Cross section of genetic diversity in mainland and insular populations of Costus speciosus (Koen ex. Retz.) Sm. using SPAR markers reveal patterns linked to allopolyploidy and biogeography

Costus speciosus (Koen ex. Retz.) Sm. is a major source of diosgenin, used for the commercial synthesis of cortisone, sex hormones and contraceptives. The genetic diversity analysis in wild populations of C. speciosus from 3 biogeographic regions viz., Western Ghats (WG), Eastern Ghats (EG) and Andaman and Nicobar Islands (AN) were done using 2 different Single Primer Amplification Reaction (SPAR) methods. A total of 70 accessions spanning these regions were used in the present study. The assay yielded a total of 314 amplicons of which 268 were polymorphic, exhibiting 85.35% of polymorphism. The prevalence of high rate of genetic differentiation (mean Gst = 0.90) and low gene flow (mean Nm= 0.06) are the main attributes of the observed low diversity in these populations. The accessions clustered broadly under 2 major groups corresponding to the three biogeographic zones with insular populations diverse from the mainland. This was further resolved by AMOVA analysis. C. speciosus is found to exist in different cytotypes exhibiting allopolyploidy. The differences in distribution and genetic fitness of the population from EG and WG may be attributed to the allopolyploid nature of the taxa. In the present study, Island populations comprise very low heterozygosity (Ht = 0.10) suggesting that the rate of fixation is more in these populations. Similarly, the rate of gene flow was almost absent (Nm = 0.02). The higher levels of genetic similarity (0.99) may be due to an increase in fixation of the genes resulting from allopolyploidy. This is the first study on comparative genetic diversity of C. speciosus using SPAR markers

Population genetic structure of Garcinia imberti Bourd. an endangered endemic tree of southern Western Ghats, India

Assessing the genetic diversity of endemic plants is of great importance in future conservation programmes. The genetic diversity in Garcinia imberti from Agasthyamala Biosphere Reserve of southern Western Ghats was assessed through ISSR markers by molecular characterization with 15 primers. A total of 157 accessions from six populations were used for the study. They generated 102 amplified products, out of which 89 were polymorphic (87.25%). It produced an average of 6.8 bands per primer and 5.93% polymorphism per primer. The present study revealed that G. imberti has moderate level of genetic diversity at species level but differs at population level. The dendrogram constructed following UPGMA exhibited that all accessions were clustered together except Poonkulam population. The genetic diversity analysis of G. imberti showed that even though the populations are closely associated, every population have their own characteristic diversity and should be conserved. Among the populations, Chemunji is the largest one with more genetic diversity and may conserve as the potential source of gene pool of this species

Enhanced production of lupeol through elicitation in in vitro shoot cultures of snake grass (Clinacanthus nutans)

Clinacanthus nutans (Acanthaceae), generally known as ‘snake grass’, has diverse uses in customary system of herbal medicine. The species is endowed with various bioactive compounds exhibiting extensive pharmacological properties. The present investigation focused on elicitor-intervened in vitro shoot biomass cultivation and scale-up production of the anti-cancerous compound ‘lupeol’, one of the foremost constituents in this species. For the augmented production of lupeol, the shoot cultures were elicited with various concentrations of yeast extract (YE), chitosan and methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Maximum shoot biomass yield and production of lupeol was detected in MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mgl-1 BA and 400 mgl-1 YE. The petroleum ether extracts of selected samples upon TLC analysis proved Rf values corresponding to lupeol. HPTLC analysis revealed that the sample treated with YE displayed relatively higher amount (975.50 ng) of lupeol than the in vivo plant (713.69 ng). Hence the in vitro shoot culture system with elicitor (YE) treatment propose an appropriate method for the elevated synthesis of lupeol which can be scaled up via bio-reactor technology in doing so profiting the pharmaceutical appliances

Direct Determination of MCPD Fatty Acid Esters and Glycidyl Fatty Acid Esters in Vegetable Oils by LC–TOFMS

Analysis of MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in vegetable oils using the indirect method proposed by the DGF gave inconsistent results when salting out conditions were varied. Subsequent investigation showed that the method was destroying and reforming MCPD during the analysis. An LC time of flight MS method was developed for direct analysis of both MCPD esters and glycidyl esters in vegetable oils. The results of the LC–TOFMS method were compared with the DGF method. The DGF method consistently gave results that were greater than the LC–TOFMS method. The levels of MCPD esters and glycidyl esters found in a variety of vegetable oils are reported. MCPD monoesters were not found in any oil samples. MCPD diesters were found only in samples containing palm oil, and were not present in all palm oil samples. Glycidyl esters were found in a wide variety of oils. Some processing conditions that influence the concentration of MCPD esters and glycidyl esters are discussed

Transcriptomic profile of adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes after neonatal encephalopathy

A rapid and early diagnostic test to identify the encephalopathic babies at risk of adverse outcome may accelerate the development of neuroprotectants. We examined if a whole blood transcriptomic signature measured soon after birth,predicts adverse neurodevelopmental outcomeeighteenmonths after neonatal encephalopathy.We performed next generation sequencing on whole blood ribonucleic acid obtained within sixhours of birth from the first 47encephalopathic babies recruited to the Hypothermia for Encephalopathy in Low and middle-income countries (HELIX)trial. Two infants with blood culture positive sepsis were excluded, and the data from remaining 45 were analysed. A total of 855genes were significantly differentially expressed between the good and adverse outcome groups, of which RGS1and SMC4 werethe most significant. Biological pathway analysis adjusted for gender, trial randomisation allocation (cooling therapy versus usual care) and estimated blood leukocyte proportions revealed over-representation of genes from pathways related to melatoninand polo-like kinase in babieswith adverse outcome. These preliminary data suggest that transcriptomic profiling may be a promising tool for rapid risk stratification in neonatal encephalopathy. It may provide insights into biological mechanismsand identify novel therapeutic targetsfor neuroprotection

Somatostatin Receptor 1 and 5 Double Knockout Mice Mimic Neurochemical Changes of Huntington's Disease Transgenic Mice

Selective degeneration of medium spiny neurons and preservation of medium sized aspiny interneurons in striatum has been implicated in excitotoxicity and pathophysiology of Huntington's disease (HD). However, the molecular mechanism for the selective sparing of medium sized aspiny neurons and vulnerability of projection neurons is still elusive. The pathological characteristic of HD is an extensive reduction of the striatal mass, affecting caudate putamen. Somatostatin (SST) positive neurons are selectively spared in HD and Quinolinic acid/N-methyl-D-aspartic acid induced excitotoxicity, mimic the model of HD. SST plays neuroprotective role in excitotoxicity and the biological effects of SST are mediated by five somatostatin receptor subtypes (SSTR1-5). and R6/2 mice. Conversely, the expression of somatostatin receptor subtypes, enkephalin and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases were strain specific. SSTR1/5 appears to be important in regulating NMDARs, DARPP-32 and signaling molecules in similar fashion as seen in HD transgenic mice.This is the first comprehensive description of disease related changes upon ablation of G- protein coupled receptor gene. Our results indicate that SST and SSTRs might play an important role in regulation of neurodegeneration and targeting this pathway can provide a novel insight in understanding the pathophysiology of Huntington's disease

<span style="font-size:13.0pt;mso-bidi-font-size: 8.0pt" lang="EN-GB">Genetic uniformity analysis of cryopreseved<i> in vitro</i> plantlets of <i>Kaempferia galanga</i> L.—An endangered medicinal species in Tropical Asia </span>

425-428While using the protocols for the long-term conservation, assessment of true-to-type regenerants from cryopreserved materials is important. In the present study, no significant variation in banding pattern was noticed in the RAPD profile of cryopreserved and control samples of shoot tip-derived Kaempferia galanga plants. But in the case of somatic embryo-derived samples, some variation was observed in the banding pattern (16.2% polymorphism), though the plants were phenotypically similar. Recovery of cryopreserved somatic embryos in K. galanga was preceded through a callus phase, from which secondary embryos were induced later. The RAPD profile of somatic embryo-derived samples revealed that variation was due to the occurrence of callus phase. As minor genetic variations arising in in vitro cultures without marked phenotypic changes are considered to be beneficial for diversity conservation and sustainable utilization, cryopreserved somatic embryos of K. galanga would serve as an alternative for generating and maintaining genetic diversity of this medicinal wealth

Genetic diversity and differentiation analysis among wild antecedents of banana (<i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Musa acuminata</i> Colla) using RAPD markers

493-498Musa acuminata Colla, the wild progenitor of banana, has a long evolutionary history intervened by human activity. Forty three accessions of M. acuminata ssp. burmannica, collected from <span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt; mso-bidi-font-style:italic" lang="EN-GB">3 wildlife sanctuaries of Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve of Western Ghats, India were studied for their genetic diversity and differentiation using<span style="letter-spacing:-.1pt; mso-bidi-font-style:italic" lang="EN-GB"> random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers. The results indicated a relatively high level of genetic diversity in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">Musa accessions at the species [Nei’s gene diversity (H)=0.47; Shannon information index (I)=0.66)] as well as population level (H=0.42; I=0.61). A<span style="letter-spacing: -.1pt;mso-fareast-language:ZH-CN;mso-bidi-font-weight:bold" lang="EN-GB"> relatively high degree of genetic differentiation was also observed among the populations (GST=0.30). Moreover, analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed the existence of vast (81%) genetic variation within the populations. The Mantel test revealed a significant correlation (Rxy=0.54; P<0.001) between the geographic distance and the genetic distance of these populations. The genetic variability among these accessions suggests that the management for the conservation of the genetic diversity in M. acuminata should aim at preserving each and every accession at Agastyamalai Biosphere Reserve. </span