METHOD FOR EFFICIENT POST TRANSCRIPTIONAL GENE SLENCING USING INTRINSIC DIRECT REPEAT SEQUENCES AND UTILIZATION THEREOF INFUNCTIONAL GENOMICS

It is well documented that transgenes with inverted repeats can efficiently trigger post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS), presumably via a double stranded RNA induced by complementary sequences in their transcripts. We show here that transgenes with intrinsic direct repeats can also induce PTGS at a very high frequency (80-100%). A transgene with three or four repeats induced PTGS in almost 100% of the primary transformants, regardless of whether a strong (en hanced 35S promoter) or a relatively weak (chlorophyll a?b binding protein promoter) promoter was used. The PTGS induced by three or four repeats is consistently inherited in Subsequent generations, and can inactivate homologous genes in trans. Based on the high frequency and consistent heritability, we propose that the intrinsic direct repeat within a transgene may act as a primary determinant of PTGS referred to as direct repeat-induced PTGS (driPTGS). Silencing occurred in all five genes, in this and two previous reports, Suggesting that driPTGS might be a universal gene silencing mechanism both in dicotyledonous tobacco plants and mono cotyledonous rice cells. In addition, driPTGS may help dis sect the gene silencing mechanism and generate silenced phenotypes useful for research and plant biotechnology products

PROMOTERS FROM CHLORELLAVIRUS GENES PROVIDING EXPRESSION OF GENES IN PROKARYOTIC AND EUKARYOTIC HOSTS

The invention is directed to novel promoters or mutants thereof from Chlorella virus DNA methyltransferase genes. A Chlorella virus gene promoter is operably linked to a first and/or second DNA sequence encoding a gene that is different from the Chlorella virus gene to form an expression cassette. An expression cassette can be introduced into prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic cells and can provide for a high level of expression of the gene encoded by the first and/or second DNA sequence. The invention also provides a method for screening other Chlorella virus genes for promoters that can function to express a heterologous gene in prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic hosts

PROMOTERS FROM CHLORELLA VIRUS GENES PROVIDING FOR EXPRESSION OF GENES IN PROKARYOTIC AND EUKARYOTIC HOSTS

The invention is directed to novel promoters or mutants thereof from Chlorella virus DNA methyltansferase genes. A Chlorella Virus gene promoter is operably linked to a first and/or Second DNA sequence encoding a gene that is different from the Chlorella virus to form an expression cassette. An expression cassette can be introduced into prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic cells and can provide for a high level of expression of the gene encoded by the first and/or Second DNA sequence. The invention also provides a method for Screening other Chlorella virus genes for promoters that can function to express a heterologous gene in prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic hosts

A Simple Flood Forecasting Scheme Using Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper presents a forecasting model designed using WSNs (Wireless Sensor Networks) to predict flood in rivers using simple and fast calculations to provide real-time results and save the lives of people who may be affected by the flood. Our prediction model uses multiple variable robust linear regression which is easy to understand and simple and cost effective in implementation, is speed efficient, but has low resource utilization and yet provides real time predictions with reliable accuracy, thus having features which are desirable in any real world algorithm. Our prediction model is independent of the number of parameters, i.e. any number of parameters may be added or removed based on the on-site requirements. When the water level rises, we represent it using a polynomial whose nature is used to determine if the water level may exceed the flood line in the near future. We compare our work with a contemporary algorithm to demonstrate our improvements over it. Then we present our simulation results for the predicted water level compared to the actual water level.Comment: 16 pages, 4 figures, published in International Journal Of Ad-Hoc, Sensor And Ubiquitous Computing, February 2012; V. seal et al, 'A Simple Flood Forecasting Scheme Using Wireless Sensor Networks', IJASUC, Feb.201

Alloy Development through Rapid Solidification for Soft Magnetic Application

This chapter describes different rapidly solidified processing routes of soft magnetic alloys and their properties and applications in different areas. Section-2 explains the details of process mechanism. The functions of different alloying elements are discussed with the alloy design of soft magnetic alloys in section-3. The structure-property correlation is described in section-4. Section-5 highlights different types of rapidly solidified soft magnetic alloys, like high permeability alloys, high induction alloys, Fe-6.5 wt% Si steel and GMI alloys. In the last section-6, the applications of different types of soft magnetic alloys are mentioned

Transgenic expression of lactoferrin imparts enhanced resistance to head blight of wheat caused by Fusarium graminearum

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The development of plant gene transfer systems has allowed for the introgression of alien genes into plant genomes for novel disease control strategies, thus providing a mechanism for broadening the genetic resources available to plant breeders. Using the tools of plant genetic engineering, a broad-spectrum antimicrobial gene was tested for resistance against head blight caused by <it>Fusarium graminearum </it>Schwabe, a devastating disease of wheat (<it>Triticum </it><it>aestivum </it>L.) and barley (<it>Hordeum vulgare </it>L.) that reduces both grain yield and quality.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A construct containing a bovine lactoferrin cDNA was used to transform wheat using an <it>Agrobacterium</it>-mediated DNA transfer system to express this antimicrobial protein in transgenic wheat. Transformants were analyzed by Northern and Western blots to determine lactoferrin gene expression levels and were inoculated with the head blight disease fungus <it>F</it>. <it>graminearum</it>. Transgenic wheat showed a significant reduction of disease incidence caused by <it>F. graminearum </it>compared to control wheat plants. The level of resistance in the highly susceptible wheat cultivar Bobwhite was significantly higher in transgenic plants compared to control Bobwhite and two untransformed commercial wheat cultivars, susceptible Wheaton and tolerant ND 2710. Quantification of the expressed lactoferrin protein by ELISA in transgenic wheat indicated a positive correlation between the lactoferrin gene expression levels and the levels of disease resistance.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Introgression of the lactoferrin gene into elite commercial wheat, barley and other susceptible cereals may enhance resistance to <it>F. graminearum</it>.</p

Microstructural evolution, recovery and recrystallization kinetics of isothermally annealed ultra low carbon steel

The recovery and recrystallization kinetics of 80%cold rolled ultra low carbon steel are investigated during isothermally annealing for temperature ranges 350–640 °C as a function of different annealing time. The recovery is assessed by magnetic coercivity (Hc),while the recrystallization is determined by mechanical hardness.At low temperature (350 to 520 °C) annealing, recovery dominates for long time (∼12 000 s),while the annealing at 550 °C/ 900s and 580 °C/ 300s causes the recrystallized nuclei formation . The recovery kinetics is introduced by differential rate equation, explaining the reduction in coercivity with the recovery progress and the variation of an activation energy from41–113 kJmol−1. The recrystallization kinetics is found faster at high annealing temperature 640 °C than 550 and 580 °C based on hardness measurement, justifying by apparent activation energy within 114–190 kJ/mol. Furthermore, the recovery and recrystallization rate increase with different annealing time, consistent to the change of microstructures and grain boundary characteristics evaluated by the orientation imaging microscopy (OIM) of electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD)

Organ-Specific and Development Regulation of the Nopaline Synthase Promoter in Transgenic Tobacco Plants

Control regions of the nopaline synthase (nos) gene have been widely used to express foreign genes in plants since the promoter is active in a wide variety of plant tissues. We report here the characteristics of the nos promoter activity in transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants at various developmental stages. The promoter was highly active in the lower parts of a plant and gradually decreased in the upper parts. This vertical gradient was maintained throughout plant growth until the flowering stage when the overall promoter strength decreased significantly in the vegetative organs. However, in various flower organs, the nos promoter activities increased dramatically. Higher activity was observed in calyx, corolla, and stamens although the maximum promoter activity in each organ was found at different stages of flower development. The promoter activity in pistils was low and gradually increased in the ovaries after anthesis. In developing fruits, the nos promoter activity was strongly induced during the mid-stage of embryogenesis. These results indicate that the expression of the nos promoter is developmentally regulated and organ specific in transgenic tobacco plants

Giant Magnetoimpedance (GMI) Effect and Field Sensitivity of Ferrofluid Coated Co66Fe2Si13B15Cr4 Soft Magnetic Amorphous Microwire

AbstractCo66Fe2Si13B15Cr4 based amorphous microwire was developed at the laboratory using in-water quenching apparatus. The field sensitivity of the wire was enhanced when coated with ferrofluids. The presence of coating also decreased the frequency of the magnetising field 5MHz to 1MHz at which the maximum GMI ratio observed