Cloning and development of pathotype-specific SCAR marker associated with Sclerospora graminicola isolates from pearl millet

Downy mildew pathogen of pearl millet in India is associated with the spread of the highly virulent Sclerospora graminicola pathotype-1. Twenty-seven S. graminicola isolates were screened using 20 intersimple sequence repeats (ISSR). Dinucleotide repeat primer [17898A-(CA)(6) AC] amplified a similar to 600 bp fragment specific to five isolates of pathotype-1 (Sg 048, Sg 153, Sg 212, DM-11 and DM-90). The ISSR fragment linked with pathotype-1 was cloned successfully and sequenced. To convert ISSR fragments into pathotype-specific sequence characterised amplified region (SCAR) markers, PCR primers were designed using a sequence of the cloned DNA fragment. PCR amplification using SCAR primer pair (UOM3-Sg-Path1-F/R) amplified a single 284 bp band only in isolates of S. graminicola pathotype-1. This SCAR primer pair did not amplify the 284 bp product from the other five S. graminicola pathotypes or a negative control, which demonstrates primer specificity for pathotype-1. The SCAR primer pair (UOM3-Sg-Path1-F/R) obtained in this study will provide a valuable tool for rapid identification and specific detection of S. graminicola pathotype-1.

Assessment of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Initiatives in India

Nanotechnology is a new technology which is generating a lot of interest among academicians, practitioners and scientists. Critical research is being carried out in this area all over the world.Governments are creating policy initiatives to promote developments it the nanoscale science and technology developments. Private investment is also seeing a rising trend. Large number of academic institutions and national laboratories has set up research centers that are workingon the multiple applications of nanotechnology. Wide ranges of applications are claimed for nanotechnology. This consists of materials, chemicals, textiles, semiconductors, to wonder drug delivery systems and diagnostics. Nanotechnology is considered to be a next big wave of technology after information technology and biotechnology. In fact, nanotechnology holds the promise of advances that exceed those achieved in recent decades in computers and biotechnology. Much interest in nanotechnology also could be because of the fact that enormous monetary benefits are expected from nanotechnology based products. According to NSF, revenues from nanotechnology could touch $ 1 trillion by 2015. However much of the benefits are projected ones. Realizing claimed benefits require successful development of nanoscience andv nanotechnology research efforts. That is the journey of invention to innovation has to be completed. For this to happen the technology has to flow from laboratory to market. Nanoscience and nanotechnology research efforts have to come out in the form of new products, new processes, and new platforms.India has also started its Nanoscience and Nanotechnology development program in under its 10(th) Five Year Plan and funds worth Rs. One billion have been allocated for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Research and Development. The aim of the paper is to assess Nanoscience and Nanotechnology initiatives in India. We propose a conceptual model derived from theresource based view of the innovation. We have developed a structured questionnaire to measure the constructs in the conceptual model. Responses have been collected from 115 scientists and engineers working in the field of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology. The responses have been analyzed further by using Principal Component Analysis, Cluster Analysis and Regression Analysis.

Progress in tuberculosis vaccine development and host-directed therapies-a state of the art review

Tuberculosis continues to kill 1.4 million people annually. During the past 5 years, an alarming increase in the number of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis has been noted, particularly in eastern Europe, Asia, and southern Africa. Treatment outcomes with available treatment regimens for drug-resistant tuberculosis are poor. Although substantial progress in drug development for tuberculosis has been made, scientific progress towards development of interventions for prevention and improvement of drug treatment outcomes have lagged behind. Innovative interventions are therefore needed to combat the growing pandemic of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. Novel adjunct treatments are needed to accomplish improved cure rates for multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. A novel, safe, widely applicable, and more effective vaccine against tuberculosis is also desperately sought to achieve disease control. The quest to develop a universally protective vaccine for tuberculosis continues. So far, research and development of tuberculosis vaccines has resulted in almost 20 candidates at different stages of the clinical trial pipeline. Host-directed therapies are now being developed to refocus the anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis-directed immune responses towards the host; a strategy that could be especially beneficial for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis or extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis. As we are running short of canonical tuberculosis drugs, more attention should be given to host-directed preventive and therapeutic intervention measures.