02410nas a2200337 4500008004100000022001400041245011600055210006900171260009200240300001200332490000700344520123200351653002701583653002301610653001401633653001601647653002501663653001101688653002701699653001301726100002801739700002201767700002101789700002001810700002401830700002301854700002201877700002001899700002601919856012701945 2008 eng d a0958-315700aComparison of Metarhizium isolates for biocontrol of helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera : Noctuidae) in chickpea0 aComparison of Metarhizium isolates for biocontrol of helicoverpa a4 PARK SQUARE, MILTON PARK, ABINGDON OX14 4RN, OXON, ENGLANDbTAYLOR & FRANCIS LTDcFEB a809-8280 v183 a

Metarhizium isolates from soil (53) and insect hosts (10) were evaluated for extracellular production of cuticle degrading enzyme (CDE) activities such as chitinase, chitin deacetylase (CDA), chitosanase, protease and lipase. Regression analysis demonstrated the relation of CDE activities with Helicoverpa armigera mortality. On basis of this relation, ten isolates were selected for further evaluation. Subsequently, based on LT(50) of the 10 isolates towards H. armigera, five isolates were selected. Out of these five isolates, three were selected on the basis of higher conidia production (60-75 g/kg rice), faster sedimentation time (ST(50)) (2.3-2.65 h in 0.1% (w/v) Tween 80) and lower LC(50) (1.4- 5.7 x 10(3) conidia/mL) against H. armigera. Finally, three Metarhizium isolates were selected for the molecular fingerprinting using ITS sequencing and RAPD patterning. All three isolates, M34412, M34311 and M81123, showed comparable RAPD patterns with a 935G primer. These were further evaluated for their field performance against H. armigera in a chickpea crop. The percent efficacies with the three Metarhizium isolates were from 65 to 72%, which was comparable to the chemical insecticide, endosulfan (74%).

10aappressorium formation10achitin deacetylase10achitinase10achitosanase10aHelicoverpa armigera10aLipase10aMetarhizium anisopliae10aProtease1 aKulkarni, Shuklangi, A.1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aKulkarni, Girish1 aKapoor, Manisha1 aChavan, Santosh, B.1 aRajendran, Armugam1 aPatil, Sanjay, K.1 aShouche, Yogesh1 aDeshpande, Mukund, V. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/comparison-metarhizium-isolates-biocontrol-helicoverpa-armigera-lepidoptera-noctuidae-000864nas a2200205 4500008004100000022001400041245015700055210006900212260007300281300001200354490000700366100002600373700002800399700002200427700002000449700002400469700002000493700002000513856012500533 2009 eng d a1871-678400aDevelopment of mycoinsecticide for the control of insect pests: comparative evaluation of metarhizium isolates to identify strains for commercialization0 aDevelopment of mycoinsecticide for the control of insect pests c aPO BOX 211, 1000 AE AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDSbELSEVIER SCIENCE BVcSEP aS88-S890 v251 aDeshpande, Mukund, V.1 aKulkarni, Shuklangi, A.1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aKapoor, Manisha1 aChavan, Santosh, B.1 aKulkarni, Grish1 aShouche, Yogesh uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/development-mycoinsecticide-control-insect-pests-comparative-evaluation-metarhizium-002411nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245008700055210006900142260009000211300001200301490000700313520145800320653002201778653001901800653001801819653001601837100002001853700001701873700002101890700001901911700002201930700002401952700002001976700002601996856011102022 2009 eng d a0740-002000aNatural yeast flora of different varieties of grapes used for wine making in India0 aNatural yeast flora of different varieties of grapes used for wi a24-28 OVAL RD, LONDON NW1 7DX, ENGLANDbACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTDcDEC a801-8080 v263 a

The natural Saccharomyces and non-Saccharomyces yeast flora present on the grape berries significantly affect wine production. Six grape varieties, Bangalore blue, Zinfandel, Cabernet, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz are being used in India for wine making. The yeast diversity was studied on the basis of morphological, colony, physiological characteristics and 5.8S-ITS sequencing of rDNA of the isolates. Eleven different species belonging to seven genera were identified as: Candida azyma, Candida quercitrusa, Debaryomyces hansenii, Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Hanseniaspora viniae, Hanseniaspora uvarum. Issatchenkia orientalis, Issatchenkia terricola, Pichia membranifaciens, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Zygoascus steatolyticus. H. guilliermondii was the predominant species while S. cerevisiae was observed occasionally in the six vine varieties. For the first time, C. azyma was isolated from Bangalore blue and Cabernet varieties grown in different localities. This association may be attributed to the change in cropping pattern from sugarcane to viticulture in the vine growing regions and the known association of C. azyma with sugarcane phylloplane. Further analysis of the indigenous strains and the qualitative and quantitative changes in the flora during fermentation will be useful to understand wine quality and to design preservation strategies to control wine spoilage. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10a5.8S-ITS sequence10aIdentification10aPhysiological10aWine yeasts1 aChavan, Pradnya1 aMane, Sarika1 aKulkarni, Girish1 aShaikh, Shamim1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aNerkar, Devidas, P.1 aShouche, Yogesh1 aDeshpande, Mukund, V. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/natural-yeast-flora-different-varieties-grapes-used-wine-making-india-002016nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245011600055210006900171260009900240300001400339490000800353520100300361653002801364653001501392653001701407653003201424100001801456700002201474700001401496700001701510700001601527700002101543700002101564700002601585856012701611 2010 eng d a0960-852400aFlocculation of dimorphic yeast benjaminiella poitrasii is altered by modulation of NAD-glutamate dehydrogenase0 aFlocculation of dimorphic yeast benjaminiella poitrasii is alter aTHE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, OXON, ENGLANDbELSEVIER SCI LTDcFEB a1393-13950 v1013 a

A strategy to control flocculation is investigated using dimorphic yeast, Benjaminiella poitrasii as a model. Parent form of this yeast (Y) exhibited faster flocculation (11.1 min) than the monomorphic yeast form mutant Y-5 (12.6 min). Atomic force microscopy revealed higher surface roughness of Y (439.34 rms) than Y-5 (52 rms). Also, the former had a zeta potential of -65.97 +/- 3.45 as against -50.21 +/- 2.49 for the latter. Flocculation of both Y and Y-5 could be altered by supplementing either substrates or inhibitor of NAD-glutamate dehydrogenase (NAD-GDH) in the growth media. The rate of flocculation was promoted by alpha-ketoglutarate or isophthalic acid and decelerated by glutamate with a statistically significant inverse correlation to corresponding NAD-GDH levels. These interesting findings open up new possibilities of using NAD-GDH modulating agents to control flocculation in fermentations for easier downstream processing. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

10aBenjaminiella poitrasii10adimorphism10aflocculation10aNAD-glutamate dehydrogenase1 aJoshi, C., V.1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aKunde, P.1 aKulkarni, P.1 aMamgain, H.1 aBhat, Suresh, K.1 aPaknikar, K., M.1 aDeshpande, Mukund, V. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/flocculation-dimorphic-yeast-benjaminiella-poitrasii-altered-modulation-nad-glutamate-002152nas a2200289 4500008004100000022001400041245008300055210006900138260010600207300001200313490000700325520117200332653001801504653001801522653002401540653001501564653002101579653001801600653001601618653001301634653001501647653001301662100002201675700002601697700002601723856011301749 2011 eng d a0734-975000aPerspectives for nano-biotechnology enabled protection and nutrition of plants0 aPerspectives for nanobiotechnology enabled protection and nutrit aTHE BOULEVARD, LANGFORD LANE, KIDLINGTON, OXFORD OX5 1GB, ENGLANDbPERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTDcNOV a792-8030 v293 a

Indiscriminate use of pesticides and fertilizers causes environmental pollution, emergence of agricultural pests and pathogens, and loss of biodiversity. Nanotechnology, by virtue of nanomaterial related properties, has potential agro-biotechnological applications for alleviation of these problems. The literature pertaining to the role of nanotechnology in plant and soil systems demonstrates that nanomaterials may assist in a) the controlled release of agrochemicals for nutrition and protection against pests and pathogens, b) delivery of genetic material, c) sensitive detection of plant disease and pollutants and d) protection and formation of soil structure. For instance, porous silica (15 nm) and biodegradable, polymeric chitosan (78 nm) nanoparticles displayed slow release of encapsulated pesticide and fertilizer, respectively. Further, nanosized gold (5-25 nm) delivered DNA to plant cells while iron oxide (30 nm) based nanosensors detected pesticides at minute levels. These functions assist the development of precision farming by minimizing pollution and maximizing the value of farming practice. (C) 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

10aBiofertilizer10aBiopesticides10aControlled delivery10aFertilizer10aGenetic material10aNanomaterials10aNanosensors10aPathogen10aPesticides10aResidues1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aDeshpande, Mukund, V.1 aPaknikar, Kishore, M. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/perspectives-nano-biotechnology-enabled-protection-and-nutrition-plants-002563nas a2200265 4500008004100000022001400041245013200055210006900187260000900256300001000265490000700275520167700282653001801959653001501977653002201992653002702014653001302041100002202054700002102076700001602097700002402113700001702137700002202154856012102176 2015 eng d a0920-506300aFluorescent cadmium telluride quantum dots embedded chitosan nanoparticles: a stable, biocompatible preparation for bio-imaging0 aFluorescent cadmium telluride quantum dots embedded chitosan nan cJAN  a42-560 v263 a

Fluorescent cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs) are an optically attractive option for bioimaging, but are known to display high cytotoxicity. Nanoparticles synthesized from chitosan, a natural biopolymer of beta 1-4 linked glucosamine, display good biocompatibility and cellular uptake. A facile, green synthetic strategy has been developed to embed green fluorescent cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdTe QDs) in biocompatible CNPs to obtain a safer preparation than `as is' QDs. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed the crystal lattice corresponding to CdTe QDs embedded in CNPs while thermogravimetry confirmed their polymeric composition. Electrostatic interactions between thiol-capped QDs (4nm, -57mV) and CNPs (\~300nm, +38mV) generated CdTe QDs-embedded CNPs that were stable up to three months. Further, viability of NIH3T3 mouse fibroblast cells in vitro increased in presence of QDs-embedded CNPs as compared to bare QDs. At the highest concentration (10 mu g/ml), the former shows 34 and 39% increase in viability at 24 and 48h, respectively, as compared to the latter. This shows that chitosan nanoparticles do not release the QDs up to 48h and do not cause extended toxicity. Furthermore, hydrolytic enzymes such as lysozyme and chitinase did not degrade chitosan nanoparticles. Moreover, QDs-embedded CNPs show enhanced internalization in NIH3T3 cells as compared to bare QDs. This method offers ease of synthesis and handling of stable, luminescent, biocompatible CdTe QDs-embedded CNPs with a favorable toxicity profile and better cellular uptake with potential for bioimaging and targeted detection of cellular components.

10aBiocompatible10abioimaging10aCdTe quantum dots10achitosan nanoparticles10aToxicity1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aGholap, Haribhau1 aKale, Sonia1 aKulkarni, Vaishnavi1 aBhat, Suresh1 aPaknikar, Kishore uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/fluorescent-cadmium-telluride-quantum-dots-embedded-chitosan-nanoparticles-stable02212nas a2200181 4500008004100000245013800041210006900179260000800248300001200256490000800268520152300276100002801799700002101827700001801848700002201866700002201888856012001910 2016 eng d00aRadio-frequency triggered heating and drug release using doxorubicin-loaded LSMO nanoparticles for bimodal treatment of breast cancer0 aRadiofrequency triggered heating and drug release using doxorubi cSEP a878-8900 v1453 aRadio-frequency responsive nanomaterials combined with drugs for simultaneous hyperthermia and drug delivery are potential anti-cancer agents. In this study, chitosan coated La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 nanoparticles (C-LSMO NPs) were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction, dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infra red spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer, scanning electron and atomic force microscopy, Under low radio-frequency (365 kHz, RF), C-LSMO NPs (90 nm) showed good colloidal stability (+22 mV), superparamagnetic nature (15.4 emu/g) and heating capacity (57.4W/g SAR value). Chitosan facilitated doxorubicin entrapment (76%) resulted in DC-LSMO NPs that showed drug release upon a 5 min RF exposure. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cancer cells responded to a 5 min RF exposure in the presence of bimodal DC-LSMO NPs with a significant decrease in viability to 73% and 88% (Pearson correlation, r = 1, P<0.01) respectively, as compared to hyperthermia alone. Internalization of DC-LSMO NPs via the endosomal pathway led to an efficient localization of doxorubicin within the cell nucleus. The ensuing DNA damage, heat shock protein induction, and caspase production triggered apoptotic cell death. Moreover, DC-LSMO NPs successfully restricted the migration of metastatic MDA-MB-231 cancer cells. These data suggest that DC-LSMO NPs are potential bimodal therapeutic agents for cancer treatment and hold promise against disease recurrence and drug resistance. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.1 aKulkarni, Vaishnavi, M.1 aBodas, Dhananjay1 aDhoble, Deepa1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aPaknikar, Kishore uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/radio-frequency-triggered-heating-and-drug-release-using-doxorubicin-loaded-lsmo01783nas a2200217 4500008004100000245012500041210006900166260000800235300001200243490000700255520097800262100001701240700002101257700001301278700002201291700002601313700004301339700002501382700002601407856013201433 2017 eng d00aOptimization for the production of mycelial biomass from Benjaminiella poitrasii to isolate highly deacetylated chitosan0 aOptimization for the production of mycelial biomass from Benjami cMAR a145-1560 v343 a

Benjaminiella poitrasii, a dimorphic zygomycetous fungus contains more chitosan in the mycelial cell wall than the cell wall of its yeast form. The optimized medium containing yeast extract, peptone, MgSO4, KH2PO4, trace metals (Fe2+, Mn2+ Zn2+ and Co2+ ) solution and 1% starch produced 10-12 g/L(dry wt.) of mycelial biomass in 48 h in a 2L fermenter. Using 1N NaOH treatment from 1 g of dried biomass 51.00 ± 0.52 mg of chitosan of 42.82 KDa molecular weight and 94.24 % degree of deacetylation was extracted. With Metarhizium anisopliae chitin deacetylase (CDA), chitosan yield was 59.00 ± 0.84 mg while treatment with CDA of B. poitrasii it was 78.05 ± 0.58 mg/g of dry wt. of biomass. The chitosan dissolved in 2% acetic acid showed higher antifungal activity against Candida albicans (MIC90 0.025 mg/mL) and Candida glabrata (MIC90 0.2 mg/mL) than chitosan extracted from marine source (MIC90 >1.6 mg/mL) suggesting use of fungal chitosan in healthcare.

1 aMane, S., R.1 aPathan, Ejaj, K.1 aKale, D.1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aGadre, Ramchandra, V.1 aRajamohanan, Pattuparambil, Ramanpilla1 aBadiger, Manohar, V.1 aDeshpande, Mukund, V. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/optimization-production-mycelial-biomass-benjaminiella-poitrasii-isolate-highly-deacetylated02010nas a2200157 4500008004100000245016400041210006900205260000800274300002900282490000700311520133300318100002101651700002201672700002601694856013201720 2017 eng d00aSelection of reference genes for quantitative real-time RT-PCR assays in different morphological forms of dimorphic zygomycetous fungus Benjaminiella poitrasii0 aSelection of reference genes for quantitative realtime RTPCR ass cJUN aArticle Number: e01794540 v123 a

Benjaminiella poitrasii, a dimorphic non-pathogenic zygomycetous fungus, exhibits a morphological yeast (Y) to hypha (H) reversible transition in the vegetative phase, sporangiospores (S) in the asexual phase and zygospores (Z) in the sexual phase. To study the gene expression across these diverse morphological forms, suitable reference genes are required. In the present study, 13 genes viz. ACT, 18S rRNA, eEF1a, eEF-Tu, eIF-1A, Tuba, Tub-b, Ubc, GAPDH, Try, WS-21, NADGDH and NADPGDH were evaluated for their potential as a reference, particularly for studying gene expression during the Y-H reversible transition and also for other asexual and sexual life stages of B. poitrasii. Analysis of RT-qPCR data using geNorm, normFinder and BestKeeper software revealed that genes such as Ubc, 18S rRNA and WS-21 were expressed at constant levels in each given subset of RNA samples from all the morphological phases of B. poitrasii. Therefore, these reference genes can be used to elucidate the role of morpho-genes in B. poitrasii. Further, use of the two most stably expressed genes (Ubc and WS-21) to normalize the expression of the ornithine decarboxylase gene (Bpodc) in different morphological forms of B. poitrasii, generated more reliable results, indicating that our selection of reference genes was appropriate.

1 aPathan, Ejaj, K.1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aDeshpande, Mukund, V. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/selection-reference-genes-quantitative-real-time-rt-pcr-assays-different-morphological-forms01639nas a2200157 4500008004100000245006100041210006100102260001300163300001000176520111400186100002101300700002201321700002201343700002601365856009001391 2019 eng d00aBiochemical and molecular aspects of dimorphism in fungi0 aBiochemical and molecular aspects of dimorphism in fungi bSpringer a69-943 aMost of the eukaryotic differentiation processes are unidirectional. However, fungi have the ability to grow reversibly as unicellular yeast (Y) or as filamentous hypha (H) in response to the specific strain-dependent environmental stimuli. Such a phenomenon known as “dimorphism” is not limited to a specific class of fungi. Most of the plant, human, and insect pathogenic fungi show Y-H and reversible morphogenesis, associated with their saprophytic to pathogenic change, for survival and proliferation in the host. In this chapter, we have described the factors stimulating dimorphism, the signal transduction pathways induced by these stimuli, changes in the gene/protein expression patterns due to a cascade of these signals, and, finally, translation of this genotypic effect into phenotypic change, i.e., the morphological outcome. The process of fungal differentiation and formation of tumor cells follow the same regulatory series of events, involving cAMP, MAP, and RAS kinase cascades. Therefore, the molecules inhibiting Y-H transition in fungi can be explored for their anticancer potential.1 aPathan, Ejaj, K.1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aPanmei, Redeemson1 aDeshpande, Mukund, V. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/biochemical-and-molecular-aspects-dimorphism-fungi04670nas a2200205 4500008004100000245011000041210006900151260000800220300001400228490000700242520391400249100002104163700002204184700002404206700002304230700003404253700002704287700002204314856012804336 2019 eng d00a Development of a nano-gold immunodiagnostic assay for rapid on-site detection of invasive aspergillosis 0 aDevelopment of a nanogold immunodiagnostic assay for rapid onsit cSEP a1341-13520 v683 a

Introduction. Timely detection of invasive aspergillosis (IA) caused by fungal pathogens, i.e. Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus, in immunocompromised patients is crucial in preventing high mortality.

Aim. To develop a simple immunoassay for the detection of galactomannan (GM), an IA biomarker.

Methodology. GM from A. fumigatus and A. flavus clinical strains was purified and characterized by X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy and C-13/H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) for polyclonal antibody (pAb) production in rabbits. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was standardized using concanavalin A to capture Aspergillus GM and pAbs to detect it. Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized and conjugated to pAbs for the development of a dot-blot immunoassay. The developed dot-blot was evaluated with 109 clinical serum and bronchoalveolar lavage samples.

Results. Spectroscopy studies characterized the D-galactofuranosyl groups of GM responsible for the immune response and generation of pAbs. The ELISA employing pAbs showed a sensitivity of 1 ng ml(-1) for Aspergillus GM. Furthermore, a sensitive, visual, rapid dot-blot assay developed by the conjugation of pAbs to AuNPs (similar to 24 +/- 5 nm size, -36 +/- 2 mV zeta potential) had a detection limit of 1 pg ml(-1) in serum. The pAbs interacted with Aspergillus spp. but did not cross-react with other fungal pathogen genera such as Penicillium and Candida. Evaluation of the dot-blot with 109 clinical samples showed high sensitivity (80%) and specificity (93.2 %), with an overall assay accuracy of 89%.

Conclusion. The developed nano-gold immunodiagnostic assay has immense potential for practical use in rapid, specific and sensitive on-site diagnosis of IA, even under resource-limited settings.

1 aRaval, Komal, M.1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aRajamohanan, P., R.1 aChoudhary, Hansraj1 aRudramurthy, Shivaprakash, M.1 aChakrabarti, Arunaloke1 aPaknikar, Kishore uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/development-nano-gold-immunodiagnostic-assay-rapid-site-detection-invasive-aspergillosis02431nas a2200277 4500008004100000022001400041245015100055210006900206260000800275300001100283490000700294520142900301653002801730653002101758653003301779653001501812653002301827653003701850653002701887100002101914700002201935700002301957700002101980700002602001856012602027 2019 eng d a1567-135600aMolecular studies of NAD- and NADP-glutamate dehydrogenases decipher the conundrum of yeast-hypha dimorphism in zygomycete Benjaminiella poitrasii0 aMolecular studies of NAD and NADPglutamate dehydrogenases deciph cDEC afoz0740 v193 a

Benjaminiella poitrasii, a zygomycete, shows glucose- and temperature-dependent yeast (Y)-hypha (H) dimorphic transition. Earlier, we reported the biochemical correlation of relative proportion of NAD- and NADP-glutamate dehydrogenases (GDHs) with Y-H transition. Further, we observed the presence of one NAD-GDH and two form-specific NADP-GDH isoenzymes in B. poitrasii. However, molecular studies are necessary to elucidate the explicit role of GDHs in regulating Y-H reversible transition. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of one NAD (BpNADGDH, 2.643 kb) and two separate genes, BpNADPGDH I (Y-form specific, 1.365 kb) and BpNADPGDH II (H-form specific, 1.368 kb) coding for NADP-GDH isoenzymes in B. poitrasii. The transcriptional profiling during Y-H transition showed higher BpNADPGDH I expression in Y cells while expression of BpNADPGDH II was higher in H cells. Moreover, the yeast-form monomorphic mutant (Y-5) did not show BpNADPGDH II expression under normal dimorphism triggering conditions. Transformation with H-form specific BpNADPGDH II induced the germ tube formation in Y-5, which confirmed the cause-effect relationship between BpNADPGDH genes and morphological outcome in B. poitrasii. Interestingly, expression of H-form specific BpNADPGDH II also induced germ tube formation in human pathogenic, non-dimorphic yeast Candida glabrata, which further corroborated our findings.

10aBenjaminiella poitrasii10aCandida glabrata10adifferential gene expression10adimorphism10amonomorphic mutant10aNAD/NADP-glutamate dehydrogenase10ayeast-hypha transition1 aPathan, Ejaj, K.1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aPanwar, Sneh, Lata1 aPrasad, Rajendra1 aDeshpande, Mukund, V. uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/molecular-studies-nad-and-nadp-glutamate-dehydrogenases-decipher-conundrum-yeast-hypha02661nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245017300055210006900228260000800297300001100305490000800316520177800324653001502102653001202117653002502129653001202154100001702166700001702183700002002200700001902220700002102239700002202260856012502282 2021 eng d a0927-776500aDesign and synthesis of a new topical agent for halting blood loss rapidly: a multimodal chitosan-gelatin xerogel composite loaded with silica nanoparticles and calcium0 aDesign and synthesis of a new topical agent for halting blood lo cFEB a1114540 v1983 a

Uncontrolled hemorrhage often causes death during traumatic injuries and halting exsanguination topically is a challenge. Here, an efficient multimodal topical hemostat was developed by (i) ionically crosslinking chitosan and gelatin with sodium tripolyphosphate for (ii) fabricating a robust, highly porous xerogel by lyophilization having 86.7 % porosity, by micro-CT and large pores similar to 30 mu m by SEM (iii) incorporating 0.5 mg synthesized silica nanoparticles (SiNPs, 120 nm size, -22 mV charge) and 2.5 mM calcium in xemgel composite that was confirmed by FTIR analysis with peaks at 3372, 986 and 788 cm(-1), respectively. XPS analysis displayed the presence of SiNPs (Si2p peak for silicon) and calcium (Ca2p1, Ca2p3 transition peaks) in the composite. Interestingly, in silico percolation simulation for composite revealed interlinked 800 mu m long-conduits predicting excellent absorption capacity and validated experimentally (640 % of composite dry weight). The composite achieved >16-fold improved blood clotting in vitro than commercial Celox and Gauze through multimodal interaction of its components with RBCs and platelets. The composite displayed good platelet activation and thrombin generation activities. It displayed high compressive strength (2.45 MPa) and withstood pressure during application. Moreover, xerogel composite showed high biocompatibility. In vivo application of xerogel composite to lethal femoral artery injury in rats achieved hemostasis (2.5 min) significantly faster than commercial Celox (3.3 min) and Gauze (4.6 min) and was easily removed from the wound. The gamma irradiated composite was stable till 1.5 yr. Therefore, the xerogel composite has potential for application as a rapid topical hemostatic agent.

10aHemostatic10aPolymer10asilica nanoparticles10aXerogel1 aPatil, Gokul1 aTorris, Arun1 aSuresha, P., R.1 aJadhav, Sachin1 aBadiger, Manohar1 aGhormade, Vandana uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/design-and-synthesis-new-topical-agent-halting-blood-loss-rapidly-multimodal-chitosan01544nas a2200253 4500008004100000022001400041245004900055210004900104260000800153300001200161490000800173520084200181653001301023653001801036653001901054653002201073653001801095100002201113700001701135700001801152700001701170700002201187856008101209 2021 eng d a0011-389100aMycology and mycotechnology on postal stamps0 aMycology and mycotechnology on postal stamps cFEB a628-6360 v1203 a

Mycology, the study of fungal biology, and philately, the study of postage stamps, are rarely connected, as they are very different activities. However, philatelic mycology can raise awareness of the facets of fungi which contribute significantly to human welfare. Fungi are photogenic and exhibit physiological wonders such as luminescence. They are important in biotechnology for their secondary metabolites. So, stamps depicting fungi signal the recognition of problems and prospects of prosperity posed by fungi in nutrition and health, agriculture, engineering, industry and ecology. Many countries have issued thousands of stamps on fungi. India with a rich heritage of fungal diversity lags in this respect. This article hopes to inspire action by celebrating the beauty and significance of fungi in the art of philately.

10amycology10amycophilately10aMycotechnology10aphotogenic appeal10apostal stamps1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aPathan, Ejaj1 aJyoti, Jeevan1 aVartak, Ajit1 aDeshpande, Mukund uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/mycology-and-mycotechnology-postal-stamps02788nas a2200205 4500008004100000245023500041210006900276260000800345300000900353520201500362100001802377700001702395700001802412700002002430700001802450700002202468700002302490700002202513856004702535 2022 eng d00aIsolation and characterization of chitosans from different fungi with special emphasis on zygomycetous dimorphic fungus benjaminiella poitrasii: evaluation of its chitosan nanoparticles for the inhibition of human pathogenic fungi0 aIsolation and characterization of chitosans from different fungi cJAN anull3 aThe cell wall chitosan was extracted from fungi belonging to different taxonomic classes, namely, Benjaminiella poitrasii (Zygomycetes, dimorphic), Hanseniaspora guilliermondii, Issatchenkia orientalis, Pichia membranifaciens, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Ascomycetes, yeasts), and Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus sajor-caju (Basidiomycetes). The maximum yield of chitosan was 60.89 ± 2.30 mg/g of dry mycelial biomass of B. poitrasii. The degree of deacetylation (DDA) of chitosan extracted from different fungi, as observed with 1H NMR, was in the range of 70–93%. B. poitrasii chitosan exhibited the highest DDA (92.78%). The characteristic absorption bands were observed at 3450, 1650, 1420, 1320, and 1035 cm–1 by FTIR. Compared to chitosan from marine sources (molecular weight, MW, 585 kDa), fungal chitosans showed lower MW (6.21–46.33 kDa). Further, to improve the efficacy of B. poitrasii chitosan (Bp), nanoparticles (Np) were synthesized using the ionic gelation method and characterized by dynamic light scattering (DLS). For yeast and hyphal chitosan nanoparticles (BpYCNp and BpHCNp), the average particle size was <200 nm with polydispersity index of 0.341 ± 0.03 and 0.388 ± 0.002, respectively, and the zeta potential values were 21.64 ± 0.34 and 24.48 ± 1.58 mV, respectively. The B. poitrasii chitosans and their nanoparticles were further evaluated for antifungal activity against human pathogenic Candida albicans ATCC 10231, Candida glabrata NCYC 388, Candida tropicalis ATCC 750, Cryptococcus neoformans ATCC 34664, and Aspergillus niger ATCC 10578. BpHCNps showed lower MIC90 values (0.025–0.4 mg/mL) than the chitosan polymer against the tested human pathogens. The study suggested that nanoformulation of fungal chitosan, which has low molecular weight and high % DDA, is desirable for antifungal applications against human pathogens. Moreover, chitosans as well as their nanoparticles were found to be hemocompatible and are therefore safe for healthcare applications.1 aMane, Shamala1 aPathan, Ejaj1 aTupe, Santosh1 aDeshmukh, Sneha1 aKale, Deepika1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aChaudhari, Bhushan1 aDeshpande, Mukund uhttps://doi.org/10.1021/acs.biomac.1c0124802786nas a2200241 4500008004100000022001400041245009500055210006900150260000900219300001600228490000700244520199000251100001602241700001802257700001802275700002102293700001902314700002302333700001902356700002202375700003002397856011702427 2025 eng d a2470-134300aDevelopment of novel ssDNA aptamers for detection of receptor-binding domain of SARS-COV-20 aDevelopment of novel ssDNA aptamers for detection of receptorbin cJUN  a23981-239920 v103 a

The highly virulent and transmissible SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19 and poses a global public health threat. Herein cloned, expressed, and the molecular weight of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 gene encoding protein was confirmed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and Western blot analysis. The pivotal aim is to develop single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamers for the rapid detection of SARS-COV-2 infections in humans. In this investigation, a library of nine novel ssDNA aptamers was developed by several rounds of systematic evolution of ligands by an exponential enrichment approach and assessed by an enzyme-linked aptamer assay for binding affinity against RBD antigen (Ag). An in vitro assay resulted in a varied colorimetric signal that depends on the nature of aptamer. Quantitative determination of AptRBD3, AptRBD6, and AptRBD8 aptamers exhibited excellent binding affinity against Ag in the range of 5-10 ng/mL. The putative AptRBD3, AptRBD6, and AptRBD8 aptamers were converted into peptide sequences and docked against RBD, exhibiting good binding energy of -6.8, -6.3, and -7.1 kcal/mol respectively, which were recorded. Furthermore, docking studies of ssDNA aptamers were performed using HDOCK web server to ascertain the binding mechanism and docking score perceived as -389.74, -404.28, and -390.37. Despite this, we engineered a high-affinity AptRBD3.3 aptamer that formed a single and bulged loop, which improved binding affinity, resulted in a docking score of -361.56, and exhibited sensitivity at 4 ng of Ag of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, computational modeling of AptRBD3.3 revealed an intriguing significant binding affinity with the RBD mutant SARS-CoV-2 S-UK variant (PDB ID: 7EDG) with a docking score of -350.21. In conclusion, the AptRBD3.3 aptamer can be used for the development of lateral flow device and electrochemical sensors for rapid, low-cost, and accurate detection of COVID-19 infection in humans for point of care diagnostics.

1 aAuti, Amogh1 aYadav, Pranay1 aBodkhe, Rahul1 aBhandari, Yogesh1 aVarma, Sanjana1 aChaudhari, Bhushan1 aRahi, Shraddha1 aGhormade, Vandana1 aVamkudoth, Koteswara, Rao uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/development-novel-ssdna-aptamers-detection-receptor-binding-domain-sars-cov-2