Abstract Archive   March 2007 Mixing Vessels role in Influenza Pandemic in Future Scenario Before 1997 During the past century, influenza viruses with hemagglutinin (HA) glycoproteins from 3 of the 15 influenza A virus subtypes (H1-H15) emerged from avian or animal hosts to cause worldwide epidemics: in 1918, H1; in 1957, H2; and in 1968, H3. Swine have long been considered a likely mixing vessel in which avian and human viruses may reassort, since these animals possess respiratory epithelium that bear cell surface sialyloligosacharides that are preferentially recognized by avian (sialic acid (SA)- a-2,3-galactose) and human influenza viruses (SA-a-2,6-galactose). Largely because of these differences in receptor specificity, avian influenza viruses were not considered to be able to directly infect humans and cause influenza like respiratory illness. The source of this specificity may derive from the selective pressure of abundance of a-2,6 linkages on lung and airway epithelial cells in humans in which the infection is respiratory and of a-2,3 linkages on intestinal cells of birds in which the infection is enteric. The presence of potentially inhibitory mucins rich in a-2,3 linkages in human lungs and glycoproteins with sialic acid in a-2,6 linkages in horse sera also may be a factor in the selection of linkage specificity (Couceiro., et al 1993, Pritchett, & Paulson 1989, Matrosovich et al., 1998). Authors: A.KOTEESWARAN, M.MOHAN. Proteomics Era-2007 Overview of proteomics Proteome: The term 'proteome' refers to all proteins produce by a species. Proteomics: The term 'proteomics' indicates PROTEins expressed by a genOME and is the systematic analysis of protein profiles of tissues. History of proteomics The term “proteomics” was not introduced until 1995.Within the sequencing of the human genome in 2000, the genome age comes to a close and the post genomic era starts in which proteomics will play an important part. Another index of growth of proteomics is the Number of publications. From three entries in 1995, the list of publications containing the term “proteome” or “proteomics”, which could be retrieved from MEDLINE at end of March 2001, has grown to over 700 items. Table: Landmarks in the evolution of proteomics Year Landmarks 1860 Fredrich Miescher identified acid and basic protein components in cell nuclei, which were mistakenly believed to carry the genetic material. 1920 The expression “Genome” used for the haploid chromosomes set, “which together with the pertinent protoplasm specifies the material foundation of species...” (Winkler, 1920). 1940 Beadle and Tatum linked genes to unique protein products and formulated the one gene-one protein concept that has now been revised as one gene codes more than one protein. 1953 Identification of the double standard structure of the DNA (Watson and Crick, 1953) 1956 Separation of proteins with a combination of paper and starch gel 2D Electrophoresis. (Smithies and Poulik, 1956) 1961 Modern concept of gene expression following discovery of messenger RNA deciphering of genetic code and description of theory of genetic regulation of protein synthesis. 1967 Protein sequencing defined and automated (Edman and Begg 1967. 1970 Isoelectric focusing and gradient gel electrophoresis: a 2D technique (Kenrick and Margolls, 1970) 1972 Protein Data Bank with a collection of ten X ray crystallographic protein structures (Bernstein et al 1972). 1975 The modern form of 2D Electrophoresis of proteins by high-resolution separation (O'Farrell, 1975). Authors:Amit Katiyar. . Breakthrough in Infertility Treatment - In-Vitro Maturation Introduction in-vitro fertilization (IVF) has advanced tremendously and has proven to be a very successful treatment for infertile couples. Hardly a year goes by without the development of a new or a modification of an existing method of assisted reproduction. Apparently, since the birth of Louise's birth in 1978, approximately one million IVF children have been born - accounting for 1 per cent of all births in the developed countries. However, there are some drawbacks to this mode of treatment which includes the high costs for the treatment, the inconvenience of daily gonadotropin injections, side effects of medications, and the requirement for multiple monitoring visits; Amongst the various risks involved, the most important problem faced by women undergoing IVF is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). OHSS, with an incidence of up to 6% in high-risk patients undergoing IVF treatments, can be fatal, and is more likely to develop in young women with polycystic ovaries (PCO)., Recently, there is also the worrying (but unproven) link between repeated courses of gonadotropin injections and ovarian cancer, which deters many women from opting IVF. In such cases, it is recommended that a more gentle approach to IVF (i.e. IVM + IVF) can be applied to eliminate the risk of OHSS all together. With this approach, a patient undergoes minimal ovarian stimulation with low doses of gonadotropins. Author: A.K.Vidya . Protein Sequence Databases: An Overview Introduction The publication of “Atlas of protein sequences and structures” by Margaret Dayhoff and colleagues in 1965 paved the way for the rapid growth of protein databases. Many protein sequence databases are available today and all of these databases allow free download of full content. Any researcher from all over the world can download these protein sequences to study the properties of encoded proteins and utilize them for healthcare, disease identification, drug discovery and development. Till date more than 3 Lac proteins are sequenced and publicly available on various databases through World Wide Web. New protein sequences are continuously submitted by sequencing centers and updated in these databases. The Nucleic Acids Research, (Oxford University Press) website http://www3.oup.co.uk/nar/database/c lists the databases of all kinds. The latest release details of various biological databases can be obtained from the Genome Net website http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/binfo which is updated daily. The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the currently available protein sequence databases. Author: K. Sivakumar Legal Aid: Protect your biological invention Biotechnology in recent year has created unprecedented opportunities, not only for the manipulation of biological system for the benefit of mankind but also understanding the fundamental life process, consequently, it has become the world's fastest growing and the most rapidly changing technology. One of the most rapidly moving areas of biotechnological research is genetic engineering of the existing traits, which are replaced with that desired traits. A new concept of biotechnology comes into play calls as 'Recombinant DNA technology'. Today's a number of institutions (public and private) working in the area of biotechnology with strong scientific research system in the country and established regulatory process. But due to the emergence of modern biotechnology, one of the most important issues has been raised in legal characterization and trade related biotechnological process or product known as Intellectual Property Protection (IPP). Transgenic products in the market today are input oriented and show value to farmers as well as having an overall impact on the economy therefore, many biotechnological companies been started to develop these genetic modified (GM) products and participating for globalization for free and fare trade of these bio-products. But with the new technological innovation a big problem is now starting that how to protect these biological innovation (product or process). Now India needs to develop a strong legislation in relation to these biotechnological inventions. Authors:Sudhir Sharma, Manju Chauhan. Silk - Stronger Than steel Spiders are predatory invertebrate animals classified in the order Araneae, within the class of arachnids. Spiders produce silk, which is a thin, strong protein strand secreted by the spider from spinnerets most commonly found on the end of the abdomen. The silk is used to spin webs, which is used to trap insects. Silk can also be used to aid in climbing, form smooth walls for burrows, build egg sacs, wrap prey, and temporarily hold sperm. The protein 'spidroin' forms spider silk. This protein is of two types 'spidroin -1' and 'spidroin- 2'. Spider silk is a strong material with a tensile strength comparable to that of high-grade steel. Spider silk is much less dense than steel; its ratio of tensile strength to density is perhaps 5 times better than steel and 3 times stronger than kevlar (bullet proof material). Dragline silk has an elastic modulus that ranges from 10-50 GigaPascals (GPa); it can withstand elongation upto 10-30%, and has a tensile strength of 1.1-1.4 GPa. A typical strand of spider silk has a diameter of about 0.003 mm in diameter. Authors:P. Karthik,R.G. Sathish Kumar.