Biotechnology Journal International
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Clonal Propagation of Strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa Duch.) through In vitro Runner Tip Culture through Incorporation of Growth Hormones
No full textRunner tips explants of strawberry give rise to multiple shoots when cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of BAP with KIN or NAA or GA3.The highest response of shoot multiplication was obtained on MS containing 2.5 mgl-1 BAP + 0.5 mgl-1 Kin + 0.5 mgl-1 GA3. The maximum frequency of rooting (83%) and highest number of roots (3.49) was produced in medium containing 1.0 mgl-1 IBA. The well grown rooted plantlets were acclimatized and successfully established in autoclaved vermiculate soil and as well as natural condition. Using our established protocol, it is also possible to provide large numbers of micropropagated plantlets of this cultivars to produce high quality strawberry fruit for commercial cultivation practices
Synthesis and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles from Ethanolic Extracts of Leaves of Annona muricata: A Green Nanobiotechnology Approach
No full textIntroduction: The biological green synthesis of nanoparticles via nanobiotechnology processes have a significant potential to boost nanoparticles production without the use of harsh, toxic, and expensive chemicals commonly used in conventional physical and chemical processes. Annona muricata, a tropical plant belonging to family Annonaceae is one of the most used plants in folk medicine because of its many medicinal uses and therefore presents a strong candidate for use in green synthesis.
Aims: The aim of this study was to optimize a method for the synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) from ethanolic extracts of leaves of Annona muricata as well as to characterize the green synthesized AgNPs.
Methodology: AgNPs were synthesized from Annona muricata leaves using AgNO3 solution. The AgNPs were characterized using spectroscopy and microscopy techniques.
Results: The formed AgNPs had an absorption maximum at 429 nm using UV–Visible spectroscopy and were stable under different pH, temperature, and storage conditions. Fourier transform infrared analysis revealed the different functional groups responsible for the synthesis and stabilization of the AgNPs. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed a spherical nature of the synthesized AgNPs. Energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy analysis showed presence of Ag, O, and Cl with Ag having the highest composition at 60%. X-Ray Diffraction and Dynamic Light Scattering revealed a crystalline nature of AgNPs with an average size of 87.36 nm and a polydispersity index of 0.16 respectively. Transmission Electron Microscopy analysis further confirmed the crystalline and spherical nature of the AgNPs.
Conclusion: In this article, an efficient, eco-friendly and low-cost method for the synthesis and recovery of stable AgNPs using Annona muricata leaves ethanolic extracts as both a reducing and capping agent has been reported for the first time. The synthesized AgNPs could be promising candidates for many biomedical, clinical, engineering, and polymer applications
Effect of Cultural Conditions on Biosurfactant Production by Candida sp. Isolated from the Sap of Elaeis guineensis
No full textAims: This study is aimed at determining the effect of cultural condition on biosurfactant production by Candida sp. isolates from saps of Elaeis guineensis.
Methodology: Chemical analysis of the sap was carried out. Yeast isolates from the sap were screened for biosurfactant production based on emulsification index (E24), emulsification assay, haemolytic assay, oil displacement test, CTAB and tilted glass slide ability. The best biosurfactant-producing yeast isolate was identified based on its phenotypic, microscopic, and biochemical characteristics. The emulsification capacity of the produced biosurfactant on selected oils was studied. Optimum cultural and nutritional requirements (temperature, pH, inoculum concentration, nitrogen sources and carbon sources) for biosurfactant production by the isolate were determined.
Results: The characteristics of the sap from Elaeis guineensis were reducing sugar (0.51 ± 0.03 mg/ml), alcohol (14.04 ± 0.15%), specific gravity (0.827±0.024), and pH (5.68±0.03). The crude biosurfactant produced displaced a thin film of crude oil on petri dish by 55 mm, and revealed high emulsification index (E24) of 52.5% using Olive oil as substrate compared to E24 of 60.6% by sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS). Based on colonial, microscopic, and biochemical characteristics, the isolate SA2 was identified as Candida sp. The crude biosurfactant showed varying capacity in emulsifying the different oils that were examined. Optimization data revealed maximum biosurfactant production after 7 days of incubation, inoculum concentration of 10%, at temperature of 20ºC, pH of 2 with cassava peel as substrate.
Conclusion: The study has demonstrated the capacity of Candida sp. from the sap of Elaeis guineensis to produce biosurfactant utilizing cassava peel as substrate. The use of cassava peel, which represents a low-cost substrate, is important in reducing the cost of biosurfactant production. Moreover, using yeasts from Elaeis guineensis make the production process ecologically friendly
Effects of Temperature on Seed Germination of Invasive Plant Rorippa amphbia (L.) Besser
No full textAims: Global warming and biological invasion are major environmental issues faced in the world. In the study, Rorippa amphibia, a perennial invasive clone plant in northern China, was used as a material to study the germination characteristics of the seeds at different temperatures.
Study Design: Germination test of R. amphibia seeds at different temperature was studied by means of laboratory culture. The germination percentage, germination index, germination potential, bud height and root length of the seeds were determined.
Place and Duration of Study: Samples were collected from the west side of the swimming pool of Shenyang Agricultural University of Liaoning Province in August 2017. Experiments were done in the College of Biological Science and Technology, between October 2017 and June 2018.
Methodology: The petri dish method was used in the experiment. Fifty seeds were randomly selected and soaked in distilled water for 12h. The seeds were placed in a petri dish covered with double filter paper, cultured at 10℃, 15℃, 20℃, 25℃, 30℃, 35℃ and 40℃ in light incubators for 12h darkness and 12h light (4000lux), with 3 repeats per processing. Seed germination was based on embryo root breakthrough seed coat ≥ 1 mm. During the experiment, the numbers of seed germination were recorded every day, and the filter paper was kept moist until there was no new seed germination for 2 consecutive days, which was regarded as the end of germination. The numbers of seed germination should be counted regularly every day, and the beginning and duration of germination should be recorded. The germination rate, daily germination rate, germinating potential, germinating index and vigor index of R. amphibia seeds at different temperature were calculated by measuring bud height and radicle length on the 10th day after germination.
Results: The temperature range of seed germination of R. amphibia was wide, which could germinate at 15 - 40℃. Lower temperature delayed the peak period of seed germination at some extent and the germination rates of R. amphibia peak at 30 - 35℃, which were 44.67% and 50% respectively. At 35℃, germination potential and germination index were 25.33% and 29.46, reaching the maximum value.
Conclusion: The reason for the wide temperature range of seed germination and the low germination rate might be the candidate method for clonal plant population establishment in temperate zone. The higher germination rate of high temperature condition suggested that clone invasive plants in temperate regions were more invasive during global warming
The Potential Use of Ectoine Produced by a Moderately Halophilic Bacteria Chromohalobacter salexigens KT989776 for Enhancing Germination and Primary Seedling of Flax “Linum usitatissimum L.” under Salinity Conditions
No full textThe similarity between plant and microbial cells encourage the use of microbial metabolites of halophilic bacteria for the alleviation of salt stress in plants. In the current research work, a compatible solute ectoine extracted from a moderately halophilic bacteria Chromohalobacter salexigens KT989776 was used to enhance flax germination and primary seedling under different levels of salinity. Two successive experiments including germination in Petri plates under six levels of salinity (0, 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11 dS.m-1) and a pot experiment under three irrigating water salinity levels (2, 3 and 4) with two types of ectoine application (spray and soil addition) were conducted. Germination parameters were recorded for the first experiment while a fresh and dry weight of plants and peroxidase activity in addition to sodium-potassium ratio were estimated in the pot experiment. Also, ectoine accumulation in plants was detected using HPLC. Results of LC-MS proved the production of ectoine by C. salexigens KT989776 and ectoine enhanced significantly all germination parameters of flax seeds, decreased sodium accumulation in the plant, increased potassium content, and lowered peroxidase and phenoloxidase activity. Also, HPLC analysis proved that ectoine was detected in all treated samples while not detected in non-treated control
Effects of Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Marine Sediments from Niger Delta on the Growth of Microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum
No full textAims: To determine effects of aromatic hydrocarbons and marine sediments from Niger Delta on the growth of microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum.
Study Design: Fifteen treatments and the control were designed in triplicates in which long cells containing 25 mL of the algae-toxicant dilutions were supplemented with 0.0 mg /L, 1.0 mg /L, 1.8 mg /L, 3.2 mg /L, 5.6 mg /L, and 18.0 mg /L of xylene, anthracene and pyrene each; three sediments and potassium dichromate incubated for 3 days at 20 ± 2°C. The fifteen treatments and control (K2Cr2O7) designated as C0, C1, C2, C3, C4 and C5 were used to determine their median effective concentration (ErC50) on the growth of microalga Phaeodactylum tricornutum.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Microbiology, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Uli Nigeria between February, 2018 and July, 2018.
Methodology: A laboratory scale study was carried on the sediment samples from the three studied areas using physiochemical analysis and marine microalga toxicity test.
Results: The findings revealed that the three sampling sites contain higher quantities of aromatic hydrocarbons, heavy metals and other physio-chemical parameters in the sediment samples than water samples. The K2Cr2O7had the highest ErC50 value of 08.07 ± 0.03 mg /L with CV and r2 values of 68.61% and 0.99 while pyrene in Nembe sediment had the least ErC50 value of 04.63 ± 0.01 mg /L with CV and r2 values of 78.27% and 0.98 with very strong significant positive linear relationship between algal number and sample concentrations (P = .05).
Conclusion: Thus, the toxicity results (> 1 mg /L <EC50 ≤ 10 mg /L) in this study are in line with other toxicity values for this type of toxicants, and are therefore considered to be scientifically relevant in ecotoxicological risk assessment of Niger Delta, Nigeria
Acacia dudgeoni Craib. ex Holl (Mimosaceae): Potential Inhibitor of Biofilm Formation and Quorum Sensing in P. aeruginosa PAO1
No full textAims: The study aims to assess the ability of Acacia dudgeoni bark to antagonize quorum sensing system, expression of virulence factor and biofilm formation.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was conducted at the Laboratory of Applied Biochemistry and Chemistry (LABIOCA), University Joseph KI-ZERBO between December 2018 to April 2019.
Methodology: Methanol extract from A. dudgeoni stem bark, was used for the investigations. The reporters strain Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 were used to measure the impact of extract on quorum sensing controlled violacein and pyocyanin production. P. aeruginosa PAO1 was used to measure the impact on biofilm formation.
Results: At different concentrations (50-400 µg/mL) A. dudgeoni methanol extract quenched the quorum sensing mechanism. Significant inhibition of virulence factor, pyocyanin was recorded (66% of inhibition at 400 µg/mL) without affect negatively the growth of P. aeruginosa PAO1. The formation of biofilm was also affected with a reduction up to 59% at the concentration of 400 µg/mL.
Conclusion: The anti-quorum sensing and anti-biofilm properties of this medicinal plant could serve as a source in the developpement of new effective anti- quorum sensing drugs
Effect of Black Seed (Nigella sativa) and Uziza (Piper guineense) Leaf on the Histology of the Liver of Wistar Albino Rats
No full textAim: This study was aimed at investigating the effects of aqueous extracts of both Nigella sativa and Piper guineense on the liver enzymes; alanine amino transferase (ALT), aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Also the effect of Nigella sativa and Piper guineense extracts on the histology of the liver of Wistar rat was also studied.
Materials and Methods: A total of twenty five Wistar rats were used for the study. The animals were grouped into five groups, each having five animals. They were induced with sucrose and margarine to cause high sugar levels and hyperlipidemia respectively except the positive control group which was fed normal feed. The groups were: the positive control group, the negative control group which were induced without treatment, the uziza leaf group which were induced and were treated with 2 ml of aqueous extract of uziza leaf, the black seed group which were induced and were treated with 2 ml of aqueous extract of black seed, and the black seed and uziza group which were induced and were treated with 2ml of aqueous extract of black seed and 2 ml of aqueous extract of uziza leaf.
Results: The result showed that the extracts decreased the ALT and AST and ALP activities in the rats in a time dependent manner with highest decrease obtained on the third week of treatment with the extracts. The ALT activity (U/L) on the third week of treatment showed for the, negative control (64.48 ± 0.22), uziza leaf (28.82 ± 0.12), black seed (32.65 ± 0.02), black seed and uziza leaf (16.04 ± 0.02) (p≤0.05). The decrease in activity for AST levels (U/L) on the third week of treatment, showed for the negative control (58.00 ± 0.02), uziza leaf (11.00 ± 0.01), black seed (12.00 ± 0.02), black seed and uziza leaf (8.00 ± 0.02).
Conclusion: It can be concluded that both uziza leaf and black seed have hepatoprotective effect on the liver
Colour Profile, Pasting and Sensory Properties of Processed Sweet Potato Flour
No full textIn this study, sweet potato was purchased and processed using different methods to obtain 4 different sweet potato flour samples. Sample A was unfermented sweet potato flour, sample B was fermented spontaneously, while sample C and D were produced by fermentation using indigenous starter cultures of lactic acid bacteria and yeast for 48 h and 72 h respectively. Colour profile, Pasting and Sensory evaluation was conducted. The whiteness (L* value) obtained in this study is within the range of value (87.29-89.52), Also, the redness value (a*) and yellowness value (b*) of the sweet potato flour samples also showed a significant difference (p<0.05). Sample a had a higher value when compared with samples B,C and D. Pasting properties such as peak viscosity, trough viscosity, breakdown viscosity, setback, pasting temperature were determined. It was noticed that fermentation process and increase in fermentation time significantly (p<0.05) decrease the peak viscosity in this research work and all samples had a higher cooled paste viscosity than their corresponding hot paste viscosity. Nevertheless, sensory evaluation was carried out using thet 9-point hedonic scale, samples A,B,C,D are significantly different (P < 0.05)
Screening, Production and Partial Characterization of a Thermostable Laccase from Trametes sp. Isolate B7 with Biotechnological Potentials
No full textThe search for efficient and green oxidation technologies has increased interest in utilization of laccases in non conventional methods. Laccases catalyze a wide range of substrates due to low substrate specificity and strong oxidative potentials. Challenges to large-scale enzyme utilization include, low enzyme activity and instability which restrict use in many areas of biotechnology. In the study, 59 fungi comprising Aspergillus niger (40%), Trichoderma harzianum (31%), Aspergillus flavus (9.0%), Trichoderma viride (5.0%), Fusarium oxysporum (5.0%), Rhizopus stolonifer (5.0%), Trametes sp. (3.0%) and Aspergillus nidulans (2.0%) were isolated and screened for laccase production. Plate screening test showed 57.5%, 34.0% and 8.5% of fungi were laccase-positive on ABTS, Guaiacol, and α-naphthol agar respectively. Isolates were further screened in liquid cultures, and the highest laccase producer identified molecularly. Trametes sp isolate B7 was selected for solid state fermentation (SSF). Laccase production in SSF was highest at pH 5.0 (2356 U/mL). The purified laccase showed high activity (pH 3.0 - 6.0) and stability (pH 3.0 - 8.5) using ABTS. It was active (20 - 80°C) and thermostable (30 - 80°C) with optimum stability at 70°C (100% for 1 hour). The percentage decolourization of Phenol red were 28% and 36% using 1000 U/mL and 2000 U/mL crude laccases respectively. Similarly, RBBR (100%), Congo red (75%) and Malachite green (62%), and 77.4%, 64% and 28% were decolourized using 1000 U/mL and 2000 U/mL crude laccases respectively. ABTS agar was very reliable in large-scale screening for laccase which possessed thermostable property and degraded synthetic dyes without use of enzyme mediators. These attribute made the enzyme suitable for application in industry and biotechnology