RNA polymerase

electrophoresis. This indicated the amplification of target pathogen M. eumusae by the designed LAMP primers (Fig. 2). Optimization of LAMP reaction During the LAMP optimization process, the effects of Mg2+ concentration, the amount of Bst DNA polymerase, the effect of addition of betaine and the reaction temperature…

4.1 Maintenance and sub-culturing of endophytic fungi The cultures were procured from already maintained repository in laboratory. The maintenance of the cultures involved preparation of Potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates, sub culturing of cultures and long term preservation. 4.1.1 Preparation of PDA (Potato dextrose agar) plates 39g of PDA was dissolved in 1000 ml double distilled water, stirred to mix properly and was transferred into 250 ml Erlenmeyer flasks and autoclaved at 121˚C at 15…

Introduction: Chlamydomonas is a unicellular green alga that contains two flagellas that are used for swimming. It is found in fresh water, in oceans, and in soil. Chlamydomonas are easily grown and controlled. We study chlamydomonas because we are able to easily deflagellate them and then allow them to regenerate their flagella using different chemicals. Due to this characteristic, we are able to study how flagella growth is affected and the rate of flagella growth once deflagellated.…

Ebola Zaire in non-human primates: a threat to biodiversity conservation To most of the world, Ebola Zaire haemorrhagic fever, also simply known as ‘the Ebola virus’ (EBOV) (Hayden, 2014), was relatively unknown until early 2014 when an outbreak in West Africa seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Yet outbreaks have been reported in primates, both human and non-human, since its discovery in 1976 (P. Ascenzi et al. 2008), and the outbreaks seem to be increasing in frequency. Several studies leave us…

Crossing certain crops to induce certain traits in offspring is not a new process. In fact, farmers around the world have used conventional breeding practices such as artificial selection to produce higher-yielding crops for centuries. Those practices were not frowned upon, but instead considered necessary if agriculture was to continue to support the world’s growing population. Today, we face a similar problem. The Earth’s population is expected to reach 9 billion by 2050, and world…

What is Downs Syndrome? Downs Syndrome (DS) is the leading form of intellectual and chromosomal deformity (Sherman et al., 2007), affecting approximately 1 in every 700 babies born each year (Parker et al. 2010). The main physiological aspect and cause of DS is the trisomy of chromosome 21 in which the usual paired chromosome becomes a trio (Patterson, 2009). DS also has a clear clinical presentation from birth with a number of distinct symptoms such as (percentages represent number of DS…

Biopharmaceuticals: GMOs and Vaccines Clarifying the definition, history, methods and relevancy of GMOs to our society is of the utmost importance. Genetically modified organisms and their applicability in multiple arenas have been a source for debate around the globe. Many individuals believe GMOs to be unsafe and unethical, while the biotechnology sector sees a profitable life-saving technology. Through the evaluation of scientifically relevant articles regarding genetically modified…

1. Introduction Alpacas are a member of the camelid family from South America, where they live in the semi-arid areas of the high-altitude plateau. They are famous for their soft fleece, which is known for its good strength and a range of natural coat colors from solid white to black. Not only does the coat color of the alpaca have important economic value, alpaca is also a perfect animal model in which to study the mechanisms controlling mammalian coat color genes. Mammalian coat colors are…

We first needed to collect all the proper materials to conduct the tests on our unknown bacterial sample. To begin the lab, we had to collect a nonpathogenic bacterial sample by swabbing an item or surface inside the biology building with a sterile cotton swab. Our lab group decided to swab a Sharpie permanent marker left at our lab station inside our lab room. We then opened a petri dish and smeared the swab across the surface of the agar several times. Once the bacteria was on the agar, we…

Importance of Microbes Introduction It was long ago when Man realized that, along with animals and plants, he was also accompanied by some other organisms as well, and though which remained hidden from his eyes. Those organisms were unveiled by Anton Van Leeuwenhoek, who first saw the tiny organisms which accompanied Man through the lenses of microscope. Later it was found out that microorganisms inhabited each and every surface of earth, on man himself, or even inside him, resided under the…