Haemato-biochemical responses and induction of HSP70 to dietary phosphorus in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Catla catla</Emphasis> (Hamilton) fingerlings

A feeding trial of 120 days was conducted to study the effect of graded levels of dietary phosphorus on haematology, serum protein concentrations and HSP70 expression in fingerlings of the Indian major carp, Catla (Catla catla). Eight isonitrogenous and isoenergetic purified diets were formulated to contain graded levels of dietary phosphorus (dP), i.e., T₁, 0.1%; T₂, 0.3%; T₃, 0.5%; T₄, 0.7%; T₅, 0.9%; T₆, 1.1%; T₇, 1.3%; or T₈, 1.5%. Four hundred and eighty fish (average weight 4.23 ± 0.016 g) were equally distributed into 24 tanks forming eight treatments with three replicates each. The fish were fed daily at the rate of 3.5% body weight in two instalments. At the end of feeding trial fish were sampled to study total RBC and WBC count, haemoglobin, serum lysozyme activity, serum total protein, albumin (A), globulin (G) concentration and HSP70 expression. Total RBC count, haemoglobin concentration and serum lysozyme activity did not vary significantly in response to different dietary phosphorus concentrations. Total WBC count was found to be significantly (P < 0.05) higher in T₁ relative to all other treatments. Serum albumin and A/G ratio was found to be significantly lower in fish of T₁ and T₂ in relation to T₇ group (P < 0.05). Serum globulin and total protein levels remained unaffected by variations in dietary phosphorus. HSP70 expression was observed in T₁ group (0.1% dP) in gills and brain tissue, but not in liver and muscle tissues. No HSP70 expression was observed in fish of T₄ (0.7% dP) and T₈ (1.5% dP) treatments. These prima facie results suggest that dietary phosphorus had only minor influence on the haemato-biochemical parameters studied; however dietary phosphorus deficiency caused organ specific induction of HSP70 in catla fingerlings.     

Review on Biotechnological advances in Vigna radiata and their future prospects

Journal of Crop Science and Biotechnology - Mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) is an unique source of protein supplement with full of benefits as medicinal and climate friendly crop. Hence from...     

Requirement for Tec kinases Rlk and Itk in T cell receptor signaling and immunity

T cell receptor (TCR) signaling requires activation of Zap-70 and Src family tyrosine kinases, but requirements for other tyrosine kinases are less clear. Combined deletion in mice of two Tec kinases, Rlk and Itk, caused marked defects in TCR responses including proliferation, cytokine production, and apoptosis in vitro and adaptive immune responses to Toxoplasma gondii in vivo. Molecular events immediately downstream from the TCR were intact in rlk-/-itk-/- cells, but intermediate events including inositol trisphosphate production, calcium mobilization, and mitogen-activated protein kinase activation were impaired, establishing Tec kinases as critical regulators of TCR signaling required for phospholipase C-gamma activation.     

Differential expression and localization of TRPV channels in the mature sperm of Anas platyrhynchos

Sperm cells perform precise chemotactic and thermotactic movement which is crucial for fertilization. However, the key molecules involved in detection of different chemical and physical stimuli which guide the sperm during navigation are not well understood. Ca²⁺-signalling mediated by ion channels seem to play important role in motility and other fertility parameters. In this work, we explored the endogenous localization pattern of TRPV channels in the mature spermatozoa of avian species. Using sperm from white pekin duck (Anas platyrhynchos) as the representative avian model, we demonstrate that duck sperm endogenously express the thermosensitive channels TRPV1, TRPV2, TRPV3, TRPV4, and highly Ca²⁺-selective channels TRPV5 and TRPV6 in specific yet differential locations. All of these TRPV channels are enriched in the sperm tail, indicating their relevance in sperm motility. Interestingly, the TRPV3 and TRPV4 channels are present in the mitochondrial region. Calcium selective TRPV5 channel is exclusively present in sperm tail and is most abundant among the TRPV channels. This is the first report describing the endogenous presence of TRPV2 and TRPV3 channels in the sperm of any species. Using confocal imaging and super-resolution imaging, we demonstrate that though the TRPV channels are evolutionarily closely related, they have distinct localization pattern in the duck sperm, which could impact their role in fertilization.     

Intake,digestibility and nitrogen balance in Mithun (<Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">Bos frontalis</Emphasis>) offered urea-treated paddy straw based feed blocks

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of feeding feed blocks containing varying proportion of urea-treated paddy straw (UTPS) on dry matter (DM) intake (DMI), nutrient utilization and N balance in Mithun. For the purpose, four adult male Mithun (279.5 ± 8.2 kg) were selected and offered four experimental rations viz. R₁ (Napier fodder + concentrate at 60:40), R₂ (UTPS + concentrate at 50:50), R₃ (UTPS + concentrate at 60:40) and R₄ (UTPS + concentrate at 70:30) in 4 × 4 Latin square design. The DMI % of body weight was 2.59, 2.96, 2.85 and 2.77 and the DMI g kg⁻¹ W^0.75 was 107, 123, 118 and 115 in Mithun fed R₁, R₂, R₃ and R₄, respectively. The mean DMI was (P < 0.01) higher in animals fed R₂ and R₃ than R₁ and R₄, whereas the water intake was (P < 0.01) higher in Mithun fed R₂, R₃ and R₄ than R₁. The digestibility of DM, organic matter, crude protein, crude fibre, neutral detergent fibre and cellulose were (P < 0.05) higher in animals fed R₂, R₃ and R₄ than R₁. A positive N balance was observed in all the experimental animals, with higher (P < 0.05) values among the animals offered R₂, R₃ and R₄ than R₁. The digestible crude protein and total digestible nutrient intakes were higher (P < 0.05) in Mithun fed R₂ and R₃ than R₁ and R₄. It is concluded that the UTPS can be incorporated up to 70% to formulate the complete feed/feed block and can be used for feeding of Mithun under complete confinement system.     

Monitoring the health and production of household Jinding ducks on Hatia Island of Bangladesh

Duck rearing is an important component of sustainable living in poor rural communities, especially as a source of subsistence. A study was conducted on 118 households (N = 1,373 Jinding ducks, Anas platyrhynchus) from December 2002 to February 2004 on Hatia Island in Bangladesh with the aim of identifying the factors that limit the health and production of Jinding ducks. Overall duck mortality was 29.3%, with disease (19.7%) being a more significant factor than predation (9.6%; p = 0.001). Duck mortality also varied significantly among study zones (p < 0.001). Common diseases were duck plague (21.1%) and duck cholera (32.1%). Helminth infection was prevalent, with endemic trematode (Prosthogonimus spp., Trichobilharzia spp., Echinostoma spp.) and nematode (Cyathostoma bronchialis, Amidostomum anseris, Heterakis gallinarum, Capillaria spp., and Echinuria spp.) infections and epidemic cestode infections due to Hymenolepsis setigera. The median egg production rate per duck per household was 93 for a 6-month laying period. The odds of diminished egg production (average ≤ 93 eggs per duck per household for a 6-month laying period) was 25.4 times higher in ducks that were kept in traditional duck houses (p < 0.001) and 14.2 times higher in ducks that experienced delays in the onset of sexual maturity (days 191 and 280; p < 0.001). Ducks that were provided snails for a shorter period of time over the laying period were 18.2 times more likely to produce fewer eggs than their longer fed peers (p = 0.002). In conclusion, duck mortalities due to diseases and predation and parasitic infections appear to be common constraints on household duck production on Hatia Island. Additionally, improving duck housing and providing longer nutritional supplementation with snails increased the production capabilities of household-raised Jinding ducks on Hatia Island.     

Adventitious shoot regeneration in a bioreactor system and EST-PCR based clonal fidelity in lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.)

Adventitious shoots were regenerated from leaf explants of three lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) clones: ‘QB1’, ‘QB2’ and ‘PB1’ by culturing on a gelled basal medium (BM) with 2.3–4.5 μM thidiazuron (TDZ) for four weeks followed by in a bioreactor system containing the same liquid medium but with 1.2–2.3 μM TDZ for another four weeks. Young expanding basal leaf segments with the adaxial side touching the culture medium and maintained for two weeks in darkness, produced the best results. Callus development and shoot regeneration were genotype dependent. Adventitious shoots were elongated in the liquid BM with 1 μM zeatin and rooted on a three peat: two perlite (v/v) medium. Acclimatized plantlets were grown actively in the greenhouse with an apparent normal leaf and shoot morphology. Ten random ‘QB1’ regenerated plants were screened using 14 expressed sequence tag-polymerase chain reaction (EST-PCR) markers and showed similar monomorphic amplification profiles confirming clonal fidelity of in vitro-derived ‘QB1’ plants. Results obtained suggested the possibility of adventitious shoot regeneration and true-to-type lowbush blueberry micropropagation using a bioreactor system combined with gelled medium.     

Mineral status of Pangasius pangasius (Hamilton) fingerlings in relation to supplemental phytase: absorption, whole-body and bone mineral content

A 60‐day feeding trial was conducted to quantify the effects of microbial phytase supplementation on apparent absorption, whole body and bone contents of minerals in Pangasius pangasius fingerlings. Seven isoprotein (35.67%) and isocaloric (3870 kcal kg^?1) diets were prepared with graded levels of supplemental phytase at 0 (T₁), 150 (T₂), 250 (T₃), 350 (T₄), 500 (T₅), 1000 (T₆) and 2000 (T₇) FTU (Phytase Units) kg^?1. Three hundred and fifteen fingerlings of P. pangasius (1.97–2.05 g) were randomly distributed in seven treatments with three replicates each. There was significant increase (P<0.05) in tissue protein content in phytase‐supplemented groups compared with the control. Apparent absorptions of calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), potassium (K), copper (Cu) and cobalt (Co) were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the phytase‐supplemented groups than the control group. Faecal ash and P contents were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the control (T₁) than the phytase‐supplemented groups. Whole‐body contents of Ca, P, Zn, Fe, Cu and Co were significantly (P<0.05) improved by the dietary supplementation of phytase‐barring Mg and Mn. Concentrations of bone Ca, P, K, Cu and Co were significantly (P<0.05) higher in phytase‐supplemented groups. Bone ash contents (40.77–44.85%) were increased concomitantly with the increased level of phytase inclusion upto 500 FTU kg^?1 diet. It was observed that a minimum dose of 250 FTU phytase kg^?1 diet improved the mineral absorption and utilization in P. pangasius fingerlings.