Analysis of cellular water content in T cells reveals a switch from slow metabolic water gain to rapid water influx prior to cell division

Cell growth is driven by the acquisition and synthesis of both dry biomass and water mass. In this study, we examine the increase of water mass in T cell during cell growth. We found that T-cell growth is characterized by an initial phase of slow increase in cellular water, followed by a second phase of rapid increase in water content. To study the origin of the water gain, we developed a novel methodology we call cold aqua trap-isotope ratio mass spectrometry, which allows analysis of the isotope composition of intracellular water. Applying cold aqua trap-isotope ratio mass spectrometry, we discovered that glycolysis-coupled metabolism of water accounts on average for 11 fl out of the 20 fl of water gained per cell during the initial slow phase. In addition, we show that at the end of the rapid phase before initiation of cell division, a water influx occurs, increasing the cellular water mass by threefold. Thus, we conclude that activated T cells switch from metabolizing water to rapidly taking up water from the extracellular medium prior to cell division. Our work provides a method to analyze cell water content as well as insights into the ways cells regulate their water mass.     

Biochemical and enzymatic changes in rice plants as a mechanism of defense

A laboratory study was undertaken to ascertain the impact and the extent of feeding by different pests on biochemical constituents and various enzyme levels in rice plants. The difference in these parameters due to the pest damage by three different modes of feeding was also studied and compared. The borer pest—yellow stem borer (YSB), Scirpophaga incertulas (W); surface feeder—-leaf roller (LR), Cnaphalocrosis medinalis (G) and a sucking pest—brown plant hopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (S) fed rice plants were analyzed for the quantitative and qualitative changes in biochemical profile and enzymatic changes that occur as plant’s defensive responses were analyzed spectrophotometrically. The phenolic acids were analyzed using HPLC and quantitated with the standard samples. The quantity of biochemicals such as proteins, phenols and carbohydrates has been enhanced along with the enzyme activities of peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), chitinase (CHI). A decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD), phenyl alanine ammonia lyase (PAL), β-1, 3-glucanase (GLU) enzyme activities were evident in pest infested plants. Phenolic acids like vanillic acid, syringic acid, cinnamic acid, and p-coumaric acids were mostly found in the infested plants. We demonstrate that the elevated levels of biochemicals, phenolic acids, and enzymes may play a major role in plant defense.     

Green Synthesized Silver Nanoparticles Using Lactobacillus Acidophilus as an Antioxidant,Antimicrobial, and Antibiofilm Agent Against Multi-drug Resistant Enteroaggregative Escherichia Coli

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - The present study was envisaged to employ the green synthesis and characterization of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the potential probiotic strain...