Sanjukta Parui

Identification and partial characterization of the allergenic proteins of Ricinus communis L. pollen - a new approach

The pollen of Ricinus communis L., a potentially allergenic plant, was extracted to identify the allergenic determinants responsible for causing respiratory disorders. The soluble proteins were extracted and subjected to ammonium sulphate precipitation at 80% saturation and the total protein separated on 12% SDS-Polyacrylamide gel. In order to avoid the time consuming and expensive biochemical methods of column chromatography, each band was directly recovered from the gel by electroelution and the allergenic proteins identified directly by skin tests, without the necessity of Phadezym RAST or ELISA inhibition by reaction with serum IgE, the general procedure to identify the allergens. The fourth and the fifth band in the protein profile of R. communis pollen, RC4 (77 kD) and RC5 (66 kD) were the two major allergenic components. RC3 (91 kD) also induced a considerable amount of reactivity in sensitive patients. Contrary to the earlier reports of protein bands of R. communis ranging from 14 kD to 70 kD, 4 b...

Peroxidase isozyme profiles of immature and mature pollen of seven tropical plants from eastern India

Peroxidase isozyme profiles of the pollen collected from the immature and mature anthers (before and after anthesis) of seven tropical plant taxa from eastern India were studied in order to understand the development of Peroxidase isozyme activity with the maturity of the pollen. Considerable variation in the enzyme profiles was observed in all cases, except in Saccharum spontaneum with the individual isoforms showing a tendency to increase in their concentration and staining properties and with the simultaneous appearance of new bands, in certain cases, on maturity. Saccharum spontaneum showed no variation in its isozyme profile even on maturity.

Identification of the allergenic proteins of Cassia siamea pollen

Total soluble proteins from the pollen of Cassia siamea Lamk. were extracted and subjected to 80% ammonium sulphate precipitation. The total protein was then separated on a 12% SDS-Polyacrylamide gel which revealed 11 bands between molecular weight range of 45 kDa and 181kDa with another band having molecular weight less than 29kDa. Each band was recovered from the gel by electroelution and sent for skin tests. CS4 (97kDa). CS7 (63kDa), CS9 (53 kDa) and CS10 (45kDa) were the major allergenic components while CS2 (148kDa), CS3 (116kDa), CS6 (75kDa) and CS8 (60kDa) also induced reactivity in some patients. Immunodiffusion analysis with pooled sera of patients sensitive to the total extract confirmed the allergenicity of the bands.

Studies on the prospects and some problems of sand dune vegetation at the fragile coastal zones of West Bengal and Orissa, in Eastern India

Sand dunes are natural guard wall at coast line through out the world. The sand dune constitutes different types of plants with different habits but moreover all of the plants having stress tolerance capability and more or less soil binding capacity. The sand dune demands immediate attention for conservation as the vegetation is going towards destruction due to the development and other anthropogenic activities along the coastal areas. The sand dune also needs further study as several morphological, chemo-taxonomical variations are already been observed under different physiological conditions. This paper reports some preliminary study on the species found within the sand dune (including habit, habitat, morphological features, flowering time, floral biology, seed structure, pollen morphology and some biochemical studies) of several places along the coastal line of West Bengal and Orissa. Reasons behind the destruction of the sand dune have been studied and the strategies were also proposed for possible conservation and implementation of sustainable use of sand dune vegetation in coastal areas for the benefit of farmers particularly for food, fodder and health aspects.

DNA, peroxidase profile, and biochemical composition changes during the treatment in vitro of pollen of Argemone mexicana L. with SO 2

The allergenic pollen of Argemone mexicana L. a common road-side weed was subjected to artificial SO 2 fumigation at a concentration of 100ppm for 24 hours, 48 hours and 72 hours and its effect on the total carbohydrate, lipid, free amino acid, DNA and RNA content as well as peroxidase isozyme and DNA profile studied. In comparison to the control (pollen exposed to charcoal-filtered air), the carbohydrate, lipid, DNA and RNA content decreased with the increase in the time of exposure to SO 2 , where as the percentage composition of free amino acid increased. Contrary, to this, the activity of peroxidase was found to increase with a change in the iso-peroxidase zymogram showing three new anionic isozyme bands. SO 2 affected the total DNA profile leading to the gradual breakdown of DNA with several bands observed on agarose gel electrophoresis with an increase in the time of fumigation.