Analyzing The Metagenomics of Bacterial Diversity in The Backwater Mangrove Regions of Pichavaram and Parangipettai, Tamil Nadu, India, Reveals Insights into Sediment Microbial Communities

This metagenomic study delves into the microbial diversity and functional potential of sediment samples from the Pichavaram and Parangipettai mangrove ecosystems. The dataset, initially comprising millions of base pairs and sequences, undergoes meticulous quality control, revealing refined characteristics post-artificial duplicate read identification. Taxonomic analyses unveil a rich microbial landscape, dominated by bacteria, with intriguing presence of Eukaryota, Archaea, and unclassified sequences. The intricate community structures, highlighted through phylogenetic distributions, showcase the diversity and unexpected taxa, providing a nuanced understanding of microbial dynamics. Functional gene exploration uncovers key enzymes driving biosynthesis of secondary metabolites and metabolic pathways, shedding light on the microbial community's ecological roles and biotechnological potential. This comprehensive metagenomic analysis serves as a foundation for further ecological assessments, taxonomic refinements, and investigations into the adaptive strategies of these microbial communities in mangrove sediments

Phytochemical Analysis (LC-MS) of Azadirachta Indica Ethanolic Extract, Antioxidant, Anticancer, in Vitro Wound Healing Activity, and Immunomodulatory Effects of Azadirachta Indica Ethanolic Extract

This study presents a comprehensive investigation of the medicinal attributes of the ethanolic extract obtained from Azadirachta indica (A. indica) leaves collected from the Jamia Salafiya Pharmacy College campus in Malappuram District, Kerala, South India. The plant was meticulously identified by Dr. Samuel Thavamni B, a plant pharmacognosy specialist. The ethanolic extraction process was performed using the Soxhlet method. Phytochemical analysis was performed using liquid chromatography-LC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass and Mass spectroscopy). The in vitro antioxidant, MTT ((3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide) assay, Apoptosis, and Immunomodulatory activity of ethanolic A. indica were evaluated. The extraction resulted in a semi-solid, dark-coloured extract with a yield of 8.67%. Phytochemical analysis using LC-MS identified key constituents such as octadecanoic acid, tetradecanoic acid, caryophyllene, 1,4-Eicosadiene, and triacontanoic acid, methyl ester, known for anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties. In vitro antioxidant assays revealed a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect, with the A. indica ethanolic extract demonstrating substantial antioxidant capacity (77.81% at 100 µg), comparable to that of ascorbic acid (97.22%). However, the MTT assay indicated a concentration-dependent decrease in cell viability, emphasizing the need for caution owing to potential cytotoxic effects. Acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining provided insights into the induction of apoptosis in MCF-7 cells, highlighting the beneficial effects of the extract on cellular morphology. The scratch wound healing assay suggested the potential of the extract to promote fibroblast migration, implicating its role in enhancing wound healing. Immunomodulatory activity assessment revealed concentration-dependent modulation of immune responses, with the extract demonstrating a notable immunomodulatory effect of 77.81% at 100 µg. These findings shed light on the medicinal potential of A. indica, emphasizing the need for further research to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. The diverse chemical composition and multifaceted effects of the extract, from antioxidant and cytotoxic activities to immunomodulation and wound healing promotion, underscore its significance in pharmaceuticals and herbal remedies

Meta-analysis of mammary RNA seq datasets reveals the molecular understanding of bovine lactation biology

The understanding of lactation biology at the gene expression level and the identification of candidate genes for milk synthesis and milk components are possible using recent advanced RNA seq technology. The purpose of this study is to understand the milk constituents synthesis, the molecular pathways responsible for milk synthesis and identification of candidate genes for milk production traits using whole mammary transcriptome dataset. We performed a meta-analysis of publically available RNA seq transcriptomics dataset of mammary tissue/milk somatic cells. Totally 11562 genes were commonly identified from all RNA seq based mammary gland transcriptomes. Functional annotation of commonly expressed genes revealed the molecular understanding of milk fat, protein and lactose synthesis process in mammary secretory cells and molecular pathways responsible for milk synthesis. Further, we identified several candidate genes responsible for milk production traits and constructed the gene regulatory network for RNA seq datasets. In conclusion, this study provides a basic understanding of lactation biology of cows at the gene expression level.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Evaluation of serum magnesium levels among type 2 diabetes individuals of a South Indian town

Background: Studies have reported that hypomagnesemia could play an essential role in the development of endothelial dysfunction and altered insulin function, particularly among type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To assess the incidence of hypomagnesemia among patients with T2DM and compare them with healthy individuals. Materials and Methods: One hundred types 2 diabetic patients admitted to the general medicine outpatient Department at Government Erode Medical College Hospital, Perundurai, were recruited. Biochemical parameters and serum magnesium were assessed at admission and compared with the 100 healthy controls without T2DM. Results: Cases and controls had mean ages of 50.39 ± 9.76 and 50.01 ± 10.15 years, respectively. The age range of 41–50 had the highest percentage of patients (42%). The gender distribution was the same for both cases and controls, with 70% of men and 30% of women. Between cases and controls, the mean fasting blood sugar levels were 102.42 ± 11.16 mg/dl and 91.93 ± 4.32 mg/dl, respectively. Conclusion: Hypomagnesemia is a common problem in adults with T2DM, and we did find a significant association between Mg levels and T2DM in Erode district, Tamil Nadu

Whole-Genome comparative analysis reveals genetic mechanisms of disease resistance and heat tolerance of tropical Bos indicus cattle breeds

The Bos indicus cattle breeds have been naturally selected over thousands of years for disease resistance and thermo-tolerance. However, a genetic mechanism of these specific inherited characteristics needs to be discovered. Hence, in this study, the whole-genome comparative analysis of Bos indicus cattle breeds of Kangayam, Tharparkar, Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, and Hariana of the Indian subcontinent was conducted. The genetic variants identification analysis revealed a total of 15,58,51,012 SNPs and 1,00,62,805 InDels in the mapped reads across all Bos indicus cattle breeds. The functional annotation of 17,252 genes that comprised both, SNPs and InDels, of high functional impact on proteins, has been carried out. The functional annotation results revealed the pathways that were involved in the innate immune response including toll-like receptors, a retinoic acid-inducible gene I like receptors, NOD-like receptors, Jak-STAT signaling pathways, and the non-synonymous variants in the candidate immune genes. Further, we also identified several pathways involved in heat shock response, hair and skin properties, oxidative stress response, osmotic stress response, thermal sweating, feed intake, metabolism, and the non-synonymous variants in the candidate thermo-tolerant genes. These pathways and genes were directly or indirectly contributing to the disease resistance and thermo-tolerance adaptations of Bos indicus cattle breeds.The accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Nanogold-loaded sharp-edged carbon bullets as plant-gene carriers

The higher DNA delivery efficiency into plants by gold nanoparticles embedded in sharp carbonaceous carriers is demonstrated. These nanogold-embedded carbon matrices are prepared by heat treatment of biogenic intracellular gold nanoparticles. The DNA-delivery efficiency is tested on a model plant, Nicotiana tabacum, and is further extended to the monocot, Oryza sativa and a hard dicot tree species, Leucaena leucocephala. These materials reveal good dispersion of the transport material, producing a greater number of GUS foci per unit area. The added advantages of the composite carrier are the lower plasmid and gold requirements. Plant-cell damage with the carbon-supported particles is very minimal and can be gauged from the increased plant regeneration and transformation efficiency compared with that of the commercial micrometer-sized gold particles. This is ascribed to the sharp edges that the carbon supports possess, which lead to better piercing capabilities with minimum damage