Control and recalibration of path integration in place cells using optic flow.

Hippocampal place cells are influenced by both self-motion (idiothetic) signals and external sensory landmarks as an animal navigates its environment. To continuously update a position signal on an internal 'cognitive map', the hippocampal system integrates self-motion signals over time, a process that relies on a finely calibrated path integration gain that relates movement in physical space to movement on the cognitive map. It is unclear whether idiothetic cues alone, such as optic flow, exert sufficient influence on the cognitive map to enable recalibration of path integration, or if polarizing position information provided by landmarks is essential for this recalibration.

Genome-wide association studies in rice germplasm reveal significant genomic regions for root and yield-related traits under aerobic and irrigated conditions.

The development of nutrient-use efficient rice lines is a priority amidst the changing climate and depleting resources viz., water, land, and labor for achieving sustainability in rice cultivation. Along with the traditional transplanted irrigated system of cultivation, the dry direct-seeded aerobic system is gaining ground nationwide.

Involvement of Target of Rapamycin (TOR) Signaling in the Regulation of Crosstalk between Ribosomal Protein Small Subunit 6 Kinase-1 (RPS6K-1) and Ribosomal Proteins.

The target of rapamycin (TOR) protein phosphorylates its downstream effector p70kDa ribosomal protein S6 kinases (S6K1) for ribosome biogenesis and translation initiation in eukaryotes. However, the molecular mechanism of TOR-S6K1-ribosomal protein (RP) signaling is not well understood in plants. In the present study, we report the transcriptional upregulation of ribosomal protein large and small subunit ( and ) genes in the previously established overexpressing transgenic lines of rice (in ssp.

Advances in non-invasive tracking of wave-type electric fish in natural and laboratory settings.

Recent technological advances greatly improved the possibility to study freely behaving animals in natural conditions. However, many systems still rely on animal-mounted devices, which can already bias behavioral observations. Alternatively, animal behaviors can be detected and tracked in recordings of stationary sensors, e.

Wide-angle, monocular head tracking using passive markers.

Background: Camera images can encode large amounts of visual information of an animal and its environment, enabling high fidelity 3D reconstruction of the animal and its environment using computer vision methods. Most systems, both markerless (e.g.

Mutation resource of Samba Mahsuri revealed the presence of high extent of variations among key traits for rice improvement.

To create novel variants for morphological, physiological, and biotic stress tolerance traits, induced mutations were created using Ethyl Methane Sulphonate (EMS) in the background of Samba Mahsuri (BPT 5204), a popular and mega rice variety of India. A population derived from 10, 500 M1 plants and their descendants were phenotyped for a wide range of traits leading to the identification of 124 mutants having variations in key agro-morphological traits, and 106 mutants exhibiting variation for physiological traits. Higher yield is the ultimate goal of crop improvement and we identified 574 mutants having higher yield compared to wild type by having better yield attributing traits.

The Dome: A virtual reality apparatus for freely locomoting rodents.

The cognitive map in the hippocampal formation of rodents and other mammals integrates multiple classes of sensory and motor information into a coherent representation of space. Here, we describe the Dome, a virtual reality apparatus for freely locomoting rats, designed to examine the relative contributions of various spatial inputs to an animal's spatial representation. The Dome was designed to preserve the range of spatial inputs typically available to an animal in free, untethered locomotion while providing the ability to perturb specific sensory cues.

Evaluation of genotype by environment interaction and adaptability in lowland irrigated rice hybrids for grain yield under high temperature.

Recent predictions on climate change indicate that high temperature episodes are expected to impact rice production and productivity worldwide. The present investigation was undertaken to assess the yield stability of 72 rice hybrids and their parental lines across three temperature regimes over two consecutive dry seasons using the additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI), genotype and genotype × environment interaction (GGE) stability model analysis. The combined ANOVA revealed that genotype × environment interaction (GEI) were significant due to the linear component for most of the traits studied.

Study on Transcriptional Responses and Identification of Ribosomal Protein Genes for Potential Resistance against Brown Planthopper and Gall Midge Pests in Rice.

Background: Our previous studies have revealed the roles of ribosomal protein () genes in the abiotic stress responses of rice.

Methods: In the current investigation, we examine the possible involvement of these genes in insect stress responses. We have characterized the RP genes that included both () and () subunit genes in response to infestation by two economically important insect pests, the brown planthopper (BPH) and the Asian rice gall midge (GM) in rice.

The Draft Genome of Yellow Stem Borer, an Agriculturally Important Pest, Provides Molecular Insights into Its Biology, Development and Specificity Towards Rice for Infestation.

Yellow stem borer (YSB), (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), a major monophagous insect pest of rice, causes significant yield losses. The rice-YSB interaction is very dynamic, making it difficult for management. The development of resistant lines has been unsuccessful as there are no effective resistant sources in the germplasm.

Grain Fe and Zn content, heterosis, combining ability and its association with grain yield in irrigated and aerobic rice.

Genetic improvement of rice for grain micronutrients, viz., iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) content is one of the important breeding objectives, in addition to yield improvement under the irrigated and aerobic ecosystems. In view of developing genetic resources for aerobic conditions, line (L) × tester (T) analysis was conducted with four restorers, four CMS lines and 16 hybrids.

Constitutive expression of Ribosomal Protein L6 modulates salt tolerance in rice transgenic plants.

We have functionally characterized the RPL6, a Ribosomal Protein Large subunit gene for salt stress tolerance in rice. The overexpression of RPL6 resulted in tolerance to moderate (150 mM) to high (200 mM) levels of salt (NaCl). The transgenic rice plants expressing RPL6 constitutively showed better phenotypic and physiological responses with high quantum efficiency, accumulation of higher chlorophyll and proline contents, and an overall increase in seed yield compared with the wild type in salt stress treatments.

Marker assisted improvement of low soil phosphorus tolerance in the bacterial blight resistant, fine-grain type rice variety, Improved Samba Mahsuri.

Improved-Samba-Mahsuri (ISM), a high-yielding, popular bacterial blight resistant (possessing Xa21, xa13, and xa5), fine-grain type, low glycemic index rice variety is highly sensitive to low soil phosphorus (P). We have deployed marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB) approach for targeted transfer of Pup1, a major QTL associated with low soil P tolerance, using Swarna as a donor. A new co-dominant marker, K20-1-1, which is specific for Pup1 was designed and used for foreground selection along with functional markers specific for the bacterial blight resistance genes, Xa21, xa13, and xa5.

Marker Assisted Gene Pyramiding (MAGP) for bacterial blight and blast resistance into mega rice variety "Tellahamsa".

Bacterial blight (BB) and fungal blast diseases are the major biotic constraints that limit rice productivity. To sustain yield improvement in rice, it is necessary to developed yield potential of the rice varieties by incorporation of biotic stress resistance genes. Tellahamsa is a well-adapted popular high yielding rice variety in Telangana state, India.

Identification and Characterization of a Large Effect QTL from Oryza glumaepatula Revealed Pi68(t) as Putative Candidate Gene for Rice Blast Resistance.

Background: Field resistance is often effective and durable as compared to vertical resistance. The introgression line (INGR15002) derived from O. glumaepatula has proven broad spectrum field resistance for both leaf and neck blast.

Pectin induced transcriptome of a Rhizoctonia solani strain causing sheath blight disease in rice reveals insights on key genes and RNAi machinery for development of pathogen derived resistance.

RNAi mediated silencing of pectin degrading enzyme of R. solani gives a high level of resistance against sheath blight disease of rice. Rice sheath blight disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kuhn (telemorph; Thanatephorus cucumeris) is one of the most devastating fungal diseases which cause severe loss to rice grain production.

Recalibration of path integration in hippocampal place cells.

Hippocampal place cells are spatially tuned neurons that serve as elements of a 'cognitive map' in the mammalian brain. To detect the animal's location, place cells are thought to rely upon two interacting mechanisms: sensing the position of the animal relative to familiar landmarks and measuring the distance and direction that the animal has travelled from previously occupied locations. The latter mechanism-known as path integration-requires a finely tuned gain factor that relates the animal's self-movement to the updating of position on the internal cognitive map, as well as external landmarks to correct the positional error that accumulates.

Target of rapamycin, a master regulator of multiple signalling pathways and a potential candidate gene for crop improvement.

The target of rapamycin (TOR) protein regulates growth and development in photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic eukaryotes. Although the TOR regulatory networks are involved in nutrient and energy signalling, and transcriptional and translational control of multiple signalling pathways, the molecular mechanism of TOR regulation of plant abiotic stress responses is still unclear. The TOR-mediated transcriptional regulation of genes encoding ribosomal proteins (RP) is a necessity under stress conditions for balanced growth and productivity in plants.

Marker-assisted pyramiding of two major, broad-spectrum bacterial blight resistance genes, Xa21 and Xa33 into an elite maintainer line of rice, DRR17B.

Bacterial blight (BB) disease reduces the yield of rice varieties and hybrids considerably in many tropical rice growing countries like India. The present study highlights the development of durable BB resistance into the background of an elite maintainer of rice, DRR17B, by incorporating two major dominant genes, Xa21 and Xa33 through marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB). Through two sets of backcrosses, the two BB resistance genes were transferred separately to DRR17B.

Genes encoding membrane proteins showed stable expression in rice under aerobic condition: novel set of reference genes for expression studies.

A set of reference genes expressing stably under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in rice is essential to execute omics studies relating to aerobic adaptations. Stability of expression of ten rice reference genes, viz. , and was validated across six experimental sets in shoot and root tissues at seedling, tillering, and panicle initiation stages.