Genetic diversity of native bradyrhizobia isolated from soybeans (Glycine max L.) in different agricultural-ecological-climatic regions of India

Fifty isolates from root nodules of soybean plants sampled in five agricultural-ecological-climatic regions of India were analyzed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of the 16S rRNA gene, the intergenic spacer region between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes (IGS), and the nifH and nodC genes. Eight haplotypes assigned to the Bradyrhizobium genus were identified, and the genetic diversity was conserved across regions. Sequence analyses of the IGS and the dnaK, glnII, recA, and nifH genes revealed three groups. One of them (26% of isolates) was assigned to Bradyrhizobium liaoningense. A second group (36% of isolates) was identified as B. yuanmingense but likely forms a new biovar able to nodulate soybean plants. The third lineage (38% of isolates) was different from all described Bradyrhizobium species but showed the same symbiotic genotype as B. liaoningense and B. japonicum bv. glycinearum.     

An annexin 2 phosphorylation switch mediates p11-dependent translocation of annexin 2 to the cell surface

Annexin 2 is a profibrinolytic co-receptor for plasminogen and tissue plasminogen activator that stimulates activation of the major fibrinolysin, plasmin, at cell surfaces. In human subjects, overexpression of annexin 2 in acute promyelocytic leukemia leads to a bleeding diathesis reflective of excessive cell surface annexin 2-dependent generation of plasmin (Menell, J. S., Cesarman, G. M., Jacovina, A. T., McLaughlin, M. A., Lev, E. A., and Hajjar, K. A. (1999) N. Engl. J. Med. 340, 994-1004). In addition, mice completely deficient in annexin 2 display fibrin accumulation within blood vessels and impaired clearance of injury-induced thrombi (Ling Q., Jacovina, A.T., Deora, A.B., Febbraio, M., Simantov, R., Silverstein, R. L., Hempstead, B. L., Mark, W., and Hajjar, K. A. (2004) J. Clin. Investig. 113, 38-48). Here, we show that endothelial cell annexin 2, a protein that lacks a typical signal peptide, translocates from the cytoplasm to the extracytoplasmic plasma membrane in response to brief temperature stress both in vitro and in vivo in the absence of cell death or cell lysis. This regulated response is independent of new protein or mRNA synthesis and does not require the classical endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi pathway. Temperature stress-induced annexin 2 translocation is dependent on both expression of protein p11 (S100A10) and tyrosine phosphorylation of annexin 2 because annexin 2 release is completely eliminated on depletion of p11, inactivation of tyrosine kinase, or mutation of tyrosine 23. Translocation of annexin 2 to the cell surface dramatically increases tissue plasminogen activator-dependent plasminogen activation potential and may represent a novel stress-induced protein secretion pathway.     

Optimization of extracellular thermotolerant alkaline protease produced by marine <Emphasis Type="Italic">Roseobacter</Emphasis> sp. (MMD040)

Marine endosymbiontic Roseobacter sp. (MMD040), which produced high yields of protease, was isolated from marine sponge Fasciospongia cavernosa, collected from the peninsular coast of India. Maximum production of enzyme was obtained in Luria-Bertani broth. Catabolite repression was observed when the medium was supplemented with readily available carbon sources. The optimum temperature and pH for the enzyme production was 37 degrees C and 7.0, respectively. The enzyme exhibited maximum activity in pH range of 6-9 with an optimum pH of 8.0 and retained nearly 92.5% activity at pH 9.0. The enzyme was stable at 40 degrees C and showed 89% activity at 50 degrees C. Based on the present findings, the enzyme was characterized as thermotolerant alkaline protease, which can be developed for industrial applications.     

Recombination gives a new insight in the effective population size and the history of the old world human populations

The information left by recombination in our genomes can be used to make inferences on our recent evolutionary history. Specifically, the number of past recombination events in a population sample is a function of its effective population size (Ne). We have applied a method, Identifying Recombination in Sequences (IRiS), to detect specific past recombination events in 30 Old World populations to infer their Ne. We have found that sub-Saharan African populations have an Ne that is approximately four times greater than those of non-African populations and that outside of Africa, South Asian populations had the largest Ne. We also observe that the patterns of recombinational diversity of these populations correlate with distance out of Africa if that distance is measured along a path crossing South Arabia. No such correlation is found through a Sinai route, suggesting that anatomically modern humans first left Africa through the Bab-el-Mandeb strait rather than through present Egypt.     

Effects of diallyl disulfide (DADS) on expression of apoptosis associated proteins in androgen independent human prostate cancer cells (PC-3)

Prostate cancer is a leading cause of death among the aging men. Surgical or radiotherapy is effective when the cancer is confined to the prostate gland but once the cancer spreads beyond the pelvis even chemotherapy and hormonal ablation therapy fails in curing this disease. Our previous studies have shown that diallyl disulfide (DADS) induces cell cycle arrest and also induces apoptosis in PC-3 cells. And now the present study is focused to see whether there is an activation of caspase cascade pathway. Hence, in the present study the apoptotic effect of DADS is studied by Western blot analysis of caspase-3, -9, -10 and Bcl-2, Bad, and Bax protein. The Apoptotic cells were assessed by Hoechst 33342 staining with 25 and 40 microM concentrations of DADS for 24 h. The results have shown that DADS at 25 and 40 microM concentrations has induced the activation of caspases. There is a significant increase in the expression of caspases (3, 9, and 10). The proapoptotic protein Bax has significantly increased at 40 microM of DADS treatment and there is significant increase of Bad protein at both the concentration. Bcl-2 protein has significantly decreased in DADS treated cells. Therefore, the present investigation serves as evidence that DADS may be a therapeutic drug in the treatment of prostate cancer.     

Remarkable similarities between the hemichordate (Saccoglossus kowalevskii) and vertebrate GPCR repertoire

Saccoglossus kowalevskii (the acorn worm) is a hemichordate belonging to the superphylum of deuterostome bilateral animals. Hemichordates are sister group to echinoderms, and closely related to chordates. S. kowalevskii has chordate like morphological traits and serves as an important model organism, helping developmental biologists to understand the evolution of the central nervous system (CNS). Despite being such an important model organism, the signalling system repertoire of the largest family of integral transmembrane receptor proteins, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is largely unknown in S. kowalevskii. Here, we identified 260 unique GPCRs and classified as many as 257 of them into five main mammalian GPCR families; Glutamate (23), Rhodopsin (212), Adhesion (18), Frizzled (3) and Secretin (1). Despite having a diffuse nervous system, the acorn worm contains well conserved orthologues for human Adhesion and Glutamate family members, with a similar N-terminal domain architecture. This is particularly true for genes involved in CNS development and regulation in vertebrates. The average sequence identity between the GPCR orthologues in human and S. kowalevskii is around 47%, and this is same as observed in couple of the closest vertebrate relatives, Ciona intestinalis (41%) and Branchiostoma floridae (~ 47%). The Rhodopsin family has fewer members than vertebrates and lacks clear homologues for 6 of the 13 subgroups, including olfactory, chemokine, prostaglandin, purine, melanocyte concentrating hormone receptors and MAS-related receptors. However, the peptide and somatostatin binding receptors have expanded locally in the acorn worm. Overall, this study is the first large scale analysis of a major signalling gene superfamily in the hemichordate lineage. The establishment of orthologue relationships with genes involved in neurotransmission and development of the CNS in vertebrates provides a foundation for understanding the evolution of signal transduction and allows for further investigation of the hemichordate neurobiology.     

Comprehensive Review on Versatile Pharmacology of Quinoxaline Derivative

Russian Journal of Bioorganic Chemistry - Quinoxaline is a nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compound having many pharmaceutical and industrial purposes. It can be synthesized by adopting green...     

Quercetin inhibits invasion, migration and signalling molecules involved in cell survival and proliferation of prostate cancer cell line (PC-3)

Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a serine protease that is involved in cancer progression, especially invasion and metastasis including prostate cancer. uPA activation is mediated by transactivation of uPAR and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) in prostate cancer progression. Prostate cancer (PC-3) cells have highly invasive capacity and they express uPA and uPAR gene. PC-3 cells are treated with quercetin, which inhibits invasion and migration of PC-3 cells. Quercetin downregulates uPA, uPAR and EGF, EGF-R mRNA expressions. Quercetin inhibits cell survival factor β-catenin, NF-κB and also proliferative signalling molecules such as p-EGF-R, N-Ras, Raf-1, c.Fos c.Jun and p-c.Jun protein expressions. But quercetin increased p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase protein expression. Our results suggest that quercetin inhibit migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells. It shows the value for treatment of invasive and metastasis type of prostate cancer.     

Glutathione system in young spontaneously hypertensive rats

Glutathione (GSH) forms a part of the antioxidant system that plays a vital role in preventing oxidative stress, and an imbalance in the oxidant/antioxidant system has been linked to the pathogenesis of hypertension. The aim of this study was to investigate the status of the GSH system in the kidney of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Components of the GSH system, including glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and total GSH content, were measured in the kidneys of 4, 6, 8, 12, and 16 weeks old SHR and Wistar–Kyoto (WKY) rats. Systolic blood pressure of SHR was significantly higher from the age of 6 weeks onwards compared with age-matched WKY rats. GPx activity in the SHR was significantly lower from the age of 8 weeks onwards when compared to that in age-matched WKY rats. No significant differences were evident in the GPx-1 protein abundance, and its relative mRNA levels, GR, GST activity, and total GSH content between SHR and age-matched WKY rats. The lower GPx activity suggests of an impairment of the GSH system in the SHR, which might be due to an abnormality in its protein rather than non-availability of a cofactor. Its role in the development of hypertension in SHR however remains unclear.