Potential of ovine Wharton jelly derived mesenchymal stem cells to transdifferentiate into neuronal phenotype for application in neuroregenerative therapy.

The transdifferentiation potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is not limited to mesodermal derivatives but also to other cell types such as neuronal cells under appropriate cell culture conditions. The present study characterizes the differentiation of Wharton's jelly (WJ) derived MSCs using neuronal conditioned medium (NCM) collected from cultured foetal brain cells. After induction with NCM to neuronal stem cells (NSC), the WJ MSCs showed profound morphological changes showing multiple neurites extending from the cell body containing reminiscent of Nissl substance and single long axon-like processes.

Complete genome sequence of a velogenic newcastle disease virus isolated from an apparently healthy village chicken in South India.

We report the complete genome sequence of a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) isolate, NDV-D1/1998, from an apparently healthy village chicken in South India. This class II, genotype II virus is 15,186 nucleotides in length with unique amino acid variations and was found to be a velogenic pathotype by standard pathogenicity tests.

Differential expression dynamics of Growth differentiation factor9 (GDF9) and Bone morphogenetic factor15 (BMP15) mRNA transcripts during in vitro maturation of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) cumulus-oocyte complexes.

The present study has evaluated the association of growth differentiation factor9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein15 (BMP15) mRNA expression in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) of buffalo ovary during in vitro maturation (IVM). GDF9 and BMP15 are expressed specifically in mammalian oocytes and also participate in cumulus-oocyte crosstalk. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) technique was applied to investigate the relative abundance (RA) of GDF9 and BMP15 mRNA transcripts throughout the IVM process.

Expression and biochemical characterization of two novel feruloyl esterases derived from fecal samples of Rusa unicolor and Equus burchelli.

Two novel genes (tvms10a, tvmz2a) were identified in the metagenomic DNA of Rusa unicolor and Equus burchelli fecal samples. The amplified PCR product of tvms10a is composed of 917bp and the gene was found to encode a protein containing 165 amino acids, while the tvmz2a PCR product was 1053bp long encoding 298 amino acid proteins. The gene has 72% primary sequence identity with Clostridiales sp.

Genotypic and pathotypic characterization of Newcastle disease viruses from India.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is an avian paramyxovirus that causes significant economic losses to the poultry industry in most parts of the world. The susceptibility of a wide variety of avian species coupled with synanthropic bird reservoirs has contributed to the vast genomic diversity of this virus as well as diagnostic failures. Since the first panzootic in 1926, Newcastle disease (ND) became enzootic in India with recurrent outbreaks in multiple avian species.

A biosensor assay for the detection of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in fecal samples.

A simple, membrane-strip-based lateral-flow (LF) biosensor assay and a high-throughput microtiter plate assay have been combined with a reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the detection of a small number (ten) of viable Mycobacterium (M.) avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) cells in fecal samples.

Evaluation of immune responses and protective efficacy in a goat model following immunization with a coctail of recombinant antigens and a polyprotein of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis.

The protective efficacy of four recombinant antigens (85A, 85B, superoxide dismutase [SOD], and a fusion polypeptide [Map74F]) of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) along with the adjuvant dimethydioctadecyl ammonium bromide (DDA) was assessed in a goat challenge model. Animals were immunized with the four antigens with adjuvant DDA (Group I, eight goat kids) or without the adjuvant (Group II, eight goat kids) or adjuvant only (Group III, nine goat kids).