Effect of soil solarization on nodulation,infection by mycorrhizal fungi and yield of cowpea

Solarization of soil was found beneficial for plant growth in cowpea under field conditions. Root nodulation, infection by mycorrhizal fungi and yield were higher in plants grown in solarized soil. These increases were to the extent of 104.7, 20.0 and 23.7 per cent respectively when compared to control treatment without solarization.     

Involvement of Intracellular or Extracellular Calcium in Activation of Tyrosine Hydroxylase Gene Expression in PC12 Cells

Abstract: The relationship between elevations in intracellular free Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺]_i) by different mechanisms and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene expression was examined. Depolarization by an elevated K⁺ concentration triggered rapid and sustained increases in [Ca²⁺]_i from a basal level of ～50 to 110–150 nM and three- to fourfold elevations in TH mRNA levels, requiring extracellular calcium but not inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP₃). On the other hand, bradykinin or thapsigargin, both of which induce release of intracellular calcium stores via IP₃ or inhibition of Ca²⁺-ATPase, rapidly elevated [Ca²⁺]_i to >200 nM and increased TH gene expression (three-to fivefold). Confocal imaging showed that the elevations in [Ca²⁺]_i in each case occurred throughout the cyto- and nucleoplasm. The initial rise in [Ca²⁺]_i due to either bradykinin or thapsigargin, which did not require extracellular calcium, was sufficient to initiate the events leading to increased TH expression. Consistent with this, the effects of bradykinin on TH expression were inhibited by 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid or 3,4,5-trimethoxybenzoic acid 8-(diethylamino)-octyl ester which chelates or inhibits the release of intracellular calcium, respectively. Bradykinin required a rise in [Ca²⁺]_i for <10 min, as opposed to 10–30 min for depolarization to increase TH mRNA levels. These results demonstrate that although each of these treatments increased TH gene expression by raising [Ca²⁺]_i, there are important differences among them in terms of the magnitude of elevated [Ca²⁺]_i, requirements for extracellular calcium or release of intracellular calcium stores, and duration of elevated [Ca²⁺]_i, indicating the involvement of different calcium signaling pathways leading to regulation of TH gene expression.     

Responses of the Circadian Locomotor Activity Rhythm of Mus Booduga to Shifts in LD Schedules

The responses of the field mouse Mus booduga to shifts in schedules of LD cycles were monitored and the results were interpreted with the help of a PRC constructed for the same species. The results reveal that, M. booduga reentrained faster with a lesser number of transients after delay shifts than advance shifts, thus exhibiting “asymmetry effect.” A positive correlation was observed between the number of transients and the number of hours of shift. In most of the shifts, the sign of the transients (negative for delaying transients and positive for advancing transients) coincided with the direction of the shift. Interestingly, 11 and 12 h of advance shifting resulted in delaying transients. An 11-h advance shift can also be interpreted as a 13-h delay. Reentrainment through delaying transients is faster as compared to reentrainment through advancing transients. Thus, this animal might have taken a “shorter route,” as proved by the fact that an 11-h advance shift has evoked delaying transients. But a 13-h advance shift evoked only advancing transients. This prompts us to speculate that there may be a “phase jump” in M. booduga. Further, irrespective of whether L or D has been doubled in a 12-h shift, both evoked only delaying transients.     

RosettaDDGPrediction for high-throughput mutational scans: From stability to binding

Reliable prediction of free energy changes upon amino acid substitutions (ΔΔGs) is crucial to investigate their impact on protein stability and protein–protein interaction. Advances in experimental mutational scans allow high-throughput studies thanks to multiplex techniques. On the other hand, genomics initiatives provide a large amount of data on disease-related variants that can benefit from analyses with structure-based methods. Therefore, the computational field should keep the same pace and provide new tools for fast and accurate high-throughput ΔΔG calculations. In this context, the Rosetta modeling suite implements effective approaches to predict folding/unfolding ΔΔGs in a protein monomer upon amino acid substitutions and calculate the changes in binding free energy in protein complexes. However, their application can be challenging to users without extensive experience with Rosetta. Furthermore, Rosetta protocols for ΔΔG prediction are designed considering one variant at a time, making the setup of high-throughput screenings cumbersome. For these reasons, we devised RosettaDDGPrediction, a customizable Python wrapper designed to run free energy calculations on a set of amino acid substitutions using Rosetta protocols with little intervention from the user. Moreover, RosettaDDGPrediction assists with checking completed runs and aggregates raw data for multiple variants, as well as generates publication-ready graphics. We showed the potential of the tool in four case studies, including variants of uncertain significance in childhood cancer, proteins with known experimental unfolding ΔΔGs values, interactions between target proteins and disordered motifs, and phosphomimetics. RosettaDDGPrediction is available, free of charge and under GNU General Public License v3.0, at https://github.com/ELELAB/RosettaDDGPrediction .     

Presence of Epstein-Barr virus receptors, but absence of virus penetration, in cells of an Epstein-Barr virus genome-negative human lymphoblastoid T line (Molt 4).

This paper reports a unique type of interaction of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with an EBV receptor-positive, genome-negative human lymphoid T cell line (Molt 4), which can be summarized as follows. Although Molt 4 cells express receptors for EBV, they appear to block the penetration of this virus. These observations are derived from combined studies with immunofluorescence and electron microscopy. It is possible that T cell lines bearing receptors for EBV may express such a control on virus penetration.     

Parasites,predators and other arthropods associated withMusca domestica and other flies breeding in bovine manure

The species of flies breeding in bovine manure, their parasites and predators as well as other associated arthropods in 3 localities in and near Bangalore are recoreded. The flies areMusca domestica L.,Musca pattoni Austen,Stomoxys calcitrans L.,Physiphora aenea F.,Physiphora demandata F.,Sargus metallinus F.,Sepsis thoracica R.-D.,Sepsis nitens Wiedemann,Sphaerocera scabricula Hal, andLeptocera (Coproica) hirtula Rondani. Four species of hymenopterous pupal parasites of these flies have been obtained:Spalangia cameroni Perkins from pupae ofM. domestica, M. pattoni, S. calcitrans, P. aenea andP. demandata; Spalangia endius Walker from pupae ofM. domestica, M. pattoni andS. calcitrans; Spalangia nigroaenea Curtis from pupae ofM. domestica andS. calcitrans; andDirhinus trichiophthalmus Masi from pupae ofSargus metallinus F. Percentage parasitism of fly puparia in field samples was noted. Four species ofHister andAleochara puberula Klug feeding on various immature stages ofM. domestica, 2 species of scarabaeid beetles, 2 species of ants and a pseudoscorpion were also found in the manure. The importance of biotic regulatory factors in the control of flies is discussed.

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Résumé Dans 3 localités de Bangalore ou proches de cette ville, on a inventorié les espèces de mouches vivant dans le fumier de vache, leurs parasites et prédateurs ainsi que d'autres arthropodes associés. Les mouches récoltées sont:Musca domestica L.,Musca pattoni Austen,Stomoxys calcitrans L.,Physiphora aenea F.,Physiphora demandata F.,Sargus metallinus F.,Sepsis thoracica R-D.,Sepsis nitens Wiedemann,Sphaerocera scabricula Hal. etLeptocera (Coproica) hirtula Rondani. Quatre espèces d'hyménoptères parasites des pupes ont été obtenues de ces mouches:Spalangia cameroni Perkins deM. domestica, M. pattoni, S. calcitrans, P. aenea etP. demandata: Spalangia endius Walker deM. domestica, M. pattoni etS. calcitrans, P. aenea etP. demandata; Spalangia endius Walker trans; etDirhinus trichiophthalmus Masi deSargus metallinus F. On a noté le taux de parasitisme des nymphes dans les conditions naturelles. Quatre espèces deHister etAleochara puberula Klug s'attaquant aux divers stades non imaginaux deM. domestica, 2 espèces de scarabeides, 2 espèces de fourmis et un pseudoscorpion ont été également trouvés dans le fumier. L'importance de ces facteurs biotiques dans la régulation des populations de mouches est discutée.

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Paper presented at the seminar on utilization of farm wastes for rural industrial growth, National Dairy Research Institute, Bangalore, 31 st December, 1975.

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This paper is published with the permission of the Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi     

Studies on the active site of yeast hexokinase. Specific phosphorylation of a serine residue induced by D-xylose and ATPMg.

Yeast hexokinase A(ATP:D-hexose 6-phosphotransferase) is inactivated when incubated in the presence of xylose and ATPMg, or in the presence of D-lyxose in a reaction medium in which ATPMg is being continuously regenerated (phosphoenolpyruvate and pyruvate kinase). The inactivation is due to the phorphorylation of the protein. A linear relationship was observed between the inactivation and the incorporation of 32P from [gamma-32P] ATP. All hexokinase and ATPase activity of the enzyme is lost when one phosphoryl group is incorporated per enzyme subunit (molecular weight 51,000). The phosphoryl group is covalently bound by a ester linkage with a serine residue of the protein.     

Effect of doxorubicin on heart mitochondrial enzymes in rats: a protective role for alpha-tocopherol.

Effect of doxorubicin on heart mitochondrial enzymes was studied in rats with or without the administration of alpha-tocopherol. Rats were treated with doxorubicin 2.5 mg/kg, ip body wt once a week for 8 weeks. Alpha-tocopherol was co-administered orally for 2 months (400 mg/kg body wt daily). TCA cycle enzyme, NADH-dehydrogenase, cytochrome-C-oxidase and Na+,K(+)-ATPase activities were found to be decreased in doxorubicin treatment. A significant decrease in protease activity was observed with a concomitant increase in mitochondrial protein level. Mitochondrial lipid peroxide level was found to be increased with a decrease in thiol content. Alpha-tocopherol co-administration was found to maintain the mitochondrial enzyme activities as well as the thiol content. The results are discussed with reference to the antioxidant nature of alpha-tocopherol.     

Contemporary Updates on the Physiology of Glucagon like Peptide-1 and Its Agonist to Treat Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus involves scores of different factors, out of which Glucagon like factor-1 (GLP-1) plays a foremost role. GLP-1 is a pepti