Laccases are blue copper oxidases (E.C. 1.10.3.2 benzenediol: oxygen oxidoreductase) that catalyze the one-electron oxidation of phenolics, aromatic amines, and other electron-rich substrates with the concomitant reduction of O₂ to H₂O. They are currently seen as highly interesting industrial enzymes because of their broad substrate specificity. A positive strain was isolated and characterized as nonspore forming Basidiomycetes Pleurotus sp. Laccase activity was determined using ABTS as substrate. Laccase was purified by ionexchange and gel filtration chromatography. The purified laccase was a monomer showed a molecular mass of 40±1 kDa as estimated by SDS-PAGE and a 72-fold purification with a 22% yield. The optimal pH and temperature were 4.5 and 65°C, respectively. The Km and Vmax⁡ values are 250 (mM) and 0.33 (μmol/min), respectively, for ABTS as substrate. Metal ions like CuSO₄, BaCl₂, MgCl₂, FeCl₂, ZnCl₂ have no effect on purified laccase whereas HgCl₂ and MnCl₂ moderately decrease enzyme activity. SDS and sodium azide inhibited enzyme activity, whereas Urea, PCMB, DTT, and mercaptoethanol have no effect on enzyme activity. The isolated laccase can be used in development of biosensor for detecting the phenolic compounds from the effluents of paper industries.

Bionanotechnology is a branch of science that has revolutionized modern science and technology. Nanomaterials, especially noble metals, have attracted researchers due to their size and application in different branches of sciences that benefit humanity. Metal nanoparticles can be synthesized using green methods, which are good for the environment, economically viable, and facilitate synthesis. Due to their size and form, gold nanoparticles have become significant. Plant materials are of particular interest in the synthesis and manufacture of theranostic gold nanoparticles (NPs), which have been generated using various materials. On the other hand, chemically produced nanoparticles have several drawbacks in terms of cost, toxicity, and effectiveness. A plant-mediated integration of metallic nanoparticles has been developed in the field of nanotechnology to overcome the drawbacks of traditional synthesis, such as physical and synthetic strategies. Nanomaterials′ tunable features make them sophisticated tools in the biomedical platform, especially for developing new diagnostics and therapeutics for malignancy, neurodegenerative, and other chronic disorders. Therefore, this review outlines the theranostic approach, the different plant materials utilized in theranostic applications, and future directions based on current breakthroughs in these fields.

Proteases are one of the most important commercial enzymes used in various industrial domains such as detergent and leather industries. The alkaline proteases as well as other detergent-compatible enzymes such as lipases and amylases serve now as the key components in detergent formulations. They break down various stains during fabric washing. The search for detergent-compatible proteases with better properties is a continuous exercise. The current trend is to use detergent-compatible proteases that are stable over a wide temperature range. Although the proteases showing stability at elevated pH have the capacity to be used in detergent formulations, their usage can be significant if they are also stable and compatible with detergent and detergent ingredients, and also able to remove protein stains. Despite the existence of some reviews on alkaline proteases, there is no specification for the use of alkaline proteases as detergent additives. The present review describes the detergent-compatible proteases tested as detergent additives. An overview was provided for screening, optimization, purification, and properties of detergent compatible proteases, with an emphasis on the stability and compatibility of the alkaline proteases with the detergent and detergent compounds, as well as stain removal examination methods.

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a multifactorial chronic lung disease of premature infants. BPD can be attributed to the dysregulation of normal lung development due to ventilation and oxygen toxicity, resulting in pathologic complications of impaired alveolarization and vascularization. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression posttranscriptionally and are implicated in diverse biological processes and diseases. The objectives of this study are to identify the changed miRNAs and their target genes in neonatal rat lungs in response to hyperoxia exposure. Using miRNA microarray and real-time PCR analyses, we found downregulation of five miRNAs, miR-342, miR-335, miR-150, miR-126*, and miR-151*, and upregulation of two miRNAs, miR-21 and miR-34a. Some of these miRNAs had the highest expression during embryonic and early postnatal development. DNA microarray analysis yielded several genes with conserved binding sites for these altered miRNAs. Glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein b (GPNMB) was experimentally verified as a target of miR-150. In summary, we identified seven miRNAs that were changed in hyperoxia-exposed neonatal lungs. These results provide a basis for deciphering the mechanisms involved in the spatial and temporal regulation of proteins that contribute to the pathogenesis of BPD.