Isolation and Characterization of Lectin from the Artist's Conk Medicinal Mushroom, Ganoderma applanatum (Agaricomycetes), and Evaluation of Its Antiproliferative Activity in HT-29 Colon Cancer Cells

The growth and lectin production of Ganoderma applanatum, a white rot fungus, was optimized in broth cultures. The fungus was found to have a higher growth rate and higher lectin activity when grown in a medium adjusted to pH 6.5 at 26°C under stationary conditions. Expression of lectin activity started in 5-day-old mycelial culture; maximum activity was expressed after the 15th day of incubation. Among the various carbon and nitrogen sources tested, the carbon source sucrose and the nitrogen source yeast extract support maximum growth and lectin production. Lectin from G. applanatum was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation and ion exchange chromatography. The purified fraction revealed a single band with a molecular weight of 35.0 kDa. Moreover, carbohydrates such as mannitol, glucose, sucrose, maltose, mannose, galactose, sorbose, and fructose were found to inhibit the hemagglutinating activity of the lectin. The purified lectins from G. applanatum contain cytotoxic and proapoptotic activities against HT-29 colon adenocarcinoma cells.

Influence of Fe-Doping on the Structural, Morphological, Optical, Magnetic and Antibacterial Effect of ZnO Nanostructures

Pure and Fe-doped ZnO nanostructures with different weight ratios (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 at wt% of Fe) were successfully synthesized by a facile microwave combustion method using urea as a fuel. The detailed structural characterization was performed by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), high resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy and vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM). XRD patterns refined by the Rietveld method indicated that Fe-doped ZnO have a single pure phase with wurtzite structure, suggesting that Fe ions are successfully incorporated into ZnO crystal lattice by occupying Zn ionic sites. Interestingly, the morphology was found to change substantially from grains to nanoflakes and then into nanorods with the variation of Fe-content. The optical band gap estimated using DRS was found to be red-shifted from 3.220 eV for the pure ZnO nanostructures, then decreases up to 3.200 eV with increasing Fe-content. Magnetic studies showed that Fe-doped ZnO nanostructures exhibit room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM) and the saturation magnetization attained a maximum value of 8.154 x 10(-3) emu/g for the highest Fe-content. The antibacterial activity of pure and Fe-doped ZnO nanostructures against a Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria was investigated. Pure ZnO and Fe-doped ZnO exhibited antibacterial activity, but it was considerably more effective in the 1.5 wt% Fe-doped ZnO nanostructures.

Phyto mediated biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles using leaf extract of Andrographis echioides and its bio-efficacy on anticancer and antibacterial activities

The present study reveals the efficiency of Andrographis echioides for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The leaf aqueous extract of A. echioides was used for the synthesis of AgNPs and they were characterized by UV-visible, High Resonance Scanning Electron Microscope (HRSEM), Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDX), Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. The toxicity of AgNPs was evaluated by using MTT assay. Our present study showed that biosynthesized AgNPs inhibited proliferation of human breast adenocarcinoma cancer cell line (MCF-7) with 31.5 μg/mL at 24h incubation. Results suggest that AgNPs may exert its anticancer activity on MCF-7 cell line by suppressing its growth. The silver nanoparticles was studied against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The highest antibacterial activity was found against Escherichia coli (28 mm) and Staphylococcus aureus (23 mm) respectively.

Optimization of extracellular glucan production from Pleurotus eryngii and its impact on angiogenesis

Pleurotus eryngii, an edible mushroom with therapeutic potential was optimized using response surface methodology of four-factor Box-Behnken design for maximum mycelial biomass and extracellular glucan (EPS) production. The model predicts to gain a maximal mycelial biomass and extracellular polysaccharide at 39.4 g/l; 36.04 g/l of glucose, 8.27 g/l; 7.51 g/l of yeast extract, pH 6.99; 7.07 and temperature 26.2°C; 25.84°C, respectively. The validation experiments showed that the model was significant and in close agreement with the model prediction. The evaluation of extracellular polysaccharide on angiogenesis by ex vivo CAM assay showed that there was significant inhibition in neo-vascularization.

Electrochemical, catalytic and antimicrobial activity of N-functionalized tetraazamacrocyclic binuclear nickel(II) complexes

The five binuclear nickel(II) complexes have been synthesized by the Schiff base condensation of 1,8-[bis(3-formyl-2-hydroxy-5-methyl)benzyl]-l,4,8,11-tetraazacyclo-tetradecane (PC) with appropriate aliphatic diamines and nickel(II) perchlorate. All the five complexes were characterized by elemental and spectral analysis. The electronic spectra of the complexes show three d-d transition in the range of 550-1055 nm due to 3A2g→3T2g(F), 3A2g→3T1g(F) and 3A2g→3T1g(P). These spin allowed electronic transitions are characteristic of an octahedral Ni2+ center. Electrochemical studies of the complexes show two irreversible one electron reduction waves at cathodic region. The reduction potential of the complexes shifts towards anodically upon increasing the chain length of the macrocyclic ring. All the nickel(II) complexes show two irreversible one electron oxidation waves at anodic region. The oxidation potential of the complexes shift towards anodically upon increasing the chain length of the macrocyclic ring. The catalytic activities of the complexes were observed to be increase with increase the macrocyclic ring size. The observed rate constant values for the catalytic hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl phosphate are in the range of 5.85×10(-3) to 9.14×10(-3) min(-1). All the complexes were screened for antimicrobial activity.