Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Papers/Topics

GBS Mapping and Analysis of Genes Conserved between Gossypium tomentosum and Gossypium hirsutum Cotton Cultivars that Respond to Drought Stress at the Seedling Stage of the BC2F2 Generation

Abstract/Overview Cotton production is on the decline due to ever-changing environmental conditions. Drought and salinity stress contribute to over 30% of total loss in cotton production, the situation has worsened more due to the narrow genetic base of the cultivated upland cotton. The genetic diversity of upland cotton has been eroded over the years due to intense selection and inbreeding. To break the bottleneck, the wild cotton progenitors offer unique traits which can be introgressed...

QTL mapping of fiber quality and yield-related traits in an intra-specific upland cotton using genotype by sequencing (gbs)

Abstract/Overview Fiber quality and yield improvement are crucial for cotton domestication and breeding. With the transformation in spinning techniques and multiplicity needs, the development of cotton fiber quality and yield is of great importance. A genetic map of 5178 Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) markers were generated using 277 F2:3 population, from an intra-specific cross between two upland cotton accessions, CCRI35 a high fiber quality as female and Nan Dan Ba Di Da Hua (NH)...

Nutritional Composition and Sensory Properties of Wheat Muffins Enriched with Gonimbrasia Zambesina, Walker Caterpillar Four

Abstract/Overview Sub-Saharan Africa still bears the greatest forms of malnutrition. Attention is shifting to the use of edible insects in forms which are acceptable to people irrespective of their social status and level of civilization in efforts to alleviate protein malnutrition. Gonimbrasia zambesina (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) caterpillars emerge seasonally in the coastal part of Kenya and despite their rich nutritional profile, their consumption is low. This study was thus undertaken...

Effect of Nitrogen Nutrition on the Intensity of Cercospora Leaf Spot of Mulberry

Abstract/Overview Leaf spot (Cercospora moricola, Cooke) is a disease that negatively influences the yield of mulberry (Morus alba L.) plants. To determine the effect of nitrogen levels on the incidence and severity of leaf spot an experiment was carried out on mulberry plants. The nitrogen levels included 0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1 ,which were applied in two splits coinciding with the two rainy seasons. The study design was randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications...

Physicochemical and Functional Properties of Edible Dung Beetle Larvae (Scarabaeus satyrus) Flours and Oils and their Significance in Human Nutrition

Abstract/Overview The potential of edible insects in alleviating the nutritional challenges facing humans has led to an increased interest in their utilization. Edible insects contain substantial amounts of protein and fats, which are very important macronutrients that confer useful functional and physicochemical properties to foods. However, the functional properties of these nutrients have not been given sufficient attention, limiting their use as ingredients in diets and food products....

Distribution, Characterization and the Commercialization of Elite Rhizobia Strains in Africa

Abstract Grain legumes play a significant role in smallholder farming systems in Africa because of their contribution to nutrition and income security and their role in fixing nitrogen. Biological Nitrogen Fixation (BNF) serves a critical role in improving soil fertility for legumes. Although much research has been conducted on rhizobia in nitrogen fixation and their contribution to soil fertility, much less is known about the distribution and diversity of the bacteria strains in different a...

Differential Induction of Proteins in Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto (Diptera: Cullicidae) Larvae in Response to Heavy Metal Selection

Abstract Investigations were conducted to establish the magnitude and pattern of differential expression of proteins due to generational selection of third instar An. gambiae s.s. larvae by cadmium, copper and lead heavy metals, three possible common urban pollutants. A susceptible strain of An. gambiae s.s. third instar larvae was separately placed under selection pressure with cadmium, copper and lead at LC30 and controls through five generations. First, third and fifth generation selectio...

Map-Based Functional Analysis of the GhNLP Genes Reveals Their Roles in Enhancing Tolerance to N-Deficiency in Cotton

Abstract/Overview Nitrogen is a key macronutrient needed by plants to boost their production, but the development of cotton genotypes through conventional approaches has hit a bottleneck due to the narrow genetic base of the elite cotton cultivars, due to intensive selection and inbreeding. Based on our previous research, in which the BC2F2 generations developed from two upland cotton genotypes, an abiotic stress-tolerant genotype, G. tomentosum (donor parent) and a highly-susceptible, an...

Modal Analysis of aSmall H-Darrieus Wind Turbine Based on 3D CAD, FEA

Abstract: Rotary machines have many rotating structures necessity design-optimization. Their structure motions are controlled at low-frequency by rigidity, at high-frequency by inertia and at resonance level by damping. Using a modal model, dynamic design of the structure developed can be predicted, analyzed and improved. Recently, H-Darrieus wind turbine (HDWT) has received considerable attention due to its inherent structural characteristics. This machine intends a promising design of a re...

Molecular and morphological assessment of invasive, inland Rattus (Rodentia: Muridae) congenerics in South Africa and their reservoir host potential with respect to Helicobacter and Bartonell

Abstract: Invasive species are generally problematic where they occur, especially in terms of ecology, economy and disease. Members of the genus Rattus Fischer, 1803 particularly, are known as one of the most destructive invasive species to date since they cause widespread damage on terrestrial and island ecosystems. Two Rattus species have historically been reported as invasive species in South Africa, Rattus rattus Linnaeus, 1758, which has a widespread distribution throughout the country ...

Molecular phylogeny and evolution of the Ectemnorhinus group of weevils in the Prince Edward Islands

Abstract: All previous taxonomic studies on the Ectemnorhinus group of weevils have been based primarily on morphological data. While these studies are invaluable, some questions can only be addressed adequately through molecular studies. This is especially true when studying the genetic relationships and phylogeograpic patterns of taxa endemic to the South Indian Ocean Province (SIP) biotas that have long been controversial. The Ectemnorhinus group of genera is a monophyletic unit of weevil...

ENZYME CHARACTERIZATION, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITIES OF PROTEASE FROM CHICKPEA(Cicerarietinum L.) SEED AND LEAF EXTRACTS

Abstract: Chickpea proteins are appreciated due to their high biological values, well balanced amino acid content and low content of anti-nutritional factors. The present study was undertaken to investigate enzyme Characterization, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of protease extract from chickpea (Cicerarietinum L.). The chickpea seed and leaf samples collected from farmer’s field were used for protease enzyme extraction. The protein concentration was determined by Lowry method. P...

Molecular diagnosis of a previously unreported predator–prey association in coffee: Karnyothrips flavipes Jones (Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) predation on the coffee berry borer

Abstract: The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei, is the most important pest of coffee throughout the world,causing losses estimated at US $500 million/year. The thrips Karnyothrips flavipes was observed for the first time feeding on immature stages of H. hampei in April 2008 from samples collected in the Kisii area of Western Kenya.Since the trophic interactions between H. hampei and K.flavipes are carried out entirely within the coffee berry, and because thrips feed by liquid ingestio...

RNA Interference: a Pathway to Drug Target Identification and Validation in Trypanosome.

Abstract: RNA interference (RNAi) is a phenomenon through which double stranded RNA (dsRNA) induces potent sequence-specific degradation of homologous transcripts. Besides its function in cellular defense and developmental regulation, it has emerged as an invaluable tool for elucidation of gene function and drug target validation. This is particularly useful when substantial genome sequence data are available. Gene silencing using RNAi can aid translation of raw genomic sequence data into bi...

Molecular characterization of Plasmodium falciparum PHISTb proteins as potential targets of naturally-acquired immunity against malaria [version 1; peer review: 1 approved with reservations].

Abstract: Background: Plasmodium falciparum causes the deadliest form of malaria in humans. Upon infection, the host’s infected red blood cells (iRBCs) are remodelled by exported parasite proteins to provide a niche for parasite development and maturation. Methods: Here we analysed the role of three PHISTb proteins Pf3D7_0532400, Pf3D7_1401600, and Pf3D7_1102500 by expressing recombinant proteins and evaluated antibody responses against these proteins using immune sera from malaria-exposed...


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