Fuel mobilization for energy metabolism in the silkmoth, Bombyx mori, during reproductive processes

Flight muscles of male moth, B. mori seem to utilize carbohydrate preferentially as a source of energy for all its acrobatic movements during the search for female moth. Depletion of triacylglycerol from flight muscles without affecting its level from fat body suggests that this lipid fraction serves as a source of energy in flight muscles during insemination processes. Significant depletion of triacylglycerol and glycogen from flight muscles of female moth after egg laying indicates that they are used to meet the energy requirement of female during oviposition activity. Depletion of proteins from flight muscles of male and female insects suggest that these proteins are transported to the accessory reproductive glands to meet their protein demand.     

Entry of bovine viral diarrhea virus into ovine cells occurs through clathrin-dependent endocytosis and low pH-dependent fusion

Although mechanisms of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) entry into bovine cells have been elucidated, little is known concerning pestivirus entry and receptor usage in ovine cells. In this study, we determined the entry mechanisms of BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 in sheep fetal thymus cells. Both BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 infections were inhibited completely by chlorpromazine, β-methyl cyclodextrin, sucrose, bafilomycin A1, chloroquine, and ammonium chloride. Simultaneous presence of reducing agent and low pH resulted in marked loss of BVDV infectivity. Moreover, BVDV was unable to fuse with ovine cell membrane by the presence of reducing agent or low pH alone, while combination of both led to fusion at low efficiency. Furthermore, sheep fetal thymus cells acutely infected with BVDV-1 or BVDV-2 were found protected from heterologous BVDV infection. Taken together, our results showed for the first time that entry of both BVDV-1 and BVDV-2 into ovine cells occurred through clathrin-dependent endocytosis, endosomal acidification, and low pH-dependent fusion following an activation step, besides suggesting the involvement of a common ovine cellular receptor during attachment and entry.     

Micro-Raman spectroscopy of silver nanoparticle induced stress on optically-trapped stem cells

We report here results of a single-cell Raman spectroscopy study of stress effects induced by silver nanoparticles in human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). A high-sensitivity, high-resolution Raman Tweezers set-up has been used to monitor nanoparticle-induced biochemical changes in optically-trapped single cells. Our micro-Raman spectroscopic study reveals that hMSCs treated with silver nanoparticles undergo oxidative stress at doping levels in excess of 2 μg/ml, with results of a statistical analysis of Raman spectra suggesting that the induced stress becomes more dominant at nanoparticle concentration levels above 3 μg/ml.     

IGF1 stimulates differentiation of primary follicles and their growth in ovarian explants of zebrafish (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Danio rerio)</Emphasis> cultured <Emphasis Type="Italic">in vitro</Emphasis>

The present study is an attempt to elucidate the involvement of insulin-like growth factor (IGF1) in the differentiation and growth of primary follicles in ovarian explant cultures of zebrafish. Ovaries from adult females were cultured in triplicate sets/treatment group for 15 days at 22°C in the laboratory. Culture medium was supplemented with either insulin (1 ng/mL) or IGF1 (1 ng/mL) or insulin + IGF1 (Experiment 1) or 0.1 or 1.0 or 10 ng/mL of IGF1 (Experiment 2). Ovaries cultured in medium alone served as controls and those fixed at the beginning of the culture as initial controls. Experiments were repeated. On the 16th day ovarian explants were fixed in Bouin’s fluid and processed for paraffin embedding, sections (3 µm) were cut and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. Follicles were classified into 6 stages and atretic follicles (AF). Previtellogenic, vitellogenic and total follicle number was calculated. At the start of the culture, ovaries contained all stages of growing and degenerating follicles. In in vitro cultured control ovaries, vitellogenic follicles underwent atresia, while, primary follicles remained unaffected. Insulin or insulin + IGF1 treated ovaries did not differ significantly while IGF1 exposed ovarian explants had greater (P < 0.05) number of primary follicles compared to controls. IGF1 also caused an increase in the number and growth of primary follicles in a dose dependent manner although; cultures were not supplemented with gonadotrophic hormones. Results suggest that locally derived intra-ovarian IGF1 may have a role in the differentiation and growth of primary follicles in zebrafish ovary.     

Nootropic activity of tuber extract of Pueraria tuberosa (Roxb)

Nootropic effect of alcoholic (ALE; 50, 75, 100 mg/kg) and aqueous (AQE; 100, 200, 400 mg/kg) extracts of P. tuberosa was evaluated by using Elevated Plus Maze (EPM), scopolamine-induced amnesia (SIA), diazepam-induced amnesia (DIA), clonidine-induced (NA-mediated) hypothermia (CIH), lithium-induced (5-HT mediated) head twitches (LIH) and haloperidol-induced (DA- mediated) catalepsy (HIC) models. Piracetam was used as the standard drug. A significant increase in inflexion ratio (IR) was recorded in EPM, SIA and DIA models. A significant reversal effect was observed on rectal temperature in CIH model, reduction of head twitches in LIH models. However no significant reduction in catalepsy scores in HIC models were observed with test extracts and standard piracetam. The results indicate that nootropic activity observed with ALE and AQE of tuber extracts of P. tuberosa could be through improved learning and memory either by augmenting the noradrenaline (NA) transmission or by interfering with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) release. Further, the extracts neither facilitated nor blocked release of the dopamine (DA). Thus ALE and AQE elicited significant nootropic effect in mice and rats by interacting with cholinergic, GABAnergic, adrenergic and serotonergic systems. Phytoconstituents like flavonoids have been reported for their nootropic effect and these are present in both ALE and AQE extracts of tubers of P. tuberosa (Roxb) and these active principles may be responsible for nootropic activity.     

Marker-assisted improvement of bacterial blight resistance in parental lines of Pusa RH10, a superfine grain aromatic rice hybrid

Pusa RH10, the widely cultivated superfine grain aromatic rice hybrid, and its parental lines Pusa6B and PRR78 are susceptible to bacterial blight (BB) disease caused by Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Pusa1460, a Basmati rice variety, was utilized as the donor for introgressing BB resistance genes xa13 and Xa21 into Pusa6B and PRR78 using a marker-assisted backcross breeding program. The markers RG136 and pTA248 linked to BB resistance genes xa13 and Xa21, respectively, were used for foreground selection. Seventy-four STMS markers polymorphic between Pusa6B and Pusa1460, and 54 STMS markers polymorphic between PRR78 and Pusa1460, were utilized for background selection to recover the recurrent parent genome ranging from 85.14 to 97.30% and 87.04 to 92.81% in the 10 best BC₂F₅ families of Pusa6B and PRR78, respectively. RM6100, an STMS marker linked to fertility restorer gene (Rf), was used for marker-assisted selection of Rf gene in an improved version of PRR78. The extent of donor segments in the improved version of Pusa6B was estimated to be <0.97 and <2.15 Mb in the genomic regions flanking xa13 and Xa21, respectively, whereas in improved PRR78, it was estimated to be <2.07 and <3.45 Mb in the corresponding genomic regions. Improved lines of Pusa6B and PRR78 showed yield advantages of up to 8.24 and 5.23%, respectively. The performance of the BB-resistant version of Pusa RH10 produced by intercrossing the improved parental lines was on a par with or superior to the original Pusa RH10.     

Distinct evolutionary histories of the DNA-A and DNA-B components of bipartite begomoviruses

Background  

Viruses of the genus Begomovirus (family Geminiviridae) have genomes consisting of either one or two genomic components. The component of bipartite begomoviruses known as DNA-A is homologous to the genomes of all geminiviruses and encodes proteins required for replication, control of gene expression, overcoming host defenses, encapsidation and insect transmission. The second component, referred to as DNA-B, encodes two proteins with functions in intra- and intercellular movement in host plants. The origin of the DNA-B component remains unclear. The study described here was initiated to investigate the relationship between the DNA-A and DNA-B components of bipartite begomoviruses with a view to unraveling their evolutionary histories and providing information on the possible origin of the DNA-B component.     

Anti-tubercular activity and molecular docking studies of indolizine derivatives targeting mycobacterial InhA enzyme

A series of 1,2,3-trisubstituted indolizines (2a–2f, 3a–3d, and 4a–4c) were screened for in vitro whole-cell anti-tubercular activity against the susceptible H37Rv and multidrug-resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) strains. Compounds 2b–2d, 3a–3d, and 4a–4c were active against the H37Rv-MTB strain with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 4 to 32 µg/mL, whereas the indolizines 4a–4c, with ethyl ester group at the 4-position of the benzoyl ring also exhibited anti-MDR-MTB activity (MIC = 16–64 µg/mL). In silico docking study revealed the enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) and anthranilate phosphoribosyltransferase as potential molecular targets for the indolizines. The X-ray diffraction analysis of the compound 4b was also carried out. Further, a safety study (in silico and in vitro) demonstrated no toxicity for these compounds. Thus, the indolizines warrant further development and may represent a novel promising class of InhA inhibitors and multi-targeting agents to combat drug-sensitive and drug-resistant MTB strains.     

Climate Change and Apple Farming in Indian Himalayas: A Study of Local Perceptions and Responses

Apple farming is an important activity and profession of farmer communities in the Himalayan states of India. At present, the traditional apple farming is under stress due to changes in climate. The present study was undertaken in an Indian Himalayan state, Himachal Pradesh, with the major aim of studying perceptions of farmers on the effects of climate change on apple farming along the altitudinal gradient. Through questionnaire survey, the perceptions of farmers were recorded at low hills (<2500 m), mid-hills (2500–3000 m), and upper hills (>3000 m). At all elevation range the majority of farmers reported that there was increase in atmospheric temperature, and hence at low hills 72% farmers believed that this increase in temperature was responsible for decline in fruit size and so that the quality. Thirty five percent farmers at high hills and 30% at mid hills perceived frost as a major cause for damaging apple farming whereas at low hills 24% farmers perceived hailstorm as the major deterrent for apple farming. The majority of farmers, along the altitude (92% at high hills, 79% at mid hills and 83% at low hills), reported decrease in snowfall. The majority of farmers at low altitude and mid altitude reported decline in apple farming whereas 71% farmers at high hill areas refused decline in apple farming. About 73–83% farmers admitted delay in apple’s harvesting period. At mid hills apple scab and at low hills pest attack on apple crops are considered as the indicators of climate change. The change in land use practices was attributed to climate change and in many areas the land under apple farming was replaced for production of coarse grains, seasonal vegetables and other horticulture species. Scientific investigation claiming changes in Indian Himalayan climate corroborates perceptions of farmers, as examined during the present study.