Structure-based prediction of protein–protein interactions between GhWlim5 Domain1 and GhACTIN-1 proteins: a practical evidence with improved fibre strength

Cotton fibre quality is a multigenic trait. Genetic modification of different genes to achieve high quality fibre is difficult without knowing the mechanism lying behind genes interaction. Based on background knowledge an attempt to explore the potential structural interactions between Gossypium hirsutum Wlim5 domain1 and Gossypium hirsutum ACTIN-1 proteins was done in current study. Sequence features of the LIM domain1 of GhWlim5 protein were identified through multiple sequence alignment analysis, and a phylogenetic tree was built to identify evolutionary relationships between sequences. Conservation indicated the evolutionary importance of side chain residues and the presence of several aliphatic and/or bulky residues, which stabilize the protein core and facilitate packing of zinc fingers. The structures of GhWlim5 domain1 and GhACTIN-1 proteins were modelled and validated through computational methods. Validation of GhACTIN-1 and GhWlim5 domain1 structures indicated good structural quality with 99.7% and 100% of the favoured number of residues in allowed regions and Z-score, within the ranges of − 9.87 and − 4.17, respectively. Docking analysis indicated various possible modes of interaction between these two proteins with favourable binding affinities. Based on our strong binding interaction results between GhWlim5 domain1 and GhACTIN-1 proteins, we further investigated the role of over-expression of GhWlim5 by transformation in cotton plants under fibre specific promoter and transgenic plants displayed significant increases in fibre strength.

     

ABA and BAP improve the accumulation of carbohydrates and alter carbon allocation in potato plants at elevated CO2

Elevated CO₂ interactions with other factors affects the plant performance. Regarding the differences between cultivars in response to CO₂ concentrations, identifying the cultivars that better respond to such conditions would maximize their potential benefits. Increasing the ability of plants to benefit more from elevated CO₂ levels alleviates the adverse effects of photoassimilate accumulation on photosynthesis and increases the productivity of plants. Despite its agronomic importance, there is no information about the interactive effects of elevated CO₂ concentration and plant growth regulators (PGRs) on potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) plants. Hence, the physiological response and source-sink relationship of potato plants (cvs. Agria and Fontane) to combined application of CO₂ levels (400 vs. 800 µmol mol⁻¹) and plant growth regulators (PGR) [6-benzylaminopurine (BAP) + Abscisic acid (ABA)] were evaluated under a controlled environment. The results revealed a variation between the potato cultivars in response to a combination of PGRs and CO₂ levels. Cultivars were different in leaf chlorophyll content; Agria had higher chlorophyll a, b, and total chlorophyll content by 23, 43, and 23%, respectively, compared with Fontane. The net photosynthetic rate was doubled at the elevated compared with the ambient CO₂. In Agria, the ratio of leaf intercellular to ambient air CO₂ concentrations [C_i:C_a] was declined in elevated-CO₂-grown plants, which indicated the stomata would become more conservative at higher CO₂ levels. On the other hand, the increased C_i:C_a in Fontane showed a stomatal acclimation to higher CO₂ concentration. The higher leaf dark respiration of the elevated CO₂-grown and BAP + ABA-treated plants was associated with a higher leaf soluble carbohydrates and starch content. Elevated CO₂ and BAP + ABA shifted the dry matter partitioning to the belowground more than the above-media organs. The lower leaf soluble carbohydrate content and greater tuber yield in Fontane might indicate a more efficient photoassimilate translocation than Agria. The results highlighted positive synergic effects of the combined BAP + ABA and elevated CO₂ on tuber yield and productivity of the potato plants.     

Benefiting others and self: Production of vitamins in plants

Vitamins maintain growth and development in humans, animals, and plants. Because plants serve as essential producers of vitamins, increasing the vitamin contents in plants has become a goal of crop breeding worldwide. Here, we begin with a summary of the functions of vitamins. We then review the achievements to date in elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying how vitamins are synthesized, transported, and regulated in plants. We also stress the exploration of variation in vitamins by the use of forward genetic approaches, such as quantitative trait locus mapping and genome-wide association studies. Overall, we conclude that exploring the diversity of vitamins could provide new insights into plant metabolism and crop breeding.     

Novel chalcone/aryl carboximidamide hybrids as potent anti-inflammatory via inhibition of prostaglandin E2 and inducible NO synthase activities: design,synthesis, molecular docking studies and ADMET prediction

Two series of chalcone/aryl carboximidamide hybrids 4a–f and 6a–f were synthesised and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against iNOS and PGE2. The most potent derivatives were further checked for their in vivo anti-inflammatory activity utilising carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema model. Compounds 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d were proved to be the most effective inhibitors of PGE2, LPS-induced NO production, iNOS activity. Moreover, 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d showed significant oedema inhibition ranging from 62.21% to 78.51%, compared to indomethacin (56.27 ± 2.14%) and celecoxib (12.32%). Additionally, 4c, 6a and 6e displayed good COX2 inhibitory activity while 4c, 6a and 6c exhibited the highest 5LOX inhibitory activity. Compounds 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d fit nicely into the pocket of iNOS protein (PDB ID: 1r35) via the important amino acid residues. Prediction of physicochemical parameters exhibited that 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d had acceptable physicochemical parameters and drug-likeness. The results indicated that chalcone/aryl carboximidamides 4c, 4d, 6c and 6d, in particular 4d and 6d, could be used as promising lead candidates as potent anti-inflammatory agents.     

A Peptide Bond from the Inter-lobe Segment in the Bilobal Lactoferrin Acts as a Preferred Site for Cleavage for Serine Proteases to Generate the Perfect C-lobe: Structure of the Pepsin Hydrolyzed Lactoferrin C-lobe at 2.28 Å Resolution

The Protein Journal - C-lobe represents the C-terminal half of lactoferrin which is a bilobal 80 kDa iron binding glycoprotein. The two lobes are designated as N-lobe (Ser1-Glu333) and...     

Therapeutic effects of Typha elephantina leave’s extract against paracetamol induced renal injury in rabbits

Present study focuses on ameliorative potential of Typha elephantina leave’s aqueous (TE.AQ) extract against Paracetamol (PCM) induced toxicity in rabbits. We fed the male rabbits with 300 mg PCM in alone and in combination with TE.AQ at different doses i.e. (100, 200 and 300 mg/kg body weight) or silymarin (100 mg/kg) daily for 21 days. PCM in alone significantly (P < 0.5) increased serum urea, uric acid, creatinine, total protein, albumin, globulin and blood urea nitrogen. Serum sodium, potassium and magnesium level were high. The glutathione, radical scavenging activity and Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances were significantly reduced. Treatment with TE.AQ at dose rate 300 mg/kg body weight and Silymarin significantly ameliorated all the parameters when compared with PCM administered group. The 100 and 200 mg of TE.AQ showed no significant effects. The histopathological examination confirmed the therapeutic potential of TE.AQ. These results established the presence of natural antioxidants in Typha elephantina leaves.     

Mating behaviour and behavioural ecology of a Predatory Wasp,Symmorphus allobrogus (de Saussure) (Hymenoptera: Eumeninae)

This paper represents an attempt to investigate the mating behaviour of Symmorphus allobrogus, explaining the willingness of male to mount and copulate. The male displays including mode and frequency of antennation and position while copulating, the displays further comprises of intensity and frequency of rejecting behaviour. The presence of the male’s copulatory and postcopulatory courtship studies, understands the maintenance of monandry. The wasp has numerous secondary sexual characters, and the mating behaviour follows a phyletic and the specific sexual mating characters in context of sexual selection. The duration of mating phases and the number of male antennation series during precopulatory, copulatory and postcopulatory phases of mounting, differs significantly. Mating success depends mostly on the activities of male in the premounting phase and the behaviour of both sexes has a roughly equal importance for it in precopulatory phase. While during copulation, activity of male has little influence on its duration; however, behaviour of female has crucial effect, inducing its earlier termination.