FMR1 genetically interacts with DISC1 to regulate glutamatergic synaptogenesis.

Synaptic development and functions have been hypothesized as crucial mechanisms of diverse neuropsychiatric disorders. Studies in past years suggest that mutations in the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) are associated with diverse mental disorders including intellectual disability, autistic spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia. In this study, we have examined genetical interactions between a select set of risk factor genes using fruit flies to find that dfmr1, the Drosophila homolog of the human FMR1 gene, exhibits functional interactions with DISC1 in synaptic development.

Gut microbiota in pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapeutics of inflammatory bowel disease.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a multifactorial disease, which is thought to be an interplay between genetic, environment, microbiota, and immune-mediated factors. Dysbiosis in the gut microbial composition, caused by antibiotics and diet, is closely related to the initiation and progression of IBD. Differences in gut microbiota composition between IBD patients and healthy individuals have been found, with reduced biodiversity of commensal microbes and colonization of opportunistic microbes in IBD patients.

Gut Microbiota in Colorectal Cancer: Biological Role and Therapeutic Opportunities.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. While CRC is thought to be an interplay between genetic and environmental factors, several lines of evidence suggest the involvement of gut microbiota in promoting inflammation and tumor progression. Gut microbiota refer to the ~40 trillion microorganisms that inhabit the human gut.

Phylogenetic Analyses of Microbial Hydrolytic Dehalogenases Reveal Polyphyletic Origin.

Unlabelled: Hydrolytic dehalogenases form an important class of dehalogenases that include haloacid dehalogenase, haloalkane dehalogenase, haloacetate dehalogenase, and atrazine chlorohydrolase. These enzymes are involved in biodegradation of various environmental pollutants and therefore it is important to understand their phylogeny. In the present study, it was found that the enzymes haloalkane and haloacetate dehalogenases share a common ancestry with enzymes such as carboxyesterase, epoxide hydrolase, and lipases, which can be traced to ancestral α/β hydrolase fold enzyme.

Connexin 26 (GJB2) Mutations Associated with Non-Syndromic Hearing Loss (NSHL).

Objective: To determine the prevalence and spectrum of Connexin 26 (GJB2) mutations in pre-lingual non-syndromic hearing loss (NSHL) patients in authors' centre and to review the data of Indian patients from the literature.

Methods: Sanger sequencing of entire coding region contained in single exon (Exon 2) of GJB2 gene in 15 patients of NSHL.

Results: GJB2 mutations were found in 40% (6/15) of NSHL patients, out of which mono-allelic were 33.

Genetic interaction of DISC1 and Neurexin in the development of fruit fly glutamatergic synapses.

Originally identified at the breakpoint of a (1;11)(q42.1; q14.3) chromosomal translocation in a Scottish family with a wide range of mental disorders, the DISC1 gene has been a focus of intensive investigations as an entry point to study the molecular mechanisms of diverse mental dysfunctions.

Hotspots in PTPN11 Gene Among Indian Children With Noonan Syndrome.

Objective: To test for PTPN11 mutations in clinically diagnosed cases of Noonan syndrome.

Methods: 17 individuals with clinical diagnosis of Noonan syndrome were included in the study. Sanger sequencing of all the 15 exons of PTPN11 was done.

Spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia Omani type: CHST3 mutation spectrum and phenotypes in three Indian families.

We describe three consanguineous Indian families with a distinct form of spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia (SED Omani type). It is an autosomal recessive disorder due to mutation in CHST3 gene. CHST3 gene encodes the enzyme chondroitin 6-O-sulfotransferase-1 (C6ST-1) which mediates the sulfation of proteoglycans, (chondroitin sulfate), in the extracellular matrix of cartilage.

Phylogenetic relationship and molecular identification of five Indian Mahseer species using COIsequence.

This study examined the phylogenetic relationship and identification of five Mahseer species (Tor putitoro, Tor tor, Tor khudree, Tor chelynoides and Neolissochilus hexogonolopis) using partial sequencing of a Cytochrome Oxidase I (COl) DNA barcodes. The sequence analysis data showed that 134 (21.61%) sites out of 628 sites were variable without insertion or deletion.