scholarly journals Morphology, Protein Profile and the Level of Infestation of Bedbugs (Hempitera: Cimicidae) in the Halls of Residence of a Higher Institution in Lagos.

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 96-104
Author(s):  
K A Kemabonta ◽  
M O Ajiboye

Morphology, protein profile and the level of Bedbug infestations were carried out at a University in Lagos, Nigeria after an outcry of high infestation by the students in halls of residence. Three bedbugswere each collected from nine halls of residence for morphological characterization of adults and to carry out protein profile analysis usingSodium Dodecyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Coomassie staining method. Level of infestation of Bedbugs was carried out in two female halls A and Busing blood smeared on the walls. All bedbugs found were Cimex hemipterus. 29.8% of the rooms in Hall Bhad no bedbug infestation, 23.9%, 20.2%, 15.4% and 10.6% had low, average, high and very high levels of bedbug infestation respectively while in A hall, it was 21.4%, 30.5%, 24.4%, 14.5% and 9.2% respectively. In A hall, 4.6%, 16.8% and 0.8% had one, two and three out of the four mattresses in the room infested with bedbugs respectively while 56.5% had all the four mattresses infested with bedbugs. In B hall, 1.6%, 16.0% and 0% had one, two and three mattresses infested with bedbugs respectively while the remaining 52.7% had all the four mattresses in the room infested with bedbugs. There was a significant relationship between the level of infestation and the number of mattresses infested in each hall (P < 0.01).The protein profile analysis of bedbugs did not show the protein bands clearly because of the low soluble protein content of Cimex hemipterus and the detection limit of Coomassie stain.

2016 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 213
Author(s):  
Deby Kania Tri Putri ◽  
Indah Listiana Kriswandini ◽  
Muhammad Luthfi

Background: Dental caries is a major problem in oral cavity. If dental caries causes cavity, the structure of dental hard tissue will not be reversible because of damage in the structure of the hard tissue. The early pathogenesis mechanism of dental caries is an adhesion interaction between cariogenic Streptococcus mutans microorganisms and tooth surface pellicles. The attachment involves a specific molecular component interaction between the bacterial complement molecules and the surface of the host. Streptococcus sanguis as a dominant ecology at the beginning of bacterial plaque aggregation will colonize the tooth surface earlier than S. mutans. The surface of bacterial cells can express some adesin. The bacteria also can express receptors for adhesins of other bacteria. Specific receptors for adhesions of S. Mutans bacteria are not only found in the pellicles, but also present in pioneer bacteria, such as S. sanguis. Adhesion between those bacteria is called as coagregation. Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the characterization of Streptococcus sanguis molecular receptors for Streptococcus mutans binding molecules. Method: This study used a sonication method for protein isolation of S. mutans and S. sanguis bacterial biofilms, as well as electrophoresis method using 12 % SDS-PAGE gel and Western Blot analysis. Result: Results of the protein profile analysis of S. mutans biofilms using 12% SDS-PAGE showed that there were 17 bands, each of which molecular weights was 212, 140, 81, 65, 61, 48, 45, 44, 40, 39, 33 , 25, 23, 19, 17, 12, and 11 kDa. On the other hand, results of the protein profile analysis of S. sanguis biofilms using 12% SDS-PAGE showed that there were 15 bands, each of which molecular weight was 130, 85, 65, 61, 48, 46, 40, 37, 29, 25, 23, 21, 17, 15, and 12 kDa. And, results of the analysis of S. sanguis receptor molecules using Western blot showed that there were three bands, each of which molecular weight was 130, 85, and 40 kDa. Conclusion: S. sanguis bacteria have specific receptor molecules for S. mutans bacteria with the molecular weight of 130, 85, and 40 kDa.


Author(s):  
Preeti Anand ◽  
Jay Prakash Pandey ◽  
Dev Mani Pandey

Abstract Background Cocoonase is a proteolytic enzyme that helps in dissolving the silk cocoon shell and exit of silk moth. Chemicals like anhydrous Na2CO3, Marseille soap, soda, ethylene diamine and tartaric acid-based degumming of silk cocoon shell have been in practice. During this process, solubility of sericin protein increased resulting in the release of sericin from the fibroin protein of the silk. However, this process diminishes natural color and softness of the silk. Cocoonase enzyme digests the sericin protein of silk at the anterior portion of the cocoon without disturbing the silk fibroin. However, no thorough characterization of cocoonase and sericin protein as well as imaging analysis of chemical- and enzyme-treated silk sheets has been carried out so far. Therefore, present study aimed for detailed characterization of cocoonase and sericin proteins, phylogenetic analysis, secondary and tertiary structure prediction, and computational validation as well as their interaction with other proteins. Further, identification of tasar silkworm (Antheraea mylitta) pupa stage for cocoonase collection, its purification and effect on silk sheet degumming, scanning electron microscope (SEM)-based comparison of chemical- and enzyme-treated cocoon sheets, and its optical coherence tomography (OCT)-based imaging analysis have been investigated. Various computational tools like Molecular Evolutionary Genetics Analysis (MEGA) X and Figtree, Iterative Threading Assembly Refinement (I-TASSER), self-optimized predicted method with alignment (SOPMA), PROCHECK, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) Chimera, and Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) were used for characterization of cocoonase and sericin proteins. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), protein purification using Sephadex G 25-column, degumming of cocoon sheet using cocoonase enzyme and chemical Na2CO3, and SEM and OCT analysis of degummed cocoon sheet were performed. Results Predicted normalized B-factors of cocoonase and sericin with respect to α and β regions showed that these regions are structurally more stable in cocoonase while less stable in sericin. Conserved domain analysis revealed that B. mori cocoonase contains a trypsin-like serine protease with active site range 45 to 180 query sequences while substrate binding site from 175 to 200 query sequences. SDS-PAGE analysis of cocoonase indicated its molecular weight of 25–26 kDa. Na2CO3 treatment showed more degumming effect (i.e., cocoon sheet weight loss) as compared to degumming with cocoonase. However, cocoonase-treated silk cocoon sheet holds the natural color of tasar silk, smoothness, and luster compared with the cocoon sheet treated with Na2CO3. SEM-based analysis showed the noticeable variation on the surface of silk fiber treated with cocoonase and Na2CO3. OCT analysis also exemplified the variations in the cross-sectional view of the cocoonase and Na2CO3-treated silk sheets. Conclusions Present study enlightens on the detailed characteristics of cocoonase and sericin proteins, comparative degumming activity, and image analysis of cocoonase enzyme and Na2CO3 chemical-treated silk sheets. Obtained findings illustrated about use of cocoonase enzyme in the degumming of silk cocoon at larger scale that will be a boon to the silk industry.


2000 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 252-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katsuichi Saito ◽  
Kazuya Kondo ◽  
Ichiro Kojima ◽  
Atsushi Yokota ◽  
Fusao Tomita

ABSTRACT Streptomyces exfoliatus F3-2 produced an extracellular enzyme that converted levan, a β-2,6-linked fructan, into levanbiose. The enzyme was purified 50-fold from culture supernatant to give a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). The molecular weights of this enzyme were 54,000 by SDS-PAGE and 60,000 by gel filtration, suggesting the monomeric structure of the enzyme. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was determined to be 4.7. The optimal pH and temperature of the enzyme for levan degradation were pH 5.5 and 60°C, respectively. The enzyme was stable in the pH range 3.5 to 8.0 and also up to 50°C. The enzyme gave levanbiose as a major degradation product from levan in an exo-acting manner. It was also found that this enzyme catalyzed hydrolysis of such fructooligosaccharides as 1-kestose, nystose, and 1-fructosylnystose by liberating fructose. Thus, this enzyme appeared to hydrolyze not only β-2,6-linkage of levan, but also β-2,1-linkage of fructooligosaccharides. From these data, the enzyme from S. exfoliatus F3-2 was identified as a novel 2,6-β-d-fructan 6-levanbiohydrolase (EC 3.2.1.64 ).


1999 ◽  
Vol 181 (1) ◽  
pp. 91-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hisayo Ono ◽  
Kazuhisa Sawada ◽  
Nonpanga Khunajakr ◽  
Tao Tao ◽  
Mihoko Yamamoto ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT 1,4,5,6-Tetrahydro-2-methyl-4-pyrimidinecarboxylic acid (ectoine) is an excellent osmoprotectant. The biosynthetic pathway of ectoine from aspartic β-semialdehyde (ASA), in Halomonas elongata, was elucidated by purification and characterization of each enzyme involved. 2,4-Diaminobutyrate (DABA) aminotransferase catalyzed reversively the first step of the pathway, conversion of ASA to DABA by transamination with l-glutamate. This enzyme required pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and potassium ions for its activity and stability. The gel filtration estimated an apparent molecular mass of 260 kDa, whereas molecular mass measured by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) was 44 kDa. This enzyme exhibited an optimum pH of 8.6 and an optimum temperature of 25°C and had Km s of 9.1 mM forl-glutamate and 4.5 mM for dl-ASA. DABA acetyltransferase catalyzed acetylation of DABA to γ-N-acetyl-α,γ-diaminobutyric acid (ADABA) with acetyl coenzyme A and exhibited an optimum pH of 8.2 and an optimum temperature of 20°C in the presence of 0.4 M NaCl. The molecular mass was 45 kDa by gel filtration. Ectoine synthase catalyzed circularization of ADABA to ectoine and exhibited an optimum pH of 8.5 to 9.0 and an optimum temperature of 15°C in the presence of 0.5 M NaCl. This enzyme had an apparent molecular mass of 19 kDa by SDS-PAGE and a Km of 8.4 mM in the presence of 0.77 M NaCl. DABA acetyltransferase and ectoine synthase were stabilized in the presence of NaCl (>2 M) and DABA (100 mM) at temperatures below 30°C.


2004 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. de O. Rodrigues ◽  
J. F. Höfling ◽  
F. C. A. Tavares ◽  
K. M. R. Duarte ◽  
R. B. Gonçalves ◽  
...  

The purpose of this work was to evaluate biochemical and serological methods to characterize and identify Candida species from the oral cavity. The strains used were five Candida species previously identified: C. albicans, C. guilliermondii, C. parapsilosis, C. krusei, C. tropicalis, and Kluyveromyces marxianus, as a negative control. The analyses were conducted through the SDS-PAGE associated with statistical analysis using software, chromogenic medium, and CHROMagar Candida (CA), as a differential medium for the isolation and presumptive identification of clinically important yeasts and an enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA), using antisera produced against antigens from two C. albicans strains. This method enabled the screening of the three Candida species: C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. Krusei, with 100% of specificity. The ELISA using purified immunoglobulin G showed a high level of cross-reaction against protein extracts of Candida species. The SDS-PAGE method allowed the clustering of species-specific isolates using the Simple Matching coefficient, S SM = 1.0. The protein profile analysis by SDS-PAGE increases what is known about the taxonomic relationships among oral yeasts. This methodology showed good reproducibility and allows collection of useful information for numerical analysis on information relevant to clinical application, and epidemiological and systematical studies.


2014 ◽  
Vol 104 (5) ◽  
pp. 639-651 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.T. Oh ◽  
J.H. Epler ◽  
C.S. Bentivegna

AbstractStudying aquatic benthic macroinvertebrates (BMIs) in the field requires accurate taxonomic identification, which can be difficult and time consuming. Conventionally, head capsule morphology has been used to identify wild larvae of Chironomidae. However, due to the number of species and possible damage and/or deformity of their head capsules, another supporting approach for identification is needed. Here, we provide hemoglobin (Hb) protein in hemolymph of chironomids as a new biomarker that may help resolve some of the ambiguities and difficulties encountered during taxonomic identification. Chironomids collected from two locations in Maine and New Jersey, USA were identified to the genus level and in some cases to the species-level using head capsule and body morphologies. The head capsule for a particular individual was then associated with a corresponding Hb protein profile generated from sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE). Distinct Hb profiles were observed from one group (Thienemannimyia) and four genera (Chironomus, Cricotopus, Dicrotendipes, and Glyptotendipes) of chironomids. Several species were polymorphic, having more than one Hb profile and/or having bands of the same size as those of other species. However, major bands and the combination of bands could distinguish individuals at the genus and sometimes species-level. Overall, this study showed that Hb profiles can be used in combination with head capsule morphology to identify wild chironomids.


2009 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 117-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Vujanovic ◽  
S. Vidovic ◽  
M. R. Fernandez ◽  
P. Daida ◽  
D. Korber

A total of 91 isolates of Fusarium avenaceum were regrouped into 15 phenotypes and 10 vegetative compatibility groups showing specific one-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (1-D SDS–PAGE) protein profiles and less-specific internal transcribed spacer rDNA profiles. Each isolate possessed reproducible signature protein bands. Indeed, the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic averages clustering revealed that the protein profile of each group of isolates correlated with fungus virulence. The use of SDS–PAGE offers a simple and sensitive technique for routine differentiation between pathogenic and nonpathogenic isolates within unknown F. avenaceum populations. The discovery has significant implications for risk assessment of cereal yield to ensure food and feed safety. This low-cost approach has the potential to be optimized and extended to a broad spectrum of Fusarium head blight pathogens.


2000 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 113-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANTONIA GARCÍA-RUIZ ◽  
ROSINA LÓPEZ-FANDIÑO ◽  
LUCIDIA LOZADA ◽  
JAVIER FONTECHA ◽  
MARÍA J. FRAGA ◽  
...  

The last few years have seen a number of advances in the understanding of genetic polymorphisms of caprine caseins, and especially in molecular characterization of the allelic variants and analysis of their frequencies in Spanish and other breeds (Grosclaude et al. 1994; Jordana et al. 1996). Although more is being discovered about the influence of these polymorphisms on the yield and characteristics of cheeses (Remeuf, 1993; Pirisi et al. 1994), little work has been done on the quantitation of different casein fractions of goats' milk throughout lactation. Measurements have been made using SDS-PAGE (Quiles et al. 1990) and cation- exchange FPLC (Brown et al. 1995), and Recio et al. (1997a) have demonstrated the potential of capillary electrophoresis (CE) for the analysis and quantitation of milk proteins. Use of CE has resulted in the development of rapid automated analysis with very high resolution, requiring very small sample and buffer volumes and with a significantly reduced amount of solvent waste.The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of herd and milking period on the contents of the various nitrogen and casein fractions, the latter being determined by CE, in milk from goats of the Murciana-Granadina breed.


1983 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 129-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fraser E. Ashton ◽  
J. Alan Ryan ◽  
Colina Jones ◽  
Bernard R. Brodeur ◽  
Benito B. Diena

The distribution of serotypes among strains of Neisseria meningitidis responsible for a marked increase of meningitis cases in the Hamilton area, Ontario, in 1978 and 1979 was determined. Twenty-six serogroup B and two serogroup W135 strains isolated from cerebrospinal fluid, blood, and skin of 28 patients were serotyped by agar gel double diffusion. Twenty-one (81 %) of the group B strains were serotype 2b as judged by the formation of characteristic serotype precipitin bands with the specific anti-2996 (type 2b) serum. Fourteen of the serotype 2b strains also reacted with anti-77252 serum, which suggested that one strain or several closely related strains were mainly responsible for the increase in meningitis during the 2-year period. Examination of the outer membrane complexes (OMC) of the strains by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS–PAGE) revealed that all 21 of the serotype 2b strains contained the class 2 protein (molecular weight 41 500) which is known to be the site of the serotype 2b determinant. Further characterization of the serotype 2b,77252 strains by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and SDS–PAGE suggested that the 77252 determinant was present in the class 1 proteins of these strains. The serotype 2b containing strains were isolated from 77.7 and 70% of males and females, respectively, from 81.8% of children less than 5 years of age, and from 75.0% of patients of all age groups. The study indicates the important role of serotype 2b meningococci in causing the increased incidence of meningitis and further substantiates the important association of the serotype 2b determinant with group B serotype 2 meningococcal disease in Canada.


1983 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 1361-1368 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas P. Poirier ◽  
Stanley C. Holt

Capnocytophaga ochracea acid (AcP; EC 3.1.3.2) and alkaline (AlP; EC 3.1.3.1) phosphatase was isolated by Ribi cell disruption and purified by sodium dodecyl sulphate – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS–PAGE.) Both phosphatases eluted from Sephadex G-150 consistent with molecular weights (migration) of 140 000 and 110 000. SDS–PAGE demonstrated a 72 000 and 55 000 subunit molecular migration for AcP and AlP, respectively. The kinetics of activity of purified AcP and AIP on p-nitrophenol phosphate and phosphoseryl residues of the phosphoproteins are presented.


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