Journal of Bioprocessing & Biotechniques

This paper presents a feasible practice of matching exercise and eating patterns for a healthy and relaxed life style. Quality harmonized rate and extent of eating and physical activity is the only working economical major step to prevent diseases namely cancer towards a quality life. Such harmonies must be established preferably on a circadian basis.

Alpha amylase production using microbial source and solid state fermentation has been conducted for past few years in search of thermostable enzyme. Owing to the prolific use of thermostable alpha amylase in various industries like paper, food, detergent, brewing and starch liquefaction process, the production of alpha amylase is still going on. In the present work, Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633) has been utilized for generation of alpha amylase followed by optimization of the fermentation media. Change in fermentation conditions like fermentation hour, temperature, inoculums size, nitrogen and sugar sources have pivotal role to enhance alpha amylase yield. The thermal, pH and detergent stability of partially purified alpha amylase have been tested and compared with purified porcine pancreatic amylase. The result is encouraging with approximate 80% retention of alpha amylase activity comparable to purified porcine pancreatic amylase in presence of drastic condition of temperature (60°C), pH (6-11) and detergents. This makes it apt for use in various industries like detergent, food and paper industries.

Bioactivity of magnesium fluorapatite is basically affected by the amount of dissolved β-TCP in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF). It was the purpose of the current work to prepare and characterize magnesium fluorapatite with different amounts of alumina, and to investigate the effect of alumina amount on magnesium fluorapatite (MFA) bioactivity and mechanical properties. Magnesium fluorapatite/alumina composite bulk samples with different amounts of alumina were synthesized via mechanochemical activation (by high-energy ball milling process) followed by two-step sintering processes using Taguchi method and analysis of variance (ANOVA). While, variable parameters include: initial temperature (T1), second temperature (T2) and dwell time (t2). In vitro bioactivity evaluation was performed by soaking the prepared samples in Simulated Body Fluid (SBF) for predicted period of times. In order to characterize the samples, identify the formed bone like-apatite, and determine the concentration amount of released ions in the SBF, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, scanning electron microscopy, inductively-coupled plasma, and spectrometry techniques were utilized. The results indicated that the MFA/alumina composites with various amounts of alumina showed more bioactivity in SBF due to higher dissolution of β-TCP.

Much attention has been devoted to melamine (MA) analysis in food products in accordance with the food safety standards. Aptamer-based analytical techniques thrived with the improvements in latest tools, analytical reagents and methods and most importantly iterative in vitro selection process known as systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX). Aptamer-based techniques possess very high affinity and specificity towards contaminants and play a pivotal role in MA detection. However, success depends on the starting aptamer, selection of appropriate nanoparticle, target molecule(s) and characterization of advances in aptamer selection, strategies of preparing, treating the nanoparticles analytical system methods. Current review has focused to elaborate the key recent innovation in aptamer-based dual system construction for MA detection. We have also highlighted the promising types of aptamer-conjugated nanomaterial for the specific recognition of some other potential adulterants and food hazards. Finally, we proposed future directives in developing novel aptamer and further condition optimizations that could give high-throughput food-safety analysis method and melamine “zero tolerance” towards food safety incidents.

Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) is well known for their role in signal transduction and protein function. Together with its inhibitors 1 and 2, it regulates wide variety of cellular activities. We have amplified catalytic subunit of PP1 (PP1c) and its inhibitors 1 (I-1) and 2 (I-2) from dog cardiac mRNA by rt-PCR and cloned into bacterial expression vector pCRT7. Cloned genes were expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) pLysS by IPTG induction. Functional positive clones were identified by western blotting of bacterial lysate and polymerase chain reaction. Double transformed bacterial cells were also generated by transforming PP1c clone with either I-1 or I-2. Activity of PP1 was analyzed in whole bacterial lysate by measuring dephosphorylation of phos b. Activities of inhibitors were analyzed by their capability to inhibit PP1 from dephosphorylation of phos b. Our findings indicate differential regulation of PP1 by I-1 and I-2. Both expressed recombinant inhibitors 1 and 2 have high potency for inhibition of PP1 activity. Interestingly, I-2 co-expression caused increase in PP1c expression but no change in expression was observed when co-expressed with I-1.

For the study of biogas production by anaerobic digestion of lignocellulose substrate, it was designed an experiment in which the quantity of gas released by the anaerobic hydrogen producing bacteria was measured. The experiment aimed to highlight the differences occurred in the quantity and composition of the gas provided in 5 consecutive experiments conducted in similar conditions. The experimental data were processed and it was analysed the timeline evolution of the gas production rate of which kinetic was numerically modelled by several three-parameter logistic functions. Even being a preliminary study, it is innovative because it combines experiment with simulation and it proved two mathematical models, based on Gompertz and logistic functions. It was found that the anaerobic digestion process with hydrogen production has a sigmoid dependence on time.

Any microbial process requires a reliable source of culture stock that is reproducible, viable and taxonomically determined and also preserved without changes in genetic and phenotypic traits. Here we have described most effective and reproducible method for preservation of bacterial spores on filter disc at -20°C, 4°C and RT for use in laboratory for microbial process. The filter disc is used as base to support the spores inside the tiny holes. The filter paper discs are dipped into the medium after the spore phase growth of microorganisms. The whatman filter wet discs are dried at 55-60°C till they are completely dry. The viability of discs stored at room temperature and -20°C were checked at 3, 4, 6 and 2 month intervals. This is cost effective technique. In absence of preservative, the viability of the cultures were checked on liquid medium and monitored for the production of the biomolecules such as cellulase. These techniques could be used for other bacterial spore species.