Do the beneficial fungi manage phytosanitary problems in the tea agro-ecosystem?

BioControl - In recent years, Fungal Biocontrol Agents (FBCAs) have played a significant role in the biological control of pests and plant pathogens of several economically important crops,...     

Temporal variations and pond age effect on plankton communities in semi-intensive freshwater marron (Cherax cainii,Austin and Ryan, 2002) earthen aquaculture ponds in Western Australia

The abundance and diversity of the plankton community represents the health of the aquatic ecosystem, and plays an important role in the growth of cultured animals under aquaculture conditions. The temporal variations of plankton abundance, taxonomic composition, diversity, evenness and species richness were studied in three old and three new semi-intensive marron (Cherax cainii, Austin and Ryan, 2002) ponds. Water parameters such as temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, TAN, nitrite, nitrate and reactive phosphate were recorded, and plankton samples were collected every two months, for one year of juvenile production cycle. A total of twenty-six phytoplankton and seven zooplankton genera were recorded. Chlorophyceae was the dominant class of phytoplankton throughout the year, followed by Trebouxiophyceae. Rotifera comprised 49.8% of the total zooplankton community (individuals L^?1), the largest proportion of any group. Temporal variations impacted the plankton abundance and community structure, and plankton abundance were more abundant during summer. The pond age did not influence the phytoplankton abundance, whereas zooplankton abundance was higher in older ponds.     

Chemotherapy regimens induce inhibitory immune checkpoint protein expression on stem-like and senescent-like oesophageal adenocarcinoma cells

Use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) with chemotherapy to enhance responses in oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is an attractive approach. We identified subpopulations of OAC cells expressing inhibitory immune checkpoint (IC) ligands (PD-L1, PD-L2 and CD160) and receptors (PD-1, TIGIT, TIM-3, LAG-3 and A2aR) in vitro and in ex vivo biopsies. Combination chemotherapy regimens FLOT and CROSS promote a more immune-resistant phenotype through upregulation of IC ligands and receptors on OAC cells in vitro. Importantly, this study investigated if OAC cells, enriched for ICs exhibited a more stem-like and senescent-like phentoype. FLOT preferentially upregulates PD-L1 on a stem-like OAC cell phenotype, defined by ALDH activity. Expression of senescence-associated β-galactosidase is induced in a subpopulation of OAC cells following FLOT and CROSS chemotherapy treatment, along with enhanced expression of TIM-3 and A2aR ICs. Blockade of PD-1 signalling in OAC cells induced apoptosis and enhanced FLOT and CROSS chemotherapy toxicity in vitro. Upregulation of ICs on OAC cells following chemotherapy may represent potential mechanisms of chemo-immune resistance. Combination ICIs may be required to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy and immunotherapy in OAC patients.     

Bioremoval of Cyanide and Phenol from Industrial Wastewater: An Update

In nature, phenols and cyanides are produced by certain microbes and plants. Phenols are antioxidants found in almost all plants, and cyanides are important components of lima beans, almonds, and cassava. Their presence in small amounts may not upset the environment, but their large-scale production, wide applicability, and unrestricted release by the industries makes them widespread and important pollutants. Phenols and cyanides can be recovered/removed from wastewater streams using various physicochemical techniques practiced commercially. Lack of complete mineralization, cost-effectiveness, and release of secondary by-products are amongst a few of the major considerations that limit the installation of such processes. Biological removal of such pollutants from industrial waste has gained momentum in recent years, as they promise to surpass the major drawbacks laid by the physicochemical methods and can be practically carried out in all conditions. Presence of either cyanide or phenol is highly dangerous, and in the presence of both, the effect is compounded. The present review illustrates the various industries involved in the release of phenols, cyanides, or both; it summarizes the available technologies for their treatment and emphasizes recent advances and advantages of biological abatement of these pollutants.     

Mitochondrial oxidative stress elicits chromosomal instability after exposure to isocyanates in human kidney epithelial cells

The role of oxidative stress is often attributed in environmental renal diseases. Isocyanates, a ubiquitous chemical group with diverse industrial applications, are known to undergo bio-transformation reactions upon accidental and occupational exposure. This study delineates the role of isocyanate-mediated mitochondrial oxidative stress in eliciting chromosomal instability in cultured human kidney epithelial cells. Cells treated with 0.005 µM concentration of methyl isocyanate displayed morphological transformation and stress-induced senescence. Along the time course, an increase in DCF fluorescence indicative of oxidative stress, depletion of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione reductase (GR) and consistent accumulation of 8-oxo-dG were noticed. Thus, endogenous oxidative stress resulted in aberrant expression of p53, p21, cyclin E and CDK2 proteins, suggestive of deregulated cell cycle, chromosomal aberrations, centromeric amplification, aneuploidy and genomic instability.     

Survivability of parthenogenetic embryos following in vivo transfer in naturally synchronized Capra hircus

The present study was conducted to see the in vivo developmental potency of caprine parthenogenetic embryos generated in a modified way. The good quality caprine oocytes were matured in presence of cytochalasin B (CCB) and then activated by 7% ethanol followed by 2 mM 6-dimethyl amino purine (6-DMAP) and embryo development was recorded. Early stage parthenogenetic embryos (two to four cells) were surgically transferred in recipients (10). The pregnancy diagnosis was done by nonreturn to oestrus, ultrasonography (USG), and progesterone estimation. The levels of progesterone were above normal values (1 ng/ml) of pregnancy and fall below the level of pregnancy just before retuned to oestrus. Progesterone profile revealed that out of ten recipients (G1–G10), four goats (G1, G2, G3, and G5) returned to oestrus after 43?±?7.29 (Mean?±?SE) d of embryo transfer and six goats (G4, G6, G7, G8, G9, and G10) did not return to cycle even after 70 d of embryo transfer. In three recipients (G4, G5, and G6), the USG on day 40 revealed that there was fluid filled uterine body with solid fetus-like structure. These might be dead fetus and had started resorption. The progesterone profile also corroborated the assumption of pregnancy in these animals. Authors believe that this may be the first report on in vivo diploid parthenogenetic embryo development in caprine species.     

Effect of environmental conditions on decomposition in eight woody species of a dry tropical forest

Litter decay is a significant part of carbon budget. Due to strong environmental control, the changes in the environment may drastically influence the litter decay rates. Litter decomposition of eight dry tropical woody species, viz. Shorea robusta, Buchanania lanzan, Diospyros melanoxylon, Lagerstroemia parviflora, Lannea coromandelica, Terminalia tomentosa, Holarrhena antidysenterica and Lantana camara was studied to document the effect of intra-annual changes in the environment. Litter decomposition was monitored at monthly intervals at five sites using litter bag technique over an annual cycle in a dry tropical deciduous forest of Vindhyan highland, India. Weight loss differed among species and through months, and ranged from 15.38% in L. camara at Kotwa site in January to 30.72% in T. tomentosa at Hathinala site in August. Peak weight loss occurred in August and averaged 46.2% across species and sites. Nitrogen and phosphorus mineralization rates also varied significantly from species to species. T. tomentosa having higher nitrogen content and lower C/N ratio than other species exhibited faster weight loss. Nitrogen and phosphorus contents of litter showed significant positive correlation with weight loss. C/N ratio was negatively related to decay constant, and the weight loss was positively related to the soil surface temperature as well as soil moisture content.     

Molecular detection and genotyping of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. psidii isolates from different agro-ecological regions of India

Twenty one isolates of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. psidii (Fop), causing a vascular wilt in guava (Psidium guajava L.), were collected from different agro-ecological regions of India. The pathogenicity test was performed in guava seedlings, where the Fop isolates were found to be highly pathogenic. All 21 isolates were confirmed as F. oxysporum f. sp. psidii by a newly developed, species-specific primer against the conserved regions of 28S rDNA and the intergenic spacer region. RAPD and PCR-RFLP were used for genotyping the isolates to determine their genetic relationships. Fifteen RAPD primers were tested, of which five primers produced prominent, polymorphic, and reproducible bands. RAPD yielded an average of 6.5 polymorphic bands per primer, with the amplified DNA fragments ranging from 200–2,000 bp in size. A dendrogram constructed from these data indicated a 22–74% level of homology. In RFLP analysis, two major bands (350 and 220 bp) were commonly present in all isolates of F. oxysporum. These findings provide new insight for rapid, specific, and sensitive disease diagnosis. However, genotyping could be useful in strain-level discrimination of isolates from different agro-ecological regions of India.     

Synthesis,spectral studies,DNA binding,photocleavage, antimicrobial and anticancer activities of isoindol Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes

Abstract

Three new Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes [Ru(phen)₂CIIP]²⁺ (1) {CIIP = 2-(5-Chloro-3a H-Isoindol-3-yl)-1H-Imidazo[4,5-f][1, 10]phenantholine} (phen = 1, 10 phenanthroline), [Ru(bpy)₂CIIP]²⁺ (2) (bpy = 2, 2′ bipyridine) and [Ru(dmb)₂CIIP]²⁺ (3) (dmb = 4, 4′-dimethyl 2, 2′ bipyridine) were synthesized and characterized by different spectral methods. The DNA-binding behavior of these complexes was investigated by absorption, emission spectroscopic titration and viscosity measurements, indicating that these three complexes bind to CT-DNA in an intercalative mode, but binding affinities of these complexes were different. The DNA-binding constants K_b of complexes 1, 2 and 3 were calculated in the order of 10⁶. All three complexes cleave pBR322 DNA in photoactivated cleavage studies and exhibit good antimicrobial activity. Anticancer activity of these Ru(II) complexes was evaluated in MCF7 cells. Cytotoxicity by MTT assay showed growth inhibition in a dose dependent manner. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry data showed an increase in Sub G1 population. Annexin V FITC/PI staining confirms that these complexes cause cell death by the induction of apoptosis.     

Design,synthesis, in vitro anticancer,antioxidant and antibacterial activity; DNA/BSA binding,photoleavage and docking studies of Cu(II) ternary metal complexes

Abstract

Three mononuclear, mixed ligand ternary Cu(II) complexes of 3-((Z)-1-(2-hydroxyphenylimino)ethyl)-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one (HEHMP) viz; [Cu-(Phen) (HEHMP)] (1a), [Cu-(Bpy)(HEHMP)] (1?b) and [Cu-Bpy(NCS)(HEHMP)] (1c) were synthesized and characterized by data obtained from various spectral techniques. The binding affinities of these complexes with calf thymus DNA (CT-DNA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein were explored by absorption and fluorescence quenching titrations. The results indicated strong affinity of the title compounds to bind with both CT-DNA and BSA. The antioxidant properties of the synthesized compounds evaluated by free-radical scavenging method using spectrophotometric technique indicated their affirmative potential activity. Gel electrophoresis experiments revealed the efficacy of metal complexes in resulting the cleavage of pBR322 supercoiled DNA. In vitro cytotoxicity studies of these complexes evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay against HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell lines indicated relatively high effectiveness of the complex 1c. Confocal microscopy signified the potential of the complexes to induce apoptosis in HeLa cell lines. In addition, the antibacterial activity of the compounds carried out by disc diffusion method revealed significantly enhanced antibacterial activity in Cu (II) ternary complexes compared to the activity of ligands in unbound form signifying the implicit role of metal ion in inducing lipophilic character.