Plant Biotechnology and Plant Biodiversity - Poster Presentation

Poster Presentation

"Plant Biotechnology and Plant Biodiversity"

Poster Presented at Rizvi College, Bandra, Mumbai on 9th Aug 2010

Presented by

- Nadim N. Dinani

Dept. of Biotechnology

Royal College

&

- Nishant D. Patel

Dept. of Microbiology

Royal College

Biotechnology has been providing options for better ways to improve and restore Biodiversity, at the same time not to compromise with the demands of the human population. A briefing of this concept has been exhibited in the form of a poster. 

There is a pervasive urban myth that modern biotechnology, particularly the genetically modified (GM) crops are antithetical to the conservation of biodiversity.This urban myth is being bandied out by numerous anti-GM activists around the world. Most of them are ignorant of what constitutes biodiversity, and the differences between natural biodiversity and agricultural biodiversity. Instead of getting romantic, sentimental, and politicize biodiversity, it is time to ask some dispassionate scientific questions in this contentious biotechnology and biodiversity debate: How useful is this biodiversity? What are the best ways of biodiversity conservation? Should all of it always be preserved in natural habitats or is it better preserved using modern biotechnology?

There is not a shred of credible scientific evidence to suggest modern day crops including GM crops are a threat to biodiversity either natural or on-farm agricultural biodiversity. Indian campaigners keep repeating that India is a mega-biodiversity country meaning it has a wealth of natural flora and fauna that are invaluable, in what sense nobody knows simply because Indian biodiversity has not been well studied at all. Instead, it would be a worthwhile cause if they NGOs campaign the government for funding biodiversity studies on a scientific basis using the best of modern scientific and technological tools. At least then, we will know how rich India is in its biodiversity and how useful it might be. What happens in agriculture is old varieties are replaced by newly introduced varieties from time to time all throughout the ages. That is called agricultural improvement or development. However, there is an unanimous scientific opinion that it is only human settlements-due to population explosion all over the world-that destroys natural habitats, which in turn has destroyed natural biodiversity.

When the same modern biotechnology presents technological options to prevent gene escape using gene restriction techniques, the activists dubbed them, very cleverly as the "terminator" and "traitor" technologies, and such a wonderful application of gene regulation technology was killed. There is a huge cry against GM crops by the organic lobby buttressed by all and sundry anti-biotech NGOs in India, and elsewhere that there has to be zero tolerance for mixing GM crops with organic crops. This beats all logic. Modern biotechnology including tissue culture, micro-propagation, marker assisted breeding, conventional breeding, transgenic crops, and genomics, are all quite useful for conserving and propagating biodiversity in many unique ways. Modern biotechnology is not a threat to biodiversity. On the contrary, it can be beneficially deployed to defend, conserve and propagate all forms of biodiversity. National Biodiversity Authorities and Biotechnology Regulatory Authorities should not heed to all these unscientific propaganda against biotechnology and GM crops. Instead, defend their policies based on best possible science and empirical evidence.

Microdyssey August 2010 issue - Designs and Editor incharge - Nadim Dinani

The Cover Page of the "MICRODYSSEY" Monthly Newsletter Published By ARaMB - Association of Royal Microbiologists and Biotechnologists, Royal College.


The cover page of August 2010 issue published by students of TYBSc. Biotechnology students has been displayed here.
The Newsletter focussed on Biopharma Industry and Research.

Overall editing and designing was done by Nadim Dinani , that is ME, with few suggestions from my professors and friends. The work has been created by me using only and ONLY 'MS WORD 2007' without any other designing or photo editing software.

Hope you like this issue cover page.

Copyrights Reserved - Dept of Microbiology and Biotechnology & ARaMB.

Page 2 of "MICRODYSSEY" focusing on Business related news and articles

Page 3 & 4 of "MICRODYSSEY" focusing on Research

Page 5 of "MICRODYSSEY" focusing on Career overview & Institutes for Biopharma in Mumbai



Page 6 of "MICRODYSSEY"

Machine To Remove Viruses From Blood

Cleaning Infected Blood
Biologists Develop Machine To Remove Viruses From Blood

Editor- Nadim Dinani

Ref:- Discoveries and Breakthroughs in Science by Ivanhoe

Infectious disease experts designed a machine called the hemopurifier. It works much like a dialysis machine, using thin fibers to capture and remove viruses from the blood it filters. The machine requires the drawing of blood through an artery, which is sent through a tube into the machine, then back into the body. It can treat a number of illnesses.

Every day, as many as 14,000 people are infected with HIV, the virus that leads to AIDs. There's no cure, but now a breakthrough -- a machine that could clean blood, keeping more and more people alive longer.

John Paul Wobble, the inventor of this machine himself is an HIV patient.

It is designed to mimic the natural immune response of clearing viruses and toxins before cells and organs can be infected. It is developed by infectious disease and biodefense experts. The hemopurifier works like a dialysis machine. Antibodies on these spaghetti-like fibers capture and remove viruses as blood filters through it.

Your entire circulation flows through the cartridge about once every eight minutes. The entire process takes less than a few hours. It could help patients infected with HIV, hepatitis C, as well as people with the measles, mumps and the flu. The cartridge is able to selectively capture viruses.

A larger version of the machine would be used in a hospital, but a smaller one could be taken to emergencies. It could be a life-safer against the avian flu or bio-weapons like Ebola and small pox, giving people a chance to survive a deadly attack, whether it's from a terrorist or a virus.

The hemopurifier is also a leading treatment candidate to protect United States civilian and military populations from bioterror threats and emerging pandemic threats like the bird flu and dengue fever that are untreatable with drugs and vaccines.

REMOVING VIRUSES FROM BLOOD :  The hemopurifier uses antibodies to remove viruses as blood filters through it. It is designed to filter out viruses and toxins before they attack organs. The method is very similar to dialysis, and can be used to help patients with HIV, Hepatitis C, the measles, mumps, the flu, and more. It can also begin working before doctors identify the cause of the illness.

Honey

Honey as an Antibiotic: Scientists Identify a Secret Ingredient in Honey That Kills Bacteria

Nadim Dinani

Ref:- July 2010 print edition of the FASEB Journal

The research shows that bees make a protein that they add to the honey, called defensin-1, which could one day be used to treat burns and skin infections and to develop new drugs that could combat antibiotic-resistant infections.

Honey has played a significant role is the past as a Food that does not spoil on its own. Several proposals of existence of special characteristics have been put forward to explain this phenomenon. However, the list seems not to end as scientists discover one more reason as to why honey is resistant towards bacteria besides its high sugar content character. Thus, Honey or isolated honey-derived components might be of great value for prevention and treatment of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

To make the discovery, Zaat and colleagues investigated the antibacterial activity of medical-grade honey in test tubes against a panel of antibiotic-resistant, disease-causing bacteria. They developed a method to selectively neutralize the known antibacterial factors in honey and determine their individual antibacterial contributions. Ultimately, researchers isolated the defensin-1 protein, which is part of the honey bee immune system and is added by bees to honey. After analysis, the scientists concluded that the vast majority of honey's antibacterial properties come from that protein. This information also sheds light on the inner workings of honey bee immune systems, which may one day help breeders create healthier and heartier honey bees.

immunology - T cell differentiation

T cell differentiation

Editor – Nadim Dinani

Reference – Science Daily, July 1, 2010

When does a T cell decide its particular identity?

According to biologists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), in the case of T cells - immune system cells that help destroy invading pathogens - the answer is when the cells begin expressing a particular gene called Bcl11b.

The activation of Bcl11b is a nearly perfect indicator of when cells have decided to go on the T-cell pathway. The Bcl11b gene produces what is known as a transcription factor -- a protein that controls the activity of other genes. Specifically, the gene is a repressor, which means it shuts off other genes. This is crucial for T cells, because T cells are derived from multipotent hematopoietic stem cells. These are stem cells that express a wide variety of genes and have the capacity to differentiate into a host of other blood cell types, including the various cells of the immune system.

Stem cells and their multipotent descendents follow one set of growth rules, and T cells another. Like stem cells, T cells have a remarkable ability to grow -- but as part of their T-cell-ness, they do so under incredibly strict regulation. Their growth is restricted unless certain conditions are met. The cells need to shift their growth-control rules during development; after development, because they still need to grow, the cells and their daughters need an active mechanism to make the change irreversible. Bcl11b is a long-sought part of that mechanism.

For cells that never divide again, maintaining identity is trivial. What they are at that moment is what they are forever. Once T cells mature, their abilities to keep dividing and migrating around the body also give them the opportunity to have their daughters adopt different roles in the immune system as they encounter and interact with other types of cells. Even so, their central T-cell nature remains unchanged, which means that they must have a strong sense of identity.

The conversion from T-cell precursors to actual T cells takes place in the thymus, a specialized organ located near the heart. When the future T cells move into the thymus, they are expressing a variety of genes that give them the option to become other cells, such as mast cells (which are involved in allergic reactions), killer cells (which kill cells infected by viruses), and antigen-presenting cells (which help T cells recognize targeted foreign cells).

As they enter the thymus, the organ sends molecular signals to the cells, directing them down the T-cell pathway. At this point, the Bcl11b gene gets turned on. This confirms the T cells' identity by blocking other pathways. The Bcl11b protein is also needed for the cells to make the break from their stem-cell heritage. It is like a switch that allows the cells to shut off stem-cell genes and other regulatory genes. It may be necessary to 'guard' the T cell from becoming some other type of cell.

Although it is thought that many genes are involved in the process of creating and maintaining T cells, "Bcl11b is the only regulatory gene in the whole genome to be turned on at this stage, and it is probably always active in all T cells. It is the most T-cell specific of all of the regulatory factors discovered so far. Among blood cells, this gene is only expressed in T cells. The gene is used in other cells in completely different types of tissue, such as brain and skin and mammary tissue, but that's how the body works.

When Bcl11b is not present -- as in mice genetically altered to lack the gene -- T cells don't turn out right. Indeed, T cells in individuals with T-cell leukemia have been found to lack the gene. It may make them more susceptible to the effects of radiation, because the cells don't know when to stop growing.

Milk protein content estimation

Estimation of Protein content of Milk by Formol Titration Method

Author : Nadim Dinani

Is the milk you drink rich in proteins? Is the source of milk labelled on your milk carton true? many more questions and here is an answer.

Milk is the well known single food highly rich in protein content. Besides protein it contains fats, carbohydrates, inorganic salts and vitamins. Casein is the most prominent protein constituting 80% of all the milk proteins. Among the other proteins are beta-lactoglobulin, lactalbumin, and alpha-albumin.

Although proteins are too weak to be titrated with alkali, if formalin i.e. formaldehyde gas dissolved in water, is added to neutral milk, it reacts with the amino group of amino acids present to form dimethylamino acid derivatives. Consequently the amino acids release H⁺ ion i.e. free acid. Also the carboxyl group is available for titration. The amount of acidity developed is directly proportional to the concentration of protein. The amount of acid released is estimated by titrating it against NaOH using phenolphthalein as an indicator. The colour change is from colourless to faint pink.

Calcium which is found in milk in high concentration interferes with the titration. Hence it is removed by adding saturated potassium oxalate to milk prior to the titration. This sample is neutralized with NaOH to pH 7. This volume of NaOH will not be included in the titration reading.

A blank titration using distilled water is also carried out in the same manner. Distilled water does not require Calcium elimination and thus the step can be skipped.

Protein content of milk in Gram % will be 1.7 x (Test titration reading – Blank titration reading)

Using this, source of milk can be derived. Standard values of Buffaloes’ milk, cow’s milk, and goat’s milk are 3.9, 3.4 and 3.5 respectively.

Effect of Osmotic Pressure on Growth of Micro Organisms

Basic concept of- Effect of Osmotic Pressure on Growth of Micro Organisms

by Nadim Dinani

Bacterial cells and the media, in which they are suspended, have independent osmotic concentrations – a function of substances in the solution. When a bacterial cell is placed in medium, an osmotic pressure is exerted across the semi permeable membrane that surrounds the cell.

Generally micro organisms grow best in a medium having a slightly lower osmotic concentration than the cell itself. This causes water to flow into the cell, a condition essential for diffusion of nutrient substances and for the maintenance of outward pressure (turgor), when the osmotic concentration of the medium is considerably lower than that of the cell,(a hypotonic medium)), diffusion of water into the cell is excessive, causing increased turgor. Cells not bound by a rigid wall, such as red blood cells, may burst in a medium of this kind – a phenomenon termed as plasmoptysis. In contrast, if the osmotic concentration of the medium exceeds that of the cells, the medium is said to be hypertonic with respect to the cell. In a hypertonic medium, water leaves the cell and the cytoplasmic membrane shrinks away from the rigid cell wall – a condition termed plasmolysis.

Product Sanitation - UV rays (a better option)

Author- Nadim Dinani, Dept. of Biotechnology, Royal College, Mira Road, Mumbai

Product sanitation is an important and inevitable process for most of the industries (*related to biological products). This includes the application of UV rays for the protection of foods and fruit juices (brands), treatment of pharmaceuticals and biological products (during packaging and processing), sterilization of dishes, drinking glasses, silverware and cutlery used in restaurants and other public places. 

Product sanitation has been of great concern over the years. Preservation of Food and other products at a large scale and at economical level is a task demanding time, money, space, labour, and add to the wastage. For example - Treatment of food in refrigerators to reduce odours and provide protection by the disinfection of enclosed air have been practiced. 

Treatment of meat in storage to reduce spoilage and make it less necessary to use lower temperature was required immediately, years back.  Such storage was growing uneconomical for the business involving meat storage and associated works . To prevent bacteria and molds from forming on meat in coolers and holding rooms, the temperature must be kept at 1.1 to 2.2 °C. Under such temperature, the humidity drops to about 60% with the result that meat dries, weight is reduced and some of the meat juices are lost. As meat is dehydrated, the surface darkens in colour, must be trimmed. Loss due to trimming, drying out, bacterial slime and mold may run as high as 15% for an average retail dealer .Even when germicidal tubes are used in coolers, temperature can be increased by 7.2°C which permits higher humidity which reduce dehydration and discoloration of the product. A much economical and user friendly escape to these problems are UV radiations. Amount of UV light can prevent mold from forming and reduce trimming waste. Meats may be held in storage longer, odours are minimized and mold growth can be prevented on walls, floors and ceilings.

More such techniques , have evolved over the years, which are much simpler, easier, economical and user- friendly. 

Study of amino acid producing Micro organism from soil

Study of amino acid producing Micro organism from soil

Department of Biotechnology

Royal College,

Mira Road

year 2009-2010

Studies carried out at

Laboratory of Department of Biotechnology

Royal College, Mira Road

(Affiliated to Mumbai University)

Mumbai – Maharashtra – India

Submitted By

Mr. Nadim N. Dinani

Ms. Rujuta Vaidya & Ms. Pratiksha Rao

Students of Bsc.

Department of Biotechnology

Royal College, Mira Road

Abstract

Amino acid producers are of immense industrial importance as they are capable of producing amino acid such as L-glutamate, lysine, arginine, etc. These amino acids have numerous applications in food industries, pharma companies, etc.

Soil is considered to be a rich source of a variety of micro organisms. Hence it becomes important to isolate these organisms from soil micro flora.

This was achieved by use of screening procedures which included inoculation of soil sample in M9 agar broth for achievement of desired microbes. After isolation of enriched samples on M9 agar plates, colonies were confirmed for amino acid production followed by separation and identification of the amino acid using paper chromatography. Samples were also exposed to changes in conditions of temperature and pH to observe changes in growth pattern and characteristics. Those which tested positive were further grown and analyzed for determination of concentration of amino acid they could produce. The cultures producing amino acid were then subjected to UV radiation at different time intervals to introduce mutation and once again the yield was seen. Amino acid producers obtained can thus be used in industries to produce amino acid in large quantities.

Amino acid for synthetic applications serve as peptide hormones and growth factors, immunologic antigens, enzyme substrates, receptors and ligands, chemical drugs, bioactive peptides for research, drug discovery, pesticides, artificial sweetners, etc.

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Strain Development of Amino Acid Producers

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