Sequence, structure and functionality of pectin methylesterases and their use in sustainable carbohydrate bioproducts: A review.

Pectin methylesterases (PMEs) are enzymes that play a critical role in modifying pectins, a class of complex polysaccharides in plant cell walls. These enzymes catalyze the removal of methyl ester groups from pectins, resulting in a change in the degree of esterification and consequently, the physicochemical properties of the polymers. PMEs are found in various plant tissues and organs, and their activity is tightly regulated in response to developmental and environmental factors. In addition to the biochemical modification of pectins, PMEs have been implicated in various biological processes, including fruit ripening, defense against pathogens, and cell wall remodelling. This review presents updated information on PMEs, including their sources, sequences and structural diversity, biochemical properties and function in plant development. The article also explores the mechanism of PME action and the factors influencing enzyme activity. In addition, the review highlights the potential applications of PMEs in various industrial sectors related to biomass exploitation, food, and textile industries, with a focus on development of bioproducts based on eco-friendly and efficient industrial processes.

Pharmacoinformatic approach to identify potential phytochemicals against SARS-CoV-2 spike receptor-binding domain in native and variants of concern.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pathogenesis is initiated by the binding of SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein with the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 receptor (ACE2R) on the host cell surface. The receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the S protein mediates the binding and is more prone to mutations resulting in the generation of different variants. Recently, molecules with the potential to inhibit the interaction of S protein with ACE2R have been of interest due to their therapeutic value. In this context, the present work was performed to identify potential RBD binders from the Indian medicinal plant's phytochemical database through virtual screening, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic simulation. Briefly, 1578 compounds filtered from 9596 phytochemicals were chosen for screening against the RBD of the native SARS-CoV-2 S protein. Based on the binding energy, the top 30 compounds were selected and re-docked individually against the native and five variants of concern (VOCs: alpha, beta, gamma, delta, and omicron) of SARS-CoV-2. Four phytochemicals, namely withanolide F, serotobenine, orobanchol, and gibberellin A51, were found to be potential RBD binders in native and all SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. Among the four, withanolide F exhibited lower binding energy (- 10.84 to - 8.56 kcal/mol) and better ligand efficiency (- 0.3 to - 0.25) against all forms of RBD and hence was subjected to a 100 ns MD simulation which confirmed its stringent binding to the RBDs in native and VOCs. The study prioritizes withanolide F as a prospective COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease) therapeutic agent based on the observations. It warrants deeper investigations into the four promising leads for understanding their precise therapeutic value.

Larvicidal potential and residual activity effect of kinnow peel oil against Aedes aegypti L.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES: Transmission of dengue virus by Aedes aegypti mosquito is one of the major global health concerns. The present study was aimed to explore the larvicidal potential of oil extracted from kinnow peel waste to be used as an efficient, economic and safe agent against Ae. aegypti. METHODS: Kinnow peel oil was extracted and its five concentrations at 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80 ppm were tested against 4th instar larvae of Ae. aegypti. Larval mortality (%) and LC50 and LC90 values of toxicity were determined followed by evaluation of the residual activity effect of its leftover effective concentration on larval mortality, development and emergence. Effect of storage (2, 4 and 6 months) on larvicidal potential of kinnow peel oil was also determined. RESULTS: Out of the tested concentrations, 70 ppm of kinnow peel oil was found to be the effective concentration against 4th instar larvae of Ae. aegypti. LC50 and LC90 toxicity values were 47.26 and 61.56 ppm, respectively. No residual activity effect in terms of larval mortality was found, however a significant delay in development (L4 to adult) was observed after placing new larvae in the leftover effective oil concentration. No effect of storage on larvicidal potential of 2, 4 and 6 months old kinnow peel oil in comparison to freshly extracted oil was observed. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION: Kinnow peel oil proved to have a good potential as a biolarvicide against Ae. aegypti and could be used as an effective and eco-friendly mosquito control agent in the future.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy reveals a new mechanism based on competitive binding between Tris and protein on a conductive biomimetic polydopamine surface.

A novel mechanism was developed to study the interaction of mussel inspired polydopamine surfaces with bovine serum albumin using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy supplemented with XPS, IR spectroscopy, UV spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The polydopamine surfaces reveal different mechanisms that give a new insight into understanding the interaction with BSA under the variable conditions used for PDA preparation and BSA adsorption. The study provides an in-depth analysis of the orientations and interactions of BSA with polydopamine surfaces. The protein interaction behavior changed significantly in different environments including different pH values and concentrations of buffer and it revealed a competitive binding mechanism of protein binding. The study provides an outlook for studying the interaction of protein foulants with PDA, which should be carried out in nucleophilic buffers, while the covalent binding or immobilization of biomolecules to PDA surfaces should be carried out in non-nucleophilic buffer for higher efficiency.

Unusual Case of Diffuse Penile Metastasis of Prostate Cancer on 68Ga PSMA PET/CT Imaging and 177Lu PSMA Posttherapy Scintigraphy.

An 85-year-old man with prostate cancer for metastatic workup underwent Gallium Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (Ga-PSMA) PET/CT (Ga-PSMA PET/CT), which revealed unusual tracer uptake in the shaft and glans of penis as well as multiple systemic metastases in liver, skeletal, and lymph nodes. The penile lesion was proved to be metastatic adenocarcinoma from prostate on fine needle aspiration cytology. The patient underwent Lutetium (Lu)-labeled PSMA radioligand therapy, which also revealed diffuse tracer uptake in the penile shaft as well as other metastatic sites.

Human nitric oxide biomarker as potential NO donor in conjunction with superparamagnetic iron oxide @ gold core shell nanoparticles for cancer therapeutics.

Nitric oxide releasing superparamagnetic (Fe3O4-Au@NTHP) nanoparticles were synthesized by conjugation of human biomarker of nitric oxide, N-nitrosothioproline with iron oxide-gold (Fe3O4-Au) core shell nanoparticles. The structure and morphology of the prepared nanoparticles were confirmed by ATR-FTIR, HR-TEM, EDAX, XPS, DLS and VSM measurements. N-nitrosothioproline is a natural molecule and nontoxic to humans. Thus, the core shell nanoparticles prepared were highly biocompatible. The prepared Fe3O4-Au@NTHP nanoparticles also provided an excellent release of nitric oxide in dark and upon light irradiation for cancer treatment. The amount of NO release was controllable with the wavelength of light and time of irradiation. The developed nanoparticles provided efficient cellular uptake and good cytotoxicity in picomolar range when tested on HeLa cancerous cells. These nanoparticles on account of their controllable NO release can also be used to release small amount of NO for killing cancerous cells without any toxic effect. Furthermore, the magnetic and photochemical properties of these nanoparticles provides dual platform for magneto therapy and phototherapy for cancer treatment.

Crop-ecology and nutritional variability influence growth and secondary metabolites of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni.

BACKGROUND: Plant nutrition and climatic conditions play important roles on the growth and secondary metabolites of stevia (Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni); however, the nutritional dose is strongly governed by the soil properties and climatic conditions of the growing region. In northern India, the interactive effects of crop ecology and plant nutrition on yield and secondary metabolites of stevia are not yet properly understood. Thus, a field experiment comprising three levels of nitrogen, two levels of phosphorus and three levels of potassium was conducted at three locations to ascertain whether the spatial and nutritional variability would dominate the leaf yield and secondary metabolites profile of stevia. RESULTS: Principal component analysis (PCA) indicates that the applications of 90 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 40 kg K2O ha-1 are the best nutritional conditions in terms of dry leaf yield for CSIR-IHBT (Council of Scientific and Industrial Research- Institute Himalayan Bioresource Technology) and RHRS (Regional Horticultural Research Station) conditions. The spatial variability also exerted considerable effect on the leaf yield and stevioside content in leaves. Among the three locations, CSIR-IHBT was found most suitable in case of dry leaf yield and secondary metabolites accumulation in leaves. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that dry leaf yield and accumulation of stevioside are controlled by the environmental factors and agronomic management; however, the accumulation of rebaudioside-A (Reb-A) is not much influenced by these two factors. Thus, leaf yield and secondary metabolite profiles of stevia can be improved through the selection of appropriate growing locations and proper nutrient management.

Laboratory assessment of acaricidal activity of Cymbopogon winterianus, Vitex negundo and Withania somnifera extracts against deltamethrin resistant Hyalomma anatolicum.

Larval packet test was used for detection of resistance levels against cypermethrin and deltamethrin, the most commonly used synthetic pyrethroids, in the multi-host tick Hyalomma anatolicum collected from district Moga, Punjab (India). Results indicated the presence of level I resistance against deltamethrin (RF = 2.81), whereas the tick isolate was susceptible to cypermethrin (RF = 0.2). The aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves of Cymbopogon winterianus, Vitex negundo and Withania somnifera along with roots of Vitex negundo were assessed for their acaricidal activity against the larvae of deltamethrin resistant H. anatolicum. The efficacy was assessed by measuring per cent larval mortality and determination of LC50 values. The various ethanolic extracts produced a concentration dependent increase in larval tick mortality, whereas the aqueous extracts exhibited a much lower mortality. The highest mortality (93.7 ± 0.66 %) was observed at the 5.0 % concentration of ethanolic extract of leaves of C. winterianus and the lowest LC50 value (0.011 %) was recorded for ethanolic extracts of leaves of V. negundo. The results indicated that these plant extracts have potential to be developed as herbal acaricides.

Acaricidal activity of Cymbopogon winterianus, Vitex negundo and Withania somnifera against synthetic pyrethroid resistant Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus.

Detection of resistance levels against cypermethrin and deltamethrin, the most commonly used synthetic pyrethroids (SPs) against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus collected from Moga, Punjab (India) was carried out using larval packet test. Results indicated the presence of resistance of level I and III against cypermethrin (resistance factors (RF) = 4.67) and deltamethrin (RF = 34.2), respectively. Adult immersion test was used to assess the acaricidal activity of aqueous and ethanolic extracts of leaves of Cymbopogon winterianus, Vitex negundo, and Withania somnifera along with roots of V. negundo against the SP resistant engorged females of R. (B.) microplus. The efficacy of various extracts was assessed by estimation of percent adult mortality, reproductive index (RI), percent inhibition of oviposition (%IO), and hatching rate. A concentration dependent increase in tick mortality was recorded which was more marked with various ethanolic extracts, and highest mortality was recorded in ticks treated with ethanolic extract of leaves of C. winterianus. The LC50 values were determined by applying regression equation analysis to the probit transformed data of mortality for various aqueous and ethanolic extracts. Acaricidal property was recorded to be higher in ethanolic extracts, and high activity was found with the ethanolic extract of leaves of C. winterianus with LC50 (95% CL) values of 0.46% (0.35-0.59%), followed by W. somnifera as 5.21% (4.45-6.09%) and V. negundo as 7.02% (4.58-10.74%). The egg mass weight of the live ticks treated with different concentrations of the various extract was significantly (p < 0.01) lower than that of control ticks; consequently, the RI and the %IO value of the treated ticks were reduced. Further, complete inhibition of hatching was recorded in eggs laid by ticks treated with ethanolic extracts of leaves of V. negundo and aqueous extracts of leaves of W. somnifera. The results of the current study indicate that extracts of C. winterianus, V. negundo, and W. somnifera can be used for the control of SP resistant ticks.

Comparative application of microwave, ultrasonication, ultracentrifugation and conventional heating for preparation of sample as dinitrophenyl derivative for direct enantioseparation of certain amino alcohols and 1-amino-2-propanol from vitamin B12 hydrolysate on alpha1-acid glycoprotein and beta-cyclodextrin columns.

Taking into account the structural similarities of amino alcohols with amino acids and in order to reduce time for derivatization unconventional approaches viz. microwave irradiation, ultrasonication and ultra centrifugation were applied for synthesis of dinitrophenyl derivatives of nine amino alcohols and to work out a method of choice for sample preparation for direct enantioseparation. The enantiomeric dinitrophenyl derivatives so synthesized were separated on alpha(1)-acid glycoprotein and beta-cyclodextrin columns with detection at 230nm using photodiode array detection system. Derivatization methods and chromatographic parameters were optimized. beta-Cyclodextrin column was found better compared to AGP column for enantioseparation. Limit of detection, quantification, accuracy and precision were also determined. The developed method was successfully applied to determine enantiomeric purity of 1-amino-2-propanol obtained from vitamin B(12) hydrolysate.

Passive transfer of Theileria equi antibodies to neonate foals of immune tolerant mares.

Equine babesiosis, a tick transmitted haemoprotozoan disease caused by Theileria equi is globally distributed and responsible for heavy economic losses to the equine husbandry. Equids reared in endemic areas usually pick up infection at an early age and become immune tolerant throughout their life span. We studied the level of passively transferred antibodies in neonate foals born from pre-immuned mares. Latently T. equi infected pre-immuned pony and donkey mares (three each) were selected and T. equi antibody titres in neonates was monitored till 90 days post foaling (DPF) by applying Dot-ELISA on sequentially collected serum samples from foals and their dams. A very high antibody titre was observed in pre-immuned pony and donkey mares. The maximum antibody of 1:60 to 1:80 was observed in pony's and donkey's foal on 2-16 and 2-10 DPF, respectively and thereafter it declined to less than 1:20 on 63-77 and 56-63 DPF. Simultaneously parasite carrying status in neonate foals and their dam was also monitored by applying PCR on blood samples. We could demonstrate PCR amplification in dam's blood samples while no amplification was recorded in neonate's blood samples. This study indicated that new-born foals were born naïve and passively transferred immunity was transitory which wanes after 63-77 DPF.