Essential oil composition of aerial parts of Angelica glauca growing wild in North-West Himalaya (India)

Fresh aerial parts of Angelica glauca, growing wild in Kashmir valley in higher Himalaya (Jammu and Kashmir, India), collected at flowering stage from different locations, on hydro-distillation provided a refreshing light pale coloured essential oil with characteristic floral woody flavour. The oil was found to be a complex mixture of mono- and sesquiterpenes and 34 compounds accounting for nearly 97.4% of the oil were characterized with the help of capillary GC, GC-MS, and NMR. Major compounds of the oil were characterized as alpha-phellandrene (13.5%), trans-carveol (12.0%), beta-pinene (11.7%), thujene (7.5%), beta-caryophyllene oxide (7.2%), beta-caryophyllene (7.0%), gamma-terpinene (6.7%), nerolidol (6.5%), beta-bisabolene (5.2%) and germacrene D (4.5%). It is the first report to exploit the essential oil from Himalayan A. glauca herb collected at flowering stage.     

GDNF family receptor alpha1 phenotype of spermatogonial stem cells in immature mouse testes

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are essential for spermatogenesis, and these adult tissue stem cells balance self-renewal and differentiation to meet the biological demand of the testis. The developmental dynamics of SSCs are controlled, in part, by factors in the stem cell niche, which is located on the basement membrane of seminiferous tubules situated among Sertoli cells. Sertoli cells produce glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), and disruption of GDNF expression results in spermatogenic defects and infertility. The GDNF signals through a receptor complex that includes GDNF family receptor alpha1 (GFRA1), which is thought to be expressed by SSCs. However, expression of GFRA1 on SSCs has not been confirmed by in vivo functional assay, which is the only method that allows definitive identification of SSCs. Therefore, we fractionated mouse pup testis cells based on GFRA1 expression using magnetic activated cell sorting. The sorted and depleted fractions of GFRA1 were characterized for germ cell markers by immunocytochemistry and for stem cell activity by germ cell transplantation. The GFRA1-positive cell fraction coeluted with other markers of SSCs, including ITGA6 and CD9, and was significantly depleted of KIT-positive cells. The transplantation results confirmed that a subpopulation of SSCs expresses GFRA1, but also that the stem cell pool is heterogeneous with respect to the level of GFRA1 expression. Interestingly, POU5F1-positive cells were enriched nearly 15-fold in the GFRA1-selected fraction, possibly suggesting heterogeneity of developmental potential within the stem cell pool.     

ADAM12/syndecan-4 signaling promotes beta 1 integrin-dependent cell spreading through protein kinase Calpha and RhoA

The ADAMs (a disintegrin and metalloprotease) comprise a large family of multidomain proteins with cell-binding and metalloprotease activities. The ADAM12 cysteine-rich domain (rADAM12-cys) supports cell attachment using syndecan-4 as a primary cell surface receptor that subsequently triggers beta(1) integrin-dependent cell spreading, stress fiber assembly, and focal adhesion formation. This process contrasts with cell adhesion on fibronectin, which is integrin-initiated but syndecan-4-dependent. In the present study, we investigated ADAM12/syndecan-4 signaling leading to cell spreading and stress fiber formation. We demonstrate that syndecan-4, when present in significant amounts, promotes beta(1) integrin-dependent cell spreading and stress fiber formation in response to rADAM12-cys. A mutant form of syndecan-4 deficient in protein kinase C (PKC)alpha activation or a different member of the syndecan family, syndecan-2, was unable to promote cell spreading. GF109203X and G?6976, inhibitors of PKC, completely inhibited ADAM12/syndecan-4-induced cell spreading. Expression of syndecan-4, but not syn4DeltaI, resulted in the accumulation of activated beta(1) integrins at the cell periphery in Chinese hamster ovary beta1 cells as revealed by 12G10 staining. Further, expression of myristoylated, constitutively active PKCalpha resulted in beta(1) integrin-dependent cell spreading, but additional activation of RhoA was required to induce stress fiber formation. In summary, these data provide novel insights into syndecan-4 signaling. Syndecan-4 can promote cell spreading in a beta(1) integrin-dependent fashion through PKCalpha and RhoA, and PKCalpha and RhoA likely function in separate pathways.     

Differential Postalightment Oviposition Behavior of Monarch Butterflies on Asclepias Species

The monarch butterfly, Danaus plexippus L., oviposits mainly on plants in the Asclepiadaceae, particularly within the genus Asclepias. We studied postalightment oviposition behavior of monarch females on three host species—Asclepias curassavica, A. incarnata , and A. tuberosa. After landing on the host, they used their forelegs, midlegs, and antennae to assess plant suitability. When these appendages were examined by scanning electron microscopy, contact chemoreceptor sensilla were found. In choice tests, A. incarnata was most preferred, while A. tuberosa was least preferred. However, the use of appendages varied for the different host species. Antennae were most frequently used during post-alightment behavior on A. curassavica, whereas forelegs were used more often on A. incarnata, and all three appendages were used extensively on A. tuberosa. Use of the midlegs was generally followed by use of the antennae. Tasting with either forelegs or antennae apparently may lead to egg laying on some host species. Rupture of the plant surface by midleg spines was also observed. The behavior and host preference of individual females varied significantly and may reflect differences in receptor sensitivity.     

Salinity induced changes in the reproductive physiology of wheat plants

The effect of salinity on reproductive physiology of wheat wasinvestigated. One set of wheat plants was subjected to increasingsalt levels up to a certain concentration, whereas another setwas given the same concentration in a single application. Theformer was called "gradual" and latter "shock" treatment. Theireffects on pollen viability, germination and activity of starchsynthetase were studied. Gradual treatment seemed to reducethe toxic effects of salts on the viability of pollen grainsand their germination. Seeds obtained from the two sets weregerminated in the same salinities in which their plants hadbeen growing, and the results were compared with those of seedsobtained from control plants growing in a non-saline medium.The seeds of plants from the gradual treatment were better suitedfor germination on a saline medium than those from the shocktreatment or the control group. Salt treatment also increasedthe activity of starch synthetase at the midmilky stage in developinggrains. This phenomenon was considered essential for synthesisof starch in a saline environment. The increase in Na⁺ and Cl^– and decrease in K⁺ contentsof wheat grains in both treatments suggest that the effect ofsalinity on the physiological phenomenon studied is due to changesin the ionic content of the plants. ¹ In partial fulfilment of a Ph.D. degree from the Universityof Karachi, Pakistan. ² Professor of Botany, Director of Research Projects, Head,Plant Physiology Section, University of Karachi, Pakistan. (Received July 11, 1977; )     

Improved Sprouting and Growth of Mung Plants in Chromate Contaminated Soils Treated with Marine Strains of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Staphylococcus</Emphasis> Species

Marine bacteria possess a wide variety of bioremediation potential which is beneficial environmentally and economically. In this study, bacterial isolates from marine waters were screened for tolerance and growth in high concentrations of chromate (Cr⁶⁺). Two isolates, capable of tolerating Cr⁶⁺ concentrations 300 µg mL^?1 or higher, and found to completely reduce 20 µg mL^?1 Cr⁶⁺ were grown in Cr⁶⁺ (50 and 100 mg kg^?1) spiked garden soil. Notably, both facilitated normal germination and growth of mung (Vigna radiata) seeds, which could hardly germinate in Cr⁶⁺ spiked garden soil without either of these bacteria. In fact, large percent of mung seeds failed to sprout in the Cr⁶⁺ spiked garden soil and could not grow any further. Apparently, chromate detoxification by marine bacterial isolates and the ability of mung plants to deal with the reduced form appear to work complementarily. This study provides an insight into marine bacterial abilities with respect to chromium and potential applications in promoting growth of leguminous plants-similar to mung in particular-in Cr⁶⁺ contaminated soil.     

A combined computational-experimental analyses of selected metabolic enzymes in Pseudomonas species

Comparative genomic analysis has revolutionized our ability to predict the metabolic subsystems that occur in newly sequenced genomes, and to explore the functional roles of the set of genes within each subsystem. These computational predictions can considerably reduce the volume of experimental studies required to assess basic metabolic properties of multiple bacterial species. However, experimental validations are still required to resolve the apparent inconsistencies in the predictions by multiple resources. Here, we present combined computational-experimental analyses on eight completely sequenced Pseudomonas species. Comparative pathway analyses reveal that several pathways within the Pseudomonas species show high plasticity and versatility. Potential bypasses in 11 metabolic pathways were identified. We further confirmed the presence of the enzyme O-acetyl homoserine (thiol) lyase (EC: 2.5.1.49) in P. syringae pv. tomato that revealed inconsistent annotations in KEGG and in the recently published SYSTOMONAS database. These analyses connect and integrate systematic data generation, computational data interpretation, and experimental validation and represent a synergistic and powerful means for conducting biological research.