Enhanced simultaneous overlap extension-PCR by gold nanoparticles

Enhancement of Salmonella Enteritidis Detection Using Nanoparticle-Assisted Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction

Improved; fast; and specific detection of pathogens has always been of great importance; more so with the increase of human population and human interaction. In this work we investigate the application of metal oxide nanoparticles (ZnO; Fe2O3; and TiO2) in the detection of the pathogen Salmonella enteritidis using real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized; and then they were added at different concentrations to qPCR for Salmonella enteritidis detection. qPCR provides numerical data such as threshold cycle (Ct); efficiency; and DNA yield which make comparing the different tested conditions easier and more accurate. It has been observed that adding all three types of NPs at an optimum concentration 4×10−11 M for ZnO NPs, and 4×10−9 for Fe2O3 and TiO2 nanoparticles has led to increasing the efficiency of the reaction to 100% and to lowering the threshold cycle value by up to 6.6 for ZnO nanoparticles; hence increasing the DNA yield of the reaction; and lowering the detection time of the pathogen by up to 50%.

Adoptive cellular immunotherapy of tumors via effective CpG delivery to dendritic cells using dendrimer-entrapped gold nanoparticles as a gene vector

PEGylated Au DENPs ({(Au⁰)₂₅-G5·NH₂-mPEG₂₀}) are synthesized and used as a novel nonviral vector to deliver CpG to mature BMDCs for the subsequent activation of T cells for adoptive tumor immunotherapy.

Q-SNARE protein FgSyn8 plays important role in growth, DON production and pathogenicity of Fusarium graminearum

SNAREs (Soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) help intracellular vesicle trafficking and membrane fusion among eukaryotes. They are vital for growth and development of phyto-pathogenic fungi such as Fusarium graminearum which causes Fusarium Head Blight (FHB) of wheat and barley. The SNARE protein Syn8 and its homologues play many roles among different organisms. Here, we have characterized FgSyn8 in F. graminearum as a homologue of Syn8. We have integrated biochemical, microbiological and molecular genetic approaches to investigate the roles of this protein. Our results reveal that FgSyn8 is indispensable for normal vegetative growth, conidiation, conidial morphology and pathogenicity of F. graminearum. Deoxynivalenol (DON) biochemical assay reveals active participation of this protein in DON production of F. graminearum. This has further been confirmed by the production of bulbous structures among the intercalary hyphae. FgSyn8 mutant strain produced defects in perithecia formation which portrays its role in sexual reproduction. In summary, our results support that the SNARE protein FgSyn8 is required for vegetative growth, sexual reproduction, DON production and pathogenicity of F. graminearum.