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Thermophilic Bacillus circulans IIIB153 isolated from hot springs of North West Himalayas, India, produced an extracellular lipase, which exhibited significant biofilm disruption property on the static biofilm disruption model with a single species of Actinomyces viscosous. The gene encoding the lipase was cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. Recombinant Bacillus circulans lipase (BCL), a monomer with molecular mass of 43 kDa also exhibited significant biofilm disruption activity. The enzyme was optimally active at 60°C, pH 8.5 and retained >70% of its original activity after 1 h incubation at 60°C. 3D structure of BCL developed by homology modeling showed a typical α/β hydrolase fold, a characteristic feature of lipolytic enzymes. Comparison of thermostable BCL with mesostable lipase from Chromobacterium viscosum at the sequence and structure level showed distinct variations in the structural features, with the presence of a high content of proline residues, aromatic amino acids and salt bridges. These features along with the presence of zinc-binding site observed in BCL structure could have a potential role in thermal stability of the enzyme.

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Background: Carob (Ceratonia siliqua L.) is one of the important crops in terms of nutritional and medicinal value in the countries of Western Asia and North Africa. Despite the fact that some countries have used Carob in traditional medicines, the modern food industry began to discover the great potential of this plant which differentiates with antioxidant capacity as well as other important medicinal activities. Some of very few studies that have been reported on this important plant were published. Methodology: In the present study, micropropagation behavior and biochemical constituents of Ceratonia siliqua L. cultured on MS medium supplemented with different types and concentrations of cytokinins (0.0, 0.5, 1.0, or 1.5 mg/l BA, Kin, or TDZ and 0.2 mg/l NAA) under various light qualities ((white, green, blue, red, and yellow) were examined. Results: MS culture medium supplemented with BA produced the highest shootlets number/explants. For light quality, the data showed that green light increased shootlet number/explants, fresh and dry weights. However, yellow light increased shootlet length and leaves number and also caused significant increase in total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant capacity (DPPH) as compared to other lights. HPLC analysis showed that yellow light caused the highest accumulation of total phenolic and catechin that were the highest accumulated compounds (509 μg/ml) followed by that were accumulated under green light (412.68 μg/ml). Shootlets grown under white light (control) gave the highest accumulation of p-coumaric acid, rosmarinic acid, and cinnamic acid. Shootlets grown under blue light gave the highest accumulation of gentisic acid and syringic acid. Red light caused the highest accumulation of vanillic acid. However, white light accumulated the highest amount of flavonoid compounds comparing with other light qualities. Conclusion: This study had reached to optimize a suitable micropropagation protocol of Ceratonia siliqua L. and characterization of biochemical constituents that can be beneficial for increasing its medical value which will help in food industries for commercial purposes.

This study was carried out during the two successive seasons of 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 on five established football (soccer) green fields (yards) in the urban and suburban areas of Mansoura City, Dkahlia Governorate, Egypt. It aimed to compare the effects of different fertilization programs on the performance and quality of the lawn (turfgrass) of the five yards (fields). Five football fields were chosen based on similarity of basic specifications namely; a standard field size (65-70 m in width and 100-110 m in length), planted using sods of Paspalum vaginatum Sw lawn (turfgrass), sandy soil (sand thickness of 15-20 cm over 30 cm layer of pebble stones), all have existing drainage systems, and no soil aeration were carried out in any of the fields' maintenance programs. The football yards (fields) were Mansoura Stadium, Mansoura University and El-Shaab stadiums (located in Mansoura city) in addition to Beny Ebeid and Secondary Beny Ebeid stadiums (located in Beny Ebeid town). Data of maintenance programs were collected from the maintenance managers of different stadiums. In addition, measurements for the visual color and quality in addition to total chlorophyll contents (mg/g fresh clipping sample), and N, P and K percentages in the clipping samples of the turfgrass (lawn) of the five fields were carried out during the two seasons.The obtained results showed that increasing number of N applications (doses) combined with reasonable low quantity each application (dose) had a positive effect on color and quality of the turf in addition to its chlorophyll content. The results also supported the need of adding phosphorus to the turfgrass, but to a much lesser degree than the need of nitrogen. Based on the results of both seasons, Mansoura University Stadium fertilization program was the best to achieve better visual color and quality of the turfgrass in addition to total chlorophyll contents (mg/g fresh weight) of the clippings. This program comprised of five applications (doses) of a mixture of urea and potassium nitrate fertilizers (50% each); each dose containing 0.62 Kg N /100 m2 of the grass field during spring and summer months (March -October); summing up a total of 3.12 Kg N / 100 m2 / year, in addition to two applications of calcium super phosphate ; each containing 0.34 Kg P /100 m2 of the grass field during fall and winter months (November -February) summing up a total of 0.69 Kg P / 100 m2 of grass.