Molecular variations due to phylogeographic factors in Channa punctatus found in different regions of India

Channa punctatus is a freshwater fish belonging to family Ophiocephalidae. This fish is available in almost all over the country. In present communication molecular study of COI region of mitochondrial gene was done to find out intraspecific differences in genome of Channa punctatus habitating in different states of India having variable environmental conditions. Result showed minor variations in mitochondrial genome of Channa punctatus and utility of molecular markers to show intraspecific variations

Molecular tools for identification and classification of Myxozoan parasites (Cnidaria: Myxosporea) in India: Current status

A substantial literature on myxosporea has been published to date using morphological characters and specificity of host tissue. Currently, there are some 2400 nominal species of myxosporea classified to 17 families and 64 genera. Approximately 300 species have been described from India and most of them have been described solely on the basis of morphological characteristics. Molecular markers like small subunit ribosomal (SSU) and large subunit ribosomal (LSU) DNA have been used worldwide for the identification and validation of fish myxosporeans. Maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree based on SSU rDNA sequences was used to study the phylogenetic relationship among myxosporeans infecting Indian fishes. Myxospore phylogenies disagree with traditional spore-based classification systems, probably due to extreme plasticity in myxospores morphologies that have resulted in extensive convergence. Morphological similarities exist among myxosporea that encounter several problems in categorizing them. That’s why present-day research has shifted to molecular techniques for identification and correct systematics of myxosporeans. Molecular studies of myxozoans in India are still scarce and in infancy. To address persisting taxonomic and phylogenetic discrepancies, validation of these species by molecular tools is needed, because earlier species were reported only on the basis of morphological data. Therefore, the present study has summarized existing molecular data and current status of molecular taxonomy of myxosporeans parasitizing fresh and marine water fishes of India along with the approaches of myxozoan phylogenetics and information about the molecular markers, their interpretation in the identification of myxozoans parasitizing fishes

Proteomic insights into the biology of Clinostomum piscidium from a fish, Colisa fasciatus in India using computational tools

Clinostomum is a fish-borne pathogen,digenetic trematode with worldwide distribution. Despite its zoonootic significance, the molecules involved in the host-parasite interaction remains unknown. The present study deals with the proteome profile of the rDNA of Clinostomum piscidium using in silico workflow.The physicochemical properties, mass spectrometry ,atomic composition,estimated half-life in different hosts ,Grand average of hydropathy (GRAVY),extinction coefficient and instability index of the rDNA was studied.We identified hypothetical proteins(polar in nature) that showed similarities with proteins of Trichellina pseudospiralis and Melampsora laricipopulina.The functionality of these proteins revealed their role in intracellular signalling as a substrate for O - linked N - acetylglucosaminetransferases and death transcription factor(DIDO-1). This is the first report of our findings that aims to provide a better understanding of the mechanism by which this digenetic trematode adapts to extreme environments. It is expected that this study will lead to new insights into drug designing strategies and disease control

Further observations on Clinostomum piscidium Southwell and Prashad, 1918 recovered from the body cavity of Colisa fasciata (Bloch and Schneider, 1801) in India

Abstract. Present communication deals with the morphology and partial 28S rDNA sequence of Clinostomum piscidium Southwell and Prashad, 1918, collected from Colisa fasciata at Hastinapur, Meerut. The 28S sequences of rDNA usually distinguish species clearly, including combinations for which morphology gives ambiguous results. This study also suggests that morphological characters along with molecular identification are essential for validation and identification of species and this will serve as a resource for comparative genomics and systematic studies of parasitic trematodes

IL-13Rα2 gene expression is a biomarker of adverse outcome in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma.

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare but aggressive endocrine malignancy that usually results in a fatal outcome. To allow the better clinical management and reduce mortality, we searched for clinical and molecular markers that are reliable predictor of disease severity and clinical outcome in ACC patients. We determined a correlation between the overexpression of IL-13Rα2 and the clinical outcome in ACC patients using comprehensive data available in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The dataset of 79 ACC subjects were divided into groups of low, medium, or high expression of IL-13Rα2 as determined by RNA-seq. These patients were also stratified by length of survival, overall survival, incidence of a new tumor event, incidence of metastasis, and production of excess hormones. We report a correlation between IL-13Rα2 expression and survival of subjects with ACC. High expression of IL-13Rα2 in ACC tumors was significantly associated with a lower patient survival rate and period of survival compared to low expression (p = 0.0084). In addition, high IL-13Rα2 expression was significantly associated with a higher incidence of new tumor events and excess hormone production compared to low or medium IL-13Rα2 expression. Within the cohort of patients that produced excess hormone, elevated IL-13Rα2 expression was significantly associated with a lower survival rate. Additionally, IL-13Rα1 had a potential relationship between transcript level and ACC survival. Our results and promising antitumor activity in preclinical models and trials indicate that IL-13Rα2 expression is an important prognostic biomarker of ACC disease outcome and a promising target for therapeutic treatment of ACC

Redescription and molecular analysis of

Neoechinorhynchus (Neoechinorhynchus) johnii Yamaguti, 1939 is redescribed from Eleutheronema tetradactylum (Polynemidae), Johnius carouna (Sciaenidae), Johnius sp., and Otolithes ruber (Sciaenidae) along the north and south coasts of Vietnam. Our description completes missing and inadequate information in the original descriptions and line drawings from Johnius goma in Japan and from Pseudosciaena diacanthus in the Indian Ocean. We add new information documented by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and photomicroscopy, and explore the wide morphological diversity attributed to host species. The redescription includes: worms cylindrical with round proboscis with prominent apical organ, and large anterior hooks distant from small middle and posterior hooks; neck longer than the proboscis, nucleated lemnisci subequal, and receptacle with large basal triangulate cephalic ganglion and attached para-receptacle structure (PRS); male reproductive system in posterior half of trunk; adult females with introvert genital vestibule; and eggs spherical or rectangular. Gallium cuts and X-ray scans of hooks show high concentrations of sulfur on edge layer aiding in forming hardened calcium phosphate apatite of that layer with calcium and phosphorus in higher concentration in central part of hook. Molecular results consistently yielded a strongly supported distinct clade for the Neoechinorhynchus species from Vietnam for both 18S gene and the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of ribosomal RNA. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that N. johnii occupies a separate position in the trees, probably indicating an Asian origin of this species