Recent trends of biotechnological production of polyhydroxyalkanoates from C1 carbon sources

Growing concerns over the use of limited fossil fuels and their negative impacts on the ecological niches have facilitated the exploration of alternative routes. The use of conventional plastic material also negatively impacts the environment. One such green alternative is polyhydroxyalkanoates, which are biodegradable, biocompatible, and environmentally friendly. Recently, researchers have focused on the utilization of waste gases particularly those belonging to C1 sources derived directly from industries and anthropogenic activities, such as carbon dioxide, methane, and methanol as the substrate for polyhydroxyalkanoates production. Consequently, several microorganisms have been exploited to utilize waste gases for their growth and biopolymer accumulation. Methylotrophs such as Methylobacterium organophilum produced highest amount of PHA up to 88% using CH4 as the sole carbon source and 52–56% with CH3OH. On the other hand Cupriavidus necator, produced 71–81% of PHA by utilizing CO and CO2 as a substrate. The present review shows the potential of waste gas valorization as a promising solution for the sustainable production of polyhydroxyalkanoates. Key bottlenecks towards the usage of gaseous substrates obstructing their realization on a large scale and the possible technological solutions were also highlighted. Several strategies for PHA production using C1 gases through fermentation and metabolic engineering approaches are discussed. Microbes such as autotrophs, acetogens, and methanotrophs can produce PHA from CO2, CO, and CH4. Therefore, this article presents a vision of C1 gas into bioplastics are prospective strategies with promising potential application, and aspects related to the sustainability of the system

Targeting Angiogenesis for Controlling Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma, a progressive solid tumor in childhood, continues to be a clinical challenge. It is highly vascular, heterogeneous, and extracranial tumor that originates from neural crest. Angiogenesis, genetic abnormalities, and oncogene amplification are mainly responsible for malignant phenotype of this tumor. Survivability of malignant neuroblastoma patients remains poor despite the use of traditional therapeutic strategies. Angiogenesis is a very common and necessary pre-requisite for tumor progression and metastasis. Angiogenesis is also a major factor in making malignant neuroblastoma. Thus, prevention of angiogenesis can be a highly significant strategy in the treatment of malignant neuroblastoma. Here, we summarize our current understanding of angiogenesis in malignant neuroblstoma and describe the use of experimental anti-angiogenic agents either alone or in combination therapy. This review will clearly indicate the importance of angiogenesis in the pathogenesis of malignant neuroblastoma, its prevention as a promising therapy in preclinical models of malignant neuroblastoma, and prospective clinical trials.</jats:p

Micronutrient, Genome Stabili ty and Degenerative Diseases: Nutrigenomics Concept of Disease Prevention - An Overview

Diet is a key factor in determining genomic stability is more important than previously imagined because it impacts on all relevant pathways like exposure to dietary carcinogens, DNA repair, DNA synthesis, epigenetic damage and apoptosis. Recent research focuses into how a single micronutrient deficiency is leading to genomic instability and development of degenerative diseases in various stages of life.The study aimed at finding the nutrigenomic mechanism of how a marginal deficiency of any single micronutrient is interrupting in DNA repairing, methylation and synthesis by taking nutrient-nutrient and nutrient-gene interaction into consideration. It also focuses on how recommended dietary allowance is important in achieving DNA integrity and genome stability to prevent degenerative diseases.Exhaustive review of research papers in genome health nutrigenomicsis involved in this study to explore, assimilate and analyze data to understand the importance of micronutrient in maintaining methylation of CpG sequence and preventing DNA oxidation or uracil misincorporation in DNA to stop disease occurrence in individuals.The study finds a direct link between micronutrient deficiency and increased epigenomic damage, resulting into elevated risk for adverse health outcomes during various stages of life like infertility, tumor development and cancer. The overview study concludes with a vision for a paradigm shift in disease prevention strategy based on diagnosis and micro-nutritional intervention of genome or epigenome damage on an individual basis, i.e. personalized prevention of degenerative diseases in genome health clinic.</jats:p

Micronutrient Supplementation, Dietary Intervention and Resulting Body Weight Gain of Severe Acute Malnourished Children – A Pilot Project Study of OJUS Medical Institute with Existing ICDS Project in Nasik District, Maharashtra

Introduction: OJUS Medical Institute in collaboration with Women & Child development department of Nashik District, Maharashtra conducted a target oriented pilot project study to see the improvement in body weight gain of SAM children, supplemented with nutritionally enriched diet and micronutrients. The Egg-DOT project is a target vertical intervention study that involved both Anganwadi workers and Community health workers to bring a fruitful result by working hand-in-hand. Rationale: ICDS is one of the best supplementary nutrition programs to address and eliminate malnutrition from the country. To make it more comprehensive and result oriented the pilot project study is formulated and executed to see if the addition in existing system could eradicate malnutrition in an effective manner and strengthen the Govt. health machinery. Objective: The study aimed at working along with the Govt. to reduce severity of malnutrition. It shouted for a healthy public-private relationship to bring optimum result from the existing Govt. project in reducing burden of malnutrition, spreading health education and behavioural modification in the community members by adopting a systematic micronutrient-diet-health education  intervention strategy. Materials & methods: Along with existing nutritional intervention, a small modification in diet is introduced to fulfill the deficit of 300 Kcal approximately. Good quality fat and protein are added to the Anganwadi meal with daily micronutrient supplementation. The supplementation is continued for 30 days in 25 SAM children of 3 to 5 years. The baseline and end line body weight measurements are taken and compared to see the improvement. Result: After 30 days of intervention the supplemented SAM children showed statistically significant increased body weight (P<0.01) with an overall healthy nutritional status. Conclusion: The study showed that public-private collaborative systematic strategy with proper monitoring and evaluation can actually eliminate malnutrition in an effective manner by improving linear growth of the SAM children

Microbial Cometabolism and Polyhydroxyalkanoate Co-polymers

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHAs) are natural, biodegradable biopolymers, which can be produced from renewable materials. PHAs have potential to replace petroleum derived plastics. Quite a few bacteria can produce PHA under nutritional stress. They generally produce homopolymers of butyrate i.e., polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), as a storage material. The biochemical characteristics of PHB such as brittleness, low strength, low elasticity, etc. make these unsuitable for commercial applications. Co-polymers of PHA, have high commercial value as they overcome the limitations of PHBs. Co-polymers can be produced by supplementing the feed with volatile fatty acids or through hydrolysates of different biowastes. In this review, we have listed the potential bacterial candidates and the substrates, which can be co-metabolized to produce PHA co-polymers