cDNA cloning and expression of Acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP) from orange-spotted grouper, <i>Epinephelus coioides</i><i><span style="font-family:"Book Antiqua";mso-bidi-font-family:Arial" lang="EN-GB"></span></i>

330-335cDNA of acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP) was constructed, cloned and expressed in hypothalamus and pituitary of orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides. <span style="mso-bidi-font-style: italic">The ACBP gene contains 630 nucleotides including the open reading frame (ORF) of length 128 bp. The open reading frame was started with ATG codon at the position 462 and terminated with a stop codon TAA at the position 600. The ORF sequence consisted of 42 amino acids and the calculated mol wt of the protein was approx 4.62 kDa (GenBank: FJ939282.1). The highest identity was observed with the puffer fish, Tetraodon nigroviridis and Anoplopoma fimbria with homology of 83 and 88.1%, respectively. RT-PCR results revealed that ACBP mRNA was abundantly expressed in pituitary, hypothalamus and medulla oblongata. Further, ACBP was cloned in pGEX-KG expression vector and transformed into BL21(DE3). The protein was purified by affinity chromatography and partially characterized. The abundant expression of ACBP in pituitary and hypothalamus, in the <span style="mso-bidi-font-weight: bold">present study, indicated that it might be involved in reproduction. </span

Taxonomic List of Macro Benthic Polychaetes of Kanyakumari Coast

Polychaetes are one of the most important macro-invertebrate species found in marine benthic habitats. India is foremost in terms of polychaete fauna biodiversity, followed by the Kanyakumari coast. According to the whole study's findings, the sandy, rocky and muddy substratum the establishment of benthic polychaete species appears to be most favorable in the Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea area. The distribution of polychaetes along the Kanyakumari coast reveals the diversity of large species identified 27 species in east coast and 31 species in estuaries on the southwest coast. About 58 species of polychaetes belonging to 22 families and 46 genera are known to transpire. An attempt was made to identify the polychaete species found in the study area between 2021 and 2023. The families Eunicidae and Nereidae were found to have higher diversity than Nephtyidae, Spionidae, and Capitellidae. Around 58 distinct polychaete species such as Nereis indica, Capitella capitata, Heteromastus similis, Paraprionospio pinnata, and Malacocerous indica were seemed as prevalent species and plays as pollution indicator as well. These diverse marine invertebrates’ habitats widely in sediments (Capitella capitata, Heteromastus similis, Paraprionospio pinnata) and Malacocerous indica certain were found in both muddy and rocky environments (Nereis indica). It consumes dead matters of marine creatures as primary feed and this distinct five species can be used as indirect pollution monitors of hydrocarbon and heavy metal pollution of harbor sites as well estuaries near by the coconut coir retting area hence found dominantly found in pollution sites further helps to surveying the coastal health moreover can also be used for bio-remediation of organic and inorganic pollutants.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp

Oxidative stress evoked damages leading to attenuated memory and inhibition of NMDAR–CaMKII–ERK/CREB signalling on consumption of aspartame in rat model

Many controversial reports are available on the use of aspartame as it releases methanol as one of its metabolite during metabolism. The present study proposes to investigate whether long term (90 days) aspartame (40 mg/kg b.wt) administration could induce oxidative stress and alter the memory in Wistar strain male albino rats. To mimic the human methanol metabolism, methotrexate (MTX)-treated rats were included as a model to study the effects of aspartame. Wistar strain albino rats were administered with aspartame (40 mg/kg b.wt) orally and studied along with controls and MTX-treated controls. Aspartame interfered in the body weight and corticosterone levels in the rats. A marked increase in the mRNA and protein expression of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) and induced nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) which resulted in the increased nitric oxide radical's level indicating that aspartame is a stressor. These reactive nitrogen species could be responsible for the altered cell membrane integrity and even cause death of neurons by necrosis or apoptosis. The animals showed a marked decrease in learning, spatial working and spatial recognition memory deficit in the Morris water maze and Y-maze performance task which could have resulted due to reduced hippocampal acetylcholine esterase (AChE) activity. The animal brain homogenate also revealed the decrease in the phosphorylation of NMDAR1–CaMKII–ERK/CREB signalling pathway, which well documents the inhibition of phosphorylation leads to the excitotoxicity of the neurons and memory decline. This effect may be due to methanol which may also activate the NOS levels, microglia and astrocytes, inducing neurodegeneration in brain. Neuronal shrinkage of hippocampal layer due to degeneration of pyramidal cells revealed the abnormal neuronal morphology of pyramidal cell layers in the aspartame treated animals. These findings demonstrate that aspartame metabolites could be a contributing factor for the development of oxidative stress in the brain. Keywords: Aspartame, Memory, Folate deficient rat model, Oxidative stress, Free radica

ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BACTERIAL PATHOGENIC Bacillus sp. FROM THE Lethrinus lentjanin COASTAL AREA OF INDIA

India stands at the sixth-largest position in the sector of marine and freshwater fisheries and the second-largest in the production of aquaculture. In view of the economic benefits, this highlights the importance of controlling infectious fish diseases that pose threat to the production of aquaculture. It was hypothesized lesions found on the dorsal scales in the Lenthrinus lentjan, could be the reason for the massive morbidity and mortality. Live surface floating fish samples with pathological signs were collected from offshore areas of the Pallam fishing village, located in the Kanyakumari District of Tamil Nadu, India in August 2013. Detailed histological studies confirmed the presence of similar bacterial infections in the tissues adjacent to the lesion sites. The pathogen was isolated and it was subjected to a series of biochemical and 16S RNA sequencing and it was identified the causative bacterial pathogen as Bacillus sp. The pathogen possessed sub-terminal endospore-forming nature and also it has strong hemolytic activities. The organism was named as Bacillus sp. MSU1400. Furtherly, the study was complemented with the Pasteur method, performed on white carp fishes, in vitro, for the confirmation of the pathogen. The pathogen was sensitive to ampicillin, cephalexin, and gentamycin but it was resistant to tetracycline

Influence of selected Indian immunostimulant herbs against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection in black tiger shrimp, Penaeus monodon with reference to haematological, biochemical and immunological changes

Immunostimulants are the substances, which enhance the non-specific defence mechanism and provide resistance against the invading pathogenic micro-organism. In order to increase the immunity of shrimps against the WSSV, the methanolic extracts of five different herbal medicinal plants like Cyanodon dactylon, Aegle marmelos, Tinospora cordifolia, Picrorhiza kurooa and Eclipta alba were selected and mixed thoroughly in equal proportion. The mixed extract was supplemented with various concentrations viz. 100 (A), 200 (B), 400 (C), and 800 (D) mg kg(-1) through artificial diets individually. The prepared diets (A-D) were fed individually to WSSV free healthy shrimp Penaeus monodon with an average weight of 8.0 +/- 0.5 g for 25 days. Control diet (E), devoid of herbal extract was also fed to shrimps simultaneously. After 25 days of feeding experiment, the shrimps were challenged with WSSV, which were isolated and propagated from the infected crustaceans. The shrimps succumbed to death within 7 days when fed on no herbal immunostimulant diet (E). Among the different concentrations of herbal immunostimulant supplemented diets, the shrimps fed on diet D (800 mg kg(-1)) significantly (P < 0.0001) had more survival (74%) and reduction in the viral load. Also the better performance of haematological, biochemical and immunological parameters was found in the immunostimulant incorporated diets fed shrimps. The present work revealed that the application of herbal immunostimulants will be effective against shrimp viral pathogenesis and they can be recommended for shrimp culture. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd.Immunostimulants are the substances, which enhance the non-specific defence mechanism and provide resistance against the invading pathogenic micro-organism. In order to increase the immunity of shrimps against the WSSV, the methanolic extracts of five different herbal medicinal plants like Cyanodon dactylon, Aegle marmelos, Tinospora cordifolia, Picrorhiza kurooa and Eclipta alba were selected and mixed thoroughly in equal proportion. The mixed extract was supplemented with various concentrations viz. 100 (A), 200 (B), 400 (C), and 800 (D) mg kg(-1) through artificial diets individually. The prepared diets (A-D) were fed individually to WSSV free healthy shrimp Penaeus monodon with an average weight of 8.0 +/- 0.5 g for 25 days. Control diet (E), devoid of herbal extract was also fed to shrimps simultaneously. After 25 days of feeding experiment, the shrimps were challenged with WSSV, which were isolated and propagated from the infected crustaceans. The shrimps succumbed to death within 7 days when fed on no herbal immunostimulant diet (E). Among the different concentrations of herbal immunostimulant supplemented diets, the shrimps fed on diet D (800 mg kg(-1)) significantly (P < 0.0001) had more survival (74%) and reduction in the viral load. Also the better performance of haematological, biochemical and immunological parameters was found in the immunostimulant incorporated diets fed shrimps. The present work revealed that the application of herbal immunostimulants will be effective against shrimp viral pathogenesis and they can be recommended for shrimp culture. (c) 2006 Published by Elsevier Ltd