Prospects of antimicrobial peptides as an alternative to chemical preservatives for food safety.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a potential alternative to antimicrobial agents that have got considerable research interest owing to their significant role in the inhibition of bacterial pathogens. These AMPs can essentially inhibit the growth and multiplication of microbes through multiple mechanisms including disruption of cellular membranes, inhibition of cell wall biosynthesis, or affecting intracellular components and cell division. Moreover, AMPs are biocompatible and biodegradable therefore, they can be a good alternative to antimicrobial agents and chemical preservatives. A few of their features for example thermostability and high selectivity are quite appealing for their potential use in the food industry for food preservation to prevent the spoilage caused by microorganisms and foodborne pathogens. Despite these advantages, very few AMPs are being used at an industrial scale for food preservation as these peptides are quite vulnerable to external environmental factors which deter their practical applications and commercialization. The review aims to provide an outline of the mechanism of action of AMPs and their prospects as an alternative to chemical preservatives in the food industry. Further studies related to the structure-activity relationship of AMPs will help to expand the understanding of their mechanism of action and to determine specific conditions to increase their stability and applicability in food preservation.

Third International Conference on Medical Education and Medical writing, University of Karbala College of Medicine, Karbala, Iraq.

University of Karbala College of Medicine (UKCM), Iraq, conducted a three days' workshop on Medical Education and medical writing. The UKCM is now transforming to conform with the latest trends of modern education. This will help to re-shape the future of medical education and produce capable doctors. This requires a strong faculty, which is sound in teaching, training, learning improvement, research capacity building, and leadership development. The capacity building of faculty at UKCM has been initiated in collaboration with Medics International at a local and government level and includes a series of workshops and online symposia. This educational activity was conducted after a delay of three years due to COVID-19. A three -day refresher course was conducted in the first week of August, 2022. Medical writing is another important feature which has been continuously covered by UKMM since many years with the collaboration of Al-Sadiq International Virtual University (SIVU) and Imamia Medics International (IM).

Antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles against carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clinical isolates.

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) produce resistance to various classes of antibiotics and left limited options for treatment. This study was designed to determine antibacterial activity of AgNPs against CRAB. Total 100 A. baumannii were collected from a tertiary care hospital, Lahore. Isolates were subcultured on blood and MacConkey agar. Preliminary identification was carried out by morphological and biochemical tests. Antibiogram was done by Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method. Antibacterial activity of AgNPs was performed by agar well diffusion method, while minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined by micro broth dilution assay. Of 100 A. baumannii, 24 were confirmed as carbapenem-resistant. These isolates were mainly recovered from tracheal secretion (8; 33%), CSF (5; 20.8%), and urine (4; 16.8%). Antibacterial activity of AgNPs revealed a maximum zone of inhibition, 22mm at 50mg/mL and 18mm at 40mg/mL by agar well diffusion method. MIC of AgNPs determined that 14 CRAB were inhibited at 12.5mg/mL and 7 at 25mg/mL. However, MBC revealed that 13 CRAB were killed at 25mg/mL and 7 at 50mg/mL. This study concluded that most of the CRAB were inhibited and killed at 12.5mg/mL and 25mg/mL, respectively. AgNPs can be used as an alternative therapeutic agent followed by their pharmacokinetics and pharmacognosy.

Nanozymes for medical biotechnology and its potential applications in biosensing and nanotherapeutics.

Recent past years have witnessed the development of several artificial enzymes, using different materials to mimic natural enzymes with respect to their structure and functions. The nanozymes are nanomaterials possessing similar characteristics to the natural enzymes and have emerged recently as an innovative class of artificial enzymes. The nanozymes have got remarkable attention from the researchers and notable developments have been achieved owing to their unique properties compared with natural enzymes and classic artificial enzymes. In this regard, several nanomaterials have been scrutinized so far to mimic different natural enzymes for wider applications ranging from imaging, sensing, water treatment, pollutant removal, and therapeutics. The applications of nanozymes in biomedicine research are fast-growing and various nanozymes have been implicated in diagnostic medicine, targeted cancer therapy. Such abilities make them an appropriate alternative for the development of affordable, sustainable and safe diagnostic as well as therapeutic agents.

Conference Report on First Certificate Course in Health Professions Educationat College of Medicine, University of Kerbala, Iraq.(September 2019).

The current status of medical education in Iraq requires complete transformation to conform to the latest trends of modern education. Presently it is compromised due to the influence of political factors, finances, weakness or fragility of planning and security. It has to be re-shaped for the future of medical education to produce good and efficient medical professionals. It is necessary to reform and revise the curriculum as accreditation in accordance with international medical universities. The initial requirement is faculty development in areas including but not limited to, curriculum development, teaching and learning improvement, research capacity building, and leadership development. The capacity building of faculty at College of Medicine, University of Kerbala (CMUCK) has been initiated in collaboration with Medics International at a local and the government level. Medics International conducted the current Course on Certificate in Health Professions Education (CHPE) programme in September, 2019 to facilitate the faculty to revise their curriculum and improve their current educational practices. Further steps will be taken to develop the faculty for Masters in Medical Education (MME), PhD, and fellowship programmes. To face the on-going challenges in the medical and health care system, continous efforts are required for faculty education. Medics International has volunteered to begin a series of Webinars through its global faculty to reach out to the Iraqi Board followed by engagement of the Arab Board covering 18 countries.

Molecular detection of blaNDM and blaVIM in clinically isolated multi-drug resistant Escherichia coli in Pakistan.

Metallo-ß-lactamase (MBL) producing Escherichia coli are an emerging and serious threat to public health sector around the globe. MBL are spreading via plasmids to the host pathogens and produce resistance against carbapenems and left limited or no treatment option. Therefore, we designed this study to determine the dissemination of MBL producing E. coli in our locality. E. coli (n=100) were collected from various clinical samples from different tertiary care hospitals, Faisalabad. Microbes were sub-cultured on MacConkey and UTI Chromo Select agar. Bacteria were identified on the basis of culture characteristics and biochemically confirmed by API 20E. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, carbapenemase and MBL was performed as per CLSI 2018 guidelines. Molecular identification of MBL genes were performed using specific primers by PCR. Of 100 E. coli, majority of them isolated from urine (n=55) followed by pus (n=23) and blood (n=22). Antibiogram displayed that all the E. coli were resistant to ß-lactam drugs including carbapenems followed by 76% to ciprofloxacin and 60% to amikacin. Among these, 81% were MBL producers. Molecular characterization revealed that 18.4% were blaNDM and 15.3% were blaVIM producers. This study concluded that there is high prevalence of MBL producing E. coli in our clinical settings.

Identification of a Selective SIRT2 Inhibitor and Its Anti-breast Cancer Activity.

SIRT2 is a member of the human sirtuin family of proteins and possesses nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent lysine deacetylase activity. SIRT2 has been involved in various cellular processes including gene transcription, genome constancy, and the cell cycle. In addition, SIRT2 is deeply implicated in diverse diseases including cancer. In this study, we identified a small molecule inhibitor of SIRT2 with a structure different from known SIRT2 inhibitors by screening from a chemical library. The hit compound showed a high selectivity toward SIRT2 as it only inhibited SIRT2, and not other sirtuins including SIRT1 and SIRT3 or zinc-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) including HDAC1 and HDAC6, in vitro. The compound increased the acetylation level of eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A), a physiological substrate of SIRT2, and reduced cell viability of human breast cancer cells accompanied with a decrease in c-Myc expression. These results suggest that the compound is cellular effective and has potential for development as a therapeutic agent against breast cancers by specific inhibition of SIRT2.

Regulatory role of AGC genes in heat stress adaptation in maize (Zea mays).

Heat stress represents a significant environmental challenge that restricts maize (Zea mays ) growth and yield on a global scale. Within the plant kingdom, the AGC gene family, encoding a group of protein kinases, has emerged as crucial players in various stress responses. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of AGC genes in Z. mays under heat-stress conditions remains elusive. A genome-wide analysis was done using bioinformatics techniques to identify 39 AGC genes in Z. mays , categorising them into three subfamilies based on their conserved domains. We investigated their phylogenetic relationships, gene structures (including intron-exon configurations), and expression patterns. These genes are likely involved in diverse signalling pathways, fulfilling distinct roles when exposed to heat stress conditions. Notably, most ZmAGC1.5, ZmAGC1.9, ZmNDR3, ZmNDR5 and ZmIRE3 exhibited significant changes in expression levels under heat stress, featuring a high G-box ratio. Furthermore, we pinpointed a subset of AGC genes displaying highly coordinated expression, implying their potential involvement in the heat stress response pathway. Our study offers valuable insights into the contribution of AGC genes to Z. mays 's heat stress response, thus facilitating the development of heat-tolerant Z. mays varieties.

Molecular characterization of genes involved in tolerance of cadmium in Triticum aestivum (L.) under Cd stress.

The NRAMPs (natural resistance-associated macrophage proteins) are major transporters for the absorption and transport of metals like Pb, Zn, Mn, Fe, and Cd in plants. While NRAMP gene family members have been extensively studied as metal transporters in model and other plants, little information has been reported on their role in Triticum aestivum, particularly in response to Cd stress. Current study reported 13 NRAMP candidates in the genome of T. aestivum. Phylogenetic analysis divided these into three clades. Motif and gene structure study showed that members in the same clades shared the same location and pattern, which further supported the phylogenetic analysis. The analysis of cis-acting elements in promoter sequences of NRAMP genes in wheat identified stress-responsive transcription factor binding sites. Multiple sequence alignment identified the conservation of important residues. Based on RNA-seq and qRT-PCR analysis, Cd stress-responsive variations of TaNRAMP gene expression were reported. This study provides comprehensive data to understand the TaNRAMP gene family, its features, and its expression, which will be a helpful framework for functional research.

Impact of Duration of Catheterization on the Success Rate of Trial Without Catheter in Acute Urinary Retention Due to Benign Prostatic Enlargement.

BACKGROUND: The most common cause of acute urinary retention in men over 50 is benign prostate enlargement (BPE). Following the urethral catheterization, a trial without a catheter (TWOC) under the cover of alpha-blockers is given. The timing of TWOC varies from Day 3 to Day 7 of the retention episode. There is a need to study the improvement in the success rate of TWOC with the increasing number of days of catheterization. OBJECTIVE: To measure the success rate of TWOC in acute urinary retention due to benign prostatic enlargement with increasing days of catheterization. METHOD: The study was conducted in Social Security Teaching Hospital Lahore. Patients who presented with acute urinary retention due to benign prostatic enlargement were catheterized and given alpha-blockers. The patients were divided into two groups, one group having TWOC after three days and the other having TWOC after seven days. The success rate of TWOC was calculated and compared in the two groups. All patients included in the study had the first episode of acute retention with a moderately enlarged prostate and no element of second pathology or neurological deficit. RESULTS: A total of 48 patients were included in the study, divided into two groups of 24 patients each. In the first group who underwent TWOC after seven days of catheterization, 15 out of 24 patients had successful TWOC with a success rate of 62.5%. In the second group of 24 patients, who had TWOC after three days of catheterization, only 11 patients had successful TWOC with a success rate of 45.8%. CONCLUSION: There was a marked improvement in the success rate of TWOC with increasing days of catheterization after an acute retention episode, secondary to BPE.

Adult Para Testicular Spindle Cell Rhabdomyosarcoma: A Case Report From Pakistan.

Para testicular or intra-scrotal Rhabdomyosarcomas (RMS) are rare. The spindle cell variant of rhabdomyosarcoma is the least common variant among embryonal subtypes. They are mostly seen in childhood but rarely reported in adults. We present a case of a 56-year-old man who presented with a three-year history of painless left inguinoscrotal swelling, which he initially ignored and misinterpreted as an Inguinal hernia but later sought medical help upon a progressive increase in the size of the swelling. Clinically and radiologically, there was sparing of the left testis and spermatic cord with normal testicular tumor markers and no evidence of lymphadenopathy or metastasis. Surgical exploration was performed with complete excision of the mass, followed by histopathology and immunocytochemistry, confirming the diagnosis of spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma. Prompt recognition, early diagnosis, and appropriate surgical treatment are the hallmarks of management. Regular and strict follow-up is needed due to the rarity of diagnosis.

Novel insights into Pinus species plastids genome through phylogenetic relationships and repeat sequence analysis.

Pinus is one of the most economical and ecological important conifers, model specie for studying sequence divergence and molecular phylogeney of gymnosperms. The less availability of information for genome resources enable researchers to conduct evolutionary studies of Pinus species. To improve understanding, we firstly reported, previously released chloroplast genome of 72 Pinus species, the sequence variations, phylogenetic relationships and genome divergence among Pinus species. The results displayed 7 divergent hotspot regions (trnD-GUC, trnY-GUA, trnH-GUG, ycf1, trnL-CAA, trnK-UUU and trnV-GAC) in studied Pinus species, which holds potential to utilized as molecular genetic markers for future phylogenetic studies in Pinnus species. In addition, 3 types of repeats (tandem, palindromic and dispersed) were also studied in Pinus species under investigation. The outcome showed P. nelsonii had the highest, 76 numbers of repeats, while P. sabiniana had the lowest, 13 13 numbers of repeats. It was also observed, constructed phylogenetic tree displayed division into two significant diverged clades: single needle (soft pine) and double-needle (hard pine). Theoutcome of present investigation, based on the whole chloroplast genomes provided novel insights into the molecular based phylogeny of the genus Pinus which holds potential for its utilization in future studies focusing genetic diversity in Pinnus species.

The efficacy of three double-microencapsulation methods for preservation of probiotic bacteria.

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are used as a probiotic alternative to antibiotics in livestock production. Microencapsulation technology is widely used for probiotic preservation. A variety of microencapsulation protocols have been proposed and compared based on chemicals and mechanical procedures. This study aimed to develop a double-encapsulated coating from alginate (1.5%) and chitosan (0.5%) by extrusion, emulsion, and spray drying methods using the LAB strains Lactobacillus plantarum strains 31F, 25F, 22F, Pediococcus pentosaceus 77F, and P. acidilactici 72N, and to monitor the basic probiotic properties of the encapsulated prototypes. The final products from each microencapsulation protocol were analysed for their appearance, probiotic properties and viable cell count. Using the spray drying method, particles smaller than 15 µm in diameter with a regular spherical shape were obtained, whereas the other methods produced larger (1.4-52 mm) and irregularly shaped microcapsules. After storage for 6 months at room temperature, the LAB viability of the spray-dried particles was the highest among the three methods. In all the LAB strains examined, the encapsulated LAB retained their probiotic properties in relation to acid-bile tolerance and antibacterial activity. This study highlights the efficacy of double-coating microencapsulation for preserving LAB properties and survival rate, and demonstrates its potential for probiotic application in livestock farms.

Anticonjugation and Antibiofilm Evaluation of Probiotic Strains Lactobacillus plantarum 22F, 25F, and Pediococcus acidilactici 72N Against Escherichia coli Harboring mcr-1 Gene.

Several species of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are commonly used as probiotics and as an alternative to antibiotics in various industries, especially in the livestock industry. This study aimed to investigate the anticonjugation and antibiofilm activity of cell-free supernatant (CFS) of Thai LAB strains (Lactobacillus plantarum 22F, 25F, and Pediococcus acidilactici 72N) against colistin-resistant Escherichia coli isolates. A total of six colistin-resistant E. coli strains were isolated from different sources, including pigs, farmers, and farmhouse environments. The E. coli were characterized by plasmid profiling, PCR detection of mcr-1 gene, and antibiotic susceptibility patterns. The CFS at dilutions ≥1:16 was chosen as the proper dilution for anticonjugation assay. Besides, it could significantly reduce the transfer frequencies of resistance gene mcr-1 up to 100 times compared to the neutralizing CFS (pH 6.5). The biofilm production in the planktonic stage was reduced by non-neutralizing and neutralizing CFS determining with crystal violet staining assay up to 82 and 60%, respectively. Moreover, the non-neutralizing CFS also inhibited the biofilm formation in the sessile stage up to 52%. The biofilm illustration was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). These results agreed with the findings of the crystal violet technique, which showed a significant reduction in cell density, aggregation, and extracellular polysaccharide (EPS) matrix. The application of Thai LAB may serve as an attractive alternative to antibiotics for reducing biofilm formation and limiting the proliferation of antibiotic-resistant genes.

Bioinspired green synthesis of silver nanoparticles by using a native Bacillus sp. strain AW1-2: Characterization and antifungal activity against Colletotrichum falcatum Went.

Zero-valent silver nanoparticles (ZV-AgNPs) are known as potential antimicrobials and here we report antifungal activity of ZV-AgNPs against Colletotrichum falcatum Went for the first time. ZV-AgNPs were synthesized by using a native Bacillus sp. strain AW1-2, which was identified through 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Biogenic ZV-AgNPs were confirmed by monitoring a characteristic absorption peak of UV-vis spectroscopy that was measured at 447 nm. Further, it was found through FTIR and XRD analysis that ZV-Ag nanocrystals were capped with proteins of bacterial origin and their size ranged from 22.33-41.95 nm. The ultrastructure imaging through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed the morphology of ZV-AgNPs as mono-dispersed spheres and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) revealed the dominance of silver (84.21 %) in the nano-powder. The ZV-AgNPs significantly inhibited the hyphal growth of Colletotrichum falcatum Went as compared to non-treated control and commercial fungicide both in solid and broth media. The ultrastructure SEM and TEM studies revealed the disrupted hyphal structure and damage to the internal cellular organelles of Colletotrichum falcatum Went treated with 20 µg mL-1 ZV-AgNPs, respectively. It was concluded that green ZV-AgNPs of bacterial origin could be used to formulate a nano-based fungicide to effectively control Colletotrichum falcatum Went, the causal agent of red rot of sugarcane.

Clonal relatedness and plasmid profiling of extensively drug-resistant New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase-producing Klebsiella pneumoniae clinical isolates.

Aim: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CR-KP) particularly New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase (NDM) is a serious public health concern globally. The aim of the study to determine the molecular epidemiology of blaNDM-producing clinically isolated K. pneumoniae. Methods: Carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae isolates (n = 100) were collected from tertiary care hospital Lahore. Isolates were confirmed by VITEK® 2 system and MALDI-TOF. Minimum inhibitory concentration was performed by VITEK 2 and molecular characterization was done by PCR, PFGE, DNA hybridization and replicon typing. Results: Of 90 MBL-producing K. pneumoniae, 75 were NDM producers; 60 were NDM-1 and 11 NDM-5. A total of 27 K. pneumoniae belonged to ST11 and 14 to ST147. NDM-positive isolates were 100% resistant to ß-lactam antibiotics except for colistin. 13.3% isolates carried blaNDM on ∼140 kb plasmids. A total of 32 (52.4%) isolates were positive for IncA/C and 18 (29.5%) IncF/II. Conclusion: The extensively resistant lineage of NDM-producing K. pneumoniae is prevalent in the clinical setting.

Farnesol production from Escherichia coli by harnessing the exogenous mevalonate pathway.

Farnesol (FOH) production has been carried out in metabolically engineered Escherichia coli. FOH is formed through the depyrophosphorylation of farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), which is synthesized from isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl pyrophosphate (DMAPP) by FPP synthase. In order to increase FPP synthesis, E. coli was metabolically engineered to overexpress ispA and to utilize the foreign mevalonate (MVA) pathway for the efficient synthesis of IPP and DMAPP. Two-phase culture using a decane overlay of the culture broth was applied to reduce volatile loss of FOH produced during culture and to extract FOH from the culture broth. A FOH production of 135.5 mg/L was obtained from the recombinant E. coli harboring the pTispA and pSNA plasmids for ispA overexpression and MVA pathway utilization, respectively. It is interesting to observe that a large amount of FOH could be produced from E. coli without FOH synthase by the augmentation of FPP synthesis. Introduction of the exogenous MVA pathway enabled the dramatic production of FOH by E. coli while no detectable FOH production was observed in the endogenous MEP pathway-only control.

Achromobacter sp. FB-14 harboring ACC deaminase activity augmented rice growth by upregulating the expression of stress-responsive CIPK genes under salinity stress.

Soil salinity is one of the major plant growth and yield-limiting constraints in arid and semi-arid regions of the world. In addition to the oxidative damage, increasing salt stress is associated with elevated cellular ethylene levels due to the synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) in large amounts. The objective of the current study was to elucidate the inoculation effect of an ACC deaminase (ACCD)-producing phytobeneficial strain Achromobacter sp. FB-14 on rice plants to alleviate the salinity effects by upregulation of the stress-responsive CIPK genes. The strain FB-14 was isolated by using nutrient agar medium at 855 mM NaCl concentration and it was taxonomically identified as Achromobacter sp. with more than 99% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with many Achromobacter species. The strain FB-14 demonstrated substantial in vitro potential for ACCD activity, synthesis of indole compounds, and phosphate solubilization up to 100 mM NaCl concentration in the culture medium. The gene corresponding to ACCD activity (acdS) was amplified and sequenced in order to confirm the inherent enzyme activity of the strain at a molecular level. The rifampicin-resistant derivative of strain FB-14 was recovered from the rice rhizosphere on antibiotic medium up to 21 days of sowing. Moreover, the strain FB-14 was inoculated on rice plants under salinity and it not only enhanced the growth of rice plants in terms of root and shoot length, and fresh and dry weight, but also upregulated the expression of stress-responsive CIPK genes (OsCIPK03, OsCIPK12, and OsCIPK15) according to the results of qRT-PCR analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report deciphering the role of plant-beneficial Achromobacter strain relieving the rice plants from salt stress by promoting the growth and enhancing the expression of stress-responsive CIPK genes.

Neuropharmacological potential of various morphological parts of Camellia sinensis L.

Camellia sinensis L. has long been used as a therapeutic agent for the Central nervous system (CNS) due to the presence of flavonoids. The present study aimed to evaluate the dose-dependent Neuropharmacological behavioral potential of Camellia sinensis seed and leaf extracts on mice. To evaluate the differential potential of leaf and seed extract various doses were prepared and examined in open field, head dip, rearing, cage cross, swimming and traction tests. One-way ANOVA set at P* < 0.05 followed by POST HOC LSD (P* < 0.01) was applied to evaluate the significant difference among the treatments. Herein both seed and leaf extract showed significant results at high doses. Interestingly leaf extract at high dose showed significant effect on mice CNS in open field and head dip test, while seed at high dose revealed significant stimulus on mice CNS in rearing, cage cross, swimming and traction tests. Overall results showed that seed produced more stimulant effect and less calmness as compared to leaf extract was. Tea leaves had already known as potential CNS stimulant drugs; current investigation suggests that tea seed can be used as an alternative CNS stimulant agent with more effective stimulant action.

Feasible regeneration and agro bacterium-mediated transformation of Brassica juncea with Euonymus alatus diacylglycerol acetyltransferase (EaDAcT) gene.

In the present study an effort has been made to optimize the in vitro regeneration protocol for Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Brassica juncea, because of its importance as oilseed crops. The highest callus induction frequency of 87% was observed on MS (Murashige and Skoog, 1962) medium supplemented with 4 µM 6-benzyladenine (BA) after four weeks of culture period. Subculturing of organogenic calli in MS media with a similar hormonal composition resulted in shoot organogenesis after six weeks of culture cultivation. The highest shoot induction frequency (92%) was recorded on MS medium containing 4 µM BA in combination with 1 µM of α-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). Further, well-developed roots were formed in MS media augmented with 6 µM of Indole acetic acid (IAA) in combination with 1 µM Kinetin (Kn). Cotyledon explants were exploited in vitro for the successful transformation of B. juncea. A binary vector comprised of the Euonymus alatus diacylglycerol acetyltransferase (EaDAcT) gene under the transcriptional control of a glycinin promoter and with a basta selection marker was introduced into A. tumefaciens strain GV3101 via electroporation. EaDAcT gene is responsible for unusual triacylglycerol's production where the sn-3 position is esterified with acetate instead of the long-chain fatty acid found in the triacylglycerol's. The highest regeneration frequency (100%) of transgenic shoots was observed on MS medium supplemented with 4 µM BA plus 1 µM NAA in the presence of 25 mg l-1 basta and 160 mg l-1 timintin. The efficiency of stable transformation was found to be approximately 7% in the transgenic plants. Moreover, the transformed regenerated shoots were confirmed by PCR analysis using EaDAcT gene-specific primers.