Total uptake of nutrients at different stages of the growth of groundnut and the ratios in which various nutrient elements exist in groundnut plant

Summary A pot experiment was conducted with groundnut crop in two red soils with various levels of application of calcium, phosphorus, potassium and magnesium. The plants were analysed at vegetative, reproductive and post harvest stages for the uptake of nutrients. Up to vegetative stage, the crop absorbed 10 per cent of the total requirement of nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium and magnesium. During the reproductive stage the crop removed about 40 to 50 per cent of the above nutrients. Between reproductive and harvest stages groundnut absorbed the remaining amount of the nutrients.Forms a part of the Ph.D. thesis of the first author approved by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.     

Isolation and characterization of a methanol-utilizing strain ofCandida boidinii from cow dung which is able to grow on paraffin

A methanol-utilizing yeast,Candida boidinii, was isolated from cow dung. It could grow on a medium containing methanol or liquid paraffin as the only carbon source. Its cell yield after 7 days of growth on methanol was 0.34 g g^–1 and on paraffin 0.30 g g^–1. The organism was able to tolerate up to 4% (v/v) methanol.

---

Résumé On a isolé une souche deCandida boidinii, levure utilisant le méthanol, à partir de bouse de vache. La souche était capable de croître sur un milieu contenant le méthanol ou la paraffine liquide, comme seule souche de carbone. Le rendement cellulaire après 7 jours de croissance était de 0.34 g par g de méthanol et 0.30 g par g de paraffine. L'organisme était capable de tolérer jusqu'à 4% (v/v) de méthanol.

---

---

This work was carried out while K. Kannan was at the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University.     

Uptake of radioactive calcium by groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and efficiency of utilisation of applied calcium

Summary A pot experiment was conducted with groundnut applying labelled calcium as its sulphate and carbonate at two levels namely 75 and 150 kg Ca per ha with varying levels of P, K and Mg. Plant samples were taken at different stages of crop growth and analysed for the content of radioactive calcium. Calcium sulphate treatment has resulted in larger uptake of calcium compared to calcium carbonate. An application of 150 kg Ca per ha has caused significantly higher uptake by groundnut plant than 75 kg Ca per ha. The percentage of utilisation of added calcium ranged from 2.2 to 5.4. Recovery of calcium by plants was more in calcium sulphate treatment rather than in calcium carbonate. The plants showed preference to absorb applied calcium rather than native calcium.Forms a part of the Ph.D. thesis of the first author approved by Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore.     

Production of DL-DOPA from acellular slime-mould Stemonitis herbatica

3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) is a neurotransmitter precursor and hence has wide therapeutic applications. Our earlier studies have shown that the melanin in sporangia of the myxomycete species Stemonitis herbatica is DOPA melanin, and that?it?is?possible to extract the precursor DL-DOPA from differentiating plasmodia. The production of DL-DOPA from this species might be commercially viable.     

De novo 3D models of SARS-CoV-2 RNA elements from consensus experimental secondary structures

The rapid spread of COVID-19 is motivating development of antivirals targeting conserved SARS-CoV-2 molecular machinery. The SARS-CoV-2 genome includes conserved RNA elements that offer potential small-molecule drug targets, but most of their 3D structures have not been experimentally characterized. Here, we provide a compilation of chemical mapping data from our and other labs, secondary structure models, and 3D model ensembles based on Rosetta''s FARFAR2 algorithm for SARS-CoV-2 RNA regions including the individual stems SL1-8 in the extended 5′ UTR; the reverse complement of the 5′ UTR SL1-4; the frameshift stimulating element (FSE); and the extended pseudoknot, hypervariable region, and s2m of the 3′ UTR. For eleven of these elements (the stems in SL1–8, reverse complement of SL1–4, FSE, s2m and 3′ UTR pseudoknot), modeling convergence supports the accuracy of predicted low energy states; subsequent cryo-EM characterization of the FSE confirms modeling accuracy. To aid efforts to discover small molecule RNA binders guided by computational models, we provide a second set of similarly prepared models for RNA riboswitches that bind small molecules. Both datasets (‘FARFAR2-SARS-CoV-2’, https://github.com/DasLab/FARFAR2-SARS-CoV-2; and ‘FARFAR2-Apo-Riboswitch’, at https://github.com/DasLab/FARFAR2-Apo-Riboswitch’) include up to 400 models for each RNA element, which may facilitate drug discovery approaches targeting dynamic ensembles of RNA molecules.