Polymorphism and nucleotide sequencing of BMPR1B gene in prolific Assam hill goat

Assam hill goat (Capra hircus) is a prolific local goat in India. bone morphogenetic protein receptor (BMPR1B) gene was studied as a candidate gene for the prolificacy of goats. The objective of the present study was to detect the incidence of mutation in the exonic region of BMPR1B gene of Assam hill goat. Total 90 blood samples were collected randomly from different parts of Assam and genomic DNA were extracted using phenol–chloroform method. The quantity and quality of extracted DNA was examined by spectrophotometry and gel electrophoresis, respectively. PCR amplicon showed a product of 140 bp fragment of BMPR1B gene. The purified product upon digestion with AvaII showed monomorphic banding pattern and revealed wild type alleles with AA genotype. Nucleotide sequencing showed one new mutation 773 (G→C) which is found to be unique in Assam hill goat. Construction of tree at nucleotide level generates from the present experiment lies in common cluster which differs from the other breeds of goat. The analysis of polymorphism for BMPR1B in Assam hill goat indicates that the genetic factor responsible for prolificacy or multiple kidding rates is not related to the reported mutated alleles of BMPR1B gene. Therefore, attempts to be made to detect other SNPs for BMPR1B gene or otherwise effort should be made towards other fecundity gene which might be responsible for the prolificacy of Assam hill goat.     

Pesticidal and pest repellency activities of a plant derived triterpenoid 2α,3β,21β,23,28-penta hydroxyl 12-oleanene against Tribolium castaneum

Background

Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) is a major pest of stored grain-based products, and cause severe damage to cereal grains throughout the world. The present investigation was aimed to determine the pesticidal and pest repellent activities of 2α,3β,21β,23,28-penta hydroxyl 12-oleanene against T. castaneum. The compound 2α,3β,21β,23,28-penta hydroxyl 12-oleanene is a triterpenoid which was isolated from the roots of Laportea crenulata Gaud. Surface film technique was used for pesticidal screening, whereas, pest repellency property of the triterpenoid was determined by filter paper disc method.

Results

At 24 hours of exposure duration, significant mortality records (80% and 86%) were observed at doses 0.88 and 1.77 mg/cm². No significant change in mortality records was observed when duration of exposure was increased up to 48 hours. The triterpenoid showed significant repellency activity at doses 0.47 and 0.94 mg/cm².

Conclusion

These data suggest that the triterpenoid 2α,3β,21β,23,28-penta hydroxyl 12-oleanene possess both pesticidal and pest repellency activities against T. castaneum and can be used in controlling the pest of grain-based products.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/0717-6287-47-68) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Poultry Slaughtering Practices in Rural Communities of Bangladesh and Risk of Avian Influenza Transmission: A Qualitative Study

Slaughtering sick poultry is a risk factor for human infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza and is a common practice in Bangladesh. This paper describes human exposures to poultry during slaughtering process and the customs and rituals influencing these practices in two Bangladeshi rural communities. In 2009, we conducted 30 observations to observe slaughtering practices and 110 in-depth and short interviews and 36 group discussions to explore reasons behind those practices. The villagers reported slaughtering 103 poultry, including 20 sick poultry during 2 months. During different stages of slaughtering, humans, the environment, healthy poultry, and other animals were exposed to poultry blood and body parts. Women performed most of the slaughtering tasks, including evisceration. Defeathering required the most time and involved several persons. During festivals, ceremonies, and rituals, many people gathered and participated in the slaughtering of poultry. Exposure to poultry slaughtering created numerous opportunities for potential avian influenza transmission. Strategies that can be further tested to determine if they reduce the risk of transmission include skinning the carcasses of sick poultry, using hot water for defeathering and cleaning, using a bucket to contain slaughtering blood and carcass, burying the offal and encouraging handwashing.     

A Multisclae Probabilisitc Framework to Model Early Steps in Tumor Metastasis

Tumor metastasis is the leading cause of nearly all cancer related deaths. While several experimental and computational studies have addressed individual stages of the complex metastasis process, a comprehensive systems-biology model that links various stages of metastasis has not been put forth as of yet. In this paper we discuss the formulation and application of such a model that utilizes basic principles of cell biology, physics and mechanics to study the migratory patterns of tumor cells as they move from the parent tumor site to the connective tissue via the basement membrane. The model is first of its kind in capturing the essential early features of metastasis in a single simulation and shows good agreement with recent experimental studies.     

Plasmid recombination by the RecBCD pathway of Escherichia coli.

Previously, we demonstrated that exonuclease I-deficient strains of Escherichia coli accumulate high-molecular-weight linear plasmid concatemers when transformed with plasmids carrying the chi sequence (5'- GCTGGTGG-3') (M. M. Zaman and T. C. Boles, J. Bacteriol. 176:5093-5100, 1994). Since high-molecular weight linear DNA is believed to be the natural substrate for RecBCD-mediated recombination during conjugation (A. J. Clark and K. B. Low, p. 155-215, in K. B. Low, ed., The Recombination of Genetic Material, 1988), we analyzed the recombination frequencies of chi+ and chi0 plasmids in sbcB strains. Here, we report that chi sites stimulate plasmid recombination frequency by 16-fold in sbcB strains. Chi-stimulated plasmid recombination is dependent on RecBCD but is independent of RecF pathway genes. The distribution of recombination products suggests that high-molecular-weight linear plasmid DNA is a substrate for RecBCD-mediated recombination. Surprisingly, our data also suggest that chi+ plasmids also recombine by the RecBCD pathway in rec+ sbcB+ cells.     

Life on the edge: reproductive mode and rate of invasive <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phragmites australis</Emphasis> patch expansion

The dynamics of plant invasions from initial colonization through patch expansion are driven in part by mode of reproduction, i.e., sexual (seed) and asexual (clonal fragments and expansion) means. Expansion of existing patches—both rate and mode of spread into a matrix of varying conditions—is important for predicting potential invader impacts. In this study, we used fine-scale genetic assessments and remote sensing to describe both the rate and mode of expansion for 20 Phragmites australis patches in flooded and unflooded wetland units on the Great Salt Lake, UT. We found that the majority of Phragmites patch expansion occurred via clonal spread but we also documented instances of (potentially episodic) seedling recruitment. The mode of patch expansion, inferred from patch edge genet richness, was unrelated to flooding in the wetland unit in the preceding growing season. The rate of Phragmites patch expansion varied from 0.09 to 0.35 year^?1 and was unrelated to the mode of spread. In six patches monitored across two years, monoclonal patches stayed monoclonal, whereas patches with higher genet richness had a marked increase in diversity in the second year. The findings of the present study suggest how this partially clonal species can exploit the benefits of both sexual (i.e., genetic recombination, widespread dispersal, colonization of new areas) and asexual reproduction (i.e., stability of established clones suited to local environmental conditions) to become one of the most successful wetland plant invaders. To control this species, both forms of reproduction need to be fully addressed through targeted management actions.     

Three‐dimensional fate mapping of larval tissues through metamorphosis in the glass sponge Oopsacas minuta

The tissue of glass sponges (Class Hexactinellida) is unique among metazoans in being largely syncytial, a state that arises during early embryogenesis when blastomeres fuse. In addition, hexactinellids are one of only two poriferan groups that already have clearly formed flagellated chambers as larvae. The fate of the larval chambers and of other tissues during metamorphosis is unknown. One species of hexactinellid, Oopsacas minuta, is found in submarine caves in the Mediterranean and is reproductive year round, which facilitates developmental studies; however, describing metamorphosis has been a challenge because the syncytial nature of the tissue makes it difficult to trace the fates using conventional cell tracking markers. We used three‐dimensional models to map the fate of larval tissues of O. minuta through metamorphosis and provide the first detailed account of larval tissue reorganization at metamorphosis of a glass sponge larva. Larvae settle on their anterior swimming pole or on one side. The multiciliated cells that formed a belt around the larva are discarded during the first stage of metamorphosis. We found that larval flagellated chambers are retained throughout metamorphosis and become the kernels of the first pumping chambers of the juvenile sponge. As larvae of O. minuta settle, larval chambers are enlarged by syncytial tissues containing yolk inclusions. Lipid inclusions at the basal attachment site gradually became smaller during the six weeks of our study. In O. minuta, the flagellated chambers that differentiate in the larva become the post‐metamorphic flagellated chambers, which corroborate the view that internalization of these chambers during embryogenesis is a process that resembles gastrulation processes in other animals.     

A Comprehensive Spectroscopic and Computational Investigation to Probe the Interaction of Antineoplastic Drug Nordihydroguaiaretic Acid with Serum Albumins

Exogenous drugs that are used as antidote against chemotheray, inflammation or viral infection, gets absorbed and interacts reversibly to the major serum transport protein i.e. albumins, upon entering the circulatory system. To have a structural guideline in the rational drug designing and in the synthesis of drugs with greater efficacy, the binding mechanism of an antineoplastic and anti-inflammatory drug Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) with human and bovine serum albumins (HSA & BSA) were examined by spectroscopic and computational methods. NDGA binds to site II of HSA with binding constant (K_b) ~10⁵ M^-1 and free energy (ΔG) ~ -7.5 kcal.mol^-1. It also binds at site II of BSA but with lesser binding affinity (K_b) ~10⁵ M^-1 and ΔG ~ -6.5 kcal.mol^-1. The negative value of ΔG, ΔH and ΔS for both the albumins at three different temperatures confirmed that the complex formation process between albumins and NDGA is spontaneous and exothermic. Furthermore, hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions are the main forces involved in complex formation of NDGA with both the albumins as evaluated from fluorescence and molecular docking results. Binding of NDGA to both the albumins alter the conformation and causes minor change in the secondary structure of proteins as indicated by the CD spectra.