Aims: The microbial pigment can be the best promising alternative to replace synthetic colorant. However, due to the high cost of synthetic medium for microbial pigment production, there is a need to develop a new low-cost medium of bacterial pigment production. This study aims to investigate the potential of banana and papaya peels as alternative lowcost substrates for a carotenoid-producing bacterium, B12 strain (bacteria strain isolated from Holothuria (Lessonothuria) pardalis). Methodology and results: B12 strain identified as an aerobic bacterium with non-motile, diplobacilli shaped and Grampositive bacteria. The fermentation was optimized with different parameters included the effect of temperature, time, concentrations, pHs, carbon and nitrogen sources to find the optimum relative pigment concentration produced by B12. The results showed that the B12 strain produced the highest relative pigment concentration measured at 450 nm when the strain was cultivated at 37 °C and pH 7 in the culture medium incorporated with the combination of dried papaya peels and banana peels (100% v/v with ratio 1:1) at 72 h of incubation. Lactose, peptone and yeast were observed as the best carbon and nitrogen sources to increase the pigment concentration of B12 strain. Stability of the pigment was studied at different physiochemical stress, and it showed the pigment obtained from dried papaya and banana substrates can tolerate and stable under stress condition. Conclusion, significance and impact of study This can be concluded that the combination of dried papaya and banana peels worked well as substrate and can be utilized as a fermentation medium to replace the synthetic medium which is more expensive and uneconomical for industry application. Besides, it also helps in managing waste and solving the pollution problem due to the increasing of biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD).
Gram-Positive Bacterial Infections ; Holothuria ; Carica ; Musa

To study the new antifungal active triterpene glycosides of sea cucumber Holothuria scabra. Triterpene glycosides from Holothuria scabra were separated and purified by silica gel chromatography, reversed-phase silica gel chromatography and RP-HPLC. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectral data and chemical evidence. Three triterpene glycosides were identified as scabraside A (1), echinoidea A (2) and holothurin A1 (3). Scabraside A (1) is a new triterpene glycoside, and compounds 2 and 3 were isolated from Holothuria scabra for the first time. They showed antifungal activities (1 < or = MIC80 < or = 16 microg mL(-1)).
Animals ; Antifungal Agents ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Glycosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Holothuria ; chemistry ; Holothurin ; analogs & derivatives ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology ; Molecular Structure ; Triterpenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; pharmacology

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antithrombotic mechanisms of holothurian glycosaminoglycan (GAG) extracted from sea cucumber.

METHODSHuman endothelial cell line EA. hy926 cells were treated with 10 mg/L GAG or 10U/mL unfractionated heparin (UFH) by short-term (15 min - 2 h) and longer-time incubation (6 h - 48 h). Different doses of GAG were used to stimulate EA. hy926. Released free tissue factor pathway inhibitor(TFPI) was determined by ELISA assay. TFPI expression was investigated by immunofluorescent method and TFPI mRNA level by real-time PCR. In a 96-wells microtitre plate, pooled normal plasma containing different concentrations of GAG was allowed to clot by addition of thrombin and calcium chloride, fibrinolysis was induced by addition of t-PA. TRR (TAFI-related retardation of clot lysis) was used to assess thrombin-activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor(TAFI) functional activity.

RESULTSGAG increased TFPI synthesis, expression and secretion in a dose- and time dependent manner. GAG at low concentrations could lengthen while at intermediate concentrations could shorten clot lysis times significantly as compared to control values. TRR was dose-dependently decreased on addition of GAG.

CONCLUSIONSGAG increases TFPI synthesis, expression and secretion of endothelial cells. GAG at intermediate concentrations significantly affects clot stability of a developing clot by means of diminishing TAFI activation.

Animals ; Carboxypeptidase B2 ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Cell Line ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Endothelial Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Glycosaminoglycans ; pharmacology ; Heparin ; pharmacology ; Holothuria ; Humans ; Lipoproteins ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; RNA, Messenger ; genetics ; Tissue Extracts ; pharmacology