Green Synthesis of Antimicrobial Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) from the Mucus of the Garden Snail .

The green synthesis of metal nanoparticles, mediated by extracts from various biological sources, leads to the formation of nanoparticles with unique characteristics and potential biomedical applications. In this study, a fraction of the mucus from the snail with MW > 20 kDa was used as a bioreducing and biostabilizing agent to obtain silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in different pH media (pH 1.5, 3.

Green Synthesis of Antibacterial CuO Nanoparticles Based on the Synergy Between Snail Mucus and Ascorbic Acid.

Many biologically active compounds have been identified in the mucus of the garden snail , which are effective in the treatment of several diseases such as cancer, ulcers, wounds, etc. The incorporation of these compounds into the green synthesis of copper nanoparticles (CuONPs-Muc) was demonstrated in our previous study. Based on the synergistic effect of two reducing agents- snail mucus and ascorbic acid (AsA)-on CuSO.

Antibacterial Properties of Peptide and Protein Fractions from Mucus.

The discovery and investigation of new natural compounds with antimicrobial activity are new potential strategies to reduce the spread of antimicrobial resistance. The presented study reveals, for the first time, the promising antibacterial potential of two fractions from mucus with an MW < 20 kDa and an MW > 20 kDa against five bacterial pathogens- 1085, 1897, 8691, 3915, and 8754. Using de novo sequencing, 16 novel peptides with potential antibacterial activity were identified in a fraction with an MW < 20 kDa.

Development of CuO Nanoparticles from the Mucus of Garden Snail as New Antimicrobial Agents.

Several biologically active compounds involved in the green synthesis of silver and gold nanoparticles have been isolated from snail mucus and characterized. This paper presents a successful method for the application of snail mucus from as a bioreducing agent of copper sulfate and as a biostabilizer of the copper oxide nanoparticles (CuONPs-Muc) obtained. The synthesis at room temperature and neutral pH yielded nanoparticles with a spherical shape and an average diameter of 150 nm.

Response to different oxidants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ure2Delta mutant.

Growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae ure2Delta mutant strain was investigated in the presence of diverse oxidant compounds. The inability of the strain to grow on a medium supplemented with H(2)O(2) was confirmed and a relationship between diminishing levels of glutathione (GSH) and peroxide sensitivity was established. Data for the lack of significant effect of URE2 disruption on the cellular growth in the presence of paraquat and menadione were obtained.

Comparison of enzymatic antioxidant defence systems in different metabolic types of yeasts.

The enzymatic defence system in the 2 yeasts Kluyveromyces marxianus and Rhodotorula glutinis, differing in their mode of oxygen uptake and energy generation, was characterized and compared with the well-studied facultatively fermentative Crabtree-positive Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain. Twofold higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities were detected in K. marxianus and R.

Over-expression of DAAO and catalase in Kluyveromyces marxianus through media optimization, permeabilization and GA stabilization techniques.

The selected thermotolerant, lactose-utilizing yeast strain Kluyveromyces marxianus NBIMCC 8362 possesses high specific d-amino acid oxidase activity (60Ug(-1)), which was increased nine-fold (545Ug(-1)) by design of the growth medium and conditions for d-amino oxidase induction. Applying an optimized simple and rapid procedure for chemical permeabilization of K. marxianus cells with the cationic detergent cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, the enzyme activities (d-amino acid oxidase and catalase) of the cells have been further increased for up to 43- and 58-fold, respectively.

Dual targeting of yeast catalase A to peroxisomes and mitochondria.

Yeast catalase A (Cta1p) contains two peroxisomal targeting signals (SSNSKF) localized at its C-terminus and within the N-terminal third of the protein, which both can target foreign proteins to peroxisomes. In the present study we demonstrated that Cta1p can also enter mitochondria, although the enzyme lacks a classical mitochondrial import sequence. Cta1p co-targeting was studied in a catalase A null mutant after growth on different carbon sources, and expression of a Cta1p-GFP (green fluorescent protein)-fusion protein or a Cta1p derivative containing either a c-Myc epitope (Cta1p(myc)) or a SKF-extended tag (Cta1p(myc-SKF)).