Industrial revolution has played a positive role in the economic growth and development but environment is affected negatively. This has led to the contamination of environment with toxic chemicals. Biodegradation of these harmful pollutants using microbes is strongly recommended as this is more efficient than other costly physicochemical processes. Current study was aimed to isolate indigenous bacteria capable of biodegrading toxic chemicals. For this purpose effluent samples were collected from Hattar Industrial Estate, Haripur, Pakistan and characterized. Initially, forty eight distinct bacterial isolates were obtained by plating on mixed metal nutrient agar medium supplemented with 200μg/ml each of chromium, lead, nickel salts. Further screening on solid agar medium both in rich and minimal medium (M9 and BH) supplemented with 12 different metal salts (Cr, Cu, Cd, As, Ag, Hg, Zn, Fe, Mn, Ni and Co) was done. Representatives of different classes of aromatic compounds including polyaromatic hydrocarbons phenanthrene (500-6000 μg/ml), biphenyl and naphthalene (1000-4000 μg/ml); petroleum hydrocarbons (1-3%) benzene, toluene, xylene; aromatic amines (1mM) aniline, chloroaniline; phenolic compounds (50-200μg/ml) phenol, p-nitrophenol, pentachlorophenol and azo dyes (50-100μg/ml) methyl orange, methyl yellow, methyl red, erichrome black T and congo red were used to determine the degradation potential of isolates. Results revealed that these bacteria had multiple heavy metal resistances. They were potentially able to utilize multiple hydrocarbons and azo dyes as carbon/ energy sources after degradation. Based on these tolerance/utilization profiles sixteen morphologically, physiologically and biochemically different isolates were chosen for metal remediation/ organic pollutant utilization/ degradation studies. Quantitative and qualitative investigation of transformation ability of these sixteen isolates for phenanthrene (1000mg/l), aniline (1mM), p-nitrophenol (50mg/l), pentachlorophenol (100mg/l) and azo dyes (50mg/l) congo red, methyl red was achieved by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Five potent strains were identified as Stenotrophomonas sp. MB339 (Acc No. KP723528), Staphylococcus sp. MB371 (Acc No. KP723530), Bacillus sp. MB366 (Acc No. KP723529), Klebsiella pneumoniae MB361 (Acc No. KP723532), Klebsiella pneumoniae MB373 (Acc No. KP723531) by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among metal remediating strains, Staphylococcus MB371, Stenotrophomonas MB339, Klebsiella pneumoniae MB361 showed maximum accumulation of Pb, Cr and Ni (i.e. 75.33, 34.07, 54.98%), respectively at 37°C. In addition, these strains efficiently reduced more than 70% of 200mg/l Cr (VI) to Cr (III) and >90% of phenanthrene, p-nitrophenol, pentachlorophenol at different pHs (5-9) and temperature (25-45°C). In case of aniline up to 91% degradation was achieved by Bacillus MB366, Stenotrophomonas MB339, Klebsiella pneumoniae MB373 at pH 7, 37°C. While, Staphylococcus sp. MB371, Klebsiella pneumoniae MB361 were unable to use aniline at pHs 5, 6. Decolorization of methyl red (>75%) was achieved by all five strains within pH range 5-9 and 30-37°C. However, less or even no decolorization was observed at 45°C especially by Stenotrophomonas MB339. Complete genome sequence analysis of these five strains was done using Ilumina Miseq and annotated with IMG ER pipeline. Genomic features of strains were different from one another in many attributes like size, total number of genes, protein coding genes, rRNA genes and G+C content. Functional annotations depicted that these strains were highly diverse in their metabolism. Heavy metal resistance genes organized in operons for arsenic, copper, mercury were identified in Stenotrophomonas MB339, for arsenic in Staphylococcus MB371 and Bacillus MB366. While genes for metal (Cr, As) reductase, efflux pump and other membrane proteins (Co, Cd, Fe, Zn, Mn) were annotated in genomes of Klebsiella quasipneumoniae subsp. similipneumoniae MB373, Stenotrophomonas MB339, Staphylococcus MB371 and Bacillus MB366. Genome annotations indicated that these genomes have variety of metabolic pathways for xenobiotics degradation. Aromatic ring hydroxylating dioxygenase genes responsible for degradation of PNP, PCP, phenanthrene. While genes for FMN-dependent, NADH-azo reductase might be supportive for methyl red decolorization. For nitroaromatic compounds, nitroreductase genes were found in Klebsiella pneumoniae MB361, Stenotrophomonas MB339 and Bacillus MB366. Indigenous bacteria isolated from industrial effluents play a significant role to detoxify metals and transform variety of chemicals present in contaminated environment. Present study revealed the molecular mechanisms behind adaptability of these biotopes to changing environmental conditions. This detailed research comprising of analytical and molecular approaches, highlight the biodegradation potential of strains which paves way for future bioprospecting of the potential enzymes vital for biodegradation perspective.
The Immensely Merciful to all, The Infinitely Compassionate to everyone.
41:01 a. Ha. Mim.
41:02 a. This is a Revelation from Allah - The One and Only God of everyone and everything. b. The Immensely Merciful to all, The Infinitely Compassionate to everyone.
41:03 a. This is a Book whose Messages are clearly explained and well spelled-out - b. Qur’an in Arabic - c. for a people who understand.
41:04 a. The Qur’an is to be a herald of good news for those who accept its Message, and b. a warner for those who intentionally deny and belie its Message. c. And yet most of them turn away in aversion and arrogance, d. for they do not care to listen to it so as to reflect on its Message.
41:05 a. And they say: b. ‘Our hearts are in covering from whatever you call us to, and c. our ears are heavy so we cannot hear you, and d. there is a barrier - a void - between us and you with regard to the basic concepts of religion. e. So you do whatever you like according to your religion to please your Allah, and f. we are going to do as we have always done.
41:06 a. Tell them O The Prophet: b. ‘Indeed, I am only a human being like anyone of you. c. However, it is revealed onto me that your elah is only One Elah. d. So take a straight course to HIM through faith, reverence, and obedience, and e. seek HIS forgiveness’ for your disbelief and sinful...
Dear Editor,
Swallowing is an essential requirement for life. Eating is not only a practical act (i.e., obtaining the nutrition necessary for survival) but also involves social interaction. Having meals with family and friends is almost universally necessary for personal interactions1. Dysphagia is derived from the Greek Language "Dys" which means “difficulty or dysfunction" and "Phagia" means "to eat". However, it is defined as difficulty in processing or swallowing food from mouth to stomach2.
To ensure smooth running of all organs of state and provision of conducive environment to investment and progress timely disposition of civil cases is necessary. Despite the widespread concerns about the problem of delay in disposition of justice in civil cases, the solutions have not kept up with the growth of the problem in Pakistan. The purpose of this research was to assess quantitatively the role of different factors in such delays. The study was descriptive and hypotheses testing in nature in which quantitative research approach in the form of a survey were used. The survey was conducted in six districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), Pakistan. Appropriate sample size was picked from the population consisting of lawyers, judges and litigants of these districts on the basis of Cochran formula. For data collection a specifically designed questionnaire was used which was intended to measure four main categories of causes of delay i.e. judicial causes, procedural lacunas, budgetary insufficiency, and lawyers’ related causes. Correlation, regression, one way ANOVA and two independent sample t tests were conducted for data analysis. The results of the study ranked budgetary insufficiency as the highest contributor to delay followed by procedural lacunas and Lawyers related causes while the judicial causes remained at the tail of the continuum. Despite availability of qualitative work on the subject the magnitude of role of different causes of delay was not completely understood and quantitative data was required for more accurate understanding of the issue. The results of this dissertation urges for demonstration of generosity while allocating budget for judiciary and revision of civil procedures. Moreover it also underscores the necessity of inciting sense of responsibility through seminars, workshops and other activities in lawyers to decrease the incidence of frivolous litigation.