Utility of adzuki bean [Vigna angularis (Willd.) Ohwi & Ohashi] simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers in genetic analysis of mungbean and related Vigna spp.

In the present study, 78 mapped simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers representing 11 linkage groups of adzuki bean were evaluated for transferability to  mungbean and related Vigna spp. 41 markers amplified characteristic bands in at least one Vigna species. The transferability percentage across the genotypes ranged from 60.97 to 92.6% with 87.8% in Vigna radiata and Vigna mungo, 62.2% in Vigna unguiculata, 91.8% in Vigna umbellata, 78% in Vigna mungo var. sylvestris and 80% in Vigna trilobata, respectively. Five major clusters were observed using unweighted pair group method with an arithmetic mean (UPGMA) with each cluster representing a particular Vigna species. We have successfully utilized adzuki bean SSRs in amplifying microsatellite sequences in Vigna species and inferring phylogenetic relationships by correlating the rate of transfer among them. The polymorphic SSR markers identified in this study would be useful in the analysis of genetic diversity, gene mapping and other aspects of genetic studies in mungbean and related species.Key words: Adzuki bean, simple sequence repeat (SSR), inter-genomic marker transferability, genetic diversity, mungbean, Vigna spp

Effect of waterlogging on physiological traits and yield in black gram (Vigna mungo L.) in field condition

580-585Waterlogging is an important abiotic factor affecting crop productivity worldwide. Black gram (Vigna mungo L.) is very sensitive to waterlogged conditions. A field experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design to evaluate three black gram genotypes for waterlogging tolerance. Stress was imposed by maintaining the water level above the soil surface for 10 days after 30 days of sowing. Different physiological parameters including chlorophyll (Chl), chlorophyll fluorescence, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), sugars, along with the yield per plant and thousand grain weight (TW) were recorded in control and stressed plants. Results showed that NDVI, Chl, chlorophyll fluorescence, sugars, seed yield and TW reduced significantly during stress. Stress susceptibility index (SSI) for grain yield varied from 0.32 to 2.38. Linear correlation study showed that SSI was negatively correlated with NDVI (0.43),Chl (0.68) and TW (0.42) and grain yield (0.96). NDVI and sugars were correlated to TW under stress. IC530491 and IC559933 (SSI < 0.5) were waterlogging tolerant under field conditions. The study concluded that identified black gram lines may be utilized as trait donors in breeding program

A retrospective review of cytogenetic studies on methyl isocyanate with special reference to the Bhopal gas tragedy: Is the next generation also at risk?

The world's worst industrial disaster, at Union Carbide, Bhopal, India, took place on 2-3 December 1984, leading to the leakage of poisonous methyl-isocyanate into the environment, causing thousands of deaths, pregnancy loss and for some, incapacitation for life. More than a quarter of a century later, the Indian Council of Medical Research undertook to redefine the abysmal consequences of the toxic gas exposure on the exposed population. This invigorated the interest of scientific community in the evaluation of the long-term effects, with reference to cytogenetic parameters. The thrust area was identified in terms of genetic disorders, low birth weight, developmental/growth disorders and congenital malformations. Also the impact on epigenetic factors, which may have contributed to variations in the functional expression of genes, was not negated, stimulating intense scientific research on in utero exposure and the progeny of the exposed population. To accomplish this mammoth task, molecular cytogenetic investigations must be undertaken in conjunction with conventional cytogenetics, using techniques such as FISH, Immuno-FISH, SKY and SNP analysis, to build up a cytogenetic database of the surviving population

Protandim, a Fundamentally New Antioxidant Approach in Chemoprevention Using Mouse Two-Stage Skin Carcinogenesis as a Model

Oxidative stress is an important contributor to cancer development. Consistent with that, antioxidant enzymes have been demonstrated to suppress tumorigenesis when being elevated both in vitro and in vivo, making induction of these enzymes a more potent approach for cancer prevention. Protandim, a well-defined combination of widely studied medicinal plants, has been shown to induce superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities and reduce superoxide generation and lipid peroxidation in healthy human subjects. To investigate whether Protandim can suppress tumor formation by a dietary approach, a two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis study was performed. At the end of the study, the mice on a Protandim-containing basal diet had similar body weight compared with those on the basal diet, which indicated no overt toxicity by Protandim. After three weeks on the diets, there was a significant increase in the expression levels of SOD and catalase, in addition to the increases in SOD activities. Importantly, at the end of the carcinogenesis study, both skin tumor incidence and multiplicity were reduced in the mice on the Protandim diet by 33% and 57% respectively, compared with those on basal diet. Biochemical and histological studies revealed that the Protandim diet suppressed tumor promoter-induced oxidative stress (evidenced by reduction of protein carbonyl levels), cell proliferation (evidenced by reduction of skin hyperplasia and suppression of PKC/JNK/Jun pathway), and inflammation (evidenced by reduction of ICAM-1/VCAM-1 expression, NF-κB binding activity, and nuclear p65/p50 levels). Overall, induction of antioxidant enzymes by Protandim may serve as a practical and potent approach for cancer prevention

Role of DNA methylation in head and neck cancer

Head and neck cancer (HNC) is a heterogenous and complex entity including diverse anatomical sites and a variety of tumor types displaying unique characteristics and different etilogies. Both environmental and genetic factors play a role in the development of the disease, but the underlying mechanism is still far from clear. Previous studies suggest that alterations in the genes acting in cellular signal pathways may contribute to head and neck carcinogenesis. In cancer, DNA methylation patterns display specific aberrations even in the early and precancerous stages and may confer susceptibility to further genetic or epigenetic changes. Silencing of the genes by hypermethylation or induction of oncogenes by promoter hypomethylation are frequent mechanisms in different types of cancer and achieve increasing diagnostic and therapeutic importance since the changes are reversible. Therefore, methylation analysis may provide promising clinical applications, including the development of new biomarkers and prediction of the therapeutic response or prognosis. In this review, we aimed to analyze the available information indicating a role for the epigenetic changes in HNC

Effect of waterlogging on physiological traits and yield in black gram (Vigna mungo L.) in field condition

Waterlogging is an important abiotic factor affecting crop productivity worldwide. Black gram (Vigna mungo L.) is very sensitive to waterlogged conditions. A field experiment was conducted in randomized complete block design to evaluate three black gram genotypes for waterlogging tolerance. Stress was imposed by maintaining the water level above the soil surface for 10 days after 30 days of sowing. Different physiological parameters including chlorophyll (Chl), chlorophyll fluorescence, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), sugars, along with the yield per plant and thousand grain weight (TW) were recorded in control and stressed plants. Results showed that NDVI, Chl, chlorophyll fluorescence, sugars, seed yield and TW reduced significantly during stress. Stress susceptibility index (SSI) for grain yield varied from 0.32 to 2.38. Linear correlation study showed that SSI was negatively correlated with NDVI (0.43),Chl (0.68) and TW (0.42) and grain yield (0.96). NDVI and sugars were correlated to TW under stress. IC530491 and IC559933 (SSI &lt; 0.5) were waterlogging tolerant under field conditions. The study concluded that identified black gram lines may be utilized as trait donors in breeding program

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Tagging and mapping of SSR marker for rust resistance gene in lentil (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Lens culinaris </i>Medikus subsp. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">culinaris</i>)</span>

394-399<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">Lentil, as an economical source of protein, minerals and vitamins, plays important role in nutritional security of the common man. Grown mainly in West Asia, North Africa (WANA) region and South Asia, it suffers from several biotic stresses such as wilt, rust, blight and broomrape. Lentil rust caused by autoecious fungus Uromyces viciae fabae (Pers.) Schroet is a serious lentil disease in Algeria, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, India, Italy, Morocco, Pakistan and Nepal. The disease symptoms are observed during flowering and early podding stages. Rust causes severe yield losses in lentil. It can only be effectively controlled by identifying the resistant source, understanding its inheritance and breeding for host resistance. The obligate parasitic nature of pathogen makes it difficult to maintain the pathogen in culture and to apply it to screen segregating progenies under controlled growth conditions. Hence, the use of molecular markers will compliment in identification of resistant types in different breeding programs. Here, we studied the inheritance of resistance to rust in lentil using F1, F2 and F2:3 from cross PL 8 (susceptible) x L 4149 (resistant) varieties. The phenotyping of lentil population was carried out at Sirmour, India. The result of genetic analysis revealed that a single dominant gene controls rust resistance in lentil genotype L 4149. The F2 population from this cross was used to tag and map the rust resistance gene using SSR and SRAP markers. Markers such as 270 SRAP and 162 SSR were studied for polymorphism and 101 SRAP and 33 SSRs were found to be polymorphic between the parents. Two SRAP and two SSR markers differentiated the resistant and susceptible bulks. SSR marker Gllc 527 was estimated to be linked to rust resistant locus at a distance of 5.9 cM. The Gllc 527 marker can be used for marker assisted selection for rust resistance; however, additional markers closer to rust resistant locus are required. The markers linked to the rust resistance gene can serve as starting points for map-based cloning of the rust resistance gene.</span