Enzymic synthesis of sym-homospermidine in Lathyrus sativus (grass pea) seedlings

An enzyme catalysing the synthesis of sym-homospermidine from putrescine and NAD+ with concomitant liberation of NH3 was purified 100-fold from Lathyrus sativus (grass pea) seedlings by affinity chromatography on Blue Sepharose. This thiol enzyme had an apparent mol.wt. of 75000 and exhibited Michelis-Menten kinetics with Km 3.0mM for putrescine. The same enzyme activity could also be demonstrated in the crude extracts of sandal (Santalum album) leaves, but with a specific activity 15-fold greater than that in L. sativus seedlings.

Molecular phylogeny of Glyphochloa (Poaceae, Panicoideae), an endemic grass genus from the Western Ghats, India

The genus Glyphochloa (Poaceae: Panicoideae: Andropogoneae: Rottboellinae) is endemic to peninsular India and is distributed on lateritic plateaus of low and high altitude in and around Western Ghats and the Malabar Coast. The genus presumably originated and diversified in the Western Ghats. Species relationships in the genus Glyphochloa were deduced here based on molecular phylogenies inferred using nuclear ribosomal ITS sequences and plastid intergenic spacer regions (atpB-rbcL, trnT-trnL, trnL-trnF), and new observations were made of spikelet morphology, caryopsis morphology and meiotic chromosome counts. We observed two distinct clades of Glyphochloa s.l. One of these (group I') includes Ophiuros bombaiensis, and is characterized by a single-awned lower glume and a base chromosome number of 6; it grows in low elevation coastal areas. The other clade (group II') has a double-awned lower glume, a base chromosome number of 7, and is restricted to higher elevation lateritic plateaus; G. ratnagirica may belong to the group II clade, or may be a third distinct lineage in the genus. A sister-group relationship between group I and II taxa (with or without G. ratnagirica) is not well supported, although the genus is recovered as monophyletic in shortest trees inferred using ITS or concatenated plastid data. We present a key to species of Glyphochloa and make a new combination for O. bombaiensis.

An interactive graphics system for 2-D drawing and design

This paper is about a software system, GRASS-Graphic Software System for 2-D drawing and design—which has been implemented on a PDP-11/35 system with RSX-11M operating system. It is a low cost interactive graphics system for the design of two dimensional drawings and uses a minimum of hardware. It provides comprehensive facilities for creating, editing, storing and retrieving pictures. It has been implemented in the language Pascal and has the potential to be used as a powerful data-imputting tool for a design-automation system. The important features of the system are its low cost, software character generation and a user-trainable character recognizer, which has been included.

Stimulation of NADH oxidation by xanthine oxidase and polyvanadate in presence of some dehydrogenases and flavin compounds

The rates of NADH oxidation in presence of xanthine oxidase increase to a small and variable extent on addition of high concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase and other dehydrogenases. This heat stable activity is similar to polyvanadate-stimulation with respect to pH profile and SOD sensitivity. Isocitric dehydrogenase (NADP-specific) showed heat labile, SOD-sensitive polyvanadate-stimulated NADH oxidation activity. Polyvanadate-stimulated SOD-sensitive NADH oxidation was also found to occur with riboflavin, FMN and FAD in presence of a non-specific protein, BSA, suggesting that some flavoproteins may possess this activity.

Detection,amplification and sequence homology of sodC in clinical isolates of Salmonella sp

Background & objectives: Periplasmic copper and zinc superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD or SodC) is an important component of the antioxidant shield which protects bacteria from the phagocytic oxidative burst. Cu,Zn-SODs protect Gram-negative bacteria against oxygen damage which have also been shown to contribute to the pathogenicity of these bacterial species. We report the presence of SodC in drug resistant Salmonella sp. isolated from patients suffering from enteric fever. Further sodC was amplified, cloned into Escherichia coli and the nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence homology were compared with the standard strain Salmonella Typhimurium 14028. Methods: Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi (S. Typhi) and Salmonellaenterica serovar Paratyphi (S. Paratyphi) were isolated and identified from blood samples of the patients. The isolates were screened for the presence of Cu, Zn-SOD by PAGE using KCN as inhibitor of Cu,Zn-SOD. The gene (sodC) was amplified by PCR, cloned and sequenced. The nucleotide and amino acid sequences of sodC were compared using CLUSTAL X.Results: SodC was detected in 35 per cent of the Salmonella isolates. Amplification of the genomic DNA of S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi with sodC specific primers resulted in 519 and 515 bp amplicons respectively. Single mutational difference at position 489 was observed between thesodC of S. Typhi and S. Paratyphi while they differed at 6 positions with the sodC of S. Typhimurium 14028. The SodC amino acid sequences of the two isolates were homologous but 3 amino acid difference was observed with that of standard strain S. Typhimurium 14028.Interpretation & conclusions: The presence of SodC in pathogenic bacteria could be a novel candidate as phylogenetic marker.

Hills, dams and forests. Some field observations from the Western Ghats

Man’s attempts to intensify the use of natural resources can often result in the exhaustion of the resource or deterioration of other interacting resources. The single-minded pursuit of the development of the water resources of the rivers of the Western Ghats shows many examples of this view, particularly in the unnecessary destruction of the dwindling forest resources. This destruction may be caused by (i) problems o f rehabilitation, e.g. the Ramanagar settlement of the Kalinadi project (ii) the impact of labourers, e.g. the destruction of evergreen sholas on the Upper Nilgiri plateau (iii) the access to encroachers and poachers, e.g. Panshet and Kalinadi (iv) faulty planning, e.g. Linganamakki and Kalinadi. This destruction of forest cover has had a number of deleterious consequences in (i) worsening the shortages of forest resources, (ii) hastening the siltation of the reservoirs, (iii) ecological imbalances as in the rapid spread ofEupatorium in the Kalinadi project area and (iv) the decimation of biological diversity, as in the great reduction of evergreen forests in the Western Ghats, threatening the survival of lion-tailed macaque and the extinction of grass species,Hubbardia heptaneuron. It is stressed that the only sustainable and therefore true development is environmentally sound development. The interests of the weaker sections of the society often provide a good index of the soundness of the development from an environmental point of view. The planning of the development process with this perspective is a great scientific and technological challenge that must be taken up.

Ecology of the Asian Elephant in Southern India. I. Movement and Habitat Utilization Patterns

The movement and habitat utilization patterns were studied in an Asian elephant population during 1981-83 within a 1130 km2 area in southern India (110 30' N to 120 0' N and 760 50' E to 770 15' E). The study area encompasses a diversity of vegetation types from dry thorn forest (250-400 m) through deciduous forest (400-1400 m) to stunted evergreen shola forest and grassland (1400-1800 m). Home range sizes of some identified elephants were between 105 and 320 km2. Based on the dry season distribution, five different elephant clans, each consisting of between 50 and 200 individuals and having overlapping home ranges, could be defined within the study area. Seaso- nal habitat preferences were related to the availability of water and the palatability of food plants. During the dry months (January-April) elephants congregated at high densities of up to five individuals kM-2 in river valleys where browse plants had a much higher protein content than the coarse tall grasses on hill slopes. With the onset of rains of the first wet season (May- August) they dispersed over a wider area at lower densities, largely into the tall grass forests, to feed on the fresh grasses, which then had a high protein value. During the second wet season (September-December), when the tall grasses became fibrous, they moved into lower elevation short grass open forests. The normal movement pattern could be upset during years of adverse environmental con- ditions. However, the movement pattern of elephants in this region has not basically changed for over a century, as inferred from descriptions recorded during the nineteenth century.

Inhibition of peroxidase-catalyzed protein tyrosine nitration by antithyroid drugs and their analogues

In this paper, we describe the effect of some commonly used thiourea-based antithyroid drugs and their analogues on the peroxidase-catalyzed nitration reactions. The nitration of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and cytochrome c was studied using the antibody against 3-nitro-L-tyrosine. This study reveals that the thione-based antithyroid drugs effectively inhibit lactoperoxidase (LPO)-catalyzed nitration of BSA. These compounds show very weak inhibition towards the nitration of cytochrome c. Some of these compounds also inhibit myeloperoxidase (MPO)-catalyzed nitration of L-tyrosine. A structure-activity correlation study on the peroxidase-catalyzed nitration of L-tyrosine reveals that the presence of thione/selone moiety is important for the inhibition. Although the presence of a free N-H group adjacent to C=S moiety is necessary for most of the thiones to inhibit the LPO-catalyzed nitration, the corresponding selones do not require the presence of any free N-H group for their activity. Furthermore, experiments with different concentrations of H2O2 suggest that the antithyroid drugs and related thiones inhibit the nitration reaction mainly by coordinating to the Fe(III)-center of the enzyme active site as previously proposed for the inhibition of peroxidase-catalyzed iodination. On the other hand, the selenium compounds inhibit the nitration by scavenging H2O2 without interacting with the enzyme active site. This assumption is based on the observations that catalase effectively inhibits tyrosine nitration by scavenging H2O2, which is one of the substrates for the nitration. In contrast, superoxide dismutase (SOD) does not alter the nitration reactions, indicating the absence of superoxide radical anion (O-2 center dot(-)) during the peroxidase-catalyzed nitration reactions. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterization of oxygen free radicals generated during vanadate-stimulated NADH oxidation

The oxidation of NADH and accompanying reduction of oxygen to H2O2 stimulated by polyvanadate was markedly inhibited by SOD and cytochrome c. The presence of decavanadate, the polymeric form, is necessary for obtaining the microsomal enzyme-catalyzed activity. The accompanying activity of reduction of cytochrome c was found to be SOD-insensitive and therefore does not represent superoxide formation. The reduction of cytochrome c by vanadyl sulfate was also SOD-insensitive. In the presence of H2O2 all the forms of vanadate were able to oxidize reduced cytochrome c, which was sensitive to mannitol, tris and also catalase, indicating H202-dependent generation of hydroxyl radicals. Using ESR and spin trapping technique only hydroxyl radicals, but not superoxide anion radicals, were detected during polyvanadate-dependent NADH oxidation.

Ecology of the Asian Elephant in Southern India. II. Feeding Habits and Crop Raiding Patterns

The Asian elephant's foraging strategy in its natural habitat and in cultivation was studied in southern India during 1981-83. Though elephants consumed at least 112 plant species in the study area, about 85% of their diet consisted of only 25 species from the order Malvales and the families Leguminosae, Palmae, Cyperaceae and Gramineae. Alteration between a predominantly browse diet during the dry season with a grass diet during the early wet season was related to the seasonally changing protein content of grasses. Crop raiding, which was sporadic during the dry season, gradually increased with more area being cultivated with the onset of rains. Raiding frequency reached a peak during October-December, with some villages being raided almost every night, when finger millet (Eleusine coracana) was cultivated by most farmers. The monthly frequency of raiding was related to the seasonal movement of elephant herds and to the size of the enclave. Of their total annual food requirement, adult bull elephants derived an estimated 9.3% and family herds 1.7% in quantity from cultivated land. Cultivated cereal and millet crops provided significantly more protein, calcium and sodium than the wild grasses. Ultimately, crop raiding can be thought of as an extension of the elephant's optimal foraging strategy.

A novel phenomenon of burst of oxygen uptake during decavanadate-dependent oxidation of NADH

Oxidation of NADH by decavanadate, a polymeric form vanadate with a cage-like structure, in presence of rat liver microsomes followed a biphasic pattern. An initial slow phase involved a small rate of oxygen uptake and reduction of 3 of the 10 vanadium atoms. This was followed by a second rapid phase in which the rates of NADH oxidation and oxygen uptake increased several-fold with a stoichiometry of NADH: O2 of 1ratio1. The burst of NADH oxidation and oxygen uptake which occurs in phosphate, but not in Tris buffer, was prevented by SOD, catalase, histidine, EDTA, MnCl2 and CuSO4, but not by the hydroxyl radical quenchers, ethanol, methanol, formate and mannitol. The burst reaction is of a novel type that requires the polymeric structure of decavanadate for reduction of vanadium which, in presence of traces of H2O2, provides a reactive intermediate that promotes transfer of electrons from NADH to oxygen.

Competing peroxidase and oxidase reactions in scopoletin-dependent H2O2-initiated oxidation of NADH by horseradish peroxidase

Addition of NADH inhibited the peroxidative loss of scopoletin in presence of horseradish peroxidase and H2O2 and decreased the ratio of scopoletin (consumed):H2O2 (added). Concomitantly NADH was oxidized and oxygen was consumed with a stoichiometry of NADH: O-2 of 2:1. On step-wise addition of a small concentration of H2O2 a high rate of NADH oxidation was obtained for a progressively decreasing time period followed by termination of the reaction with NADH:H2O2 ratio decreasing from about 40 to 10. The rate of NADH oxidation increased linearly with increase in scopoletin concentration. Other phenolic compounds including p-coumarate also supported this reaction to a variable degree. A 418-nm absorbing compound;d accumulated during oxidation of NADH. The effectiveness of a small concentration of H2O2 in supporting NADH oxidation increased in presence of SOD and decreased in presence of cytochrome c, but the reaction terminated even in their presence. The results indicate that the peroxidase is not continuously generating H2O2 during scopolerin-mediated NADH oxidation and that both peroxidase and oxidase reactions occur simultaneously competing for an active form of the enzyme.

Stable carbon isotope ratios in Asian elephant collagen: implications for dietary studies

Stable carbon isotope ratios in bone collagen have been used in a variety of dietary studies in modern and fossil animals, including humans. Inherent in the stable isotope technique is the assumption that the isotopic signature is a reflection of the diet and is persistent in collagen because this is a relatively inert protein. Carbon isotope analyses of bones from a southern Indian population of Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), a long-lived mammal that alternates seasonally between a predominantly C3 (browse) and C4 (grass) plant diet, showed two patterns that have important implications for dietary interpretation based on isotopic studies. Relative to the quantity of the two plant types consumed on average, the ?13C signal in collagen indicated that more carbon was incorporated from C3 plants, possibly due to their higher protein contribution. There was a much greater variance in ?13C values of collagen in sub-adult (range -10.5� to-22.7�, variance=14.51) compared to adult animals (range -16.0� to -20.3�, variance=1.85) pointing to high collagen turnover rates and non-persistent isotopic signatures in younger, growing animals. It thus seems important to correct for any significant relative differences in nutritive value of food types and also consider the age of an animal before drawing definite conclusions about its diet from isotope ratios.