Biotechnology - Sciene

 Methanotrophs in soil serves as a major atmospheric methane sink, and soil management has a direct impact on the diversity of microorganisms in soil. This study was set to identify methanotrophs in soil under different management systems. The study was conducted at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), Ohio State University (OSU), Wooster, Ohio, US as part of their long continuous research in No-Till production.

                Sixty-nine local bacterial isolates of thermophilic Bacillus spp. isolated from different soil locations over Iraq land  were screened for their ability to produce extracellular α-amylase  (EC 3.2.1.1) in solid and submerged cultures. The isolate Bacillus stearothermophilus M13 was selected based on its production of enzyme  among the other isolates and used in the present work  to  study the production,purification and chracterization of enzyme then  the cloning of  the α-amylase gene.

          In an attempt to increase the production of some secondary metabolites in tissue cultures of Salvia officinalis compared to the intact plant, several experiments were carried out. Callus was induced and maintained on MS medium supplemented with 0.5 mg/l kinetin and 0.05 mg/l 2,4-D from leaf and stem explants. NaCl was added to the culture medium at concentrations 50 or 100 mM as a stress agent for elicitation.