Arid/semi-arid flora as a treasure trove of bioactives and bioenergy: the case for underutilized desert legumes towards environmental sustainability.

As the spectre of climate change gains in strength with each passing moment, many of our mundane food crops like rice face the heat, leading to uncertain yields and unforeseen disease outbreaks. Subsequently, mankind is forced to look for alternative food choices that should primarily come from indigenous plants that are less demanding in terms of usage of water and application of chemical-based fertilizers/pesticides. There are plants growing in the wild in the arid and semi-arid zones of Rajasthan, India, that can come to the rescue, with an added potential for development into valuable functional foods-i.

Metabolic pathway and role of individual species in the bacterial consortium for biodegradation of azo dye: A biocalorimetric investigation.

In this study, an attempt was made to investigate the functional role and metabolic behaviour of the monoculture (Staphylococcus lentus (SL), Bacillus flexus (BF) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA)) in the bacterial biocenosis for biotransformation of an azo dye. The power-time profile obtained from consortia depicted three distinct peaks, which correlated well with the individual bacterial growth (PA > SL > BF), indicating the synergistic relation and division of labour in the biocenosis. The heat release pattern was used to identify the sequential behaviour of microbial consortia in real time.

Targeting HMGA2 in Retinoblastoma Cells in vitro Using the Aptamer Strategy.

High-mobility group A2 (HMGA2) protein regulates retinoblastoma (RB) cancer cell proliferation. Here, a stable phosphorothioate-modified HMGA2 aptamer was used to block HMGA2 protein function in RB cells. HMGA2-aptamer internalisation in RB cells (Y79, Weri Rb1) and non-neoplastic human retinal cells (MIO-M1) were optimised.

In Silico Structure Prediction of Human Fatty Acid Synthase-Dehydratase: A Plausible Model for Understanding Active Site Interactions.

Fatty acid synthase (FASN, UniProt ID: P49327) is a multienzyme dimer complex that plays a critical role in lipogenesis. Consequently, this lipogenic enzyme has gained tremendous biomedical importance. The role of FASN and its inhibition is being extensively researched in several clinical conditions, such as cancers, obesity, and diabetes.

Comparative docking of dual conformations in human fatty acid synthase thioesterase domain reveals potential binding cavity for virtual screening of ligands.

Human fatty acid synthase (hFASN), a homo dimeric lipogenic enzyme with seven catalytic domains, is an important clinical target in cancer, metabolic syndrome and infections. Here, molecular modelling and docking methods were implemented to examine the inter-molecular interactions of thioesterase (TE) domain in hFASN with its physiological substrate, and to identify potential chemical inhibitors. TE catalyses the hydrolysis of thioester bond between palmitate and the 4' phosphopantetheine of acyl carrier protein, releasing 16-carbon palmitate.

Targeting HSP90/Survivin using a cell permeable structure based peptido-mimetic shepherdin in retinoblastoma.

Background: Retinoblastoma (RB) is a childhood retinal malignancy. Effective therapeutic strategies are still being investigated in RB disease management. Here, the anti-cancer effect of shepherdin, a peptido-mimetic inhibiting heat shock protein (HSP90)-Survivin interaction has been analyzed.

Clinico-Pathological Association of Delineated miRNAs in Uveal Melanoma with Monosomy 3/Disomy 3 Chromosomal Aberrations.

Purpose: To correlate the differentially expressed miRNAs with clinico-pathological features in uveal melanoma (UM) tumors harbouring chromosomal 3 aberrations among South Asian Indian cohort.

Methods: Based on chromosomal 3 aberration, UM (n = 86) were grouped into monosomy 3 (M3; n = 51) and disomy 3 (D3; n = 35) by chromogenic in-situ hybridisation (CISH). The clinico-pathological features were recorded.

Computational and in vitro Investigation of miRNA-Gene Regulations in Retinoblastoma Pathogenesis: miRNA Mimics Strategy.

Purpose: Retinoblastoma (RB), a primary pediatric intraocular tumor, arises from primitive retinal layers. Several novel molecular strategies are being developed for the clinical management of RB. miRNAs are known to regulate cancer-relevant biological processes.

Global gene deregulations in FASN silenced retinoblastoma cancer cells: molecular and clinico-pathological correlations.

Activation of fatty acid synthase (FASN) enzyme in the de novo lipogenic pathway has been reported in various cancers including retinoblastoma (RB), a pediatric ocular cancer. The present study investigates lipogenesis-dependent survival of RB cancer cells and the associated molecular pathways in FASN silenced RB cells. The siRNA-mediated FASN gene knockdown in RB cancer cells (Y79, WERI RB1) repressed FASN mRNA and protein expressions, and decreased cancer cell viability.

Comparative Modeling and Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Substrate Binding in Human Fatty Acid Synthase: Enoyl Reductase and β-Ketoacyl Reductase Catalytic Domains.

Fatty acid synthase (FASN, EC 2.3.1.

A molecular model of human Lysyl Oxidase (LOX) with optimal copper orientation in the catalytic cavity for induced fit docking studies with potential modulators.

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is a copper dependent amine oxidase which catalyses the cross linking of collagen and elastin towards the maturation of extracellular matrix. The expression and activity of LOX is known to vary under pathological conditions such as tumorigenesis, hyperhomocysteinemia, copper deficiency diseases, pseudoexfoliation syndrome and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Despite the implication of LOX in many diseases, there is inadequate information about its structure.

Molecular Insights on Post-chemotherapy Retinoblastoma by Microarray Gene Expression Analysis.

Purpose: Management of Retinoblastoma (RB), a pediatric ocular cancer is limited by drug-resistance and drug-dosage related side effects during chemotherapy. Molecular de-regulation in post-chemotherapy RB tumors was investigated.

Materials And Methods: cDNA microarray analysis of two post-chemotherapy and one pre-chemotherapy RB tumor tissues was performed, followed by Principle Component Analysis, Gene ontology, Pathway Enrichment analysis and Biological Analysis Network (BAN) modeling.

Biochemical changes accompanying apoptotic cell death in retinoblastoma cancer cells treated with lipogenic enzyme inhibitors.

Retinoblastoma (RB) is a malignant intra-ocular neoplasm that affects children (usually below the age of 5years). In addition to conventional chemotherapy, novel therapeutic strategies that target metabolic pathways such as glycolysis and lipid metabolism are emerging. Fatty acid synthase (FASN), a lipogenic multi-enzyme complex, is over-expressed in retinoblastoma cancer.

Fatty acid synthase inhibition induces differential expression of genes involved in apoptosis and cell proliferation in ocular cancer cells.

Fatty acid synthase (FASN), a lipogenic multienzyme complex, is overexpressed in the ocular cancer, retinoblastoma, and is strongly correlated with tumor invasion. Dietary nutrients are reported to exert anticancer effects through inhibition of lipid metabolism. Differential gene expression in cultured retinoblastoma cells induced by cerulenin, a chemical inhibitor of FASN, was evaluated by cDNA microarray analysis.

The metabolic advantage of choline lactate in growth media: an experimental analysis with Staphylococcus lentus.

The metabolic effectiveness of choline lactate in the growth media was investigated relative to conventional carbon source for growing Staphylococcus lentus, a bacterial strain commonly used in bioremediation of industrial effluents and xenobiotic detoxification. Bacterial growth thermodynamics was determined by biocalorimetry. (13)C NMR and FTIR spectroscopic analyses traced the consumption of choline lactate at specific time intervals of bacterial growth.

Molecular deregulation induced by silencing of the high mobility group protein A2 gene in retinoblastoma cells.

Aim: To explore the molecular mechanisms deregulated by high mobility group protein A2 (HMGA2) gene silencing in retinoblastoma (RB) cells.

Methods: Synthetic anti-HMGA2 short interfering RNA (siRNA) was used to silence the HMGA2 gene in cultured Y79 RB cells that were subjected to whole genome microarray analysis. The expression of differentially regulated key genes was confirmed with quantitative reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in post-silenced RB cell lines (Y79 and WERI Rb1).

Microarray analysis and biochemical correlations of oxidative stress responsive genes in retinoblastoma.

Purpose: Oxidative stress, which refers to the biological damage caused by free radicals produced in excess of innate antioxidant defenses, is indicated in the ocular cancer retinoblastoma (RB). Here we have analysed the differential expression of oxidative stress responsive genes in oxidant-induced RB cells, and in RB tumor tissues.

Methods: The study included cultured RB cells, and four RB tumor tissues.

Therapeutic and toxicologic evaluation of anti-lipogenic agents in cancer cells compared with non-neoplastic cells.

Fatty acid synthase (FASN), a multi-enzyme complex, is involved in lipid biosynthesis. FASN is over-expressed in different types of cancers and is being widely investigated for its role in cancer progression, diagnosis and therapy. Here, three inhibitors targeting different domains of FASN--cerulenin, triclosan and orlistat--were evaluated for their anti-proliferative efficacy in ocular cancer, retinoblastoma (RB) cells and their toxicity (if any) in normal cells.

Comparative proteomic analysis of differentially expressed proteins in primary retinoblastoma tumors.

Purpose: To understand the disease mechanism and to identify the potential tumor markers that would help in therapeutics, comparative proteomic analysis of 29 retinoblastoma (RB) tumors was performed using 14 non-neoplastic retinas (age ranged from 45 to 89 years) as control tissues.

Experimental Design: 2-DE and MALDI-TOF-TOF MS/MS were used to identify differentially expressed proteins.

Results: Twenty-seven distinct differentially expressed proteins were identified, including 16 upregulated 11 downregulated proteins.

Protective effects of certoparin sodium, a low molecular weight heparin derivative, in experimental atherosclerosis.

Background: The association of atherosclerosis and hypercholesterolemia is well known. Hypercholesterolemic diet-induced atherogenesis is a widely accepted experimental model that is amenable to exploration of both the disease as well as therapeutic interventions. We evaluated the role of low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) in modulating the early biochemical changes in atherogenesis.

The cytoprotective role of a low-molecular-weight heparin fragment studied in an experimental model of glomerulotoxicity.

Abnormal glomerular glycosaminoglycan metabolism is involved in the onset of the morphological and functional aberrations of glomerulopathies. In the present study, a heparin derivative, low-molecular-weight heparin, was tested for its ability to afford renoprotection in an established model of experimental glomerulopathy. Two groups of male albino rats of the Wistar strain (140 +/- 10 g) received a single intravenous injection of adriamycin (7.