ISSN 2736-1756
Research Article
Application of phytodisinfectants in water purification in rural Cameroon
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research ISSN 2241-9837 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Application of phytodisinfectants in water purification in rural Cameroon
K. A. Yongabi1*, D. M. Lewis1 and P. L. Harris2
1School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
2School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, South Australia.
Accepted 11 November, 2018
Abstract
Findings from a preliminary lab-scale study show strong potentials of phytodisinfectants as a low-cost, appropriate and ecological alternative technology in purifying water in rural Cameroon. A survey of plants used in water purification in Bamenda, Cameroon, indicated that there are many plants used in water treatment. A rapid screening on the coagulative and disinfection potential of four most frequently used plants was carried out on; Moringa oleifera, Jatropha curcas, calyx of Hibiscus sabdarifa, sclerotium of Pleurotus tuberregium against their crude methanol extracts, aluminum sulphate and sodium hypochlorite controls on turbid surface water samples. A beaker experiment with varying weights (0.5 to 5 g) of dried pulverized plant materials and alum (control) were placed in 200 ml each of the three-turbid water samples and left for thirty minutes retention time. A 95% reduction in bacterial loads of the water samples by M. oleifera in fifteen minutes residence time was observed. J. curcas seeds, as well as H. sabdarifa calyx also reduced the bacterial loads between 75 to 90%. All the plant extracts except P. tuberregium inhibited an Escherichia coli isolate from the turbid water with highest zone of inhibition (15 mm) recorded for M. oleifera seed extract. The inhibition zones produced by three of the plant extracts were comparable to aluminum sulphate (6 mm) and sodium hypochlorite (17 mm). Crude methanol extracts from M. oleifera seeds, J. curcas seeds and H. sabdariffa calyx used directly on turbid water drastically reduced the total aerobic mesophilic bacterial counts far more than the unextracted plant powders. The turbidity of both phytodisinfectant and alum treated water samples drastically reduced while no turbidity reduction was observed with sodium hypochlorite treated water samples. The pH of alum treated water was observed to decrease from neutral to 5.0 while pH of phytocoagulant treated water was 7.0. This report suggest that M. oleifera seeds, J. curcas seeds and calyx of Hibiscus sabdariffa posses both phytodisinfectant and phytocoagulant property in water purification. Scerotium of P. tuberregium poses only phytocoagulant (mycocoagulant) activity. Plant materials can be used as phytocoagulants and phytodisinfectants in treating turbid water and can be applied in wastewater treatment. Further studies on the application of Phytodisinfectants in domestic water purification, especially the phytodisinfection potentials of M. oleifera are exigent.
Key words: Phytodisinfectants, phytobiotechnology, phytocoagulants, bacteria turbid water, plants, Moringa oleifera, Cameroon.
K. A. Yongabi*, D. M. Lewis and P. L. Harris
Research Article
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research ISSN 2241-9837 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-010, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Cloning, codon-optimized expression and homology modeling of structural protein VP1 from foot and mouth disease virus
Xin-sheng Liu, Yong-lu Wang*, Yong-guang Zhang, Yu-zhen Fang, Li Pan, Jian-liang Lü, Peng Zhou, Zhong-wang Zhang, Cheng Qi-wei, Gang Wang, Ji-wei Wang, Hui Lou and Shou-tian Jiang
State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, National Foot and Mouth Disease Reference Laboratory, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730046,China.
Accepted 17 January, 2019
Abstract
Structural protein VP1 of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) is the most frequently studied protein due to its significant roles in virus attachment, protective immunity, and serotype specificity. The coding sequence of VP1was amplified and then identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. To achieve high-level expression of VP1 protein, we optimized VP1 gene base on Escherichia coli preferred codons and synthesized the optimized gene. The synthetical gene was cloned into the fusion expression vector pET-28a and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). After induced with Isopropyl -D-1-Thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) and optimized the conditions of expression, the VP1 fusion protein was highly expressed and identified in inclusion bodies by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting. Based on the primary and secondary structure analysis of VP1, Three-dimensional structure of VP1 was developed by homology modeling methods. The validation of 3-D structure was done with the help of PROCHECK encompassing amino acid residues in the most favored region of almost all strains. Potential epitopes of VP1 was predicted with different methods. In this study, the VP1 protein was expressed in E. coli efficiently and highly purified VP1 was obtained, which laid a foundation of refolding and further study on activity of the protein. The VP1 model in the productive conformation can now be used for structure-based design purposes as well as structure-function relation of VP1 protein.
Key words: Foot-and-mouth disease virus, VP1 protein, codon optimization, homology modeling.
Yong-guang Zhang, Peng Zhou, Yong-lu Wang*, Zhong-wang Zhang, Gang Wang, Ji-wei Wang, Xin-sheng Liu, Cheng Qi-wei, Hui Lou and Shou-tian Jiang, Yu-zhen Fang, Li Pan, Jian-liang Lü
Short Communication
Anthrax in animals of the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research ISSN 2241-9837 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-003, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Short Communication
Anthrax in animals of the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey
Ekrem Kirecci1*, Suleyman Aslan2 and Nevin Turut2
1School of Health, Kahramanmaras Sutcuimam University, 46050, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
2Veterinary Control and Research Institute, Adana, Turkey.
Accepted 21 December, 2018
Abstract
In this study, we aim to perform a microbiological evaluation on the anthrax cases encountered in small and large ruminants as well as in equidae in the Eastern Mediterranean region of Turkey between March 2005 and July 2010. Blood specimens from 44 animals raised in the Mediterranean region of Turkey and suspected of having anthrax in light of the clinical examination results between 2005 and 2010, were subjected to bacteriological analysis. Conventional methods such as Giemsa and Gram staining as well as culture and motility tests were carried out. Smears prepared from blood specimens were treated with Giemsa and Bacillus anthracis pathogens with typical capsules were investigated. During culture test, specimens were cultivated in nutrient broth, blood agar, and MacConkey agar after which they were incubated at 37°C for 24 - 48 h in an aerobic environment. Colony morphologies and microscopic appearances of the bacteria that grew in the nutrient broth and blood agar were evaluated. Thus, bacteria displaying an appearance of typical hair-like shape and a configuration of long chains similar to bamboo sticks, with nonmotile and R-form like colony view, were diagnosed as B. anthracis. The animals with suspected anthrax in this study were comprised of 19 cattle, 14 goats, 10 sheeps and 1 mule. In 12 (27.3%) of 44 specimens, B. anthracis was isolated and identified. B. anthracis was isolated from the animals with suspected anthrax. Anthrax, recognized as a dangerous zoonosis across the entire world, is still of endemic status in our country and preventive measures should include prevention of illegal animal slaughter by performing efficient supervision, applying routine vaccination programs and raising awareness among the livestock owners.
Key words: Anthrax, animals, Bacillus anthracis, pathogens.
Ekrem Kirecci*, Suleyman Aslan and Nevin Turut
Research Article
Degradation of purine ribonucleosides by extracts of Penicillium viridicatum
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research ISSN 2241-9837 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-008, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Degradation of purine ribonucleosides by extracts of Penicillium viridicatum
Ali M. Elshafei*, Latifa A. Mohamed and Mohamed M. Hassan
Department of Microbial Chemistry, National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.
Accepted 12 January, 2019
Abstract
Cell-free extracts of nitrate-grown Penicillium viridicatum could catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of N-glycosidic bond of adenosine, guanosine and inosine to the corresponding base and ribose by a ribonucleoside hydrolase; however, there is no evidence for the degradation of these compounds through phosphorylation. The rate of hydrolysis of the three ribonucleosides was in the order inosine> guanosine> adenosine. It was proven that adenosine hydrolyzing enzyme is not associated with the cell membrane. Maximum enzyme activity was observed at pH 4 and 50°C. Heat inactivation kinetics and the effect of the nature of the buffer on enzyme activity revealed that, the cleavage of the three purine ribonucleosides is affected by one intracellular nucleoside hydrolase. It was proven experimentally that, all the metal ions tested had a remarkable inhibitory effect on the activity of the ribonucleoside hydrolase. Results obtained indicate that extracts of P. viridicatum catalyzed the conversion of guanosine into guanine and ribose by a nucleoside hydrolase and the resulting guanine was then deaminated to xanthine by an inducible guanine deaminase. In addition, xanthosine was not split into ribose and xanthine by the same extracts under the same experimental conditions and even at different pH values of the reaction mixture.
Key words: Purine ribonucleosides, adenosine, guanosine, inosine, hydrolase, Penicillium viridicatum.
Ali M. Elshafei*, Latifa A. Mohamed and Mohamed M. Hassan
Research Article
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research ISSN 2241-9837 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-006, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Sensitive and specific detection of Agrobacterium tumefaciens in soil using a rapid polymerase chain reaction (PCR)
Wei Yang1,2, Lei Ji3, Li-Rong Tan2, Shi-Mo Li1, Yan Wang3, Hong-Xia Liu2*, and Yu-Ming Luo1*
1Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Eco-Agricultural Biotechnology around Hongze Lake, Huaiyin Teacher’s College, No. 111, Changjiang West, Huai’an, 223001, Jiangsu Province, China.
2Department of Plant Pathology, College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China.
3Shanghai Forestry Station, Shanghai, 200072, China.
Accepted 13 January, 2019
Abstract
One pair of primers was designed based on the sequence of tmr locus for specific and sensitive detection of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Only the A. tumefaciens strain can produce the 236bp target fragment among the fourteen bacterial species that tested. The sensitivity of the specific PCR system was determined by a nested-PCR amplification which can numbered the copies of the template DNA. According to the results, it can give positive band when only 100 copies were in the template. The protocol was carried out for detection A. tumefaciens of twelve soil samples collected from six different gardens in Shanghai where crown gall happened. Two of the samples which collected from symptomless gardens also give the positive band. Based on the results we can make a conclusion that this pair of primers can be a useful tool in detecting A. tumefaciens, especially in detecting latent infection of this devastating pathogen.
Key words: Agrobacterium tumefaciens, detection, polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
and Yu-Ming Luo*, Li-Rong Tan, Wei Yang, Shi-Mo Li, Lei Ji, Hong-Xia Liu*, Yan Wang
Research Article
Advanced Journal of Microbiology Research ISSN 2241-9837 Vol. 13 (1), pp. 001-005, January, 2019. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
In vitro effect of tigecycline against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and a review of the available drugs for tuberculosis
Ahmet Yilmaz Coban1*, Aydin Deveci2, Yeliz Tanriverdi Cayci1, Meltem Uzun3, Alper Akgunes4 and Belma Durupinar1
1Department of Medical Microbiology, Ondokuz Mayis University, Medical School, Samsun, Turkey.
2Ondokuz Mayis University, Medical School, Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology, Samsun, Turkey.
3Department of Medical Microbiology, Istanbul University, Istanbul Medical School, Istanbul, Turkey.
4Samsun Chest Diseases Hospital, Clinical Microbiology Laboratory, Samsun, Turkey.
Accepted 17 January, 2019
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a novel antibiotic drug tigecycline on clinical isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and, reviewing defined anti-tuberculosis effects of available agents. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of tigecycline for 50 M. tuberculosis including multidrug-resistant (MDR) clinical isolates (20 MDR isolates) was determined by broth microdilution method in the study. Tigecycline MIC values were ranging between 8 and 64 µg/ml. However, there is not any defined break point for M. tuberculosis resistance. In conclusion, it seems that the in vitro effectiveness of tigecycline to M. tuberculosis is not good but further in vivo studies are needed.
Key words: Mycobacterium tuberculosis, tigecycline.
Yeliz Tanriverdi Cayci, Ahmet Yilmaz Coban*, Alper Akgunes and Belma Durupinar, Aydin Deveci, Meltem Uzun