Fungi are an understudied, biotechnologically valuable group of organisms. Due to 
the immense range of habitats that fungi inhabit, and the consequent need to compete against a diverse array of other fungi, bacteria, and animals, fungi have developed numerous survival mechanisms. The unique attributes of fungi thus herald great promise for their application in biotechnology and industry. Moreover, fungi can be grown with relative ease, making production at scale viable. The search for fungal biodiversity, and the construction of a living fungi collection, both have incredible economic potential in locating organisms with novel industrial uses that will lead to novel products. This manuscript reviews fifty ways in which fungi can potentially be utilized as biotechnology. We provide notes and examples for each potential exploitation and give examples from our own work and the work of other notable researchers. We also provide a flow chart that can be used to convince funding bodies of the importance of fungi for biotechnological research and as potential products. Fungi have provided the world with penicillin, lovastatin, and other globally significant medicines, and they remain an untapped resource with enormous industrial potential.

The amazing potential of fungi: 50 ways we can exploit fungi industrially

Biosynthesis of polyketides by trans-AT polyketide synthases

Recently, numerous side effects of synthetic drugs have lead to using medicinal plants as a reliable source of new therapy. Pain is a global public health problem with a high impact on life quality and a huge economic implication, becoming one of the most important enemies in modern medicine. The medicinal use of plants as analgesic or antinociceptive drugs in traditional therapy is estimated to be about 80% of the world population. The Lamiaceae family, one of the most important herbal families, incorporates a wide variety of plants with biological and medical applications. In this study, the analgesic activity, possible active compounds of Lamiaceae genus, and also the possible mechanism of actions of these plants are presented. The data highlighted in this review paper provide valuable scientific information for the specific implications of Lamiaceae plants in pain modulation that might be used for isolation of potentially active compounds from some of these medicinal plants in future and formulation of commercial therapeutic agents.

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Medicinal Plants of the Family Lamiaceae in Pain Therapy: A Review.

Background: Due to its diverse geographical and habitat conditions, northern Pakistan harbors a wealth of medicinal plants. The plants and their traditional use are part of the natural and cultural heritage of the region. This study was carried out to document which medicinal plant species and which plant parts are used in the region of Swat, which syndrome categories are particularly concerned, and which habitat spectrum is frequented by collectors. Finally, we assessed to which extent medicinal plants are vulnerable due to collection and habitat destruction. Methods: An ethnobotanical survey was undertaken in the Miandam area of Swat, North Pakistan. Data were collected through field assessment as well as from traditional healers and locals by means of personal interviews and semi-structured questionnaires. Results: A total of 106 ethno-medicinal plant species belonging to 54 plant families were recorded. The most common growth forms were perennial (43%) and short-lived herbs (23%), shrubs (16%), and trees (15%). Most frequently used plant parts were leaves (24%), fruits (18%) and subterranean parts (15%). A considerable proportion of the ethno-medicinal plant species and remedies concerns gastro-intestinal disorders. The remedies were mostly prepared in the form of decoction or powder and were mainly taken orally. Eighty out of 106 ethno-medicinal plants were indigenous. Almost 50% of the plants occurred in synanthropic vegetation while slightly more than 50% were found in semi-natural, though extensively grazed, woodland and grassland vegetation. Three species (Aconitum violaceum, Colchicum luteum, Jasminum humile) must be considered vulnerable due to excessive collection. Woodlands are the main source for non-synanthropic indigenous medicinal plants. The latter include many range-restricted taxa and plants of which rhizomes and other subterranean parts are dug out for further processing as medicine. Conclusion: Medicinal plants are still widely used for treatment in the area of Swat. Some species of woodlands seem to be adapted to wood-pasture, but vulnerable to overcollecting, and in particular to deforestation. It is suggested to implement local small-scaled agroforestry systems to cultivate vulnerable and commercially valuable ethno-medicinal woodland plants under local self-government responsibility.

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Diversity and use of ethno-medicinal plants in the region of Swat, North Pakistan

Pattern analysis in agricultural science

Vegetables included in daily schedule of diet viz. Sweet Pepper, Cauliflower, Carrot, Cabbage, Lettuce, Spinach, Tomato, Potato, Reddish, and Bottle Gourd were analyzed for their proximate composition, vitamin and mineral contents to evaluate their importance in human nutrition. The results showed that almost all vegetables contain appreciable amount of essential nutrients. Moisture content was high ranging from 77% in potato to 94.5% in bottle gourd followed by carbohydrate in all selected vegetables. Crude protein, Crude fiber and ash were in range from 0.9 to 2.1%, 0.3 to 1.2% and 0.5% to 1.1% respectively. Sweet pepper was found to be highest in crude fiber content. Vegetables intake is beneficial for obese, as they furnish fat to a lesser extent. Minerals in dry weight basis were found in different concentration in all vegetables. K was the most abundant mineral followed by P and Ca. Some vegetables constitute appreciable amount of Na. Potato contained 240 mg/100gm K, but Calcium (8 mg/100gm) was deficient in it. Na was found high (63.9 mg/100gm) in reddish. P and Ca concentration was found 84mg/100gm and 76 mg/100gm respectively in Spinach, which is also an efficient source of Fe 6mg/100gm. comparatively, tomato contained less amount of P (27 mg/100g). Cabbage was found deficient in Fe (0.51 mg/100gm). All the vegetables analyzed, are poor source of Cr. Vitamin analysis confirmed that selected vitamins were found high in spinach followed by cauliflower and tomato. Carrot contains minimum amount of water soluble vitamin among various vegetables. Thiamine was relatively in higher amount than niacin and riboflavin.

Use of vegetables as nutritional food: role in human health

Investigation of traditional medicinal floral knowledge of Sarban Hills, Abbottabad, KP, Pakistan

Historical perspectives of ethnobotany.

A novel survey of the ethno medicinal knowledge of dental problems in Manoor Valley (Northern Himalaya), Pakistan.

Strobilurins from fungi are the inspiration for the creation of the β-methoxyacrylate class of agricultural fungicides However, molecular details of the biosynthesis of strobilurins have remained cryptic Here we report the sequence of genomes of two fungi that produce strobilurins and show that each contains a biosynthetic gene cluster, which encodes a highly reducing polyketide synthase with very unusual C-terminal hydrolase and methyltransferase domains Expression of stpks1 in Aspergillus oryzae leads to the production of prestrobilurin A when the fermentation is supplemented with a benzoyl coenzyme A (CoA) analogue This enables the discovery of a previously unobserved route to benzoyl CoA Reconstruction of the gene cluster in A oryzae leads to the formation of prestrobilurin A, and addition of the gene str9 encoding an FAD-dependent oxygenase leads to the key oxidative rearrangement responsible for the creation of the β-methoxyacrylate toxophore Finally, two methyltransferases are required to complete the synthesis

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Zafar Iqbal

Papers

Use of vegetables as nutritional food: role in human health

Investigation of traditional medicinal floral knowledge of Sarban Hills, Abbottabad, KP, Pakistan

Historical perspectives of ethnobotany.

A novel survey of the ethno medicinal knowledge of dental problems in Manoor Valley (Northern Himalaya), Pakistan.

Strobilurin biosynthesis in Basidiomycete fungi