The structural and antimicrobial functions of lysozyme reduced with food-compatible reducing agents-cysteine (Cys) and glutathione (GSH)-were investigated. The disulfide bonds were partially reduced by thiol-disulfide exchange reactions under heat-induced denaturing conditions from 55 to 90 degrees C. The results showed that treatment of lysozyme with Cys and GSH resulted in the introduction of new half-cystine residues (2-3 residues/mol of protein). The released SH groups, in turn, rendered the lysozyme molecule more flexible, being accompanied by a dramatic increase in the surface hydrophobicity and exposure of tryptophan residues. As a consequence, the resulting reduced lysozymes were more capable of binding to lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and permeabilizing the bacterial outer membrane, as evidenced by the liposome leakage experiment, than were native or heated lysozyme. Both reduced lysozymes displayed significantly higher antimicrobial activity than native or heated lysozyme against Salmonella enteritidis (SE) in sodium phosphate buffer (10 mM, pH 7.2) at 30 degrees C for 1 h. Their minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) against the tested bacteria were about 150- and 25-fold lower than their respective MICs of native or heated lysozyme. The results suggest that partially reduced lysozyme could be used as a potential antimicrobial agent for prevention of SE attack.
The use of bioproducts as biostimulants to stimulate plant growth and to increase yields as an alternative to chemical fertilizers are currently being promoted for cost-effective, sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices of crop production systems. The objective of the study was to determine plant growth and productivity of rice responded to Bio Green application. A short growing period (90 – 95 days) OM-5451 rice variety was used in this study. The rice plants were cultivated in the randomized-completed block with two treatments and six replications in the plot of 2 m * 2 m. Di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer was applied once at a rate of 100 kg/ha. For treatment, Bio-green with a solution of 1% (v/v) was weekly applied as foliage spray; and without Bio-Green as control. The results showed the grain yield was 3.7 t/ha in the treatment and 2.83 t/ha in the control, indicating that 36.4% of the grain yield was increased. The Bio-Green could be significantly used as plant biostimulants to promote plant growth and grain yield in rice in Cambodia.
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