Unveiling the molecular mechanisms of pigmentation control in Queen Loach, Botia dario (Hamilton, 1822): Insights from sesame seed and marigold-induced antityrosinase effects.

Fish pigmentation study can reveal understandings in dermatological research based on functional genomics. Cultured ornamental fish becomes dull coloured and antityrosinase activity through sesame seed may enhance skin colour, which has not been studied. Botia dario is an indigenous fish, having ornamental and aesthetic value and can be studied as a model for fish pigmentation genetics. In this study, fish specimens were fed with 15% marigold petal meal along with 5, 10 and 15% w/w sesame seed in diet. Pigmentation genes, that is, tyr, tyrp1a, asip1, gnaq, kitlga, mc1r, mitf, pax7a, rab38, slc7a11, sox9a, sox10, csf1r, bcdo2 and gsta2 in skin and immunogens, that is, il20, nramp, tlr9 and trail in kidney were studied. Gene expression in tissues revealed enhanced pigmentation and immunity as well as the role of tyr, tyrp1a and asip1 in pigmentation. Immunogenes and blood parameters confirmed the best pigmentation diet. Colorimetric analysis also showed the enhancement of pigmentation. Insights from sesame seed and marigold-induced antityrosinase effects will be applied in aquaculture to develop natural, dietary formulations that will enhance pigmentation in ornamental fish, leading to improved skin colour and market value.

Effects of Di-(2-Ethylhexyl) Phthalate (DEHP) on Gamete Quality Parameters of Male Koi Carp (Cyprinus carpio).

In this study, we evaluated gamete quality parameters of mature male koi carp (Cyprinus carpio) exposed to three different concentrations (1, 10, and 100 µg/L) of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP). After 60 days of exposure, there was a significant decrease in the gonadosomatic index (GSI) of males exposed to 10 and 100 µg/L of DEHP. Histological analysis of the testes revealed impaired histoarchitecture, including inflammatory cells, intratubular vacuoles, and swollen seminiferous tubules in treatment groups. Gamete quality parameters like sperm production, motility, spermatocrit, and sperm density values were significantly decreased at the 10 and 100 µg/L concentrations. Biochemical compositions, including glucose, cholesterol, and total protein levels, were significantly changed in the treatment groups. Similarly, the ionic compositions of seminal fluid (Na, K, Ca, and Mg) also varied in the treatment groups. Furthermore, the 11-ketotestosterone levels were decreased, and the 17-ß estradiol levels were increased in the DEHP-treated groups. The mRNA expression levels of reproduction-related genes, including Fshr, Lhr, Ar, Erα, and Erß, were significantly changed in the DEHP-treated males in a dose-dependent manner. In conclusion, the findings of this study confirmed that environmentally relevant exposure to DEHP may contribute to a decline in the gamete quality of male fishes.

Identification of virulence-associated factors in Vibrio parahaemolyticus with special reference to moonlighting protein: a secretomics study.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus causes seafood-borne gastroenteritis infection in human which can even lead to death. The pathogenic strain of V. parahaemolyticus secretes different types of virulence factors that are directly injected into the host cell by a different type of secretion system which helps bacteria to establish its own ecological niche within the organism. Therefore, the aim of this study was to isolate the extracellular secreted proteins from the trh positive strain of V. parahaemolyticus and identify them using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOFMS/MS. Seventeen different cellular proteins viz, Carbamoyl-phosphate synthase, 5-methyltetrahydropteroyltriglutamate, tRNA-dihydrouridine synthase, Glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, Orotidine 5'-phosphate decarboxylase, Molybdenum import ATP-binding protein, DnaJ, DNA polymerase IV, Ribosomal RNA small subunit methyltransferase G, ATP synthase subunit delta and gamma, Ribosome-recycling factor, 4-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl diphosphate synthase, tRNA pseudouridine synthase B, Ditrans, polycis-undecaprenyl-diphosphate synthase, Oxygen-dependent coproporphyrinogen-III oxidase, and Peptide deformylase 2 were identified which are mainly involved in different metabolic and biosynthetic pathways. Furthermore, the molecular function of the identified proteins were associated with catalytic activity, ligase activity, transporter, metal binding, and ATP synthase when they are intercellular. However, to understand the importance of these secreted proteins in the infection and survival of bacteria inside the host cell, pathogen-host protein-protein interactions (PPIs) were carried out which identified the association of eight secreted proteins with 41 human proteins involved in different cellular pathways, including ubiquitination degradation, adhesion, inflammation, immunity, and programmed cell death. The present study provides unreported strategies on host-cell environment's survival and adaptation mechanisms for the successful establishment of infections and intracellular propagation.

Trh positive strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus induce immunity by modulating MAPK pathway: A molecular pathogenic insight in immune-related gene regulation.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a zoonotic bacterium that causes infections in shellfish, fish and higher vertebrates as well as in humans. The Tdh and Trh positive strains of V. parahaemolyticus are generally considered as major virulent strains. The pathogenic mechanisms of Trh positive strain of V. parahaemolyticus are poorly understood. Therefore, in the present study Indian Major Carp, Labeo rohita was intraperitoneally challenged with a Trh positive strain of V. parahaemolyticus below lethal dose 50 (LD50) to understand the innate immune response. A significant upregulation in the respiratory burst activity, myeloperoxidase activity and lysozyme activity of serum was observed in the challenged fishes. However, the serum alpha (α) 2-macro globulin activity and antiprotease activity remained unaltered in the infected fish. The relative expression study of some immune-related genes showed that after the experimental challenge the expression of immune-related genes viz., Toll-like receptor (TLR), Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD), Interleukin-1ß (IL-ß), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), Complement factor 3a (C3a) and Heat shock proteins 70 (Hsp70) was upregulated during infection. Furthermore, overexpression of nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κß), Myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88), Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) and cysteine-aspartic proteases (Casp 1) was also observed after post-infection which clearly indicated that Trh positive V. parahaemolyticus activates MAPK pathway. The present study strengthens the understanding of molecular pathogenesis and provides insights on gene regulation during infection with Trh positive V. parahaemolyticus.

Identification of novel salt tolerance-associated proteins from the secretome of Enterococcus faecalis.

The ability of bacteria to adapt to the external environment is fundamental for their survival. A halotolerant microorganism Enterococcus faecalis able to grow under high salt stress conditions was isolated in the present study. The SDS-PAGE analysis of the secretome showed a protein band with a molecular weight of 28 kDa, gradually increased with an increase in salt concentration, and the highest intensity was observed at 15% salt stress condition. LC-MS/MS analysis of this particular band identified fourteen different proteins, out of which nine proteins were uncharacterized. Further, the function of uncharacterized proteins was predicted based on structure-function relationship using a reverse template search approach deciphering uncharacterized protein into type III polyketide synthases, stress-induced protein-1, Eed-h3k79me3, ba42 protein, 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase, Atxa protein, membrane-bound respiratory hydrogenase, type-i restriction-modification system methylation subunit and ManxA. STRING network analysis further a showed strong association among the proteins. The processes predicted involvement of these proteins in signal transduction, ions transport, synthesis of the protective layer, cellular homeostasis and regulation of gene expression and different metabolic pathways. Thus, the fourteen proteins identified in the secretome play an essential role in maintaining cellular homeostasis in E. faecalis under high-salinity stress. This may represent a novel and previously unreported strategy by E. faecalis to maintain their normal growth and physiology under high salinity conditions.

Structural bioinformatics insights into ATP binding mechanism in zebrafish (Danio rerio) cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (zCDKL5) protein.

In mammalian systems, the conserved cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) control the process of cell division and curb the transcription mechanism in response to diverse signaling events that are essential for the catalytic activity. In zebrafish, zCDKL5 portrays differential expression profiling in several tissues and presumed to play a vital role in the neuronal development. In this present study, the sequence-structure relationship and mode of ATP binding in zCDKL5 was unveiled through theoretical modeling, molecular docking, and MD simulations. Like human CDKs, the modeled zCDKL5 was found to be bipartite in nature, where, ATP binds to the central cavity of the catalytic domain through a strong network of H-bonding, electrostatic, and hydrophobic interactions. MD simulation portrayed that conserved residues, viz, Ile10, Gly11, Glu12, Val18, Val64, Glu81, Cys143, and Asp144 were indispensable for tight anchoring of ATP and contribute to the stability of the zCDKL5-ATP complex. MM/PBSA binding free energy analysis displayed that van der Waal energy (ΔG vwd ) and Electrostatic energy (ΔG ele ) were the major contributors towards the overall binding free energy. Thus, the comparative structural bioinformatics approach has shed new insights into the dynamics and ATP binding mechanism of zCDKL5. The results from the study will help to undertake further research on the role of phosphorylated CDKL5 in the onset of neurodevelopmental disorders caused by mutations in higher eukaryotic systems.

Ultrasensitive Colorimetric Detection of Murine Norovirus Using NanoZyme Aptasensor.

Human norovirus (NoV) remains the most common cause of viral gastroenteritis and the leading cause of viral foodborne outbreaks globally. NoV is highly pathogenic with an estimated median viral infective dose (ID50) ranging from 18 to 1015 genome copies. For NoV detection, the only reliable and sensitive method available for detection and quantification is reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RTqPCR). NoV detection in food is particularly challenging, requiring matrix specific concentration of the virus and removal of inhibitory compounds to detection assays. Hence, the RTqPCR method poses some challenges for rapid in-field or point-of-care diagnostic applications. We propose a new colorimetric NanoZyme aptasensor strategy for rapid (10 min) and ultrasensitive (calculated Limit of Detection (LoD) of 3 viruses per assay equivalent to 30 viruses/mL of sample and experimentally demonstrated LoD of 20 viruses per assay equivalent to 200 viruses/mL) detection of the infective murine norovirus (MNV), a readily cultivable surrogate for NoV. Our approach combines the enzyme-mimic catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles with high target specificity of an MNV aptamer to create sensor probes that produce a blue color in the presence of this norovirus, such that the color intensity provides the virus concentrations. Overall, our strategy offers the most sensitive detection of norovirus or a norovirus surrogate achieved to date using a biosensor approach, enabling for the first time, the detection of MNV virion corresponding to the lower end of the ID50 for NoV. We further demonstrate the robustness of the norovirus NanoZyme aptasensor by testing its performance in the presence of other nontarget microorganisms, human serum and shellfish homogenate, supporting the potential of detecting norovirus in complex matrices. This new assay format can, therefore, be of significant importance as it allows ultrasensitive norovirus detection rapidly within minutes, while also offering the simplicity of use and need for nonspecialized laboratory infrastructure.

Computational characterization and molecular dynamics simulation of the thermostable direct hemolysin-related hemolysin (TRH) amplified from Vibrio parahaemolyticus.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a major seafood-borne pathogen that causes life-threatening gastroenteric diseases in humans through the consumption of contaminated seafoods. V. parahaemolyticus produces different kinds of toxins, including thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH), TDH-related hemolysin (TRH), and some effector proteins belonging to the Type 3 Secretion System, out of which TDH and TRH are considered to be the major factors for virulence. Although TRH is one of the major virulent proteins, there is a dearth of understanding about the structural and functional properties of this protein. This study therefore aimed to amplify the full length trh gene from V. parahaemolyticus and perform sequence-based analyses, followed by structural and functional analyses of the TRH protein using different bioinformatics tools. The TRH protein shares significant conservedness with the TDH protein. A multiple sequence alignment of TRH proteins from Vibrio and non-Vibrio species revealed that the TRH protein is highly conserved throughout evolution. The three dimensional (3D) structure of the TRH protein was constructed by comparative modelling and the quality of the predicted model was verified. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to understand the dynamics, residual fluctuations, and the compactness of the protein. The structure of TRH was found to contain 19 pockets, of which one (pocket ID: 2) was predicted to be important from the view of drug design. Eleven residues (E138, Y140, C151, F158, C161, K162, S163, and Q164), which are reported to actively participate in the formation of the tetrameric structure, were present in this pocket. This study extends our understanding of the structural and functional dynamics of the TRH protein and as well as provides new insights for the treatment and prevention of V. parahaemolyticus infections.

Structural insights into the MDP binding and CARD-CARD interaction in zebrafish (Danio rerio) NOD2: a molecular dynamics approach.

Nucleotide binding and oligomerization domain (NOD2) is a key component of innate immunity that is highly specific for muramyl dipeptide (MDP)-a peptidoglycan component of bacterial cell wall. MDP recognition by NOD2-leucine rich repeat (LRR) domain activates NF-κB signaling through a protein-protein interaction between caspase activating and recruitment domains (CARDs) of NOD2 and downstream receptor interacting and activating protein kinase 2 (RIP2). Due to the lack of crystal/NMR structures, MDP recognition and CARD-CARD interaction are poorly understood. Herein, we have predicted the probable MDP and CARD-CARD binding surfaces in zebrafish NOD2 (zNOD2) using various in silico methodologies. The results show that the conserved residues Phe819, Phe871, Trp875, Trp929, Trp899, and Arg845 located at the concave face of zNOD2-LRR confer MDP recognition by hydrophobic and hydrogen bond (H-bond) interactions. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal a stable association between the electropositive surface on zNOD2-CARDa and the electronegative surface on zRIP2-CARD reinforced mostly by H-bonds and electrostatic interactions. Importantly, a 3.5 Å salt bridge is observed between Arg60 of zNOD2-CARDa and Asp494 of zRIP2-CARD. Arg11 and Lys53 of zNOD2-CARDa and Ser498 and Glu508 of zRIP2-CARD are critical residues for CARD-CARD interaction and NOD2 signaling. The 2.7 Å H-bond between Lys104 of the linker and Glu508 of zRIP2-CARD suggests a possible role of the linker for shaping CARD-CARD interaction. These findings are consistent with existing mutagenesis data. We provide first insight into MDP recognition and CARD-CARD interaction in the zebrafish that will be useful to understand the molecular basis of NOD signaling in a broader perspective.

Recent Progress and Prospect of Metal-Organic Framework-Based Nanozymes in Biomedical Application.

A nanozyme is a nanoscale material having enzyme-like properties. It exhibits several superior properties, including low preparation cost, robust catalytic activity, and long-term storage at ambient temperatures. Moreover, high stability enables repetitive use in multiple catalytic reactions. Hence, it is considered a potential replacement for natural enzymes. Enormous research interest in nanozymes in the past two decades has made it imperative to look for better enzyme-mimicking materials for biomedical applications. Given this, research on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as a potential nanozyme material has gained momentum. MOFs are advanced hybrid materials made of inorganic metal ions and organic ligands. Their distinct composition, adaptable pore size, structural diversity, and ease in the tunability of physicochemical properties enable MOFs to mimic enzyme-like activities and act as promising nanozyme candidates. This review aims to discuss recent advances in the development of MOF-based nanozymes (MOF-NZs) and highlight their applications in the field of biomedicine. Firstly, different enzyme-mimetic activities exhibited by MOFs are discussed, and insights are given into various strategies to achieve them. Modification and functionalization strategies are deliberated to obtain MOF-NZs with enhanced catalytic activity. Subsequently, applications of MOF-NZs in the biosensing and therapeutics domain are discussed. Finally, the review is concluded by giving insights into the challenges encountered with MOF-NZs and possible directions to overcome them in the future. With this review, we aim to encourage consolidated efforts across enzyme engineering, nanotechnology, materials science, and biomedicine disciplines to inspire exciting innovations in this emerging yet promising field.

Whole genome sequence analysis of shallot virus X from India reveals it to be a natural recombinant with positive selection pressure.

BACKGROUND: Shallots are infected by various viruses like Onion yellow dwarf virus (OYDV), Leek yellow stripe virus (LYSV), Shallot latent virus (SLV) and Shallot virus X (ShVX). In India, they have been found to be persistently infected by ShVX. ShVX also infects onion and garlic in combination with other carlaviruses and potyviruses. ShVX is a member of genus Allexivirus of family Alphaflexiviridae. ShVX has a monopartite genome, which is represented by positive sense single-stranded RNA. Globally, only six complete and 3 nearly complete genome sequences of ShV X are reported to date. This number is insufficient to measure a taxon's true molecular diversity. Moreover, the complete genome sequence of ShVX from Asia has not been reported as yet. Therefore, this study was undertaken to generate a complete genome sequence of ShVX from India. RESULTS: Shallot virus X (ShVX) is one of the significant threats to Allium crop production. In this study, we report the first complete genome sequence of the ShVX from India through Next-generation sequencing (NGS). The complete genome of the ShVX (Accession No. OK104171), from this study comprised 8911 nucleotides. In-silico analysis of the sequence revealed variability between this isolate and isolates from other countries. The dissimilarities are spread all over the genome specifically some non-coding intergenic regions. Statistical analysis of individual genes for site-specific selection indicates a positive selection in NABP region. The presence of a recombination event was detected in coat protein region. The sequence similarity percentage and phylogenetic analysis indicate ShVX Indian isolate is a distinctly different isolate. Recombination and site-specific selection may have a function in the evolution of this isolate. This is the first detailed study of the ShVX complete genome sequence from Southeast Asia. CONCLUSION: This study presents the first report of the entire genome sequence of an Indian isolate of ShVX along with an in-depth exploration of its evolutionary traits. The findings highlight the Indian variant as a naturally occurring recombinant, emphasizing the substantial role of recombination in the evolution of this viral species. This insight into the molecular diversity of strains within a specific geographical region holds immense significance for comprehending and forecasting potential epidemics. Consequently, the insights garnered from this research hold practical value for shaping ShVX management strategies and providing a foundation for forthcoming studies delving into its evolutionary trajectory.

Structural insights of Labeo catla (catla) myxovirus resistance protein,GTP binding recognition and constitutive expression induced with Poly I:C.

The Myxovirus resistance (Mx) proteins are critical effectors belonging to the super-family of guanidine triphosphatase, often stimulated by type I interferon (IFN) and mediates antiviral responses to restrict the replication of numerous viral genes in fishes. In teleosts, Mx proteins display diverse and complicated antiviral activity in different species. The present investigation seeks to characterize the Mx gene from Labeo catla upon induction by double-stranded (ds) RNA, polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, (poly I: C). Molecular modeling and all-atoms molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to understand the architecture of the GTPase domain and its plausible mode of GTP recognition in Mx protein. The full-length L. catla Mx (LcMx) gene sequence (1821 bp nucleotides) encodes an open reading frame of 606 amino acids. Domain search indicated conserved tripartite domain architecture of LcMx and forms a major cluster with the Mx from other teleosts. The positively charged Arginine and polar Glutamine residues from helix 3 and 4 of stalk region LcMx aid in homo-oligomerization. MD simulation portrayed the role of conserved critical residues aid in GTP recognition by the GTPase domain which perfectly corroborates with experimental findings and prior MD studies. After injection of poly I:C, the temporal mRNA profile showed that LcMx expression was significantly elevated in the spleen, brain, kidney, liver, muscle, heart, intestine, and gill tissues. Collectively, these results suggest that the elevated expression of the major innate immune defense gene Mx was able to inhibit the poly I: C mediated virulence in fish.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Comparative metagenomic analysis from Sundarbans ecosystems advances our understanding of microbial communities and their functional roles.

The Sundarbans mangrove, located at the mouth of the Ganges and Brahmaputra Rivers, is the world's largest tidal mangrove forest. These mangroves are also one of the most striking sources of microbial diversity, essential in productivity, conservation, nutrient cycling, and rehabilitation. Hence, the main objective of this study was to use metagenome analysis and provide detailed insight into microbial communities and their functional roles in the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem. A comparative analysis was also done with a non-mangrove region of the Sundarbans ecosystem to assess the capability of the environmental parameters to explain the variation in microbial community composition. The study found several dominant bacteria, viz., Alphaproteobacteria, Actinomycetota, Bacilli, Clostridia, Desulfobacterota, Gammaproteobacteria, and Nitrospira, from the mangrove region. The mangrove sampling site reports several salt-tolerant bacteria like Alkalibacillus haloalkaliphilus, Halomonas anticariensis, and Salinivibrio socompensis. We found some probiotic species, viz., Bacillus clausii, Lactobacillus curvatus, Vibrio mediterranei and Vibrio fluvialis, from the Sundarbans mangrove. Nitrifying bacteria in Sundarbans soils were Nitrococcus mobilis, Nitrosococcus oceani, Nitrosomonas halophila, Nitrospirade fluvii, and others. Methanogenic archaea, viz., Methanoculleus marisnigri, Methanobrevibacter gottschalkii, and Methanolacinia petrolearia, were highly abundant in the mangroves as compared to the non-mangrove soils. The identified methanotrophic bacterial species, viz., Methylobacter tundripaludum, Methylococcus capsulatus, Methylophaga thiooxydans, and Methylosarcina lacus are expected to play a significant role in the degradation of methane in mangrove soil. Among the bioremediation bacterial species identified, Pseudomonas alcaligenes, Pseudomonas mendocina, Paracoccus denitrificans, and Shewanella putrefaciens play a significant role in the remediation of environmental pollution. Overall, our study shows for the first time that the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove ecosystem in the world, has a wide range of methanogenic archaea, methanotrophs, pathogenic, salt-tolerant, probiotic, nitrifying, and bioremediation bacteria.

Evaluation of biocontrol efficacy of rhizosphere dwelling bacteria for management of Fusarium wilt and Botrytis gray mold of chickpea.

BACKGROUND: Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) production is affected by many biotic factors, among them Fusarium wilt caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri and Botrytis gray mold caused by Botrytis cinerea led to severe losses. As fungicide application is not advisable, biological management is the best alternative for plant protection. The rhizosphere-dwelling antagonistic bacteria are one of the important successful alternative strategy to manage these diseases of chickpea. Rhizosphere dwelling bacteria serve as biocontrol agents by different mechanisms like producing antibiotics, different enzymes, siderophores against pathogens and thereby reducing the growth of pathogens. RESULTS: The present study aimed to isolate rhizospheric bacteria from the soils of different chickpea fields to evaluate biocontrol efficacy of the isolated bacteria to manage Fusarium wilt and Botrytis gray mold in chickpea. A total of 67 bacteria were isolated from chickpea rhizosphere from Bundelkhand region of India. Study revealed the isolated bacteria could reduce the Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceris and Botrytis cinerea infection in chickpea between 17.29 and 75.29%. After screening of all the bacteria for their biocontrol efficacy, 13 most promising bacterial isolates were considered for further study out of which, three bacterial isolates (15d, 9c and 14a) have shown the maximum in vitro antagonistic effects against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri and Botrytis cinerea comparable to in vivo effects. However, Isolate (15d) showed highest 87.5% and 82.69% reduction in disease against Fusarium wilt and Botrytis gray mold respectively, under pot condition. Three most potential isolates were characterized at molecular level using 16S rRNA gene and found to be Priestia megaterium (9c and 14a) and Serratia marcescens (15d). CONCLUSION: This study identified two native biocontrol agents Priestia megaterium and Serratia marcescens from the rhizospheric soils of Bundelkhand region of India for control of Fusarium wilt, Botrytis gray mold. In future, efforts should be made to further validate the biocontrol agents in conjugation with nanomaterials for enhancing the synergistic effects in managing the fungal diseases in chickpea. This study will definitely enhance our understanding of these bioagents, and to increase their performance by developing effective formulations, application methods, and integrated strategies.

A review on structure-function mechanism and signaling pathway of serine/threonine protein PIM kinases as a therapeutic target.

The proviral integration for the Moloney murine leukemia virus (PIM) kinases, belonging to serine/threonine kinase family, have been found to be overexpressed in various types of cancers, such as prostate, breast, colon, endometrial, gastric, and pancreatic cancer. The three isoforms PIM kinases i.e., PIM1, PIM2, and PIM3 share a high degree of sequence and structural similarity and phosphorylate substrates controlling tumorigenic phenotypes like proliferation and cell survival. Targeting short-lived PIM kinases presents an intriguing strategy as in vivo knock-down studies result in non-lethal phenotypes, indicating that clinical inhibition of PIM might have fewer adverse effects. The ATP binding site (hinge region) possesses distinctive attributes, which led to the development of novel small molecule scaffolds that target either one or all three PIM isoforms. Machine learning and structure-based approaches have been at the forefront of developing novel and effective chemical therapeutics against PIM in preclinical and clinical settings, and none have yet received approval for cancer treatment. The stability of PIM isoforms is maintained by PIM kinase activity, which leads to resistance against PIM inhibitors and chemotherapy; thus, to overcome such effects, PIM proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are now being developed that specifically degrade PIM proteins. In this review, we recapitulate an overview of the oncogenic functions of PIM kinases, their structure, function, and crucial signaling network in different types of cancer, and the potential of pharmacological small-molecule inhibitors. Further, our comprehensive review also provides valuable insights for developing novel antitumor drugs that specifically target PIM kinases in the future. In conclusion, we provide insights into the benefits of degrading PIM kinases as opposed to blocking their catalytic activity to address the oncogenic potential of PIM kinases.

Cr-Detector: A simple chemosensing system for onsite Cr (VI) detection in water.

Due to the increase in urbanization and industrialization, the load of toxicants in the environment is alarming. The most common toxicants, including heavy metals and metalloids such as hexavalent Chromium, have severe pathophysiological impacts on humans and other aquatic biotas. Therefore, developing a portable rapid detection device for such toxicants in the aquatic environment is necessary. This work portrays the development of a field-portable image analysis device coupled with 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) as a sensing probe for chromium (VI) detection in the aquatic ecosystem. Sensor parameters, such as reagent concentration, reaction time, etc., were optimized for the sensor development and validation using a commercial UV-Vis spectrophotometer. The chemoreceptor integrated with a uniform illumination imaging system (UIIS) revealed the system's applicability toward Cr(VI) detection. The calibration curve using the R-value of image parameters allows Cr(VI) detection in the linear range of 25 to 600 ppb, which covers the prescribed permissible limit by various regulatory authorities. Furthermore, the adjusted R2 = 0.992 of the linear fit and correlation coefficients of 0.99018 against the spectrophotometric method signifies the suitability of the developed system. This TMB-coupled field-portable sensing system is the first-ever reported image analysis-based technology for detecting a wide range of Cr(VI) in aquatic ecosystems to our knowledge.

Metagenomic landscape of sediments of river Ganga reveals microbial diversity, potential plastic and xenobiotic degradation enzymes.

The Ganga is the largest river in India, serves as a lifeline for agriculture, drinking water, and religious rites. However, it became highly polluted due to the influx of industrial wastes and untreated sewages, leading to the decline of aquatic biodiversity. This study investigated the microbial diversity and plastic-xenobiotic degrading enzymes of six sediment metagenomes of river Ganga at Prayagraj (RDG, TSG, SDG) and Devprayag (KRG, BNG, BRG). The water quality parameters, higher values of BOD (1.8-3.7 ppm), COD (23-29.2 ppm) and organic carbon (0.18-0.51%) were recorded at Prayagraj. Comparative analysis of microbial community structure between Prayagraj and Devprayag revealed significant differences between Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes, which emerging as the predominant bacterial phyla across six sediment samples. Notably, their prevalence was highest in the BRG samples. Furthermore, 25 OTUs at genus level were consistent across all six samples. Alpha diversity exhibited minimal variation among samples, while beta diversity indicated an inverse relationship between species richness and diversity. Co-occurrence network analysis established that genera from the same and different groups of phyla show positive co-relations with each other. Thirteen plastic degrading enzymes, including Laccase, Alkane-1 monooxygenase and Alkane monooxygenase, were identified from six sediment metagenomes of river Ganga, which can degrade non-biodegradable plastic viz. Polyethylene, Polystyrene and Low-density Polyethelene. Further, 18 xenobiotic degradation enzymes were identified for the degradation of Bisphenol, Xylene, Toluene, Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon, Styrene, Atrazene and Dioxin etc. This is the first report on the identification of non-biodegradable plastic degrading enzymes from sediment metagenomes of river Ganga, India. The findings of this study would help in pollution abatement and sustainable management of riverine ecosystem.

Dietary silver nanoparticles as immunostimulant on rohu (Labeo rohita): Effects on the growth, cellular ultrastructure, immune-gene expression, and survival against Aeromonas hydrophila.

The current study aimed at assessing the immunostimulatory properties of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on Labeo rohita, and understanding how it affects the growth, cellular ultrastructure, the expression level of immune genes, and infection risk from Aeromonas hydrophila. Fish (avg wt: 30.1±3.26 g) were fed diets with four separate AgNP inclusion levels (0 µgKg-1 [basic diet, T1], 10 µgKg-1 [T2], 15 µgKg-1 [T3], and 20 µgKg-1 [T4]) for 56 days. After the feeding trial, growth, histological, immunological parameters, and protective immune response against A. hydrophila were assessed. The fish in the treatment groups including T1(control), the T3 growth indices, such as specific growth rate (7.56±0.26) and percent weight gain (231.05±3.21), was statistically higher (P < 0.05). In the immunological and oxidative parameters, levels of SOD and catalase decreased in correlation with a rise in the inclusion doses of AgNP in the liver, and a reduction in catalase values was recorded in the gill. With the addition of AgNP, the NBT value was decreased in the gill, and T3 had a considerably larger (P<0.05) value in the liver (0.493±0.02). The kidney of the L. rohita fed AgNP (0 and20 µgKg-1 AgNP) showed expansion through Bowman's gaps, severing of glomeruli with haemorrhage, as well as atrophic spots between its gaps. The liver showed fibrosis, karyolysis, and the removal of the hepatocytes wall. The gill, liver, kidney, and muscle of fish-fed diets supplemented with AgNP, showed that interleukin-8 (IL-8), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), were up-regulated. Expression was considerably higher in T3 compared with the control. However, the control group that wasn't given AgNP supplemented diet had increased levels of TGF-beta. Additionally, fish on the T3 diet showed much greater post-challenge survival rates (90%). These findings strongly suggest that dietary inclusion of AgNP (at 10 and 15 µgKg-1 feed) enhances growth, health, and protective immune response against A. hydrophila.

An Improved Machine Learning-Based Approach to Assess the Microbial Diversity in Major North Indian River Ecosystems.

The rapidly evolving high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies generate voluminous genomic and metagenomic sequences, which can help classify the microbial communities with high accuracy in many ecosystems. Conventionally, the rule-based binning techniques are used to classify the contigs or scaffolds based on either sequence composition or sequence similarity. However, the accurate classification of the microbial communities remains a major challenge due to massive data volumes at hand as well as a requirement of efficient binning methods and classification algorithms. Therefore, we attempted here to implement iterative K-Means clustering for the initial binning of metagenomics sequences and applied various machine learning algorithms (MLAs) to classify the newly identified unknown microbes. The cluster annotation was achieved through the BLAST program of NCBI, which resulted in the grouping of assembled scaffolds into five classes, i.e., bacteria, archaea, eukaryota, viruses and others. The annotated cluster sequences were used to train machine learning algorithms (MLAs) to develop prediction models to classify unknown metagenomic sequences. In this study, we used metagenomic datasets of samples collected from the Ganga (Kanpur and Farakka) and the Yamuna (Delhi) rivers in India for clustering and training the MLA models. Further, the performance of MLAs was evaluated by 10-fold cross validation. The results revealed that the developed model based on the Random Forest had a superior performance compared to the other considered learning algorithms. The proposed method can be used for annotating the metagenomic scaffolds/contigs being complementary to existing methods of metagenomic data analysis. An offline predictor source code with the best prediction model is available at (https://github.com/Nalinikanta7/metagenomics).

Immunomodulatory Potency of Eclipta alba (Bhringaraj) Leaf Extract in Heteropneustes fossilis against Oomycete Pathogen, Aphanomyces invadans.

Aphanomyces invadans is an aquatic oomycete pathogen and the causative agent of epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) in fresh and brackish water fish, which is responsible for severe mortalities and economic losses in aquaculture. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop anti-infective strategies to control EUS. An Oomycetes, a fungus-like eukaryotic microorganism, and a susceptible species, i.e., Heteropneustes fossilis, are used to establish whether an Eclipta alba leaf extract is effective against the EUS-causing A. invadans. We found that treatment with methanolic leaf extract, at concentrations between 50-100 ppm (T4-T6), protects the H. fossilis fingerlings against A. invadans infection. These optimum concentrations induced anti-stress and antioxidative response in fish, marked by a significant decrease in cortisol and elevated levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) levels in treated animals, as compared with the controls. We further demonstrated that the A. invadans-protective effect of methanolic leaf extract was caused by its immunomodulatory effect and is linked to the enhanced survival of fingerlings. The analysis of non-specific and specific immune factors confirms that methanolic leaf extract-induced HSP70, HSP90 and IgM levels mediate the survival of H. fossilis fingerlings against A. invadans infection. Taken together, our study provides evidence that the generation of anti-stress and antioxidative responses, as well as humoral immunity, may play a role in protecting H. fossilis fingerlings against A. invadans infection. It is probable that E. alba methanolic leaf extract treatment might become part of a holistic strategy to control EUS in fish species.