International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology

International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology ISSN 2169-3048 Vol. 4 (7), pp. 605-609, September, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of acute toxic pesticide on survival, morphology and behavior of Adult Toad

*Opuala Barikor, Innocent sekibo and Olaka Emmanuel

Department of Animal and Environmental Biology, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 2 August, 2015

Abstract 

The acute toxicity of Endosulfan (organochlorine) and Diazinon (organophosphate) pesticides to adult amphibians, Bufo regularis was evaluated to determine uptake and effect of environmentally relevant concentrations on survival, morphology and behaviour. Toxicity characterizations were also assessed using standard indices. Toads were exposed for 96 h to varying concentrations of the pesticides; 0.25, 0.50, 0.75 and 1 mg/l. Mean percentage mortality increased significantly (p < 0.05) with concentrations and exposure duration for Endosulfan and Diazinon pesticides and was significantly (p < 0.05) different from the control, indicating that pesticide induced lethality. The results showed that Diazinon (LC₅₀ = 0.44 mg/l) was more toxic than Endosulfan (LC₅₀ = 0.73 mg/l). Derived safe concentrations were 0.07 and 0.04 mg/l for Endosulfan and Diazinon, respectively. Estimated Toxicity index values (TIV) and Hazard Quotients (HQ) for all the concentrations were above one (1) indicating potential risk of the pesticides to the toad. Bioconcentration of the pesticides after 96 h increased with increasing concentrations indicating that uptake was concentration dependent. There was a significant positive correlation between tissue concentration and mortality (p < 0.01) for both pesticides. The pesticides also caused dose-dependent deformities and behavioural abnormalities. More pronounced poisoning symptoms were observed in Diazinon and at higher concentrations.

Key words: Acute toxicity, Endosulfan, Diazinon, adult amphibian.

Review

A study on causal organism of late blight disease in potato (Solanum tuberosum L.)

*Konijeti Rangarajan, Neelam Raman and Srinivasa Prahalad

Department of Biotechnology, University of Madras, Chennai, India.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 18 August, 2015

Abstract 

Phytopthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary, causal organism of late blight disease is referred to as the most destructive specific pathogen of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Casualties usually go beyond mere plant destruction, due to its flaring ability to also demolish scientific concerted efforts in establishing novel combat techniques. With high capacity to overcome control measures, it stands at par, and can simply be referred to as a potato-scientist tormentor. This retrospective work examines the role of pathogenesis related proteins and antimicrobial proteins in transgenic potato vis-à-vis P. infestans and prospect for associative introduction and overexpression of synergistically resistance conferring genes as a critical step for developing viable transgenic potatoes. The exploitation of enhanced pathogen-inducible promotor overexpressing key pathogenesis related proteins (PR) exemplified by PR-5 (especially osmotin and thaumatin-like (TL) proteins), PR-12 (defensins such as alfAFP (alfalfa antifungal peptide), Nicotiania megalosiphon defensins (NmDef02)), PR-13 (the thionins); and antimicrobial encoders such as StEREBP1 (Solanum tuberosum ethylene responsive element binding proteins), HEWL (hen egg white lysozyme), CAP (cationic antimicrobial peptide), Barnase cytotoxic protein and oxidative burst through glucose oxidase (GO) have all been incorporated in transgenic potato with variable successes. Apparently, engineering potato with an array of ‘transgenes construct’ of selected pathogenesis related proteins and antimicrobial proteins may provide a chance to terminate both the dissemination of P. infestans and consequent emergence of new strains, terminating the concept of a new agrochemical for P. infestans referred to as ‘oomicides’.

Key words: Pathogenesis related proteins, osmotinalfalfa antifungal peptide (alfAFP), Nicotiania megalosiphon defensins (NmDef02), cationic antimicrobial peptide.

International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology ISSN 2169-3048 Vol. 4 (7), pp. 599-604, September, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of falciparum protozoan parasite on some plasma proteins in infected male patients in Sudan

*Tayeb N. C, Hassan Qasim and Abdullahi Ismail

Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of science, Neelain University, Khartoum, P. O. Box 12702, Sudan

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 15 August, 2015

Abstract 

Sex-associated hormones were evidenced to modulate immune responses and consequently directly influence the outcome of infection. Testosterone is known to influence both protein metabolism and the level of cortisol which is the hormone of stress. This work was conducted to explore the influence of the degree of parasitemia in Plasmodium falciparum malaria on the male sex hormone testosterone, plasma proteins and the stress hormone cortisol in male patients. The study targeted male subjects whose ages ranged between 20 and 40 years old. The subjects were divided into three groups: lightly-infected patients (Infected with P. falciparum density 1 - 10 asexual form of the parasite per 100 fields), heavily-infected patients (Infected with P. falciparum density 11 - 99 asexual form of the parasite per 100 fields) and a group of malaria-free individuals who were used as a control group. Blood samples were taken from the median cephalic vein to investigate for malaria parasite, plasma proteins and hormones. The effect of the degree of parasitemia was considered for all parameters studied. The study revealed that low parasitemia in malaria-infected patients resulted in significantly (p < 0.05) higher level of plasma total proteins and it was found to be due to a significant (P < 0.05) increase in the total globulins fraction which reached 5.85 ± 1.03 g/dl compared to 3.44 ± 0.4 g/dl in the control group. The opposite was true for the heavily- infected group as it reported significantly (P < 0.05) lower total plasma proteins value which was found to be due to a significant (p < 0.05) reduction of the total globulins fraction reported only 2.96 ± 0.20 g/dl. The albumin fraction maintained levels similar to that of the control group in both infected groups. The levels of the hormones tested also showed significant changes, manifested as significantly (p < 0.05) lower values in both groups of patients compared to the control group for the testosterone hormone, with significant (p < 0.05) difference between the two groups. Thus, high parasitemia resulted in the least testosterone level in the heavily-infected group of 2.64 ± 0.28 ng/ml, compared to 6.03 ± 0.86 ng/ml in the control group. In contrast, the stress hormone, the cortisol, showed the highest level in the heavily- infected patients of 191.03 ± 18.17 ng/ml, with significant (p < 0.05) difference compared to 166.28 ± 10.63 ng/ml in the control group. 

International Journal of Biochemistry and Biotechnology ISSN 2169-3048 Vol. 4 (6), pp. 593-598, August, 2015. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Analysis to determine Heavy metal concentration in water bodies in Malaysia

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*Mohd Nydegger, Kee Nasir Abdullah and Idris Sabu

Department of Environmental and Natural Resources, Universiti Sains Malaysia, George Town, Malaysia.

E-mail: [email protected]

Accepted 13 July, 2015

Abstract 

This study was conducted to determine heavy metal lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), Zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) concentrations in water body of the Juru River, Penang, Malaysia. A total of 20 sampling stations were chosen and water at 1 m below the surface was sampled using Van Dorn water sampler in December 2009 and April 2010. Collected water samples were kept in ice and acidified to pH 2 using nitrite acid (analytical grade HNO₃). Heavy metal concentrations were determined using inductively couple plasma (ICP model Perkin elmer/elan 9000) following standard method procedures. For comparison purposes, the river was divided into three different zones in the first and second samplings that is, upstream zone, middle reach zone and estuary zone and each zone consists of 7, 7, 6 sampling sites, respectively. Generally, results indicate that Pb and Cd and Cu in the first sampling were higher than the second sampling while the concentrations of Zn in the second sampling were higher than the first sampling. Also the results indicate that the Cd and Pb and Zn in the estuary zone were the lowest as compared to other zones. Meanwhile the highest concentration of Cu was in the middle zone. In conclusion, the lowest concentrations of some heavy metals were in estuary zone, it seems to be naturally due to dilution to heavy metals from sea water. Average metal concentrations from 20 water samples indicate that studied metal concentrations were still lower than Malaysian’s National Water Quality Standards (INWQS) guideline.

Key words: Heavy metals, pollution, river, inductively couple plasma.