Indian Journal of Biology

India is ethnically a diverse country with marked regional variation. Due to migration, there is constant mixing of people from different regions. These migrations not only helped in creating variations leading to positive mutations but also caused many genetic abnormalities leading to inheritance of genetic disorders. The most common genetic disorder that occurs during the neonatal period is hemolytic anemia. Being multifactorial in nature, this disease is predominantly intrinsic to erythrocytic dysfunction. These dysfunctions are related to structural and functional abnormality of erythrocytes, thus leading to hemoglobinopathies. From clinical as well as epidemiological point of view, prevalency within hemoglobinopathic mutations are sickle cell anemia and thalassemia. These mutations affect population with origin in Africa, the Mediterranean region, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Far East. Around 1-2% of the global population is heterozygous for Hb S and 3% are heterozygous for β-thalassemia. Sickle cell disease (SCD) and thalassemia are the most common forms of hereditary hemolytic anemia. Apart from monogenic inheritance, co-inheritance is also seen leading to compoung heterozygosity within the population. Persons with Hb S/β- thalassemia major are almost never symptomatic at birth because of the presence of Hb F, but symptoms begin to develop by six months of age. They often die of cardiac complications of iron overload by 30 years of age. Beginning transfusion and chelation therapy are difficult challenges for parents to face early in their child's life. Therefore, this pilot study was attempted to observe the prevalence of compound heterozygosity within a particular population. If a bone marrow transplant is a possibility, the blood for transfusion should be negative for cytomegalovirus. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has cured >1,000 patients who have S-β- thalassemia major. We think that antenatal screening or screening of higher secondary school children to detect hemoglobinopathies, counselling of the individuals with hemoglobinopathies is expected to help in drastically reducing the incidence of the disease. We need to reduce the burden of genetic disease by implementing programs such as population screening, genetic counselling and prenatal diagnosis. The available data for Hb S/β- thal are mostly based on the patients attending hospitals for treatments and their immediate family members. This data will help in planning population screening programs and thus, consequently result in the reduction of genetic diseases.

Keywords: Hb S/β-Thal; Hemoglobinopathies; Transfusion.

Disease tolerance/resistance breeding depends on available genetic variability in the vast collection of germplasm as a source of disease tolerance/resistance. Rice varieties behave differently in tungro epidemic according to their susceptible and tolerant nature. From earlier investigations it was found that traditional rice varieties of West Bengal viz. Dumursail, Radhunipagol, Raghusail and Tulaipanja were tolerant varieties with zero yield loss. The genetics of tolerance in the traditional rice variety, Radhunipagol was investigated in this present study by crossing tolerant variety Radhunipagol with a susceptible variety Pusa Basmati-1. The F2 plants derived from this cross were evaluated in glasshouse and field experiments to determine the inheritance pattern of RTD resistance. A total of 14 F2 lines comprising of 683 F2 plants were evaluated for their reaction to rice tungro disease (RTD). A chi-square (χ2) analysis for assessing segregation from F2 led to the conclusion that the tolerance found in the F2 progeny of this cross is determined by a recessive gene. It indicates a typical monogenic recessive gene is governing resistance and susceptibility reaction against RTD in rice. The information obtained in this study could be valuable for rice tungro disease tolerance breeding using traditional rice varieties of West Bengal. Furthermore the data could be used in planning a systematic breeding programme to incorporate the RTD tolerance into the susceptible cultivars.

Keywords: Rice tungro disease (RTD); F2 segregating population; Chi-square (χ2) analysis; Goodness of fit; Inheritance.

An investigation has been made to study the protozoan ciliates of subfamily Diplodiniinae (Order: Entodiniomorphida) from the rumen of cattle (Bos indicus). The present paper deals with the occurrence of some Diplodiniid ciliates from the rumen of cattle (Bos indicus) in India. The size and morphology of the species is compared to those previously reported in different geographical areas. In the present investigation D. anacanthum (Dogiel, 1927) and D. triacanthum (Dogiel, 1927) recorded first time in India from the rumen of cattle (B. indicus). D. tetracanthum (Dogiel, 1927) is reported from the rumen of cattle as a new host record in India. .

Keywords: Rumen; Cattle; Ciliates; Diplodinium.

Ethanol is a simple alcoholic compound having high octane number. It is an oxygenated fuel. Bioethanol is ethanol that is derived exclusively from plant starch or cellulose as a byproduct of fermentation. The mixing of ethanol into petroleum base automobile fuels decreases the release of green-house gas emissions. Moreover ethanol is safer than common additive MTBE. Combustion of bioethanol results in cleaner emissions. The bioethanol from cellulosic feed stock is classified as second generation biofuel. Lignocellulosic biomass composed of different carbohydrate polymers (cellulose & hemicellulose), lignin, and small fraction of extractable acid, salt, minerals etc. It is the biodegradable portion of products, wastes, organic residues from agriculture and agroindustry, forestry and wood industry. Lignocellulosic biomass has been projected to be one of the main sources of economically alternative bioethanol production. Lignocellulosics can be obtained from corn stover, sugarcane bagasse, wheat straw, rice straw, oat hull, rice hull cotton stalk, parts of Lantana camara, water hyacinth etc. Bioethanol production based on lignocellulosic biomass requires multistep complex conversion technology. Milling, pretreatment, enzymatic hydrolysis, fermentation and distillation steps are involved. Genetically engineered strains of Zymomonasmobilis, S. cerevisiae are widely used. P. stiptis and Candida shehataehaving the ability of fermenting both hexose (glucose) and pentose (xylose) sugars to ethanol. Second generation bioethanol production fulfills the delusive gap of first generation bioethanol production from non-edible renewable feed stock. Production of bioethanol from lignocellulosics still requires considerable R &D before reaching the commercial production stage.

Keywords: Ethanol; Renewable energy; Bioethanol; Lignocellulosics; Fermentation.

The isolated alkaloids from Argemone mexicana seed showed considerable antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria, out of which one of them namely Staphylococcus aureus is Gram positive and remaining three Gram negative namely, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fractionation followed by TLC leds to the isolation of two known benzophenanthridine alkaloids namely and dihydroxysanguinarine and dimethylsanguinarine. The MIC was determined for each compound using a two fold serial dilution assay. The structures of these compounds are determined by 1H1 and 13C NMR analysis.

Keywords: Argemone mexicana; Alkaloids; Antibacterial activity

Biosurfactant are attractive attention in recent year because they offer several advantages over chemical surfactants. Such as low toxicity, good biodegradability and ecological friendliness. In this respect, selected two oil degrading bacteria and two oil degrading fungal species. The selected microbes play major role in oil recovery, environmental bioremediation, food processing and pharmaceuticals owing to their unique properties such as higher biodegradability. The ability of oil degrading bacteria’s such as Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and fungal species Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium chrysogenum to utilize Neem oil to produce biomass. The energy sources of neem contain different biologically active compounds undergoes into simpler compounds by the microbial activity. This will be helpful for environmental safe agricultural development. Bacterial species such as Pseudomonas putida and Pseudomonas aeruginosa could grow well in stone medium using water and hexane soluble fractions of neem oil and the presence of (NH4)2 HPO4 seemed to be important for better production of biomass and Biosurfactant under the laboratory and neutral PH conditions than the fungal species. The composition of water and hexane soluble fractions of neem oil, non-degraded and degraded neem oil by microbes were analysed by using gas chromatography. The result suggested most of the components in hexane soluble extract were degraded by Pseudomonas putida. Hence, the present study aims to find out, oil degrading microbes for maximizing Biosurfactant productivity using Neem oil as an energy source.

Keywords: Biomass; Biosurfactant; Oil degrading; Neem oil; Hydrocarbon-degrading.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the current trend in hypertension and its prevalence and awareness within the people of Murshidabad district of West Bengal. Multistage cross-sectional survey was carried out in adults aged between 18 to 67 living in the district. Structured interview schedule was used to interview 2114 study subjects. The study showed mean systolic and diastolic BP were 129.99 (± 15.95) mmHg and 81.50 (± 9.47) mmHg, respectively. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 33.54% and the sex-specific prevalence was 36.25% and 26.38% for males and females respectively. Higher age group subjects specifically males were at high risk. Only 192 (27.08%) of 709 hypertensive subjects were aware of hypertension and was taking medicine and out of which only 79 (41.15%) subjects had BP under control. So from the study it can be concluded that prevalence of prehypertension was very high in the study subjects (50.78%) and around one-third of the subjects were hypertensive. The treatment and control of high blood pressure were also very low.

Keywords: Hypertension; Prevalence of HTN; Murshidabad; BMI.

Green nanotechnology has now developed as a new distinct field of research in modern science and technology. The green nanotechnology, which can be also termed as “bionanotechnology” is based upon the nanoparticles synthesis from the natural sources. Among the various availability of natural sources the treatment of plant extract makes the process of synthesis of nanoparticles more easier, cost effective and eco-friendly. The leaves extract of Ocimum sanctum were used as a reducing and stabilizing agent for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The biosynthesized nanoparticles were characterized by the help of UV–VIS spectrophotometer, FTIR and SEM analysis and their antimicrobial activity was screened against Micrcoccus luteus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Keywords: Biosynthesis; Plant extract; Ocimum sanctum– Silver nanoparticles; Antimicrobial activity.

Sacred groves are a common phenomenon in Murshidabad district. Specific areas of vegetation are conserved by the local people because of their religious beliefs. Usually vegetation that surrounds a temple, mosque, church, graveyard are regarded as sacred. It is usually a taboo to destroy flora and fauna in these areas. An extensive field work with the survey/exploration and documentation of flora and fauna within sacred groves of Murshidabad district was carried out over a period of two years. A total of 153 (One hundred and fifty three) sacred groves were recorded in Murshidabad with high floral diversity along with faunal diversity. This paper is the documentation of the flora and fauna within the sacred groves of Murshidabad following the survey work.

Keywords: Sacred groves; Documentation; Biodiversity; Repositories.