No abstract

Background Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a metallopeptidase that primarily functions as a negative regulator of renin angiotensin system (RAS) by converting angiotensin II (Ang II) to angiotensin 1-7. Contrary to this, another RAS component, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) catalyzes synthesis of Ang II from angiotensin I (Ang I) that functions as active compound in blood pressure regulation. This indicates importance of ACE/ACE2 level in regulating blood pressure by targeting Ang II. An outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) highlighted the additional role of ACE2 as a receptor for SARS coronavirus (SARS-CoV) infection. Main body of the abstract ACE2 is a functional receptor for SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Activation of spike (S)-protein by either type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) or cathepsin-mediated cleavage initiates receptor binding and viral entry. In addition to TTSPs, ACE2 can also be trimmed by ADAM 17 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase 17) that competes for the same receptor. Cleavage by TTSPs activates ACE2 receptor for binding, whereas ADAM17 releases extracellular fragment called soluble ACE2 (sACE2). Structural studies of both ACE2 and S-protein have found critical sites involved in binding mechanism. In addition to studies on structural motifs, few single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) studies have been done to find an association between genetic variants and SARS susceptibility. Though no association was found in those reports, but seeing the non-reproducibility of SNP studies among different ethnic groups, screening of ACE2 SNPs in individual population can be undertaken. Short conclusion Thus, screening for novel SNPs focussing on recently identified critical regions of ACE2 can be targeted to monitor susceptibility towards coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

No abstract

No abstract

A long-term field experiment was conducted to design and implement alternative production systems with increased resource use efficiency, productivity and to determine the effect of tillage systems and mineral fertilizers on soil organic carbon patterns. This experiment intended to evaluate the effects of these management strategies on soil structural formation and structural stabilization of a sandy loam soil. The shift from puddled -transplanted rice on the flat land to raised bed systems affects the productivity and resource use efficiency of the rice-wheat system. Therefore, the potential benefits and constraints of tillage crop residue practices need to be quantified on short to long-term basis, optimum layouts and management systems to maximize yield and efficiency. Due to lesser energy input and higher output T3 ZT with 6tha -1 residue retained had 20% and 5% higher energy use efficiency than T7 CT and T6 PRB with 6tha -1 residue retained. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from the 15 to 100 cm soil layer in the field grown with wheat to assess SOC, bulk density, C restoration rate, C sequestered, C sequestration efficiency (%) and crop yield. However, at the end of the 18 years period, SOC was 25% greater with T6 than T7, 16% greater with T4 than T1, and 17% higher with T2 than T7. Average SOC concentration of the control treatment was 0.54%, which increased to 0.65% in the RDF treatment and 0.82% in the RDF+FYM treatment and increased enzyme activities, which potentially influence soil nutrients dynamics under field condition. Compared to F1 control treatment the RDF+FYM treatment sequestered 0.28 Mg C ha -1 yr -1 whereas the NPK treatment sequestered 0.13 Mg C ha -1 yr -1 . As tillage intensity increased there was a redistribution of SOC in the profile, but it occurred only between ZT and PRB since under CT, SOC stock decreased even below the plow layer. Increased SOC stock in the surface 50 kg m -2 under ZT and PRB was compensated by greater SOC stocks in the 50-200 and 200-400 kg m -2 interval under residue retained, but SOC stocks under CT were consistently lower in the surface 400 kg m -2 . Over the last 18 years, CT lost 0.83 ±0.2 kg of C m -2 while ZT gain 1.98 ±0.3 and PRB gain 0.97 ±0.2 kg of C m -2 in the 1200 kg of soil m -2 profile. These findings suggest that carbon sequestration can be improved if treatments T4 or T6 are used in lieu of T7, respectively.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract