Pollen morphology of Basmati cultivars (Oryza sativa race Indica) – exine surface ultrastructure

Pollen morphological studies using LM and SEM have been carried out on six cultivars of Basmati – a variety of cultivated species Oryza sativa race Indica. SEM study at a magnification of ×20,000 revealed distinct variations in pollen exine surface patterns, in relation to the arrangements of fine surface excrescences (spinules or granules) and their clustering patterns forming small areas or insulae. Three distinctly different insular patterns occur in cultivars Basmati-370, Karnal local and Type-9. Cultivar Bakul Joha is characterized by free spinules. Mixed type i.e. both free and fused excrescences were observed in cultivars Bengali Joha and Bhog Maniki but they can be differentiated on the basis of the dimensions of the excrescences.     

Structural basis for IL-12 and IL-23 receptor sharing reveals a gateway for shaping actions on T versus NK cells

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Reducing acetylated tau is neuroprotective in brain injury

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Designing cross-linked lipase aggregates for optimum performance as biocatalysts

Cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) are prepared by precipitation of an enzyme and then chemical cross-linking the precipitate. Three CLEAs of lipase with glutaraldehyde concentrations of 10 mM (CLEA A), 40 mM (CLEA B) and 60 mM (CLEA C) were prepared. Studies show that there is a trade-off between thermal stability vs transesterification/hydrolysis rate vs enantioselectivity. The initial rates for transesterification of β-citronellol for the uncross-linked enzyme and CLEAs A, B and C were 243, 167, 102 and 40 µmol mg^?1 h^?1, respectively. Their thermal stabilities in aqueous media, as reflected by their half-life values at 55°C, were 6, 9, 13 and 16 h, respectively. The enantioselectivity, E values (for kinetic resolution of β-citronellol by transesterification) were 19, 74, 11 and 6, respectively. These results show that CLEA C was the most thermostable; the uncross-linked enzyme was best at obtaining the highest transesterification rate; and CLEA A was best suited for the enantioselective synthesis. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that the morphology of CLEA was dependent upon the extent of cross-linking.