Positive selection and evolution of dengue type-3 virus in the Indian subcontinent.

Background: Dengue virus infection has recently taken endemic proportions in India with dengu type-3 (DEN-3) as a predominant serotype. In this study, we carried out the selection pressure analysis of three critical immunogenic regions of DEN-3. Phylogenetic analysis was then carried out on the positively selected genomic region in the DEN-3 virus strains isolated in the Indian subcontinent over a time span of 25 yr (1984-2008).

Purification of transcripts and metabolites from Drosophila heads.

For the last decade, we have tried to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms of neuronal degeneration using Drosophila as a model organism. Although fruit flies provide obvious experimental advantages, research on neurodegenerative diseases has mostly relied on traditional techniques, including genetic interaction, histology, immunofluorescence, and protein biochemistry. These techniques are effective for mechanistic, hypothesis-driven studies, which lead to a detailed understanding of the role of single genes in well-defined biological problems.