Actin genes are genes that are common in organisms, and their expression is constitutive. These genes are used for gene normalization and internal control of DNA extraction, but the actin gene is not widely used for halal certification tests. Bioinformatic studies help to analyze the experiment through in silico more deeply before the experiment is carried out in laboratory, making it more efficient and time effective. uMelt is an analysis to predict the melting curve of target amplification in real-time PCR. Real-time PCR has been widely used for screening and detection of pork content in a product. This research aimed to explore actin gene as a candidate for testing pork using qPCR. The study was carried out in two main stages, namely alignment of the DNA sequence and analysis of the melting curve using the uMelt approach. The results showed a set of actin genes containing conserved regions that can be used as degenerate primers with different family-type coverages. Melting curve prediction with uMelt shows differences in tm peaks so as the types of samples can be easily identified. The use of bioinformatic applications such as uMelt helps in the simulation of predicting the melting curve to increase the precision of the analysis.

Ulasan ini berfokus pada tanaman herbal yang memiliki potensial aksi pada neurotransmitter. Tujuannya adalah memberikan informasi dan pemahaman mengenai potensi beberapa tanaman herbal yang berpengaruh terhadap penyakit Parkinson. Metode yang digunakan untuk melakukan studi literatur adalah scoping review dengan mencari beberapa jurnal penelitian yang dipublikasi di jurnal internasional melalui database elektronik. Database elektronik yang digunakan antara lain: Medscape, PubMed, Google Scholar, NCBI. Kata kunci (keywords) yang digunakan adalah "Parkinson disease". Hasilnya diperoleh 24 jurnal terpilih. Tanaman yang sudah dilaporkan tersebut, yaitu Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius. L.), mengandung kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside (K3R) dan anhydro safflor yellow B (AYB) mengurangi ekspresi nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) dan caspase 1, penyebab peradangan parkinson. Senyawa ginsenosida dari tanaman ginseng (Panax ginseng) memperkuat fungsi otak, mencegah peradangan saraf dan stres oksidatif, mengurangi berbagai gangguan neurodegeneratif seperti parkinson. Tanaman teh hijau (Camellia sinensis) mengandung senyawa epicatechin dan epigallocatechin gallate menurunkan immunostaining untuk COX-2, dan mengurangi produksi NO dari ketiga isoform NOS, termasuk iNOS. Ekstrak C. asiatica memiliki efek nootropik, melindungi otak dari kerusakan neurodegeneratif.

AbstrakMetode pengujian cemaran babi menjadi faktor penting dalam sertifikasi produk halal. Metode yang cepat dan robust diperlukan untuk deteksi dan kuantifikasi cemaran babi. Metode Real-time PCR atau dikenal dengan istilah quantitative PCR (qPCR) merupakan metode alternatif untuk deteksi dan kuantifikasi cemaran babi berdasarkan residu keberadaan DNAnya pada sampel olahan pangan. Metode ekstraksi DNA dan kit amplifikasi yang tahan terhadap inhibitor menjadi kunci keberhasilan penggunaan qPCR untuk pendeteksian dan kuantifikasi cemaran babi. Pendeteksian cemaran DNA dengan probe qPCR digunakan karena mempunyai kelebihan tahan terhadap inhibitor, cepat, spesifik, dan multipel target. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mendeteksi dan menguantifikasi cemaran DNA babi menggunakan metode ekstraksi DNA secara cepat dan qPCR. Tahapan penelitian ini adalah ekstraksi DNA, amplifikasi, deteksi, dan kuantifikasi DNA babi. Sampel berasal dari produk olahan pangan, seperti bakso, sosis, daging burger, siomay, kuah daging, dan daging isi roti. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terdapat cemaran babi pada sampel bakso, daging burger, dan kuah bakso. Hasil yang didapatkan menunjukkan bakso memiliki persentase kontaminasi sejumlah 25%, sedangkan kuah daging sejumlah 12,5%. Hasil penelitian ini dapat direkomendasikan untuk laboratorium penguji makanan sebagai metode deteksi cemaran babi dalam produk pangan secara cepat dan akurat.AbstractPork contamination testing method is an important factor in halal product certification. A fast and robust method is needed for the detection and quantification of pig contamination. Real-time PCR method or commonly known as quantitative PCR (qPCR) is an alternative method for the detection and quantification of pork contamination based on the pig’s DNA residual presence in processed food samples. DNA extraction method and inhibitor-resistant amplification kit are the keys of successful qPCR implementation for the detection and quantification of pig contamination. Detection of DNA contamination with qPCR probe is used because it has some advantages, such as resistant to inhibitors, fast, specific, and multiple targets. This research aimed to detect and quantify pig’s DNA contamination using rapid DNA extraction method and qPCR. The stages of this research were pig’s DNA extraction, amplification, detection, and quantification. The samples taken from processed food products, such as meatballs, sausage, burgers’ meat, dumplings, meat broth, and meat filled in the bread. The results showed that there was pork contamination in the samples of meatballs, burgers’ meat, and meat broth. The results showed that the meatballs had a contamination percentage of 25%, while the meat broth had a contamination percentage of 12.5%. The results of this study can be a recommendation for food testing laboratories as a method of detecting the pork contamination in food products quickly and accurately.

Lipases constitute as top three most important group of enzymes along with  carbohydrases and proteases, and are widely used in various industries. In particular, lipase that perform high activity at low temperatures, or referred as cold adapted lipase (CLPs) considered as attractive catalyst due to its activity at low temperature. This unique feature is the main advantage of cold adapted lipase utilization because it requires a low energy source that is correlated with lower production costs and energy. In addition, reactions occur in cold temperatures may result in better product quality. The purpose of this research was to perform screening and characterization of bacterial cold adapted lipase from seafood cold storage. Among 53 isolates, Kr_16_30, TI_37_14 and Kr_16_28 showed the highest activity with 4.12 U/mL; 3.87 U/mL and 3.21 U/mL, respectively. Isolates Kr_16_30 seemed to be typical cold adapted lipase with optimum temperature at 20°C and pH 7. Isolates Kr_16_28 performed highest lipolytic activity at 30°C while TI_37_14 suspected to be similar to typical mesophilic lipase with optimum temperature at 40°C. Species identification based on 16s rRDA sequencing revealed that isolates Kr_16 30 and Kr_16 28 are belong to genus Pseudomonas and Bacillus, repectively.