Modeling the activity of glutathione as a hydroxyl radical scavenger considering its neutral non-zwitterionic form

Glutathione is an immensely important antioxidant, particularly in the central nervous system. The scavenging mechanism of glutathione towards the OH radical was studied theoretically, considering its neutral, non-zwitterionic form relevant to acidic media. Gibbs free barrier and released energies involved in hydrogen abstraction from the different sites of glutathione by an OH radical were studied at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), B3LYP/AUG-cc-pVDZ, M06/AUG-cc-pVDZ, M06-2X/AUG-cc-pVDZ levels of density functional theory. Solvation in bulk aqueous media was also studied at all these levels of theory employing the polarizable continuum model. Our study shows that a hydroxyl radical can abstract a hydrogen atom easily from glutathione. Thus, glutathione is shown to be an efficient scavenger of OH radicals, which is in agreement with the results of previous studies.

Interbirth interval and litter size of free-ranging Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) in dry tropical deciduous forests of India

We studied the interbirth interval (IBI) and litter size of the population of free-ranging Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris tigris) in dry tropical deciduous forests in Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve (RTR), Rajasthan, and Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR), Madhya Pradesh, between April 2005 and June 2011. Data on 15 breeding females in RTR and nine breeding females in PTR were collected using camera trapping, direct observation and radio-telemetry. The mean?±?standard error of IBI (months) in RTR was 33.4?±?3.7 and in PTR was 25.2?±?1.8. A significant difference was observed between the mean IBI of tigresses in RTR and those in PTR (df?=?9, P?=?0.04). The estimated mean litter size in RTR was 2.3?±?0.1 and that in PTR was 2.9?±?0.2. There was a significant difference between the litter size in RTR and that in PTR (χ ²?=?12.04, P?=?0.017, df?=?4). Since RTR and PTR are the important source populations of tigers in the Western and Central Indian landscapes, we propose that the tigers in these reserves be monitored, particularly for reproductive traits that are essential for understanding aspects of their population ecology.     

Plasmon-Enhanced Light Trapping to Improve Efficiency of TiO2 Nanorod-Based Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell

Localized surface plasmon resonance incurred by silver nanoparticles is used to enhance the photoelectric conversion efficiency of a TiO₂ nanorod-based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC). Improved light transmission is observed experimentally in silver nanoparticle-coated FTO glass. The transmission data are used to explore the effect on electrical parameters of DSSC using theoretical model. Current density increased from 11.7 to 12.34 mA/cm² and open-circuit voltage increased from 704 to 709.5 mV. Overall efficiency enhancement of 6.67 % is observed in TiO₂ nanorod-based DSSC due to plasmon-induced light trapping.     

Mapping the zebrafish brain methylome using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing

Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) has been used to profile DNA methylation patterns in mammalian genomes such as human, mouse and rat. The methylome of the zebrafish, an important animal model, has not yet been characterized at base-pair resolution using RRBS. Therefore, we evaluated the technique of RRBS in this model organism by generating four single-nucleotide resolution DNA methylomes of adult zebrafish brain. We performed several simulations to show the distribution of fragments and enrichment of CpGs in different in silico reduced representation genomes of zebrafish. Four RRBS brain libraries generated 98 million sequenced reads and had higher frequencies of multiple mapping than equivalent human RRBS libraries. The zebrafish methylome indicates there is higher global DNA methylation in the zebrafish genome compared with its equivalent human methylome. This observation was confirmed by RRBS of zebrafish liver. High coverage CpG dinucleotides are enriched in CpG island shores more than in the CpG island core. We found that 45% of the mapped CpGs reside in gene bodies, and 7% in gene promoters. This analysis provides a roadmap for generating reproducible base-pair level methylomes for zebrafish using RRBS and our results provide the first evidence that RRBS is a suitable technique for global methylation analysis in zebrafish.     

Resveratrol depletes mitochondrial DNA and inhibition of autophagy enhances resveratrol-induced caspase activation

We recently demonstrated that resveratrol induces caspase-dependent apoptosis in multiple cancer cell types. Whether apoptosis is also regulated by other cell death mechanisms such as autophagy is not clearly defined. Here we show that inhibition of autophagy enhanced resveratrol-induced caspase activation and apoptosis. Resveratrol inhibited colony formation and cell proliferation in multiple cancer cell types. Resveratrol treatment induced accumulation of LC3-II, which is a key marker for autophagy. Pretreatment with 3-methyladenine (3-MA), an autophagy inhibitor, increased resveratrol-mediated caspase activation and cell death in breast and colon cancer cells. Inhibition of autophagy by silencing key autophagy regulators such as ATG5 and Beclin-1 enhanced resveratrol-induced caspase activation. Mechanistic analysis revealed that Beclin-1 did not interact with proapoptotic proteins Bax and Bak; however, Beclin-1 was found to interact with p53 in the cytosol and mitochondria upon resveratrol treatment. Importantly, resveratrol depleted ATPase 8 gene, and thus, reduced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content, suggesting that resveratrol induces damage to mtDNA causing accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria triggering autophagy induction. Together, our findings indicate that induction of autophagy during resveratrol-induced apoptosis is an adaptive response.     

Assessment of Mineral Pathophysiology in Patients with Diabetic Foot Ulcer

Biological Trace Element Research - Chronic non-healing diabetic foot ulcers (DFU) with a recurrence rate of over 50% in 3 years account for more than 1,08000 non-traumatic lower extremity...     

Comparative analysis of chromosome 2A molecular organization in diploid and hexaploid wheat

Molecular Biology Reports - Diploid A genome wheat species harbor immense genetic variability which has been targeted and proven useful in wheat improvement. Development and deployment of...     

Pluripotency of embryonic stem cells lacking clathrin-mediated endocytosis cannot be rescued by restoring cellular stiffness

Mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) display unique mechanical properties, including low cellular stiffness in contrast to differentiated cells, which are stiffer. We have previously shown that mESCs lacking the clathrin heavy chain (Cltc), an essential component for clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME), display a loss of pluripotency and an enhanced expression of differentiation markers. However, it is not known whether physical properties such as cellular stiffness also change upon loss of Cltc, similar to what is seen in differentiated cells, and if so, how these altered properties specifically impact pluripotency. Using atomic force microscopy (AFM), we demonstrate that mESCs lacking Cltc display higher Young''s modulus, indicative of greater cellular stiffness, compared with WT mESCs. The increase in stiffness was accompanied by the presence of actin stress fibers and accumulation of the inactive, phosphorylated, actin-binding protein cofilin. Treatment of Cltc knockdown mESCs with actin polymerization inhibitors resulted in a decrease in the Young''s modulus to values similar to those obtained with WT mESCs. However, a rescue in the expression profile of pluripotency factors was not obtained. Additionally, whereas WT mouse embryonic fibroblasts could be reprogrammed to a state of pluripotency, this was inhibited in the absence of Cltc. This indicates that the presence of active CME is essential for the pluripotency of embryonic stem cells. Additionally, whereas physical properties may serve as a simple readout of the cellular state, they may not always faithfully recapitulate the underlying molecular fate.     

Conservation strategies for threatened medicinal plant – Barleria prionitis L. – using in vitro and ex vitro propagation techniques

Over-utilisation and continuous depletion of medicinal plants have affected their supply and loss of genetic diversity. Hence the current study is based on conservation strategies for threatened medicinal plants with special reference to Barleria prionitis L. using in vitro and ex vitro propagation techniques. We have developed here a protocol for plant regeneration of Barleria prionitis L. We have also developed an efficient system of vegetative propagation of Barleria prionitis L. through stem cuttings using revive rooting hormones. These studies can be useful for conservation strategies of this important medicinal plant.     

Three low molecular weight cysteine proteinase inhibitors of human seminal fluid: Purification and enzyme kinetic properties

The cystatins form a superfamily of structurally related proteins with highly conserved structural folds. They are all potent, reversible, competitive inhibitors of cysteine proteinases (CPs). Proteins from this group present differences in proteinase inhibition despite their high level of structural similarities. In this study, three cysteine proteinase inhibitors (CPIs) of low molecular weight were isolated from human seminal fluid (HSF) by affinity chromatography on carboxymethyl (CM)-papain–Sepharose column, purified using various chromatographic procedures and checked for purity on sodium-dodecyl PAGE (SDS-PAGE). Matrix-assisted laser desorption-ionization-time-of flight-mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) identified these proteins as cystatin 9, cystatin SN, and SAP-1 (an N-terminal truncated form of cystatin S). All three CPIs suppressed the activity of papain potentially and showed remarkable heat stability. Interestingly SAP-1 also inhibits the activity of trypsin, chymotrypsin, pepsin, and PSA (prostate specific antigen) and acts as a cross-class protease inhibitor in in vitro studies. Using Surface Plasmon Resonance, we have also observed that SAP-1 shows a significant binding with all these proteases. These studies suggest that SAP-1 is a cross-class inhibitor that may regulate activity of various classes of proteases within the reproductive systems. To our knowledge, this is the first report about purification of CPIs from HSF; the identification of such proteins could provide better insights into the physiological processes and offer intimation for further research.