Draft genome sequence of plastic degrading Bacillus sp. AIIW2 isolated from the Arabian ocean

The endemic spread of plastic in the environment requires urgent need of a sustainable approach. Marine microbes found to have vast bioactivity and play a central role in biogeochemical cycling in the ocean; however, very few of them had been explored for biochemical cycling or plastic degradation. In the present study, we report the draft genome sequence of marine Bacillus sp. AIIW2 which was found to utilize plastic as a carbon source. The Bacillus sonorensis SRCM101395 was used as a reference genome for mapping the reads. The genome size of strain AIIW2 was approximately 4.4 Mb and composed of 4737 coding sequences with 45.7% G + C contents. The whole genome comparison of strain AIIW2 with three closest Bacillus strains showed strain specificity, the 16S ribosomal RNA sequence shows 99.93% similarity with Bacillus paralicheniformis KJ-16^T (KY694465). This genome data would provide the genetic basis in developing plastic bioremediation approaches and discover the enzymes pertinent in the biodegradation processes.     

The association of primary hyperparathyroidism and primary ovarian failure: a de novo t(X; 2) (q22p13) reciprocal translocation

CASE: A 40-year-old female presented with primary amenorrhoea at 17 years of age. She was tall at 98th centile for height with eunuchoidal body habitus. Her breast development was Tanner stage 3, pubic and axillary hair Tanner stage 4 with normal external genitalia. Her bone age was 13.4 years at a chronological age of 17.8 years. Gonadotrophins were elevated indicating primary ovarian failure. A diagnostic laparotomy revealed hypoplastic, infantile uterus with bilateral streak gonads. Chromosomal analysis showed a balanced reciprocal translocation 46X, t(X; 2) (q22 p13). She became pregnant by in vitro fertilization with egg donation at the age of 36 years. At 13 weeks of gestation, she presented with intractable vomiting. She had raised corrected serum calcium and parathyroid hormone concentrations consistent with the diagnosis of primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). She underwent parathyroidectomy at 24 weeks of gestation with removal of a large left inferior parathyroid adenoma which normalized her serum calcium. Multipoint linkage from a genome-wide screen has identified a region of suggestive linkage on chromosome 2p13.3-14 in some cases of familial isolated hyperparathyroidism (FIHP). CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, this is the first case of primary amenorrhoea due to reciprocal translocation involving chromosome 2 and the X chromosome associated with PHPT. PHPT in this case is most likely to be as a result of chromosome 2 involvement where a locus for FIHP has been identified. Identification of the gene involved on chromosome 2p13.3-14 will be of considerable interest.     

Awareness about pulse polio immunization among the general population in Delhi

A study was conducted in three intensive pulse polio immunization (IPPI) centres in Delhi on 24th September, 2000 to assess the awareness about poliomyelitis and the IPPI programme. A structured questionnaire was used to elicit the information from 182 accompanying persons (41 males and 141 females) by qualified medical doctors. Majority (92.9%) of the respondents knew that the administered drops were polio vaccine. Major sources of information were television (32.9%), relatives or friends (24.2%), health staff (20.9%), poster or leaflets (15.9%). Only 18.1% knew the next IPPI day. Out of 43 claiming to know the number of subsequent IPPI days during 2000, only 22 could tell correctly. A large number of respondents (86.2%) knew that IPPI would help in preventing polio in children. Paralysis of limbs as a clinical feature of polio was known to 70.3%, 45.6% knew that polio cannot be cured and 21.9% perceived that polio could also lead to death. The nationwide intensive awareness campaign for polio eradication was found to be partially effective in disseminating the information.     

Partial purification of transforming growth factors from human milk

Crude, delipidated milk and the acid:ethanol extracts of primary human breast tumors contain several activities that biologically resemble transforming growth factors (TGFs) in that they promote the anchorage-independent growth of normal rat kidney and Mm5mt/c1 mouse mammary tumor cells in soft agar. Three major TGF species with isoelectric points (pl) of about 4.0, 6.0-6.5, and 7.0 have been detected in both tumors and milk. The pl 4.0 species from milk has been purified about 10,000-fold by isoelectric focusing and high-performance liquid chromatography. This species, designated milk-derived growth factor II (MDGFII), coelutes from gel filtration columns with an authentic human epidermal growth factor standard when using a low ionic strength eluting buffer. However, on the same column, MDGFII is completely resolved from human epidermal growth factor with high ionic strength eluting buffers. Nevertheless, MDGFII purified by the latter technique still competes with 125I-epidermal growth factor for receptor binding to A431 cell membranes. Additionally the TGF activity of MDGFII present in the pl 4.0 fraction of milk is markedly inhibited by anti-epidermal growth factor receptor antibody preparations. Consequently MDGFII appears to be an alpha-TGF. MDGFII is a pepsin-sensitive, disulfide reducing agent-sensitive, heat-stable protein that may be physiologically important for the mammary gland or the neonate.