Metabolism mediated interaction of α-asarone and Acorus calamus with CYP3A4 and CYP2D6

The present study was aimed to investigate the possible interaction of the standardized extract of Acorus calamus (AC) with Cytochrome P450 enzyme, quantitative determination of the α-asarone in the AC rhizome was performed by RP-HPLC method. In vitro interaction of the plant extract was evaluated by CYP450-carbon monoxide complex (CYP450-CO) assay. Effect on individual isoforms such as CYP3A4 and CYP2D6 isozymes were analyzed through fluorescence product formation and respective IC₅₀ values were determined. CYP450-CO assay showed moderate interaction potential. Extract showed higher IC₅₀ values (46.84 ± 1.83-32.99 ± 2.21 μg/ml) comparing to the standard inhibitors and lower IC₅₀ value than α-asarone (65.16 ± 2.37-42.15 ± 2.45 μg/ml).     

Damage pattern and status of the leaf miner Aphanisticus aeneus Kerremans (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in Saccharum spp.

Biology, damage pattern, incidence levels and status of the leaf miner Aphanisticus aeneus Kerremans (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) were studied in accessions of Saccharum spp. Egg, grub and pupal periods of the miner lasted 6.0 ± 0.8, 18.5 ± 1.9 and 7.0 ± 1.3 days, respectively; adults lived for 8–10 days. The grub tunneled the leaf on the lower surface just above the epidermis forming a linear channel; infested tissues showed brownish discoloration. The extent of leaf miner attack among the 331 accessions of Saccharum spp. ranged 4.00%–76.47% on cane basis and 7.14%–100.00% on leaf basis; the mined leaf area ranged 3.22–11.00 cm². When the accessions were grouped on the basis of an infestation index developed with the above three parameters, 267 occupied very low category, 51 were in low category, 11 were in moderate category and 2 were placed in high incidence category. All accessions showed miner attack in at least one study year. Within each of the four Saccharum spp., accessions differed significantly among the three study years for all infestation parameters. Among the four species, while S. robustum accessions recorded significantly highest infestation index, the other three species remained on par.     

Purification of an antifungal endochitinase from a potential biocontrol Agent Streptomyces griseus

Streptomyces griseus (MTCC 9723) is a chitinolytic bacterium isolated from prawn cultivated pond soil of Peddapuram Village; East Godavari District was studied in detailed. Chitinase (EC 3.2.1.14) was extracted from the culture filtrate of Streptomyces griseus and purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose ionexchange chromatography, Sephadex G-100 and Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography. The molecular mass of the purified chitinase was estimated to be 34, 32 kDa by SDS gel electrophoresis and confirmed by activity staining with Calcofluor White M2R. Chitinase was optimally active at pH of 6.0 and at 40 degrees C. The enzyme was stable from pH 5-9 and up to 20-50 degrees C. The chitinase exhibited Km and Vmax values of 400 mg and 180 IU mL(-1) for colloidal chitin. Among the metals and inhibitors that were tested, the Hg+, Hg2+ and P-chloromercuribenzoic acid completely inhibited the chitinase activity at 1 mM concentration. The purified chitinase showed high activity on colloidal chitin, chitobiose, and chitooligosaccharide. An in vitro assay proved that the crude chitinase, actively growing cells of S. griseus having antifungal activity against all studied fungal pathogen. This result implies that characteristics of S. griseus producing endochitinase made them suitable for biotechnological purpose such as for degradation of chitin containing waste and it might be a promising biocontrol agent for plant pathogens.     

International Symposium on the Evaluation of Biological Activity,Wageningen, April, 1975

Abstract

A method was devised for estimating large populations of cowpea aphid Aphis craccivora Koch (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on cowpea. The densities of the aphid on stem, leaves and pod were first estimated in the laboratory for use in the field later. The densities were estimated in three arbitrary classes of infestation, viz. heavy, medium and low, determined visually based on the intensity of colonization. The densities of the aphid per cm² on stems were 108.50, 49.77 and 2503, while on pods they were 80.68, 44.46 and 23.20, in the three classes of infestation respectively. The aphid did not show any preference for the thickness of stems whereas young pods were preferred to old pods for colonization. The mean aphid densities on leaflets of topmost leaves were 62.10, 36–35 and 18–50, while on leaflets of top 2nd and 3rd leaves they were 124–60, 69–35 and 38.20, in the three infestation classes respectively. Comparisons made between the aphid densities on different parts of cowpea plant showed that the aphid colonized them in descending order of preference as stem > pod > top most leaf > top 2nd and 3rd leaves.     

Morphological study of the lingual papillae in the fruit bat (Rousettus amplexicaudatus) by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy

This study was carried on the tongues of ten normal, healthy and adult fruit bats (Rousettus amplexicaudatus, also known as the nyap biasa bat) in Yogyakarta, Java Island, Indonesia. The tongue was protrusible, elongated and flat with a rounded apex, and its width and thickness increased gradually towards to lingual root. There were two main types of lingual papillae, mechanical (filiform) and gustatory (fungiform and circumvallate). The tongue was divided into three parts (apex, corpus and radix), and then, each part was subdivided into three regions (two lateral regions and a median region). There were six subtypes of the filiform papillae—three types on the anterior part (small, scale-like and giant), one type on the middle part (leaf-like papillae) and two types on the posterior part (rosette-shaped filiform and conical filiform papillae)—in addition to transitional papillae presented on the corpus and radix. Two types of gustatory papillae were represented by a small number of fungiform papillae that are scattered among the filiform papillae on the lingual apex and corpus, while three circumvallate papillae on the posterior part are arranged in a “V” shape pointing directly at the larynx.     

Arsenic-prone rice cultivars: a study in endemic region

Rice is prone to arsenic accumulation compared to other cereals as typically grown up under waterlogged situation favoring arsenic mobility. Arsenic in rice depends on arsenic availability to plants from irrigation water, even differs among cultivars and their plant parts. Present study was concentrated on arsenic accumulation in various plant parts of five common rice cultivars grown using irrigation water from different water sources in various fields in arsenic-endemic region. Additionally, dose response experiment under laboratory net house was conducted on the same cultivars excluding open environmental factors. The common cultivars were categorized according to high to low arsenic accumulator in rice grain, straw and root parts. The cultivar Shatabdi has shown highest arsenic accumulation in rice grain compared to other rice cultivars in fields and when grown at various soil arsenic doses. In field samples, a highest grain arsenic concentration ranged between 0.69 ± 0.04 and 0.78 ± 0.12 mg kg^?1 for Shatabdi, whereas lowest grain arsenic concentration ranged between 0.37 ± 0.07 and 0.41 ± 0.07 mg kg^?1 for the cultivars GB3 and Lalat. Speciation study detected more inorganic arsenic than organoarsenicals with a trend of arsenite > arsenate > DMA > MMA, which would be problem for consumers. The concluding remark is the characterization of common rice cultivars according to arsenic concentration to highlight an important remediation strand by changing to low arsenic cultivar.     

Use of selenium fertilizers for production of Se‐enriched Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus): Effect on Se concentration and plant productivity

Due to selenium (Se) deficiency, Se fortification of food and feed is applied in many countries. Therefore, potential use of Se‐enriched kenaf was investigated based on its Se accumulation, its potential to transform accumulated Se to other Se species, and effect of Se accumulation on its growth. Kenaf was grown with different levels of two Se fertilizers (selenite and selenate) at concentrations ranging from 0 to 4 mg Se (kg soil)^–1. Total Se concentrations in the plants grown on selenate‐treated soil amounted to (1019 ± 136) mg Se (kg dry weight)^–1 and were much higher compared to plants grown on selenite‐treated soil. Identified Se species were selenite, selenate, Se‐methionine, and Se‐cystine. Biomass yield, net photosynthesis, and chlorophyll index of the plants decreased when plants were grown on soils treated with high doses of selenate.