|
A Study on the Cultural Characteristics
of Fusarium spp., Causing
Mycotic Keratitis in South India
-- C S Shobana, K Panneerselvam, P Manikandan,
M
Brinda,
I Anitha,
P Amsaveni,
A K Lakkumi Venmal, L Galgóczy
and R Rajendran
A total of 180 samples from infected cornea were obtained between September 2008 and August 2009 from a tertiary care
eye hospital in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Out of the 180 corneal samples, 77 were found to be positive for the presence of
gram positive cocci, gram positive rods and gram negative rods. Fungal mycelia were observed in 103 samples by direct
microscopic examination using KOH wet mount. The isolates were subjected to the examination of colony morphology, KOH and LCB
wet mount for the identification of fungal genera. Out of the 103 isolates analyzed, 60, 32 and 11 isolates were identified as Fusarium spp., Aspergillus spp., and Curvularia spp., respectively. Growth and pigmentation pattern were analyzed in Potato Dextrose
Agar (PDA), Sabouraud's Dextrose Agar (SDA), Oatmeal Agar (OMA), Water Agar (WA), Potassium Chloride Agar (KCL) and
Carnation Leaf piece Agar (CLA), among which OMA and SDA proved to be the suitable media for the growth, and enhanced
pigmentation was observed in SDA plates.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Solid State Fermentation and Characterization
of Alkalophilic and Thermophilic Mannanase from Streptomyces sp. PG-08-03
-- Preeti Bhoria, Gursharan Singh,
Joginder Ram
Sharma
and Gurinder Singh Hoondal
Streptomyces sp. PG-08-3 was isolated from the desert of Rajasthan, India. Pure culture of this organism produced 500 and
250 Umg_1 of alkalo-thermostable mannanase (after 100 h) in Solid State Fermentation (SSF) of wheat bran and kraft pulp at
the moisture ratio of 1:1.5 and 1:3 respectively. Ammonium sulphate saturated mannanase was optimally active at 75 °C and
was 100% thermostable at 55 °C for 120 min and also retained more than 50% residual activity at 75 °C for 60 min. pH 8.5
was optimum for the enzyme activity and stable at pH range of 6.0-9.5 at 37 °C for 60 min. Enzyme activity was enhanced to 40%
and 38% by 1 mM Ca2+ and
Fe3+ respectively. Mannanase showed more than 80% and ~60% activity at 4 M NaCl and 3 M urea
after 60 min at 37 °C . The Km and Vmax of mannanase were 0.83
mgmL_1 and 1.33
Umg_1mL_1 respectively. Hydrolysis of locust
bean gum to mannanase was maximally (400
µgmL_1) obtained after 30 min of catalytic reaction by mannanase at 75 °C .
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Quantifying the Health of Shrimp Culture Ponds in
Indian Sundarbans
-- Banani Mandal and Arunava Mukherjee
In West Bengal, especially in the southern districts, aquaculture is dominated by prawn culture. So during the three months
of culture period, from March to June 2006, the water quality was monitored in ten shrimp ponds distributed in 10 different
zones. To analyze the present status, Aquatic Health Index (AHI) was evaluated by using the data of the selected ponds. The lower
value of the index reflects the deteriorated condition of the culture ponds due to poor quality of source water, whereas the
congenial environment for shrimp culture is indicated by higher index values. The lower value of AHI at Stn 1, Stn 8, Stn 5 and Stn 2
may be attributed to the proximity of these stations to Kulti lock gate, which receives huge quantum of untreated sewage
and wastewater from the city of Kolkata. Stn 10, Stn 9 and Stn 6 offer a favorable water quality environment for shrimp culture
being far away from the city and situated within mangrove-dominated Indian Sundarbans. Moreover, the use of the formulated feed
in these ponds has upgraded the water quality parameters of the ponds, which has been reflected through higher AHI values.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Regulatory Role of Adrenaline on G6PDH Activity in
Liver Tissue of Common Indian Toad, Bufo melanostictus
-- S Behera, P K Dixit, G K Panigrahy and H N
Behera
Adrenaline caused significant inhibition of G6PDH activity in vivo in the liver of toads at two different dose levels (20
mg or 40 mg/g body weight). The degree of decrease in the enzyme activity was dependent on the dose of the hormone administered. In vitro treatment of adrenaline to liver homogenates stimulated the activity of the enzyme G6PDH at both doses. The degree
of enhancement in enzyme activity at both doses was to the same extent and not dose-dependent. The total protein content in
liver homogenates of adrenaline-treated toads did not show any significant change. The results are explained in the light of both
modes of adrenaline action: in vitro stimulation of enzyme activity appeared to be through activation of adenyl cyclase and in vivo inhibition might well be mediated secondarily through enhancement of glucagon secretion.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Changes in Chlorophyll, Specific Leaf Mass and
Nitrogen Content of Wheat Flag Leaf During Post-Anthesis
Growth Stages Under Heat-Stressed Environment
-- M Mohi-Ud-Din, J U Ahmed and T Hossain
A field study was conducted with two wheat cultivars, viz., a relatively heat tolerant (HT) Kanchan and a heat sensitive (HS)
Sonora to compare heat stress tolerance in terms of flag leaf senescence and mobilization of flag leaf nitrogen to developing kernel.
The results clearly revealed that Sonora reached the highest reduction rate of flag leaf chlorophyll at the period of 16-20 Days
After Anthesis (DAA), i.e., 5 days earlier than Kanchan. The early attainment of the peak of reduction rate of flag leaf chlorophyll
in Sonora indicated early onset of flag leaf senescence under post-anthesis heat-stressed environment. Due to heat stress,
Sonora showed higher and significant reduction in specific leaf mass (SLM) from 20 DAA and that continued until maturity which
was absent in Kanchan. Faster loss of flag leaf nitrogen occurred simultaneously with higher gain of kernel nitrogen in Sonora
under heat-stressed environment, compared to Kanchan. This might happen in response to higher demand of nitrogen in the
developing kernel in Sonora, compared to Kanchan. Wider variation in flag leaf and kernel nitrogen between HT and HS cultivars suggest
that under heat-stressed environment there was high demand of nitrogen in kernel in general, and higher demand in HS cultivars,
in specific.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
A Study on Soil Enzymes from Fly Ash
Treated Fields
-- J Shanthi and V Devika
The present study reports the treatment with fly ash to red lateritic soil. There is some increase in the nutrient uptake,
growth and yield of crop. Various parameters like nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, organic carbon and soil enzyme activities of
amylase, cellulase, phosphatase and dehydrogenase were found to be maximum in fly ash treated soil sample. This is due to the
application of fly ash to soil, whereas the untreated soil showed a decline in the nutrient content and enzyme activities.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
Bioremediation Potential of Five Distinctive Microorganisms to Municipality Waste Effluent
-- Ashok Kumar, B S Bisht and V D Joshi
The study was carried out to compare the potential of E. coli, Bacillus spp., Pseudomonas spp., Xanthomonas spp. and Streptomyces spp. by observing different water quality parameters over a time period of 30 days of each test.
Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) was observed to be as much as three times of
Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) in raw effluent. Maximum BOD and
COD reduction was by Pseudomonas spp. (79% and 72%) and minimum by Bacillus spp. (45%). BOD and COD reductions were
found to be 70%, 65%; 60%, 57%; and 59%, 55% by E. coli, Xanthomonas spp. and Streptomyces spp. respectively. The reduction
in nitrate and phosphate was observed as 75% and 68% by Pseudomonas spp., 67% and 55% by E.
coli, 65% and 62% by Xanthomonas spp., and 62% and 57% by Streptomyces spp. The least reduction was recorded in the case of Bacillus spp. The study concluded that Pseudomonas spp. was the most potential bioremediating agent.
© 2011 IUP. All Rights Reserved.
| 
