Computational dissection through network pharmacology and structure-based analysis unravels mechanistic actions of bioactive compounds in a hepatoprotective herb, for the treatment of NAFLD and NASH.

Non-Alcoholic fatty liver disease has become a silent pandemic worldwide with no authorized medicine available. is a traditional hepatoprotective herb wherein extracts provide therapeutic efficacy but not the individual compounds. Hence, the aim of the study is exploration of active molecules in extracts and identification of mechanistic actions to pinpoint potential leads towards drug development.

Pathway Gene Paralogues and Transcription Factors Differentially Associate with Contents of Picrosides in Tissues and Populations of a Medicinal Herb, Picrorhiza kurroa.

Picrorhiza kurroa is a valuable medicinal herb of Himalayan region, containing two major pharmacological iridoid glycosides: Picroside-I and Picroside-II, in addition to several other secondary metabolites. The metabolic diversity of P. kurroa may stem from the evolutionary processes attributed to pathway genes family expansion via gene duplication or splicing giving rise to paralogues which are further controlled by regulatory components.

Nucleic acid extraction from complex biofluid using toothpick-actuated over-the-counter medical-grade cotton.

Nucleic acid amplification technique (NAAT)-assisted detection is the primary intervention for pathogen molecular diagnostics. However, NAATs such as quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) require prior purification or extraction of target nucleic acid from the sample of interest since the latter often contains polymerase inhibitors. Similarly, genetic disease screening is also reliant on the successful extraction of pure patient genomic DNA from the clinical sample.

ABC transporters mined through comparative transcriptomics associate with organ-specific accumulation of picrosides in a medicinal herb, Picrorhiza kurroa.

Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth is a valuable medicinal herb of North-Western Himalayas due to presence of two major bioactive compounds, picroside-I and picroside-II used in the preparation of several hepatoprotective herbal drugs. These compounds accumulate in stolons/rhizomes; however, biosynthesized in different organs, viz., picroside-I in shoots and picroside-II in roots.

Capturing acyltransferase(s) transforming final step in the biosynthesis of a major Iridoid Glycoside, (Picroside-II) in a Himalayan Medicinal Herb, Picrorhiza kurroa.

Background: Picrorhiza kurroa has been reported as an age-old ayurvedic hepato-protection to treat hepatic disorders due to the presence of iridoids such as picroside-II (P-II), picroside-I, and kutkoside. The acylation of catalpol and vanilloyl coenzyme A by acyltransferases (ATs) is critical step in P-II biosynthesis. Since accumulation of P-II occurs only in roots, rhizomes and stolons in comparison to leaves uprooting of this critically endangered herb has been the only source of this compound.

Transcriptome profiling reveal key hub genes in co-expression networks involved in Iridoid glycosides biosynthetic machinery in Picrorhiza kurroa.

Picrorhiza kurroa is a medicinal herb rich in hepatoprotective iridoid glycosides, picroside-I (P-I) and picroside-II (P-II). The biosynthetic machinery of picrosides is poorly understood, therefore, 'no-direction' gene co-expression networks were used to extract linked/closed and separated interactions in terpenoid glycosides-specific sub-networks. Transcriptomes generated from different organs, varying for P-I and P-II contents such as shoots grown at 15 and 25 °C and nursery-grown shoots, stolons, and roots resulted in 47,726, 44,958, 40,117, 66,979, and 55,578 annotated transcripts, respectively.

Publisher Correction: A novel miRNA analysis framework to analyze differential biological networks.

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A novel miRNA analysis framework to analyze differential biological networks.

For understanding complex biological systems, a systems biology approach, involving both the top-down and bottom-up analyses, is often required. Numerous system components and their connections are best characterised as networks, which are primarily represented as graphs, with several nodes connected at multiple edges. Inefficient network visualisation is a common problem related to transcriptomic and genomic datasets.

Genome sequencing of four strains of Phylotype I, II and IV of Ralstonia solanacearum that cause potato bacterial wilt in India.

Ralstonia solanacearum is a heterogeneous species complex causing bacterial wilts in more than 450 plant species distributed in 54 families. The complexity of the genome and the wide diversity existing within the species has led to the concept of R. solanacearum species complex (RsSC).

Exogenous feeding of immediate precursors reveals synergistic effect on picroside-I biosynthesis in shoot cultures of Picrorhiza kurroa Royle ex Benth.

In the current study, we asked how the supply of immediate biosynthetic precursors i.e. cinnamic acid (CA) and catalpol (CAT) influences the synthesis of picroside-I (P-I) in shoot cultures of P.

Characterization and Screening of Native Scenedesmus sp. Isolates Suitable for Biofuel Feedstock.

In current study isolates of two native microalgae species were screened on the basis of growth kinetics and lipid accumulation potential. On the basis of data obtained on growth parameters and lipid accumulation, it is concluded that Scenedesmus dimorphus has better potential as biofuel feedstock. Two of the isolates of Scenedesmus dimorphus performed better than other isolates with respect to important growth parameters with lipid content of ~30% of dry biomass.

Discerning picroside-I biosynthesis via molecular dissection of in vitro shoot regeneration in Picrorhiza kurroa.

Expression analysis of primary and secondary metabolic pathways genes vis-à-vis shoot regeneration revealed developmental regulation of picroside-I biosynthesis in Picrorhiza kurroa. Picroside-I (P-I) is an important iridoid glycoside used in several herbal formulations for treatment of various disorders. P-I is synthesized in shoots of Picrorhiza kurroa and Picrorhiza scrophulariiflora.

Genomics and relative expression analysis identifies key genes associated with high female to male flower ratio in Jatropha curcas L.

Jatropha curcas, has been projected as a major source of biodiesel due to high seed oil content (42 %). A major roadblock for commercialization of Jatropha-based biodiesel is low seed yield per inflorescence, which is affected by low female to male flower ratio (1:25-30). Molecular dissection of female flower development by analyzing genes involved in phase transitions and floral organ development is, therefore, crucial for increasing seed yield.

Transcriptome-wide mining suggests conglomerate of genes associated with tuberous root growth and development in Aconitum heterophyllum Wall.

Tuberous roots of Aconitum heterophyllum constitute storage organ for secondary metabolites, however, molecular components contributing to their formation are not known. The transcriptomes of A. heterophyllum were analyzed to identify possible genes associated with tuberous root development by taking clues from genes implicated in other plant species.

Molecular dissection of pathway components unravel atisine biosynthesis in a non-toxic Aconitum species, A. heterophyllum Wall.

Aconitum heterophyllum is an important component for various herbal drug formulations due to the occurrence of non-toxic aconites including marker compound, atisine. Despite huge pharmacological potential, the reprogramming of aconites production is limited due to lack of understanding on their biosynthesis. To address this problem, we have proposed here the complete atisine biosynthetic pathway for the first time connecting glycolysis, MVA/MEP, serine biosynthesis and diterpene biosynthetic pathways.

Regulation of FA and TAG biosynthesis pathway genes in endosperms and embryos of high and low oil content genotypes of Jatropha curcas L.

The rising demand for biofuels has raised concerns about selecting alternate and promising renewable energy crops which do not compete with food supply. Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.), a non-edible energy crop of the family euphorbiaceae, has the potential of providing biodiesel feedstock due to the presence of high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (75%) in seed oil which is mainly accumulated in endosperm and embryo.

Retraction: Characterization of cellulolytic activities of newly isolated Thelephora sowerbyi from North-Western Himalayas on different lignocellulosic substrates.

Characterization of cellulolytic activities of newly isolated Thelephora sowerbyi from North-Western Himalayas on different lignocellulosic substrate J. Basic Microbiol. 2015, 55, 1-11 - DOI: 10.

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) transcriptomes reveal association of multiple genes and pathways contributing to secondary metabolites accumulation in tuberous roots of Aconitum heterophyllum Wall.

The transcriptomes of Aconitum heterophyllum were assembled and characterized for the first time to decipher molecular components contributing to biosynthesis and accumulation of metabolites in tuberous roots. Aconitum heterophyllum Wall., popularly known as Atis, is a high-value medicinal herb of North-Western Himalayas.

Mining NGS transcriptomes for miRNAs and dissecting their role in regulating growth, development, and secondary metabolites production in different organs of a medicinal herb, Picrorhiza kurroa.

This study is the first endeavor on mining of miRNAs and analyzing their involvement in development and secondary metabolism of an endangered medicinal herb Picrorhiza kurroa (P. kurroa ). miRNAs are ubiquitous non-coding RNA species that target complementary sequences of mRNA and result in either translational repression or target degradation in eukaryotes.

Detection of intermediates through high-resolution mass spectrometry for constructing biosynthetic pathways for major chemical constituents in a medicinally important herb, Swertia chirayita.

Swertia chirayita is an endangered medicinal herb widely used as an antidiabetic. It contains two major classes of metabolites, secoiridoids and xanthones, i.e.

Multiple genes of mevalonate and non-mevalonate pathways contribute to high aconites content in an endangered medicinal herb, Aconitum heterophyllum Wall.

Aconitum heterophyllum Wall, popularly known as Atis or Patis, is an important medicinal herb of North-Western and Eastern Himalayas. No information exists on molecular aspects of aconites biosynthesis, including atisine- the major chemical constituent of A. heterophyllum.

Mining whole genomes and transcriptomes of Jatropha (Jatropha curcas) and Castor bean (Ricinus communis) for NBS-LRR genes and defense response associated transcription factors.

Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.) and Castor bean (Ricinus communis) are oilseed crops of family Euphorbiaceae with the potential of producing high quality biodiesel and having industrial value. Both the bioenergy plants are becoming susceptible to various biotic stresses directly affecting the oil quality and content.

Mass spectrometric analysis of differentially expressed proteins in an endangered medicinal herb, Picrorhiza kurroa.

Picrorhiza kurroa grown in the Northwestern Himalayan region is used in various herbal formulations but extensive harvesting of this plant has led it to near extinction. The active constituents responsible for the medicinal properties of P. kurroa have been identified as picroside-I and picroside-II which are present in a particular ratio (1:1.