Journal of microbiology, biotechnology and food sciences
Biofilms are matrix-enclosed microbial accretions that bind to biological or non-biological surfa... more Biofilms are matrix-enclosed microbial accretions that bind to biological or non-biological surfaces, such as stream rocks, as well as to surfaces of plants (roots) or animals (epitheliums). Accretions are often enclosed in the outer polymer layer (EPS) that the microorganism or the colonized host's defensive mechanisms may create. Biofilms are a safe mode of growth that lets cells endure in hostile surroundings and also disperses new niches to colonise. Biofilm development also occurs in a vastly diverse range of microorganisms. The biofilm formation cycle embodies a structurally complex and dynamic system that shares the characteristics of both multicellular primitive organisms and complex ecosystems. Although biofilms confer multifarious advantages to their members, such as adhesion/cohesion capabilities, mechanical properties, nutritional sources, metabolite exchange mechanism, cellular communication, defence and drug resistance (e.g. antimicrobials, antiseptics, and disinfe...
Routinely, qualitative screening for keratinolytic activity exhibited by microorganisms is carrie... more Routinely, qualitative screening for keratinolytic activity exhibited by microorganisms is carried out on feather agar medium, containing keratin as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Formation of a clear zone of keratin hydrolysis may observed directly on feather agar medium or after flooding the plates with either 5% (w/v) trichloro acetic acid (TCA) or Commassie brilliant blue dye (CBB R-250) for 30 minutes followed by destaining. The main drawback of these methods is that the hydrolyzed area is not sharply discernible which makes judgment very difficult. Hence, an improved, novel and sharply discernible plate assay method is reported herein for the detection of extracellular keratinases production by bacteria and actinomycetes. In this method, feather agar plates are flooded with Gram’s iodine, which formed a bluish black complex with keratin but not with hydrolyzed keratin, giving sharp and distinct zones around the keratinase producing microbial colonies within 3 to 5 min...
Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides in modern agriculture resulted in the development of se... more Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides in modern agriculture resulted in the development of several problems such as pesticide resistant insects, resurgences of target and non-target pests, destruction of beneficial organism like honey bee, pollinators, parasites, and predators and pesticide residues in food and fodder. Crop + dairy is the predominant cultivating framework in the country practiced by over 70 % farm households. The abundant quantity of cattle excreta consisting of dung and urine is available at rural family. In spite of that only cow dung is utilized for manure and a significant amount of urine goes waste. Cattle urine is a good source of nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorite and sulphate. The influence of organic formulations has been well recognized on fruits and vegetables while such studies on fodder crops are rarely available. Mulberry is a high biomass producing fodder crop rich in protein content. Therefore keeping in view the importa...
The honey of hive bees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera collected from different locations of Himac... more The honey of hive bees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera collected from different locations of Himachal Pradesh, India was analyzed for quality characteristics viz., pH, colour, moisture, sucrose, fructose to glucose ratio, acidity, phenols and hydrogen peroxide content. The analyzed honey was of good quality as it met the required standards of Indian and International markets. Comparative analysis confirmed that A. cerana honey had highest moisture (17.38%), OD (0.50), sucrose (3.33) and H2O2 (201.92 mg/kg) content as compared to A. mellifera honey. However, significantly highest acidity (36.32 meq/kg) and phenol content (82.40 mg/100g) was recorded for A. mellifera honey. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was perceived as an efficient tool for classifying and discriminated the tested honeys based on their analyzed physico-chemical parameters.
The goal of the present research was to ascertain the potential root endophytic fungi against Dem... more The goal of the present research was to ascertain the potential root endophytic fungi against Dematophora necatrix, Hartig, the causal pathogen of white root rot in apples; however, it has an expanded range of hosts across different fruit trees. Out of 36 endophytic fungi segregated from symptomless roots of apple, wheat, maize, marigold, cherry, and garlic plants, only 9 isolates showed inhibitory effect during preliminary screening and were further assayed under in vitro, pot, and field conditions against the white root rot pathogen/disease. Under in vitro conditions, maximum mycelial inhibition of 81.48% was obtained with the isolate Aspergillus aculeatus strain C2. Microscopic studies on interaction between fungal endophyte with hyphal tips of D. necatrix revealed various morphological abnormalities in the hyphae. In glasshouse conditions, seed treatment pursued by soil application with Crinipellis tabtim strain M8 isolate was highly effective and exhibited 93.55% disease contro...
Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 2017
The world’s increasing population and shortage of food and feed is creating an urgently for us to... more The world’s increasing population and shortage of food and feed is creating an urgently for us to look for new protein sources from waste products like keratinous waste. Poor management of these wastes has made them one of the major recalcitrant pollutants in nature. Microbial keratinases offers an economic and eco-friendly alternative for degrading and recycling keratinous waste into valuable byproducts. Diverse groups of microorganisms viz., bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes have the ability to degrade recalcitrant keratin by producing keratinase enzyme. Microbial keratinases exhibits great diversity in its biochemical properties with respect to activity and stability in various pH and temperature ranges as well as in the range of recalcitrant proteins it degrades like those present in feathers, hairs, nails, hooves etc. Owing to diverse properties and multifarious biotechnological implications, keratinases can be considered as promising biocatalysts for preparation of animal nutrients, protein supplements, leather processing, fiber modification, detergent formulation, feather meal processing for feed and fertilizer, the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and biomedical industries, and waste management. This review article presents an overview of keratin structure and composition, mechanism of microbial keratinolysis, diversity of keratinolytic microorganisms, and their potential applications in various fields.
Aim: The present study aimed to explicate the diversity and plant growth promoting (PGP) potentia... more Aim: The present study aimed to explicate the diversity and plant growth promoting (PGP) potential of actinomycetes present in the rhizosphere of an endangered medicinal plant, Arnebia euchroma. Methodology: Rhizospheric soil samples of A. euchroma collected from trans-Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh were processed for elucidating actinomycetes diversity and load by employing Standard Plate Count Technique. All recovered isolates were screened for their PGP potential using standard protocols. The potential strains were identified through 16SrRNA ribotyping and were deposited in the National Culture Collection Centre, NCMR, Pune, (India). Results: The rhizosphere of A. euchroma harboured a great deal of actinomycetes diversity (33 diverse morphotypes). Starch casein agar was best for isolating the actinomycetes. The same actinomycete isolate showed variations in their morphological features including pigments production on different isolation media. They exhibited multifarious p...
Journal of microbiology, biotechnology and food sciences
Biofilms are matrix-enclosed microbial accretions that bind to biological or non-biological surfa... more Biofilms are matrix-enclosed microbial accretions that bind to biological or non-biological surfaces, such as stream rocks, as well as to surfaces of plants (roots) or animals (epitheliums). Accretions are often enclosed in the outer polymer layer (EPS) that the microorganism or the colonized host's defensive mechanisms may create. Biofilms are a safe mode of growth that lets cells endure in hostile surroundings and also disperses new niches to colonise. Biofilm development also occurs in a vastly diverse range of microorganisms. The biofilm formation cycle embodies a structurally complex and dynamic system that shares the characteristics of both multicellular primitive organisms and complex ecosystems. Although biofilms confer multifarious advantages to their members, such as adhesion/cohesion capabilities, mechanical properties, nutritional sources, metabolite exchange mechanism, cellular communication, defence and drug resistance (e.g. antimicrobials, antiseptics, and disinfe...
Routinely, qualitative screening for keratinolytic activity exhibited by microorganisms is carrie... more Routinely, qualitative screening for keratinolytic activity exhibited by microorganisms is carried out on feather agar medium, containing keratin as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Formation of a clear zone of keratin hydrolysis may observed directly on feather agar medium or after flooding the plates with either 5% (w/v) trichloro acetic acid (TCA) or Commassie brilliant blue dye (CBB R-250) for 30 minutes followed by destaining. The main drawback of these methods is that the hydrolyzed area is not sharply discernible which makes judgment very difficult. Hence, an improved, novel and sharply discernible plate assay method is reported herein for the detection of extracellular keratinases production by bacteria and actinomycetes. In this method, feather agar plates are flooded with Gram’s iodine, which formed a bluish black complex with keratin but not with hydrolyzed keratin, giving sharp and distinct zones around the keratinase producing microbial colonies within 3 to 5 min...
Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides in modern agriculture resulted in the development of se... more Indiscriminate use of chemical pesticides in modern agriculture resulted in the development of several problems such as pesticide resistant insects, resurgences of target and non-target pests, destruction of beneficial organism like honey bee, pollinators, parasites, and predators and pesticide residues in food and fodder. Crop + dairy is the predominant cultivating framework in the country practiced by over 70 % farm households. The abundant quantity of cattle excreta consisting of dung and urine is available at rural family. In spite of that only cow dung is utilized for manure and a significant amount of urine goes waste. Cattle urine is a good source of nitrogen, phosphate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, chlorite and sulphate. The influence of organic formulations has been well recognized on fruits and vegetables while such studies on fodder crops are rarely available. Mulberry is a high biomass producing fodder crop rich in protein content. Therefore keeping in view the importa...
The honey of hive bees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera collected from different locations of Himac... more The honey of hive bees Apis cerana and Apis mellifera collected from different locations of Himachal Pradesh, India was analyzed for quality characteristics viz., pH, colour, moisture, sucrose, fructose to glucose ratio, acidity, phenols and hydrogen peroxide content. The analyzed honey was of good quality as it met the required standards of Indian and International markets. Comparative analysis confirmed that A. cerana honey had highest moisture (17.38%), OD (0.50), sucrose (3.33) and H2O2 (201.92 mg/kg) content as compared to A. mellifera honey. However, significantly highest acidity (36.32 meq/kg) and phenol content (82.40 mg/100g) was recorded for A. mellifera honey. Principal component analysis (PCA) and Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) was perceived as an efficient tool for classifying and discriminated the tested honeys based on their analyzed physico-chemical parameters.
The goal of the present research was to ascertain the potential root endophytic fungi against Dem... more The goal of the present research was to ascertain the potential root endophytic fungi against Dematophora necatrix, Hartig, the causal pathogen of white root rot in apples; however, it has an expanded range of hosts across different fruit trees. Out of 36 endophytic fungi segregated from symptomless roots of apple, wheat, maize, marigold, cherry, and garlic plants, only 9 isolates showed inhibitory effect during preliminary screening and were further assayed under in vitro, pot, and field conditions against the white root rot pathogen/disease. Under in vitro conditions, maximum mycelial inhibition of 81.48% was obtained with the isolate Aspergillus aculeatus strain C2. Microscopic studies on interaction between fungal endophyte with hyphal tips of D. necatrix revealed various morphological abnormalities in the hyphae. In glasshouse conditions, seed treatment pursued by soil application with Crinipellis tabtim strain M8 isolate was highly effective and exhibited 93.55% disease contro...
Reviews in Environmental Science and Bio/Technology, 2017
The world’s increasing population and shortage of food and feed is creating an urgently for us to... more The world’s increasing population and shortage of food and feed is creating an urgently for us to look for new protein sources from waste products like keratinous waste. Poor management of these wastes has made them one of the major recalcitrant pollutants in nature. Microbial keratinases offers an economic and eco-friendly alternative for degrading and recycling keratinous waste into valuable byproducts. Diverse groups of microorganisms viz., bacteria, fungi and actinomycetes have the ability to degrade recalcitrant keratin by producing keratinase enzyme. Microbial keratinases exhibits great diversity in its biochemical properties with respect to activity and stability in various pH and temperature ranges as well as in the range of recalcitrant proteins it degrades like those present in feathers, hairs, nails, hooves etc. Owing to diverse properties and multifarious biotechnological implications, keratinases can be considered as promising biocatalysts for preparation of animal nutrients, protein supplements, leather processing, fiber modification, detergent formulation, feather meal processing for feed and fertilizer, the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and biomedical industries, and waste management. This review article presents an overview of keratin structure and composition, mechanism of microbial keratinolysis, diversity of keratinolytic microorganisms, and their potential applications in various fields.
Aim: The present study aimed to explicate the diversity and plant growth promoting (PGP) potentia... more Aim: The present study aimed to explicate the diversity and plant growth promoting (PGP) potential of actinomycetes present in the rhizosphere of an endangered medicinal plant, Arnebia euchroma. Methodology: Rhizospheric soil samples of A. euchroma collected from trans-Himalayan region of Himachal Pradesh were processed for elucidating actinomycetes diversity and load by employing Standard Plate Count Technique. All recovered isolates were screened for their PGP potential using standard protocols. The potential strains were identified through 16SrRNA ribotyping and were deposited in the National Culture Collection Centre, NCMR, Pune, (India). Results: The rhizosphere of A. euchroma harboured a great deal of actinomycetes diversity (33 diverse morphotypes). Starch casein agar was best for isolating the actinomycetes. The same actinomycete isolate showed variations in their morphological features including pigments production on different isolation media. They exhibited multifarious p...
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