Genomic and functional features of the biosurfactant producing Bacillus sp. AM13.

Genomic studies provide deeper insights into secondary metabolites produced by diverse bacterial communities, residing in various environmental niches. This study aims to understand the potential of a biosurfactant producing Bacillus sp. AM13, isolated from soil. An integrated approach of genomic and chemical analysis was employed to characterize the antibacterial lipopeptide produced by the strain AM13. Genome analysis revealed that strain AM13 harbors a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS) cluster; highly similar with known biosynthetic gene clusters from surfactin family: lichenysin (85 %) and surfactin (78 %). These findings were substantiated with supplementary experiments of oil displacement assay and surface tension measurements, confirming the biosurfactant production. Further investigation using LCMS approach exhibited similarity of the biomolecule with biosurfactants of the surfactin family. Our consolidated effort of functional genomics provided chemical as well as genetic leads for understanding the biochemical characteristics of the bioactive compound.

Ischemia Modified Albumin Test to Detect Early Diabetic Complications.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to assess the albumin cobalt binding (ACB) test in a cohort of type 2 diabetes patients. The ACB test is a simple, inexpensive, sensitive and robust test that could have important clinical application in detecting complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We tested patients with type 2 diabetes without any clinically detectable complications or without any other comorbid conditions for serum ACB levels along with an equal number of age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. ACB levels were compared after the patients with diabetes were investigated for various complications using standard statistical tests of significance. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients with type 2 diabetes were studied with age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects. Of the 100 patients, 78 had different complications on detailed laboratory testing. The patients with complications had significantly higher ACB test results when compared to the patients with diabetes without complications and to that of the control subjects (0.62 ± 0.04, 0.42 ± 0.07, 0.30 ± 0.05absorbance units (ABSU)/mL, respectively. P < 0.001). All values in diabetics were significantly higher than that of controls. CONCLUSIONS: The serum ACB test is a sensitive indicator of complications developed in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Patients may be followed up with ACB results to detect early complications in this disease.

Rubia cordifolia, Fagonia cretica linn and Tinospora cordifolia exert neuroprotection by modulating the antioxidant system in rat hippocampal slices subjected to oxygen glucose deprivation.

BACKGROUND: The major damaging factor during and after the ischemic/hypoxic insult is the generation of free radicals, which leads to apoptosis, necrosis and ultimately cell death. Rubia cordifolia (RC), Fagonia cretica linn (FC) and Tinospora cordifolia (TC) have been reported to contain a wide variety of antioxidants and have been in use in the eastern system of medicine for various disorders. However, their mechanism of action was largely unknown. We therefore selected these herbs for the present study to test their neuroprotective ability and the associated mechanism in rat hippocampal slices subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). METHODS: Hippocampal Slices were subjected to OGD (oxygen glucose deprivation) and divided into 3 groups: control, OGD and OGD + drug treated. Cytosolic Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase (Cu-Zn SOD), reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), nitric oxide (NO) was measured as nitrite (NO2) in the supernatant and protein assays were performed in the respective groups at various time intervals. EPR was used to establish the antioxidant effect of RC, FC and TC with respect to superoxide anion (O2.-), hydroxyl radicals (. OH), nitric oxide (NO) radical and peroxynitrite anion (ONOO) generated from pyrogallol, menadione, DETA-NO and Sin-1 respectively. RT-PCR was performed for the three groups for GCLC, iNOS, Cu-Zn SOD and GAPDH gene expression. RESULTS: All the three herbs were effective in elevating the GSH levels, expression of the gamma-glutamylcysteine ligase and Cu-Zn SOD genes. The herbs also exhibited strong free radical scavenging properties against reactive oxygen and nitrogen species as studied by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In addition all the three herbs significantly diminished the expression of iNOS gene after 48 hours which plays a major role in neuronal injury during hypoxia/ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: RC, FC and TC therefore attenuate oxidative stress mediated cell injury during OGD and exert the above effects at both the cytosolic as well as at gene expression level and may be an effective therapeutic tool against ischemic brain damage.