Malaysian Journal of Biochemistry
& Molecular Biology
(E-ISSN: 2600-9005)
The Official Publication of the Malaysian Society for Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (MSBMB)
Indexed by SCOPUS and Malaysian Citation Index (MYCITE)
ANNOUNCEMENT
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April 2024
Malay. J. Biochem. Mol. Biol. (2024) 27 (1)
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page 1- 17
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Asyraf Azmi, Mohamad Iqbal Hakim Mohd Azhan, Fatin ‘Alyaa Zainuddin and Muhammad Asyraf Md Hatta
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BIOTECHNOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO DEVELOP RESISTANT RICE CULTIVARS AGAINST BACTERIAL PANICLE BLIGHT DISEASE
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Abstract
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Bacterial Panicle Blight (BPB) caused by Burkholderia glumae is one of the severe seed-borne bacterial diseases of rice that has affected major rice producing countries worldwide. Over 70% of harvested rice exhibited grain rot or empty grain were reported from the infected fields. The development of disease-resistant rice cultivars remains to be the most sustainable approach to control this disease as opposed to chemical applications. However, rice cultivars that exhibit complete resistance to BPB is yet to be developed for deployment. Over the last century, conventional method has been used by breeders and cytogeneticists to introgress resistance (R) genes for crop improvement. The employment of this approach alone is often associated with a lengthy period and the simultaneous introduction of genetically linked undesired traits. The integration of genomics and molecular genetics into the conventional method has facilitated the breeding efforts in recent times. In this review, we discuss how recent advances in biotechnology can help to accelerate the process of developing resistant rice cultivars against bacterial panicle blight disease.
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Page 18 - 28
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Hanadi Sawalha, Pavithran Veerasingam, Noor Azmi Shaharuddin, Syazani Darham, Azzreena Mohamad Azzeme, Ruzana Sanusi, Rambod Abirie and Siti Aqlima Ahmad
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PLANT-MEDIATED SILVER NANOPARTICLES: ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY AND THEIR INFLUENCE ON PLANT GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS
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Abstract
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Metal nanoparticles (MNPs) have a range of appealing physical and chemical properties to produce antimicrobial agents. The growing demand for green MNPs has received significant research attention to developing efficient, quick, affordable, and environmentally sustainable methods of MNPs synthesis. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are among the most frequently investigated noble MNPs known for their potential in antimicrobial applications. The plant extracts as reducing and capping agents to obtain AgNPs and are favoured due to their efficient and non-hazardous activity. A wide range of AgNPs bioactivities has shown their capability to combat different microbial resistance issues. Plant-mediated AgNPs are an easy and sustainable method to produce noble antimicrobial NPs. On the other hand, these NPs have positively or negatively impacted the plant growth parameters. In this review, we highlight the plant-mediated synthesis of AgNPs, their potential in antimicrobial activity for various fields and their influence on plant growth parameters
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Page 29 - 38
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Wira Eka Putra, Sustiprijatno, Arief Hidayatullah, Diana Widiastuti, Muhammad Fikri Heikal​
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COMPUTATIONAL STUDY REVEALED POTENTIAL INHIBITORS OF SARS-COV2 ANGIOTENSIN-CONVERTING ENZYME 2 (ACE2) AND TRANSMEMBRANE SERINE PROTEASE 2 (TMPRSS2) FROM MULTIPLE NATURAL PRODUCTS
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Abstract
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The recently discovered SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has recently posed substantial risks to human health in a number of ways all across the world. It is essential to comprehend the virus's life cycle and how it interacts with hosts in order to fight SARS-CoV-2 and develop novel antiviral medications. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and trans-membrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 entry receptors were evaluated in this study from a variety of locally grown herbs and spices. In this study, in silico methods were applied such as retrieval of active chemicals and protein data from webserver, drug-likeness screening according to the Lipinski’s rule of five, structure minimization using Open Babel, molecular docking, visualization, and analysis. By focusing on crucial SARS-CoV-2 biomarkers including ACE2 and TMPRSS2, this study showed that some bioactive compounds have a promising potential for drug development as anti-viral drug candidates. We list the top 10 substances, including cafestol, theaflavin-3,3-digallate, ledene, kahweol, γ-selinene, β-selinene, γ-elemene, β-elemene, crocin, and eugeniin, that have a lower binding affinity than Arbidol and Chloroquine. Contrarily, we also discovered several natural chemicals, including cafestol, kahweol, luteolin, eriodictyol, ledene, eugeniin, thearubigin, taxifolin, sesaminol, and fisetin, that had a better ability to inhibit TMPRSS2 than control medications. Our findings revealed that the bioactive substances such as cafestrol, kahweol, ledene, and eugeniin have dual inhibitory effects on ACE2 and TMPRSS2. However, further study need to accomplish in order to evaluate the mechanism of action of these compounds via in vitro or in vivo against the ACE2 and TMPRSS2.
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Page 39 - 47
Erly Marwani, Dini Ambya Fahira, Juang Arwafa Cita, Duma Doniagara Sambora and Tati Kristianti
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ENHANCED ASTAXANTHIN ACCUMULATION AND GENE EXPRESSION IN THE GREEN ALGAE Spirogyra sp. UNDER OXIDATIVE STRESS INDUCED BY IRON (II)
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Abstract
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Astaxanthin is a natural antioxidant which possesses significant commercial importance in the nutraceutical, cosmetic, and feed sectors. Astaxanthin has been reported to be contained in Spirogyra sp. in a very low concentration. Thus, a strategy for increasing astaxanthin accumulation in Spirogyra sp. culture needs to be developed. The aim of this study is to increase the amount of astaxanthin in Spirogyra sp. by adding oxidative stress and examine the expression of genes associated with astaxanthin. Oxidative stress with Fe2+ was applied to cultures of Spirogyra sp. in concentrations of 0.05, 0.075, and 0.1 mM. Analysis of astaxanthin in the cultures were carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography, while gene expression levels were measured using quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. The results showed induction with Fe2+ led to an overexpression of genes related to astaxanthin biosynthesis, including lycopene β-cyclase (Lcy-b), β-carotene ketolase (BKT), and β-carotene hydroxylase (CrtR-b), upon administration of 0.075 and 0.1 mM Fe2+ which was 5.04 and 6.53 times the control respectively. This was followed by an increase in astaxanthin accumulation. The maximum increase in astaxanthin levels was observed in cultures with the addition of 0.1 mM Fe2+ on day 8, reaching a concentration 5.8 times higher compared to the control. However, it was observed that the expression of lycopene ε-cyclase (Lcy-e) was down-regulated, with a 3.9-fold reduction compared to the control. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular responses of Spirogyra sp. to oxidative stress and offer a potential method for promoting increased astaxanthin accumulation.
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Page 49 - 56
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Jessy Octavia Harahap, Ahmad Kafrawi Nasution, Syafiqah Saidin and Ardaning Nuriliani
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BIOCOMPATIBILITY OF FIBROBLAST TOWARDS POLYCAPROLACTONE-HYDROXYAPATITE (PCL-HA) COMPOSITE COATING ON IMPLANT MATERIALS USING THE SPRAY COATING METHOD
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Abstract
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Although the biomaterial coating process in biomedical implants has been widely carried out, previous studies still had limitations in selecting the composite materials due to low biocompatibility properties. Biomaterials are components of a composite coating of implants that easily degrade, so they do not need to be removed from the body. The biodegradable composite material commonly used is Poly(caprolactone) – Hydroxyapatite (PCL-HA). PCL is a polymer used as a coating material to reduce the rate of alloy degradation, and HA is a bioceramic used because its composition triggers cell proliferation, which affects the implantation process. This study was conducted to determine the biocompatibility of human skin fibroblasts (HSF) in a spray-coated PCL-HA composite coating. HSF were cultured on EMEM medium with density 1 x 104; and 1 x 105 cells/well. The treatment group consists of control and PCL-HA composite coating composition 2.5; 5; 7.5, and 10 % for 24 hours incubation in 2 and 5 replications. This study showed a cell viability range of 77 – 98 %, a cell migration range of 44 - 60 %, and the morphology of attached cells is generally rounded up, large, and flat and has branched cytoplasm. The study concluded that PCL-HA is non-toxic and biocompatible against HSF and suitable for the body. HSF can potentially be used as a spray coated PCL-HA composite coating in orthopaedic implant surgery
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Page 57 - 65
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Muhammad Hamizan Zawawi, Nur Fatihah Ahmad, Muhammad Nor Syamim Mohd Sanusi, Wan Rosli Wan Ishak and Sabreena Safuan
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THE HYPERGLYCAEMIC EFFECTS OF POLYPHENOLIC-RICH FRACTION OF CORNSILK (Stigma maydis) IN STREPTOZOTOCIN-INDUCED TYPE 2 DIABETIC RATS
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Abstract
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Diabetes mellitus (DM) characterised by hyperglycaemia is caused by abnormalities in insulin production, insulin action, or both. High blood glucose levels can cause a variety of issues, including heart disease, nerve damage, stroke, and renal dysfunction. Metformin, a currently approved drug to lower blood sugar has some side effects such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and lactic acidosis. There are mounting evidence that herbal supplements can help prevent and control diabetes. This study aims to assess the polyphenolic-rich fraction (PRF) of cornsilk in reducing fasting blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) induced SD rats. The induction of diabetes was carried out using a high-fat diet (HFD) for 7 weeks followed by an injection of 35 mg/kg Streptozotocin (STZ). PRF of corn silk extracts did not show a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose levels compared to the diabetic-induced rats at 200mg/kg and 400 mg/kg but there was a decreasing trend of FBG from week 1 until week 4. Besides that, PRF was able to improve the histological changes in the liver, kidney, and pancreas of STZ-induced diabetic rats compared to control. In conclusion, with prolonged intake, the PRF of corn silk shows promising anti-hyperglycaemic effects in T2DM. Further research should focus on the mechanism and long-term impact of PRF in T2DM
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Page 66 - 77
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Bellericter Binjamin, Mohd Iftar Johwan, Januarius Gobili, Clament Chin Fui Seung, Lum Mok Sam1, Nurul’Azah Mohd Yaakub and Suzan Benedick
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PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES, VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS, DIHYDROXYACETONE AND METHYLGLYOXAL CONTENT OF HETEROTRIGONA ITAMA (HYMENOPTERA; MELIPONINI) HONEY SAMPLES FROM DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS IN SABAH, BORNEO
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Abstract
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The honey of stingless bees is considered a valuable commodity due to its therapeutic properties, but it is not known how the geographical areas in Sabah may affect the chemical composition of the honey. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical properties, dihydroxyacetone (DHA) and methylglyoxal (MGO) content, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of Heterotrigona itama honey from three different geographical areas in Sabah: highland (10 samples), lowland (10 samples) and coastal (10 samples). The physicochemical parameters were assessed using established standard methods, DHA and MGO content were determined using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and volatile organic compounds were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The study concludes that the physicochemical properties, DHA and MGO content, and volatile organic compounds in the H. itama honey samples were strongly influenced by the geographical features in Sabah from which they were sourced. All H. itama honeys were below the maximum allowable levels for physicochemical parameters set by the Malaysian Standards (MS) for stingless bee honey. However, some parameters of the honeys exceeded the standards for physicochemical properties set by CODEX and USDA, indicating that the standards used for honeybees are not applicable in the quality classification of stingless bee honeys. The highland and lowland honeys had MGO with moderate antibacterial properties, the coastal honeys had MGO with low antibacterial properties, all of which are suitable for daily consumption. The highland honeys had the highest number of total and unique VOCs, followed by the coastal areas and the lowlands.
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Page 78 - 88
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Nur Syafiqah A. Ghani, Nor’Aishah Hasan, Amirul Adli A. Aziz, Affrida Abu- Hasan and Nurhamimah Zainal-Abidin
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UNDERSTANDING RICE BLAST INFECTION FROM THE TRANSCRIPTOMICS APPROACHES: A REVIEW
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Abstract
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The fungal pathogen Magnoporthe oryzae is the etiological agent of the globally rice blast disease. Blast infection leads to a reduction in rice yield subsequently affecting the agronomic importance of rice. In the last decade, the interaction between M.oryzae and the host Oryzae sativa has been extensively studied by transcriptome analyses. Advances in the field of transcriptomics have shed light on deciphering fungal-interactions during blast infection, which has accelerated the identification of genes that are significant to resist the infection. Different experimental transcriptomic approaches have been applied, such as analysis on the effects of several factors including time points, rice cultivars and fungal strains on the infection compatibility. During the process, differential gene expression relevant to fungal-host interactions had been catalogued. This review summarizes the transcriptomic data generated to provide a detailed picture of the interactions between M.oryzae and its host, with the goal of developing alternatives for effective and sustainable disease prevention.
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