Characterization of acid-induced molten globule like state of ficin

Effect of pH on the conformational behaviour of ficin (EC 3.4.22.3), a cysteine protease from the latex of Ficus carica was monitored by circular dichroism, fluorescence spectroscopy, ANS binding and hydrodynamic studies. The results obtained from near- and far-UV CD, intrinsic fluorescence and ANS binding studies demonstrate that ficin exhibits the characteristic properties of molten globule at acidic conditions between pH 1.4 and 2.0. Ficin at pH 1.4 retained about 74% secondary structure with a substantial loss of tertiary structure. The acid-induced state was found to have a compact shape as measured by Stokes radius on size exclusion chromatography.     

Solid-phase synthesis of a modified 13-residue seminalplasmin fragment on 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate-crosslinked polystyrene support

A novel 1,6-hexanediol diacrylate cross-linked resin was prepared that was subsequently functionalized by using chloromethyl methyl ether to afford a high-capacity resin. The resin exhibited good swelling and its application in the successful synthesis of a 13-residue peptide corresponding to the fragment of seminalplasmin has been illustrated. The resin was chemically inert at peptide synthetic conditions.     

Relationship of Adipocyte Size with Adiposity and Metabolic Risk Factors in Asian Indians

Background

Enlargement of adipocyte is associated with their dysfunction and alterations in metabolic functions.

Objectives

We evaluated the association of adipocyte size of subcutaneous and omental adipose tissue with body composition and cardiovascular risk factors in Asian Indians.

Methodology

Eighty (40 males and 40 females) non-diabetic adult subjects undergoing elective abdominal surgery were included. Pre-surgery evaluation included anthropometric measurements, % body fat by bioimpedance, abdominal fat area at L_2–3 level (computed tomography) and biochemical investigations (fasting blood glucose and insulin, lipids and hsCRP). During surgery, about 5 grams each of omental and subcutaneous adipose tissue was obtained for adipocyte size determination.

Results

Females had higher BMI, % body fat, skinfold thickness, total and subcutaneous abdominal fat area as compared to males. Overweight was present in 42.5% and 67.5%, and abdominal obesity in 5% and 52.5% males and females, respectively. Subcutaneous adipocyte size was significantly higher than omental adipocyte size. Omental adipocyte size correlated more strongly than subcutaneous adipocyte size with measures of adiposity (BMI, waist circumference, %BF), total and subcutaneous abdominal fat area and biochemical measures (fasting glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides and HOMA-IR), the correlations being stronger in females. The correlation of adipocyte size with metabolic parameters was attenuated after adjusting for measures of adiposity.

Conclusion

Omental adipocyte size, though smaller than the subcutaneous adipocyte size, was more closely related to measures of adiposity and metabolic parameters. However, the relationship was not independent of measures of adiposity.     

Dracunculiasis in South Indian bonnet monkey

Dracunculiasis, popularly known as Guinea worm disease, has been eradicated from Tamil Nadu, India, and there have been no indigenous cases reported since 1981. This report describes a female bonnet monkey with dracunculiasis. She presented with fever and a blister in left hind limb. The blister ruptured on exposure to water and a 7-cm-long worm was extruded. The worm died before it could be histologically examined. The diagnosis was based on the typical clinical course, which was pathognomonic of dracunculiasis. Review of literature did not reveal any previous report of dracunculiasis in South Indian bonnet monkeys (Macaca radiata). This paper raises the question whether wild monkeys might act as reservoirs of human infection and cause resurgence of the disease in South India. Animal experiments were approved by the ethical committee of our institute and animal maintenance was according to the recommendations of the Canadian Council for Experimental Animal Care and the Laboratory Animal Science Association of India.     

Effect of ethrel and chloroethanol on pea diamine oxidase activity

The activity of cotyledon and embryo diamine oxidase was reduced by feeding ethrel and chloroethanol to the seedlings. The inhibitory effect of 2,4-D on the activity of enzyme in the cotyledon which may be mediated through ethylene was reversed by exposure of seeds to red light.     

Studies on mobilization of chromium with reference to its plant availability – Role of organic acids

Metal-organic acid interactions with special reference to their plant availability have been studied. The role of organic acids in the mobilization of Cr by converting it into labile organically bound form, enhancing its availability, is highlighted. Pot experiments are conducted to investigate the effect of various organic acids on the uptake and translocation of root absorbed trivalent and hexavalent chromium by maize (z. mays) plants grown in sand and soil culture. Statistically significant increases in chromium accumulation from CrIII-treated plants in the presence of increasing concentrations of organic acid suggest the existence of CrIII – organic acid interactions in the soil plant system. In order to support the above mentioned hypothesis of formation of organically bound CrIII in the presence of various organic acids (carboxylic and amino acids), separate experiments have been performed to synthesize and estimate its respective organically bound forms. Amendments with organic acids, however, do not appear to markedly affect chromium accumulation from CrVI treatment. The results are discussed on the basis of the potential of organic acids to form complexes with CrIII.     

High frequency adventitious shoot regeneration from excised leaves ofPaulownia spp. cultured in vitro

High frequency, direct regeneration of shoots was induced in leaf cultures ofPaulownia tomentosa, P. fortunei x P. tomentosa andP. kawakamii. The optimum culture medium for the leaf explants derived from shoot cultures was Murashige-Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 10 M indole-3-acetic acid and 50 M benzyladenine. Up to 40 shoots were obtained over a 4 month culture period from each leaf explant. Rooting occurred spontaneously in the shoots that were about 1 cm tall when subcultured on phytohormone-free MS medium. The plantlets could be transplanted successfully. Some of the transplantedP. tomentosa plantlets flowered in the greenhouse one year after transplanting. The protocol is suitable not only for rapid multiplication of the various species ofPaulownia, but also for analytical studies associated with adventitious shoot regeneration.     

E3 Ubiquitin Ligases in Protein Quality Control Mechanism

In living cells, polypeptide chains emerging from ribosomes and preexisting polypeptide chains face constant threat of misfolding and aggregation. To prevent protein aggregation and to fulfill their biological activity, generally, protein must fold into its proper three-dimensional structure throughout their lifetimes. Eukaryotic cell possesses a quality control (QC) system to contend the problem of protein misfolding and aggregation. Cells achieve this functional QC system with the help of molecular chaperones and ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). The well-conserved UPS regulates the stability of various proteins and maintains all essential cellular function through intracellular protein degradation. E3 ubiquitin ligase enzyme determines specificity for degradation of certain substrates via UPS. New emerging evidences have provided considerable information that various E3 ubiquitin ligases play a major role in cellular QC mechanism and principally designated as QC E3 ubiquitin ligases. Nevertheless, very little is known about how E3 ubiquitin ligase maintains QC mechanism against abnormal proteins under various stress conditions. Here in this review, we highlight and discuss the functions of various E3 ubiquitin ligases implicated in protein QC mechanism. Improving our knowledge about such processes may provide opportunities to modulate protein QC mechanism in age-of-onset diseases that are caused by protein aggregation.     

Genetic Diversity in Lens Species Revealed by EST and Genomic Simple Sequence Repeat Analysis

Low productivity of pilosae type lentils grown in South Asia is attributed to narrow genetic base of the released cultivars which results in susceptibility to biotic and abiotic stresses. For enhancement of productivity and production, broadening of genetic base is essentially required. The genetic base of released cultivars can be broadened by using diverse types including bold seeded and early maturing lentils from Mediterranean region and related wild species. Genetic diversity in eighty six accessions of three species of genus Lens was assessed based on twelve genomic and thirty one EST-SSR markers. The evaluated set of genotypes included diverse lentil varieties and advanced breeding lines from Indian programme, two early maturing ICARDA lines and five related wild subspecies/species endemic to the Mediterranean region. Genomic SSRs exhibited higher polymorphism in comparison to EST SSRs. GLLC 598 produced 5 alleles with highest gene diversity value of 0.80. Among the studied subspecies/species 43 SSRs detected maximum number of alleles in L. orientalis. Based on Nei’s genetic distance cultivated lentil L. culinaris subsp. culinaris was found to be close to its wild progenitor L. culinaris subsp. orientalis. The Prichard’s structure of 86 genotypes distinguished different subspecies/species. Higher variability was recorded among individuals within population than among populations.