Plasmon-emitter coupling in cytosine-rich hairpin DNA-templated silver nanoclusters: Thermal reversibility, white light emission, and dynamics inside live cells.

Bio-templated luminescent noble metal nanoclusters (NCs) have attracted great attention for their intriguing physicochemical properties. Continuous efforts are being made to prepare NCs with high fluorescence quantum yield (QY), good biocompatibility, and tunable emission properties for their widespread practical applications as new-generation environment-friendly photoluminescent materials in materials chemistry and biological systems. Herein, we explored the unique photophysical properties of silver nanoclusters (AgNCs) templated by cytosine-rich customized hairpin DNA.

Plant growth promoting rhizobacterium Bacillus sp. BSE01 alleviates salt toxicity in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) by conserving ionic, osmotic, redox and hormonal homeostasis.

Soil salinity leading to sodium toxicity is developing into a massive challenge for agricultural productivity globally, inducing osmotic, ionic, and redox imbalances in plants. Considering the predicted increase in salinization risk with the ongoing climate change, applying plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) is an environmentally safe method for augmenting plant salinity tolerance. The present study examined the role of halotolerant Bacillus sp.

Mechanistic elucidation of the catalytic activity of silver nanoclusters: exploring the predominant role of electrostatic surface.

The core and the ligand shell of metal nanoclusters (MNCs) have an influential role in modulating their spectroscopic signatures and catalytic properties. The aspect of electrostatic interactions to regulate the catalytic properties of MNCs has not been comprehensively addressed to date. Our present work conclusively delineates the role of the metal core and the electrostatic surface of MNCs involved in the reduction of nitroarenes.

pH-Switchable phenylalanine-templated copper nanoclusters: CO probing and efficient peroxidase mimicking activity.

Inter-cluster conversion through the strategic tuning of external stimuli and thereby modulation of the optical properties of metal nanoclusters (MNCs) is an emerging domain for exploration. Herein, we report the preparation of blue-emitting CuNCs using phenylalanine (Phe) as a template under acidic conditions (pH ∼ 4). The as-prepared CuNCs exhibit a sequential tuning of the photophysical properties upon varying the pH of the solution from pH ∼4 to pH ∼12.

Solvent-Induced Modulation in the Optical Properties of Copper Nanoclusters and Revealing the Isomeric Effect of Templates.

The solvent plays an influential role in controlling the nucleation process of metal nanoclusters (MNCs) and thereby significantly modulates their optical signatures. Herein, we have demonstrated the solvent-induced modulation in the optical properties of copper nanoclusters (CuNCs), primarily governed by the solvent polarity. During the preparation of para-mercaptobenzoic acid (p-MBA)-templated CuNCs, the simultaneous formation of blue-emitting CuNCs (B-CuNCs) and red-emitting CuNCs (R-CuNCs) were observed up to 7 h of reaction time, reflected from the systematic increment in the photoluminescence (PL) intensity at 420 nm and 615 nm, respectively.

Game Theory-Based Authentication Framework to Secure Internet of Vehicles with Blockchain.

The Internet of Vehicles (IoV) is a new paradigm for vehicular networks. Using diverse access methods, IoV enables vehicles to connect with their surroundings. However, without data security, IoV settings might be hazardous.

Preferential Binding of Epirubicin Hydrochloride with Single Nucleotide Mismatched DNA and Subsequent Sequestration by a Mixed Micelle.

Targeting mismatched base pairs containing DNA using small molecules and exploring the underlying mechanism involved during the binding interactions is one of the fundamental aspects of drug design. These molecules in turn are used in nucleic acid targeted therapeutics and cancer diagnosis. In this work, we systematically delineate the binding of the anticancer drug, epirubicin hydrochloride (EPR) with 20-mer duplex DNA, having both natural nucleobase pairing and thermodynamically least stable non-Watson-Crick base pairing.

Exploring the Nucleobase-Specific Hydrophobic Interaction of Cryptolepine Hydrate with RNA and Its Subsequent Sequestration.

The study of the interactions of drug molecules with genetic materials plays a key role underlying the development of new drugs for many life-threatening diseases in pharmaceutical industries. Understanding their fundamental base-specific and/or groove-binding interaction is crucial to target the genetic material with an external drug, which can pave the way to curing diseases related to the genetic material. Here, we studied the interaction of cryptolepine hydrate (CRYP) with RNA under physiological conditions knowing the antimalarial and anticancer activities of the drug.

Rotational diffusion and rotational correlations in frictional amorphous disk packings under shear.

We show here that rotations of round particles in amorphous disk packing reveal various nontrivial microscopic features when the packing is close to rigidification. We analyze experimental measurements on disk packing subjected to simple shear deformation with various inter-particle friction coefficients and across a range of volume fractions where the system is known to stiffen. The analysis of measurements indicates that shear induces diffusive microrotation, that can be both enhanced and suppressed depending upon the volume fraction as well as the inter-particle friction.

Structural Compactness in Hen Egg White Lysozyme Induced by Bisphenol S: A Spectroscopic and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Approach.

The endocrine disrupting compound Bisphenol and its analogues are widely used in food packaging products and can cause serious health hazards. The protein, Lysozyme (Lyz), showing anti-microbial properties, is used as a "natural" food and dairy preservative. Herein, we explored the interaction between Lyz and Bisphenol S (BPS) by multi-spectroscopic and theoretical approaches.

Bioaugmentation of biofloc system with enzymatic bacterial strains for high health and production performance of Penaeus indicus.

The beneficial effects of two probiotic bacterial strains Marinilactibacillus piezotolerans and Novosphingobium sp. during the culture of Indian white shrimp, Penaeus indicus, under biofloc and clear water system were evaluated. The experimental variation were CW1 (M.

Thermal Reversibility and Structural Stability in Lysozyme Induced by Epirubicin Hydrochloride.

Herein we report the binding interactions between lysozyme (Lyz) and an anthracycline drug, epirubicin hydrochloride (EPR), through an extensive spectroscopic approach at both ensemble average and single molecular resolution. Our steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy reveals that the drug-induced fluorescence quenching of the protein proceeds through a static quenching mechanism. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and steady-state experiments reveal almost similar thermodynamic signatures of the drug-protein interactions.

Sequential asymmetric third order rotatable designs (SATORDs).

Rotatable designs that are available for process/ product optimization trials are mostly symmetric in nature. In many practical situations, response surface designs (RSDs) with mixed factor (unequal) levels are more suitable as these designs explore more regions in the design space but it is hard to get rotatable designs with a given level of asymmetry. When experimenting with unequal factor levels via asymmetric second order rotatable design (ASORDs), the lack of fit of the model may become significant which ultimately leads to the estimation of parameters based on a higher (or third) order model.

Contrasting Thermodynamics Governs the Interaction of 3-Hydroxyflavone with the N-Isoform and B-Isoform of Human Serum Albumin.

Herein we report the interaction of 3-hydroxyflavone (3HF) with various isomeric forms of Human Serum Albumin (HSA), namely, the N-isoform (or native HSA at pH 7.4) and the B-isoform (at pH 9.2).

Groundnut conferred abiotic stress tolerance in transgenic banana through modulation of the ascorbate-glutathione pathway.

A stress inducible cytosolic gene () was ectopically expressed in banana (cv. Grand naine) plants to strengthen their antioxidant capacity. High level of gene transcripts and enzyme suggested constitutive and functional expression of candidate gene in transgenic (TR) plants.

Meeting the challenge of developing food crops with improved nutritional quality and food safety: leveraging proteomics and related omics techniques.

Eliminating malnutrition remains an imminent priority in our efforts to achieve food security and providing adequate calories, proteins, and micronutrients to the growing world population. Malnutrition may be attributed to socio-economic factors (poverty and limited accessibility to nutritional food), dietary preferences, inherent nutrient profiles of traditional food crops, and to a combination of all such factors. Modern advancements in "omics" technology have made it possible to reliably predict, diagnose, and suggest ways to remedy the low protein content and bioavailability of key micronutrients in food crops.

Ube3a deficiency inhibits amyloid plaque formation in APPswe/PS1δE9 mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive decline in memory and cognitive function. Pathological hallmark of AD includes aberrant aggregation of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide, which is produced upon sequential cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β- and γ -secretases. On the contrary, α-secretase cleaves APP within the Aβ sequence and thereby prevents Aβ generation.

Rescue of altered HDAC activity recovers behavioural abnormalities in a mouse model of Angelman syndrome.

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe intellectual and developmental disabilities. The disease is caused by the loss of function of maternally inherited UBE3A, a gene that exhibits paternal-specific imprinting in neuronal tissues. Ube3a-maternal deficient mice (AS mice) display many classical features of AS, although, the underlying mechanism of these behavioural deficits is poorly understood.

S-nitrosylation of UCHL1 induces its structural instability and promotes α-synuclein aggregation.

Ubiquitin C-terminal Hydrolase-1 (UCHL1) is a deubiquitinating enzyme, which plays a key role in Parkinson's disease (PD). It is one of the most important proteins, which constitute Lewy body in PD patient. However, how this well folded highly soluble protein presents in this proteinaceous aggregate is still unclear.

Sugar-Terminated Nanoparticle Chaperones Are 10-10 Times Better Than Molecular Sugars in Inhibiting Protein Aggregation and Reducing Amyloidogenic Cytotoxicity.

Sugar-based osmolyte molecules are known to stabilize proteins under stress, but usually they have poor chaperone performance in inhibiting protein aggregation. Here, we show that the nanoparticle form of sugars molecule can enhance their chaperone performance typically by 10-10 times, compared to molecular sugar. Sugar-based plate-like nanoparticles of 20-40 nm hydrodynamic size have been synthesized by simple heating of acidic aqueous solution of glucose/sucrose/maltose/trehalose.

Topoisomerase 1 inhibitor topotecan delays the disease progression in a mouse model of Huntington's disease.

Huntington's disease (HD) is a dominantly inherited progressive neurodegenerative disorder caused by the accumulation of polyglutamine expanded mutant huntingtin as inclusion bodies primarily in the brain. After the discovery of the HD gene, considerable progress has been made in understanding the disease pathogenesis and multiple drug targets have been identified, even though currently there is no effective therapy. Here, we demonstrate that the treatment of topotecan, a brain-penetrating topoisomerase 1 inhibitor, to HD transgenic mouse considerably improved its motor behavioural abnormalities along with a significant extension of lifespan.

Mapping the Geometric Evolution of Protein Folding Motor.

Polypeptide chain has an invariant main-chain and a variant side-chain sequence. How the side-chain sequence determines fold in terms of its chemical constitution has been scrutinized extensively and verified periodically. However, a focussed investigation on the directive effect of side-chain geometry may provide important insights supplementing existing algorithms in mapping the geometrical evolution of protein chains and its structural preferences.

Environmental Enrichment Improves Behavioral Abnormalities in a Mouse Model of Angelman Syndrome.

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder largely caused by the loss of function of maternally inherited UBE3A. UBE3A-maternal deficient mice (AS mice) exhibit many typical features of AS including cognitive and motor deficits but the underlying mechanism of these behavioral abnormalities is poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that rearing of AS mice in the enriched environment for prolonged period significantly improved their cognitive and motor dysfunction.