Synteny Approach of Drug Target Prediction among Unique Hypothetical Proteins of Streptococcus Gordonii Causing Infective Endocarditis

At the time of infection, many of the gene products of completely  sequenced organisms yet remain ‘hypothetical’ meaning they remain unsimilar to any previously characterized and may disguise some true virulent factors. Domain scanning provides a means of understanding functional information in these cases, extending facilitated identification oftheir virulence factors, proceeding for antimicrobial drug and vaccine  design. In developing countries, mortality rate due to Infective  endocarditis is accelerating along with retardation in efficiency of pathogen specific drugs. We have re-annotated at domain level and predicted cellular localization of 200 unique and hypothetical proteins obtained by syntenic comparison of Streptococcus gordonii among other strains of similar species for similar infection. The study resulted into 200 unique and hypothetical proteins, of which, domains of 85 proteins are  predictable, representing 15 with no similarity with human proteome. Later, 9 proteins with 8 domains predicted to be antimicrobial targets. Further, these can be experimentally validated for drug and vaccine target ability

Synthesis of coumarins linked with 1,2,3-triazoles under microwave irradiation and evaluation of their antimicrobial and antioxidant activity

A series of coumarin derivatives linked with 1,2,3-triazoles has been synthesized by utilizing the copper catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition reaction and were screened for their antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Some of the compounds displayed promising antibacterial activities (MIC ranging from 5-150 µg/mL) and moderate antifungal activities as compared to the respective standards. The compounds 4k and 4g displayed good antibacterial activity when compared with the standard, Ciprofloxacin, and 4n exhibited better antifungal activity when compared to other synthesized compounds. The in silico docking studies of the active compounds were carried out against the gyrase enzyme and from those studies, it was acknowledged that 4k possessed significant hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions which could be the plausible reason for its superior activity as compared to the other synthesized compounds. The compounds 4h and 4q showed promising antioxidant activity when compared with the standard, BHT, which could be attributed to the presence of electron donating substituents. © 2020, Sociedad Química de México.Russian Foundation for Basic Research, RFBR: 170300641AThe authors are thankful to the Department of Industrial Chemistry, Kuvempu University for rendering all the facilities to carry out the experiments. Vasiliy Bakulev is thankful to Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Grant # 170300641A)

Expression of drought responsive genes in pigeonpea and in silico comparison with soybean cDNA library

Pigeonpea, a drought tolerant, semi-arid pulse crop has been investigated for the expression of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under drought stress. The cDNA library of soybean leaf tissue retrieved from the Unigene database of the NCBI, were compared for in silico expression using IDEG6 web statistical tool. A list of 52 non-redundant DEGs consisting of 11 up-regulated and 41 down-regulated was obtained. Among these, more photosynthesis and light harvesting proteins were down-regulated in drought stress conditions. Pathways were assigned based on KEGG database, revealing 32 genes involved in 17 metabolic pathways. Homologous sequences of six up-regulated genes namely, ADF3, APB, ASR, DLP, LTP1, and UGE5 were then used for quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) in pigeonpea. The qRT-PCR result revealed the significant up-regulation of dehydrin-like protein (DLP) (5.02 log2 fold) and down-regulation of acid phosphatase class B family protein (APB) (9.43 log2 fold) and non-specific lipid transfer protein 1-like (LTP1) (18.81 log2 fold) in pigeonpea water-stressed leaf sample compared to well-watered leaf samples. No significant difference was observed in the stressed root compared to the stressed pigeonpea leaf sample except that APB showed an up-regulation of 11.35 log2 fold chang

The Transferability of Lipid-Associated Loci Across African, Asian and European Cohorts

Abstract: Most genome-wide association studies are based on samples of European descent. We assess whether the genetic determinants of blood lipids, a major cardiovascular risk factor, are shared across populations. Genetic correlations for lipids between European-ancestry and Asian cohorts are not significantly different from 1. A genetic risk score based on LDL-cholesterol-associated loci has consistent effects on serum levels in samples from the UK, Uganda and Greece (r = 0.23–0.28, p < 1.9 × 10−14). Overall, there is evidence of reproducibility for ~75% of the major lipid loci from European discovery studies, except triglyceride loci in the Ugandan samples (10% of loci). Individual transferable loci are identified using trans-ethnic colocalization. Ten of fourteen loci not transferable to the Ugandan population have pleiotropic associations with BMI in Europeans; none of the transferable loci do. The non-transferable loci might affect lipids by modifying food intake in environments rich in certain nutrients, which suggests a potential role for gene-environment interactions

Anisotropic nanomaterials: structure, growth, assembly, and functions

Comprehensive knowledge over the shape of nanomaterials is a critical factor in designing devices with desired functions. Due to this reason, systematic efforts have been made to synthesize materials of diverse shape in the nanoscale regime. Anisotropic nanomaterials are a class of materials in which their properties are direction-dependent and more than one structural parameter is needed to describe them. Their unique and fine-tuned physical and chemical properties make them ideal candidates for devising new applications. In addition, the assembly of ordered one-dimensional (1D), two-dimensional (2D), and three-dimensional (3D) arrays of anisotropic nanoparticles brings novel properties into the resulting system, which would be entirely different from the properties of individual nanoparticles. This review presents an overview of current research in the area of anisotropic nanomaterials in general and noble metal nanoparticles in particular. We begin with an introduction to the advancements in this area followed by general aspects of the growth of anisotropic nanoparticles. Then we describe several important synthetic protocols for making anisotropic nanomaterials, followed by a summary of their assemblies, and conclude with major applications

Recurrent Phaeohyphomycosis: A Case Report CASE REPORT

ABSTRACT Phaeohyphomycoses are rare, opportunistic, fungal infections which are usually seen in immunocompromised individuals. We are reporting a case of a 40-year-old man with recurrent cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis, who did not have any clinical evidence of immunodeficiency, who presented with signs which resembled a malignancy of the skin. CASE REPORT A 40-years-old male, who was agriculturist by occupation, who had no previous medical illness, presented with a recurrent growth over the left forearm and elbow region, which he had got operated 3 years back. He was otherwise in sound health. The patient denied any apparent antecedent trauma, contact with chemicals, arthropod bites, a family history of or contact with a person with similar lesions or foreign travel. The lesions were non itchy and they were formed by several confluent nodular areas (cauliflower like) which had a foul smelling haemopurulent discharge. He had similar growths over his forehead, back and left elbow 3 years back, which were excised and grafted in a local hospital. He was on irregular antifungal treatment. His physical examination revealed three non-tender, cauliflower like growths in the medial, anterior and lateral aspects of arm, just above elbow joint, of sizes 5 × 5 cm, 10 × 5 cm and 6 × 3 cm respectively (over the grafted areas). On naked eye examination, no grains were visualised in the haemopurulent discharge [Table/ Surgery Sectio

Shape-controlled preparation and catalytic activity of metal nanoparticles for hydrogenation of 2-butyne-1,4-diol and styrene oxide

Stable nanocluster catalysts prepared by chemical and γ-radiolytic reduction methods were found to give very high turn-over frequency numbers in hydrogenation of styrene oxide and 2-butyne-1,4-diol (BD) as compared to the conventional catalysts. A systematic study was carried out on the effects of different transition metals, their reduction methods, types of polymer used as a capping agent, and the concentration and composition of solvent used during catalyst preparation on the size and shape of nanoparticles. The reduction method of metal precursor directly influenced the morphology of the nanoparticles, affecting the catalyst activity considerably. The cubic-shaped nanoparticles (5-7 nm) were obtained in chemical reduction, while radiolytic reduction method gave spherical nanoparticles (1-7 nm)