Purification and characterization of riboflavin carrier protein from egg white of South Indian spotted owlet (athene brama).

Riboflavin carrier protein has been isolated and purified from the Indian spotted owlet. The protein was purified to its homogeneity. Purification was achieved successfully by DEAE_ Sepharose column chromatography and gel filtration chromatography on Sephadex G-100. The protein content was estimated with Lowry method. The purity of the proteins was judged by SDS-PAGE technique. The molecular weight of the protein was found to be 29 Kd. The protein was characterized using absorption, fluorescence and CD spectral analysis. Significance of the above results are discussed in the present communication.

Biotechnological applications of purple non sulphur phototrophic bacteria: A minireview.

Bacteria play in vital role in the production of variety of products, including certain plastics and enzymes used in detergents, textiles and pharmaceutical industries. Production of chemicals using bacteria and other microorganisms is not only economical sustainable but also ecofriendly. Modern biotechnology entails the use of cell fusion, bioinformatics, genetic engineering, structure based molecular design and hybridoma technology. The presence of photosynthetic bacteria along with the heterotrophic bacteria have been reported in various aquatic environments like Indian tropical waters (Vasavi et al., 2007), salt marshes (Bergstein et al., 1993), industrial effluents (Ramasamy et al., 1990; Merugu et al., 2008), sea water (Kobayashi,1982), sewage (Kobayashi et al., 1995), waste water (Sunita and Mitra, 1993 and Vasavi et al., 2007), hot water springs (Demchick et al., 1990), earthworm casts (Vasavi et al., 2007), paddy fields (Sasikala et al., 2004), ocean waters and aquaculture (Kappler et al.,2005), brackish lagoon (Anthony et al., 2006), and black sea (Overmann and Manske, 2006). Blankenship et al. (1995) studied taxonomy of anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria. These bacteria preferably grow by a photoheterotrophic metabolism with organic substances as electron donors during their photosynthetic activity. Most species are also capable of growing photoautotrophically with molecular hydrogen as donor. They have high protein content with good amount of essential amino acids, vitamins, biological co-factors and fewer amounts of nucleic acids (Sasikala and Ramana, 1995, Merugu et al.,2008). Many workers have recommended purple non sulphur bacteria as a source of SCP for pisciculture and poultry industry (Salma et al., 2007), vitamin B12 (Sasikala and Ramana,1995), Ubiquinone Q10 used in clinical medicine (Sasaki et al., 2002) and therapeutically used compounds (Nagumo et al., 1991). Mitsui (1985), while discussing multiple utilisation of tropical and subtropical marine photosynthetic organisms, suggested that some photosynthetic bacterial strains may prove to be an economical source of carbohydrate material for bacterial mediated methane production. Carotenoids produced by Rb.sphaeroides are used as natural dyes and food dyes (Qian et al., 1991). The profile of essential amino acids of anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria is comparable to those of soyabean and egg proteins (Ponsanio et al., 2002) and higher than those of other single cell protein (Azad et al., 2001). Mass production of Rhodopseudomonas palustris as diet for aquaculture was studied by Kim and Lee (2000). Many of phototrophic bacteria are reported to leach out ammonia during their growth as amino acids. Ammonia leaching was observed in resting cells of Rhodobacter sphaeroides O.U.001 in the absence of MSX under various gas phases (Sasikala and Ramana, 1990). Hiroo (2004) used a mixed culture of photosynthetic bacteria for ammonia leaching.

Effect of bioinoculation of rhodobacter capsulatus KU002 on two rice varieties of India.

In our continuing studies on the potential application of phototrophic bacteria we have tried to investigate the effects of inoculation of phototrophic bacteria on the growth and nitrogen levels in two varieties of rice namely Mashuri and Erramallelu. Mashuri variety was comparatively more responsive to the inoculation of phototrophic bacteria. Increase in shoot length of both the varieties of rice could be recorded. Nitrogen percentage showed a marked increase in both the rice varieties tested. Potential of phototrophic bacteria as a biofertiliser is discussed in this communication.

Hypocholesterolemic effect of the anoxygenic phototrophic bacterium rhopseudomonas palustris MGU001 in hen laying eggs.

The study was designed to investigate the effects of dietary Rhodopseudomonas palustris on the laying hen. The values were recorded after about a period of 60 days. Dietary supplementation of four day old cultures of R.palustris at 0.08% reduced cholesterol and triglycerides concentration in serum by 15.34% and 6.19% respectively. The hen egg-yolk recorded a reduction of about 17.18% in cholesterol concentration. Also, supplementation of R.palustris in diets increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level and decreased atherogenic index in serum. Reduction in the levels of cholesterol was also observed in liver, breast and thigh muscles. Diets fed with R.palustris may lead to the development of chicken and eggs containing less cholesterol. Significance of the above results with respect to the existing literature are discussed in this communication.