Streptomyces corchorusii strain UCR3-16, obtained from rice rhizospheric soils showed antifungal activities against 6 major rice fungal pathogens by diffusible and volatile compounds production. The strain was found positive for production of fungal cell wall degrading enzymes such as chitinase, β-1,3-glucanase, β-1,4-glucanase, lipase and protease. The strain was also positive for plant growth promoting traits. It produced up to 30.5μg/ml of IAA and solubilized a significant amount of inorganic phosphate (up to 102μg/ml). It also produced 69% siderophore units. The strain also produced ammonia and gave positive result for ACC deaminase activity. Highest vigor index of inoculated seedlings was observed when rice seeds were treated with cell suspension of UCR3-16 corresponding to 4.5×10(8)cfu/ml. Bioinoculant-treated seeds also showed similar results under pathogen challenged conditions. In pot trial experiments, UCR3-16-treated rice plants showed significantly increased growth and grain yield production. Powder formulation of the strain was developed using talcum and corn starch as carriers and the shelf-lives were monitored. Talcum formulation showed higher cell-count than corn starch even after 6 months of storage, and optimum condition for storage of the powder formulation were found to be at 4°C. Pot trial experiments using talcum powder formulation also showed significant positive effects on growth of rice plants. Field trial using talcum powder formulation also exhibited significant enhancement in shoot length and weight of shoot and root, and total grain yield and weight of grains in rice plants. Talcum formulation also significantly reduced the sheath blight disease in rice leaves.

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Troponin proteins in cooperative interaction with tropomyosin are responsible for controlling the contraction of the striated muscles in response to changes in the intracellular calcium concentration. Contractility of the muscle is determined by the constituent protein isoforms, and the isoforms can switch over from one form to another depending on physiological demands and pathological conditions. In Drosophila, a majority of the myofibrillar proteins in the indirect flight muscles (IFMs) undergo post-transcriptional and post-translational isoform changes during pupal to adult metamorphosis to meet the high energy and mechanical demands of flight. Using a newly generated Gal4 strain (UH3-Gal4) which is expressed exclusively in the IFMs, during later stages of development, we have looked at the developmental and functional importance of each of the troponin subunits (troponin-I, troponin-T and troponin-C) and their isoforms. We show that all the troponin subunits are required for normal myofibril assembly and flight, except for the troponin-C isoform 1 (TnC1). Moreover, rescue experiments conducted with troponin-I embryonic isoform in the IFMs, where flies were rendered flightless, show developmental and functional differences of TnI isoforms and importance of maintaining the right isoform.[Singh S. H., Kumar P., Ramachandra N. B. and Nongthomba U. 2014 Roles of the troponin isoforms during indirect flight muscle development in Drosophila. J. Genet. 93, [379][380][381][382][383][384][385][386][387][388]

The domestic water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ) makes a major contribution to the global agricultural economy in the form of milk, meat, hides, and draught power. The global water buffalo population is predominantly found in Asia, and per head of population more people depend upon the buffalo than on any other livestock species. Despite its agricultural importance, there are comparatively fewer genomic and transcriptomic resources available for buffalo than for other livestock species. We have generated a large-scale gene expression atlas covering multiple tissue and cell types from all major organ systems collected from three breeds of riverine water buffalo (Mediterranean, Pandharpuri and Bhadawari) and used the network analysis tool Graphia Professional to identify clusters of genes with similar expression profiles. Alongside similar data, we and others have generated for ruminants as part of the Functional Annotation of Animal Genomes Consortium; this comprehensive transcriptome supports functional annotation and comparative analysis of the water buffalo genome.

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The wear behavior of the chromium nitride (CrN) coating on piston ring material against liner material was investigated under dry conditions at room temperatures. Cat iron alloy, widely used in manufacturing of piston rings and cylinder liners, further it was coated by physical vapour deposition method. Wear tests were carried out on a Pin on Disc tribometer, Simultaneous effect of sliding velocities (0.3, 0.4, 0.6 & 0.8 m/s) and corresponding loads (10, 20, 30 & 40 N) on wear rate, friction coefficient and temperature were analyzed. In conclusion, Specific wear rate is decreasing by increase in load and velocity. The rise of temperature is 28 0 C to 42°C at the wear track room temperature resulted in a reduced coefficient of friction (COF) when the increase of load from10 to 40N.The wear mechanism is mixed mode such as three body abrasion and oxidation wear for dry conditions.

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