16S rRNA based identification of _Aeromonas sp. kumar_ by constructing phylogenetic tree and identification of regulatory elements from the harmful Red Tide bloom, Gulf of Mannar

A bacterial strain, designated _Aeromonas sp. kumar_, was isolated from a water sample collected from Red tide Bloom occurred in the region of Gulf of Mannar region, Puthumadam Coast, India and the strain was identified using 16S rRNA based identification. During the sample collection, microbiology analysis was done to study the morphology of the bacteria. Pure culture of strain was maintained through out the study. DNA was isolated and sequenced using 16S rRNA primers. A length of 1452 nucleotide was sequenced and was put in public data base for obtaining accession number. The sequence was studied using MEGA 4, to estimate the evolutionary distances and to construct the Phylogenetic tree. Along with that Regulatory elements and Transcription factors were studied using BPROM tool. In genetics, a promoter is a region of DNA that facilitates the transcription of a particular gene. Promoters are typically located near the genes they regulate, on the same strand and upstream (towards the 5' region of the sense strand). The objective of the study is to predict the regulatory elements which are -10 box, -35box and three Transcription Factors (rpoD19, rpoD17 and araC) with their binding sites in the 16S rRNA gene of _Aeromonas sp. kumar_. The gene bank accession number for 16S rRNA gene of _Aeromonas sp. kumar_ is FJ896014

Acute Toxicity of Metals: Cu, Pb, Cd, Hg and Zn on Marine Molluscs, <i style="">Cerithedia cingulata</i> G., and <i style="">Modiolus philippinarum </i>H.

141-145Present study was intended to compare the acute static renewal toxicity tests on marine snail, Cerithidae cingulata and bivalve, Modiolus philippinarum that were performed with Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn and Hg. The 96 h LC50 values for C.cingulata were 0.521, 9.193, 15.507, 8.990 and 0.053 mg.l-1 and the 96 h LC50 values for M.philippinarum were 0.023, 0.221, 2.876, 2.337 and 0.007 mg.l-1 in respective metals. This study indicated that mercury was highly toxic to both C.cingulata and M.philippinarum. While lead was resistant metal to both marine molluscs tested. Order of increasing toxicity of metals to C.cingulata was Hg > Cu > Zn> Cd > Pd and to M.philippinarum was Hg > Cu > Cd > Zn > Pb. Safe level concentrations for all 5 metals were also calculated. The LC50 values of the present study may be useful in deriving marine water quality standards in the coastal waters of Gulf of Mannar

The Presence of Biomarker Enzymes of Selected Scleractinian Corals of Palk Bay, Southeast Coast of India

The health and existence of coral reefs are in danger by an increasing range of environmental and anthropogenic impacts. The causes of coral reef decline include worldwide climate change, shoreline development, habitat destruction, pollution, sedimentation and overexploitation. These disasters have contributed to an estimated loss of 27% of the reefs. If the current pressure continues unabated, the estimated loss of coral reef will be about 60% by the year 2030. Therefore, the present study was aimed to analyze the enzymes involved in stress induced by coral pathogen and its resistance. We focused on the enzymes involved in melanin synthesis pathway (phenoloxidase (PO) and peroxidases (POD)) and free radical scavenging enzymes (super oxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT)) and glutathione peroxidase (Gpx) in selected scleractinian corals such as Acropora formosa, Echinopora lamellosa, Favia favus, Favites halicora, Porites sp., and Anacropora forbesi. Overall, PO activity of coral was significantly lower than that of zooxanthellae except for Favia favus. Coral colonies with lower PO and POD activities are prone to disease. Maximum antioxidant defensive enzymes were observed in Favia favus followed by Echinopora lamellose. It is concluded that assay of these enzymes can be used as biomarkers for identifying the susceptibility of corals towards coral bleaching induced by pathogen

Morphological observations on the endemic Velvet leatherjacket, <em>Lalmohania velutina</em> Hutchins, 1994 (Family: Monacanthidae) and updated distributional records after three decades from its discovery in Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu Coast, India

409-414The present study pertains to the occurrence of the fish commonly known as the velvet leatherjacket, Lalmohania velutina with extended distributional records that update its original scientific description. This paper delineates the morphological, genital and skeletal observations recorded of L. velutina based on 12 specimens collected from multiple fishing sites, from shore seine fishing operations practiced along the south-east coast of India. Group-wise (distribution, sex and type specimens) statistical analysis revealed that the specimens collected from the Palk Bay region are larger than the Gulf of Mannar specimens.  Morphological, gonadal and skeletal examination of the collected specimens attest to these features proved its idiosyncrasy

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ABSTRACT: The Gulf of Mannar, is a unique marine habitat with diverse of macroalgae. Macroalgae are primitive non flowering marine plants, which have rich sources of bioactive compounds (i.e., proteins, peptides, amino acid, polysaccharide, alkaloids etc). The selected red algae Gelidiela acerosa and Acanthophora spicifera collected from the Gulf of Mannar, southeast coast of India. In the present study, the anticancer potential of the methanol (crude) extract from G. acerosa and A. spicifera was tested for probable anticancer activity in Dalton’s Ascitic Lymphoma (DAL) cells. The cells were tested in Swiss albino mice. The results show that G. acerosa and A. spicifera algae extract were the most effective against DAL cells in mice respectively had significant anticancer activity and it might be a good candidate for further investigation in order to develop a natural compound as an anticancer agents, which can be utilized for the production of potential anticancer drug and novel pharmaceutical leads

Chitosan mediated gold nanoparticles against pathogenic bacteria, fungal strains and MCF-7 cancer cells

University Grants Commission, India: 39-559/2010 (SR