In Vitro Comparative Study of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activity of Selected Dietary Plants

Ethanolic extracts of Garlic (Bulb), Aloe (leaf), Flower bud (buds), Turmeric (rhizomes) and Ginger (rhizomes) were used for relative analysis of antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH [1, 1-Diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl] assay and expressed with Ascorbic acid. It was observed that turmeric and ginger have more antioxidant activity than garlic, Aloe and Flower bud. These extracts were further studied for antibacterial activity by agar well diffusion and spectrophotometric method against tetracycline as reference. The result showed that Flower bud is more effective against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeuroginosa, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus compared to other plants extract. However, all the plants extract did show antioxidant and antibacterial activity

Novel Topical Drug Delivery Systems in Ophthalmic Applications

The eye is the utmost attention-grabbing organ owed to its drug disposition characteristics. Generally, topical application (90% are eye drops) is the method of choice because of its patient compliance and safety. Transcorneal penetration is the major route for ophthalmic drug absorption. However, corneal absorption has been observed to be slower process as compared to elimination. Therefore, conventional dosage forms are associated with rapid precorneal drug loss. Thus, to improve ocular drug bioavailability, there is a substantial effort directed toward the development of novel topical drug delivery systems for ophthalmic administration. These novel delivery systems (Contact lenses, In situ gels, Microemulsions, Niosomes, Liposomes, Implants, Microspheres, and Micelles) provide the controlled release behaviour for treating the chronic ailments, and help patients and doctors to curtail the dosing frequency and invasive method of treatment. Hence, the current chapter discusses the progress of novel topical ocular drug delivery systems in the pharmaceutical industry

Shifting the limits in wheat research and breeding using a fully annotated reference genome

Introduction: Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is the most widely cultivated crop on Earth, contributing about a fifth of the total calories consumed by humans. Consequently, wheat yields and production affect the global economy, and failed harvests can lead to social unrest. Breeders continuously strive to develop improved varieties by fine-tuning genetically complex yield and end-use quality parameters while maintaining stable yields and adapting the crop to regionally specific biotic and abiotic stresses. Rationale: Breeding efforts are limited by insufficient knowledge and understanding of wheat biology and the molecular basis of central agronomic traits. To meet the demands of human population growth, there is an urgent need for wheat research and breeding to accelerate genetic gain as well as to increase and protect wheat yield and quality traits. In other plant and animal species, access to a fully annotated and ordered genome sequence, including regulatory sequences and genome-diversity information, has promoted the development of systematic and more time-efficient approaches for the selection and understanding of important traits. Wheat has lagged behind, primarily owing to the challenges of assembling a genome that is more than five times as large as the human genome, polyploid, and complex, containing more than 85% repetitive DNA. To provide a foundation for improvement through molecular breeding, in 2005, the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium set out to deliver a high-quality annotated reference genome sequence of bread wheat. Results: An annotated reference sequence representing the hexaploid bread wheat genome in the form of 21 chromosome-like sequence assemblies has now been delivered, giving access to 107,891 high-confidence genes, including their genomic context of regulatory sequences. This assembly enabled the discovery of tissue- and developmental stage–related gene coexpression networks using a transcriptome atlas representing all stages of wheat development. The dynamics of change in complex gene families involved in environmental adaptation and end-use quality were revealed at subgenome resolution and contextualized to known agronomic single-gene or quantitative trait loci. Aspects of the future value of the annotated assembly for molecular breeding and research were exemplarily illustrated by resolving the genetic basis of a quantitative trait locus conferring resistance to abiotic stress and insect damage as well as by serving as the basis for genome editing of the flowering-time trait. Conclusion: This annotated reference sequence of wheat is a resource that can now drive disruptive innovation in wheat improvement, as this community resource establishes the foundation for accelerating wheat research and application through improved understanding of wheat biology and genomics-assisted breeding. Importantly, the bioinformatics capacity developed for model-organism genomes will facilitate a better understanding of the wheat genome as a result of the high-quality chromosome-based genome assembly. By necessity, breeders work with the genome at the whole chromosome level, as each new cross involves the modification of genome-wide gene networks that control the expression of complex traits such as yield. With the annotated and ordered reference genome sequence in place, researchers and breeders can now easily access sequence-level information to precisely define the necessary changes in the genomes for breeding programs. This will be realized through the implementation of new DNA marker platforms and targeted breeding technologies, including genome editing

The Nutraceutical value of Horticultural Crops

Nutraceuticals are one of the secondary metabolites that are being produced by diverse group of plants including the horticultural crops. The secondary metabolites in diverse horticultural crops are produced in significant amounts when encountered with different stresses such as wounding stress, abiotic stress, biotic stress, exposure to ultraviolet radiation etc. The secondary metabolite production in the plants enhances their response towards different stresses and help the plants to fight against the stresses in addition to their growth and development. The secondary metabolites expressed in horticultural crops such as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, alkaloids, polyphenols, terpenoids have proven to exhibit number of health benefits such as anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anticancer response. The indepth knowledge of the biosynthetic pathways could lead to the enhancement of the secondary metabolites. Also, the stress responses can be modulated in a ways that could lead to the optimal expression of the genes involved in the production of these secondary metabolites. In the present review article, various horticultural crops including two vegetable and four fruit crops were assessed for the production of secondary metabolites under stress conditions, the biosynthetic pathways leading to the specific secondary metabolite production along with their health benefits have been discussed in detail

Shifting the limits in wheat research and breeding using a fully annotated reference genome

Wheat is one of the major sources of food for much of the world. However, because bread wheat's genome is a large hybrid mix of three separate subgenomes, it has been difficult to produce a high-quality reference sequence. Using recent advances in sequencing, the International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium presents an annotated reference genome with a detailed analysis of gene content among subgenomes and the structural organization for all the chromosomes. Examples of quantitative trait mapping and CRISPR-based genome modification show the potential for using this genome in agricultural research and breeding. Ramírez-González et al. exploited the fruits of this endeavor to identify tissue-specific biased gene expression and coexpression networks during development and exposure to stress. These resources will accelerate our understanding of the genetic basis of bread wheat