Heavy metal-resistant rhizobacteria fosters to alleviate the cadmium toxicity in Arabidopsis by upregulating the plant physiological responses.

This study was designed to investigate the role of Morganella morganii strains in alleviating Cd stress in Arabidopsis seedlings under controlled conditions. Both M. morganii strains ABT3 (ON316873) and ABT9 (ON316874) strains isolated from salt-affected areas showed higher resistance against Cd and possess plant growth-promoting traits such as nitrogen fixation, indole-acetic acid production, ammonia production, phosphate solubilization, and, catalase, gelatinase and protease enzyme production. Plant inoculation assay showed that varying concentration of Cd (1.5 mM and 2.5 mM) significantly reduced Arabidopsis growth, quantum yield (56.70%-66.49%), and chlorophyll content (31.90%-42.70%). Cd toxicity also triggered different associations between lipid peroxidation (43.61%-69.77%) and enzymatic antioxidant mechanisms. However, when both strains were applied to the Arabidopsis seedlings, the shoot and root length and fresh and dry weights were improved in the control and Cd-stressed plants. Moreover, both strains enhanced the resistance against Cd stress by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities [catalase (19.47%-27.39%) and peroxidase (37.50%-48.07%)]that ultimately cause a substantial reduction in lipid peroxidation (27.71%-41.90%). Both strains particularly ABT3 also showed positive results in improving quantum yield (73.84%-98.64%) and chlorophyll content (41.13%-48.63%), thus increasing the growth of Arabidopsis seedlings. The study suggests that PGPR can protect plants from Cd toxicity, and Cd-tolerant rhizobacterial strains can remediate heavy metal polluted sites and improve plant growth.

In order to develop sustainable and effective agricultural techniques in areas polluted with heavy metals, it is important to have a deeper understanding of the characteristics of metal-resistant PGPR. Hence, this study focuses on the efficacy of M. morganii in promoting the growth and increasing the photosynthetic pigments of Arabidopsis seedlings under Cd toxicity.

Determination of Qnr allele frequencies in Fluoroquinolone resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from burn wounds.

Effective treatment of burn wound infections is precluded by high prevalence of nosocomial infections coupled with high resistance rates against commonly used antimicrobials. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an important nosocomial pathogen in burn infections due to high morbidity and mortality associated with it. We analyzed fluoroquinolone resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the presence of Qnr gene, owing to high genetic mobility of this plasmid-borne gene. Bacteria were isolated from burn wound patients from Pak-Italian ModernBurn Center, Nishter Hospital Multan. Fluoroquinoloneresistant isolates were selected and PCR-based assay was designed to determine the frequencies of different alleles. QnrB was found in highest number of isolates (10.8%) followed by QnrD (6%). We could not find any QnrC positive sample. As far as we could search, this is the first report on detection of Qnr gene in Pseudomonas aeruginosa from Pakistan.

Unsymmetrically disubstituted urea derivatives: a potent class of antiglycating agents.

A series of unsymmetrically disubstituted urea derivatives 1-28 has been synthesized and screened for their antiglycation activity in vitro. Compounds 26 (IC(50)=4.26+/-0.25 microM), 1 (IC(50)=5.8+/-0.08 microM), 22 (IC(50)=4.26+/-0.25 microM), 6 (IC(50)=6.4+/-0.02 microM), 5 (IC(50)=6.6+/-0.26 microM), 2 (IC(50)=7.02+/-0.31 microM), 3 (IC(50)=7.14+/-0.84 microM), 27 (IC(50)=7.27+/-0.36 microM), 4 (IC(50)=8.16+/-1.04 microM), 21 (IC(50)=8.4+/-0.15 microM), 23 (IC(50)=9.0+/-0.35 microM) and 13 (IC(50)=15.22+/-6.7 microM) showed an excellent antiglycation activity far better than the standard (rutin, IC(50)=41.9+/-2.3 microM). This study thus provides a series of potential molecules for further studies of antiglycation agents.

Mathematical modeling of cotton leaf curl virus with respect to environmental factors.

This study mathematically correlates incidence of cotton leaf curl virus (CLCuV), environmental factors (i.e., rainfall, humidity and temperature), and silverleaf whitefly population in agricultural system of Pakistan. It has been concluded that the disease is directly linked with rainfall and humidity. The third most influential factor in defining CLCuV incidence is the vector population, which is also strictly dependent upon monthly mean temperature of Pakistan. Developed mathematical interrelation is capable of predicting disease incidence of future months. Therefore, it will help agriculturists to control disease in agricultural areas of Pakistan. It is strongly advised on the basis of current research that vector population controlling practices should be immediately applied after detecting small elevations in mean monthly temperature.