Editorial
Eastern Himalayas: Research and Sustainable Development
Hirendra Nath Sarma
Editor-in-Chief
Email: hirendra.sarma@rgu.ac.in
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Original Research Article
Structure and Floristic Composition of Oak Forests in Kandi Forest Range of District Rajouri, J&K, India
Mohd Junaid Jazib¹* and Sumer Singh² ¹Department of Environmental Sciencec, Government Degree College, Thannamandi, Rajouri, J&K, India ²Singhania University, Pacheri Bari, Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, India
Journal of Bioresources 6(2): 24-32 (2019) ISSN 2394-4315
Email: junaidjazib@gmail.com
View Abstract | PDF
Abstract: The present study was conducted to explore the key phytosociological and diversity characteristics of Oak dominated
forests (Kandi forest range) in Rajouri Forest Division of Jammu and Kashmir. The study area is dominated by three species
of oak viz. Quercus leucotrichophora , Q. floribunda and Q. semecarpifolia and hosts a good deal of floral diversity including
certain endemic species. Boxus wallichiana , Rhododendron arborium and Viburnum grandiflora are the main associate species.
Density, dominance and species diversity was assessed in three localities each represented by twenty randomly laid 10×10m2
quadrats. A total of 20 tree species were found growing in the area with Quercus leuchotrichophora dominating at all sites with
highest density (975), frequency (100%), basal cover (133 m²/ha) and IVI (167.20). Total density ranges from 770 to 975
individuals/ha for trees and 225 to 405 for shrubs whereas the total basal area for trees lies between 88.84 and 133 m²/ha.
Species richness and diversity indices slightly vary across the stands studied. Shannon-Wiener Index ranges between 0.93 to
1.99 for trees and 1.34 to 1.93 for shrubs. Simpson’s diversity index varies from 0.70 to 0.93 for tress and 0.73 to 0.84 for shrubs.
Margalef Index ranges between 0.74 to 1.88 for trees and 0.73 to 1.17 for shrubs; Menhenick’s Index lies between 0.20 to 0.44
for trees and 0.33 to 0.41 for shrubs and Peilio’s index ranges from 0.49 to 0.75 for trees and 0.92 to 1.92 for shrubs. The forests
are under severe anthropogenic pressure and demand appropriate management and conservation measures.
Key words: Conservation, ecosystem, floral diversity, forest stands, phytosociology
Key words: Conservation, ecosystem, floral diversity, forest stands, phytosociology
Original Research Article
Anatomical Characteristics of Some Plant Members of Meliaceae from Assam, India
M. K. Singh1, M. Sharma2* and C. L. Sharma2
1.Department of Botany, PDUAM College, Darrang-784001, Assam, India 2.Wood Science and Forest Products Laboratory, Department of Forestry, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science & Technology, Nirjuli- 791109, Arunachal Pradesh, India
Journal of Bioresources 6(2): 33-43 (2019) ISSN 2394-4315
Email: mbs_madhu@yahoo.co.in
View Abstract | PDF
Abstract: Anatomical characteristics of wood are important to understand it as a raw material. The present study was carried
out to investigate the detailed anatomical characteristics and their relationship with wood density in Amoora wallichii King,
Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Chukrasia tabularis A. Juss., Dysoxylum binectariferum (Roxb.) Hook.f. ex Bedd. and Melia
azedarach L. The wood samples were collected from trees with straight bole and uniform crown at breast height. The
anatomical characteristics were studied in cross-section, radial longitudinal section, tangential longitudinal section and macerated
materials. The present study revealed that wood was diffuse porous with indistinct rings in A. wallichii and D. binectariferum
and distinct rings in C. tabularis due to presence of marginal parenchyma bands. Wood was ring porous in M. azedarach and
semi ring porous in A. indica . Solitary, radial multiple of vessels, simple perforation plate, presence of septate fibres, crystals
in rays and chambered axial parenchyma cells were the common features among genera. Multiseriate rays were present in A.
indica and M. azedarach whereas rays were uniseriate, biseriate and multiseriate in A. wallichii , C. tabularis and D. binectariferum .
The anatomical characteristics exhibited significant variations within genera. The fibre percentage was maximum than vessels,
rays and parenchyma. Maximum fibre percentage was present in A. wallichii whereas vessels and rays percentage were
maximum in C. tabularis and D. binectariferum . The relationship between anatomical characteristics and wood density was
too weak to be significant. The selected genera were moderately heavy to heavy. Thus, these genera can be exploited for
different end uses on the basis of their wood density.
Key words: Axial parenchyma, crystals, diffuse porous, radial multiple, vessel-ray pits
Original Research Article
Studies on the Effect of Propolis from Meghalaya, India on the Biochemical and Ultrastructural Changes in Murine Ascites Dalton’s lymphoma
Surya Bali Prasad* and Ibanrikynti Turnia
Cell and Tumor Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, School of life Sciences, North-Eastern Hill University, Umshing-Mawkynroh, Shillong - 793022, India
Journal of Bioresources 6(2): 44-55 (2019) ISSN 2394-4315
Email: sbnehu@gmail.com
View Abstract | PDF
Abstract: Propolis is a resinous mixture that honeybees produce by mixing saliva and beeswax with exudates gathered from
tree buds, sap flows or other botanical sources. Despite its many biological activities, scientific research on propolis is still
limited. The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of propolis from Meghalaya on the biochemical changes and
ultrastructural features in Dalton’s lymphoma (DL) cells so as to understand the possible involvement of these changes in its
antitumor activity. Methanol extract of propolis (MeOH-propolis), as well as cisplatin treatment, caused a significant decrease
in reduced glutathione (GSH), sialic acid and an increase in lipid peroxidation in DL cells. MeOH-propolis-mediated development
of chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation, and irregularities in mitochondrial cristae was also observed in tumor cells.
Cisplatin treatment caused the appearance of small fine microvilli like processes and disruptions in the mitochondrial membrane
and cristae. It is suggested that these ultrastructural changes together with the biochemical changes could assist in its anticancer
activity. The findings show that MeOH-propolis induced changes in DL cells were quite comparable to that of reference
anticancer drug cisplatin. It is suggested that molecular exploration may assist to understand more insight into the MeOHpropolis-
mediated biochemical changes and anticancer activity.
Key words: Dalton’s lymphoma, propolis, Meghalaya, glutathione, sialic acid.
Original Research article
Comparison of Efflux Pump Protein Structures Predicted by different ComputationalTools
Nakul Neog, Minakshi Puzari and Pankaj Chetia*
Department of Life Sciences, Dibrugarh University, Assam- 786004, India
Journal of Bioresources 6(2): 56-60 (2019) ISSN 2394-4315
Email: chetiapankaj@dibru.ac.in
View Abstract | PDF
Abstract: Three-dimensional protein structures are essential in bioinformatics for performing docking operations and molecular
dynamics simulation. The Protein Data Bank (PDB) stores three-dimensional structure of proteins. However not all protein
structures are available in PDB. To solve this problem, various web servers and software packages are available for prediction
of protein structures. Yet before using them, it is important to test which one of them is more accurate. In our study, we
compared the efflux pump protein structures of Shigella flexneri predicted by SWISS-MODEL, EasyModeller, Phyre2 and
RaptorX.The protein sequence of AcrB of Shigella flexneri was retrieved from UniProt and the sequence was aligned using
NCBI- BLAST to get similar structures present in PDB database. After structure prediction in respective web server/software,
structures were visualized in RasMol and Ramachandran Plots were generated and analysed using RAMPAGE. The results
depicted that EasyModeller and Phyre2 showed poor results than RaptorX and SWISS-MODEL. Ramachandran plots of
structure predicted in RaptorX and SWISS-MODEL has 97.3% and 96.8% residues, respectively in favoured region. However,
less no of residues were found in outlier region of structure predicted by SWISS-MODEL than RaptorX. The qualities of
protein structure predicted using RaptorX and SWISS-MODEL can be said to be superior to those of structures predicted by
EasyModeller and Phyre2. So, in order to find the most reliable tool for protein structure prediction, accuracy tests and
validations are need to be done for better results with all the computational tools available.
Key words: EasyModeller, Phyre2, Protein Structure, RaptorX, SWISS-MODEL.
Original Research article
Root of Lasia Spinosa used in Traditional Medicine for Female Reproduction Possesses Compound(s) Capable of Cellular Proliferation: An In-vivo Experimental Evidence on Mice Uterine Tissue
Padmini Boruah*, Indira Sarma, Krishnakshi Misra and Hirendra N. Sarma
Department of Zoology, (Center with Potential for Excellence in Biodiversity) Molecular Endocrinology and Reproductive Biology. Centre with Potential for Excellence in Biodiversity, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar- 791112, India.
Journal of Bioresources 6(2): 61-70 (2019) ISSN 2394-4315
Email: pgboruah646@gmail.com
View Abstract | PDF
Abstract: The root of Lasia spinosa is used to cure dysmenorrhea, a painful cramping sensation occurring just before or
during menstruation in female. This practice is prevailed among certain community of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. A paste
of freshly collected root (approximately 5g in weight) is given orally to women suffering from pain on first day of menstruation.
Based on the traditional information, it has been hypothesized that the root extract of Lasia spinosa may contain phytosteroids
having agonistic property with native estrogen and enhances the endometrial proliferation during menstrual cycle. In the
present study, methanol extract of the dry root of the plant was prepared and used to observe its efficacy on endometrial
cellular proliferation in cyclic mice uterus. It was administered to female albino mice in three doses (250mg/kg, 500mg/kg and
750mg/kg body wt.) through oral route begin with diestrus for 2 consecutive cycles during 7.00 – 9.00 hours. The estrous cycle
of the mice was observed subsequently. The rate of cornification duration of estrous phase and histological study of uterine
epithelium were studied at the end of treatment. Data were analysed using GraphPad Prism and the significance measured
with Tukey’s multiple comparison test at P<0.05. The results showed increase rate of cornification and longer duration of
estrus phase (statistically significant P<0.05) in extract treated females. Increased endometrial proliferation was reflected in
histological sections in dose dependent manner. The experiments indicate that the root extract of the plant have certain degree
of steroidogenic compound which can exert estrogen agonistic effects on mice uterine epithelium.
Key words: Endometrium, estrogenicity, estrous cycle, Lasia spinosa , stromal cell
Original Research Article
Interaction of Butylparaben with Thyroid Hormone Receptors (TR α 1 and
TR β 1) and Level of its mRNA Transcript in Rat liver
Pobi Gogoi and Jogen Ch Kalita*
Department of Zoology, Gauhati University, Gopinath Bordoloi Nagar, Jalukbari, Assam, India, PIN - 781014
Journal of Bioresources 6(2): 71-79 (2019) ISSN 2394-4315
Email: jogenck@yahoo.co.in
View Abstract | PDF
Abstract: Nuclear receptors are susceptible to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and there is growing concern that
environmental EDCs can alter the thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) activities and thereby affecting the downstream signaling
processes. Butylparaben (BP), a widely used synthetic preservative with estrogenic potency has been reported to alter the
normal thyroid homeostasis. However the effect of BP on TRs is not clearly understood yet. This study examined the effect of
BP in three different doses (1mg/kg BW/d, 5 mg/kg BW/d and 10mg/kg BW/d) on the hepatic mRNA transcript of TR α 1
and TR β 1 in rats after 7 days and 21 days of exposure. Molecular docking of BP with TRs was performed by using AutoDock
4.2.6 program. The qPCR findings showed down regulation of TR α 1 in all BP treated rats regardless of the duration of
exposure. It was observed that BP at all the concentrations cause several folds increase in TR β 1 expression. Significant
upregulation was caused at 1mg/kg BW/d (98.96 ± 5.77fold increase) and at 5mg/kg BW/d (63.54 ± 4.48 fold increase) in 7 days
and 21 days of exposure respectively (p<0.05). 17 β -estradiol (0.01mg/kg BW/d) used as positive control also showed similar
results. BP interacted with the amino acids of ligand binding domain (LBD) of both TR α 1 and TR β 1 by hydrogen bonds
and hydrophobic interactions with favourable low binding energies ( Δ G). Differential effects of BP on TR α 1 and TR β 1
expression may be due to specific binding interactions of BP with TRs. Present study has established new insight into the
molecular mechanism of BP related thyrotoxicity in rats.
Key words: Butylparaben, EDCs, LBD, nuclear receptors, thyrotoxicity, TR α 1, TR β 1.
Short Communication
Length-Weight Relationship of Fingerlings of Channa stewartii (Family: Channidae) Reared under Captive Condition
Jyotirmoy Sonowal*, Nipen Nayak, Seuj Dohutia, Rimle Borah and Shyama Prasad Biswas
Freshwater Biology Research Laboratory, Department of Life Sciences, Dibrugarh University, Assam, India. PIN-786004
Journal of Bioresources 6(2): 80-84 (2019) ISSN 2394-4315
Email: jyotirmoyjuli1@gmail.com
View Abstract | PDF
Abstract: The present study deals with length-weight relationships (LWRs) of fingerlings of Channa stewartii (Playfair, 1867)
reared under captive conditions in concrete tanks. LWRs analysis revealed negative allometric growth (b =2.78) which was
within the expected range of 2.5-3.5. The observed b value indicated a negative relationship between fish condition and its
length. High coefficient of determination (r 2=0.96) depicted a strong relationship between length and weight species. Results
drawn from the current study further enhances our knowledge on overall biology of the fish that may prove beneficial in their
management and conservation in near future.
Key words: Allometric growth, captive conditions, expected range, Channa stewartii , length-weight relationship.
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July-December 2019
