Linked epistasis for six quantitative traits in Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss)

Summary Gene effects, and interactions, and associations between days-to-flower initiation and maturity, number of secondary branches and siliquae per plant, and 1,000-seed weight and yield per plant were studied in a cross of Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern & Coss) using the parents and F₁, F₂, F₃, B₁, B₂, B₁₁, B₁₂, B₂₁, B₂₂, B_1S, B_2S, B₁F₁, B₂F₁, B_1bip, B_2bip, F₂P₁, F₂F₁, and F_2bip generations. A linked digenic model was adequate for all characters studied. According to this model, the main effects, additive and interactions between linked pairs of genes, were present in varying proportions for days-to-flower initiation and maturity and number of siliquae per plant. The contribution of linked epistatic effects, however, was much greater than that of additive effects. Dominance effects contributed significantly to the inheritance of days-to-flower initiation. Duplicate epistasis was observed for all traits except 1,000-seed weight where epistasis was of the complementary type. A complete association among the genes of similar effect (increasing or decreasing) was observed for number of secondary branches and siliquae, and yield per plant. Coupling phase linkage was observed for days-to-flower initiation whereas repulsion phase linkage was observed for daysto-maturity and 1,000-seed weight.     

Analysis of proteins involved in the production of MAA?s in two Cyanobacteria Synechocystis PCC 6803 and Anabaena cylindrica

Mycosporine- like amino acids (MAAs) are small (<400Da), colourless, water soluble compounds composed of cyclohexenone or cyclohexinimine chromophere conjugated with the nitrogen substituent of amino acid or its amino alcohol. These compounds are known for their UV- absorbing role in various organisms and seem to have evolutionary significance. The biosynthesis of MAAs is presumed to occur via the first part of shikimate pathway. In the present work two cyanobacteria Synechocystis PCC 6803 and Anabaena cylindrica were tested for their ability to synthesize MAAs and protein involved in the production of MAAs. It was found that protein sequence 3-phosphoshikimate 1-carboxyvinyltransferase is involved in producing mycosporine glycine in Synechocystis PCC 6803 and 3-dehydroquinate synthase is involved for producing shinorine in Anabaena cylindrica. Phylogenetic and bioinformatic analysis of Mycosporine like amino acid producing protein sequence of both cyanobacterial species Synechocystis PCC 6803 and Anabaena cylindrica provide a useful framework to understand the relationship of the different forms and how they have evolved from a common ancestor. These products seem to be conserved but the residues are prone to variation which might be due the fact that different cyanobacteria show different physiological process in response of Ultraviolet stress.     

Co-production of caffeic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid from p-coumaric acid by Streptomyces caeruleus MTCC 6638

In a culture medium of Streptomyces caeruleus MTCC 6638 grown with p-coumaric acid (5 mM) as the sole source of carbon, co-production of caffeic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid was observed. Both caffeic acid and p-hydroxybenzoic acid are important phenolic compounds with pharmaceutical importance. These biotransformed products were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Obtained data suggest that p-coumaric acid was possibly utilized by two different routes, resulting in the formation of a hydroxycinnamate and a hydroxybenzoate compound. However, higher concentration of p-coumaric acid (10 mM) favoured caffeic acid formation. Addition of 5 mM p-coumaric acid into S. caeruleus cultures pre-grown on minimal medium with 1.0 g/l glucose resulted in the production of 65 mg/l caffeic acid. Furthermore, S. caeruleus cells were able to produce the maximum amount of caffeic acid when pre-grown on nutrient broth for 16 h. Under this condition, the addition of 5 mM p-coumaric acid was sufficient for the S. caeruleus culture to produce 150 mg/l caffeic acid, with a molar yield of 16.6% after 96 h of incubation.     

Screening of bioemulsifier-producing micro-organisms isolated from oil-contaminated sites

Eighty-eight micro-organisms were isolated from oil-contaminated soils and checked for their extracellular bioemulsifier producing potential. The micro-organisms were screened on the basis of oil spread, drop collapse and emulsification index. Most efficient strains were characterized as Lysinibacillus sp. SP1025 and Bacillus cereus SP1035. In Lysinibacillus sp. SP1025, the E-24 index, surface tension and production of crude bioemulsifier were found to be 83.3 % with diesel, 34.20?±?0.03 mN/m and 3.07?±?0.62 g/L, respectively, whereas in the case of Bacillus cereus SP1035, the E-24 index, surface tension and production of crude bioemulsifier recorded were 76.5 % with diesel, 43.42?±?0.03 mN/m and 3.90?±?0.3 g/L. Crude biomemulsifier produced by selected micro-organisms was stable, withstanding a wide temperature and pH range with an E-24 Index value greater than 50 %. All emulsions formed were oil-in-water type. Emulsions formed with tested aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, except those formed with ester based oils, were 100 % stable with the entire organic layer converted into emulsion. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report for bioemulsifier production from the genus Lysinibacillus.     

Ras is active throughout the cell cycle,but is able to induce cyclin D1 only during G2 phase

The control of cell cycle progression has been studied in asynchronous cultures using image analysis and time lapse techniques. This approach allows determination of the cycle phase and signaling properties of individual cells, and avoids the need for synchronization. In past studies this approach demonstrated that continuous cell cycle progression requires the induction of cyclin D1 levels by Ras, and that this induction takes place during G2 phase. These studies were designed to understand how Ras could induce cyclin D1 levels only during G2 phase. First, in studies with a Ras-specific promoter and cellular migration we find that endogenous Ras is active in all cell cycle phases of actively cycling NIH3T3 cells. This suggests that cyclin D1 induction during G2 phase is not the result of Ras activation specifically during this cell cycle period. To confirm this suggestion oncogenic Ras, which is expected to be active in all cell cycle phases, was microinjected into asynchronous cells. The injected protein induced cyclin D1 levels rapidly, but only in G2 phase cells. We conclude that in the continuously cycling cell the targets of Ras activity are controlled by cell cycle phase, and that this phenomenon is vital to cell cycle progression.     

Carnitine biosynthesis. Hydroxylation of N6-trimethyl-lysine to 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine.

Rat kidney homogenates metabolize N6-trimethyl-lysine to N-trimethylammoniobutyrate, but not to carnitine. The first step in this conversion is the hydroxylation of trimethyl-lysine to form 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine. An assay system was developed in which hydroxylation of trimethyl-lysine is linear with respect to both time and homogenate protein concentration. The rate is 5 nmol of 3-hydroxy-N6-trimethyl-lysine formed/min per mg of homogenate protein. The cofactors required are ascorbate, alpha-oxoglutarate, FeSO4, and O2. Catalase and dithiothreitol give a 20% stimulation. Ca2+ produces a 2-fold increase in specific activity and cannot be replaced by Mg2+, Mn2+ or Zn2+. These last three bivalent cations lead to a decreased activity. Subcellular distribution studies demonstrate that trimethyl-lysine hydroxylase activity parallels the distribution profile of succinate dehydrogenase and citrate synthase. Thus trimethyl-lysine hydroxylase has a mitochondrial localization. Distribution of trimethyl-lysine hydroxylase activity between cortex and medulla of kidney if 67 and 33% respectively, similar to mitochondrial distribution.     

Isozyme Diversity in Indian Primitive Maize Landraces

Polymorphism for peroxidase, esterase and acid phosphatase Isozymes in pollen grains of major Indian maize land races known as ‘Sikkim primitives’ were studied and compared with primitive races of maize of Mexican origin and five species of teosinte, Coix lacryma-jobi, Chionachne koenigii and Sorghum bicolor. The isozyme patterns and the resulting dendrograms revealed similarities in primitive Indian maize landraces from Northeastern Himalayan region and Nal-Tel an ancient indigenous race of Mexico. Further, the Asiatic taxa of Maydeae, C. lacryma-jobi and Ch. koenigii differed widely from each other and also from the Zea spp. Presence of greater diversity among the Indian maize collections was also evident from the present analysis.