Misregulation of Scm3p/HJURP Causes Chromosome Instability in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Human Cells

The kinetochore (centromeric DNA and associated proteins) is a key determinant for high fidelity chromosome transmission. Evolutionarily conserved Scm3p is an essential component of centromeric chromatin and is required for assembly and function of kinetochores in humans, fission yeast, and budding yeast. Overexpression of HJURP, the mammalian homolog of budding yeast Scm3p, has been observed in lung and breast cancers and is associated with poor prognosis; however, the physiological relevance of these observations is not well understood. We overexpressed SCM3 and HJURP in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and HJURP in human cells and defined domains within Scm3p that mediate its chromosome loss phenotype. Our results showed that the overexpression of SCM3 (GALSCM3) or HJURP (GALHJURP) caused chromosome loss in a wild-type yeast strain, and overexpression of HJURP led to mitotic defects in human cells. GALSCM3 resulted in reduced viability in kinetochore mutants, premature separation of sister chromatids, and reduction in Cse4p and histone H4 at centromeres. Overexpression of CSE4 or histone H4 suppressed chromosome loss and restored levels of Cse4p at centromeres in GALSCM3 strains. Using mutant alleles of scm3, we identified a domain in the N-terminus of Scm3p that mediates its interaction with CEN DNA and determined that the chromosome loss phenotype of GALSCM3 is due to centromeric association of Scm3p devoid of Cse4p/H4. Furthermore, we determined that similar to other systems the centromeric association of Scm3p is cell cycle regulated. Our results show that altered stoichiometry of Scm3p/HJURP, Cse4p, and histone H4 lead to defects in chromosome segregation. We conclude that stringent regulation of HJURP and SCM3 expression are critical for genome stability

Quantitative Microscopy Reveals Centromeric Chromatin Stability, Size, and Cell Cycle Mechanisms to Maintain Centromere Homeostasis

The deposited item is a book chapter and is part of the series "Centromeres and Kinetochores" published by the publisher Springer Verlag. The deposited book chapter is a post-print version and has been submitted to peer reviewing. There is no public supplementary material available for this publication. This publication hasn't any creative commons license associated.Centromeres are chromatin domains specified by nucleosomes containing the histone H3 variant, CENP-A. This unique centromeric structure is at the heart of a strong self-templating epigenetic mechanism that renders centromeres heritable. We review how specific quantitative microscopy approaches have contributed to the determination of the copy number, architecture, size, and dynamics of centromeric chromatin and its associated centromere complex and kinetochore. These efforts revealed that the key to long-term centromere maintenance is the slow turnover of CENP-A nucleosomes, a critical size of the chromatin domain and its cell cycle-coupled replication. These features come together to maintain homeostasis of a chromatin locus that directs its own epigenetic inheritance and facilitates the assembly of the mitotic kinetochore.There are no funders and sponsors indicated explicitly in the document.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Assessment of physico-chemical and bacteriological parameters of drinking water in Mysore City, India

The physico-chemical and bacteriological analysis was carried out for the assessment of drinking water quality in the Mysore city. All the water samples were collected from overhead tanks, which are located in different areas of city and as collected water samples were analyzed for the physico-chemical and bacteriological characteristics. In the present study results obtained are reported and importance of drinking water quality parameters obtained are discussed by compared with permissible limits set by bureau of Indian standards. As per physico-chemical parameters are concerned, few drinking water samples supplied in the city crossed their permissible limits. Moreover, the microbial examination was carried out by MPN method and it was suggested that drinking water in the city was seriously polluted by harmful bacteria and unfit for drinking purposes. The main sources and reasons for the contamination of drinking water in the city are reported and possible alternative techniques for the control of drinking water contamination are suggested

Ambedkar's perspective on media intervention for the empowerment of dalits

India is in the forefront with respect to sustainable development of knowledge system through formal and informal exercises. The mass media in India have continued to ignore the socially and economically oppressed sections. Ambedkar emphasized that there is no genetic discrimination inflicted by Divinity on the SC/ST and other weaker sections of the society. Ambedkar advocated that the uplift of people in India should take place on the basis of equality and humanism. Ambedkar called upon the Government to achieve genuine progress by weeding out self-centered and nation destroying forces. Ambedkar was highly critical about the media contents and skeptical about their outcome. He strongly argued for the abolition of caste system in India and emulated the thoughts and deeds of Buddha and Kabir in integrating the people of India since they were guided by reason and right kind of thinking about the betterment of the deprived sections of society. Ambedkar�s writings duly emphasized the importance of education, agitation and organization which were the principal tools of social justice, economic uplift and political democracy for the oppressed classes in India. While most of the communicators of his times did their best to champion the cause of the haves, Ambedkar put forth his best efforts to champion the cause of the have nots. The basic message of his works is that control of minds by some powerful individuals, press and other media is bad as such control retards movement. He felt that mind control by mass media and drug is the awesome reality. His name will remain ever green in the history of mankind as a symbol of revolt and champion of the downtrodden communitie

Photocatalytic treatment of organic pollutants in textile effluent using hydrothermally prepared photocatalytic composite

The hydrothermal synthesis of TiO2 nanoparticles on the surface of calcium aluminosilicate beads of 0.5-1.0 mm in diameter has been carried out under mild hydrothermal conditions. The advantage of immobilisation of the TiO2 nanoparticles by coating on calcium aluminosilicate beads is the ease and efficiency to recover the photocatalyst. The experimental temperature was varied from 150 to 220 degrees C and the experimental duration was 24 h with an autogenous pressure in 1M HCl as solvent. A systematic characterisation of TiO2 coated calcium aluminosilicate beads was carried out by employing analytical techniques like X-ray powder diffraction, SEM, FTIR spectroscopy and positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy. The photocatalytic treatment of toxic organic pollutants in textile effluents was studied using hydrothermally prepared TiO2 coated calcium aluminosilicate beads. The photodegradation characteristics were studied under both sunlight and ultraviolet light source on the degradation of organic pollutants. Several parameters like concentration and dilution factors of effluents, light source and intensity, initial pH of medium, experimental duration and catalyst loaded into the aqueous medium of textile effluent were studied. The degradation reaction was optimised with respect to the experimental duration and catalytic loaded. The reduction in the chemical oxygen demand (COD) and %T revealed the minimisation of organic pollutants along with colour removal from the textile effluent

Synthesis of rare earth-doped yttrium vanadate polyscale crystals and their enhanced photocatalytic degradation of aqueous dye solution

In this study, a series of RE3+:YVO4 catalysts were successful synthesized by environmentally friendly mild hydrothermal and supercritical hydrothermal techniques. The rare earth-doped YVO4 photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectroscopy. The X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that the as-prepared YVO4 crystals are of tetragonal phase. Further, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy result shows the absence of OH– molecules. The photoluminescence spectroscopy curves and UV–Vis spectra suggest that the band gap energy of YVO4 is shifted to lower energy level due to doping of Nd3+ and Er3+ ions. The catalytic activities of the as-prepared RE3+:YVO4 samples were tested for the photodegradation of amaranth aqueous dye solution under sunlight irradiation. Remarkably, the rare earth-doped YVO4 nanocrystal sample showed outstanding photocatalytic degradation activities than undoped YVO4 nanocrystal sample with good reusability. Under full spectrum irradiation, the as-prepared Nd3+-doped YVO4 nanocrystals exhibited about 83% degradation efficiency. The apparent rate constant k for as-prepared Nd3+-doped YVO4 nanocrystals with 50 mg of photocatalyst exhibits highest k value (0.32 min−1), which is 2.9% higher than pure YVO4 nanocrystals (0.11 min−1)

Court judgments on right to information in India

The right to information is implicitly guaranteed by the Constitution but the public authorities denied access to information in the name of official secrets. The Indian Parliament enacted the Right to Information Act, 2005 with a view to set out a practical regime for securing information in the country. Most radical provision of the Act is that the information seekers need not to give any reason for it or prove his locus stand. Good governance requires that civil society has the opportunity to participate during the formulation of development strategies and that directly affected communities and groups should be able to participate in the design and implementation of programmes and projects. The national and regional judicial fora too have recognized the importance of right to information which offers several advantages to the mankind. Jurists have also upheld that right to information is a key livelihood and development issue. The courts have also enlightened the policy makers and administrators about the relevance of right to information from social justice and economic development points of view in India. The courts have clearly pointed out that in a government of responsibility like India people have a right to decide by whom and by what rules they shall be governed. The people are also entitled to call on those who govern on their behalf to account for their conduct. The courts have also emphasized the need for enabling the people to have access to information regarding disputes and legal proceedings. The courts have observed that the people of this country have a right to know every public act, everything that is done in a public way, by their public functionaries