Extensive in-silico analysis of cis-acting DNA sequences in 5’ regulatory regions of sucrose synthase, cell wall invertase and sucrose transporter gene families

Cis-acting regulatory elements are important molecular switches involved in the temporal and spatial expression of a dynamic network of gene activities. This network control hormone responses, abiotic stress responses and developmental events such as juvenility, floral signal transduction and senescence. In this analysis, a particular emphasis was placed on cis-acting regulatory elements present within the 5’ regulatory region of sucrose synthase (SuSy), cell wall invertase (CWI) and sucrose transporter (SUT) gene families in Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. The potential cis-acting regulatory elements were predicted by scanning 1.5 kbp of 5’ regulatory regions of the SUT, CWI and SuSy genes translational start sites, using various resources for cis-element bioinformatics. Cis-elements associated with hormone responsiveness, light responsiveness, elicitor responsiveness and abiotic stress were predicted in varying frequencies within the 1.5 kbp of 5’ regulatory sequences. In addition, cis-elements involved in sugar repression, mineral responses, and cold- and light-inducible gene expression were also identified. Some of the predicted cis-elements have experimental precedent, but many are novel and encourage further exploration. This analysis provides a basis for elucidating transcription regulatory interactions of SUT, CWI and SUSY gene families during development or under abiotic stress conditions

Extensive in-silico analysis of cis-acting DNA sequences in 5’ regulatory regions of sucrose synthase, cell wall invertase and sucrose transporter gene families

Cis-acting regulatory elements are important molecular switches involved in the temporal and spatial expression of a dynamic network of gene activities. This network control hormone responses, abiotic stress responses and developmental events such as juvenility, floral signal transduction and senescence. In this analysis, a particular emphasis was placed on cis-acting regulatory elements present within the 5’ regulatory region of sucrose synthase (SuSy), cell wall invertase (CWI) and sucrose transporter (SUT) gene families in Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa. The potential cis-acting regulatory elements were predicted by scanning 1.5 kbp of 5’ regulatory regions of the SUT, CWI and SuSy genes translational start sites, using various resources for cis-element bioinformatics. Cis-elements associated with hormone responsiveness, light responsiveness, elicitor responsiveness and abiotic stress were predicted in varying frequencies within the 1.5 kbp of 5’ regulatory sequences. In addition, cis-elements involved in sugar repression, mineral responses, and cold- and light-inducible gene expression were also identified. Some of the predicted cis-elements have experimental precedent, but many are novel and encourage further exploration. This analysis provides a basis for elucidating transcription regulatory interactions of SUT, CWI and SUSY gene families during development or under abiotic stress conditions

Florigens and antiflorigens: a molecular genetic understanding

Florigens, the leaf-derived signals that initiate flowering, have been described as mysterious, elusive and the Holy Grail of plant biology.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, 2 tables, journal. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1210.660

Y-STR Haplogroup Diversity in the Jat Population Reveals Several Different Ancient Origins

The Jats represent a large ethnic community that has inhabited the northwest region of India and Pakistan for several thousand years. It is estimated the community has a population of over 123 million people. Many historians and academics have asserted that the Jats are descendants of Aryans, Scythians, or other ancient people that arrived and lived in northern India at one time. Essentially, the specific origin of these people has remained a matter of contention for a long time. This study demonstrated that the origins of Jats can be clarified by identifying their Y-chromosome haplogroups and tracing their genetic markers on the Y-DNA haplogroup tree. A sample of 302 Y-chromosome haplotypes of Jats in India and Pakistan was analyzed. The results showed that the sample population had several different lines of ancestry and emerged from at least nine different geographical regions of the world. It also became evident that the Jats did not have a unique set of genes, but shared an underlying genetic unity with several other ethnic communities in the Indian subcontinent. A startling new assessment of the genetic ancient origins of these people was revealed with DNA science

Interplay between sugar and hormone signaling pathways modulate floral signal transduction

The juvenile-to-adult and vegetative-to-reproductive phase transitions are major determinants of plant reproductive success and adaptation to the local environment. Understanding the intricate molecular genetic and physiological machinery by which environment regulates juvenility and floral signal transduction has significant scientific and economic implications. Sugars are recognized as important regulatory molecules that regulate cellular activity at multiple levels, from transcription and translation to protein stability and activity. Molecular genetic and physiological approaches have demonstrated different aspects of carbohydrate involvement and its interactions with other signal transduction pathways in regulation of the juvenile-to-adult and vegetative-to-reproductive phase transitions. Sugars regulate juvenility and floral signal transduction through their function as energy sources, osmotic regulators and signaling molecules. Interestingly, sugar signaling has been shown to involve extensive connections with phytohormone signaling. This includes interactions with phytohormones that are also important for the orchestration of developmental phase transitions, including gibberellins, abscisic acid, ethylene, and brassinosteroids. This article highlights the potential roles of sugar-hormone interactions in regulation of floral signal transduction, with particular emphasis on Arabidopsis thaliana mutant phenotypes, and suggests possible directions for future research

Laboratory learning: The richest experience students have at the university

The opportunity for students to engage in laboratory sessions is an essential component of degree programmes in the Biomedical Sciences. It is one of the few opportunities students will have to practice in a similar way that professionals do. However, developing and teaching an effective laboratory session requires as much skill, creativity, and hard work as proposing and executing a first-rate research project. In addition, in order for laboratory sessions to be effective, students need to understand not only how to deliver the experiment, but why the experiment is worth doing, and what purpose it serves for improving students' understanding a concept, relationship, or process. This poster presentation identifies and clarifies the objectives that may be achieved through the use of undergraduate laboratory classes