Identification of biotic and abiotic stress up-regulated ESTs in Gossypium arboreum

Asiatic desi cotton (Gossypium arboreum) shows great potential against biotic and abiotic stresses. The stress resistant nature makes it a best source for the identification of biotic and abiotic stress resistant genes. As in many plants same set of genes show responding behavior against the various abiotic and biotic stresses. Thus in the present study the ESTs from the G. arboreum drought stressed leaves were subjected to find the up-regulated ESTs in abiotic and biotic stresses through homology and in-silico analysis. A cDNA library has been constructed from the drought stressed G. arboreum plant. 778 clones were randomly picked and sequenced. All these sequences were subjected to in-silico identification of biotic and abiotic up-regulated ESTs. Total 39 abiotic and biotic up-regulated ESTs were identified. The results were further validated by real-time PCR; by randomly selection of ten ESTs. These findings will help to develop stress resistant crop varieties for better yield and growth performance under stresses.     

Molecular heterogeneity in the 18s DNA gene of Alternaria sp. and Fusarium sp. producing mycotoxins in rice and maize grains

Background

Food contaminated with fungi and their toxins is a problem that threatens many developing countries. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia depends on the exported grain and legume seeds.

Cardioprotective effect of des-Aspartate-angiotensin-I (DAA-I) on cytokine gene expression profile in ligation model of myocardial infarction

We investigate the influence of des-Aspartate-angiotensin-I (DAA-I) on the cytokine expression profile in a rodent model of myocardial infarction. Myocardial infarction model was created in female Wistar rats by coronary artery ligation. Animals were randomized to receive intravenously either a daily dose of 1.2 mug DAA-I/kg body weight (group 1; n = 60) or saline (group 2; n = 60) for 14 days after infarction. Heart function was assessed by echocardiography. Animals were euthanized at 1, 3, 7, 14 and 31 days. Morphometric analysis using tetrazolium chloride staining revealed that infarct size was reduced by 32.2% (p < 0.05) in group 1 after 14 days of DAA-I treatment. Left ventricular ejection fraction in group 1 improved significantly (73.4%) as compared to group 2 (47.7%; p < 0.001). Immunostaining for immune cells at the infarct site showed that CD8+ lymphocytes infiltration at the infarct site declined in group 1 (15 +/- 5 cells) as compared to group 2 (50 +/- 6 cells; p < 0.001). Infiltration of monocytes and macrophages remained high at day 14 in group 2 (126 +/- 40 cells) as compared to group 1 (49 +/- 11 cells; p = 0.006). Multiplex PCR was done for differential gene expression of various pro-inflammatory cytokines. IL-6, TNF-alpha, TGF-beta and GM-CSF expression were significantly down-regulated in the infarct, peri-infarct and contra-lateral zones of the left ventricle in group 1 as compared to group 2. IL-6, TGF-beta and GM-CSF expression started to decline from day 1 of DAA-I treatment while TNF-alpha expression only reduced after 7 days of DAA-I treatment. We conclude that DAA-I prevented infarct expansion through suppression of inflammatory cytokines and immune cell infiltration in the infarct region.     

Nonviral vector gene modification of stem cells for myocardial repair

Therapeutic angiogenesis and myogenesis restore perfusion of ischemic myocardium and improve left ventricular contractility. These therapeutic modalities must be considered as complementary rather than competing to exploit their advantages for optimal beneficial effects. The resistant nature of cardiomyocytes to gene transfection can be overcome by ex vivo delivery of therapeutic genes to the heart using genetically modified stem cells. This review article gives an overview of different vectors and delivery systems in general used for therapeutic gene delivery to the heart and provides a critical appreciation of the ex vivo gene delivery approach using genetically modified stem cells to achieve angiomyogenesis for the treatment of infarcted heart.     

Mini-scale Genomic DNA Extraction from Cotton

Large amounts of polyphenolics in cotton leaves make it difficult to obtain high-quality genomic DNA during extraction. A procedure to isolate nuclear DNA from local cotton leaves (gossypium hirsutum, MNH93, CIM443, FH672) was therefore developed. It consists of rapid isolation of stable nuclei, which hinders covalent interactions with phenolics, followed by DNA extraction. The yield and quality of the resulting DNA is satisfactory and the protocol can be scaled up or down according to sample size. It is suitable for PCR and the restriction enzyme digestion needed for Southern and RFLP analysis.     

Bone marrow stem cell transplantation for cardiac repair

Cardiomyocytes respond to physiological or pathological stress only by hypertrophy and not by an increase in the number of functioning cardiomyocytes. However, recent evidence suggests that adult cardiomyocytes have the ability, albeit limited, to divide to compensate for the cardiomyocyte loss in the event of myocardial injury. Similarly, the presence of stem cells in the myocardium is a good omen. Their activation to participate in the repair process is, however, hindered by some as-yet-undetermined biological impediments. The rationale behind the use of adult stem cell transplantation is to supplement the inadequacies of the intrinsic repair mechanism of the heart and compensate for the cardiomyocyte loss in the event of injury. Various cell types including embryonic, fetal, and adult cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, and stable cell lines have been used to augment the declining cardiomyocyte number and cardiac function. More recently, the focus has been shifted to the use of autologous skeletal myoblasts and bone marrow-derived stem cells. This review is a synopsis of some interesting aspects of the fast-emerging field of bone marrow-derived stem cell therapy for cardiac repair.     

Mutations of MYO6 are associated with recessive deafness,DFNB37

Cosegregation of profound, congenital deafness with markers on chromosome 6q13 in three Pakistani families defines a new recessive deafness locus, DFNB37. Haplotype analyses reveal a 6-cM linkage region, flanked by markers D6S1282 and D6S1031, that includes the gene encoding unconventional myosin VI. In families with recessively inherited deafness, DFNB37, our sequence analyses of MYO6 reveal a frameshift mutation (36-37insT), a nonsense mutation (R1166X), and a missense mutation (E216V). These mutations, along with a previously published missense allele linked to autosomal dominant progressive hearing loss (DFNA22), provide an allelic spectrum that probes the relationship between myosin VI dysfunction and the resulting phenotype.