miRNAs are small endogenous non-coding RNAs, approximately 21-nucleotides in length, which are shown to regulate an array of cellular processes such as differentiation, cell cycle, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis which are important in cancer. miRNAs can function as both tumor promoters (oncomiRs) or tumor suppressors by their ability to target numerous biomolecules that are important in carcinogenesis. Aberrant expression of miRNAs is correlated with the development and progression of tumors, and the reversal of their expression has been shown to modulate the cancer phenotype suggesting the potential of miRNAs as targets for anti-cancer drugs. Several chemopreventive phytochemicals like epigallocatechin-3-gallate, curcumin, isoflavones, indole-3-carbinol, resveratrol, and isothiocyanate have been shown to modulate the expression of numerous miRNAs in cancer cells that lead to either abrogation of tumor growth or sensitization of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents. This review focuses on the putative role(s) of miRNAs in different aspects of tumorigenesis and at various stages of early drug discovery that makes them a promising class of drug targets for chemopreventive intervention in cancer. We summarize the current progress in the development of strategies for miRNA-based anti-cancer therapies. We also explore the modulation of miRNAs by various cancer chemopreventive agents and the role of miRNAs in drug metabolism. We will discuss the role of miRNAs in cancer stem cells and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition; and talk about how modulation of miRNA expression relates to altered glycosylation patterns in cancer cells. In addition, we consider the role of altered miRNA expression in carcinogenesis induced by various agents including genotoxic and epigenetic carcinogens. Finally, we will end with a discussion on the potential involvement of miRNAs in the development of cancer chemoresistance. Taken together, a better understanding of the complex role(s) of miRNAs in cancer may help in designing better strategies for biomarker discovery or drug targeting of miRNAs and/or their putative protein targets.

Recent literature has suggested a novel symbiotic relationship between bacteriophage and metazoan host that provides antimicrobial defense protecting mucosal surface by binding to host matrix mucin glycoproteins. Here, we isolated and studied different bacteriophages that specifically interact with human extracellular matrix molecules such as fibronectin, gelatin, heparin and demonstrated their potency for protection to host against microbial infections. We showed that subpopulations of bacteriophages that work against clinical isolates of Escherichia coli can bind to pure gelatin, fibronectin and heparin and reduced bacterial load in human colon cell line HT29. The bacteriophages were characterized with respect to their genome sizes, melting curve patterns and host tropism (cross-reactivity with different hosts). Since, the bacteriophages are non-toxic to the host and can effectively reduce bacterial load in HT29 cell line their therapeutic potency against bacterial infection could be explored.

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We report the draft genome sequence of Escherichia coli ASBT-1, a representative of E. coli sequence type 155 (ST155), obtained from India. Considering the known wide variety of pathogenic and antibiotic resistance potentials, this strain should be of great interest for detailed comparative genomic analysis.

Microbial desalination cell (MDC) is a bioelectrochemical system developed recently from microbial fuel cells (MFCs), for producing green energy from organic wastes along with desalination of saltwater. MDC is proved to be a better performer than MFC in terms of power output and chemical oxygen demand removal, with desalination as an additional feature. This study investigates the application potential of MDC for integrated biodegradation of waste engine oil. This study showed, for the first time, that waste engine oil could be used as an organic substrate in MDC, achieving biodegradation of engine oil along with considerable desalination and power production. Utilization of these wastes in MDC can protect the environment from waste engine oil contamination. Indigenous oil-degrading bacteria were isolated and identified from engine oil contaminated sludge. Degradation of waste engine oil by these novel isolates was studied in batch cultures and optimized the growth conditions. The same cultures when used in MDC, gave enhanced biodegradation (70.1 +/- 0.5%) along with desalination (68.3 +/- 0.6%) and power production (3.1 +/- 0.3 mW/m2). Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analyses were performed to characterize the degradation metabolites in the anolyte of MDC which clearly indicated the biodegradation of long chain, branched and cyclic hydrocarbons present in waste engine oil.

Robust control of pathogens in sewage facilitates safe reuse of wastewater rich in valuable nutrients for potential valorization through biological means. Aspergillus niger is widely reported in bioremediation of wastewater but studies on control of enteric pathogens in sewage are very sparse. So, this study aimed at exploring the antibacterial and nematicidal activity of A. niger culture filtrate (ACF). Antibacterial activity of ACF on enteric pathogens (Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Vibrio cholerae, Salmonella enterica, Shigella dysenteriae, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella variicola) was determined by spectrophotometric growth analysis, resazurin based viability assay and biofilm formation assay. ACF showed inhibition against all enteric pathogens except Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Nematicidal studies on Caenorhabditis elegans showed 85% egg hatch inhibition and 52% mortality of L1 larvae. Sewage treatment with ACF at 1:1 (v/v) showed 2–3 log reduction in coliforms, Klebsiella, Shigella, Salmonella, S. aureus and Vibrio except Pseudomonas, indicating significant alteration of complex microbial dynamics in wastewater. Application of ACF can potentially be used as a robust biocontrol strategy against infectious microbes in wastewater and subsequent valorization by cultivating beneficial Pseudomonas.

A high-throughput method is described, consisting of a colourimetric microtitration for screening phenol-degrading microorganisms, using a mixture of 4-aminoantipyrine and potassium ferricyanide as the colour indicator. This contemporary study summarizes a new method to determine phenol-degrading bacteria isolated from different areas. The method was used for testing a total of 72 bacteria collected from the natural environment and five known strains obtained from diagnostic and research laboratories employing 200 mg/L phenol (the linear range saturation concentration). Depending on the change in colour indicator, the degradation profiles of 11 strains of bacteria are shown, of which seven strains were able to degrade more than 80 % of phenol within 6-8 h, while the other four strains took 12-24 h. Two of the environmentally isolated strains showed high efficiency of phenol degradation and were confirmed by the high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. These strains were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing as unique (Escherichia coli moh1 and Bacillus cereus moh2) and were deposited in the GenBank of NCBI. Two pathogenic strains (Uropathogenic E. coli and Salmonella sp.) were found to be the fast degraders of phenol, which is of medical concern, as phenol is generally used as a disinfectant in hospitals. This method can be used for the estimation and screening of phenol degraders in a single step, for its application in bioremediation as well as in hospitals for screening the phenol resistance of pathogens.

We report the draft genome sequence of a putative probiotic strain, Lactobacillus fermentum ASBT-2, isolated from domestic sewage in Kerala, India. The strain showed probiotic properties (tolerance to low pH and bile salts, binding to host matrix) and reduced the coliform count by 90% in a biofilter used to treat wastewater.