Glycine protection of PC-12 cells against injury by ATP-depletion

A distinctive mechanism of cell injury during ATP depletion involves the loss of cellular glycine. The current study examined whether provision of glycine during ATP depletion can prevent injury in PC-12 cells, a cell line with neuronal property. In addition, we have examined the role played by glycine receptors in cytoprotective effects of the amino acid. It was shown that ATP depletion led to plasma membrane damage in PC-12 cells, which was ameliorated by 0.25–5mM glycine. Cytoprotective activity of glycine was shared by alanine, but not by glutamate or -aminobutyric acid (GABA). Of interest, strychnine, an antagonist of glycine receptor, was also protective. The results, while suggesting the involvement of glycine receptor in cytoprotection, indicate that chloride channel activity of the receptor is dispensable. Such a scenario is further supported by the observation that removal of extracellular chloride did not affect ATP depletion–induced cell injury or its prevention by glycine. In short, this study has provided the first evidence for glycine protection of cells with neuronal properties. Cytoprotection may involve the glycine receptor; however, it can be dissociated from its channel activity.     

Effect of alkyl groups on the cellular hydrolysis of stavudine phosphoramidates

We examined the effect of cellular metabolism of three alkyl-substituted amino acid ester phosphoramidate derivatives of stavudine in different cell lines. Marked cell-to-cell differences were found in both the rate of hydrolysis and chiral selectivity. This selectivity implies that different enzymes may be involved in the metabolism of these compounds depending on the cell type involved. Notably, both the methyl and ethyl substituted derivatives underwent hydrolysis in presence of various cell lines, whereas the tert-butyl substituted compound was resistant to hydrolysis implying that steric hindrance associated with this group along with electron density may play a key role in the hydrolysis profile of these compounds. Additionally we found this mimicked the hydrolysis profiles obtained for bacterial enzymes. Furthermore, our results suggest that the site of attack of the cellular enzymes is confined to the ester side chain of the molecule. This result is also consistent with our earlier observation using bacterial enzymes as well as using 'd' isomers.     

Rhizobacterial bioformulation for the effective management of Macrophomina root rot in mungbean

Abstract

Fluorescent pseudomonads based bioformulation was evaluated for their ability to control Macrophomina root rot disease in mungbean (Vigna mungo). P. fluorescens isolate Pf1 showed the maximum inhibition in mycelial growth of Macrophomina phaseolina under in vitro conditions. Bioformulation of Pf1 with chitin was effective in reducing the root rot incidence in green gram both under glasshouse and field conditions. The rhizosphere colonization of P. fluorescens was observed appreciable with the green gram plants. However, Pf1 amended with chitin colonized effectively. Furthermore, the induction of defence-related enzymes and chemicals in plants by Pf1 amended with or without chitin and neem were tested. Increased accumulation of defence enzymes viz., phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), peroxidase (PO), polyphenol oxidase (PPO), chitinase, β-1,3-glucanse and phenolics were observed in Pf1 bioformulation amended with chitin, pre-treated plants challenge inoculated with M. phaseolina under glasshouse conditions. The present study reveals that in addition to direct antagonism and plant-growth promotion, PGPR strains amended with chitin bioformulation induced defence-related enzymes and pathogenesis related (PR) proteins which collectively enhance the resistance in green gram against the infection of M. phaseolina.     

Nucleic acid based detection technique for Ganoderma lucidum in coconut

Basal stem rot caused by Ganoderma lucidum is the most serious disease in coconut and arecanut gardens. Twenty-five Ganoderma isolates were collected from different parts of India and the pathogenicity of Ganoderma was proved on coconut seedlings. Mature sporophores developed within 10–13?weeks after inoculation of pathogen under in vivo. To detect the pathogen at early stage, DNA-based technology, polymerase chain reaction was used. In this, the primers Gan1 and Gan2 produced a product of 167?bp in size for all the Ganoderma isolates tested. Simultaneously, ITS 1 and ITS 4 primers amplified a fragment of 680?bp in the Ganoderma isolates. In addition, Ganoderma isolates showed polymorphism in the random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis.     

Murine tumor suppressor models

Tumor suppressor genes have been shown to be necessary for proper maintenance of cell growth control. Inactivation of these genes in the germline of humans is linked to inherited cancer predisposition. Moreover, sporadically arising human tumors often have somatic mutations in tumor suppressor genes. During the past few years, advances in molecular and cellular biology have led to the creation of animal models that have germline mutations of various tumor suppressor genes. Such mice potentially represent important animal models for familial cancer predisposition syndromes, and the study of the tumorigenesis process has been greatly assisted by their development. Such models have also demonstrated the importance of tumor suppressor function in embryonic development. In this review, we describe mice with inactivated germline tumor suppressor genes that are genetically analogous to 10 different inherited cancer syndromes in humans. We describe the variable usefulness of the mutant mice as models for human disease.     

Retention of wild-type p53 in tumors from p53 heterozygous mice: reduction of p53 dosage can promote cancer formation.

Tumor suppressor genes are generally viewed as being recessive at the cellular level, so that mutation or loss of both tumor suppressor alleles is a prerequisite for tumor formation. The tumor suppressor gene, p53, is mutated in approximately 50% of human sporadic cancers and in an inherited cancer predisposition (Li-Fraumeni syndrome). We have analyzed the status of the wild-type p53 allele in tumors taken from p53-deficient heterozygous (p53+/-) mice. These mice inherit a single null p53 allele and develop tumors much earlier than those mice with two functional copies of wild-type p53. We present evidence that a high proportion of the tumors from the p53+/- mice retain an intact, functional, wild-type p53 allele. Unlike p53+/- tumors which lose their wild-type allele, the tumors which retain an intact p53 allele express p53 protein that induces apoptosis following gamma-irradiation, activates p21(WAF1/CIP1) and Mdm2 expression, represses PCNA expression (a negatively regulated target of wild-type p53), shows high levels of binding to oligonucleotides containing a wild-type p53 response element and prevents chromosomal instability as measured by comparative genomic hybridization. These results indicate that loss of both p53 alleles is not a prerequisite for tumor formation and that mere reduction in p53 levels may be sufficient to promote tumorigenesis.