L-asparaginase (ASNase) is the principal chemotherapeutic agent against different blood cancers. The risks associated with current clinical preparations demand screening for novel ASNases. Accordingly, the study was conducted to shortlist ASNases having clinically safer profiles from a novel niche, namely, microbes in the gut and hemolymph of apparently healthy Scylla serrata. A four-step strategic approach incorporating the essential requirements for clinically safer profiles was followed. The initial step through plate assay showed five (9.61%) potential ASNase producers. The relative prevalence of ASNase producers was higher in hemolymph (13.33%) than gut (4.5%). The positive isolates were identified as Priestia aryabhattai, Priestia megaterium, Bacillus altitudinis, Shewanella decolorationis, and Chryseomicrobium amylolyticum. Quantitative profiles revealed high ASNase production (114.29 to 287.36 U/mL) without any optimization, with an added advantage of the extracellular production. The second step for substrate specificity studies revealed the absence of L-glutaminase and urease activities in ASNases from C. amylolyticum and P. megaterium, the most desirable properties for safe clinical applications. This is the first report of glutaminase and urease-free ASNase from these two bacteria. The third step ensured type II nature of selected ASNases, the targeted form in clinical applications. The fourth step confirmed the activity and stability in human physiological conditions. Altogether, the results revealed two potential ASNases with clinically compatible profiles.
- MeSH
- Asparaginase MeSH
- Bacteria genetics MeSH
- Glutaminase MeSH
- Hemolymph MeSH
- Brachyura * MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Antineoplastic Agents * therapeutic use MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Current scenario of bio-nanotechnology, successfully fabrication of ultrafine titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) using various biological protein sources for the multipurpose targets. The present research report involves synthesis of TiO2NPs using antimicrobial peptide (AMP) crustin (Cr). Crustin previously purified from the blue crab, Portunus pelagicus haemolymph, by blue Sepharose CL-6B matrix assisted affinity column chromatography. Synthesized Cr-TiO2NPs was physico-chemically characterized by UV-Visible spectroscopy (UV-Visible), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and zeta potential examination. X-ray diffraction analysis for crystalline nature and phase identification of titanium dioxide nanoparticles was absorbed. Functional groups were found through FTIR ranges between 1620 and 1700 cm-1. HR-TEM analysis showed that the synthesized Cr-TiO2NPs tetragonal shape and sizes ranging from 10 to 50 nm. Finally, the surface charge of the Cr-TiO2NPs was confirmed through zeta potential analysis. Furthermore, the characterized Cr-TiO2NPs exhibited good biofilm inhibition against GPB - S. mutans (Gram Positive Bacteria- Streptococcus mutans), GNB - P. vulgaris (Gram Negative Bacteria- Proteus vulgaris) and fungal Candida albicans. Moreover, photocatalysis demonstrated that the Cr-TiO2NPs was effectively explored the degradation of dyes. The results suggest that Cr-TiO2NPs is an excellent bactericidal, fungicidal and photocatalytic agent that can be supportively used for biomedical and industrial applications.
- MeSH
- Anti-Infective Agents chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Biofilms MeSH
- Candida albicans drug effects MeSH
- Culicidae MeSH
- Photochemical Processes * MeSH
- Insecticides chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Catalysis MeSH
- Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides chemistry pharmacology MeSH
- Brachyura chemistry MeSH
- Larva drug effects MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Molecular Structure MeSH
- Nanocapsules chemistry MeSH
- Proteus vulgaris drug effects MeSH
- Streptococcus mutans drug effects MeSH
- Light MeSH
- Titanium chemistry MeSH
- Drug Liberation MeSH
- Cell Survival drug effects MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
Here we describe a new species of Xiphonectes A. Milne-Edwards, 1873 (Brachyura: Portunidae) from southern Madagascar. Xiphonectes aculeatus sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to X. latibrachium (Rathbun, 1906) from Hawaii, and X. paralatibrachium Crosnier, 2002, from the Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia. All three species have a carapace with six anterolateral teeth, a long spine on the inner dorsal margin of the cheliped carpus, and a produced, flattened, anterior region on the third maxilliped merus. Among these species, Xiphonectes aculeatus sp. nov. is easily distinguished by the acutely produced posterodistal angle on the meri of its swimming legs, dorsal and marginal structures on its carapace, and most notably, the shape of its frontal teeth.
A new species of the portunid genus, Monomia Gistel, 1848, is described from the South China Sea in Vietnam. Monomia lucida sp. nov. is morphologically most similar to M. argentata (A. Milne-Edwards, 1861), which was originally described from Sarawak, on the island of Borneo. In addition to the stout, forward-directed anterolateral teeth of the carapace, the subrectangular sixth segment of the male pleon, and the long and slender laterally bent first gonopods, adults of the new species reach a greater size, and can also be distinguished from M. argentata by the colour pattern on the natatory dactylus. The independent specific status of M. lucida sp. nov. is also supported by molecular evidence. Aside from a comparison of this new species with other known congeners, new photographs of the holotype of M. samoensis (Ward, 1939) are also provided.
A new species of portunid crab (Brachyura: Portunidae) from southern Madagascar and central Philippines is described. Monomia calla sp. nov. is most similar in morphology to M. lecromi (Moosa, 1996) from the Chesterfield Islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, and M. rubromarginata (Lanchester, 1900) from the South China Sea, Singapore, Malay Archipelago and the northern half of Australia. The new species can be easily distinguished from all congeners by the distinctive morphology of the male first gonopod. The number of species of the Indo-West Pacific genus Monomia now stands at 12.
- MeSH
- Animal Structures anatomy & histology growth & development MeSH
- Brachyura anatomy & histology classification growth & development MeSH
- Animal Distribution MeSH
- Organ Size MeSH
- Body Size MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Geographicals
- Philippines MeSH
- Madagascar MeSH
A parasitic nematode from the stomach of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica Temminck et Schlegel in western Japan, previously identified as Heliconema longissimum (Ortlepp, 1922), was morphologically re-examined and compared with the previous descriptions. In addition, the third-stage larva of this nematode is described, based on the specimens of encapsuled larvae found in musculature of two crabs, Hemigrapsus sp. and Perisesarma bidens (De Haan), caught from the upper-intertidal zone of the same locality. As a result of the morphological observation, seven pairs of postcloacal papillae in adult males are confirmed. This matches with the character of H. longissimum, but the shape of the fifth postcloacal papillae differs between the present material and H. longissimum; the former possesses pedunculate papillae in the fifth pair whereas the latter has sessile papillae. Since the pedunculate papillae can be found in the original description and the syntype specimens of H. anguillae Yamaguti, 1935 that has been synonymised with H. longissimum, we thus here resurrect H. anguillae as an accepted species. For the life-cycle of the present nematode, littoral crabs, including the two infected species, are likely to be the source of infections for Japanese eels, acting as intermediate hosts.
- MeSH
- Anguilla * parasitology MeSH
- Nematoda * classification growth & development ultrastructure MeSH
- Host Specificity MeSH
- Brachyura parasitology MeSH
- Microscopy, Electron, Scanning MeSH
- Microscopy MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't MeSH
- Geographicals
- Japan MeSH
The present study describes the anatomy and surface topography of the metacercaria of Microphallusprimas (Jägerskiöld, 1909) infecting the shore crab Carcinus maenas (L.) in Aveiro estuary, northern Portugal. The metacercaria species identification resulted from the combined use of morphological and molecular data, particularly the 28S rDNA gene. The metacercariae encysted preferentially in the host's hepatopancreas and also in the gonads. Isolated cysts were present in two distinct forms, spherical and oval, and were shown to be the identical species by the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) sequence. Chemically excysted metacercariae were studied by light (LM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Their specific characteristics observed include the particular aspect of the vesiculo-prostatic pouch surrounded by a very thin membrane, the presence of a prominent muscular papilla, and an obvious metraterm. The dorsal and ventral tegumental surfaces of the metacercaria were densely packed with similar squamous spines, which decreased in number and size towards the hindbody. The edges of the posterior and ventral face of the body were coated with numerous microvilli, whose function remains unknown. In order to identify the species of metacercariae, we compared a 28S partial rDNA sequence of the two forms of cysts with the same 28S partial region of M. primas available in GenBank. With this comparison, we determined that the sequences had a 100% similarity and therefore belonged to the same species, i.e., M. primas.
- MeSH
- DNA, Helminth chemistry MeSH
- Financing, Organized MeSH
- Brachyura parasitology MeSH
- Larva genetics growth & development ultrastructure MeSH
- Metacercariae genetics growth & development ultrastructure MeSH
- DNA, Ribosomal Spacer genetics MeSH
- Microscopy, Electron, Scanning MeSH
- Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
- DNA, Ribosomal chemistry MeSH
- Base Sequence MeSH
- Sequence Analysis, DNA MeSH
- Trematoda genetics classification growth & development ultrastructure MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Male MeSH
- Female MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Geographicals
- Portugal MeSH
Spiroplasma eriocheiris caused massive mortality of Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis but little is known about the molecular characteristics of this microorganism. We described here the identification of a spiralin-like protein (SLP31) from S. eriocheiris and expression in Escherichia coli. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence revealed that the clone has an open reading frame of 837 bp encoding a protein of 279 amino acids. Theoretical isoelectric point and molar mass for SLP31 are 7.72 and 31 kDa, respectively. The similarity of SLP31 deduced amino acid sequence shared with the spiralin from other species indicated that the gene may be a member of spiralin family. The TGA codon in Spiroplasma serves not as a stop signal but as a code for the amino acid tryptophan. After cloning the SLP31, the gene was site-mutated from TGA to TGG and transcribed in E. coli to full expression of SLP31. The purified recombinant protein was used to determine the immune reactivity by Western blotting which suggests that SLP31 could be a good antigen for immunodiagnostic of tremor disease in E. sinensis.
- MeSH
- Antigens, Bacterial MeSH
- Bacteriological Techniques methods MeSH
- DNA, Bacterial genetics chemistry MeSH
- Escherichia coli genetics MeSH
- Financing, Organized MeSH
- Phylogeny MeSH
- Immunoassay methods MeSH
- Isoelectric Point MeSH
- Cloning, Molecular MeSH
- Brachyura microbiology MeSH
- Molecular Sequence Data MeSH
- Molecular Weight MeSH
- Open Reading Frames MeSH
- Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins MeSH
- Amino Acid Sequence MeSH
- Base Sequence MeSH
- Sequence Analysis, DNA MeSH
- Sequence Homology MeSH
- Cluster Analysis MeSH
- Spiroplasma genetics immunology isolation & purification MeSH
- Blotting, Western MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Geographicals
- China MeSH
A new species, Paramarteilia canceri sp. n., is described using light and electron microscopy from the edible crab Cancer pagurus L. captured from the English Channel. No external symptoms were noted, although infected animals were typically lethargic and unresponsive to external stimuli. Organs of infected animals were shrunken and collapsed compared with apparently healthy individuals. Although the infection was systemic, marked host responses were only noted in the hepatopancreas where the parasite induced a pronounced haemocytic infi ltration. Prevalence of infection throughout the study was 1.1%, with a maximum monthly prevalence of 3%. The intracellular parasite was typically 15 µm in length and composed of a primary cell containing up to three secondary cells derived by internal cleavage. Each secondary cell contains two bicellular spores. The parasite is readily differentiated from the other described paramyxean species by a combination of the number of secondary and tertiary cells. In light of this new discovery, a revision of the order Paramyxida Chatton, 1911 is proposed based upon comparison to the original descriptions of this parasite group in various species of invertebrate hosts. The proposed classifi cation is based on the number of cells within the spores (tertiary cells), so that only three genera remain within the order, namely Marteilia Grizel, Comps, Bonami, Cousserans, Duthoit et Le Pennec, 1974, Paramarteilia Ginsburger-Vogel et Desportes, 1979 and Paramyxa Chatton, 1911. Subsequent discrimination of species is based on a combination of the number of secondary cells within the primary cell and the number of tertiary cells within secondary cells. It is proposed that the genus Marteilioides Comps, Park et Desportes, 1986 is suppressed and the type species of the genus, M. chungmuensis Comps, Park et Desportes, 1986, is transferred to Marteilia and that the other representative of the genus, M. branchialis Anderson et Lester, 1992, is transferred to Paramarteilia. Further, Paramyxoides Larsson et Koie, 2005 is considered as a junior synonym of Paramyxa and its type and only species, Paramyxoides nephtys Larsson et Koie, 2005, is transferred to Paramyxa.
- MeSH
- Research Support as Topic MeSH
- Nematoda classification parasitology MeSH
- Brachyura parasitology MeSH
- Nematode Infections parasitology MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Animals MeSH
- Geographicals
- New Zealand MeSH
