Presence of vector backbone (VBB) sequences in transgenes is undesirable and complicates regulatory processes. In this study, a method for rapid identification and elimination of transgenic cassava events carrying VBB sequences was developed and evaluated using green (GFP) and red (DsRed) fluorescent proteins. Cassava friable embryogenic callus (FEC) generated from model cassava cultivar 60444 was transformed using p8052 and p8035 constructs by Agrobacterium to create transgenic events. DsRed or GFP marker genes are present in the VBB region at 295 bp proximal to the left border sequence, and the nptII selectable marker gene is present in the T-DNA region of both constructions. The numbers of plant produced per unit FEC starting material were compared to p900 and p8116 carrying DsRed and GFP marker gene respectively in the T-DNA regions. Events expressing the VBB marker genes were visually identified and eliminated using dissecting fluorescent microscope while non-VBB marker expressers were confirmed free of VBB integration by Dot blot and PCR analysis. Incidence of VBB expressers were observed at the frequencies of 22% (12/42) and 43% (104/230) for p8052 and p8035 respectively at the plantlet stage. With this method approximately 80% VBB-free events were recovered compared to the 57% recovered from p900 and p8116. Application of this technology results in significant savings in the resources otherwise required to regenerate, sample, and analyze these undesired events within cassava transformation systems.
Potassium bromate (KBrO3) that commonly serve as food additive is toxic and carcinogenic. The toxicity is caused by the oxidative properties of KBrO3 molecule. Oxidative stress has been reported in various model after exposure to KBrO3 and adjudged as toxicity mechanism. This research was aimed at demonstrating the histotoxic effects of KBrO3 on liver and kidney. Twenty- eight wistar albino rats with weight range of 75-125 g were shared into seven groups. Group 1 (control) received distilled water and feed daily; the experimental group 2 with subunits 2A, 2B and 2C were orally administered with KBrO3 at 140 mg/kg, 170 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg per body weight/d respectively. While group 3, 4 and 5, were orally administered potassium bromate and co administered with Vitamin E at different dosages as follows; 140 mg/kg of KrO3 and 50mg/100g rats for group 3, 170 mg/kg and 50 mg/100 g rats for group 4 and 200 mg/kg and 50 mg/100 g rats for group 5 dosages per d for 21 d. All the rats were sacrificed via chloroform inhalation method. The kidneys and liver were harvested, preserved in 10% formalin, processed and stained using H&E staining method. Rats which received 200 mg/kg of KBrO3 only showed extensive distortion of hepatic tissue with necrosis and tissue loss in liver and inflammation of renal tissues. Histopathological examination of the experimental groups revealed congestion of central vein, distortion of hepatic tissues, necrosis, inflammation of renal tissues and degenerative changes in rats that consumed 140 mg/kg, 170 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg body weight when compared with control, which maintained normal hepatic and renal tissue architecture. For group 3, 4 and 5 which was co administered with Vitamin E showed mild to moderate degenerative changes. This present study disclosed that histotoxic effects of KBrO3 is dose- dependent. The findings therefore suggest that KBrO3 consumption has histotoxic effects on the liver and kidney. Biotechnological importance of this study relates the oxidative activities of KBrO3 to cellular damage which may increase carcinogenic risks.
The increase in food insecurity in developing countries is alarming but the tissue culture technique is expensive to practice. Therefore, this work assessed the efficiency of a screen house as a growth chamber. Suckers were prepared, and cultured into the MSbasal medium which was supplemented with commercial-grade sugar at a concentration of 30 g/l and a BAP concentration of 0.004 g/L. The cultures were kept in an ideal growth chamber with a regulated temperature of 28 °C and a screen house with varied temperatures that range from 37 °C to 48 °C. Explant responses were assessed with the number of shoots, shoot height, shoot health, and number of roots for three and five weeks after initiation. The result showed high significant difference at P ≤ 0.001, in the shoot proliferation at three and five weeks, with mean shoot numbers in the growth chamber of 1.01 at three weeks, and 1.96 at 5 weeks after initiation. The variation observed in plant height, plant health, and root number was not significant. The steady temperature variation observed in the screen house hastened phonological activities, hence, reducing the life cycle of the cultures. Screen house cultures are less viable and require attention during acclimatization and field transfer.
This study investigated the effects of sex and age on serum metabolites and carcass characteristics of Noiler chickens. A total of sixty (60) Noiler chickens were used to study the effect of sex and age on serum metabolites and carcass quality characteristics. Each group was replicated thrice (10 birds per replicate) in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The serum metabolites that were observed include total protein, albumin cobalt binding, globulin, albumin-globulin ratio (AG), aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphate, alanine aminotransferase, chloride (CHLOR.) and creatinine while carcass characteristics observed include live weight, killed weight, defeathered weight, dressed weight, some internal organs, cut parts and dressed weight percentage. This study unveiled that sex had no noticeable effect on the entire carcass characteristics of noiler chicken at the three ages under consideration (p>0.05) except head (male: 33.05a and female: 25.05b) at the 6th week and large intestine at week 8 (male:18.27a and female:13.40b) where there were significant differences (p<0.05). It was also observed that sex had no effect on all the parameters in serum metabolites at all the ages under consideration except in Albumin-globulin ratio and chloride ion at the 8th week, which were significantly affected (p>0.05). In conclusion, age appeared to be a more prominent factor in influencing these parameters, with some parameters showing significant differences at some specific developmental stages, and as the birds advance in age, a progressive increase was observed in carcass characteristics of the noiler chicken for both sexes.
The escalating costs of synthetic fertilizers and their harmful environmental impacts have sparked a growing interest in exploring sustainable alternatives for crop cultivation. This investigation explored the potential of soil from anthills as a nutrient-rich resource for use in soil amendment, biological fertilizers, and biocontrol applications. Anthill soils and nearby areas were examined for their nutrient content and bacterial diversity. The microbial isolates were also examined for plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes by employing standard analytical procedures and cultural approaches. To test for the antagonistic properties of the screened microbial isolates against Fusarium oxysporum, the diffusible substance method was used. The results revealed that anthill soils possess higher total bacterial counts and superior physicochemical properties compared to adjacent soils, except for silt, sand, and pH levels. The study identified beneficial bacteria from genera such as Bacillus and Pseudomonas, which exhibited plant growth-promoting properties and antagonistic activity against soil Fusarium oxysporum. These findings suggest that anthill soils are nutrient-rich and harbour beneficial bacteria that can promote plant growth and suppress soil pathogens.
