This research presents an innovative genetic transformation protocol for marigolds (Tagetes erect... more This research presents an innovative genetic transformation protocol for marigolds (Tagetes erecta L.), a species of great significance in floriculture, impacting both yield and quality. The study introduces seed priming technology as a novel approach and evaluates its effect on the germination rate. The results indicate that the germination rates of pigmented marigold seeds were not significantly affected by Agrobacterium immersion under optimal conditions, although variations were observed in genotypes and treatment parameters. Optimal germination was observed at an optical density (OD600 nm) of 1.3 with a vacuum infiltration time of 10 min. The transgenic plants were confirmed through Basta herbicide resistance, Green florescent protein (GFP) fluorescence screening, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of the GFP gene. After the treatment, the morphological assessments showed genotype-dependent variations in plant height and fresh weight, while the biochemical analysis revealed significant variations in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and root activities. Additionally, the study examined the efficacy of various scarification techniques on seed survival rate, and seed coat removal was found to be the most effective method for marigold transformation. These findings provide a robust foundation for optimizing genetic transformation methods to enhance marigold crop resilience and quality within the floricultural sector.
Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research, Aug 30, 2023
Hemoglobin is the important indicator of functional iron so to find out the hemoglobin level and ... more Hemoglobin is the important indicator of functional iron so to find out the hemoglobin level and hematocrit percentage in blood donors, a study was carried out in two different localities rural and urban areas in Pakistan, to predict the effect of diet on hemoglobin and hematocrit level in blood donors and also to carry out the result of variation in hemoglobin level with time interval. In this study primary data was collected. A sample of 100 donors was collected from Khyber Teaching Hospital of urban area and DHQ of rural area through a well-structured questionnaire. The studies also find out the descriptive statistics of personal attributes of sample donors, which are age and area groups that explore the descriptive statistics of major variables. The mean hemoglobin level of blood donors before donation in urban areas was 13.88 ± 1.85 g/dl and after donation it drops to 12.82 ± 1.80 g/dl. While in rural areas the mean was 13.00 ± 1.52 g/dl before blood donation and after blood donation it drops to 12.81 ± 1.48 g/dl. The major finding of the study shows that 1.12 ± 0.20 g/dl hemoglobin decline in 450 ml of blood after each blood donation. After each blood donation the body takes 50 to 60 minutes to regain its blood volume. The results also reveal that diet counseling has no effect on hemoglobin after a month probably due to already diet consciousness and hematocrit is almost 3 time of hemoglobin. The study also suggests that after blood donation iron rich source of diet must be consumed.
Charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) covered a wide host range and is responsible for causing l... more Charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) covered a wide host range and is responsible for causing losses on more than 500 cultivated and wild plant species. So far in Pakistan it has been reported to cause disease on 67 economic hosts including field crops, pulses, flowers and vegetable. It was first reported in 1982 from sunflower field in Pakistan. The fungus is reported to be soil, seed and stubble borne. Twenty four (24) sunflower genotypes were analyzed under charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) stress conditions. The accessions were planted in a factorial randomized complete block design with three treatments within three replications. Accessions x treatments interaction are significant (P < 0.05) for oil contents and disease incidence. There are three accessions HBRS-5, G-46 and G-54 found highly susceptible to charcoal rot while HBRS-1, A-12 and A-79 are moderately resistance to charcoal rot among the 24 accessions of sunflower. While the remaining accessions have their r...
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oil and food legume crop grown in tropical and subtr... more Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oil and food legume crop grown in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. As a geocarpic crop, it is affected by many soil-borne diseases and pathogens. The pericarp, an inedible part of the seed, acts as the first layer of defense against biotic and abiotic stresses. Pericarp promoters could drive the defenserelated genes specific expression in pericarp for the defense application. Here, we identified a pericarp-abundant promoter (AhGLP17-1P) through microarray and transcriptome analysis. Besides the core promoter elements, several other important cis-elements were identified using online promoter analysis tools. Semiquantitative and qRT-PCR analyses validated that the AhGLP17-1 gene was specifically expressed only in the pericarp, and no expression was detected in leaves, stem, roots, flowers, gynophore/ peg, testa, and embryo in peanut. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants showed strong GUS expression in siliques, while GUS staining was almost absent in remaining tissues, including roots, seedlings, leaf, stem, flowers, cotyledons, embryo, and seed coat confirmed its peanut expressions. Quantitative expression of the GUS gene also supported the GUS staining results. The results strongly suggest that this promoter can drive foreign genes' expression in a pericarp-abundant manner. This is the first study on the functional characterization of the pericarp-abundant promoters in peanut. The results could provide practical significance to improve the resistance of peanut, and other crops for seed protection uses.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Feb 27, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
After water the tea is the biggest beverage use worldwide. This study is aimed to find out the kn... more After water the tea is the biggest beverage use worldwide. This study is aimed to find out the knowledge, attitude and practices of local population of Union Council Koaz Bahram Dehri District Charsada, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan towards green tea. A descriptive observational study was design. Data were collected from 150 subjects through a self design questionnaire. The majority of participants were males belonging to different age groups. The ratio of education was reported low. The local populations have sufficient knowledge about green and also used it for different purposes.
Diet and Time Related Changes in Hemoglobin and Hematocrit Levels in Blood Donors, 2023
Hemoglobin is the important indicator of functional iron so to find out the hemoglobin level and ... more Hemoglobin is the important indicator of functional iron so to find out the hemoglobin level and hematocrit percentage in blood donors, a study was carried out in two different localities rural and urban areas in Pakistan, to predict the effect of diet on hemoglobin and hematocrit level in blood donors and also to carry out the result of variation in hemoglobin level with time interval. In this study primary data was collected. A sample of 100 donors was collected from Khyber Teaching Hospital of urban area and DHQ of rural area through a well-structured questionnaire. The studies also find out the descriptive statistics of personal attributes of sample donors, which are age and area groups that explore the descriptive statistics of major variables. The mean hemoglobin level of blood donors before donation in urban areas was 13.88 ± 1.85 g/dl and after donation it drops to 12.82 ± 1.80 g/dl. While in rural areas the mean was 13.00 ± 1.52 g/dl before blood donation and after blood donation it drops to 12.81 ± 1.48 g/dl. The major finding of the study shows that 1.12 ± 0.20 g/dl hemoglobin decline in 450 ml of blood after each blood donation. After each blood donation the body takes 50 to 60 minutes to regain its blood volume. The results also reveal that diet counseling has no effect on hemoglobin after a month probably due to already diet consciousness and hematocrit is almost 3 time of hemoglobin. The study also suggests that after blood donation iron rich source of diet must be consumed.
Genetic diversity in 30 genotypes of Pumpkins was collected from unexplored mountainous areas of ... more Genetic diversity in 30 genotypes of Pumpkins was collected from unexplored mountainous areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan was investigated through biochemical characterization. For biochemical characterization, Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis was carried out. The seed proteins were resolved on 7.5% and 15% polyacrylamide gel. A total of 35% genetic disagreement was observed in the collected lines with linkage distances ranging from 0.00-0.83 (percent disagreement). Similarly, cluster analysis sorted total germplasm on the basis of 12 bands (total bands) into eight clusters. Present study revealed a considerable amount of genetic diversity explored in pumpkin germplasm, Cluster analysis exhibited moderate level of genetic diversity; to broaden the gene pool. Further collection of the important germplasm is needed to be used in the development of improved cultivars with respect to quality and quantity.
GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) is a member of the myeloblastosis (MYB) family transcription factor and it pla... more GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) is a member of the myeloblastosis (MYB) family transcription factor and it plays an important role in the regulation of plastid development and stress tolerance. In this study, a gene named AhGLK1b was identified from a cultivated peanut showing down-regulation in response to low calcium with a complete open reading frame (ORF) of 1212 bp. The AhGLK1b has 99.26% and 96.28% sequence similarities with its orthologs in Arachis ipaensis and A. duranensis, respectively. In the peanut, the AhGLK1b was localized in the nucleus and demonstrated the highest expression in the leaf, followed by the embryo. Furthermore, the expression of AhGLK1b was induced significantly in response to a bacterial pathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum infection. Ectopic expression of AhGLK1b in Arabidopsis showed stronger resistance against important phytopathogenic fungi S. sclerotiorum. It also exhibited high resistance to infection of the bacterial pathogen Pst DC3000. AhGLK1b-expressing Arabid...
Key message Two novel resistant QTLs mapped and candidate genes identified for Aspergillus flavus... more Key message Two novel resistant QTLs mapped and candidate genes identified for Aspergillus flavus resistance in cultivated peanut using SLAF-seq. Abstract Aflatoxin contamination in peanuts caused by Aspergillus flavus is a serious food safety issue for human health around the world. Host plant resistance to fungal infection and reduction in aflatoxin are crucial for mitigating this problem. Identification of the resistance-linked markers can be used in marker-assisted breeding for varietal development. Here we report construction of two high-density genetic linkage maps with 1975 SNP loci and 5022 SNP loci, respectively. Two consistent quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified as qRAF-3-1 and qRAF-14-1, which located on chromosomes A03 and B04, respectively. QTL qRAF-3-1 was mapped within 1.67 cM and had more than 19% phenotypic variance explained (PVE), while qRAF-14-1 was located within 1.34 cM with 5.15% PVE. While comparing with the reference genome, the mapped QTLs, qRAF-3-1 and qRAF-14-1, were located within a physical distance of 1.44 Megabase pair (Mbp) and 2.22 Mbp, harboring 67 and 137 genes, respectively. Among the identified candidate genes, six genes with the same function were found within both QTLs regions. In addition, putative disease resistance RPP13-like protein 1 (RPP13), lipoxygenase (Lox), WRKY transcription factor (WRKY) and cytochrome P450 71B34 genes were also identified. Using microarray analysis, genes responded to A. flavus infection included coding for RPP13, pentatricopeptide repeat-containing-like protein, and Lox which may be possible candidate genes for resistance to A. flavus. The QTLs and candidate genes will further facilitate marker development and validation of genes for deployment in the molecular breeding programs against A. flavus in peanuts. Communicated by David A. Lightfoot. Shahid Ali Khan and Hua Chen have equally contributed.
Datura metel is traditionally used as a remedy for renal toxicity. However, the nephroprotection ... more Datura metel is traditionally used as a remedy for renal toxicity. However, the nephroprotection has not been scientifically validated yet. To evaluate the nephroprotective like effect of methanolic extract of D. metel in gentamicin induced mice model, mice of either sex were divided into groups. One group received normal saline as negative control. The 2nd group received gentamicin 100mg/kg for 8 days as positive control, 3rd group received 50mg/kg silymarin as standard, while the reaming groups received 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg of MEDM and gentamicin 100mg/kg, for 8 days. The blood and urine samples were collected on 9th day, animals were then dissected and whole kidneys were removed and preserved in formalin for later histological examinations. The level of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urine creatinine and urine urea were significantly (P<0.05) elevated and the renal MDA level was also elevated significantly (P<0.05) by gentamicin in mice. After the treatment of tes...
In spite of the remarkable achievements in the healthcare sector over recent decades, inequities ... more In spite of the remarkable achievements in the healthcare sector over recent decades, inequities in accessibility and affordability of these facilities coexist throughout Pakistan. Thus, we aimed to explore and document the cultural knowledge of herbal teas used medicinally by the local community members of Manoor Valley, Pakistan. Field investigations were undertaken during the summer season of 2015–2017, and cultural practices of medicinal plant usage for treating various ailments were gathered through interviews of the local inhabitants. Ethnomedicinal insights of the medicinal plants used in herbal teas were gained with different indexes. Our results revealed 27 plant species, comprising of herbs (70%), shrubs (26%), and trees (4%), which were used for treating 21 diseases. Plants belonged to 18 families: Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were the leading families used for treating diseases. Diarrhea and gas troubles were the most frequent diseases. Based on indexes values, Cannabis sati...
Similarity Indices are widely applied in the field of ecology to measure species diversity as wel... more Similarity Indices are widely applied in the field of ecology to measure species diversity as well as to map patterns of conservation and monitor threats to biodiversity. Among the known, Jaccard's and Sorensen's indices are the most frequently employed similarity Indices. Here, we propose a new and efficient statistical approach in the field of ethnobiology and validate its efficacy by comparing the results with predefined similarity Indices used in previous studies. The core objective was to propose a new index for quantitative ethnobiological analyses and to find out solutions for sorting the plants having similar ethnobiological uses in allied, aligned, national and global regions; as the pre-existing indices like Jaccard's and Sorensen's indices provides best estimates in the field of ecology but not in ethnobiological studies. In comparative ethnobiological studies, ethnobiologists use conventional ecological tools for evaluation of similarities and dissimilarities. Our proposed similarity index is based on the quantification of similar uses of common medicinal plants via comparing present study with previously published reports from various areas where, the author(s) have used the Sorensen's index and/or Jaccard's index. To assess the significance and validity of this newly developed index, similarities and differences in ethnomedicinal studies on medicinal plants in different regions were evaluated. Data regarding medicinal plants usage here was compared with 20 previously published studies and then analyzed through preexisting indices as well as Rahman's index to examine the novelty in the study. Our preliminary results revealed noteworthy coherence with the existing similarity indices, albeit, the new index was more efficient than the previous. Our comparison revealed, that as far as common vegetation and floral levels are concerned, the existing ecological coefficients of similarity are efficient and precise; but for similarities in the field of medicinal plant studies certain constraints are overcome by the proposed similarity index. Inferences derived from Rahman's similarity index (RSI) are as reliable as the previously known and well-established similarity indices. Further, RSI specifically targets the ethnobiological similarities, a limitation in Jaccard's and Sorensen's indices. Thus, RSI would be a useful tool/index in the assessment of rigorous quantitative ethnobiological data.
Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 2014
Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an allohexaploid specie, consist of three genomes AABBDD ha... more Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an allohexaploid specie, consist of three genomes AABBDD having 2n = 6x = 42 chromosomes. The wheat is a staple food of human beings due to its bread making quality which is composed of seed storage proteins of wheat especially High Molecular Weight Glutenins (HMW-GS). During present research, HMW-GS were analyzed in genetic stocks of common wheat consist of Nullisomictetrasomic, ditelosomic and deletion lines of group 3 homoeologous chromosomes by Sodium Dodecyle Sulpahate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Protocol for protein extraction and separation was optimized. The protein profiles were used to estimate genetic distances and Phylogenetic relationships among the genetic stocks were evaluated. Genetic stocks showed different banding patterns and each protein band was considered as a locus/allele. Alleles were scored as present (1) and absent (0) to generate bivariate 1-0 data matrix. A total of 45 alleles were amplified. Genetic distance among the genetic stocks ranged from 0-72%. A dendrogram was constructed using computer program Pop Gene version 3.2. Genetic stocks of wheat were clustered in 3group A, B and C comprising 4, 4 and 1 genotypes, respectively. Maximum differences were observed among Dit-3BS and NT-3B3D and hence it is recommended that these 2 genetic stocks should be crossed to obtain maximum genetic diversity in the segregating population of wheat.
BMC complementary and alternative medicine, Jan 7, 2017
Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) make a diverse and huge group of bio-active constituents that have ... more Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) make a diverse and huge group of bio-active constituents that have been isolated from several plant families. However, the greatest numbers are present in Asteraceae family having more than 3000 different reported structures. Recently several researchers have reported that STLs have significant antioxidant and anticancer potentials. To investigate the antioxidant, anticancer and antinociceptive potentials of STLs, gravity column chromatography technique was used for isolation from the biologically rich chloroform fraction of Artemisia macrocephala Jacquem. The antioxidant activity of the isolated STLs was determined by DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activity, anticancer activity was determined on 3 T3, HeLa and MCF-7 cells by MTT assay while the antinociceptive activity was determined through acetic acid induced writhings, tail immersion method and formalin induced nociception method. The results showed that the STLs of Artemisia macrocephala pos...
This study was conducted for investigating potentials of methanolic extract (Am. CME) and subsequ... more This study was conducted for investigating potentials of methanolic extract (Am. CME) and subsequent fractions of Artemisia macrocephala (A. macrocephala) for the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and cyclo-oxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2). Ellman's assay was followed for the investigation of AChE and BChE inhibitory potentials of Am. CME and subsequent fractions of A. macrocephala while cyclo-oxygenase inhibition was investigated using a COX inhibition assay. For AChE inhibitory assay, chloroform (Am.CHF), ethyl acetate (Am.EtOAc) fractions and Am.CME showed 85.76 ± 1.49, 77.50 ± 0.86 and 71.00 ± 1.15 % inhibition of the enzyme respectively at 1000µg/mL concentration. Similarly, for BChE inhibition assay, Am.CHF, Am.EtOAc and Am. CME showed 82.56±0.68, 73.56 ± 1.56 and 68.55±0.81% inhibition of the enzyme respectively at 1000µg/mL concentration. Am.CHF and Am.CME were found to be most active against COX-1 and COX-2. Against COX-1, AmCHF and Am.CME showed 75.23 ± 0.98 and 73.33 ± 0.46% inhibition respectively at 1000µg/mL concentration. Similarly against COX-2, they showed 81.23 ± 1.23 and 79.40 ± 0.46% respectively at 1000µg/mL concentration. It can be concluded from results that Artemisia macrocephala can be used in the treatment of cognitive disorders, along with neurodegenerative ailments, various neuro-pharmacological ailments and certain painful conditions.
Background: Artemisia macrocephala Jacquem (A. macrocephala), locally known as "Tarkha", is a per... more Background: Artemisia macrocephala Jacquem (A. macrocephala), locally known as "Tarkha", is a perennial plant found abundantly in northern areas of Pakistan. It is widely used in traditional medicine to treat fever, pain, gastrointestinal disorders and diabetes. Till date, no published studies are available regarding the in-vivo antinociceptive potential of the crude extract and sub-fractions from the aerial parts of A. macrocephala. Methods: Antinociceptive effects of the crude methanolic extract and its sub-fractions were assessed using experimental pain models, including chemical nociception induced by intraperitoneal acetic acid or subplantar formalin injection and thermal nociception like tail immersion test in-vivo. Results: The administration of various doses of crude extract and its fractions showed a dose-dependent indomethacin like antinociceptive effect in acetic acid induced writhing, subplantar formalin injection animal model suggesting the involvement of central mechanism of pain inhibition. Moreover, the crude extract and sub-fractions, on tail flick model (thermal nociception) demonstrated the involvement of central mechanism and significantly increased the latency time to 66.54, 82.94 and 70.53 %. The antagonistic study proposed the possible involvement of opioid receptor using naloxone as non-selective antagonist. The pharmacologically active chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions were further subjected to column chromatography that lead to the isolation four compounds. These isolated compounds were then subjected to various spectroscopic techniques upon which they were confirmed to be one sterol and three flavonoid derivatives. These findings suggest that Artemisia macrocephala possesses peripheral and central analgesic potentials partially associated with opioid system that support its folkloric use for the management of pain. The isolated compounds are currently under investigation in our laboratory for analgesic activity and its possible mechanism of action. The results in this study provide evidences that A. macrocrphala has anticonciceptive effects and can be used for treatment of pain in traditional therapies. This study opens a new channel for isolation of analgesic compounds from the specie that is used traditionally for the management of pain.
Consistent isolation of best quality deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.... more Consistent isolation of best quality deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is particularly problematic due to the presence of phenolic compounds and polysaccharides. Inconsistencies in extraction results can be attributed to the age and growth stages of the plant material analyzed. Mature leaves have higher quantities of polyphenols, tannins and polysaccharides that can contaminate DNA during isolation. In this study, we used fresh and dried leaves as well as seeds for optimization of high quality DNA isolation protocols from A. hypogaea. The DNA extracted with three different methods cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and cesium chloride (CsCl) density gradient) were comparatively studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis in terms of quantity and quality. High quality genomic DNA was obtained from fresh leaves by modified CTAB methods. The DNA obtained ranged from 1 to 2.5 ng/μl. DNA obtained by this method was strong and reliable showing its compatibility for simple sequence repeat (SSR) analyses. The SDS based methodology give large quantities of DNA contaminated with polysaccharides. Fresh leaves also gave best result in SDS method. The quantity and quality of DNA obtained was very poor in all the tested methods in case of dried leaf tissues. The current protocol will probably be useful for the extraction of high-molecular weight DNA from other plant materials containing large amounts of secondary metabolites and essential oils.
This research presents an innovative genetic transformation protocol for marigolds (Tagetes erect... more This research presents an innovative genetic transformation protocol for marigolds (Tagetes erecta L.), a species of great significance in floriculture, impacting both yield and quality. The study introduces seed priming technology as a novel approach and evaluates its effect on the germination rate. The results indicate that the germination rates of pigmented marigold seeds were not significantly affected by Agrobacterium immersion under optimal conditions, although variations were observed in genotypes and treatment parameters. Optimal germination was observed at an optical density (OD600 nm) of 1.3 with a vacuum infiltration time of 10 min. The transgenic plants were confirmed through Basta herbicide resistance, Green florescent protein (GFP) fluorescence screening, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) detection of the GFP gene. After the treatment, the morphological assessments showed genotype-dependent variations in plant height and fresh weight, while the biochemical analysis revealed significant variations in malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and root activities. Additionally, the study examined the efficacy of various scarification techniques on seed survival rate, and seed coat removal was found to be the most effective method for marigold transformation. These findings provide a robust foundation for optimizing genetic transformation methods to enhance marigold crop resilience and quality within the floricultural sector.
Biomedical Journal of Scientific and Technical Research, Aug 30, 2023
Hemoglobin is the important indicator of functional iron so to find out the hemoglobin level and ... more Hemoglobin is the important indicator of functional iron so to find out the hemoglobin level and hematocrit percentage in blood donors, a study was carried out in two different localities rural and urban areas in Pakistan, to predict the effect of diet on hemoglobin and hematocrit level in blood donors and also to carry out the result of variation in hemoglobin level with time interval. In this study primary data was collected. A sample of 100 donors was collected from Khyber Teaching Hospital of urban area and DHQ of rural area through a well-structured questionnaire. The studies also find out the descriptive statistics of personal attributes of sample donors, which are age and area groups that explore the descriptive statistics of major variables. The mean hemoglobin level of blood donors before donation in urban areas was 13.88 ± 1.85 g/dl and after donation it drops to 12.82 ± 1.80 g/dl. While in rural areas the mean was 13.00 ± 1.52 g/dl before blood donation and after blood donation it drops to 12.81 ± 1.48 g/dl. The major finding of the study shows that 1.12 ± 0.20 g/dl hemoglobin decline in 450 ml of blood after each blood donation. After each blood donation the body takes 50 to 60 minutes to regain its blood volume. The results also reveal that diet counseling has no effect on hemoglobin after a month probably due to already diet consciousness and hematocrit is almost 3 time of hemoglobin. The study also suggests that after blood donation iron rich source of diet must be consumed.
Charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) covered a wide host range and is responsible for causing l... more Charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) covered a wide host range and is responsible for causing losses on more than 500 cultivated and wild plant species. So far in Pakistan it has been reported to cause disease on 67 economic hosts including field crops, pulses, flowers and vegetable. It was first reported in 1982 from sunflower field in Pakistan. The fungus is reported to be soil, seed and stubble borne. Twenty four (24) sunflower genotypes were analyzed under charcoal rot (Macrophomina phaseolina) stress conditions. The accessions were planted in a factorial randomized complete block design with three treatments within three replications. Accessions x treatments interaction are significant (P < 0.05) for oil contents and disease incidence. There are three accessions HBRS-5, G-46 and G-54 found highly susceptible to charcoal rot while HBRS-1, A-12 and A-79 are moderately resistance to charcoal rot among the 24 accessions of sunflower. While the remaining accessions have their r...
Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oil and food legume crop grown in tropical and subtr... more Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important oil and food legume crop grown in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. As a geocarpic crop, it is affected by many soil-borne diseases and pathogens. The pericarp, an inedible part of the seed, acts as the first layer of defense against biotic and abiotic stresses. Pericarp promoters could drive the defenserelated genes specific expression in pericarp for the defense application. Here, we identified a pericarp-abundant promoter (AhGLP17-1P) through microarray and transcriptome analysis. Besides the core promoter elements, several other important cis-elements were identified using online promoter analysis tools. Semiquantitative and qRT-PCR analyses validated that the AhGLP17-1 gene was specifically expressed only in the pericarp, and no expression was detected in leaves, stem, roots, flowers, gynophore/ peg, testa, and embryo in peanut. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants showed strong GUS expression in siliques, while GUS staining was almost absent in remaining tissues, including roots, seedlings, leaf, stem, flowers, cotyledons, embryo, and seed coat confirmed its peanut expressions. Quantitative expression of the GUS gene also supported the GUS staining results. The results strongly suggest that this promoter can drive foreign genes' expression in a pericarp-abundant manner. This is the first study on the functional characterization of the pericarp-abundant promoters in peanut. The results could provide practical significance to improve the resistance of peanut, and other crops for seed protection uses.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, Feb 27, 2023
This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY
After water the tea is the biggest beverage use worldwide. This study is aimed to find out the kn... more After water the tea is the biggest beverage use worldwide. This study is aimed to find out the knowledge, attitude and practices of local population of Union Council Koaz Bahram Dehri District Charsada, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Pakistan towards green tea. A descriptive observational study was design. Data were collected from 150 subjects through a self design questionnaire. The majority of participants were males belonging to different age groups. The ratio of education was reported low. The local populations have sufficient knowledge about green and also used it for different purposes.
Diet and Time Related Changes in Hemoglobin and Hematocrit Levels in Blood Donors, 2023
Hemoglobin is the important indicator of functional iron so to find out the hemoglobin level and ... more Hemoglobin is the important indicator of functional iron so to find out the hemoglobin level and hematocrit percentage in blood donors, a study was carried out in two different localities rural and urban areas in Pakistan, to predict the effect of diet on hemoglobin and hematocrit level in blood donors and also to carry out the result of variation in hemoglobin level with time interval. In this study primary data was collected. A sample of 100 donors was collected from Khyber Teaching Hospital of urban area and DHQ of rural area through a well-structured questionnaire. The studies also find out the descriptive statistics of personal attributes of sample donors, which are age and area groups that explore the descriptive statistics of major variables. The mean hemoglobin level of blood donors before donation in urban areas was 13.88 ± 1.85 g/dl and after donation it drops to 12.82 ± 1.80 g/dl. While in rural areas the mean was 13.00 ± 1.52 g/dl before blood donation and after blood donation it drops to 12.81 ± 1.48 g/dl. The major finding of the study shows that 1.12 ± 0.20 g/dl hemoglobin decline in 450 ml of blood after each blood donation. After each blood donation the body takes 50 to 60 minutes to regain its blood volume. The results also reveal that diet counseling has no effect on hemoglobin after a month probably due to already diet consciousness and hematocrit is almost 3 time of hemoglobin. The study also suggests that after blood donation iron rich source of diet must be consumed.
Genetic diversity in 30 genotypes of Pumpkins was collected from unexplored mountainous areas of ... more Genetic diversity in 30 genotypes of Pumpkins was collected from unexplored mountainous areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan was investigated through biochemical characterization. For biochemical characterization, Sodium Dodecyl Sulphate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis was carried out. The seed proteins were resolved on 7.5% and 15% polyacrylamide gel. A total of 35% genetic disagreement was observed in the collected lines with linkage distances ranging from 0.00-0.83 (percent disagreement). Similarly, cluster analysis sorted total germplasm on the basis of 12 bands (total bands) into eight clusters. Present study revealed a considerable amount of genetic diversity explored in pumpkin germplasm, Cluster analysis exhibited moderate level of genetic diversity; to broaden the gene pool. Further collection of the important germplasm is needed to be used in the development of improved cultivars with respect to quality and quantity.
GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) is a member of the myeloblastosis (MYB) family transcription factor and it pla... more GOLDEN2-LIKE (GLK) is a member of the myeloblastosis (MYB) family transcription factor and it plays an important role in the regulation of plastid development and stress tolerance. In this study, a gene named AhGLK1b was identified from a cultivated peanut showing down-regulation in response to low calcium with a complete open reading frame (ORF) of 1212 bp. The AhGLK1b has 99.26% and 96.28% sequence similarities with its orthologs in Arachis ipaensis and A. duranensis, respectively. In the peanut, the AhGLK1b was localized in the nucleus and demonstrated the highest expression in the leaf, followed by the embryo. Furthermore, the expression of AhGLK1b was induced significantly in response to a bacterial pathogen, Ralstonia solanacearum infection. Ectopic expression of AhGLK1b in Arabidopsis showed stronger resistance against important phytopathogenic fungi S. sclerotiorum. It also exhibited high resistance to infection of the bacterial pathogen Pst DC3000. AhGLK1b-expressing Arabid...
Key message Two novel resistant QTLs mapped and candidate genes identified for Aspergillus flavus... more Key message Two novel resistant QTLs mapped and candidate genes identified for Aspergillus flavus resistance in cultivated peanut using SLAF-seq. Abstract Aflatoxin contamination in peanuts caused by Aspergillus flavus is a serious food safety issue for human health around the world. Host plant resistance to fungal infection and reduction in aflatoxin are crucial for mitigating this problem. Identification of the resistance-linked markers can be used in marker-assisted breeding for varietal development. Here we report construction of two high-density genetic linkage maps with 1975 SNP loci and 5022 SNP loci, respectively. Two consistent quantitative trait loci (QTL) were identified as qRAF-3-1 and qRAF-14-1, which located on chromosomes A03 and B04, respectively. QTL qRAF-3-1 was mapped within 1.67 cM and had more than 19% phenotypic variance explained (PVE), while qRAF-14-1 was located within 1.34 cM with 5.15% PVE. While comparing with the reference genome, the mapped QTLs, qRAF-3-1 and qRAF-14-1, were located within a physical distance of 1.44 Megabase pair (Mbp) and 2.22 Mbp, harboring 67 and 137 genes, respectively. Among the identified candidate genes, six genes with the same function were found within both QTLs regions. In addition, putative disease resistance RPP13-like protein 1 (RPP13), lipoxygenase (Lox), WRKY transcription factor (WRKY) and cytochrome P450 71B34 genes were also identified. Using microarray analysis, genes responded to A. flavus infection included coding for RPP13, pentatricopeptide repeat-containing-like protein, and Lox which may be possible candidate genes for resistance to A. flavus. The QTLs and candidate genes will further facilitate marker development and validation of genes for deployment in the molecular breeding programs against A. flavus in peanuts. Communicated by David A. Lightfoot. Shahid Ali Khan and Hua Chen have equally contributed.
Datura metel is traditionally used as a remedy for renal toxicity. However, the nephroprotection ... more Datura metel is traditionally used as a remedy for renal toxicity. However, the nephroprotection has not been scientifically validated yet. To evaluate the nephroprotective like effect of methanolic extract of D. metel in gentamicin induced mice model, mice of either sex were divided into groups. One group received normal saline as negative control. The 2nd group received gentamicin 100mg/kg for 8 days as positive control, 3rd group received 50mg/kg silymarin as standard, while the reaming groups received 100, 200 and 300 mg/kg of MEDM and gentamicin 100mg/kg, for 8 days. The blood and urine samples were collected on 9th day, animals were then dissected and whole kidneys were removed and preserved in formalin for later histological examinations. The level of serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, urine creatinine and urine urea were significantly (P<0.05) elevated and the renal MDA level was also elevated significantly (P<0.05) by gentamicin in mice. After the treatment of tes...
In spite of the remarkable achievements in the healthcare sector over recent decades, inequities ... more In spite of the remarkable achievements in the healthcare sector over recent decades, inequities in accessibility and affordability of these facilities coexist throughout Pakistan. Thus, we aimed to explore and document the cultural knowledge of herbal teas used medicinally by the local community members of Manoor Valley, Pakistan. Field investigations were undertaken during the summer season of 2015–2017, and cultural practices of medicinal plant usage for treating various ailments were gathered through interviews of the local inhabitants. Ethnomedicinal insights of the medicinal plants used in herbal teas were gained with different indexes. Our results revealed 27 plant species, comprising of herbs (70%), shrubs (26%), and trees (4%), which were used for treating 21 diseases. Plants belonged to 18 families: Asteraceae and Lamiaceae were the leading families used for treating diseases. Diarrhea and gas troubles were the most frequent diseases. Based on indexes values, Cannabis sati...
Similarity Indices are widely applied in the field of ecology to measure species diversity as wel... more Similarity Indices are widely applied in the field of ecology to measure species diversity as well as to map patterns of conservation and monitor threats to biodiversity. Among the known, Jaccard's and Sorensen's indices are the most frequently employed similarity Indices. Here, we propose a new and efficient statistical approach in the field of ethnobiology and validate its efficacy by comparing the results with predefined similarity Indices used in previous studies. The core objective was to propose a new index for quantitative ethnobiological analyses and to find out solutions for sorting the plants having similar ethnobiological uses in allied, aligned, national and global regions; as the pre-existing indices like Jaccard's and Sorensen's indices provides best estimates in the field of ecology but not in ethnobiological studies. In comparative ethnobiological studies, ethnobiologists use conventional ecological tools for evaluation of similarities and dissimilarities. Our proposed similarity index is based on the quantification of similar uses of common medicinal plants via comparing present study with previously published reports from various areas where, the author(s) have used the Sorensen's index and/or Jaccard's index. To assess the significance and validity of this newly developed index, similarities and differences in ethnomedicinal studies on medicinal plants in different regions were evaluated. Data regarding medicinal plants usage here was compared with 20 previously published studies and then analyzed through preexisting indices as well as Rahman's index to examine the novelty in the study. Our preliminary results revealed noteworthy coherence with the existing similarity indices, albeit, the new index was more efficient than the previous. Our comparison revealed, that as far as common vegetation and floral levels are concerned, the existing ecological coefficients of similarity are efficient and precise; but for similarities in the field of medicinal plant studies certain constraints are overcome by the proposed similarity index. Inferences derived from Rahman's similarity index (RSI) are as reliable as the previously known and well-established similarity indices. Further, RSI specifically targets the ethnobiological similarities, a limitation in Jaccard's and Sorensen's indices. Thus, RSI would be a useful tool/index in the assessment of rigorous quantitative ethnobiological data.
Current Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 2014
Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an allohexaploid specie, consist of three genomes AABBDD ha... more Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is an allohexaploid specie, consist of three genomes AABBDD having 2n = 6x = 42 chromosomes. The wheat is a staple food of human beings due to its bread making quality which is composed of seed storage proteins of wheat especially High Molecular Weight Glutenins (HMW-GS). During present research, HMW-GS were analyzed in genetic stocks of common wheat consist of Nullisomictetrasomic, ditelosomic and deletion lines of group 3 homoeologous chromosomes by Sodium Dodecyle Sulpahate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Protocol for protein extraction and separation was optimized. The protein profiles were used to estimate genetic distances and Phylogenetic relationships among the genetic stocks were evaluated. Genetic stocks showed different banding patterns and each protein band was considered as a locus/allele. Alleles were scored as present (1) and absent (0) to generate bivariate 1-0 data matrix. A total of 45 alleles were amplified. Genetic distance among the genetic stocks ranged from 0-72%. A dendrogram was constructed using computer program Pop Gene version 3.2. Genetic stocks of wheat were clustered in 3group A, B and C comprising 4, 4 and 1 genotypes, respectively. Maximum differences were observed among Dit-3BS and NT-3B3D and hence it is recommended that these 2 genetic stocks should be crossed to obtain maximum genetic diversity in the segregating population of wheat.
BMC complementary and alternative medicine, Jan 7, 2017
Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) make a diverse and huge group of bio-active constituents that have ... more Sesquiterpene lactones (STLs) make a diverse and huge group of bio-active constituents that have been isolated from several plant families. However, the greatest numbers are present in Asteraceae family having more than 3000 different reported structures. Recently several researchers have reported that STLs have significant antioxidant and anticancer potentials. To investigate the antioxidant, anticancer and antinociceptive potentials of STLs, gravity column chromatography technique was used for isolation from the biologically rich chloroform fraction of Artemisia macrocephala Jacquem. The antioxidant activity of the isolated STLs was determined by DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activity, anticancer activity was determined on 3 T3, HeLa and MCF-7 cells by MTT assay while the antinociceptive activity was determined through acetic acid induced writhings, tail immersion method and formalin induced nociception method. The results showed that the STLs of Artemisia macrocephala pos...
This study was conducted for investigating potentials of methanolic extract (Am. CME) and subsequ... more This study was conducted for investigating potentials of methanolic extract (Am. CME) and subsequent fractions of Artemisia macrocephala (A. macrocephala) for the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and cyclo-oxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2). Ellman's assay was followed for the investigation of AChE and BChE inhibitory potentials of Am. CME and subsequent fractions of A. macrocephala while cyclo-oxygenase inhibition was investigated using a COX inhibition assay. For AChE inhibitory assay, chloroform (Am.CHF), ethyl acetate (Am.EtOAc) fractions and Am.CME showed 85.76 ± 1.49, 77.50 ± 0.86 and 71.00 ± 1.15 % inhibition of the enzyme respectively at 1000µg/mL concentration. Similarly, for BChE inhibition assay, Am.CHF, Am.EtOAc and Am. CME showed 82.56±0.68, 73.56 ± 1.56 and 68.55±0.81% inhibition of the enzyme respectively at 1000µg/mL concentration. Am.CHF and Am.CME were found to be most active against COX-1 and COX-2. Against COX-1, AmCHF and Am.CME showed 75.23 ± 0.98 and 73.33 ± 0.46% inhibition respectively at 1000µg/mL concentration. Similarly against COX-2, they showed 81.23 ± 1.23 and 79.40 ± 0.46% respectively at 1000µg/mL concentration. It can be concluded from results that Artemisia macrocephala can be used in the treatment of cognitive disorders, along with neurodegenerative ailments, various neuro-pharmacological ailments and certain painful conditions.
Background: Artemisia macrocephala Jacquem (A. macrocephala), locally known as "Tarkha", is a per... more Background: Artemisia macrocephala Jacquem (A. macrocephala), locally known as "Tarkha", is a perennial plant found abundantly in northern areas of Pakistan. It is widely used in traditional medicine to treat fever, pain, gastrointestinal disorders and diabetes. Till date, no published studies are available regarding the in-vivo antinociceptive potential of the crude extract and sub-fractions from the aerial parts of A. macrocephala. Methods: Antinociceptive effects of the crude methanolic extract and its sub-fractions were assessed using experimental pain models, including chemical nociception induced by intraperitoneal acetic acid or subplantar formalin injection and thermal nociception like tail immersion test in-vivo. Results: The administration of various doses of crude extract and its fractions showed a dose-dependent indomethacin like antinociceptive effect in acetic acid induced writhing, subplantar formalin injection animal model suggesting the involvement of central mechanism of pain inhibition. Moreover, the crude extract and sub-fractions, on tail flick model (thermal nociception) demonstrated the involvement of central mechanism and significantly increased the latency time to 66.54, 82.94 and 70.53 %. The antagonistic study proposed the possible involvement of opioid receptor using naloxone as non-selective antagonist. The pharmacologically active chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions were further subjected to column chromatography that lead to the isolation four compounds. These isolated compounds were then subjected to various spectroscopic techniques upon which they were confirmed to be one sterol and three flavonoid derivatives. These findings suggest that Artemisia macrocephala possesses peripheral and central analgesic potentials partially associated with opioid system that support its folkloric use for the management of pain. The isolated compounds are currently under investigation in our laboratory for analgesic activity and its possible mechanism of action. The results in this study provide evidences that A. macrocrphala has anticonciceptive effects and can be used for treatment of pain in traditional therapies. This study opens a new channel for isolation of analgesic compounds from the specie that is used traditionally for the management of pain.
Consistent isolation of best quality deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.... more Consistent isolation of best quality deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is particularly problematic due to the presence of phenolic compounds and polysaccharides. Inconsistencies in extraction results can be attributed to the age and growth stages of the plant material analyzed. Mature leaves have higher quantities of polyphenols, tannins and polysaccharides that can contaminate DNA during isolation. In this study, we used fresh and dried leaves as well as seeds for optimization of high quality DNA isolation protocols from A. hypogaea. The DNA extracted with three different methods cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), and cesium chloride (CsCl) density gradient) were comparatively studied by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis in terms of quantity and quality. High quality genomic DNA was obtained from fresh leaves by modified CTAB methods. The DNA obtained ranged from 1 to 2.5 ng/μl. DNA obtained by this method was strong and reliable showing its compatibility for simple sequence repeat (SSR) analyses. The SDS based methodology give large quantities of DNA contaminated with polysaccharides. Fresh leaves also gave best result in SDS method. The quantity and quality of DNA obtained was very poor in all the tested methods in case of dried leaf tissues. The current protocol will probably be useful for the extraction of high-molecular weight DNA from other plant materials containing large amounts of secondary metabolites and essential oils.
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