Total sixteen bacterial strains were isolated and purified from the samples collected from sugarcane molasses soil, sewage water and long-chain-hydrocarbon-contaminated area of the Punjab University, Lahore, Pakistan. Tolerance to different antibiotics was studied and strains showed multiple antibiotic resistance. All strains were characterized for Gram stain, biochemical reactions and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production. Total fourteen strains were Gram negative and two were Gram positive, while biochemically nine PHA producers showed affiliation to Pseudomonas, Enterobacter, Citrobacter, Bacillus and Escherichia. Screening for PHA production was done by Sudan black staining and nine out of sixteen strains exhibited PHA producing ability. PHA production was optimized for different growth parameters, like nitrogen concentration, pH and temperature. PHA extraction was done by solvent extraction method. Bacterial strains US1 and M1 accumulated up to 30% PHA of their cell dry weight on PHA extraction by solvent extraction method. Bacterial strain US1 was identified by 16S rRNA gene analysis as P. aeruginosa (DQ455691). PHA production was confirmed by PCR amplification of 500 bp fragment from PHA polymerase (Pha C) gene; five strains from nine PHA producers gave positive results on PCR. Pha C gene fragment of US1 was sequenced and submitted to Gene Bank under the accession number DQ455690. The amino acid sequence showed homology using the protein BLAST at 129-132 sites with different PHA synthases of the Pseudomonas sp.

MDR uropathogens lead to high-level morbidity and mortality and pose a tremendous threat towards treatment failure and survival of UTI patients. This study was conducted to evaluate the demographic characteristics, antibiogram, and resistance pattern of Escherichia coli against antibiotics-a retrospective study at Nishtar Medical Hospital in Multan, from June 2016 to July 2017. A total of 150 clinical samples were collected and biochemically characterized by Berge's manual, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed by using the Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method and the results were interpreted according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute standards. Data was analyzed by the XL-stat software. Results indicate that UTI was more prevalent in rural areas such as Alipur (28.6%) and Jalalpur (18%) and less common in urban areas like Muzaffargarh (2.66) and Multan (2%). A total of 150 patients were examined, of which 88 were females and 62 males in which more frequently found pathogens were E. coli (33%) and others Klebsiella pneumonia (18%), Proteus (10%), Staphylococcus saprophyticus (8.66%), Staphylococcus aureus (7.33%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (6.66%), Enterobacter (6%), Candida (5.33%), and Citrobacter (4.66%). The antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out against E. coli strains that showed the highest overall resistance patterns of imipenem (IMI), Cip, Aug, Cfm, and CN, which were 80%, 72%, 68%, 60%, and 52%, respectively. MDR E. coli strains showed the highest resistance pattern towards IMI which put through alarming situation in Pakistan. Significant results showed that TZP, AK, and F were found sensitive in vitro against E. coli isolates of UTIs. Prevalence of MDR uropathogens near around Multan has been first time documented in this study with respect to possible risk factors associated with UTI. These alarming signs of MDR E. coli have been rarely addressed and warrant attention on urgent basis.

A simple extrusion method was used to entrap Synechocystis sp.P2A in alginate beads. The viability, growth response and Indoleacetic acid (IAA) production at different pH were studied in alginate immobilized Synechocystis sp.P2A. 2.6% sodium alginate (w/v) and pH-7 was found to be optimum for growth of Synechocystis sp. P2A as well as IAA production (79µg/ml). To prepare effective formulation for plant inoculation, alginate beads were further modified by coating with chitosan or chitosan-polyethylene glycol. Effect of all formulations containing Synechocystis sp. P2A in free and immobilized form on growth of Triticumaestivum was evaluated. Soil inoculation of entrapped Synechocystis in alginate beads coated with chitosan resulted in 20% increase in root length and 14% increase in dry weight as compared to non-inoculated seedlings. Free and immobilized cyanobacteria were allowed to grow in BG11 medium supplemented with 100µg/ml K 2 CrO 4 and chromium reduction was measured at variable pH. At pH 7 immobilized showed 5% more reduction than free form. The current study showed that alginate immobilized Synechocystis sp. P2A can accomplish viable functions including plant growth promoting hormone production and chromium reduction and therefore propose an efficient and convenient method for storage and use of cyanobacteria.

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