Nanotechnology and enzyme immobilization: a review.

The synergy between enzymes and nanotechnology (nano-biocatalysts) has created some of the most promising biomaterials fabricated by synergistically incorporating advanced nano-biotechnology. The incorporation of enzymes into nanotechnology is of great significance for making nanomaterials that are rarely harmful to the environment. However, the unique/specific physicochemical characteristics and supramolecular nature ascribed to functional nanostructures (nanomaterials), have made them novel, interesting, and exceptional matrices for the creation of nano-biocatalysts. These have a lot of potential for improving the enzyme stability, function, efficiency, kinetic characteristics, vulnerability to diffusional constraints, and engineering performance in bioprocessing. Hence, the nano-biocatalysts developed contain exceptional properties with many potential applications in diverse fields. This review covers a wide range of the nanotechnology and enzyme technology involved in producing nano-biocatalysts, including different mechanisms, strategies in nanomaterial enzyme immobilization, and various nanocarriers, as well as recent developments in controlling enzyme activity. The vast range of potential applications of nano-biocatalysts in various fields, including food, pharmaceuticals, biofuels, and bioremediation, has been discussed.

Substrate composition effect on the nutritional quality of Pleurotus ostreatus (MK751847) fruiting body.

Underutilized palm oil waste (shaft and bunch) and sawdust supplemented with wheat and rice bran were used to cultivate mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus). Substrates were compounded following the designed protocol, bagged, and sterilized. Bags were inoculated with actively growing spawn, incubated at 28 ± 2 °C, ramified, and growth parameters were observed and recorded. The highest values were obtained in protein content of (19.14%) in the shaft supplemented with wheat bran, fat contents (1.70%) in the bunch alone, ash content of 10.10% and 9.59% in the fermented bunch, and bunch supplemented with wheat bran respectively. Bunch combined with sawdust gave the highest carbohydrate of 6.19%. Fermented bunch gave the highest value of vitamin A (2.21 UI/100g), E (5.71 UI/100g), and D (5.90 UI/100g). In the current study, it was shown that Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated on the palm waste substrate supplemented with rice bran and wheat bran produced better dietic quality mushrooms.

Ganoderma lucidum: Unutilized natural medicine and promising future solution to emerging diseases in Africa.

Ganoderma lucidum is a well-known medicinal mushroom that has been used for the prevention and treatment of different ailments to enhance longevity and health specifically in China, Japan, and Korea. It was known as "God's herb" in ancient China as it was believed to prolong life, enhance the youthful spirit and sustain/preserve vitality. G. lucidum is seldom collected from nature and is substantially cultivated on wood logs and sawdust in plastic bags or bottles to meet the international market demand. Both in vitro and in vivo studies on the copious metabolic activities of G. lucidum have been carried out. Varied groups of chemical compounds including triterpenoids, polysaccharides, proteins, amino acids, nucleosides, alkaloids, steroids, lactones, lectins, fatty acids, and enzymes with potent pharmacological activities have been isolated from the mycelia and fruiting bodies of G. lucidum. Several researchers have reported the abundance and diversification of its biological actions triggered by these chemical compounds. Triterpenoids and polysaccharides of G. lucidum have been reported to possess cytotoxic, hepatoprotective, antihypertensive, hypocholesterolemic, antihistaminic effects, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic antiallergic, neuroprotective, antitumor, immunomodulatory and antiangiogenic activities. Various formulations have been developed, patented, and utilized as nutraceuticals, cosmeceuticals, and pharmaceuticals from G. lucidum extracts and active compounds. Thus, this review presents current updates on emerging infectious diseases and highlights the scope, dynamics, and advances in infectious disease management with a particular focus on Ganoderma lucidum, an unutilized natural medicine as a promising future solution to emerging diseases in Africa. However, details such as the chemical compound and mode of action of each bioactive against different emerging diseases were not discussed in this study.

Molecular characterization of most cultivated Pleurotus species in sub-western region Nigeria with development of cost effective cultivation protocol on palm oil waste.

Major problems associated with the study of mushrooms in Nigeria are inaccuracy in identification, low bio-efficiency of commonly used substrate and difficulty in composting of substrates. The current study attempts the identification and characterization of Pleurotus species commonly cultivated in Western region of Nigeria, and evaluates the effectiveness of agricultural wastes in mushrooms cultivation. Molecular characterization was carried out for species identification. Different substrates combinations at ratio 1:1 were used. Molecular characterization revealed that the Pleurotus species grown in most farms and research institutes in South-western Nigeria are predominantly P. ostreatus and P. pulminarius. Palm bunch + Rice bran (8.24 ± 0.16) ramified almost twice faster than sawdust alone (4.98 ± 0.31) or any of the other substrates containing it. Fermented bunch (7.36 ± 0.19), the only substrate not sterilized also ramified faster than sawdust alone. All the other substrates compounded with palm bunch and shaft ramified faster than sawdust as lone substrate. In terms of yield, Palm bunch + Rice bran gave the highest (1774.75 g), followed by shaft + rice bran (1483.70 g), while the least value of 326. 94 g was obtained from sawdust. The highest value of biological efficient (BE) (100.57 g) and productivity (PT) (17.46 g) were obtained from shaft + Wheat bran and Palm bunch + Rice bran respectively, while sawdust gave lowest values of 13.08% and 3.23% for BE and PT respectively. Results obtained have shown that bunch and shaft supplemented with wheat and rice bran gave better yields and can be recommended for commercial mushrooms cultivation.

Photo-assisted bio-fabrication of silver nanoparticles using Annona muricata leaf extract: exploring the antioxidant, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activities.

Green synthesis of metal nanoparticles is reputed to have a robust range of biomedical applications. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) bio-fabricated using aqueous leaf extract of Annona muricata were characterized and evaluated for in-vitro antioxidant, lipid peroxidation inhibition, anti-diabetic and antimicrobial activities as well as cytotoxicity in human keratinocyte cells (HaCaT). The extract induced colour change of silver salt solution which absorbed at 420 nm and confirmed the formation of AgNPs. FTIR showed that free amide and hydroxyl groups were responsible for the synthesized nanoparticles. Both XRD and SAED confirmed the crystalline nature of the particles with face centered cubic (FCC) phase. The zeta potential revealed -27.2 mV potential and average distribution size of 35 nm. DLS indicated that the majority of the particles were 86.78 nm size and with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 0.329. AgNPs displayed strong activities against DPPH (IC50 = 51.80 µg/ml), ABTS (IC50 = 30.78 µg/ml), α-amylase (IC50 = 0.90 µg/ml) and α-glucosidase (IC50 = 3.32 µg/ml). The particles exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of Fe2+-induced lipid peroxidation with effective antimicrobial activity against a battery of bacterial strains and cytotoxicity in HaCaT cell line. These findings revealed the potential biomedical applications of the particles and further work will be required to establish its molecular mechanism of action.

Effect of water contaminated with phthalate, benzene and cyclohexane on Clarias gariepinus' cellular system.

This study evaluates the effect of water contaminated with phthalate, benzene and cyclohexane (major components of municipal waste in Nigeria) on the cellular system of Clarias gariepinus. Standard enzyme assays were conducted for alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase of selected tissues of C. gariepinus cultivated in contaminated water over a period of 56 days. Generally, a significant decrease in the activity of the enzymes of the tissues of C. gariepinus cultivated in contaminated water was observed relative to the control (p<0.05). Particularly, activity of alkaline phosphatase of liver of C. gariepinus cultivated in phthalate contaminated water was found to be 8.26+/-1.42 while that of control was 14.42+/-1.09. The activity of serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase of serum of the same group of fish was found to be twice that of control. It could be inferred that membrane integrity of the tissues studied are compromised and that tissue dysfunction may result. Consumption of C. gariepinus cultivated in water contaminated with phthalate, benzene and cyclohexane could pose threats to public health.

Toxicological evaluation of the effect of water contaminated with lead, phenol and benzene on liver, kidney and colon of Albino rats.

The effect of water contaminated with phenol, benzene and lead on rats cellular system was investigated. Selected enzyme activity of the kidney and colon of rats was carried out. Standard enzyme assays were also conducted for selected liver enzymes such as alkaline and acid phosphatases, alanine and aspartate transaminases, and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase. Serum indices of liver and kidney function were also determined. The direct bilirubin of test rats were observed to be 3.2+/-0.2U/mol/l while that of control rat was 1.2+/-0.003 U/mol/l. The total bilirubin of test rats was found to be 8.4+/-0.8 U/mol/l while that of the control was 5.6+/-0.5 U/mol/l. Generally, enzymes activity in the tissues of test rats were found to be significantly (p<0.05) lower relative to control, while the enzyme activity of the serum of test rats was significantly (p<0.05) higher than control. It could be inferred that experimental data suggest possible damage to the tissues and that consumption of polluted water may account for increasing cases of renal and hepatic failure among people in developing countries.