ABSTRACT
Aim: The aim of the present study was to isolate antifungal protein from seeds of Acacia senegal in order to develop a new, effective and environmental friendly biofungicide.Methodology: Antifungal protein from A. senegal seeds was extracted and purified through ammonium sulphate precipitation, dialysis, ion exchange and gel filtration chromatography. The novel antifungal was characterized employing SDS-PAGE, chitinase activity and antifungal efficacy. The purified protein was also characterized through MALDI-TOF MS/MS. Results: The yield of purified antifungal protein was estimated to be 0.96 mg 25 g-1 seeds and its molecular mass determined by SDS PAGE was 52.9 kDa. The purified protein exhibited antifungal activity against phytopathogenic fungi viz., Macrophomina phaseolina and Fusarium oxysporum also possessed chitinase activity. The purified protein was characterized through MALDI-TOF MS/MS and its spectra revealed 14 peptides with their specific amino acid sequences. Interpretation: The antifungal protein isolated from A. senegal seeds has broad-spectrum antifungal activity with chitinase activity against pathogenic fungi that can be exploited for management of fungal disease as biopesticide to promote sustainable agriculture
ABSTRACT
The study was performed to investigate the effect of marbofloxacin [2mg/kg body weight /day] on some immunological parameters in 9 sheep [35-40 kg. body weight] immunized with live attenuated sheep pox vaccine. Sheep were allocated into 3 equal groups. The first group was left as control; the second group was injected intramuscular [I/M] by marbofloxacin [2mg/kg body weight/day for 5 successive days] then vaccinated by intradermal [I/D] injection of 0.5 ml sheep pox vaccine/sheep. The third group was vaccinated with sheep pox vaccine only. The data revealed stimulation in the level of superoxide anion produced by neutrophil represented by detection of cytochrom C reduction level in the 2[nd] group [p<0.05] on the 1[st] day post vaccination, while there was significant depression in the level of lysozyme in the 1[st] two days post vaccination. The level of serum nitric oxide was not affected in the three groups. The lymphocytes transformation depressed significantly [p<0.05] in the 1[st] week post vaccination in the 2[nd] group as compared with the other two groups. It was concluded that marbofloxacin in its therapeutic level induced initial immunostimulant effect on the neutrophil followed by a transient immunosuppressive effect on other cells as macrophage when used before vaccination with live vaccine