Expression profiling of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Crambe abyssinica</Emphasis>under arsenate stress identifies genes and gene networks involved in arsenic metabolism and detoxification

Background  

Arsenic contamination is widespread throughout the world and this toxic metalloid is known to cause cancers of organs such as liver, kidney, skin, and lung in human. In spite of a recent surge in arsenic related studies, we are still far from a comprehensive understanding of arsenic uptake, detoxification, and sequestration in plants. Crambe abyssinica, commonly known as 'abyssinian mustard', is a non-food, high biomass oil seed crop that is naturally tolerant to heavy metals. Moreover, it accumulates significantly higher levels of arsenic as compared to other species of the Brassicaceae family. Thus, C. abyssinica has great potential to be utilized as an ideal inedible crop for phytoremediation of heavy metals and metalloids. However, the mechanism of arsenic metabolism in higher plants, including C. abyssinica, remains elusive.     

Karyological studies on the Indian spiders VII. Mitosis and meiosis in two species belonging to the family gnaphosidae

Gnaphosa kailana Tikader andScotophaeus blackwallii (Thorell) are characterized by twenty-two (20+X₁X₂) and twenty-four (22+X₁X₂) acrocentric chromosomes in their diploid set respectively. In case ofG. kailana the sex-chromosomes are slightly unequal while inS. blackwallii the size difference is well marked between the two. The sex-chromosomes in both species form an accessory plate at the equator of the spindle during metaphase-I and show a precocious anaphase-I movement.     

Exercise training reverses cardiac aging phenotypes associated with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction in male mice

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is the most common type of HF in older adults. Although no pharmacological therapy has yet improved survival in HFpEF, exercise training (ExT) has emerged as the most effective intervention to improving functional outcomes in this age‐related disease. The molecular mechanisms by which ExT induces its beneficial effects in HFpEF, however, remain largely unknown. Given the strong association between aging and HFpEF, we hypothesized that ExT might reverse cardiac aging phenotypes that contribute to HFpEF pathophysiology and additionally provide a platform for novel mechanistic and therapeutic discovery. Here, we show that aged (24–30 months) C57BL/6 male mice recapitulate many of the hallmark features of HFpEF, including preserved left ventricular ejection fraction, subclinical systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, impaired cardiac reserves, exercise intolerance, and pathologic cardiac hypertrophy. Similar to older humans, ExT in old mice improved exercise capacity, diastolic function, and contractile reserves, while reducing pulmonary congestion. Interestingly, RNAseq of explanted hearts showed that ExT did not significantly modulate biological pathways targeted by conventional HF medications. However, it reversed multiple age‐related pathways, including the global downregulation of cell cycle pathways seen in aged hearts, which was associated with increased capillary density, but no effects on cardiac mass or fibrosis. Taken together, these data demonstrate that the aged C57BL/6 male mouse is a valuable model for studying the role of aging biology in HFpEF pathophysiology, and provide a molecular framework for how ExT potentially reverses cardiac aging phenotypes in HFpEF.     

Seasonal variations in the mating-related traits of Drosophila melanogaster

The Indian subcontinent shows high levels of seasonal weather variation, but the extent to which mating-related traits (mating latency, copulation duration and number of progeny produced) are being affected by such variations in Drosophila species remain poorly understood. In the present study, we analyzed the effects of seasonal change (humidity and temperature) on mating-related traits of Drosophila melanogaster by mimicking natural conditions in the laboratory. The light body color phenotype is collected in large numbers during the rainy season, while the dark phenotype is prevalent in the winter. We found that a short-term stress, in the form of reduced humidity or temperature, causes a strong climatic selection pressure, which leads to assortative mating and longer copulation duration of the dark phenotype. By contrast, the light phenotype shows higher assortative mating and longer copulation duration after short-term high humidity or high temperature stress. Higher assortative mating and increased copulation duration results in high progeny numbers which may be a cause for the high prevalence of the dark phenotype in winter and the light phenotype in the rainy season. Thus, besides plasticity, seasonal changes in mating propensity can be a potential cause of the change in the frequency of the dark and light phenotypes of D. melanogaster during different seasons.     

Identification of specific IgE binding proteins in Castor bean (Ricinus communis) pollen obtained from different source materials

Allergenic components of Ricinus communis pollen obtained from different stages of inflorescence, different time intervals, different years and places were studied by immunoblot analysis. Proteins separated by SDS-PAGE and transferred to NC were identified using pooled sera from 15 skin and RAST positive patients. The IgE binding components in M.W. range of 14 to 70 kD were identified. The protein fractions of 70, 66, 64, 60, 50, 45, 36, 22 and 14 kD are the most prominent allergenic bands. Six samples collected during same pollination season from the same place showed similar allergenic profile. Of the samples collected from different stages of inflorescence, pollen of immature buds showed only three bands as compared to 18 from mature buds and flowers. Variability was seen in the IgE binding components of pollen stored for different years and obtained from different geographic regions of India. The IgE binding pattern of fifteen sera were heterogenous. The number of bands identified by different sera varied from 3 to 18. Two protein components of 66 and 36 kD were recognised by 14 (93.3%) of the 15 sera studied. The result suggests that there exists variations in the specific IgE binding pattern in pollen samples of Castor Bean, obtained from difference source materials.     

Expansion of Bacteriophages Is Linked to Aggravated Intestinal Inflammation and Colitis

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Structural insights into pharmacophore-assisted in silico identification of protein–protein interaction inhibitors for inhibition of human toll-like receptor 4 – myeloid differentiation factor-2 (hTLR4−MD-2) complex

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a member of Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs) family that serves as a receptor for bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). TLR4 alone cannot recognize LPS without aid of co-receptor myeloid differentiation factor-2 (MD-2). Binding of LPS with TLR4 forms a LPS?TLR4?MD-2 complex and directs downstream signaling for activation of immune response, inflammation and NF-κB activation. Activation of TLR4 signaling is associated with various pathophysiological consequences. Therefore, targeting protein–protein interaction (PPI) in TLR4?MD-2 complex formation could be an attractive therapeutic approach for targeting inflammatory disorders. The aim of present study was directed to identify small molecule PPI inhibitors (SMPPIIs) using pharmacophore mapping-based approach of computational drug discovery. Here, we had retrieved the information about the hot spot residues and their pharmacophoric features at both primary (TLR4?MD-2) and dimerization (MD-2?TLR4*) protein–protein interaction interfaces in TLR4?MD-2 homo-dimer complex using in silico methods. Promising candidates were identified after virtual screening, which may restrict TLR4?MD-2 protein–protein interaction. In silico off-target profiling over the virtually screened compounds revealed other possible molecular targets. Two of the virtually screened compounds (C11 and C15) were predicted to have an inhibitory concentration in μM range after HYDE assessment. Molecular dynamics simulation study performed for these two compounds in complex with target protein confirms the stability of the complex. After virtual high throughput screening we found selective hTLR4?MD-2 inhibitors, which may have therapeutic potential to target chronic inflammatory diseases.