Molecular Docking Analyses of Cynodon Dactylon Derived Phytochemicals Against White Spot Syndrome VIRUS (WSSV) Structural Protein VP26.

White spot disease is a major infectious disease of penaeid shrimps caused by the white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). The viral structural proteins are responsible for binding virus to the cellular membranes of the host that is being systematically infected. An In silico attempt was made to identify the potential drug to inhibit the WSSV spread of diseases. For that an effort, was made to deduce the antiviral potentiality of Cynodon dactylon derived phytochemicals with docking technique. To stimulate the structure based drug design the, 3D structure of the VP26 (PDB-ID: 2EDM), a tegument protein thought to be involved in the entry of WSSV nucleocapsid into the host nucleus, is retrieved from PDB database and docking studies are carried out with the sketched phytochemical structures using GOLD software. Among the phytochemicals screened, luteolin and apigenin shows the best binding affinity with binding energies of 42.51 and 38.92 K.cal/mol exhibiting the potential to block VP26 (2EDM) protein of WSSV. This study will be helpful in developing novel antiviral drugs from plant sources against aquatic important pathogens.

Molecular cloning and recombinant expression of the VP28 carboxyl-terminal hydrophilic region from a brazilian white spot syndrome virus isolate

In the present study, a fragment of the VP28 coding sequence from a Brazilian WSSV isolate (BrVP28) was cloned, sequenced and expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) pLysS strain in order to produce the VP28 carboxyl-terminal hydrophilic region. The expression resulted in a protein of about 21 kDa, which was purified under denaturing conditions, resulting in a final highly purified BrVP28 preparation. The recombinant protein obtained can be used in several biotechnology applications, such as the production of monoclonal antibodies which could be used in the development of diagnostic tools as well as in the studies on the characterization of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) isolated in Brazil.

Aquacultural importance of the integumental pore pattern in postlarval whiteleg shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Decapoda: Penaeidae)

The analysis of integumental pore pattern has identified two intraspecific groups of postlarval shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (Boone, 1931), a species of which three to five natural populations or groups are expected to be found from Mexico to Peru. Natural distribution and man-made redistributions have not been typified on a population basis in any penaeid, but it is important to do so in this commercially significant group. Important factors to be defined on a geographic population or group basis include differences in domesticity (eg resistance to pathological agents); food conversion indexes and food preferences; growth indices; tolerance to stress of various origins and other attributes useful in aquaculture. This consideration is valid not only for L. vannamei but also for any other shrimp species that has been the object of artificial redistribution.

M ediante el análisis del patrón de poros tegumentarios ha sido posible caracterizar a dos grupos intraespecíficos en dos estadios postlarvales del camarón Litopenaeus vannamei. Se estima que se podrán encontrar entre tres y cinco grupos o poblaciones naturales en el área de distribución natural desde México hasta Perú. En ningún peneido se ha tipificado a los grupos o poblaciones naturales, lo cual es muy importante no solamente en relación con las poblaciones en su medio natural, sino también en relación a las redistribuciones hechas por el ser humano. Esto se debe a las implicaciones acuiculturales y a las diferencias en domesticidad, como la resistencia o sensibilidad a enfermedades virales y a otros agentes patógenos, el factor de conversión y las preferencias alimenticias, el índice de crecimiento, la tolerancia al estrés de diversos orígenes y otros atributos útiles en la acuicultura, todos los cuales no están definidos aún sobre la base de grupos o poblaciones geográficas. Esta consideración es válida no solamente para L. vannamei sino para cualesquier otra especie de peneido que haya sido objeto de redistribución artificial.

Preliminary identification and quantification of the age-pigment lipofuscin in the brain of Farfantepenaeus paulensis (Crustacea: Decapoda)

A preliminary study was done on the age-pigment lipofuscin content in the brains of captive Farfantepenaeus paulensis juveniles (5 months old) and wild adults (estimated age of 12-15 months). Random samples of 6 individuals were obtained from each group (juvenile and adult) for histological analysis. Serial sections (6 mum) of the brains were mounted without staining and observed in an epifluorescent microscope. The fluorescent images of the five most central sections of the olfactory lobe cell mass (OLCM) of each individual were digitized for image analysis. The lipofuscin granule mean diameter was similar in both groups (p > 0.05), however the lipofuscin area fraction (percentage of the OLCM occupied by pigment granules) was significantly higher (p 0.05) in the adult shrimp. The detection of lipofuscin granules in 5 month old F. paulensis indicates that lipofuscin deposition probably takes place even earlier in the juvenile phase. Our results suggested that the amount of granules in the F. paulensis OLCM is related to age, but further studies are necessary to evaluate the relationship between lipofuscin content and the age of captive F. paulensis.

Foi realizada análise preliminar do conteúdo de lipofuscina em cérebros de juvenis de Farfantepenaeus paulensis oriundos de cativeiro (5 meses de idade) e de adultos selvagens (idade estimada de 12-15 meses). Foram coletadas amostras aleatórias de 6 indivíduos de cada grupo (juvenis e adultos) para análises histológicas. Cortes frontais (6 mim) dos cérebros foram montados em lâminas, sem serem corados, e observados em microscópio de epifluorescência. As imagens fluorescentes dos 5 cortes mais centrais da massa de células do lóbulo olfatório (MCLO) de cada indivíduo foram digitalizadas para posterior análise de imagens. O diâmetro médio dos grânulos de lipofuscina foram similares entre os dois grupos (p > 0,05), entretanto, a porcentagem da área de MCLO ocupada por grânulos foi significativamente maior (p 0,05) nos camarões adultos. A detecção de grânulos de lipofuscina em F. paulensis com 5 meses de idade indica a possibilidade de o início de deposição ocorrer anteriormente em juvenis. Os resultados sugerem que a quantidade de grânulos na MCLO de F. paulensis está relacionada à idade, contudo, futuros estudos são necessários para avaliar a relação entre a quantidade de lipofuscina e a idade de F. paulensis mantidos em cativeiro.