Ashish Kumar Srivastava

Cadmium mitigates ultraviolet-B stress in Anabaena doliolum: Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants

Impact of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) and Cd, applied individually and in combination, measured in terms of oxygen-evolution, chlorophyll (Chl) and protein contents, lipid peroxidation, and enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants of Anabaena doliolum, revealed a greater oxidative damage induced by UV-B than by Cd. While superoxide dismutase (SOD) showed a greater stimulation by UV-B than Cd, the activities of catalase (CAT) and glutathione reductase (GR) declined after UV-B treatment. Cd treatment, however, enhanced the activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX) and GR. CAT activity increased at low but decreased at high dose of Cd. Increase in carotenoid (Car) content in UV-B treated cells suggested a shielding effect of Car against UV-B stress. A 15-and 10-fold rise in α-tocopherol (α-TOC) content at high dose of Cd and/or UV-B offered testimony to the antioxidant role of α-TOC.

Molecular characterization and the effect of salinity on cyanobacterial diversity in the rice fields of Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India

BackgroundSalinity is known to affect almost half of the worlds irrigated lands, especially rice fields. Furthermore, cyanobacteria, one of the critical inhabitants of rice fields have been characterized at molecular level from many different geographical locations. This study, for the first time, has examined the molecular diversity of cyanobacteria inhabiting Indian rice fields which experience various levels of salinity.ResultsTen physicochemical parameters were analyzed for samples collected from twenty experimental sites. Electrical conductivity data were used to classify the soils and to investigate relationship between soil salinity and cyanobacterial diversity. The cyanobacterial communities were analyzed using semi-nested 16S rRNA gene PCR and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Out of 51 DGGE bands selected for sequencing only 31 which showed difference in sequences were subjected to further analysis. BLAST analysis revealed highest similarity for twenty nine of the sequences with cyanobacteria, and the other two to plant plastids. Clusters obtained based on morphological and molecular attributes of cyanobacteria were correlated to soil salinity. Among six different clades, clades 1, 2, 4 and 6 contained cyanobacteria inhabiting normal or low saline (having EC < 4.0 ds m-1) to (high) saline soils (having EC > 4.0 ds m-1), however, clade 5 represented the cyanobacteria inhabiting only saline soils. Whilst, clade 3 contained cyanobacteria from normal soils. The presence of DGGE band corresponding to Aulosira strains were present in large number of soil indicating its wide distribution over a range of salinities, as were Nostoc, Anabaena, and Hapalosiphon although to a lesser extent in the sites studied.ConclusionLow salinity favored the presence of heterocystous cyanobacteria, while very high salinity mainly supported the growth of non-heterocystous genera. High nitrogen content in the low salt soils is proposed to be a result of reduced ammonia volatilization compared to the high salt soils. Although many environmental factors could potentially determine the microbial community present in these multidimensional ecosystems, changes in the diversity of cyanobacteria in rice fields was correlated to salinity.

Assessment of salinity-induced photorespiratory glycolate metabolism in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120

This paper reports an investigation of salinity-induced glycolate metabolism in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 (hereafter Anabaena PCC 7120). Quantitative analysis of transcripts for the photosynthesis-associated genes encoding ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase oxygenase (Rubisco), phosphoribulokinase and transketolase, as well as those involved in glycolate metabolism (phosphoglycolate phosphatase, glycolate oxidase, alanine-glyoxylate aminotransferase and serine hydroxymethyltransferase) was performed. The expression of all investigated photosynthesis-associated genes except Rubisco was downregulated after 24 h NaCl treatment. However, under the same conditions, the transcripts encoding enzymes involved in glycolate metabolism were overexpressed. This was further confirmed by the quantitative analysis of the intermediates involved in glycolate metabolism. The intracellular levels of organic acids (glyceric, glycolic and glyoxylic acids) and amino acids (glycine and serine) were elevated in salt-treated cells as compared to those in the control cells. Transcriptional inhibition of photosynthesis-associated genes, and upregulation of genes and enhanced synthesis of intermediates associated with glycolate metabolism, indicate the occurrence of this photorespiratory metabolic pathway metabolism in Anabaena PCC 7120 under salt stress.

Differential response of antioxidative defense system of Anabaena doliolum under arsenite and arsenate stress.

This study offers first hand information on the arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V))‐induced oxidative stress and changes in antioxidative defense system of Anabaena doliolum. A requirement of 58 mM As(V) as compared to only 11 mM As(III) to cause 50% reduction in growth rate suggests that As(III) is more toxic than As(V) in the test cyanobacterium. In contrast to above, oxidative damage measured in terms of lipid peroxidation, electrolyte leakage and peroxide content were significantly higher after As(V) than As(III) treatment as compared to control. Similarly all the studied enzymatic parameters of antioxidative defense system except glutathione reductase (GR) and non‐enzymatic parameters except glutathione reduced (GSH) showed greater induction against As(V) than As(III). Interestingly, higher increase in non‐enzymatic counterpart than enzymatic in both the stresses suggests that detoxification is mainly managed by former than the later. This confirms the belief of pronounced stimulation of the antioxidative defense system by As(V) than As(III). In conclusion, the cyanobacterium may survive better in As(V) than As(III) contaminated fields because of its low toxicity and pronounced induction of antioxidative defense system. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)

Tuning of Aggregation Enhanced Emission and Solid State Emission from 1,8-Naphthalimide Derivatives: Nanoaggregates, Spectra, and DFT Calculations.

Four new 1,8-naphthalimide based compounds, 4-(1,3-dioxo-1H,3H-benzo[de]isoquinolin-2-ylmethyl)-benzoic acid (LH), 4-(1,3-dioxo-1H,3H-benzo[de]isoquinolin-2-ylmethyl)-benzoic acid methyl ester (LMe), 4-(1,3-dioxo-1H,3H-benzo[de]isoquinolin-2-ylmethyl)-benzoyl chloride (LCl), and 4-(1,3-dioxo-1H,3H-benzo[de]isoquinolin-2-ylmethyl)-benzoic acid hydrazide (LN) are synthesized and characterized using spectral data and X-ray crystallography. They form nanoaggregates in aqueous-DMF solution and exhibited aggregation enhanced emission. The nanoaggregates are characterized using their scanning electron and atomic force microscopy images. The emission intensity follows the order as LH > LMe > LCl > LN. Their photophysical properties are recorded both in solution and in the solid-state and are correlated with the nature of benzoic acid derivatives owing to the combinatorial effect of π-π stacking and intermolecular and intramolecular interactions. The density functional theory calculations empower the understanding of their molecular and cumulative electronic behaviors. Antiparallel dimeric interactions in the solid-state extend a herringbone arrangement to LH and 2D channel and stair-like arrangement for LCl and LN, respectively.