Dataset on double mutation in PGIP of Glycine max improves defense to PG of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

The cell wall of the Glycine max altered by the polygalacturonases (PGs) secreted by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, causes disease and quality losses. In soybeans, a resistance protein called polygalacturonases-inhibiting proteins (PGIPs) binds to the PG to block fungal infection. The active site residues of PGIP3, VAL170 and GLN242 are mutated naturally by various amino acids in different types of PGIPs. Therefore, the mutation of VAL170 to GLY is ineffective but the GLN242 amino acid mutation by LYS significantly alters the structure and is crucial for interacting with the PG protein. Docking and Molecular Dynamics simulation provide a comprehensive evaluation of the interactions between gmPGIP and ssPG. By elucidating the structural basis of the interaction between gmPGIP and ssPG, this investigation lays a foundation for the development of targeted strategies in-order to enhance soybean resistance against Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. By leveraging this knowledge, researchers can potentially engineer soybean varieties with improved resistance to the fungus, thereby reducing disease incidence and improving crop yields.

The Effectiveness of Adjuvant Attangaogam (Athanam) Yoga Asana-Pranayamam Practices With Regard to Biochemical, Inflammatory, and Hematological Markers Among COVID-19 Patients at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern Tamilnadu.

Background and objective Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a highly contagious infectious disease that has affected many countries globally. Attangaogam, known in Sanskrit as "Ashtanga yoga", is a practice associated with the spiritual and cultural heritage of India whose origins can be traced back to the very dawn of civilization; the practice of yoga promotes health, healing, and longevity. This study aimed to analyze the effects of Attangaogam (Athanam) yoga asana-Pranayamam practice on biochemical, inflammatory, and hematological markers in the management of COVID-19. Materials and methods A prospective observational study was conducted from August 2021 to February 2022 among hospitalized adult patients of both sexes who consented to participate and tested positive for COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Convenience sampling was employed and the study was approved by Institutional Ethics Committee (VMCIEC/74/2021). Clinical details, inflammatory markers, D-dimer, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), ferritin, procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and complete blood count (CBC) were analyzed for all the volunteering patients on admission and before commencing yoga-pranayamam practices. Also, the parameters were recorded after practicing the scheduled protocol: on the day of discharge, and after the first and third months of discharge. Microsoft Excel 2013 was used for statistical analysis. Results Of the 76 patients, 32 were followed up regularly; the mean age of the cohort was 50.6 ± 4.95 years, and 62% were males. All the patients attained normal oxygen saturation and got discharged in 7-14 days. The comparison of clinical, hematological, inflammatory, and biochemical investigations between pre- and post-Attangaogam yoga-Pranayamam practice sessions showed statistically significant differences and the patients attained normal levels for all variables within three months except for serum albumin. Conclusion Based on our findings, the practice of Attangaogam yoga-Pranayamam contributed to the successful treatment of COVID-19 with the early restoration of protracted hypermetabolic and hyperinflammatory markers to normal status. The evidence related to biomarkers revealed that the patients attained metabolic normalcy of cell health with the aid of personalized physical rehabilitation counteracting inflammation and promoting tissue repair thanks to holistic natural and innate immunity provided by Attangaogam yoga-pranayamam practices.

PGPR: the treasure of multifarious beneficial microorganisms for nutrient mobilization, pest biocontrol and plant growth promotion in field crops.

Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) have multifarious beneficial activities for plant growth promotion; act as source of metabolites, enzymes, nutrient mobilization, biological control of pests, induction of disease resistance vis-a-vis bioremediation potentials by phytoextraction and detoxification of heavy metals, pollutants and pesticides. Agrochemicals and synthetic pesticides are currently being utilized widely in all major field crops, thereby adversely affecting human and animal health, and posing serious threats to the environments. Beneficial microorganisms like PGPR could potentially substitute and supplement the toxic chemicals and pesticides with promising application in organic farming leading to sustainable agriculture practices and bioremediation of heavy metal contaminated sites. Among field crops limited bio-formulations have been prepared till now by utilization of PGPR strains having plant growth promotion, metabolites, enzymes, nutrient mobilization and biocontrol activities. The present review contributes comprehensive description of PGPR applications in field crops including commercial, oilseeds, leguminous and cereal crops to further extend the utilization of these potent groups of beneficial microorganisms so that even higher level of crop productivity and quality produce of field crops could be achieved. PGPR and bacteria based commercialized bio-formulations available worldwide for its application in the field crops have been compiled in this review which can be a substitute for the harmful synthetic chemicals. The current knowledge gap and potential target areas for future research have also been projected.

Novel Insights into Understanding the Molecular Dialogues between Bipolaroxin and the Gα and Gß Subunits of the Wheat Heterotrimeric G-Protein during Host-Pathogen Interaction.

Spot blotch disease of wheat, caused by the fungus Bipolaris sorokiniana (Sacc.) Shoem., produces several toxins which interact with the plants and thereby increase the blightening of the wheat leaves, and Bipolaroxin is one of them. There is an urgent need to decipher the molecular interaction between wheat and the toxin Bipolaroxin for in-depth understanding of host-pathogen interactions. In the present study, we have developed the three-dimensional structure of G-protein alpha subunit from Triticum aestivum. Molecular docking studies were performed using the active site of the modeled G-protein alpha and cryo-EM structure of beta subunit from T. aestivum and 'Bipolaroxin'. The study of protein-ligand interactions revealed that six H-bonds are mainly formed by Glu29, Ser30, Lys32, and Ala177 of G-alpha with Bipolaroxin. In the beta subunit, the residues of the core beta strand domain participate in the ligand interaction where Lys256, Phe306, and Leu352 formed seven H-bonds with the ligand Bipolaroxin. All-atoms molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies were conducted for G-alpha and -beta subunit and Bipolaroxin complexes to explore the stability, conformational flexibility, and dynamic behavior of the complex system. In planta studies clearly indicated that application of Bipolaroxin significantly impacted the physio-biochemical pathways in wheat and led to the blightening of leaves in susceptible cultivars as compared to resistant ones. Further, it interacted with the Gα and Gß subunits of G-protein, phenylpropanoid, and MAPK pathways, which is clearly supported by the qPCR results. This study gives deeper insights into understanding the molecular dialogues between Bipolaroxin and the Gα and Gß subunits of the wheat heterotrimeric G-protein during host-pathogen interaction.

Biocomputational Assessment of Natural Compounds as a Potent Inhibitor to Quorum Sensors in Ralstonia solanacearum.

Ralstonia solanacearum is among the most damaging bacterial phytopathogens with a wide number of hosts and a broad geographic distribution worldwide. The pathway of phenotype conversion (Phc) is operated by quorum-sensing signals and modulated through the (R)-methyl 3-hydroxypalmitate (3-OH PAME) in R. solanacearum. However, the molecular structures of the Phc pathway components are not yet established, and the structural consequences of 3-OH PAME on quorum sensing are not well studied. In this study, 3D structures of quorum-sensing proteins of the Phc pathway (PhcA and PhcR) were computationally modeled, followed by the virtual screening of the natural compounds library against the predicted active site residues of PhcA and PhcR proteins that could be employed in limiting signaling through 3-OH PAME. Two of the best scoring common ligands ZINC000014762512 and ZINC000011865192 for PhcA and PhcR were further analyzed utilizing orbital energies such as HOMO and LUMO, followed by molecular dynamics simulations of the complexes for 100 ns to determine the ligands binding stability. The findings indicate that ZINC000014762512 and ZINC000011865192 may be capable of inhibiting both PhcA and PhcR. We believe that, after further validation, these compounds may have the potential to disrupt bacterial quorum sensing and thus control this devastating phytopathogenic bacterial pathogen.

Access to medicines through health systems in low- and middle-income countries.

Nearly 2 billion people globally have no access to essential medicines. This means essential medicines are unavailable, unaffordable, inaccessible, unacceptable or of low quality for more than a quarter of the population worldwide. This supplement demonstrates the implications of poor medicine access and highlights recent innovations to improve access to essential medicines by presenting new research findings from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). These studies answer key questions such as: Can performance-based financing improve availability of essential medicines? How affordable are cardiovascular treatments for children? Which countries' legal frameworks promote universal access to medicines? How appropriately are people using medicines? Do poor-quality medicines impact equity? Answers to these questions are important as essential medicines are vital to the Sustainable Development Goals and are central to the goal of achieving Universal Health Coverage. Access to affordable, quality-assured essential medicines is crucial to reducing the financial burden of care, preventing greater pain and suffering, shortening the duration of illness, and averting needless disabilities and deaths worldwide. This supplement was organized by the Medicines in Health Systems Thematic Working Group of Health Systems Global, a membership organization dedicated to promoting health systems research and knowledge translation. The five studies in the supplement further our understanding by showcasing recent successes and challenges of improving access to quality-assured medicines through health systems in LMICs.