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Dengan semakin meningkatnya kasus terkonfirmasi positif COVID-19 di wilayah provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT), suatu metode pemeriksaan diagnostik yang dapat menganalisa sampel dalam jumlah banyak dengan waktu singkat menjadi sangat imperatif untuk dilakukan. Menyikapi hal ini, sejumlah putra-putri NTT yang tergabung dalam organisasi Forum Academia NTT (FAN) memprakarsai penerapan metode pooled-test untuk analisa diagnostik sampel COVID-19 yang diharapkan dapat mengoptimalkan program pemerintah dalam mempercepat penanganan penyakit ini di wilayah NTT. Pada Maret 2020 lalu, sebanyak 13 teknisi laboratorium (laboran) telah berhasil diseleksi yang akan ditempatkan pada Laboratorium Biomolekuler Kesehatan Masyarakat Provinsi NTT, khususnya untuk menjalankan prosedur analisis sampel menggunakan metode tersebut di atas. Akan tetapi, sebelum para laboran ini siap beraktivitas, diperlukan suatu pelatihan khusus yang dapat membekali mereka dengan kompetensi dan keterampilan dasar yang diperlukan. Pada Juni 2020, pelatihan Biomolekuler tahap I telah dilaksanakan yang memiliki maksud dan tujuan tersebut. Topik pelatihan yang diajarkan berupa: Pengenalan Biosafety Lab dan Biosafety Cabinet, Teknik Penggunaan Mikropipet, Teknik Analisis DNA/RNA menggunakan metode Elektroforesis, Nano-Spektrofotometer, PCR dan qPCR, serta Pengenalan metode Pooled-test. Berdasarkan hasil observasi, para peserta dianggap telah cukup menguasai berbagai teknik Biomolekuler Dasar yang diajarkan yang diharapkan dapat berkontribusi terhadap hasil penanganan analisis sampel yang lebih akurat, terpercaya dan dapat dipertanggungjawabkan.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) play pivotal roles in the regulation of many dimensions of a plant’s life. Hence, through extensive efforts from many research groups, BR signaling has emerged as one of the best-characterized plant signaling pathways. The key molecular players of BR signaling from the cell surface to the nucleus important for the regulation of plant growth and development are well-established. Recent data show that BRs also modulate plant responses to environmental stresses such as drought and pathogen infection. In this mini review, we present the recent progress in BR signaling specifically in the post-translational SUMO modification of BR’s master regulators, BES1/BZR1. We also discuss recent findings on the crosstalk between BR, UV light, and jasmonic acid signaling pathways to balance growth during light stress and pathogen infections. Finally, we describe the current update on the molecular link between BR signaling and intracellular auxin transport that essential for plant development.

Microalgae and cyanobacteria contribute roughly half of the global photosynthetic carbon assimilation. Faced with limited access to CO(2) in aquatic environments, which can vary daily or hourly, these microorganisms have evolved use of an efficient CO(2) concentrating mechanism (CCM) to accumulate high internal concentrations of inorganic carbon (C(i)) to maintain photosynthetic performance. For eukaryotic algae, a combination of molecular, genetic and physiological studies using the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, have revealed the function and molecular characteristics of many CCM components, including active C(i) uptake systems. Fundamental to eukaryotic C(i) uptake systems are C(i) transporters/channels located in membranes of various cell compartments, which together facilitate the movement of C(i) from the environment into the chloroplast, where primary CO(2) assimilation occurs. Two putative plasma membrane C(i) transporters, HLA3 and LCI1, are reportedly involved in active C(i) uptake. Based on previous studies, HLA3 clearly plays a meaningful role in HCO(3)(−) transport, but the function of LCI1 has not yet been thoroughly investigated so remains somewhat obscure. Here we report a crystal structure of the full length LCI1 membrane protein to reveal LCI1 structural characteristics, as well as in vivo physiological studies in an LCI1 loss-of-function mutant to reveal the C(i) species preference for LCI1. Together, these new studies demonstrate LCI1 plays an important role in active CO(2) uptake and that LCI1 likely functions as a plasma membrane CO(2) channel, possibly a gated channel.

Problem statement: Bacteria from the surface of the tropical marine hard coral Acropora sp. were screened for producing raw-starch-degrading-α-amylase. Approach: Based on its 16s rDNA sequence, a bacterium that produced the highest amylolitic activity was identified as Bacillus amyloliquifaciens ABBD. The bacterial isolate secreted a α-amylase extracellularly and then the enzyme was partially purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by anion exchange chromatography. Results: Electrophoresis results both SDS-PAGE and native PAGE suggested that the enzyme was a heterodimeric protein (97 kDa) consisting of 45 and 55 kDa subunits. The α-amylase had an optimum pH of 7.0 and temperature of 60°C. More than 80% activity of the enzyme was retained under high salt conditions (up to 20% NaCl). The enzyme remained stable at 50°C for 1 h. Starch hydrolysis by the enzyme at 70°C yielded oligosaccharides (G2-G4) and at room temperature yielded glucose/maltose (G1 and G2). Conclusion: The B. amyloliquifaciens ABBD α-amylase was capable of degrading various raw starch granules from corn, rice, cassava and sago at room temperature.