Synthesis of silver nanoparticles using seeds of Nigella sativa as reducing agent was evaluated in this study. Homogenized extract of N. sativa exposed to sunlight gave a better synthesis of nanoparticles when compared to other methods. Antibacterial activity of nanoparticles was studied against urinary tract infection (UTI) causing bacteria by disc diffusion method. Further, the silver nanopar...

Nigella sativa had been documented to possess many therapeutic functions in medicine but the least expected is sero-reversion in HIV infection which is very rare despite extensive therapy with highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART). This case presentation is to highlight the complete recovery and sero-reversion of adult HIV patient after treatment with Nigella sativa concoction for the p...

The photosynthetic responses of four alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) cultivars to 10 and 22 C air temperatures were examined and the relationship between the photosynthetic response at 10 C and the fatty acid composition of the chloroplast membranes was determined. Chilling-resistant cultivars exhibited moderate reductions in photosynthesis at 10 C, compared to 22 C, and contained a significantly ...

A cytochrome c gene, OsCc-1, from rice (Oryza sativa) has been isolated and analyzed. The OsCc-1 gene encodes a cytochrome c protein that is typical of higher-plant cytochrome c proteins. OsCc-1 consists of three exons separated by two introns that are 817 and 747 bp in length, respectively. From genomic DNA hybridization analysis, OsCc-1 appears to be one of possibly two cytochrome c genes in ...

For 24 rice (Oryza sativa L.) varieties, genetic variation was studied of the Lox3 gene in samples of the two subspecies, japonica and indica. The genomic DNA was amplified, followed by DNA sequencing to detect sequence variation. A total of 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was detected in the exon 4 containing lipoxygenase domain. The nucleotide diversity in the Lox3 region of O. sati...

The transfer of DNA from Agrobacterium to plant cell nuclei is initiated by a cleavage reaction within the 25-bp right border of Ti plasmids. In an effort to develop all-native DNA transformation vectors, 50 putative right border alternatives were identified in both plant expressed sequence tags and genomic DNA. Efficacy tests in a tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) model system demonstrated that 14 o...

Data obtained by independent tests on each of 483 batches of Rhizobium inoculants for Glycine max, Medicago sativa, and Arachis hypogaea, manufactured commercially in South Africa, are reported and discussed. Whereas the average cell count per gram per batch was well in excess of 10, inoculants for G. max and M. sativa manufactured with peat treated with gamma irradiation at a dose of 50 kGr co...