Current Biotechnology - Volume 12, Issue 1, 2023

In order to tackle multifactorial illnesses, the importance of bioactive peptides in nano drug delivery systems is emphasised. Multifactorial diseases are primarily brought on by protein misfolding. Therefore, pharmaceutical formulations are recommended to deliver a successful treatment. Difficulties hinder its application in delivering raw peptides with poor bioavailability, absorption, and circulation time, making it a difficult assignment for researchers. Recently, bioactive peptides have become increasingly important in therapy. In addition, several bioactive proteins have poor absorption characteristics in the GIT. These issues can be resolved by creating nano-based peptide-based delivery systems that encapsulate, retain, protect, and transport bioactive peptides. The focus of the proposed review paper is to provide an overview of peptides, commercialization concerns, and their related attempts to develop into novel peptide-based nanoformulations.

The coronavirus pandemic hit the world with different variants of SARS-CoV-2; reliable therapeutics are needed every hour to control and minimize the infection. To date, the way to menace the chaos of post-COVID infection is not confined rationally. Researchers are still on their way to the progression of an efficient way to eradicate the disease. However, to prevent it from causing infection post-entry into the body, there have been a few strategies to maintain and boost the immune system. At the onset of infection when no antiviral therapeutics were available, convalescent plasma therapies as a proposed mechanism were adapted to treat the post-COVID infection. Researchers have formulated the administration of different types of vaccines based on attenuated or inactivated nucleic acids or subunits after approval from the FDA and still continue to find the best reliable vaccines for better enhancement in inducing immunogenicity of the immune system to fight against the disease. The COVID-19 infection affects the gut and lung axis and there has been dysbiosis of microbiota which leads to cause secondary infections. To accomplish homeostasis of essential microbiota in the body, the administration of different strains of probiotic bacteria has been one way to induce immunogenicity and combat the disease.

Lipases are carboxylic ester hydrolase enzymes, constituting the class of serine hydrolases, requiring no cofactor for their action. They have various substrates and produce glycerol and free fatty acids through the hydrolysis of fats and oils. Owing to their wide applications and the simplicity with which they can be mass-produced, these are a significant group of biotechnologically important enzymes. In addition, lipases have the special characteristic of operating at a lipid/ water interface. Present review focuses on the medical and therapeutic use of lipases. These enzymes and their inhibitors have applications with remarkable success for managing or even treating diseases such as cancer, obesity, atherosclerosis, and Alzheimer's. Lipases have also been used to produce healthier fatty acids and low-fat cheese. The characteristic physicochemical and catalytic properties of enzymes make them ideal for biosensors and digestive aids in individuals with exocrine pancreatic inefficiency. Newer avenues open as deeper and more relevant studies are being conducted on newer lipases.

Background: Determination of glucose is crucial in chemical, biological, and clinical samples, food processing, and fermentation. Despite 50 years of reports on biosensor technology development, it is still important to research new glucose biosensors. Objective: The main purpose of this study is to design and build a simple and effective glucose biosensor based on Citrullus Colocynthis and Urtica Dioica. Methods: In this study, the carbon paste electrodes of Citrullus Colocynthis and Urtica Dioica were prepared and connected to the LCR meter by copper wire, and then the glucose was injected into solution in various concentrations, and capacitance changes were recorded in the LCR meter proportional to concentration changes of glucose in electrode surface. Also, glucose was detected by other methods such as impedance, optical density reader, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Results: Biosensors with electrodes modified with Citrullus Colocynthis and Urtica Dioica responded rapidly and with glucose sensitivity in the linear concentration range of 1.2-11.2 μg / ml and 2.5- 15 μg / ml, respectively.. Conclusion: Citrullus Colocynthis and Urtica Dioica are good candidates for glucose detection as plant tissue. Also, producing and purifying plant extracts makes it possible to miniaturize the glucose biosensor with greater sensitivity.

Background: Yeasts with high protein content are used as single-cell proteins due to their nutritional values and rare pathogenicity. However, the nucleic acid of the yeasts must be removed before consumption to avoid hazards to health. Wickerhamomyces anomalus is an authorized bio-preservative with promising antifungal activity and safety. However, its high protein content associated with high nucleic acid content results in high nitrogen content that imposes additional downstream processing costs due to the nucleic acid removal step required to prevent uric acid precipitation which leads to various health concerns. Objectives: The objectives were to (i) isolate a novel Wickerhamomyces anomalus strain with low nitrogen content and (ii) to optimize the production of W. anomalus biomass through response surface methodology (RSM). Methods: The novel Wickerhamomyces sp. USMAST-TP1 with low nitrogen content was isolated from fermented food and its biomass was optimized through RSM. Results: Wickerhamomyces sp. USMAST-TP1 showed promising tolerance to glycerine pitch with a higher composition of growth-inhibiting impurities where its biomass was not negatively affected by excessive glycerine pitch supply. Upon optimization through RSM, 11.4 g/L biomass harboring protein content of 13% was achieved. Conclusion: The >17-fold lower nitrogen content of 2% indicated low nucleic acid content compared to common W. anomalus strains, thus the costly nucleic acid purification steps can be excluded, easing applications in agro-food industries.

Background: The bile concretions formed inside the gallbladder are called gallstones. Gallstone disease is one of the major causes of morbidity, mortality, and economic burden throughout the world. Approximately 10% to 20% of the world population and 4.87% in Nepal are suffering from a gallstone. Objective: The aim is to classify the gallstone samples based on morphological and cross-sectional evidences, and a comparative study of their chemical composition to understand the mechanism of formation. Methods: Two types of gallstones were studied; combined cholesterol gallstone and black pigment gallstone. SEM, UV-Vis, and EDS analyzed the gallstones for morphological and elemental study. Results: The UV-Vis spectrum showed characteristic peaks for cholesterol, calcium bilirubinate, and copper bilirubinate. SEM image of combined cholesterol gallstone reveals that cholesterol is the major phase in the shell, whereas bilirubin is the major phase in the core. EDS detection of C and O as the major elements confirmed cholesterol, whereas the detection of C, O, N, and Ca as the major elements confirmed bilirubin. In the shell of the black pigment gallstone, cholesterol, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, and bilirubinate were detected, whereas, in the core, bilirubinate of calcium and copper, cholesterol, protein, and calcium carbonate were detected. Conclusion: Cholesterol and bilirubin are the major components of the gallstones. Metals like Al, Ca and Cu play a crucial role in the initial formation of the gallstones. The combined cholesterol gallstone has a yellow pigment center composed mainly of unconjugated bilirubin and an outer shell primarily composed of cholesterol and calcium carbonate. Precipitation of bilirubinate of calcium and copper is important during the formation of black PGS.