ABSTRACT
Our investigation aimed to utilize physiological attributes and molecular tools for distinguishing the toxic strain of Microcystis from other non toxic strains, belonging to the same genus. Physiological characterization of five Microcystis isolates indicated that the toxic strain (M1) exhibited significantly higher pigment accumulation (phycocyanin: 54.20 µg ml-1; allophycocyanin: 18.2 µg ml-1) and sugar content (74.25 µg ml-1), which may be providing a competitive advantage for successful colonization and proliferation. Profiling using repeat sequence primers (STRR, Hip) was helpful in distinguishing different strains (M1-M5) and HIP TG profile was unique to M1. SDS-PAGE profile of the five strains indicated the presence of a unique band (25kDa) in M1. The combined use of SDS-PAGE and HipTG profiles can help in providing distinct fingerprint for the toxic strain, which can be useful in its identification.
ABSTRACT
Systemic mastocytosis is a rare clonal disorder characterized by mast cell infiltration of one or more organs, with or without skin involvement. Leonine facies is a rare presentation and corresponds to the morphologic manifestation of diffuse dermal infiltration of the face as a result of long standing disease. Bone marrow aspiration and biopsy findings in a 60-year-old woman, who had extensive cutaneous infiltration due to systemic mastocytosis, resulting in 'leonine facies,' are described, and causes of leonine facies are discussed.