Kyasanur forest disease (KFD) was first recognised as a febrile illness in the Shimoga district of Karnataka state of India. The causative agent, KFD virus (KFDV), is a highly pathogenic member in the family Flaviviridae, producing a haemorrhagic disease in infected human beings. KFD is a zoonotic disease and has so far been localised only in a southern part of India. The exact cause of its emergence in the mid 1950s is not known. A variant of KFDV, characterised serologically and genetically as Alkhurma haemorrhagic fever virus (AHFV), has been recently identified in Saudi Arabia. KFDV and AHFV share 89% sequence homology, suggesting common ancestral origin. Homology modelling of KFDV envelope (E) protein exhibited a structure similar to those of other flaviviruses, suggesting a common mechanism of virus-cell fusion. The possible mechanism of receptor-ligand interaction involved in infection by KFDV may resemble that of other flavivirses. Present understanding is that KFDV may be persisting silently in several regions of India and that antigenic and structural differences from other tick borne viruses may be related to the unique host specificity and pathogenicity of KFDV. From January 1999 through January 2005, an increasing number of KFD cases have been detected in Karnataka state of Indian subcontinent despite routine vaccination, suggesting insufficient efficacy of the current vaccine protocol. However, the exact cause of the increase of KFD cases needs further investigation. Considering the requirement of safer and more effective vaccines in general, there is clearly a need for developing an alternative vaccine as well as a rapid diagnostic system for KFD. The changing ecology of the prime focus of the KFD also warrants attention, as it may lead to establishment of the disease in newer localities, never reported before.
During last decade there has been significant progress in the development of analytical techniques for evaluation of receptor-ligand interaction. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based optical biosensors are now being used extensively to define the kinetics of wide variety of macromolecular interactions and high- and low-affinity small molecule interactions. The experimental design data analysis methods are evolving along with widespread applications in ligand fishing, microbiology, virology, host-pathogen interaction, epitope mapping, and protein-, cell-, membrane-, nucleic acid-protein interactions. SPR-based biosensors have strong impact on basic and applied research significantly. This brief review describes the SPR technology and few of its applications in relation to receptor-ligand interaction that has brought significant change in the methodology, analysis, interpretation, and application of the SPR technology.
Aims: To characterize a bacteriocin‐like factor from Bacillus licheniformis 26 L‐10/3RA isolated from buffalo rumen.
Methods and Results: The culture supernatant exhibited the antibacterial activity against a number of indicator organisms in a cut‐well agar assay under anaerobic conditions. The inhibitory component was purified by following ammonium sulphate precipitation, gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography and confirmed to be a single peptide. A single band on tricine‐sodium dodecyl sulphate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis confirmed that the peptide was purified to homogeneity and having an estimated molecular mass of approximately 1400 dalton. Complete amino acid sequence of the peptide yielded 12 amino acids from the N‐terminal end (ISLEICXIFHDN). No homology with previously reported bacteriocins was observed and has been designated as Lichenin. Lichenin was found to be hydrophobic, sensitive to atmospheric oxygen, retained biological activity even after boiling for 10 min and was active over a pH range of 4·0–9·0.
Conclusions: The Lichenin represents the first anaerobiosis specific expression of bacteriocin‐like compound isolated from Bacillus licheniformis 26 L‐10/3RA of buffalo rumen origin.
Significance and Impact of the Study: Lichenin could be a potential condidate for manipulating the rumen function at molecular level intended for improving the productivity of the ruminant.
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