A Pseudomonas aeruginosa mutant derived by random mutagenesis with N-methyl-N¢-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, producing high levels of the rhamnolipid biosurfactants was selected on Siegmund-Wagner (SW) plates. The mutant designated P. aeruginosa PTCC1637 produces rhamnolipids at concentrations 10 time more than parent strain. NMR analysis and surface tension measurement showed that the biosurfactan...

In order to assess the responses of Hashemi rice genotype and its advanced mutant line under salinity stress of 100 mM Sodium chloride (NaCl) for three and six days the shoot samples were taken for biochemical analysis. This experiment was performed in split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications. The main factor was factorial combination of saline treatmen...

Several outer membrane proteins of Neisseria meningitidis are subject to phase variation due to alterations in simple sequence repeat tracts. The PorA protein is a major outer membrane protein and a target for protective host immune responses. Phase variation of PorA is mediated by a poly-G repeat tract present within the promoter, leading to alterations in protein expression levels. N. meningi...

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium LT2 harbors four temperate prophages. The lytic cycle of these phages was induced with hydrogen peroxide or mitomycin C. Microarray analysis was used to monitor the increase in phage genome copy number and the changes in RNA expression. Phage gene transcription was classified temporally, and host genes that responded to hydrogen peroxide, mitomycin C, or ...

The three Drosophila atypical soluble guanylyl cyclases, Gyc-89Da, Gyc-89Db, and Gyc-88E, have been proposed to act as oxygen detectors mediating behavioral responses to hypoxia. Drosophila larvae mutant in any of these subunits were defective in their hypoxia escape response-a rapid cessation of feeding and withdrawal from their food. This response required cGMP and the cyclic nucleotide-gated...

The newly emerging Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-like disease with ∼43% mortality. Given the recent detection of virus in dromedary camels, zoonotic transfer of MERS-CoV to humans is suspected. In addition, little is known about the role of human neutralizing Ab (nAb) pressure as a driving force in MERS-CoV adaptive evolution....

A one kb portion of the rpoS gene from Flexibacter chinensis was isolated by PCR, sequenced and compared to the rpoS gene of a variety of other organisms. The gene was found to be 98% similar to previously sequenced genes. Mutation of the rpoS gene with tri-parental mating produced strain JR101 and the growth rate of the mutant was compared with that of the wild-type. The mutant grew slower, an...

To establish a new lineage in the human population, avian influenza A viruses (AIV) must overcome the intracellular restriction factor MxA. Partial escape from MxA restriction can be achieved when the viral nucleoprotein (NP) acquires the critical human-adaptive amino acid residues 100I/V, 283P, and 313Y. Here, we show that introduction of these three residues into the NP of an avian H5N1 virus...

Understanding the dynamics of ligand-protein interactions is indispensable in the design of novel therapeutic agents. In this paper, we establish the use of Stochastic Roadmap Simulation (SRS) for the study of ligand-protein interactions through two studies. In our first study, we measure the effects of mutations on the catalytic site of a protein, a process called computational mutagenesis. In...