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.

Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus in a Young Girl.

Lichen sclerosus et atrophicus is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis that results in white plaques and epidermal atrophy. The condition has both genital and extragenital presentations. Here we describe the case of a 12-year-old girl who presented to us with white plaques over her genitals and no manifestation of extragenital disease.

Studies on luminous, Vibrio harveyi associated with shrimp culture system rearing Penaeus monodon.

Microbiological studies in a modified extensive shrimp culture system at Nambuthalai, southeast coast of India were carried out for a period of 120 days. Population dynamics and distribution profile of luminous bacteria and total heterotrophic bacteria in the water, sediment and animal samples were monitored. Luminous bacteria associated with exoskeleton, gills and gut were isolated and quantified. The total heterotrophic bacterial counts ranged from 1.3 x 104 to 25.3 x 104 CFU ml-1 in water and 1.5 x 106 to 26.2 x 106 CFU g-1 in sediment. The V. harveyi population density varied between 0.6 x 104 and 8.8 x 104 LCFU ml-1 in water and from 1.2 x 106 to10.4 x 106 LCFU g-1 sediment respectively. The gut of the animal was found to harbor high density of V. harveyi than gills and exoskeleton. The total heterotrophic bacteria and V. harveyi population density showed increasing trend during the culture period. The high V. harveyi density observed in this study at the end of the culture period correlated with the outbreak of white spot disease.