Isolation of a cdc28 mutation that abrogates the dependence of S phase on completion of M phase of the budding yeast cell cycle

We have isolated a mutation in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisisae CDC28 gene that allows cdc13 cells, carrying damaged DNA, to continue with the cell division cycle. While cdc13 mutant cells are arrested as largebudded cells at the nonpermissive temperature 37°C, the cdc13 cdc28 double mutant culture showed cells with one or more buds, most of which showed apical growth. The additional buds emerged without the intervening steps of nuclear division and cell separation. We suggest that the cdc28 mutation abrogates a checkpoint function and allows cells with damaged or incompletely replicated DNA an entry to another round of cell cycle and bypasses the mitotic phase of the cell cycle

How did Markets and Public Sentiment React During Demonetization? Study of a Significant Event in the Indian Economy

The present study aims to determine the impact of shock of demonetization which happened in November 2016 in India. It has been observed in literature that while the market moves due to unforeseen events, market movements are largely affected by news reports on such events. Considering these two threads and the association between them, the study follows mixed method research methodology and assesses the impact of demonetization on stock market movement through time series analysis and text analytics of news items generated during the period. This study examines, through time series analysis, the impact of demonetization as an unexpected event on stock market movement. Time series analysis evaluates the impact on overall stock market movements and on sectoral indices, liquidity shocks in the emerging Indian economy due to demonetization. This study integrates time series analysis with robustness tests and follows text analytics, news analytics and sentiment analytics to gauge public sentiment (influenced by media coverage) during the event. These evaluations validate negative movements in the market and most of the sectors due to the negative sentiment of people about demonetization

Constitutive association of Mcm2-3-5 proteins with chromatin in Entamoeba histolytica

Eukaryotic cells duplicate their genome once and only once per cell cycle. Our earlier studies with the protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica, have shown that genome reduplication may occur several times ?without ?nuclear ?or ?cellular ?division. ?The Mcm2-7 protein complex is required for licensing of DNA replication. In an effort to understand whether genome reduplication occurs due to absence or failure of the DNA replication licensing system, we analysed the function of Mcm2-3-5 proteins in E. histolytica. In this study, we have cloned E. histolytica (Eh) MCM2 and Eh MCM5 genes, while Eh MCM3 was cloned earlier. The sequence of Eh MCM2-3-5 genes is well conserved with other eukaryotic homologues. We have shown that Eh Mcm2,3 proteins are functional in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our studies in E. histolytica showed that Eh Mcm2-3-5 proteins are associated with chromatin constitutively in cycling cells and during arrest of DNA synthesis induced by serum starvation. Alternation of genome duplication with mitosis is regulated by association-dissociation of Mcm2-7 proteins with chromatin in other eukaryotes. Our results suggest that constitutive association of Mcm proteins with chromatin could be one of the reasons why genome reduplication occurs in E. histolytica

EXTRACELLULAR ALKALINE PROTEASE PRODUCING HALO-ALKALITOLERANT BACTERIA ISOLATED FROM MARINE COASTS OF ODISHA

Objective: The objective of the present study was on the isolation of alkali-tolerant bacteria from sediment samples of different coasts of Odisha, having potentiality to produce alkaline protease.Methods: About 25 sediment samples were collected and analyzed for pH and moisture contents. Then isolation of alkali-tolerants was done using Horikoshi media at 10.3 pH. Isolates were analyzed for producing alkaline protease by plate assay method both at pH 6 and 10. Effects of temperature on protease production were also determined. Besides a new method of quantification of enzymes were adapted. Along this the isolates were partially characterized and identification was done using PIBWin software.Results: About 80 isolates were initially isolated, and 11 isolates were considered based on maximal zones of clearances at alkaline pH. Maximum solubilisation index (SI) was found to be 30 mm by 3 isolates viz. AP2, AP8 and AP13 while maximum hydrolytic run percentage (HR%) was found to be 65.39% by AP3. About 45.46% isolates had capability for protease production at 37 °C and 18.18% at 57 °C while 81.82% isolates showed production at 17 °C. AP8 was the good producers of alkaline protease having SI 39 mm at pH 10 while incubating at 47 °C. Isolates were characterized partially by cultural, morphological, biochemical and physiological tests, which were belonged to the genera of Bacillus, Virgibacillus and Micrococcus. The isolated bacteria showed growth at pH ranges from 4-12 and can tolerate 12% NaCl concentrations for their growth.Conclusion: Due to the above unique features and capability to produce alkaline proteases by the marine isolates, can be used significantly in various industries.Keywords: Alkali-tolerant, Alkaline protease, Halo-tolerant, Hydrolytic run, Odisha-coas

The Iml3 protein of the budding yeast is required for the prevention of precocious sister chromatid separation in meiosis I and for sister chromatid disjunction in meiosis II

The mitotic kinetochore of the budding yeast contains a number of proteins which are required for chromosome transmission but are non-essential for vegetative growth. We show that one such protein, Iml3, is essential for meiosis, in that the absence of this protein results in reduced spore viability, precocious sister chromatid segregation of artificial and natural chromosomes in meiosis I and chromosome non-disjunction in meiosis II

Chemical Beneficiation of Low Grade Coal - A Review

India is having large reserves of low grade coals. The use of low-grade coal in various industries like power plants, metallurgical plants, cement units etc. leads to environ-mental pollution because of generation of large amount of solid and gaseous pollutants. Therefore, it is of impor-tance paramount to clean the coal before its utilization. There are a number of upgrading technologies to produce clean coal. The current paper reviews demineralization aspects by physical and chemical beneficiation of high ash and/ sulfur containing coal.Physical beneficiation of coal is not very effective in separation of the finely dispersed minerals, whereas chemical beneficiation uses expensive reagents and leads to generation of large amount of waste-water which needs to be purified before discharge. Thus, a combined approach consisting of physical and chemical cleaning of coal appears to have a potential for. signifi-cant reduction of ash with less investment while generat-ing less polluting wastewater

Functional characterization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae protein Chl1 reveals the role of sister chromatid cohesion in the maintenance of spindle length during S-phase arrest

BACKGROUND: Metaphase cells have short spindles for efficient bi-orientation of chromosomes. The cohesin proteins hold sister chromatids together, creating Sister Chromatid Cohesion (SCC) that helps in the maintenance of short spindle lengths in metaphase. The budding yeast protein Chl1p, which has human homologs, is required for DNA damage repair, recombination, transcriptional silencing and aging. This protein is also needed to establish SCC between sister chromatids in S-phase. RESULTS: In the present study we have further characterized Chl1p for its role in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae when cells are under replication stress. We show that when DNA replication is arrested by hydroxyurea (HU), the chl1 mutation causes growth deficiency and a mild loss in cell viability. Although both mutant and wild-type cells remained arrested with undivided nuclei, mutant cells had mitotic spindles, which were about 60-80% longer than wild-type spindles. Spindle extension occurred in S-phase in the presence of an active S-phase checkpoint pathway. Further, the chl1 mutant did not show any kinetochore-related defect that could have caused spindle extension. These cells were affected in the retention of SCC in that they had only about one-fourth of the normal levels of the cohesin subunit Scc1p at centromeres, which was sufficient to bi-orient the chromosomes. The mutant cells showed defects in SCC, both during its establishment in S-phase and in its maintenance in G2. Mutants with partial and pericentromeric cohesion defects also showed spindle elongation when arrested in S-phase by HU. CONCLUSIONS: Our work shows that Chl1p is required for normal growth and cell viability in the presence of the replication block caused by HU. The absence of this protein does not, however, compromize the replication checkpoint pathway. Even though the chl1 mutation gives synthetic lethal interactions with kinetochore mutations, its absence does not affect kinetochore function; kinetochore-microtubule interactions remain unperturbed. Further, chl1 cells were found to lose SCC at centromeres in both S- and G2 phases, showing the requirement of Chl1p for the maintenance of cohesion in G2 phase of these cells. This work documents for the first time that SCC is an important determinant of spindle size in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae when genotoxic agents cause S-phase arrest of cells

Solvent extraction and separation of copper and zinc from a pickling solution

Solvent extraction studies of copper and zinc have been carried out using Versatic 10 acid and Cyanex 272 separately from a model brass pickle liquor. Various parameters for the extraction and separation of copper and zinc such as effect of pH, extractant concentration, phase ratio etc. have been optimized. It was observed that copper was almost completely extracted into the organic phase comprising of 30% Versatic 10 acid at the equilibrium pH of 5.0 using the phase ratio of 1:1 whereas, zinc extraction was noticed at above pH 5.0. On the other hand the pH0.5 values were 3.5 and 4.6 for zinc and copper respectively with 20% Cyanex 272. The difference in pH0.5 value of 1.10 indicated the possible separation of Zn and Cu. By McCabe Thiele diagram number of stages required for the counter current extraction of copper and zinc has been determined for both the solvents. The stripping study showed that 1 mol/L H2SO4 was sufficient to strip metal ions in a single contact from each of the extractant

Processing of a Waste Stream for Separation and Recovery of Copper and Zinc

Solvent extraction studies of copper and zinc have been carried out using Cyanex 272 and LIX 984N separately from a model waste stream of brass pickling. Various parameters for the extraction and separation of copper and zinc such as effect of pH, extractant concentration, phase ratio etc. have been optimized. The results show that extraction of copper and zinc from solution after acid extraction increased with increase in pH and their pH0.5 values were found to be 3.5 and 4.6, and 2.5 and 5.5 with Cyanex 272 and LIX 984N, respectively; LIX 984N showed greater selectivity for copper compared to zinc. By McCabe Thiele diagram number of stages required for the counter current extraction of copper and zinc has been determined for each of the solvents. The stripping study showed that 1 mol/L H2SO4 was sufficient to strip metal ions from both the extractants. An attempt was made to prepare high value products such as copper powder and zinc oxide from the loaded or stripped solution which could be imminently suitable for various P/M and other application

Solvent Extraction of Copper and Zinc From a Pickling Solution Using Versatic 10 Acid, Cyanex 272 and LIX 984N

Solvent extraction studies of copper and zinc have been carried out using Versatic 10 acid, Cyanex 272 and LIX 984N separately from a model brass pickle liquor. Various parameters for the extraction and separation of copper and zinc such as effect of pH, extractant concentration, phase ratio etc. have been optimized. The results show that extraction of copper and zinc from acid free solution increased with increase in pH and their pH0.5 values were found to be 4.0 and 5.6, 3.5 and 4.6, and 2.5 and 5.5 with Versatic 10 acid, Cyanex 272 and LIX 984N, respectively. Versatic 10 acid and LIX 984N shows greater selectivity for copper compared to zinc. By McCabe Thiele diagram, number of stages required for the counter current extraction of copper and zinc has been determined for each of the solvents. The stripping study showed that 1 mol/L H2SO4 was sufficient to strip metal ions in a single contact from each of the extractant