African
Journals On-line
African Journal of Biotechnology
Volume 2 Number 10
October 2003
ABSTRACTS
Genetic
transformation of forest trees
Diaga
Diouf
Laboratoire de Biotechnologies végétales, Département de
Biologie Végétale, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Cheikh Anta
Diop, BP 5005, Dakar, Sénégal; E-mail: [email protected]
Abstract
In
this review, the recent progress on genetic transformation of forest trees were
discussed. Its described also, different applications of genetic engineering
for improving forest trees or understanding the mechanisms governing genes
expression in woody plants.
Key
words:
Genetic transformation, transgenic forest trees, gene expression.
Phylogenetic diversity and relationships among sorghum
accessions using SSRs and RAPDs
Agrama
H.A.* and Tuinstra M.R.
Department
of Agronomy, Kansas State University, 2004 Throckmorton, Manhattan, KS
66506-5501, USA.
*Corresponding author; Present address: Plant Pathology
Department, North Dakota State University and NCSL, USDA, Fargo, ND 58105-5677,
USA. Tel.: 701-239-1345. Fax: 701-239-1369, E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
Two
DNA-based fingerprinting techniques, simple sequence repeats (SSR) and random
amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses, were applied in sorghum germplasm
analysis to compare suitability for quantifying genetic diversity. Twenty-two
sorghum genotypes, representing an array of germplasm sources with important
agronomic traits, were assayed for polymorphism using 32 RAPD primers and 28
sets of sorghum SSR primers. The results indicated that SSR markers were highly
polymorphic with an average of 4.5 alleles per primer. The RAPD primers were
less polymorphic with nearly 40% of the fragments being monomorphic. An
analysis of genetic diversity among sorghum lines indicated that the genetic
distances calculated from SSR data were highly correlated with the distances
based on the geographic origin and race classifications. Based on the results
of these studies, SSR markers appear to be particularly useful for the
estimation of genetic similarity among diverse genotypes of sorghum.
Key
words:
cluster, diversity, polymorphism, RAPD, Sorghum, SSR.
Sequence
heterogeneity of the envelope-like domain in the Egyptian cotton Gossypium
barbadense
Abdel
Ghany A. Abdel Ghany1 and Essam A. Zaki2*
1Institute of Efficient Productivity, Zagazig University, El Zagazig,
Egypt.
2Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Institute, GEBRI,
Research Area, Borg El Arab, Post Code 21934, Alexandria, Egypt.
*Corresponding
author; Essam A. Zaki, Current Address: Department of Biological Sciences, 1392
Lilly Hall of Life Sciences, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1392, Phone (765)
494-9837 Fax (765) 496-1496, E-mail: [email protected].
Abbreviations;
LTR: long terminal repeat, ORF: open-reading frame, PCR: polymerase chain
reaction, RT: reverse transcriptase gene.
Abstract
The
current study aimed to investigate the evolution of env-like sequences
in the Egyptian cotton Gossypium barbadense. DNA sequence determination
and analysis of env -like sequences revealed that these sequences are
heterogeneous in G. barbadense. The observed sequence diversity,
however, seems to preserve the coding information. Phylogenetic analysis
demonstrated that plant env -like sequences group together, suggesting
their monophyletic origin. Gossypium env-like sequences are, however,
more closely related to elements present in other plant species. Our result
suggests that env -like sequences in cotton have evolved under
functional constraint and likely to play a role in the life cycle of these
elements.
Key
words:
Envelope, Gossypium, gypsy, plant retroviruses, retrotransposons,
retroviruses, reverse transcriptase.
Influence of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
application on the yield of maize in the savanna zone of Nigeria
Kogbe
J. O. S. and Adediran J. A.*
Institute
of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 5029,
Ibadan, Nigeria
*Corresponding
author:E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
Field
trials testing the effects of five rates each of N, P and K application on
three hybrid and two open-pollinated maize varieties were conducted in three
separate experiments on an Arenic haplustalf (USDA) at Ilora in the derived
savanna and Typic paleustalf (USDA) at Mokwa in the southern guinea savanna of
Nigeria. The hybrid maize varieties planted were 8516-12, 8321-18 and 8329-15
and were compared with the open-pollinated maize, TZSR-Y and TZSR-W. Nitrogen
was applied at rates 0-200 kg ha-1 in the first trial, while P and K
were supplied as basal nutrients. In the second trial, P was applied at rates
0- 80 kg P2O5 ha-1 using basal N and K
fertilizers. In another trial, K was applied at rates 0-120 kg ha-1
with blanket application of N and P. The hybrid maize gave higher yields and
used N and P more efficiently than the open pollinated at both trial locations.
The yield of maize was higher in the southern guinea savanna than in the
derived savanna. The performance of the hybrid varieties followed in the
ascending order of 8516-12, 8321-18 and 8329-15. The optimum rates of N and P
for maize grown in the derived savanna were 100 and 40 kg ha-1
respectively. In the southern guinea savanna the open pollinated and hybrid
varieties responded up to 150 and 200 kg N ha-1 respectively. The
8516-12 showed higher N and P use efficiency than other varieties.
Consequently, planting such variety could be advantageous, using minimal dose
of fertilizer most especially, where farmers have less access to fertilizer.
Key
words:
Hybrid maize, open pollinated maize, nitrogen use efficiency, phosphorus use
efficiency.
The
Contribution of food plants to the growth, development and fecundity of Zonocerus
variegatus (L)
Idowu
A.B. and Sonde O.A.
Department
of Biological Sciences University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.
*Correspondence
author:E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
The
performance of the variegated grasshopper, Zonocerus variegatus (L) fed
on different food plants namely cassava (Manihot esculenta), pawpaw (Carica
papaya) and acalypha (Acalypha wilkesiana) and a mixture of these
plants (mixed diets) from 5th nymphal instar to adult was investigated.
Survivor and longevity of nymphs and as well as the reproductive performance of
adult Zonocerus was greater and better for insect fed on cassava and
mixed diets, as compared to those fed only on Acalypha and pawpaw.
Adults emerged between the 5th to 16th week in cages containing 5th instars fed
on cassava and mixed diets, while it took between 7-23 weeks for those fed on
acalypha and pawpaw to emerge as adult. There were significant differences in
the measurements of the body parameters of insects fed on the four different food
plants. Ranking was cassava>mixture>pawpaw>acalyhpa. Sex had no
significant effect on the measurement of body parameters regardless of the food
plants. Feeding assay showed that there was a significant difference between
the amounts of leaves consumed by Zonocerus fed on the different food
plants. Of all the diets, cassava was the most preferred and most consumed food
plant. This had a corresponding effect on the weight gained by the insects. The
results of the proximate analysis showed significant differences in the dry
matter, crude protein and fat content of Z. variegatus fed on the
different food plants. A positive correlation existed between the body weight,
protein and fat content of Z. variegatus fed on the different food
plants.
Key
words: Zonocerus variegatus, food plants, instar, growth, development.
Citric
acid production from whey with sugars and additives by Aspergillus niger
Murad
A. El-Holi and Khalaf S. Al-Delaimy٭
Department
of Nutrition and Food Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, The university of
Jordan, Amman, Jordan.
*Corresponding
author; Tel.: 00962-6-5355000/2568, Fax: 00962-6-5355577, E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
Citric
acid (CA) production by Aspergillus niger ATCC9642 from whey with
different concentrations of sucrose, glucose, fructose, galactose riboflavin,
tricalcium phosphate and methanol in surface culture process was studied. It
was found that whey with 15% (w/v) sucrose with or without 1% methanol was the
most favourable medium producing the highest amount (106.5 g/l) of citric acid.
Lower CA was produced from whey with other concentrations of sugars and other
additives used. Highest biomass of A. niger was produced with the
addition of riboflavins. In general, extension of the fermentation (up to 20
days) resulted in an increase in CA and biomass, and decrease in both residual
sucrose and pH values.
Key
words:
Citric acid, Aspergillus niger, whey fermentation, surface culture.
Removal
of Cu (II) and Zn (II) ions from wastewater by cassava (Manihot esculenta
Cranz) waste biomass
Horsfall, M. Jnr*, Abia, A. A. And Spiff, A.I.
Department
of Pure and Industrial Chemistry, University of Port Harcourt, Uniport P.O. Box
402, Choba, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
*Corresponding
author; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
The
ability of cassava waste biomass (untreated and acid treated) to remove heavy
metals (Cu(II) and Zn(II) ) from single-ion solution and wastewater was
investigated. All experiments were conducted using 10mM solutions of mixed
metal ions of CuSO4.5H2O and ZnCl2. The uptake
capacities of the two metal ions tested on the untreated and acid treated
cassava waste biomass were 71.3 and 85.2 mg/g for Cu(II), and 43.4 and 58.1
mg/g for Zn(II) in single-ion solution. For wastewater, the uptake capacities
of untreated and acid treated biomass was found to be 40.1 and 59.7 mg/g for
Cu(II), and 38.6 and 38.7 mg/g for Zn(II), respectively. Metal ion uptake
capacities in wastewater were lower than in single-ion solution probably due to
competition of metal ions of different sizes on available binding sites. Uptake
capacities of these metal ions on the biomass surface increased with acid
treatment. Equilibrium sorption studies showed that the extent of metal uptake
was enhanced by chemically modifying the cassava waste biomass by thiolation.
Cassava waste biomass saturated with metal ions shows remarkable ability for
metal recovery by dilute acid treatment, and can be used repeatedly for removal
of heavy metals in single-ion solution and in wastewater effluents.
Key
words:
Wastewater, bioremediation, heavy metals, biosorption, cassava waste.
Mycoflora and mycotoxins in kolanuts during storage
L.
O. Adebajo* And O. J. Popoola
Department
of Biological Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University**, P.M.B. 2002, Ago–Iwoye,
Ogun State, Nigeria.
*Correspondence
author; E-mail: [email protected].
**
Former name: Ogun State University.
Abstract
The
mycoflora, levels of afllatoxins and the presence of ochratoxin A and
zearalenone in nuts of Cola acuminata and C. nitida were
determined immediately after curing and after 3, 6 and 9 months of storage in
leaf-lined baskets. Five field fungi and 11 storage fungi were isolated. Aspergillus,
Penicillium and Fusarium were the predominant genera. None of the
target toxins was detected immediately after curing. Increasing quantities (5
to 160 ppb) of each of the aflatoxins B1, B2, G1
and G2 were recorded as from the 3rd month while zearalenone and
ochratoxin A were detected only after the 6th and 9th month, respectively.
Key
words:
Kolaunts, mycoflora, mycotoxins, storage.
Mycology and spoilage of retail cashew nuts
L.
O. Adebajo1* and S. A. Diyaolu2
1Department of Biological Sciences, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-
Iwoye, Nigeria. [email protected]
2Biology DepartmentTai Solarin College of Education, Ijebu Ode, Nigeria.
*Correspondence
author; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
Thirty-two
samples of retail cashew nuts from Lagos, Nigeria were examined on two media.
The pH values (5.1-6.3) of all the samples were conducive for fungal growth and
mycotoxin production. Moisture content levels ranged between 4.1 and 6.8%.
Fifteen samples had moisture contents up to or above 5.8%, the highest level
estimated to be ‘safe’ for the storage of the nuts. Fourteen fungal species,
mostly toxigenic and belonging to 5 genera were isolated. Seven species were
from genus Aspergillus, 3 from Penicillium, 2 from Rhizopus
and one each from Mucor and Syncephalastrum. The most predominant
isolates were: A. niger, A. restrictus, A. flavus, A.
fumigatus and Aspergillus sp. The mean and range of total fungal
counts (CFU/g) in samples were: 3,368 (180 to 16, 300). At acceptable fungal
levels of 103 and 104/g, only 14 and 28 samples,
respectively, were deemed fit for human consumption. All the species recovered
induced detectable loss in weights of the milled nuts, though to varying
extents and would be expected to cause considerable spoilage of the nuts.
Key
words:
Cashew nut, Anacardium occidentale, fungal count, mycology, Aspergillus
sp., Penicillium sp., spoilage.
Antibiotic
resistant Staphylococcus aureus in Abia State of Nigeria
Chigbu, Chinwe .O. and Ezeronye, O.U.
Department
of Biological Science, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia
State, Nigeria.
*Corresponding
author; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
A
total of 70 ear and nasal swab samples collected from 35 persons, 16-hospital
population and 19 non-hospital population was examined for presence of Staphylococcus
aureus. Eighty percent of the population studied were found to be carriers
of S. aureus. Of the 28 positive cases, 35.7% were carriers of S.
aureus. in both the ear and nostrils, while 14.3% and 50.0% had it only in
their ear and nostrils, respectively. The S. aureus. isolates varied in
their antibiotic susceptibility pattern when tested for their sensitivity to 16
antibiotics. Eighty percent of the isolates were resistant to more than one
antimicrobial agent. All the isolates showed resistance to nalidixic acid and
100% sensitivity to rifampicin.
Key
words: Staphylococcus
aureus, antibiotic resistance, inhibition zone diameter.
Antimicrobial, heavy metal resistance and plasmid profile
of coliforms isolated from nosocomial infections in a hospital in Isfahan, Iran
Vajiheh
Karbasizaed1*, Naser Badami1, Giti Emtiazi2
1Dept. of Pathobiology, Faculty of Heath Sciences, Tehran University of
Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
2Dept.of Biology, Isfahan University, Tehran, Iran.
*Corresponding
author; Tel: 00983116245031, Fax: 00983112220283, E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
The
antimicrobial, heavy metal resistance patterns and plasmid profiles of
Coliforms (Enterobacteriacea) isolated from nosocomial infections and healthy
human faeces were compared. Fifteen of the 25 isolates from nosocomial
infections were identified as Escherichia coli, and remaining as Kelebsiella
pneumoniae. Seventy two percent of the strains isolated from nosocomial
infections possess multiple resistance to antibiotics compared to 45% of
strains from healthy human faeces. The difference between minimal inhibitory
concentration (MIC) values of strains from clinical cases and from faeces for
four heavy metals (Hg, Cu, Pb, Cd) was not significant. However most strains
isolated from hospital were more tolerant to heavy metal than those from
healthy persons. There was no consistent relationship between plasmid profile
group and antimicrobial resistance pattern, although a conjugative plasmid
(>56.4 kb) encoding resistance to heavy metals and antibiotics was recovered
from eight of the strains isolated from nosocomial infections. The results
indicate multidrug-resistance coliforms as a potential cause of nosocomial
infection in this region.
Key
words:
Nosocomial infection, plasmid profile, antimicrobial resistance, Escherichia
coli, Kelebsiella pneumoniae.
Plasmodium falciparum malaria resistance to
chloroquine in five communities in Southern Nigeria
Patrick
O Erah*, Gertrude Arienmughare and Augustine O Okhamafe
Pharmacotherapy
Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria.
*Corresponding
author; E-mail: [email protected], Tel: +234 802 336 0318; 805 526 3622, Fax:
+234 52 602257.
Abstract
Chloroquine
is still a first-line antimalarial drug in uncomplicated falciparum malaria.
Increasing resistance to chloroquine has been reported in many parts of
Nigeria. Clinical and parasitological responses and classes of resistance to
chloroquine in falciparum malaria in five communities in Delta region, southern
Nigeria were assessed. Chloroquine was administered to 218 patients with
uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. The levels of parasitemia, clinical
response and classes of resistance were monitored for 7 days. High levels of
therapeutic failures of chloroquine in P. falciparum malaria were
recorded in the region. The frequencies of clinical and parasitological failure
of chloroquine were 25.7% and 55%, respectively. These frequencies were significantly
lower in children below 5 years than older people. R2 and R3 resistance
occurred in 37.2% and 17.4% of the patients, respectively. The therapeutic
failure of chloroquine was not gender dependent. We conclude that chloroquine
is still effective in the treatment of uncomplicated P. falciparum
malaria in some communities in Delta region of Nigeria. However, resistance to
chloroquine is likely. These results may be used as an important indicator of
the significant level of therapeutic failure of uncomplicated P. falciparum
malaria to chloroquine in Nigeria.
Keywords: Chloroquine, falciparum
malaria, resistance, clinical failure, parasitological failure.
Prevalence
of Bartonella infection among patients with fever
Kei
Numazaki
Department
of Pediatrics, Sapporo Medical University, School of Medicine, Sapporo,
Hokkaido, 060-8543, Japan. Tel: (011) 611-2111 EXT.3413, Fax: (011) 611-0352,
E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
Bartonella
henselae
has been associated with an increasing spectrum of clinical syndromes including
cat scratch disease. The prevalence of Bartonella infection among
patients with unexplained fever in San Francisco was much greater than has
previously been documented. However, out of 29 Japanese children with fever of
unknown origin, only one had serum IgG antibody to B. henselae. Although
general prevalences of serum antibodies to some infectious agents in healthy
adults are higher than those of healthy children, the prevalence of B.
henselae infections in Japanese population is not so high as expected.
Key
words: Bartonella
henselae, cat scratch disease, fever of unknown origin.
Glycyrrhizin therapy for viral infections
Kei
Numazaki
Department
of Pediatrics, Sapporo Medical University, School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido,
060-8543, Japan. Tel: (011) 611-2111 EXT.3413, Fax: (011) 611-0352, E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract
Glycyrrhizin
(GL) was reported as the most active in inhibiting replication of the severe
acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)-associated coronavirus. Therapeutic effect of
GL for liver dysfunction associated with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in
immunocompetent individuals was evaluated. Liver dysfunction in 4 cases
improved and CMV disappeared from urinary samples after administration of GL
intravenously by the age of 12 months. GL treatment also should be applied for
the patients with SARS.
Key
words:
Glycyrrhizin, SARS, cytomegalovirus.
|