Bio Technology

The portunidae crab Charybdis natator were collected from the offshore region of Nagapattinam (Lat. 10⁰ 46’ NS and Long. 79⁰ 51’ EW) on south east coast of Bay of Bengal. A random collection of specimens were made and sex ratio of male and female crabs were thoroughly studies in a period of two year January – 2009 to December – 2010. The result it clearly indicates that there was slight variation in both sex numbers. Among the total crabs 1748, the males were 864 and females were 884. The overall sex ratio of male and female was found to 1:1.01 ratio. The chi-square (?2) test analysis indicated that the ratio was not significantly differ from the expected 1:1 ratio. Hence it is suggested that the variation in sex ratio mainly depends on migration of crab for feeding, breeding, types of gear and craft used in that season.

Titanium (Ti) is a major impurity in the economic Carboniferous and Cretaceous sedimentary kaolin deposits in Egypt. It is found that Ti is present as an independent mineral phase rather than in the crystal structure of kaolinite. Ti occurs mainly as uniform very fine-grained and rounded anatase crystals in pockets within the kaolin mass of all deposits. The optical properties of kaolin (brightness, Lab color, whiteness and yellowness) are improved only when the coloring impurities are removed. In this paper, the role of micro-organisms on the surface properties of titanium dioxide (anatase mineral) has been studied through zeta potential and adhesion measurements as well as the adsorption experiments. Complete characterization of both single mineral and bacteria isolated from its surface has been done using XRD, SEM, and FTIR as well as morphological and biochemical identification of bacterial isolates.

In this present investigation, a mathematical model has been developed for shake-flask fermentation of L-methionine by a multiple analogue resistant strain Corynebacterium glutamicum X300. Using computer simulation, different parameters of kinetic model were evaluated. The kinetic model developed in this present investigation revealed better assumptions for bacterial growth, L-methionine accumulation and substrate utilization compared to the assumptions as predicted in the available literature.Sensitivity analysis revealed that the predicted model has heighest impact on L-methionine fermentation. In this present study, non-growth associated product formation coefficient had maximum inhibitory effect on L-methionine fermentation.

Soil samples from dump yards in Thiruvanthapuram were collected for isolation of bacteria. Isolates obtained were screened for non chitinase and protease activity, by culturing on skimmed milk and colloidal chitin agar plates respectively. The organism which did not degrade chitin but degraded protein was selected and identified by simple staining, gram staining, IMViC, and with further molecular identification by 16SrRNA analysis, it was confirmed that the isolate was Serratia marcescens. The economical application of Serratia marcescens was analyzed by quantifying the enzyme production and its degrading capacity on shell fish waste. The enzyme kinetics was studied after its purification and characterization using column chromatography and SDS-PAGE respectively. The optimum temperature and pH for maximum enzyme activity was identified and studied for future applications on a broad scale.

Brachyuran crabs for the present investigation were collected from offshore region of Mallipattinam (Lat. 10°12¢ NS. and Long. 79°20¢ EW) which is situated near sethubhava ghatiam on sethusamudram canal. Ashvini River enters into Palk Strait at Mallipattinam, which carries large among of nutrients flushing into the probably promotes the species biodiversity both racially and individually. In the present investigation nearly 23 species of marine crabs are landing at Mallipattinam coast. Out of these twenty three species frequency of landing restricted to 12 species alone. They are Portunus pelagicus, P. sanginolentus, C. lucifera, C. feriata, C. callinosa, Podophthalmus vigil, Galene bispinosa, Ocypoda macrocera, Ocypoda platytarsis, Calappa lophos, C. bicornis, and Philyra globasca. In these groups some species are non-edible and others are edible but the non-edible species are commercially important because of their use in aqua and poultry feed industry. The population density, distribution frequency, sex ratio, fecundity of these crabs showed significant variation with reference to seasons. The study critically focusing the fact, that the biodiversity of brachyuran species and even other species may be decline in future due to the deposition of sand into the Palk Strait region. In these areas indicates that this area suitable for crab inhabiting and propagation.

Onion is the second most cultivated vegetable crop and a dietary source of vitamins and flavonoids. Historically, the specie has undergone biotechnological manipulations for crop improvements due to its high amenability to cell and tissue culture. This review begins with a historical viewpoint on onion improvement using biotechnology encompassing ploidy manipulation and applications of cell and tissue culture. The past developments and new approaches for gene transfer to onion are described in this review. Genetic transformation is highly effective for adding single genes to existing elite onion clones with no, or minimal disruptions to their genetic background and represents the only effective way to produce isogenic lines of specific cultivars. This is nearly impossible via traditional breeding due to the high heterozygosity in the diploid onion genome, the genetic integrity of onion clones is lost upon sexual reproduction as a result of viable gene segregation. These genetic attributes have also provided challenges for the development of genetic maps and applications of molecular markers and genomics in onion breeding. Molecular approaches represented by a combination of different omic technologies including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics are described as well as future prospects. The resultant effects of these will facilitate the introduction of elite genes that could provide resistance to pests and diseases, and lead to generation of high quality traits.

This paper reviews the newly developed statistical analysis technique: classification and regression trees (CART), which is one of the most frequently used methods for complex and multi dimensional data sets. CART is a non parametric approach and can easily be used. A most popular and commonly used Gini index method for node impurity in classification trees and the concept of standard error for the measurement of accuracy in regression trees has been discussed. Important features and uses of CART in different fields especially in medical research have also been discussed with examples.

Cryptococcus is an encapsulated yeast, ubiquitous in nature. The concept of using differential media for isolating specific fungal pathogens is not new. The present study reveals that all plant based media are found to be supporting the confluent growth of Cryptococcus neoformans, Lowsonia inermis (Henna) leaf based media, Brassica campestris (Mustard) seed based media and Rhus cotinus (Smoke tree) leaf based media exhibits appreciable brown color effect (BCE) which makes them a good option as selective media for Cryptococcus neoformans. Not only plant based agar media, the plant based broths also supported confluent growth of this organism. This is perhaps the first report. Thus, these plant based media are selective, simple to prepare and economical to use and offers a novel alternative for currently available synthetic media.

The use of fossil fuels as energy is now broadly accepted as unsustainable due to depleting resources and also due to the accumulation of greenhouse gases in the environment. To resolve this problem use of renewable energy is now in focus, renewable energy plays a crucial role in dealing with energy security, eco-friendliness and climate change issues at global and national level. Renewable energy continued to grow strongly in 2012 in both OECD and non-OECD countries. This paper reviews the global growth of renewable energy and present renewable energy status in India, with the main focus on algal biofuel and its future prospects in India.

Primary clarified bone waste (PCBW) from ossein factory was anaerobically co-digested with cattle dung in relative proportions at ambient temperature. A substitution of PCBW (60%) with cattle dung (40%) reported herein to be appropriate for a maximum biogas production yield with 68-71% methane content. The pH of the slurry was intensively maintained until the course of digestion. The best degradation of organic matter was achieved at a low proportion of PCBW used in the digesters. Thus, co-digestion of PCBW and cattle dung at a moderate proportion is a more noteworthy for producing maximum biogas yield with high quality methane content and to control odor in ossein factory.