Comparison of polyhedrin partial sequence of NPV variants pathogenic to tea pests (Geometridae) in India and their phylogeny

Aim: The present study was undertaken to understand the phylogenetic relationships of NPVs (Nucleopolyhedroviruses) isolated from two pest species, Hyposidra talaca and Biston (=Buzura) suppressaria. The phylogenetic analyses based on the polyhedrin gene were assessed. Methodology: Occlusion bodies (OBs) were isolated separately from NPV infected dead Hyposidra talaca and Buzura suppressaria larvae, and DNA was isolated from OBs. The polyhedrin gene was amplified and sequenced followed by sequence divergence and phylogenetic analyses using MEGA5. Results: The phylogenetic analyses based on the polyhedrin gene revealed that the NPV isolated from Hyposidra talaca (HytaNPV-ITK1) formed a single cluster with the isolates of NPVs infecting Hyposidra specimens in India sharing 99% nucleotide identity, whereas the NPV isolated from Buzura suppressaria (BusuNPV-ITK1) showing 99% nucleotide homology with the NPV isolate of B. suppressaria reported from China formed a different cluster. A nucleotide identity of 85% was found between HytaNPV-ITK1 and BusuNPV-ITK1. Interpretation: Phylogenetic analyses, based on the polyhedrin sequence of 47 baculoviruses, revealed that these two variants of NPVs (HytaNPV-ITK1 and BusuNPV-ITK1) infecting Hyposidra talaca and Buzura suppressaria were comparatively closer to each other than those infecting specimens of other lepidopteran genera.

Systemic fungal infections in renal diseases.

Invasive fungal infections are a major challenge in the management of immunocompromised patients and those with renal dysfunction. These challenges are due to the immense morbidity and mortality in such situations. Also the management strategies for invasive mycosis in patients with renal dysfunction have narrow safety profile and involve high-cost. In this review we will discuss the issues involved in the management of invasive mycosis in the patients with renal dysfunction in the form of acute renal failure, chronic kidney disease, dialysis dependency of renal transplant recipients. We also emphasize that the use of Intravenous Liposomal Amphoterecin appears to be an effective alternative to the conventional Amphoterecin B for the treatment of invasive fungal infections in patients with renal dysfunction due to its greatly improved tolerability profile. Commercially two true liposomal preparations (Fungisome and Ambisome) are available. Judgement about the preferred formulation should be made on the basis of disease morbidity, severity of renal dysfunction and the cost involved.

Differential organization of a LINE-1 family in Indian pygmy field mice.

Southern blot hybridization analysis of genomic DNAs digested with restriction endonuclease EcoR I and Ava II from Mus musculus domesticus, Mus booduga and Mus terricolor with a cloned repetitive DNA fragment of Mus booduga as a probe showed difference in restriction pattern of this DNA in these three species. Further Southern analysis of the BamH I digested genomic DNAs from these species hybridized with cloned DNA fragment as a probe and sequencing of the cloned DNA revealed that this 252 bp cloned DNA fragment is a part of BamHI repeat element of genus Mus and is 87% homologous to the contiguous portion of the Mus musculus domesticus LINE-1 element. The species specific fragment pattern generated by different restriction endonucleases using this DNA as a probe revealed difference in the organization of LINE-1 repetitive element in the three species of genus Mus.