Host specificity of pigeonpea wilt pathogen, Fusarium udum.

Of 30 weed spp. collected, 10 yielded F. isolates but none of these was F. udum and none of the spp. tested showed wilt symptoms. None of the 21 crop plants tested in wilt-sick pots and plots developed wilt but leaf drying and defoliation were observed on a few cotton plants in the plots. A pathogenic form of F. udum was isolated from the roots of such plants but these results have not yet been confirmed under field conditions

Thymoquinone overcomes chemoresistance and enhances the anticancer effects of bortezomib through abrogation of NF-κB regulated gene products in multiple myeloma xenograft mouse model

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B cell malignancy characterized by clonal proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. With the advent of novel targeted agents, the median survival rate has increased to 5 -7 years. However, majority of patients with myeloma suffer relapse or develop chemoresistance to existing therapeutic agents. Thus, there is a need to develop novel alternative therapies for the treatment of MM. Thus in the present study, we investigated whether thymoquinone (TQ), a bioactive constituent of black seed oil, could suppress the proliferation and induce chemosensitization in human myeloma cells and xenograft mouse model. Our results show that TQ inhibited the proliferation of MM cells irrespective of their sensitivity to doxorubicin, melphalan or bortezomib. Interestingly, TQ treatment also resulted in a significant inhibition in the proliferation of CD138+ cells isolated from MM patient samples in a concentration dependent manner. TQ also potentiated the apoptotic effects of bortezomib in various MM cell lines through the activation of caspase-3, resulting in the cleavage of PARP. TQ treatment also inhibited chemotaxis and invasion induced by CXCL12 in MM cells. Furthermore, in a xenograft mouse model, TQ potentiated the antitumor effects of bortezomib (p < 0.05, vehicle versus bortezomib + TQ; p < 0.05, bortezomib versus bortezomib + TQ), and this correlated with modulation of various markers for survival and angiogenesis, such as Ki-67, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Bcl-2 and p65 expression. Overall, our results demonstrate that TQ can enhance the anticancer activity of bortezomib in vitro and in vivo and may have a substantial potential in the treatment of MM

Prevalence of Pigeonpea Wilt and Sterility Mosaic in India(1975-80)

In the 11 states surveyed incidence of Fusarium udum varied from 0.1% in Rajasthan to 22.6% in Maharashtra, and of pigeon pea sterility mosaic virus from 0.2% in West Bengal to 21.4% in Biha

Prevalence of pigeonpea diseases and associated crop losses in Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Surveys were carried out to determine the prevalence of pigeonpea diseases in the major pigeonpea growing areas of Asia, Africa and the Americas between 1975 and 1980. In India, surveys in eleven states revealed that wilt, sterility mosaic, Phytophthora blight, Macrophomina stem canker and yellow mosaic were economically important diseases. Other diseases were of minor importance. Disease problems in Bangladesh, Malaysia and Nepal were of less importance. In Africa, wilt was a serious disease in Malawi (36.3%), Tanzania (20.4%) and Kenya (15.9%). Leaf spot in Kenya and Malawi, and powdery mildew in Kenya, Tanzania and Zambia were important. Other diseases were not economically important. In the Americas witches' broom, Phoma stem canker and rust were the important diseases. Annual crop losses due to the combined effect of wilt and sterility mosaic diseases in India were estimated to be worth about US$113 millions. In Africa the estimated losses from wilt disease alone were over US$ 5 millions annually

Expression of Lineage Transcription Factors Identifies Differences in Transition States of Induced Human Oligodendrocyte Differentiation

Oligodendrocytes (OLs) are critical for myelination and are implicated in several brain disorders. Directed differentiation of human-induced OLs (iOLs) from pluripotent stem cells can be achieved by forced expression of different combinations of the transcription factors SOX10 (S), OLIG2 (O), and NKX6.2 (N). Here, we applied quantitative image analysis and single-cell transcriptomics to compare different transcription factor (TF) combinations for their efficacy towards robust OL lineage conversion. Compared with S alone, the combination of SON increases the number of iOLs and generates iOLs with a more complex morphology and higher expression levels of myelin-marker genes. RNA velocity analysis of individual cells reveals that S generates a population of oligodendrocyte-precursor cells (OPCs) that appear to be more immature than those generated by SON and to display distinct molecular properties. Our work highlights that TFs for generating iOPCs or iOLs should be chosen depending on the intended application or research question, and that SON might be beneficial to study more mature iOLs while S might be better suited to investigate iOPC biology

Ketogenic diet uncovers differential metabolic plasticity of brain cells

To maintain homeostasis, the body, including the brain, reprograms its metabolism in response to altered nutrition or disease. However, the consequences of these challenges for the energy metabolism of the different brain cell types remain unknown. Here, we generated a proteome atlas of the major central nervous system (CNS) cell types from young and adult mice, after feeding the therapeutically relevant low-carbohydrate, high-fat ketogenic diet (KD) and during neuroinflammation. Under steady-state conditions, CNS cell types prefer distinct modes of energy metabolism. Unexpectedly, the comparison with KD revealed distinct cell type–specific strategies to manage the altered availability of energy metabolites. Astrocytes and neurons but not oligodendrocytes demonstrated metabolic plasticity. Moreover, inflammatory demyelinating disease changed the neuronal metabolic signature in a similar direction as KD. Together, these findings highlight the importance of the metabolic cross-talk between CNS cells and between the periphery and the brain to manage altered nutrition and neurological disease

Possibility of genetic improvement of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.)Millsp.) utilizing wild gene sources

Various wild relatives of pigeonpea,Cajanus cajan, namely some species ofAtylosia andRhynchosia, possess desirable characteristics that could be utilized for effecting genetic improvement of this crop. In total 73 cross combinations among two cultivars ofC. cajan and one accession each of eightAtylosia species and one ofRhynchosia were attempted. Twelve hybrids were obtained. Seven of these were analysed for F1 fertility and their utility for agronomic improvement of theC. cajan. Fertility behaviour of the different F1 hybrids varied and indicated that potential of gene transfer between the two genera,Atylosia andCajanus, was as good as within the genusAtylosia. From F2 and F3 families ofC. cajan × A. scarabaeoides andC. cajan × A. albicans, plants were selected with greater physiological efficiency and agronomic superiority. The prospects of transferring pod borer resistance and higher seed protein content from someAtylosia species to pigeonpea are discusse

Pigeonpea

Pigeonpea was labeled as an orphan crop but is now a trendy and pacesetter, with ample genetic and genomic information becoming available in recent times. It is now possible to cross wild relatives not only from the Cajanus group placed in the secondary and tertiary gene pool but also the related genera placed in the quaternary gene pool. This is no small achievement for a legume which is an important crop of Asia and Africa and plays a major role in the diet of majority of the people of this region. The need of the hour is further committed research on wide crosses in pigeonpea

Soilborne Diseases and their Control

Seed and seedling diseases, root rots, and wilts are caused by a number of soilborne fungi, all of which are facultative saprophytes and can survive in soil for long periods in the absence of a susceptible host. In general, these diseases are serious yield constraints where short rotations or monoculture of legume crops are the rule. Seedling diseases and root rots are enhanced by poor seed vigor, poor seedbed preparation, and other biotic and abiotic stresses which predispose the host plant. Control of these diseases requires an integrated approach of genetic resistance/tolerance, cultural practices, appropriate seed treatments, and high seed vigor. The most economical and durable control of Fusarium wilt is to grow resistant varieties. New races of a wilt pathogen have arisen due to increased selection pressure from growing resistant varieties in short rotations but have not outpaced the development of resistant cultivars