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A 4-nitrophenol-degrading bacterial strain PNP was isolated from pesticide-contaminated soil collected from Lucknow. Strain PNP utilized 0.5 mM 4-nitrophenol as its carbon source and degraded it completely within 24 h with stoichiometric release of nitrite ions. Strain PNP was associated with the genus Pseudomonas in a phylogentic tree and exhibited highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to Pseudomonas juntendi BML3 (99.79%) and Pseudomonas inefficax JV551A3 (99.79%). Based on values of average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization among strain PNP and its closely related type strains, it concluded that strain PNP belongs to Pseudomonas alloputida. The Illumina HiSeq platform was used to sequence the PNP genome. The draft genome sequence of Pseudomonas alloputida PNP was presented here. The total size of the draft assembly was 6,087,340 bp, distributed into 87 contigs with N50 value of 139502. The genome has an average GC content of 61.7% and contains 5461 coding sequences and 77 putative RNA genes. This Whole Genome Shotgun project has been submitted at DDBJ/ENA/GenBank under the accession JAGKJH000000000.

This chapter reviews the plant responses to salinity stress with emphasis on physiological, biochemical and molecular mechanisms of salt tolerance. Genes for enzymes involved in the biosynthesis and metabolism of proline have been isolated from various plants, and their expression and the functions of their gene products have been characterized. The core of proline metabolism involves two enzymes catalysing proline synthesis from glutamate in the cytoplasm or chloroplast, two enzymes catalysing proline catabolism back to glutamate in the mitochondria, as well as an alternative pathway of proline synthesis via ornithine. The proline accumulated in response to water stress or salinity stress in plants is primarily localized in the cytosol. In plants, under abiotic stress, low molecular weight osmoprotectants and osmolytes such as proline, glycine betaine and sugar alcohols are synthesized and accumulated, and their synthesis and degradation have been studied well.

Chloronitrophenols (CNPs) constitute a group of environmental pollutants that are widely distributed in our surrounding environment due to human based activities. This group of chemicals is highly toxic to living beings due to its mutagenic and carcinogenic nature. Examples include 2-chloro-4-nitrophenol, 4-chloro-2-nitrophenol, 2-chloro-5-nitrophenol, 4-chloro-3-nitrophenol and 2,6-dichloro-4-nitrophenol. Several methods including advanced oxidation processes, adsorption and bacterial degradation have been used for degradation of CNPs. Among, bacterial degradation is an eco-friendly and effective way to degrade CNPs. Several bacterial metabolic pathways have been proposed for degradation of CNPs and their genes and enzymes have been identified in bacteria. These bacteria were able to degrade CNPs in broth culture and soil. Therefore, CNPs-degrading bacteria are suitable candidates for bioremediation of CNPs-contaminated sites. Few CNP-degrading bacteria exhibited chemotaxis towards CNPs to enhance their biodegradation. The present review summarizes recent progress in degradation of CNPs.

1 Medical officer, Department of Medicine, NMCH, Govt Medical College Kota, Rajasthan, India 2 Assistant Professor, Department of Medicine, NMCH, Govt Medical College Kota, Rajasthan, India 3 Professor, Department of Medicine, NMCH, Govt Medical College Kota, Rajasthan, India 4 Senior Professor, Department of Medicine, NMCH, Govt Medical College Kota, Rajasthan, India Corresponding Author Dr Sanjay Kumar Garg House no. 6, Suman Vihar, Bundi Road, Kunhari, Kota Rajasthan, India Pincode-324008 Emaildoctorsanjaygarg@yahoo.com, Mobile – +91 9414331357 Abstract Background & objectives: Tuberculosis is said to be one of the commonest opportunistic infection in patients with HIV/ AIDS. In this study the clinical profile of tuberculosis in patient with HIV infection /AIDS and to study the pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis involvement and clinical profile in HIV infection/AIDS subjects. Methods: HIV sero-positive patients with symptoms suggestive of pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis, attending the Outpatient Departments and indoor at Department of Medicine, Govt. Medical College, Kota. Results: fever (97.1%), weight loss (85.7%) cough (80%), pallor (68.5%) mouth ulcer (41.4%) and lymphadenopathy (33%). Incidence of both Pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis were almost same (45.71%).Among extra pulmonary tuberculosis, abdominal TB was (18.57%). Infiltrative lesions were (54.28%) on chest x-ray. Sputum positivity was seen only in 31.25% of patients. Mean CD4 counts was 133.95+141.89 cells/ μl. Most of the patients (78.57%) had CD4 counts 50 cells/μl. Conclusionmost common manifestation of TB in HIV infected patients were sputum negative pulmonary TB. A high proportion of cases with extra pulmonary TB were also found. There is an urgent need to strengthen the information, education and expand the ART services to meet the requirement of early testing and treatment initiation in patients co-infected with HIV-TB. KeywardsHIV/TB, AIDS, Tuberculosis, Extrapulmonary TB.

Heavy metals, lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) are non-essential elements. Plants absorb these metals from soil, water and air through their roots and leaves. Heavy metals are the major environmental pollutants, which spread to soil through the use of pesticides, herbicides and micronutrient fertilizers, industrial effluents, decay of junk materials and sewage sludge, vehicular emissions, re-suspended road dust, diesel generator sets and coal-based thermal power plants. Sewage and sludge have contributed to heavy metal contamination of peri-urban lands and vegetable crops. The present review focuses on the effects of various concentrations of Hg on growth of young and mature seedlings as well as on nitrate reductase activity and nitrate assimilation in intact and excised seedling, especially the mechanism underlying nitrate reductase regulation by this heavy metal. Evidence indicates that mercury exerts significant adverse effects on the physiological activity of plants.

Seeds of two rice cultivars (Oryza sativa) cv. PR-116 and Pant Dhan-12 subjected to heavy metal lead (Pb2+) and mercury (Hg2+) exposure showed an inhibition in germination percentage, shoot and root length, and lower fresh and dry weight after 7 days. Both Pb2+ and Hg2+ inhibited the solubilization process of starch due to reduction in α-amylase activity, which is also evident from greater starch content and reduced soluble carbohydrate content of endosperms of treated seeds of the two cultivars. Mercury was more tolerated by Pant Dhan-12 when grown under in vitro culture medium containing 2% sucrose. The inhibitory effect of Pb2+ on embryo growth was not only abolished but also accelerated by 2% sucrose. The inhibitory effect, however, was not significantly blocked in Hg2+-treated embryos grown in vitro in sucrose containing medium. Embryos did not grow normally in a medium devoid of sucrose in either case. Data indicated that Pb2+ inhibited germination and seedling growth by impairing the solubilization...

The present paper deals with the effect of light intensity, photoperiod and growth room temperature on in-vitro morphogenetic responses of leaf sheath explants of sugarcane varieties, CoS 96258 and CoS 99259. High frequency callus initiation was recorded in leaf sheath explants incubated in dark for 10 to 15 days and then, transferred in light. Maximum shoot regeneration and number of shoots per culture could be recorded under 16 h photoperiod of 4000 lux light intensity at a growth room temperature of 25 ± 2°C in both varieties of sugarcane. Key words : Callus culture, shoot regeneration, in-vitro growth condition, sugarcane.

In the present study, impact of kinetin (KN; 10 and 100 μM) supplementation on growth, ammonium (NH(4)(+)) assimilation and antioxidant system in pea under hexavalent chromium toxicity (Cr VI; 50, 100 and 250 μM) was investigated. Chromium decreased growth, protein, and nitrogen, and activity of glutamine synthetase (GS) and glutamate synthase (GOGAT) while it increased NH(4)(+) content and activity of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH). Kinetin at 100 μM decreased growth and NH(4)(+) assimilation, and together with Cr, it increased Cr toxicity. Chromium and 100 μM KN increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) activities while decreasing activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GR) and dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR). Ascorbate and glutathione levels were decreased by Cr and 100 μM KN. In contrast, supplementation of 10 μM KN under Cr (VI) toxicity, protected NH(4)(+) assimilation and promoted growth of pea by increasing levels of some of the antioxidants i.e., CAT, GR, DHAR, ascorbate and glutathione. Results showed that 10 μM KN increases Cr tolerance while 100 μM KN exhibited opposite responses. These results could contribute to an understanding of the mechanisms of KN-mediated dual influence on metal tolerance in crop plants.

Lead is a metallic pollutant emanating from various environmental sources including industrial wastes, combustion of fossil fuels, and use of agrochemicals. Lead may exist in the atmosphere as dusts, fumes, mists, and vapors, and in soil as a mineral. Soils along roadsides are rich in lead because vehicles burn leaded gasoline, which contributes to environmental lead pollution. Other important sources of lead pollution are geological weathering, industrial processing of ores and minerals, leaching of lead from solid wastes, and animal and human excreta. Lead is nondegradable, readily enters the food chain, and can subsequently endanger human and animal health. Lead is one of the most important environment pollutants and deserves the increasing attention it has received in recent decades. The present effort was undertaken to review lead stress effects on the physiobiochemical activity of higher plants. Lead has gained considerable attention as a potent heavy metal pollutant because of growing anthropogenic pressure on the environment. Lead-contaminated soils show a sharp decline in crop productivity. Lead is absorbed by plants mainly through the root system and in minor amounts through the leaves. Within the plants, lead accumulates primarily in roots, but some is translocated to aerial plant parts. Soil pH, soil particle size, cation-exchange capacity, as well as root surface area, root exudation, and mycorrhizal transpiration rate affect the availability and uptake of lead by plants. Only a limited amount of lead is translocated from roots to other organs because there are natural plant barriers in the root endodermis. At lethal concentrations, this barrier is broken and lead may enter vascular tissues. Lead in plants may form deposits of various sizes, present mainly in intercellular spaces, cell walls, and vacuoles. Small deposits of this metal are also seen in the endoplasmic reticulum, dictyosome, and dictyosome-derived vesicles. After entering the cells, lead inhibits activities of many enzymes, upsets mineral nutrition and water balance, changes the hormonal status, and affects membrane structure and permeability. Visual, nonspecific symptoms of lead toxicity are stunted growth, chlorosis, and blackening of the root system. In most cases, lead inhibition of enzyme activities results from the interaction of the metal with enzyme -SH groups. The activities of metalloenzymes may decline as a consequence of displacement of an essential metal by lead from the active sites of the enzymes. Lead decreases the photosynthetic rate of plants by distorting chloroplast ultrastructure, diminishing chlorophyll synthesis, obstructing electron transport, and inhibiting activities of Calvin cycle enzymes.

Lead is a metallic pollutant emanating from various environmental sources including industrial wastes, combustion of fossil fuels, and use of agrochemicals. Lead may exist in the atmosphere as dusts, fumes, mists, and vapors, and in soil as a mineral. Soils along roadsides are rich in lead because vehicles burn leaded gasoline, which contributes to environmental lead pollution. Other important sources of lead pollution are geological weathering, industrial processing of ores and minerals, leaching of lead from solid wastes, and animal and human excreta. Lead is nondegradable, readily enters the food chain, and can subsequently endanger human and animal health. Lead is one of the most important environment pollutants and deserves the increasing attention it has received in recent decades. The present effort was undertaken to review lead stress effects on the physiobiochemical activity of higher plants. Lead has gained considerable attention as a potent heavy metal pollutant because of growing anthropogenic pressure on the environment. Lead-contaminated soils show a sharp decline in crop productivity. Lead is absorbed by plants mainly through the root system and in minor amounts through the leaves. Within the plants, lead accumulates primarily in roots, but some is translocated to aerial plant parts. Soil pH, soil particle size, cation-exchange capacity, as well as root surface area, root exudation, and mycorrhizal transpiration rate affect the availability and uptake of lead by plants. Only a limited amount of lead is translocated from roots to other organs because there are natural plant barriers in the root endodermis. At lethal concentrations, this barrier is broken and lead may enter vascular tissues. Lead in plants may form deposits of various sizes, present mainly in intercellular spaces, cell walls, and vacuoles. Small deposits of this metal are also seen in the endoplasmic reticulum, dictyosome, and dictyosome-derived vesicles. After entering the cells, lead inhibits activities of many enzymes, upsets mineral nutrition and water balance, changes the hormonal status, and affects membrane structure and permeability. Visual, nonspecific symptoms of lead toxicity are stunted growth, chlorosis, and blackening of the root system. In most cases, lead inhibition of enzyme activities results from the interaction of the metal with enzyme -SH groups. The activities of metalloenzymes may decline as a consequence of displacement of an essential metal by lead from the active sites of the enzymes. Lead decreases the photosynthetic rate of plants by distorting chloroplast ultrastructure, diminishing chlorophyll synthesis, obstructing electron transport, and inhibiting activities of Calvin cycle enzymes.