Dry Season Diet of the Sloth Bear (Melursus ursinus) in Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary,Eastern India

Dry season food habit of sloth bear (Melursus ursinus) in Hadagarh Wildlife Sanctuary was characterized by scat analysis. Importance value index (IVI) of contribution of different food items in the diet of sloth bear was estimated from the undigested food remnants. Percentage of dry weight and IVI score of Ziziphus fruits was highest, termites were the most frequently occurring food item in the diet and percentage of frequency occurrence was equal for both fruits and insects. The present study, as compared to previous studies, suggests that the dietary preference of sloth bear varies according to availability of food and the habitat quality.     

Nucleotide sequence analysis of three cDNAs coding for Poa p IX isoallergens of Kentucky bluegrass pollen.

Grass pollen allergens are one of the major causes of type I allergic reactions (allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, allergic bronchial asthma, and hayfever) in temperate climates afflicting 15-20% of a genetically predisposed population. Workers have found considerable physico- and immunochemical heterogeneity within the grass pollen allergens which has made them difficult to purify for both therapeutic uses and further biochemical study. We recently reported the construction of a cDNA library in lambda gt11 using mRNA extracted from dehydrated Kentucky bluegrass (KBG, Poa pratensis). Here, we present the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences for three KBG pollen allergen cDNA clones, KBG 41, 60, and 31, which were isolated from the above library using a pool of six sera from grass pollen allergic patients. These clones exhibit an exceptionally high degree of sequence similarity to one another, only minor similarity to other known allergens, and no homologies to other known proteins or genes. The predicted molecular mass for the cloned proteins range from 28.3 to 37.8 kDa with pI values of 9.6-10.2. All three clones appear to possess leader peptides and lack asparagine sequons required for N-glycosylation. Therefore, the molecular mass of the post-translationally modified proteins were calculated to be 28.4-34.9 kDa, which is consistent with the size of the polypeptides revealed in Western blots of pollen proteins using an antiserum to a recombinant peptide encoded by the partial cDNA clone KBG 8.3. Northern blotting analysis indicates that expression of the genes corresponding to these clones is confined to pollen tissue. The results suggest that the clones code for a group of proteins that represent a new and previously uncharacterized group of grass pollen isoallergens, which have been hereby designated as Poa p IX.     

Establishment of Trophectoderm Cell Lines from Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Embryos of Different Sources and Examination of In Vitro Developmental Competence,Quality, Epigenetic Status and Gene Expression in Cloned Embryos Derived from Them

Despite being successfully used to produce live offspring in many species, somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) has had a limited applicability due to very low (>1%) live birth rate because of a high incidence of pregnancy failure, which is mainly due to placental dysfunction. Since this may be due to abnormalities in the trophectoderm (TE) cell lineage, TE cells can be a model to understand the placental growth disorders seen after NT. We isolated and characterized buffalo TE cells from blastocysts produced by in vitro fertilization (TE-IVF) and Hand-made cloning (TE-HMC), and compared their growth characteristics and gene expression, and developed a feeder-free culture system for their long-term culture. The TE-IVF cells were then used as donor cells to produce HMC embryos following which their developmental competence, quality, epigenetic status and gene expression were compared with those of HMC embryos produced using fetal or adult fibroblasts as donor cells. We found that although TE-HMC and TE-IVF cells have a similar capability to grow in culture, significant differences exist in gene expression levels between them and between IVF and HMC embryos from which they are derived, which may have a role in the placental abnormalities associated with NT pregnancies. Although TE cells can be used as donor cells for producing HMC blastocysts, their developmental competence and quality is lower than that of blastocysts produced from fetal or adult fibroblasts. The epigenetic status and expression level of many important genes is different in HMC blastocysts produced using TE cells or fetal or adult fibroblasts or those produced by IVF.     

Indenoindolone derivatives as topoisomerase II–inhibiting anticancer agents

Based on known heterocyclic topoisomerase II inhibitors and anticancer agents, various indenoindolone derivatives were predicted as potential topoisomerase II–inhibiting anticancer agents. They are hydrazones, (thio)semicarbazones, and oximes of indenoindolones, and indenoindolols. These derivatives with suitable substitutions exhibited potent specific inhibition of human DNA TopoIIα while not showing inhibition of topoisomerase I and DNA intercalation, despite the fact that parent indenoindolones are known poor/moderate inhibitors of topoisomerase II. The potent topoisomerase II inhibitor indenoindolone derivatives exhibited good anticancer activities compared to etoposide and 5-fluorouracil, and relatively low toxicity to normal cells. These derivatizations of indenoindolones were found to result in enhancement of anticancer activities.     

Effect of heat stress during flowering and pod formation in pea ( Pisum sativum L.)

Heat stress is a major constraint of yield in grain legumes including peas. Increasing global warming and human population now urge to develop climate resilient varieties. The present experiment was conducted over 2 years to evaluate the heat tolerance of 211 pea genotypes. In the present study, the field pea genotypes showed a wide variation for reproductive stage heat stress (RSHS) quantitative traits. Significant positive correlations were found between no. of seeds per plant and no. of pods per plant; seed diameter (mm) and 25-seed weight (g) in heat tolerant as well as heat susceptible genotypes. Principal component analysis revealed two major principal components contributed approximately 91% of total variations and heat tolerant and susceptible genotypes separately formed two major clusters. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that no. of seeds per plant was the best predictor for no. of pods per plant. On the basis of four RSHS traits, the most prominent heat tolerant pea genotypes identified in the present study JP-625, IARI-2877, PMR-38 II, EC-318760, EC-328758 and IARI-2904 would better combat RSHS and provide yield stability under changing climatic conditions.     

Identification and genetic variation among Hibiscus species (Malvaceae) using RAPD markers

Germplasm identification and characterization is an important link between the conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources. Traditionally, species or cultivars identification has relied on morphological characters like growth habit or floral morphology like flower colour and other characteristics of the plant. Studies were undertaken for identification and determination of genetic variation within the two species of Hibiscus and 16 varieties of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L. through random amplified polymorphic (RAPD) markers. Primer screening was made by using the DNA of variety "Prolific". Genetic analysis was made by using ten selected decamer primers. A total of 79 distinct DNA fragments ranging from 0.3 to 2.5 kb were amplified by using ten selected random decamer primers. The genetic similarity was evaluated on the basis of presence or absence of bands. The cluster analysis indicated that the 16 varieties and two species formed one cluster. The first major cluster consisted of three varieties and a second major cluster consisted of two species and 13 varieties. The genetic distance was very close within the varieties and also among the species. Thus, these RAPD markers have the potential for identification of species/varieties and characterization of genetic variation within the varieties. This is also helpful in Hibiscus breeding programs and provides a major input into conservation biology.     

Differential cytokine mRNA expression in Dermatophagoides farinae allergen-sensitized and respiratory syncytial virus-infected mice

The interaction between mite allergen sensitization and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection at the level of cytokine mRNA expression was examined in a murine model in the present study. Primary RSV infection enhances expression of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-6, IFN-gamma, and eotaxin in the lung and upregulates the expression of Th2-like cytokines IL-10 and IL-13 in the spleen in BALB/c mice. Mite antigen-sensitized and RSV-infected (ASRSV) mice show enhanced (P < 0.05) total serum IgE compared to antigen-sensitized mice. However, the levels of viral mRNA in the lung tissues are comparable between RSV-infected and ASRSV mice. It is concluded that compartmentalization of cytokine expression following RSV infection plays a role in the augmentation of Th2-like and IgE antibody response to RSV.     

Differences in the responses of stem diameter and pod thickness to drought stress during the grain filling stage in soybean plants

This study investigated the factor of the physiological characteristics causing the reduction of yield of soybean plants (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) by drought stress, by monitoring changes in stem diameter and pod thickness, and photosynthetic activity, partitioning of ¹³C-labeled photosynthate. Drought stress reduced the whole plant dry weight due to the decrease in leaf and pod dry matter accumulation; however, this stress did not have a significant effect on stem growth. Leaf photosynthesis was also severely decreased by drought stress in the early stage of stress treatment as leaf water potential decreased. Imposition of stress decreased pod thickness, but stem diameter increased. The adverse effect of drought stress on pod thickness was more evident at night than during the day. The stem diameter also shrank during the day and expanded at night, but the nocturnal increase in stem diameter during drought stress treatment was greater for stressed plants compared with well-watered controls. Drought stress significantly promoted ¹³C partitioning from the fed leaf to other parts of the plant; the stem was the largest beneficiary. Soluble carbohydrates accumulated in various plant parts under the influence of the stress, but starch concentration declined in all organs except the stem. These results indicated that stem growth was promoted by drought stress compared to pod growth at the early grain-filling stage.     

Informative genomic microsatellite markers for efficient genotyping applications in sugarcane

Genomic microsatellite markers are capable of revealing high degree of polymorphism. Sugarcane (Saccharum sp.), having a complex polyploid genome requires more number of such informative markers for various applications in genetics and breeding. With the objective of generating a large set of microsatellite markers designated as Sugarcane Enriched Genomic MicroSatellite (SEGMS), 6,318 clones from genomic libraries of two hybrid sugarcane cultivars enriched with 18 different microsatellite repeat-motifs were sequenced to generate 4.16 Mb high-quality sequences. Microsatellites were identified in 1,261 of the 5,742 non-redundant clones that accounted for 22% enrichment of the libraries. Retro-transposon association was observed for 23.1% of the identified microsatellites. The utility of the microsatellite containing genomic sequences were demonstrated by higher primer designing potential (90%) and PCR amplification efficiency (87.4%). A total of 1,315 markers including 567 class I microsatellite markers were designed and placed in the public domain for unrestricted use. The level of polymorphism detected by these markers among sugarcane species, genera, and varieties was 88.6%, while cross-transferability rate was 93.2% within Saccharum complex and 25% to cereals. Cloning and sequencing of size variant amplicons revealed that the variation in the number of repeat-units was the main source of SEGMS fragment length polymorphism. High level of polymorphism and wide range of genetic diversity (0.16–0.82 with an average of 0.44) assayed with the SEGMS markers suggested their usefulness in various genotyping applications in sugarcane. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.