- Passionate in Microbiological Researchedit
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ABSTRACT According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), soil health is declining over the decades and it has an adverse impact on human health and food security. Hence, soil health restoration is a need of the hour. It is... more
ABSTRACT According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), soil health is declining over the decades and it has an adverse impact on human health and food security. Hence, soil health restoration is a need of the hour. It is known that microorganisms play a vital role in remediation of soil pollutants like heavy metals, pesticides, hydrocarbons, etc. However, the indigenous microbes have a limited capacity to degrade these pollutants and it will be a slow process. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can catalyze the degradation process as their altered metabolic pathways lead to hypersecretions of various biomolecules that favor the bioremediation process. This review provides an overview on the application of bioengineered microorganisms for the restoration of soil health by degradation of various pollutants. It also sheds light on the challenges of using GMOs in environmental application as their introduction may affect the normal microbial community in soil. Since soil health also refers to the potential of native organisms to survive, the possible changes in the native microbial community with the introduction of GMOs are also discussed. Finally, the future prospects of using bioengineered microorganisms in environmental engineering applications to make the soil fertile and healthy have been deciphered. With the alarming rates of soil health loss, the treatment of soil and soil health restoration need to be fastened to a greater pace and the combinatorial efforts unifying GMOs, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, and other soil amendments will provide an effective solution to soil heath restoration ten years ahead. Graphical Abstract Schematic Representation Of Approaches Used To Restore Soil Health
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Traditionally used herbs have been recognized as an important niche for fungal endophytes and the interaction between them has prompted the invention of novel metabolite. In this regard, the presen...
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ABSTRACT According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), soil health is declining over the decades and it has an adverse impact on human health and food security. Hence, soil health restoration is a need of the hour. It is... more
ABSTRACT According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), soil health is declining over the decades and it has an adverse impact on human health and food security. Hence, soil health restoration is a need of the hour. It is known that microorganisms play a vital role in remediation of soil pollutants like heavy metals, pesticides, hydrocarbons, etc. However, the indigenous microbes have a limited capacity to degrade these pollutants and it will be a slow process. Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) can catalyze the degradation process as their altered metabolic pathways lead to hypersecretions of various biomolecules that favor the bioremediation process. This review provides an overview on the application of bioengineered microorganisms for the restoration of soil health by degradation of various pollutants. It also sheds light on the challenges of using GMOs in environmental application as their introduction may affect the normal microbial community in soil. Since soil health also refers to the potential of native organisms to survive, the possible changes in the native microbial community with the introduction of GMOs are also discussed. Finally, the future prospects of using bioengineered microorganisms in environmental engineering applications to make the soil fertile and healthy have been deciphered. With the alarming rates of soil health loss, the treatment of soil and soil health restoration need to be fastened to a greater pace and the combinatorial efforts unifying GMOs, plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, and other soil amendments will provide an effective solution to soil heath restoration ten years ahead. Graphical Abstract Schematic Representation Of Approaches Used To Restore Soil Health
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Traditionally used herbs have been recognized as an important niche for fungal endophytes and the interaction between them has prompted the invention of novel metabolite. In this regard, the presen...
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Plant extracts prompting free radical formation causing DNA damage among especially symbiotic microorganisms of Aedes aegypti has not been extensively examined in previous studies. Here, investigated whether: (1) it was possible to reduce... more
Plant extracts prompting free radical formation causing DNA damage among especially symbiotic microorganisms of Aedes aegypti has not been extensively examined in previous studies. Here, investigated whether: (1) it was possible to reduce the vectorial capacity by eliminating the microbial consortia of Aedes aegypti larvae, (2) the excess formation of free radical could induce damages of genomic DNA and alter the morphological appearance of Aedes aegypti larvae, and (3) which are the probable mechanisms driving the death of mosquitoes that has been treated with phytochemicals. The toxicity of Catunaregam spinosa seed extracts on the microbial community of Aedes aegypti larvae was determined as previously described. The formation of free radicals was confirmed using the ammonium molybdate method. While the GCMS method was used to assess the phytochemical analysis and the DNA lysing potential. The petroleum ether, ethanol, acetone and water extracts of Catunaregam spinosa has exhibited potent toxicity towards Aedes aegypti larvea’s gut bacterial microbiota, including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, and Proteus mirabilis with strong MIC values ranging from 0.07 mg/ml to 5.9 mg/ml. Plant extract induced free radical formations and oxidative damage to DNA. The presence of the bioactive element squalene justifies the insecticidal proprieties of Catunaregam spinosa extract. This study reflects the probable mechanisms underlying the lethal effect of Catunaregam spinosa extract on Aedes aegypti, and it potential as a novel biological vector control approach.
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The non-conventional yeasts Kluyveromyces lactis, Yarrowia lipolytica, Ogataea polymorpha and Pichia pastoris have been developed as eukaryotic expression hosts because of their desirable growth characteristics, including inhibitor and... more
The non-conventional yeasts Kluyveromyces lactis, Yarrowia lipolytica, Ogataea polymorpha and Pichia pastoris have been developed as eukaryotic expression hosts because of their desirable growth characteristics, including inhibitor and thermo-tolerance, utilization of diverse carbon substrates, and high amount of extracellular protein secretion. These yeasts already have established in the heterologous production of vaccines, therapeutic proteins, food additives, and bio-renewable chemicals, but recent advances in genetic tool box have the potential to greatly expand and diversify their impact on biotechnology. The diversity of these yeasts includes many strains possessing highly useful, and in some cases even uncommon, metabolic capabilities potentially helpful for bioprocess industry. This review outlines the recent updates of non-conventional yeast in sustainable bioprocesses.
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Anionic surfactants like sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), due to its extensive disposal to water bodies cause detrimental effects to the ecosystem. Among the various attempts to reduce the after effects of these toxicants, microbial induced... more
Anionic surfactants like sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), due to its extensive disposal to water bodies cause detrimental effects to the ecosystem. Among the various attempts to reduce the after effects of these toxicants, microbial induced bioremediation serves as a promising strategy. The current study aimed to develop a three stage bioreactor to remediate anionic surfactants in wastewater using effective bacterial isolates. Screening of effective SDS biodegraders led to isolation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 10311). Treatment of synthetic effluent with an immobilized packed bed reactor at a flow rate of 5 mL h−1 resulted in 81 ± 2% SDS eliminations and 70 ± 1% reduction in chemical oxygen demand (COD) in five cycles (6 h per cycle). The hydraulic retention time of the reactor was found to be 6 h. Combinatorial usage of a three stage bioreactor, involving aeration, adsorption with low cost scrap rubber granules and treatment with immobilized Pseudomonas aeruginosa, successfully r...
Research Interests: Chemistry, Chromatography, Medicine, Multidisciplinary, Bioreactor, and 12 moreWastewater, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Water Science and Technology, Waste Water, Bioreactors, Surface Active Agents, Effluent, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Water Microbiology, Aeration, Pulmonary Surfactant, and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
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Abstract The growing drug resistance among microbes necessitates the identification of novel bioactive compounds from natural sources. The current study focused on isolating prospective endophytic microbes from Sida cordifolia. Different... more
Abstract The growing drug resistance among microbes necessitates the identification of novel bioactive compounds from natural sources. The current study focused on isolating prospective endophytic microbes from Sida cordifolia. Different bacterial and fungal endophytes were isolated, among the isolates 3B showed substantial antibacterial and immunomodulatory activity than other isolates. The selected isolate 3B was molecularly identified as Enterobacter sp. based on 16S rDNA typing. A comparison of the biomodulatory role of the isolate Enterobacter sp. (3B) with that of the host plant extract indicated that the isolate gave comparable results with the chloroform extract of S. cordifolia plant. An evaluation on the cytotoxic properties of 3B by MTT assay indicated that it was nontoxic. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the antibacterial and immunomodulatory role of Enterobacter isolate. The isolation of such promising strains with antibacterial and immunity uplifting properties would surely be promising to biomedicine with the growing antibiotic resistance and hunt for novel therapeutic alternatives.
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The multifaceted role of chitinase in medicine, agriculture, environmental remediation and various other industries greatly demands the isolation of high yielding chitinase producing microorganisms with improved properties. The current... more
The multifaceted role of chitinase in medicine, agriculture, environmental remediation and various other industries greatly demands the isolation of high yielding chitinase producing microorganisms with improved properties. The current study aimed to investigate the isolation, characterization and biocontrol prospective of chitinase producing bacterial strains autochthonous to the extreme conditions of mangrove ecosystems. Among the 51 bacterial isolates screened, Bacillus pumilus MCB-7 with highest chitinase production potential was identified and confirmed by 16S rDNA typing. Chitinase enzyme of MCB-7 was purified; the chitin degradation was evaluated by SEM and LC-MS. Unlike previously reported B.pumilus isolates, MCB-7 exhibited highest chitinase activity of 3.36U/mL, active even at high salt concentrations and temperature up to 60°C. The crude as well as purified enzyme showed significant antimycotic activity against agricultural pathogens such as Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, Ceratorhiza hydrophila and Fusarium oxysporum. The enzyme also exhibited biopesticidal role against larvae of Scirpophaga incertulas (Walker). [Lep.: Pyralidae], a serious agricultural pest of rice. The high chitinolytic and antimycotic potential of MCB-7 increases the prospects of the isolate as an excellent biocontrol agent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of high chitinase yielding Bacillus pumilus strain from mangrove ecosystem with a biocontrol role against phytopathogenic fungi and insect larval pests.
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Biological synthesis of rhamnolipids from SDS by Pseudomonas aeruginosa S15 is found to be a cost effective mode of rhamnolipid synthesis. The current study aimed to attempt rhamnolipid synthesis by transformant Escherichia coli DH5α... more
Biological synthesis of rhamnolipids from SDS by Pseudomonas aeruginosa S15 is found to be a cost effective mode of rhamnolipid synthesis. The current study aimed to attempt rhamnolipid synthesis by transformant Escherichia coli DH5α cells. Molecular analysis by curing experiments revealed that the properties of SDS based rhamnolipid synthesis were plasmid borne. Transformation of 10 kb plasmid to Escherichia coli DH5α cells conferred rhamnolipid synthetic ability to transformant. Various genetic elements involved in SDS based rhamnolipid synthesis were analyzed using PCR based and restriction digestion based approaches. PCR amplification using primers specific for sdsA gene encoding alkylsulfatases yielded two significant amplicons viz, 1.2 kb fragment and 422 bp fragment, coding for putative dehydratase and ABC transporter respectively. Amplicon of sdsB gene lacked ability of SDS degradation and rhamnolipid synthesis. Rhamnolipid biosynthesis by transformant E.coli DH5α containing...
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Sodium dodecyl sulphate, an anionic detergent finds various applications in household, industrial, laboratory and pharmaceutical preparations.This paper reports the histological, enzymatic and microbial changes found in the gills of Grass... more
Sodium dodecyl sulphate, an anionic detergent finds various applications in household, industrial, laboratory and pharmaceutical preparations.This paper reports the histological, enzymatic and microbial changes found in the gills of Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) induced by the acute action of Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). A 96 h LC50 value of 7.7 mg/ l of SDS was obtained using static bioassay method. Sets of twenty grass carps each were exposed to nominal concentrations (2, 2.5 and 3 mg/l) of SDS for 30 days and the changes in the gills were monitored every tenth day. Extensive gill damage with necrosis and intraepithelial oedema was observed. This was accompanied by increased levels of antioxidant enzymes viz., superoxide dismutase and catalase. The gills of SDS treated fishes also showed an increased rate of microbial attack predominantly by Aeromonas sp, Micrococcus sp and Bacillus sp. Extensive necrosis, and increased rate of microbial attack suggested that SDS incites a...
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Recent research indicate that pharmaceutical compounds produced by medicinal plants can also be produced by their inhabitant endophytes and this paves way to a new methodology of science utilizing endophytes as a source of bioactive... more
Recent research indicate that pharmaceutical compounds produced by medicinal plants can also be produced by their inhabitant endophytes and this paves way to a new methodology of science utilizing endophytes as a source of bioactive compounds. This study aimed to add more information on endophyte driven biodiversity and bioactive potential of Withania. About 29 endophytic fungal isolates belonging to 16 different species were isolated from Withania root segments. Preliminary screening for antibacterial agents against common pathogenic bacteria led to isolation six endophytic fungi viz, F.semitectum, F.avenaceum, Fusarium sp, F.oxysporum, Aspergillus sp and F. redolens. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the extracts ranged in concentrations 21-78µg/ml. Endophytic isolate Fusarium solani also possessed immunomodulatory role and bioactive compounds in its the ethyl acetate extract were analysed by GC-MS. Based on its antibacterial and immunomodulatory potential, Fusarium solani w...
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Surfactant toxicity, remediation and associated research are often treated lightly compared to various other environmental problems, especially in various developing countries. Mostly this neglect to environmental pollutants mainly... more
Surfactant toxicity, remediation and associated research are often treated lightly compared to various other environmental problems, especially in various developing countries. Mostly this neglect to environmental pollutants mainly resides in its silent prevalence from household to almost all industries man comes across. We remain quite unaware of the impact of this accumulating toxicant on our daily life; affecting the entire series of the food chain and the environment. Yet to avoid surfactant use is not possible, in any point of view. Thus awareness on the safe use, disposal and remediation of surfactants gains relevance. A detailed account on the various methodologies in surfactant research is provided in this chapter, which could help biologists to evaluate the levels of surfactants in their environment. This chapter also provides concise information on the bioremediation studies of two most widely applied anionic surfactants SDS and LAS using different bacteria isolated from d...
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Research Interests: Microbiology, Chemistry, Environmental microbiology, Medicine, Antibiotic Resistance, and 15 moreBiodegradation, Environmental Sciences, Plasmids, Methylene Blue, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, CHEMICAL SCIENCES, Contaminated soil, Anionic Surfactant, Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, Elevated Temperature, Plasmid, Acridine Orange, Pulmonary Surfactant, Ethidium bromide, and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate
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Shell waste produced by the sea food industry is one of the most important problems contributing significant environmental and health hazards. The most frequent method employed for its disposal is burning which becomes environmentally... more
Shell waste produced by the sea food industry is one of the most important problems contributing significant environmental and health hazards. The most frequent method employed for its disposal is burning which becomes environmentally costly due to low burning capacity of shells. In such a scenario, conversion of Shrimp shell waste to chitosan a commercially valuable product with a myriad of uses, could serve as an effective mode of shell remediation. Chitosan was obtained from shrimp shell waste by deproteination, demineralisation, decolourization and deacetylation processes. It was characterized using FT-IR, SEM and XRD. The physiochemical parameters like moisture content, pH, viscosity, residue on ignition, degree of deacetylation and solubility was also analysed. Results: Crude chitin was collected from shell of Penaeus monodon which was then processed to obtain chitosan. The chitosan yield was found to be 46%. Chitosan obtained had 5% moisture content, pH of 8 and 85% degree of...
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The chapter reviews the fermentation-based production of industrially important enzymes from food waste (FW). Nearly one-third of the food produced globally is wasted and poses serious problems regarding its disposal. A number of dumping... more
The chapter reviews the fermentation-based production of industrially important enzymes from food waste (FW). Nearly one-third of the food produced globally is wasted and poses serious problems regarding its disposal. A number of dumping systems have been developed in the nations worldwide which has later become a threat to the environment. This problem is both of an environmental and economic concern. Recent developments in the area have revealed the application of bioremediation as the best way to dispose food waste. Composting and anaerobic digestion of the organic waste are gaining importance for the better use of household-level waste rather than just dumping it in landfill sites. This chapter focuses mainly on the different types of FW, its disposal techniques, optimization of the fermentation process for the production of different industrially valued enzymes like amylases, cellulases, pectinases, proteases, phytases, and a few others using a wide range of microorganisms from...
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The growing industrial development and concomitant efforts to protect mother Earth from alleviating pollution levels has greatly demanded the use and disposal of milder chemicals and xenobiotics. Of the widely used xenobiotics,... more
The growing industrial development and concomitant efforts to protect mother Earth from alleviating pollution levels has greatly demanded the use and disposal of milder chemicals and xenobiotics. Of the widely used xenobiotics, surfactants have an increasing market demand due to its prevalent role in pharmaceutical preparations, food industry as well as almost all foaming products. The use of biosurfactants in place of chemical surfactants has gained momentum owing to the low toxicity, higher biodegradability and better environmental compatibility of biosurfactants. The current review outlays the various biosurfactants produced and their significance in various industries. An outline of the various biosynthetic pathways, challenges and advancements in the synthesis of the two mostly used biologically synthesised biosurfactants—rhamnolipids and sophorolipids has been discussed.
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Abstract Detergents play a prominent role in various sectors of life from household to industry including a vast majority of synthetic entities. However, their indiscriminate use, unwise disposal, and concerns for environmental health... more
Abstract Detergents play a prominent role in various sectors of life from household to industry including a vast majority of synthetic entities. However, their indiscriminate use, unwise disposal, and concerns for environmental health have directed considerable research in the area of biosurfactants. Such biologically derived (plant or microbial) surfactants have promising properties of high biodegradability, eco-friendliness, stable surfactant properties, etc. The current chapter thus would like to systematically compare the industrial production of biosurfactants and synthetic detergents. The life-cycle analysis of various anionic and cationic detergents is verified critically to lay down the benefits as well as drawbacks of different surfactant synthetic systems along with the aftermaths they leave behind to the environment.
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Enzyme guided catalysis of biological reactions and their industrial synthesis is of great interest, accounting for less energy consumption, eco-friendly solutions and high substrate specificity provided by these proteins. The textile... more
Enzyme guided catalysis of biological reactions and their industrial synthesis is of great interest, accounting for less energy consumption, eco-friendly solutions and high substrate specificity provided by these proteins. The textile industry accounts for a major portion of the industrial enzymes in various steps of the desizing, bioscouring, biobleaching, stone washing and dyeing process. The current review focuses on providing the role of various enzymes utilised in the textile industry, their mechanism of action and microbial sources. Finally, the key strategies adapted to optimised production and increased yield of enzymes are also discussed
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Minerals are valuable resources gifted to man from the Mother Earth and quite often they need to be dug out from deep down with much effort to utilize them in many of our anthropogenic activities. The fascinating nature, colours as well... more
Minerals are valuable resources gifted to man from the Mother Earth and quite often they need to be dug out from deep down with much effort to utilize them in many of our anthropogenic activities. The fascinating nature, colours as well as the physicochemical properties of minerals has extended their prospective value in the synthesis of various household and industrial products. However, knowledge of the mostly explored minerals, associated products, and their hazardous nature becomes relevant to its prevalence in our daily life. The harmful effects of some minerals are mostly evident from its site of occurrence, process of mining, post mining wastes left over and even in finished products. The current review focuses to evaluate the hazardous nature of minerals, cautions associated with its mining, drastic effects on human health, and ecosystem as an eye-opener to us. Finally, the effective remedies that could be implemented in the exploration of minerals are also discussed to the best of our knowledge. Bioleaching methods of rare earth elements and copper have been discussed briefly to explain the pros and cons of biological methods over conventional chemical leaching methods.
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Abstract Green synthesis of Nanoparticles gained much momentum because of its therapeutic uses and also has environmental benefits over traditional chemical methods. The present study describes the cost-effective eco-friendly synthesis of... more
Abstract Green synthesis of Nanoparticles gained much momentum because of its therapeutic uses and also has environmental benefits over traditional chemical methods. The present study describes the cost-effective eco-friendly synthesis of Zinc oxide nanoparticles from Acorus Calamus aqueous extract widely used as medicine in the traditional ayurvedic system of Kerala. The SEM analysis shows the synthesized ZnONPs are spherical and hexagonal wurtzite in structure and it was confirmed by the XRD data. The FTIR spectra revealed the role of Chemical moieties in the formation and stabilization of ZnONPs. The Acorus Calamus ZnONPs shows promising antioxidant activity and it shed light upon the role of phenolic compounds transferred from the plant during synthesis. The in vivo application of ZnONPs was very limited in the literature. The Acorus calamus ZnONPs may expect to serve as an alternative antioxidant supplement against disorders caused by oxidative stress and infections.
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UNSTRUCTURED Covid 19 the causative agent of the current devastating pandemic has turned out to be a notorious virus to all men-irrespective of either common to scientific calibre. Attempts to combat this deadly virus are the need of the... more
UNSTRUCTURED Covid 19 the causative agent of the current devastating pandemic has turned out to be a notorious virus to all men-irrespective of either common to scientific calibre. Attempts to combat this deadly virus are the need of the hour and quite often the best way to defeat an opponent is to keenly study about its structural and propagation properties. The current paper describes briefly Covid 19 at the genomic, structural and protein level to the best of our knowledge. Furthermore, the prospects of possible drug targets that could aid in the control of this virus are also discussed.