RM12 similar to substance P from tachykinin of freshwater murrel Channa striatus influence intracellular ROS in vitro fish erythrocytes and developmental toxicity and antioxidant enzymes in vivo zebrafish embryo.

In this study, substance P, an antioxidant peptide of tachykinin, was identified using bioinformatics tools from the earlier established muscle transcriptome of a freshwater murrel Channa striatus and the peptide was named RM12. The antioxidant properties of RM12 were screened using various colorimetric assays. The toxicity of RM12 was experimented using fish erythrocytes, and it is observed that the maximum concentration (320 µM) of RM12 was found to have 15 or 20% of hemolytic activity; however, it was not significant with other tested concentrations (10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 µM). Further, the in vivo antioxidant properties of RM12 were experimented on zebrafish embryo, the intracellular ROS level was estimated by 5 mM H2O2 stress in the zebrafish embryo, and inhibition of apoptosis was evaluated. The antioxidant enzymes were extracted from the H2O2-stressed zebrafish embryo, and the intracellular ROS was eliminated due to RM12. Collectively, the experiment showed that the substance P from the freshwater murrel C. striatus possessed potent antioxidant properties; thus, it can further be focused to develop it as antioxidant molecule in aquaculture organisms.

Avian feathers as a biomonitoring tool to assess heavy metal pollution in a wildlife and bird sanctuary from a tropical coastal ecosystem.

In this study, we have assessed the concentrations of four heavy metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, and Pb) in the feathers of 11 species of birds from the Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary, a protected environment. Concentrations of copper and zinc were detected in all the bird species, cadmium was observed only in two bird species, and lead was below the detection limits for all birds. The order of concentration of metals in the feathers is Zn > Cu > Cd > Pb. Using the multivariate statistical analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), the metal origins were traced to natural, dietary, and manmade sources. In addition, sediment samples were also collected from the sanctuary, to assess the bioaccumulation factor (BAF). The BAF values follow the order Cd < Cu < Zn < Pb. In comparison with worldwide heavy metal reports in bird feathers, lower concentrations of metals are observed in our study area. The tropical marine ecosystem at Point Calimere Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary can be considered as pristine regarding heavy metal pollution. Continuous monitoring of the ecosystem is crucial to sustain the pristine nature of the sanctuary and to attract many more birds.

Health risk assessment and bioaccumulation of metals in brown and red seaweeds collected from a tropical marine biosphere reserve.

In the present study, we have assessed the degree of contamination of heavy metals (Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn) in ten species of red and brown seaweeds, the seasonal variations in the concentration of metals, and the health risk due to the seaweeds. Overall metal concentrations for red and brown seaweeds followed the order Pb > Zn > Cu > Cd and Pb > Cu > Zn > Cd, respectively. Cd and Pb levels were found to be elevated in both the red and brown seaweeds. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that the sources of Cd and Pb are mainly anthropogenic. Despite the high concentrations of the non-essential metals (Cd and Pb) in the seaweeds, the health risk assessment revealed that they have a lower hazard index. Hence, consumption of edible red and brown seaweeds from the Tuticorin coast may not pose health hazards in humans for the time being.

Arthrospira platensis transglutaminase derived antioxidant peptide-packed electrospun chitosan/ poly (vinyl alcohol) nanofibrous mat accelerates wound healing, in vitro, via inducing mouse embryonic fibroblast proliferation.

In this present study, we have carried out the antioxidant function of transglutaminase (TG) identified from Arthrospira platensis (Ap) transcriptome. The antioxidant peptide ML11 (MLRSIGIPARL) has been predicted from the transglutaminase core domain and the peptide's free radical scavenging potential was evaluated and it shows that it functions on a dose dependent manner. The ML11 peptide cell toxicity was analysed in the human blood leucocytes which resulted no cytotoxic activity in any of the cell population. Moreover, the nanofibre mat encapsulated with antioxidant peptide ML11 was prepared by electrospinning technique. The antioxidant peptide ML11 encapsulated mat showed increase in fibre diameter compared to the chitosan polyvinyl alcohol blended mat. The change in the crystalline behaviour of both chitosan and polyvinyl alcohol polymer to the amorphous nature was determined by X-ray diffraction at the broad band between 20 and 30° (2θ°). FTIR revealed the functional groups which present in the polymer as well as the interaction between their components of chitosan (CS) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The fibre retains the antioxidant activity due to the peptide encapsulated by scavenging the intracellular ROS that was confirmed by flowcytometry and fluorescence microscopy. The ML11 peptide encapsulated mat showed no cytotoxicity in the NIH-3T3 mouse embryonic fibroblast cells. Also, ML11 peptide encapsulated fibre showed potential wound healing activity in NIH-3T3 cells. Taken altogether, the study indicates that the wound healing potential of the ML11 peptide encapsulated nano fibre mat may be used as biopharmaceutical drug.

Effect of cassic acid on immunity and immune-reproductive genes transcription in Clarias gariepinus against Edwardsiella tarda.

The present study was investigated the dietary administration of cassic acid (CA) on growth, innate immunity, transcription profiles of estrogen and follicle-stimulating hormones as well as lysozyme enzyme determined in Clarias gariepinus against Edwardsiella tarda. The weight gain (WG), protein efficacy ratio (PER), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly improved in infected fish fed dietary administration with CA at 5 and 10 mg kg-1 diets. The survival is higher (96.7% and 98.3%) in the infected groups fed at 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CA diets. The red (RBC) and white (WBC) blood cells, hemoglobin (Hb), and packed cell volume (PCV) was found significantly high in the infected fish feeding at 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CA diets. Total protein and albumin were significantly increased with 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CA diets among weeks 1-4 while the globulin and albumin: globulin ratio increased of these diet only after week 2. The phagocytic and respiratory burst activities were enhanced statistically the infected fish fed at 10 mg kg-1 CA diet group whereas the production of superoxide anion (SOA) and nitric oxide (NO) were significantly increased at 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CA diets. The lymphocyte proliferation and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity were significantly high the infected fish when fed at 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CA diets after 2nd week whereas the alternate complement activity (ACP), generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and lysozyme activity (Lyz) were observed at 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CA diets among weeks 1-4. The accumulative mortality was 10% in infected fish fed at 1 and 5 mg kg-1 CA diets whereas 15% mortality found with 10 mg kg-1 CA diet. The highest levels of estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) mRNA expression found in gonad while the highest levels of follicle stimulating hormone-beta subunit (FSH-ß) mRNA expression found in testis of the infected fish given at 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CA diets. The up-regulation of chick-type lysozyme (c-Lyz) mRNA was observed at 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CA diets after 2nd week while goose-type lysozyme (g-Lyz) mRNA was up-regulation amongst weeks 1-4 of these diets. The present study suggested that E. tarda challenged fish after feeding with 5 and 10 mg kg-1 CA diets did not affect growth and hemato-biochemical parameter, but it enhanced nonspecific immune system and improving ERα, FSH-ß, c-Lyz, and g-Lyz mRNA expression in C. gariepinus against E. tarda.

A provisional checklist of the avifauna of Turaif province, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The richness and diversity of avian species inhabiting Turaif province of Saudi Arabia were surveyed for a period of one-year (2014-2015) using walked belt transects in different habitats of the studied area. Bird species were observed and recorded by sightings or vocal calls. A total of thirty-three bird species belonging to fifteen families were observed across all the surveys in the Turaif area. During a breeding season, species abundance was higher as compared to non-breeding season. Out of 33, eighteen species were passage migrants and fifteen species were noted as breeding residents. Family Muscicapidae which showed the highest proportion (24.24%) was represented by 8 bird species followed by family Alaudidae and family Falconidae represented by 4 species each. According to this survey relatively a fair quantity of bird species still exists in the Turaif region. This area is of significant interest in terms of conservation of birds due to higher densities of endemic, breeding or resident avian species.

Food habits of the Arabian skink, Scincus hemprichii Wiegmann, 1837, (Sauria: Scincidae), in the Southwest Saudi Arabia.

Food and feeding habits of the Arabian skink, Scincus hemprichii were investigated in Jazan province, southwest of Saudi Arabia. S. hemprichii individuals fed during eleven months of the year. The mass of food in the stomachs indicated that a high degree of foraging success occurred during the warm spring while the lowest was during winter with January as an exception to feeding by the lizard. Analysis of the contents of 60 stomachs revealed that the diet of S. hemprichii in the study area consisted of arthropods, with two species of beetles of the family Dermestidae (Dermestis vulpinus and Dermestis maculates) and three type of dipteran larvae, accounting for 76% of the total volume of the food items. Specimens collected during January had empty stomachs.