Neo Planta, April 2019 (2)

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Microorganisms for you

Composition of Atmosphere

Medicinal Plants of the Month

Research Methodology— Antioxidant activity

Facts: Inventions and Discoveries in plant science

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Bacillus sphaericus It is a gram positive, mesophilic, rod shaped bacterium commonly found in soil. It can form resistant endospores that are tolerant to high temperature, chemicals and UV light. The endospores can remain viable for a long period of time. It contains peptidoglycan with lysine, aspartic acid, alanine and glutamic acid. It is of particular interest to WHO due to its larvicidal activity against genera of mosquitoes (Culex and Anopheles) and frequently used as biological pest control. There are also reports of activity against other organisms like nematode (Trichostrongylus columbiformis) to which it has lethal effects on the eggs. The high toxicity strains produced during sporulation a binary toxin composed of Bin A (42 K Da) and Bin B (51 K Da) proteins which are the major insecticidal components. The protein Bin B acts by binding to a receptor in the epithelial midgut cells facilitating the entrance of Bin A which causes cellular lysis. After being ingested by larvae, these proteins are solubilised in the gut and undergo proteolysis to activate lower molecular weight derivatives. The bioremediation potential of B.sphaericus has been well studied. Strains with chromate reduction capacity have been isolated from different contaminated environment and naturally metal rich soils. Different studies have shown that this ability is due to the presence of a proteinaceous surface covering these cells, called the S-layer, which is able to bind to high quantities of heavy metals in saline solution.

Beijerinckia MICRO ORGANISMS FOR YOU

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It is a genus of bacteria. It is a broad spectrum chemoorganotroph that does not oxidize methane or methanol. Some strains of Beijerinckia also degrade aromatic compounds and may be of use in bioremediation and petroleum purification.

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Bacillus stearothermophilus It is a rod shaped gram positive anaerobic bacterium. It is a thermophile and is widely distributed in soil, hot spring, ocean sediments and is a cause of spoilage in food products. The optimum temperature required for its growth is 30-75ยบC. Some strains are capable of oxidizing carbon monoxide aerobically.

A DNA polymerase derived from this bacteria, Bst polymerase has become important in molecular biology applications. The characteristic of this bacterium is the presence of inner cell membrane and a thick cell wall. Much heat stable enzymes like xylanase for pulp treatment and thermoysin like protease for production of artificial aspartate have been derived from this. It is constantly used in the biotechnology industry to test the success of sterilization cycle of equipment. It can form endospores which are highly resistant dormant forms. The bacterium produce spores under harsh conditions. The spore core is dehydrated (10-25% of water content) making it very resistant to heat and chemicals. The presence of loosely cross linked peptidoglycan on the outside of the spore is responsible for preventing hydration and also acts as a permeability barrier to chemicals like lysozyme.

Bacillus subtilis It is a gram positive, rod shaped bacterium with catalase positive activity. It is found in soil as well as gastrointestinal tracts of ruminants and humans. It forms a tough protective endospore allowing it to tolerate extreme environmental conditions and dssication. It is a facultative anaerobe. It is highly flagellated which gives it the ability to more quickly in liquids. It is a model organism to study bacterial chromosome replication. It was used throughout the 1950s as an alternative medicine, which upon digestion has been found to significantly stimulate broad spectrum immune activity including activativation of secretion of specific antibodies IgM, IgG and IgA and release of CPG dinucleotides including INF A/Y producing activity of leukocytes and cytokines important in the development of cytotoxicity towards tumour cells. It acts as an immunostimulatory aid in the treatment of gut and urinary tract diseases such as Rotavirus and Shigellosis. The surface binding properties of B.subtilis play a role in safe radionuclide waste (thorium IV and plutonium IV) disposal. Its excellent fermentation properties with high product yields make its utility in the production of various enzymes like amylase and protease. It is used in the production of hyaluronic acid which is used in the joint care sector in healthcare and cosmetics. It has been reported to act as an useful bioproduct fungicide that prevents the growth of Monilinia vacciniicorymbosi (the mummy berry fungus) without interfering with pollination or fruit qualities.

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GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA L. Family : Fabaceae Medicinal properties: Estrogenic, demulcent, pectoral, antioxidant, antispasmodic, anti inflammatory, expectorant, anodyne and used to treat boil, burn, cancer, cough, diuretic, dyspnea, expectorant, fever, rejuvenation, cough and demulcent.

Phytochemicals reported from the plant:

Medicinal plants of

Acetic acid, ascorbic acid, benzaldehyde, benzoic acid, camphor, choline, geraniol, glabrone, licuroside, liqcoumarin, liquoric acid, salicylic acid, stigmasterol, thymol, umbelliferone.

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Facts 

Mirabel in 1808 reported that plants consists of membranous cellular tissues.

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PTEROCARPUS SANTALINUS L.F. Family : Fabaceae Medicinal properties: Heartwood bitter, sweet, acrid, cooling, constipating, depurative, haemostatic, anti inflammatory, febrifuge, ophthalmic, diaphoretic, anthelmintic, aphrodisiac, alexeteric and tonic. It is used against cephalagia, odontalgia, hemicranias, burning sensation, vomiting, diarrhea, dysentery, skin diseases, leprosy, ulcers, hemorrhages, haemoptysis, inflammation, fever, opthalmopathy, verminosis, haemorrhoids, fruits– astringent, used in chronic dysentery and urethrorrhagea.

Phytochemicals reported from the plant: Santalin A, ptrrocarpol, cryptomeridiol, acetyloleanolic acid, erythrodiol, beta amyrin, stigmasterol, erythrodiol, betulin.

Facts 

J.B. Lamarck in 1809 stated that in the living organisms, the cell hascertain important functions.

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TEPROSIA PURPUREA (L.)Pers.

Family : Fabaceae Medicinal properties: Tonic, laxative, anthelmintic, believed to purify blood. Root– bitter and used to treat tympanitis, dyspepsia and chronic diarrhea.

Fresh root is ground and along with black pepper is given in the case of colic. Plant– digestive, diuretic, antipyretic, antitussive. Plant is used to cure diseases of liver, spleen, heart, blood, tumors, ulcers, leprosy, asthma, poisoning, bacterial infections, pimple tonsillitis, boils, inflammations.

Phytochemicals reported from the plant: Teprosin, deguelin, quercetin, isotephrosin, rotenone.

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TRIGONELLA FOENUM GRAECUM L. Family : Fabaceae Medicinal properties: Carminative, demulcent, expectorant, laxative, stomachic, seeds and leaves– anticholesterolemic, anti inflammatory, antitumor, carminative, demulcent, emollient, expectorant, febrifuge, galactogogue, uterine tonic, used to treat bronchitis, fever, sore throat, wounds, swollen glands, skin irritations, diabetes, ulcers and in cancer treatment.

Seed– decoction taken internally to drain off sweat ducts. Seed– tonic to treat anemia and infectious diseases, diabetes, poor digestion, insufficient lactation, painful menstruation.

Phytochemicals reported from the plant: Saponin, sapogenin, diosgenin, tigogenin, gitogenin, neotigogenin, yamogenin, saponaretin, homoorientin, vitexin, arabinose, rhamnose.

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Composition of Atmosphere

The atmosphere is composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 0.93% argon and remaining 0.1% contain carbon dioxide, ozone, water vapor and some trace gases. These trace gases play important effect on Earth’s climate. The atmosphere is divided into vertical layers based on the fact that temperature decreases with increase in altitude.

The layer close to the surface, the troposphere comprises 80% of the mass of atmosphere and nearly all water vapor. Above this layer is the stratosphere that consists of ozone. Above the stratosphere are mesosphere and thermosphere. These consists of charged atoms and molecules or ions. The upper mesosphere and lower thermosphere are called ionosphere and this region is important for radio communication.

The most common atmospheric gas, the nitrogen is inert (does not react with other substances to form chemical compounds). The next common gas is oxygen and is needed for respiration of all living organisms. Oxygen is reactive unlike nitrogen. About 1% of atmosphere is made up of Argon which is an inert Nobel gas. These three gases account for 99.96% of the atmosphere. The remaining 0.04% contains a wide variety of trace gases, several of which are crucial to life on Earth. One of the important trace gases is carbon dioxide. Only about 0.0325% of the atmosphere is carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide is required by plant for photosynthesis in which carbon dioxide is fixed in plant cells as sugars, upon which all life on Earth depends. Carbon dioxide can absorb and emit infrared radiation which is felt as heat and hence it forms a class of compounds called green house gases. If the atmosphere lack greenhouse gases, it is estimated that the earth’s surface would be 32ºC cooler.

Water vapor is present in the atmosphere in variable concentration. Water vapor is an important element of hydrological cycle. Water cycle drives many physiological processes of

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Earth like erosion, weathering of rock, weather and climate determination etc., Ozone is found in a layer at about 15-60Km above the surface. Ozone in lower altitude is considered as a pollutant as it causes irritation of eyes and skin. At higher altitude, it forms a vital layer for life as it absorbs the ultraviolet radiation emitted from the sun.

In addition to gases and water vapor, the atmosphere has a wide variety of suspended particles called aerosols. Example: sand and smoke particles. The aerosols may be solid or liquid . The aerosol particles vary in size. The size of some aerosol particles allows them to efficiently scatter sunlight and create atmospheric haze. Aerosols play a role in Earth’s climate. The aerosols act as collecting points for water vapor molecules, encouraging the growth of cloud droplets and speeding the formation of clouds. Aerosols reflect a portion of incoming solar radiation back to space which lowers the temperature or the surface of the Earth.

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Facts 

R.J.H. Dutrochet in 1824 showed that all animals and plants composed of cells and these cells remain united by simple adhesive forces.

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P. Prevost and J.B.A. Dumas in 1824 described cell division first of all by studying cleavage of frog’s egg.

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F.V. Raspail in 1825 used iodine in the starch detection and developed the frozen selection technique. He wasthe founder of cytochemistry.

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Turpin in 1826 reported the occurrence of cell division.

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Karl Von Baer in 1827 discovered the mammalian ovum.

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Wohler in 1828 synthesized urea and discredited the view that organic compounds could only be made by living things and thus paved way for a systematic investigation of cellular reactions.

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R. Brown in 1828 reported Brownian movement in cellular particles.

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G.B. Amici discovered fertilization in plants in 1830

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Facts 

Meyen in 1830 suggested that each plant cell is an independent, isolated unit capable of receiving nourishment and building its own internal structure.

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R. Brown in 1831 described nucleus as a central feature in plant cells.

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Felix Dujardin in 1835 described protoplasm in protozoa and considered it to be the living matter.

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H. Von Mohl in 1835 described the cell division.

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M.J. Schleiden in 1838 described the nucleoli and proposed cell theory along with T.Schwann.

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T. Schwann in 1839 applied cell theory to animals.

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J.E. Purkinje in 1840 named the cell contents as protoplasm.

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Robert Remark in 1841 described amitotic cell division in the RBC of chick embryo.

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A. Donne in 1845 studied spermatozoa and used photo microscopy for the first time.

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Facts 

Kolliker in 1845 reported that the ova and spermatozoa are single cell products.

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H. Von Mohl in 1846 used the term protoplasm for the cytoplasm of the modern time.

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K. Nageli in 1846 reported that the new plant cells arise from the pre existing cells.

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W. Hofmeister in 1849 studied nuclear divisions in stamens and fertilization. He drew figures of chromosomes of the nuclei of pollen mother cells of Tradescantia.

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R. Virchow in 1855 stated that all cells arise from the pre existing cells.

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Pringsheim in 1855 described the complete fertilization process in alga.

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Kolliker in 1857 discovered mitochondria in muscle.

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R. Virchow in 1858 correctly asserted that as the functional units of life, cells are the primary site of disease

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Antioxidant Activity The oxidation can be initiated by the action of external agents like heat, light, ionizing radiation or metals like metal ions or metalloproteins. Steps involved in oxidation are as follows: Initiation: LH + R → L+RH LH denotes the substrate molecules ()lipid R is the initiating oxidizing radical.

Oxidation of lipid generates a highly reactive allyl radical (L) that can rapidly react with oxygen to form a lipid Research methodology

peroxyl radical (LOO.) Propagation: L+ O2 → LOO LOO + LH→ L+ LOOH The peroxyl radicals further oxidize the lipid producing lipid hydroperoxides (LOOH) which inturn break down a wide range of compounds like alcohols, aldehydes, alkyl formats, ketones, hydrocarbons and radicals like alkoxyl

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radical.

Branching: LOOH →LO+OH 2LOOH → LOO.+ LO.+H2O The breakdown of lipid hydroperoxides involves transition metal ion catalysis yielding lipid peroxyl and lipid alkoxyl radicals.

Termination: Involve the combination of radicals to form non– radical products.

LO. + LO. LOO.+ LOO LO. + LOO. Primary antioxidants AH when present in trace amounts, may either delay or inhibit the initiation step by reacting with lipid radical or inhibit the propagation step by reacting with peroxyl or alkoxyl radicals.

L. + AH. → LH. + A. LOO. + AH. → LOOH + A. LO. + AH. → LOH+A. Secondary antioxidants are compounds that retard the rate of oxidation.

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Facts 

Schultze in 1861 said that the cell is a living substance which possesses a nucleus and cell membrane. He used the term protoplasm for the living substance of cell and stated protoplasm as the “Physical basis of life.”

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Waldeyer in 1863 reported the utility of haematoxylin in staining the chromosomes of cells.

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G. Mendel in 1865 discovered the fundamental principles of Genetics.

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Haeckel in 1866 named plastids.

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L.St. George in 1867 discovered Golgi complex.

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W. His in 1870 developed the microtome for cutting serial sections of tissue for cell study.

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F. Mischer in 1871 discovered nucleoproteins and nucleic acid (nuclein)

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H. Fol in 1873 described spindle and astral rays.

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Facts 

Strasburger in 1875 described chromosomes.

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L. Pasteur in 1876 discovered anaerobic release of energy from cells (fermentation) in yeasts and moulds.

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O. Hertwig in 1876 studied reproduction in sea urchin and concluded that fertilization involves the union of sperm and egg nuclei.

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E. Abbe in 1877 discovered the oil immersion objective.

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H. Fol in 1879 observed the penetration of single sperm in the egg during fertilization.

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W. Flemming in 1879 introduced the term chromatin and described splitting of chromosomes.

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E. G. Balbiani in 1881 discovered the giant chromosomes of salivary glands of the larva of chironomus.

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W. Flemming in 1882 introduced the term mitosis, improved techniques of fixation and staining and suggested the relations of nucleic acid with the chromatin.

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Darani Vasudevan daraniauthor.ga

Hi readers, I am a Botanist and writer. This magazine is an outcome of the topics that interested me a lot while doing my research works. I chose this magazine as a platform for sharing many interesting facts related to plant Science and microorganisms.