Uncontrolled inflammation in the gut is one of the major cause for development of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic form of autoimmune disorder. Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) are the two common forms of IBD involving intestinal distress with varied manifestations resulting in severely compromised patient lifestyles. More importantly in the recent times there has been a sudden upsurge in incidences of IBD. Inflammation in IBD occurs due a breakdown in epithelial barrier and a dysregulated epithelial signaling.

The high-resolution crystal structure of DC25, a 2S albumin protein from Dolichos, at 1.28 Å resolution is reported. The protein has β-propeller structure with a central channel containing only water molecules while the proteins having similar folds have ions along with water or ions only. The four conserved water molecules were found between the blades which help to maintain its tertiary structure. We also discovered the intrinsic peroxidase activity of DC25 which could be inhibited by a heme analog.

Streptococcus oralis is an early colonizer of dental plaque or oral biofilm that can damage our tooth enamel and gums, and cause dental caries (tooth decay). This opportunistic pathogen is often implicated in the pathogenesis of infective endocarditis. The adhesin present at the tip of pili (or fimbriae), the hair-like surface appendages on the early-colonizer bacteria, have been shown to play a crucial role in mediating attachment to the host and other bacterial cells during biofilm formation.

A research article published in Journal of Plant Growth Regulators by Dr Ramu Vemanna from RCB in collaboration with Dr Udayakumar’s group at UASB highlights the importance of scavenging reactive carbonyl compounds (RCC) that are generated under stress using enzymatic and non-enzymatic modes to improve seedling growth. Seedling growth during crop establishment plays an important role in plant adaptation to environmental factors.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a multifactorial malady and the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by loss of dopaminergic neurons in the midbrain. A hallmark of PD pathology is the formation of intracellular protein inclusions, termed Lewy bodies (LBs). Recent MS studies have shown that OTU deubiquitinase ubiquitin aldehyde binding 1 (OTUB1), a deubiquitinating enzyme of the OTU family, is enriched together with α-synuclein in LBs from individuals with PD and is also present in amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

A phytopathogenic fungus, Macrophomina phaseolina, which infects a wide range of plants, is an important consideration in agronomy. Its management is made mostly through the use of fungicidal chemicals or by crop rotation. However, no such strategies have been successful in eliminating the fungus from the soil and therefore the risk of its infection remains inevitable. A jute endophytic bacterium, Burkholderia contaminans NZ, was found to have a promising effect in controlling the fungus in in vitro culture conditions.

Myosins are proteins which are present in all cell types, essential for fundamental cellular functions such as cell movement, cell division and transport of cargoes within cells. A specialized set of myosin proteins known as muscle myosins are expressed by the skeletal muscle, which are required for muscle contraction. While most muscle myosin proteins are expressed in the adult muscle, two are expressed only during embryonic development.