The rapidly
An opinion article by Dr. Geetanjali Chawla discusses the current status of research in the biology of aging in India and some initiatives that can help India to participate more effectively in the field of aging research and deal with the challenges of the rapidly increasing older population.
Full article: https://medwinpublishers.com/JERHA/JERHA16000105.pdf
As part of collaborative research Dr. Geetanjali Chawla participated in a study that examined the metabolic remodeling that occurs in macrophages during bacterial infection. This work has revealed that orthologs of Hypoxia inducible factor 1a (HIF1a) and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) are required for macrophage activation, bactericidal function of the immune cells and resistance to infection, thus documenting how metabolic rewiring of macrophages is crucial to host survival.
Methylation of genomic DNA can influence the transcription profile of an organism and may generate phenotypic diversity for rapid adaptation in a dynamic environment. M.HpyAXI is a type III DNA methyltransferase present in Helicobacter pylori and is upregulated at low pH. This enzyme may alter the expression of critical genes to ensure the survival of this pathogen at low pH inside the human stomach. M.HpyAXI methylates the adenine in the target sequence (5′-GCAG-3′) and shows maximal activity at pH 5.5.
Autophagy performs housekeeping functions for cells and maintains a functional mode by degrading damaged proteins and organelles and providing energy under starvation conditions. The process is tightly regulated by the evolutionarily conserved Atg genes, of which Atg5 is one such crucial mediator. Here, we have done a comprehensive quantitative proteome analysis of mouse embryonic fibroblasts that lack a functional autophagy pathway (Atg5 knockout).
Autophagy performs housekeeping functions for cells and maintains a functional mode by degrading damaged proteins and organelles and providing energy under starvation conditions. The process is tightly regulated by the evolutionarily conserved Atg genes, of which Atg5 is one such crucial mediator. Here, we have done a comprehensive quantitative proteome analysis of mouse embryonic fibroblasts that lack a functional autophagy pathway (Atg5 knockout).
Taste is a short-range contact chemosensation required by all animals to detect nutrient rich foods and avoid consuming toxic chemicals. In insects, it is also required to select mates and appropriate oviposition sites. Organization of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster taste system and availability of experimental tool box, makes Drosophila gustatory system an ideal model system for studying the perception of taste and taste elicited behaviors.
Group led by Dr. Avinash Bajaj synthesized twenty cholic acid-peptide conjugates and screened them for different gram-negative bacterial species. They showed that glycine-valine derived cholic acid amphiphile is effective and less haemolytic as compared to other amphiphiles. Various biophysical and biochemical assays validated the membrane-disrupting properties of the amphiphile. MD simulations deciphered that rigidity provided by intramolecular networking is responsible for its therapeutic effect. Authors then tested the antimicrobial activity of the amphiphiles in murine models.
Group led by Dr. Avinash Bajaj from Regional Centre for Biotechnology designed a low molecular weight hydrogel that can maintain sustained and sequential release of combination of drugs and inhibit the tumor progression in murine models. Using the bioconjugation strategies and biocompatible bile acid and peptide scaffolds, Dr. Bajaj’s group engineered a biocompatible and biodegradable hydrogel. They then entrapped a combination of anti-proliferative (doxorubicin), anti-angiogenic (combretastatin) and anti-inflammatory (dexamethasone) drugs in the hydrogel.
Powdery mildews are significant fungal pathogens that cause crop yield losses of ~25-60%. They are true obligate biotrophs, which means that they depend entirely on living host plants for their survival. To establish biotrophic relationships with their host, these fungi secrete an arsenal of effector molecules, primarily through specialized infection structures termed haustoria.
We had recently shown that vicilins could exhibit superoxide dismutase activity. In the present study, we have carried out functional and structural analyses of vicilins from two distinct evolutionary sources – tomato (S. lycopersicum; SL80.1) and hazelnut (C. avellana; HZ.1) – towards understanding the basis of their functional diversity. It was identified that SL80.1 retained the activity and HZ.1 lacked the same. We then determined and compared the crystal structures of SL80.1 and HZ.1.
