Molecular Diversity of Kenyan Lablab Bean (<i>Lablab purpureus</i>(L.) Sweet) Accessions Using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism Markers

Lablab purpureus (L.) Sweet is a multipurpose legume that combines use as human food and animal feed in addition to serving as a cover crop for soil conservation. In this work, molecular diversity in Lablab purpureus was assessed using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers on fifty Kenyan lablab accessions obtained from farmers’ fields and the Kenya National gene bank. One hundred and eighty polymorphic bands were revealed using fifteen selective primer pairs. The overall mean expected heterozygosity (He) for the five populations was 0.189. Estimates of components of molecular variance revealed that most of the genetic variation resided within populations (99%) and only 1% variance was among the populations, while Principal Coordinate Analysis showed an overlap between accessions from different geographic origins. The UPGMA cluster analysis generated from the distance matrix of the 50 assayed accessions, revealed low diversity among most of the accessions. The low diversity observed may be due to the narrow genetic base for breeding stocks, and extensive exchange of germplasm among smallholder farmers across the country. Results obtained from this study are discussed in light of the need to enhance the genetic management and improvement of this multipurpose crop species.

On-farm Conservation of Landraces of Rice (Oryza Sativa L.) through Cultivation in the Kumaun Region of Indian Central Himalaya

The Himalayan region is a known hot spot of crop diversity. Traditional varieties (usually called primitive cultivars or landraces), having withstood the rigors of time (including harsh climatic conditions as well as attacks of insects, pests and diseases), can still be found in crop fields in rural parts of Indian Central Himalaya (ICH). These landraces harbor many desired traits from which, for example, varieties that are tolerant/resistant to abiotic/biotic stresses could be developed. In addition to the above benefits, landraces provide a basis for food security and a more varied and interesting diet. Some landraces are also known to be of medicinal value. These, along with some lesser known hill crops, are often referred to by different names such as under exploited crops, crops for marginal lands, poor person crops, and neglected mountain crops. The Himalayan region continues to be a reservoir of a large number of landraces and cultivars whose economic and ecological potential is yet to be fully understood and/or exploited. Indians have had a history of rice cultivation since ancient times. Farmers, including tribals inhabiting the IHR, still cultivate a plethora of landraces of rice and thus directly contribute towardson-farm conservation of valuable germplasm and help in the preservation of crop diversity. The present paper looks at the on-farm conservation of rice germplasm, which is still practised in the Kumaun region of ICH.

Structure and sequence analysis of influenza A virus nucleoprotein

Influenza A virus nucleoprotein (NP) forms homo-oligomers and multiple copies of NP wrap around genomic RNA, along with a trimeric polymerase making up ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex. Sequence comparison of more than 2500 influenza A NP showed that this protein contains 30.1 % of polymorphic residues. NP is composed of a head and a body domain and a tail loop/ linker region. The head domain is more conserved than the body domain, as revealed from the structure-based sequence alignment. NP oligomerization is mediated by the insertion of the non-polymorphic and structurally conserved tail loop of one NP molecule to a groove of another NP. The different form of NP oligomers is due to the flexibility of the polymorphic linkers that join the tail loop to the rest of the protein. The RNA binding property of NP is known to involve the protruding element and the flexible basic loop between the head and body domains, both having high degree of primary sequence conservation. To bind RNA, NP may first capture the RNA by the flexible basic loop and then the RNA is clamped by the protruding element.

Preparation of Layered Double Hydroxide-Immobilized Lipase for High Yield and Optically Active (-)-Menthyl butyrate

1 Results Layered Double Hydroxide (LDH) finds extensive usage in the areas of pharmaceutical sciences and catalysis. In this study, a member of the LDH family, Mg/Al-hydrotalcite (HT), or the so-called anionic clay, was prepared at ratio 4 (HT) by co-precipitating through continuous agitation. X-ray diffraction pattern and thermogravimetric analysis of the material indicated that a pure HT had been successfully synthesized. This matrix was then used as support in the immobilization of lipase from Cand...

Cancer Cell：癌细胞如何在没有葡萄糖的条件下继续增殖扩张？

肿瘤细胞最主要的目标就是生存，其甚至不惜破坏其所依附的有机体的健康也要达到生存的目的；为了生存肿瘤细胞会练就许多健康细胞没有的本领，包括在葡萄糖水平极低的情况下继续保持生长势头，而这或许就是常用的抗血管生成因子难以消除癌症的主要原因，肿瘤细胞通常会通过妨碍提供常规的营养物质和葡萄糖的血管的发育来影响机体健康，

Sexual dimorphism in the antitumor immune responses elicited by the combination of fasting and chemotherapy

Fasting reduces chemotherapy toxicity[1],enhances immunogenic tumor cell death[2,3]and increases CD8^(+)T cell infiltration in tumors,particularly when combined with chemotherapy[2,3]or immunotherapy[4].More-over,fasting exhibits a sexual dimorphism in the immune system[5].