TGF-β signaling molecules in : role of BMP and BMP inhibitors during pattern formation.

Understanding the evolution of body plans has been one of the major areas of investigation in developmental and evolutionary biology. Cnidaria, the sister group to bilaterians, provides an opportunity to elucidate the origin and evolution of body axes. , a freshwater cnidarian, is a useful model to study signaling pathways governing pattern formation, which are conserved up to vertebrates including humans.

Identification and characterization of multidomain monothiol glutaredoxin 3 from diploblastic Hydra.

Intracellular antioxidant glutaredoxin controls cell proliferation and survival. Based on the active site, structure, and conserved domain motifs, it is classified into two classes. Class I contains dithiol Grxs with two cysteines in the consensus active site sequence CXXC, while class II has monothiol Grxs with one cysteine residue in the active site.

Glutaredoxin 1 from Evolutionary Ancient Hydra: Characteristics of the Enzyme and Its Possible Functions in Cell.

Glutaredoxin (Grx) is an antioxidant redox protein that uses glutathione (GSH) as an electron donor. Grx plays a crucial role in various cellular processes, such as antioxidant defense, control of cellular redox state, redox control of transcription, reversible S-glutathionylation of specific proteins, apoptosis, cell differentiation, etc. In the current study, we have isolated and characterized dithiol glutaredoxin from Hydra vulgaris Ind-Pune (HvGrx1).

A novel thioredoxin glutathione reductase from evolutionary ancient metazoan Hydra.

Thioredoxin (Trx) and glutathione disulfide (GSSG), are regenerated in reduced state by thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and glutathione reductase (GR) respectively. A novel protein thioredoxin glutathione reductase (TGR) capable of reducing Trx as well as GSSG, linking two redox systems, has only been reported so far from parasitic flat worms and mammals. For the first time, we report a multifunctional antioxidant enzyme TGR from the nonparasitic, nonmammalian cnidarian Hydra vulgaris (HvTGR) which is a selenoprotein with unusual fusion of a TrxR domain with glutaredoxin (Grx) domain.

Cloning and characterization of Thioredoxin 1 from the Cnidarian Hydra.

Thioredoxins, small disulphide-containing redox proteins, play an important role in the regulation of cellular thiol redox balance through their disulfide reductase activity. In this study, we have identified, cloned, purified and characterized thioredoxin 1 (HvTrx1) from the Cnidarian Hydra vulgaris Ind-Pune. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that HvTrx1 contains an evolutionarily conserved catalytic active site Cys-Gly-Pro-Cys and shows a closer phylogenetic relationship with vertebrate Trx1.

Xeroderma pigmentosum A homolog from partially complements DNA repair defect in human XPA-deficient cells.

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway is a DNA repair mechanism that rectifies a wide spectrum of DNA lesions. Xeroderma pigmentosum group of proteins (XPA through XPG) orchestrate the NER pathway in humans. We have earlier studied XPA homolog from (HyXPA) and found it to be similar to human XPA.

DNA Repair Repertoire of the Enigmatic Hydra.

Since its discovery by Abraham Trembley in 1744, hydra has been a popular research organism. Features like spectacular regeneration capacity, peculiar tissue dynamics, continuous pattern formation, unique evolutionary position, and an apparent lack of organismal senescence make hydra an intriguing animal to study. While a large body of work has taken place, particularly in the domain of evolutionary developmental biology of hydra, in recent years, the focus has shifted to molecular mechanisms underlying various phenomena.

Differential expression of BMP inhibitors gremlin and noggin in Hydra suggests distinct roles during budding and patterning of tentacles.

Background: Mechanisms regulating BMP and Wnt pathways and their interactions are not well studied in Hydra.

Results: We report identification of BMP inhibitor gremlin, comparison of its expression with that of noggin and possible antagonism between Wnt and BMP signaling in Hydra. Gremlin is expressed in body column with high levels in budding region and in early buds.

One of the most significant discoveries in Developmental Biology from an Indian laboratory - Iqbal A. Niazi and the role of retinoids in limb regeneration.

In this short commentary, we reflect upon the fascinating paper by I.A. Niazi entitled "Background to work on retinoids and amphibian limb regeneration: Studies on anuran tadpoles - a retrospect.

A brief history of the Indian Society of Developmental Biologists (InSDB).

The Indian Society of Developmental Biologists (InSDB) was founded in 1977 to promote regular interactions between all those interested in how organisms develop. Conferences and training workshops are regularly held in different parts of the country. In addition to Indian developmental biologists, InSDB invites participants from different parts of the globe every year, which allows exchange of ideas with the international community.

Leela Mulherkar and the teaching of developmental biology.

The formal teaching of developmental biology in India began in the late nineteen-fifties at the Department of Zoology of the University of Poona. This was due to the efforts of Leela Mulherkar, who on her return from C.H.

Cell signaling molecules in hydra: insights into evolutionarily ancient functions of signaling pathways.

Hydra, a Cnidarian believed to have been evolved about 60 million years ago, has been a favorite model for developmental biologists since Abraham Trembley introduced it in 1744. However, the modern renaissance in research on hydra was initiated by Alfred Gierer when he established a hydra laboratory at the Max Plank Institute in Göttingen in the late 1960s. Several signaling mechanisms that regulate development and pattern formation in vertebrates, including humans, have been found in hydra.

The past and present of developmental biology in India.

This issue of The International Journal of Developmental Biology (Int. J. Dev.

Excess hydrogen peroxide inhibits head and foot regeneration in hydra by affecting DNA repair and expression of essential genes.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are necessary for various cellular processes. However, excess ROS cause damage to many biological molecules and therefore must be tightly regulated in time and space. Hydrogen peroxide (H O ) is the most commonly used ROS as second messenger in the cell.

VEGF and FGF signaling during head regeneration in hydra.

Background: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling pathways play important roles in the formation of the blood vascular system and nervous system across animal phyla. We have earlier reported VEGF and FGF from Hydra vulgaris Ind-Pune, a cnidarian with a defined body axis, an organized nervous system and a remarkable ability of regeneration. We have now identified three more components of VEGF and FGF signaling pathways from hydra.

Analysis of the conserved NER helicases (XPB and XPD) and UV-induced DNA damage in Hydra.

Background: Nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway is an evolutionarily conserved mechanism of genome maintenance. It detects and repairs distortions in DNA double helix. Xeroderma Pigmentosum group B (XPB) and group D (XPD) are important helicases in NER and are also critical subunits of TFIIH complex.

Mannose 6-phosphate-dependent lysosomal enzyme targeting in hydra: a biochemical, immunological and structural elucidation.

Mannose 6-phosphate (M6P)-dependent lysosomal enzyme targeting to endosome/lysosome complex is poorly understood among lower invertebrates. So far, only a M6P-independent lysosomal enzyme sorting protein, named LERP, has been described in Drosophila. Here, we have identified mannose 6-phosphate receptor (MPR) homologues in Hydra vulgaris, a basal Cnidarian, at genome level and further purified a cation-dependent MPR-like protein from hydra using affinity chromatography.

DNA repair enzyme APE1 from evolutionarily ancient Hydra reveals redox activity exclusively found in mammalian APE1.

Only mammalian apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease1 (APE1) has been reported to possess both DNA repair and redox activities. C terminal of the protein is required for base excision repair, while the redox activity resides in the N terminal due to cysteine residues at specific positions. APE1s from other organisms studied so far lack the redox activity in spite of having the N terminal domain.

Identification and characterization of the autophagy-related genes Atg12 and Atg5 in hydra.

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process in eukaryotic cells that is involved in the degradation of cytoplasmic contents including organelles via the lysosome. Hydra is an early metazoan which exhibits simple tissue grade organization, a primitive nervous system, and is one of the classical non-bilaterian models extensively used in evo-devo research. Here, we describe the characterization of two core autophagy genes, Atg12 and Atg5, from hydra.

Ecotoxicological assessment of cobalt using Hydra model: ROS, oxidative stress, DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis as mechanisms of toxicity.

The mechanisms underlying cobalt toxicity in aquatic species in general and cnidarians in particular remain poorly understood. Herein we investigated cobalt toxicity in a Hydra model from morphological, histological, developmental, and molecular biological perspectives. Hydra, exposed to cobalt (0-60 mg/L), were altered in morphology, histology, and regeneration.

Hydra as a model organism to decipher the toxic effects of copper oxide nanorod: Eco-toxicogenomics approach.

Nanotechnology has emerged as a powerful field of applied research. However, the potential toxicity of nano-materials is a cause of concern. A thorough toxicological investigation is required before a nanomaterial is evaluated for application of any kind.

UV induced foot duplication in regenerating hydra is mediated by metalloproteinases and modulation of the Wnt pathway.

We have shown earlier that irradiation with UV induces duplication of foot in regenerating middle pieces of hydra. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the underlying mechanism(s) leading to this curious phenomenon. UV irradiation induced duplicated foot in about 30% of regenerating middle pieces.

ROS dependent copper toxicity in Hydra-biochemical and molecular study.

Copper, an essential microelement, is known to be toxic to aquatic life at concentrations higher than that could be tolerated. Copper-induced oxidative stress has been documented in vitro, yet the in vivo effects of metal-induced oxidative stress have not been extensively studied in the lower invertebrates. The objective of the present study has been to find the effect of ROS-mediated toxicity of environmentally relevant concentrations of copper at organismal and cellular levels in Hydra magnipapillata.