simple, cost-effective, and green chemistry approach. The synthesized ZnO NPs were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Dynamic Light Scattering, and Scanning Electron Microscopy. Next, the antimicrobial activity of ZnO NPs was tested against clinically pathogenic bacteria, i.e., Pseudomonas fluorescens, Escherichia coli, Enterobacter aerogenes, and Bacillus subtilis. Followed by, ZnO NPs were evaluated for the development of caudal fin in Zebrafish. The UV-Vis spectram result showed a band at 380 nm and FTIR results confirmed the ZnO NPs. The average crystallite size of the ZnO NPs was 52.65 ± 0.5 nm by the Debye Scherrer equation and SEM showed spherical-shaped particles. A zone of inhibition around ZnO NPs applied to P. fluorescens indicates sensitive to ZnO NPs followed by B. subtilis. Among the four different bacterial pathogens, E. aerogenes was the most susceptible compared to the other three pathogens. The calculated sub-lethal concentration of ZnO NPs at 96 h was 153.8 mg/L with a 95% confidence limit ranging from 70.62 to 214.18 mg/L, which was used with partially amputated zebrafish caudal fin growth. A significant (p < 0.5) development (95%) in the amputated caudal fin was detected at 12 days post-amputation. Low concentrated ZnO NPs can reduce developmental malformation. Collectively, suggested results strongly proved that lemon seed-mediated synthesized ZnO NPs had a good pathogenic barrier for bacterial infection during the external organal development for the first time.
Green synthesis, Citrus limon seed, Zinc oxide nanoparticles, Antibacterial activity, Zebrafish, Caudal fin development.
•Ni/Ag/Ni layered film has been prepared using pulsed electrodeposition method.•Crystalline nature of layered films is confirmed using XRD.•Magnetic easy axis is observed to be parallel to the plane ...of the film.•Magnetic anisotropy change is dependent on number of layers.•Ni/Ag/Ni layered film shows higher anisotropy energy than pure Ni film.
The pulsed electrodeposition method was employed for the deposition of pure Ni, Ni/Ag and Ni/Ag/Ni films due to its greater advantages while comparing with other methods. The X-ray diffraction pattern confirms the formation of fcc structure for both nickel and silver. The cross sectional scanning electron microscopy shows the layer formation in Ni/Ag and Ni/Ag/Ni films. The metallic nature of the nickel and silver were also confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The magnetic anisotropy behaviour was studied using vibrating sample magnetometer which gives that the easy axis is in plan of the film for all the film.
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