Botanical Survey of India (BSI) located in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. It was founded on 13 February 1890, is Government of India Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change's organization for survey, research and conservation of plant wealth of India, flora and endangered species of India, including by collecting and maintaining germplasm and gene bank of endangered, patent and vulnerable plant species..
The Western Ghats are recognized as an irreplaceable biodiversity hotspot with a unique endemic fern diversity within the Dryopteridaceae family. Unambiguous species identification is crucial for biodiversity conservation, but morphological resemblance in congeners hinders robust identification. Therefore, the current study employed DNA barcoding as a tool to authenticate endemic ferns using the chloroplast rbcL and trnH-psbA barcodes. A rapid DNA isolation protocol standardized for young fronds of ferns yielded the required amount of DNA for PCR amplification. The rbcL DNA barcode recovered 605 bp without any size variation, and the trnH-psbA sequences varied from 525 to 550 bp. A total of 40 reference DNA barcodes was assembled from five endemic ferns using rbcL and trnH-psbA markers. Analysis of inter-species genetic distance revealed that the trnH-psbA DNA barcode exhibited the highest genetic distance compared to the rbcL. The maximum inter-species genetic distance was found between Elaphoglossum beddomei Sledge and Cyrtomium micropterum (Kunze) Ching, and the minimum between Bolbitis feeiana (Copel.) Fraser-Jenk. Gandhi and B. semicordata (Baker) Ching. The phylogenetic tree constructed using rbcL and trnH-psbA DNA barcode showed the sub-familial genetic relationship in the Dryopteridaceae family. The phylogenetic trees consisted of Dryopteris Adans. and Cyrtomium C.Presl representing the Dryopteridoideae sub-family in Clade I. The Elaphoglossoideae sub-family in clade II consisted of Bolbitis Schott and Elaphoglossum Schott ex J.Sm. species. This study demonstrates the usefulness of DNA barcoding in endemic fern identification and unraveling the genetic relationship. The data could facilitate accurate identification of ecologically important endemic and threatened species for conservation.
Abstract: Very precise and individualized approaches developed in chemotherapy have dramatically transformed the treatment of cancer using non-selective cytotoxic agents. In the field of molecular biology, these breakthroughs enabled the development of targeted medications that selectively block the activation of oncogenic pathways, while immunotherapeutic approaches harness the immune system to trigger long-term antitumor responses. Simultaneously, developments in pharmacogenomics have enabled the development of individualized therapy, improved therapeutic effectiveness, and reduced toxicity. New technologies, such as artificial intelligence and nanotechnology, are also expediting the development of medications and treatment regimens, as well as enhancing drug delivery. To overcome resistance and improve therapeutic durability, new therapeutic modalities, such as proteolysis-targeting chimeras, bispecific antibodies, and tumor microenvironment-modulating modalities, are viable choices. Notwithstanding these advancements, problems with cost, accessibility, and acquired resistance continue to hinder long-term therapeutic success. This study presents a systematic description of contemporary chemotherapy practices, critically evaluates their limitations in clinical practice, and provides an overview of emerging technologies that may shape the future of chemotherapy.
The present study re-evaluates the taxonomic identity of Limnophila aquatica (Roxb.) Alston (Plantaginaceae) and Litsea monopetala (Roxb.) Pers. (Lauraceae), previously recorded from Telangana state. Additionally, Callicarpa arborea Roxb. (Lamiaceae) and Commelina suffruticosa Blume (Commelinaceae) are reported as new additions to the flora of Telangana, based on the collections from Pakhal Wildlife Sanctuary.
Himalaya, the youngest mountain ecosystem, is globally recognized as ‘Biodiversity Hotspot’ and exhibits a wide range of topographic and climatic conditions. Apart from the general climate, locality factors play an important role in shaping the vegetation and species heterogeneity across the Himalayan mountain ecosystem. We investigated the species richness patterns of different growth-forms, life-forms and floristic spectra along the elevation gradient, to understand the elevation-species richness relationship in one of the highest ecosystems of the world, the Kanchenjunga Biosphere Reserve (KBR), Sikkim, India. We classified the entire elevation range into six elevation classes (EC), viz. EC1 (up to 1000 m AMSL), EC2 (1000–2000 m), EC3 (2000–3000 m), EC4 (3000–4000 m), EC5 (4000–5000 m) and EC6 (> 5000 m) to assess the species richness patterns. The salient findings of our present study are: (1) the nearby elevation classes showed more similarity (EC2-EC3, EC4-EC5) in plant species composition than those of the distant classes (EC1-EC6, EC2-EC6); (2) overall, species richness along elevation showed a hump-shaped pattern (EC3 > EC4 > EC2 > EC5 > EC1 > EC6); (3) individual subgroups, viz. shrubs, herbs, phanerophytes, cryptophytes, therophytes and hemicryptophytes also followed hump-shaped pattern; (4) tree (r = − 0.54) and climber (r = − 0.70) richness curves skewed towards lower elevations while chamaephyte (r = 0.87) towards higher elevation; (5) based on the first two preponderance life-forms within each elevation class, the phytoclimate of the area can be classified as ‘phanero-cryptophytic’ (EC1–EC3), ‘crypto-hemicryptophytic’ (EC4–EC5) and ‘chamae-hemicryptophytic’ (EC6); (6) at higher elevations, the onset of flowering and fruiting in majority of the plant species recorded in rainy season (June–September). The present study has filled the knowledge gap on the elevation-species richness relationships in KBR. It will be helpful to understand vegetation dynamics and to frame effective management strategies.
The present study comparatively investigates the biochemical functional groups of marine macroalgae belonging to the chlorophyta, phaeophyta, and rhodophyta, collected from the Rushikonda and Tenneti beach area of Visakhapatnam shore, Andhra Pradesh, India, using FTIR spectroscopy in 4000-400 cm-1 range. FTIR analyses confirm the presence of proteins, polysaccharides, lipids and degree of sulfation in all the studied marine macroalgae. The hydrogen bonding among the polysaccharides in Ulva lactuca and Gracilaria foliifera is established through the shift of the O-H stretching frequency to a lower wavenumber. The intense C-H stretching vibration indicates a high amount of saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids present in brown macroalgae. The observation of S-O and C-O-S stretching indicates the sulfation of polysaccharides in all the macroalgae. The C-O-S bending vibration revealed that the sulfation occurs both in equatorial and axial positions in green macroalgae. In contrast, in the case of red macroalgae, Hypnea valentiae and Centroceras clavulatum, sulfation occurs mainly at the equatorial position. Besides FTIR, X-ray diffraction (2 theta from 20 degrees to 60 degrees) and X-ray fluorescence helped to understand the mineral compositions in the macroalgae. The C-O stretching, out-of-plane C-O bending vibration of carbonate and powder XRD indicate Jania rubens contains Mg-calcite. The availability of carbonate ions in the red marine macroalgae points to the neutral pH of the seawater in the sampling region. Overall, our study demonstrates the FTIR is enough to reveals the functional groups and chemical structural variation in the various marine macroalgae, obtaining valuable insights into their ecological roles and contributions to the aquatic environment.
