Molecular diversity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase producing PGPR from wheat (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Triticum aestivum</Emphasis> L.) rhizosphere

Aims

The present study was planned to investigate the diversity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase producing bacteria from the rhizosphere of wheat plants and subsequent evaluation of selected PGPR on growth enhancement of wheat seedlings under drought and saline conditions.

Methods

ACC deaminase producing plant growth promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) were isolated from the rhizosphere of wheat and identified using 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Isolates were evaluated for various direct and indirect plant growth promoting (PGP) traits. Plant inoculation experiment was conducted using isolates IG 19 and IG 22 in wheat to assess their plant growth promotion potential under salinity and drought stress.

Results

Thirty-eight ACC deaminase producing PGPR were isolated which belonged to 12 distinct genera and falling into four phyla γ-proteobacteria, β-proteobacteria, Flavobacteria and Firmicutes. Klebsiella sp. was the most abundant genera and followed by Enterobacter sp. The isolates exhibited ACC deaminase activities ranging from 0.106–0.980 μM α- ketobutyrate μg protein^?1 h^?1. The isolates showed multiple PGP traits such as IAA production, phosphate, zinc, potassium solubilization and siderophore production. Enterobacter cloacae (IG 19) and Citrobacter sp. (IG 22) inoculated wheat seedlings showed notable increases in fresh and dry biomass under non-stress as well as under stressed condition.

Conclusion

To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of presence of ACC deaminase activity and other PGP traits from the genus Citrobacter and Empedobacter. Our finding revealed that the γ-proteobacteria group dominated the wheat rhizosphere. Plant inoculation with PGPR could be a sustainable approach to alleviate abiotic stresses in wheat plants. These native PGPR isolates could be used as potential biofertilizers for sustainable agriculture.

     

Identification of Proteins Secreted by Malaria Parasite into Erythrocyte using SVM and PSSM profiles

Background  

Malaria parasite secretes various proteins in infected RBC for its growth and survival. Thus identification of these secretory proteins is important for developing vaccine/drug against malaria. The existing motif-based methods have got limited success due to lack of universal motif in all secretory proteins of malaria parasite.     

Capitalizing on multi-element interactions through balanced nutrition — A pathway to improve nitrogen use efficiency in China,India and North America

A viable option for increasing nitrogen (N) use efficiency and mitigation of negative impacts of N on the environment is to capitalize on multi-element interactions through implementation of nutrient management programs that provide balanced nutrition. Numerous studies have demonstrated the immediate efficacy of this approach in the developing regions like China and India as well as developed countries in North America. Based on 241 site-years of experiments in these countries, the first-year N recovery efficiency (RE) for the conventional or check treatments averaged 21% while the balanced treatments averaged 54% RE, for an average increase of 33% in RE due to balanced nutrition. Effective policies to promote adoption are most likely those that enable site-specific approaches to nutrient management decisions rather than sweeping, nation-wide incentives supporting one nutrient over another. Local farmers, advisers and officials need to be empowered with tools and information to help them define necessary changes in practices to create more balanced nutrient management.     

Functional Characterization of the Tau Class Glutathione-S-Transferases Gene (SbGSTU) Promoter of Salicornia brachiata under Salinity and Osmotic Stress

Reactive oxygen or nitrogen species are generated in the plant cell during the extreme stress condition, which produces toxic compounds after reacting with the organic molecules. The glutathione-S-transferase (GST) enzymes play a significant role to detoxify these toxins and help in excretion or sequestration of them. In the present study, we have cloned 1023 bp long promoter region of tau class GST from an extreme halophyte Salicornia brachiata and functionally characterized using the transgenic approach in tobacco. Computational analysis revealed the presence of abiotic stress responsive cis-elements like ABRE, MYB, MYC, GATA, GT1 etc., phytohormones, pathogen and wound responsive motifs. Three 5’-deletion constructs of 730 (GP2), 509 (GP3) and 348 bp (GP4) were made from 1023 (GP1) promoter fragment and used for tobacco transformation. The single event transgenic plants showed notable GUS reporter protein expression in the leaf tissues of control as well as treated plants. The expression level of the GUS gradually decreases from GP1 to GP4 in leaf tissues, whereas the highest level of expression was detected with the GP2 construct in root and stem under control condition. The GUS expression was found higher in leaves and stems of salinity or osmotic stress treated transgenic plants than that of the control plants, but, lower in roots. An efficient expression level of GUS in transgenic plants suggests that this promoter can be used for both constitutive as well as stress inducible expression of gene(s). And this property, make it as a potential candidate to be used as an alternative promoter for crop genetic engineering.     

A mechanistic PK/PD model for two anti-IL13 antibodies explains the difference in total IL-13 accumulation observed in clinical studies

IMA-638 and IMA-026 are humanized IgG1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that target non-overlapping epitopes of IL-13. Separate first-in-human single ascending dose studies were conducted for each mAb. These studies had similar study designs, but mild to moderate asthmatics were recruited for the IMA-638 study and healthy subjects were recruited for the IMA-026 study. IMA-638 and IMA-026 showed similar pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles, but very different total IL-13 (free and drug bound IL-13) profiles; free IL13 was not measured. IMA-026 treatment induced a dose-dependent accumulation of total IL-13, while IMA-638 treatment led to a much smaller accumulation without any clear dose-response. To understand the differences between the two total IL-13 profiles and to predict the free IL-13 profiles for each mAb treatment, a mechanistic PK/pharmacodynamic model was developed. PK-related parameters were first fit to the mean PK profiles of each mAb separately; thereafter, the target-related parameters were fit to both total IL-13 profiles simultaneously. The IL-13 degradation rate was assumed to be the same for asthma patients and healthy subjects. The model suggests that an approximately 100× faster elimination of IL-13-IMA-638 complex than IL-13-IMA-026 complex could be responsible for the differences observed in total IL-13 profiles for the two mAbs. Furthermore, the model predicts that IMA-638 administration results in greater and more prolonged free IL-13 inhibition than equivalent dosing of IMA-026 despite similar binding K_D and PK profile. In conclusion, joint modeling of two similar molecules provided mechanistic insight that the elimination rate of mAb-target complex can regulate the degree of free target inhibition.     

Ambient Inclusion Trails (AITs) from the Neoproterozoic Gangolihat Formation,Lesser Himalaya,India

Discovery of well-preserved Ambient Inclusion Trails (AITs) is reported for the first time in India from stromatolitic dolomite unit of the Neoproterozoic Gangolihat Formation, Kumaun Lesser Himalaya. AITs are distinct microtubular structures formed by migration of a mineral in a rock substrate. They exhibit several noncrystallographic morphologies such as curved and helical types among others. Mode of field occurrence, association, and petrographic textures suggest that AITs are indigenous to the host rock. Based on the physico-chemical conditions necessary for the formation of AITs, involvement of a biological process is considered for the genesis of AITs in the Gangolihat Formation.     

Deciphering the diversity of culturable thermotolerant bacteria from Manikaran hot springs

The aim of this study was to analyze and characterize the diversity of culturable thermotolerant bacteria in Manikaran hot springs. A total of 235 isolates were obtained employing different media, and screened for temperature tolerance (40 °C–70 °C). A set of 85 isolates tolerant to 45 °C or above were placed in 42 phylogenetic clusters after amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (16S rRNA-ARDRA). Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of 42 representative isolates followed by BLAST search revealed that the majority of isolates belonged to Firmicutes, followed by equal representation of Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria. Screening of representative isolates (42 ARDRA phylotypes) for amylase activity revealed that 26 % of the isolates were positive, while 45 % exhibited protease activity, among which one amylase and six protease producers were tolerant up to 70 °C. BIOLOG-based identification of 13 isolates exhibiting temperature tolerance up to 70 °C, using carbon utilization patterns and sensitivity to chemicals, revealed a high degree of correlation with identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing for all isolates, except one (M48). These promising isolates showing a range of useful metabolic attributes demand to be explored further for industrial and agricultural applications.     

Biosynthesis of the Naturally Occurring Nucleoside Antibiotics from Adenosine

Abstract

9-β-D-Arabinofuranosyladenine (ara-A, l), first isolated from the culture filtrates of StreDtomyces antibioticus, has a broad spectrum of activity against DNA viruses in cell culture and is successfully used in therapy of herpes simplex encephalitis, neonatal herpes, herpes zoster and chronic myelogenous leukemia¹. 2′-Chlorodeoxycoformycin (2′CldCF, 2), 2′-amino-Zt-deoxyadenosine (3) and nucleocidin (4) have been isolated from the culture medium of Fctinomadura and S. clavus, respectively.