Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the commonest endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age. Its aetiology, though yet unclear, is presumed to have an oligogenic basis interacting with environmental factors. Kisspeptins are peptide products of Kiss1 gene that control the hypothalamic pituitary (HPG) axis by acting via G protein-coupled receptor known as GPR54. There is paucity of data on the role of Kiss1 and GPR54 gene in PCOS. We aimed to identify the polymorphisms in Kiss1 and GPR54 genes and explore their association with serum kisspeptin levels among Sri Lankan women with well-characterized PCOS. Consecutive women with PCOS manifesting from adolescence (n=55) and adult controls (n=110) were recruited. Serum kisspeptin and testosterone levels were determined by ELISA method. Whole gene sequencing was performed to identify the polymorphisms in Kiss1 and GPR54 genes. Serum kisspeptin and testosterone concentrations were significantly higher in women with PCOS than controls: kisspeptin 4.873nmol/L versus 4.127nmol/L; testosterone 4.713nmol/L versus 3.415 nmol/L, p<0.05. Sequencing the GPR54 gene revealed 5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs10407968, rs1250729403, rs350131, chr19:918686, and chr19:918735, with two novel SNPs (chr19:918686 and chr19:918735), while sequencing the Kiss1 gene revealed 2 SNPs, rs5780218 and rs4889. All identified SNPs showed no significant difference in frequency between patients and controls. GPR54 gene rs350131 polymorphism (G/T) was detected more frequently in our study population. The heterozygous allele (AG) of GPR54 gene novel polymorphism chr19:918686 showed a marginal association with serum kisspeptin levels (p=0.053). Genetic variations in GPR54 and Kiss1 genes are unlikely to be associated with PCOS among Sri Lankan women manifesting from adolescence. Meanwhile the heterozygous allele of chr19:918686 is probably associated with serum kisspeptin concentrations, which suggests a potential role in the aetiology of PCOS.

The l80 kinetic isotope effect on the HCI0,-catalysed hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl [l -180]a-arabinofuranoside (kle/k,& is 1.023 f 0.003 at 80.0 "C; that for isopropyl [l -180] -a-arabinofuranoside is 0.988 at 30.2"C and the secondary deuterium effect on the hydrolysis of [2-*H]propan-2-yl a-arabinofuranoside (k,/k,) is 0.979. The nitrophenyl glycoside reacts with exocyclic C-0 cleavage and the propan-2-yl glycoside by endocyclic C-0 cleavage.

Colletotrichum is an important fungal genus with great diversity, which causes anthracnose of a variety of crop plants including rubber trees. Colletotrichum acutatum and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides have been identified as the major causative agents of Colletotrichum leaf disease of rubber trees in Sri Lanka based on morphology, pathogenicity, and the analysis of internally transcribed spacer sequences of the nuclear ribosomal DNA. This study has been conducted to investigate the members of the C. acutatum species complex causing rubber leaf disease using a morphological and multi gene approach. For the first time in Sri Lanka, Colletotrichum simmondsii, Colletotrichum laticiphilum, Colletotrichum nymphaeae, and Colletotrichum citri have been identified as causative agents of Colletotrichum leaf disease in addition to C. acutatum s. str. Among them, C. simmondsii has been recognized as the major causative agent.

Colletotrichum can be identified as the major causative fungal agent of avocado anthracnose all over the world. In Sri Lanka, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides reported to be the sole causative agent of avocado anthracnose. This paper presents a morphological, genetic and pathogenic study conducted using Colletotrichum isolates collected from different avocado cultivating areas of Sri Lanka. Here, the identity of C. gloeosporioides has been confirmed using multi locus phylogeny as the major causative agent and provides Colletotrichum gigasporum as a causative agent of avocado anthracnose for the first time in Sri Lanka. Difference of these two species also confirmed by banding patterns obtained using Inter Sequence Simple Repeat (ISSR) primers.

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