Genetic relatedness among fish species of Genus Channa using mitochondrial DNA genes

The family Channidae is represented by 26 species, out of which 23 species are found in Asia. However, the taxonomy and phylogeny of the Channid fishes found in India are poorly understood. In the present study, eight species of Channa (Channa striata, Channa punctatus, Channa marulius, Channa gachua, Channa stewartii, Channa aurantimaculata, Channa barca and Channa bleheri) were investigated using partial sequences of 16S rRNA and Cytochrome c Oxidase subunit I (COI) of mitochondrial genes to differentiate among the eight species and study their relationships. The sequence analysis of the genes revealed two distinct groups, which are genetically distant from each other and exhibit identical phylogenetic resolution. The partial sequences of both the genes provided sufficient phylogenetic information to distinguish all the eight species of Channa.     

Status of women in two Bengals: evidence from large scale surveys

Greater female autonomy is mirrored through better performance in the major demographic and social indicators. This study attempts to capture the effect of religion on the status of women considering 'Greater Bengal'. There is much evidence suggesting that when cultural factors are constant, religion does not have a significant effect on any demographic issue. In this paper, the validity of this proposition is examined using two datasets, namely NFHS II (98-99) and BDHS 2000. It is clear from the analyses that not only region but also religion has a distinct effect on the status of women. In West Bengal, the religious gap for all the indicators considered is pretty high, whereas in Bangladesh the gap is not that wide. A state-level population policy is needed in West Bengal to act as a social leveller.     

Evaluation of cyclooxygenase 2 derived endogenous prostacyclin in mouse preimplantation embryo development in vitro

Cyclooxygenase (COX) plays an important role in prostaglandin (PG) synthesis and has two isoforms, COX1 and COX2. PGI synthase (PGIS) catalyzes the isomeization of PGH(2) to prostacyclin (PGI(2)). It is reported that COX2 derived PGI2(2) plays a critical role in blastocyst implantation and decidualization and PGI2 mediates its function via PPARdelta receptor. It is also known that cyclooxygenase derived prostaglandins play an important role in mouse blastocyst hatching in vitro. In this study we hypothesized that COX2 derived PGI2 plays an important role in preimplantation embryonic development by increasing the cell number. To examine this hypothesis, 8-cell stage mouse embryos were cultured in the presence of selective inhibitors of COX1 (SC560), COX2 (NS398) and PGIS (U51605) respectively. COX2 and PGIS inhibitor significantly reduced the blastocyst development and presence of PGI2 analogue along with these inhibitors restored the blastocyst development by increasing the total number of embryonic cells. Our immunohistochemical analysis showed that COX1 is expressed at 2-cell, 8-cell, compaction and blastocyst stage whereas COX2 expression starts from eight cell stage embryos. PGIS and PPARdelta expression starts at 2-cell stage of development. Our results suggest that PGI(2) may affect blastomeres number via the so called hypothesis of PPARdelta nuclear receptor in autocrine manner.     

Crystal Structure of human pyridoxal kinase: structural basis of M(+) and M(2+) activation

Pyridoxal kinase catalyzes the transfer of a phosphate group from ATP to the 5' alcohol of pyridoxine, pyridoxamine, and pyridoxal. In this work, kinetic studies were conducted to examine monovalent cation dependence of human pyridoxal kinase kinetic parameters. The results show that hPLK affinity for ATP and PL is increased manyfold in the presence of K(+) when compared to Na(+); however, the maximal activity of the Na(+) form of the enzyme is more than double the activity in the presence of K(+). Other monovalent cations, Li(+), Cs(+), and Rb(+) do not show significant activity. We have determined the crystal structure of hPLK in the unliganded form, and in complex with MgATP to 2.0 and 2.2 A resolution, respectively. Overall, the two structures show similar open conformation, and likely represent the catalytically idle state. The crystal structure of the MgATP complex also reveals Mg(2+) and Na(+) acting in tandem to anchor the ATP at the active site. Interestingly, the active site of hPLK acts as a sink to bind several molecules of MPD. The features of monovalent and divalent metal cation binding, active site structure, and vitamin B6 specificity are discussed in terms of the kinetic and structural studies, and are compared with those of the sheep and Escherichia coli enzymes.     

Isolation and characterization of embryonic stem cell-like cells from in vitro-produced buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) embryos

This study was carried out to isolate and characterize buffalo embryonic stem (ES) cell-like cells from in vitro-produced embryos. Inner cell mass (ICM) cells were isolated either mechanically or by enzymatic digestion from 120 blastocysts whereas 28 morulae were used for the isolation of blastomeres mechanically. The ICM cells/ blastomeres were cultured on mitomycin-C-treated feeder layer. Primary cell colony formation was higher (P < 0.05) for hatched blastocysts (73.1%, 30/41) than that for early/expanded blastocysts (25.3%, 20/79). However, no primary cell colonies were formed when blastomeres obtained from morulae were cultured. Primary colonies were formed in 14.1% (12/85) of intact blastocyst culture, which was significantly lower (P < 0.05) than that of 41.6% for ICM culture. These colonies were separated by enzymatic or mechanical disaggregation. Using mechanical disaggregation method, the cells remained undifferentiated and two buffalo ES cell-like cell lines (bES1, bES2) continued to grow in culture up to eight passages. However, disassociation through enzymatic method resulted in differentiation. Undifferentiated cells exhibited stem cell morphological features, normal chromosomal morphology, and expressed specific markers such as alkaline phosphatase (AP) and Oct-4. Cells formed embryoid bodies (EBs) in suspension culture; extended culture of EBs resulted in formation of cystic EBs. Following prolonged in vitro culture, these cells differentiated into several types of cells including neuron-like and epithelium-like cells. Furthermore, the vitrified-thawed ES cell-like cells also exhibited typical stem cell characteristics. In conclusion, buffalo ES cell-like cells could be isolated from in vitro-produced blastocysts and maintained in vitro for prolonged periods of time.     

Prognostic significance of the histomorphometric features of bone marrow trephine biopsies in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia

OBJECTIVE: To study the correlation of histomorphometric data of bone marrow trephine biopsies at the time of initial diagnosis in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients with the patient prognosis. STUDY DESIGN: A total of 40 CML patients were divided equally in group I (developed accelerated phase or blast crisis within 18 months of initial diagnosis of chronic phase of CML) and group II (developed accelerated phase or blast crisis > 30 months after initial diagnosis of chronic phase of CML). The clinical, hematologic and histomorphometric data were compared in the 2 groups of CML patients. RESULTS: The percentage of bone marrow promyelocytes was significantly increased in group I. On morphometry, the number of blasts per square millimeter, the area of reticulin fibers per square millimeter and the percentage area occupied by reticulin fibers were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: There seems to be grounds for hope for predicting prognosis of CML patients at initial diagnosis based on histomorphometric findings. The percentage area of reticulin fibers and the number of blasts per square millimeter are important prognostic predictors in histomorphometry data.     

Integration of G Protein α (Gα) Signaling by the Regulator of G Protein Signaling 14 (RGS14)

RGS14 contains distinct binding sites for both active (GTP-bound) and inactive (GDP-bound) forms of Gα subunits. The N-terminal regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) domain binds active Gα_i/o-GTP, whereas the C-terminal G protein regulatory (GPR) motif binds inactive Gα_i1/3-GDP. The molecular basis for how RGS14 binds different activation states of Gα proteins to integrate G protein signaling is unknown. Here we explored the intramolecular communication between the GPR motif and the RGS domain upon G protein binding and examined whether RGS14 can functionally interact with two distinct forms of Gα subunits simultaneously. Using complementary cellular and biochemical approaches, we demonstrate that RGS14 forms a stable complex with inactive Gα_i1-GDP at the plasma membrane and that free cytosolic RGS14 is recruited to the plasma membrane by activated Gα_o-AlF₄⁻. Bioluminescence resonance energy transfer studies showed that RGS14 adopts different conformations in live cells when bound to Gα in different activation states. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry revealed that RGS14 is a very dynamic protein that undergoes allosteric conformational changes when inactive Gα_i1-GDP binds the GPR motif. Pure RGS14 forms a ternary complex with Gα_o-AlF₄⁻ and an AlF₄⁻-insensitive mutant (G42R) of Gα_i1-GDP, as observed by size exclusion chromatography and differential hydrogen/deuterium exchange. Finally, a preformed RGS14·Gα_i1-GDP complex exhibits full capacity to stimulate the GTPase activity of Gα_o-GTP, demonstrating that RGS14 can functionally engage two distinct forms of Gα subunits simultaneously. Based on these findings, we propose a working model for how RGS14 integrates multiple G protein signals in host CA2 hippocampal neurons to modulate synaptic plasticity.     

Impact of the terrestrial-aquatic transition on disparity and rates of evolution in the carnivoran skull

Background

Which factors influence the distribution patterns of morphological diversity among clades? The adaptive radiation model predicts that a clade entering new ecological niche will experience high rates of evolution early in its history, followed by a gradual slowing. Here we measure disparity and rates of evolution in Carnivora, specifically focusing on the terrestrial-aquatic transition in Pinnipedia. We analyze fissiped (mostly terrestrial, arboreal, and semi-arboreal, but also including the semi-aquatic otter) and pinniped (secondarily aquatic) carnivorans as a case study of an extreme ecological transition. We used 3D geometric morphometrics to quantify cranial shape in 151 carnivoran specimens (64 fissiped, 87 pinniped) and five exceptionally-preserved fossil pinnipeds, including the stem-pinniped Enaliarctos emlongi. Range-based and variance-based disparity measures were compared between pinnipeds and fissipeds. To distinguish between evolutionary modes, a Brownian motion model was compared to selective regime shifts associated with the terrestrial-aquatic transition and at the base of Pinnipedia. Further, evolutionary patterns were estimated on individual branches using both Ornstein-Uhlenbeck and Independent Evolution models, to examine the origin of pinniped diversity.

Results

Pinnipeds exhibit greater cranial disparity than fissipeds, even though they are less taxonomically diverse and, as a clade nested within fissipeds, phylogenetically younger. Despite this, there is no increase in the rate of morphological evolution at the base of Pinnipedia, as would be predicted by an adaptive radiation model, and a Brownian motion model of evolution is supported. Instead basal pinnipeds populated new areas of morphospace via low to moderate rates of evolution in new directions, followed by later bursts within the crown-group, potentially associated with ecological diversification within the marine realm.

Conclusion

The transition to an aquatic habitat in carnivorans resulted in a shift in cranial morphology without an increase in rate in the stem lineage, contra to the adaptive radiation model. Instead these data suggest a release from evolutionary constraint model, followed by aquatic diversifications within crown families.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-015-0285-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.