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Human papillomavirus (HPV) L1 major capsid protein generates a highly immunogenic virus like particles (VLPs), which have been used as the main component of its prophylactic vaccine. However, the neutralizing antibodies against L1 VLPs are mostly type specific and may not be effective to prevent infection from different strains of HPV. On the other hand, HPV L2 minor capsid protein has low antigenic variation, thus can induce cross-neutralization. This study aims to obtain HPV 52 L1/L2 chimeric protein, which is designed based on HPV type 52 as one of the most circulated high-risk types in Indonesia, to develop a broad-spectrum HPV vaccine. Substitution of HPV 52 H4 helix L1 region with an HPV 52 L2 epitope was carried out using overlap extension PCR. HPV 52 L1/L2 chimeric gene was constructed into pET-SUMO expression vector and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Bioinformatics modeling suggested that L2 epitope was located inside of the loop region in monomer form, and on the contrary, it was located outside of the pentamer surface. Furthermore, B cell and T cell epitopes predictions were conducted using Immune Epitope Database (IEDB) analysis. The B cell epitopes prediction revealed eleven potential epitopes, whereas the T cell epitopes prediction showed seven potential epitopes for each MHC class I and MHC class II. This study showed that HPV 52 L1/L2 chimeric protein has the potential to induce cross-neutralizing antibodies and can be developed as a promising candidate for a new HPV vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetes affects 537 million adults globally, with 19.47 million cases in Indonesia. It arises from insufficient or ineffective insulin production, leading to complications like nephropathy. Due to the adverse effects of conventional medications, there is a growing need for safer alternatives. Functional foods and bioactive compounds show promise in managing diabetes. One such alternative is rice. Indonesia boasts a unique rice variety known as Pulu Mandoti, exclusively cultivated in the Enrekang District, Makassar, Indonesia. This delightful red rice variant offers numerous nutritional benefits. Unlike white rice, red rice is abundant in essential nutrients such as calcium, zinc, magnesium, protein, and fiber. The study focused on Pulu Mandoti, exploring its potential for antidiabetic and antioxidant activities using LC-MS analysis. Twelve (12) compounds were identified within the 1.23-14.41-min retention time range, with Compound 11 (2,2'-methylenebis(dibenzo[b,d]thiophene)) showing the strongest antioxidant potential compared to vitamin C. In molecular docking, Compound 11 exhibited the lowest binding affinity for both alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase (-10.5 and -8.7 kcal/mol, respectively), whereas acarbose displayed the highest binding affinity. For antioxidant analysis, Compounds 11 and 5 demonstrated the lowest binding affinities for NADPH oxidase and xanthine oxidoreductase, respectively, whereas vitamin C showed the highest. The coefficient values for drug properties similarity ranged from 0.40-0.76 for antidiabetic drugs, with Compound 5 displaying the highest coefficient value (0.76) and from 0.41-0.68 for antioxidants, with the highest value observed for antioxidant peptide A acetate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Self-healing hydrogels have good mechanical strength, can endure greater external force, and have the ability to heal independently, resulting in a strong bond between the wound and the material. Bacterial biofilm infections are life-threatening. Clindamycin (Cly) can be produced in the form of a self-healing hydrogel preparation. It is noteworthy that the antibacterial self-healing hydrogels show great promise as a wound dressing for bacterial biofilm infection. In this study, we developed a polyvinyl alcohol/borax (PVA/B) self-healing hydrogel wound dressing that releases Cly. Four ratios of PVA, B, and Cly were used to make self-healing hydrogels: F1 (4%:0.8%:1%), F2 (4%:1.2%:1%), F3 (1.6%:1%), and F4 (4%:1.6%:0). The results showed that F4 had the best physicochemical properties, including a self-healing duration of 11.81 ± 0.34 min, swelling ratio of 85.99 ± 0.12%, pH value of 7.63 ± 0.32, and drug loading of 98.34 ± 11.47%. The B–O–C cross-linking between PVA and borax caused self-healing, according to FTIR spectra. The F4 formula had a more equal pore structure in the SEM image. The PVA/B-Cly self-healing hydrogel remained stable at 6 ± 2 °C for 28 days throughout the stability test. The Korsmeyer–Peppas model released Cly by Fickian diffusion. In biofilm-infected mouse wounds, PVA/B-Cly enhanced wound healing and re-epithelialization. Our results indicate that the PVA/B-Cly produced in this work has reliable physicochemical properties for biofilm-infected wound therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aimed to investigate the efficacy of fermented Mamasa honey with Lacticaseibacillus casei strain NC1 as a potential treatment for diabetes mellitus, considering the high prevalence rate of 10.8 million patients in Indonesia and the challenges posed by expensive and less effective diabetes treatments. Methodologically, the study involved fermenting honey with L. casei strain NC1 and evaluating its antidiabetic properties and antioxidant activity. Encouragingly, the results of this study revealed notable outcomes -- the fermented honey exhibited significant antidiabetic activity, particularly evident at an optical density (OD) of 0.75 after 72 h of incubation, hence surpassing the efficacy of the positive control (acarbose). Additionally, the antioxidant testing demonstrated strong antioxidant potential, with the highest activity observed in black honey at the same OD and incubation period. The fermented honey demonstrated significant antidiabetic activity, with the highest effectiveness observed at an OD of 0.75 after 72 h of incubation. The antidiabetic activity reached 20006.3%, hence surpassing the efficacy of the positive control (acarbose), which only achieved 639.8%. The antioxidant testing of the fermented honey also yielded positive results, with the highest activity observed in black honey at OD 0.75 after 72 h of incubation. The antioxidant activity was recorded at 199.1%, hence indicating strong antioxidant potential. In the organoleptic test, white honey produced after a 48-h incubation period was preferred by the respondents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates microbial biodiversity, with a specific focus on yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB), within Sinjai's local minas drinks. The primary goal is to characterize the microbial composition of minas and assess the potential of these microorganisms as starters for porang flour fermentation. This fermentation is carried out to improve the quantity and quality of porang flour, especially for enhancing glucomannan. The identification results from five isolates revealed the presence of two distinct LAB species, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Weissella cibaria, with a percent identity falling within the 98-99% range, hence indicating a close genetic relationship within each species. Molecular identification further identified two yeast types, Candida tropicalis and Pichia kudriavzevii, thereby demonstrating a high degree of similarity with a percent identity ranging between 98-99%. Analysis of the fermentation treatment indicated a glucomannan production range of 80-91%. Notably, the Pichia kudriavzevii + Leuconostoc mesenteroides + amylase treatment stood out, hence producing the highest glucomannan levels at 91.5%. Calcium oxalate levels in the fermentation treatment ranged from 0.03-0.08%, with the Pichia kudriavzevii + Leuconostoc mesenteroides + amylase treatment proving to be the most effective in reducing calcium oxalate levels to 0.32%. These findings offer valuable insights into optimizing porang flour fermentation processes, thereby emphasizing the significance of specific microbial combinations for enhanced glucomannan production and reduced calcium oxalate content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One plant in the Sulawesi region that is utilized in traditional medicine is "secang," which is the local name of the Biancaea sappan (L.) Tod. The use of its wood is in the form of decoction to be drunk every day because it has properties for maintaining the body's immune system. Secang tree - as a valuable medicinal plant - is also known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties. Analysis has revealed that sappan wood harbors a variety of bioactive compounds - including brazilin, brazilein, sappan chalcone, and protosappanin. However, its use is only limited to the use of the wood. Hence, this research aims to analyze the bioprospection of the secang plant using parts of the wood, fruit, and leaves in terms of antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antidiabetic activity. The three parts of secang were extracted using ethanol solvent and then made into five concentrations - namely, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100%. The antimicrobial activity test used five test bacteria - namely, Listeria monocytogenes, Pasteurella pestis, Escherichia coli, Salmonella thypi, and Staphylococcus aureus - using the well method. Next, the DPPH antioxidant activity test was contrasted with the vitamin C control. The antidiabetic activity test used an alpha-glucosidase inhibitor and compared with the acarbose control. The results obtained show that all samples can inhibit the growth of the five test bacteria from a concentration of 20-100%. Extracts of secang leaves and fruit have better antimicrobial and antioxidant abilities than secang stems. In the antioxidant test, the ability of the three extracts to bind free radicals increased as the concentration increased. Meanwhile, the antidiabetic test showed that the highest results were obtained from 40% secang leaf extract. Secang has shown promising medicinal properties and is an important resource in traditional medicine, hence warranting the exploration of its potential role as an important source of bioactive compounds for drug development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymatic hydrolysis is more efficient compared to other types of protein hydrolysis methods due to the fact that enzymes function as specific catalysts that can produce peptides in a less complex form and avoid non-hydrolytic changes. Extracellular protease from lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis (LAC3) has the potential as an agent for enzymatic hydrolysis of marine products, especially for non-fibrillar and non-collagen protein types. Extracellular protease from LAC3 was successfully isolated and was able to hydrolyze sea cucumber and lorjuk shellfish. Hydrolyzed products appear to have molecular weights of 4.6 and 15 kDa. The hydrolysates from the enzymatic hydrolysis of the two marine samples have significant antioxidant activities based on the DPPH inhibition assay. The best 3D protein structure modeling was done using the AlphaFold web server. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cervical cancer caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV) is one of the most frequent malignances globally. HPV 52 is a high-risk cancer-causing genotype that has been identified as the most prevalent type in Indonesia. Virus-like particles (VLP)-based vaccinations against HPV infection could benefit from self-assembled VLP of L1 capsid protein. Result The recombinant HPV 52 L1 was expressed in Pichia pastoris on a shake-flask scale with 0.5% methanol induction in this study. The copy number was used to compare the expression level and stability. The colony that survived on a solid medium containing 2000 µg/ml of Zeocin was selected and cultured to express HPV 52 L1. DNA was extracted from the chosen colony, and the copy was determined using qPCR. HPV 52 L1 protein was then purified through fast performance liquid chromatography. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) evaluation confirmed the VLP self-assembly. The genomic DNA remained intact after 100 generations of serial cultivation under no selective pressure medium conditions, and the protein produced was relatively stable. However, the band intensity was slightly lower than in the parental colony. In terms of copy number, a low copy transformant resulted in low expression but produced a highly stable recombinant clone. Eventually, the L1 protein expressed in Pichia pastoris can self-assemble into VLP. Therefore, recombinant HPV possesses a stable clone and the ability to self-assemble into VLP. Conclusion The recombinant L1 HPV 52 protein is successfully expressed in P. pastoris within a size range of approximately 55 kDa and demonstrated favorable stability. The L1 protein expressed in Pichia pastoris successful self-assembled of HPV VLPs, thereby establishing their potential efficacy as a prophylactic vaccine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to extract and characterize the main bioactive compound of Aglaophenia cupressina Lamoureoux using UV, IR, and NMR spectroscopy. This compound was then tested in vitro using the agar diffusion method at a concentration of 15, 30, and 45 ppm against two fungi isolated from the spoiled strawberry and mango. The efficacy of Aglao E Unhas was tested in fully ripe strawberries and mangoes. The number of fungi that grew during storage was counted using the standard plate count method. The results of the isolation of hydroid A.cupressina yielded the pure compound Aglao E Unhas derivative of alkaloids, which is a new compound, in the form of white crystals, melting point at 55-56 °C, which has 15 carbon atoms and 39 hydrogen atoms, one NH group in a heterocyclic ring. Aglao E Unhas at 45 ppm has antifungal properties against Colletotrichum gloesoporioides and Aspergillus niger. The largest inhibition zone against Colletotrichum gloesoporioides was 18.20 mm at 48 h and increased to 18.70 mm at 72 h of incubation. The inhibition zone against Aspergillus niger at 48 hours of incubation resulted in 17.35 mm and 72 h of incubation increased to 18.00 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is limited study on DNA barcoding of horseshoe crabs in South Sumatra, Indonesia. The present study was the first to record horseshoe crabs' COI DNA barcoding in three localities of Banyasin estuarine waters. The nucleotide composition was in a strong adenine thymine bias (AT = 63.90%) with high haplotypic diversity (Hd = 0.858) relative to low nucleotide diversity (π = 0.0534). A total of 16 haplotypes were recorded, of which two were in Carat Cape, 4 in Makati Jaya, and 12 in the Banyuasin river estuary (BRE), and Hap 1 was a dominant type (62.5%). The population differentiation (FST) value was varied, and only in the comparison of BRE-Carat Cape was significant (FST = 0.637), while the gene flow (Nm) value in Makati Jaya-BRE was high (6.563). The neutrality test, Tajima's D (0.4142), and Fu's Fs values were negative (-0.492), suggesting these populations have experienced a current bottleneck or multiplication. Analysis of molecular variation (AMOVA) suggested that 68% was distributed within populations. The haplotype network, PCoA, and phylogenetic of COI DNA sequences clustered in three groups correspond to Carcinoscorpius rotundicauda, Tachypleus gigas, and Tachypleus tridentatus. This finding is a matter of concern for managing and conserving horseshoe crab species in Banyuasin estuarine waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) is a Gram-negative pathogenic bacterium that causes diarrheal disease, especially in infants and children. Aptamers are short chain oligonucleotides that have high affinity, specificity, and selectivity to their targets, which have potential to be developed as a method for diagnosing pathogens. In this study, aptamer was isolated through the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by Exponential Enrichment (SELEX) method using whole cells bacteria (Bacterial-SELEX) for recognizing pathogenic E. coli EPEC K1.1 which was isolated from children with diarrhea in Indonesia. Ten rounds of bacterial-SELEX procedure were conducted with modification conditions by using Top10, DH5a E. coli cells, Listeria monocytogenes, and Lactobacillus plantarum S34 as counter-selections. The selection process was started with a pool of ssDNA random library consisting of a random base with 40-nucleotides long flanked with fixed primers sequence for aptamer amplification purpose. Short single-stranded DNA amplification was done by symmetric and asymmetric PCR. The highly enriched oligonucleotide pools (pooled 8, 9, and 10) were cloned and the resulting ssDNA aptamers were identified by Sanger DNA sequencing. Finally, twelve aptamers with unique sequences and various secondary structures including G-quadruplex sequence motif within aptamers were obtained as candidates specific aptamer for detection and capturing of EPEC K1.1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]