CO1-Based DNA barcoding for assessing diversity of Pteropus giganteus from the state of Azad Jammu Kashmir, Pakistan / Código de barras de DNA à base de CO1 para avaliar a diversidade de Pteropus giganteus do estado de Azad Jammu e Caxemira, Paquistão

Abstract The flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) also familiar with the name of the greater Indian fruit Bat belongs to the order Chiroptera and family Pteropodidae. Current research emphasis on the DNA barcoding of P. giganteus in Azad Jammu Kashmir. Bat sequences were amplified and PCR products were sequenced and examined by bioinformatics software. Congeneric and conspecific, nucleotide composition and K2P nucleotide deviation, haplotype diversity and the number of haplotypes were estimated. The analysis showed that all of the five studied samples of P. giganteus had low G contents (G 19.8%) than C (27.8%), A (25.1%) and T (27.3%) contents. The calculated haplotype diversity was 0.60% and the mean intraspecific K2P distance was 0.001% having a high number of transitional substitutions. The study suggested that P. giganteus (R=0.00) do not deviate from the neutral evolution. It was determined from the conclusion that this mtDNA gene is a better marker for identification of Bat species than nuclear genes due to its distinctive characteristics and may serve as a landmark for the identification of interconnected species at the molecular level and in the determination of population genetics.

Resumo A raposa-voadora (Pteropus giganteus), também conhecida como morcego indiano, pertence à ordem dos Chiroptera e à família Pteropodidae. A presente pesquisa dá ênfase ao código de barras de DNA de P. giganteus em Azad Jammu e Caxemira. Sequências genéticas dos morcegos foram amplificadas, e os produtos de PCR foram sequenciados e examinados por software de bioinformática. De espécies congenérica e coespecífica, foram estimados composição nucleotídica e desvio de nucleotídeos K2P, diversidade de haplótipos e número de haplótipos. A análise mostrou que todas as cinco amostras estudadas de P. giganteus apresentaram baixos teores de G (19,8%) em comparação com C (27,8%), A (25,1%) e T (27,3%). A diversidade de haplótipos calculada foi de 0,60%, e a distância média intraespecífica de K2P foi de 0,001%, com um elevado número de substituições transicionais. O estudo sugeriu que P. giganteus (R = 0,00) não se desviou da evolução neutra. É possível concluir que o gene mtDNA é um marcador favorável para identificação de espécies de morcegos do que genes nucleares por causa de suas características distintivas e pode servir como um marco para a identificação de espécies interconectadas em nível molecular e para a determinação genética de populações.

Renal toxicity of heavy metals (cadmium and mercury) and their amelioration with ascorbic acid in rabbits.

Cadmium and mercury are among the most toxic and dangerous environmental pollutants that may cause fatal implications. Vitamin C is an important chain-breaking antioxidant and enzyme co-factor against heavy metals. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the toxicological effects of cadmium chloride, mercuric chloride, and their co-administration on biochemical parameters of blood serum and metal bioaccumulation in kidneys and also to elucidate the protective effect of vitamin C in rabbits against these metals. In the current research, cadmium chloride (1.5 mg/kg), mercuric chloride(1.2 mg/kg), and vitamin C (150 mg/kg of body weight) were orally administered to eight treatment groups of the rabbits (1, control; 2, vitamin; 3, CdCl2; 4, HgCl2; 5, vitamin + CdCl2; 6, vitamin + HgCl2; 7, CdCl2 + HgCl2, and 8, vitamin + CdCl2 + HgCl2). After the biometric measurements of all experimental rabbits, biochemical parameters viz. creatinine, cystatin C, uric acid, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and metal bioaccumulation were determined using commercially available kits and atomic absorption spectrophotometer, respectively. The levels of creatinine (28.3 ± 1.1 µmol/l), cystatin C (1932.5 ± 38.5 ηg/ml), uric acid (4.8 ± 0.1 mg/day), and ALP (51.6 ± 1.1 IU/l) were significantly (P < 0.05) increased due to administration of mercuric chloride but in the presence of vitamin C, the effects of mercuric chloride on creatinine (21.9 ± 1.4 µmol/l), cystatin C (1676.2 ± 42.2 ηg/ml), uric acid (3.9 ± 0.1 mg/day), and ALP (43.3 ± 0.8 IU/l) were less as compared to metal-exposed specimens. Similar results were found in rabbits treated with cadmium chloride and vitamin C and also with co-administration of both metals and vitamin C. Because of the bio-accumulative nature of cadmium chloride and mercuric chloride, these metals were accumulated in kidneys of rabbits, which might lead to deleterious effects. The results of the present study provide an insight into the toxicity of the cadmium chloride, mercuric chloride, and/or their combination on biochemical parameters as well as kidneys of the rabbits and the ameliorating potential of vitamin C against these metals is also evaluated.

CO1-Based DNA barcoding for assessing diversity of Pteropus giganteus from the state of Azad Jammu Kashmir, Pakistan

Abstract The flying fox (Pteropus giganteus) also familiar with the name of the greater Indian fruit Bat belongs to the order Chiroptera and family Pteropodidae. Current research emphasis on the DNA barcoding of P. giganteus in Azad Jammu Kashmir. Bat sequences were amplified and PCR products were sequenced and examined by bioinformatics software. Congeneric and conspecific, nucleotide composition and K2P nucleotide deviation, haplotype diversity and the number of haplotypes were estimated. The analysis showed that all of the five studied samples of P. giganteus had low G contents (G 19.8%) than C (27.8%), A (25.1%) and T (27.3%) contents. The calculated haplotype diversity was 0.60% and the mean intraspecific K2P distance was 0.001% having a high number of transitional substitutions. The study suggested that P. giganteus (R=0.00) do not deviate from the neutral evolution. It was determined from the conclusion that this mtDNA gene is a better marker for identification of Bat species than nuclear genes due to its distinctive characteristics and may serve as a landmark for the identification of interconnected species at the molecular level and in the determination of population genetics.

Resumo A raposa-voadora (Pteropus giganteus), também conhecida como morcego indiano, pertence à ordem dos Chiroptera e à família Pteropodidae. A presente pesquisa dá ênfase ao código de barras de DNA de P. giganteus em Azad Jammu e Caxemira. Sequências genéticas dos morcegos foram amplificadas, e os produtos de PCR foram sequenciados e examinados por software de bioinformática. De espécies congenérica e coespecífica, foram estimados composição nucleotídica e desvio de nucleotídeos K2P, diversidade de haplótipos e número de haplótipos. A análise mostrou que todas as cinco amostras estudadas de P. giganteus apresentaram baixos teores de G (19,8%) em comparação com C (27,8%), A (25,1%) e T (27,3%). A diversidade de haplótipos calculada foi de 0,60%, e a distância média intraespecífica de K2P foi de 0,001%, com um elevado número de substituições transicionais. O estudo sugeriu que P. giganteus (R = 0,00) não se desviou da evolução neutra. É possível concluir que o gene mtDNA é um marcador favorável para identificação de espécies de morcegos do que genes nucleares por causa de suas características distintivas e pode servir como um marco para a identificação de espécies interconectadas em nível molecular e para a determinação genética de populações.