College of Marine Life Sciences

The colony hybridization method was presented for isolating microsatellite markers in Zhikong scallop, Chlamys farreri. We designed primers to amplify 26 unique microsatellites. Fourteen primer pairs amplified clearly and were polymorphic. Based on characterization with 60 unrelated individuals, the number of alleles ranges from two to 13, and the expected heterozygosity ranges from 0.22 to 0.91. These markers have the potential for genetic studies in population structure and intraspecific variation.

A new DNA computing algorithm based on a ligase chain reaction is demonstrated to solve an SAT problem. The proposed DNA algorithm can solve an n-variable m-clause SAT problem in m steps and the computation time required is O (3m + n). Instead of generating the full-solution DNA library, we start with an empty test tube and then generate solutions that partially satisfy the SAT formula. These partial solutions are then extended step by step by the ligation of new variables using Taq DNA ligase. Correct strands are amplified and false strands are pruned by a ligase chain reaction (LCR) as soon as they fail to satisfy the conditions. If we score and sort the clauses, we can use this algorithm to markedly reduce the number of DNA strands required throughout the computing process. In a computer simulation, the maximum number of DNA strands required was 20.48n when n = 50, and the exponent ratio varied inversely with the number of variables n and the clause/variable ratio m/n. This algorithm is highly space-efficient and error-tolerant compared to conventional brute-force searching, and thus can be scaled-up to solve large and hard SAT problems.

Antisense oligonucleotides targeting microRNAs or their mRNA targets prove to be powerful tools for molecular biology research and may eventually emerge as new therapeutic agents. Synthetic oligonucleotides are often contaminated with highly homologous failure sequences. Synthesis of a certain oligonucleotide is difficult to scale up because it requires expensive equipment, hazardous chemicals and a tedious purification process. Here we report a novel thermocyclic reaction, polymerase-endonuclease amplification reaction (PEAR), for the amplification of oligonucleotides. A target oligonucleotide and a tandem repeated antisense probe are subjected to repeated cycles of denaturing, annealing, elongation and cleaving, in which thermostable DNA polymerase elongation and strand slipping generate duplex tandem repeats, and thermostable endonuclease (PspGI) cleavage releases monomeric duplex oligonucleotides. Each round of PEAR achieves over 100-fold amplification. The product can be used in one more round of PEAR directly, and the process can be further repeated. In addition to avoiding dangerous materials and improved product purity, this reaction is easy to scale up and amenable to full automation. PEAR has the potential to be a useful tool for large-scale production of antisense oligonucleotide drugs.

Wnt signaling is an evolutionary cell‐to‐cell coordination mechanism and it is highly
critical for a variety of physiological processes of an organism's body, including stem
cell regeneration, proliferation, division, migration, polarity of a cell, determining fate
of the cell and specification of neural crest, neural symmetry and morphogenesis.
Wnts are extracellular secreted glycol proteins, consisted of a family of 19 human
proteins that represent the complex nature of the regulatory structure and
physiological efficiency of signaling. Moreover, a Wnt/β‐catenin‐dependent pathway and the β‐catenin‐independent pathway that is further classified into the Planar
Cell Polarity and Wnt/Ca2+ pathways have been established as key signaling nodes
downstream of the frizzled (Fz/Fzd) receptor, and these nodes are extensively
analyzed at biochemical and molecular levels. Genetic and epigenetic activities that
ultimately characterize the pathway and its subsequent responses contribute to
Wnt‐β‐catenin signaling pathway hypo or hyper‐activation and is associated with
the variety of human disorders progression most significantly cancers. Recognizing
how this mechanism operates is crucial to the advancement of cancer prevention
therapies or regenerative medicine methods.

Maturation is the last step of heart growth that prepares the organ over the lifetime
of the mammal for powerful, effective, and sustained pumping. Structural, gene
expression, physiological, and functional specialties of cardiomyocytes describe this
mechanism as the heart transits from fetus to adult phases. The main cornerstones
of maturation of cardiomyocytes are reviewed and primary regulatory mechanisms
are summarized to facilitate and organize these cellular activities. During embryonic
development, cardiomyocytes proliferate rigorously but leave the cell cycle
permanently immediately after the parturition of the child and experience terminal
differentiation. The activation of a host of genes specific for the mature heart is
correlated with the exit from the cell cycle. Even when exposed to mitogenic stimuli,
the bulk of mature cardiomyocytes do not re‐join the cell cycle. The reason for this
permanent exit from the cell cycle is shown to be linked with stable switching off of
the genes of the cell cycle directly involved in the G2/M transition phase and
cytokinesis development. Researchers also trying to explain the molecular
mechanism involved in stable inhibition of the gene and described structural
changes (epigenetic and chromatin) in this mechanism. Substantial developments in
the future with advances in the scientific platforms used for cardiomyocyte
maturation research will broaden our understanding of this mechanism and result in
better maturation of cardiomyocyte‐derived pluripotent stem cells and effective
treatment approaches for cardiovascular diseases.

LASV and EBOV are the two emerging zoonotic pathogens that caused an infection that results in a severe hemorrhagic fever (HF) in the people of Africa. Both Viruses have been reported more than 40 years ago, i.e. 1969 and 1976. It has been estimated that LASV is continuously emerging with more than 5 million cases and 5,000 deaths every year, whereas, until today, EBOV is responsible for a total of eleven outbreaks with more than 30, 000 cases and 15,000 deaths. However, Both Viruses re-emerging with more severity, fatality, and asymptomatic condition than previous, which is creating a considerable situation in the current world's battle of SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. Therefore, our current review article aims to hypothesize the upcoming global outbreak of LASV or EBOV based on their current Immune genesis, pathogenesis, and epidemiological understanding. However, our understanding of pandemic and disease spreading of both viruses are limited, particularly the environmental factors that contribute, and the cellular and viral dynamics during transmission from natural reservoirs to humans, and last, the virology in humans is quite complicated. Therefore, improvement in the scientific collaboration and research activities, funding for projects, and encouragement of health ministries and the research institutes are necessary for better understanding the viruses. In last, a data-sharing platform should introduce for all researchers having an opportunity to share and conceptualized all the necessary materials related to pathogens, such as epigenetics, host-factor, genomics, and proteomics, which will contribute as an advantageous step towards the battle against Lassa or Ebola viruses.

Mushroom also known as a lit source of nutritional and therapeutical component so in order toevaluate the usefulness of the Pakistani wild mushroom strains as the possible nutracueticals, adetailedstudy entailing several tests for the determination of anti-oxidant potential was carried out on the electedmushrooms in four different solvents. Strains of Lentinus edodes, Pleurotus ostreatus, Volvariella volvacea,Pleurotus eryngii and Ganoderma lucidum were extracted for this particular purpose in the water, n- butanol,n-hexane and choloroform solvents. Test models including Total Phenolic Content assay, Total FlavonoidContent assay, 2,2-diphenyl-1,1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) Scavenging Activity assay and Reducing Powerassay were utilized for carrying out the comparative analysis among the selected mushrooms. The acquiredresults indicated that the extract of Volvariella volvacea and Pleurotus eryngii possess copacetic anti-oxidantpotential and can be utilized as oxidative stress reliever in...