NISCAIR Online Periodicals Repository Community: IJBT Vol.08 [2009]

Retroviral vectors and gene therapy: An update

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Retroviral vectors and gene therapy: An update

Authors: Maurya, S K; Srivastava, Sushant; Joshi, R K

Abstract: Gene therapy aims at treatment of diseases by transfer of genetic material into specific cells of a patient. So the transduction of appropriate target cell is critical. Retroviruses infect nearly every cell in the target population and become integrated in host cell genome for a stable expression. All retroviruses have only three structural genes gag, pol and env, except for lentiviruses where two other genes tat, rev and four accessory genes are required (vif, vpu, nif, vpr). There are two components of retroviral vector system—i) Packaging cell lines, which provide the products of gag, pol & env genes but are unable to package itself as they lack the sequence, and ii) retroviral vectors where gag, pol and env are deleted but sequence along with LTR is present. Several other types of vectors are also described.

Page(s): 349-357

Isolation of morphovariants through plant regeneration in Agrobacterium rhizogenes induced hairy root cultures of Plumbago rosea L.

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Isolation of morphovariants through plant regeneration in Agrobacterium rhizogenes induced hairy root cultures of Plumbago rosea L.

Authors: Satheeshkumar, K; Jose, Binoy; Soniya, E V; Seeni, S

Abstract: In vitro raised shoots of Plumbago rosea L. were infected with A4 strain of Agrobacterium rhizogenes to initiate hairy root formation, which produced 3.0±0.33 hairy roots per incision on explants in 20 d incubation. Southern blot analysis confirmed the integration of T-DNA into the genome of the roots. The hairy roots were cultured on MS agar medium supplemented with 2.0 mg/L BAP to induce the formation of shoots (3.2±0.24) of 0.2-0.4 cm length in 7-8 wks. Isolated shoots were multiplied through sub culturing in the presence of 0.5 mg/L BAP and the resultant shoots were subjected to combined elongation (3.29±0.16 cm) and rooting (12.6±0.57) in a medium supplemented with 0.1 mg/L IBA. The rooted plants were invariably abnormal with short internodes and wrinkled leaves showing 34.5% establishment in 2 months after transplantation in polybags and rearing under 75% sunlight in a shade house. Out of 38 plants transferred to the field, 20 (52.6%) survived and grew over 10-month period to reveal variations in morphological and growth characters. The growth of all the hairy root-derived plants was slow to varied extent, 13 among them retaining actively growing hairy roots and shoots having short internodes and expanded leaves, one with emerging normal shoot and a tuberous root in the midst of the abnormal shoot and hairy roots and the rest with hairy roots as well as 1-2 normal roots and abnormal shoots having wrinkled leaves. The biomass production ability of the transformed plants contributed by foliage and root characters was poor compared to plants raised from the nodal explants of normal shoot cultures. Southern blot analysis of DNA further confirmed the presence of bacterial T-DNA in these established plants in the field after 10 months. The demonstrated hairy root regeneration system including field establishment of the plants may be useful for scoring new variations especially in non-seed setting P. rosea.

Page(s): 435-441

Studies on microbial transformation of albendazole by soil fungi

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Studies on microbial transformation of albendazole by soil fungi

Authors: Prasad, G Shyam; Girisham, S; Reddy, S M

Abstract: Soil enrichment technique was followed to isolate the fungi capable of performing biotransformation of albendazole. Among the 5 fungi isolated, Aspergillus fumigatus, A. niger and Penicillium chrysogenum could transform albendazole to one metabolite and Fusarium moniliforme could transform albendazole to two metabolites. The transformation was confirmed by HPLC. Based on LC-MS-MS analysis, the metabolites formed were predicted to be albendazole sulfoxide and albendazole sulfone. The results support that the soil enrichment is a promising technique for isolation of fungi with industrial applicability, viz. production of active metabolites from drugs.

Page(s): 425-429

Cost-effective fermentative production of calcium lactate using BISS (below Indian standard sugar) and Spirulina hydrolysate

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:58:59 GMT

Title: Cost-effective fermentative production of calcium lactate using BISS (below Indian standard sugar) and Spirulina hydrolysate

Authors: Yadav, A K; Chaudhari, A B; Kothari, R M

Abstract: Batch fermentation of BISS (below Indian standard sugar) in combination with Spirulina hydrolysate (SH) has been successfully explored at 50 L scale to replace costly glucose and yeast extract (YE) medium as a source of complex nutrients to produce calcium lactate economically by using Lactobacillus delbruckii. This has led to optimization of a protocol for cost-effective production of calcium lactate. Reduction in duration of fermentation has potential to provide additional benefits of (i) more batches per unit capital investment and time, (ii) less consumption of utilities, and (iii) higher output per unit labour cost.

Page(s): 418-424