A new species of the genusProbstmayria Ransom, 1907 (Nematoda: Atractidae) from the rhesus macaque,Macaca mulatta

Probstmayria nainitalensis n. sp. is described from the rectum of the rhesus macaque,Macaca mulatta, from Nainital, India. The new form consists of morphologically dissimilar spicules, spicular ratio 1:1.41–1.50, tip of shorter spicule elongate and blunt, six pairs of postanal papillae and a prominent gubernaculum in the male and didelphic ovaries and postequatorial vulva in the female. A key to the species is also furnished.     

Leaching of copper converter slag withAspergillus niger culture filtrate

Leaching of copper converter slag of M/s Hindustan Copper Ltd, Ghatshila (Bihar, India) was carried out usingAspergillus niger culture filtrate. The effects of the duration of leaching, temperature, pulp density and the addition of hydrochloric acid were studied.A. niger culture filtrate solubilized metals from the converter slag at levels of 18.70% copper, 7.40% nickel and 4.00% cobalt. Addition of hydrochloric acid was found to improve copper, nickel and cobalt solubilization to 46.52, 27.90 and 37.96%, respectively. HPLC analysis of the fungal culture filtrate revealed the presence of succinic and citric acids. Therefore, leaching of the slag was also carried out with matching concentrations of these organic acids individually as well as with both mixed together. Results are discussed.     

An histochemical and ultrastructural analysis of the dermal chromatophores of the variant ranid blue frog

Integument from blue and green areas of the variant blue frog were analyzed biochemically for pteridines and carotenoids. Solvent extraction and absorption spectrophotometry indicated that β carotene was greatly reduced in the blue skin, and present in high quantities in the green skin of the blue frog. Thin layer and paper chromatography indicated that the pteridines were almost totally lacking in the blue skin, and present in normal quantities in the green skin of the blue frog. Light and electron microscopy indicated that the xanthophore pigment cells were either greatly altered or absent from the blue integument and present in the green integument. The fine structure of the xanthphores of the green integument contained the normal ultrastructural components of xanthopores found in regular green integument. The blue integument contained an abnormal cell type that occupied the position in the dermal chromatophore unit normally held by the xanthophores. The possibility of these cells being abnormal xanthophores or some other cell type is discussed.     

Tandem mass spectrometry for on-line fermentation monitoring

Summary Membrane introduction mass spectrometry has been employed for on-line determination of the major products and volatile metabolites ofBacillus polymyxa fermentation. Samples were introduced into the mass spectrometer via a direct insertion membrane probe in which the aqueous solution flowed past a membrane located in the ion source of the mass spectrometer. Concentrations of the products 2,3-butanediol, acetoin, ethanol and acetic acid in fermentation broth were measured by tandem mass spectrometry after permeation through the membrane and ionization by chemical ionization. External standards were employed for quantification and a large linear response range was available for each of the major products observed. Dissolved CO₂ and O₂, as well as CO₂ in the off gases, were also monitored on-line by mass spectrometry. The use of tandem mass spectrometry has allowed the identification of products that were not previously known to be present in measurable amounts.     

Algorithms for the automated selection of fragment-like molecules using single-point surface plasmon resonance measurements

Fragment-based approaches have added to the arsenal of tools used to identify novel developable leads for drug discovery with high ligand efficiencies. A variety of label-free technologies have been developed and used throughout the industry for fragment screening. Using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as a fragment screening platform is a relatively new approach. The miniaturization and automation of this technology has led to an associated problem: the large volume of raw data often makes it challenging to analyze and integrate the results of SPR data into the workflow of project teams engaged in the discovery process in a timely fashion. As such, several sets of equations were derived and implemented on Merck’s intranet to score single sensorgrams to distinguish stable binders from weak or anomalous binders. This set of equations was optimized and validated on simulated data to both capture “fragment-like” behavior from SPR experiments and filter out much of the anomalous behavior commonly observed. It has subsequently been applied successfully to several in-house discovery programs.     

In-silico and In-vitro based studies of Streptomyces peucetius CYP107N3 for oleic acid epoxidation

Certain members of the cytochromes P450 superfamily metabolize polyunsaturated long-chain fatty acids to several classes of oxygenated metabolites. An approach based on in silico analysis predicted that Streptomyces peucetius CYP107N3 might be a fatty acid-metabolizing enzyme, showing high homology with epoxidase enzymes. Homology modeling and docking studies of CYP107N3 showed that oleic acid can fit directly into the active site pocket of the double bond of oleic acid within optimum distance of 4.6 Å from the Fe. In order to confirm the epoxidation activity proposed by in silico analysis, a gene coding CYP107N3 was expressed in Escherichia coli. The purified CYP107N3 was shown to catalyze C₉-C₁₀ epoxidation of oleic acid in vitro to 9,10-epoxy stearic acid confirmed by ESI-MS, HPLC-MS and GC-MS spectral analysis. [BMB Reports 2012; 45(12): 736-741]     

Chickpea glutaredoxin (CaGrx) gene mitigates drought and salinity stress by modulating the physiological performance and antioxidant defense mechanisms

Glutaredoxins (Grxs) are short, cysteine-rich glutathione (GSH)-mediated oxidoreductases. In this study, a chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) glutaredoxin [LOC101493651 (CaGrx)] gene has been selected based on screening experiments with two contrasting varieties of chickpea, PUSA-362 (drought-tolerant) and ICC-1882 (drought-sensitive) under drought and salinity. The tolerant variety showed higher CaGrx gene expression, as compared to less in the sensitive variety, under both the stresses. The CaGrx gene was then over-expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana and were exposed to drought and salinity. The over-expression of CaGrx elevated the activity of glutaredoxin, which induced antioxidant enzymes (glutathione reductase; GR, glutathione peroxidase; GPX, catalase; CAT, ascorbate peroxidase; APX, glutathione-S-transferase; GST, superoxide dismutase; SOD, monodehydroascorbate reductase; MDHAR, and dehydroascorbate reductase; DHAR), antioxidants (GSH and ascorbate) and stress-responsive amino acids (cysteine and proline). Enhancement in the antioxidant defense system possibly administered tolerance in transgenics against both stresses. CaGrx reduced stress markers (H₂O₂, TBARS, and electrolyte leakage) and enhanced root growth, seed germination, and survival against both stresses. The physiological parameters (net photosynthesis; P_N, water use efficiency; WUE, stomatal conductance; g_s, transpiration; E, electron transport rate; ETR, and photochemical quenching; qP), chlorophylls and carotenoids, were improved in the transgenics during both stresses, that maintained the photosynthetic apparatus and protected the plants from damage. The enhanced activity of the cysteine biosynthesis enzyme, o-acetylserine (thiol) lyase (OAS-TL), increased the cysteine level in the transgenics, which elevated glutathione biosynthesis to maintain the ascorbate–glutathione cycle under both stresses. This investigation verified that the CaGrx gene provides tolerance against salinity and drought, maintaining physiological and morphological performances, and could be exploited for genetic engineering approaches to overcome both the stresses in various crops.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12298-021-00999-z.     

Factors affecting the fermentation of ergot alkaloids by Aspergillus fumigatus (Fresenius)

Summary Six strains of Aspergillus fumigatus were studied for their alkaloid producing capacity. With one strain (NCIM 902) high yields (162mg/l) of ergot alkaloids were obtained after seven days in a new medium.