Ranjana Jaiwal

Bio: Ranjana Jaiwal is an academic researcher from Maharshi Dayanand University. The author has contributed to research in topic(s): Biosensor & Agrobacterium tumefaciens. The author has an hindex of 10, co-authored 23 publication(s) receiving 378 citation(s). Previous affiliations of Ranjana Jaiwal include Banaras Hindu University.

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated high frequency genetic transformation of an Indian cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.) cultivar and transmission of transgenes into progeny

Abstract: A reproducible Agrobacterium tumefaciens -mediated genetic transformation system for the production of fertile transgenic plants of cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata ) that transmits transgenes into progeny in Mendelian fashion has been developed. The cotyledonary node explants excised from 4-d-old seedlings, raised in vitro on medium containing salts of Murashige and Skoog's and vitamins of Gamborg's media (MBM) and BAP (10 μM), were co-cultured with Agrobacterium strain EHA105 harboring a binary vector pCAMBIA2301 that carried β-glucuronidase ( uid A) interrupted with an intron and neomycin phosphotransferase ( npt II) genes as a reporter and a selectable marker, respectively. The green shoots recovered from Agro-infected explants on selection medium (MBM containing BAP 5 μM, kanamycin 85 mg l −1 and cefotaxime 500 mg l −1 ) were rooted on MS supplemented with IBA (2.5 μM) and kanamycin (10 mg l −1 ). The rooted shoots that were found positive for the npt II gene by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were established in soil and grown to maturity to collect the seeds. The integration of npt II gene into the cowpea genome was confirmed by Southern analysis. GUS activity was detected in vegetative and reproductive organs of T 0 plants and T 1 seedlings. The transgenes inherited in Mendelian fashion in T 1 progeny as detected by PCR. The transformation efficiency was 0.76% and 20–23 weeks were required from seed to seed generation time. This protocol can be used to introduce agronomically desired genes in cowpea for its genetic improvement.

Progress and challenges in improving the nutritional quality of rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Abstract: Rice is a staple food for more than 3 billion people in more than 100 countries of the world but ironically it is deficient in many bioavailable vitamins, minerals, essential amino- and fatty-acids and phytochemicals that prevent chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancers, and obesity. To enhance the nutritional and other quality aspects of rice, a better understanding of the regulation of the processes involved in the synthesis, uptake, transport, and metabolism of macro-(starch, seed storage protein and lipid) and micronutrients (vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals) is required. With the publication of high quality genomic sequence of rice, significant progress has been made in identification, isolation, and characterization of novel genes and their regulation for the nutritional and quality enhancement of rice. During the last decade, numerous efforts have been made to refine the nutritional and other quality traits either by using the traditional breeding with high through...

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.).

Abstract: Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an important oilseed crop grown in India, China, Korea, Russia, Turkey, Mexico, South America, and several countries of Africa. Sesame seeds are rich in oil, proteins, unsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and folic acid. Nearly 70% of the world's sesame is processed into oil and meal, while the remainder is channeled to food and confectionery industries. Production of sesame is limited by several fungal diseases, water logging, salinity, and shattering of seed capsules during harvest. Introgression of useful genes from wild species into cultigens by conventional breeding has not been successful due to postfertilization barriers. The only alternative for the improvement of S. indicum is to transfer genes from other sources through genetic transformation techniques. Here, we describe a simple, fast, and reproducible method for the Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation of S. indicum which may be employed for the transfer of desirable traits into this economically important oilseed crop.

Advances in genetic improvement of Camelina sativa for biofuel and industrial bio-products

Abstract: Ever-increasing global energy demand, diminishing fossil fuel reserves and environmental concerns have forced to look for renewable and sustainable alternative energy sources preferentially from non-food crops. Camelina being a short-duration, low-cost, non-food oilseed crop with high content of oil (45%) rich in unsaturated fatty acids and capable of growing in marginal lands has emerged as a potential alternative for biofuel (with low carbon emission) and industrial bio-products. However, the fatty acid profile needs to be refined to make it more efficient for biodiesel and bio-products. Attempts to improve crop yield, oil content and composition through conventional and mutation breeding have been limited due to inadequate genetic diversity and availability of mutants. Simple and easy transformation and recent upsurge in ‘omics’ data (trancriptomics and genomics) has resulted in better understanding of lipid biosynthesis and its regulation, and thus has made it possible to produce unusual lipids with modified fatty acids for new functionalities. However, further improvement is still awaited for carbon assimilation efficiency, resistance to various abiotic and biotic stresses, seed yield, oil content and composition. This review extensively analyses the recent advances and challenges in using molecular markers, genomics, transcriptomics, miRNAs and transgenesis for improvement in biotic and abiotic stresses, carbon assimilation capabilities, seed yield, oil content and composition in camelina for biodiesel fuel properties, nutrition and high value-added industrial products like bioplastics, wax esters and terpenoids.

An improved amperometric creatinine biosensor based on nanoparticles of creatininase, creatinase and sarcosine oxidase

Abstract: An improved amperometric biosensor for detection of creatinine was developed based on immobilization of nanoparticles (NPs) of creatininase (CA), creatinase (CI), and sarcosine oxidase (SOx) onto glassy carbon (GC) electrode. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) were employed for characterization of enzyme nanoparticles (ENPs). The GC electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectra (EIS) at different stages of its amendment. The biosensor showed optimum response within 2s at pH 6.0 in 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer and 25 °C, when operated at 1.0 V against Ag/AgCl. Biosensor exhibited wider linear range from 0.01 μM to 12 μM with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.01 μM. The analytical recoveries of added creatinine in sera were 97.97 ± 0.1% for 0.1 mM and 98.76 ± 0.2% for 0.15 mM, within and between batch coefficients of variation (CV) were 2.06% and 3.09% respectively. A good correlation (R 2 = 0.99) was observed between sera creatinine values obtained by standard enzymic colorimetric method and the present biosensor. This biosensor measured creatinine level in sera of apparently healthy subjects and persons suffering from renal and muscular dysfunction. The ENPs electrode lost 10% of its initial activity within 240 days of its regular uses, when stored at 4 °C.

Prevalence of chronic kidney disease

Abstract: The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially the early stages, is still not exactly known. This is also true for CKD stage 3, when cardiovascular and other major complications generally appear. The NANHES data have shown a steady increase in the prevalence of CKD 3 up to 7.7% in 2004. Chronic kidney disease and renal failure are underdiagnosed all over the world. In Italy, prevalence estimates for stage 3 to 5 CKD are around 4 million yet, less than 30% of these subjects are believed to be followed at nephrology clinics. This means that in Italy for every dialyzed patient there are about 85 individuals with possibly progressive kidney disease, while fewer than five (mainly stage 4 and 5 patients) are actually followed by a nephrologist.

Advances in cereal genomics and applications in crop breeding [Erratum: 2007 Jan., v. 25, issue 1, p. 1.]

Abstract: Recent advances in cereal genomics have made it possible to analyse the architecture of cereal genomes and their expressed components, leading to an increase in our knowledge of the genes that are linked to key agronomically important traits. These studies have used molecular genetic mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTL) of several complex traits that are important in breeding. The identification and molecular cloning of genes underlying QTLs offers the possibility to examine the naturally occurring allelic variation for respective complex traits. Novel alleles, identified by functional genomics or haplotype analysis, can enrich the genetic basis of cultivated crops to improve productivity. Advances made in cereal genomics research in recent years thus offer the opportunities to enhance the prediction of phenotypes from genotypes for cereal breeding.

Genome sequencing of the important oilseed crop Sesamum indicum L

Abstract: The Sesame Genome Working Group (SGWG) has been formed to sequence and assemble the sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) genome. The status of this project and our planned analyses are described.

Transgenic cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) seeds expressing a bean α-amylase inhibitor 1 confer resistance to storage pests, bruchid beetles

Abstract: Cowpea is one of the important grain legumes. Storage pests, Callosobruchus maculatus and C. chinensis cause severe damage to the cowpea seeds during storage. We employ a highly efficient Agrobacterium-mediated cowpea transformation method for introduction of the bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) α-amylase inhibitor-1 (αAI-1) gene into a commercially important Indian cowpea cultivar, Pusa Komal and generated fertile transgenic plants. The use of constitutive expression of additional vir genes in resident pSB1 vector in Agrobacterium strain LBA4404, thiol compounds during cocultivation and a geneticin based selection system resulted in twofold increase in stable transformation frequency. Expression of αAI-1 gene under bean phytohemagglutinin promoter results in accumulation of αAI-1 in transgenic seeds. The transgenic protein was active as an inhibitor of porcine α-amylase in vitro. Transgenic cowpeas expressing αAI-1 strongly inhibited the development of C. maculatus and C. chinensis in insect bioassays.